best headphones under 100 dollars ..... and go!

Grado SR60's or SR80's.

until today I had no idea about grado ....... im such an audio noob

Nuforce Udac 2. It's pretty great.

I have no experience with DACs like this... do they really make a difference? It's just hard for me to conceptualize how sending an inferior signal into a little box can somehow produce a superior signal. Change it, yes, (EQ, add reverb, or whatever), but I'm just very skeptical that a little box can take something that sounds like a so-so mp3 and transform it into something that rivals CD quality...

Nuforce Udac 2. It's pretty great.

I have no experience with DACs like this... do they really make a difference? It's just hard for me to conceptualize how sending an inferior signal into a little box can somehow produce a superior signal. Change it, yes, (EQ, add reverb, or whatever), but I'm just very skeptical that a little box can take something that sounds like a so-so mp3 and transform it into something that rivals CD quality...

They are meant for laptops that have bad line out ports. They utilize USB output, then they amplify the signal and make it good enough to drive speakers or bigger headphones.

until today I had no idea about grado ....... im such an audio noob

One caveat: they are open-ended (open ear? can't remember the term). They are intended for home or isolated listening only. You can't use them at work because everyone will be able to hear it. Also, even though you're wearing big old headphones, they don't block out any outside noise. But that's what makes them great. They have a very open sound and create a rich sound-stage. I'm pretty sure all of the really high-end listening headphones are open-ear.

After seeing how many hi-fi enthusiasts in the ghost thread, it seems only logical to start a thread for it. Correct me if I placed this in the wrong thread.
To start off the discussion, I'll show off the equipment I currently have. Discuss what you will.

What I currently have:
SR-125i Grados
Gilmore Dynamic (Dynalo) DIY amp
AMB Gamma 1 DAC

And a complementary picture of the amp



Cheers!

Grado SR60's or SR80's.

This!

I love my Grado SR60's and I would love to upgrade to something "better" but I gots a budget to watch. I only wish the Grados weren't so uncomfortable. I can wear them for about an hour, maybe two, and then they get painful. I really like canal phones, too. I have the SuperFi 5's from Ultimate Ears. Devin's music is so high quality, I think it deserves good equipment.

Bought the SR60s based on tons of glaring reviews on the internet and was pretty disappointed really. Aside of mentioned lack of comfort, build quality resembles something off Soviet Union - earpads lasted couple of months, cable is as thick as finger and thanks to primitive design of headband wire gets twisted in hilarious ways. Sound's also kinda meh - hint: if internet audiophiles say they have "subtle, understated bass response" or some nonsense like this, that means they suck at bass.

That's where my hi-fi adventure ended, I guess. Tacky looking, omnipresent Sennheiser headphones may not have cred of Grados but at least they're cleverly made, reliable and pleasant sounding. Same with other audio stuff - I don't think I'll ever need anything better than a bog standard audio interface capable of good ol 44,1Khz and all that.

I'm just very skeptical that a little box can take something that sounds like a so-so mp3 and transform it into something that rivals CD quality...

Well, let's not get carried away. The thing can't work miracles but my source is usually better than 192 kbps for instance. It pairs well with my Alessandro's and I would much rather it plugged it then not. It's also deceptively powerful. Drives my HD555's with no problem.

It's my first amp/DAC however, so I'm still green to the whole thing. Looking to upgrade eventually but works well enough for the time being.

I have an aune USB DAC and a Sennheiser HD 650


Bought the 650s a few weeks ago, because i wanted new headphones for Deconstruction. They are very good - the best thing was to listen to "Coast" the first time with them: goosebumps! I had the 555 before - they're very good for the price, too, but after a few years i thought i could afford new ones.

I have not invested much yet, but what I have I love.
I got the Shure Se115 for portable music, and at home I have the ATH-AD700 heaphones, and these are awesomely great. I was considering the Grados, but alot of reviews we're not so great on comfort, and comfort is important to me, especially on long listening sessions.
I also have the Sennheiser hd280, blue tack mod, but I mostly use them for recording podcasts.

I have a 5.1 surround sound system based on the Energy mini series as well, powered by a Pioneed vsx-820.
All my music is in flac, and that's about that.
I really need to build myself an amp as well, maybe a cmoy, just have not got around to it.

Yeah, for me, if there is one complaint I have about the Grado's it's that you have to be very careful with them. I don't find the earpads uncomfortable. I can wear them forever. But there are things like the earcups that spin 360 degrees, so you could really mess up the wiring inside. And I believe this has happened to several people. I am always careful to keep the wires very straight. Also, shit can get inside the earcups and create unwanted noises! One time I had a rattle on the left side and I thought that for sure something had gone bad internally. I removed the earpad and there was a hair stuck in there! I removed it and everything went back to normal.