Buying portable or in-ear headphones? Seeking guidance? DON'T START A NEW THREAD. Ask for advice HERE!

[rttlp]

I have a max of $80, any more than that and I'm cutting into my emergency fund...
 
I'm located in the U.S.

 

[noona1227]

Quote:

Well maybe you don't consciously have a preferred signature yet, but what kind of music do you listen to, and what do you enjoy most about it?
Sound signature out of the way, the V-Modas might be a tad more comfortable, and have iPhone controls, but might also attenuate less noise than the DT1350s. Personally I think the M80s look better, but they're both nice. Also, getting the DT1350s and then the M100s might be a good way to test out multiple signatures. 
 

I listen to jazz, soul and r&b, classical, light rock, hip hop and some pop but I hate synthetic sounds like fake cymbals or piano
I don't like bassy headphones which I don't the beyers and the v-modas are, am I right?
 

 

[sensibus]

I am looking for advice on purchasing some IEMs, I'm looking for a pair of IEMs that have good sound and are comfortable to wear and the cable/cord is also not too cumbersome so I can use them on the go.  I don't want to pair with an amp, just plug them into my mp3 player or my iphone.  I listen to 90% classical (80% orchestral, 20% instrumental), 5% other acoustic (80% jazz, 20% other), and 5% pop/rock/electronic.  Great passive isolation is a must, I don't want to crank up the volume as I plan to use my ears into my golden years.  Price range: $100-500, but if I'm paying more they better be worth it.  Any advice?
 
My brief history:  i started listening to headphones in the early 2000s, with my first set of HD600s and one of the first Meier-audio DIY amp kits.  I then bought Etymotic E4P w/ S attachment (twice, I also lost them twice) and Shure E5c.  But to be honest I am not an audiophile - I rarely listen to the HD600s and now just use a cheap pair of philips earbuds I bought at costco.
 
I'd like to get back into it - from my past history, I can tell you I am lazy when it comes to listening - I don't sit there with the amp hooked up and the Senns plugged in - I just use an mp3 player with a comfortable pair of earbuds to workout or just to listen to stuff at night before I go to sleep.  I HATE the SHure E5c because they are so uncomfortable, the wire is so stiff that it retains the shape of a coil from being packed in it's carrying case and the wire is so long and bulky that it is just not practical to carry around.  I loved the sound of the ER-4P but the foam and silicone triple flanges were not comfortable in my ear especially when sleeping at night, I'm sure they were the cause of ear infections and impacted wax from having them stuck so deep in my ear canal.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Hey guys!
 
I have little to no headphone experience... This will be my first time buying a pair that's more than $30 because I'm sick of my crap headphones dying after 6-8 months. After doing a bunch of research, I eventually almost settled on a Sennheiser PX200-ii pair for $70. As I was getting some last-minute opinions on that, though, I was presented with another option. SOmeone offered to sell me a pair of Monster Turbines (not pro) for $60, plus shipping. Brand new and with 1yr10mo left on the warranty (he got them replaced after his old pair but got a set of big headphones so didn't use IEMs anymore)
 
So that looks like a really good deal, but I've heard that the durability of the Monsters is terrible.
 
I want my headphones to last. I need to be able to use them while doing yardwork and while jogging and while working out in the gym. I don't unduly abuse headphones, but I don't store them in glass cases either.
 
Is there any info that anyone can weigh in with?
 
 
 
P.S. so I was looking through some headphone deals today... and I saw a pair of Sennheiser cx495 IEM's for sale for only $30. I tried to do some research, but there are no reviews, hell, these headphones don't even seem to exist except on Newegg where they're being sold. Any info on that?
 
 
CONTEXT: I listen to a little bit of everything... I like bass for when I'm working out/running and I have rock or techno playing. In my leisure time I listen to jazz and classical. Spatterings of other, random music genres pull up the rear of my music collection. I'm a little eclectic, but don't have tons of money for headphones that can do everything. I do need the bass for the working out, though.

 
Quote:

I have a max of $80, any more than that and I'm cutting into my emergency fund...
 
I'm located in the U.S.

If you're looking for durability in jogging headphones, the Monsters might not be the absolute best option. For $60 it's a pretty good deal, but they're a bit heavy, and they might fall out. Maybe something like the Fisher Audio Eterna can provide you with the bassy sound sig and a more ergonomic fit.
 


