Headphones - Recommendations?

Bill Barton · July-12th-2003, 11:05 AM

I'm in the market for a set of high quality headphones, and wondered if anyone has recommendations to share. So far, the Sennheiser HD590 Prestige model appears to be the best bet. I prefer open-air to closed design, and want to stay in the under $200 price category (J&R has the HD590s on sale at about $150).
Is anyone familiar with the Acoustic Research AW791 model? They're billed as "Cordless Surround with Dolby Digital Technology" which is of little or no interest to me, but I've had great experiences in the past with AR equipment. Other ideas?
Thanks.

Jonathan Sutton · July-12th-2003, 01:06 PM

I am very happy with Grado SR125s, which are in your price range. Not fantastically comfortable, but they sound great. There a bunch of reviews on the web, which make redundant anything more I could say off the top of my head.

stonemonkts · July-12th-2003, 01:49 PM

There was a sub-thread regarding headphones which I started a few months ago which contains some very useful info. I ended up purchasing the Sennheiser 580 headphones and am very pleased with them. Comfortable for sure. Many positives for Grados' sound quality, but I opted for good/very good sound with superior comfort. I believe the thread can be found under Audiophiles.

Bill Barton · July-20th-2003, 06:35 PM

Just noticed an ad in Coda for Bose "TriPort" phones... Is anyone familiar with these?

bostontricky · July-3rd-2006, 01:03 PM

How many headphones are too many? Due to an incredible price I've seen on some noise-reduction headphones I'm trying to justify picking up three pairs, but am not sure I can slide these past Mrs. Tricky (all Sennheisers):

PX100, simple, basic, easily transportable headphones for use out and about
HD201, no-fuss closed cans for home listening
PXC150, noise reduction for travel etc. (at $69.99, I can't resist)

I'm assuming everyone's got different headphones for different situations. Please advise.

Scott Dolan · July-3rd-2006, 04:18 PM

Mrs. Dolan would promptly beat me over the head with a blunt fucking object were I to ask her if I could purchase three pairs of cans at once.

I have some cheap, shitty earbuds that came with my MP3 player. I call them cheap and shitty but they get the job done perfectly since I rarely listen to music on my player.

Aside from that, I only listen at home. And I LOVE my HD595's. Since they have broken in they have become ultra sweet. The open design is the only one I'll ever use from now on.

But I'd say go for it.

Just rehearse your response to the "what's wrong with the ones you have" question. Speak firmly yet thoughtfully. Make it seem as though it's really weighing heavy on your heart because you didn't really want to ask for them while at the same time offering up an airtight reason as to why you need them.

Good luck.

bonethugz · July-3rd-2006, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Barton

Just noticed an ad in Coda for Bose "TriPort" phones... Is anyone familiar with these?

no no no no no. bose phones, or anything else are expensive and bad sounding. if you want sound, using headphones for example. try akg, grado or sennheiser. i mean if you care about the look, b&o can do a lot better.
i tried triport. unless you have lots of money to burn and, AND you need to travel on flight. then ok get it. the sound quality is bad, or it sounded like a 20 dollars phones. the phones give you somewhat good isolation though. i think they can be quite comfortable for long flight.

as for hd590, they're not so good. try hd580 or 600. hd 650 costs a little more and give you more bass.

bonethugz · July-3rd-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Barton

I'm in the market for a set of high quality headphones, and wondered if anyone has recommendations to share. So far, the Sennheiser HD590 Prestige model appears to be the best bet. I prefer open-air to closed design, and want to stay in the under $200 price category (J&R has the HD590s on sale at about $150).
Is anyone familiar with the Acoustic Research AW791 model? They're billed as "Cordless Surround with Dolby Digital Technology" which is of little or no interest to me, but I've had great experiences in the past with AR equipment. Other ideas?
Thanks.

i'm not familiar with any cordless phones because i tried those before and i think it's quite expensive and if i use the exactly same amount of money, i'll get a lot better in sound quality. plus i had a pair of wireless headphones before and it gave me headache so i stopped using them.

as for recommendation, i suppose you're using it at home with your jazz right? do you have an amp? if you don't, try grado sr60 or alessandro ms one or sennheiser's px100 or hd 555 or better hd595. philips shp-805 or shp-895. i couldn't find any philips around so i think you have to order them online.

