Hi all! Lately I've been looking around for a new pair of headphones and was just wondering what everyone would recommend. I'm looking for something portable, comfortable, and preferably under $100. I've heard good things about the Sennheiser PX 100's and PX 200's, but what are the differences between the two (besides the price)? Are there any other good options out there? Thanks!

If $100 is your maximum and you want portability, maybe you should consider getting the Sony ES-888, which sounded REALLY good (back when I used to own some many years ago).

PX100s are open and PX200s are closed. I'm using a pair of PX200s at this very moment, and they are quite good for portable use. The sound is definitely not bad at all.

EDIT: closed not close

There are several options for under 100 dollars. My best advice would be to go over to Head-Fi.org and do a search there or even post the same question. That's headphone central. But the most recommended I've seen are the:

1. KSC 35 (30 dollars from Koss.com) - have pretty much defined cheap portable headphones. For the price might very well the best sounding headphone. Nice controlled bass

2. Koss Portapro (around 60?) - step up from above and also portable. have not heard these but heard great things about them.

3. Px series - the differences are the 100 is an 'open' phone and the 200 is a more isolating headphone...there are big debates over which sounds better. i've never heard them so i can't say.

4. Sony eggos D66- These are my current headphones and I love them to death. Just very precise. The only problem I see with them is that the bass is very very tight. Meaning it almost seems like its not there if you're used to subwoofer bass. KSC have much much more 'palpable' bass. But these are very very good headphones but a bit pricey.

Definitely check the site out and you should find dozens of threads on this very topic. Those I listed above are only a fraction of whats out there.

Oh and once you venture into that site...

"Welcome to Head-Fi...sorry bout your wallet" typical greeting

Pushes your $100 limit, but I picked up a set of Shure E2 Single High Energy Driver Earphones last week before a 3 hour flight... layover.... followed 2 hour flight and back the next day.

You aren't going to find better for that price, especially if you want to reduce noise... it cut ALL the noise on the 737's. I wore them today while cutting the lawn, and if it wasn't for the vibration I wouldn't have known the lawnmower was running.

And comfortable for 7+ hours straight.

Cheers,
D.

Oh, by the way, ecost.com is having a pretty good deal right now on the PX-200's. I'm even tempted...hmmm...*rechecks empty wallet*.

What's your musical preferences?

Without that info, I'll just second the Shure e2/e2c ($80) and Koss ksc35 ($30) recommendations. Next would be the PortaPros.

blackstripe,

Although the PX200 is closed, the amount of isolation is fairly negligible owing to the fact that they don't completely cover the ears. I find the PX100 has a more transparent sound on a variety of music styles (rock, jazz, classical). The PX200 has a darker, less appealing sound to me. The PX100 has a lower list price, but the cost of the PX200 is often nearly the same after discounts. Either model folds away into a plastic carrying case for portability.

If you don't mind earphones, the Shures provide more isolation and portability. I've considered buying them more than once. Try them out to see if they're comfortable for you. Some people don't like plugs stuck into their ears, regardless of the model. At a lower cost (and lower sound quality), the Sennheiser MX500 is not a bad choice. On an iPod, I switch between the MX500 (when I want isolation) and the PX100 (when I don't want my ears plugged). They're small enough that I can carry both wherever I go. I've also used them with a Nomad JB3 to good effect.

If you can afford it, consider buying a portable headphone amp. All of the headphones I've heard in this price range benefit greatly from a small amp. In fact, I would recommend spending a little less on the headphones if it means you can get an amp as well. I have a Headsave Mint (headsave.com), priced at 69 USD before added options or shipping costs from Canada. Mine runs on 2 9v batteries, and I've had good luck with rechargeables. As pointed out, Head-Fi is a great place to learn more about all of this.

Oh ok, so the PX100s would rest on one's ears whereas the PX200s would rest around one's ears. I'm thinking the PX200s would be more comfortable in the long run?



I listen to pretty much everything, but I guess mainly rock, metal, and techno, so some decent bass response would be nice. I'm also thinking of using them for the occasional DVD or video game.



Yeah, I thought of that briefly, but how much of a benefit would it deliver to something like the PX200's? Those are designed to be portable, so they should hold their own while using them around town right? It just seems like it would be too much money for one of those.

EDIT: Also I was wondering about the PXC250's. I guess those are about $150, but if the noise-cancellation feature is really that awesome, I might just bite the bullet.

You didn't say what you're using for playback, but with a portable CD or MP3 player, an amp makes a huge difference while still being portable. This is especially true for the PX200.

