Best Audiophile Headphones

Audio-Technica AD700 Headphones

2010-03-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

With a lightweight honeycomb aluminum casing and magnesium frame structure, these Audio-Technica AD700 open-air headphones produce no sense of pressure on the ears, offering a completely natural listening experience.

The sound is smooth and relaxed, with deep resonating bass and vocal projection.

The self-adjusting wing support automatically adjusts to your head size for easy-wearing listening comfort.

A straight cord at the left earpiece terminates to a mini plug with included ¼" adapter.

Technical Details:

Air Dynamic (open) headphones for natural and high quality sounds with deep resonating bass and vocal projection
Full open-air type headphones produce no sense of pressure on the ears, resulting in a completely natural sensation
Lightweight honeycomb aluminum casing and magnesium frame structure
Large-aperture 53 mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems and CCAW voice coils for superior sound reproduction
Self-adjusting 3D Wing Support Housing provides comfortable support for a more enjoyable listening experience

Product Specifications:

Type: Open-Air Dynamic
Driver diameter: 53mm
Magnet: Neodymium
Voice Coil: Copper-clad aluminum wire
Frequency: 5 – 30,000 Hz
Impedence: 32
sensitivity: 98 dB/mW at 1 kHz
Weight: 280 g
Cable: 3.0 m (Single/Hybrid-PCOCC)
Connector: 1/8" (3.5 mm) mini stereo, gold-plated
Accessory Included: Detachable 1/4" (6.3 mm) adapter

What current owners of Audio-Technica AD700 Headphones have to say:

Cosmo S.

I'd had my eye on the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700s for some time. I mean they are a Stereophile recommended product and one of the Mac magazines rated them the best full sized iPod can on the market. So when I saw them for $91 shipped it was a no brainer. Now, I have several cans and I won't embarrass myself mentioning cost, because the ATH-AD700s are my new full time cans. Whether I use them with one of my $1k+ amps or straight from my iPod classic, iPod Touch, or iMac, these cans sing and sing and sing.

Review Paraphrased: Read entire review HERE

If you want more info on these headphones, check out the positive responses at Amazon.com here:

Pluses:

Reasonable Priced
Comfortable
Great Sound Quality

Minuses:

Bulky
May not fit well with smaller size heads

Looking to purchase a pair of AD700 headphones? Check out Amazon.com for the lowest prices available here:

If your looking to upgrade an existing set of headphones (Sennheiser HD 202 headphones) or maybe your just interested in trying out open-air headphones for the first time, you won't regret choosing these Audio-Technica AD700 Headphones. These are a reasonably priced headset that will compliment any of your audio needs.

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Stereo Headphone Terminology

2010-02-27T16:11:00.000-08:00

Headphone Terms: Whats does it all mean.........................

I recently came across a great post that explains some of the terminology that is associated with headphones. I know sometimes it can be frustrating researching a product and being confronted with lingo that you may not be familiar with. I hope this helps to alleviate some of the frustration.

Headphone terms to remember

To find the right headphones for yourself, it’s best to know the basic features. Listed below are the most important terms you will need to consider before finding the perfect pair of headphones.

Bass

Even at its very best, headphone bass is never the sort of pants-flapping, sock-it-to-your-gut experience you literally feel from massive speakers or subwoofers. Those systems' bass is as much felt by your body as heard by your ears. Earbuds are tiny and portable, but, except for a couple of high-end models, they can't compete with full-size, over-the-ear headphones for deep bass response or visceral dynamic range. As with speakers, headphones need at least 10 hours of vigorous use before they sound their best.

Sealed or open?

Sealed headphones (the noise-isolating, in-ear models or the full-size ear-cup designs) acoustically isolate your ears from your environment. Of course, the degree of isolation varies from one pair of headphones to another, and the seal limits the leakage of the headphone's sound out to the room. Sealed models are ideal for private listening, where you don't want the sound to be heard by other people. Open headphones, such as foam ear-pad models and many sports designs, are acoustically transparent and allow outside sound to be heard by the headphone wearer, and a good deal of the headphone's sound will be audible to anyone near the listener.

Sealed headphones block outside noise.
Open-backed headphones allow external noise to reach your ears.

Generally speaking, such headphones produce better, more "open" and speakerlike sound than sealed designs. Precisely because they don't block out everything from the outside world, open-backed headphones are recommended for outdoor activities, such as jogging, that require awareness of your environment.

Comfort and weight

Assessing sound quality is always a subjective exercise, but the only way to judge comfort is to put on a set of 'phones and listen for at least 10 minutes. Do the ear pads exert too much pressure on your ears? Headphones that enclose or cover your ears can get uncomfortably hot, but you'll have to wear them for a while to find out. Some of the bigger sealed models with cushy leatherette pads are the worst offenders. Pro-style headphones are comparatively bulky and can feel uncomfortably heavy after hours of use. Lighter headband-style headphones are almost always more comfortable than heavier ones. And even if they're not, they're less of a hassle to carry around.

