OK gang, I know we did this a few years ago but that was a few years ago. Things move on, new stuff gets made, time passes, Pinkerton does not return.
Here is a summary of my requirements.
1. Sound quality obvs. Fat kicks, sweet strings, everything between, I wanna hear – and feel – the lot.
2. Less than two hundred sovs please. I know this is the Afterword but I live in Hull FFS, it’s a
different economy here.
3. Durability. I’m a klutz with a big head and fat fingers. As little plastic as possible.
4. Detachable cable. See 3.
5. Limited sound-leakage would be nice. Not essential though.
6. I won’t be wearing them in the street. I don’t care what they look like. (Come to think of it, I
go out in the street and I don’t much care what I look like either)
7. Wireless would be nice but again not a dealbreaker.
Cheers m’dears.
Moose the Mooche says
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fentonsteve says
Philips Fidelio X2 come to mind, but they’re slightly over budget at £225.
Let me “do some research” (i.e. ring up “Hi-Fi Paul” tomorrow morning).
Moose the Mooche says
Crikey… these come with a “velvet cushion” and a “soft airy hammock”.
Listening to a greasy rip of early Schoolly D on them would be slightly indecent.
Leedsboy says
If by wireless you mean Bluetooth, Plantronic Backbeat Pros are unbeatable for the money.
bricameron says
http://www.wirerealm.com/guides/top-10-best-on-ear-headphones
DrJ says
This might help.
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-400-over-ear-headphones/
bogl says
These perhaps head towards the plasticky and are open-backed, but I’ve found them to be durable and, above all, they sound fab. I took the option to change the cushions for velvet over the supplied vinyl, and it was a good idea.
Superlux HD668B Headphones https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003JOETX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RRiuzb2Q50NEW
fentonsteve says
Do you really want on-ear or are over-ear an option? I find on-ears uncomfortable after a while. Over-ears sit round your ears with the pad pressing against your head/neck and are more comfortable (to me).
Moose the Mooche says
On-ear for me. I rarely have them on longer than, say, an hour without taking them off. I’ve had a wide variety of ‘phones in my life and have never had a significant problem with comfort.
Harold Holt says
Ditto. On-ears hurt after a while, essentially like lying in bed on one side for too long and an agonising shift from a cramped ear when I roll over….won’t be getting on-ears again. If you love the sound you might be in them longer than you think, and it becomes a compromise.
That said, my Monster Diesel Vektr’s (https://www.cnet.com/products/monster-diesel-vektr-headphones-series/user-reviews/) sound great especially in the bass regions, they have the detachable Monster triangular cable, and a right angled plug which is great for the phone and my phone case. Shame they don’t make them any more. But I can’t wear them for much more than an hour. I’ve been looking for wired ear phones with the right angled plug ever since.
Moose the Mooche says
The bass regions… you have to pass through the Gates of Mordor to get to those I believe.
fentonsteve says
Beyerdynamic T51p
Grado SR225e
Pioneer SE-MHR5
Sennhesier HD598 (closed back)
Sennheiser HD599 (open back)
Sennheiser Momentum M2 (£250 ish)
All have a very different sound profile & comfort levels – I recommend going to a shop for demos.
The only ones I’ve tried are the Beyers (went for IEMs instead) and Momentum (good but not £250 better than my old HD580s, so I went up a few quid* to Audeze magneplanars).
(*) For ‘a few’ read ‘lots’ – ‘er indoors might be reading.
duco01 says
Audeze magneplanars?
Are those the LCDs? Handsome!
Moose the Mooche says
Whit aboot the dilithium crystals!
The engines cannae take it captain!
fentonsteve says
Yes, LCD-XC (closed-backs). They get FPO approval as they look lovely with the rosewood ear cups. They sound lovely, too – as you might hope for the price*.
(*) Still a closely-guarded secret in my house.
Kid Dynamite says
I just googled that price. They’d better sound lovely!
