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Headphones I've tried. My top 10

4

4DThinker

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 15, 2008
2,033
2
I just added a review of all my headphones to my blog. It includes 6 wired headphones, 3 bluetooth headsets, and a shot of all the earbuds I've collected with my pick as the best.

Feel free to peruse it. Leave a comment if you want. I'd also love to hear what your favorite headphones are. 4D
Duffer likes the Grado SR80s:
sr80.gif

MacInSchool is getting the
Shure E500 That Alphaod has:
shure_e500pth_20.jpg

VictorCh likes the B&O A8s:
product_126024.jpg

Insulin Junkie goes Numark:
36772.jpg

Etymotics get mixed reviews:
er6-all3.jpg
 
What? No one else wants to share what their favorite headphones are?

4D
 
I use Numark DJ's for listening to music at home. Invested in them over half a decade ago, and still going strong :)
I love the Beyerdynamic in-ear phones for the street.
 
Insulin Junkie said:
I use Numark DJ's for listening to music at home. Invested in them over half a decade ago, and still going strong :)
I love the Beyerdynamic in-ear phones for the street.
Click to expand...
Do you mean these, or another Numark model, IJ? Are they comfortable for a few hours at a time?
 
4DThinker said:
Do you mean these, or another Numark model, IJ? Are they comfortable for a few hours at a time?
Click to expand...

Yup, that's the model.
They're more comfortable now that I've 'broken them in', they were tight and made the ears hurt after an hour or so when they were newer. I stuck with them for so long because the music sounds just the way I want to hear it out of them... nice and balanced.
What's more they got tossed around a lot, dropped a lot and probably stepped on once or twice, and they never broke or even cracked. If something does happen to them Numark it is again. :)
 
I just ordered the Sony DR-BT50! They will be my first Bluetooth phones, eager to try them out.

I have the Sony MDR-V300 (wired) phones which sound great, but basically I'm just so tired of cords and wires everywhere.
 
I have the bose in ear headphones....
people say they are overpriced
but i think they're wonderful

only complain is that the 3.5 jack has a huge power supply thing on it :[
but that was fixed in an update...
so the new ones dont have it :]
 
Harry Bosch said:
I just ordered the Sony DR-BT50! They will be my first Bluetooth phones, eager to try them out.
Click to expand...
I've got them and love them. So far I don't have anything that the folder +/- buttons support, but it's incredibly nice to change tracks, pause, vol +/- directly on the headphones. If you have a bluetooth capable cell phone they'll work with it too.
 
I LOVE etymotic.

http://www.etymotic.com/

I have every single headphone from their line, as well as the bluetooth ones. Superior sound quality and noise cancellation as appose to Shure(their direct competition).
 
Well I don't have top 10 as I've only bought like 5 ones that are even worth mentioning.

I have been using a Shure E500PTH for a year and half now and it's pimping.
 
Lets see:

I started with a pair of sonys for about 30 bucks. They were great for what they were and last for a while... then i kinda dropped them in a puddle.

Next i went with a pair of Shure e2c's. They are a little base heavy, but they were still much better then the sonys i had.

I then bought the Shure se310's and am still using them. I really like this pair. I think they are more balanced then the e2c's so the highs are a little more present and the lows do not give the deep thumping sound, although there is still bass there.


My sister had a pair or er6's and she like those a lot. The balance in those was great (as far as i was concerned) for a cheaper set of headphones. She managed to break one of the buds so she is currently searching for a replacement pair.
 
i absolutely love and hate etymotic headphones - fantastic sound, POS build quality.

So many reviews online of my exact same problem.

Bought a pair equivalent to $120 (from UK). Amazing sound, 4-7 months later one side of the headphones died. Etymotic want crazy fees to ship it back to them. Missed them so much that I bit the bullet and bought another pair and same **** happened...now i love these headphones but...$240 and nothing to show for it. I take care of my headphones but you can just tell that they feel flimsy (although look quite cool imo). Sorry for all those who purchased them, hoped it doesnt happen to you, maybe i had two bad ones, maybe my ears have anti-etymotic immune system. I dont know, but if you were me i doubt you'd be willing to part with another $120...unless you are nuts about etymotic of course :)

But if you do love them and have an iphone, a company out there sells them for the iphone/provides a service were you ship your etymotic er6is to them and they add the iphone microphone piece.

