Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

Verisimilidude: Dec 20, 2006; Strike quick and hurry at him,
not caring to hit or miss.
So that you dishonor him before the judges

I'm looking into some noise cancelling headphones to assist with studying. Nothing expensive, just something that effectively cancels noise while playing something in the background (like white noise). Preferably something that has a standard headphone jack. School library is too far to commute to on off days, and the cafes around here are usually pretty busy, hence the headphones.

edit: poo poo, there's a format. Uhhh....

Budget: $50-$100.
Source: Google Nexus 7, Nokia Lumia 920, iPod nano, or Macbook Pro.
Isolation Requirements: High. I'll be using them in crowded cafes and subway trains, and quiet libraries.
Preferred Type of Headphone: Over or on ear, but probably leaning more towards over ear. Whichever offers better comfort over long periods of use.
Preferred Tonal Balance: I don't really have a preference. I listen to a wide range of music, and a lot of podcasts/radio/audiobooks.
Past Headphones: Some cheap $10 gummi in-ear headphones, iPhone headphones. Nothing spectacular, and I couldn't honestly tell you much about what I liked/disliked about them.
Preferred Music: All kinds, though mostly rock, electronica, and especially jazz.

edit: I've heard great things about the Panasonic RP-HTX7 headphones, and for the price I couldn't really say no. I ordered a pair and can post a review, as someone who doesn't know much about headphones but who uses them primarily for studying and travel, who needs something that focuses mostly on isolation and comfort.

Verisimilidude fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Oct 28, 2013

# ¿ Oct 27, 2013 23:23

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# ¿ May 7, 2024 15:10

Verisimilidude: Dec 20, 2006; Strike quick and hurry at him,
not caring to hit or miss.
So that you dishonor him before the judges

Charles Martel posted:

This series of threads has been good to me in the past, so I'm coming back for some help:

I'm looking for a cheaper alternative to the Zune Premium Headphones for my Zune. I love these headphones so much that I've been dealing with my half-shot pair while hitting the elliptical at the gym, but they are now to the point where I can't hear anything out of the right earbud, and need a replacement around the $25 range.

I couldn't find any hardware specs on the headphones, but I love everything about them: They're comfortable and the frequency response on them is clear on everything I listen to: It's not overly bass heavy, but they are loud, crisp, clear, and have nice isolation. The problem is that they are too expensive for my taste nowadays after I somehow nabbed a pair off of eBay for around $20 a couple of years ago.

Budget - Less than $30.
Source - My Zune and iPhone.
Isolation Requirements - Yes. Will be using these at the gym 95% of the time.
Preferred Type of Headphone - Earbuds or IEMs from what I can see in the OP.
Preferred Tonal Balance - This is hard to explain. I want a quality set of headphones that have a meaty, "full" sound as opposed to the weak, tinny sound most cheap headphones have.
Past Headphones - See above about my feelings of the Zune Premium Headphones. Everything about them was perfect.
Preferred Music - A little bit of everything, but mostly punk rock, metal, and classic rock.

So do you guys think I can get earbuds like the Zune premo earbuds for around $20 so I don't have to pay +$60 for another pair?

Edit: Another thing I forgot to mention is that these headphones have to be durable and have a tight fit in my ear. I really get into my music and have a tendency to headbang a bit. Despite that, the Zune Headphones managed to stay in my ear for most of my workout and only slip out of my ear a couple times during a 50-minute run depending on the intensity of my run, the music, or both.

http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-Image-S4-II-Black/dp/B008X9Q0JK/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

These are on sale on Amazon right now for $30 (down from $80). I'm not a huge fan of the reviews though, but they might be a good deal.

I'm looking for a pair of IEMs myself. I bought some panasonic over ear headphones, which are absolutely fantastic, but they're a bit cumbersome to carry around on a day-to-day basis. I'm also not a huge fan of the "headphones around the neck" look, so I want a pair of IEMs for other day-to-day use.

Budget: $50-$100.
Source: Macbook Pro, iPod Touch.
Isolation Requirements: Yes. I'll be using them on the train, or while studying in the library.
Preferred Type: IEMs, or whatever maximizes my isolation.
Preferred Tonal Balance: I listen to a wide range of music, so I guess something that's not too bassy. I like being able to hear everything, especially now that I'm listening to jazz.
Past Headphones: Panasonic RP-HTX7, which I absolutely adore. Gummi ear buds which have been fine for now, but I want something with isolation, and the sound quality is pretty poor.
Preferred Music: A lot of stuff, but right now mostly jazz, indie rock, and punk.
Other: I'm also looking for something with a bit of lasting power. I'm not sure if this is possible with IEMs, since I hear they break quickly with frequent use. Something sturdy and reliable, if possible.

Verisimilidude fucked around with this message at 18:23 on Dec 14, 2013

# ¿ Dec 14, 2013 18:14

Verisimilidude: Dec 20, 2006; Strike quick and hurry at him,
not caring to hit or miss.
So that you dishonor him before the judges

grack posted:

Monster Gratitudes. And if you want your IEMs to last put them in a case when you're done with them, don't just shove them in your pocket or bag. A cigarette tin from a dollar store works great, as does an Altoids tin.

I'm not a massive fan of the look of the Gratitudes, and the reviews seem pretty mediocre. Mostly though, gold just isn't my style, though the wide selection of ear tips is pretty nice.

# ¿ Dec 16, 2013 06:35

Verisimilidude: Dec 20, 2006; Strike quick and hurry at him,
not caring to hit or miss.
So that you dishonor him before the judges

Looking for a pair of really comfortable, noise cancelling(?), over-ear headphones. Need them for programming and tuning out the world around me. Budget is $100 at the max. Should I wait for black friday to get a pair?

Was gonna get a pair of the Panasonic retro headphones, but I guess they stopped making them? The few on Amazon are super expensive now.

Verisimilidude fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Nov 15, 2018

# ¿ Nov 15, 2018 19:19

Verisimilidude: Dec 20, 2006; Strike quick and hurry at him,
not caring to hit or miss.
So that you dishonor him before the judges

Anyone have a recommendation for a bluetooth headset I can use for conference calls at home? My wired Samsung earbuds have stopped working, so now I'm looking for solid solution that is comfortable to wear and has a good quality microphone. Budget is around $100.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2020 14:33

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