Your favorite headphones?

[spangalang]

I have the Sennheiser HD700's on pre-order. I'll post a short review when I get them in!

So jealous!

[AfricaBrass]

For years, I've been using Sennheiser HD280 headphones paired with an older Sony D25s Discman. I keep the cd player and headphones next to my computer and listen while I work (or surf).

The Discman is really cool. On a tip from the Head-Fi forum, I bought it about 10 years ago in NOS condition for $25. I spent another $12 on a power supply from Radio Shack. It's been a fantastic setup.

I like the Sennheisers, but would like to try some Grados someday. I've heard so many good things about them.

[spangalang]

Grados are awesome, but I found the pads got a bit scratchy on my ears after a while.

[romualdo]

Have a set of gorgeous Grado SR 325's - was recently considering a Grado headphone amp to help boost the sound & read a lukewarm review which at the same time raved about the "NuForce Icon HDP" (high end headphone Amp plus USB DAC & Preamp)

For the same price as a Grado Headphone Amp you get a device that is a high end headphone amp has two other functions (these are components that are included in some of the higher end Nuforce HiFi equipment)

http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconhdp/index.php

Running the NuForce with Harmon Kardon Soundsticks/Jellyfish on a 27" iMac - sound is stunning (with & without headphones)

[Matt]

I like Grados. I have three pairs - SR 325, SR 325i and SR 80i's for work. I really like the 325!

I have been using them lately with a BSG Cmoy amp with great results!

Have a set of gorgeous Grado SR 325's - was recently considering a Grado headphone amp to help boost the sound & read a lukewarm review which at the same time raved about the "NuForce Icon HDP" (high end headphone Amp plus USB DAC & Preamp)

For the same price as a Grado Headphone Amp you get a device that is a high end headphone amp has two other functions (these are components that are included in some of the higher end Nuforce HiFi equipment)

http://www.nuforce.c...onhdp/index.php

Running the NuForce with Harmon Kardon Soundsticks/Jellyfish on a 27" iMac - sound is stunning (with & without headphones)

Speaking of the Grado Headphone Amp, check this page out:

http://www.ecp.cc/ra1.html

Talk about an overpriced rip-off.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Matt

[Jim R]

I used to have a pair of Sony's, and wore them out a couple of years back. Based on recommendations here and elsewhere, I bought a pair of Grado SR80's, and have been very satisfied so far.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I have a Grado model SR80 at home and while it sounds fine, it is very uncomfortable. Then I had to replace the foam ear cups. I went with yellow replacements that are actually for Sennheiser headphones to see if these pads would improve the comfort. Result - much more comfortable. Anyone that has Grado SR60 or SR80 and isn't comfortable, try a pair of these (cheap) Sennheiser replacement pads. You may be very happy.

At work, I used to use Sennheiser's HD201 because it was recommended by a lot of users on head-fi.org but I thought this headphone was pretty terrible sounding and extremely uncomfortable. Since I get a great deals on Denon products, I ordered Denon's AH-D1001. This headphone is very comfortable and better yet, sounds very nice. I might even prefer the sound to the sound from the SR80 cans but I've never compared the two "head to head".

Kevin

[Matt]

I have a Grado model SR80 at home and while it sounds fine, it is very uncomfortable. Then I had to replace the foam ear cups. I went with yellow replacements that are actually for Sennheiser headphones to see if these pads would improve the comfort. Result - much more comfortable. Anyone that has Grado SR60 or SR80 and isn't comfortable, try a pair of these (cheap) Sennheiser replacement pads. You may be very happy.

At work, I used to use Sennheiser's HD201 because it was recommended by a lot of users on head-fi.org but I thought this headphone was pretty terrible sounding and extremely uncomfortable. Since I get a great deals on Denon products, I ordered Denon's AH-D1001. This headphone is very comfortable and better yet, sounds very nice. I might even prefer the sound to the sound from the SR80 cans but I've never compared the two "head to head".

Kevin

I just got my SR80i's. Thanks for the advice, I find them a bit tight actually. Maybe these will help.

[bichos]

[ornette]

Very pleased with my Bowers and Wilkins P5s. No sound leakage in or out so perfect on a plane.

[michel devos]

For my live recordings in jazz clubs, I have used Sennheiser HD25 for years. Excellent neutrality and reasonable noisy environment insulation.

[golfcrazy1984]

Just received my Sennheiser HD 700 today!!! So far so good. Listened to the MFSL "Blues in Orbit" and selections from the Mosaic "Complete Roulette Studio Recordings of Count Basie" set. Very good sound reproduction.

