Recommend a pair of headphones for me

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I think sennheiser hd25s are studio quality headphones with fully replaceable parts

EVALUATION COPY (cozen), Saturday, 12 June 2010 12:03 (thirteen years ago) link

Think all $100+ Sennheisers and possibly some of the cheaper ones have replaceable leads (with varying definitions of "replaceable" - my HD590s have a lead which just plugs in on the outside of the left headphone, but my new 595s require the plastic casing to be taken apart and things to be unscrewed - haven't had to do that yet so I'm hoping it's less complicated than the diagram looks).

The 590s were pretty expensive but after a succession of $30 headphones where the lead broke within a year or two (and in some cases only a few months) they paid for themselves. The leads tend to be a proprietary fitting and cost $20, but I guess I got 4 years out of each lead so far.

atoms breaking heart (a passing spacecadet), Saturday, 12 June 2010 12:37 (thirteen years ago) link

It's on the move headphones that I'm most interested in, I guess having them not ruined in my bag is the biggest hurdle.

PaulTMA, Saturday, 12 June 2010 12:49 (thirteen years ago) link

Bose Quite Comfort 15s have a replaceable leads--they sound good and are super comfy.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:29 (thirteen years ago) link

(also nice case to protect them in a bag)

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:30 (thirteen years ago) link

Is there such thing as an affordable pair with easily replaceable parts?

PaulTMA, Sunday, 13 June 2010 12:22 (thirteen years ago) link

Need to replace my lost HD25-Is. List is Sennheiser HD25-IIs, B&W P5 and Beyer Dynamic T50p . Look for good sound but more importantly isolation. Did my first overnight flight without my HD25s last week and it was hell without my cocoon of solitude.

American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Saturday, 19 June 2010 15:48 (thirteen years ago) link

Damn, I think I lost my AKGs.

I'm being a smartass here, but in a fun way (NotEnough), Saturday, 19 June 2010 18:33 (thirteen years ago) link

My Grado SR60's are starting to lose connectivity in their right ear and the warranty has passed. Can anyone recommend some under $20 headphones to pix up at Best Buy or whatever until I can afford to either get these fixed or get something more expensive and good online?

Cunga, Saturday, 19 June 2010 20:26 (thirteen years ago) link

if you have a soldering iron Grados are very easy to fix, sounds like the lead might be coming off at the right driver Cunga. Ed have you considered IEMs? I think you probably can't go wrong with another pair of HD25's.

dyao, Saturday, 19 June 2010 23:52 (thirteen years ago) link

I had some etymotics for a while and although I liked the sound but I found them uncomfortable. IEMs aren't really for me I think.

American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:04 (thirteen years ago) link

Thanks for the advice, dyao. This happened before to them last year and I just sent it back for repair free of charge.

Cunga, Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:27 (thirteen years ago) link

I'd recommend calling Grado's customer service. They repaired the left channel on my SR-60s for $15 (including shipping) even though the SR-60s had been out of warranty for years.

能 homo (s. morris), Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:35 (thirteen years ago) link

In fact, I've found Grado's customer service to be some of the most accommodating I've ever dealt with. It seems like they take pride in their product.

能 homo (s. morris), Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:37 (thirteen years ago) link

http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/projects/showfile.php?file=grado_prj.htm

advice for how to open up the cups

if the break is in the wire itself however it may be more complicated.

dyao, Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:37 (thirteen years ago) link

are grados still made in the US?

dyao, Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:37 (thirteen years ago) link

I was looking for good cheapo headphones and I found a link to Avlex HD668B Enhanced Bass Headphones (the write up is here) and for $40 you get semi-open phones with pretty great sound quality and a range from 10 to 30,000 Hz.

serious nonsense (CaptainLorax), Wednesday, 23 June 2010 04:57 (thirteen years ago) link

What's the best set of canalphones I can pick up for around/under $30 that can withstand a beating? These Sennheiser CX300's didn't even last a year (though I stored them wrapped around my Zune in my bag...)