Quote:

I listen to jazz, soul and r&b, classical, light rock, hip hop and some pop but I hate synthetic sounds like fake cymbals or piano
I don't like bassy headphones which I don't the beyers and the v-modas are, am I right?
 

 
The V-Modas are a tad bassy, but nothing too drastic, while the Beyers tend towards bright. I think they're both pretty natural sounding, though I can't really tell you any more, given I've never heard either. Maybe ask ljokerl in his review thread, seeing as he's covered both.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Quote:

Hey guys!
 
I have little to no headphone experience... This will be my first time buying a pair that's more than $30 because I'm sick of my crap headphones dying after 6-8 months. After doing a bunch of research, I eventually almost settled on a Sennheiser PX200-ii pair for $70. As I was getting some last-minute opinions on that, though, I was presented with another option. SOmeone offered to sell me a pair of Monster Turbines (not pro) for $60, plus shipping. Brand new and with 1yr10mo left on the warranty (he got them replaced after his old pair but got a set of big headphones so didn't use IEMs anymore)
 
So that looks like a really good deal, but I've heard that the durability of the Monsters is terrible.
 
I want my headphones to last. I need to be able to use them while doing yardwork and while jogging and while working out in the gym. I don't unduly abuse headphones, but I don't store them in glass cases either.
 
Is there any info that anyone can weigh in with?
 
 
 
P.S. so I was looking through some headphone deals today... and I saw a pair of Sennheiser cx495 IEM's for sale for only $30. I tried to do some research, but there are no reviews, hell, these headphones don't even seem to exist except on Newegg where they're being sold. Any info on that?
 
 
CONTEXT: I listen to a little bit of everything... I like bass for when I'm working out/running and I have rock or techno playing. In my leisure time I listen to jazz and classical. Spatterings of other, random music genres pull up the rear of my music collection. I'm a little eclectic, but don't have tons of money for headphones that can do everything. I do need the bass for the working out, though.

Check out the Sennheiser/Addidas Mx 680 Sports: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/portable/mp3-players/head-phones/sennheiser/sweat-water-resistant-headphone-sku-52754/ They should be well suited to your needs also within your price range. They're water/sweat resistant, also many other features. That link is to an Australian store though I'm posting this so you can take a look at them. They have won a few review awards in some magazines. Worth checking out! 

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

I am looking for advice on purchasing some IEMs, I'm looking for a pair of IEMs that have good sound and are comfortable to wear and the cable/cord is also not too cumbersome so I can use them on the go.  I don't want to pair with an amp, just plug them into my mp3 player or my iphone.  I listen to 90% classical (80% orchestral, 20% instrumental), 5% other acoustic (80% jazz, 20% other), and 5% pop/rock/electronic.  Great passive isolation is a must, I don't want to crank up the volume as I plan to use my ears into my golden years.  Price range: $100-500, but if I'm paying more they better be worth it.  Any advice?
 
My brief history:  i started listening to headphones in the early 2000s, with my first set of HD600s and one of the first Meier-audio DIY amp kits.  I then bought Etymotic E4P w/ S attachment (twice, I also lost them twice) and Shure E5c.  But to be honest I am not an audiophile - I rarely listen to the HD600s and now just use a cheap pair of philips earbuds I bought at costco.
 
I'd like to get back into it - from my past history, I can tell you I am lazy when it comes to listening - I don't sit there with the amp hooked up and the Senns plugged in - I just use an mp3 player with a comfortable pair of earbuds to workout or just to listen to stuff at night before I go to sleep.  I HATE the SHure E5c because they are so uncomfortable, the wire is so stiff that it retains the shape of a coil from being packed in it's carrying case and the wire is so long and bulky that it is just not practical to carry around.  I loved the sound of the ER-4P but the foam and silicone triple flanges were not comfortable in my ear especially when sleeping at night, I'm sure they were the cause of ear infections and impacted wax from having them stuck so deep in my ear canal.

