The Hellacious “best headphones under $100” Thread

[che]

where did you buy those tips blackstar?? i could do with buying a box of them.

also, i'm taking a trip to china soon to visit friends, what goodies could i buy cheap in china? i'm talking quality earphones and mini amps now?

any suggestions folks

[Vizz]

Thanks for the advice.

Amazon had too good of a deal to pass up on the E2c so I picked them up. But I am thinking of getting the MylarX3 for my brother who so far has only had experience with ipod earbuds. But if durability is an issue, I may have to rethink the Mylars.

about the durability issue.. i think there is no prob if u order from jaben..
they do provide vy good service.. i alr rma my x3 for 2times..
n jux send a email to them.. they will replace 4 u..

btw.. new series of mylar is coming out.. Xbi & X3i..
heard they will b more refined sound..

[munoi]

Hi I was looking into getting a new pair of canal phones/iems. As of right now Blackstars's initial recommendations i.e. the Audio Technica ATH-CK7, Etymotic ER-6i, Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3, and the Mylar X3s are reasonably priced in the same range of 60-70. Which one of these is the "better" sounding headphone.

Thanks

[Blackstar]

@che

I bought those from headphonic (www.headphones.com.au), dont expect them to be cheap though, one bag costs 40AUD

@ Vizz
They look interesting, a more compact design where the nozzle doesnt protrude as much.

@above
I can't tell you what is "better" everyone has a different definition of good sounding audio. However you can make a start on asking yourself what type of music you listen to and what you prefer in music.

In general:

All rounder -> Super.fi.3, Mylar3 (Super.fi.3 is significantly more durable)

Treble -> Either CK7 or ER6i (I recommend to CK7 over the er6i as I find the CK7 to be more balanced than the ER6i ie. it has more bass and a lush midrange whilst retaining high end resolution)

Bass -> I wouldnt consider either of those canalphones/iems as bassy, but from that list choose anything besides the er6.

[monitorhead]

i use these.




SONY
MDR-V150.. 20 bucks.


good bass, nice to ignore people with.
for some reason earbuds don't like my ears.. and i have
issues with walking with headphones on in public..
for some strange reason, it's too much for me to be listening
to some form of music while peripherally listening to outside noises.
one or the other.. yeah. i'm wierd..

[Blackstar]

lol, headphones for ignoring people :P I have a pair that look like that, Sony MDR-7502. Some guy was wearing IEMs in every maths lecture and still managed to do quite well, I wonder how that works?

[Owanneke]

Yes, but what about the quality of the included PT850 phones?

Are they any good?
What other phones are better?

[4ki]

Here comes a new challenger!!! /street fighter

MylarOne X3i, XBi. Said to have better control in the low-end, something that some fans have complained about. Former's going for $70, not sure about the latter. I'm very interested in these, because my current super.fi 3's lack warmth even with foamies. Still good IEMs, though.

JBL Reference 220: Said to top CX-300s and the EP-630s at the same price, without the harshness of the highs while keeping the bass levels.

YUIN PK3/PK2: Cheaper than the PK1, and the PK3s that I own are on-par to a pair of PX100s/KSC75s in sound quality. For budget buyers who want GOOD earbuds, they're as good as gold. They even have some soundstaging, which is somewhat unmentioned at head-fi.

Hur. The full-size cans will be hard to judge ;-)
There are quite a few under $100 at amazon even if the retail is more than that. Like the Sennheiser HD555s, or the Equation RP-21s. Anyways, great that you added picks; it only gets better :-0

[Seal8]

Hi all, I just purchased the Sennheiser PX100 for under $30 US at Amazon.com. These are very comfortable headphones and produce great sound. I think I got a good deal and am very happy with them. I've read that it takes a while to break them in and that sound quality improves over time. (Within a month of use) Google for reviews and you decide.
Merry Xmas!

[4ki]

^they're solid phones, but don't need a month to break-in. Just play some white/pink-noise (or some radio static in a pinch) at a slightly lower volume than you'd listen at, and let it play for a good 10-20 hours. This usually takes the edge off of any highs and tames/tightens bass for most phones on the onset, and makes it a bit more enjoyable overall.

YUIN is apparently releasing IEMs next year, too. Rumor has it that they have the widest soundstage of any IEM heard; not untrue so far with their earbuds. I'm interested to see how they will develop.

[Blackstar]

interesting... YUIN IEMs if anything like their earbud counterparts should be of high audio quality. Let's just hope they use a proper designer for these IEMs :D

[4ki]

Heh, funny you should mention that, Fang (the U.S. distributer) mocked up a prototype on head-fi and it looked like someone glued a tiny pvc pipe to the end of a PK1 earbud, and stuck a silicone eartip on it (really, that's what it looked like).

