[ClieOS]

Although not many have own them here, Panasonic RP-HTX7 comes into my mind.

Ultra-low leakage - checked
Light and closed - checked
Fun sound (yes, that means bass) - checked
Portable - checked
$130 - a lot cheaper, so checked
......durability? Also checked.
......style? checked.
......what is the question again?

 

[dgbiker1]

I certainly don't think Bose are as bad as they're made out to be, and I give them props for all the research they do (however successful it may or may not be)... but I think IEMs make far better portable and travel headphones.
But for closed phones, I would take Equation Audio RP21s.

 

[analogbox]

They sit comfortably around my ear too. And I have to say I had fun time with it too. It was my first "expensive" headphone and for my untrained ears, they sounded pretty good. It didn't excel in one specific area but they were ok for Rock, Trance and movie watching. Oh, and they were pretty good for gaming too.

Albeit, I don't recall hearing subtle details in the music that I started to discover later on with my then newly purchased e2c, I still kept it for it's versatility until it broke on me. It was already way out of warranty but they exchanged it with a brand new one, no questions asked, so I was pretty happy at their customer service also.

Even though I ended up selling it for a pair of HD595, I still have a soft spot for it's versatility.

 

[Beyerfan70]

I own a pair of the A.E Triports and where i live,for the price they cant be beaten
Although i wouldn't say they were that bassy,but thats a good thing anyway,i think they have a nice all round punchy and colourful sound which i like for travelling
I got mine about 2 years ago,and they sound lovely to me,not to mention they are comfy too
At the end of the day if a headphone makes your music sound great then it doesn't matter who makes them
I own tons of different makes and models some which have had glowing reviews like the Earsuit 7,or the Hd25-1,both of which i didnt like at all,especially the Es7 which hurt like hell and nearly cut my ears!
So its personal taste really
Yes Bose are overpriced but having said that if you dont like shopping online,or you live in places where you haven't a huge choice then you can only buy what you see!
But i'd say they sound on a par with the Es7,but much more comfortable,and i wouldn't hesitate buying another pair

 

[shigzeo]

i see the ops opinion well on this: triports are so light and well portable. circumaural, not ear set pieces. they do what they do better than any other phone in the price range - portable big bass and pretty good leakage protection

 

[Fungi]

After having reterminated and listened to a friend's Triport, I'm going to say that the Creative Aurvana Live! fits the bill perfectly.

 

[asuka10456]

what a joke......

 

[funkadelic]

I think the Op should just buy the Bose and be done with it!

If you buy on brand reputation and competence then the Bose probably fits the bill.

Sure, there may be better sounding (and better value) cans out there but I do wonder how much it matters if the OP finds this not getting in the way of enjoying his music.

They look better that most closed cans when out and about and do have a certain coolness factor with the general public. And they are still a good steup up from bundled earbuds.

For many of us evaluation a whole range of headphones and settling on the best possible is the way to go, it's why this forum exists. But not wanting to do that isn't a crime!


Simon

 

[John E Woven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphaproject /img/forum/go_quote.gif DriverHeaven.net: Bose Triport Headphones

"Many of you might look at that picture and think the headphones are big, bulky, and therefore heavy. this is in fact quite the opposite, they are not heavy! The Triport weighs 5 ounces, that is less than 1/3 of a pound (1/3 of a pound is 6 ounces). Your head will not feel bogged down with these headphones at all. As for the size, they do cup your entire ear comfortably and securely, but they are not that much bigger than your normal run of the mill headphones by comparison."

[size=small]Many of you might look at that picture and think the headphones are big, bulky, and therefore heavy. this is in fact quite the opposite, they are not heavy! The Triport weighs 5 ounces, that is less than 1/3 of a pound (1/3 of a pound is 6 ounces). [/size]

[size=medium]The Triport weighs 5 ounces, that is less than 1/3 of a pound (1/3 of a pound is 6 ounces).[/size]

[size=large](1/3 of a pound is 6 ounces).[/size]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner.

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioCats /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bose and SkullCandy are at least hot looking to the general public. Gotta give them (lots of) credit for that.

true indeed too bad all their research went into their designs and not into their drivers. i hate both bose and skullcandy. bose sound like the music is being covered by a pillow and skullcandy are gushing with bass and nothing else. no detail what-so-ever.

it amazes me how some people think just because something is loud means that it sounds good. a truly good headphone can sound perfectly detailed and crisp at low volumes. no need to damage your hearing when u can get the same detail without the permanent scarring. btw this was a side note.

