Ultimate Mango posted:

If you want isolation have you thought about IEMs? There are a good number of excellent IEMs at that price point.

terre packet posted:

I haven't, but I can change that. Some IEM recommendations then please!

Midorka posted:

In all honesty the HD555 deserve a decent amp, at least an E10. I think they sound like poop without one.

Lowness 72 posted:

Hey Midorka,

What are your thoughts on the Wirecutter reviews? They've been doing a bunch of headphone reviews lately. What's notable is they've been recommending headphones that I previously had never heard of (i.e., they weren't the typical "go-to" choices). They usually get a bunch of different pairs and have various people try them which I think is interesting.

Anyhow - they just came out with the best sub-$100 review and chose these: Sony XBA-C10IP

I'd never heard of them and also can't find them at some of my normal retail choices (Amazon, B&H etc). What do you think? Heard of them before?

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-100-in-ear-headphones/

JP Money posted:

I figured I'd take a shot in the dark and give these a try. Hopefully the song control stuff actually functions as they look pretty decent otherwise. 2,000 reviewers is pretty good evidence of their quality.

eddiewalker posted:

http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021814&p_id=5346&seq=1&format=4#feedback

As I scan the first page of reviews, I see lots of complaints about tight connector fit and brittle connectors breaking.

Previous Jesus posted:

That's what I figured, but I just did that and the sound didn't falter at all. I've only noticed the sound messing up with my phone (I have my headphones plugged into my computer at the moment), is it possible that the problem is with the phone's headphone jack somehow? I assumed I was just noticing it with my phone because it's the only thing I use my headphones with while I'm moving.

rapeface posted:

So while I'm here waiting for the a-JAYS Five, amazon lets me know about the JLab JBuds J4 are 66% to $30ish dollars. Is this worth picking up? Are JLabs even the same company as JAY?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011TS8LM

My previous post:

vanbags posted:

I bought the Superlux HD 681s for a cheap pair of gaming headphones and I've been more than happy with their performance for the price.

The only problem I have is apparently my head is too fat and after about an hour or two of use the clamp force is a little overwhelming. Without the risk of breaking them is there a recommended solution to loosening them up a bit or am I better off just going after another pair?

Chemical Shift posted:

Budget - Somewhere between $20 - $50.
Source - iPod Touch
Isolation Requirements - Somewhat. I don't work in a noisy environment, but I also don't want to bother my coworkers.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEMs only. I'll be using these 90% of the time at work, moving around often, and I would like the portability and low profile of IEMs. Earbuds don't stick in my ear well because I have stupid ears, apparently.
Preferred Tonal Balance - Balanced.
Past Headphones - UE500, UE600, UE200, MEE Sport-Fi M6 (MEE was the latest one).
Preferred Music - Folk, Acoustic, Rock, some Rap, Classical (usually classical guitar)

The main thing I'm looking for here is durability. And I guess at this point some advice on how to make sure my headphones last, because I'm sick of having to replace them and I also don't have that much money anymore. I have a pair of SR80i Grados for home use, so this is mostly for on-the-go and work. I use a different, lovely sport one for exercising that works quite well for that, so these will be for use pretty much only at work and coffee shops and stuff. I would like something that sounds decent (the worst sound quality I'm looking to go to would be the MEE M6, which is serviceable but doesn't sound all that great). The UE600s were probably the best sounding ones I've ever had, but they gave out in one ear like the other UEs did.

evil_bunnY posted:

If they're harder to drive, the noise floor won't be as pronounced.

Tactical Lesbian posted:

I at this time can't justify that cost for an amp alone so you don't think they make decent DACs?

guppy posted:

The goal is specifically engine noise.

Paradox Personified posted:

So my Yamaha EPH-100s came in today, the left audio channel was totally out and the right audio sounded like a loving pair of those iPhone pieces of poo poo... look, do they sound tinny and bass-less even when working properly, and even with the equalizer jacked up like crazy? I'm just tired of the constant pain from over-ear sets, and the last over-ear I had was a Nady brand, QH560, and its online presence was nothing compared to the glowing four and five-star reviews these Yamahas get- and the sound from the Nady set was still better, the bass I could reach with those was amazing. For further comparison, last IEM I had which caused me to fall in love with the design was a Sennheiser brand (a couple of CX500s) and it didn't even sound this bad.
When I get the replacement from Amazon, should I expect iPhone-headphone quality again from those Yamaha EPH-100s?

Paradox Personified posted:

Aaaaand the right channel just went out.
Um.. is there an RMA limit on headphones that poo poo out so often?

Paradox Personified posted:

What about the Monster 'Gratitude'? My mother loved and still loves Earth Wind & Fire, who designed those. I swear, once I get my NDT work, I'm buying a dozen headphones of all IEM designs.

Update on it, right channel comes in and out and I want to blame it on the cold snap somehow, I live on the Gulf Coast. Maybe heat expanding, cold contracting, is a factor? Very very loose uneducated guess theory though. I still have my Nady over-ears, so those are relegated to the PS3 audio-out, on the PC the 100s remain where I can actually fiddle with channel level balance and can jack up the R-chan when I need to.


