[mh3353]

Hi guys.  I have never really owned a decent pair of headphones before and am looking to purchase my first.  I simply want a pair of headphones that will sound good with any music, games, movies, etc. on my iPod. I mostly listen to alternative.  I am not an audiophile, so I really won't be too hard to impress.  At the same time, I want something with somewhat of a wow factor.
 
Here is a short list of what I want from these headphones
- comfort for prolonged listening
- won't leak sound for others to hear
- sound quality that will impress someone who has never owned a nice pair
- preferably a collapsible design, a pair that is good for traveling
- detachable cord if possible, that way they'll last longer
- a little style is a nice bonus
- durable design- I'm willing to invest in a more expensive pair if it will last me for years
 
As for the budget- I'm not really sure.   As someone who is not a music enthusiast, how much money would you reccommend spending?  I really don't know how much sound quality differs between a pair of 40 dollar and 120 dollar headphones.  Give me a couple recommendations- maybe a pair around 100 bucks and then more of a budget pair.  I am open to any suggestions. I don't really think I need to buy a pair of 170 dollar ATH-M50x's (although I think they'd be awesome) in order to be impressed. Something cheap might suffice.
 
So like I said, give me a couple recommendations and let me know if you think going up to the 100+ dollar range would be valuable to me given my situation.  Thanks! 

 

[halfinfinity]

The ATH-M40x is available on Amazon for pre-order for $99. If you want to use it with your iPod the impendance must be under 50ish. You may have to invest in some velour pads if you want to wear them for long periods of time. But that's just me. Look into them a bit. Tell me what you think.

 

[mh3353]

I saw those and I think they look like a good option.  Is there a previous model that is similar to the M40x?  I'd like to read some customer reviews.  I have no idea what impedance is, but I'll just trust you.  And what do you mean when you say a long period of time?

 

[KG Jag]

The UE 6000 at their current closeout pricing (< $100) is probably your best choice.

 

[Trunks159]

  The UE 6000 at their current closeout pricing (< $100) is probably your best choice.

+1000  Better than the M50 actually, though I know nothing about the M50x.

 

[mh3353]

The UE 6000 looks good too.  A few questions- is the cable detachable? How often do you have to replace its batteries? What do you think of the active noise canceling?

 

[mh3353]

From what I understand, the m50x has the exact same sound as the m50. It just has a detachable cable and slightly different design.

 

[halfinfinity]

  From what I understand, the m50x has the exact same sound as the m50. It just has a detachable cable and slightly different design.

 
Yes, it is the exact same minus a few tweaks, the biggest of them being the removable cable.
 
Either the 6000's or the M40x's would make a good option. Both have a removable cable. The battery life is said to be 40 hours. You can get the UE's here for $100 and the M40x's here for $100 on pre-order. They have very similar specs, the UE's coming with some small, cool, little features. Only thing about noise canceling is I've been told that when the batteries do die, the quality is awful. I could be wrong, remember, that's just what I was told. But just keep them charged and it shouldn't be a big deal. It's really up to you.

 

[KG Jag]

  The UE 6000 looks good too.  A few questions- is the cable detachable? How often do you have to replace its batteries? What do you think of the active noise canceling?

The cable is detachable.  Don't know yet about the batteries because I rarely use it with active noise cancellation.  One great thing about this can is that you can use it without the active noise cancellation on--and it is in that mode where it delivers the best sound.  Active noise cancellation is useful in loud environments--like sitting near airplane engines.
 
See:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/surprisingly-good-logitec-ue6000-and-ue9000

 

[mh3353]

I'm leaning towards the UE 6000s. They have all the features I want plus a couple cool bonus features. They also seem geared to more casual listeners while the ATs seem more geared toward people who work in music.  If you guys know a great place to buy them or have any other options I should consider, let me know.

 

[halfinfinity]

  I'm leaning towards the UE 6000s. They have all the features I want plus a couple cool bonus features. They also seem geared to more casual listeners while the ATs seem more geared toward people who work in music.  If you guys know a great place to buy them or have any other options I should consider, let me know.

 
You can buy them here for $100.

 

[mh3353]

Think I'm getting the UE 6000s.  Any problems with a cord connection to the headphones? Several reviewers mentioned it came out very easily.

 

[halfinfinity]

  Think I'm getting the UE 6000s.  Any problems with a cord connection to the headphones? Several reviewers mentioned it came out very easily.

 
I'm pretty sure by turning it once it's in locks it in place.

 

[Trunks159]

No problems with the connection. The UE6000 is a great choice.

 

[mh3353]

There is only one version of the UE 6000s, right?  I just wondered because I have seen the impedance listed as 32 ohms in some places and 50 in others.
 
Looking at buying them here- 
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Logitech-Ultimate-Ears-UE6000-UE-6000-Headphones-Black-P-N-982-000079-NEW-/231098703475?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item35ce8e5e73