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Most durable headphones for $100.00 or under?

R

retroJ

Member
I have had the following headphones "quit" on me: sennhesier 280 pro, ATH 40fs, and Grado 80 SR. Granted, the Sennheiser and Grado were used when I bought them, but the Sennheiser headphones weres like new when I first listened to them. (They had to be broken in.) (The Grado 80SR I sent to Brooklyn to be refurbished (I liked them ALOT when they were working), then the refurbished pair quit on one side. Argh!
Why don't they make more durable headphones? Any one have any thoughts on this?
The only headphones I use regularly now are my 1976 Pioneer 505 SE headphones...ironic, that they would outlast the newer ones isnt it?
 

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I've never heard a story like this, what the hell are you doing to those poor headphones?
 
RamblinE said:
I've never heard a story like this, what the hell are you doing to those poor headphones?
Click to expand...

None of my 11 sets of phones over the last 44 years have ever died on me. Maybe you've got some serious DC leakage through your headphone jack.
 
Nothing much, maybe the Marantz is the problem...
I have heard of Grados going out quite frequently. Then people don't want to buy them any more.
But if the problem is the receiver, why isnt it affecting the Pioneer SE 505 headphones or my old Koss 6lc's??? They seem fine.:scratch2:
 
Count to think of it, the headphone jack seems to have a humming sound, which stops after I pull the headphone out partially, but this doesnt affect the aforementioned headphones. At least so far.:no:
 
Sony mdr v6 is known for their strength and durability, and I think they sound fantastic.
 
retroJ said:
Why don't they make more durable headphones? Any one have any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

I feel your frustration. I had to send my Grado 325i headphones back for repair after only two years of very light use. Luckily they were still covered under warranty. I'm surprised I haven't yet had to do the same with my SR60s.

I think where Grado is concerned, their big compromise with probably everything under their RS line is build quality of everything except the actual drivers (although the metal alloy "cups" on the 325i are nice). This way they're able to offer impressive performance starting at about $70 for the 60s. But they're only for home use as far as I'm concerned, and you have to be gentle with them.
 
RamblinE said:
I've never heard a story like this, what the hell are you doing to those poor headphones?
Click to expand...

rnorton said:
None of my 11 sets of phones over the last 44 years have ever died on me. Maybe you've got some serious DC leakage through your headphone jack.
Click to expand...

Only ever had one pair of canalphones quit on me.

After what would have been 2000hours of use and 2 trips through the washing machine before one driver drastically increased impeadence.

I am with these guys and would consider using something different to drive your headphones. Wouldn't be able to stand a humming out put anyway regardless of you reciever having a marantz name atached to it.

Might wan't to try making a headphone adapter for the speaker output of the reciever. Might cleaner and more stable sound.
 
I've had my Grado SR60's for 11 years and they are still going strong. As a matter of fact, I did most of the mods to them about six months ago and enjoy them even more now.
 
I had a pair of Grado SR-80's for over 10 years. They survived many "step on the cord" moments & general wear & tear w/ no problem other than replacing the jack a couple years ago - probably from stepping on the cord too many times. I also had to eventually replace the ear pads. It took cat throw-up to finally do them in ;). Since I really like their sound I've since ordered a new pair & they're breaking in quite well. I hope these are as hardy as the first pair.

Ben
 
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FWIW, the most durable set of headphones I've ever used/owned was the original Sennheisers, the HD 414. Many of us used them professionally; when we wanted our bosses to buy them instead of the heavy, claustrophobic headphones commonly used in those days, we'd demonstrate the 414's durability by tearing them from our heads and whipping them up against concrete-block walls, then running back and forth over the steel-reinforced cords with office chairs.
 
The Sony MDR's I had lasted a damn long and sounded very good IMO. I took 'em out of service because the ear-pads were disintegrating. I think I paid $75 in 1993 dollars for them and they were good until 2009. As my dad would say- they don't owe me a thing.
 
Recording studios use Fostex T-20 and AKG 240 for durability and sound. I've had AKGs before and now Fostex w/ never an issue.
 
Ths364 said:
The Sony MDR's I had lasted a damn long and sounded very good IMO. I took 'em out of service because the ear-pads were disintegrating. I think I paid $75 in 1993 dollars for them and they were good until 2009. As my dad would say- they don't owe me a thing.
Click to expand...

Agreed, get the MDR-V6 headphones. Almost impossible to beat in terms of time-tested durability and reliability. I know people who have had a pair of these for 20+ years.

The pads are not a big deal, because you can get velour pads for the DT250 which are an exact fit, and a very nice upgrade.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...42704_Padded_Earcushions_for_DT250_DT280.html
 
Just an update,
I have decided that I had bad luck with the Sennheiser 280 PRO and the Audio Technica ath-40fs. They were defective. It happens!
I now am burning in a pair of Audio Technica ATH m50 headphones. They are sounding better and better! They sound better than the Sennheiser 280 PRO headphones. Richer, more detailed...
I will be using them with my Marantz 2235b after it gets back from the shop, which is tomorrow.
I cant wait to try these with the Marantz 2270 which is being shipped next week.
 
My MDR-V6 refuse to die. I've owned them since back when they first came out (25-30 years?). Only issue is the pads which can be replaced by Beyerdynamic pads. When my dog was a pup, I could not find the phones and I found them out in the yard after a couple of days of rain. After they dried out, they worked fine. Except for a few teeth marks, they are still as good as new.
 
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