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all 68 comments

[–]Jerg 38 points39 points ago

FYI that infograph is very outdated; many great (better than listed in those) headphones have come out since this was made.

[–]merreborn 23 points24 points ago

This is hopefully a bit more up to date: http://www.head-fi.org/a/buying-guide-headphones-by-price-range

[–]Jerg 12 points13 points ago

Not quite; a few are discontinued (Denon Dx000 series for instance), a few changed prices, and there are a ton (including huge hits like Hifiman planar magnetic headphones) new cans missing.

[–]romnempire 13 points14 points ago

in a very un-sarcastic way, i would be very interested in seeing you compile your own list.

[–]RenegadeDoppelganger 5 points6 points ago

The spreadsheet/chart thing in the OP's graphic is based on this thread on Head-Fi. The graphic in OP's post is very old and the the dude has now reviewed over 250 IEMs at the time of posting. The guy is still very dedicated and he updates the thread every month with about 5-10 new reviews.

A note of caution however: Headphone/iem reviews (especially north of $200) begin to get extremely subjective when it comes to the Sound category. Much like food and wine reviews, you really need to understand what kind of sound the reviewer prefers so that you can properly interpret and weigh the ratings correctly.

[–]Jerg -1 points0 points ago

As amazing as ljokerl's huge guide is, it covers but a tiny fraction of audiophile full-sized headphones, as his guide was indeed focused mainly on portable cans (look at the subforum his threads are in). It is a good introductory list to aspiring headphone audiophiles but only that.

The best way is still to engage with the audiophile community as a whole, and maybe attend a headphone local meet or two.

[–]sichigo 0 points1 point ago

OP's graphic based on |joker|'s post yet it doesn't include GR02 BE, FX40, and GR99 in the under $50 price range. Also missing 8320 from under $10 and RE0/REZERO in the under $100. (Some of the highest rated models by |joker| in their price range.)

OP's graphic pretty much listed all the highly rated popular brands lol.

[–]BrewerInTheAir 10 points11 points ago

Hmm...I don't see the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II and the V-moda M80s on there. Both are very good portable headphones and extremely durable too.

[–]justanotherreddituse 3 points4 points ago

I was just going to post this (About the Senn's). The HD 25-1 II's are extremely high quality, extremely light, extremely durable headphones. Theirs a good reason why they are so common in the industry.

Also, Sennheiser will let you buy replacements parts, and they are entirely designed to be taken apart by the user. They are a great choice for the working audio professional.

[–]dyancat 0 points1 point ago

Have you heard the 25s (one step down from the 25-1 IIs)? If so, would you consider the IIs to be worth the jump!? Thanks for your time.

[–]BamH1 0 points1 point ago

yep, I have the m80's and they are the best headphones I have ever owned. Also can be played directly from an iphone/ipod without an amp.

[–]gbijcsblllb 0 points1 point ago

I have the M80s and the sound is great, but they seem to be just a tad bit small for my ears or something. I can hardly wear them more than an hour or two

[–]Waythor 0 points1 point ago

Sennheiser headphones are about as buy it for life as it gets as long as you try them respectfully. I'm a very big fan of their HD280 phones.

[–]barryg123 4 points5 points ago

I felt like it was missing...something. So I added to it. This chart will tell you in graphic format what's the best to buy at each price point!

http://i.imgur.com/pcv7C.jpg

[–]sichigo 0 points1 point ago

Great list but I think it's a outdated. Check out this new list via |joker|'s post on head-fi

EDIT: I've actually purchased IEMs based on |joker|'s reviews and got the best bang for the buck ones (Meelectronics CC51P and Vsonic GR02 Bass Edition) I'm quite happy with his reviews.

[–]QdwachMD 4 points5 points ago

I can attest that Grado SR60i are great value for money. They are perfect for rock/metal, not so much for bass heavy music but they still pull their weight.

Some people may find them a bit uncomfortable and if you're more about looking cool than good sound quality you might want to go with something else also.