Hudson Boy · July-4th-2006, 12:01 AM

I have the original Joseph Grado HP 1000 Headphones, and the signature Joseph Grado Headphone Amp, purchased in the early 1990's. I wanted a vacuum tube headphone amp that was designed for the HP 1000, by Melos, but since I was already using a Conrad Johnson tube pre-amp with a phono stage, I felt that this was tubey enough. I often use the Grado amp as a pre-amp for driving a 100 watt B&K power amp as well.

There is also Alessandro High End Products, which collaborates with Grado for studio-grade phones. They are based on Grado designs, with some differences.
http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

I have not heard the Alessandro's - but am considering getting one of their less-expensive sets, at $99, for travel.

My old Grado HP 1000's have the best bass that I've heard on headphones. The transparency and midrange are very good - and I don't think I'll find better anytime soon.

Scott Dolan · July-4th-2006, 01:27 AM

Grados look like they would be incredibly uncomfortable to wear.

Hudson Boy · July-4th-2006, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Grados look like they would be incredibly uncomfortable to wear.

They're not the most comfortable - that's true, but the sound is so engaging that they make you forget about the retro-styling. I use Koss electrostatics or lower priced Sennheisers when I want comfort as well as decent sound, but the Grados are much better. The materials that were used for the HP 1000’s were selected for sound quality, not comfort. I would imagine that their latest top-of -the line models are similarly made.

I have some earpads that go over the Grado ones that make them easier to wear, with very little sonic compromise. I got them from an online headphone store, but can't remember the name. People have done all sorts of mods to various Grado phones - a lot of these plans are online.

The bottom line is that if comfort is a determining factor, don't get the heavy-duty Grados. The lower-end ones are a lot lighter, and probably more comfortable, and are supposed to sound very good. I have not auditioned any phones by Grado since getting the reference pair, so I can't really comment on what they are making today.

vibes · July-4th-2006, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Barton

I'm in the market for a set of high quality headphones, and wondered if anyone has recommendations to share. So far, the Sennheiser HD590 Prestige model appears to be the best bet. I prefer open-air to closed design, and want to stay in the under $200 price category (J&R has the HD590s on sale at about $150).
Is anyone familiar with the Acoustic Research AW791 model? They're billed as "Cordless Surround with Dolby Digital Technology" which is of little or no interest to me, but I've had great experiences in the past with AR equipment. Other ideas?
Thanks.

I have tried several AR and Sennheiser wireless models, and for comfort and sound quality, the Sennheisers won every time. Really, though, I would stay away from wireless headphones of this type. They're still using analog technology and are thus much more susceptible to interference from other devices. I have a pair of Bluetooth headphones for my computer, and there is no static or sound distortion whatsoever. Every pair of wireless headphones I've tried (such as the AR's and Sennheisers), however, had this problem. Until technology in this arena catches up with what's available, I would stay away and just go with a nice pair of corded headphones.

bonethugz · July-4th-2006, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Grados look like they would be incredibly uncomfortable to wear.

i tried those grados entry phones, sr60 and sr80. also the ms1. they're not uncomfortable. you really can't beat them at that price for sound quality.

Hudson, if you need a pair of headphones for travel. don't you need some isolation? or do you only need them when you're back in your hotel room? you know the ms1 can't block any sound from outside right?

if anyone want to have a pair of comfortable headphones, why not try akg k501 or k601 or even k701? i have a pair of k601. they're light and good looking. more importantly, they're comfortable and sounds great. i heard the k501 also sounds very very good and not very expensive.

John P. Cooper · July-5th-2006, 03:07 AM

Flashback to 1971 - PIONEER headphones that fit completely over your ears with a 'leather' encased foam core on each end. On humid nights, little pieces of the 'leather' would stick to your head.

