[blackishsheep]

hi guys, I am new so feel free to ignore my stupidity.
 
I am a recent convert to full sized headphones. I stupidly punctured my eardrum, and I have no idea how before you ask - the doctor figures as I have had continuing hearing loss in it since I was a child that its simply thin and what not - long story short I am banned from using my in-ear headphones. :'( (and ear plugs, and flying, and going up hills, and swimming without earplugs - but I can't wear earplugs.. and loads of other stupid things for the next 6 months, possibly longer after surgery if they do it)
 
TLDR: I bought a cheap pair of full sized from Tesco, and they aren't bad. Easily below my volume limit, but I can hear *everything* my co-workers say, where the in-ear at the same volume blocked them out. Gutted.

As a result, I need me some better headphones
 
- Need to be nearly leak proof - keep music in, keep co-workers/general office idiocy out.
- Need to be around the ears - not on them. I have stretched ears (6mm, 4mm and 3.2mm holes in each lobe, I wear glass plugs if that matters - but generally on ear headphones shove the plugs into my ears, and after half an hour they get shoved in the bin)
- Need to be comfortable - I can easily spend the whole work day with them on - 6 to 10 hours at a go.
- I listen to loads of different things: podcasts,TV, Music: classical, samba, rap, pop, country and alternative music
 
I can spend about £30 to £40 (around $40 to $60)
 
Googling has given me loads with the outstanding pick being the the Sennheiser HD201s, which are a steal at around £15 on Amazon. Am I missing something else or are these a good choice?
 
TIA

 

[Kubiq]

Beware of cheap V6's,you can get fakes. In that budget I would go for Kitsound KSDJ,they sound great. But if you can stretch budget a little,go for Creative Aurvana Live (Denon D1001 rebrands,£51.49 on Amazon),I have them and they are AMAZING for their price and are very comfortable.

 

[earerror]

If you dont care about looks, the JVC HARX700's. They sound great.

 

[Proglover]

I'd go with Superlux HD662 probably http://www.thomann.de/gb/superlux_hd662.htm 
 
If you can/want to afford, with AKG velour pads, for noticable increased comfort http://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_k240270271_velour_ohrpolster.htm 

 

[blackishsheep]

Peetrain: ace user name and thank you The thin cord shouldn't be to bad, the one I've got now bothers me a bit as its about the size of networking cable lol. Its also around 5 foot long, so anything less than that would be great lol, they're good for fishroom use though, I can get everywhere in the room with the radio in the middle and not upset the bird down stairs with music he's missing out on
 
 
You guys rock my socks! thanks soo much!
 
I've had a quick scan, they all look fab, even the JVC JVC make the earbuds (marshmallow, they look weird but are great if you have lots of metal work in your tragus XD) I used, which I am pleased with so may go for them.
 
Is it worth getting the 201s as a quick fix 6 month use pair, then get myself a very pricey pair? or should I go a little higher and have a little less to save for a better pair? Reason I ask is I am due to go to the US in about 6-9 months time, and the exchange rate has always favored me spending more bucks than I can pounds, so picking some up in the US may be a good idea for getting a really nice set at a really nice price. Hopefully it will put my budget by that time closer to $200-300 maybe an extra $100 if I go closer to Christmas though not sure the extra cash would be any use, I mostly use an iPod for music, but its a thousand steps up from my last MP3 player, and I have no complaints about sound even with cheap earbuds. I doubt I could go back to my little MP3 player without whining to myself in the office all day.
 
Thanks again, you guys are fantastic!

 

[blackishsheep]

Saying that - I don't know with possibly going deaf in one ear if its worth spending that sort of money either. Its the HIGHEST I will go, but if there is a great midrange pair, I am more likely to go for it kinda thing, you know what I mean? I think I'll spend a lot of time in a shop trying the top picks before I buy anyway kind of thing as great as nerrowing the field is, sound to me is probably a bit different to others anyway. (as with everyone, really I guess lol)
 
Not making sense here I imagine, sorry :/ heh.

 

[blackishsheep]

Guess what arrived today? I cheaped out and got the 201s. I have the itty bitty micro buyers regret: "if I paid £15 more (twice as much) would the be twice as epic?" but wow. I've not gotten to properly test them (massive headache going on 5 days, damn) but I have done the oh so scientific testing of put Pair A on Leg A, put Pair B on Leg B, turn laptop up as high as it will go and plug them in. The 201s have some leak, but I can't tell you what part of the song it was at, where the old ones (B - in this case: Technika Black Overhead Headphones - I went to get cake after my doctor told me the fab news - got them at tesco http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.208-9784.aspx) I could tell you not only what song, but sing along (and the parrot was dancing along)
 
At a reasonable level of sound with the 201s where there was no leak I couldn't hear anything going on around me, from TV to parrot tapping. When he started screeching I could hear that, but its like a car alarm going off in your head, however it was less in your head than with the Technika.
 
