Headphones for Hackers

I've listened to Grados, various Sennheiser, etc.. and they're all fine. Good even. But there's just one thing I don't get about the "headphone scene".<p>I've done various things as a musician over the last 15 years, and the cans you see EVERYWHERE are the Sony MDR-7506. Period.<p>If it is good enough to mix and master, if it is good enough to monitor professional vocalists in the studio, it is good enough for you! These cans represent the music as it was intended to be heard. (And, subjectively, they sound fantastic.)<p>There seem to sometime be arguments about "reference" vs. enjoyment, and things being "too neutral" in studio cans, but I dunno. The cynical side of it seems (to me) to be a sort of hobby-justification for spending more than $99 on a pair of headphones.<p>Granted, taste matters and comfort matters. But arguments appealing to some kind of vague "quality"--I just don't buy it. The studio spent $50,000 on their mixing board. If they needed to spent $500 (vs. $100) on their cans, they'd do it. But they often don't.

Nothing beats the Sennheiser HD-280 as an awesome pair of hacker headphones. For ~$80 you get terrific sounds, great noise reduction and amazing comfort.<p>I've tried previous iterations of the Bose QC line but I was disappointed by a) the battery requirement, b) the sound quality (poor and muddled by active noise cancellation) and c) the build quality---my pair died after a year and those things never did anything but sit at my desk.<p>I'm going on five years with my HD280s and I don't have a single complaint.<p>edit: I should add that I do end up using my iPod earbuds a lot. I should really buy another set of HD280s for work.

I'm a longtime Head-fi member, first set of workplace cans were HD-280s about 10 years ago. This article is a decent start, but there are many better options in these respective price ranges. Head-fi is there to help - <a href="http://www.head-fi.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.head-fi.org/</a><p>I've moved considerably upmarket over the years and won't talk about the rest of my setup, but my main cans now are Ultrasone Editions 8s. They're very pricey (retail $1500 for the basic model, but you can get them used under $1k if you spend enough time on the Head-fi classifieds). They're considered by many to be the best sounding _closed_ cans out there, and they actually isolate almost as well as good iems. Plus they're very light and comfortable at 260 grams.<p>So yeah, that's quite a bit of money and I am certainly an audiophile. OTOH, I use them an average of 4 hours a day and bought them used, so when the time comes I can sell them at little to no loss. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of my rig and it helps me to do my work, so I consider it a good investment. Same with my Knoll Life Chair. YMMV. I actually made a profit on limited edition headphones in the past, purchased a used pair of Audio-Technica L3000s for $1500 in 2005, sold them for $2000 in 2007. Today they tend to go in the $2500 range.

My god,"hacker" is really used under every circumstances on that website.<p>Next: frying and sauce pans for hackers. Hack your eggs.<p>PS: The only music I listen to while working is the beat of my fingers on the keyboard.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Etymotic. They're earbuds, but they sound pretty great. However, I have heard that to sound their best they need an amp.<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YTTN9I/ref=oh_o06_s00_i00_details" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YTTN9I/ref=oh_o06_s00_i...</a>

I am shocked that the Sony MDR-V6 cans are so low on the list. Those headphones are legendary and there is still none that can top them in the price range (got mine for $65 on Amazon). Sennheiser is great, but I cannot put the 280 over the V6 after having both, and this is coming from a bass head.

This is a bit of a spammy article but I'll throw in my two cents: I want a set of very durable earbuds with microphone. VERY DURABLE. I want the Toughbook of earbuds. I want the cord to look like an orange outdoor extension cord, as thick as my thumb. For some reason earbuds which get stuffed in my bag are always damaged within days, the wires are simply too flimsy. (Yes, I know everyone else has developed elaborate wrapping systems to try to protect their earbuds. I prefer buying more durable ones in the first place.) Anyone make such a thing?

The data sample sizes are too small to draw any real conclusion, but it's pretty obvious what's going on.<p>Audiophiles care about sound quality more than anything, and spend time researching what kind of cans fit their personal listening preferences as well as listening environment. They spend money on headphones because music and audio quality is their passion/hobby.<p>Hackers, for the most part, have more money to spend than the average "consumer", but music and audio quality isn't necessarily their hobby. If those Bose ads are everywhere and the mini-stores are in airports, or if everyone and their mother has "Beats" labeled headphones/earphones, then they're more likely to just spend whatever their budget is on Bose or Beats, because since it's not their passion, they are less likely to research.<p>So we end up with hackers paying more for worse listening experiences than audiophiles. I bet car enthusiasts get a better deal on buying used cars than audiophiles. And chefs pick out better produce than car enthusiasts.<p>Is this really interesting?

