Alright. Chances are you have an iPod (or a Zune, whatever). Chances are you have the trendy earbuds that came with it, and you use them every day. You probably like them, and think they sound good and are comfortable, much like a bum enjoys eating cardboard, because he’s never had anything else. I want you to find those headphones, get some WD-40 or any other household flammable liquid, take them to your backyard, throughly soak the little buggers, proceed to carefully ignite them and watch them burn. Don’t breathe the smoke. If you have a grill, that works great too. I also recommend sticking them in a two liter of Coke and adding a whole package of mint Mentos. If you have access to an industrial grade 50-sheet paper shredder, that might also be a good alternative.

OK, now that you’ve had some fun and your SOL on the headphone front, you should probably read the rest of this. If you like listening to music, you’ve been missing a lot by just using the headphones packaged with your device. But you don’t have to get a summer job just to afford a good pair of headphones.

But why ditch the iBuds? First of all, you might find them uncomfortable like I do. But the real reason is the sound. Take a look at this:

That’s about how it should look. A little bump on the low end for bass, and the mid and upper jaggies average to about a straight line.

And that’s what you get with iPod earbuds. No bass, tinny highs. The catch: these two pairs of headphones cost the same. 30 bucks. Granted, the AKGs don’t fit in your ear, but there are plenty that do.

So here’s my list (facebookers, view original post):

PORTABLE HEADPHONES

Earbuds- So maybe you like the style and lightweightness of iPod earbuds, you just want them to sound better. There aren’t many of these that sound very good. Take a look at the Sennheiser MX300s-500s. If you want truly good sound quality that fits in your ears, you’re better off with…

IN-EAR HEADPHONES

These are like earbuds, but they fit to your ear more so they are comfier, better sounding, and they cancel out some noise. The best bargain in this category is the JVC Marshmallows- available in a bunch of colors, and under 20 bucks most places. Another good deal is Creative’s EP-630, which are 30 bucks and a little bit higher quality than the JVCs. On the cheap end, Skullcandy’s Smokin Buds and Sony’s Fontopia offerings are also decent for the price, and the V-Moda Bass Freqs are good if you’re a basshead. At fifty dollars, Jays of Sweden offers the j-Jays, which are also a decent value (and they’re swedish!) I’ll touch on more expensive in-ears later.

ON-EAR HEADPHONES

These are the kind that look more like traditional headphones- they have pads sit on top of your ears (as opposed to the bigger kinds that go around them). One of the best values in this category is Koss’s KSC 75s- they’re just the pads with clips, so they don’t have a headband. That makes them great for exercising, wearing under a beanie, or just not messing up your hair. And the sound is reportedly great, for a $20 pair of headphones. For a little more cash you can check out the Koss PortaPros for lightweight, retro headphones with good sound and a lifetime warranty, or Sennheiser PX100s, which are just as good, and less retro looks (I have these and can vouch for them- if you’re a big bass fan, though, you’ll want to use a bass EQ). Both models can fold up to be more compact. AKGs offerings in this price range (K24s and 26s) and Sennheisers (like the HD 202, 415, 435, and 212 Pros) are also pretty good values. But the crown jewel of on-ear headphones under $100 are the Grado SR60s- if you can afford their $70 price tag and you don’t mind their vintage appearance, you’ll find yourself a great pair of headphones for the price.

AROUND-EAR HEADPHONES

These headphones go around your ears for increased comfort and isolation from sound. The best of these type of headphones are on the expensive side, but there are a few of them worth checking out for a reasonable price. If you’re on a budget, the Sennheiser HD 201s are only $25, and for the price, they’re not bad. The only step up from these worth mentioning are their HD205s. Which brings me to…

EXPENSIVE HEADPHONES

Please keep in mind the above guide is for relatively cheap headphones that are good for the price. But you may find yourself wanting the best sound, comfort, and quality you can buy. I’m not going to list out the best expensive headphones you can buy. But I do have some advice. If you’re going to get some cans that are over $100, do some research. Read reviews, ask questions at places like Head-Fi.org, where they know alot more about this stuff than you, even find a place you can try them on if you can. Also, despite their reputation, avoid Bose. They are good at comfort and noise-cancellation, but they’re overpriced- for the cost of some Triports, you can pick up a GREAT pair of Sennheisers, or a few pairs of cheap good headphones. Brands that are respected that you should look for:

For IEMs, which are in-ear headphones with better sound and isolation, there are a few paths to take. Shure and Ultimate Ears are quality and offer IEMs at many price ranges. I would also suggest looking at V-Moda, Jays, and Creative at lower prices ($75-100)

For other headphones, look at Sennheiser, AKG, Grado, Beyerdynamic, Audio-Technica, and at lower prices, Koss and Sony.

Good luck on your quest for sonific excellence.

Peace Out

Rock On

BRIAN