I've heard that the JVC FX700 and the Sony EX1000/600 both work well with classical, but neither isolate very well. The Senn IE8 has a large soundstage, but have a heavy bass response, and also don't isolate all that well. Your well-isolating options would be the GR07s, DBA-02/B2, CK10, UE700, j-phonic K2 SP, and RE272, but which one is better for you will depend on what kind of sound you like for your Classical, I think. The B2, UE700, and CK10 will tend to be a bit treble-centric, and excel in detail retrieval, but perhaps lack in bass body, if you like to feel the low brass and percussion parts. The RE272, K2s, and GR07s I think will give you a tad more bass, only just enough to even out the spectrum a bit, and not enough to make it sound bloated. But take everything I just said with a healthy dose of salt (oxymoron?), as I've only heard the GR07 and am basing everything else off of other people's comparisons of them with the others. AFAIK, all of those should be fairly comfortable, and don't insert as deep as the Etys.
 

 

[Loquah]

Quote:

I am looking for advice on purchasing some IEMs, I'm looking for a pair of IEMs that have good sound and are comfortable to wear and the cable/cord is also not too cumbersome so I can use them on the go.  I don't want to pair with an amp, just plug them into my mp3 player or my iphone.  I listen to 90% classical (80% orchestral, 20% instrumental), 5% other acoustic (80% jazz, 20% other), and 5% pop/rock/electronic.  Great passive isolation is a must, I don't want to crank up the volume as I plan to use my ears into my golden years.  Price range: $100-500, but if I'm paying more they better be worth it.  Any advice?
 
My brief history:  i started listening to headphones in the early 2000s, with my first set of HD600s and one of the first Meier-audio DIY amp kits.  I then bought Etymotic E4P w/ S attachment (twice, I also lost them twice) and Shure E5c.  But to be honest I am not an audiophile - I rarely listen to the HD600s and now just use a cheap pair of philips earbuds I bought at costco.
 
I'd like to get back into it - from my past history, I can tell you I am lazy when it comes to listening - I don't sit there with the amp hooked up and the Senns plugged in - I just use an mp3 player with a comfortable pair of earbuds to workout or just to listen to stuff at night before I go to sleep.  I HATE the SHure E5c because they are so uncomfortable, the wire is so stiff that it retains the shape of a coil from being packed in it's carrying case and the wire is so long and bulky that it is just not practical to carry around.  I loved the sound of the ER-4P but the foam and silicone triple flanges were not comfortable in my ear especially when sleeping at night, I'm sure they were the cause of ear infections and impacted wax from having them stuck so deep in my ear canal.

I've just picked up a pair of the Shure SE535 Limited Edition (red) IEMs and they are everything it sounds like you're looking for. They're at the upper end of the price range and may be tricky to get your hands on depending on where you're located, but worth a go. I've heard the standard 535s are also very good, but a little more mid-range focussed.
 

 

[rttlp]

One more question--
 
As was mentioned previously, there is a chance that the monsters may be too heavy for jogging. Well, assuming I can get the Monsters for around $60, I could also get a pair of MEElectronics M6's (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-TechBargains&cm_mmc=AFC-TechBargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16826735012) for $15. This still falls under my hard cap of $80 and I'm assuming that the M6's, being cheaper, will also be significantly lighter. As a result, I could use the monsters for when I'm working out in the gym/doing slow manual labor, but the bouncy running could be reserved for the M6's (accepting a drop in audio quality, of course)
 
Opinions on this course of action?

 

[donnyz89]

I'm considering some options for my next purchase, which I want to be an upgrade from the ones I currently have:
 
Creative Aurvana Live
Meelectronics HT21
Meelectronics M31
Brainwavz Pro Alpha
 
In terms of value and happiness, I would rank the pro alpha as the best purchase and M31 as the worst. The bass is too overwhelming in the M31 and the mid-high range is so piercing it hurts my ear to listening to a lot of the music I like, which include female vocalists. 
 
I'm quite happy with the CAL! for listening at home and the HT21 for convenient listening in my office where people are walking in and out. I use the Pro Alpha when walking and sometimes in my office but its less convenient to take it in and out and it blocks out more sound than I'd like.
 
Anyways, I'm leaning toward getting a higher end IEM and maybe even sell the M31 but since its used and with shipping, I don't know if its even worth it. 
 
So yea, would a IEM between 50-100 be an upgrade even? or should I just save and get a IEM in the $150 range for a real difference in music quality? I feel upgrading the over the ear headphone would run me up more than $200 considering the CAL already sound quite good.