If you're thinking about getting those grados be forewarned they have huge noise bleed that your coworkers are not going to appreciate. They sound fantastic and are really reasonably priced but I leave mine at home for hacking in solitary only.

Some relatively inexpensive headphones that many folks on Head-Fi speak highly of:<p>Samson SR850 (very similar to/rebadge of Superlux HD668B): widely available for $50 - $60 (Superlux equivalent worth look at too: <a href="http://www.head-fi.org/t/546556/superlux-express-train" rel="nofollow">http://www.head-fi.org/t/546556/superlux-express-train</a>)<p>Sony MDR-V6: $70 - $80<p>JVC HA RX700: $37 at Amazon<p>If you want to spend more, the ATH M50's are widely considered great "bang for the buck" at approximately $160.<p>(all prices US$)

I must be in the minority but I never found the huge cans to be comfortable. The weight becomes annoying, and they cause my ears to get warm and sweaty after extended wear. Earbuds are alright, but they never fit in my ears properly and fall out too easily. I don't particularly fancy full-on in-ear headphones either.<p>I finally settled on using the Sennheiser PX-200 II headphones: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX-200-II-Headphones/dp/B002VPDOHS/ref=dp_ob_title_ce" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX-200-II-Headphones/dp/B00...</a><p>They have good sound isolation, are extremely light, and very comfortable to wear for long periods. The volume dial on the cord is a nice added bonus as well.

I've been exceptionally happy with the "Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO" ($179). It has lovely padded ear cups and I wear it all day. With the sound off, it even acts as reasonable ear muffs helping to reduce distractions. The sound is great for classical and operatic works. A disclaimer -- I'm not an audiophile.

Is Sennheiser really that hard to spell? Quick Germanic spelling tip - if it sounds like "eye" it's "-ei-", if it sounds like "ee" it's "-ie". So the last letter of the pair is the phonetic sound it makes.

The best headphones for the price in my opinion are the Sennheiser HD 555's. They are by far the most comfortable affordable headphone. Although they are open, which means they let sounds in and out easily. But closed headphones are not usually comfortable for hours of wearing. I have the Denon 5000's, and probably use the HD 555's more often.<p>Don't buy Bose headphones. They are not worth the money.

My $0.02. The Bose QuietComfort 15 (over-the-ear, closed, noise canceling) are fantastic to code with. With no audio playing, low bassy sounds are entirely cancelled out unless extremely loud. Highs are reduced in volume, but still come through. Add earplugs and the highs almost go away too. Lastly, turn on some music or pink noise and you're not going to hear a thing.

I am somewhat of an audiophile (sound engineer for various bands, musician, etc) and have really come to love a few different headphones for different reasons.<p>Right now I have a small array of headphones:<p>While mixing for bands I use AKG K171's<p>While walking around town, I use my AKG Q460's<p>At the gym I use Bose Triport In Ears (forget the model #)<p>At work (in the office) I use my Q460's, but plan to upgrade eventually to Audeze or Ultrasones.<p>At work (at home) I use my AKG Q701's.<p>There is a lot of variation in the sound, but my philosophy is this: 1) general listening, use any over-ear, closed-back phones that sound good with an iPod. 2) Mixing, you need something with great isolation, but never buy "noise-cancelling". 3) If you're alone and don't want to bother neighbors, a good pair of open-back cans will give you amazing sound and a ridiculous sound stage. 4) Gym, just something comfortable and decent sounding. 5) At the office, good sound, closed back for minimal bleed.<p>Keep in mind for many of the higher end cans you'll need a good amp and DAC to get the most out of them.