[–]Porges 3 points4 points ago

They're great sounding, but not so good for travelling. I've worn mine to death.

[–]QdwachMD 1 point2 points ago

RIP, mine are fairly new. They seem pretty sturdy.

[–]TKALT 3 points4 points ago

I've owned the Sennheiser IE8 in-ear monitors for almost 3 years now. If you want something smaller than full sized cans but want amazing sound quality, the IE8 is the set to get. The soundstage is amazingly wide for IEMs. They have tunable bass and detachable cord. The IE8 can be bought for around US$300, so they're not cheap, but when you hear them, you'll know it's money well spent.

[–]Frozenshades 3 points4 points ago

Detachable cables are a god send, that's always what seems to break first even though the phones themselves work fine. One of the reasons I gave the UE TF10's a try. Swapped out the flimsy stock cable with one from null-audio and I love em.

[–]NegativeK 1 point2 points ago

Ten years ago, I bought a pair of AKG K 240s. They're still going strong, but are semi-open backed (better sound quality, greatly reduced sound blocking.) I bought a pair of K 271s. Same great build quality, closed back.

I paid $100 for the K 240s and $150 for the K 271s. I love both and have no doubt that they'd withstand me sitting on them for as long as I'd like.

So.. There are a few more options outside of that graphic. ;)

[–]brookesy2 2 points3 points ago

I have the ATH AD 700's. No issues in 4years.

[–]Stephen9o3 3 points4 points ago

Here's a better guide, copy+pasted from a (the biggest) private music tracker forum. Also goes into some detail about each headphones (ie. what the mids, highs sound like, if an amp is required or recommended, etc.)

http://pastebin.com/RCj9UqJb

[–]merreborn 5 points6 points ago

I think this may be the original source of that post: http://www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide

[–]Stephen9o3 1 point2 points ago

Good find. That public link retains the formatting that was lost when I pasted it to pastebin. Turns out it's actually the exact same poster.

[–]rseymour 1 point2 points ago

So, I'm still cool with my skullcandy earbuds when I'm walking through the noisy streets, in case anyone was wondering.

[–]cecilkorik 1 point2 points ago

In case you ever feel like treating yourself, try out the Etymotic ER-4P. Incredible isolation. They make fine ear plugs as well. Also much more comfortable for long use, to my ears anyway. Not so cheap, but I love mine. :)

[–]Maniacal 0 points1 point ago

These do NOT sound safe to use when out walking.

[–]EpicFishFingers 1 point2 points ago

Actually, so am I. I bought them for £8, and sure they're flimsy, but so what? They play music and I can't hear shit with them in, which means they double as ear plugs for sleeping. Bonus: people can't hear your music.

I'm sure once I hear better music I'll want new ones but i don't want to listen to better because then I'll never want to go back, and will end up forking out £70+ for headphones

Anyway, obviously I'm not big on headphoens, so someone tell me: how shit are Beats by Dr. Dre?

[–]Shyatic 1 point2 points ago

Beats by Dre aren't total shit... but for the price they are absolute shit.

If you cut the price to 1/3 the price, they might be worth it for the design, not the sound.

[–]rseymour -1 points0 points ago

I love that someone downvoted me. I have equator D5 monitors at home, which are awesome: http://www.equatoraudio.com/D5_Studio_Monitors_with_DSP_300_Pair_p/d5.htm but not headphones...

I have these skullcandy 50/50s with a microphone, AKG K240s, sony xb-500s, and koss portapros... they all reproduce sound one way or another. I prefer tracking/singing in the k240s, but otherwise... who cares? I'm not listening to the philharmonic on my headphones.

[–]EpicFishFingers 2 points3 points ago

Wow, "who cares?" Seems like you do if you own that many pairs of headphones! Mind you havign said that, I have 3 different pairs. One for Skype (£6 Komaston mic thing from eBay), One for iPod (SkullCandy in-ear ones, £8), and some I bought from ebuyer, intending to sell for more money, but never got round to (Sennheiser PX200, never used, for sale if anyone wants a pair)

[–]rseymour 2 points3 points ago

Hah, yeah I guess.

