Well we had some kinda turn off from the Beats epidemic, but I wanted to ask some real questions...

Maybe giving prices + time with headphones, pros/cons:
High
Mid
Low

1) Headphones, on-ear, over-ear, which one is more comfortable? I wanted to just plug 'em into my computer or iphone and be all good.
-I listen to music like on pandora, I don't do any crazy stuff like music editing or anything major like that. Just fun listening and sometimes some gaming. Watch movies.

2) If you're say working out, what's the best in-ear set?

I tried to amazon them, but there are a crap ton... I also like buying from Costco if they had any... super great return policy. Plus I try to bargain shop online whenever some come on sale for a steal of a price!

 

I prefer over ear headphones for comfort. If you just want to plug them in with no amplification, ATH M50 or HD 598 which are both sub $250.

Honestly you'll probably like a good set of IEMs over headphones without an amp. I'd get something like VSonic GR07 or Westone 2. You're music choice influences what kind of signature that you'll like. Check out head-fi.org.

 

i received the DNA headphones for christmas and love them!
at first i was like "yay, thanks!" but really thought "overpriced, should've bought me some silicone hoses or a front sway bar lol"
after having them for a month, i like the sound they produce and are great for an all around headphone....

 

Surprisingly skull candy in ear buds are pretty wicked sounding.

Just gotta get the right size bud caps.
I use the smallest ones.

The bass is phenomenal for $20 headphones. I've had mine for over 5 years and they are still playing great!

 

+1 on the ATH M50 for general listening. Easy to drive, unfussy, foldable, don't share your tunes with everyone around you and sound great.

 

Yea, at $150 are the ATH M50's have been the sub $200 killers so far on all the reviews I keep seeing.

Second, more DJ & Dance is Crossfade LP's which is about $150 too.

I like the sub $200 price point.

 

Should we keep the headphone talk to one thread?

 

For IEMs, I have used a load of them, Shure's, Etymotics and a couple others. So far my favorite is these:


Though mine are black. I actually got a couple pairs of these years ago and for some reason I kept listening to these over the Shures (E2C, E3C) and the Etymotic (no idea, these were a friends, looks like earplugs of death, one blue one red). The JBL's are great straight out of a phone or iPod and do definitely sound a little better with an amp. I have not mentioned these because most likely no one has heard of them, but I really like them and have them with me every day. Only downside is the cloth cords - though they are really nice - do transfer noise into the buds when moving, and these would not be suitable for working out as the cloth would soak up sweat and such. Eeew.

Currently still breaking in my Sennheiser HD380's which are probably an entry-level device, but the nicest sounding thing I have had on my head since I can remember. These are nothing short of amazing so far, and they are only getting better. Got about 18 hours of break in so far and the bass is really waking up. Compared to other phones I have listened to, these just "go away" in that they are so comfortable, and the sound, while awesome, sounds a little farther away when compared to my Sony MDR-XB700's. IEM's are "right in your head" and while they sound good, can lead to fatigue because of this, and (from what I have read) having the channels Left and Right completely isolated in your ear for long periods of time. In normal listening, there is some bleed between channels (your left ear can hear music from the right channel) but not with headphones. Headroom's amps (like the Total Airhead I am using right now) have a "crossfeed" function that is supposed to help with this, and I feel that it does. I can listen to this amp all day long, no issues.

I was in a Datacenter most of last night, so was using my Bose QC15's for this. While the noise canceling is impressive on these, I have been enjoying them less and less. I did notice a dude cruising around with a red pair of Beats around his neck though. I should paint my QC15's red and call them BEETS BY J.

I would not be against that.

 

Headphones are great until you are wearing your favorite pair walking down the street and step out into traffic on accident.
Noise cancelation seems like a bad idea now huh.

 

wat.

 

You heard me....
or did you?
Noise cancelation I forgot.
Lol or does that stand for( what a troll. )

Just giving what I get around here lol.

 

what?


Ive still been going back and forth on the HD380s and the ATH-m50s. It seems like I would be set either way I go.

 

Majority of audiophililes all over youtube and even CNET rate the ATH-M50s as their go to or in the top5. I don't hear too much of the HD380s. Although I was looking for reviewers who are trying to spend under the $200 mark as a consumer.

 

My HD-380's were $135 off Amazon. Never heard of the ATH-M50's before today. Would like to hear them, but these days - seems like you need to buy all the ones you want to try, and return the ones you don't like. Anyway, would be great to compare them.

 

Just an update - my Sennheiser HD-380's have changed my life. These are wonderful, and I cannot wait until I can afford to pick up a set of HD-650's. The main reason I have not yet is that I never get any time to myself, and my listening environment is not conducive to use of open headphones.

I still use my Bose QC15's occasionally - but only inside of datacenters and then only connected to my phone or ipod. The amp makes them crap out a bit..

Leaving for Frankfurt in 2 weeks, planning on just taking the 380's and an amp. First time!