I've found a so-far lasting zen with the Sony MW600 headphones.<p>They're quite a bit different. In ear noise isolating. Surprisingly comfortable.<p>They are bluetooth headphones. 12 hours talk time. Doubles as a headset and FM radio.<p>I pair my laptop to them and listen music. When a phone call comes in the MW600 automatically switched to the phone for me to answer. When I get off the phone, sound is back to the computer and I can work again.<p>It. just. seems. to. work.<p>I can wear the headphones all day and walk around without having to unplug when I get up or leave.<p>The best part is the small things<p>1) one less cord to dangle to the computer and get in the way when I'm typing. One less cord to plug in my ear for a headset.<p>2) Don't like the headphones? no big deal, unplug the sony headphones from the dongle and plug in any ones you like and enjoy the bluetooth audioness of it all. Works fine with both my iPhone and Android.<p>3) $45.<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Ericsson-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headset/dp/B003DQ1DCM" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Ericsson-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headset...</a>

I've got a pair of Sennheiser HD-25 SP-II headphones (they are monitor headphones and spend a fair amount of time whacked into the front of a Korg Trinity). I paid 30 GBP for them in 2004. I've replaced the cable once for 20GBP after repeatedly running over it with a desk chair for 5 years and replaced the earpads once for about 10GBP.<p>I would not swap them for anything.<p>They run rings around headphones which are 5-10x the cost. Rumor has it they piss on 1KGBP headphones. They sound much better than HD280s as well (I've had some as well). The frequency response is pretty much 100% linear. They are very comfortable. They block out pretty much everything. Most importantly you just cannot hear any static/noise on them at all.<p>They are godlike.<p>Unfortunately they change hands for a hell of a lot of money now otherwise I'd grab another pair :(

I'll add myself as a data point:<p>When at the Picplum office: Sennheiser HD-650's ( <a href="http://paulstamatiou.com/sennheiser-hd-650-headphones" rel="nofollow">http://paulstamatiou.com/sennheiser-hd-650-headphones</a> ) hooked up to a FiiO E10 USB DAC. My cofounder has HD-555's hooked up to a (much more expensive) Peachtree Audio Nova amp. These HD's are open air so you can definitely hear what we're both listening to. We might have to switch to closed once we start growing the team so we dont annoy others.<p>As for when I'm on the go, I have Etymotic hf3 earbuds with comply P-series foam tips. These sit very deep in the ear for maximum isolation though they can be uncomfortable to those not used to this style of earbud. You must also change the foam out every 3 months for a good fit.

I use ATH-M50 when directly driven by a non-amp, Sennheiser HD600 when home alone, and Beyerdynamic DT770 or DT770Pro (250 Ohm) when amped, or for pro-audio. I really dislike the "standard" Sony MDR-7506 due to the earcup material; the Beyerdynamics feel a lot better to me, but the Sonys fold a lot better.<p>I use Etymotics ER4S at the gym or when shooting (or on helicopters), and Ultimate Ears 10vi for portable, airplane, etc. use. I think the etymotics seal better in the ear, plus they are lower profile, so I can wear them underneath either a passive earmuff hearing protector, a set of Pro-Ears Pro Tacs, or an aviation headset (usually just in one ear, so I can listen to the vehicle audio too).

If they really wanted to indulge in bullshit science they should've correlated headphone brand and model to exit valuation.<p>Heroku should have a badge in their footer 'powered by Beyerdynamic'

They seem to have missed out on Pioneer cans ...<p>I have the Pioneer SE-MJ71 steel wheel series headphones. I've used Pioneer headphones for a long time as a DJ, they have excellent response and range and for daily wear work perfectly. One thing I have noticed is that when I am wearing them while working that you need to pump very little volume into them (slide the volume slider all the way down) to get large and expressive sound. I've thought about getting an external volume control in line with the 3.5mm to be able to control it even better.<p>At home I also have an older Sennheiser headset that I don't use nearly as much anymore because the foam has deteriorated so bad that the plastic casing is pressing into my head when I have them on (which frankly is uncomfortable). I've wanted to get a replacement for a while. The one thing I absolutely love about the Sennheiser cans is that they came with a REALLY long headphone wire, and can be unplugged from the headphones and from the computer (So when I've accidentally stepped on the cord or spin around in my chair I don't send stuff flying!). They have gone through years of use, I've had them since I was 12... I am now 25. If I could get new foam pads for it I would do so in a heartbeat.

