[lyramax]

I'm looking for suggestions of headphones in the range of $100 or less that would be most suitable for listening to vocal jazz and chamber music on portable digital audio players.

TIA.

 

[zyxwvutsr]

I would recommend the AKG K501, but seeing that you want to use it with a DAP, that won't be a good choice unless you're willing to invest in an amplifier.

For unamped operation, the Senn HD595 would suit your needs (if you can stretch your budget a little bit - buy used).

 

[F107plus5]

Alessandro MS-1....yeah!!

$99 and no amp required!!

 

[HFat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zyxwvutsr /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would recommend the AKG K501, but seeing that you want to use it with a DAP, that won't be a good choice unless you're willing to invest in an amplifier.

That would depend on the DAP... some have a headphone out that's willing to output a lot more power than others. It also depends on taste (how loud do you listen?),

 

[Advil]

I listen to choral/music on my HD595's and it is absolutely amazing.
I'm currently listening to Unchained Melody by the Fron Male Voice Choir and WOW.

I really reccomend you save up a little more and invest in these cans. They sound great even unamped so you really can't lose!

 

[hempcamp]

If you don't mind sealed cans that are a bit large the Senn HD-280 Pro is a great choice. Very neutral (with slight bass boom typical of sealed headphones), somewhat easy to run without an amp, very durable. Excellent with vocal and chamber at the price point in my experience.

ER-6 is another option if you don't mind IEMs. Better with an amp, but very detailed and neutral if your portable player has enough juice (the iPod does).

Below that, the Sennheiser HD-497 (although I think this is replaced by a newer model?) is a good around-the-house option. Not as durable as the 280 Pro (doesn't sound as good either), not as portable as the ER-6. Not as neutral as either, but decent with chamber and vocals.

Beyer DT-231 and Grados will probably be too boomy and better suited for rock. Although Grados are great with voice and detail, they give me headaches when I use them for chamber -- fatiguing and as if you held your ear right up to the reflex port of every one of the instruments at the same time. In other words, they also don't give much feel for the venue as you get with the Sennheisers.

These, of course, are just my opinions based on my own experience. There are plenty of others I haven't heard.

--Chris

 

[lyramax]

Thanks for all the inputs to-date. I should have mentioned that my primary DAP is a Creative Zen Vision:M but I do occasionally use a portable CD player.

Re: the Alessandro MS-1: reading through the threads on this forum related to this headphone I got the sense that its fan are predominantly people who listen to rock, metal, etc., and thus I am concerned that it might not be right for the kind of music I tend to listen to.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyramax /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for all the inputs to-date. I should have mentioned that my primary DAP is a Creative Zen Vision:M but I do occasionally use a portable CD player. Re: the Alessandro MS-1: reading through the threads on this forum related to this headphone I got the sense that its fan are predominantly people who listen to rock, metal, etc., and thus I am concerned that it might not be right for the kind of music I tend to listen to.

Yeah, that's pretty close at that. But the "real" rock cans are the true "Grados'"!!

Alessandro models are also made by Grado but they are designed and engineered to be a more neutral version of their Grado counterparts. So they cover a slightly wider range of music with a little less emphasis on the more exciting aspects of rock.

They still rock out however....just a bit more politely!

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyramax /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for all the inputs to-date. I should have mentioned that my primary DAP is a Creative Zen Vision:M but I do occasionally use a portable CD player.

The question is, are you going to use the headphones portably as well? Do you need to use them while on the move, or will you be bringing them around with you quite a bit? If the answer is yes to either of these things, that will seriously impact the recommendations people can give you.

 

[lyramax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif The question is, are you going to use the headphones portably as well? Do you need to use them while on the move, or will you be bringing them around with you quite a bit? If the answer is yes to either of these things, that will seriously impact the recommendations people can give you.

I'd like to be able to move around with it inside the house.

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyramax /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd like to be able to move around with it inside the house.

That's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping you'd say: a situation where carrying a portable amp is no big deal. I think I can beat any of these options for precisely the kind of music you're talking, though it will take some patience. For vocal jazz and chamber music, you want planar drivers. Of course, you can't carry a Stax around the house and they cost way more than $100, but have you considered (or even heard of) vintage orthodynamics? You could land a decent pair for well under $50, but you'll need to use the remainder of the money to get a portable amp like a Go-Vibe, Little Dot Micro+, or Xenos OHA to get proper performance out of them. For some models like the Yamahas, you'd also have to pop them open to add a little felt damping. But then, oh yes, you'll have the sound you want in spades.