New headphones advice

I am looking for some advice regarding a purchase of new headphones. I have been using these for a couple of months and yes, they are overpriced, but I got them for a couple of bucks and they were worth it. Problem is whoever designed them made a horrible misstake and used some shit material and they just snapped. I was aware of this issue beforehand and I handled them with care, but they died all the same.

Sound quality was really great tho and I find it impossible to go back to earbuds now. What I am looking for is portability and ofcourse sound quality. I was looking all over the internet and there are many choices, anyone has a personal experience with a model they would reccomend?

EDIT: Wow, that is a lot of responses in a short time, I will go and check all these out and then post back, thanks a lot!

EDIT2: I should have list my price range, I was thinking 100-200 dollars. I payed something like 80 dollars for the Solo HD but I am willing to spend more than that if they will push me closer to clear, full sound.

EDIT3: Some of the headphones you posted look really nice (and sound I suppose), but they are way too big - my primary use of these new headphones will be wearing them outside, in public transport, on the street etc, that is why I loved the Solo HD, they just sit on the ear and don't make your head look giant.

Audio Technica ATH M50

That guy REALLY likes those headphones.

As far as earbuds go, I rocked a pair of Sennheiser CX400-IIs for about three years until they eventually broke a few weeks ago (the rubber casing on the plug got eroded by my jeans pocket over the years until it finally gave way) which seems like a long time and they sounded great for the price. I've been looking at a few different options since then and have found the reviews on The Wirecutter to be very thorough.

If you want something just as overpriced but of higher quality, maybe consider the Sennheiser Momentum. I can't personally vouch for them, but they're fairly portable in the grand scheme, and by all accounts sound pretty dang good.

@donkeycow:

Yeah, i was expecting him to start undressing when he goes on about the sound quality.

Hes right though, they sound suberb.

Whatever you guys do don't buy Urbanears. They look good and the sound is not the WORST thing in the world (far from good still), but they are unbelievably uncomfortable.

I'm using these and they're awesome!

I'm using these too! They are fantabulous.

@quipido: Budget range? I've had good $50 headphones and good $400 headphones. Of course, the definition of "good" changes depending on the cost, and I've gone through $300 cans that were worth perhaps half that.

Also, are you against IEMs? If you don't mind an earplug like fit, I'm of the opinion that in ear headphones (not earbuds, mind, but proper canalphones) deliver the best sound for the price. My current everyday pair is a set of Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10s and I think they are one of the best sets around for that price; with the proper seal the bass will be as good if not better than those Beats, but the rest of the sound range (mids and highs) will blow your old set out of the water. Plus, the cord is replaceable (as it is on most high end sets), so you'll only pay a fraction of the cost if it breaks.

Of course, all that's moot if you don't like the feeling of having things in your ears. But that's my personal recommendation. They isolate you from the outside world which not only improves the quality of what you are hearing, but also allows you to play your music at a lower volume, which is great in the long term.

All I can say is I was in the same boat. I wanted some wireless Bluetooth headphones that were light-weigh, small, and fold-able. I saw the Beats and said, "No F-ing way am I spending $200!" I bought some MIIKEY Wireless Rhythm Stereo Bluetooth Headphones. The nice thing is they are as solidly made as the Beats, they feel nice too. But the insides are cheaply put together - too much plastic - so while they WORKED nicely they one day stopped charging. For $99 they fact that they worked and sounded good-enough was fantastic, but they fact the charging broke after 6 months stinks. (That the sad part they worked really well and didn't break in a way you would expect, they just stopped charging!!!)

I honestly the time since they broke looking for something better than the MIIKEY and less expensive than the Beats Solos; but they do not exist. Too be brutally honest, I don't want headphones that are bulky or don't fold, so I have no other options. Small and fold-able is what I need, so nothing exists for me in the marketplace.

So my advice is don't "risk" buying something else. I would not buy the Beats again either, $200 is too much even if the sound was like angels playing flutes.

I've tried many different brands for headphone and ear buds, price isn't necessarily comparable to quality. Beats don't sound all that great. I Really do like Sennheiser's stuff, to me it has a better sound than the rest. I've been quite impressed with some cheapish Soundmagics I got too, but overall, Sennheiser without a shadow of a doubt.

I've been using these JVC's for almost three years now. What can I say... they the sound quality -to- price ratio is just ridiculous. Unlike your old ones that snapped off like a twig, these can take a beating without fret.

I have to say that they do require burn-in time for best results. Also, they are BIG. You will look like helicopter-man if you decide to wear these in public. That can be either a plus or minus...

For $35 they are a steal.

If you don't mind the size get the ATH-M50s, they are easily the best set for a reasonable amount of money. I wouldn't wear them outside though. If you want something more portable then the Bowers and Wilkins P5s are very nice. Not the best sound quality (they still sound great and will be way better than Beats), but they are small and sound good for their size.

I'm rocking a pair of Sennheiser hd449s and they're pretty darned good. They were about £100 when I bought them, but with American pricing being so much lower they were probably $100 too. Not sure what they would cost now.

I'm using Sennheiser HD 598s and they're really great.

For a long time I was a crazed Grado fan boy, but those definitely aren't the best for travel, since they are open-backed and sort of large. They do sound good, though.

If your budget was $300-400 then I would totally recommend PSB's M4U headphones. I got the M4U 1 a little over a week ago based on the recommendation of an article on the Wirecutter via Tested. They are, without a doubt, my new favorite headphones. Those guys clearly do their research, and they consult with people who know their stuff.

I don't really know from experience what to recommend in the $100-200 range, but Audio Technica and Sennheiser are both respected brands among people who care about sound quality. In that range, the Wirecutter recommends the ATH-M50s that other people in this thread have mentioned, so that's probably a good bet.

Sony MDR-7506, they've been my choice of tracking headphones for recording for many years. Also they're mad comfortable and sound good and true in regular listening as well. Nice buttery leathery ear cups.. that sounds gross but it's good.

I just ordred these, thanks! They are a little bigger than I initially wanted, but they can be folded so it's all good.

Thanks everyone for their tips and comments, you really made this process easier for me!