I tried out the "audiophile" headphones by Grado on display at a neat little audio store near MIT[1].<p>While the sound quality was phenomenal, they were really loud <i>outside</i> the headphones, meaning I wouldn't be able to wear them at a quiet workspace. Does anyone know if other audiophile headphones have that issue?<p>[1] <a href="http://www.qaudio.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.qaudio.com/</a>

I have a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones at work and a pair of Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones at home. I love the sound of both (and neither have broken yet), but the Sonys are far more comfortable. The problems with the Sennheisers is that they are very, very snug, and the top padding presses down into my a head a bit.

Audio-Technica ATH M50 is one of the best closed headphone. ~$150

&#62; Surprisingly, almost no one wears their headphones all the time while coding.<p>The author should try reading Peopleware. Here's an excerpt from Chapter "Bring Back the Door":<p>"In response to worker's gripes about noise, you can either treat the symptom or treat the cause. Treating the cause mean choosing isolation in the form of noise barriers -- walls and doors -- and these cost money. Treating the symptom is much cheaper. When you install Muzak or some other form of pink noise, the disruptive noise is drowned out at small expense. You can save even more money by ignoring the problem altogether so that people have to resort to tape recorders and earphones to protect themselves from the noise. If you take either of these approaches, you should expect to incur an invisible penalty in one aspect of worker's performance: They will be less creative."

Any debate about the quality of various headphones is pointless, as Priceonomics has already indisputably answered that question among the models listed.<p>If you remember back to their post about phone price deprecation (<a href="http://priceonomics.com/phones/#cell-phone-depreciation" rel="nofollow">http://priceonomics.com/phones/#cell-phone-depreciation</a>), you might recall their statement that, "... we firmly believe that resale value is the best objective indicator of product quality." In this current article, they state that "... the popular Bose QuietComfort 15 stood out as having the best resale value."<p>There you have it: incontrovertible proof that the Bose QuietComfort 15 is the highest quality headphones in the sample set.

I find that often when I wear headphones, it makes the noise of co-workers more annoying. Without the headphones, I can hear distracting conversations, but I also hear other assorted office sounds, and the wind outside.<p>With the headphones, I hear music, but I can still hear some of the conversations, but none of the other noise.<p>Since the conversation doesn't fit in with the music, and I'm missing the other office noises that at least make me subconsciously think of the conversation as background office noise, it ends up forcing itself to my attention more than when I'm not wearing the headphones.<p>Anyone know if active noise canceling headphones would help much? I've read that they don't do that well on canceling conversation.

What about headsets (with an integrated microphone)?<p>Do many hackers (in startups or elsewhere) not need a mic? My use case is usually gaming but use cases like remote collaboration, calling people with a VOIP solution, recording voice for use as sound assets all seem like they would be common enough use cases.<p>Do most of us prefer separate solutions like a webcam integrated or desktop mic?<p>If not, what headsets are good? I've been getting by on relatively cheap headsets but the cords almost always fray and need replaced inside of year. I'm reluctant to spend more than $100 on a 'high quality' set like the 'Sennheiser PC 360' without experiencing them directly, but the reviews help. What are the good options out there?

Bose QC-15 at home. They're great for over ear headphones, I wear glasses and they are not uncomfortable at all even after hours of wearing.<p>A set of apple in ear buds that I leave at work.

Let me put in a word for the MB Quart QP805HS. I bought one off of eBay on a lark for $80, and when I got it I was absolutely blown away by the sound -- it beat the pants off my Sennheiser HD-590.<p>The QP805 is a closed-back design, and despite the 300Ω rating, plays just fine off a laptop or iPod. It's reasonably comfortable, with good isolation.<p>They show up on eBay from time to time (I see a couple there now). If you want amazing sound for less than $100, I don't know anything better.

The Pioneer HDJ headphones (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-HDJ-2000-Reference-Professional-Headphones/dp/B001LQXYKK" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-HDJ-2000-Reference-Professiona...</a>) rock, as well as the less pricey Audio Technica ATH M50s (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Mo...</a>).

I have a variety of ear buds and cans from AKG. However when I need real silence, it's not good enough. And simply turning up the volume can be damaging to your hearing.<p>So get a set of proper ear muffs, they are not expensive. I use HL Leightning's (<a href="http://www.howardleight.com/ear-muffs/leightning" rel="nofollow">http://www.howardleight.com/ear-muffs/leightning</a>) in combination with ear buds on low volume. The world could end and you wouldn't notice it.

