Best CHEAP headphones?

Paul, maybe you can help me out here. (And anyone else should they so desire.... )

I'm after a very cheap pair of headphones that I can take to work and listen to my discman with. I already have a pair of Sennheiser HD-600s, but they're open-back and it would disturb all the other folks I work with (open-plan office), so I need something that's either closed-back or earbuds.

And did I mention they need to be CHEAP?? Like under £20, and the less the better.

I'm not looking for anything particularly great, just something that won't make me want to turn off my CD player, if you get my drift?

Was thinking maybe the Sennheiser MX earbuds?

Cheers,

Dunc

 

For that kind of price there isnt really a lot of options out there, there is the MX series of course. The PX200's if you can find them for less than £20 might be the best bet. There is also the Koss KSC-35 from www.koss.com that will surely offer the greatest bang for the buck at that price, but they are open backed and probably leak quite a lot.

I am not really experienced with the very lowest end of the market.

 

Cheers anyway, Paul. D'ya reckon the guys on Headfi will know anything about budget 'phones? Or are they uber-high-end types too?

Dunc

 

They are rather big but I find the Philips HP190 a bargain price at £4.99 from pound stretchers, I find they sound has good as any other sub £20 ones, and have a RRP of £14.99 (saw them at this price at Dixons)

I have some more subtle Senhiester PX40s which cost me £15 for portable use they sound decent and leak little sound however I am not impressed with their build quality espeicaly since my 1 year old heavily used £50 philips HP890 still look brand new apart of them needing a replacement cable.

 

AKG K44s. Only cans under £20 i've heard that don't sound awful

if you can find Sony MDRG72s (as opposed to '52s) for £20 (rrp is £30) you'd get a real bargain. Not at all bad cans although they don't seal the sound quite as well as the Akgs but more discrete and less 'old-fashioned' looking

 

I had a listen to the AKG K44s at Richer Sounds today, and they sounded pretty decent, but I decided I had enough gigantic, bulky headphones and it just made more sense to go for the Sennheiser earbuds for portability reasons. I got the MX500s (I wanted the 300s, but Richer only had the 500s in stock ).

Listened to them at work today and they're pretty decent. Nothing special (I'm pretty sure the AKGs were better), but perfectly listenable and enjoyable.

Dunc

 

If the AKG 44's are anything like the 55's they are a good deal. The 55's are good but I can't remember the price.. I think they might be £19 on StudioSpares... They have a very natural, detailed and open sound for closed cans of the price. The bass is a little warm though.

Bear in mind I am making these judgments after being used to a pair of £500 AKG K1000's with pure silver cable and another £1,000 of valve amp to drive them. Now sold off unfortunately I may be a bit too picky with what I expect from the 55's!

 

Ahh.. happy listening then!

 

good stuff. i've started using mine again, excellent earbuds for the price. used to use them with my old Sony MD, back when i actually used it, and now with my SE HBM-30, getting great sounds from them