Tech / Special Interest → Gadgets > Headphones (not IEM/ear buds) advice needed

Headphones (not IEM/ear buds) advice needed

This is not an immediate need, I have time, or, rather, I don't have money ATM, I hope to have it later.

My Teenage kid in the Philippines wants some headphones for going out and about. Seems that actual headphones, not in ear monitors, have some sort of social appeal to the kids around him. Online he referred to a pair, I don't recall which ones, but they were compact open air type phones. They had a logo on them, but I don't recall what the logo was.

I haven't tried explaining to him that going out and about, sound isolating IEMs are a better choice (it's very noisy there, houses are only a few feet apart and it is the city), and that quality sound is more easily had on a budget with IEMs.

However, I am looking to learn about COMPACT, over ear/open air, headphones that have social appeal to 14 year olds...

Seems that even the kids in my nearby city are into this, rather than IEMs.

For less than 50 bucks, what models come to mind, guys?

Mods, definitely feel free to move this wherever it is most appropriate.

I can't remember for certain, but I keep seeing these headphones on teenagers around here with a big letter B on them, I guess they are called "beats" by a doctor drey? I don't know hip hop, don't much care for it, but...

From what I gather, they aren't nearly worth the money and are just a social status thing (oooh, look at me, I'm so cool!) much like designer blue jeans that are actually crap. Maybe because my generation eschewed status and riches, maybe because I'm old, but I am not impressed by someone just because they own a label. This doctor dray, maybe with him, for making all this money off of kids, that might impress me.
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The "beats" brand are really expensive, so if you're looking for $50 and under, don't worry about those. Plus they are not worth the cost, so it's a double "do not buy" recommendation

The AKG K518 or Harman Kardon K81 DJ models (which I believe are just rebranded but the same headphones) can be had for under $50 on sale if you keep an eye out. They fold up so they can be stashed away easily and are nicely portable. Haven't heard those exact models, but my AKGs are my favorite headphones that I've heard

Sennheiser also has a variety of small portables that are pretty good, the HD 2xx line - 228, 229, 220, 219, etc. I've tried a couple of those and they sound nice for the price, and are comfy and small. There are a whole range of prices and styles, some of them are in the sub-$50 price range. (I don't recommend the PX portables, I had those and didn't like them at all.)

I see a lot of people wearing Sony MDR series headphones, they have a good reputation also. Some of them seem like they'd fit the bill, and Sony is well-known, but I have no experience with their headphones and I'm not sure which models are supposed to be the better ones...

ETA: If you like research, check out joker's thread on portable headphones on head-fi. »www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shootou···12-02-12

I have these:

»www.skullcandy.com/shop/headphon···s/uprock

Inexpensive and good sounding. Hip enough that my teenage boys are stealing them all the time.

$30 (ish)

Re: Headphones (not IEM/ear buds) advice needed

»reviews.cnet.com/headphones/koss···197.html

For the money and sound quality in that design it is hard to beat the Koss PortaPro, they have been around for 30 years damn near and remain virtually unchanged because of how well they function.

Kids *today*. When I was a kid, we mostly eschewed materialism... The coolest pants were old, torn, cheap blue jeans that you or a GF sewed a triangle into each leg to make bell bottoms.

I second Sarah's suggestion to do some reading on Head-Fi. It is the best site period for advice on your question.