seeking recommendations

price point $150ish, could go a little higher.

sound quality is number one, but durability is a close second.

mostly used for pop/rock but also some jazz and instrumental

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Hurts like a bastid...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2023 06:42PM by mrbigstuff.

I've never tried them, but some people swear by monoprice's offerings.

Active noise cancelling?

Good point, no active NC.

And to be more specific, comfy cans, definitely over the ear, not on the ear. Although I love my old AKG 140.

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Hurts like a bastid...

Beyer, Sennheiser, Grado, AT50s, Shure,

for them kinds of music, the 1st 3.
Sennheiser, I'd say, are most comfortable.

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!#$@@$#!

never do yesterday or today what you can put off til tomorrow or next year.

I really like the old standby Sony MDR-7506. Been around forever. Durable, fixable, and comfotable, but I don't like the heavy old-school coiled cable. Replacement pads are easy to find.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2023 08:52PM by lost in space.

I really like the Drop Sennheiser HDR 6xx:
[drop.com]

It’s a collaboration between Massdrop and Sennheiser, making the Sennheiser HD 650 at a lower cost.
I got mine for around $170 when they first came out. They’re a bit more now but worth it if you like the HD 650 and want to save some money.

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JoeM

When I was a kid, my brother had some Senheisers with yellow Earpads. I thought they sounded great.
Is this them?
[reverb.com]

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Eli Weisel

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

"I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham 1981

"Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise" - Barry Goldwater

What about planar headphones? Worth the price?

What about planar headphones? Worth the price?


I've only had one pair, my current HiFiMann cans.

LOL.

But they sound better than any other headphones I've ever had.

BUT they need a headphone amp and I use mine with a DAC/Amp.

So I'd say it depends on you're wallet and ability to resolve the sound.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

from that Drop site:

[drop.com]

$99

Definitely read the reviews.

For example:

Power Requirements: These have been tuned to be more efficient but because of this along with the low impedance powering it can be interesting. It's actually the hardest to drive entry-level Hifiman Headphone and harder to drive than the HE-4XX and HE-5XX because it requires noticeably higher current than them. Similar voltage requirements to the HE-4XX but higher current. Meaning you won't struggle to get them loud but to really make them sing you do need some power behind them. An apple dongle will get them loud but you really should use them with something better. pretty much anything with at least 3x the power of an apple dongle will work (so any good desktop-grade amp).

One example is a Nobsound for $52
[www.amazon.com]

[soundgearlab.com]

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2023 11:11PM by decay.

This is probably the best, safest recommendation. You won't be unhappy with these.

Quote
JoeM
I really like the Drop Sennheiser HDR 6xx:
[drop.com]

It’s a collaboration between Massdrop and Sennheiser, making the Sennheiser HD 650 at a lower cost.
I got mine for around $170 when they first came out. They’re a bit more now but worth it if you like the HD 650 and want to save some money.

This is this second best option, but not as safe....

Quote
decay
from that Drop site:

[drop.com]

$99

Definitely read the reviews.

For example:

Power Requirements: These have been tuned to be more efficient but because of this along with the low impedance powering it can be interesting. It's actually the hardest to drive entry-level Hifiman Headphone and harder to drive than the HE-4XX and HE-5XX because it requires noticeably higher current than them. Similar voltage requirements to the HE-4XX but higher current. Meaning you won't struggle to get them loud but to really make them sing you do need some power behind them. An apple dongle will get them loud but you really should use them with something better. pretty much anything with at least 3x the power of an apple dongle will work (so any good desktop-grade amp).

One example is a Nobsound for $52
[www.amazon.com]

[soundgearlab.com]

By safe, I mean "least likely to disappoint."

Sennheiser HD 569
Refurbished. Shipped direct from manufacturer.
These were $180 new, about 5 years ago.

$89.95

[www.amazon.com]

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Quote
lost in space
I really like the old standby Sony MDR-7506. Been around forever. Durable, fixable, and comfotable, but I don't like the heavy old-school coiled cable. Replacement pads are easy to find.

I second these, I have them for work and they sound nice. The 7506 are still used in recording studios and film/video production houses, they are liked for their accuracy of sound.

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The arts are not luxuries but assets that give way more than they cost.
--Ronald Tucker on YouTube

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.
--Frank Zappa

Quote
Sam3

Quote
lost in space
I really like the old standby Sony MDR-7506. Been around forever. Durable, fixable, and comfotable, but I don't like the heavy old-school coiled cable. Replacement pads are easy to find.

