headphones

[pilot]

I need some headphone recommendations. I'm on my second pair of iPod type ear-buds and I've once again somehow managed to fuck up the wire and now sound is only coming out of one ear. I know it comes down to me being more careful about not getting the wire tangled up in my bag, but sometimes I just have to throw it in there and move on. Can anyone recommend a more durable set of headphones? I'd like to get the kind that are more headband style too because they're easier to slide on and off if someone wants to talk to you than the earbuds which are a dangly mess.

[dhex]

i've had good luck with koss in the past, as they're cheap and pretty good.

i've had very bad luck with earphone reliability lately. i liked the vmodas i got, but they also broke pretty easily. i have a new messenger bag, which i hope will help cut down on breakage, but for now i'm sticking with 99 cent store in ear phones. i figure 2.50 beats 25+ bucks.

[drozdal]

I'm using Koss Porta Pro every day. Those aren't the most reliable headphones in the world, but sound is rather excellent (considering how cheap you can get them) and if they break for any reason - Koss has lifetime warranty on them, so new pair will cost you about 6-10$ to cover the shipping for your new pair.

[FortNinety]

but for now i'm sticking with 99 cent store in ear phones. i figure 2.50 beats 25+ bucks.

My ex-girlfriend's mom decided to give me a 99 cent pair, and when I tried them on, I immediately got a nasty cut due to the shit plastic mold it was used. So yeah... buyer beware I guess.

I really hate using the iPhone's default headphones, since my right ear is weird or something, cuz that side's earbud always falls out. But does anyone know of a replacement that also has a built in mic, which is the only reason why I bother (and it is super convenient)?

[dhex]

i use my own earpieces, of course, and i get canal phones. earbuds are useless.

[The Drunken Samurai]

i have a pair of sony headphones that i had to replace..twice

[scratchmonkey]

I'm a big fan of Sennheiser PX100s. The sound is incredibly good for a lightweight pair of headphones and they're the headband style. Very clean, crisp, good low-end without being too bass-heavy, basically they're as good as you're going to get without talking about extremely expensive professional cans.

The big disadvantage is that since they're open-air design, that anybody who's sitting next to you will be able to hear what you're listening to relatively easily, which I could see annoying people on subways/buses. If you mainly wear them walking around or at a computer, they work great.

[dhex]

sennheiser generally makes good things. their c300 or whatever in-ear phones are generally thought of as the best you can buy under 50 bucks. (they seem to be dropping in price compared to the creatives and others in that class)

in dollar store earbud news, for 2.50 you get your money's worth and then some. the weird thing is because of how they were designed (or "designed") the low end is hyped to hell and they sound kind of honky. but with a bit of eq adjustment they actually sound more than acceptable despite being pointlessly loud. and for the price i could buy a new pair every two months and save money over what i'd spend on a decent pair.

[FortNinety]

The fact that you have to buy a new pair every two months, plus adjust your tunes according to them seems like more hassle than they're worth.

But that's for the heads up regarding the XCX300! They're only $25 on Amazon right now...

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-CX300-B-Earbuds-Black/dp/B000E6G9RI

... Think I'll pick up a pair. Was super interested in the PX100, till the part about other people hearing my stuff on the train. Hate that shit.

[dhex]

i adjust eq all the time. one of the benefits of a non-ipod product is that they have actual functionality, so it's three or four button clicks. besides, i have to do that with each new pair i buy, and even if i buy one every two months, that's only 15 bucks, compared to 25+. so far these have held up for a whole four days without too much problem.

the sennheisers are very nice, though.

[FortNinety]

As already mentioned on the journal, Katie recently got me a pair of these...



... And they're awesome! Easily the best over the ear headphones I've ever used. Before I was using Panasonics, very similar to the one pictured here...



... Except all black and I believe slightly more powerful performance, but due to it's shape, I was getting a headache from the pressure it was putting against my ear, due to my glasses. It's still somewhat present with the Zumreed (again, a direct from Japan special edition, though I would imagine the ones available at Urban Outfitters, which is where I first discovered them), but not nearly as bad.