Audio Headphone recommendation

whatsinaname

whatsinaname

Skilled
Am looking for a pair of headphones.

Requirements:

Closed

Portable

Shortish cable

No amp required, will be driven directly from the headphone out of an iPhone.

Audio Signature:

Something clean and analytical for the Mids and Highs.

Bass is not very important (low bass is OK, but it should be accurate).

I use the HS50M studio monitors at home and am basically looking for a headphone equivalent to their sound signature.

Budget:

$100 - $150, can buy from any online shop. (Amazon, eBay, newegg, etc).

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
Have a look at the ESW9? :p Might be slightly away from what you are looking for though
 
The Audio Technica M50 suits your requirement somewhat . It is not exactly the sound signature you are looking for since it has neutral sound overall but its bass is a bit on the heavier side.They are marketed as studio monitors by AT.Our pricing in India for same is almost on par / better than US pricing last we checked .

They are portable / folding , closed , have a short coiled cable & can be easily driven straight out of an iPhone .

The ESW9 suggested by Bottle are also very famous portable cans but slightly out of your mentioned budget .
 
i own a pair of hs80m, so i think i know what you may looking for, i would suggest you try and listen shure srh840, i am planning to go down that line

hey if you buy please post impression about it ;)
 
whatsinaname said:
No! No. No. Please, don't tempt me into budget creep.

PS: No.
Click to expand...

Whats the use of TE if we can't make you overshoot your budget ? :bleh: Even if they were rubbish (which they aren't) the super comfy lambskin pads and cushions alone are worth it
 
Thanks everyone for the recommendations. My IEMs were dying so wanted to get headphones that I could use while commuting to work. I thought some more on it and decided to go with IEMs again. (Got the Etymotic MC5).
 
whatsinaname said:
Thanks everyone for the recommendations. My IEMs were dying so wanted to get headphones that I could use while commuting to work. I thought some more on it and decided to go with IEMs again. (Got the Etymotic MC5).
Click to expand...

Nice, do post impressions. Reviews are mixed so far
 
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That's my very polite opinion of MC5. Among the Etys, I think it has the best build quality. But, it is very demanding of a decent source with power. Clip+ won't cut it. iPhone 4 is a flat source, but I am not sure about it's output power.
 
I got them on sale at Amazon. $59.

As for the IEMs,

Build Quality - Pretty good. The flanges fit well on the IEM and don't look like they will fall off. The cable seems strong and the strain relievers look like they will hold up. Seeing that I tend to break IEMs easily, that is a very good thing.

Sound Quality - They seem to have the exact sound signature I was looking for. The mids seem very accurate and clear. Am quite satisfied with the highs as well but the treble is a bit muddy and not where I would I have liked it to be. As for the low end, it seems to depend a lot on the tips/fit. The Bass might even seem lacking if you don't fit the IEMs correctly. With a correct fit, Bass is pretty accurate. Not overwhelming or muddy. Quite adequate if you are not a basshead. The sound stage is definitely not that great. Even my previous $20 IEMs (MEElec M6/M9) seem to have a deeper soundstage, but this might improve as I spend more time with them.

Overall, pretty good value for $60. Great mids and highs, ok treble, mediocre soundstage. Am quite happy with them and will stick with them till they break.
 
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