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The big Headphones VS. Earbuds debate!

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  • I guess I'm turning into a Sony whore. For everyday purposes I use my sony earbuds which are relatively good quality for the price and they last a while as long as you don't DESTROY THEM WITH FOAM SWORDS AT TOYS'R'US. Ahem.
    Anyway, while riding my bike I happened on a pair of perfectly good condition Sony MDR-V150 studio headphones. Hey, it's pretty much like finding $20 on the street.
    The "studio headphones" are really good quality and I now use them for when I practice my drumming, but they are rather uncomfortable and are not at all portable thanks to the long wire, though they are in fact studio headphones and I found them on the street so no complaining from me.

    Earbuds are the way to go for me mostly because I'm used to them and right now I'm not paying $100 for some real headphones that are portable and good quality when I have my perfectly fine earbuds, though it is not out of my mind to consider headphones.
  • edited October 2010
    Made these today. Thoughts: Super comfortable and block out plenty, but best used on earbuds with strong bass.
    Other thoughts over on the blog.
    imageimage
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • The "studio headphones" are really good quality and I now use them for when I practice my drumming, but they are rather uncomfortable and are not at all portable thanks to the long wire, though they are in fact studio headphones and I found them on the street so no complaining from me.
    I use studio headphones as my every-day headphones, they're portable enough if you just fold the cord in half, and tuck it through your belt loop - If you need NO dangle, then you tuck it all the way round though your belt loops into your belt buckle.
  • Or you could just put the cord under your shirt.
  • Or you could just put the cord under your shirt.
    Explain to me how - Unless you're a nebbish or an office drone who wears tucked in button down shirts all the time - how that would actually do anything to help a 3 Meter headphone cable flopping about? I literally cannot picture that in my mind at all.
  • Wrap it around you like a belt?
  • Wrap it around you like a belt?
    Yes, but how do you keep it in place? I see that solution being useful for about three steps before it all falls apart. I think just through the belt loops makes an easier solution, and then all you do is let a loop of the cord through your belt buckle, and you're done.
  • edited October 2010
    Sorry, i should have been more specific. Tuck most of it in pocket with ipod and hold rest tucked away with shirt.
    Post edited by Pegu on
  • Sorry, i should have been more specific. Tuck most of it in pocket with ipod and hold rest tucked away with shirt.
    Oh, that makes sense. It works, But I always found with the really long cables it just ends up tangling, and pulling out of the pocket as you move. Of course, your mileage may(and probably will) vary.
  • Perhaps something like this would work also.
  • edited October 2010
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • Klipsch Image X1s for £15 down from £45.
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  • edited February 2012
    ER-6i are quite easy to take apart.
    http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-hack-an-Etymotic-ER-6iPhone-Headset/
    Think I might mod these onto the cables for a set of earbuds with the remote/mic.
    image
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • Does anyone have a good recommendation for a small, portable headphone amp for use with my laptop and/or iPod? If it's in the form of a sound card that has mic inputs, so much the better.
  • edited February 2012
    Ebay search "USB sound card". USB's 5V .5A can put out some serious power, even the little dongle ones.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • I'm looking to buy some new headphones or earbuds, primarily because I now feel like I'm killing my ears with my current earbuds. I'm willing to drop up to $100 on some headphones or earbuds that...

    1) Reduce outside noise significantly. I ride a public bus to college, so this is top priority.

    2) Stay on my head when I run or ride my bike.

    3) Durable. I expect these to last at least 2 years of heavy use.

    4) I'm no musician or sound specialist, but the sound needs to be better than my earbuds, which is difficult not to beat.

    Any suggestions would be great and much appreciated.
  • If it's for riding a public bus, I'd suggest IEMs with high isolation - something like the Etymotic hf5.
  • I've not gotten a pair of headphones to last 2 years yet, but I had good luck with Sennheiser over the ear headphones drastically reducing the noise of the train I rode to school. It may be worth researching them as an alternative.
  • I've not gotten a pair of headphones to last 2 years yet, but I had good luck with Sennheiser over the ear headphones drastically reducing the noise of the train I rode to school. It may be worth researching them as an alternative.
    I've got a pair of Sennheiser folding travel headphones (not quite over the ear -- they just kinda sit on the ear) with noise cancellation a couple of years back. They do work great on airplanes, despite not being fully ear covering.
  • edited April 2012
    I've got these and they work nicely. I've had them for seven months and they're still working fine. They also come with a two year warranty, so while they may not last that long, you can get them replaced/fixed.
    Post edited by Ruffas on
  • The answer to almost any headphones question is Sennheiser.
  • The answer to almost any headphones question is Sennheiser.
    I love my HD280 Pro. ^_^

  • The wrong answer to almost any headphones question is Sennheiser.
  • These statements have left me indifferent.
  • HD280s are great, but their consumer grade stuff isn't that special as far as I've seen. I think they realized catering to the pro audio crowd doesn't net you that much cash.
  • There is never a simple answer to any brand-based audio hardware question.
  • HD280s are great, but their consumer grade stuff isn't that special as far as I've seen. I think they realized catering to the pro audio crowd doesn't net you that much cash.
    They're certainly pretty bomb-proof. My HD-465s are still going strong after three years of daily use - the only repair nessassary was, in fact, a screw fell out on one side. Which was trivially replaced.

  • On an unrelated note, my Senheiser RS-120's are wearing out and I was looking at Logitech's G35 wired surround headphones which are £80. The wireless version of these, the G930 are £130.
    Then I find the wireless G930s for £80 shipped on Amazon.. US.

    No good, price gouging sons of mothers.
  • My earbuds break so often I go through 4-6 every year. Has anyone tried fixing them after the wire starts wearing out? Is it worth the effort?
  • What kind of earbuds are you using?
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