 

[TennisForte]

I'm debating some choices myself: I want something portable, maybe something I could exercise with (I imagine only IEMS fit this category), and something with a good bit of Bass, I'm not too much of an audiophile. I really want something with a good bit of isolation, I'm going to be studying a lot, so I need something with isolation and not too much leakage so as to avoid pissing other people in the library off
I'm debating between the Xtreme Xplosives in ear (JVC HAF1X1X), Panasonic RP-HTX7, AKG 518..Any others I should consider? I have a budget of around 50$ dollars..Also am I being naive or is this statement generally correct: For the same prices, a headphone will typically best an IEM?

 

[twp8888]

Hey guys im looking for some nice portable headphones that i can buy locally in Canada. I don't have the time to order and stuff because i am limited to a small amount of the world . anyways my price range is 1-120$. i listen to mostly
 
rap
hip hop
electro
dubstep
etc...
 
I am looking for something i can wear in class while i do my work. thanks!
 
Tyler

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

One more question--
 
As was mentioned previously, there is a chance that the monsters may be too heavy for jogging. Well, assuming I can get the Monsters for around $60, I could also get a pair of MEElectronics M6's (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-TechBargains&cm_mmc=AFC-TechBargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16826735012) for $15. This still falls under my hard cap of $80 and I'm assuming that the M6's, being cheaper, will also be significantly lighter. As a result, I could use the monsters for when I'm working out in the gym/doing slow manual labor, but the bouncy running could be reserved for the M6's (accepting a drop in audio quality, of course)
 
Opinions on this course of action?

Yeah, that's definitely an option, if you're set on the Turbines.
 


Quote:

I'm considering some options for my next purchase, which I want to be an upgrade from the ones I currently have:
 
Creative Aurvana Live
Meelectronics HT21
Meelectronics M31
Brainwavz Pro Alpha
 
In terms of value and happiness, I would rank the pro alpha as the best purchase and M31 as the worst. The bass is too overwhelming in the M31 and the mid-high range is so piercing it hurts my ear to listening to a lot of the music I like, which include female vocalists. 
 
I'm quite happy with the CAL! for listening at home and the HT21 for convenient listening in my office where people are walking in and out. I use the Pro Alpha when walking and sometimes in my office but its less convenient to take it in and out and it blocks out more sound than I'd like.
 
Anyways, I'm leaning toward getting a higher end IEM and maybe even sell the M31 but since its used and with shipping, I don't know if its even worth it. 
 
So yea, would a IEM between 50-100 be an upgrade even? or should I just save and get a IEM in the $150 range for a real difference in music quality? I feel upgrading the over the ear headphone would run me up more than $200 considering the CAL already sound quite good.

I haven't heard the CAL!s, but I'd say to get a noticeable improvement, going to $150 might be a good idea. For a "fun" sound signature, maybe check out the JVC FXT90? scrollng through ljokerl's review thread could help you get an idea of what's out there.
 


Quote:

I'm debating some choices myself: I want something portable, maybe something I could exercise with (I imagine only IEMS fit this category), and something with a good bit of Bass, I'm not too much of an audiophile. I really want something with a good bit of isolation, I'm going to be studying a lot, so I need something with isolation and not too much leakage so as to avoid pissing other people in the library off
I'm debating between the Xtreme Xplosives in ear (JVC HAF1X1X), Panasonic RP-HTX7, AKG 518..Any others I should consider? I have a budget of around 50$ dollars..Also am I being naive or is this statement generally correct: For the same prices, a headphone will typically best an IEM?

For something to exercise with, I guess you'll be wanting an IEM with some sort of ergonomic fit, or at least something you can wear with the cable looped over your ear (for IEMs). That gives you stuff like the M6 (under-budget), Soundmagic E30 (I think this might fit best), and A151 (not enough bass?), or maybe some of the stuff from H20 Audio, if you anticipate them getting sweaty or anything. Check ljokerl's reviews of them to get some more details, and help you compare them. At the low end, headphone v. IEM can be a matter of preference, as the sound on some low-end IEMs can be better than similarly priced full sized cans, while the reverse is also true. In general though, IEMs can give better isolation and maybe more details, while full headphones can give more visceral bass and better soundstage.
 


Quote:

Hey guys im looking for some nice portable headphones that i can buy locally in Canada. I don't have the time to order and stuff because i am limited to a small amount of the world . anyways my price range is 1-120$. i listen to mostly
 
rap
hip hop
electro
dubstep
etc...
 
