We’ve Pulled Together the Best Headphones for Your Dollar.
Why read five different sites with one review each?
What we’ve done is scavenged the web of editors top picks, from CNET to ZDNet and given you a one stop web review experience.
How to Choose Headphones:
| Headphones |
Earphones |
Sealed - Sealed headphones are ideal for noisy environments though they can cause some harmonic distortion due to seal design.
Open - Open headphones give the sound space to breathe, but they also let outside noise in. These are ideal for home use or somewhere quiet. |
Ear Buds - Ear buds are cheap, both in price and sound, but they are great for action sports because if you loose or break them, $15 replacements wont break you.
Ear Canal - These earphones can sometimes be a hard fit inside your ear canal, which can drive some people crazy. But if you find a match, they do a fantastic job of isolating you from outside sound and they do sound great. For a price. |
| Headphones and earphones come in so many shapes, styles, and price range it can be over whelming to decide what is right for you. For this list I have tried to stay within the medium to pricey range for the above average listener. This selection won’t float the boat for professional sound mastering or strict audiophiles. |
| When choosing a pair of headphones you should consider where you are going to use them most. If these are for blocking out sound on a noisy subway or office you’ll want to consider sound isolating earphones or sealed headphones. If you are going to wear your headphones while snowboarding or mountain biking you’ll want to hunt for a “best of the bad” set of cheap ear buds. I go through about 3 pairs a year due to wear and tear and paying $15-$20 a pop doesn’t bust my bank. |
| For home use you should seriously consider open headphones because these provide the best possible sound quality but can push upwards for $600 for ultra high-end balanced headphones. Never fear, good sets like the Grado SR60 can be purchased for $65. |
| Now, thanks to blue tooth technology today you can also get your hands on a pair of cord free headphones. Unfortunately these run average of $100 and 80 percent or more of that is spent on the blue tooth. |
| Experts may all agree on the advantages or shortcomings of any product they review but, at AudioReview.com, we believe that the average consumer can best summarize all the details a product has to offer… So read what users have to says! |
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Shure E3c - Sound Isolating Earphones - $69.99
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| Specs:
Speaker Type: Dynamic MicroDriver
Sensitivity (at 1kHz): 105dB SPL/mW
Impedance (at 1kHz): 16
Cable Length: E2c: 1.57m (62 inches) E2c (in black): 1.45m (56 inches)
Net Weight: 30g (1 oz)
Input Connector: 3.5 mm (1/8″) gold-plated stereo plug
Editors Note: These headphones have been discontinued but you can still find the quiet easily at online stores. Along with the price drop, $60 at Amazon.com, makes them well worth this list. These are a pair you should snatch up quick!
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4.48 out of 5 - 25 Reviews
Evan S Said: I am am a drummer in a band and needed good headphones/ earphones for studio work and concerts. I have found that the E2c’s are very good for concerts because they block out alot of noise and you can’t really see that I’m wearing them. Low end bass is very good, but it is a little boomy.
Colin Said: The bass was very rich when I listened to Rap and Treble also brought out sounds I have never heard before in my music. I also watch a part of Saving Private Ryan on my Zune. I was at the end about 30 seconds before the planes came in for an attack I could hear the low rumble! I was amazed! |
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IGN Says: If you are looking for high-quality earbuds and don’t mind a bit of an investment, then the E2cs deserve strong consideration. I was stuck on Nudes for a long while, but I have a new weapon of choice. The E2cs are smartly designed, sound excellent, and offer good value.
PC-Mag Says: These light, durable, and accurate ear-canal headphones provide lots of value but are slightly uncomfortable; a significant portion remains outside the ear. They’re a good choice for those who won’t be adding an amp to their rig.
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Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones - $99.99
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| Specs:
Protocol: Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
Range: Maximum 33 feet
Frequency: 2.4 GHz
Transmission format: Digital
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CNet Says: Users looking for an affordable, full-sounding pair of wireless headphones that can handle the abuse doled out by long jogs and cluttered gym bags need look no further.
