Need New Headphones...

[punxrus]

Hey guys! I need your opinion on what type of headphones I should buy. I'm thinking about a nice set of noise canceling headphones so that I can listen to my music, play games and not have to listen to my wifes Gilmore Girls TV shows. Funny...but it's true! Please help!

[Ginsu Victim]

If you've never given Gilmore Girls a chance, you don't know what you're missing. My wife and I love it. We got into it late, but bought every season.

[punxrus]

I did try! Problem was I kept making comments about the mother and daughter! Somehow, my wife didn't like that! 

[shardian]

They talk way too fast on that show. I just got the feeling they were reading a script as fast as possible to fit in as much as possible.

[ChadTower]

My wife just started watching it... I can't deal with those types of shows but I do see a lot of hot chicks when I walk past the TV.

[Ginsu Victim]

They referenced Yojimbo.

That's a win in my book.

(They reference SO much stuff that the DVDs come with a reference guide for those who are less in the know)

[RayB]

I just got a pair of Medusa 5.1 Pro-Gamer headphones.  Work great. Front and Rear sounds are handled via different speakers in the ear set, and there is great bass response.

[punxrus]

My wife just started watching it... I can't deal with those types of shows but I do see a lot of hot chicks when I walk past the TV.

Can always count on the CW for hot chicks!

[Xiaou2]

 Sennheiser's  Model 500 or above.

 Ive posted a review in the review forum.   

 Best pair of Headphones Ive ever owned.   Hear things you never heard
before in music - because they are so clear and accurate.
 
 Headphone cord is ported, so easy to remove and replace when it gets damaged.

 Ear Pieces replaceable,  as well as other parts.

 Extremely Comfortable.  Ive worn them over 10hrs without any pain or discomfort.

 Durable.  Mine are like over 10yrs old.. and still sound brand new.  Just
replaced the ear covers recently.  Any other headphone Ive owned usually
only lasted maybe 2yrs at most.   Anything from an internal cord break, to
a broken assembly.
 

 As for surround..  they actually sound like there is a surround system on
when playing a dvd.   Its incredible.     Some choose to get true surround
phones...  however..  Given the choice between 4 so/so sounding speakers,
or 2 of the most awesome hi-def speakers you have ever heard...  well, I
personally chose the clarity over the number.

 (not to mention all the rest of the features)

 
 As for noise reduction headphones...  they are very awkward.   They uses
sound pressure to cancel out the other noises... and the pressure is felt
inside your ears.  Its annoying and uncomfortable.

 However, the worst part is that they do not cancel out voices or other
high frequency sounds.   They only work well with low frequency noises.. such
as airplane engine noise,  rumbles,  white noise...etc.

[CheffoJeffo]

Sennheiser's  Model 500 or above.

Well, cue the 4 horsemen, because I agree with Xiaou2 on the brand recommendation ... although with Seinheiser, I would not queue off of the numeric portion of model number -- they have different lines and the numeric part of the model number doesn't mean as much as Xiaou2's suggestion might imply.

EDIT:  I have a pair of Sennheiser's that I "found" in my boss's office in 1987 (!) and they are still fabulous.

[punxrus]

I was thinking of going with some Skullcandy headphones, but the only problem is, they are hideous! Whatever happened to regular looking headphones...I don't want artwork strewn across my head! I guess I'll just have to look at the Sennheiser's since they make Skullcandy headphones.

[Flip_Willie]

Sennheiser's  Model 500 or above.

Another vote for Sennheiser. I have had the Sennheiser HD-280s for two years, and I love them. The sound-quality is fabulous, and they are great noise cancelers. I don't even have speakers plugged into my desktop anymore.

The only con I have found with my headphones is that the ear covers are starting to rip.

Just as it is,
Flip Willie

[Xiaou2]

 
Heya Flip,

 Check Senn's website.   They sell new Ear covers for many of their headphones.

 I just replaced mine recently..  and it was cheap, and dead easy to do.

 I have the  HD 500. 

 They sound so fricken sweet...  Yet I can only imagine how great the
600+  series sounds!  If only I could justify the price!  Good thing I dont
know anyone with them... cause I think if I heard them... I couldnt go
back!  heh  (which is what happened with the ones i have now!    )

 I really never would have imagined that the quality of sound out of these
things could be on a level of magnitude over typical store sold sets.   Its
mind blowing.

 Whats funny... is that sets who claim to have the exact same output specs
sound Nothing like them.  Nowhere near the clarity, power, etc.

 So beware...  those specs on the boxes mean almost nothing.

[shmokes]

I have a set of Shure in-ear headphones.  They sound amazing, but are not very comfortable, nor do they really like to stay in.  They come with small/medium/large ear-canal inserts in two varieties, one is a hard plastic, the other is very much like those cheap, squishy foam ear-plugs you use while working with power tools.  The squishy earplugs work really well, actually, but they get disgusting fast, and they're not cheap -- like $10 for three pair.  The plastic ones, no matter what size I used, were all uncomfortable and wouldn't stay in my ears for more than a couple minutes at a time. 

