- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
thanks if you're reading this. the left headphone in my sony 'mdr-52' just died (it's the headphone that kicked off the whole 'behind the neck' thing; the wiring to the left 'phone has severed somewhere inside the plastic cup) and i'm trying to pick/find a suitable replacement. i'm hoping that if i tell y'all what i liked and disliked about these that perhaps some kind soul may point me in the right direction as to which are the best headphones for me. believe me, if i could simply walk into a store, tear off the packaging and try each of these on until i find a comfortable fit i would but i can't so i've gotta try this. please help.
the sonys were good; they are definitely the best day to day, simple, functional and fitting headphones i've ever owned. i really love this model's 'behind the neck' design because it really provides a good fit in that the phones hug the ear snugly in a good way; there is a noticable, 'pleasant' horizontal pressure on the ear and the close fit cancels out a crucial bit of outside noise and helps cement one into their own personal world (i wear these even when i'm not listening to music). they're just the right size and don't compress the cartilage uncomfortably. at the same time, there is no distracting 'headband' to deal with and aside from doing what it's supposed to -that is, to provide that horizontal pressure- the neckband totally disappears from mind because it is that well designed. it is superbly ergonomic and an excellent bit of engineering innovation. it's shape, form and even it's texture are immaculate in that it all contributes to doing it's job well. the neckband floats above the neck and one totally forgets that it's there. the only complaint i lodge is that prior to breaking off, the rubber things that go behind the ears are an annoying and uncomfortable distraction (and totally superfluous). once those are gone, i can find no fault to the physical shape of this headset and it is in that aspect that it earns much of my love. these are so precisely fitted to my liking that the thought of accidentally buying a set of headphones to be used for the next few years (knowing me, until they die) that are less comfortable is quite distressing; my headphones stay on for hours at a time. obviously, i'm bothering to write all this because i'm hoping to trade up and want to avoid trading down by mis-step.
the music comes out sharp and clear (as sharp and clear as mp3s may sound with a pc fan droning in the background) with sounds sounding the way they should sound and nuances clearly discernable but often the music lacks an 'intensity'; the lows can be lower and the highs could have reached higher. i don't actually know if it's a fault of my media or the headphones but with some songs, the extremes of either spectrum seem muted and could have been more intense. it's noticable with higher pitched and deep sounds and distressing enough that i'd spend weeks trying to track down 'a good enough rip' and i still don't know where the blame should fall but this is a fact definitely worth mentioning. people claim that sony headphones are noted for their good bass (as opposed to good anything else some might say) and while i'm glad to say they don't distort into eardrum shattering crap noises at either spectrum, i always thought these could do more to provide deep, enveloping, spine caressing bass. my music always seemed lacking in that area, even back when i used speakers and a bass unit :/
EDIT: actually the mid range sounds weak with some songs too :/ some parts of some songs just don't sound 'strong' enough, but like i said, i don't know where to place the blame. for the most part i am quite satisfied with these.
and now, the candidates for replacement:
Sennheiser PMX60:
the main draw of these headphones is their shape and the reputation of the brand (the price is not a factor because i'm only considering low priced headphones right now). that said, i'm wary because of their shape and the reputation of the product: people are complaining that these are 'open' headphones in that sound leaks in and out, the bass is weak and unlike my mdr-52s, the headphones seem to come at a much sharper slant which may or may not be at once less snug and comfortable. a possible pro: it seems that the cord can be unplugged from the headset which is an excellent feature to have. i really wish i could try these out in real life. i'll be calling the nearest fry's and circuit citys (and any other stores y'all can recommend) to see if they have any on display.
Sony MDR-G56V
the truth is, i bought the mdr-52s because i couldn't find these. my roommate at college used these and every chance i could get i'd use them myself. i love the handy volume dial on the cord and everything i said about the '52s can be said about these. of course, i'm hoping to trade up (if ever so slightly).
Sony MDR-G73LP
just something different. not sure if these provide the same or worse sound than the '52s or if they're more or less comfortable -they're probably less 'fitting' but i don't know that either. i like that these can be folded up but honestly i'm more likely to go with the g56vs.
once upon a time i once tried on a pair of headphones that had no 'band' connecting to either phone and they were incredibly comfortable. they simply slipped on and after a while, outside of providing excellent music, the fact that they are still on would escape perception. i don't remember what brand those were but the concept is similar to the next few sets.
Koss KSC-75/35
these look like the foam will wear out too quickly. honestly, i can't lodge any other complaint without first trying these on -they may be too loose fitting or uncomfortable and might not provide the immersion i need for pc gaming -never tried this type of headphone for that. seems like these provide good bass but some reviews make it sound like they provide too much bass. some say that the '35s sound better than the '75s and if i could have one, i'd like an audiophile's judgement. also, for anyone who has one of these, how flimsy/sturdy is the adjustable inner wire of the ksc-75 'clip?'