Durability

There's no reason a headphone should be treated as disposable technology. Unlike almost everything else in the realm of consumer electronics, this year's headphones won't be obsolete six months or a year from now. In fact, there's no reason a good pair of headphones can't last for the better part of a decade. Be sure to assess the build quality of your prospective headphones. Some earbuds and portable headphones are relatively fragile, for instance. If the headphones fold up for easy storage, are the hinges robust, or will they fall apart in a month or two? And consider that the ear pads and earbuds will get extensive wear and tear over the life of the headphones; while some models incorporate replaceable ear pads or ear tips, most do not.

Portability

Earbuds and lithe portables travel well, but those styles and ergonomics aren't for everyone. Despite their relative bulk, many airline travelers prefer large, full-size headphones that fully cover the ears. But some larger headphones travel more easily than others. Frequent flyers will want to look for collapsible headbands and folding ear cups when seeking out larger headphone models. Similarly, many headphones include customized carrying cases, which travel better than, say, wrapping your headphone cables around your iPod.

Cable dressing and length

Most stereo headphones have just one cable, usually attached to the left earpiece. Some models, and all earbuds, use a Y-cable that connects to both earpieces (double-sided). The actual cable plug, meanwhile, is usually one of two designs: a straight I-plug or an angled L-plug; the latter may be useful if your portable player has a side- or bottom-mounted headphone jack.

Single-sided headphone cables cut wire clutter in half.
Double-sided headphone cables can be tangle-prone.

Preferences for the length of headphone cables vary for portable users, especially depending on where you prefer to wear your device: a backpack or a pants pocket necessitates a longer cable, while you'll opt for a short one when wearing a player on a neck lavalier or an armband. But a cable length at either extreme need not be a fatal flaw: extension cables can lengthen those that are too short, and cable wraps can tighten up ones that are too long.

Frequency response

Frequency-response specifications in full-size loudspeakers are generally pretty useless in predicting sound quality, but headphone frequency-response numbers are even worse. Manufacturers have routinely exaggerated frequency-response figures to the point that they're irrelevant. Even the flimsiest, cheap headphones routinely boast extremely low bass-response performance, 15Hz or 20Hz, but almost always sound lightweight and bright. Generally, bass buffs will be happier sticking with larger headphones.

Total harmonic distortion

True, headphones with lower actual total harmonic distortion (THD) will sound better than 'phones with higher THD. But the quoted THD numbers, "less than 1 percent", aren't helpful in predicting sound quality. Listen to recordings of simply recorded acoustic guitar to assess the distortion of one set of headphones vs. another. Some will sound appreciably cleaner than others.

Impedance

Generally speaking, the lower the headphones' electrical impedance (aka resistance), the easier it is to get higher volume. But here again, the low impedance is no guarantee of high volume capability; other factors can still limit loudness potential. Since many MP3 players have feeble power output, the iPod is a notable exception, smart shoppers should check the loudness before purchasing any pair of headphones. To be sure, listen with your player.

Source: www.cnet.com

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Sennheiser HD 595 Premier Headphones

2010-02-09T00:22:00.000-08:00

Sennheiser has done it again with their HD-595 Premier Headphone. These headsets utilize Sennheisers E.A.R technology which enable these headphones to deliver crystal clear sound. The light weight aluminum voice coils allow for efficient transmission of sound with superb dynamics.

The Sennheiser HD-595 headphone is an excellent headset for the listener with a broad range of musical taste. They preform well when listening to rock,classical or acoustical music.

Whether it's guitars,horns or percussion instruments you wont be disappointed with the sound quality these cans deliver.

At 50 ohms the Sennheiser HD-595 Premier headphone is easier to drive than most higher end headphones. They work extremely well with an IPOD or other portable listening device. Also for those gamers and movie buffs, these are excellent pair of headphones to use to take your gaming and movie experience to the next level.

These are not noise canceling headphones. These Sennheiser 595 headphones allow for sound to enter and escape. I wouldn't recommend taking these on a bus or train. Your fellow passengers might not appreciate your musical choice.

The HD-595 headphone is not an entry level audiophile headphone. They are the top of the line in the Sennheiser 500 series. These headphones can run anywhere from $150-$275 dollars depending on where you purchase them.

These headphones are designed for the individual who is looking for exceptional sound quality at an affordable price. If your looking to upgrade an existing pair of headphones, or are searching for a great pair of headsets to complement your music,gaming or movie experience, I highly recommend you take a look at Sennheisers HD-595 Premier headphones.