I am coming from the Sennheiser HD 518 and the HX-200 II (at work)---so this is certainly a step up. There have been a lot of people ripping the HD 700 on a certain headphone forum, and I don't get it. These headphones are natural, open and beautiful. I am certainly not a headphone audiophile, but I am LOVING these! So, the jazz was great, but listening to the Living Stereo SACD's, one is transported to symphony hall! Truly spectacular!!!

I just wish I could take these to work (in a land of cubicles), but I am sure it would annoy my co-workers.

So the quick review: I am pleased, $999 pleased? Not sure about that. All I know, is I've got a lot of listening to do!!!

I will try and put together a full and balanced review in the future.

[spinlps]

I have a pair of 16 year old Grado SR60's that are still going strong. Picked up a pair of RS1's last spring... They are a revelation. On the road, I switched from Shure in-ear to Senn PX200's. Loved the Shure's but had to switch due to ear pressure issues in the air.

[spangalang]

Bump. Loving my Klipsch S4s lately... sadly, between working out and being tethered to my phone, they're the only cans I've been able to enjoy on a regular basis. But they are great.

[ElginThompson]

New cans. We'll see if they become my favorites.

[Guest jefdebruges]

Possibly the best sonic investment I've ever made is my 20 year old set of Sony MDR-Cd770 Digital Reference Headphones.

 

 

I've listened to countless other headphones since and often thought of an update, only problem is that nothing sounds as good as these !

 

Quote :

The absolute best set of earphones I’ve ever had, and in fact still own after some odd 20 years, is a set of Sony MDR-CD770 Digital Reference earphones. They (still) sound amazing, you feel like you can point out the location of every instrument in the band you’re listening too, like they were in the room.

 

The only problem with these are that they are big, expensive, and fragile. You won’t be taking these with you when you’re on vacation. They wouldn’t survive the suitcase, and they’re impossible when you are trying to lay your head down to sleep while listening to good music. Even if you did, you’d never wake up again, being strangled by the many meters of audio cable dangling off of your left ear.

 

But if you’re sitting at home on the couch, these will beat the * out of any soundsystem anyday, without annoying the neighbours. You’ll be amazed at how good a high-bitrate AAC track sounds comming out of your iPod.

Mr. Kinuta, you are right on the spot. I invested in a Sennheiser RS-220 in a sense of modern approach to the fact the internal cabling of the 770 had become broken, and the earpads were in a non-amusing state to put on my head. I was dissappointed that much that I disassembled the whole thing to put a twisted pair of network cable in between the cans, straight through the plastic hose, while washing the earcups and hanging them out to dry. Always liked the Sony red/blue L/R signature, on them as well. Never been better !

[mikeweil]

Bought Focal Spirit Classic headphones earlier this year, like 'em very much.

[kinuta]

Possibly the best sonic investment I've ever made is my 20 year old set of Sony MDR-Cd770 Digital Reference Headphones.

 

 

I've listened to countless other headphones since and often thought of an update, only problem is that nothing sounds as good as these !

 

Quote :

The absolute best set of earphones I’ve ever had, and in fact still own after some odd 20 years, is a set of Sony MDR-CD770 Digital Reference earphones. They (still) sound amazing, you feel like you can point out the location of every instrument in the band you’re listening too, like they were in the room.

 

The only problem with these are that they are big, expensive, and fragile. You won’t be taking these with you when you’re on vacation. They wouldn’t survive the suitcase, and they’re impossible when you are trying to lay your head down to sleep while listening to good music. Even if you did, you’d never wake up again, being strangled by the many meters of audio cable dangling off of your left ear.

 

But if you’re sitting at home on the couch, these will beat the * out of any soundsystem anyday, without annoying the neighbours. You’ll be amazed at how good a high-bitrate AAC track sounds comming out of your iPod.

Mr. Kinuta, you are right on the spot. I invested in a Sennheiser RS-220 in a sense of modern approach to the fact the internal cabling of the 770 had become broken, and the earpads were in a non-amusing state to put on my head. I was dissappointed that much that I disassembled the whole thing to put a twisted pair of network cable in between the cans, straight through the plastic hose, while washing the earcups and hanging them out to dry. Always liked the Sony red/blue L/R signature, on them as well. Never been better !

MIne are very unsightly, I tend to hide them if ever I have visitors.

The packing and covers wore out long ago and have been replaced by a botched up combination of thick foam padding and cotton handkerchiefs. They look ridiculous but sound exactly the same as the day I bought them, over twenty years ago at Yodabashi camera in Shinjuku.

I've listened to a wide range of newer types but nothing I've heard has the same presence and depth

[A Lark Ascending]

I'd never really got on with headphones until I bought these about 4 years back (quite happy with ear phones for iPod). 

They are noise-cancelling which was the reason I spent a fair amount on them. They've been the best equipment buy I've made in recent years (apart from the iPod Classic!). Although they don't knock out all extraneous noise you lose most and once the music is playing you notice nothing else.

