Help me select a cheap headphone

[Slider18]

Sennheiser HD 202

http://headroom.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=3&subTopicID=26&productID=0020080202

Or

Koss UR20

http://headroom.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=3&subTopicID=26&productID=0020130020

Or

Koss KTX-Pro

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00001P4ZD/qid=1022650258/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-1186600-7936938

As, you can see I don't have much money on me, so which would you pick from the choices above. My primarary concern is comfort and then durability and sound quality.

Thanks for any help.

[Barista]

Personally, I would opt for some Grado's if your looking for a natural "Speaker" like sound of incredible quality.

Grado SR-60

I got a pair of these about 5 months ago, and they are simply unbelievable. From what I read, you'll be lucky to find anything comparable for under 3x the price (Unless you get a better Grado model).

The sound is very natural and revealing (Due to the open design), it's like being in a room of Klipsch speakers. In fact, they sound as good or better than my Klipsch RF-5s. Also they are extremely comfortable, I wear mine at work for very extended periods (5+ Hours at a time) with no ear fatigue, and that is of BIG importance to me. They have an incredible frequency response, and a perfectly flat curve. No EQ is needed to get a full sound and they are easily driven by portable CD players or PC Sound Cards. These things hit lows that my Klipsch only dream of.

I can't speak of the others you listed, but I can guarantee that you would be simply blown away with the Grado SR-60s. For $69, you'll not reach that level of audio in the real world for under $4000 or better. It's definitely THE headphone for the Audiophile, with no budget.

Link to Grado Labs

------------------

Barista T. Bill

[Barista]

I realized everything your looking at was at or below $20, and Grado's are like $70.

Man, eBay your cat, or something. For $50 more, you can get the only headphone you will ever need, and one of truly Audiophile grade. I just can't say enough about these headphones (in fact I'm using them now hehehe). They are WELL worth every penny of their price and you'll never need anything more. You would just have to experience them yourself to understand.

------------------

Barista T. Bill

[Slider18]

Hmmm, what if I got the SR40? They're something I could probably afford too.

And how comfortable and durable are teh GRados generally? I've heard that they're not that comfortable. I intend to be wearing them for long periods of time and also want them to last long.

[Slider18]

Or what about the SENNHEISER HD-457?

http://www.jandr.com/JRProductPage.process?RestartFlow=t&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=958&pcount=&Product_Id=2860404&Sort=Mfr_Name,Current_Price,Product_Name

[Colin]

I have Koss, Radio Shack and Stax headphones. I listened to the Senniheiser HD580s. I had Grado cartridges once. (Back in the old days, mechanical cartridges wiggled microscopic needles down the grooves of foot-wide black plastic discs, spinning 10 times slower than CDs!) I loved the Grado cartridges. Using one of the very best compliments I can pay to any piece of audiophile equipment, I can say they were "very musical".

Like big old horns, their specs do not show the addicting musicality of their cartridges. If Grado headphones are guilty by association to their cartridges, they are wonderful indeed. Most of the reviews say they are the best sounding headphones in the low price range:

(http://www.headphone.com/ProductsHeadphones/GradoSR60.asp)

Otherwise for $20, look into earbuds instead. Not quite the same kind of enjoyment, but very good specs for less money ....

------------------

Colin's Music System Cornwall 1s & Klipsch subs; lights out & tubes glowing!

[arena]

if you're willing to put out $100 for headphones, i can guarantee you will never regret buying a pair of sony mdr-v700dj. they are by far the best headphones i've ever heard in this price range. i know there's more to audio equipment than specs, but just look at the specs for these:

frequency response: an incredible 5hz - 30kz.

driver diameter: 50 mm

power handling: 3000 mW

sensitivity: 107 dB/mW

here's a pic:

http://www.sonystyle.com/images/large/shots/mdrv700dj.jpg

these cost $149 at sony but you can get them for $99 at ebay/ubid/various online electronics stores.