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John E Woven /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner.

lmao i great set of iems weigh much less than that and sound 20X better or more.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleakhaus /img/forum/go_quote.gif While cheaper alternatives can be found for some Bose cans (Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 for the Bose Quiet Comfort line), I challenge anyone on this board to name a headphone that beats the Bose Around Ears (formely known as Triport) at what they do best: Ultra-low leakage Light and closed Fun sound (yes, that means bass) Portable $130 If it ain't all those things, it don't beat the AE. Low leak: the closest I've come in a portable are the Denon 1001s, but the tight fit of the Bose makes them leak even less. Light: for a closed headphone, these things are LIGHT. Perhaps even too much-- a bit flimsy and apparently not difficult to break-- but my glasses break easily too and that doesn't mean I won't wear them. Fun sound: I don't want studio monitors in a portable; I want some extra bass. Price: Yes, the AE may be a tad overpriced, but guys on this board who are spending hundreds or thousands on headphone amps, cables, cans, etc shouldn't balk at paying $130 when they feel a headphone should be $100. If $30-50 matters to you so much you probably shouldn't be on this board in the first place. Go ahead, Bose-bashers-- tell me what beats the AE. Thanks

Sony MDR-V6. About $70.

There is nothing fun about a Triport. I had to listen to three pairs before I was convinced that the first pair I heard wasn't broken.

The MDR-V6 is entertaining, has good build quality and costs half as much.

 

[LostOne.TR]

so are they cirumaural or supra-aural

-----------------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleakhaus /img/forum/go_quote.gif I want to know cause I heard them, liked them, and will gladly buy a better can if anyone on Head Fi can actually back up the mantra round here of "there's much better choices than Bose for the money." The Senn 25-1 and Equation RP-21s look nice but bulkier, heavier and not circumaural it seems.

Quote:

Many of you might look at that picture and think the headphones are big, bulky, and therefore heavy. this is in fact quite the opposite, they are not heavy! The Triport weighs 5 ounces, that is less than 1/3 of a pound (1/3 of a pound is 6 ounces).

The HD25-II does not in any way look "bulkier and not circumaural" to me.
Did a quick check on google, a site listed the weight of the triport AE at 142 grams, and the HD25-II is listed at 140 grams on headroom. If we're judging by looks, I'd easily judge the triport to be even bulkier than the HD25-II. As I remember, there was even a sell for the HD25 @ ~$100 awhile back.


Quote:

I want to know cause I heard them, liked them, and will gladly buy a better can if anyone on Head Fi can actually back up the mantra round here of "there's much better choices than Bose for the money."

There's a search function on the forum, if it doesn't work out too nicely for you-- try google with "search term site:head-fi.org". I'm not saying you'll like any of the choices more than the bose. You're free to like what you like. There's 0 point in buying a headphone that you will not be as happy with, however it seems like you've already decided. Head-fi isn't the only place with that mantra.
Digg - What about Bose? Part 1
Why Not Bose? - AVS Forum

 

[Jelle Schrijver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uberstuber /img/forum/go_quote.gif ***runs away from brewing flame storm

Ice!, ice!, where's my ice. (couldn't find ice and starting to run in the same direction as Uberstuber.....

 

[Bleakhaus]

Thanks for all the responses, guys.

1) On my ears, the AE is circumaural. My ears are smallish, but by no means miniscule. This probably affects your opinion on the AE radically as it will reduce leak bigtime if it completely surrounds your ears.

2) There are members on this forum who will chant "death to Bose" while ignoring any other facts, and I think that's a shame. Look guys, I get it-- the average consumer thinks there are only two types of headphones: buds that comes with iPods and Bose ("the best!"). I realize that part of the fun of Head Fi is being alternative by liking Grados etc and reveling in obscurantism. I sympathize and understand. Honestly I was being a bit of a pain in the ass to prove a point about this forum.

3) Not everyone wants ****ing IEMS

It if did I wouldn't have posed the question as I did. They can be uncomfortable and my ear holes are too small for them.

4) the V6 is a classic but that 3m coiled cord will make your pocket bulge walking around town with that iPod. Not portable enough.

5) the Panasonic RP-HTX7 is a loose contender although I suspect leaks more and yes, doesn't sound as good as the AE.

6) Yes, the AE is far from perfect. I wish it were sturdier and had better sound. But even after this thread I have yet to find a can that beats it for my needs. The Denon 1000 seems as close as I can get.

7) Speaking of sound, I realize this is Head Fi, haven of not only audiophiles but dedicated and opinionated audiophiles, but sound isn't everything in a portable headphone. I am willing to forego hearing the violinist shuffle his feet in a recording of Beethoven's Ninth when what I need above all is a light, comfortable, zero-leak portable.

8) Finally, despite numerous "you'd be better off leaving Head Fi" warnings, I enjoy the forum immensely. Thanks again for the responses.