I'm tossing around the idea of buying an iRiver iMP-550 SlimX, so that will be mainly what I'll be using them on (though at the moment I have an old Panasonic portable CD player). Why would the headphones be so quiet though? I find the basic $10 Sony headphones to be loud enough, so if a company is selling headphones for $60, one would think that they would be able to resolve some volume issues.

It's not about volume issues. Again run over to Head-Fi to learn about phones and amps.

Although there's a lot of info over headphones, Head-fi is also quite loaded with BS, specially regarding cables, sources and amps. Some people at there don't really know much about what they talk and only spread misinformation. Take the info at there with a grain of salt.

For portable use, and if you don't want to spend much, a headphone amplifier is many times not justified, due to their high prices and the limited improvement they give in many cases. A good portable may not need an external amp at all.

I double the "take everything with a grain of salt" comment about Head-Fi, though I'd say the same about Hydrogen. Both sites have blind spots.

As KikeG has said amps aren't always necessary (and that will likely be the first thing you hear over at HF), but again it's not about increasing volume.

Would you mind briefly explaining it then? I'm on a low sodium diet

He didn't specifically mention whether he wants earbuds (Sony EX-70LP, Etymotic ER series, etc.) or if he wants actual over-the-head headphones.

My preference lies with the Koss PortaPro series. I have several different models of these FANTASTIC headphones from over the years: An original pair, an updated model, the SportaPro model (different headband and shape but the same drivers).

They sound awesome to me but most people tend to complain about them being a bit "bass heavy" and this is very true in some respects. I listen to music as is, no EQ ever. It's pointless (in my opinion) to EQ the stuff - I tend to think I should be listening to audio or music the way the recording engineer heard it. Call me silly but I'm a purist in that respect.



But anyway, I recommend you at least take a listen to the PortaPros if you can find them locally for an actual hands on test. I have tried the Senns mentioned in the column so far but I find them lacking in something.

If I had to admit it I'd say that I'm spoiled to listening to the PortaPros over the years. If you can't find actual Koss PortaPros in your area go to a local Radio Shack and listen to these:

Radio Shack Pro-35A Titanium Diaphragm Portable Headphones by Koss

Koss makes pretty much all of Radio Shack's branded headphones (the Pro series and most Optimus models). For the cost I'm absolutely confident you'll be blown away by the stunning quality and remarkable clarity that this particular model puts out.

Why do I like these Pro-35A headphones? Well, they're actually PortaPros in disguise.



They are made with the same drivers that the current generation of PortaPros have... and remember: They're made for Radio Shack by none other than Koss themselves.

Just my two cents... and a few bucks thrown in for good measure.

br0adband

Sorry, not trying to avoid your request, but I'm sure there's someone else here who can discuss it better than I technically, so I'll leave it to him/her. I'd have to resort to terms that don't traditionally go over well here.

I'll bite...

There are a few reasons that a headphone amp will nearly always improve the sound, here are the main ones:

1. In most budget devices, (especially portable CD players) economics defines that the cheapest parts to make just good enough sound are used.

2. The laws of electronics determine that if you only have 3V available, (most things run off of two AA cells) you will only be able to make 3V (actually somewhat less) of signal out. With some headphones that are "harder" to drive, due to higher impedence, that just might not be enough to develop good volume. Also, for the same reason, high dynamics are compromised, as in you suddenly need many times more power to properly reproduce that drum hit, or other short and loud sound in the music, and the little amp in the CD player "runs out of gas".

So a headphone amp that's built out of better parts, that can deliver more power at a higher voltage if needed, will help some on even cheaper, low quality 'phones, and a lot with the higher quality, higher impedence ones..

Hope that was clear enough..

Jon

PS - I have been REALLY enjoying my pair of KSC-35's... probably the best bang for buck ever in the headphone world.. something else about them, they are relatively low impedence (60 ohms) and don't "need" a headphone amp as much as some others.

Which model of cheaper koss headphones is the most comfortable? I love my sportapros except I can't wear them for more than 45 minutes or they kill my ears. Also what is the difference between the ksc-50 and the ksc-35? They look like they have the same driver specs but a just subtly different design.

stripe/ben

Slighly less portable than some others mentioned (but in a way, more portable for non-need of an amp), Grado SR-60s are a good choice.