------------------

two channel old schooler

[sunnysal]

Slider, My advice is this; Be patient and save up a little more until you make the $100 threshhold. I know it's hard to wait (we all want things right away) but the difference in sound quality from $25 to $100 in headphones is enormous! I have two pairs of phones right now a pair of Grado SR-80 (which is slightly more expnesive than the SR-60s but have bigger earpieces and are thus more comfortable) and a pair of Sennheiser HD-600s...the HD-600s are better headphones, more audiophile values present, but let me tell ya...the little Grados sound pretty darn good too, I have them in my bedroom and I don't feel like I am missing anything re: the HD-600s...So please suffer throught iwht some walkman earbuds until you have scraped together enough cash for the Grados...you will not be dissapointed!...warm regards, tony

[IndyKlipschFan]

I sing locally on commercials and do production work from time to time in the studio. We all have our favorites. Some headphones are meant to be open, others cover the full ear blocking out any other distracting sounds. Bose..Wow hard to say that word, even has a noise canceling feature for outside noise so what you plug into them is just that source...( kinda wild to explain here but great for people who work in a loud atmosphere too for about 299.00)

Your question is a good one. At what price point do I get a decent pair of headphones that sound good? This comes down to a personal taste issue IMO because the stats may read great and yes they might sound great, BUT the FEEL of them on your ears is also important.

I would suggest going to two places, one would be like a BEST BUY retail store, the other would be a huge music store like MARS MUSIC. You can then try on several models. Look on the net for cheaper prices through the typical channels, and see if you can get a bargain. (Make sure it is the same model and not one that looks like it!)

My last suggestion is you might find $20. is not enough ($40.-$125.however should be 90% of what most people would be thrilled with in very good choices.) If your willing to take this much energy to post a message and have a real love of music... $40+ or so dollars to get something really nice is a good "investment" rather than be too thrifty here and buy something just because it is less expensive.

Of course you can get silly too. For most people, and I have tried them on too, you can buy a $1000. or even $2000 pair of headphones. But with today's application of some rare magnets, your gonna be surprised just how good they do sound! Hope this helps.

It's about Sound AND Comfort, period.

This message has been edited by IndyKlipschFan on 05-30-2002 at 10:23 AM

[Barista]

As for as the SR-60's go and comfort, they are extremely comfortable in my opinion. Like I said, I use them at work for periods of 5+ hours almost daily. While anything sitting on your ears for that long can have an fatigue impact, the SR-60s impact is very minimal. Especially since they went to a new full foam ear pad (instead of the foam with the hole in the middle).

My ears are rather sensitive as well, I went through 3 different phones beforehand for this exact reason. Yes, the Grado's are a little tight out of the box, but like the instructions say, you must stretch them out by pulling them apart somewhat to loosen the headband. Once they are adjusted/stretched to fit your head, they sit very lightly on your ears.

I'm not sure about the SR-40s, but I would recommend you not get anything less that the SR-60s simply because the SR-40s are not of the same design. I can't emphasize enough buying the right thing the first time. It's cheaper to wait and spend a little bit more now and get the right product the first time, instead of buying something you will not be totally satisfied with in the long run.

I have owned some of Sony's top end phones. Ear Clip Design Sony's, MDR-V150 Supra-aural Design Sony's, and MDR-V700DJ Sony's. The MDR-V700DJs do sound very, very nice, but will cost you 2x as much. Also, they were of a closed design (Sealing your ears inside the phones from outside air pressure). This is great if you are listening in a environment with lots of loud noise, as they will seal you from that environment. Personally, I don't like sealed designs anymore simply because the sound isn't very natural. Open designs have a airy, openness to them, that sounds like your listening to a room of speakers. Closed designs sound more like the music is coming from inside your head. The open/closed design debate is strictly of personal preference (Much like Tubes vs. SS), and each person will enjoy different things.

If you are looking for that "Speaker Enclosure" sound away from home, in the Grado's you'll find it.

------------------

Barista T. Bill