3dxtreme Says: I have used the FreePulse Wireless headphones on both my iPod and my PC and I can tell you the experience has been very enjoyable. I’ve yet to kill the battery, rated for 6 hours of continuous use.
Blue Tomorrow Says: Logitech’s FreePulse Bluetooth Headphones come a long way in providing an easy-to-use, private, wireless, listening experience that will sound good to most. The headphones have connection and range issues and their one-fit design will surely have many users grumbling. But we can certainly recommend these headphones to people who want to bring their audio device with them and not have to deal with routing wires from their pocket to their ears.
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Grado SR60 Headphones - $65.00
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| Specs:
Tranducer Type: dynamic
Operating Principle: open air
Frequency Response: 20-20
SPL 1mV: 98
Normal Impedance: 32ohms
Driver Matched db: .1
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4.53 out of 5 - 173 Reviews
Nick Said: These headphones are incredible! At $69.00 they are a steal for someone looking for a well built quality set of cans. I read all the reviews online for a good month before purchasing these cans. I would agree with all of them except comfort. I find them fitting perfect against my ears with no discomfort whatsoever.
vchu7105 Said: The Grado’s have a open air, light, but crystal clear feel to them making the music come alive. The Sony Earbuds can’t even compare, just a diffrent class. They are good for travel or mowing the lawn. |
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CNET Says: Grado’s cheapest headphones belt out big sound with pint-size portable audio devices.
IGN Says: As for value, I would venture to say that there will not be a better set of headphones for $70.00 until Grado figures out a tweak for these. If you are on a budget, you simply must buy the SR60s. And there is no way in hell you will be disappointed.
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Sennheiser PX 100 Headphone - $39.00
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| Specs:
Compact, folding, on-the-ear design
Open earcups and adjustable headband
Neodymium magnets for low distortion
4.5-foot cord with stereo mini plug (no full-size plug)
Hard carrying case included
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4.15 out of 5 - 13 Reviews
Larscis Said: When I bought these, I was skeptical as to how good they would actually sound. I’ve dealt with higher-end Sennheiser and Grado products before, but hadn’t really dealt in the portable market. After an initial break-in period of about three or four days, the sound quality was, for their size, phenomenal. For any iPod user, these are a definite step up, and they blow away any set of headphones in the price range.
Ray B. Said: I want to confirm anything positive you’ve read about the PX-100 headphones. As a musician with a post-master’s degree in music, I am VERY picky about music. The Sennheisers were my fifth try at finding decent replacements to the stock ear buds |
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Headphone Room Says: This might be the best “open” headphone for under $50 bucks, and a perfect choice for great listening on the go, at the gym, or directly from your laptop computer and/or iPod. Plus the PX100 has now been made iPhone compatible for happenin’ Apple Fashionistas!
CNet Says: The PX100 is a good choice for travelers seeking a compact headphone design.
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Shure SE310 Isolating Earphones - $299.99
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| Specs:
Peaker Type: Hi-Definition MicroSpeaker + Tuned BassPort
Sensitivity (1mW): 111 dB SPL/mW
Impedance (1kHz): 28
Frequency Range: 22Hz – 19kHz
Cable Length/with Extension: 18 in. / 45cm (54 in. / 136cm)
Color: Available in Black and White
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4.15 out of 5 - 13 Reviews
Headphone Room Says: We just can’t get past the fact that the SE310 is pretty much the perfect balance of everything we’ve hoped for in a mid-priced ear canal headphone for the past 15 years. Believe us, your iPod is lonely for a pair of SE310s.
CNet Says: If you’re looking for a premium listening experience, check out the Shure SE310 Sound Isolating Earphones. They sound fantastic and will probably outlast your MP3 player.
Digital Trends Says: The Shure SE310s are the best single-driver canalphones we have auditioned to date. While they lack a unique signature and sound slightly flat, overall performance was excellent. The design showcases the maturity of Shure’s place in the market, and the new ear sleeves are the most comfortable we have used.
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June 18th, 2008 by 
adam
