Stuck in Headphone Hell: The fierce battle of Sub 50/50$ Headphones

[Addicted]

If you have air-con it wont really be an issue but without it, having been to Florida a few times I would have to say something supra-aural might serve you better, the experience of the sound may not be the same but they aren't as likely to make you want to mop your ears. Even in the UK my circumaural headphones make my ears hot, no matter the time of year, which is a bonus using them outside in winter but makes them unbearable in summer unless they're used indoors with air conditioning on.

[CrowdAds]

[JK98]

Circumaural closed headphones will make you ears hot. Very large open circumaural headphones with velour pads won't make your ears hot. They aren't good for portable use though. I guess that is why iems are so popular. Many want sound isolation for portable use, and also don't want hot ears.

[Addicted]

In my experience anything close to your skin keeps heat in, velour or no velour in florida without air-con unfortunately lol. Any still air space between your ear and a membrane creates an area of warmer air which in very warm and especially humid area can quickly become unbearable. For those more used to the heat it might be perfectly fine, its more a matter of personal heat sensitivity, if the op is particularly bothered by an increase in temperature then he might want to avoid most headphones that completely enclose the ear.

[Didu50]

Hmmm.... I can probably tough it out. I realized from the start that Circamural Headphones wouldn't be portable, so I planned on using them only for weekend jaunts and at home. As for temperature, I could just take a break every once in a while

[Addicted]

If I were you, Id go for the Koss PortaPro's, they sound really good, are nice and breezy, you said you have no hair tangle issues to contend with, they aren't isolating though, but in a home environment the biggest thing you will have to contend with is background noise and maybe a conversation or two, either that or tough it out with the other options listed. I would say to avoid pleather though, that stuff gets nasty really quick.

[JK98]

Originally Posted by Addicted

If I were you, Id go for the Koss PortaPro's, they sound really good, are nice and breezy, you said you have no hair tangle issues to contend with, they aren't isolating though, but in a home environment the biggest thing you will have to contend with is background noise and maybe a conversation or two, either that or tough it out with the other options listed. I would say to avoid pleather though, that stuff gets nasty really quick.

For those who do love the Portapro, the Sportapro is almost the same(but looks different) and is much cheaper. Since the Sennheiser PX100 mk2 is not that much more than the Portapro, imo the PX100 mk2 would be a much better choice.

[Didu50]

Hmm... I did a little more research. The Portapro's sure do look exciting, but I'm leaning more towards the JVC HARX700's. There are numerous mods that I'm sure could improve the sound quality asnd comfort of them. I am still looking for Closed though, on the ear doesn't appeal to me as much :/ How do these compare to the Audio Techinica ATH-M30's?
Edit: Amazon has the Audio Technica ATHMS40FS for just 6 dollars above 50. These seem phenomenal.

[Addicted]

What I did was grabbed a few pairs I was recommended and chose what I liked from there, returning the others, so if you are able to order a couple of pairs or pick them up from a store with a good returns policy (if online make sure to check their returns policy, amazon sellers can sometimes be a bit cagey, and that the shipping is cheap/refunds are prompt). No one else has your ears, so your own comparison will always win out over anyone elses decision.

[JK98]

"Amazon has the Audio Technica ATHMS40FS for just 6 dollars above 50. These seem phenomenal. "

If you are stretching your budget over $50, then consider the Sony V6. it is $65 on Amazon. My V6 is 23 years old, and still works fine, except that I needed to change the pads. While the ATH-M30, M35 and M40fs look interesting, the Sony V6 seems better. The v6, in it 7506 version, is a favorite headphone in radio, tv production, and movie production. Yes, the V6 will make your ears hot, as will the ATH-m30, M35, and M40fs. You can change the pads to velour ones to make it less sweaty, however those replacement pads are $20.

[skip252]

The ATHMS40FS have a 1/4" connector. Be sure to get an adapter to reduce that to 1/8" if you decide on those.

The other drawback to a full size connector is that it creates a lever that will easily damage a headphone jack if any side pressure is placed on the connector. You can get a extension to help guard against that.

[Didu50]

I'm not so sure about the V6's. I've read numerous reviews, and they are very veteran, however there have been also some knocks about the treble upon it. I guess now, I am just looking solely upon the JVC HARX 700. Audio Technica ATH M30,35,40. Out of the three AT's, what are the major differrences?

[The DarkSide]

Audio Technica for the win!!! The SQ they produce is excellent for the price IMO.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Audio Technica for the win!!! The SQ they produce is excellent for the price IMO.

+1. I paid $40 and $20 for my two sets, and they are well worth it.

[dgb52]

Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian

+1. I paid $40 and $20 for my two sets, and they are well worth it.

Which Audio Technica's do you have?

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by dgb52

Which Audio Technica's do you have?

http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-F...p_ob_e_title_2
These ^^ sound just right without needing any EQ tinkering.

And http://www.amazon.com/ATH-P5-Lightwe...07342&sr=1-240
These are a little bass-light but the clarity and soundstage are excellent.

[Didu50]

Alright, Audio Technica has won! Now I just need to know which one to buy. The M35 or the M40fs? It seems that both would be great for my needs ( casual listening), but which one is more durable? ( I don't really listen to my music at a high volume)

[skip252]

It seems you're pretty much in "flip a coin" territory. It doesn't seem that anyone else that's posted here has experienced either and I didn't deal with the M35 long enough to have any idea on durability.

Like every Audio Technica headphone I've dealt with the build quality was very good. I didn't spot anything that would have made me think there would be a problem.

[IDvsEGO]

I have had a set of the m40fs for....like 10 years. They are not really suited for portable use unless you plan on recabling. the cable is long and thick and that full size plug plus an adapter makes for an easy way to damage your MP3 player. Mine were relegated to home use years ago.

[dgb52]

Originally Posted by IDvsEGO

I have had a set of the m40fs for....like 10 years. They are not really suited for portable use unless you plan on recabling. the cable is long and thick and that full size plug plus an adapter makes for an easy way to damage your MP3 player. Mine were relegated to home use years ago.

How did they sound?

[JK98]

Originally Posted by dgb52

How did they sound?

Compared to what is the question. Many of the reviews for the ATH-M30, M35, and M40fs are good, however when compared to the Sony V6, I haven't read one review yet that said that these ATH headphone sounded better, while a few people claiming to be musicians said these ATH models weren't so bad, however the Sony V6 is much better. Search for reviews for yourself comparing the ATH-M35 to the Sony V6 or to the Sony 7506(there are many posts saying that the V6 and 7506 sound the same, and pros tend to choose the 7506 for the longer warranty and gold plated plug even though it is more expensive. The 7506 used to be around $40 more than the V6. Now the price difference is only around $20).