Headphones

[Brainonska511]

I want to get a good pair of headphones for when I fly to/from school, am at the library, or just when my roommate requests that I don't use my speakers. I don't like earbuds or things that get stuck in my ears. I also have a budget from $0-$150. What would you all recommend?

TIA

Edit: After looking through head-fi.com's forum, I think I'm going to go with the Sennheiser PX100. They get great reviews from people and the price is really good ($40 through Amazon). Also, I don't know if I want to head towards the giant DJ style headphones.

 

[oCxTiTaN]

give us a budget and what type you need, as well as what you listen to so we can better help you. Also, check out www.head-fi.com

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: oCxTiTaN
give us a budget and what type you need, as well as what you listen to so we can better help you. Also, check out www.head-fi.com

Budget is anywhere up to $150 as stated in the OP. I want something that will sound good and be able to be heard over the noise of an airliner since I'll be using them when I fly.

 

[darkswordsman17]

See if you can snag a used pair of Audio-Technica ATH-A900s and then do the Blu-Tak mod to them if you're looking for a full sized over the head style. They're very comfy and the sound isolation is pretty good.

An IEM would be the best for sound-isolation though.

Check out Head-Fi for better help.

 

[Excelsior]

darksword - what sthe blu-tak mod?

I have A500s.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
darksword - what sthe blu-tak mod?

I have A500s.

Aren't the A500s open? If they are then the blu-tak mod won't work, it only works on closed phones.

Basically all it is, you open them up, remove the foam they have in there (their D.A.D.S. system), and then you put blu-tak (ticky tack of any variety will work), and then take cotton balls and fill in the space (how much so changes the sound).

 

[invaderrizz]

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17

Originally posted by: Excelsior
darksword - what sthe blu-tak mod?

I have A500s.

Aren't the A500s open? If they are then the blu-tak mod won't work, it only works on closed phones.

Basically all it is, you open them up, remove the foam they have in there (their D.A.D.S. system), and then you put blu-tak (ticky tack of any variety will work), and then take cotton balls and fill in the space (how much so changes the sound).

A500s and A900s have the same form factor. If it's an ADx00, it's the open model.

I recommend the K81DJ by AKG. Small size, great overall sound (especially bass), closed, and quite good at isolating. Buy at Headroom for $70 or eBay for $55 (i think the seller is ImaginationProducts or something).

PX100s are great for the money and sound spectacular, but they're open headphones, so they leak a lot of sound. The K81DJs won't have this problem, so you can enjoy your music in peace.

 

[Trippytiger]

Another recommendation for the K81DJ's here. They'll be much, much better for what you want to do with them than the open PX100's. They aren't that large, either.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Trippytiger
Another recommendation for the K81DJ's here. They'll be much, much better for what you want to do with them than the open PX100's. They aren't that large, either.

The PX100's are very small...did you get a model mixup?

 

[CSMR]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I want to get a good pair of headphones for when I fly to/from school, am at the library, or just when my roommate requests that I don't use my speakers. I don't like earbuds or things that get stuck in my ears. I also have a budget from $0-$150. What would you all recommend?

TIA

Edit: After looking through head-fi.com's forum, I think I'm going to go with the Sennheiser PX100. They get great reviews from people and the price is really good ($40 through Amazon). Also, I don't know if I want to head towards the giant DJ style headphones.

Make sure the headphones are at the very least closed and preferably in-ear. You want to be able to hear the music in the plane and you don't need other people to hear you in the library. Etymotic and Shure make some headphones of this type. Maybe just get the basic ER6 and get another pair for when you don't need sound isolation.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: CSMR

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I want to get a good pair of headphones for when I fly to/from school, am at the library, or just when my roommate requests that I don't use my speakers. I don't like earbuds or things that get stuck in my ears. I also have a budget from $0-$150. What would you all recommend?

TIA

Edit: After looking through head-fi.com's forum, I think I'm going to go with the Sennheiser PX100. They get great reviews from people and the price is really good ($40 through Amazon). Also, I don't know if I want to head towards the giant DJ style headphones.