I just got some Sony EX-71s. They sound really good with my Archos. Too bad I wasted $80 on Plane Quiets first! My Archos didn't have enough power even after I bought a Boosteroo ($20 amp from Radio Shack) because they are 300 ohms. You should really watch for two things; impedance and sensitivity. Then, if you're lucky, the headphones you buy might match up to your player. I've gone through six pair!

I also recommend the Sony MDR-EX71 earphones for quality performance at a decent price. I've been using these for several months and am very impressed with their overall performance. They're mainly used with my Echo Indigo laptop sound card as well as several iRiver players (iMP-350 / iMP-550 / iGP-100).

The Grados SR40's, if you can find them, are a bit more portable than the SR60's. Same drivers though.

The KSC50's are a tad more bulky, so the KSC35's are more secure. The biggest advantage the 35's have over the PortaPro's is the fit/driver placement.

I totally recommend going with the Sennheiser PX100.
They have a little bit more defined bass than the 200
Also, the 200 "try" to be closed but they are way to small and maybe (if you have big ears like me) they will end up being more uncomfortable.
(I have actually tried them both)

They are the top recommended headphones for portable use on Headphone.com (before, they recommended the PortaPro).
So I think that is saying something.

They also look very good

I use the EX71's when I work out on the treadmill or with weights. The isolation is very good (although I don't recommend jogging with them because they amplify wind noise).

I brought the EX71's on my recent trip to Thailand thinking to use them on the plane, but the airlines foiled me by using different headphone jacks -- one plane used dual mono subminiature jacks, and the other used a 1/4" full-size headphone jack. I discovered that I could wear my foam earplugs (29 dBA) and use the plane's headphones with the volume turned up very loud. Sort of like Dolby noise reduction in that it reduced the lower frequency droning but still let in the critical frequencies. Worked great.

Anyway, the EX71's sound decent but not great, with good bass, and less of the sizzle of my older, but broken EX70's.

ff123

@ ff123
I read on a Archos forum that putting tape over the three holes on the EX-71s improves the sound. I tried holding my fingers over them and didn't notice much difference. (Unless they were kidding) Maybe outside though it would cut down on the wind noise?
BTW-My Plane Quiets have the two prong plugs as well as the single one. Interested in buying them?

I just came back from buying a pair of Sony EX51LP. Cheaper than the 71 model and supposedly the same drivers. I'm satisfied with them from the half hour listening I've done so far. Sony's recommended price for these is 25% lower than for the 71s. Anyone knows why?

Bet the people sitting next to you didn't think so! Then again, the plane noise is pretty loud..

In case you or others don't know, there is a company (Etymotics) that makes very good in ear type headphones. They have about 23db attenuation, so nearly as good as a set of plugs, and world class sound. Not cheap at $250 (there is a $140 version) but if you want to make the outside world REALLY go away...

And I'm getting away from the original question..

Here's a link to HeadRoom's guide to types of 'phones: HeadRoom Guide
They cover a lot, and rate them as well. Be aware, they sell them too.. so there may be a bit of bias towards their suggestions, but overall it seems pretty honest.

Also links to big discussion boards much like this(Head-Fi and Headwise).. with lots of opinionated people.. much like this, there you can get your questions answered without much bias.

Jon

Maybe the accessories? Did they come with three different sizes of ear pads?

The Etymotics are incredible. I'm listening to ER4P's as we speak, but way outside the original post.

Yup. They come with three different sizes. The one thing it doesn't have is a 1m extention cord, but since you can choose 0.5m or 1.2m chord for the 51 model (SP vs LP) I can't see that as a very big benefit for the 71s. Definitely not worth the price difference.

I notice a little "microphone effect" with the EX-71. I've heard that the Etymotics also suffer from this. If you plan on moving around alot while listening this could be a factor.

I think a decent output headphone amp stage can be quite cheap. Of course, cheap or mediocre quality devices most probably won't have a good output stage.



Not really. 2.5 Vpp is enough to drive at good levels headphones such as the HD580. Make the calculations: HD580 sensitivity: 97 dB/mW. HD580 impedance: 300 ohm.min, 600 ohm max.



Not necessarily, if the amp is well designed.



High impedance headphones are more difficult to drive just in the sense that they will usually produce a somewhat lower sound level, and for this reason they demand more output voltage to reach same loudness than a low impedance headphone. On the other side, they demand less current than low impedance headphones.

For microphonics and the Etys, the ER4 series were often criticized for this, but the ER4P's (not ER4S's) have a new braided cord and a moved pod (where left and right cords meet) that reportedly decreases the problem significantly. I haven't heard the old 4P or 4S cord so can't compare, but the current one doesn't suffer microphonics much. I wear them walking often and it's not the issue that's usually mentioned.