cynthia batter blaster (Stevie D), Wednesday, 23 June 2010 05:45 (thirteen years ago) link

@docfunk: Oh, good. My Dr. Dre headphones are malfunctioning. That was my worst buy of 2009 even before this. #TheySuckEvenWhenTheyWork

idm@hyperreal.org (lukas), Wednesday, 23 June 2010 06:20 (thirteen years ago) link

are grados still made in the US?

pretty sure they're still made in Brooklyn

progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 23 June 2010 08:48 (thirteen years ago) link

@Stevie D: Here's some good cheap canalphones - Creative Creative Labs EP 630 (site recommended + good reviews on amazon + under $30)

serious nonsense (CaptainLorax), Wednesday, 23 June 2010 17:50 (thirteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

I got the HD668Bs in the mail and they're doing me good.. the sound is excellent

serious nonsense (CaptainLorax), Friday, 9 July 2010 02:14 (thirteen years ago) link

two months pass...

just broke my 3rd pair of sony md-180's. done with them. and then i tried out my high-school age sister's JBL "Roxy" headphones (in neon green and pink) and was blown the fuck away. Bass is a little much but I couldn't believe that impulsive tweens all over the nation weren't even realizing the level of quality sound they were getting to listen to tay swift with.

lieutenant jimmy john (kelpolaris), Wednesday, 15 September 2010 18:21 (thirteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...

Anyone ever send back portapros for warranty repair? original packaging,no receipt,never registered.

Aerosol, Tuesday, 12 October 2010 21:22 (thirteen years ago) link

Yeah, I've done it two or three times, it's never been a problem. They send them back within like 2 weeks.

Loup-Garou G (The Yellow Kid), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 21:45 (thirteen years ago) link

yeah. they're THE BEST, they will reinstill your faith in corporations. a couple of times they sent me a new pair. i am okay with this as my enthusiasm has probably made a bunch of other people buy some = good business model

inimitable bowel syndrome (schlump), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 22:34 (thirteen years ago) link

Anyone tried those extremely cool looking TMA-1 hp's by AIAIAI?

http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Aiaiai-TMA-1-Headphones.jpg

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 13 October 2010 15:56 (thirteen years ago) link

those are cool looking

Aerosol, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 15:58 (thirteen years ago) link

portapros are like $30 on amazon right now vs $200 for tma-1s. hard to beat that.

moonship journey to baja, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 15:59 (thirteen years ago) link

those tma-1s are waaaaaay too expensive. $100 sounds about right, form factor excepted.

moonship journey to baja, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:02 (thirteen years ago) link

I got the impression they're gunning for the Sennheiser HD-25 market.

mh, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:04 (thirteen years ago) link

I think they sell for 200? The TMAs actually look way better in the, err, flesh - that matte black finish is quite something. I fear tho that sound quality was an afterthought

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:10 (thirteen years ago) link

I've just dropped 90 quid on a pair of Gradio SR80s - awesome, just awesome.

I'm being a smartass here, but in a fun way (NotEnough), Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:19 (thirteen years ago) link

i agree, but i got my sennheisers for $120 and i think they're better than the tma-1s.

$200 seems awfully steep, cool looking or no.

moonship journey to baja, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:23 (thirteen years ago) link

personally think design-wise aiaiai did a better job w/ these

http://www.turntablelab.com/images/content/1/0/100735.jpg

moonship journey to baja, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:24 (thirteen years ago) link

mh otm, if you're thinking about the tma-1's why not just go w/ the original

http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/product_images/altimage/06%2007%202006sennheiser_hd-25.jpg

dayo, Wednesday, 13 October 2010 23:41 (thirteen years ago) link

Pulled out my cheap-o Skullcandys on the train this morning and they were done for, so I had to swing by Walgreens to buy a cheap pair for the day. God these JVC Gummys are awful, no low end and they fit in the ear in a way that lets every sound in the world in around them.