Thanks guys and gals and variants and starkin.

Profanity posted:

Will an Asus Xonar Essence STX sufficiently drive a pair of HD 650s? Googling around on Head-Fi and such some say it does, some say it doesn't. I am a total headphone newbie, so it's hard to tell between audiophile sperglords who think anything sounds like poo poo if it's not through their $5000 system and actual sane people.

Tactical Lesbian posted:

http://www.wwstereo.com/dB-Logic/EP-100PINK

TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF YOUR MIND. Perk up those ears! dBLogic earphones are the sound choice for kids and adults with a super-small design and crystal-clear sound. These earphones are specially designed in-ear monitors (IEMs) that fit perfectly snug in the ear, and feature a strong ultra-thin cable that can be worn up and behind the ear for a unique, ultra-comfortable wearing style. Using SPL2 Technology, dBLogic earphones limit high sound pressure levels to 85dB while delivering superior, clear sound quality to help protect your lifelong hearing.

ON SALE NOW

Tactical Lesbian posted:

I have a couple of options for you;

http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-HBS-730-Bluetooth-Headset/dp/B009A5204K/ out and about, driving, office, etc. When you get a call, it vibrates on your collarbone and is generally awesome. I especially like using it in the car, since I drive a manual.

Tactical Lesbian posted:

edit: the sarcasm was the ~crystal clear~ quality from $10 IEMs

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.

ruro posted:

No, what have they done this time?

Dirty Job posted:

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.

Bea Nanner posted:

I'm looking for some solid over-ear/on-ears that are sub-$100 (ideally). Requirements are that they are portable and look cool and don't suck.

Current front runner: http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestig...&keywords=grado

Can anyone top that for the price range?

Fall posted:

Hello thread. I'd be happy if you could help me out. I will be buying two pairs of IEMs, one for longer commutes and a more durable backup pair to toss around wherever.

Budget - $80
Source - Nexus 5, laptop
Isolation Requirements - High
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM
Preferred Tonal Balance - Balanced. Something with detailed sound even at lower volumes.
Past Headphones - A few sub-$10 IEMs, which were harsh and lacked detail, and the Logitech UE 400 which broke after 10 months. The clarity was okay but high-energy vocals were often harsh, e.g. in the choruses of Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out, Within Temptation - Frozen.
Preferred Music - Alt rock, synthesised electronic stuff, indie pop/rock, pop.


I'm considering the Monster Gratitudes ($60) right now because of their apparently great detail and the complimentary carry case. However, I'm not sure whether or not the treble will pose a concern.

For the second pair, I'm thinking the $20 MEElectronics Sport-Fi M6?

Listerine posted:

I got a pair of grado 225i headphones as a gift; is there any kind of adapter available that will let me use them with the smaller audio out on my iPod?

Agatsu posted:

Am I asking the question incorrectly here, or did I offend yalls somehow. Gettin no love in this thread. Any IEM peeps wanna respond? Still considering the Westone 3s.

Gently KRS posted:

Looking to buy some new IEM's after being stuck with standard iPod earphones for like 5 months.
I had a pair of soundmagic's (maybe E10's, I'm not sure) for around 10-12months before, I was very happy with the sound quality but they broke.
I'm planning on using whatever I buy everyday for traveling and lying in bed. Would like something that will hold up to daily use and not get destroyed.

I was looking at what RHA has available, is there any significant differences in sound quality between the MA350, MA400 and MA600? These are all in my budget range, so if there's something better for the same price I'd like to know.
Also, can anyone attest to durability and comfort?

Budget: < ~£50
Source: Sony NWZ-S638F Walkman, My laptop,
Isolation: Traveling, so would like decent amount of isolation.
Type: IEM
Tonal Balance: Would prefer something with a balanced range of sounds and clear but non overpowering bass.
Preferred music: Death Metal and Hip-hop

Oppenheimer posted:

Is that link for the headphone buying guide still good? Those Padacs in the budget tier are down to 10 bux so I was wondering if they got worse or something.

Lazyhound posted:

I decided to move up a bit in price range and pulled the trigger on some Brainwavz B2s, then decided they were hideous even by goonlord standards and cancelled the order. Now I'm having trouble deciding between Rock It R-50Ms and Etymotic HF2s. The former seems to get better reviews for sound quality, but the build quality and isolation seem better on the HF2s, plus they have volume controls and the option of getting custom tips. Any thoughts?

Budget - <$200
Source - iPhone, iPad, MBP.
Isolation Requirements - The more, the better.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM.
Preferred Tonal Balance - Accurate/analytical
Past Headphones - Sennheiser CX-300, Meelectronics A151
Preferred Music - Rock, pop, electronic, classical

Xovaan posted:

The e09k isn't really a proper driver for high impedance headphones though. At the very least, a Schiit Lyr or a Bottlehead Crack are the two contenders for a potential match for HD650's if he's looking for a solid upgrade to his receiver under $1000.

I'd recommend perusing head-fi with search terms like "best amp for hd650" for ideas as to what's out there. Also see what headphonia recommends for pairings as well.

Xovaan posted:

Xovaan posted:

Xovaan posted: