Headphone recommendations?

[bavman]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some headphones in the range of $50-70, nothing fancy, but I do have some requirements.
These will be used mainly outside my house at school/library etc so they should probably be closed headphones so they dont make a lot of noise, and some kind of noise canceling would be nice but im not sure if thats possible at this low of a budget.
I've been looking at the HD 280 pros, they seem to have decent reviews and can be had for around 70 on ebay.
Also would it be wise for me to invest in a Fiio e6 since my music source is my galaxy s3? I heard something about galaxy phones having high output impedance which isn't good, but if you use a cheap amp like the e6 it has low output impedance?? I'm not really audio savvy so I don't really know what it all means, but just heard it

[jwaz]

For that price point:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Series-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ

Closed back, amazingly recommended and almost indestructible. pretty much the standard for sub $100 headphones.

As for the amp, Cmoy

[bavman]

Cool, thanks for the recommendation. What kind of music are they best suited for?
I'm usually listening to classic/alt rock, jazz, etc...sometimes more bassier things.

Hows the cmoy compare to the e6?  I probably wouldn't build my own just because that looks time consuming, but the prebuilt ones are right around the same price.

[jwaz]

a cmoy on ebay is like $30ish... I'm not sure how it compares but I have one and it does the job.

They're studio monitors so I think they would be suited for just about anything. They have been well known in the music industry and to audiophiles for a couple decades

[TheProfosist]

Right on i have a pair of mdr-v6's my self that i picked up for $40 used and replaced the pads. Their nice but i would say lack a bit of base though they are about as flat as youll get for sub $100.

[tillertow]

Can't go wrong with Bose..and it's possible to find them in that price-range on sale

[pexon]

Can't go wrong with Bose..and it's possible to find them in that price-range on sale

I would never recommend Bose. They are good, but do not justify their price. The QuietComfort headphones work great, (yes I have tried them, on a plane actually) but I'd never pay the asking price for them.

[davkol]

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[Saturn]

If you're looking for something that won't leak sound and can do a reasonable job of blocking outside noise, while providing good audio fidelity for their price... then take a look at IEMs.  They don't have the soundstage of actual headphones, but in all other respects, they may surprise you.

[bavman]

Thanks for the recommendations guys...its kinda tough choosing something like this when you have so many options

[chrono000]

Give this a go. I have not managed to get one yet but it gets a lot good reviews on audio sites.

http://www.amazon.com/Superlux-HD668B-Dynamic-Semi-Open-Headphones/dp/B003JOETX8%3FSubscriptionId%3D0DWX0HJVE7AWX9HF4X82%26tag%3Dforchristmas05-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB003JOETX8?tag=tealiq-20

[pexon]

The Superlux range is meant to be superb bang-for-buck.... Not tried any of them yet though 

[MechKey]

Can't go wrong with Bose..and it's possible to find them in that price-range on sale

Bose blowz.

[emptyk]

For that price point:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Series-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ

Closed back, amazingly recommended and almost indestructible. pretty much the standard for sub $100 headphones.

As for the amp, Cmoy

I second this recommendation. For sure. I didn't know they are selling for so cheap these days. That said, those Sonys are pretty boring and generic looking. If looks and style are important to you, then look elsewhere.

[pexon]

O've been looking at Grado too, they are meant to be slightly tasty for metal music.

[The_Beast]

I'm going to recommend Audio Technica's AD700s, except the closed version so the A700.

[davkol]

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[pexon]

I'm going to recommend Audio Technica's AD700s, except the closed version so the A700.

Do they not have a serious lack of bass?

[The_Beast]

Not just slightly. But beware! They're some of the least comfortable headphones in the market.

lol no, I wear my AD700's for 6+ hours without having to readjust at all. They are the MOST comfortable headphones on the market

I'm going to recommend Audio Technica's AD700s, except the closed version so the A700.

Do they not have a serious lack of bass?

They do lack a hearty bass but the bass is still there. Also, soundstage is massive, MASSIVE!!!!!