Etymotic Er6is one side stopped working (google)
 
Bose QuietComfort (yeah i know i know) for traveling.
Bang & Olufsen A8's when there's no space and no need for noise canceling.

Planning on getting some M-Audios or Senns HD for making music and such, for bass-intensive stuff were the A8's just won't do and the Bose kinda lack the finesse.

Victor
 
Grado

Grado headphones are awesome. I have been using the SR 80s for a long time and the sound is incredible. The iGrado headphone gets great reviews and I plan on purchasing them soon.
 
Do you know what's different in the iGrado version? Is it more than just charging more for the i?
 
I use Etymotic ER6i... and I love em'. (Wish the HF2 had come out before)
I also have Bose triport! :)
 
thegoldenmackid said:
The Grado GS1000s at home
Click to expand...
Those "Look" like they must sound fantastic, gmk. Since you've got them, do you think they sound twice as good as all the $500 headphones out there, and 5 times as good as all the $200 headphones?

Just curious. I'd certainly have to test drive a pait of those before spending a grand on them.
 
4DThinker said:
Those "Look" like they must sound fantastic, gmk. Since you've got them, do you think they sound twice as good as all the $500 headphones out there, and 5 times as good as all the $200 headphones?

Just curious. I'd certainly have to test drive a pait of those before spending a grand on them.
Click to expand...

So easily impressed :p... I used to own these for a couple years - http://www.cnet.com/1990-11456_1-6361079-2.html?hhTest

Between the phones ($1500 used) and the rest of the setup, I had $4k sunk into a rig I used in my office. Was it worth it? The sound was unbelievable, so much so that it impacted my work negatively. Played with many closed phones and iems and worked my up to this setup over a year, only to get to something with such an involving soundscape that I couldn't take my mind away from the music.

FWIW I made a $500 profit selling these. That's one thing about high-end headphones. They have limited market, hence limited quantity, and once the production ends they appreciate.

Check out head-fi.org for more info.
 
4DThinker said:
Those "Look" like they must sound fantastic, gmk. Since you've got them, do you think they sound twice as good as all the $500 headphones out there, and 5 times as good as all the $200 headphones?

Just curious. I'd certainly have to test drive a pait of those before spending a grand on them.
Click to expand...

Umm...there are some noticeable differences between the SE530s and the Grados. Everything that you thought was so perfect about the SE530s is upgraded, the biggest improvement is probably the depth of the sound...haha... Clearly these are not for vale, but for sound, for those that are going to go running or listening to a CD or two, you are wasting your money.
 
i went through at least 10 other pairs of sound isolating/noise canceling and on ear headphones. after doing alot of research and physical testing(and returning) i am now the happy owner of Audio Technica ATH-ANC7's
there great:
half the price of bose QC3's and as good, if not better noise cancelation. they are also very confutable.
heres a link


there great for a student looking for noise canceling headphone with great quality at a great price
 
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i use Skullcandy Smokin' Buds for walking around, and those cost $40 and do a perfectly good job of cancelling noise even if theyre not made to. for home/travel i use Skullcandy Skullcrushers. for someone who like bass, these are a must seeing as they have a built in subwoofer and literally vibrate when you play a song with big bass
 
My SE530s came today while I was at work. Listening to them right now. WOW!!!

beefington said:
for home/travel i use Skullcandy Skullcrushers. for someone who like bass, these are a must seeing as they have a built in subwoofer and literally vibrate when you play a song with big bass
Click to expand...

I have some of those. The bass is disturbingly overwhelming... Even when the sub is turned down. Hard to describe. Great for a song or two to rock out, but after that they're just too much.
 
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