After realising that my Karma sounded weird because I was going down with a cold/cough thing I decided to start again with the headphone quest now that my ears have cleared.

I have some Sony MDR-EX71SL in-ear headphones, they sound great but hurt my ears after about 30 minutes of use. I also have some Senn HD590's, while the Karma does a good job or driving them compared to my Sony portable Discman for example, they are not good for portable use and lack in bass when used with the Karma.

So I need some new headphones. I have just tried out the Bose Triports and was very disapointed, they feel cheap and again lack bass. For £120 I expected much more from Bose.

Rob mentioned he used Sennheiser HD25's, I have these on my list to look at next weekend then I'm in London. Can anybody reccomend any that I might want to try out ??? They have to be overear, not on ear. I've got a big head and on ear phones hurt my ears after about 5 minutes

Cheers

Cris.

I refuse to use anything other than closed-body, and I have some Sony MDR-V6s I like (but am scared to travel with lest I break them). If you can deal with closed body, I recommend them, if you can't, I have no relevant experience.

Yea, I'm deff. going for closed back, I hate sitting next to someone who is leaking sound all over the place so I would hate to become one myself

If I wear my HD590 outside I can hear far too much background noise for my liking.

Cheers

Cris.

They're not very portable, but I have a pair of Sennheiser HD580's that sound great. They're open air, around-ear. They are not inexpensive.

Link

-Zeke

I have some Sony MDR-EX71SL in-ear headphones, they sound great but hurt my ears after about 30 minutes of use.

You're talking about the Fontopias with the rubber gaskets?

I found that if my ears hurt, it was because I was trying to shove them in there and seal them too tight. They work fine if you insert them gently and then just let them lay there (instead of fiddling with them over and over again, which is the urge I got when I first bought them).

Being a big butch bloke I'm used to picking XXL in everything, clothes, shoes, steaks and headphone gaskets But with the Sony's I have to use the smallest set and they are still a little too big.

I don't force them in, but I know what you mean, if I leave em loose with the small gaskets in they fall out when I'm in the gym, put in the medium sized ones and I'm back to square one! They are fine when I use them in the gym with my flash player, but I plan on using the Karma on the 45 minute walk to work and would like a better solution.

I jusr wish those Bose Triport's had sounded better. Maybe I will have to take another look next weekend, but for £120 I want some Wow! Factor.

Cheers

Cris.

Greetings!

I have heard good things about Etymotic earbuds. I have personally never tried them (I hate earbuds). There was also a thread around here, somewhere...

If the headphones don't give enough bass with the Karma don't forget the Karma's excellent equaliser. It gives excellent, fully adjustable bass (and other things) with no distortion that I've noticed so far (that wasn't caused by the headphones themselves).

i've tried many different headphones, and so far i think this pair of sony's offers the best sound+portability combination for me. check them out
Sony MDR-G73LP

brian

Why do you keep thinking about Bose? In my experience, that company's products always suck for the price paid....

To be honest I like the way Bose systems sound, and I expected the headphones to sound the same.

I don't mind paying the price if the product is good enough.

I want headphones that are light, well made, closed back, full over ear and sound good with the Karma (I like bass). The Triports just didn't hit the mark for the money, if they had been £50 I would have got them, but like I said if I'm paying that much they have to be reakky special.

On the topic of other Bose stuff, I think the sound matches the price you pay. I like the way the systems look and sound. The ones I have setup and played with in the past have had a cheap feel to them (like the Triports do), for example the RCA leads are chaep and nasty and they had spring clips on a £1.5k system. But when it was setup it sounded amazing, and thats what counts I guess.

Cheers

Cris.

I don't mind paying the price if the product is good enough.


In that case, just one word for you: Etymotics.

While I have never personally tried them, I have never heard anything other than raving praise for them. Apparently the bass response is fantastic.

As are the prices -- anything from $150--$350 depending on which model you get, if memory serves.

tanstaafl.

If I could find a place in Leeds or London where I could try these out I would think about it. But at £129.95 I'm not ordering them just to find out.

I'm worried that with these being in-ear phones I will have the same problems as I do with my Sony's.

I will have a look around in the music shops to see if anyone stocks them.

Cheers

Cris.

You can get your ear cast and get custom-made earplugs for the etymotics.

I always wanted a pair of HD25's however just as I was about to make a purcahse a friend said I need to listen to some Grado SR60's.

Still not found a local place where I can listen to both back to back.

Anyone tried the SR60's?