Over-the-ear Headphones under 3k

Ssreek

Ssreek

Adept
Looking to buy headphones for around Rs. 2k-3k. It's been really a headache to select one, too many models in the price range and rare genuine reviews and different tastes.
  1. Need over-the-ear type, if possible.
  2. Bluetooth and microphone are not compulsory.
  3. Don't want bassy thumping headphones. I prefer flat or somewhat V shape.
  4. Main purpose is for music. Good soundstage is appreciated. (Would also be used for gaming occasionally, but this is not the primary usage. So please don't think I need only "gaming" headphones).
Below are some models I've searched for. But please suggest if there is anything better as well.
  1. Akg K52/72/92.
  2. Samson SR850 (Slightly costly, but willing to extend budget if it's really worth it; open back?)
  3. Oneodio some model.
  4. Cooler Master MH630
  5. Redgear Cosmo 7.1 (Friend suggested so just including here to know if it's good)
 
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Wait for anker soundcore q 10/20/30 to go on sale

Edit. Looks like they are on sale.
Take a look at this Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset on Flipkart
dl.flipkart.com

Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset Price in India - Buy Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset Online - Soundcore : Flipkart.com

Buy Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset for Rs.6999 Online, Also get Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset Specs & Features. Only Genuine Products. 30 Day Replacement Guarantee. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery!
dl.flipkart.com dl.flipkart.com

These are capable of very nice bass but can play neutral if you don't turn on the bass mode. I was very impressed with them - and i have several 200-500 USD headphones
 
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A little higher than your budget now but I remember picking up these for 3K.
Excellent for the budget I think, has detachable mic and cable. Option of either 3.5mm or USB-C. Memory foam cushion is unlike anything I've encountered yet. Very good quality and sound also is great.
 
greenhorn said:
Wait for anker soundcore q 10/20/30 to go on sale

Edit. Looks like they are on sale.
Take a look at this Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset on Flipkart
dl.flipkart.com

Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset Price in India - Buy Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset Online - Soundcore : Flipkart.com

Buy Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset for Rs.6999 Online, Also get Soundcore by Anker Life Q10 with Fast Charging Bluetooth Headset Specs & Features. Only Genuine Products. 30 Day Replacement Guarantee. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery!
dl.flipkart.com dl.flipkart.com

These are capable of very nice bass but can play neutral if you don't turn on the bass mode. I was very impressed with them - and i have several 200-500 USD headphones
Click to expand...

I checked abt it, but those cringe youtubers are praisaing it for bass and then I thought it's not for me. But it's actually a good brand atleast.
But since it is bluetooth, such headsets usually lag. And that's why I thought wired is better.
Others like q20/30 are way above my budget, maybe we can get audio technica/sennheiser for close to 8.5k.
enthusiast29 said:

A little higher than your budget now but I remember picking up these for 3K.
Excellent for the budget I think, has detachable mic and cable. Option of either 3.5mm or USB-C. Memory foam cushion is unlike anything I've encountered yet. Very good quality and sound also is great.
Click to expand...

Heard good things about this and it's pro model. But I'm skeptical about chinese models. Let's see..
 
For SQ, the Samson ones will be the best option. I haven't heard them personally, but they have always had high praise in the budget audiophile market. Since your main usage will be listening to music, these are the best choices from the ones you have listed.
BT headphones/earphones don't really lag anymore, but I didn't like the SQ of the Soundcore Q10 that I bought for 1699 last week.
 
+1 for the Samson 850 if you value SQ. I had an opportunity to listen and found it to be pretty neutral with decent soundstage. It's a semi open back and actually one of the cheapest introductions to monitoring.
Personally I would prefer the similarly priced 950 which is more "fun" i.e. little more bass but equally good.
If you use EQ then you can even get a sub 1k headphone like this (on ear but still pretty comfy) to sound fantastic -
www.audiosciencereview.com

$9 Headphone Review: Sony MDR-ZX110

This is a review of Sony MDRZX110 to figure out if a US $9.99 headphone on Amazon including Prime shipping has good performance. There are over 45,000 reviews on Amazon averaging 4.5 stars saying it has that. But let's find out! I must say, as cheaply as the Sony is made, it doesn't look like...
www.audiosciencereview.com www.audiosciencereview.com
 
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rdst_1 said:
For SQ, the Samson ones will be the best option. I haven't heard them personally, but they have always had high praise in the budget audiophile market. Since your main usage will be listening to music, these are the best choices from the ones you have listed.
BT headphones/earphones don't really lag anymore, but I didn't like the SQ of the Soundcore Q10 that I bought for 1699 last week.
Click to expand...

ibose said:
+1 for the Samson 850 if you value SQ. I had an opportunity to listen and found it to be pretty neutral with decent soundstage. It's a semi open back and actually one of the cheapest introductions to monitoring.
Personally I would prefer the similarly priced 950 which is more "fun" i.e. little more bass but equally good.
Click to expand...

