HeadRoom's Top Ten Headphones
For well over a decade we've been measuring headphones in our lab. Our expert sales team listens to a standardized test disc to personally evaluate cans, listens to customer experiences with the headphones they've bought, and fills out headphone evaluation forms.
We simply don't carry headphones if they're not top performers in their category, so our entire HeadRoom product offering is a "Top Headphone" list of sorts. But here we chose the models that belong at the very top of the heap, sorted by price:
This headphone performs far better than others around the $50 mark, and not only sounds good, but is lightweight, looks attractive, and folds up easily for packing. The Sennheiser PX100 is perfect for parents who need cans for the kids, college students who pack their cans in backpacks, or just about anyone who needs a handy and convenient headphone that actually sounds good. $49.99
For an inexpensive 'sealed/closed' headphone for noise-blocking applications check out the Sennheiser HD228. This comfortable little headphone has impressive sound with a punchy well-balanced bass response & clean treble range clarity, and is small and easy to carry. $79.95
Our biggest-selling can in the Grado series, the Grado SR60i delivers the best overall sound quality under $100, and may be the top sonic 'bang-for-the-buck' value in the entire audio industry. It's likely not the most stylish pair of headphones, but who minds appearing a tad old-school with a noggin full of awesome sound! $79*
Obviously, good sound quality will win over our hearts and ears every time, but an excellent seal for noise isolation plus nice smallish size and good styling makes the DENON AH-D1001K sealed-back headphones a mighty impressive buy. In fact, the entire Denon line of sealed cans perform extraordinarily well. $149.99*
The Audio Technica ATH-M50 offers neutral and precisely accurate sound quality at only $150, significantly outperforming even the Denon D1001's audio quality. This full sized headphone is comfortable, seals well, and folds for transport-- quite possibly the "perfect" all-around headphone. $149
Frequent travelers realize that ear canal headphones (ECHs) can provide far better isolation and sound quality than noise-canceling headphones. About the best thing to ever happen to an iPod or MP3 player is the Etymotic ER6i, with a nice mix of audio performance, great ambient noise isolation, and a very low price for the category. Etymotic is the earliest manufacturer in the ECH category, and offer other great models including the ER4P. $149.99*
Shure SE530 earphones not only offer legitimate reference-grade sound quality and deliver near-total ambient noise isolation, but are built well, fit well, and look good too. Great performance isn't limited to their top-of-the-line ECH, Shure's entire series of miniature headphones are superb. $449*
Speaking of reference listening, anyone who hears the Denon AH-D2000 headphone can't help but be impressed. This headphone delivers the kind of clarity and tonal precision formerly unheard of in closed-back cans. If you're looking for a lusher and warmer presentation, take a look at the other cans in Denon's line-up like the AH-D5000. $349*
Moving up to full-size "audiophile" headphones, the AKG K702 is the newest incarnation of AKG's flagship headphone the K701, and, boy, does it sound amazing! After a rather lengthy initial break-in period, the K-702's sound eventually becomes articulate and punchy. Both cans sound virtually identical, so you can have your choice of white (K701) or black (K702). $539*
Recently Sennheiser has released a new flagship offering, the HD800. WOW, the bar has been raised, and how! These cans re-define what great headphone audio reproduction is, and will have you listening in mute ecstasy. $1399.95
Pair any of these cans up with a HeadRoom headphone amplifier and a good audio source, and we promise you a wonderfully intimate and high resolution listening experience. If you'd like to investigate your options more thoroughly, please feel free to peruse the website --- you won't find a bad pick in the bunch --- OR just give us a call or send an email for some custom-tailored advice from our deeply-trained expert no-commission sales team.
(NOTE: * Indicates Lower Price Available. Click on the Product Page for Full Details)
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