Top 10 Headphones

Bose® Around-Ear Headphones (Old Version)

Amazon Price: $134.99 (as of 05/26/2012)
List Price: $125.95

Consumer Review: Bose around-ear headphones answer the call for smooth, high-performance sound in a very lightweight package. Hear a greater range of music whether you're plugged into a computer or on the go with a portable media device. Their ergonomic design keeps them remarkably comfortable and lightweight, even as proprietary Bose headphone technology reveals the rich acoustical landscape of your music. With Bose technology, you don't have to compromise the quality of your audio just because you're listening through a pair of headphones. Our acoustic equalization techniques deliver the rich nuances of your music that conventional headphones often lose. You hear the intricate notes of an acoustic guitar, the full range of vocals and even the beat of a drum with greater clarity and impact. Our unique TriPort acoustic headphone structure faithfully reproduces deep, full low notes without requiring the artificial bass boost function found on many portable players.
Soft ear cushions gently fit around your ear for hours of comfortable listening. A thin, adjustable headband has several head size settings and the earcups swivel for a better fit. An additional benefit of Bose TriPort headphone technology is that it helps reduce headphone size without sacrificing performance, resulting in a total weight of only five ounces. Carrying bag - Provides an easy way to bring your headphones wherever you go Overall headphone dimensions - ? 7 1/2H x 6W ? (19.1 x 15.2 cm); Ear cushion outside dimensions - ? 3 4/5H x 2 9/10W ? (9.6 x 7.4 cm) Corded Includes Miniplug and Standard Plug Adapter

*************** My Review ***************

Sound Quality
The Sound Quality from these headphones is absolutely amazing. This set of headphones will give you sound from your stereo, mp3 player, or computer, that you thought was coming from $500 headphones. It is the complete overall package. Every sound, from Classical Orchestra to DJ, Rock and Spoken Word will be crisp, clear, and full. You will hear absolutely every note without a beat, while the exceptional noise cancellation inhibits 90% of the external sound. Bose prides themselves on great Sound Quality, and with the Triport, they have successfully delivered.

Durability
The Triport's Durability isnt bad by any means, but the lack of bulkiness just makes it a little more fragile than its larger counterparts, but all in all its a solid set and you would have to do something dramatic to break them. As far as comfort is concerned, this is my best choice because of the very comfortable lighweight padding that envelopes your ears as you listen, like listening to lighting with clouds surrounding your ears.

Capability
These Bose Headphones are capable of a full spectrum of sounds, highs and lows, and rich bass that is sure to impress you from such a small unit. It easily and fluently plays every format of music, from CD's to FLAC, and it works in perfect sync with any equalizer.

Price
here is no better deal on the amount of quality you get in these headphones for not much of a quantity. Fancy professional Audiophile sound coming from a relatively inexpensive set of headphones; the best deal I have found.

Looks
The best aesthetically pleasing set of noise cancelling headphones around; low profile and not nerdy ;)

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Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones

Amazon Price: $489.90 (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review: The Sennheiser HD 650 open-air dynamic headphone is a music lover's dream: easy to wear and downright intoxicating to listen to. Sennheiser is, hands-down, the number-one name in high-quality headphones, and for good reason. From the issue of its legendary HD 580 headphone in mid-'90s, the German company has cornered the market on ultimate over-ear sound coupled with ultimate comfort, an unbeatable combination.

With no need to reinvent the wheel year in and year out, 2004's titanium/silver-colored HD 650 is only the third top-of-the-line incarnation since the HD 580, following the classy HD 600 (and not counting Sennheiser's made-to-order $15,000 Orpheus electrostatic headphone). Is each issue better than the last? Fundamentally, yes, though they're also simply "different." Taking as a starting point that each is truly excellent, the 580 might be said to focus on glorious midrange; the 600 makes a point of delivering extended, exceptionally airy high frequencies; and the 650, fittingly enough, tackles the most difficult area of sound for small drivers to handle: deep bass.

The 650 offers appreciable bass well below 40 Hz, the region responsible for the deepest frequencies generated by kick drums, timpani, double bass, electric bass guitar, and all manner of electronic sounds. Further, the 650 reproduces its low frequencies with only minimal emphasis in the upper-bass region, between the areas we commonly call "bass" and "midrange", in which undue emphasis can destroy clarity both above and below.