Moose the Mooche says
Duuuude, they’re vegan!
fentonsteve says
They are the best sounding cans I’ve ever heard, apart from the open-back LCD-X. I drive a 9-year-old car. I am holidaying in Scotland this year.
These seemingly random facts are possibly related.
Moose the Mooche says
Thanks all. A lot to mull over here.
I think a spot of schaufenstering might be in order.
Black Celebration says
Nothing wrong with that – most natural thing in the world.
But could you try to remember to draw the curtains?
Moose the Mooche says
You like it really.
The Good Doctor says
It’s worth going to a shop where you can try some out – Richer Sounds, or if you have a branch of something like SuperFi, or even Currys – they will usually let you try em for size, and plug your own iPod into them or whatever so worth playing a familiar piece of music and get a realistic idea. HMV let you listen too but their range is a bit ropey – loads of those novelty ‘House of Bob Marley’ headphones with Ganja leaves on them or fashioned from coconut shells- yeuch.
I like these – in the more budget end but there is a more expensive Wireless version if you prefer.
They sound great to me, pretty lightweight and comfy – good frequency range – and enough bass but not over-cooked. I find ‘over ears’ sometimes resonate a bit too much with the music – these are on ears but larger than average so a good compromise between the two.
http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-15486-akg-y50-headphones.aspx
fentonsteve says
My lad has a pair of those. They’re alright, but £200 is going to buy Moosey something much better.
Moose the Mooche says
We’re still talking about headphones, right?
hurrrr
Chrisf says
Have a look at the Sony MDR-1s – I have a pair that I use on my Sony Hi Res Walkman and they sound pretty good.
They also do a wireless version for about £200…..
minibreakfast says
I think you should try the same method you used for buying earbuds a few weeks ago. Run into Richer Sounds looking hot and bothered, approach the counter and shout “Give me your best sub-£200 on-ear headphones, STAT! And don’t forget the detachable cable, my good man!”
Then rush off to catch your train, where you can test them out properly for three glorious hours.
Moose the Mooche says
Kind advice (I think) but that was an emergency. All I was bovvered about there was getting through the train journey home. These cans are for the duration, and therefore will only be purchased after weeks of procrastination and chin-stroking.
There will be no shouting or getting hot and bothered.
Not in connection with this anyway.
Moose the Mooche says
Still mulling.
Anybody tried these? Their tuffness appeals.
https://www.eglobalcentral.co.uk/v-moda-crossfade-m-100-over-ear-headphones-white-silver.html#feature
fentonsteve says
For that kind of money, you really need to get to a proper shop and try some. Both comfort and sound vary wildly, and it’s a question of which best match your head and ears. There’s no such thing as ‘the best’ when it comes to cans (nor anything else, for that matter).
Moose the Mooche says
UPDATE: Though I did end up trying about twenty, mostly in RS bless ’em, I went for these in the end. They came to my attention as a mate had a pair (hur) which he rather ill-advisedly lent me for a weekend.
So far so very good. Even the loaned B & Os I’ve been using have been diskarded. Hurrah! Nice range and also satisfyingly phat for my excursions into kickdrumology.
I went for the gunmetal, and not ^ that seller either – who are blacklisted by V-Moda for selling fakes!
So that’s that for another 15-odd years…
Moose the Mooche says
Here’s fun: killing time yesterday I had a quick look at the “canz zone” in Tesco Extra. With one exception (the Senns) they were crap, barely better than the (really) cheap pair I nicked from work, but the most noticeable thing about “da zone” for me was… the mirrors. What they sound like is…very, very secondary.
For the same reason, early ’70s record shops had full-length mirrors so that you could test your album of choice to see how it looked with your Russian Army greatcoat.
fentonsteve says
Add to your shopping list these semi-pro monitors, if you can find them:
Yamaha HPH-MT220 – £150
Native says
Took advantage of Amazon’s sale and bought a pair of B&W PX7’s. Really impressed so far – really light and comfortable. And wonderful sound. I’d previously owned the stand PX model and was annoyed at how heavy and uncomfortable they were – but these are superb. Highly recommended.