Hi.

 

 

I'm looking for good non-earbud headphones for under $40.

 

 

I've done a little bit of research and I found these:

 

Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1287126621&sr=1-1

 

Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

Just for use around college using my iPod and in my dorm on my laptop.

 

Atm I have these:

... which are super-comfortable but the sound-quality isn't all that good (i.e. bass is minimal).

 

So basically just the following

- non-earbud (those seem frustrating to keep in the ear)

- under $40 (or $50 if you're convincing)

- easily fits in backpack (headphones are fairly sturdy)

- willing to purchase off Amazon or something (but that's a given)

 

Thanks a ton.

 

Koss aren't great, I'd go for a set of AKG's or Audio Technicas.

I actually just got my Koss PortaPros a week ago and I love them, they sound great for being $30 headphones.

Nothing wrong with Koss for portable gear/more casual listeners. They sound pretty fine to me.

Koss is fine for portable gear and such.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-EM7-GM-Adjustable-Headphones/dp/B0009GWXAK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

Just got these, and they're damn good, better than my speakers. You don't necessarily get "booming" bass but you can tell that the bass is there. Not a bad investment in the $50 range.

I got a pair of Bose companion 2 for my laptop and they work wonders. Also ordered a pair of iBeats headphones from Monster for free through my credit card rewards program. :thumbup:

Bose stuff is kinda overpriced but it works.

 

Good buy on the Audio-Technicas. Even their low-end stuff is incredible quality, but you'd want to look elsewhere for oontz oontz pounding bass. It's not really a part of the AT sound - Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser cans handle that better. I wouldn't especially recommend any Sennheiser headphones apart from the HD650 which are pretty much the best for price/performance under £300, although you'd need an amplifier for them. ATs are fine for 99% of music though, a good catch-all solution.

Yeah, I wouldn't ever get anything Bose except for their headphones. Anything else, half of what you're paying for is size-reduction and aesthetics.

 

At the moment I have a Marantz SR-45 for an amp and some Paradigm Mini Mk-II for speakers. Unfortunately I'm using my computer as the player.. I've been collecting vinyl for a little while now, but still haven't been able to find a reasonable (second-hand) turntable for my budget. At the moment I'm just hopping between garage sales hoping someone doesn't want their Thorens any more..

It seems like vinyl is making a comeback. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a nice turntable as well.

It seems like vinyl is making a comeback. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a nice turntable as well.

It's never going to overtake digital formats again, because it's so inconvenient in comparison. There is something special about listening to a good vinyl on a good system though.

It is really inconvenient. To really get the most out of it, you need a system that's completely analog. Digital reproduction of vinyl (and that includes these insane 24-bit 96kHz FLAC rips you see on the internet) isn't especially great and well, it loses a lot of the authenticity. At least, I think so.

 

I have to say though, vinyl is worth buying just for the sleeves alone. A lot of cover art looks really, really good on 12"x12".

Yeah, I wouldn't ever get anything Bose except for their headphones. Anything else, half of what you're paying for is size-reduction and aesthetics.

 

At the moment I have a Marantz SR-45 for an amp and some Paradigm Mini Mk-II for speakers. Unfortunately I'm using my computer as the player.. I've been collecting vinyl for a little while now, but still haven't been able to find a reasonable (second-hand) turntable for my budget. At the moment I'm just hopping between garage sales hoping someone doesn't want their Thorens any more..

 

Could I suggest a Rega deck? My friend owns one and they are actually fantastic, you can get a second hand deck for a reasonable price.

Yeah, I wouldn't ever get anything Bose except for their headphones. Anything else, half of what you're paying for is size-reduction and aesthetics.

 

At the moment I have a Marantz SR-45 for an amp and some Paradigm Mini Mk-II for speakers. Unfortunately I'm using my computer as the player.. I've been collecting vinyl for a little while now, but still haven't been able to find a reasonable (second-hand) turntable for my budget. At the moment I'm just hopping between garage sales hoping someone doesn't want their Thorens any more..

 

Could I suggest a Rega deck? My friend owns one and they are actually fantastic, you can get a second hand deck for a reasonable price.

Yeah, I'm looking for something Thorens, Linn, Rega, or perhaps Project. Obviously there are good brands aside from those, but to be honest I don't know enough about turntables to make sure I'm getting a good deal if they're second-hand. With those brands at least I know it'll be good. :)

Linn's will be expensive, even second hand.