Expensive headphones....worth it?

[Vault101]

so Ive been thinking abourt headphones...is it worth getting an expensive pair?

I usually use a cheapish type of "in ear"..with thease particualr ones I can actually hear bass and stuff which is nice...but anyway there are two kind im thinking of

"small"/in ear[/B]

you know what I mean, buds and such, the price range is generally really big..from $20 ro $100= so Im just wondering is there a real difference in quality?

DJ/big ones[/B]

I guess the usual kind when talking about expensive headphones...thing with thease is I woulnt go out in public with them if I had a set, so it would be home use only

 

[JochemDude]

Yes, it's definitely noticeable. Get yourself something good, I would say something out of the Sennheiser range. They have excellent and ( slightly ) affordable (, but still expensive ) selection. For the 'DJ/big ones' something in the 100 to 250 range and 'small/in ear' 60 or 80.

 

[Something Amyss]

You're going to see less difference from in-ear ones by nature, but you still will see a noticable difference between the free ones you get with your ipod and the more expensive oens on the market.

I'll go for studio or "DJ" headphones every time, and the range gets even bigger between the cheapies and more expensive ones.

 

[Sethzard]

I like the actual headphones simply because they sound better (in my opinion) and you're less likely to damage your ear drums.

 

[Griffolion]

so Ive been thinking abourt headphones...is it worth getting an expensive pair?

I usually use a cheapish type of "in ear"..with thease particualr ones I can actually hear bass and stuff which is nice...but anyway there are two kind im thinking of

"small"/in ear[/B]

you know what I mean, buds and such, the price range is generally really big..from $20 ro $100= so Im just wondering is there a real difference in quality?

DJ/big ones[/B]

I guess the usual kind when talking about expensive headphones...thing with thease is I woulnt go out in public with them if I had a set, so it would be home use only

Are you just talking about listening to music out and about? If you're after some headphones that's a step above the average stuff you can buy then look for anything with Sennheiser written on it. They're often maybe £10 - £15 more expensive in any given price range, but they are worth it. Sennheiser know their way round a pair of headphones. For out and about, i'd always say in ear. If you're really into your music at home where you can do it with no one else around, then maybe look at some circumaural (big DJ) ones as they just plain provide a better sound experience in that situation. Same for gaming, in ears just don't cut it in that arena, especially when you know just how good a decent pair of circumaurals can be.

I like the actual headphones simply because they sound better (in my opinion) and you're less likely to damage your ear drums.

In-ear earphones are less likely to damage your ear drums than 'conventional' earphones as they deliver a more focused (and thus cleaner) sound down your ear which hasn't become corrupted by reverberation or outside noise. But you are right that above everything, circumaurals are the best for that.

 

[prowll]

I suggest getting the bigger ones if you're not planning on going out in public with them, and a cheaper (30-60) set of ear buds for public use. Sennheiser is a good recommendation; I'm still on occasion using my father's set that he bought in 1972. GOOD STUFF. However, I bought a very expensive pair of sony earbuds (somewhere in the 200$ range.), and through no fault of the earbuds, they're a waste... I don't trust myself not to lose/break/ect em, so they never leave the house.

Another point; for extended use, earbuds tend to hurt over time. 'Cans' don't.

 

[Andronicus]

It's good to get noise isolation headphones; that way, you don't have to turn the sound up fully volume just to hear over whatever background sound is present. Other than that, it's really up to how much quality you can afford. I paid $160 for my in-ear noise-isolating headphones, but they're extremely good quality, have lasted me nearly two years and still going strong. You can go out and pay $30-50 on crappy headphones, but they'll only last about half a year, and they'll sound rubbish for that whole time.

 

[DelphiSantano]

Sometimes they're worth it, they can be exceptionally good quality sound.
But sometimes the cheaper ones are better.
My personal favourite headphones are in-ear JVC Gumy ones, they're less than £10 but I find the sound quality to be well above all but one other pair of headphones I've owned.
Bear in mind that that single pair that beat it were worth about £250, and while having exceptional sound quality, broke within a couple of months, and on replacement, that pair broke again in EXACTLY the same place on the headband.
As a result, I rate the JVC Gumy's highest overall.
Another bonus is that they're practically indestructible plus if they do break, it doesn't cost much to replace them.
It pays to look at the cheaper ones sometimes

 

[Smooth Operator]

As with everything your best bang for buck is the upper-middle price range, and unless you plan to take them out and about the ear covering ones are your best choice.

For the specific model I say go check out some online comparisons / reviews to find the features you need.

 

[Togs]

Definately worth it, got myself a pair of senheiser cans and the difference in sound quality between them and say IPod headphones is massive.

 

[revjor]

Another reason to consider bigger headphones. You don't have to turn them up as much. If your music collection is a bunch of 120kbps mp3s then buying them for better quality of sound is probably pointless unless you want to get mad and have to download better quality files when the better quality headphones are pumping sludge into your ears

 

[thespyisdead]

i would suggest anything wireless... saves you the hassle of fiddling with the wires...

i also found, that if you really do not care of what people might think of how you look (which they often do not), get the DJ headphones

 

[Michael Hirst]

I've got a pair of Sennhesier HD215's which are really damn good sound quality (they were on sale at play.com for like £35) and they're great for playing games like Amnesia and Dead Space 2. But then again I also use them for working (sound designer) so I get my moneys worth out of them.

