[Blackshadow]

I'm looking to get headphones in the £20-£30 range and I came across these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/JVC-HAM5X-Xt...pr_product_top

They seem fantastic after reading the reviews, does anyone own a pair? Can I get better for the same price?

Edit: Sennheisers seem good as well http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0007XJSQ...SIN=B0007XJSQC

[Gofre]

(Original post by Blackshadow)
I'm looking to get headphones in the £20-£30 range and I came across these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/JVC-HAM5X-Xt...pr_product_top

They seem fantastic after reading the reviews, does anyone own a pair? Can I get better for the same price?

Edit: Sennheisers seem good as well http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0007XJSQ...SIN=B0007XJSQC

These are an extremely unbalanced headphone, unless you take the term "basshead" to unparalleled heights there are likely to be better options available. I very much enjoy bass heavy music and bass heavy cans at times, but I did not particularly enjoy these in the brief time I spent with them.

What kind of music do you listen to and where will you be using your headphones?

[Blackshadow]

(Original post by Gofre)
These are an extremely unbalanced headphone, unless you take the term "basshead" to unparalleled heights there are likely to be better options available. I very much enjoy bass heavy music and bass heavy cans at times, but I did not particularly enjoy these in the brief time I spent with them.

What kind of music do you listen to and where will you be using your headphones?

I mostly listen to rock, rap/hip-hop and dubstep at times. Which other headphones would you recommend in the same price range?

[Gofre]

(Original post by Blackshadow)
I mostly listen to rock, rap/hip-hop and dubstep at times. Which other headphones would you recommend in the same price range?

Definitely not recommended for rock, the treble on those things is extremely recessed. I'd personally go for these headphones from Koss, from what I can tell they're one of the better portable on/over ear headphones at this very low price point. There's also the Sony MDR XB500 which can be found for an extra £6-£8 if you're really after something bass heavy without compromising everything else too much. Finally if you're going to be using them exclusively for home listening, then I wholeheartedly recommend the Superlux HD 668B. Ugly as sin, large, and open back so unsuited to outside use but they're £30 and I haven't heard an over-ear headphone that compares to them for anything less than £100. I still use them regularly next to my £400 custom IEMs.

If you'd be willing to consider IEMs, take a look at the Soundmagic E10 and Klipsch Image S4, both can be found for about £30 and I personally think they're a higher value pair of headphones than you'll find in over/on ear headphones (that are suitable for outdoor use) in your low budget. Both are great sounding overall with a good amount of bass presence.

[Blackshadow]

(Original post by Gofre)
Definitely not recommended for rock, the treble on those things is extremely recessed. I'd personally go for these headphones from Koss, from what I can tell they're one of the better portable on/over ear headphones at this very low price point. There's also the Sony MDR XB500 which can be found for an extra £6-£8 if you're really after something bass heavy without compromising everything else too much. Finally if you're going to be using them exclusively for home listening, then I wholeheartedly recommend the Superlux HD 668B. Ugly as sin, large, and open back so unsuited to outside use but they're £30 and I haven't heard an over-ear headphone that compares to them for anything less than £100. I still use them regularly next to my £400 custom IEMs.

If you'd be willing to consider IEMs, take a look at the Soundmagic E10 and Klipsch Image S4, both can be found for about £30 and I personally think they're a higher value pair of headphones than you'll find in over/on ear headphones (that are suitable for outdoor use) in your low budget. Both are great sounding overall with a good amount of bass presence.

Thanks for the input! What's your opinion on these? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-H...550810&sr=1-66

or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDRXB30...51659&sr=1-105

[Dream.On]

(Original post by Blackshadow)
I mostly listen to rock, rap/hip-hop and dubstep at times. Which other headphones would you recommend in the same price range?

kia kehre ho yaar.

I recommend beats blackshadow. expensive but awe to the some

[Dream.On]

these
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDR-V55...551518&sr=1-11

or in white (cheaper)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDR-V55...551601&sr=1-12

[katyness]

I've got these ones and I love them.

[Gofre]

(Original post by Blackshadow)
Thanks for the input! What's your opinion on these? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-H...550810&sr=1-66

or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDRXB30...51659&sr=1-105

I've heard a lot of mixed things about the 203s, and comfort is consistently a major concern that gets brought up. The XB300s aren't very good either, at least not when you can get the XB500s for an extra tenner. I'd go for one of my previous suggestions.

(Original post by Dream.On)
kia kehre ho yaar.

I recommend beats blackshadow. expensive but awe to the some

They're actually appalling headphones for the prices charged, there are superior options for substantially less money.

[steveholt]

Gofre seems to be spot on with everything he is saying. I have the Sennheiser HD-201s and HD-203s (and others which are out of the price range), and they're not bad for the price. The 201s are quite bass-heavy, but most audio players come with an equaliser which can fix those problems. The 203s sound the same but I find uncomfortable and ugly.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

I don't know. Will you?

[Inverse]

I have them in my collection. They are decent, and offer a good price to performance ratio, but are nowhere near "audiophile" standard.

[mfaxford]

I'd go with what Gofre has said, failing that I'd probably go with Sony or Sennheiser.

Sony are generally a good brand. You pay for the name but at least they care to some extent about quality. Similarly Sennheiser are a known brand in the Pro Audio world. I've not got any experience of their headphones but I'd trust their blurb more than most manufacturers.

[Gofre]

(Original post by steveholt)
Gofre seems to be spot on with everything he is saying. I have the Sennheiser HD-201s and HD-203s (and others which are out of the price range), and they're not bad for the price. The 201s are quite bass-heavy, but most audio players come with an equaliser which can fix those problems. The 203s sound the same but I find uncomfortable and ugly.

