The only advantage earbuds have is how small they are. If you want real sound you go with a full-size headset.

/DNRTFA

I laugh out loud everytime I see someone using "really cool headphones" in public, or worse, at the gym. There's no better way to let people know you're a poorly educated rube than by wearing full-sized headphones to listen to your shiatty hip hop.

Ebb and flow.

I remember in the 90's, people using huge ass headphones plugged into little walkmans (cassette ones). Now it seems they're making a comeback.

Is this seriously what happens? I turned 30 this year. Will all fashion now just rinse and repeat? Gonna make pop culture pretty boring for the next 60 years...

I am offended by the fact that someone expects me to pay that much damn money for a pair of headphones.

Coolness cost $100 to $500.

Mugato: Wow, Dr. Dre seems like such a pussy nowadays. But that can't be right because he was a straight up gangsta when he was in NWA. It's almost like that whole shtick was an act.


Please refer to "Real Motherfarkin G's" - Eazy-E (new window, NSFW). Yup,it's an act, but that doesn't mean his beats aren't damn good.

A Terrible Human: Who give a fark about Dr.Dre? He's been a has been for years.

My HP TouchPad (yep, I'm one of those guys) has Beats Audio. I disabled it. It seems to just be some psychoacoustic bass enhancement. I would bet the Beats headphones probably roll off the low end and make it sound flat again. It's also hilarious to me that folks will spend a hundred bucks on headphones to listen to their 128 kbps mp3s.

Best cans I've ever used: Sony 7506s.

I just play my music out loud so I don't look like a dweeb like the rest of the losers on my train.

Wow, guys of questionable education and musical talent will promote headphones for money. I mean, it's not like Dr. Dre actually engineered any of this shiat. Dre came out with a speaker box in the 'beats' line and I tried for an hour to find a real specification sheet. None was published, the specs were "Power, 120 volts, 60 cycle". No information on how many amps/watts, amplifier or speaker specifications, nothing.

So, anyone using Audiophile and iPod in same sentence should wash out mouth with soap!

I love my i[things], but pretend they are producing audio of high quality is not something I believe in.

But get those big white 'cans and put 'em on your head, it's easier to know who to make fun of that way!

I've convinced half my office to get (multiple amounts of) these. Cheap, comfortable, and excellent sound quality:




If I could physically mail my middle finger to Monster Cable, I could.

Yeah, because you need $200 Beats by Dre(tm) to totally unlock the awesomeness of your 128kbps itunes download.

Dr. Dre, two years in the studio to get your music to sound good? Try 4 years the next time.

Also, go fark yourself. There are plenty of good ear buds out there, plus they are lighter, more comfortable, and do not interfere with my hat, especially in winter. And more importantly, I can use buds with a helmet!

*drat, I would, not could.

Mugato: Wow, Dr. Dre seems like such a pussy nowadays. But that can't be right because he was a straight up gangsta when he was in NWA. It's almost like that whole shtick was an act.

And why would you need high quality headphones to listen to rap?

So the other wiggers can see that you have high quality headphones.

I have a pretty nice little DAC, a pair of AKG K701s, and a decent tube amp to drive them.

I listen to a portable CD player with Sennheiser MX300 earbuds (cheapo) when I'm not at home.

I can enjoy both easily.

Am I the only one that thinks beats headphones sound awful? The mids and highs are muted by the over pumped ear-raping bass.

Before I buy something like this, I want to see Dr. Dre's medical license.

I like the Sennheiser, I have had the same HD580 for 5 years now. I see they are discontinued, but they had great elliptical shape to fit elliptical ears. This is needed for extended use.
Also great sound reproduction across all ranges.

bronyaur1: What offends Dr. Dre is of trivially non-measurable concern to me.

Tru dat!!

I didn't think iPods or other MP3 players had the power to adequately drive big headphones.
And even with good headphones, 128 kbps MP3s still sound like crap.

Use a selection of monitor headphones at work; currently a cheap pair of HD202s, which do the work for spoken word nicely, and some basic mixing/editing. I hate spending money on pricey phones, because they tend to get beaten to dust 'round here.

bronyaur1: What offends Dr. Dre is of trivially non-measurable concern to me.

This.

As long as he's hawking a product, he can be offended as much as he wants. Doesn't change how I spend my cheddar.

I just duct tape the computer speakers to my head

I'm offended that Dre was supposed to do another album, but works harder on freaking headphones.

Big headphones that cover the ears aren't really practical when exercising, which is pretty much the only time I use my iPod. Can anyone recommend affordable earbuds that provide significantly better quality sound than the default iPod buds?

AKG 240 M

I like ear buds that go down your ear hole or ear muff style head phones that go completely around your entire ear either one just fine. What I hate are the ones that are smaller than your ear and don't go in your ear hole, like walkmans used to come with.

Nogale: Big headphones that cover the ears aren't really practical when exercising, which is pretty much the only time I use my iPod. Can anyone recommend affordable earbuds that provide significantly better quality sound than the default iPod buds?

Skullcandy's are fine. Like 17 bucks, you can find 'em at any Target, and they're great for working out.

IrateShadow: Yeah, because you need $200 Beats by Dre(tm) to totally unlock the awesomeness of your 128256kbps itunes download.

FTFA

tommyl66: I just play my music out loud so I don't look like a dweeb like the rest of the losers on my train.

I hear ya bro! Who needs headphones when they build the speakers right into your mobile phone now!?!?



Dre can shove it up his ass. He's offended, right, offended you aren't listening to his derivative crap on a pair of headphones he gets a sponsorship cut out of.

I'll continue using whatever headphones I pick up first, and fark the rest of you and your dumb 'fashions'. I'm not sure if that makes me a hipster or just old.

up your nose with a rubber hose, dr. dre. your umbrage tastes quite first worldish. i take glee in your offense.

/la-dee-da
//we likes to pah...

I have a hard time believing that spending $500 on headphones would actually make Dr. Dre's crappy "music" sound any better to me.

Sony MDR XB500. All the THUMP of those fancy-ass celebrity headphones for $50. Most comfortable over-ear cups I've ever worn too.

GAT_00: And I'm offended by his "music" so we're fair. Not that I use earbuds, damn things hurt like a biatch and don't fit in my ear. Only headphones I've ever really liked Sony stopped making a couple of years ago.

Try the "directional" ear buds, such as those made by Skull Candy.



They usually come with three different sizes of rubber plugs to help provide a better, more comfortable fit. They are great for people with small ears.

no icon tact: I like the Sennheiser, I have had the same HD580 for 5 years now. I see they are discontinued, but they had great elliptical shape to fit elliptical ears. This is needed for extended use.
Also great sound reproduction across all ranges.

Same. I'm no audiophile, but after taking digital sound design in college, and having a number of brands and models to try side by side to listen to the same clip over and over again (monotony at its finest) everyone always liked Sennheiser the best.