EDIT: unless the discrepancy is great, i'd probably go for the 75 just because you can change the shape of the clip without having to worry about accidentally frying circuitry
i know y'all can't make my final decision but i'll appreciate any advice y'all have to give. i also appreciate any recommends that are fitting to the style of headphones mentioned here. i wish i could test all of these out :/ if i had more disposable income i'd buy the lot of them and sell the 'inferior' ones i'd still go for a 'cheapie' model because the idea of wearing a huge, insulating clamshell over my head just isn't too appealing. -but of course if i had more disposable income i'd buy one of those too
the sonys were good; they are definitely the best day to day, simple, functional and fitting headphones i've ever owned. i really love this model's 'behind the neck' design because it really provides a good fit in that the phones hug the ear snugly in a good way; there is a noticable, 'pleasant' horizontal pressure on the ear and the close fit cancels out a crucial bit of outside noise and helps cement one into their own personal world (i wear these even when i'm not listening to music). they're just the right size and don't compress the cartilage uncomfortably. at the same time, there is no distracting 'headband' to deal with and aside from doing what it's supposed to -that is, to provide that horizontal pressure- the neckband totally disappears from mind because it is that well designed. it is superbly ergonomic and an excellent bit of engineering innovation. it's shape, form and even it's texture are immaculate in that it all contributes to doing it's job well. the neckband floats above the neck and one totally forgets that it's there. the only complaint i lodge is that prior to breaking off, the rubber things that go behind the ears are an annoying and uncomfortable distraction (and totally superfluous). once those are gone, i can find no fault to the physical shape of this headset and it is in that aspect that it earns much of my love. these are so precisely fitted to my liking that the thought of accidentally buying a set of headphones to be used for the next few years (knowing me, until they die) that are less comfortable is quite distressing; my headphones stay on for hours at a time. obviously, i'm bothering to write all this because i'm hoping to trade up and want to avoid trading down by mis-step.
the music comes out sharp and clear (as sharp and clear as mp3s may sound with a pc fan droning in the background) with sounds sounding the way they should sound and nuances clearly discernable but often the music lacks an 'intensity'; the lows can be lower and the highs could have reached higher. i don't actually know if it's a fault of my media or the headphones but with some songs, the extremes of either spectrum seem muted and could have been more intense. it's noticable with higher pitched and deep sounds and distressing enough that i'd spend weeks trying to track down 'a good enough rip' and i still don't know where the blame should fall but this is a fact definitely worth mentioning. people claim that sony headphones are noted for their good bass (as opposed to good anything else some might say) and while i'm glad to say they don't distort into eardrum shattering crap noises at either spectrum, i always thought these could do more to provide deep, enveloping, spine caressing bass. my music always seemed lacking in that area, even back when i used speakers and a bass unit :/
EDIT: actually the mid range sounds weak with some songs too :/ some parts of some songs just don't sound 'strong' enough, but like i said, i don't know where to place the blame. for the most part i am quite satisfied with these.
and now, the candidates for replacement:
Sennheiser PMX60:
the main draw of these headphones is their shape and the reputation of the brand (the price is not a factor because i'm only considering low priced headphones right now). that said, i'm wary because of their shape and the reputation of the product: people are complaining that these are 'open' headphones in that sound leaks in and out, the bass is weak and unlike my mdr-52s, the headphones seem to come at a much sharper slant which may or may not be at once less snug and comfortable. a possible pro: it seems that the cord can be unplugged from the headset which is an excellent feature to have. i really wish i could try these out in real life. i'll be calling the nearest fry's and circuit citys (and any other stores y'all can recommend) to see if they have any on display.
Sony MDR-G56V
the truth is, i bought the mdr-52s because i couldn't find these. my roommate at college used these and every chance i could get i'd use them myself. i love the handy volume dial on the cord and everything i said about the '52s can be said about these. of course, i'm hoping to trade up (if ever so slightly).
Sony MDR-G73LP
just something different. not sure if these provide the same or worse sound than the '52s or if they're more or less comfortable -they're probably less 'fitting' but i don't know that either. i like that these can be folded up but honestly i'm more likely to go with the g56vs.
once upon a time i once tried on a pair of headphones that had no 'band' connecting to either phone and they were incredibly comfortable. they simply slipped on and after a while, outside of providing excellent music, the fact that they are still on would escape perception. i don't remember what brand those were but the concept is similar to the next few sets.
Koss KSC-75/35
these look like the foam will wear out too quickly. honestly, i can't lodge any other complaint without first trying these on -they may be too loose fitting or uncomfortable and might not provide the immersion i need for pc gaming -never tried this type of headphone for that. seems like these provide good bass but some reviews make it sound like they provide too much bass. some say that the '35s sound better than the '75s and if i could have one, i'd like an audiophile's judgement. also, for anyone who has one of these, how flimsy/sturdy is the adjustable inner wire of the ksc-75 'clip?'
EDIT: unless the discrepancy is great, i'd probably go for the 75 just because you can change the shape of the clip without having to worry about accidentally frying circuitry
i know y'all can't make my final decision but i'll appreciate any advice y'all have to give. i also appreciate any recommends that are fitting to the style of headphones mentioned here. i wish i could test all of these out :/ if i had more disposable income i'd buy the lot of them and sell the 'inferior' ones i'd still go for a 'cheapie' model because the idea of wearing a huge, insulating clamshell over my head just isn't too appealing. -but of course if i had more disposable income i'd buy one of those too
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