[backtofront001]

I actually strongly suggest buying IEM, like the Shures. I started out with E3 then E4 and couldn't have been happier. E3 and E4 are discontinued models now but their new line is excellent as well. With good IEM's you get portability, isolation, and amazing detail. Also bass shouldn't be a concern, as the foamies that the headphones come with provide a pretty decent amount.

I know u said no IEM's but I really urge u to reconsider.

 

[VanQuish]

I use JVC HA-DX1000 at school and they are among the bigger headphones around so it works. Real audiophiles carry sennheiser surround systems though!

 

[cyberidd]

While Grados are a nice size for portable, and no isolation is required, I can see how they have been recommended, but in my experience they are not exactly "tough" headphones. From the sounds of things, you go through headphones pretty quickly and need some serious durability. If so, I would go with something portable like the ksc75, for a nice portable, or maybe if you are OK with something slightly to big to wear around your neck, the DT770, or something else that is known to be durable and/or very affordable. These are only two suggestions for more durable headphones, but I'm sure there will be more recommendations from others.

 

[imademymark]

am surprised no one has suggested the porta pros for the op!

i've got them as gifts numerous times and they always charm

 

[mudhole]

Go for a pair of full-size phones.

I used to using a pair of AKG 271s driven directly by my ipod as my protable rig. I am pretty happy with the SQ. But I always felt uncomfortable with this black toilet on my head which caught too much eyes on the street. Then I bought a shure se310, but I was so frustrated with the SQ with this middle level IEMs. The highs, middles, details and sound stage......, nothing could compare with 271s. Just the bass has more amount but low quality. I even don't want to put it in my signature.

Never touch IEMs again.

 

[xkRoWx]

I'd recommend a pair of Grado SR60. If you happen to not like it, you can sell it back out for about 90-95% of what you paid for fairly quickly in the For Sale forum. Sure, you'll lose a couple of bucks and shipping fees, but they are by far one of they best entry level headphones I've came across.

Not to mention that they're pretty durable too. The plastic yoke (that C shaped thing) that attaches to the headphone enclosure are thicker than most other portable headphones I've seen. The full swivel metal rod is a hit or miss though, but I like it much better than my friend's Sony MDR-V300, which his yoke broke within a week of use (due to twisting and straining on the yoke). It's a little more troublesome because the drivers will swivel a lot and you'd have to spend some time to twist them back into place.

The headband is a thin metal film that is adjustable, or rather, stretchable (if the clamp on the head is too tight). Lined with "pleather", it may not be the most comfortable headband compared to other which are foam padded, but consider this: most headphones around the same price range likes to use plastic and rubber for headband.

The cables Grado use are nice and thick; much thicker than most other cables I've came across, thus they stand very well to abuse. You can tug them, twist them and bend them without putting too much damage in the copper wires inside, but this is generally not recommended unless you're doing a stress test review, lol. Grado loves to crimp the cable at the Y splitter, don't worry too much about that; it's not a defect.

Sound quality wise, unless you're a basshead, the SR60 packs a nice (and adequate) punch to the bass. The midrange is forward and the trebles are well defined; some even consider them to be a bit "bright". A lot of people like to cut a quarter sized hole in the middle of the foam to further expose the driver for a cleaner sound.

You'll definitely going to be able to drive the SR60 out of virtually any mp3 players without a problem. They are low impedance with a good sensitivity, paired with a good headphone amplifier (the FiiO's, CMOYs and PA2v2 are a good start, can be had for under $50), they can improve.

The SR60 is ranked one of the best among all entry level audiophile and consumer headphones for bang for buck (if you live outside of US, then get the Alessandro MS1). I am not a big fan of clip ons (they tend to hurt my ear after hours of use), so the Koss KSC75 is out of the question.

 

[Galesden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imademymark /img/forum/go_quote.gif am surprised no one has suggested the porta pros for the op! i've got them as gifts numerous times and they always charm

X2. Definitely can't go wrong with those. Durable. Sound pretty good and they don't break the bank.

 

[jung]

Koss KSC75
Grado iGrado
AudioTechnica ES7

 

[Ruffle]

I say disregard all the various definitions and jargon used by some Head-Fiers about transient response, neutrality, detail, blah blah and more blah.

Listen to headphones, listen to a variety. Discover for yourself regardless of all the various factors used here, what sounds good to you.

Unless you are a studio engineer or doing mastering work, who cares. You are the listener. You are listening to enjoy the music. So go with what you enjoy! Seriously, we all hear differently, all our ears are shaped differently. What one person experiences does not mean you will experience the same. The only person who can decide what headphones you will like is yourself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandenJay /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am a bewildered seventeen-year-old who loves to listen to music. My parents are nice people and have bought my last several pair of headphones for birthday and christmas presents... and the last two were skullcandy.(I always suspected they were flashy garbage... but what could I do?) I got curious about my headphones a week or two ago and went searching for some perspective... eventually I ended up on this site and let me tell you, I am shocked at how much I did not know about headphones. I am completely ignorant, un-educated, knowledge-less... So please, help me. I looked through stickys and found the Equation Rp21, which is supposedly superb, but another sticky said source is important and if headphones are TOO good they show you how bad your music sounds... download quality... So the question: What should I buy? I have a Zune I need something durable that won't crack or break after weeks of heavy use (I wear them around my neck all day, until I get home.) I'm hoping to pay under $100 -addendum- I listen to things as they come to me, but I listen to a lot of classic rock, alternative rock, techno, and, oddly enough, some hits from the 30's and 40's.