I can't believe no one has mentioned Plantronics and their model 995H. They are wireless, double as a mic, have great sound quality and have controls for audio playback. $100 at the official site and I'm sure cheaper somewhere else.<p>I spent some serious time researching this topic last year and for the money this set was by far the best option. For the money, they are the best.<p>Wireless with built-in mic wins FTW. They aren't a set for audiophiles but the sound quality is excellent.

I went through a search for quality headphones that can also work for Skype calls a while back. I ended up going with what is marketed as a gaming headset. While I'm not a gamer, I've found the SteelSeries Siberia V2 to be pretty great.<p>The pull-out mic is by far my favorite feature.<p><a href="http://steelseries.com/products/audio/steelseries-siberia-v2" rel="nofollow">http://steelseries.com/products/audio/steelseries-siberia-v2</a>

I really love my Bose AE2s -- as far as I can tell, they're QC15-esque minus the active noise canceling, and they sound quite excellent.<p>Main reason I bought them though was comfort. It seems that there are very few pairs of headphones that don't make my ears ache after a few minutes. The AE2s are the only headphones I've ever used that feel perfect on my ears. (Granted, I haven't tried on many $100+ pair...)

&#60;bunch of text eaten by HN's silly link expiry mechanism&#62;<p>Used to have Bose noise canceling. Worked well but was too bulky. Plus flight attendants wised up.<p>&#60;/bunch&#62;<p>I have since switched to an Etymotic Research ER6i. Lightweight, in ear and works pretty well at muffling outside noise. Now if having something in your ear bothers you, these won't work. Else definitely give them a spin.<p>tl;dr Bose before. ER 6i now. Like them. Recommended.

“Even when I'm not listening to music, people don't bother me when I'm wearing them.”<p>I've never found this to be true. In fact, I find it less annoying if I don't bother wearing them and deal with the interruptions rather than put mine on and have someone come up to my desk every 10 minutes.<p>That being said, the article is spot on. The only way to get into flow in an open office situation is to minimize ambient noise.

Coincidentally, I just went out today and bought a pair of Bose QC 15's at lunchtime after someone from our customer service department was moved into the next cubicle. You can imagine the constant chatting.<p>These phones worked surprisingly well for blocking human voices, which is something that they weren't designed for and are not known for.<p>Add a little low-level music and I was in my own little world.

A friend of mine did a mid-range headphone review a while ago that was pretty informative. Note that he's critiquing as a musician and using these for mixing, but the advice should work for listeners as well: <a href="http://istolarsky.tumblr.com/post/8308373256/headphones" rel="nofollow">http://istolarsky.tumblr.com/post/8308373256/headphones</a>

Sennheisers were standard issue at Google for a long time, I wonder if we could normalize by the number of Google hackers.

I'm surprised to see Klipsch do so poorly. Their Image X10s are my favorite earbuds of all time, especially for classical.

Sennheiser's are too open air for the workplace imo, I keep those for home. At work I prefer high quality earbuds such as SE530's (Shure) since they're passive noise isolation which blocks out literally every sound there is in the office. I hate active noise canceling so noise isolation is the best!

Apple In-Ear Headphones are actually pretty good for the price. I can leave them in all day without discomfort. They come with 3 sizes of silicon/rubber ear pieces. <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/in-ear-headphones/" rel="nofollow">http://www.apple.com/ipod/in-ear-headphones/</a>

Their survey doesn't let me select Yamaha as a brand. For years I've mixed with Yamaha RH5Ma headphones, so I've grown a soft spot for them. Most consider them a bit harsh like NS10s, but I find most professional recordings to be to warm and need harshing up.

Again it depends with the type of head phones that you want. whether noice cancelling, sports headphones, HIFI head phones. Think about Audio Technica ATH-AD700 for hackers. Its rely pocket frendly and offers a natural listening experience mmmmmhhhhhh........

I swear by Sennheiser CX-300s - they are cheap, easily replaceable and work very well for my non-discerning ears.<p>Plenty of bass (compared to Apple earbuds at the very least) and shut out all exterior noise to the point of being dangerously approached from behind while working.

I'm happy with my trusty Nokia BH-503 Bluetooth stereo headphones - I could never go back to wired ones, unless I really need high fidelity. Wish there was more choice on the market, though - Bluetooth headphones are really under-appreciated...

