Is it worth spending $90 for headphones?

[Breukelen advocaat]

This is what I use most often. They are excellent for all kinds of situations.
I love my 7506's :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
I've had them for over 6 years and they're still going strong.

The most annoying thing about today's portable equipment is that you can't get a CD walkman with a dedicated line-out jack. I've got a Panasonic SL-320, from the 1990's, that has one, and it sounds great when plugged into a headphone amp, my Tivoli radio, or even a full stereo rig. I'm very careful with that Pannie - it' over 10 years old and I'm going to mourn the day it dies. It can play everything I've thrown at it, unlike my SlimX, which is fussy with CD's.

I don't know anything about iPods, but I think that most of them also use a cheap op-amp for their headphone jack.

Don't do it.
Koss headphones are one of the worst brands on the market.
Look at Sony Professional series, Sennheiser, Akg, or even Bose would be much better than Koss.

For the most part, I agree with you about Koss.

I have the Koss ESP/950 Electrostatics, and they're fantastic - and sound even better when powered by batteries in the source equipment and the supplied amp. The only drawback is the amplifier, which is built kind of cheap. But, the product is guaranteed for life. I've never needed to send the phones, or the amp, back to Koss for repair or replacement.

[Mississippi Steve]

I don't know anything about iPods, but I think that most of them also use a cheap op-amp for their headphone jack.

For the most part, I agree with you about Koss.

I have the Koss ESP/950 Electrostatics, and they're fantastic - and sound even better when powered by batteries in the source equipment and the supplied amp. The only drawback is the amplifier, which is built kind of cheap. But, the product is guaranteed for life. I've never needed to send the phones, or the amp, back to Koss for repair or replacement.

I have both Koss Pro4AAA and Koss VFR-Technician headsets... both are over 30 years old and are still in top condition, never a problem with either, ahd you can get replacement ear cusions for them.

[slantedcorners]

bose headphones

Agreed. I got a pair over the summer, they cost $125 but I absolutely love them...noise cancelling so you can hear the music better and it's handy for loud places (I live in London so you can imagine, I wear them most of the time when I'm walking around, regardless of whether I'm listening to music or not).

I can't stand earbuds...I had some for a bit and took out my tragus piercing cos it couldn't fit (although they usually don't anyway) and now I regret it, I really liked that piercing.

[psychocat]

IMO you can't get better than Sennheiser headphones. :thumbsup:

[Mr. Clandestine]

I got a pair of decent Koss titanium studio headphones (PRO4AA) a couple of years back. They're comfortable as they can be, have a detachable 1/4" stereo plug that screws into a 1/8" headphone jack, great lows and clear highs, and actually look halfway decent, too. They were about $169 retail when I bought them, but that was a few years ago and you can probably pick some up now for under $100. Mine have been used and abused, but they still sound terrific. I've actually got a pair of super expensive AKG headphones (K601 model) that have never even been taken out of the box... simply because I love the Koss so much. I use them in my Mackie ONYX1220 (studio mixer) and then unplug the 1/4" jack and take them with me to listen to on my iPod. And I'll probably keep wearing them until they quit making sound.

[JeffersonBud]

Never understood why people don't invest in good earphones. You spend a lot of money on an ipod and enjoy listening to music right? Are the headphones not the most important choice when using these two items together? Thats why I have these...
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takes 300 hours to burn them in. I think I am on hour 40 something

[smok3y]

Yea its defo worth spending the money on a good pair of headphones... :jointsmile:

[fiddyonefiddy]

Good headphones (I like a larger studio-type earpiece) are an investment in your hearing. Cancelling out other noise so you don't have to turn the volume up so high will be better for your ears in the long run.

this is the reason for good headphones,also you will here more stuff you never heard before. and 90 bux is cheap for a set of good headphones.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I want to upgrade my stock "ipod headphones," but I don't know if I should buy a really good headphone, or sacrifice some quality and get a cheaper one.

Sacrifice? Not necessary! I'm a major audiophile and right now I'm listening to tunes on some $20 headphones, and the sound is abstolutely perfect (for what I'm looking of anyway). If you're only looking for earbuds to keep in your pocket, then maybe you will have to go expensive. But if you're willing to get some nice big headphones, you can get something with beautiful sound for less than $30.

Many of these ones over a hundred dollars are only that expensive because they play an array of frequences that "lower" headphones can't reach. The rediculous facter here, though, is that those extra frequencies you're paying for are outside the range that regular people can hear. Yeah, the corporate world sucks.


Right now the headphones I'm listening to are called "EXCEL international electronics - CDS850". Like I say, $20 and fantastic. Otherwise I recommend going with something from KOSS; they make great headphones as well.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Good headphones (I like a larger studio-type earpiece) are an investment in your hearing. Cancelling out other noise so you don't have to turn the volume up so high will be better for your ears in the long run.

I completely forgot about this; good point stinkyattic! Protecting hearing is a good investment too; although I never seem to get damaged hearing from all my loud music (had it tested a couple times).