Looking to purchase some on-ear headphones, any help appreciated.

[G@zz@]

Hi,

Going to America in 2 weeks and will be taking my Samsung MP3 and my DS Lite. Also there are the movies to watch while on the plane. I have the earphones that came with the MP3 and also some CX300's and both hurt my left ear after a while (right ear is fine).

So I have decided to get some on-ear headphones instead as I will be wearing them for a while and defo need some form of comfort.

At the moment I was considering the Bose on-ear Triport headphones @ around £120. One thing I am not really wanting is a pair of really big headphones, and these from Bose look just about right. I have read many good reviews but then the odd off putting one, where people say they make your ears hurt after 1 hour of wearing them

I suppose one good thing with buying direct from Bose is that you have 30 days to return them if you are not happy. But I am well aware that many frown at the over pricing of Bose products and cheaper/better models are out there.

Whatever I purchase it needs to be ordered within the next few days.

I am sure there are many people in here with various models that they are using right now. So I was hoping for some good advice on what to buy for no more than £120. At the same time I don't really want to look like I a construction worker using a pneumatic drill

Help/advice much appreciated.

Thanks,

Gazza.

[G@zz@]

Since posting the above I have been researching like mad. The Bose get a very mixed bag of reviews. The QC2's seem very good but not sure I want to look like one of the Cybermen. The new QC3's look very nice indeed but @ £275

The Sennheiser PX200 and PXC300 are now on my list of possibles.

The savings on buying Bose in the USA are quite substantial but I need them more for the the journey out than the one back.

[eviljohn2]

Sennheiser PX200 are a good choice but quite bass-light compared to other models. For a sensible size the Sennheiser HD25SP can be a good compromise and sound very good.

[G@zz@]

Originally Posted by eviljohn2

Sennheiser PX200 are a good choice but quite bass-light compared to other models. For a sensible size the Sennheiser HD25SP can be a good compromise and sound very good.

Hmm another one to throw into the bag They do get very good reviews and only £64.99 delivered from Play. But all the reviews are mentioning for DJ's and not really everyday use at home or on the move.

God purchasing anything always becomes a total nightmare for me.

[mattski73]

let me share a few thoughts about the Bose Triport OE headphones.

I've had mine less than a week, and i haven't really been able to take them off my head. amongst some of my most portable headphones are the following;

1)Sennheiser HD25-1's near perfect

http://www.rebelio.co.uk/app/urwfilt...ack/index.html

2) Denon AH-D1000 very light, comfortable, and perfectly detailed sound, if not a bit light on the bass.

http://www.hifibitz.co.uk/product.asp?id=6072

3) Bose Triport OE also light, small, very comfortable and the deepest head banging bass of any headphones i own (and currently i have over 30 pairs)

I love the original Bose triport, i brought the Ice Blue pair, and even when they kept on breaking, i always forgave them , and had another pair (under guarantee)

I've got both the PX100 and PX200 and my money would still go to bose. In fact i have many headphones more expensive than the Bose, and none, and i mean none, put a smile on my face like the Bose.

I love my HD25-1's, they are superb, but they don't reach the kind of sonic depths that the Bose reach

Listening to 'Protection - Massive Attack' has never been so rewarding than it has with the Bose. That bass line is deep, rich and full.

Comfort? well the Denon AH-D1000 are the most comfortable, but the Bose is close behind.

Buy the Bose, do it now, as someone who has a little experience of the other worthy suggestions made here, my money would go to the Bose

the only thing is that i'm sorry your in a hurry, else you could bid for a bargain on ebay.

[G@zz@]

Fantastic reply and very much appreciated.

I like the look of the Denon ones But are they over-ear ones. Just a bit self concious of having some big numb things over my ears that's all.

Was looking on eBay and I think its the old style Triports on there not the new ones.

What is a crying shame... not being able to get them in America as I need them before I go.

[padi89]

From my own experience i wouldn't touch the Bose with a bargepole.I really don't think they compete with anything in their price range.Seriously,look elsewhere to be honest.
Massive Attacks Protection (amazing song),while the bass is important,especially at the beginning it should be tight and focused and blend in when the vocals kick in.The midrange is the more prominent feature throughout song.If your listening to that song and the bass is all you hear then your missing out so much on the vocals.This from my own experience is the presentation the Bose give you and to be honest the bass is over powering and flabby
Of course at the end of the day its all personal preference but if i were a basshead and i wanted something with a bit of oommph,there are much better options.

[mattski73]

Originally Posted by padi89

From my own experience i wouldn't touch the Bose with a bargepole.I really don't think they compete with anything in their price range.Seriously,look elsewhere to be honest.
Massive Attacks Protection (amazing song),while the bass is important,especially at the beginning it should be tight and focused and blend in when the vocals kick in.The midrange is the more prominent feature throughout song.If your listening to that song and the bass is all you hear then your missing out so much on the vocals.This from my own experience is the presentation the Bose give you and to be honest the bass is over powering and flabby
Of course at the end of the day its all personal preference but if i were a basshead and i wanted something with a bit of oommph,there are much better options.

then tell me a pair of headphones that can handle the depth, becasue i don't know of any. and don't say beyer DT, becasue i've already tried them, albeit a brief test.