I really like my Technics RP-DJ1200's. They sound just as good as the mid-range Senheisers, but they don't break when you forget that you have them on and walk across the room. And they fold up so that they don't take up much space in my bag.

The use of headphones implies I'm listening to something while working, which most of the cases is actually very disruptive to me. I like my $1 earplugs which allow me to work and learn in perfect quiet and focus on the task at hand.

Cans are too uncomfortable for me and I don't like the Apple ear buds. I like ear buds with the rubber piece that forms to your ear hole, without it a lot of low-end is lost and everyone around you hears the high-end.

I actually prefer the logitech g930 headphones for working. They provide "good enough" sound and an excellent mic for the times that I need to be on the phone with customers or in a voice chat with a remote co worker.

The Wirecutter is an excellent no-nonsense website to use for purchasing suggestions: <a href="http://thewirecutter.com/leaderboard/headphones" rel="nofollow">http://thewirecutter.com/leaderboard/headphones</a>.

I got a pair of Fostex T50RP headphones. Very balanced, extremely durable, mostly closed $80-100 and if your willing to modify them, they can create very good sound. Out of the box they are fairly decent too.

<a href="http://www.playderecord.com/images/P/sonymdr7506.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.playderecord.com/images/P/sonymdr7506.jpg</a> <i>This</i> is the best headphone ever made. I've 3 of those.

And if you're spending big money on good cans... buy an amp. You'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm running a NuForce Icon with Senn HD650s (a Woo WA6 on the way, yes!). Definitely the way forward.

general advice: be sure to give any pair of headphones a test drive before making the purchase. you should be able to find a wide range of headphones at a local sound specialty store or local distribution center.<p>i'm currently using the denon ah-d2000's while programming. if comfort is a high priority for you, i highly recommend you check them out.<p>however, even though these denons have the perfect balance of comfort, noise isolation, and sound clarity for ME, make sure you choose a pair that is right for YOU.

This <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-CX-400-II-Precision/dp/B001EZWO5O" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-CX-400-II-Precision/dp/B0...</a><p>The one and only!

Plantronics GameCom 377 headphones are inexpensive and are comfortable for my big head. I'll never, ever buy anything other than open-ear headphones again.

AKG all the way.

I'm a big fan of the AiAiAi TMA-1. Sound great, look great... and solid as a rock.

I've been using my Audio-Technica ATH-M35's for a few years now and love them.

Sennheiser HD 595s or Audio Technica 900s (if open air is an option).

IEM vs OEM?

I would punch a coworker that was using Grado SR-80s or Sennheiser 555s or anything open at work, as they leak so much sound and not everybody sitting near you wants to hear your music. Keep those at home. I'm surprised the SR-80s scored so well!<p>I love the Beyerdynamic DT-770 personally. Closed ear, comfy, great sound.

My workplace has become absolutely impossible without headphones, so I recently went on a search for something better than what I had on hand, and ended up with three pairs. Specifically I wanted closed 'phones so that I don't drive my coworkers as insane as they drive me, but I didn't want noise cancellation.<p>* Shure SRH-640. Amazing sound, but a bit heavy and annoyingly prone to creak every time I move my head a millimeter. I keep these at home for light use.<p>* Beyerdynamic DT-235. By far the tinniest sound of the three, light and comfortable for short period, but boy do they make my ears feel hot after a while. I might start taking them on planes; otherwise I don't use them.<p>* KRK KNS-8400. A noticeable step below the Shures in quality, but still better e.g. than the HD-280 which I've also tried. No creaking and <i>comfortable</i> even for long-term wear. These are my every-day phones at work, even though the extra-wide headband does look kind of goofy.<p>I'm no audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but even I can tell that some of the popular brands are absolute crap. It's too bad more people haven't heard of brands like Beyerdynamic and KRK, because they actually do make much better-sounding 'phones at prices that any geek should consider quite reasonable.<p>For a real geeky good time, go to <a href="http://www.headphone.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.headphone.com</a> (no relationship except that I bought the Beyerdynamic and KRK from them) to check out the frequency response curves and such.

Be careful if you buy beats from dre on Ebay or Amazon. They are one of the most counterfeited product out there. Probably because the ROI is so high.

Ive been using a pair of broken samsung earphones for a month or two. Only one earphone works and the other is completely crushed but hey it does the job... sort of.