If I take good care of my headphones how long would they last? Say headphones like the hd700, m50x dt770 etc etc. Could they last a lifetime?
How long does headphones last?
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podnosimyszafe
New Head-Fier
From what I have seen on the Internet, the most fragile element of many headphones are hinges. Even in case of bluetooth headphones, almost every time I saw a post about someone having a problem with their BT cans, it was usually a broken hinge, even though (to put it colloquially) bluetooth headphones have more things to break down.
Dynamic drivers seem to be very reliable. IMO something like attached cable (like in case DT 770) might be a problem when rubber deteoriates with age and possibly weakens that part where a cable is connected to headphone.
So the only thing that IMO can prevent someone from using a pair of headphone for a very long time are fragile hinges.
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Don't know about the hd700, but both the m50x and dt700 can last a lifetime.Atleast longer than you'd like to keep them, or upgrade to a new headphone.
I have 4 pairs of K240 sextetts, 1 K240 DF, a K340 and a HD250 Linear 1, all of which are well over 45 years old, and still going strong for me. (knock on wood)
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
The issue can be the integrity of the foam. So it depends on the ambiance of humidity. Thus heavy humidity = reduced lifespans.
It may have a lot to do with individual construction. Meaning some manufacturers rely less on foam. I keep my headphones in an airtight Pelican Storage Case with moisture absorption devices. Of course the hinges and pads have archival issues too, but those are usually fixable and of secondary concern. IMO Headphones often only last for 10 years if left-out on their own. But it mainly concerns your individual locations humidity levels and how you address them. IMO
I remember once seeing a used Sony R-10 for sale in Indonesia. If that wasn’t kept in an airtight-box it doesn’t sound at all the way it was intended too.
It may have a lot to do with individual construction. Meaning some manufacturers rely less on foam. I keep my headphones in an airtight Pelican Storage Case with moisture absorption devices. Of course the hinges and pads have archival issues too, but those are usually fixable and of secondary concern. IMO Headphones often only last for 10 years if left-out on their own. But it mainly concerns your individual locations humidity levels and how you address them. IMO
I remember once seeing a used Sony R-10 for sale in Indonesia. If that wasn’t kept in an airtight-box it doesn’t sound at all the way it was intended too.
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Raketen
Headphoneus Supremus
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+1 foams in particular- for long term storage, I'd even put any removable foam stuff into its own containment bag to keep it from getting on everything else if it breaks down.
I've heard working 50's/60s era gear, have seen commenters talking about their 80's vintage porta pros etc... - so it's indeed possible for some items to have a long lifespan with good treatment and occasional restoration/repair.
Not much of an archivist myself, but it would seem prudent to secure some spares for wearable/proprietary components (like those hd700 pads, cable connectors , aforementioned hinges etc...) although the spares will also age.
There's a cool thread on here where people document the vintage headphones they collect, some of the posts talk about restoration, might be of interest - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/show-us-your-vintage-headphones.420490
I've heard working 50's/60s era gear, have seen commenters talking about their 80's vintage porta pros etc... - so it's indeed possible for some items to have a long lifespan with good treatment and occasional restoration/repair.
Not much of an archivist myself, but it would seem prudent to secure some spares for wearable/proprietary components (like those hd700 pads, cable connectors , aforementioned hinges etc...) although the spares will also age.
There's a cool thread on here where people document the vintage headphones they collect, some of the posts talk about restoration, might be of interest - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/show-us-your-vintage-headphones.420490
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I have seen reviews from those who used their HD600 daily for about 10 years before needing to buy a new one for the matching drivers. However, every day was very likely to be an air-conditioned indoor office space.
Dynamic drivers tend to last longer than e-stat drivers, but e-stats have less moving pieces, its more environmental concerns such as dust/humidity/light
Headphones that do not use foam internally (tends to break down) or glue (tends to lose Integrity)
Cables on headphones tend to break down and lose their connections so detectable cables are a plus here
My Grado Hp-1000 (no foam, no glue) is 30+ years old. However, R10's from the same era tend to have died (due to internal foam falling apart).
Headphones that do not use foam internally (tends to break down) or glue (tends to lose Integrity)
Cables on headphones tend to break down and lose their connections so detectable cables are a plus here
My Grado Hp-1000 (no foam, no glue) is 30+ years old. However, R10's from the same era tend to have died (due to internal foam falling apart).
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Believe it or not, around 2016, (after being with primarily full-size my whole life) I kinda felt IEMs would actually last longer. Maybe? But that wasn’t the only reason I moved from full-size to IEMs. The little two pin sockets are amazingly resilient, in my use. But some of my IEMs are just two pieces of aluminum applied together.
ProtegeManiac
Headphoneus Supremus
If Sennheiser keeps operating under ownership like the old one and you make the most of it, you can have a Theseus' headphone philosophical discussion over it.
My HD600 was manufactured in 2007. So far I've only had to replace the pads and cable (several times though), at worst there's the flaking on the headband cover's (tacky, marble blue) paint.
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