What are really nice sounding headphones for a budget audiophile

Soundstar1

Active Member
I have a pair of old kiss over the ear headphones plugged into a fisher ba 6000 with a Scott lc 21 pre amp including an add 10 band eq. Does anyone have thoughts about a nice pair of audiophile headphones
 
On a budget I would buy the $50 USD Sennheiser PX200ii and use the equivalent of ipod 'rock' EQ to make the sound near audiophile quality. Going up over $100 the ATH M50 is good, no EQ necessary. At $200 the B&W P3 with a treble boost is awesomely good. At slightly over $200, perhaps $250, and with a earcup brightness mod, the Shure 940 is top tier - you won't find better until you get over $1000.
 
In my opinion, no receiver is complete without a vintage K240 on top.
The old K240 Monitors can be found real cheap and sound very nice out of a quality receiver.
 
At the really low-priced level, the Monoprice 8323 is hard to match - surprising sound and build quality at $24 or less (haven't checked recently). Closed over-the-ear design with a very nicely balanced FR and good dynamics. Slightly boxy sound but most find its strengths overshadow this weakness. I love mine for a truly inexpensive headphone that delivers on SQ, and feel it is the choice for a tight budget. If your budget is looser, then step up to a Grado and forget the inbetweeners is my take on it.
 
Depends where you want them.

Over the ear, sling, open cans Audio Technica ATH AD-700s are hard to beat for less than $300. If you prefer closed with a clamp try the AT 50's which get rave reviews.

I have a strong preference for sling for comfort, over the ears, and open backs for responsiveness.

Plenty of sellers, but here are some pics on Amazon and reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-...qid=1344660123&sr=1-6&keywords=audio+technica

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...=1344696833&sr=1-1&keywords=audio+technica+50

I don't own any, but the Grado 60s and 80s for clamp on the ear get rave reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestig...F8&qid=1344696869&sr=1-1&keywords=grado+sr80i

http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestig...F8&qid=1344696869&sr=1-2&keywords=grado+sr80i
 
As a Grado SR60 owner I have to second the vote for the Grado SR80.

$100 new, fuller sound then the 60s, Grado's famous sound signature which makes the music come alive and looks that would blend right in with a vintage setup.
 
I have a pair of old kiss over the ear headphones plugged into a fisher ba 6000 with a Scott lc 21 pre amp including an add 10 band eq. Does anyone have thoughts about a nice pair of audiophile headphones

I love my Grado's and would recommend the SR60i or SR80i for under $100 earphones. Not really a huge difference in sound. Did you mean Koss earphones? What model do you have as some of the old Koss headphones were very good
 
I have a pair of Sennheiser PX-100, which I'm not sure are available anymore, but supposedly the PX-100II sound even better. For around $50, I think they would be very hard to beat if they sound anywhere near the originals.

Along the Grado lines, those are great suggestions, too. For a little more, Alessandro has a nice Grado-like headphone in the MS-1. I have a set of those and they are really fun headphones for around $100.


Edit: I just read eddantes link on the HD668B, and they look really good. If I were in the market for new HPs, for the price I think I would definitely give those a shot. :music:
 
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In my opinion, no receiver is complete without a vintage K240 on top.
The old K240 Monitors can be found real cheap and sound very nice out of a quality receiver.

this^

in my opinion under 100 bucks the monitors,sextetts or DF's from akg is good choice to go. i really love my sextetts lp and df's and i heard many headphones and even few stax electrostatics. there is just something special about them that's hard to point finger on with their sound.
 
At slightly over $200, perhaps $250, and with a earcup brightness mod, the Shure 940 is top tier - you won't find better until you get over $1000.

I almost agree with this. That is, I would qualify the statement to say that the 940's (even without a mod as I prefer) are one of the best cans under $1k. I like them more than the 1440 and 1840 in fact (so happily I don't have to spend any money on those) and any other can I've heard under $1k (dozens by now, but of course not all).

But a lot of this has to due with personal preference: in the under 1k tier I have a friend who likes the Senn 600's the best and another who likes the Grado RS1i the best, neither of which I personally like more than a "B".

So for me I'd say the Shure 940 is the best in the under $1k tier I've yet heard, but that might not be what others would conclude.

They should certainly be on the "to audition under $1k" list. :music:
 
I almost agree with this. That is, I would qualify the statement to say that the 940's (even without a mod as I prefer) are one of the best cans under $1k. I like them more than the 1440 and 1840 in fact (so happily I don't have to spend any money on those) and any other can I've heard under $1k (dozens by now, but of course not all).

But a lot of this has to due with personal preference: in the under 1k tier I have a friend who likes the Senn 600's the best and another who likes the Grado RS1i the best, neither of which I personally like more than a "B".

So for me I'd say the Shure 940 is the best in the under $1k tier I've yet heard, but that might not be what others would conclude.

They should certainly be on the "to audition under $1k" list. :music:

While I realize that "budget" is a relative term, even some very rich folks I have known would consider the term 'budget headphone' would not include any model approaching a kilobuck, but I wish I had your apparent budgetary means.
 
While I realize that "budget" is a relative term, even some very rich folks I have known would consider the term 'budget headphone' would not include any model approaching a kilobuck, but I wish I had your apparent budgetary means.

I was really meaning to just add a comment on the quality of the Shure 940's more than anything, irregardless of the price, and not trying to derail the thread or imply that budget headphones are those in the range of the Shure 940's to me or anyone else or anything, just as I took dale to be doing; sorry if that wasn't clear.
 
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