[big O]

Hi everybody,

I have horrible luck in general, and I've already killed off two sets of headphones in the past 18 months at work. Its not like I was stuffing them at the bottom of a backpack or anything, but I'll be listening to my headphones while doing office work and maybe move too much where I yank the cord.

I ended up losing sound in one ear before they stopped altogehter. So, right now, I'm looking for something more durable.

Right now, I'm trying to decide between the Sennheiser HD 238 vs. the Koss PortaPro. I got a good deal on the Senns, where they're only going to cost $10 more than the PortaPro. But, the PortaPros have that lifetime warranty.

In general, how long should headphones last, and has anybody had specific experience with the Senn HD 238? The Senns come with a two year warranty, but I'm concerned about their durability with their thin cord and straight plug although that seems to be a problem with most of the headphones on the market these days. If the Senns won't hold up, then I'll probably go with the PortaPro for its lifetime warranty.

Or, are there any more better, durable options out there. I listen to audio podcasts at work most of the time, so I'm willing to sacrifice some audio awesomness for greater durability.

Thanks a lot for any help from this newbie.

 

[KLS]

If you consider this to be portable

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/ger...indeed-406658/

Never try HD238 or Koss Porta Pro. I had a pair of PX100, they come with a nice and hard plastic casing, which is good during transportation.

 

[ljokerl]

Or the only indestructible headphones known to man: the DBI Pro 700.

Seriously though, neither the HD238 nor the PortaPros are that tough. Mistreating them probably isn't the best idea.

 

[Whalesha]

I don't have any recommendations, but I do have some suggestions:

-Try wearing your headphones so that the cord goes down your back instead of the front
-Use some sort of cord clip to keep the slack closer to your chest
-Wear the wire under your shirt (I only do this for when I wear an undershirt

)

Good luck!

 

[big O]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalesha /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't have any recommendations, but I do have some suggestions: -Try wearing your headphones so that the cord goes down your back instead of the front -Use some sort of cord clip to keep the slack closer to your chest -Wear the wire under your shirt (I only do this for when I wear an undershirt ) Good luck!

What good does wearing headphones so cord goes down the back do?

And, in general, how much slack do you want the cord to have?

 

[maverickronin]

You should probably look for something with a removable cord since that's where all your damage is occurring.  A pair that uses a standard 1/8th or 1/10th inch mini plug would be best so the cable will just pop out if you yank it too hard, and you can cheaply pick up a new cable when it breaks anyway.
 
These are the cheapest ones I could find on headroom, but they're still a bit more than the ones you were looking at.  I don't have any firsthand experience but the Shure DJ models are supposed to be tough as nails.  Along with the GMPs, these also seem suitable for mastering recordings in a hail of artillery fire.
 
I'd also recommend against the porta pros.  The sound great for the money, but they're fiddly and fragile, lifetime warranty or not.  You have to pay shipping both ways and it adds up for a $30 pair of 'phones.

 

[christine]

Quote:

What good does wearing headphones so cord goes down the back do?
 

So that the cord doesn't get snagged on something and pulled. My old Sennheiser CX300 always got caught on something and pulled out of my ears so I learned to wear the cord in back.
 
How about the Sennheiser HD25-1 II? I've read that it's built pretty well and has a detachable (i.e., replaceable), shorter cord - well, a lot shorter than my AKG K81DJ's 8-ft. cord. You didn't mention your budget, but there's a recent thread talking about getting them for $140 shipped from an eBay seller. They're sold out right now, but maybe there will be more.

 

[AirForceTeacher]

My fiancee's son is autistic and uses headphones with talking books daily. Unfortunately he goes through headphones regularly - the cord breaks at the plug end of the cable. Any suggestions for phones with really strong cable ends? I'm gonna try to find some with replaceable cables, but that may cause other issues if he takes the cables out and loses them.

 

[maverickronin]

If you don't mind a little DIY get something full size, and cheap.  Then hack a 3.5mm jack into it, and buy replacement cables as needed from monoprice.  A 'phone with a built in 3.5mm jack would work well too, but pretty much all of the 'phones with detachable cables use something else like 2 2.5mm monos, or a mini XLR, or something custom, so buying lots of replacement cables wouldn't be cheap.  You could also stockpile cheap headphones from dealextreme.  I think anything durable enough to survive a bored child would cost a lot more than just buying tons to cheap 'phones.