[Mnemonic1]

I just got a 4gb iPod nano, and would like to upgrade the headphones. I have a $50 dollar gift card @ amazon.com, and I really don't want to spend more than 20-25 out of pocket.

Ipod gets used at work, and occasional business tips, so I'm thinking IEM over cans, but I will consider anything but another set of ear buds. I've been impressed with my Senn. PC150 for gaming and general PC use, so maybe the PX-100?

 

[MaZa]

PX100 is very good can, and so is Koss Porta Pro / Sporta Pro. Pick either of those three and you will be impressed by soundquality over cheap ibuds.

Also Koss KSC75 earclip produces some incredible sound for the price they cost (very cheap yet as good sound as Porta/Sporta Pro), but earclips are not for everyone, even though they are adjustable.

What kind of music you listen to?

 

[Geoff Rymer]

PX-100's are a good choice for the money as long as you aren't going to be using them anywhere noisy- they offer pretty much no isolation, so if it's noisy you would have to turn them up dangerously loudly to hear anything (I tried on a bus and a Sydney train, and it was hopeless).

 

[Mnemonic1]

Good tips! I would add that sound isolation is probably required. I'd like to not bother others at work with "second hand sound", and while traveling I'd rather block out the extra noise as well. Does that mean closed circumaural / IEM's is the way to go? Being a portable setup, the smaller the better.


Music: NIN, Dave Matthews Band, Crystal Method, Portishead, Nirvana, Dandy Warhols, Fischerspooner. Pretty eccentric list, but mostly in the alt. rock arena with a dash of industrial/eletronic. Basically anything but country.

 

[Jerome G]

I think if you do a search,popular choices are Etymotic er6i,Altec Lansing im716 and AKG K81 DJ. I have the Etys and they sound pretty good, but nowhere near a good as full size cans.

 

[Firestarter]

a very popular 'fullsize' portable headphone here is the AKG K81, you might want to stretch your budget just a little bit to get those headphones. they offer pretty much everything you'd want from a portable headphone for a very reasonable price

 

[Mnemonic1]

Oh, I just realized I messed up the model number in my first post. While I've seen the good reviews of the PX-100 on this site, I'm seriously considering CX-300. Are these good phones?

 

[audiojoe1]

I believe that amazon.com also has Grado. I would check out a pair of SR-60's or SR-80's. The 80's would require a bit more out of pocket more like 35 dollars.. but the SR-60's would be within your budget. If you are not worried about sound leakage the grado line is also a great fit. But beware my first pair of cans were a pair of Sr-80's and that propelled me into an endless search for the finer things in headphones.

Regards
joe

 

[Jerome G]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mnemonic1 Oh, I just realized I messed up the model number in my first post. While I've seen the good reviews of the PX-100 on this site, I'm seriously considering CX-300. Are these good phones?

If you are going to be traveling on planes/trains or noisy environments, then you need closed phones or IEM's. The semi-canal phone type(like cx-300) won't cut it

 

[InspectorGadget]

I have had my Shure E3's for a few weeks now and I can say that I would recommend them to anyone. I think they sound great for the music I listen too. I have not had any other IEM's to compare them too though....

 

[audiodude]

I hear a strong hiss with the CX 300 + iPod nano. The PX 100 hiss is negligible. There's also a white version of the PX 100.

 

[Bones13]

If I had 90 some odd dollars for a headphone, and wanted to be able to do everything with it, walk, car, airplane..., I would pick the Etymotic ER6i again. I still use mine for many activities. I use my shuffle mainly for these activities, but will use the Nano and it when walking.

 

[derek8555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerome G If you are going to be traveling on planes/trains or noisy environments, then you need closed phones or IEM's. The semi-canal phone type(like cx-300) won't cut it

Actually, cx300 provide quite decent isolation, close to the isolation you get with Shure's soft flex sleeves.

 

[derek8555]

If you can try cx300 or Creative EP630 at a local store then that would be best, they only cost 20-30 bucks and are very comfortable IMO. Otherwise, if you can bear the tri-flange on ER6i or IM716, give them a shot, they provide better isolation but at a higher price.

 

[Razoramus]

Aside from what was already mentioned, I would look into Shure E2s, Westone UM1s, and Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3s.