If you listen mostly to classical, jazz, and acoustic music, you'll probably embrace the headphone's low-end authority without reservation. If you listen to contemporary pop/rock and electronica, however--genres subject to a fair amount of equalization and bass boosting over the course of recording, mixing, and mastering--then you might find yourself facing, at times, a bit too much bass. Of course, most rock demands excellent bass response, and the HD 650 delivers. It just isn't forgiving of a musical production's gross errors of judgment, which would makes it a great asset for sound engineers.

The 650's driver material is a specially fabricated "acoustic silk" that minimizes harmonic and intermodulation distortion while maintaining a natural timbre. These drivers start and stop on a dime, ensuring dynamic transient "snap" while minimizing subtle, unwanted resonances that a given sound can induce.

Its broad frequency response is rated at 16 to 30,000 Hz, -3 dB (that is: the point at which the frequency extremes are reproduced 3 dB quieter than the frequencies in between), and 10 to 39,500 Hz, -10 dB. This makes the headphone a brilliant way to fully appreciating high-resolution audio formats like SACD, DVD-Audio, and LP records. Comparatively lower-res compact discs also sound fabulous. For best results, listen through a high-quality headphone amplifier, such as a dedicated headphone amp or the headphone jack in a high-quality preamplifier, integrated amplifier, or surround receiver.

The 650 performs remarkably well with portable audio devices (your iPod will likely never have sounded better), but keep in mind that a) you'll need to crank the volume (sucking battery power), b) the 650 will probably make you uncomfortably aware of how amazingly far MP3s are from CD quality, especially below 160 kbps, and c) the open-air nature of the drivers means they block no outside noise whatsoever and broadcast their high frequencies to anyone within earshot.

The headphone's detachable, Kevlar-reinforced OFC copper cable is over 9 feet long. While unquestionably durable and free from motion noise over most of its length--that is, noises audible in the ear cups when the cable is moved or touched--we noticed that the top foot or so (where it meets the earcups) is far more susceptible to motion noise than, say, any part of the cord for the HD 600. It's not an issue when one is either motionless or rocking out.

A nice touch for nighttime use and for blind listeners is a trio of small bumps above the left earcup to assist in orienting the headset. Other features include hand-selected, matched transducers with tight (+/1 dB) tolerances, computer-optimized and highly efficient Neodymium ferrous magnet systems, extremely lightweight aluminum voice coils, and a gold-plated .25-inch jack plug with a separate adapter lead for connecting to minijack .125-inch plugs.

As to comfort, the 650's elliptical ear cups use thick felt pads which circle the ears completely. It's perfect for extended listening, putting no pressure on the ears themselves and fitting snugly across the head. The 650 is the tightest of the three models, an asset for those who want to listen while upright and moving about. --Michael Mikesell

*************** My Review ***************

Sound Quality
I used this particular Sennheiser model at a buddy of mine's home studio, and the Sound Quality was stunning. He said he had a nice headset for audio manipulation & after listening I was hooked. The total design of the Sennheiser is made for hearing every sound to the tooth. Its produces very full bass and renders classical music exceptionally (try Tchaichovsky, or anything with Violiins, it will make you tear up) Overall if your looking for the best set professional headphones, I would go with these.

Durability
Durability and Comfort from these is unmatched. It is lined with best acoustic and comfort materials. They are a bit larger than say the Triport, but it makes up for it in comfort. Ps. Drop them and they are perfectly fine, very solid.

Capability
What truly makes these Audiophile/Manipulation headphones is their capability. From Deep Bass to the screeching of an electric guitar's high notes, you will hear all. From the lowest resolution mp3 to HD sound from professional equipment, this set handles it all.

Price
My only complaint would be there price, but hey do actually get what you pay for in this instance. You gotta spend money to get a quality set of this high calibur.

Looks
The Sennheiser HD looks great, especially for a professional set; they are not too bulky, and will more than likely make you look like a pro ;)

Sony MDR-V700DJ DJ-Style Monitor Series Headphones

Amazon Price: $80.00 (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review:mechanism that snaps the earcups back to standard listening positions. Silver finished for a sleek, professional look, the set's folding design allows for easy storage and portability.
These headphones use high-end materials and advanced engineering for critically clean, exceptionally clear sound aimed at professional and high-fidelity applications. The MDRV700DJ offers 3,000 mW power handling for the most stringent professional applications and daily use at very high output levels. Their Neodymium magnets pack more magnetic energy per ounce than conventional Ferrite, Samarium Cobalt, or Aluminum magnets for high sensitivity and output (107 dB/mW).