 

[Mr C]

You could grab the hd25, there was a good deal for them at some point and those wont fall appart after a few wekks of use, and they sound pretty good.

 

[JimVincible]

You listen to full sized headphones at the moment (you wear them around your neck etc.) I've experimented with many types of portable headphones, and even ones that weren't. I find full-sized cans to be too much of a mission, honestly. Lugging them around, locking them away if I want to play soccer at break (recess?) or whatever is impractical. Then I tried some IEMs, my Super.fi 5 Pros (which I love.) But the time it takes to put them in, and the fact that I can't hear anything when they are in also make them impractical. I was also scared of breaking them or having them stolen. Durable does not equate to surviving being dropped on concrete
I just got some "disposable" (aka cheap) Skullcandy Ink'd buds, which I use for out-and-about. They sound decent enough for cheapies and I don't need to worry about anything happening to them. I hardly ever listen intensely to music at school, so taking IEMs would be pointless. These seal enough to block out most sound, but you can pop one out if you need to. For art class/hanging out at school, they are the biz.

Just my 2c

PS

My friend uses Sennheiser CX300's, they are portable buds which sound pretty good and aren't too pricy (although double the price of the Sks.) The cable is asymmetrical, so they can hang around your neck without any problems. The Sk headphones don't have that feature.

 

[JJDyn0mite]

Here's your short list:

KSC-75's. You should get these, period. You can still get some "full size" cans, but as one of the previous posters alluded to, these are easy to put on, they are cheap, you can put them in your pocket if you want to be more active, I mean, seriously, for $10-15, there is no reason you shouldn't get them. I have like 6 pair. And I have to believe they sound far better than the skull buds... They are open, and will leak noise in and out, but I find them less bothersome than grado's from that standpoint, and when I'm out and about, I do like to hear what's going on around me, so that's a plus for me.

Portapro's. Similar/same drivers as the ksc-75, but with an adjustable and folding headband. Not as portable or disposable as the 75's, but probably more comfortable for longer sessions and you could wear them around your neck. Cost more (at least $30-45)

Grado's. I love grado's, but they leak music out too much to be used around others all day. They would probably also present comfort issues for all day/every day wearing. Although I've never broken any, they do have a lot of small moving parts which could conceivably break fairly easy if you snagged the cord or something. Speaking of cable, the stock cable is not made for portable use, way too long and stiff

Denon d1001. These would be the ones I would buy along with the KSC-75's for your use and tastes. Great headphones, you can pick them up for $75 to 100, nice short flexible cable that is great for portable use, leak very little, but don't isolate completely letting you stay partially in touch with the outside world, comfortable for long periods of time, don't need an amp, fun sound with your preferred genres, size is compatable with portable use (not too big or ugly) I've tried nearly everything in this price range (seriously) and based on your checklist, I really believe this is what you're looking for.

ES7. These are the only ones I haven't tried and are often compared to the d1001's. I plan to pick up some of the refurbs that are going for $60-80 so I can compare them to the others I've tried.

JVC RX700/900. I think these are too big/bulky for daily portable type use and the cable is WAAYY too long. I've tried them for this type thing before, trust me, the d1001 is worth the price difference. Good for the price, but not for your application.

IEMs. These, to me are also a hassle to insert, not comfortable for long use (unless you shell out $1000 for customs), and scary to use out and about because you are completely cut off from the outside world. I think you would be disappointed.

AD700. Someone may suggest these as great headphones in your pricerange, which they are, but not for what you want. Way too big, cable is way too long, they are way too open, and they aren't as much fun for the music you like to listen to. They are great for like an office or home listening because of their detail and comfort. Not for you.

I have to go, but I could talk about several others. My suggestion is Denon D1001's PLUS the KSC-75's. You'll thank me.

JJ

 

[arteom]

Sennheiser HD-25, done and done.

 

[1Time]

I've basically been saying this for years, not necessarily here at Head-Fi for that long, but elsewhere. It's called preference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruffle /img/forum/go_quote.gif I say disregard all the various definitions and jargon used by some Head-Fiers about transient response, neutrality, detail, blah blah and more blah. Listen to headphones, listen to a variety. Discover for yourself regardless of all the various factors used here, what sounds good to you. Unless you are a studio engineer or doing mastering work, who cares. You are the listener. You are listening to enjoy the music. So go with what you enjoy! Seriously, we all hear differently, all our ears are shaped differently. What one person experiences does not mean you will experience the same. The only person who can decide what headphones you will like is yourself.

 

[1Time]

Apparently our necks are not all the same. My Creative Aurvana Live! is practically identical in size to the D1001 and it chokes me when around my neck. Thus, it's not fine for all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oggranak /img/forum/go_quote.gif D1001s are fine around the neck (while not in use, I mean)...