I think I tossed them, but still have the 'carrying' case.

http://tinyurl.com/mxanz

Live the dream!

Hudson Boy · July-5th-2006, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonethugz

i tried those grados entry phones, sr60 and sr80. also the ms1. they're not uncomfortable. you really can't beat them at that price for sound quality.
Hudson, if you need a pair of headphones for travel. don't you need some isolation? or do you only need them when you're back in your hotel room? you know the ms1 can't block any sound from outside right?
if anyone want to have a pair of comfortable headphones, why not try akg k501 or k601 or even k701? i have a pair of k601. they're light and good looking. more importantly, they're comfortable and sounds great. i heard the k501 also sounds very very good and not very expensive.

The AKG K 26 P, at under 50 dollars, looks like a strong contender for my "subway" phones, the next time I get something ultra-portable. I was considering one of the Koss Porta Pros, but these might be better.

bonethugz · July-5th-2006, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hudson Boy

The AKG K 26 P, at under 50 dollars, looks like a strong contender for my "subway" phones, the next time I get something ultra-portable. I was considering one of the Koss Porta Pros, but these might be better.

i own this pair but, i'll say no if you don't listen to any bass heavy music(less you're a basshead). it's very bad with jazz. k26p give you tons of bass(not quality bass) and the mids aren't very good. i really don't like it for any jazz. i like it with rap. the isolation is pretty decent. i think if you need a subway phones, go with iem

bonethugz · July-5th-2006, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John P. Cooper

Flashback to 1971 - PIONEER headphones that fit completely over your ears with a 'leather' encased foam core on each end. On humid nights, little pieces of the 'leather' would stick to your head.

I think I tossed them, but still have the 'carrying' case.

http://tinyurl.com/mxanz

Live the dream!

look kind of nice

crawjo · July-6th-2006, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonethugz

no no no no no. bose phones, or anything else are expensive and bad sounding. if you want sound, using headphones for example. try akg, grado or sennheiser. i mean if you care about the look, b&o can do a lot better.
i tried triport. unless you have lots of money to burn and, AND you need to travel on flight. then ok get it. the sound quality is bad, or it sounded like a 20 dollars phones. the phones give you somewhat good isolation though. i think they can be quite comfortable for long flight.

I don't agree with this at all. I've had the Bose for around a year and have found that the sound is excellent. Very comfortable to wear, too.

bonethugz · July-6th-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Face of the Bass

I don't agree with this at all. I've had the Bose for around a year and have found that the sound is excellent. Very comfortable to wear, too.

if you think they're good they're good. but if you ask me, you won't hear me saying anything nice to them. question, ever hear any brand's headphones?

Scott Dolan · July-6th-2006, 11:50 PM

I think headphones sound can be very subjective. I know a lot of people like to shit on Bose, but I've always found their sound to be pleasing. Though I have never heard their headphones.

But as you said, if Facely thinks they sound good, then nothing else matters. No need to start throwing comparisons at him. Most people think a lot of the Sony's sound bad. I had a pair that I used faithfully for the last six years. I don't hear a huge difference between those and my current Senn 595's.

But as you also stated previously, it has a great deal to do with the type of music you are listening to.

bostontricky · July-9th-2006, 11:49 AM

Scott, you were right about the three pairs of cans, even though I didn't ask Mrs. T. I snagged the Sennheiser PXC150s (at about $70) on the basis of the whack price plus the fact I've been travelling a wee bit (you can't listen to opera on the plane, right now) - they can double up for home use right now. The bonus is I can snag the others off the rack for pocket change if I need; the HD201s must be more comfortable than these ungainly Koss cans my mother picked up at Borders a few years ago.

And I'm still thinking about the PX100s for walkabout use; would I rather pop for a more comfortable set of buds?

The big guns (595s) will have to wait until I've got a legit system here. Right now it's a motley assortment of computers, portable CD players and iPods.