In a few months I'll probably look at a higher end pair, depending where I am hearing wise. Thank you all for your advice and help I think the JVC HARX700 and Superlux HD662 are the two I'll have to choose between then

 

[DaBomb77766]

Quick thing to add, don't turn the music up that loud if you want to preserve your hearing.  Even if the HD201s aren't particularly sensitive, your laptop can probably drive them with the volume turned about halfway up...

 

[blackishsheep]

totally hear you there! My iPod is locked at just over half volume, I can hardly hear the TV at just below that level so it should be brilliant for keeping most of the co-workers out even on low. I am one of those people that slowly turn it up during the day without realizing how loud it is until its way way loud and I have a headache, so volume got locked after that.
 
I was just checking to see what they could do, I wouldn't put it on my head that loud. I really wish I listened to my parents about the whole loud music thing, but hard to do when dad is worse than I am At least I was fairly low volume most of the time, hopefully its not totally my fault on the whole hearing thing. I am sure it is at least half my fault and half chronic ear infections as a kid.
 
Though, Peetrain was spot on, the cord is super tiny. Do they snap easily? I've already started looking for a good solid case for them when they're not on-head, I tend to abuse stuff and don't want them snapping because they got caught in my bag. They're living in the box at the moment, just in case lol. Not a deal breaker, but I am unlikely to use them when out and around in town unless I can thread the cord down my jacket or something. Tired of people's kids grabbing things as they walk around unattended, or worse - adults being jerks. (our town is super classy! Whole town had the Mythical White Headphone issue and I had never even seen that in London where you would expect grab-n-run crime!)

 

[DaBomb77766]

Your issues with your eardrums are most likely just chronic, from when you were born...I'm not sure if I'd be able to live with what you have, so I really feel for you!
 
Anyway, I have an easily accessible pair of HD201s I can use right now.  The cable is thin and spindly, and this particular pair has a pretty badly ravaged cable.  Not sure what happened to it, but there are little tears in the sheathing for the cable.  Seems to work fine though, but I'd still be careful.
 
Not sure if these are particularly suited for portable use though, they kind of need an amp to sound their best (although their best still honestly isn't all that great) but if you were to use an LOD there wouldn't be a volume limit.
 
Although, the E7, from what I understand, is actually the only amp out there that does have a volume limit, which is interesting.  But I don't think you should buy a $100 amp for a $20 pair of headphones.

 

[blackishsheep]

Quote:

Your issues with your eardrums are most likely just chronic, from when you were born...I'm not sure if I'd be able to live with what you have, so I really feel for you!
 

 
I imagine so. Today is the big check up, see where we go from here kind of day. I've known for a good 10 years that it was going, just not why.  I guess I’ve gotten use to the idea, but not the exact picture of “no more music, no more talking on the phone, no more listening to TV while doing other things” which is the frightening bit. Prepare for the worse, hope for the best. Best case: I can still hear it with one ear, but its just not the same. My mate at work keeps telling me all will be fine, so fingers crossed

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by DaBomb77766 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyway, I have an easily accessible pair of HD201s I can use right now.  The cable is thin and spindly, and this particular pair has a pretty badly ravaged cable.  Not sure what happened to it, but there are little tears in the sheathing for the cable.  Seems to work fine though, but I'd still be careful.
 
Not sure if these are particularly suited for portable use though, they kind of need an amp to sound their best (although their best still honestly isn't all that great) but if you were to use an LOD there wouldn't be a volume limit.
 
Although, the E7, from what I understand, is actually the only amp out there that does have a volume limit, which is interesting.  But I don't think you should buy a $100 amp for a $20 pair of headphones.

 
I wonder if I can use the same trick as my old speakers - turn the volume all the way up on the speakers, then adjust the iPod and lock it at a suitable level, so I can turn the speakers up and down, but even at the loudest it will never be louder than the lock limit, if you know what I mean - I did it with my last headphones that had seperate volume control for the same reason. Or glue the volume thingy on a cheap amp lol. That will keep me from turning it up to much!