Need some IPOD help

[muncybob]

My niece graduates HS next week and I know she listens to her Ipod a lot...she still has the original earbuds and I was thinking a nice gift would be some upgraded ones. Any suggestions for a pair at say $80 or less? Of course, I'm assuming the originals should be replaced although she seems content with them....but I'm thinking how can she know what she's missing if she's never heard a "good" set. Sort of like the first time I heard some SDA's.

[shack]

Your best bet may be to go here:

http://www.head-fi.org/

A little searching on that forum should give you lots of options.

These guys sell headphones...but I find their site very helpful as well:

http://www.headphone.com/

[Keiko]

Here's a couple of recommendations. You can get both for under 80.00

http://www.amazon.com/JVC-HAFX34A-Marshmallow-Headphones/dp/B0012UGJNY

I use these with my iPod around the house and also my main rig. Great sounding phones for their price point.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RH5MA-Semi-Open-Headphones/dp/B000YIF4I6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244191098&sr=1-1

You have a lot of options though, like shack said. Just throwing out what I use and believe to be some good bang for the buck that fits your budget. Congrats to your niece.

[Keiko]

Disregard that 1st link I posted. These are the marshmallows I have.

http://www.amazon.com/JVC-HAFX66A-Cushion-Headphones-Blue/dp/tech-data/B000UNVNJE/ref=de_a_smtd

[muncybob]

Thanx!! Am I assuming properly though, that newer ones will be a noticeable improvement over the stock ones?

[edbert]

Yes! I bought my wife some cheap ones similar to what Keiko posted when I bought her a new iPod last year and they are lots better. I think the big thing is that they fit comfortably in your ear and help to block out a lot of the extra noise around you. By doing so, you don't have to turn them up as loud and those little speakers can give you overall better quality. I am sure you can get some pretty nice ones for under $80, but I haven't bought nice ones yet so I shouldn't really say which ones to go for.

Good luck and great present!

[everpress]

Or by=pass the ear-buds altogether and grab a set of Grado sr-60i ("The Prestige Series")
s (about $70 with shipping).
While it's true you cant really work out with these things on, they are simply amazing.
Best bang for the buck and pretty comfy too (others may argue).
Seriously.

[concealer404]

FYE has SkullCandy buds on sale right now for $9.99.

They might not be something that YOU would be completely happy with, but i will vouch that they are an entirely decent sounding pair of buds.

You could always get her 8 pairs. :p

[shack]

I have the pair of JVC Marshmellows that Keiko mentioned in his first post. Very cheap but far superior to the crap that come with an iPod.

These Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator in-ear earphones appear to be right in your price range and seem to be very highly regarded:

http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Isolator-Earphones-White/dp/B0002ZW5W4

[shack]

Best bang for the buck and pretty comfy too (others may argue).
Seriously.

I for one will argue. They are the most uncomfortable headphones I have ever owned. They sound nice...but I couldn't wear them for more than 30 minutes without a lot of discomfort. I ended up with a pair of Sennheiser full coverage headphones that I use with my 2 channel rig...but...they will work with and iPod. ;)

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=27703

[everpress]

Don't the seenies have to/ greatly bennefit from an additional headphone amp for portable play?
The sr-60i's can use an amp (i use one to add a bit more bass but they sound fine without) but they are perfectly suited to use the ipod's native power with good sound.
And the sr-60i's are much more comfortable than the sr-60's (they use different earpads, so the fatigue is lessened).

I haven't tried the Sennheiser, so I can't comment at all on quality, but I've heard nothing but good things and if I had the cashflow, I'd have a full-range of headphones, including some closed-back sennies... But I think I'm a Grado fan for life!

[Joe08867]

I am a big fan of the SkullCandy earbuds.

There cheap have decent bass reproduction and did I mention cheap?

They actually sound better than others I have tried at three times the price.

Plus you can get them in a color she would like, Black, Pink, Green etc...

[shack]

Don't the seenies have to/ greatly bennefit from an additional headphone amp for portable play?

Believe it or not...no...this is a very efficient set of cans and it does not NEED an amp to perform well (or as well as can be expected given the source) with an iPod. I was surprised when I tried this just messing around. I've let a couple other guys try it out and they were surprised as well. Will an amp improve the sound? Sure...but with the iPod the gains are probably negligible.

[everpress]

Believe it or not...no...this is a very efficient set of cans and it does not NEED an amp to perform well (or as well as can be expected given the source) with an iPod. I was surprised when I tried this just messing around. I've let a couple other guys try it out and they were surprised as well. Will an amp improve the sound? Sure...but with the iPod the gains are probably negligible.

Huh. What's the price on those bad boys?
I still have to say, I stepped into a whole new world when I picked up the Grado's an I'll never go back to a Big-box Store brand... If the Sennies are as good for the same/similar price, they'd be a shoe-in choice (in my opinion) for portable... As they look to be closed back...

So like I said, if those offer the same quality for a similar price... damn...

As far as headphone amps and portable devices, grab a cheap Fii0 E5 (which is what I did- I paid $10) and try it out with your ipod (if you haven't already). You might be surprised...

As far as Skullcandy... You are paying for the look. The sound quality just isn't there, not on the full-sized, not the earbuds.

What shack suggested: Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator... I've heard good things (especially for quality to price).

Is the girl really into music, or just really into having her iPod in her ears?

If she likes to plain look cool, Skullcandy.
If she likes to listen, there are other headphones that would be much, much better.

[shack]

Huh. What's the price on those bad boys?
I still have to say, I stepped into a whole new world when I picked up the Grado's an I'll never go back to a Big-box Store brand... If the Sennies are as good for the same/similar price, they'd be a shoe-in choice (in my opinion) for portable... As they look to be closed back...

http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-manufacturer/sennheiser/sennheiser-hd-280-pro.php

http://www.onheadphones.com/product-reviews/audiophile/sennheiser-hd-280-pro.html

Yes they are a sealed, circumaural headphones. To my ear they were the equal of the SR-60s. Some may disagree. The SR-60s SOUNDED very good. It may have been the discomfort of the Grados that clouded my opinion...but the bottom line is that if they are uncomfortable and (the Grados were for me) I won't wear them.

[muncybob]

I thought about headphones, but she is a fairly active person so buds are probably better suited. In looking at some of the suggestion I came across these and since I like my heaphones by Senheiser so much I was wondering if anybody has any experience with their buds?
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-CX300-B-Earbuds-Black/dp/B000E6G9RI/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2HF2KUI5QJKH4&colid=2YJZ3UC2IHQC3

[Keiko]

I was just checking these out. Never owned them, but some reviews look good. Looks like a solid build quality...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GS8FZ2/ref=s9_sims_gw_s0_p23_t3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1PFQ519XPC6GZNTQZ08N&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846