 

[fix-the-spade]

DJ/big ones[/B]

I guess the usual kind when talking about expensive headphones...thing with thease is I woulnt go out in public with them if I had a set, so it would be home use only

Yes, absolutely.

About three years ago I spent (what I thought was) a whopping £70 on a set of Plantronics Gamecon surround sound + mic headphones. They were the top model at the time and they are better than any set of speakers I have had in my life.

For a start, you can play any time of day or night without someone complaining that all the gun fire is giving them a headache.

Secondly, even at quiet volumes they produce excellent sound. It's very hard to describe the exact quality of the sound, but it has an excellent feeling of space to it. For the first few weeks after I got them I kept taking them off, because I thought I'd left my 5.1 speakers switched on and was hearing that instead. It's a bit weird to have the sound sound like it was coming from outside the headphones when it wasn't.

Last (and this important), the ones I have use a normal 3.5mm jack, so you can use them as normal headphones in any device that takes them. Obviously you have a mic jack flapping about, but it's nice to listen to CDs in enormo-surround sound after years of tinny ear buds.

So yes, quality dustbin can style headphones are so very worth it. It's worth going out and reading some reviews first though, as the most expensive aren't necessarily the best. I can't tell the difference between my £70 set and a £250 set of studio cans, but can easily tell between them and a £40 set from the same brand.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

so Ive been thinking abourt headphones...is it worth getting an expensive pair?

I usually use a cheapish type of "in ear"..with thease particualr ones I can actually hear bass and stuff which is nice...but anyway there are two kind im thinking of

"small"/in ear[/B]

you know what I mean, buds and such, the price range is generally really big..from $20 ro $100= so Im just wondering is there a real difference in quality?

DJ/big ones[/B]

I guess the usual kind when talking about expensive headphones...thing with thease is I woulnt go out in public with them if I had a set, so it would be home use only

Well, my headphones last anywhere from a month to six months. The shorter time range is because I have a cat that likes to chew and eat the thin wires.

This latest pair has lasted so long because I took the time to cover the whole wire in a thick layer of tape.

But, onto the subject at hand. I don't like the in the ear ones because I have never found a pair that didn't hurt my ears, that actually can stay in my ears while I move around, and that don't cause major wax build up when I wear them. So I only where the outside the ear kind. That is a problem because the small kind of those seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs. Today I can only seem to find the in the ear ones, or giant expensive cover the whole sides of my head outside the ear ones.

Other then those, the cheapest pair I can find are at Wal-Mart, for 20 bucks. It they are made by Logitech, but also come with the a microphone on one side, and interchangeable color snaps for the outer side of the of each headphone(it came with red, black, blue, and orange. I put on the blue).

Though I don't know about how long they last with the price difference, but every model of headphones that I got that was in the 20 dollar price range, has never lasted more than six mouths or so, something happens with wiring or something and they no longer transmit sound to the headphones, I can sometimes get sound it I jiggle the wire, which means that the wire part in the headphone has a short or a disconnect, which seems to happen a lot with cheap headphones. But that is the price to pay for cheap headphones.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

If you really care about sound quality, then yes. If you're like me and really don't give a shit just as long as it plays, then cheaper is better.

 

[Mafoobula]

I have a pair of Westone 3 earphones, cost me $350. After a day or so of burn-in time, finding the most comfortable tips for each ear and some time to allow my ears to get used to the sound, I have come to the following conclusion:

Worth. Every. Penny.

I'll grant you that sometimes the sound quality isn't easy to pick up on. However, there are just some moments, be it music, movies or TV, when these beauties shine through.
Put it this way: Every time I feel the thrumming of bass inside my ears, a resonant throb I could only get when I listen to music in my car, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. And I am grateful all over again that I paid full price.

The sound quality is one thing, but there's also a matter of comfort. Long story short, these earphones are. Comfortable, I mean. They come with about a dozen or so tip pairs too, to fit just about any ear.
And subtle too, since the whole thing rests in the hollow of the ear without sticking out. Other earphones stick out, and every fraction of an ounce translates to stress on the ear.

Look, the whole point is this: Save up and fork out for the high-speed expensive stuff. Quality technology like this breathes new life into everything you hear.

Also, whatever you do, DO NOT buy from Amazon or some similar site. The warranty isn't usually covered when you buy from such a site, and there have been incidents of FAKES.
I cannot recommend highly enough that you go through a reputable vendor like Earphone Solutions or its sister company Headphone Solutions. In your research for which earphone is right for you, look at the brand's websites to find certified vendors.

 

[kickassfrog]

In my experience, they never last.
I always buy from john lewis though, because when they inevitably break, I can take them back easily.

 

[6unn3r]

Honestly headphones (for gaming/pc uses) annoy the hell outa me, i used to have a crappy pair for VOIP and such and whenever i would get up to use the bathroom or get a drink or whatever...id forget i had them on and rip my neck backwards getting out of my seat.

Also they never last, they always break or come apart or the sound goes in one ear...meh.

So i splashed out and got a 5.1 surround sound speaker set and a desktop mike. Better sound quality and accustics for music/games. And no more neck breaking.

 

[attackshark]

my buddy recently got a pair and he mentioned that it was the best purchase he made in a while.