Need Decent Headphones (OT?)

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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)

Aha!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 23 November 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

So I ignored your advice and got these closed back AKG27i ones instead of more IEMs.

(For the insurance purposes noted above, I had to spend EXACTLY £40, or I might have been tempted to pay more).

So far, they're great. Really comfy, they fold up small, good isolation (ie other people can't hear you) and reasonable blocking out of outside noise, AND they sound great. I'm sure nowhere near audiophile, but a lot better than anything I've had before. They were surprisingly detailed at home and solid enough to cut through the tube noise without being at deafening volume. I wish they didn't have a white lead, though.

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Thursday, 23 November 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

I got MS-1s for my birthday! They're sounding great so far, and I haven't tried burning them in yet.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 4 January 2007 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

I want another pair just cos I love them so.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 4 January 2007 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

I've just bought a pair of Senneheiser px100 headphones and my word, they're good. £25 inc p&p iirc.

― Johnney B English (stigoftdump), Thursday, 4 January 2007 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

Aye, I loved my PX100s for two and a half years. I loved them hard. Until they broke. Then I got some Portapros! (After some PX200s, which were rubbish.)

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 4 January 2007 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't get my SR80s for xmas, but I ordered a pair and they're on the way in now. Woot!

― Hoosteen (Hoosteen), Thursday, 4 January 2007 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

yay!

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 4 January 2007 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

Just ordered the Sennheiser 414 pads for my SR-60. I must have had these cans for well over a year, maybe two, and hadn't come across this mod. Should I cut a hole in them, or should I leave it since they are only SR60's?

― Harpal (harpal), Friday, 5 January 2007 00:39 (nineteen years ago)

portapro is the best! I like to listen to loud minimalhouse, close my eyes and imagine the sunrise over spree in the summer. Would never work with my sennheisers.

― jon person (jon person), Friday, 5 January 2007 01:49 (nineteen years ago)

my ms-1's broke a few days ago. i called grado, they said they'll fix them for free.

― Christopher Costello (CGC), Friday, 5 January 2007 02:21 (nineteen years ago)

I have two pairs of 414s, one with a hole, one without - I use the ones without the hole most. Although I do think the others, flipped and reversed and exposing the drivers, look superfunky. I ordered some proper Grado bowls the other day too.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 5 January 2007 09:15 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Bump, for pimpage.

I am selling some headphones (Sennheiser HD595s).

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-595-Consumer-Headphones-Audiophile-HD595_W0QQitemZ300073385683QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3274QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 22 January 2007 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

Totally agree about the Grado SR-80s, beautiful sound. The cones are hell though first few days. SR-60 cones are more comfortable, but sound is a tad sharp in my op. PortaPros are a little overestimated, but good value. SR-60 is a better -$60 buy I think.

― the Dirt (FunkDirt), Monday, 22 January 2007 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

Sick Mouthy, what kind of headphone amp is that in the picture you posted above? How's the sound difference with and without it?

I'm contemplating getting one even though I've only got SR60's at the moment, but will upgrade eventually to either SR80's or MS-1's (I'm in the US).

― Harpal (harpal), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 08:08 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not sure you should have used the words "anal and awkward" in a descritpion involving jack plugs.

I would like to buy them if I was rich, but sadly I am broke.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 08:42 (nineteen years ago)

Harpal - it's a Meier Audio Corda Headfive. A limited run of 500 of them were produced by Meier for sale exclusively to members of the forum at head-fi.org. I got it in October, and am absolutely delighted with it. It's got quite a warm (tube-like, say people who have experience with tube amps - I don't though) sound to it which suits Grados / Alessandros down to the ground. As well as its warmth, it also just pulls the sound down, out and round a bit better, and adds a level of detail and intimacy. I love it. Meier makes plenty of other amps although this was very cheap by his standards, I think it went for $200. They've all sold out now though, but if you Google Meier Audio you can have a browse on his site.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 09:14 (nineteen years ago)

The formatting of the ad appears to have gone wonky. it could just be my browser though.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

Someone please bid on my Senns, cos my AKGs just arrived and now I feel guilty until I've made the money back through ebay and Amazon...

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 25 January 2007 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

Post a link to the Sennheisers Sick?

― the Dirt (FunkDirt), Thursday, 25 January 2007 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

Scroll up, dude!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 25 January 2007 11:02 (nineteen years ago)

I hope that's just my browser that's screwing up the display of eBay's embedded tech data for yr Senns, Nick. Cos you're doing a good job of selling them yourself!

(I also preferred Grados to these headphones [or whatever their equivalent model was in 1998]).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 25 January 2007 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

I get screwed up display too.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 25 January 2007 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

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