[golfman]

Need your thoughts. I ride the subway in DC every day and have an IPOD. I would like your thoughts on what the best under $200 and under $100 headphones are. I do not want the in-your-ear types as I am nervous that they will not be comfortable. And since I can't go anywhere and try them on to see if they are comfortable and sound good, I'm not willing to just roll the dice and hope it works out. So I'm looking for a pair that would either go around the ear or on the ear but would not be especially audibly noticeable by the person sitting next to me. I have a pair of AKG 240's that I bought about 20 years ago and they are great but you just can't carry those bulky things around. So I am also looking for some compactness. Thanks for your input.

 

[troymadison]

hd595s, although I would rather get the ksc75s than the hd595s. Just saying hd595s since it is under $200 and over $100 lol

 

[LaBreaHead]

I'm afraid the HD595's would "not be especially audibly noticeable" even to you on the Metro. In a normal indoor environment, excellent, but they're open and wouldn't isolate the ambient roar.

If you have a small head, maybe you can tolerate the clamping effect of such "on-ear" (supra-aural) headphones as the AKG 81DJ's (really good-looking headphones, IMO -- haven't bothered trying them, as I have a fat head ... insert joke here!).

Maybe you'll get some suggestions on closed "around-the-ear" headphones. And really, IEMs with foam ear tips isolate excellently, are comfortable, are highly portable, are a lot more low-profile than headphones -- much easier to carry around, and if they're not white, they don't scream out "steal me now".

 

[feh1325]

creative ep630?
but if you want an in ear

sony v6

 

[GAD]

My advice is to get over the in-ear thing and get some Ety ER4Ps. They make the subway go away. I spent a good amount of time on the NYC subways with My Bose QC2 which were a pain in the butt. The Etys are small, no one sees them (and wants to steal them), sound awesome, and isolate better than any over-ear can.

GAD

 

[mdarnton]

I agree with the IEM idea. On the bus, my Ety ER-6s and Shure E2s were fine and cut out the surroundings nicely, and what additional quality I gained by getting ER4Ps is pretty much lost in the commuting background noise. Plugging out most of the noise is pure bliss, though. Yesterday I rode in on a bus with 30 screaming kids going to the zoo, and mostly didn't hear them at all!

 

[Shurado]

Reagan National Airport has a Brookstone which demos Shure IEMs and your local Apple stores as well.

 

[facelvega]

So far, only LaBrea is making any sense. (edit-- whoah, three more responses just as I typed that up, sorry guys) Let me make a couple of suggestions:

1. Don't write off the in-ear options so lightly. They really aren't uncomfortable for most people, and they are perfect for subway usage. Also, there are very good IEM options in the two price brackets you mention. It might be worth taking the plunge.

2. But if you insist on proper headphones, you want closed portables like the AKG K81dj that LBH mentioned, a Philips HP460 if you can find one (cheaper), or maybe a Senn HD-25-1 at the upper end of your price range. These are all supraaural options. The new Equation Audio RP-15mc have been getting good reviews lately, and might be an interesting choice if you like the color.

 

[epaludo]

When i went to NYC i used my Shure's E2c and it worked flawlessly at the subways. Highly recommended for this purpose ...
As you don't want a IEM, i can recommend you the AKG K81DJ or some noise canceling senns - note that i never tried neither of those, i'm suggesting them based on what i've read, so search before any decisions ...

 

[CareyB]

My Sennheiser pxc 250s worked well on the bus and fold up nicely.

JVC Marshmallows do cut out the noise even better but you aren't looking for the in ear solution.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

I'm also advocating IEMs for your application. They will completely (or at least -25db) block out the subway roar and will sound fantastic out of your ipod. Most everybody find them comfortable to wear (Shure IEMs, for example, come with 7 different size tips), so most likely the fit wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Christopher]

Just buy some HD25s, job's a good un.

 

[Meloncoly]

If you don't mind bulky portable, you can give the HD280s a try.