headphones?

[chris_n]

those are actually really nice headphones if your head can fit them.

as you stated, the pads are pretty weaksauce, but the drivers sound great for the design.

for dj i use senn hd25

for listening i try to use speakers, or grado sr125

[Tyro1]

I was thinking of getting grado 125s or Alessandro MS1s, but how would these be for a shared office environment? am I going to piss everyone off sitting around me?

[chris_n]

tyro1: can't speak of the ms1's as i don't have experience, but the 125s will be heard.

they're basically open air speakers placed close to your ears.

if noise is of concern and your normal listening level is relatively low, the hd25's would actually be a good option. they're more or less sealed and sound good at low levels --but you can crank them REAAAAALLLY high too.

might be overkill tho.

[home]

the grados look great. might be bordering on the too-bulky side to be stuffed into my bag.

might have to scope the form 2's in person before copping then - I gotta big head.

[chris_n]

just make sure they fit width-wise, there's tons of vertical adjustment.

[034936]

home: if your after something with a lot of isolation, i would recommend the AKG k81 as a budget portable headphone. Can be had for about 100 bucks. Clear highs and powerful bass. plus it will block out most noise from traffic, trains etc.

[TransparentCranium]

I was thinking of getting grado 125s or Alessandro MS1s, but how would these be for a shared office environment? am I going to piss everyone off sitting around me?

Yes you will. Everyone around you will be able to hear them for quite a distance.

If you want relatively cheap closed back headphones I'd recommend the SHURE SRH840, I have a pair and they are some of the better closed backed phones I've listened to.

[chris_n]

home: if your after something with a lot of isolation, i would recommend the AKG k81 as a budget portable headphone. Can be had for about 100 bucks. Clear highs and powerful bass. plus it will block out most noise from traffic, trains etc.

+1 on the akg, they are actually quite decent. but I don't know if he's worried about isolating outside noise as much as keeping the noise to himself.

These akg's still have quite a bit of spill.

[rushup edge]

I use AKG K240s at home and couldn't be happier.

[jo3 b]

eff headphones @ this point.

what do you guys use for commuting? ive destroyed three pairs so far because the wiring is far too fragile for everyday use.

i need something that will stand up to wires bending back and forth in my pocket and as i'm walking down the damn street.

doesn't sound intense but according to my wires, it is.

[chantheman]

i too would like to know. i get exposed wires like crazy and then one side will stop working

[riotmute]

Agreed. I have the Bose Noise Cancelling headphones, terrific sound but not made for everyday use. I need a better suggestion

[ilovefriedchicken]

akg k*501s here at home

obviously not very portable due to longass thick wire and huge size in general

im going to try some clipons for walking maybe the audiotechnica cherry ones bc they are surprisingly comfy for a pair of clipons and earbuds are never good enough

[Jack Bauer]

I've had several pairs of "studio quality"(term used very lightly) headphones over the years. My favorite pair in terms of price/performance was probably my AKG 240s, but I beat the living shit out of them and they withered away in about a year. Ran over the headphone cord with my chair a million times, splitting the wire in many places, the leather(?) type material on the actual ear cushion cracked a lot too, and I had to tape the connector sideways to keep them working at all near the end... they sound amazing excepting the bass(which is quite good still), but you may need to baby them a bit to keep them lasting. I may probably buy another pair of them when the need arises.

Right now I am using Sennhesier HD380 pros, nothing special... had them for maybe 9 months and they are still running strong, a lot higher build quality/comfort than the AKGs, better bass, but overall sound a bit worse.

[M4TM]

i also have the same problems with fragile wires breaking way faster than they should! sucks!

i was thinking about getting the beats tour headphones just because of that fat wire they use. think this would last longer?

[TransparentCranium]

My first guess would be the opposite, but you never know.

[home]

anyone with thoughts on audio technica ES7s? friend recommended them but fuck the shininess is homma.

[TransparentCranium]

Sound quality is average, maybe slightly above. They are well made and look great though.

[034936]

anyone with thoughts on audio technica ES7s? friend recommended them but fuck the shininess is homma.

The AKG k81's main competitor in terms of sound and price. I own the k81s while my friend owns the es7's. He swears by his es7's, though i have tested them once, and was disappointed with the isolation (quite a big factor for me). they also seemed to sound a little flatter than the akg's. I tend to like my headphones to have very strong high and low ends.

[Ryan]

I got a pair of sony NC40s recently

I know a ton of people swear by the Bose but I wanted something that I could fit into my backpack , fairly cheap, and canceled out enough noise for me to be more comfortable sleeping on an airplane, or train.

these fit the bill nicely. they were about 60 bucks on amazon, they fold and come with their own carrying case and airplane headphone adapter.

sound quality isnt amazing but its better than using whatever the airline has to offer and they were comfortable enough to wear for the 15+ hour flights I did to asia last year. battery life was good too.

[funkdoobi]

anyone that swears by bose is a fucking idiot. you should immediately stop taking any advice from them when it comes to electronic equipment.

[DJI]

Sound quality is average, maybe slightly above. They are well made and look great though.

they sounded pretty average when I tried them in a store in tokyo but my brother has a pair that he's been using heavily for a few months and they sound a hell of a lot better now, considering picking up a pair for myself. shininess isn't as flamboyant as photos might indicate, they look pretty funky when worn.

[TransparentCranium]

I guess I mean average as far as quality headphones go. They're much better than anything you can find in a mall, and better than most easily portable headphones. You'll find them lacking (which is why i said average) if your used to senn hd650, akg k701's and the like obviously.

[branespload]

re: people talking about headphone cable durability

a lot of it is just a matter of taking care of your gear and storing them properly. wrapping cables around your ipod or phone or whatever or shoving them into your pocket in a tangled mess will surely damage your cables.

take the time loosely and carefully wrap them properly and store them in a protective case!

[freecat]

totally. i've had a pair of soundmagic pl30 from like when it started to get hyped, nearly 2 years ago, and they still work and aren't fucked up. i just try to preserve them. nice for a pair of $25 earphones.

[neonecko]

SanDisk Sansa Clip + Ibasso T4 + Yuin PK1

I've used this set up for about a year now and I really do enjoy it. Wrap the earbuds in an old Shure e2c case and it holds up well.

[emixam]

anyone here has the Audio Technica ATH-ES7 ? I can get them at 85euros/100USD - what do you think ? I like the aesthetic of them, not sure about the sound quality though.

EDIT : sorry didnt see that post :

The AKG k81's main competitor in terms of sound and price. I own the k81s while my friend owns the es7's. He swears by his es7's, though i have tested them once, and was disappointed with the isolation (quite a big factor for me). they also seemed to sound a little flatter than the akg's. I tend to like my headphones to have very strong high and low ends.

anyone else ?

[DJI]

online? care to share the website?

[emixam]

not online, in Japan Land actually

[TransparentCranium]

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-ES7-Portable-Headphones-Black/dp/B000R0TPQ8

btw, there are fake es7's going around. I don't know a way to tell what's real and what isn't, except maybe extended listening.