[Lurid]

I'm new to the audiophile scene, just trying to get a hang of everything. I've recently come to realize that my horrible speakers aren't cutting it anymore, and I would honestly prefer a good set of cans to speakers anyway (Dormroom Environment). I listen to mostly alternative rock (Queens of the Stone Age, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and some heavier stuff (Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, etc..) so i'm not really sure what would be a good option for me, especially given my relative lack of knowledge on the subject.

Budget is around $100, but I could possibly go alittle higher if the sound was considerably better. The headphones will be un-amp'd atleast at first, therefore please keep that in mind. I'm looking at the Grado SR80's right now as a possible choice, however like I said i'm woefully ignorant on the subject. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks

 

[Uncle Erik]

The Grado SR-80s would be a good place to start. So would the SR-60 and Alessandro MS-1.

If you want to go in a different direction, take a look at the Sony MDR-V6. $50-$60, closed, and I enjoyed a pair for years and years before finding this place. I still think they're pretty good, too.

 

[BrookR1]

The SR-80s are a great choice for an open headphone. They're lively, punchy and engaging. If you prefer some isolation, you might check out some closed headphones to help block out surrounding noise. I'm not an expert in closed headphones (I never liked the ones I owned), so someone else will have to chime in for closed hp recommendations.

 

[Lurid]

Alright, thanks guys. The environment i'm in isn't overly noisy, so i'm not too worried about that. Its more or less just me bothering other people with my music, and the ability to get a better overall sound without having to worry about anyone else's opinion

 

[davidr2287]

Grados and Alessandro headphones leak out a lot of noise though, so i dont know if you would want to use them in a dorm/library environment.

 

[Lurid]

Oh ok, I wasn't aware of that. I'm not sure then, I just wish there was some way I could test them before I bought them, but thats not possible (And even if it was, it almost certainly wouldn't be available in this corner of the country)

 

[g500tec]

yeah grado sr60's/80's are great. if you want closed phones, you might want to check out sony v6 or equation audio rp21.

 

[g500tec]

or also denon ah-d1000.