Haven't heard the ER6's, but they are rumored to have lower cord problems also.

Koss PortaPro are outstanding cans in many respects. Can be easily driven by any portable, very light, very comfortable (much better than 'behind-the-ears' type), outstanding warranty (if something goes wrong, they just replace them). Been using them for about 5 years.

Saying that, YES, they are a bit bass heavy which is perfectly allright for rock/pop and jazz which is what I mostly listen with a portable CD player, but less than adequate with classical music. By less than adequate I mean that the chamber music for instance sounds a bit unnatural. At some point I've decided to get another pair, just for listening classical music, heard that Byerdynamics DT231 has 'fairly flat response' and easily driven by portables. Got these cans. True, it is not 'bass heavy' and perfectly allright for classical music, but not as easily driven as PortaPro, that is, can't reach the same volume level on those cans as with PortaPro. Got a portable headphone amp to remedy the problem, but then the whole setup got a bit too complicated, I just don't like to carry around both cd player and headphone. Oh well, unless you listen mostly classical music, go for Porta Pro.

I think I forgot to mention that I'd rather not buy something that I have to stick into my ear (I find this to be quite annoying).

So if I'm not going to buy an amp, the lower imedance the better, right? So it looks like my current cheap 'phones have an impedance of 16 Ohms, the PX100's and 200's have an impedance of 32 Ohms, and the PortaPros and KSC50's are at 60 Ohms. If my current headphones can go more than loud enough, 32 Ohms shouldn't make much of a difference right? I'm thinking with 60 Ohms though, that I would probably have to buy an amp?

Edited because I forgot something!

The PortaPros will run fine without an amp. They're pretty efficient. It's not just an impedance issue when discussing requirements of an amp. And even if it was 60 ohm's is still considered pretty low. Nonetheless the PP's are made for portable unamped use. I ran them off an unamped iPod and they sounded really nice. They're maybe the ugliest phones ever, but the sound for the price point is great.

Yes, PortaPro are very efficient. If I remember correctly, Byers DT231 has a lower rated Ohm, at least according to specs, and yet they are much harder to drive than Koss.

They certainly won't pass a beauty contest, for sure, but why should I care. What I *really* like about them is that they sit on my head fairly tight, and yet don't put any pressure on earlobs (mine are very sensitive ones). Really nice and intelligent construction. Can wear them for hours with no problems, no headphone listening fatigue syndrom.

If the Koss PortaPro's are too ugly for you, get the Sennheiser PX 100's, they have about the same frequency response.

Haha, no doubt about that. The SportaPro is the same thing though, right? Just in a prettier package? Do they sit on one's head as well as the PortaPro?

Well, don't judge phones just on their impedence.. It's just one aspect.. and I may have over emphasized that aspect as Kike points out. It is a concern, but primarily go with how they sound..

Some of the lowest impedence phones are the ultra cheap and ultra crappy ones they throw in the box with the player. Some of the "best" phones have a very high impedence.. but that dosen't neccicarily mean low=crap, high=quality.

Sensitivity varies too, due to design, so a lower or higher impedance isn't neccicarly connected with how many dB / mW they will put out.

My KSC-35's play pretty darn loud off my 2 cell portable CD, without an amp. They (and the Sporta and Porta) have very nice drivers, and sound a lot better than most other phones in their price range.

Jon

Really, please, could you please tell us how bad is the "microphone effect" on those?

I am considering getting a pair, but if it's going to sound like an stethoscope I might think twice (I'm a medical doctor, you know, and I listen to music TO ESCAPE FROM MY DAYJOB )

Koss Porta Pro

www.koss.com
shopping.yahoo.com

mpepper

Sporta Pros have different drivers, they sound worse...

I just got a pair of these. They're still available from koss.com, though apparently discontinued everywhere else. Man, these are sweet sounding phones, incredible sound for the price. None of the harsh sound of most small headphones, just comfortable and warm.

g

Oh and a warning: when i bought the KSC35 at koss.com, their system suggested i also buy a preamp/EQ unit called EQ50. I wasn't sure about it but it though, for $20 i could take a risk.

Bzzt! Complete piece of junk. It introduces hiss that's as loud as the music you're trying to listen to. So unless you want to use it as a spent cassette tape simulator, stay away from the EQ50 from Koss.

g

Roland RH-50