[peter123]

Can anyone recommend cheap (<$50) on-ear cans for commuting? Good isolation is required. Earcups must pivot.

My (quite old now) MEElectronics HT-21s are having wiring issues from L to R and I'm not confident I can replace that wire myself, so I would like to buy something to replace. I'm seeing lots of recommendations here for open and semi-open and that just won't do for riding the subway/bus. Many thanks in advance.

[EDIT1] Has anyone tried the Xiaomi Mi Headphones Comfort? Found just one external review: https://www.thephonograph.net/xiaomi-mi-headphones-comfort-relaxed-tdser02jy-review/

[EDIT2] Leaning toward Takstar Pro 82, which seems to be a community favorite here. Closed design. A little over my target price. Is there anything below $50 that competes?

I personally don't like the Pro82 in general but even if one did I'd be hesitant to recommend them for commuting as you've got the choice between tight bass with very little impact (vents closed) or very low quality bass with high impact (vents open). For commuting I'd say that vents open is a must and the sound quality is very average that way imo....

Edit: There's not easy to get a good sounding full size headphone for less than $50 though so I think it's rather a matter of how bad sound one can accept and what tradeoffs one is willing to do.

 

[audioffile]

For commuting I'd say that vents open is a must and the sound quality is very average that way imo....

Why vents open?

Edit: There's not easy to get a good sounding full size headphone for less than $50 though so I think it's rather a matter of how bad sound one can accept and what tradeoffs one is willing to do.

Good point on the trade-offs. The HT-21 that I'm replacing is a $20 on-ear (not over-ear) mini-can (with a cup diameter a little under 6cm). They never produced much bass, so I expect even with a fully closed full-size I will still be relatively happier with both the isolation and the bass. Having said all that, I'm still open to the idea of another set of mini-cans if there's anything that's worth trying. If you don't like the Pro82, what do you recommend in its place?

 

[raccoon city]

If you're willing to get over-ear headphones instead of on-ear, I would recommend one of the ISK MDH9000 clones.
They're closed, and full-size.
They have plenty of bass, too.
I love them.

 

[raccoon city]

If you have to have on-ear headphones, I recommend the JVC HA-S500.
I think you may have to replace the pads, however, so that might bring you over $50.
I've never owned them, though.
I have the very similar JVC HA-S680, which is over-ear.

 

[Markolav]

Msur N350 might be a good option for portable usage.

 

[audioffile]

I've just discovered a local source for Remax products, but around here I only see reviews for their in-ear products. Has anyone tried their cans?

EDIT2: Cleaned up and moved the list of models I'm looking at to a post below.

 

[Slater]

I've just discovered a local source for Remax products, but around here I only see reviews for their in-ear products. Has anyone tried their cans?

EDIT: Summary of what I'm considering now

• 
  
• Remax

That's like stuff you see in dollar stores and Big Lots.

What's your budget? Surely we can steer you towards better gear that's still in your budget.

 

[audioffile]

That's like stuff you see in dollar stores and Big Lots.

What's your budget? Surely we can steer you towards better gear that's still in your budget.

Ha ha. Problem with chi-fi, how do you know unless you've tried it? I never quite finished that post I was working on above. My original request is in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chi...-ear-headphones.822184/page-384#post-15386086 above. TLDR: <$50. Good isolation. On-ear & portable for commuting. Cups must pivot or they will cause me discomfort.

Here's what I'm looking at now. Yeah, I know most of these are bigger than I asked for, but I'm researching.

• Msur N350 - $62 AliExpress "Yaoyaotiger HIFI Audio Store". Most thorough review comes from menuki, whose enthusiasm wanes a little over time. If I can summarize him a little. Sound: "less sibilant though, sound more "intimate" and have a tad more bass and less recessed mids." Isolation: "sadly they don't isolate at all.".
• JVC HA-S500 - 3000 Yen ($28) on amazon.jp. Seems the best way to get these is direct from Japan? Any other suggestions? Cheapest and smallest of the group so far.
• ISK MDH9000 - $56 AliExpress "Yaoyaotiger HIFI Audio Store" - These cans get a lot of love here for buid quality, all day comfort, and a smooth, relaxed sound signature.The word "basshead" has been used.
  
• Takstar Pro 82 - $52 AliExpress "Beteran HIFI Audio Store" (or $62 from "TakstarAudio Store")

ISK MDH9000 clones.

Forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand the entire topic of clones. I can buy the ISK MDH9000 on Alipay, so why would I want a clone?

EDIT2: Prices and some key characteristics added above.

 

[raccoon city]

Forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand the entire topic of clones. I can buy the ISK MDH9000 on Alipay, so why would I want a clone?

The clones are just as good as the ISK MDH9000, except for the Akai Professional Project 50X.
That clone has inferior earpads.
Because most of the clones are just as good as each other, you can choose the most convenient or cheapest, depending on where you live.

 

[raccoon city]

These are the ones that I'm aware of:
ISK MDH9000
Stellar Labs HC-5985
Marantz MPH-2
Freeboss MDH9000
LyxPro HAS-30
Neewer NW-9000
Akai Professional Project 50X

 

[Detectit]

These are the ones that I'm aware of:
ISK MDH9000
Stellar Labs HC-5985
Marantz MPH-2
Freeboss MDH9000
LyxPro HAS-30
Neewer NW-9000
Akai Professional Project 50X

Thanks for the list... Funny thing is in my country all those clones are more expensive or the same as the original ISK on AliExpress.

 

[boodi]

Any advice any way to get Onkyo A800 at a reasonable price ( even shipped from Asia )?
Appreciated , thanks.

 

[audioffile]

Prices and some key characteristics added above.

Still hoping for more smaller recommendations (on-ear).

EDIT: Was looking for a good way to link up to the post where I was compiling some info. Not sure the quote method is obvious. Hmm...

 

[Slater]

Any advice any way to get Onkyo A800 at a reasonable price ( even shipped from Asia )?
Appreciated , thanks.

You could try eBay, Amazon, or create a wanted to buy post on the HeadFi for sale board.

 

[Pharmaboy]

The clones are just as good as the ISK MDH9000, except for the Akai Professional Project 50X.
That clone has inferior earpads.
Because most of the clones are just as good as each other, you can choose the most convenient or cheapest, depending on where you live.

To amplify on your first line, the clones are the same exact design (frame, driver, earcups, earpads) as the ISK MDH9000, with just 2 exceptions:

• Different clones have slightly different cosmetic touches--color of outside of earcups, top/bottom of headband, and so on. Purely consmetic/appearance things. For example, I've always preferred the appearance of the Marantz MPH-2s...pure color & branding preferences. None of this affects sound in any way
• As you state, only one of the clones (Akai Professional Project 50X) differs in any substantive way from the others: it uses inferior stock pads that look/sound nothing like the stock pads on all the other clones & ISK MDH9000. But that's easy to fix: the pads of one of the clones, the Lyxpro HAS-30 (which I owned, then gave to a friend) are sometimes available from Amazon, eBay, etc.

I've owned 4 pairs of clones (gave 3 away). One was extensively modded by @Slater, with significant benefits to the sound in multiple ways (these clones can be modded all day long for improved sound). I still take my MPH-2 to Canada on vaca (along w/the humble FiiO e10K, which sounds terrific with it) and am very satisfied with the sound for weeks on end.