"I am a fairly respected poster." (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 21 October 2010 13:58 (thirteen years ago) link

one month passes...

so. for wearing about the place, usually wandering around, seems like it's between koss portapros or sennheiser HD202s? if I am concerned abt noise leaks bothering others it seems like the 202s are more the way to go...?

i have only used earbuds up until now, this is a new and magical world.

c sharp major, Monday, 22 November 2010 20:24 (thirteen years ago) link

Depends what kind of "noise leaks" you mean. When it comes to "leaks", Portapros aren't anything extreme (compared to the super-open Grados, say). Just regular headphone-ness.

sean gramophone, Monday, 22 November 2010 20:33 (thirteen years ago) link

i love my portapros and use them in public often, and noise leak irritations are something i'm probably excessively concerned about. so unless you enjoy blasting your eardrums out they should be okay on that front. that said, i had a go on a friend's expensive sennheisers today and felt a little pathetic returning to the portapros after that sumptuous experience.

Antoine Bugleboy (Merdeyeux), Monday, 22 November 2010 20:58 (thirteen years ago) link

yeah you'd have to play music at a 'really not good for your ears' level for portapros leak to be a problem

iatee, Monday, 22 November 2010 21:26 (thirteen years ago) link

anyone got anything good/bad to say about the klipsch s4s?

cherry blossom, Monday, 22 November 2010 21:37 (thirteen years ago) link

i got some sennheiser CX200s (£20) about a year back, and i've noticed a lot more definition in the music i listen to, more than any other pair of headphones, they give very true playback aside a gentle cut in the mids. they look smart as well. for this pair being the starters in the range too, i'm pretty impressed. i play them with my ipod and i find them just about good enough to mix my recordings on, too.

jumpskins, Monday, 22 November 2010 23:04 (thirteen years ago) link

i got some sennheiser CX200s (£20) about a year back, and i've noticed a lot more definition in the music i listen to, more than any other pair of headphones, they give very true playback aside a gentle cut in the mids. they look smart as well. for this pair being the starters in the range too, i'm pretty impressed. i play them with my ipod and i find them just about good enough to mix my recordings on, too.

jumpskins, Monday, 22 November 2010 23:04 (thirteen years ago) link

sorry, fucking internet.

jumpskins, Monday, 22 November 2010 23:04 (thirteen years ago) link

they also block out external noise so well that i nearly crashed my pushbike the other day, too

jumpskins, Monday, 22 November 2010 23:05 (thirteen years ago) link

anyone got anything good/bad to say about the klipsch s4s?

― cherry blossom, Tuesday, November 23, 2010 5:37 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

I had the s4i (iphone version), this is the earbud IEM you're talking about yeah?

good sound, a little neutral but shoddily constructed, mine broke after a few months and I'm outside the country so can't take advantage of their 2 year warranty just yet

I picked up some denon IEMs, ah-c560r iirc, which are at the same price point and I like them a lot better. (I already have denon big headphones, so maybe I just like the house Denon sound). great bass but mids and highs are present. and the construction is much better - thicker wire, and the plug is right angle so it won't give out (where my S4is failed iirc).

seems like they make a mid-level version too called the c-260r, dunno how that is.

_| ̄|○| ̄|○| ̄|○ (dayo), Tuesday, 23 November 2010 00:23 (thirteen years ago) link

hallo, a friend is looking for some closed-back headphones - enough to block out the noisy subway but also not leak in quieter situations - for around £40. she can't do the in-ear thing, which appears to be a bit of an inconvenience given her specifications. any suggestions?

Antoine Bugleboy (Merdeyeux), Saturday, 4 December 2010 15:30 (thirteen years ago) link

sennheiser hd-280

lol

.\ /. (dayo), Saturday, 4 December 2010 15:52 (thirteen years ago) link

(don't get those, actually)

.\ /. (dayo), Saturday, 4 December 2010 15:53 (thirteen years ago) link


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