Headphone recommendations

[DrCrypt]

I just purchased myself a Dell DJ and I was hoping someone could recommend some good headphones for it. I'd be looking for something with great sound quality, highly portable and durable. I'd probably not want to spend much more than $50 for any set of headphones oriented towards a portable device. Also, I hate that doofus behind the head look and tend to prefer headphones that fit comfortably into my ear - comfort is a really big issue for me. In the past, I have tended just to buy those Sony Dealies (www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=Ghhfc_0gMz5fRMLrcftVeLIxPRIVR6bFTw0=?Cat egoryName=pa_Headphones_LightweightSportVertical&ProductSKU=MDRA44L&Dept=pa), but I was hoping someone might be able to suggest something a bit more sophisticated this time.

[Jakub]

I'd spend the extra money on at least Sennheiser HD570s, if you intend to listen for any length of time.

Every time I tear a cord and wait for the replacement to arrive, I end up using these $50 Sonys and when I go back to my Sennheisers, it's like Cindy Crawford is having sex with my ear.

But if you're intent on comfort under $50, just go to a local audio shop and try headphones out. Heck, I've even known people who insist Grado headphones are comfortable... so... nothing beats the personal touch :)

[Stroker Ace]

do you have to spend $130 to get a new pair every time you "tear the cord" on your sennheisers?

i'd like to try some, but wow...

[Thierry Nguyen]

http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/SPdispCall?ReadForm&KSC50

Best $20 headphones evar. If you don't feel like spending more than $50 on a pair, you can't really go wrong with these. They sound great (much better than any bundled headphones, and pretty damn good compared to Sennheisers and whatnot) and if something happens to them, you can just get another pair (I've only had to replace them once, because the cat chewed through the wires).

[ElRavager]

Plantronics are great if you want an integrated mic... pretty comfy too, I pull all-nighters on the weekends using a plantronics (hell if I remember the model) and gamevoice during weekend shive sessions with my friends.

[Mark Asher]

Are there wireless headphones? I'd love to get rid of the damn cord.

[DennyA]

Sennheiser makes some good low-end headphones too. I have an old pair of HD56s that sound fantastic for $30 headphones.

Now using their PXA 250 noise-cancelling headphones. Fantastic on planes.

[John Many Jars]

do you have to spend $130 to get a new pair every time you "tear the cord" on your sennheisers?

i'd like to try some, but wow...

Many Sennheiser models have replaceable cords, which lets the actual 'phones last much longer. I love my HD497s, and they're really cheap on Amazon considering the quality.

[John Many Jars]

By the way, Crypty, how do you like your Dell DJ?

Did you compare it to a Nomad Zen during the selection process?

[DennyA]

When I said the Dell DJ is big, I hadn't seen the Nomad Zen. I've got a Zen Xtra here now, and it makes the DJ look tiny by comparison.

The Nomad's advantages are price, a removable battery, and the fact that it's available in a 60GB version. The DJ's smaller and has a better interface. Sound quality is similar, though I'd give the edge to the DJ, which sounds as good as the iPod.

[Kyle Wilson]

Are there wireless headphones? I'd love to get rid of the damn cord.

I'm actually listening right now to a pair of Jensen JW160 Wireless Headphones (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004LC7Z/qid=1070315694/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-1800284-0560003?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846) I got for my birthday last week. They're a little bulky, but they feel comfortable. Sound quality is quite good. The advertised range is 150', but -- and this is the only problem I have with them -- the tuning tends to drift as you move around, and needs readjustment. So they're fine if you're sitting still, even if you're sitting still on the other side of the house from the transmitter, but if you want something you can wear while you walk around the house, they're useless.

[John Many Jars]

The removable battery counts for a lot:

http://www.ipodsdirtysecret.com/

I now read that iPod battery replacement can be had for $99, not $255, but that's still way too damn much.

Also, the 60 GB Zen Xtra means I could rip my CD collection at 320 kbps, not 128.

Then there's the RCA Lyra, which also has good reviews...

When you say the Nomad is big, DennyA, do you mean bigger than a deck of cards or a pack of cigarettes? (I've never actually held one.)

[DrCrypt]

I don't actually have the DJ yet. The problem, as always, is that I'm in Ireland, where the device isn't available and where I can't test before I buy. So I purchased it over the weekend and had it shipped as a gift "not for export" to my Dad, which I'll pick up when I'm home in Boston on the 19th. It is always convoluted: I had to place a call to India to get the DJ, because Dell's expert anti-export system for electronics is simply not to allow foreign credit card billing addresses for online purchases. Ultimately, I was swayed mostly by compliments on the sound quality, its small size and its price tag being $130 less than similar 20 gig models. And in point-by-point comparisons, while some other players have some nifty features, ultimately I wouldn't use the vast majority of them.