The px200s are pretty rad actually. I just don't really "like" headphones all that much, regardless of their cost. I kind of break it down to "working" or "broken" ... :D

[–]atm259 4 points5 points ago

You haven't heard nice headphones.

[–]rseymour 1 point2 points ago

My buddy has some grados, but... regardless of niceness there is still a thing stuck on your head.

[–]atm259 4 points5 points ago

There are nice in-ear monitors...

[–]rseymour 4 points5 points ago

I'd love some etymotic pro level ones.

[–]EpicFishFingers 2 points3 points ago

Lol someone's on a witch hutn for you, every one of your comments has got at least one downvote. TIL audiophiles are easy to piss off, what with our (my) lack of money to spend on headphones with great sound quality.

[–]Badabinski 1 point2 points ago

I have the 325i's, and I love them to death. Totally worth the ~$300.

[–]Bugbeard 0 points1 point ago

People recommend the AKG 701's/702's but almost always, they fail to mention how much power the AKGs require. An amp is a must.

[–]Freezerburn -1 points0 points ago

Highly recommend looking into the Hifiman HE-400 and if you have a headphone amp like me Hifiman HE-500. I'll be getting the 500 to replace my Sennheiser HD-650. If you want to learn more about headphones and audio check out

/r/headphones

and

/r/audiophile

[–]rILEYcAPSlOCK 0 points1 point ago

I'm surprised the Panasonic RP-HTX7 isn't listed. You can find them on Amazon for around $30, and the quality to price ratio is astounding.

They are unique in their style as well, in that they aren't just another headset in boring black plastic.

After some burn in, I would compare the sound quality to equal or better a $200 pair of Bose (which are admittedly overpriced).

http://www.head-fi.org/t/449350/panasonic-rp-htx7-what-a-suprise

[–]mithoviel -2 points-1 points ago

The Skullcandy Aviators are great headphones, which Head-fi agreed with the last that I checked a year ago when I bought them.

[–]MasterMic 0 points1 point ago

I would recommend the Shure SE215s. Great audio, durable, and replaceable wire. Just make sure they fit comfortable (can take some adjusting).

[–]slappysam 0 points1 point ago

I have a pair of SR-60s, they are at least 10 yrs old by now. Used heavily, for a while probably was using them 4-6 hrs a day every day.

I have replaced the earcups a couple years ago because they started to fall apart and yellow. I would say they are in like new condition, and should easily last another 10 yrs.

[–]mrpopenfresh 0 points1 point ago

Powerful bass is not how I would describe the Grado 60s.

[–]mathematical -1 points0 points ago

Surprised that SennHeiser HD 201s aren't listed for budget headphones. They regularly go on sale for <$15 (I bought mine for $12), and I have yet to hear $15 headphones that outperform them.

[–]LayinPipe 0 points1 point ago

No love for the Bose in ears?

[–]not_a_novelty_acount 0 points1 point ago

Those are really comfortable IEM, but the sound isn't that great for the price. My $20 cc51s sound a lot better than the $100 Bose IEM I used to own. Also, my sisters klispch (or however you spell it) s3s are a lot more comfortable than the $100 Bose IEM but sound about the same but only run for $20 also.

[–]MalcolmReynoldsWrap 0 points1 point ago

Shure SRH-840 owner here. Sounds like a really tight ass before you burn them in. After burn in, dead flat response, and you can hear everything. I can hear music sheets turning in professionally recorded orchestras.

[–]wondertwins 0 points1 point ago

Anyone in NYC want my Grados SR225i and my Shure SRH840 for $150 each?

[–]Brightwork 0 points1 point ago

How is there not one mention of Pioneer HDJ-2000's?

