[slindeman]

I did a short comparison of my portable headphones today, so I thought I would share the results.

JVC HA-FX55 $15
Sound - Bassy and veiled.

1. Freq - Strong Bass obscures midrange. Has some large valleys in midrange/upper midrange. Artificial sounding. Recessed midrange.
2. Detail - Lacking in detail. Vocals pushed back in mix.
3. Other - Decent soundstage. Veiled. Not harsh. Isolation slightly more than earbuds. Hiss present in my system.

Ergonomics - Comfortable, but has the uneven cord length. Standard size L-shaped plug. Microphonics are bad.
Value - Fair. An alternative to earbuds if you prefer a smooth bassy presentation at the cost of air and detail. Inexpensive.

Senn PX100 $30
Sound - Balanced and smooth.

1. Freq - Nicely balanced sound, slightly laid back, maybe a little more bass than neutral.
2. Detail - Detail is good. Vocals are very good.
3. Other - Soundstage is good. Slight veil. Not harsh. No isolation. No hiss.

Ergonomics - Comfortable and compact. Easy to fold and stow. Small size straight plug. No microphonics.
Value - Excellent. Very good sound for a small price. By far the best value in this group.

JBL 220 $80
Sound - Open and punchy.

1. Freq - Bass a little strong with a hump in midbass. Punchy. Slight valleys/peaks in midrange/upper midrange. Highs are slightly recessed.
2. Detail - Detail is good. Vocals are good.
3. Other - Very nice open soundstage. No veil. Not harsh. Isolation slightly more than earbuds. Hiss present with my system.

Ergonomics - Body is a little large but the comfort is fine. Small size straight plug. Microphonics are pretty bad.
Value - Good value if you want something ultra-portable and a step up from earbuds.

Etymotic ER6i $80
Sound - Detailed.

1. Freq - Bass recessed and with little punch. Midrange and highs are the focus. No sharp peaks or valleys in freq response. Slightly thin sounding.
2. Detail - Detail is excellent. Vocals sound very clear and balanced.
3. Other - Soundstage is small. No veil. Slightly harsh. Excellent isolation. Hiss present with my system.

Ergonomics - Comfortable for an IEM. Standard size L-shaped plug. Microphonics are decent with shirt clip.
Value - Great value if you need isolation. Responds well to bass-boost.

Rankings
Ranking based on sound quality - PX100, JBL 220, ER6i, HA-FX55
Ranking based on ergonomics - PX100, ER6i, JBL 220, HA-FX55
Ranking based on value - PX100, ER6i, JBL 220, HA-FX55
Ranking based on airplane use - ER6i

None of these get a lot of use since most of my listening is with HD650/HF-1/HD570. I only listen portably when I travel or on the odd occasion when I don't feel like firing the tube amp up. If I were forced to choose one of the above to replace HD650 as my everyday headphone, it would either be PX100 or JBL 220, and it would take some time to decide since they are both decent. As far as other portable headphones go, in the past I've owned Shure E4C, Super.Fi 3, MX500, KSC-35, KSC-75, KSC-50 and have heard ER4P.

 

[rhcp_kz]

100's ftw!