[padi89]

Originally Posted by mattski73

then tell me a pair of headphones that can handle the depth, becasue i don't know of any. and don't say beyer DT, becasue i've already tried them, albeit a brief test.

I don't need to go listing headphones that are better than the Bose because id be here all day and it would just end up in a "this is better","no its not" ranting.From my own experience listening to Triports the bass does not handle depth at all,its just boomy and flabby with no focus at all,it dominates the music.Its the equivalent to using bass boost and turning it all they way up or poorly integrating an under performing sub into an av or hifi system system.Bass should be tight,focused and punchy not all over the shop.Again as i said its down to preference.

[G@zz@]

Well god knows what me is going to do now

[mattski73]

Originally Posted by padi89

I don't need to go listing headphones that are better than the Bose because id be here all day and it would just end up in a "this is better","no its not" ranting.From my own experience listening to Triports the bass does not handle depth at all,its just boomy and flabby with no focus at all,it dominates the music.Its the equivalent to using bass boost and turning it all they way up or poorly integrating an under performing sub into an av or hifi system system.Bass should be tight,focused and punchy not all over the shop.Again as i said its down to preference.

that's how a i felt about the bass on my HD212's, until i put them up against a pair of Sony's and Technics, and i realized that the HD212's weren't as bad as i thought.

but different headphones have different depths of bass. although bass should be, taught and punchy, there is an obvious and audible difference between the bass depth my grado's produce and My Ultrasone produce for example. therefore is the Ultrasone's bass, flabby and bloated compared to the Grado's just because it's deeper?

every audio manufacturer has a different interpretation of how the music should be, whether it's Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, Ultrasone, Etymotic, Shure, V-Moda.....


with that in mind, with the Bose flabby or not, you can hear and feel notes that most other headphones just can't reach.

The other good case for the Bose is their size, which makes them very portable, and in the ipod age, portable headphones are very important.

The Bose are light, comfortable, and useable both at home and away. My Ultrasone Proline 750, aren't really designed for going for a wonder 'round B&Q of a Saturday afternoon, if you catch my drift.

Also the Bose work well with out a headphones amp, as do the HD25-1's.

Well god knows what me is going to do now

your going to buy a pair of Bose or a pair of HD25-1's, and your going to enjoy them

[G@zz@]

I have been reading many reviews on the Denon AH-D1000 and they come across to be really good.

Its finding somewhere to take my MP3 player and test these out along with the Bose. I don't really have the time to be travelling to the likes of Leeds/Bradford/Manchester (nearest cities to me), the joys of living in a rural area.

[padi89]

Originally Posted by mattski73

but different headphones have different depths of bass. although bass should be, taught and punchy, there is an obvious and audible difference between the bass depth my grado's produce and My Ultrasone produce for example. therefore is the Ultrasone's bass, flabby and bloated compared to the Grado's just because it's deeper?

every audio manufacturer has a different interpretation of how the music should be, whether it's Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, Ultrasone, Etymotic, Shure, V-Moda.....


with that in mind, with the Bose flabby or not, you can hear and feel notes that most other headphones just can't reach.

I don't think you read or interpreted my post correctly at all.Im not comparing sound signatures of different headphones with Bose Triports i am talking about Bose on it own and the sound it produces.
Without me having to repeat myself i am saying that the bass that Bose produce is flabby and bloated.Its sticks its nose in when its not needed eg. an acoustic recording a guitar will not sound like a guitar,on a dance track instead of a thumping tight base line you get a booming bassline.
As far as other companies go,i have experience of owning a fair few sets of headphones and amps,i can appreciate all the different tastes and sound signatures.I went through a fair few pairs myself before i ended up with something i liked but i never came across something IMO as overpriced as Triports for the sound they produce.Everyone has their own preference of what they like but to be honest i think Bose should be in the low end price bracket if you want to compare them with what other options are available.Il leave it at that.

[G@zz@]

Can I ask what headphones you are using please... out of interest.

[mattski73]

Originally Posted by padi89

I don't think you read or interpreted my post correctly at all.Im not comparing sound signatures of different headphones with Bose Triports i am talking about Bose on it own and the sound it produces.
Without me having to repeat myself i am saying that the bass that Bose produce is flabby and bloated.Its sticks its nose in when its not needed eg. an acoustic recording a guitar will not sound like a guitar,on a dance track instead of a thumping tight base line you get a booming bassline.
As far as other companies go,i have experience of owning a fair few sets of headphones and amps,i can appreciate all the different tastes and sound signatures.I went through a fair few pairs myself before i ended up with something i liked but i never came across something IMO as overpriced as Triports for the sound they produce.Everyone has their own preference of what they like but to be honest i think Bose should be in the low end price bracket if you want to compare them with what other options are available.Il leave it at that.

it's been good talking to you. sorry if i've caught the wrong end of the stick. ny wif tells me i'm good at that! all the best.

here's a link to size comparision picture.


Left: Denon, Middle: Bose, Right:HD25-1's

http://img26.picoodle.com/img/img26/...tm_80cdeeb.jpg