The headphones supra-aural design ensures excellent listening comfort, resting lightly on the ears, and creates a controlled environment for better sound. A wide, molded headband distributes the headphone's weight over your whole head; reduced pressure means comfortable listening for hours on end. The MDRV700DJ even has a serrated area on the plug that acts as a "hanger"--plugged into a rack of equipment, the headphones can hang on the plug when not in use.

Large, 50 mm drivers deliver deep bass down to an impressive subsonic 5 Hz and provide outstanding dynamic range, bolstered by Sony's use of a neodymium magnet for maximal energy from minimal size. A detachable, single-sided cord lets you listen at a distance of 10 feet from your source, while its oxygen-free-copper design delivers maximal conductivity with minimal noise.

AKG K99 Headphones

Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 05/26/2012)

AKG Acoustics in Austria has brought their considerable audio engineering skills into sharp focus on their high-end dynamic headphone designs and produced an astonishingly superb-sounding pair of cans in their flagship K701 and K702 models. Getting it absolutely right at this demanding level of reference-grade audio performance is tough and the K701/K702 get pretty darn near perfection. These headphones deliver a truly dynamic and texturally punchy sound, articulate and clear over the full audio spectrum. Precise musical detail connoisseurs should appreciate the clean punch and tightly focused bottom-end control of these headphones. Classical and acoustic music afficionados will likewise love the fact that the dynamic control moves right on up the frequency range to distinctly articulate every finger pluck and rosin-on-gut string texture present in the sound mix. About the only thing that we can possibly say bad about these headphones is that those who like a very laid-back, mellow-sounding, or heavy bass presentation might want to look elsewhere since these are certainly highly refined, audiophile-oriented headphones that deliver a deeply expansive soundstage image along with analytical detail and a liquid immediacy that demands your full attention. And%u2026oh!... what a lovely musical demand it is!

Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones

Amazon Price: $144.50 (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer ReviewThere exist only a few bright stars in the sealed headphone universe and fewer still within reach of budget-conscious listeners seeking a well-priced can that's capable of doing many things well. Enter the very competent Audio Technica ATH-M50, a strong-performing sealed-back headphone that pro DJs, studio craftsmen, mobile music buffs, and budding audiophiles will likely all find attractive. The excellent clarity, true musical detail, and clean extension both high & low of the M50 will surprise many when comparing it to others in the category at similar price points. Expect a precision tonality fully responsive to the audio signal chain along with accurate presentation of the source quality to give you a realistic presentation of your music. For maximized resolution of subtle recording nuances plus quickened dynamic range response, we recommend mating the M50 with a dedicated headphone amp due to their 38-ohm impedance & low 99dB sensitivity. And for those desiring listening privacy and environmental isolation without dreaded headphone 'leakage' disturbing others nearby, the M50's solid ambient noise seal combined with impressive sound quality makes these cans amongst the best mid-priced sealed-earcup values in the industry.

The ATH-M50 comes in both a coiled cord and a straight-cord model and features a collapsible headband design for easy portability and convenient storage. The M50's cool black-matte look with chrome earcup accents is very professional-looking without being too overstated. Soft black pleather circumaural earpads go fully around the ear for most wearers and swivel 180 degrees for easy one-ear monitoring, DJ, & mixing work. The single-sided headphone cord exits from the left earcup eliminating pesky Y-cord tangling and it comfortably extends about 8ft, terminating in a small 3.5mm mini-plug straight jack. A full-size 1/4" screw-on plug adapter is handily included with the M50 along with an AT travel pouch. A 1-year Audio-Technica manufacturer's warranty is standard for all AT 'Pro' series headphones.

Grado Prestige Series SR80i Stereo Headphone

Amazon Price: $98.00 (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review: The Grado SR80 headphone is built on the same features as the SR60, but utilizes a 4 conductor connecting cable and larger ear cushions, the result of which gives a more open sound stage. The Grado SR80 provides an improved bass resonance, which enhances the overall detail. John Grado says he strove for the best sounding headphones for the money, and with the glowing reviews the SR80's have received, who can argue.