I never found the 201s particularly bass heavy myself, although they've been gathering dust for the last six months so that might just be my memory I'll have to break them out later.

(Original post by mfaxford)
I'd go with what Gofre has said, failing that I'd probably go with Sony or Sennheiser.

Sony are generally a good brand. You pay for the name but at least they care to some extent about quality. Similarly Sennheiser are a known brand in the Pro Audio world. I've not got any experience of their headphones but I'd trust their blurb more than most manufacturers.

Sony actually produce some very reasonably priced headphones, they've got a few pairs which are among the best in their price ranges.

[steveholt]

(Original post by Gofre)
I never found the 201s particularly bass heavy myself, although they've been gathering dust for the last six months so that might just be my memory I'll have to break them out later.

I should say that these 201s are at least 5 years old, so they could well be an older, outdated model.

[SR21M]

(Original post by Gofre)
I've heard a lot of mixed things about the 203s, and comfort is consistently a major concern that gets brought up. The XB300s aren't very good either, at least not when you can get the XB500s for an extra tenner. I'd go for one of my previous suggestions.



They're actually appalling headphones for the prices charged, there are superior options for substantially less money.

Contrary to some reviews, i found the XB-700 very decent for its price, you can find them for less than 20 in some places and at that price they are really hard to beat. Iam not a massive audiophile expert although i did own quite a few pare of headphones in the past (Sennheiser CX200, Cx400, Hd448, Audio Technica ATH-ES55, Sony MBDR-ZX700, Denon Ah-d1100) and currently own the AKG-K550 which IMO is the best overall truely sealed cans you can that works as a portable can (if u ignore the long wires)

XB-700 has quite nice bass but not bloated uncontrolled woolly one, but quite nice and refined, although they are far from neutral.

[SR21M]

Take a look at the Monoprice 8323 headphones if you can find them. They sound unbelievable for the price although there not that stylish. But if your the sort of person who rather have top notch sound quality rather than a style accessory than you wont be disappointed. Never owned these but hurd them from an american guy, he payed 25$ for them in the states.

"Sony actually produce some very reasonably priced headphones, they've got a few pairs which are among the best in their price ranges".

I think Sony is the largest headphone seller and producer. They certainly do know how to make there stuff. They rarely make the best headphones for the price range though especially for in ear monitors. The best sony headphone i hurd was the bass shy but nicely balanced mdr-zx700. But it lacked the bass response as similarly priced Denon Ah-d1100, but there cheaper.

[Indian_Prince]

Hd 595 mate.... If you can afford it then treat yourself with the hd598 like i did, you wont turn back...

[Gofre]

(Original post by SR21M)
Contrary to some reviews, i found the XB-700 very decent for its price, you can find them for less than 20 in some places and at that price they are really hard to beat. Iam not a massive audiophile expert although i did own quite a few pare of headphones in the past (Sennheiser CX200, Cx400, Hd448, Audio Technica ATH-ES55, Sony MBDR-ZX700, Denon Ah-d1100) and currently own the AKG-K550 which IMO is the best overall truely sealed cans you can that works as a portable can (if u ignore the long wires)

XB-700 has quite nice bass but not bloated uncontrolled woolly one, but quite nice and refined, although they are far from neutral.

Oh yeah I have no issues with the XB700s whatsoever, I'm planning on getting a pair myself at some point in the future (That or move straight up to the mythical XB1000s ), from what I've heard they're a superb basshead headphone. However they typically cost at least double the price of the OP's budget so I didn't bother mentioning them.

Very nice choice on the K550s, If I were to go for a more reference set of "portable" over-ears I'd have a hard time choosing between them and the Denon AH-D2000.

(Original post by SR21M)
I think Sony is the largest headphone seller and producer. They certainly do know how to make there stuff. They rarely make the best headphones for the price range though especially for in ear monitors. The best sony headphone i hurd was the bass shy but nicely balanced mdr-zx700. But it lacked the bass response as similarly priced Denon Ah-d1100, but there cheaper.

The ZX700 was what I had in mind actually. From the prices I've seen they are substantially cheaper than the D1100s, with the ZX700s selling for £50 on play.com with the D1100s costing over £80 everywhere else. The two sound very different anyway, with the Denons definitely being bottom heavy in terms of frequency response compared to the the more flat Sonys, which don't have any issues with bass if paired with even a cheap portable amp. I've tried them on a couple of occasions running off of an iPod Touch paired with a FiiO E11 and it sounded great. I guess it depends on what you're after.

[SR21M]

Very nice choice on the K550s, If I were to go for a more reference set of "portable" over-ears I'd have a hard time choosing between them and the Denon AH-D2000.



I would pick K550. I also had similar dilemma before choosing between the two. They sound very close, but the D2000 is not very good for closed headphones in the sense that there not really closed back. They leak sound like a lot of open back designs and let a lot of sounds in. They are probably better for professional use on studio though where isolation and leakage isn't an issue. But if you want them for indoors use, might as well pick the HD650 which cost similar.

The AKG really wings for portable on ear since they isolate noise very well and almost negligible noise leakage thats quite astonishing. You can listen to them on max volume and nothing will leak out, providing you have a nice seal on your head. They are much more stylish than the denons, and dont look as bulky. It can make you look like a ww2 panzer commander which some might find cool xD. They are much better built too, D2000 along with all the D series are not that durable though and they dont fold flat like the K550.