[naurispunk]

Ah, it's been a while

Maybe someone can help me out with this: I'm concidering buying one of my colleagues at work a new pair of headphones for birthday but I realised that I'm not ready to spend for them as much as I would usually spend for headphones And I don't really know any good deals under $100. The guy has never used descent headphones before so I think just the basic entry level heaphones should do. 

Here are some criteria they should meet:
Price ~ $50 - $60
Descent looking (reason I don't want to buy HD201)
Descent sounding
Shouldn't be too uncomfortable (another reason I don't want to buy HD201)
Office environment so shouldn't leak like crazy (so Grado SR60 is not an option)
 
Also they will most likely be plugged straight into sound card hence they should be fairly easy to drive.

 

[sidel]

"decent" sounding / looking is rather subjective.
Do you know their preferred genre(s)?
 
JVC RX700
superlux HD681
creative aurvana live

 

[naurispunk]

I think he mostly listens to acoustic and rock. 
Quote:

"decent" sounding / looking is rather subjective.
Do you know their preferred genre(s)?
 
JVC RX700
superlux HD681
creative aurvana live

 

 

[ostewart]

panasonic RP-HTX7

 

[crinacle]

Panasonic HTF600, Superlux HD668B/HD681, maybe a Portapro, Koss KSC75

 

[cocolinho]

creative aurvana live! no hesitation, they're so comfy! and good sounding too

 

[naurispunk]

was thinking about them too.
 
Personally I like the design of JVC RX700 better but they are just so freakin huge
Quote:

creative aurvana live! no hesitation, they're so comfy! and good sounding too

 

 

[SanjiWatsuki]

If you decide to go for the HTF600, do realize that they leak sound a lot more than closed headphones. They're effectively semi-open.

 

[naurispunk]

I know. Open back phones are not an option.  
Quote:

If you decide to go for the HTF600, do realize that they leak sound a lot more than closed headphones. They're effectively semi-open.

 

 

[naurispunk]

Panasonic HTF600, Superlux HD668B/HD681 and Portapro are open back. Not sure if that is the way to go for office environment (by office I mean a bunch of people working in one room )
 
Quote:

Panasonic HTF600, Superlux HD668B/HD681, maybe a Portapro, Koss KSC75

 

 

[crinacle]

Perhaps a Superlux HD661 then.

 

[Elysian]

Do not get the Sennheiser HD238 ($57 Amazon).  They suck, and I can't believe they have a $140 MSRP.  One of the worst purchases I've ever made.  This is what I get for trusting Amazon reviews.

 

[sidel]

Quote:

Panasonic HTF600, Superlux HD668B/HD681 and Portapro are open back. Not sure if that is the way to go for office environment (by office I mean a bunch of people working in one room )
 

The HD681 are semi-open; low / med volumes likely won't bother anyone, unless they're directly on top of you. I wouldn't risk it if the person likes to seriously rock out though.
 
---
For acoustic/rock my personal preference would be 681 > RX700 > CALs

 

[naurispunk]

noted.
 
Quote:

Do not get the Sennheiser HD238 ($57 Amazon).  They suck, and I can't believe they have a $140 MSRP.  One of the worst purchases I've ever made.  This is what I get for trusting Amazon reviews.

 

 

[zazex]

My recommendation is:
 
exactly in the price range
well made - in Japan
very reasonably sized
comfortable to wear
vented but not really open -
virtually no sound leakage
excellent "punchy" sound
 
I have 2 pair - 
 
1 for the gym and 1 for generally walking around
 
Yamaha RH5MA Monitors
 
 
I recommend them highly; for the price I don't know
of better closed cans.
 
 
(tho' my usual portable headphones are Senn HD 25 I ii, which 
would be my first recommendation.  But they run 199.
pretty much everywhere.