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I am looking for a quality and durable headphone with high audio quality on a budget

Hello, I am looking for a quality and durable headphone with high audio quality on a budget around $200, I want it to last long and be comfortable when I wear it for hours, I primarily listen to music and audio-books and do some casual gaming like story games and Minecraft, I don't usually carry headphones around but portability would be nice, preferably it's not from a niche brand since the availability of brands is low in my country does anyone have any recommendations?

31 comments
  • I use the Sony MDR-7506 headphones with the Fosi Audio P3 Tube Preamp which together come to around $200. The headphones on their own are $98 and work very well with sound quality that for me seemed better than the slightly more expensive Audio Technica M40x head phones I had been using for years prior. Combined with the preamp the MDR-7506 headphones really take on a rich sound with the added benefit of adjustable Bass/Treble and bluetooth connectivity. I also really like that the band on the Sony headphones is made of metal, and the hinges (they do fold) are sturdy since I have a big head and have had problems with other ones breaking over time.

    • I have a pair of 7506. I desoldered the cable and replaced it with a 3.5mm jack, and picked up a BT receiver from AliExpress. So I can use a cable when I want quality, or BT when I want convenience. They're pretty much perfect to me.

  • I've had the same bose quietcomfort headphones for at least 8 years now. I've replaced the ear pads a couple of times over the years. They were on every day during my commute before I was WFH, almost constantly at the office so I could concentrate, and now indoors every weekday and outdoors several days a week where I do farm work. Still no issues and great battery life. If you can find new old stock or used but well-cared-for, that would be great.

    • Ditto on the QuietComfort headphones. I've had a pair of QC35's for 10 years now with heavy use on weekly flights.

      Runs off a AAA battery which is good for like 18 hours or so. Works as regular headphones when the battery goes flat. 3.5mm cable with media controls and a mic in it.

      Still in its original hard case, have replaced the ear pads a couple of times, decent pads are cheap enough on eBay and etc.

      I also bought a Bluetooth insert for it for ~AUD75, it plugs in where the cable goes and has it's own rechargeable battery with only about 6 hours life which is a bit of a nuisance.

      Edit: regarding audio quality, I can say that if you're using headphones in any sort of urban environment, noise cancelling absolutely trumps audio quality. But the QC35's aren't too bad in the quality stakes, especially if you're using them on the move.

      Small edit: The major thing that stops portable electronics from lasting 5+ years is the little rechargeable battery inside that dies. Removable batteries like the AAA battery in the QC 35 solves that, and as a bonus it's "instant charge" when it goes flat, as long as you keep a tiny packet of AAAs in your bag. 4 x AAAs lasts me about 3 months.

31 comments