I second these, I have them for work and they sound nice. The 7506 are still used in recording studios and film/video production houses, they are liked for their accuracy of sound.

I'll third this recommendation. I have a pair for work and a pair for home. And I just bought more (bigger) replacement earpads to give them some extended life.

Gonna have to hard disagree about the venerable 7506. They are the Yamaha NS-10M of headphones.

The NS-10M was a classic studio speaker renown for it's consistency, which only indirectly translates into "accuracy."

So many people know what the 7506 cans sound like (they are ancient) that they can then make adjustments based on that, which helps the music sound good on other things: Monitoring audio during production is a very different need than "listening to music" as an activity.

You'd never mistake either for an audiophile product, which needs to be pleasant under a wide variety of inputs to "sound good."

You asked about over the ear, and very few suggestions above are over the ear. The HiFiMans are (I have a different set from Rammie but also enjoy mine WITH a headphone amp.) And I think the Sennies mentioned are also over the ear. Either would be good, but don't expect great things simply plugging them into a Mac or an iPhone.

2nd the NOT rec for the 7506. Unless one likes bright (shrill).
Any Senn surround ear is gonna be more comfy for long periods (more than 15 mins) and be truer to the source mix.

Most of my buds mixing music use either then Senns or Beyers for the headphone ref, even though most younger end users are using In-Ears.
Turned up loud so I can hear them at the other end of the train car.

---

!#$@@$#!

never do yesterday or today what you can put off til tomorrow or next year.

Quote
lost in space
I really like the old standby Sony MDR-7506. Been around forever. Durable, fixable, and comfotable, but I don't like the heavy old-school coiled cable. Replacement pads are easy to find.

I have a set of these... low miles... Bummed when I discovered that the foam was worn out but happy to see that they offer replacements...

The 7506s have a smiley-EQ sound to them - bumped up lows and highs, which makes them good for hearing stuff you need to fix in the studio but not the best for long-term listening as a consumer (especially with today's music). They're also closed, which will keep noise from annoying neighbors and keep out outside sounds, but also make long-term listening a bit less comfortable in that it will heat up your hears.

I'd echo the recommendation for the Drop Sennheiser cans. I've had my Senn HD580s for close to 30 years and still happy with them. i've replaced the pads a couple times and upgraded the cord (to the cord for the 600/650), but they're still great.

You'd never mistake either for an audiophile product, which needs to be pleasant under a wide variety of inputs to "sound good."


True, but they're not audiophile priced.

I bought a pair about a year ago, and was very disappointed.

They have an overly bright sound, and are just unpleasant for relaxed listening.

I have a pair of ancient Sony MDR-V6 cans that sound much better and were also built better.

These 7506s are pretty cheaply made.

The price seems to be a big part of their professional popularity.

The sound reminds me of the ATH-50s, which I also found too bright for any lengthy listen, and they quickly fell out of favor.

I'd be careful choosing any 'professional' transducer for home use.

What works in the studio doesn't always work at all in the home, at least for entertainment value.

Hard core accuracy has it's place, but not in my house, and least not at the expense of tonal balance, and relaxed, long term listening (two-four hours).

My biggest annoyances are grainy highs, and boosted lows.

Right behind that is muddied midrange.

However, we like what we like, and that's hard to argue.

For me, the $125 price range 'good' headphones is something of a wasteland for new headphones, unless it's a sale price of much better headphones.

Were it me, I might try the Grado SR80x cans.

I've always wanted a pair, mainly of the WWII style, along with the good reviews for a moderate price.

Whatever you get, buy with a good return policy, and listen a lot, within the trial period.

I don't hold much regard for the 'burn-in' period, but that could easily be me and not the stuff of hand woven cable insulation maid from the hair of 12-year-old girls from the Andes mountains who've never partaken of processed sugar or a non-vegan diet.

Basically I try to by more than I can practically appreciate, and then grow into it.

Doesn't always work.

But then sometimes, there's that 'Eureka!' moment.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Bose QC25 are close to your price range, and you do not HAVE to use ANC.

[www.amazon.com]

You don’t mention bluetooth, but I don’t think I’d get a pair without. So convenient.

I assume BT doesn’t compress or otherwise mess up the sound?