chimchimm5

iTrader: (9)

I'm partial to Sennheisers and my friends also like AudioTechnica

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD555 which are open ear OVER the ear headphones. Great balanced sound, which use for music and movie listening. I like the open ear because I often need to hear other things in the house just in case. However, most people will want either semiopen or closed for better isolation.

I highly recommend OVER THE EAR headphones and the on ear phones tend to fatigue you because they unnaturally press your ears down.

04Impreza

iTrader: (17)

After reading up on some of the headphones, I was wondering if using the headphones on a computer is the same as using them with a iPod/MP3 player as for as power to the headphones? Read using the headphones with home theater receivers pushes more power to the headphones thus giving you the full potential of the headphones while others are underpowered when you use them with an iPod/MP3 player. Would computer usage be in between receiver and iPod/MP3?

OneManArmy

iTrader: (7)

I would agree that the beats are hype.

I checked out some of the solo's the other day at best buy and they sounded pretty weak on the low end. They do pretty good with noise canceling and the mid and high range though. I'm thinking about getting some diddy beats ear buds because i get sick prices on them and I want some ear buds.

I find that all my headphones give me a head ache after a while if I wear them while working. 6/8 hours straight of them pressing on my ears. I don't have any of the larger TRUE over ear type that I carry around with me but those would be better. I checked out some sony ones at best buy the other day. Some base boosters or some crap. Under $100. Comfortable and light. Killer bass but a bit weak everywhere else. But I'd rock them for the price.

I'd go with some of these other brands first.

04Impreza

iTrader: (17)

Good to hear about those Sony Bass Boosters, they're on sale for $50 but not in stock. Got good reviews but I had a feeling the bass took over leaving everything else hanging. I may check out my roommates Beats just to give them a shot since he has a hookup, but doubt I'd buy some.

On the sennheiser HD 280 PRO's, I'm reading a lot that they're "flat" and best for acoustic or natural sounds. How well do they do for techno/dance/dubstep, hip hop/rap, and rock? They look really comfortable and Bestbuy in Dublin has them in stock, just a little concerned about this "flatness" Ive read about.

JZ oo7

iTrader: (1)

i'm in the SL area and i have the Grado Labs SR80. you're welcome to try it.

Choku Dori

iTrader: (2)

Another vote here for the Grado Labs SR80.

Hey Jansen, great minds think alike!

JZ oo7

iTrader: (1)

that's not the only headphone i have. but it is within the budget.

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

This is just one reason I strongly suggest getting a headphone amplifier. I have let many people use mine, and each time they are way skeptical and then they listen - just plug it in between the source and the phones, and WOW it's like the headphones were wrapped in plastic before.

Also, the best earbuds I have found so far in my opinion are these, and they are so cheap it's just silly: JBL Reference 220. I own a pair of Shure E3C's and I like these JBLs far more than the Shures.

I am currently using a pair of Sony MDR-XB700's which are great for things with bass, electronica, trance, stuff like that. Usually I listen to a pair of Bose QC15's. I didn't want to like them but I keep gravitating toward them, and they are with me on every flight - say what you will but they sound really good, and most of all - balanced. I carry the QC15s and 1 pair of JBL 220's pretty much everywhere I go.

I also have one pair of these: Panasonic retro style phones. They sound okay, but not great. Good for the price.

Also, with any headphones - make sure to break them in before you judge them. Shure E3C's for example produce absolutely zero bass until they are broken in. It makes a huge difference to break in headphones.

04Impreza

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for all the info wombat sauce!

What's a typical break-in period for these types of headphones?

JZ oo7

iTrader: (1)

i have the Shure E3c as well, and i don't like them. bought them without thinking. they aren't bad, but i know now that for the money i could have had something better. that was the other option i was going to suggest to the OP. a nice set of earphones with proper fitting will be very comfortable, but it would be close to if not over the budget. i use the foam buds and they are super comfortable and seals out noise nicely. had it on almost the entire flight to Asia. also, how it sounds depends greatly on how it sits in the ear as well.

JZ oo7

iTrader: (1)

it depends on the headphones. i feel that my AKGs took almost 200 hours before it settled down. playing pink noise helps as well.

Imprezard

iTrader: (7)

Eh. I agree, but the beats don't do well with noise canceling, the ones who have it down is bose. And don't bother with any in ear monster haedphones because at the split, I have had wiring issues, and it fizzes out. I have had 4 different monster set of in ears and I have had the same problem on all of them. Just a personal opinion.

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

Yep - depends on the drivers, materials, and zillions of other things. If you just connect them to a player, and run some music that has a beat to it but covers the spectrum well at mid volume at night. Just start it when you go to bed, and turn it off in the morning or whatever for a week or so. Do some yahoogling - there are a few sites out there that get into details and such and offer specific advice. Since this probably is a new thing, I would say do some reading but if it gets too confusing, just play Kruder & Dorfmeister's K&D Sessions at mid volume for a week.

Listen to them before and after and see what a difference it makes.

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

I had the others - E2C I guess, and I really liked them but they were a little big. My sister just got an iPod and I didn't want her to use those ***-tastic phones that come with it, so I gave her my E2C's and bought the E3C's thinking "if the E2C's were good then..." and also on the recommendation from a friend who said they were great.

IMHO the best thing to do with earbuds is to spend some TIME with them and a whole bunch of different fitment pieces. The foam works great but you can't use them too many times. At the same time the rubber ones feel like they are going to suck your brain out when you pull them out sometimes!

getkong

I also use Sennheiser HD280 headphones at work, and they're easily some of my favorite cans.