headphones for under $100

[matas]

Looking for a decent pair of headphones/earphones for under $100. I plan on mostly using them with my phone. I heard that a lot of headphones do not sound quite as good with an phone or mp3 player because the power output is not high enough, is this true? I used to have V-MODA bass freq earphones. They were quite decent before they well apart after one year of usage. Also I was only be able to use them with the smallest ear fittings(who the hell uses the large fittings?). If I do decide to go with headphones, I don't want them too big.

 

[SyndromeOCZ]

I use the biggest fittings.

And yes mp3 players of phones don't sound as good as some sound cards/DAC's you can get. Though the modern mp3 players do sound substantially better than the mp3 players from years ago. Getting a headphone amp can make it sound better if you have headphones with to high, or to low of impedance.

 

[hans030390]

How big is too big?

 

[matas]

I had icemat siberia's, they were big.

 

[hans030390]

So, they have to be IEMs?

 

[gar655]

Maybe these
http://www.amazon.com/Nocs-NS400-002...5632773&sr=8-1

http://nocs.se/products/ns400/

 

[matas]

So, they have to be IEMs?

no, but I want good sounding headphones/earphones for the money.
I was looking something like those maybe. http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX-...pr_product_top

 

[Madwand1]

Grado SR60i. SR80i if that still fits the budget. Either should be driveable with a low output device, and put most headphones' sound to shame.

But they're open ear. If you need isolation, best to put that money into a sealing in-ear type. Etymotics for example.

 

[MagickMan]

Grado SR80i, best small cans for <$100.

 

[hans030390]

The Grados are nice, for sure, but I was never a huge fan of their sound. My SR60s lacked true bass, they sounded congested, and they were too grating on my ears with the upper mids and treble. They are very aggressive sounding headphones and actually not very competitive under $100 anymore (IMO).

If you don't mind a pair of larger over-the-ear headphones, I would completely recommend the Samson SR850 ($50), which are more or less a copy of the Superlux HD668B. They will be easily driven by a portable source, and they sound absolutely fantastic for the money. They are slightly on the forward, aggressive side, but they were actually pleasing to my ears compared to the Grados. They are semi-open and leak more sound than closed headphones as such. After 50-100 hours of burn in, I was floored by how good they sounded. I would not have been surprised if they cost $100-150.

Another option is the Panasonic RP-HTF600-S. For $30, they're really awesome headphones. They have a fun, somewhat bass-heavy sound signature. They're light, comfortable, and not very large. Unfortunately, build quality leaves a bit to be desired, and the drivers can get messed up pretty easily from air pressure (for example: pushing the headphones on your ears might cause pressure to push the driver cone into an unnatural position). They usually pop right back into place with a tap on the cups or if you apply a bit of suction to the drivers with your mouth. If you treat them carefully, they shouldn't give you any issues. The SR850, on the other hand, feels very sturdy.

I would also strongly recommend you look into the Creative Aurvana Live! headphones. Apparently they share the same driver as the now discontinued Denon D1001. I've heard they sound wonderful for the price as well.

Other options include the Audio Technica ATH-M50 and the Shure SRH440. The M50s are quite nice for the price if you can find them around or under $100. However, if you don't mind large headphones, the Samson SR850 will offer the best deal for under $100.

I would personally stay away from Grados if you want a more...accurate representation of your music or have sensitive ears. I would also stay away from the Sennheiser offerings if they're in the HD4xx line or lower. They're not so great for the money.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I spend a good bit of time on the Head-Fi forums, and I'd recommend you check that place out for further suggestions.

 

[matas]

thanks for a very descriptive and long response. I will look into the SR850's as they seem to have very good reviews and they only cost $50! Most likely gonna get them.

 

[hans030390]

thanks for a very descriptive and long response. I will look into the SR850's as they seem to have very good reviews and they only cost $50! Most likely gonna get them.

I don't think you'll be disappointed, though they really are large! They're not heavy, though. For $50, you can't go wrong with them.

 

[MagickMan]

Also, look into some Sennheiser HD 518 deals. I grabbed a pair off ebay this week for $65 NIB.

 

[Madwand1]

The new Grado SR60i's are different acoustically from the original model SR60's, and the SR80i's are a further improvement. I don't have much experience listening to $50 headphones, but I recently got a pair of SR80i's for a gift, and think they're great. Don't drive them too hard, as the upper end will get harsh if you do so, and besides, you'll seriously damage your hearing before long.

To me, the SR80i's are very musical and revealing. They're a great buy for $100 or so and are representative of entry-level or budget high-end audio done right. They're not perfect -- there are more expensive models for that, but they are better than many others which cost a lot more. They don't subjectively lack for bass, and sound open and detailed, and are sometimes more musically engaging than my Stax Lambda Pros or my Sennheiser HD 600's because of their immediacy. If I only had $100 or so to spend, I'd get the SR80i's and, oddly, be happy listening to music through them, as I just was.