Need help deciding on first 'Good' Headphones! :O

[Zigosity]

Hey!

I'm new here and I really need some help deciding what headphones I want to buy. I've been doing a lot of research into it and I've found that the number of options available is just too large for me to decide on my own, so I've decided to see if you guys can give me a hand.

I'm looking for good 'phones for both home listening and travel on the bus. I've been looking at closed vs open cans a lot.. I don't really want everyone on the bus to be able to hear what I'm listening to, because I know that gets quite annoying from personal experience

, so I was thinking closed, but the options for that seem to be quite limited. I'd prefer not to have the ear canal phones, but if for a good price that's the best sound I can get then that's fine too. Was hoping more for something a little more like standard headphone shape.

As for the sound I'm looking for, I basically want the best quality I can get for the price. I like my music to have a decent amount of bass to it, which is why I'm thinking the standard grado sr60s aren't going to be good for me (I've heard they're lacking in bass, unless I'm mistaken), plus the fact that they're open phones and thus leaky and bad for the bus. I listen to mostly progressive rock\metal, with some blues, jazz, Latin, funk, and classical thrown it too.

I'm willing to spend at absolute max $150 on these, but I'd really -really- like to stay sub-100 if that's possible for what I'm looking for. Student budget

.

Anyway, I hope you guys can help me out a bit in making this choice. Thanks a lot, and if there's anything else you want to know, ask!

-Zigo

 

[romanalexander]

I would say, get some HD580 or HD600 if you can afford it. Then when you can afford it, get a blue Cardas cable. I got my HD600's recertified by Senn. and you can get recertified HD580's for under $150.

 

[fuzydice]

I recommend something like a good iem or earbud for the bus, and a good full-size, open headphone for at home.

I'm not up on the iem/earbud scene (I have the shure e2c's and they're not very good), but since you say you listen to a lot of rock-ish stuff, I'd try out the Grado SR80 first for a home headphone.

 

[Zigosity]

Thanks for the help so far guys. The HD's look way to ridiculous for the bus (xD), although they may be a good option for home. I'd rather have something for both home and portable use that covers both applications well, but if I would otherwise have to buy two separate things, I'd rather just buy the portable stuff.

 

[carlineng]

Koss KSC75 is an excellent 'phone for general use, portable or home. It won't isolate at all though, if that's what you're looking for.

 

[Zigosity]

I've been thinking that some IEM-type headphones would probably be best for what I'm looking for. I've been hearing good things about the Super.Fi 3s, so I've been thinking about grabbing a set of those. Is there anything else I should be looking into?

 

[swiftus]

How about the HD-25's?

They're closed, not too big, great SQ...

 

[Zigosity]

Those look pretty good, but also like they'll kill my budget... Meh. There really isn't a right choice, is there? I'm going to end up buying something at random and hoping it's good xD.

 

[idunno]

The super.fi 3's are pretty good--I use them on the subway. Little light on the bass, but the mids are good. Be aware that IEM's aren't for everyone: I certainly don't find them all that comfortable.

I switch to my Yuin PK2's whenever isolation is not necessary. They have deeper, punchier bass, and wonderful soundstage (for an earbud). I strongly recommend the PK2's to just about anyone who will listen.