Best headphones $75 or under?

Depending on who you are, on-ear headphones can be painful to use. Hint: people that have large ears. I can't use on-ears whatsoever for more than 15 minutes. Just putting that out there. Not saying they are bad headphones (the Koss) but they won't work for everyone.

 

These sound great and don't break; super-cheap to boot :

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-HP...568309994&sprefix=behringer+he,aps,288&sr=8-1

 

I've been using the Koss KPH30ik for a few days and overall I like them. Like the PortaPros I can wear them for a while without discomfort. The sound is a bit flatter (to my ears) than the PortaPros so that I don't need to do an equalizer adjustment. With the PortaPros I'd do a minor reduction of the bass and a minor increase in the treble to adjust them to my liking, but it's not needed with the KPH30ik. While I can't fold them for transport when not in use, they are small enough to fit in the plastic case (an Essentials by Artburn plastic case that measures from the outside 6.75" by 7.25" by 2.5") I use to carry them and my player.

 

I had this issue (and previously mentioned it) with the Sony MDR-V6 (they became extremely painful after wearing them for about 30 minutes). It's nothing wrong with the headphones themselves, but due to the size of my ears I just can't wear them. In fact, this is the reason I no longer consider any pair over-ear headphones. For me, they all tend to be uncomfortable.

However, I've found that on-ear headphones work fine for me. For the most part, I can wear all of them for long periods of time without discomfort and there are many that offer very good sound quality and the often aren't extremely expensive.

I've tried in-ear headphones, but for the most part they tend to sound very thin to me. As an example, I used to use the Sony Ear Clips and thought they sounded good...until I tried on a set of Koss PortaPros. I was surprised how thin the Ear Clips sounded. Plus, with in-ear headphones I'm concerned about them falling out of my ears (this never happened with the Ear Clips, if the cord got caught on something the player would go flying before the Ear Clips would come out of my ears).

 

Comfort is a very personal thing. RE: the MDR-V6, I use aftermarket pads on them and can wear them for hours without issue. I don't like the stock pads much.

 

I like the Bose ear buds they have worked well for me but I have to admit I really don’t use any as of lately

 

I've been considering getting much-thicker replacement pads, but due to how satisfied I am with my current headphones I will probably just continue to use them and pass on the MDR-V6 to someone who can enjoy them.

 

Just the opposite for me. I have several sets of IEMs, and they all provide more bass than the KPH-30i. And all but one pair cost less than the Koss.

 

i have 2 pairs of Flats. they sound really good and are lightweight and inexpensive. The build is not robust, so one pair of mine broke and are held together with tape. But still, for the price, they're quite nice.

 

I am also a big fan of the Koss KSC75's, and I also got a pair of the KTXPro1's, which I understand have the same driver but a pretty nice headband design. Similar price to the KSC75s as well.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007056H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Sennhieser HD 203 ain't too bad. I have about 100 hours of use on my pair. That said, others here have a lot more experience than I, and I use the 203's for recording, though in the past I have used them for general listening. I recently bought a couple pairs in the $200 range for more serious listening, to go with my also recently purchased headphone amp system.
Sennheiser HD 203

 

I use JM Lab headphones from Walmart, 30 bones. Sound great, tuff as nails ( use em at work) and last two days ( rockin) on one charge. I’ll go away now

 

I had a similar pair of Senns several years back, different model number, priced maybe a few bucks higher. The issue I had with them was comfort. They fall between an on ear and an over ear and I could never wear them for extended periods of time without ear pain. The sound was mostly good though if I was using them today I'd probably create a custom EQ (I have one for my MDR-V6) to flatten out the response a bit if necessary. From memory they had a bit of scooped mid thing going on.

 

oh wow. same driver??? If so, them's the ones to get.

 

Koss headphones have a lifetime warranty.

 

To be honest, I'm a little confused about which have exactly the same driver. I've read that these have the same as the PortaPro and the KSC35, which seems to imply better than the KSC75. But then why aren't these more popular? On paper they sound like PortaPros with better headband.

I've never owned PortaPros or KSC35, but I have had many KSC75s and I think these sound as good.

 

Koss PortaPros, but save up a little more and get Grado SR80es, they're worth it.

 

I never wore them more than 3 hours, and mostly during recording. when my mind was focused in multiple places, aside from comfort. Comfort was never an issue in my case. They do sound clear and you can easily decipher all the instruments, which is pretty good for mixing. They may be a bit bright, but yet with decent low end, which does equate maybe to being scooped. That said, I never had to redo anything in regards to mid emphasis or lack there of from headphone mixing.
That said, I usually mix with my studio monitors which IMO have a similar sound signature.

 

@Solitaire1 - Which is more successful...can you compare it?..jvc has160 or koss Koss KTXPRO1

 

Behringer HPM-1000 :

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-HP...&sr=8-3&swrs=BE4DD0F530A39DACE80741657EEB1580

 

Audio Technica ATH-M30x for closed backs. Superlux HD 681 EVO for semi-open backs. Grado SR60e, ATH-AD500X, or Phillips SHP9500 for open backs.

 

The Koss Porta-Pros were my first "good" headphones, an upgrade over the stock headphones that came with my early-'80s Toshiba portable cassette player. A plastic piece on the headband broke on those in the early '90s, and it was decades until I bought another pair, foolish me. It boggles my mind that they're still around and still sound so good at such a low price, I have two pair (thought I'd lost one, bought another, then found the first), and I listen to them regularly.

 

Audio-Technica ATH-M40x by a country mile. You can find them for $80 if you look hard enough.

 

I think both the JVC Flats and the Koss PortaPros sound pretty good, especially for the money. Of the two, I give the edge to the Koss PortaPros when it comes to sound quality. I use the basic Koss PortaPros, not the ones with the in-line remote.

 

I've got a pair of AKG K92's. They aren't bad. I use them mainly to listen to tv and films late at night. Not a patch on my Grado SR325e's though...