Scott Dolan · July-10th-2006, 02:28 PM

I don't like buds myself. I can never get them to fit me right. I'd stick with the PX100's if I were you.

bonethugz · July-10th-2006, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

I don't like buds myself. I can never get them to fit me right. I'd stick with the PX100's if I were you.

couldn't be more right. i own px200 and i heard px100. they're all very good for their price. i perfer the px100 if you don't need isolation. and if you need isolation, get something else. i don't know if it's the pad that make px200 sound a little different.

kennethcooke · August-3rd-2006, 05:24 PM

For my money Stax earspeakers (headphones) offer the most natural pure sound I have ever experienced period. Having said that you would need to purchase a seperate Energiser (headphone amp) to drive them with. They offer about 4 models, I would not recomend the base model and personally I could not justify the top model

Regards Kenneth Yorkshire UK

bonethugz · August-5th-2006, 12:59 AM

wow you got a stax? i only got an akg k601. and i just got my first better headphone amp(corda). to me, the mids from k601 are already so very good.

Ron Thorne · August-5th-2006, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostontricky

And I'm still thinking about the PX100s for walkabout use; would I rather pop for a more comfortable set of buds?

Just saw this thread for the first time in a while. Sorry that my response is so delayed, bt.

No, buy the Sennheiser PX100s without further delay! You'll thank yourself many times over, trust me. My wife and I each have a pair of these sweet little headphones and love 'em. And, since you can cop a pair for under $30.00 ...

Read more about them here.

Buds suck ... all of them. They're uncomfortable, fall out, have funky frequency response, etc.

If you spring for the Sennheisers, please let us know what you think after a few days, OK?

Thanks.

Ron Thorne · August-5th-2006, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennethcooke

For my money Stax earspeakers (headphones) offer the most natural pure sound I have ever experienced period. Having said that you would need to purchase a seperate Energiser (headphone amp) to drive them with. They offer about 4 models, I would not recomend the base model and personally I could not justify the top model

Regards Kenneth Yorkshire UK

First of all, welcome to Jazz Corner, Kenneth.

While I've never had the pleasure of having a pair of Stax earspeakers on my ears, I doubt that I'd be able to justify their cost, no matter how sublime they may sound. And, I don't doubt that they sound incredibly rich, clean ... awesome.

Having said that, with a starting price of $825.00 for the entry level model (Stax SRS-2020), it's certainly out of the range of most of us, even those who truly care a great deal about sonic quality.

If I could justify that expense for a set of headphones, I 'd also make certain to conduct an A/B comparison test for sonic quality with some comparable Grado RS1 phones, for instance. All things considered, I'd put my money on the Grados to be virtually bullet-proof, or at least far less prone to damage.

Sonic quality, price and durability are all important components.

bonethugz · August-5th-2006, 03:13 AM

right, the px100 sounds great but if you want something more detail and total isolation, try etymotic research. they're great at those two things. i have a er6i and those iem just have one of the best mids and you can't beat that at 80 dollars. they're on sale at amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...878544?ie=UTF8

bonethugz · August-5th-2006, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Having said that, with a starting price of $825.00 for the entry level model (Stax SRS-2020), it's certainly out of the range of most of us, even those who truly care a great deal about sonic quality.

If I could justify that expense for a set of headphones, I 'd also make certain to conduct an A/B comparison test for sonic quality with some comparable Grado RS1 phones, for instance. All things considered, I'd put my money on the Grados to be virtually bullet-proof, or at least far less prone to damage.

Sonic quality, price and durability are all important components.

like shrugs says on the other thread, those thing are just like drugs for ears. once you try something good. you'll keep on doing that. it's a very "bad" habit

Ron Thorne · August-5th-2006, 03:22 AM

If isolation isn't a huge issue, you'd be hard pressed to improve upon the sonic quality of the Sennheiser PX100 phones, especially at the price of $25-30.

I'm not trying to compare $25 headphones with $80 headphones, bonethugz. Or, open-air design with closed. I'm hip to the differences.

If price is no object, we have a different dialogue, of course.