It's especially frustrating because my wife was given a pair of Apple in-ear headphons for her iPod and they're really comfortable and stay in pretty well, in spite of having a one-size-fits-all design as far as I know.  Recently I noticed that Shure sells a soft ear-canal insert separately and I was really excited because I assumed it would make my headphones comfortable like the Apple ones.  Well . . . it was certainly a step in the right direction, but not nearly enough.  It's really a shame.  The headphones sound spectacularly good.

So . . . I guess what you can take from this, is that the Shure E2C headphones sound great and aren't too expensive, but they aren't especially comfortable (or at least, not for everyone).  But these guys know how to make a great-sounding headphone.  So if you're getting a traditional style headset, where comfort is probably not an issue, you can be confident that they'll be a great set of cans.

[Singapura]

I have a pair of Shure E5C's with "olive" inserts. They are very comfortable and the sound quality is the best you can get. The Senns HD650 are very great full size headphones. If you go for a budget, try the Koss Portapros or Sennheiser PX200. For more info just go to head-fi.

[Xiaou2]

 I used to have an Ipod before it took a 1ft fall and the HD died.

 Anyways... the earbubs were horrible.  Uncomfortable,  got tangled all the
time.. and the bass was pathetic.

 I even tried a another ear set from philips that claimed enhanced bass.
Was more comfy, a little more bass.. but stiff crappy.

 Ohh,  and the cords broke on both of them in a matter of a few months
tops.  (one ear not playing...or crackles in and out)


 Those tiny things just dont seem to be able to put out good
quality sound... especially deep bass.   Any bass completely distorts
them... so you have to end up with EQ'ing them to sound very
Mid-Rangy.   

 The problem with loud mid-range... is hearing damages.

 The ear can handle tweeter highs... and pretty loud bass... but
mid range is usually what kills the ears.   Its one reason why they
use it on Sirens for police cars and ambulances.

 I may not look too cool with my huge senns on.. but I could care less.
I get dreamy sound, extreme comfort, and less chance of hearing losses.


 Ohh, also, dont go for wireless headphones.  The bandwidth isnt good
enough... so the sound quality is unbearably wretched.


 And finally...  Some peoples hearing is naturally worse than others. 
For example... I may be able to hear the high registers much better
than another.   (I can hear when a muted TV is on several rooms away,
from the high pitched frequency the electronics make, that many can not hear)


 So,  some peoples reviews on Hi-Def  vs  Low-Quality
phones may seem to get results that say both sound very similar...
Instead of  "The quality difference is like  night and day".   Its not so
much as true..  but rather that their ears just can not make out the
differences well... if at all.

 It may also be the shape of the ears which may alter the
each persons hearing sounds to them.  As well as the actual brain itself.
Hard to say really.

[shmokes]

 I used to have an Ipod before it took a 1ft fall and the HD died.

 Anyways... the earbubs were horrible.  Uncomfortable,  got tangled all the
time.. and the bass was pathetic.

FWIW, I was not talking about the stock iPod headphones, but rather the sold-seperately in-ear (as in: in-ear-canal) headphones (picture included).  Also, I was only describing how comfortable they are.  I haven't used them nearly enough to comment on sound quality, but based on their price, I suspect it is only mediocre.

However, high-quality in-ear headphones from the likes of Shure and Etymotic produce spectacular sound, including good base. 

[HaRuMaN]

They referenced Yojimbo.

That's a win in my book.

(They reference SO much stuff that the DVDs come with a reference guide for those who are less in the know)

Watched Yojimbo for the first time about a month ago.  Awesome flick... 

[Ginsu Victim]

The reference on Gilmore Girls from Yojimbo is the dog walking down the road with a hand in its mouth.

All Kurosawa is awesome. Watch the follow-up, Sanjuro. It's actually better than Yojimbo (IMO, of course).

[HaRuMaN]

The reference on Gilmore Girls from Yojimbo is the dog walking down the road with a hand in its mouth.

All Kurosawa is awesome. Watch the follow-up, Sanjuro. It's actually better than Yojimbo (IMO, of course).

Added it my Netflix queue, thanks!

[shmokes]

Oh, lord.  Please tell me you added the Kurosawa film, and not Gilmore Girls.  Gilmore Girls is quite possibly the stupidest, most mind-numbingly, intollerably obnoxious show on television. 

[HaRuMaN]

I added the Kurosawa film.  I can't can't stand that Gilmore Girls crap (thankfully, neither can my wife!). 

[punxrus]

Gilmore Girls is fine on Mute...hence the reason I need a good set of headphones! 

[Level42]

Forget Sennheiser. Get Beyerdynamic.

http://northern-america.beyerdynamic.com/en/consumer-products/products/premiumline.html