I tend to use headphones for my PC music and gaming. My last set just died on me, they were an off brand of 5.1 usb headphones, the company doesn't exist anymore, they had a built in sound card, which was good because you could plug them into any system even if it had a crappy sound card and get a nice loud high quality output, and it didn't require several wires even though it used several channels, the only downside was with usb you couldn't connect them to anything but a computer.
I'm asking around on here because headphones can vary widely in quality and there's so many models out there. I'm looking in the $40-$80 range but feel free to mention any that you think are good for the price. They've started making ear buds that are in the premium price range, but I've never tried any of those so i don't know how comfortable or clear they are. Any knowledge you have about headsets/phones/earbuds is good to know.

11/4/2008 11:05:38 PM

$40 - 80 for high quality headphones?

11/4/2008 11:28:25 PM

lol you can't get shit for 40-80

even those crappy ass bose triports were like $99 when i tried them out

11/4/2008 11:31:23 PM

Well, if you know of any headphones for several hundred that are worth the price feel free to talk about it.

11/4/2008 11:36:02 PM

Hard to go wrong with Sennheiser.

11/4/2008 11:36:58 PM

I just did a sort by ratings on newegg and sennheisers were the best rated under $100. I wonder how good it can really be with a single stereo input.

11/4/2008 11:50:32 PM

I have the Sennheiser HD595s. They're awesome. They'll suck the batteries of an mp3 player dry, but they're awesome. I got a good deal and paid about $100.

http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=newHD-3

11/4/2008 11:56:20 PM

Sorry, didn't notice the "gaming." I strictly stick to stereo listening. However I did use them back in the day with my gaming rig - outstanding performers. HD650s btw. gl.

11/4/2008 11:56:58 PM

I have some Grado SR60s, and am very pleased.

http://www.gradolabs.com/frameset_main.htm

11/5/2008 7:58:17 AM

I was going to post Senheiser... nice to see others have already done so. That is what I have, used them for the past year+ and they are amazing.

11/5/2008 11:20:15 AM

You'll probably get more comfort from the Senheiser but more noise detail from the Grados

11/5/2008 12:35:51 PM

grado's are nice, but uncomfortable.

for the money, go with senn

11/5/2008 12:53:35 PM

Check out the selection guide and reviews at http://www.headphone.com, it's a great site. If you're using them for long stretches at a time while sitting at the computer, and you're not looking for something tiny to walk around with or use on a portable mp3 player and such, you want to put a premium on comfort, so you'd probably be looking at full-size cans that fit over your ears and won't cause pressure headaches or get uncomfortable sitting in the ear canal after long periods of use; noise canceling probably isn't terribly important, either, unless you have roommates or a significant other watching TV in the room where you sit at your computer.

For what it's worth, I got a pair of Sennheiser HD280-Pro's to fit that same list of criteria, and they're worth every penny. Great sound on a wide range, moderate noise reduction, and super-comfortable. They're only about $75-100 online, so it's pretty close to the price range you're looking at.

11/5/2008 5:10:58 PM

I have both Grados and Sennheisers. Grados win in both sound quality and comfort IMO. Maybe it's just the model of Sennheisers I have, but they are like wearing a vise on your head if you keep them on there too long. I can wear the SR-60s for hours on end with no problem.

11/15/2008 3:54:33 PM

I got the Sennheisers and I have found that to be true, its not too bad but it does leave your ears sore after a few hours. Too late now. Oh well.

11/15/2008 5:00:42 PM

As far as the pressure problem with the Senns, I can't attest - the model I had wrapped around the ears, causing zero pressure whatsoever. (better natural noise canceling, too)

11/15/2008 11:03:41 PM