Need Decent Headphones (OT?)

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Thanks Kv - I'm probably gonna start with these and maybe upgrade later to Shures if I feel the need to. One thing though, I see KOSS makes "The Plug" as well as "Sparkplugs". Are they different?

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Monday, 13 November 2006 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

I just ordered Sennheiser HD 280 headphones.

Not as great as some of the stuff mentioned in this thread, but I'm super excited because I've never been able to afford a good stereo + receiver + speakers, and the best headphones I've ever had were $20 Koss headphones from Wal-Mart.

A friend of mine has the same Sennheiser's I ordered. I listened to some music on them for about 20 minutes a few weeks ago and was totally blown away.

I am excited to the max.

― Zachary Scott (Zach S), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 01:17 (nineteen years ago)

Excellent!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 08:50 (nineteen years ago)

I've put normal 414s on the MS-1s and that's given me a bit more bass warmth, and put the normal pads back on the Portapros, because, frankly, I'd have looked like a fool wearing them outside like that and also, with my current long hair, they made my ears way too hot.

The MS-1s are my favourites. I adore them. The everything Sean said about the Portapros is true though, and I can't imagine a better headphone to use with an iPod.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 08:54 (nineteen years ago)

I have a feeling that "The Plug" have better sound quality. Sorry I can't be more precise.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

So I got these Sparkplugs and I like them soundwise, but I'm finding it a nightmare to actually put them in my ears. Also, the foam thing keeps falling off...

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

Squeeze them tight, pull your ear out and back then insert. Keep held in place with finger for about 10 seconds. There should be little sound entering. It takes a bit of a practise!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

yeah - unfort the way I use them, i'll need to take them off pretty often, so this whole thing is not very convenient (plus I'd be too self-conscious to this whole ear gymnastic on the metro!)...

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

The finished "rig".

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/Headphones%20and%20hi-fi/IMG_6162.jpg

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 14 November 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

Thread derailment!: What is that pot thing "of" and what is in it?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

It's some kind of viscous Pernod-esque drink from Turkey - my girlfriend's dad brought it back for me after a business trip. I fucking hate Pernod-esque things.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

You mean, it's Raki?

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

If that's clear, Turkish Pernod-esque nastiness, yeah, I guess so.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Nice bottle, though!

So if I was looking for suggestions for headphones for DJing, would this be a good thread to crash? Obviously bass response, swively bits, and a solid cord I could trip over are key.

― mh. (mike h.), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

AKG K81DJ are what you're after, I suspect.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

I was about to say that!

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

That stuff is Jordanian, rather than Turkish, but the name's practically the same.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 16 November 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

That's Arak, then!

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Thursday, 16 November 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

That's the cookie.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 16 November 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

So, how about the AKG 26 P headphones? I just got my ipod and headphones nicked, but they're covered on the insurance, so I'm replacing them today.

I mostly use them on the underground, so closed back ones seem best. I did have Sony MDR-EX71 ones, which are IEMs (if I'm using that term correctly - they go right in your ear. They were great at blocking out outside noise, but reading here, I think I could get better for the same money. And they were TOO bassy. And I think I'd prefer something not right in yer ear.

Those AKG's get good reviews, and fold up nicely.

Anyway, £40 max. Wotcha reckon?

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

£40 for closed supraaurals? ai ai ai. you're not going to get anything that sounds very good. (ie, nothing that sounds as good as the wide-open and flimsy and not-for-your-uses KSC-75s.)

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)

Ah well. So should I go back to in-ear ones, then?

Or maybe get those AKGs for the tubes AND the Koss KSC-75 ones for home ...

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 11:32 (nineteen years ago)

Well, nothing's going to be perfect on the underground, in-ear or out. So I don't think it's worth shel;ling out wads and wads. One must accept one's fate. Depends whether you find in-ear uncomfortable or not. I can't stand them myself, or at least not for long.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

IEM is (imho) the best bet, bang-for-buck, if you're using the tube regularly - so long as you don't mind the feel of them.

If you get the Koss PortaPros (which are basically the KSC75s gussied up), I guarantee you will use them like crazy when out-and-about. (And even perhaps at home.)

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 11:38 (nineteen years ago)

A whole world of distinction and taste that I hadn't really thought about awaits me. Damn.