Review by Darren Bradley

Premier - HD 595 headphone Lowest Price

Check out the Amazing Sound........

Product Features

Open-Aire ™,circumaural,dynamic,stereo headphones
Highest-grade components for outstanding acoustic performance
Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement (E.A.R.)enables ideal sound
channeling for a new kind of listening experience
State of the art,advanced Duofol diaphragms
Highly optimized,field-strengthened neodymium magnet systems
Outstanding wearing comfort for long listening sessions
Velour ear pads even allow wearing eyeglasses without loss of comfort
Longevity through exchangeable components
Lightweight aluminum voice coils for high efficiency and excellent dynamics
Special diaphragm geometry reduces intermodulation distortion
Highly constant,compressed cellulose fleece reduces total harmonic distortion
Headphone holder included –ideal for easy shelf and table mounting (horizontally &vertically)
2-year warranty

Technical Details

Cable length	9.8 ft. (3 m)
Contact pressure	3.5 N
Ear coupling	Around-the-ear
Frequency response (headphones)	12.....38,500 Hz
Jack plug	6.3 mm stereo (3.5 mm Adapter)
Nominal impedance	50 Ω
Sound pressure level (SPL)	112 dB (1 kHz and 1 Veff)
Total harmonic distortion (THD)	< 0.1 %
Transducer principle	Open, dynamic
Weight w/o cable	9.5 oz. (270 g)

Strengths

Exceptional Sound Quality
Works well with portable sound devices (Ipod)
Extremely comfortable
Storage bracket included
Glasses friendly
2 year warranty

Weaknesses

Not best suited for public use (library)
Over a $100 dollars
Not meant for extreme audiophile listeners

What do current owners have to say about Sennheiser HD 595 Premier headphones?

Keith D,

These headphones are so good I ordered a second pair less than a week after receiving the first. I was originally going to use them for my digital piano, but the piano was delayed so I decided to use them with my PC until it arrived. Listing to my collection of FLAC files I was very impressed with the sound from the beginning. Originally they were a little tight on my (very large) head, but they have loosened up some and I can wear them comfortably for hours.

Review Paraphrased - Read entire review HERE

Check out lowest price available on Sennheiser 595 Premier headphones

Sennheiser HD 555 Audiophile Headphones - Review

2010-01-04T01:37:00.000-08:00

If your looking for a great pair of headphones, the Sennheiser HD 555 audiophile headphones are an excellent choice. These HD-555 headphones are ideal for listening to your favorite music, watching a movie, or playing your favorite video game. At an affordable price the Sennheiser HD 555's deliver a crisp clean listening experience. You'll receive lots of detail and resolution from these babies!

These are an amazingly comfortable headphone. Velour ear pads allow you to comfortably wear glasses while listening and are extremely comfortable for long listening sessions.

The open ear design of the Sennheiser HD 555 headphones afford the listener the ability to hear external sounds while enjoying their favorite music or gaming experience. These are a well constructed durable headphone.

Review by: Jason D.

Overall Rating

Check out this great video review.........

Sennheiser HD 555 Audiphile Headphones - Best Price......

Product Features

Open-Aire ™,circumaural,dynamic,stereo headphones
Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement (E.A.R.)enables ideal sound
channeling for a new kind of listening experience
State of the art, advanced Duofol diaphragms
Highly optimized,field-strengthened neodymium ferrous magnet systems
Outstanding comfort for long listening sessions
Velour ear pads even allow wearing eyeglasses without loss of comfort
Longevity through exchangeable components
Lightweight aluminum voice coils for high efficiency and excellent dynamics
Surround reflector improves spatial sound characteristics
2-year warranty

Technical Details

Brand Name : Sennheiser
Model : HD555
Weight (w/o cable) : 9.2 (260 g)
Cable length : 9.8 ft. (3 m)
Distortion : < 0.2%
Impedance : 50 Ohms
Frequency Response : 15 - 28KHZ

PROS

Extremely comfortable
Very good bass
Glasses friendly
Excellent sound quality

CONS

No case included
Not suitable for public use

I highly recommend these to anyone who is looking for audiophile headphones at an affordable price. These are worth every penny for the sound quality they deliver. Read below what current owners have to say!

Here's what current owners have to say about their purchase of Sennheiser HD 555 Headphones.

Steven F,
I got these for my mom as a gift as she is into mixing and making music and she needed a set of headphones that would allow for good sound response and high construction quality. At first glance they look great, they feel good, and they sound great. A few notes about these headphones for those new to higher end headphones. These are NOT noise canceling headphones! When they are over your ears you will still hear outside noises quite well.

Review Paraphrased - Read entire review HERE

In stock at Amazon.com : Get your pair of Sennheiser 555 HD audiophile headphones and experience sound like you've never heard before......

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