[davkol]

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[The_Beast]

Not just slightly. But beware! They're some of the least comfortable headphones in the market.

lol no, I wear my AD700's for 6+ hours without having to readjust at all. They are the MOST comfortable headphones on the market

I was about Grados. I have AD500s (more or less the same as AD700), but they're too big for my small head, so I might replace them with either Sennheisers, or Beyers in the end.

Ok, I wasn't sure. But you are right about the head size. If you have a smallish head, they will fall down your head because they aren't super tight.

[pexon]

I love my Beyers, soooo comfy

[thegunner100]

I love my Beyers, soooo comfy

Me too, but they're out of the OP's price range.

[dc]

Count me as another vote for the Sony MDR-V6, been using a pair for about 2 years now, love em.

[emptyk]

The OP wanted closed headphones, and Grados are as open as they get, so we shouldn't be recommending those to the OP.

[davkol]

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[ih8]

ehhh I use the steel series siberia v2's now.......aside from the lack of noise cancelling at the price point I got them they're working out well

[TheProfosist]

ehhh I use the steel series siberia v2's now.......aside from the lack of noise cancelling at the price point I got them they're working out well

these are no where near the qualitly of other headphones mentioned and even as a headset their pretty poor.

[ih8]

considering they can be had for cheaper than anything else mentioned and incorporate a microphone I thought it was worth mentioning

no need to be an audio elitist, I never insinuated they are the sound equivalent of what was mentioned

[Lu_e]

Anyone looking for semi-cheap decent IEM's (and can deal with a braided cable) should seriously consider Lenntek Sonix Micro im on my second pair after using their lifetime warranty

[tipo33]

The series has already been mensioned in the thread but to reiterate the point:  I own a set of Sony MDR-7506, and wouldn't trade them for the world.  They are very responsive, neutral, and rugged set of cans.  Although I have not owned them I hear simmilar things about the MDR-V6, and MDR-V600.
Please note that all reviews of headphones are very subjective, and what one person loves, another may hate.

[anomaly]

I own some pretty pricey headphones (Grado PS1000), some moderately priced (AH-D5000, Sennheiser HD595), and NUMEROUS Bose Triports (all broken/worn down). I used to listen to cheap $20, oblivious to some of the amazing stuff out there. Then I ran across some Triports, and I thought they were absolutely amazing. From there, I kept upgrading and upgrading.

This is my opinion. Remember that headphone preference is subjective! I believe the headphone sweet spot price range is around $200-300. Anything after that, and you're spending megabucks for small differences. Pretty much all of my friends can't tell the difference between my PS1000 ($1700 cans) and my Denon D5000's (~$400), except for the bass! They all prefer the D5000's. Some of the headphones that lie in that sweet spot are Grado 225i/325i, Senns 500 series, AKG K701 (great for classical), to name a few.

Not a bad idea that you're getting a portable headphone amplifier. Some headphones have huge resistances, and are considered "efficient" headphones, like most Sennheisers. The HD650 Senns have 300 ohm impedance. The Beyerdynamic T1's have 600 ohm impedance!!! You'll want a headphone amplifier for these if you're listening through your portable music player or phone. Other phones have very low impedance, aka "inefficient" headphones. Big one that comes to mind are Grados. Grados pretty much have 32ohms across the board, including my PS1000's. You can actually listen to them at a decent level on an iPod or phone. Headphones with low impedance are easier to drive than high impedance headphones.

There's more to it when talking about headphone amplifiers. For audiophiles, the cheapest component in their setup are usually  the headphones. $1000's of dollars can be spent on headphone amplifiers and DACs. You don't want to get caught up in all this unless you want to shell out the big bucks, haha!

I'm sorry I can't offer much of a suggestion for your price range. The one thing that pops into my mind are the Grado SR80i, but even those might be a bit over your budget, and they're open cans :X. Audio Technica ath-pro700 mk 2 are great, too, for the price. Great bass! Double your budget, though. Perhaps you can find a deal on these used. Good luck and happy hunting!