[harkamus]

The Beyerdynamic DT 48 were first built in 1937. They are still made to this day.

 

[Music Fanatic]

I think room exists for innovation in headphone design -- for example, noise-cancelling 'phones, more comfortable canal phones, etc. Nonetheless, the market is rather small, so with a few exceptionsm such as Audio-Technica, little effort is made at innovation.

 

[mjg]

aproxiamtly 2-3 months if you frequent this form 4-5 times a day.
and it only gets worse!

 

[Demolition]

I bought an MB Quart QuartPhone 50 in 1991, as I recall. They've been abused and repaired (as described in another thread), but still sound great. I suspect that they will still be going strong in another 13 years.

D.

 

[NewSc2]

You *might* need 1 extra set of pads... but I really wouldn't worry. Most quality headphones pads seem to last the lifespan of the headphone.

The only problem is that you keep on wanting to upgrade headphones to even better headphones. Unless you're looking to spend at LEAST $500+, if you stick around here long you'll want to spend more and more.

I've spent about $1k on portables and headphones/headphone related equipment in the past year... and looking to spend more.

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally posted by Music Fanatic I think room exists for innovation in headphone design -- for example, noise-cancelling 'phones, more comfortable canal phones, etc. Nonetheless, the market is rather small, so with a few exceptionsm such as Audio-Technica, little effort is made at innovation.

Even then, Audio-Technica does more "tweaking" than innovating. Like, taking the wood cups to another level, bringing wood cups to a clip-on headphone... Not that they come up with new types of driver technologies or anything.

 

[DwightLooi]

I think for headphones and earphones, obsolescence is not the biggest worry. The biggest worry is that sometimes the manufacturer will discountinue a great product and substitute an inferior one. This is sometimes also true with speakers.

For example, my favourite bud is the discontinued Sony MDR-E484. The E888 just isn't as good in my opinion in terms of sound, looks and ergonomics. A lot of times, good sound isn't about whether the neodynium or cobalt magnets were used. Its not about the diapharm material. Its not even how high-tech or expensive the housing is. Sometimes, a good, harmonious design just comes along that sounds the way you want it.

 

[dj_mocok]

alright.... so some old headphones can kick new headphones' asses anytime... thats good... come to talk about it, since im going to get ATH-A900, do you guys think it will last for a fair amount of time too ? considering the built quality and in terms of sound quality ?

Another thing i want to point is, how about the headphone cable ? how long will it last before it will start falling apart inside, eg. because of unproper handling of the cable when storing?

 

[NewSc2]

It really depends. I haven't heard of many cables having problems. My HD580's cable connection, however, did develop an intermittent signal - but that just gave me an excuse to buy upgrade cables

. As for other headphones, I haven't heard of any cables going bad...

Quality headphones and electronics aren't like computers much. They generally last a long time, much longer than the average lifespan of your average computer peripheral. Vintage (20+ years old) receivers are still very popular for their sound and build quality and you can find many on eBay still working well. That's just one example of the good build of quality electronics.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Quote:

Originally posted by NewSc2 Quality headphones and electronics aren't like computers much. They generally last a long time, much longer than the average lifespan of your average computer peripheral. Vintage (20+ years old) receivers are still very popular for their sound and build quality and you can find many on eBay still working well. That's just one example of the good build of quality electronics.

It depends. My turntable is 20 years old, but my DVD player is of more recent vintage.

 

[mkmelt]

Headphones can last for decades, but parts such as cables, connectors, and pads may become unavailable. Also, today's better headphones do sound noticably better than most of the better phones of the past.

In the 1960s, the Koss Pro 4A and 4AA was considered one of the best sealed headphones. There are still those who prefer the sound of these vintage phones, but in truth they are lacking in midrange and detail when compared to current phones. They weigh more than 1 lb and can cause neck cramps if you wear them for extended periods. Also, the original liquid filled pads are no longer available from Koss, so while you can get replacement pads they are not the same as the original design.

I have a pair of Yamaha YH-1 phones from the late 1970s. A very good phone in its day, they still sound pretty good but not nearly as good as my Sennheiser HD-600. Also, the foam in the pads seems to have compressed with age as these are not as comfy as when I first got them.