I am on my way home and will have quite a bit of time to shop in the Toronto airport. I am totally obsessed with the Best Buy machines. Here's my question: what's up with the $200-$300 headphones? What do they do that the others don't? I travel a lot and would like a good quality pair that can fast forward songs on my iPhone/iPad (preferably in a fun colour) but I can't see myself spending that much!
[Question] Super expensive headphones - what am I missing?
- Thread starter Squidleybits
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Are there any noise cancelling ones at a decent price? Or is it a case of you get what you pay for?[DOUBLEPOST=1342886845][/DOUBLEPOST]
. Headphones are probably the way to go!
Ok when I get home I will sing the music in my mind and you can let me know if that's ok for my next flight
. Headphones are probably the way to go!http://reviews.cnet.com/best-noise-cancelling-headphones/
Though CNET likes the Dr. Dre headphones but on top, as they usually seem to be, are the Bose.
Though CNET likes the Dr. Dre headphones but on top, as they usually seem to be, are the Bose.
I need small travel ones. Those are perfect for home
If you're using these for travel, I might suggest trying in-ear monitors; passive noise isolation, plus very portable. However, some people hate the feeling of them in their ear canals.
I might also suggest against spending big money on headphones if you're going to use them in a) noisy environments and b) without a pocket amp or DAC, since you may not get your money's worth out of them.
Might wander over to head-fi.org if you want to see how far down the rabbit hole goes.
I might also suggest against spending big money on headphones if you're going to use them in a) noisy environments and b) without a pocket amp or DAC, since you may not get your money's worth out of them.
Might wander over to head-fi.org if you want to see how far down the rabbit hole goes.
Ok sharing my row on the plane with a family playing musical chairs with an unsecured baby....
Noise canceling would have been fantastic...
Noise canceling would have been fantastic...
On head-fi the top rated noise cancellers are the Bose QC15's.
Ahh, God damn it. Now I'm going to spend 300 dollars I shouldn't be.
No! No no no no no no. DO NOT BUY.
The truth is, head-fi considers Beats AND Bose to be crap. Nothing but crap.
You're far better off with V-Moda M-80s or Audio Technica ATH-M50s at far lower prices. I only spent ~$40 for my MEElectronics A151 IEMs, and they rated near the top for that category on head-fi.
The truth is, head-fi considers Beats AND Bose to be crap. Nothing but crap.
You're far better off with V-Moda M-80s or Audio Technica ATH-M50s at far lower prices. I only spent ~$40 for my MEElectronics A151 IEMs, and they rated near the top for that category on head-fi.
Well, that's specifically for noise cancelling headphones. You'll note they have a total rank of 71. Toss them up against a comparably priced pair of over-ear phones, you're gonna get a different story.
Although I'm gonna differ with DarkAudit; they're not crap, just not worth three bills in terms of absolute sound quality.
Although I'm gonna differ with DarkAudit; they're not crap, just not worth three bills in terms of absolute sound quality.
I think that's part of the reason why audiophiles hold Bose in such disdain; the excellent marketing job done by Bose to position themselves as the ne plus ultra of audio equipment.
I would say that Bose isn't crappy at all, but when it comes purely to sound performance and fidelity, their price doesn't match their delivery.
A $300 AudioTechnica product will blow away most of Bose's expensive offerings in performance (when we're talking about expensive headphones in the first place). But Bose is awesome when it comes to secondary things, like form factor and ANC.
To make an exaggerated comparison, it's sort of like Mac vs PC. If you're paying for a Mac for performance purposes, the $-to-performance ratio isn't so great. But if you're also paying for OS X, world class customer service, and excellent physical design, it's much better value picture.
A $300 AudioTechnica product will blow away most of Bose's expensive offerings in performance (when we're talking about expensive headphones in the first place). But Bose is awesome when it comes to secondary things, like form factor and ANC.
To make an exaggerated comparison, it's sort of like Mac vs PC. If you're paying for a Mac for performance purposes, the $-to-performance ratio isn't so great. But if you're also paying for OS X, world class customer service, and excellent physical design, it's much better value picture.
GasBandit
Staff member
Well, they aren't noise cancelling, but I own a $100+ pair of Audio Technica ATH-A700 cans, and let me tell you, after years of cheap earbuds and even $100 computer speakers... when I listened to music on them for the first time, I literally (yes, literally) wept.
Only downside is, they aren't good for travel, being the kind of headphones that surround and cover your entire ear.
Only downside is, they aren't good for travel, being the kind of headphones that surround and cover your entire ear.
What song did you listen to?
GasBandit
Staff member
I don't remember what was first, but you can bet I hungrily dug up every single song I could find and listened to them all one after another. It was rapturous.
I picked up a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs probably 10 years ago for $100 on closeout at my local Guitar Center. And I have not needed another set since. They isolate well, they are comfortable for long wear, field repairable, and they have a frequency response as low as ... 5Hz!
Listening to anything from the Aranjuez Concerto or Bach's "Little" Fugue to Evanescence's Lacrymosa or TSO's Carol of the Bells (or even SoTC's Epilogue) on a pair of really good headphones can be a transcendent (if not downright life-changing*) experience.
--Patrick
*I mean that literally, with no metaphor whatsoever.
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