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 11:58 (nineteen years ago)

I just don't bother on the Underground - I have Sony EX-71s too and even they can't mask the train noise. The alternative is cranking it up (plenty do) but that way lies tinnitus. I'm amazed anyone tries to listen to a personal stereo in that environment.

The EX-71 bass response varies wildly with the seal they make in yr lugholes (with the first pair I had - about six years ago - I used the wrong-size covers for a couple of weeks because they seemed more comfortable but they gave no bass at all). I really like the warm, cosy sound I get with them attached to my Samsung MP3 player.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

anybody know where in london to get replacement earpads for the koss porta-pros?

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

Your PortaPros have a lifetime warranty so for something like £4 you can send them in and get replacements in the post. (Just specify what's wrong - eg: "wonky sound and the pads have worn out.")

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Does that count in the UK, Sean?

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

sean I don't have the receipt :(

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

nobody?? i thought these were like the most popular headphones in the world!

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

i got some generic ones in maplin, but they were a little small and tend to tear after a month or two. pretty cheap though.

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

I bought mine in Canada, but over the summer I had some issues so yeah I contacted Koss and asked them where to send them here in Scotland. They gave me an address outside Glasgow, and I think I had to enclose £4 or something. I didn't send a receipt or anything - just the headphones, a return address, and a description of the problem.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

I mean... you get back another refurbished pair, but i don't mind. You could probably just send in the pads and that would work too.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

Radio Shack sells generic replacement pads for pretty cheap, if you don't feel like being w/ out headphones for a week.

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

I've had my koss repaired, twice, from the UK, without a receipt. Just need to find the address to send them to (e-mail koss for the nearest repair centre)

― brr (fandango), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

(specify you want the same model back if they're something on the verge of being discontinued, like ksc-35's though, or you might get a new pair of something else back)

― brr (fandango), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

I had the white Sony ones (MDR something, is this wrong, I tried googling) with the grey silicon earbud things, very good sound off them but somehow they began corroding, the wire developed the texture of chewing gum and now you can see the copper on the inside, they are pretty skeletal and get insanely tangled.

So I probably want new ones, I notice a lot of people rubbishing the quality of in ear headphones, any good recommendations in the sort of under 100 pounds price range? I like in-ear for the easy to put in your pocket nature of them, but I'm not dead set against other styles.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry for not reading all of above, it's just a bit info overload...

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

Koss KSC35s are a great pocketable compromise, though they're the annoying kind that clip onto the back of your ears. They sound fantastic though, and are very cheap. (But hard to find in shops in the UK.)

I truly don't know what the best earbud style headphone is... I hate them, personally. Koss' The Plug (and Sparkplug) were both mentioned upthread.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

Best headphones you can get for under £100 are probably the Alessandro MS-1s. The styling, however, may not suit, and they'd be rubbish outside. I'd suggest browsing through IEMs at headphoneworld.com and having a scour at head-fi.org for ideas.

Also, what Sean said.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

oh, and in case it's not obvious, the PortaPros/KSC-35s etc do not sound as good as Alessandro MS-1s, or Grado SR-80s, or Senn HD590s, or whatever-whatever. but it's apples and oranges really, and there's a major price difference.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

so the Alessandros not good for outside, hmm will check some others and might report back...

I'm fine indoors cos I have Sennheiser DJ headphones...

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

if you want to not be able to hear anything outside (eg on the tube) you should get some IEMs. if you're wearing them walking around this is a bad idea though as you'll doubtless get run over.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 23 November 2006 02:15 (nineteen years ago)

hey, sick mouthy guy?
what type of earpads are those on your ms-1's?

― Christopher Costello (CGC), Thursday, 23 November 2006 04:51 (nineteen years ago)

They're Sennheiser 414s, aka "comfies", a common hack for Grados/Alessandros.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 23 November 2006 09:07 (nineteen years ago)

you should get some IEMs. if you're wearing them walking around this is a bad idea though as you'll doubtless get run over.

:-(

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 23 November 2006 09:20 (nineteen years ago)

What does M stand for in IEM?

I'm sure it is something obvious and I will look like a plonker, but still.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 23 November 2006 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

IEM

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 23 November 2006 11:12 (nineteen years ago)

In Ear Monitor, innit.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 23 November 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

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