[GarageBoy]

So with daily use, how long is a pair of headphones destined to last? (not IEMs)
My Px100s "leather" and foam head pads are beginning to wear through and are not replaceable. The foam grill insert is beginning to disintegrate too. Too bad, because the rest is fine

 

[woopididi]

it depends on how you are taking care of them and how much you are listening to them, but usually 'phones like PX100 won't last 1.5-2 years. again, depends on amount of usage and how you are taking care of them..

 

[rocdoc]

My dad had a pair of russian-made phones, no idea what they were called, professional design but not great sound quality. They were ~15 years old when I first used them, worked for at least another 10. Point is if you take care of them they should last long, provided 1. the manufacturer pays attention to QC and 2. you are careful with them and use them gently. Hrs per day matter, but less than care of the product IMO. I just got a pair of AKG cans and they look really solidly made, plan to keep them a long time

 

[krmathis]

If taken well care of they will last for a long time.
I have two pairs which are ~30 years old, and two pairs which are 21-22 years old. They are all work fine!

 

[appophylite]

The only pair of headphones I own that are showing major wear and tear are a 5 year old pair of Sony Street Styles which I loaned out to my sister. All of my headphones are still in very good condition except for some scratches on the cups of my HD201. Most headphones should wear very well and last a good deal of time. Most of the major wear and tear is seen on pleather pads and foam pads, at least from what I've seen. In many cases, these pads can also be replaced.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I put nearly 10 years on a Sony MDR-V6. It was still in great, working shape when I gave it away.

The oldest "Head-Fi" can I've had is about 30 months old (HD-650) and they're holding up great. I rotate my listening almost every day, so each headphones gets a few hours every two weeks or so. I fully expect them to last a lifetime and then some.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarageBoy /img/forum/go_quote.gif So with daily use, how long is a pair of headphones destined to last? (not IEMs) My Px100s "leather" and foam head pads are beginning to wear through and are not replaceable. The foam grill insert is beginning to disintegrate too. Too bad, because the rest is fine

The foam ear pads are replaceable. You can order them from Sennheiser or go to Radio Shack and get a matching pair.

 

[woopididi]

he doesn't mean how long does it take to a headphone to die if it sits down untouched for 20 years.

 

[Seidhepriest]

Most headphohe parts are replaceable (and according to Sennheiser, those headband rests are replaceable under warranty or by a local Sennheiser shop, same with foam).

With rebuilding and fixing, good headphones (in the ~$100+ price category) can easily last some 30 years. AKG K-240 Monitor and the like don't need much repair after some 20 years of use. Studio and road use, which is quite different from cozy home listening.

Small "portable" headphones and similar cheaper headphones with entirely plastic bodies are a different affair, but, Koss Porta-Pro can last 10+ years without any trouble.

 

[scompton]

Koss has a life time, no questions asked warranty, which some people here have taken advantage of.

 

[Rednamalas1]

just ask Fitz - headphones can last through ages with proper care.

 

[scompton]

It also depends on the headphone. My HD280 Pro is pretty trashed without much use. It's still functional but doesn't look good. On the other hand, I have some headphones from the 70s and 80s, bought used, that are in very good shape. They look practically new.

 

[redaxis]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned about the shure's cracking cords here. My first pair of E4C lasted 6 months, second pair were also 6 months, just got my third pair today and im counting the days... sigh...

 

[thrillmetoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif The foam ear pads are replaceable. You can order them from Sennheiser or go to Radio Shack and get a matching pair.

If I understand correctly, GarageBoy also meant the foams that are INSIDE the structure (on the back of the drivers). These can't be replaced easily, because the housing of the PX100's are glueded together, not screwed. I know from experience with older (Philips) headphones that foam can fully disintegrate after less than 10 years.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif Koss has a life time, no questions asked warranty, which some people here have taken advantage of.

I'm currently listening to the remastered Criminal Minded with my Koss PortaPros. Apart from the warranty and the excellent build quality, these things are extremely fixable. I've replaced the plug, recabled them, installed new earpads, and taken a pliers to the clips that secure the drivers to the headband.

Obviously, I've long since voided the warranty with all this tinkering. But the ease with which I can work on these puppies is actually part of the appeal. Much cooler than just sending them off and waiting for the manufacturer to get them back to me.

PortaPros deserve to be in the industrial design collection at MOMA. An absolutely definitive product.