Good afternoon MT.net. I'm a long time lurker/searcher but obviously haven't been a member very long. I have been around long enough to know that most people here: don't settle for crappy stuff, have pretty valid opinions, like cats, and and seem to have millions of dollars. With that said, I'd like to get your opinions on headphones. I'm going on a 10 hour flight to Brazil soon, and I like to mow my lawn, so obviously I'm looking for good noise isolation. Googling seems to bring up 1000s of different ones and a lot of them have been discontinued. I'm trying to stay around $100 or less. So what say you, what kind do you have and do you like them and why?

 

<p></p><p>Only thing true about MT.net in that post </p>

 

I have a set of Sony MDR-V6 headphones that I'm pretty fond of. They are super cheap for the sound quality you get, and there is a reason the design hasn't changed for years.

Sound isolation isn't anything amazing, but you definitely can't hear anything around you if you're listening to music at a reasonable volume.

 

I've had mine for 4 years in a few days and they sound just as good as when they were new. They haven't broken in any way and i use them every single day. I've even got a tube amp behind them and they take the extra power without any issues at all.

The only thing after 4 years is that a few months ago the covering over the foam is starting to show some wear. and i'll probably just replace them.

Very solid headphone and would recommend over any other "designer" headphone, even the Grados i also own.

 

Fostex T50RP Studio Headphones T50-RP B&H Photo Video

The t50rp can be worn and listened to hours on end. Just get some rubber foam padding to stick on the headband and win at all things audio.

I've used the same set for 8 years of cubicle/office life and have no reason to look elsewhere.

 

Since the OP is looking for something to bring with him on an airplane, and wear while mowing the lawn,I think that an in-ear style is called for.

(Seriously, buy an electric lawnmower. Don't even bother with rechargeables- I had a corded Black & Decker 12 years ago and absolutely loved it. When I sold that house, the lady who bought it insisted that I leave the lawnmower. It was great. Clean, quiet, smooth, never stalled, zero maintenance... I will never buy another gasoline-powered lawncare machine of any kind.)

This model is well-reviewed, and quite inexpensive:

 

I run these:
I have the previous version of them, they are also available a bit cheaper.

I also have the fancy Bose active noise canceling headphones, these:
Comparatively, the bose have way better noise canceling, but sound just ok. The Klipsch sound better to me. Neither is anything close to a pair of Grados in the >500hz range. I use the Bose about 5x more than the Klipshe just because they are super comfy and the noise canceling I really like.

For 100 dollar budget the Klipshe are nice. If you could somehow find the bose headphones in your budget, they're way more comfy and quieter too, and sound wise aren't much worse than the S4's.

 

I have used 30db foam earplugs together with noise cancelling headphones on long flights in the past. The combination is far better than either individually. I have used a couple of different brands (borrowed) and bought a cheap set myself. They all work but some are better with certain frequencies. No recommendation other than do it.

 

What kind of headphones?

I'm an audiophobe sooo hope that means something about quality. I've heard about 100 different pairs of headphones ranging upwards of 300 bucks

With a cable i like the Sony MDRXB950AP/H. Find them on amazon for very cheap.. 30 bucks for a refurbished quality and u get the amazon return policy. These make a boomy bass which i can turn down manually via the equalizer and then they sound amazing.
If you want bluetooth then i'd recommend the Sound Blaster Evo ZX.

 

Sony MDR-V6, and MDR7506 basically the same thing, just tuned different. EVERYTHING you hear, music, tv, movies, were all passed through them at some point before the finished product hits retail. MDR-V6 slightly heavier bass, both have good isolation, can handle all the power you throw at them, barely bleed out, and durable. They are very flat and don't embellish. They come with a parts diagram if you want to replace parts or tinker. MDR7506 currenly on sale at amazon.

Better with a bit of breaking in.

 

<p>&nbsp;</p><p> </p><p>These. Cables are replaceable in case you snag them on something. Made for in-ear monitor use.&nbsp;</p>

 

While I expect it may be a tad more than the OP needs for lawn-moving, I can attest to the quality of the MDR-V6.

They're a pretty common headphone in radio stations and mastering suites, and I have a pair which I bought in 1999 that I still use regularly. The coating on the earpads (which I can best liken in texture to being like the underside of a baby's foot) has completely flaked off, but aside from that they're still going strong.

It should be noted that they have virtually no sound-isolating properties.

Granted, most of what I listen to these days has passed through lossy compression and is being amplified by a cheap class-D IC built into the motherboard of whatever device they're plugged into. I'm not the sort of person who owns a large SACD library and a McIntosh tube amp.

 

I use the LG HBS-800 Bluetooth headset.

Decent sound with music, good sound-blocking (almost as much as foam earplugs), good battery life.

They work well on calls even in the miata top down on the freeway. Callers can understand me.

One feature I really like is the pause, jump back and jump forward buttons which work great for listening to podcasts.

One recent thing I discovered is it really helps me sleep in noisy environments to use these and play the sound of rain using a phone app.

 

Uck, HBS. I've heard the 730s, the 800 and i've also heard fake chinese HBS.. No joke but the fake chinese HBS rip offs sounded better than both of them.

 

730s are total crap. The 800s are way way better.

Did it seem to lack bass? If so the problem is the seal in your ear. You need to pick the right-sized rubber thingy from the bag it comes with. They default to the smallest one, so it's likely loose.

 

I tried it with different ear pieces, the regular and the ones that are like 3 ribs. In both tests they sounded plain. Lacking bass and meh meds.

 

 

I've heard those as well.. They sound pretty good. Almost good enough to match the Evo ZX but twice the price.

 

I love my M50's but I can't imagine wearing them to mow the lawn, or for several hours on an airplane.

For me, both of those uses demand higher priorities for comfort, light weight, and sound isolation.

I have some cheap Amazon bluetooth earbuds with Comply foam tips. Fantastic isolation, reasonable comfort, no wires to hang or catch.

I also have a set of Bose ear buds that are super comfortable (honestly the most comfortable IEM's I've ever used, bar none), have decent sound, and mediocre isolation.

Then I have the M50's for serious listening at home.

And a pair of cheapish Sennheiser over the ear headphones that are fairly lightweight but have good isolation and comfort, and decent sound.

There's a pair of Sony's kicking around somewhere here. And of course various sets of Apple and Android earbuds.

Different tools for different purposes.

 

Thanks for the responses so far. I think I am leaning towards kind that surround the ear. I've had several of the ear buds in the past and they always end up hurting after a couple of hours. I like the idea of ear plugs and noise isolating ear phones for the long plane ride, so thanks for that sixshooter. I'm going to have to gather all of the suggestions and see how they compare on paper. I'm not an audiophile but I'd still like the best bang for the buck.