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

Looking to go out and get some new headphones tomorrow, preferably in ear (to replace iphone standard ones) and with mic/remote to control my phone and make calls. Budget is quite strict at £80.

Any suggestions?

Shure SE215. Myself and the missus both have them, they're bombproof, and sound amazing.They have a detachable cord, just after the two sides come together, so you could get a 3rd party iphone remote thingy.

The only live music that sounds better than a good set of headphones is Classical music in a good venue with the right seats.

Sure there's shit gigs at shit venues with a shit mixer, but hey.
I've seen quite a lot breathtaking live gigs I must say.
Generally breathtaking, but also soundwise.
I think the best sound I heard was Faith No More in Munich.
Yes their studio albums also do sound good.
But comparing a well done live sound like that with headphones or laptop speakers is bonkers.

I didn't want to start an argument here, it's just that I know quite a lot of people
that listen to music at home through their fucking laptop - and are really happy with it.
Do not understand.
It's like looking at photos of oil paintings instead of looking at oil paintings to me.

At live gigs, you are still only listening to a representation of the music.
Unless of course it is an acoustic set in a small venue.
Imho, music is best heard on a vinyl studio album.

Let the audio cock waving commence

^ surely that would play havoc with the signal?

I know a sound engineer and he has worked with Keizer Chiefs and others and he complains that before it was 80 tracks they had to deal with, now it's more like 130 which is tough work. If the team is weak, then the concerts or at least some songs will sound like shit.

Let the audio cock waving commence

If you both can fit it into an headphone jack then you both lose.

Meaningless discussion...
#lfgss

I know a sound engineer and he has worked with Keizer Chiefs and others and he complains that before it was 80 tracks they had to deal with, now it's more like 130 which is tough work. If the team is weak, then the concerts or at least some songs will sound like shit.

if its the kaiser chiefs then all songs will sound like shit, because they are the most obnoxious, unimaginative, talentless, self-important shower of cunts who have ever existed.

re the laptop speakers argument- there are some people who are happy to hear thin, top-end heavy music, my mate Charlie does it; he is a discerning music listener, but likes to have noise all the time, and is always listeneing to new things, and doesn't mind if the sound is a bit shit.

I will never understand this, because when I listen to a record, it is carefully chosen sccording to the mood I'm in, it is quite a rare event, and it has to sound perfect, or I get irritated and turn it off.

if its the kaiser chiefs then all songs will sound like shit, because they are the most obnoxious, unimaginative, talentless, self-important shower of cunts who have ever existed.

+1

waboc.

I've had an AudioEngine D1 for a while... it sounds lovely. If anyone is looking for an upgrade to their laptop/computer sound card and you already have decent headphones then I'd recommend one of these.

Audioengine D1 Premium 24-bit DAC: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

It's not perfectly neutral, it's a little warm sounding... but in a good way reminiscent of the warmth of valve amps. Once burnt in it's bordering on superlative, which for the price is pretty incredible.

I only bought it as it's one of the few things with an optical input that I could use to drive headphones from my Playstation 3 (so I didn't have to bug Felicity when I play games), but it turns out to be a much better USB soundcard than anything I've ever considered before, so I now use it mostly for music on the laptop.

I've always liked shure in ear headphones, good sound and fitting options. Just bought a pair of SE315's from here:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/index.html?sid=c2232a2c38176a2bf5425f9daff83e99

£10 more than UK stores but has 3 year warranty.

I can never criticise someone else's nergasm, but still:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/ultrasone_edition_10_limited.htm

I can never criticise someone else's nergasm, but still:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/ultrasone_edition_10_limited.htm

from googling reviews, I'd save your money.....

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/ultrasone-edition-10

I've just bought some headphones for £2.49 (inc postage)... Does that make me a bad person?

There is a situation where live beats any home system... Tripping. Spiritualised and Glastonbury (particularly the beta band) where the most amazing sensual experiences of my life.

Pixies live was pretty special too (I was totally sober)... And B&S... Both cases because of the audience for totally opposite reasons.

Queens of the stone age when I was 17 after downing two special brew and smoking a joint.

Lost a shoe.

Those Sonys ^^ are great value for money, I have a pair for DJ-ing/using at the office... I almost bought some Grados a few years back but wasn't convinced when I tested them...

Ed = Trolling fail

I've had an AudioEngine D1 for a while... it sounds lovely. If anyone is looking for an upgrade to their laptop/computer sound card and you already have decent headphones then I'd recommend one of these.

Audioengine D1 Premium 24-bit DAC: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

It's not perfectly neutral, it's a little warm sounding... but in a good way reminiscent of the warmth of valve amps. Once burnt in it's bordering on superlative, which for the price is pretty incredible.

I only bought it as it's one of the few things with an optical input that I could use to drive headphones from my Playstation 3 (so I didn't have to bug Felicity when I play games), but it turns out to be a much better USB soundcard than anything I've ever considered before, so I now use it mostly for music on the laptop.

.

At live gigs, you are still only listening to a representation of the music.
Unless of course it is an acoustic set in a small venue.
Imho, music is best heard on a vinyl studio album.

A vinyl studio album is just a representation of the music.

Anyway, you're all wrong. I am right.

Headphones --->

You were right a week ago when you said

It's not just about the sound.

A vinyl studio album is just a representation of the music.
Yes, quite correct.
I was pointing out the same kind of thing about live performances, I wasn't stating that representations are inferior. To suggest a live gigs with amps, mixers and speakers are somehow better than a studio mixed representation Is lauhgable.
Unless you are actually hearing unamplified music, you are hearing a representation. At a live gig the sound engineers have nowhere near the amount of time to get the sound perfect.

Sorry I know you're not talking to me but I'd just really like to change a word here:

To suggest a live gigs with amps, mixers and speakers are SOUNDS somehow better than a studio mixed representation Is lauhgable.

Bands can be 'better' live than on record for other reasons.

Yes the experience of seeing a live band far outweighs any drop in audio quality, that is not really the point though.

Ah, I just scrolled back further and now I see where this discussion began, soz.

The representation thing is interesting. Over Christmas I was getting a lot of trains so I put some albums on my iPhone and bought some Sennheiser CX275s, everything sounded bassy and trebly as fuck so I clicked through the EQ settings and it sounded like I was changing the band's entire equipment with every click. Made it seem a bit funny that we musicians spend so much time fine-tuning in the studio when people are listening to music through laptop/mobile speakers or with crazy EQ presets.