Your Rec For Non-Enthusiasts? Cheap Headphones.

musichal

poet emeritus
Monoprice 8323? What about open-backs? Seems I recall seeing something about Samson, SR-850? What about JVC HARX? Inquiring minds...

Under $100 and under $50, please. One from Column A and...
 
My son is a fan of Grado. Open back, very nice sound and if you ever have issues, service is quick and reasonably priced from The factory. After five years his developed a short in one wire. He sent them in for a fix and Grado replaced his wiring and upgraded the drivers for something like $50.

Model numbers tend to track with pricing, so the SR 80 is about $80 and the 125 is just over $100. Open back phones don't give booming bass like a closed back headphone, but in exchange they make very articulate and effortless music.
 
My son is a fan of Grado. Open back, very nice sound and if you ever have issues, service is quick and reasonably priced from The factory. After five years his developed a short in one wire. He sent them in for a fix and Grado replaced his wiring and upgraded the drivers for something like $50.

Model numbers tend to track with pricing, so the SR 80 is about $80 and the 125 is just over $100. Open back phones don't give booming bass like a closed back headphone, but in exchange they make very articulate and effortless music.

My brother also has the 80s, a staple in the HP world for many years. I do like the sound. They have to be on the shortlist for the <$100 category.
 
I have both the jvc ha-rx 700 and 900 and they are both really good for the price.
The 900 is the better sounding pair but leak more sound as they are more open.
But they are both semi open but if sound leakage is an issue i would recomend the 700.
I recently had the chance to borrow a pair of onkyo h900m headphones as i was looking to upgrade my 900. The onkyo retail for around £200 but all they did was show me that i don't need an upgrade.
Hope this helps
boza
 
I guess it depends on how cheap. I absolutely think these may be the best deal in cheap cans:
https://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K

They are known as the "Giant Killers," over at head-fi as they sound better than much more expensive cans:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kos...ant-killer-in-all-the-hidden-gem-hype.638757/

I think I have like 4 pairs laying around. The only shortcoming is that the wire will eventually develop a break and they will become intermittent - mine usually last about a year. The good news is you ship them back to Koss and for $9 you get a brand new pair, no questions asked. They really do sound very good, especially for the $.

The Grado's are also very good - I have an old pair of SR-60's and they are hard to beat for the money..really fun cans...I loves em.

Steve
 
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I guess it depends on how cheap. I absolutely think these may be the best deal in cheap cans:
https://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K

They are known as the "Giant Killers," over at head-fi as they sound better than a lot of much more expensive cans:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kos...ant-killer-in-all-the-hidden-gem-hype.638757/

I think I have like 4 pairs laying around. The only shortcoming is that the wire will eventually develop a break and they will become intermittent - mine usually last about a year. The good news is you ship them back to Koss and for $9 you get a brand new pair, no questions asked. They really do sound very good, especially for the $.

The Grado's are also very good - I have an old pair of SR-60's and they are hard to beat for the money..really fun cans...I loves em.

Steve

That's interesting. Good phones for $18 is certainly a winner, but that style of HP hurts my ears, so I won't be trying them despite the tempting price. However, I bet some folks here will give 'em a try, so ty for passing the word. What a deal!
 
the porta-pro from Koss is very good also, but it's now selling at 40. I'm pretty sure I found them at 25 a couple of years ago. its a more traditional over-head phone, which always snags my hair, unfortunately.

They also sell a sporta-pro for 22 bucks, which is over-head. I haven't heard them, but wouldn't be surprised if they're very good.
 
the porta-pro from Koss is very good also, but it's now selling at 40. I'm pretty sure I found them at 25 a couple of years ago. its a more traditional over-head phone, which always snags my hair, unfortunately.

They also sell a sporta-pro for 22 bucks, which is over-head. I haven't heard them, but wouldn't be surprised if they're very good.

I think you meant on-ear?
 
Honestly, for anybody other than classical music or acoustic jazz listeners, the Audio Technica ATH-M40x gets my recommendation.

They have enough of a bass boost to satisfy most listeners but it isn't too distracting for most genres. They are fun sounding. The aren't fatiguing. They are easily driven by a cell phone. The construction is pretty solid and they have a detachable cord. They aren't too expensive.

For under $50? Probably a used set of Sonys from craigslist. If an adult listener asked about a phone under $50, I'd suggest saving a few more $$$ or I'd sell them one of my pairs.

There are very few new, name brand headphones that are widely available under $50 that I can recommend without reservation though there are many models I can recommend between $50 and $100.
 
Honestly, for anybody other than classical music or acoustic jazz listeners, the Audio Technica ATH-M40x gets my recommendation.

They have enough of a bass boost to satisfy most listeners but it isn't too distracting for most genres. They are fun sounding. The aren't fatiguing. They are easily driven by a cell phone. The construction is pretty solid and they have a detachable cord. They aren't too expensive.

For under $50? Probably a used set of Sonys from craigslist. If an adult listener asked about a phone under $50, I'd suggest saving a few more $$$ or I'd sell them one of my pairs.

There are very few new, name brand headphones that are widely available under $50 that I can recommend without reservation though there are many models I can recommend between $50 and $100.

Circumaural and look like they'd be comfortable, get good reviews and $75. Check, check, mate. Hits a lot of my preferences. Might watch for a pair someday, just out of curiosity. Usually I prefer open-backs, but closed can be both appropriate and fun at times. But no Column B rec from our friend, cratz2. Elitist snob. :D :eek::eek::biggrin:
 
Snob?

I'm wearing a pair of Sony headphones at work that I bought via craigslist for $20.

The lice were free so I feel like got a deal.

:p

Couple low price phones I've been impressed by were the Griffin Woodtones for like $20 and the Marantz something 1s which were clearanced at Newegg for like $20.

Those aren't widely available at those prices though.

I had a pair of ATH-M50s but bought a pair of 40xs on craigslist for $40.
 
Oh, the Philip's SHP-9500s.

I paid a hair over $50, but they dropped to $50 right after. Not sure what they cost these days.

They are a bit like a budget version of the headphone that would result from an affair between the AKG 240 and the Sennheiser 598.
 
Snob?

I'm wearing a pair of Sony headphones at work that I bought via craigslist for $20.

The lice were free so I feel like got a deal.

:p

Couple low price phones I've been impressed by were the Griffin Woodtones for like $20 and the Marantz something 1s which were clearanced at Newegg for like $20.

Those aren't widely available at those prices though.

I had a pair of ATH-M50s but bought a pair of 40xs on craigslist for $40.

I most humbly withdraw the elitist remark, you bottom-feeder. :biggrin:
 
Oh, the Philip's SHP-9500s.

I paid a hair over $50, but they dropped to $50 right after. Not sure what they cost these days.

They are a bit like a budget version of the headphone that would result from an affair between the AKG 240 and the Sennheiser 598.

These are what I immediately thought of.
 
I enjoy my Sennheiser HD203 Closed-Back. I believe they were <$50 when I bought them a few years ago. No longer made AFAICT.
 
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