Find solution
How does noise cancellation work in headphones?

seeking high-quality headphones for work

  • Relatively high-quality headphones for work ... [MI] I enjoy listening to a good mix of styles and genres of music while working (excluding classical, just doesn't suit my work environment). I've got a pair of AKG K-240M headphones at home that I like very-very much, but bringing them to and from the office in an ice chest on a daily basis didn't prove practical (plus I don't have a headphone amp at the office to power through the impedance of that model). I'm looking to get a good pair of cans for my desk that I can leave here (large desk cubby can be locked), that have decent-to-good sound reproduction, don't leak a whole lot (some is OK - large air handlers will mask most of it, but I don't need noise cancellation), aren't terribly heavy and are comfortable for long periods (both reasons why my old MDR-V600s are still in the bag in a closet ... somewhere), and don't run over $150. I'm not moving around a bunch, so size does not matter (I don't want another pair of earbuds, yearggh). I really don't necessarily need SUPER HIFI or reference or whatever since most everything I'm listening to comes off of 192 vbr mp3s out of the builtin sound of the Optiplex GX260, but I would certainly like to be able to appreciate some of the nuances of a well-mixed and -produced album while on the job. Suggestions?

  • Answer:

    If you don't mind the form-factor, in-ear phones, such as the Shure e3's may give you the most bang for your buck. If you are willing to spend about $100 more, the Westone um2's are excellent. The best place I have found for opinions on all things headphones is http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/index.php?. Check them out.

kuperman at Ask.Metafilter.Com Visit the source

Was this solution helpful to you?

Other answers

I just bought KOSS Porta-Pro headphones to go with my Creative NOMAD. Great bass, clear treble. They do however leak sound which may annoy those around you. $39 at Circuit City. I am very happy with them. A side note, I recommend replacing any headphones that come packaged with portable players. They usually suck.

punkfloyd

My work headphone of choice is the Sony http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=mdr-v6&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:unofficial&sa=N&tab=wf (not to be confused with the inferior MDR-V600). I wear them for hours, every day, and they've been amazing. They sound excellent plugged into nearly anything, and leak very little. I can have things turned up pretty loud and you can't hear them when they're sealed more than a couple feet away. They're extremely durable, and have put up with years of being folded up, put in their bag, then tossed into my backpack. Search for "V6" on the http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2 or http://www.headwize.com/forums/ forums and you'll see dozens of people praising them. A popular mod for them to increase comfort is to replace the pleather ear pads with a pair of velour Beyerdynamic ones.

zsazsa

zsazsa

I bought a pair of http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=005178 about a year ago now for £25 ($150 :P ) and they have served me well. At my last job I used to wear them almost all day everyday with only a little discomfort when leaving work. Current job involves more phone calls so I use Sony in-ear headphones that I can rip out when someone rings - no where near the same quality or comfort but they get me through the day.

gi_wrighty

http://www.headphone.com/layout.php?datafeed=froogle&topicID=3&subTopicID=26&productID=0020090060 - ~$70, excellent quality. I use them at work pretty much all day every day.

Sibrax

I just bought a pair of http://www.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=3&subTopicID=26&productID=0020080280 from http://www.headphone.com and love 'em. Much more comfortable on my ears than the MDR-V700 DJs I used to use.

GeekAnimator

I use the http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/icm_eng.nsf/root/05206 headphones at work. They have an incredible response curve, best headphones under $50 according to several sites. Being open in design, if you crank the volume others may hear it. But I said "screw 'em" and got these things anyway. I am consistently impressed with them and even noticed details in music I've never heard before (and on CDs I've owned for years). Can be found for about $40 on NewEgg and Amazon.

knave

Second the KOSS Porta-Pro headphones, though IANAaudiophile.

callmejay

Further to Sibrax comment, http://www.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=3&subTopicID=26&productID=0020090080 - $95 are also excellent.

lola

Load more

Related Q & A:

Just Added Q & A:

Find solution

For every problem there is a solution! Proved by Solucija.

  • Got an issue and looking for advice?

  • Ask Solucija to search every corner of the Web for help.

  • Get workable solutions and helpful tips in a moment.

Just ask Solucija about an issue you face and immediately get a list of ready solutions, answers and tips from other Internet users. We always provide the most suitable and complete answer to your question at the top, along with a few good alternatives below.