[Clubkill]

My buddy just got an ipod, and is currently using the earbuds that came with it (I assume these are typically sub-par?).

I was wondering about good replacements that are very portable, and inexpensive (i.e. less than $40). Are the koss heaphones the champion of this priceclass for portables or are there some other contendors? Don't bother with suggestions more expensive than that, as it was already hard enough to get his injured walled to shill out even that much.

Thanks.

 

[DeanA]

I really like the Koss KSC35s, for the sound, for the price (around $20) and the fact they don't have a headband. Very handy when listening to the portable while wearing a baseball cap.

 

[gerG]

Aaaaaa...
You are killing me here! A $400 portable source with a $40 budget limit on the headphones? Is there an emoticon that shows a deer in the headlights expression?

Etymotic ER6!

Oops, sorry, it just slipped out!

gerG

 

[joelongwood]

Well, I use the following with my iPod, and they all deliver very good sound. All are easily driven by the iPod. The ER6 tops the list, but it's 3X your budget. Next I would say the Koss KSC-35s. The sound is amazing for such a low price, but these are not buds and some people don't like ear-hangers. My favorite buds to use are the Sennheiser MX-500. At a price of under $20, they're hard to beat. They even have a very handy in-line volume control. Hope this helps.

 

[Clubkill]

Thanks for the suggestions.... I know that 40 is not much to work with, but you have to start somewhere to make them realize that there is a substantial sonic improvement. Once the foot is in the door......

Are the ipod earbuds pretty bad? The senns are much better, or should the earbuds just be forgotten?

 

[Taphil]

Quote:

Originally posted by Clubkill Are the ipod earbuds pretty bad? The senns are much better, or should the earbuds just be forgotten?

They should just be sold for $20+ on ebay. Well, that's $20 for new, unopened, unused ones. I'm not sure how bad they are though.

 

[Oliver :)]

I use a KOSS PortaPro with my iPod, works well. The iPod has almost no trouble driving it. It's $50 though. IMHO the PortaPros are very good cans on the go -> if you do not need much isolation <- which they just do not have.
Make your friend get at least the KOSS KSC-35, it would be a shame to waste the potential of the iPod with bad headphones.

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Originally posted by Clubkill Are the ipod earbuds pretty bad?

No, they're not pretty bad, they're very bad. To my ears, they have boomy bass, muddy mids, and no highs at all. Muffled is the word that comes to mind. The Senn MX-500s are a substantial improvement in all areas.

 

[Commander]

I use two pairs of cans for my iPod - the Koss Porta Pros and the Sennheiser HD25's. Even though the Senns are 5 times the price of the Koss there is little difference in sound, and for the money the Porta Pros are fantastic! He will be truly astonished to hear his iPod sounding so good with a pair of these, trust me!

Throw the earbuds into a very deep river . . .

.

 

[r3cc0s]

I just got a Sharp MT-877 minidisc player which has 5mw out per channel

and I have to say damn it powers the ksc-35 perfectly for a portable item...

I have to say that setup is great for a mini portable setup, very small and convenient and sounds good

I would like to use an amp, but I use the setup to bmx and skateboard
so I don't want to carry a ta around with me, nor the extra cable.
(i don't even use the remote on the md player)

the ksc-35 clips on very nicely, has great sound, is cheap
and is great for active use

however the erp-6, is a bad idea for active use, and seeing how the ipod is so small and you want them for protable use
i suggest the ksc-35
with the erp-6p
you will get like microphonic sounds
and if they pop out of your ear, like red-shifters

prepare for pain

 

[jackm]

I've been using SportaPro (cousin to the PortaPro and KSC-35) with my iPod, and it does sound very nice. I would certainly recommend them as a must upgrade for any iPod owner.

But now I'd like to experiment with even better cans, with about a $100 budget. After reading head-fi religiously for about 3 months, I think my best choices are:

Senn HD497
Senn HD-280 Pro
Beyerdynamic DT 250-80
Philips HP890

I do not want to carry around an amplifier, which rules out some other well-regarded phones in this price class.

I've tried Grados SR-60s, and I like the sound (although the bass is a tad weak), but the huge thick cord would really bother me -- iPod is a mobile application, after all. And I don't think that Entymotic would be a good choice because I don't think I want tons of isolation -- I need to hear when my wife or kids call me for help. I know that the 280 Pro and DT 250-80 are closed cans, but I think I can probably tolerate closed cans better than ear plugs.

Anybody have any other suggestions for cans that are easy to drive from an iPod, in a price range of $75 to $125?

I listen to Jazz (Earl Klugh), classic rock (Beatles, Proclaimers), religious (Renee Bondi), and folk vocals (Eva Cassidy).

BTW, I'm looking forward to visiting the Headphone.com show in the San Francisco area on July 14.

BTW2 -- delenda est Sony: I really like your online style!

Thanks in advance.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Clubkill Are the koss heaphones the champion of this priceclass for portables

Yes

Have him get the KSC-35: they are the best sounding of the 35/50/55/Porta/Sporta line, the most comfortable, and the smallest. They also sound better IMO than any earbud on the market.

There are also canalphones like Etys, but they're much more expensive ($135 for the cheapest) so they're out of his budget it appears.

 

[Clubkill]

Thanks. The ksc-35 sound like a good bet. I actually have the mt-877 minidisc too, but I mostly use it for recording, so I have not had a situation where the buds aren't fine to check the recording, or I am at home and have the all-powerfull hp890's. However, when I start to incorporate it as a portable entertainment device I will probably get the KSC-35's as well.

On another note, where is the best place to order them (inc. US domestic shipping?) I hear people say $20, so I assume not from koss directly....

 

[Commander]

jackm - the best cans I have heard with my iPod are the Sennheiser HD25 Pros. These are sealed cans and sound fantastic with all kinds of music and should fit your needs. The HD280 pros are okay, but they lack in bass and have a coiled cord that kind of gets in the way. They are also enormous - the HD25's are quite small, and the lead is quite short (great for portable use).

See if you can listen to some HD25's and let me know what you think!

.

 

[cashcards]

Quote:

Originally posted by Clubkill Thanks. The ksc-35 sound like a good bet. I actually have the mt-877 minidisc too, but I mostly use it for recording, so I have not had a situation where the buds aren't fine to check the recording, or I am at home and have the all-powerfull hp890's. However, when I start to incorporate it as a portable entertainment device I will probably get the KSC-35's as well. On another note, where is the best place to order them (inc. US domestic shipping?) I hear people say $20, so I assume not from koss directly....

I just ordered some brand new at $20. Here is the link to the guy's info. I spent around 45 minutes talking headphones with him and found him thoroughly enjoyable. I will comment on his service once I receive them.

http://headwize.powerpill.org/ubb/sh...ays=20&stime=0

Lenny..