[n4rc0l3pt1c]

I'm looking for cheap headphones (yes, this has been heard of a LOT) that won't be driven by an amp, I'm a newbie to headphones, but I've done a lot of reading and I just want something that sounds really good for the price.

My mom needed new headphones for workout and we were at the local Frys, so I got to pick them out for her and I saw the SportaPro's, they were about the best portables I saw there, and I got them for her. I listened to them myself and they sound great!! How to the KSC-35's compare to them? I know they use the same drivers, but the designs are different so it makes for different sound.

The headphones I'm using are mainly for computer use and for my MP3 player. I was looking around at larger headphones and the Senn 497s and the Sony V6's look very appealing, but are they worth it over the KSC-35? I've heard so much praise about the Koss, do the Koss work well for computer use too? (listening to MP3s and playing FPS games, mainly Half-Life, MOHAA, RTCW) or would the V6 or 497 be better for that. I don't really like the look of the 497s, but they're decent, the V6's look REALLY nice, and the KSCs are fairly sweet and small.

What would you guys recommend?

PS- Why do the PortaPro's cost so much more than the SportaPro's when they look almost exactly the same and use the same drivers? ($30 vs. $50)

 

[Eli's Adventure]

Well, what type of music do enjoy listening to? And also, what is your price limit?

Personally, i would probably go with the V6's. I haven't heard them but... it just feels like it would be a good decision.

 

[Hamsterball_Z]

I can't speak for the V6, the only time I've heard them was in a Sony display and I'm sure the source had the "megabass" on.

I can compare the 497 and the Koss KTX-Pros though (another 60ohm Koss variant). I found the Koss with games to be pretty bad, it was boomy and muddy and lacked the clarity and soundstage for good positional audio. The 497 on the other hand worked very well in games, the wider soundstage made it much easier to locate where something was coming from. For MP3s though I think I would prefer something a bit warmer than the 497. My main MP3 listening is via streaming audio though which may be at a lower quality than your MP3s.

You might want to check some of the reviews of the Sennheiser 280 Pro and see if that might be more to your liking. They tend to describe it like a mix of the best qualities of the 497 and the V6. It's about $100 though so that might be over your limit.

(HBZ)

 

[delenda est Sony]

Though I do not own the 35s and probably never will, I am officially required as a Head-Fi member indoctrinated into the Higher Mysteries to point out that the KSC 35s sound a lot different than the KTX Pros, the Portapros, or the Sportapros. Though the driver is similar to the KTXs, and identical to the Sportas and Portas, the sound is a lot different as the driver is positioned differently on the ear. Less muddy bass, better balance per official Head-Fi dogma.

You may very well like the 35s even if you hate the KTXs/Porta/Sportas. As you like the Sportas though, the 35s seem a likely "fit".

V6 vs the 35s? V6s are said to be too revealing for MP3 use; every little crack and pop shows up, though the Sonys are great for PC gaming. If you want portability and like the Sporta sound, get the KSC 35s. They are also cheaper than the 497s and V6s by a considerable margin. If you really like bass more than balance, get the V6. (the 280 is even better but is close to twice the price of the V6 and cannot really be called a cheap headphone.) 497s don't sound much like the Sportas at all, and cost more than the 35s, so I think these would be your last choice.

Essentially, n4, you are different than most people who hear the Sportas. Most people think "they're OK, BUT too much bass". If you like the Sportas with no BUT, than the 35s will probably be your best choice for all the uses you mention.

hope this helps!