John P. Falcone,
Senior Editor
July 8, 2008
For serious music fans, those default earbuds that come with the iPod go straight into the trash. Replacing them becomes a matter of how much you're willing to spend. Yes, you can get plenty of "good bang for the buck" headphones for $200, or even half that. But we decided to play "what if?" and considered our best no-budget headphones options. While the resulting sextet is a collection of high-end cans that runs the gamut from full-size luxury to in-ear earbuds to noise-canceling models, they all have one thing in common: none of them cost less than $350.
| Product name | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $212.09 to $349.00 | $309.98 to $349.77 | $253.99 to $399.99 | $319.95 to $449.99 | $405.00 to $499.99 | $495.00 |
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| Review date | March 19, 2008 | February 28, 2008 | April 15, 2008 | August 20, 2007 | April 06, 2006 | April 11, 2006 |
| The Bottom Line | For at-home listening, the Denon AH-D2000 headphones provide plenty of oomph, masterful musicality, and a solid, well-constructed design. | The pricey Klipsch Image in-ear headphones combine rich sound with superior comfort. | The Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones may lighten the wallet, but they are a great option for frequent fliers and tetchy commuters who need superior noise cancellation. | Travel-happy audiophiles will be infinitely pleased with the Shure SE530s, but these earbuds should also be a consideration for anyone who has half a grand to drop on some sweet headphones. | The formidable Sennheiser HD 650 headphones are fit for a king--and have a price tag to prove it. | Grado's RS-2 Reference Series headphones are strong contenders for world's best sound. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Response Bandwidth | 5 - 45000 Hz | Info unavailable | 5 - 24000 Hz | 18 - 19000 Hz | 10 - 39500 Hz | 14 - 28000 Hz |
| Headphones Form Factor | Ear-cup | In-ear ear-bud | Ear-cup | In-ear ear-bud | Ear-cup | Ear-cup |
| Sound Output Mode | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo |
| Connectivity Technology | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| Headphones Type | Headphones - Binaural | Headphones - Binaural | Headphones - Binaural | Headphones - Binaural | Headphones - Binaural | Headphones - Binaural |
| Product Type | Headphones - Wired | Headphones - Wired | Headphones - Wired | Headphones - Wired | Headphones - Wired | Headphones - Wired |
| Product Description | Denon AH-D2000 - Headphones | Klipsch Image - Headphones | Sony MDR NC500D - Headphones | Shure SE530 - Headphones | Sennheiser HD 650 - Headphones | Grado Reference RS 2 - Headphones |
| Remote Control | None | Info unavailable | None | None | None | None |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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