Designed for long-lasting comfort and durability, the Grado SR80's feature larger soft earcups and a flexible, soft vinyl headband. The headband and earpieces are connected by metal height adjusters, which adjust the height of your head with the centre of your ear. These adjusters also allow the earpieces to rotate a full 360 degrees, meaning they lie flat on a surface - perfect for travelling.

The Grado SR80 is a fully open back earpiece design, which provides an open sound stage. However, those around you will also be able to hear sound that leaks from the open earcups.

The SR80's come with Grado's newly designed larger earpads. The new pads are made from soft, porous, open cell foam that covers the driver, providing a much more comfortable fit. The SR80's offer incredible quality audio reproduction and are easily driven by the output of a portable player, such as the iPod, or inexpensive home equipment. The Grado SR80's 4 conductor copper cable is terminated with a 3.5mm mini jack (a screw on 6.35mm adapter is included) and have a straight cord that attaches to both earpieces.

The Grado SR80's are very efficient & can be driven by the output of most portable players and inexpensive home equipment. A good quality dedicated headphone amplifier will help improve the overall control and detail of the highs, add some heft and authority to the bottom end. A headphone amp will also provide a slightly deeper, more expansive dimension to the SR80's soundstage image.

Jabra Speaker Headset

Amazon Price: (as of 05/26/2012)

Product Description
BT8030 is like no other. Never before has Bluetooth technology been combined in such a dynamic and innovative manner. For those on the move, BT8030 offers complete flexibility - wherever you are and whatever you are doing.Listen to music from your mobile phone, PC or media player in headphone or speaker mode. All the traditional features of a Bluetooth headset are present, plus the inbuilt microphone offers speakerphone capability.This is a must have product for music lovers on the move. Once youve used it, youll wonder how you ever lived without it!

Bose TriPort In-Ear Headphones - Headphones ( ear-bud ) - black

Amazon Price: (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review:Now enjoy high-quality, stable in-ear headphones - engineered and developed by the most respected name in sound. Bose in-ear headphones are the only in-ear headphones with the rich audio and comfortable design you've come to expect from Bose.Bose research and engineering are at the core of the remarkable performance of Bose in-ear headphones. They incorporate the proprietary TriPort acoustic headphone structure, for example, for greater low-frequency output from a small headphone. This technology helps create more balanced, lifelike sound. You hear your music with more range, realism and clarity than commonly found with conventional earbuds.Bose in-ear headphones are designed to remain comfortable and stable in your ears for hours. Many people have experienced the discomfort and instability of traditional earbuds, especially after long periods of listening. But Bose engineers developed innovative, soft silicone tips shaped to rest gently and securely in the outer bowl of your ear.Removable S, M and L tips are included, so you can adjust the size for a more accurate fit. The washable tips are color coded to make it easier to distinguish among them. You may find using a different size tip for each ear the most comfortable and secure option.Bose in-ear headphones are engineered specifically for portable audio devices like MP3 players, and CD and DVD players. They come with a small carrying case that protects the headphones when not in use. The sleek, black case also helps keep the cable organized and tangle free.

Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator Earphones (White)

