[seantx]

HD580 and K81DJ were purchased with Amazon gift certificates I received for answering survey questions. You could call them free I suppose.

 

[Azure]

Sony MDR-SA1000

 

[hYdrociTy]

HD580.. I have a feeling these cans are going to be with me all the way to the top. They seem to totally make everything else the weakest link. The darth senns are definately the strongest link...5000 source and it will still be king watch...

 

[Bob A (SD)]

My first impulse was to say the recently acquired K81DJs were. But when I considered just how long I've had my HD580s (ordered 12-93, delivered 1-94), I'd say that they've given fantastic return on my investment (initial acquisition plus new headband and cord around year 5, then recently the new grills and cord). BTW I bought them bundled with the Supreme as an "initial adopter" with HeadRoom as they first started out. So they are my "best bang for the buck"

 

[vYu223]

KOSS KSC-75

Altec Lansing inMotion iM716 ($70 at Amazon)

 

[concrete_d]

Altec Lansing iM716 - the well-known Amazon deal.

 

[lan]

KSC35. Portable wise, I get extreme dynamics and bass surpassing many home systems.

 

[Stangs55]

Oh DEFINATELY my RS-1 new for $700...wait a sec..."best" bang for the buck? I'm sorry, I thought you said "grossly overpriced for the buck"...scratch that then

Not that the RS-1 isn't an astounding can...it's just priced a little out of its league

So back on topic, I'd have to say the Senn 650 that can be found new for $265 or my first IEM's, the Ety ER-6i, would both be the best values I've had yet.

 

[Ace o' Spades]

Either my iM716 or my Grado SR-60.

I would say the iM716 though, since the Grados were the first "Hi-Fi" can to blow my socks off. They are too close to the KCS75 to be that great of a value. The iM716 off of amazon is like getting an SR-60 for the price of an SR-225 so I am very satisfied.

 

[gsteinb88]

Stax Lambda Pro + Stax SRM-1/MK-2 for $250, easily.

 

[Quake1028]

Well, it would be Grado SR60, but I didn't pay for them, they were a gift. So of the two I paid for, I would say the AKG K501, since I got a mint pair for $89.88 shipped.

 

[imported_Matt_Carter]

KSC-55

 

[creyc]

Beyerdynamic DT990s for $179!!

Also my first true entry into what I'll call head-fi sound, in my opinion. My Super.fi 5 and UM2, while nice, are very pricey for their respective "bang" mostly due to the fact that IEMs in general follow this trend. The 990s are just so smooth, detailed and musical though!

Just last night I was listening to them while relaxing, to some instrumental music, when a voice interjected the music and completely startled me to the point I looked abruptly over my shoulder to see who it was. Imaging is better than anything I've tried and they really have an enjoyable sound signature and great comfort. I'm still amazed with them non stop.

 

[skyline889]

Definitely the Grado HF-1s. For $200, they were an absolute steal, even at the $300 they command nowadays, they still offer an amazing price to performance ratio.

 

[jadalias]

KSC-75 and iM716.