I am looking for something i can wear in class while i do my work. thanks!
 
Tyler

Buying locally really limits your choices, so I'm not sure I can give you the full range of options. However, I do believe you can find the Shure SRH750DJs at futureshop or something, so that could be a pair to look into. At the lower end of your price range, the K81DJ could also be a nice portable. As far as IEMs go, maybe something like the Eterna or Atrio MG7 could work for your bass-heavy genres.
 

 

[Loon907]

Seems some of you guys really know what your talking about so I have come here to ask headphone advice.  Let me start start with the facts and my priorities.
 
I'm not an audiophile I can tell the difference between crap and good but not sure if I can really appreciate the difference between very good and excellent
Comfort is probably my highest priority, I travel extensively and spend a lot of time on planes trains and automobiles 12+ hour plane rides and 4-5 hour train rides are normal life
I will never use an amp they will always be plugged directly into laptop, phone, or iPod.  
I listen every kind of music accept country but I really want them to shine when I listen to hard rock and these will also be used for watching movies on the plane or from my laptop
 
Priorities:
Comfort
Noise Cancellation
Sound Quality
 
I've finally come to a place in my life where I can spend $300 - $400 on headphones, if I do spend that much I don't want to have to buy another pair for a long time.
I have tried the bose QC15s and they sound great to me and very comfortable, other than those I really haven't shopped around listening to others in the same price range nor do I really have the time to do so.
I have been doing some reading about the B&W P5s, Dr. Dre Beats, AT M50s and a few others however its highly unlikely I will actually have the opportunity to listen to them prior to purchasing.
 
Can any of the alternatives in the price range match the comfort and noise cancellation of the bose or does it really just come down to minute differences in sound quality?  Like I said when I listened to the bose I thought they sounded great but thats a far cry from being able to listen to the lot of them side by side.
 
Arigato
 
 
 

 

[sensibus]

Quote:

I've heard that the JVC FX700 and the Sony EX1000/600 both work well with classical, but neither isolate very well. The Senn IE8 has a large soundstage, but have a heavy bass response, and also don't isolate all that well. Your well-isolating options would be the GR07s, DBA-02/B2, CK10, UE700, j-phonic K2 SP, and RE272, but which one is better for you will depend on what kind of sound you like for your Classical, I think. The B2, UE700, and CK10 will tend to be a bit treble-centric, and excel in detail retrieval, but perhaps lack in bass body, if you like to feel the low brass and percussion parts. The RE272, K2s, and GR07s I think will give you a tad more bass, only just enough to even out the spectrum a bit, and not enough to make it sound bloated. But take everything I just said with a healthy dose of salt (oxymoron?), as I've only heard the GR07 and am basing everything else off of other people's comparisons of them with the others. AFAIK, all of those should be fairly comfortable, and don't insert as deep as the Etys.
 

Thanks for all the advice!!  I started with |joker|'s 221 review thread but it's just way too massive to know where to start.  I still don't know where to start with the limited list you gave me....  
 
Let me ask you this - based on my two previous IEM's, I loved the sound of the Ety E4-P/S and really do not enjoy the sound of the Shure e5c's.  What I loved about the Etys was the super clear detail, so clear, there was little to no distortion.  The Shure's just don't sound that great to me.  Based on this what would you recommend?  I should add isolation is a high priority for me.
 
I have had multiple headphones in the past, I don't like that since I tend to use only one pair, I don't switch back and forth, so I'd rather spend a bit more and get something I would use a lot of instead of spreading the money out over several different pairs as most of them would remain unused.

 

[sensibus]

Quote:

I've just picked up a pair of the Shure SE535 Limited Edition (red) IEMs and they are everything it sounds like you're looking for. They're at the upper end of the price range and may be tricky to get your hands on depending on where you're located, but worth a go. I've heard the standard 535s are also very good, but a little more mid-range focussed.
 

Do you know how they compare to the Shure e5c?  I have those now, and hate them - more for the discomfort in wearing them, but also they never sounded as good to me as the cheaper Etymotics.  I don't want to lay out a lot of money on something I won't like.  I'm in the US, San Francisco, haven't found any places here where you can try out IEMs though, hence all the questions on this forum.