[–]nayslayer 0 points1 point ago

Where are the wireless ones? Once you go wireless, you can't go back.

[–]je66b -2 points-1 points ago

So I was told stereo headphones are the best to get, how much is the quality affected by my sound card? More specifically because I have a surround sound card?

[–]hawk1410 0 points1 point ago

It is always a good idea to get stereo headphones over those 5.1/7.1 headphones that are simply gimmicky. Sticking 5 bad drivers in a headphone isn't gonna make the positional accuracy any better if soundstage is bad. Stereo headphones with a single driver in each cup will not only have much superior sound quality(due to having 2 good drivers compared to 5 shitty ones) they will have a wider soundsatge with better positional accuracy. If you want these headphones for gaming, if so then check out this - Mad Lust Envy's headphone gaming guide.

A soundcard will affect the quality of sound to some extent. First of all a soundcard will have its own AMP and DAC which is gonna be better than that of your motherboard. The AMP will help in driving higher impedance headphones and the DAC will help with sound quality. Virtual surround is also great when gaming, stereo headphones with good soundstage paired with virtual surround are great for gaming.

[–]je66b 0 points1 point ago

ok, dumb question number 2 coming from a gimmicky 5.1 headset owner.. most stereo headphones will have a single 3.5mm cable, my sound card(ht omega striker) has like 8 output jacks... which one would i stick it in? i have the tritton AX pro right now and ive found my sound card does a better job with sound than the amp that came with the headset does(when plugged in to the pc at least), but that has an analog cable for pretty much every slot on my sound card, so ive just always been curious where i would plug, say, a normal pair of headphones into it

[–]cubist_castle 0 points1 point ago

There should be an output labelled left/right, front, or front left/right. If there are no labels you may have to look in some help files. If you don't have any the correct output is normally green.

[–]notarapist72 1 point2 points ago

I have Grado SR125i headphones, perfect for audiophiles and best 200$ ever spent. Hand made in NY.

[–]BamH1 1 point2 points ago

It is important to remember that for many of the higher powered headphones, you need an amp to make them perform at any reasonable level.

[–]sxtrailrider -1 points0 points ago

It's a shame nobody has mentioned Munitio.

[–]scaredpantsless 1 point2 points ago

My RE0's need amping? Since when?

[–]hawk1410 0 points1 point ago

They are 64ohms, and amp is kind of needed.

[–]MajorMajor 1 point2 points ago

What about Sony?

What about wireless?

[–]urbeker 1 point2 points ago

It is important to note that grade headphones are typically very low impedance so you are less reliant on a quality amp.

[–]ferrarisnowday 1 point2 points ago

Koss Portapros are amazing. That's all I can say.

[–]WastedTruth 1 point2 points ago

For the money they're absolutely unbeatable. I put a pair inside a pair of ear defenders (as in Kipkay's video - I got mine from Discount Safety Online in the UK - and they are great for my requirements (almost zero sound leakage and excellent isolation from ambient sounds). I'm aware that using drivers intended for open-backed use this way is 'wrong' but it works for me. The only thing is that, even folded up, they're quite bulky, so I'm now looking for some IEMs that meet the same requirements and aren't going to break every five minutes. My daughter has some Monster Beats and the cable has broken <EdRooney>FIVE TIMES</EdRooney> since April - the store are fed up with me now!

I was thinking of Atomic Floyd darts or BW C5's for my next IEM purchase but can't see any recommendations for them on any of the charts referenced in this thread... I see good things about Monster Turbine Pro Gold, but... based on the Beats... no.

[–]SneakyWagon 0 points1 point ago

I just got a pair of the Vsonic GR99s. They beat the pants off of the two pairs of sennheisers I've had, plus they're only $30.

[–]Enjoyitbeforeitsover 0 points1 point ago

The monster turbine golds sounded fucking great, however after a few minutes the bass was overwhelming, the coppers on the other hand sound awesome but don't make my ears hurt compared to the golds.