Make sure the headphones are at the very least closed and preferably in-ear. You want to be able to hear the music in the plane and you don't need other people to hear you in the library. Etymotic and Shure make some headphones of this type. Maybe just get the basic ER6 and get another pair for when you don't need sound isolation.

I don't like sticking things in my ear and I don't listen to stuff that loudly anyway (with my current headphones, which are some kind of Sony behind-the-head, I can listen to my Zen Touch at a volume of 7 or 8 out of 25 in a quiet setting). I may consider headphones more tailored for an airplane setting for Christmas, but I'm not sure at the moment. In retrospect, I just wanted to get something more comfortable and better than the behind-the-head headphones I currently have. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

 

[Trippytiger]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

The PX100's are very small...did you get a model mixup?

Not at all. I suppose I was a little unclear. I wasn't comparing the sizes of the two, just pointing out that the K81DJ's aren't terribly large.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Trippytiger

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

The PX100's are very small...did you get a model mixup?

Not at all. I suppose I was a little unclear. I wasn't comparing the sizes of the two, just pointing out that the K81DJ's aren't terribly large.

ah ok...I was gonna say that the PX100's are no larger than a pair of standard headphones that come with any portable CD player

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: CSMR

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I want to get a good pair of headphones for when I fly to/from school, am at the library, or just when my roommate requests that I don't use my speakers. I don't like earbuds or things that get stuck in my ears. I also have a budget from $0-$150. What would you all recommend?

TIA

Edit: After looking through head-fi.com's forum, I think I'm going to go with the Sennheiser PX100. They get great reviews from people and the price is really good ($40 through Amazon). Also, I don't know if I want to head towards the giant DJ style headphones.

Make sure the headphones are at the very least closed and preferably in-ear. You want to be able to hear the music in the plane and you don't need other people to hear you in the library. Etymotic and Shure make some headphones of this type. Maybe just get the basic ER6 and get another pair for when you don't need sound isolation.

I don't like sticking things in my ear and I don't listen to stuff that loudly anyway (with my current headphones, which are some kind of Sony behind-the-head, I can listen to my Zen Touch at a volume of 7 or 8 out of 25 in a quiet setting). I may consider headphones more tailored for an airplane setting for Christmas, but I'm not sure at the moment. In retrospect, I just wanted to get something more comfortable and better than the behind-the-head headphones I currently have. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

I doubt that the PX100s would do well in an airplane setting; they're terribly open and do leak a lot of outside noise. I bet you wouldn't be able to comfortably listen to your music unless your volume was at least 12 or 13, at which point it would become uncomfortable volume-wise. The K81DJ won't have this problem, as it is an isolating closed headphone. Now, about comfort - if you have a small head, these things will most likely be fine for you. If you have a fairly large noggin, however, they have been reported to have a deathgrip on your head (unfortunately, I've never been able to test this out). They do get more comfortable after some bending of the headband, though (and lots of people have done this; if you want, I can dig up some stuff about headband bending in the massive Head-Fi thread on the K81DJs).

 

[AndrewL]

I dont know if they would be sufficient for a plane environment but the sennheiser HD201 i just got are awesome. If you like comfort you wouldnt be dissapointed with them.

Also the audio technicas are to big to be easily portable from the pictures ive seen. Im not kidding their huge.

 

[you2]

I'd recommend the hd555. At first I prefered the ath but over tme i've grown to prefer the hd555. THey are 'open' but i don't think that will be a big issue. They do take a while to break in.

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: you2
I'd recommend the hd555. At first I prefered the ath but over tme i've grown to prefer the hd555. THey are 'open' but i don't think that will be a big issue. They do take a while to break in.

Open + flying = big issue

Otherwise, there's really nothing very wrong with HD555s. Granted, for a newbie headphone liestener, a PX100 will serve you just as well, but the 555 will get you a taste of the audiophile lifestyle.