Need new headphones (for phone/Mojo)!

Garry1000

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Afternoon all.

I’ve had a headphone issue on a long-haul flight over the weekend – my Sennheiser Momentum2 (around ear, wired) stopped working in the right ear. They’re 3 or 4 years old, so well out of warranty. So unless someone knows whether they’re easily repairable, I’m in the market for something new and would like some pointers on what to look at.

It might be useful to give you some background first –
  • I own Shure SE110 (and previously owned SE102). I have a back-up set of Kef 450s (which the kids tend to use now).

  • I don’t like the disorienting feel from Bose QC’s noise-cancelling (although I understand that other noise cancelling systems may be less aggressive); nor do I like the sound from Bose generally. On that basis, I’m cautious (but not fully against) NC headphones. But whatever I get *must* be functional in passive (i.e. when the batteries in the headphones die) mode.

  • I do need something that has a good in-line mic, as I also use these for work calls very often.

  • I’ve always felt happier with in-ear models, as the clatter of the tube invades too much, however I get (inordinately) annoyed when random people speak to me and I have to remove/reinsert earbuds.

  • My source – I have a Samsung S9 with Deezer (FLAC, I think). I use the phone itself for 80% of my streaming, so the headphones need to be easy enough to drive. I also have a Chord Mojo which is great on trains/aeroplanes but a nuisance in regular commutes as it doesn’t fare well with in backpack jostling. I don’t think I want to spend another £400 on a Chord Poly to go wireless.
In terms of budget, obviously I don’t want to spend unnecessarily, but could go up to £300/350 (but prefer to keep it sub £200). I have seen the Shure SE535 Red, with mic and wireless bits for £319 on Amazon (not marketplace, so genuine) but saw another thread here suggesting they’ve been mostly superseded.

Any pointers gratefully received. I am in Central London, for demo purposes. My wife is travelling in the next fortnight (T2 Heathrow), so could get something duty free (assuming I can get her agreement on pricing….!). I would feel somewhat uncomfortable auditioning in a real shop and buying elsewhere/online tho.
Thanks!
 
Can I suggest you have a look at my last IEM purchase, those being Flare Audio Pro’s.

Bluetooth or wired with a tiny little BT receiver works beautifully with my IPhone 7+. Often reduced to E199.00 versus the current RRP of £349.00 and upwards.

And if it floats your boat, the packaging and extras are incredible plus they sound unbelievable for a non-audiophile like me.
 
And by coincidence Flares have brought out a newer version so the originals have now dropped to £199.99 which is an absolute bargain
FLARES PRO
 
Thanks! That is interesting. At £300+ they felt a bit toppy (particularly when I know there was the sniff of a deep discount).

Do they have an inline mic – cannot see a reference to it on the website (if I cannot use for conference calls, they don’t work).

So far my shortlist is:

Flare – Flares Audio Pro – direct from Flare £199
RHA – T20i – John Lewis and others, £149
Shure – SE535 Red Ltd Edition (with Bluetooth / mic kit) – Amazon, £319.
AKG - N40 - £249 – Richer Sounds

I guess I’m seeking the impossible, but has anyone tried all/most of those? I don’t think it’s feasible for me to actually audition so the views of one or more users would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
so I've done a bit of a sift.

Flares have been removed from the list - they only have the inline mic in BT mode, which doesn't work for me. I do long calls at short notice so cannot risk being caught out by a depleted/near depleted battery.

RHA too isn't doing it for me.

So I'm left with a straight shootout between Shure 535 and the AKG.

I think Shure nudges it, as the current pack sold by Amazon has the Bluetooth and hard-wired cable option. I think I'd be heartbroken if I went for the solely hardwired AKG for £250 to find that Samsung kills off the headphone jack the next time I need a new phone.
 
You can use the battery when charging IIRC
 
There is a code floating around for 10% off those flares, I believe it's FLARE172 - came up on my Facebook feed the other day.
 

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