How 'bout some low-end/cheapo HP talk

What about the NVX XPT100?
http://www.nvx.com/xpt100-studio-over-ear-headphones/

 

One lo-fi headphone I've had good experience with is the Superlux HD668B. $40 that sounds more like a $100 headphone. It's even somewhat competitive with the K553s which I also own at $170. Those on an extreme budget would be happy with those I think.

In regards to mid-fi, I can't recommend the HD600 -- based on my experiences with lower end amps and DACs. Very boring headphones in the budget source chain setup. Keeping things less than $400, I can recommend the TH-X00, HE-400S or HE-400i if you can wait for it to go on sale. Just beware of planars in general if you plan on amping them from a phone or PC.

 

I think that the original Creative Aurvana Live! is a good deal, especially for the ~$50 that it runs for these days. It's comfortable, has a decent soundstage for a closed can, and I don't remember any weird tonality issues. I think it was well received on the old forum as well.

 

Sennheiser HD518 is super comfy (at least if you add softer pads), and if you mod them a little to lower the pretty prominent bass, you'll have a very smooth and open sounding headphone too. Add HM5 angled velour pads and stuff polyfill or cotton balls behind the driver, and you're there!

Oh, and go to amazon or ebay and get one of those cheap-but-nice replacement cables for it. Same goes for hd558/598 though.

The HD518's that Zeos just reviewed are mine. I can confirm that that are really nice, but if they weren't now my wife's, I would mod them to have a bit less mid bass.

 

Yeah, I can vouch for the CAL!

It's best feature is the nice tonality, which is easily pleasing to the ears. And you're right, at $47.95 on Amazon right now, that's pretty good. It has a small mid bass hump, but it suits the sound well and really just adds a touch of warmth.

 

My go to cheapo 'phone is the Koss KSC-75. You can usually pick up a pair off Amazon in the $15 range. I tried the Porta Pro and the high end seems a bit muffled by comparison. I also bought a pair of KSC-35 that use the same drivers as the Porta Pro, but they are only slightly better than the KSC-75 at a much higher street price.

I'm not a big fan of clip on headphones so the style of the KSC-75 leaves something to be desired, but if you want a decent, beater headphone that sounds better than most anything else in the $60-$80 range, this is the one.

 

Seconded on the KSC-75's as my go-to, both for decent sound quality at the price point and for the less-than-stellar fit because I wear glasses. The headband mod looks interesting though.

 

Yes, they are my first akgs. Since I also own hd600s, he500s, and dt880s, I find myself using them mostly for TV and movies. They are very good for dialogue.

 

To my ears, they are actually pretty balanced top to bottom, and I have no fatigue issues, though I've seen complaints about the treble on akgs generally. Very comfy though, light clamp. In fact maybe too light. I bent the headband to increase the clamp force and it also improved the bass response. Seem durable too, though the cable is fixed.

 

I think the Sennheiser HD 558 sound surprisingly good for an under $100 (street price) headphone.

 

Another thing to add to this...Parts Express sells a $2 headphone that has a headband which is an exact fit for the KSC-75s (and -35s). I changed over both pairs to use this headband and I love them. They look like a fuglier verson of 1980's Walkman headphones, but for the price the sound is so much fun, and has become my go to beater headphones at the office and the pool.

 

I got a pair of Yamaha RH-5Ma's for like $50 several years ago . I still have them and they still work. Don't believe the hype, though. They are not what people make them out to be. These are NOT studio headphones... ...not by their tone, anyway... ...maybe they're REALLY good in the time domain and maybe they have really low THD or something... ...I'm just not hearing it lol. They're just so colored. They don't even isolate all that well. They definitely aren't fatiguing, I suppose...

What they are is a light, comfortable, pleasantly-warm pair of cheap on-ear headphones that can take more abuse than you'd think. The highs are rolled off, but there's enough energy up there that I wouldn't call them veiled. Detail really isn't hurt too badly by it. The mids and bass are where you get your money's worth. The sound is very lush, smooth, and creamy. The bass makes them fun to listen to. A little sub-bass boost goes a long way.

My one gripe is that they do sound congested when there's a lot going on. To be expected from cheap little on-ears, I suppose.

I once tried the Sony MDRV6 and hated how scooped/grainy they sounded. The RH-5Ma is basically the opposite of that for a good bit less. It has a euphonic, laid-back, and inoffensive signature that plays nicely with any source, but also scales if you have a nice DAP/amp. They're very forgiving of bad sources and recordings, but not in a stifling way.

Cable is ridiculously long. I find myself stuffing most of it in my back pocket when I'm out and about. I like the look of them, though. They look like the cheap headphones I used to have as a kid in then 90's.

To me, they represent a great value. In this price range, nothing is all that resolving. Personally, I'd prefer to sacrifice a little resolution for good tonality, which can be hard to come by in really cheap cans. But that definitely is the trade-off with these.

Can't compare these to more popular cheapo-depot options, but I don't think they get nearly enough love. There's something endearing about them. Take that as you will...