I don't get people claiming that the DJ is huge, either. Frankly, the DJ seems plenty small to me in pictures: it is significantly smaller than my Axim, for example, which I consider pocketable. And smaller than any discman or walkman I've ever owned, too. And 20 gig is plenty of room for me for now - I'm sure I can delete some less-listened-to tracks if I go over the 500 album marker on the device. I can always spring for the next generation if I need more room. I think I'll be happy with it, but I won't really know until later in the month. I'll give a thumbs up, thumbs down then, but I can tell you that I'm pretty excited about getting it at the same time as I am let loose for my annual romp through my father's collection of 15,000+ albums.

About headphones: I notice you guys are all recommending the ones that rest over your ears variety. While I like those for home use, for portable use, I really prefer the in-ear variety. Is there any truly excellent pairs of in-ear headphones available, or is there less you can do to improve sound in that variety? (Paragraph criticism: too many varieties!)

Also, Denny: does the DJ actually have an output jack, to plug into a stereo or the like? Not a deal-breaker for me, but I haven't seen mention of one anywhere.

[DrCrypt]

I'd spend the extra money on at least Sennheiser HD570s, if you intend to listen for any length of time.
Those look huge. You actually wander around in public with headphones that size on your head? Why not just carry two boomboxes to your ears?

The other consideration is: I'll probably be ripping at 128kbps or at most 192. There's probably a limit to what headphones can do for that sort of compression.

[John Many Jars]

I've been shopping for earbuds for the same reason, and I'm going to gamble on these:

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00004Z0BO/002-3684775-4245605?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I156024PYRVQWM&colid=358GHG5ILQN2T

because I trust the Sennheiser brand, and because the price is right.

There are Sony, Koss, and other buds that actually stick into your ear canals like earplugs, but that's just gotta be uncomfortable:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000095SB6/qid=/sr=1-1/ref=pd_sbs_e_1/002-3684775-4245605?v=glance&s=electronics

[DrCrypt]

I don't like loose earbuds... I find them difficult to keep in the ear. I like the Sony take on them, where they have both a comfortable shape and a headband that will keep them in your ears with minimal fuss. Wonder if Sennhauser makes a pair of those. Although I noticed that Sennhauser sells refurbished HD570's for 33% off... might be worth picking up at closer to 100 than 150.

[Case]

I don't like loose earbuds... I find them difficult to keep in the ear. I like the Sony take on them, where they have both a comfortable shape and a headband that will keep them in your ears with minimal fuss. Wonder if Sennhauser makes a pair of those. Although I noticed that Sennhauser sells refurbished HD570's for 33% off... might be worth picking up at closer to 100 than 150.

It's also worth checking these out:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1204998,00.asp

[John Many Jars]

The ExtremeTech link led me to these pictures of the Zen and the iPod together...I can see that the Zen is bigger, but I don't think the difference would bother me.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1185186,00.asp

As for loose earbuds, I've never tried them, but it does seem like they'd fall out a lot. Maybe Blutack would help? Or masking tape.

[DennyA]

When you say the Nomad is big, DennyA, do you mean bigger than a deck of cards or a pack of cigarettes? (I've never actually held one)
Yep. The Nomad Jukebox is as big as a large PDA -- similar to an original iPAQ, slightly smaller than the Axim X5. The iPod is the only HD player smaller than a deck of cards, though Archos has a small HD player in the works.


Also, Denny: does the DJ actually have an output jack, to plug into a stereo or the like? Not a deal-breaker for me, but I haven't seen mention of one anywhere.
Nope, just a headphone jack. Works fine going into a stereo, though. Just cut the volume to about 40%.

[Sean Tudor]

I am using a Plantronics Audio .90 set with integrated mic. Very comfortable and not too heavy.

[DrCrypt]

I don't get some of the recommendations here. I'm looking for a set of headphones to use on a portable mp3 player encoded at no greater than 192kbps, and people are recommending 200 dollar audiophile headphones meant to be plugged into amplifiers and headsets with embedded microphones more suitable for gaming than anything else. Both seem kind of misguided choices for a Dell DJ.

The guys over at www.goodcans.com recommend the Koss Portapro headphones as the best portable headphones on the market. But jeez, they look terrible and huge - I just can't imagine wandering around listening to something wearing those. The Sportapros are better looking, but supposedly have an odd fluttering sound in bass heavy music. The next one up is the Sennheiser PX100 - anyone have any experience with these? Unfortunatel, the last person to ask for realistic advice on these things is generally not the die-hard audiophile - it is hard to tell from these reviews exactly how big an issue anything these guys are mentioning really is.

[DrCrypt]

Actually, those Sennheiser HD497's look really good and seem to review very well. And only $40 bucks. John, any criticisms of these? These might be the winner.

[John Many Jars]

Actually, those Sennheiser HD497's look really good and seem to review very well. And only $40 bucks. John, any criticisms of these? These might be the winner.

I've had mine since the beginning of July, and I have no complaints at all.

I've never driven them with something portable, but I use them at work plugged into my PC speaker jack (they sound great), so I'd guess they'd be fine with other low-power sources. They're also very light and comfortable --- lighter than the last pair of headphones I had, which were smaller (JVCs that fit on-ear, rather than around-ear).