Earphones / Headphones: Where to try, what to buy?

racist

as a few have said GRADOS SR80 FTW

are they any good in traffic though? look like they'll let a lot of road noise through

Not heard these as they aren't released till later in the month but they do fit the bill of looking funky:

http://www.nixonnow.com/headphones/?ref=uncrate

get to turntable lab.
http://www.turntablelab.com/dj_equipment/71/144/
look there.

i like the panasonic ones

Pretty much what it says on the tin - I need some new 'over-the-ear' headphones that don't have a band that goes over the top of your head. Like these...
*
*They don't have to be wireless or bluetooth, but I'd like to try some out to see what the sound quality is like and how well the fit me.

Anyone know anywhere or have any suggestions?

The Apple store is the only place I'm aware of in London that lets you try headphones for fit and sound quality.

Richer sounds ( hi-fi chain) will probably oblige

On your head I'd imagine.

hmv on oxford street has some out to try, but i think they are all over the head stylee

Well seeing as it seem very likely I'll be able to try any headphones, does anyone have any recomendations? I have a pair that go round the back of the head and rest on the ears but they don't block background noise very well. What about the ones that clip on the ear without going round the back of the head?

Like these\/

Look good, but your not planning on wearing them while riding, are you?

Yep. I like to listen to music whilst I ride. The idea with blocking background noise is that I can keep the volume down but still get full sound. That way I can hear the music and still hear traffic. I've been riding with headphones on for years without any probs at all.

Yep. I like to listen to music whilst I ride. The idea with blocking background noise is that I can keep the volume down but still get full sound. That way I can hear the music and still hear traffic. I've been riding with headphones on for years without any probs at all.

what?

Totally the opposite to what you're after, but I just got a pair of these the sound quality is amazing for in-ear headphones. Plus they look great.

http://www.aiaiai.dk/

OP is being a bit oxymoronic here. Traffic = background noise. Noise cancelling means you won't be able to here traffic.

I know a lot of riders do ride with noise-cancelling or reducing headphones though. I personally consider it suicidal.

i forgot who said this in a thread similair to this one, "believe what you see and now what you hear"

go to virgin, you can listen to all the new mmusic with their headphones

Totally the opposite to what you're after, but I just got a pair of these the sound quality is amazing for in-ear headphones. Plus they look great.

http://www.aiaiai.dk/

I'm not a fan of in-ear headphones. You don't get anywhere near the quality of over-ear headphones and they never block background noise. Also, what's the point in the swirl? Is it just for show?

@asm: It may seem suicidal, but that's only if you have the music up too loud. If my music is at the right volume then I can hear what's going on around me. Plus I look a lot around me. I would say I was pretty cautious when I ride. I also have brakes, so I've got a little more time to see what's going on.

I think the most dangerous events on roads are the ones you can see but don't expect. It's nothing to do with being able to hear everything perfectly.

But, it's completely up to each person riding as to how they want to ride and what they see/hear.

Oh, also, does anyone know where the flagship Virgin store is? The bigger the store, the more choice there is!

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDRG42LP-CE7-Street-Style-Headphones/dp/B0002KQUPC/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1233613886&sr=8-25"]These[/ame] are good:

Although I'm sure they were about half the price when I bought them...

Richer sounds ( hi-fi chain) will probably oblige

They won't. When I was looking to purchase some expensive headphones, they refused to let me listen to them beforehand.

Edit: I agree with the above, the Apple Store is the only place.

Go to the apple store on regents street! I did and was impressed to be able to blast the hell out of them and no pushy sales staff forcing the wrong ones on me!

Oh, also, does anyone know where the flagship Virgin store is? The bigger the store, the more choice there is!

Have you been lurking in a cave for the past year or so?! Virgin was rebranded zavvi about a year ago, and has subsequently gone bust.

Also, If the headphones are noise cancelling, irrespective of the volume you have them set at, surely they will still cancel noise? therefore rendering you unable to hear traffic?

And yeah I know, different strokes for different folks. I don't feel safe doing it, others do and they don't crash so it must be possible

Have you been lurking in a cave for the past year or so?! Virgin was rebranded zavvi about a year ago, and has subsequently gone bust.

Also, If the headphones are noise cancelling, irrespective of the volume you have them set at, surely they will still cancel noise? therefore rendering you unable to hear traffic?

And yeah I know, different strokes for different folks. I don't feel safe doing it, others do and they don't crash so it must be possible

Nah, noise cancelling doesn't stop everything otherwise they'd be called 'noise uber blockers' or something. If I turn my music off they're not that different from a pair of ear muffs that keep your ears warm. I like to have the background noise reduced massively, especially if I'm on the tube or at a station where there is a lot of loud noise stopping me from hearing my music.