Any Good Headphones for Music?

[Serrix]

Hey everyone, I was just curious to hear opinions on higher end headphones.
I personally own a pair of Bose AE2's and they have done a wonderful job for me.
I want to know though, is there anything better?
And in the $100-$250 price range especially.

-Note, do not mention "Beats by Dre" and "Ludacris Soul", those make you look like a tool and I know the audio quality isn't that amazing.

 

[jcoultas98]

I picked up a pair of Sennheiser 598s about 6 months back for $180. They aren't a closed cup design, so they aren't great for sealing sound in or out, but they sound wonderful. I'm also not a huge fan of the design, but the HD-600s were $75 more, and I couldn't justify the difference.

http://en-de.sennheiser.com/hd-598

Many audio experts recommend a dedicated headphone amp for any headphone sound upgrade. I've considered purchasing one, but don't listen to music at home on headphones that often. I was looking at a headroom amp, they're not incredibly expensive.

http://www.headphone.com/headphone-amps/amplifiers.php

 

[ssddx]

i've owned my audiotechnica ath-m50s studio headphones for over a year now without complaint. for $150-180 they can compete with anything under $300

 

[danawesome89]

I was about to recommend AKG K702, but noticed the price has gone up and out of your budget.

However, these are almost exactly the same, but just have a "Quincy Jones Signature" on them.
http://www.amazon.com/AKG-Signature-Reference-Class-Headphones-Black/dp/B004444O3W/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343951781&sr=1-2&keywords=akg+q701

There are other colors available, but the prices might vary a bit.

Anyway, I have a set of K702s which is pretty much identical and I am completely amazed.

Just be warned: They are huge, and might make you look like princess Leia.
Also, They are an open-backed headphone. This means that they do not block sound in or out. Other people will hear your music loud and clear.

So clearly these are really only good for listening by yourself at home, or where noise is not a concern.

However, I guarantee you they will sound clearer and more accurate than anything else under $800. It is a very clean and clear sound. It is not bass heavy crap. Some people get disappointed by that.

 

[soundguruman]

Hey everyone, I was just curious to hear opinions on higher end headphones.
I personally own a pair of Bose AE2's and they have done a wonderful job for me.
I want to know though, is there anything better?
And in the $100-$250 price range especially.

-Note, do not mention "Beats by Dre" and "Ludacris Soul", those make you look like a tool and I know the audio quality isn't that amazing.

The best HPhones cover the entire ear, like a cup.
DO NOT buy headphones that press foam pads against your ears. Very painful, you have been warned.

 

[WyomingKnott]

My opinion depends on what you are listening to. Also, I only use open-back headphones, not good for noisy environments.

I listen mainly to Baroque music, where detail is key. I love my AKG K701 monitors. For symphonies and rock, I have Sennheiser 650s at about 4 times the price. I would _not_ use these well-reviewed phones for music where detail is crucial and power is not.

The AKGs are comfortable for hours, at least on my head.

 

[FLUDDzone]

Sennheiser.

 

[hellomarry]

Absolutly beats by dre is a good choise

 

[Erik Lovaas]

I've heard that the V-Moda Crossfade M-100s are extremely good, and they are just 50 bucks over your max budget. If you like bass these are probably the ones to go for. I have also heard that the Sennheiser Momentum's and the Philips Fidelio X1 (both cost the same as the V-Moda's). The Sennheiser's are very audiophile, they have way less bass for my taste. The Philips' are a little heavy both for you and for you mp3 player, but I have heard that they are amazing for home use. Hope that helps!

 

[atarione]

2nd the ATH-M50

however I find the stock ear pads rather uncomfortable and hot so I bought a pair of ear pads for the Shure 840 headphones (actually the shure 840s are pretty nice also in their own right)


anyways blah blah blah I can now wear my ATH-M50s for a long time without the discomfort i had with the stock pads ... however the replacement pads have changed the sound some ...i like it kinda smoothed the bass out a bit I'd say... issolation is still very good (maybe better).

http://www.amazon.com/Shure-HPAEC840-Replacement-Cushions-Headphones/dp/B002Z9JWZS/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1378010034&sr=1-2&keywords=shure+840

 

[TCTechie]

I too had a pair of Bose for the longest time, but recently purchased Sennheiser HD558. As jcoultas98 mentioned, they are not noise-cancelling, but they do offer excellent sound. Plus, Sennheiser puts a lot of quality in the overall build of the headphone giving them a solid feel and peace of mind for long lasting.

At the time of this post, this model is selling for US$146.45 on Amazon.com.

Bottom line, I would not go back to Bose after using Sennheiser.

 

[maarkr]

you really need to listen to a high-end recorded song on each type... there are different types, depending on your purpose, for instance, as a music artist and producer, I would want a 'reference' set, which is designed to accurately reproduce all frequencies the same as was recorded. This may or may not be what you prefer, as you may be disappointed in the low end compared to something that may color the sound... you may want to check out Beyerdynamic headphones at Sweetwater sound... they are highly regarded in the recording industry... the high-end AKGs are respected... so many that I haven't heard much about... you may also view the Grado Labs brand, I have one of their sets for casual ipad listening.

 

[chouhuoguo]

hello, for $150-180 they can compete with anything under $300.thanks

 

[Erik Lovaas]

I personally am a big fan of the Sennheiser Momentums as well as the Parrot Zik. It also depends on the use for the headphones. There is so much to look into for headphones such as the style preference, sound quality, outside sound isolation, and bass quality if ur a bass lover like me 😍 lol

You say you are a big fan of the Sennheiser Momentum's and that you are a bass lover. I have heard that the Momentum's have very little bass compared to a lot of other headphones. Is this true? Does it get bassy enough if you have bass boost on (on my ipad mini)? I have ordered the V-Moda M-100 and I am considering buying the Momentum's in the future for a different listening experience. Any thoughts? BTW, I listen to rap/hip-hop and EDM

 

[blindmelon7]

ATH-M50 are pretty good. I have Shure SRH-840, which I love. AKG 701s are awesome but open backed so everyone can hear your tunez.

I would generally avoid anything endorsed (Dre) or Bose, which are not high end, just expensive.

Credentials: professional audio engineer.