I generally use them in the early morning with the iPod so I can listen to anything without fear of disturbing neighbours (I'm in a terraced house); but also in the garden, cutting out any annoying kiddypop coming from across the way. 

I also take them camping - lots of intrusive radios etc on a campsite. 

They sound great to me - but I'm far from an audiophile.   

 

[sidewinder]

These are good..

 

[A Lark Ascending]

Add glasses (and hair [though remove the facial stuff]) and you have me! 

Edited June 28, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[Clunky]

I've found these Philips Fidelio X1/00 headphones to be very good. They appear to have been replaced by X2/00 which looks very similar. 

 

[jazzbo]

I'm moving and in my new location I'll be able to listen more if I also have a headphone setup. So I did some research and decided on a pair of Oppo PM-1 phones. Not cheap but the sound is just right for me.

Edited June 28, 2015 by jazzbo

[Scott Dolan]

I've owned a lot of cans over the decades. Koss, Sony, Grado, Sennheiser...

I've never heard a set of Koss or Sony headphones that disappointed, yet never once heard inspiring performance from any of them. Competent and solid, and great bang for the buck products, IMO. 

As for buds, I mainly use them for podcasts while at work so I refuse to pay a lot of money for them. But at the same time, the cheaper buds can sound almost painful to one degree or another. Not to mention be so ill fitting that you actively dislike even having to use them. *cough* Apple...

With that said, here are the current phones and buds in and around my house. 

Skullkandy Ink'd - megacheap buds my wife picked out at Best Buy. Her first pair lasted for 3 years, which is a pretty good shelf life for buds costing less than $20. They also fit quite comfortably. Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. The sound is horrifying. Not sure which is worse, the ear-splitting highs, or th cartoonishly boosted bass. But, they are just fine for her. So be it. 

Klipsch Image S3 - After going through several sets of the excellent Klipsch S4 buds at work (usual piss poor Klipsch wiring really hamstrung them, and they could not stand up to the daily abuse), I decided to go with a less expensive set of the S3 buds. Expecting a lesser version of the S4, I was quite disappointed with the S3. The only thing the two models had in common were the fit. Where th S4 had truly admirable bass response, the S3 barely had any. Though the S4 had a nicely defined high end, the S3 became painful to listen to and I found myself occasionally wincing at painful high notes. So the less expensive Klipsch earbud experiment was short lived. My son now uses them, and is quite happy with them. 

Klipsch R6 - The R6 was the new model that came out to replace the S4 line. Having been exremely pleased with he peformance of the S4 (though crushed by its nonexistent durability), I decided to give these a try. Over the course of three years, I had burned through five sets of S4 buds. Glad I bought the extended warranty. Even one of the gals at Best Buy who exchanged a pair for me told me that her boyfriend thought they were the best earbuds he'd ever heard, but they kept breaking. Well, I guess Klipsch got tired of handing out so many free earbuds, and fixed the problem with the new R6. I've had my set for over two years now. No replacements. 

Sennheiser HD595 - I've had these old warhorses for somwhere around a decade now. For the money ($350), the fit and finish on these just did not hold up well over the years. They do present a truly wide soundstage, what with them being an open back model. The highs and midrange are almost perfect, but the low end suffers, as is the case on most vented cans. I don't listen to them anymore, butI'm still proud to own them. 

PSB Speakers M4U-1 - My baby. These are the headphones that really showed me what headphones were actually capable of. The fit and finish of high gloss platic, leather, and both polished and brushed aluminum make them look and feel very high quality. They fit comfortably crating a nice seal, though they can feel a bit tight after prolonged use. Their sound is second to none. Very expansive soundstage, as wide or wider than my open back Sennheisers, with simply awe-insipring playback from the lowest to the highest notes. The Canadian audio companies are really dominating the industry these days, and one listen to these headphones made it pefectly clear why that is. 

 

 

[Scott Dolan]

And BTW, got a pair of the new Apple Earpods with my iPhone 6. The first model of Apple earbuds were so bad, I'm not sure they could be accurately described without a great deal of curse words. They were rock hard and uncomfortable, didn't fit anyone with an ear hole smaller than a quarter, and sound worse than an old Radio Shack transistor radio. 

 

BUT, they somewhat got their act together with this latest incarnation. They are still rock hard, but not as uncomfortable as before. They even fit decently enough, though it's tough keeping them mounted properly. And the sound? Well, it's actually...passable? Certainly nothing special, but I will say that I've never heard a better sounding set of buds for $20. I keep mine in my glove compartment just in case my R6's bite the shitter while I'm at work. 

So there, I would find them to be a suitable replacement for a day if needed. Hey, that's a long, long way from the prvious model which I simply threw away.