Good headphones under $300? (bose or sennheiser)

[aCanadianDude]

I think the reason why people hate Bose is the same reason they hate the Beats, they are overpriced for what they are and everyone thinks they're the best. 

 

[dirkgently]

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I have owned Bose IE2 in-ear guys, and they are actually really nice.  I mean it.  I'm comparing the sound to Grado SR80i.  I suppose SR80i is a boxed wine to a lot of people here, but I certainly don't think so. 

 
I also have the SR80i's.  Compared to the AE2s, I find the SR80i's have less bass and a little less sparkle on the very high end; on the other hand, I felt that the SR80i's have superior detail in mids and highs overall.  For me it's easier to distinguish between instruments.  For example, I listened to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra recording of "Carmina Burana" when I was demoing the SR80i's (in a rather loud guitar shop, which sucked), and found that even at the crescendos when the chorus, strings, and brass are all at the height of their volume, they don't muddy up or get bogged down.  The jazz recording that the AE2 demo used sounded full on the low end, but the other instrumentation sounded more distant and less articulate.  Granted, the only experience I have with the AE2s is the demo at the Bose store, while I've spend 50+ hours with the SR80i's.  Still don't think the Bose headphones are worth the $150 asking price.

 

[palmfish]

From what you said, I'm not sure an open headphone is the best choice for you. The Sennheisers are lightweight and comfortable, but they are large. Their open design also let's noise in and out.
 
On the other hand, if that's OK with you, I second the recommendation for the HD598. It's a terrific headphone that's easy to drive without an amp and has a big, spacious sound. It's a bargain at under $200. With the money you save, you can buy a pair of Etymotic Research IEM's for when you leave the house.

 

[soysaucefox]

Palmfish, I think you are right. I feel like I would be better off with a good closed headphone. Are the bose really that bad for classical music at a low volume and listening to people talk for hours? I mean, I would say above all, comfort is the biggest factor, and the bose quietcomfort 15 are very very comfortable. I would be paying around 200 dollars for them. Is that still too much? I really won't be pushing the limits of these headphones by listening to a whole bunch of rap or metal, or anything that needs a good bass reproduction at all. I just need privacy and quiet background music while reading. So my point is... For wearing while reading and listening to lectures, will I regret buying the bose quietcomfort 15s? 
 
 
I will probably end up getting another pair of strictly music cans, like the HD 600s or something, when I will be actively listening to music, but for now I don't think I'll need that as long as the bose aren't terrible to listen to, which I find it hard to believe that I will actually dislike the sound from them, saying as I don't really have any previous experience with high quality headphones.

 

[dirkgently]

I think the QC 15s for $200 isn't a bad price at all.  One thing about Bose is that they're really good at noise-canceling technology.

 

[palmfish]

I think for your needs, the QC15's are about perfect. Outstanding comfort and noise isolation, and they sound good. You can't go wrong for $200.

 

[Destroysall]

I would go with this recommendation.  The 598s are really good for classical and are great for home use.  But the QC 15s would also satisfy your needs as well.  Your choice.
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From what you said, I'm not sure an open headphone is the best choice for you. The Sennheisers are lightweight and comfortable, but they are large. Their open design also let's noise in and out.
 
On the other hand, if that's OK with you, I second the recommendation for the HD598. It's a terrific headphone that's easy to drive without an amp and has a big, spacious sound. It's a bargain at under $200. With the money you save, you can buy a pair of Etymotic Research IEM's for when you leave the house.

 

 

[Gurloes]

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I listen to classical music, so I don't need a ton of bass, and I also listen to long lectures and sometimes movies, so comfort is one of the most important things to me. I prefer around the ear, and noice cancelling would be very nice, but not a necessity. 

I too think you should start off with closed cans, then buy a second pair of open ones later. That's what I did. I got the DT 770 Pro first, then Grado SR80, then Senn HD 650.
 
The DT 770 Pro are absolutely the most comfortable closed cans I've ever used, however, they're bassy with somewhat recessed mids, so they're OK for classical but not optimal. They do have a wonderful soundstage for closed cans. And on the other end of your wants, they really excel at movies! 
 
AKG K271 MKII might be a good contender, they're also closed & would be good for classical. ATH-A700 is another that would fit the classical mold, but not so much for lectures. But neither is going to be as comfortable as the DT770 or QC15.
 
I've heard both Beats & Bose, even used to own a pair of Bose headphones years ago & a Bose Lifestyle system. I don't think they sound bad, just usually you can get better sound for less money. Ultimately, sound quality is subjective to each of us, if you've tried the QC15 & you like the comfort & sound, go for them. 
 
 

 

[palmfish]

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Thanks palmfish. I think I just needed at least one person to confirm that I'm not making a devastating mistake.

You're welcome. I've had my QC-2's for about 5 years now and I never travel without them.

 

[WashuTaisho]

Exactly what everyone else has been saying: I used to work at Best Buy (I know, I know) and it frustrated me how much everyone coming in thought that Bose, Beats and skullcandy were the best things ever. Not to say bose and beats are bad, they're just way way way too overpriced. I thought they were overpriced even with the employee discount (which took off not quite half, if I remember correctly).