Honestly, I don't even care how it will look; just as long as it doesn't stick out and draw the crowd like Frankenstein on a bad amish night. Funny thing is, he's kept mum about it despite having showcased it as the "G1" at an audio meet in New York.

I'm really crossing my fingers on this one. It will be another big win, with dynamic earphones over armature...

[Blackstar]

lol, I care how an earphone looks, it must be sexy!! :D , But I do agree that if its small and people won't be able to see it, then looks don't really matter. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens with these YUIN IEMs.

[Blackstar]

Updated 6/6/08

Finally had time to edit my posts. All image links have been fixed and 2 new in-ears have been added, Although I don't have time to write up a section on them yet.

Enjoy!

[ri_toast]

blackstar great post/list and reviews! nothing makes music better than proper fit with the right cans. ever consider ear molds for the shures?

interesting item from jvc called ha-fx66. one rubber fits in the ear canal and another at the entrance. the fit is good for an active person; they barely budge and come with foams as well. very easy to drive and inexpensive. if you get a chance to listen do it.

[Blackstar]

ahh, custom ear molds... I do have the UE-10 pros and those have custom molds, but I havent tried molds for the shures due to me being lazy to get my ears molded and then having to wait for the molds to arrive. As with any in-ear though, I can only imagine that a better fit = better sound =). However, the molds do not come cheap due to their customised design, whether they are worth the money or not depends on the listener

I personally have not heard any jvc canalphone myself, but if you are willing to write up a small section on it, i'd be glad to add it to my list and give you credit for it

[MeiVincible]

ahh, custom ear molds... I do have the UE-10 pros and those have custom molds, but I havent tried molds for the shures due to me being lazy to get my ears molded and then having to wait for the molds to arrive. As with any in-ear though, I can only imagine that a better fit = better sound =). However, the molds do not come cheap due to their customised design, whether they are worth the money or not depends on the listener

I personally have not heard any jvc canalphone myself, but if you are willing to write up a small section on it, i'd be glad to add it to my list and give you credit for it

Do you really have the UE-10? Do have the UE-11 too?
I can't imaging you have money for all that stuff.
You gonna really to be very hard to beat with all those gadgets in your signature.
Blackstar, there are simple nearly nothing better out there! unfortunately what I know.
Sorry, but I couldn't stand to ask.

[Blackstar]

No i do not have the UE-11 and no I don't have unlimited money

I am but a mere enthusiast when it comes to audio, Still looking for the "best" equipment that will give me heaven in terms of audio quality. Nearly there, but part of me wants more, which is why I spend an ever increasing amount on audio equipment.

Why? I blame it on head-fi. That bastard site is what got me into headphones and expensive stuff. When I was young, I was pretty satisfied with stock buds with my sony minidisc. Then I ventured into head-fi and omg.. thats one wierd looking headphone. Then theres the fanatics who are using terms and equipment I've never heard of.

So.... in order to see just how much better audio can get, i decided to take a small plunge and order a higher end headphone, a pair of Grado's. And its probably from there that my "enthusiasm" took off.

I have expensive headphones, but theres still things that are much more expensive than mine. All waiting to be bought, after I earn more money lol.

[MeiVincible]

Good post. Well I see there is still a chance to beat you on custom ear molds. Phew lol
My pocket has limits too, trust me.
Custom ear molds (UE-11) is fully out of my range, still if I might have good chances to get them. Even they were going for half price they will still be too much.
But still I am tired buying lots of cheap earphones, because I can't find one who sound awesome and have good build quality too.

Personally I go for Triple.fi 10 Pro and SE530 and if I decide not to pay that much I will go for the ER-4P

But sadly neither one of them is on your posts. So I have decide making my own guide around here soon.
Defiantly for beginners who maybe wants to be an enthusiast like you. I will take care of that area above 100 $. Just want to say you now get competition.
anyway great job blackstar!

[Blackstar]

haha, a thread dedicated to enthusiast earphones would be great

The ER-4P have lots of resolution and detail, but the bass was a little thin for my tastes, which made it seem a little off balance, but they are great for the price you pay.

The TF10 on the other hand have much more bass and a much wider soundstage (widest of any IEM i have ever heard so far) so the TF10 sounds less fatiguing and more enjoyable than the ER-4P in many ways, although does cost more.

Some people on head-fi actually don't buy so many earphones and headphones like me though. They might buy something, get experience on that. Sell it off then buy another high end earphone etc etc. The process is repeated till they get something they are happy with. A variety of methods to try a large range of phones'.

Either way, certainly looking forward to your thread on high end earphones good luck with it!