My eyes are on SR850 since few months..I am just not used to open back headphones, and the treble spikes meant equalizer is a must.
But major concern is, it would be a buy and forget thing..Samson products mostly won't have any warranty in India..atleast as per amazon reviews.
This would be my last resort if nothing else is satisfactory. Would be fun to have open backs.

ibose said:
If you use EQ then you can even get a sub 1k headphone like this (on ear but still pretty comfy) to sound fantastic -
www.audiosciencereview.com

$9 Headphone Review: Sony MDR-ZX110

This is a review of Sony MDRZX110 to figure out if a US $9.99 headphone on Amazon including Prime shipping has good performance. There are over 45,000 reviews on Amazon averaging 4.5 stars saying it has that. But let's find out! I must say, as cheaply as the Sony is made, it doesn't look like...
www.audiosciencereview.com www.audiosciencereview.com
Click to expand...
That's interesting. For us, it is priced at 899, so it would be a gamble to try this..I will check that thread to see if someone actually tried this other than OP.
 
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I have tried those cheap sony ones during my college years, they're OKish for entertainment purpose. Nothing mind blowing about them.
Ears start to hurt in 1-2+hrs. There's no cushion in the headband as visible, also the ear cushion is cheap and comes off due to oils/sweat.

I still have them, they still work but they're gross (due to age) and uncomfortable.

I still feel EKSA E900 Pro is best in this range.
 
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enthusiast29 said:
I have tried the cheap sony ones during my college years, they're OKish for entertainment purpose. Nothing mind blowing about them.
Ears start to hurt in 1-2+hrs. There's no cushion in the headband as visible, also the ear cushion is cheap and comes off due to oils/sweat.
I still have them, they still work but they're gross (due to age) and uncomfortable.
Click to expand...
What do you expect to get at that price ? Velour pads ? Yes its damn cheap and is an over the ear so the comfort will vary. I have one and try it out every now and then with the EQ presets just to remind me that that there are still ways to enjoy damn good SQ on the cheap. It may not be the most comfortable experience but as it is pretty light I still manage 2-3 hours of listening time at one go.
I never really could get myself to like any of those gaming headphones as they do tend to be bass heavy and hate those surround sound gimmicks.
 
ibose said:
What do you expect to get at that price ? Velour pads ? Yes its damn cheap and is an over the ear so the comfort will vary. I have one and try it out every now and then with the EQ presets just to remind me that that there are still ways to enjoy damn good SQ on the cheap. It may not be the most comfortable experience but as it is pretty light I still manage 2-3 hours of listening time at one go.
I never really could get myself to like any of those gaming headphones as they do tend to be bass heavy and hate those surround sound gimmicks.
Click to expand...
I would much rather prefer good in-ear headset at that price point than going with branded but cheap one. It's just that they're uncomfortable and the cushion when comes off is really bad experience and happens sooner than later if you're a regular user.
I'm not hating on them, heck I used them from 2014-2017. They were my means of entertainment in my graduation but also reminds me pain on my ear every night when trying to binge watch things or a long movie. It just felt gross putting them on after the cushion started wearing off cuz it leaves those bits. I had to rip them off myself at one point to reveal the cloth underneath so I can wear them without getting that mess all over me. Good times... but I wouldn't recommend them.

Also many gaming headphones are not bass heavy. Quite the contrary.
 
I've used the Eksa E900 (non pro), sound quality was good for the price (goes for 1700-1800) but the mic volume on both the E900 and pro is super low even when boosted (not an issue for you since you don't need the mic anyways plus it's detachable). The Onodio and Eksa 900 Pro both have the same drivers btw.
Also these headphones are made by the same Chinese OEM, Fire Boltt too has a rebadged E900 of their own now along with rebadged Onodio models.
I found the bass on the Soundcore to be a bit too much tbh but it's still a decent buy during sales.
Avoid the JBL quantum 100 at all costs, it's garbage for the price.
The best budget headphones imo are the Philips SHP9500, too bad they're ridiculously priced over here. If you know someone in the US it regularly goes for $60.

OT: I bought the Logitech G331 renewed (first time that I've opted for a renewed product) from Amazon 3 days ago for Rs.1700, the first unit picked up too much noise from the mic so I ordered a replacement, the second one seems to be a bit better but the SQ is nowhere worth the Rs.4500 it usually goes for, reinstating my belief that gaming headphones are overpriced garbage.
 
psyph3r said:
I've used the Eksa E900 (non pro), sound quality was good for the price (goes for 1700-1800) but the mic volume on both the E900 and pro is super low even when boosted (not an issue for you since you don't need the mic anyways plus it's detachable). The Onodio and Eksa 900 Pro both have the same drivers btw.
Also these headphones are made by the same Chinese OEM, Fire Boltt too has a rebadged E900 of their own now along with rebadged Onodio models.
I found the bass on the Soundcore to be a bit too much tbh but it's still a decent buy during sales.
Avoid the JBL quantum 100 at all costs, it's garbage for the price.
The best budget headphones imo are the Philips SHP9500, too bad they're ridiculously priced over here. If you know someone in the US it regularly goes for $60.

OT: I bought the Logitech G331 renewed (first time that I've opted for a renewed product) from Amazon 3 days ago for Rs.1700, the first unit picked up too much noise from the mic so ordered a replacement, the second one seems to be a bit better but the SQ is nowhere worth the Rs.4500 it usually goes for, reinstating my belief that gaming headphones are overpriced garbage.
Click to expand...
What is this SQ mean by everybody are talking?
 
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