Amazon Price: (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review:There are many good characteristics with noise cancelling and isolating headphones and Etymotic really raises the bar with their er6i for the $50-150 price range earphones. As a side note, I've read many reviews on multiple sites and they compare the er6i's with Shure e4c's or Super.fi5's. Those are $180-$200+ and i don't find it reasonable to compare $90 headphones with those. I will however compare them to the Shure e3c and Sony Fontopia MDR-NC11 which I have personal experience using.
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The sound quality from these headphones are fantastic. They are "bright" sounding and you will hear details in music(e.g. harmonies) that you wouldn't have noticed with other earphones. The bass also isn't that bad as some claim. Sony nc11's have better bass but the treble sounds muffled and overall can't even compete because the er6i's quality is that good. I think the er6i's also has superior sounding bass than the Shure e3c's because it is tighter. I tried using the er6i, then the shures, then the ipod earphones and the er6i's sound is the richest sounding hands down. When you hear these you know it is money well spent.
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Testing this in the outdoor setting, the noise isolation was unbelievable. While walking through a crowd on the quad I was completely engulfed in music and could not hear those around me, people yelling, or motorcycles on a nearby street. When wearing the Shure's and Sony's earphones I could vaguely hear my surroundings through the music, but the isolation from the er6i's are really amazing. Also there was very little effect from wind. My major gripe with sony was that I could hear the wind whistling by the bass port when I wore their earphones. This also occurs with the Shure e3c's. Etymotic er6i's had the most minimal effect from wind that I've ever heard, and that alone shows the quality of the earphones.
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Another thing that I really am impressed with is that these actually stay in your ear. Etymotic will send you various "pillows" or plugs if requested to personally fit your ear. I prefer the orangish pillow than the white plugs because over time you forget anything is there. For some reason my Shure e3c's fall out when something snags the cord and the Sony's fall out when jogging due to their crap design (excessively heavy chord, plastic on the earphone that adds weight, and the heavy active sound processing unit). The er6i's however do NOT fall out even if the chord is slightly snagged if you have a good fit. They stayed in while joggind and were very comfortable to jog with. When looking at the construction of the earphone, Etymotic did a very good job reducing weight so the earphones don't fall out. I am very impressed when comparing this aspect to the sony's and shure's earphones.
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There are some nuances however that I have noticed. Since the sound isolation is so good, you can hear many things such as your steps. I tried rollerblading with these and that was a mistake. It sounds like an airplane taking off because you can hear the sound through your body. This is a side effect from excellent noise isolation, but is well worth it in my opinion. Depending on the shoes, you can hear your steps through your body as you jog. It's kind of a cool experience at first but can get rather annoying over time.
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Also, as many complained already, the cord is really something Etymotic can improve. Because of the thin chord after you take them out of the case the cord looks "crumpled." Also it snags on things easier such as your backpack, and it really feels like you can rip the cord out of the earphone. Etymotic does supply you with a clip which is a necessity if you are going to jog. I think Etymotic used a thinner cord so you can forget you're wearing these when jogging (cord bouncing) but the trade off in my opinion isn't worth the trade off. Also, a cord straightener like what Apple implemented into their earphones would be very nice to have.
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Along with the cord, the carrying case can use improvement. the only way to really get the earphones into the bag, which is the same width as the 4g ipod, you really need to stuff your earphones in the bag. But, then when you take them out, the cord looks crumpled and many friends complained it looks "messy." When the ipod is about sleekness and coolness, if you wear earphones with a crumpled cord... it just doesn't look right.
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In conclusion on the basis of sound quality and noise isolation alone these are probably the best earphones you can buy for the price range. Etymotic does have some room to improve with the cord and carrying case.

Shure SE110 Sound Isolating Earphone with Balanced Armature Driver (Black)

Amazon Price: $78.97 (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review:Designed for music lovers looking to upgrade the earphones included with their MP3 players, the compact SE110 are the perfect introduction to the stunning performance of Shure earphones. Evolved from earphone technology, road-tested by pro musicians and perfected by Shure engineers, the compact SE110 deliver a rich, lifelike listening experience that's free from outside noise. Developed for the discerning music lover, balanced microspeakers deliver optimized audio for a vivid and detailed listening experience. Rediscover your favorite music, richer and more lifelike than you've ever heard it. Comfortable sound-isolating sleeves block over 90 percent of ambient noise. Combined with its compact design and a modular cable, interruptions from the outside world are minimized, enabling you to focus on your music.

Sennheiser MX 55 Ergonomic Twist-To-Fit Earbuds

Amazon Price: (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review: The MX55 is the solution to dangling, poor fitting earbuds. It uses the Sennheiser Basswind(TM) system to pump rich, deep bass in a compact footprint while the patented Twist-to-Fit system locks the transducer comfortably in place. The Twist-To-Fit design prevents the earbud from shifting during movement, therefore retaining the ultimate positioning for bass response, audio phase and comfort. The earbuds consist of two earphones (left/right), a carrying pouch, ear adapter set and exchangeable design covers (a la custom cell phone covers) to customize not only the fit, but the appearance-- to the user's taste.

Sony MDR-ED12LP Earbuds (Silver)

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 05/26/2012)

Consumer Review: Try on this attractive bud style headphone and experience crystal clear audio with deep bass response. The stylish MDR-ED12LP headphones look almost as great as they sound. With large, 16mm drivers that deliver crisp sound, you'll appreciate the audio quality no matter what kind of music you like. The bass booster pumps rich bass while the neodymium magnets offer powerful sound reproduction. The convenient cord slider reduces tangles. 16mm Driver Unit 100mW (IEC) Power Handling Capacity 3.9 feet (1.2m) Cord Length Weight - 0.21 ounces (5 grams) without cord