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Best very low budget headphones (sub $50)

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Feargal

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I'm looking at some wired headphones for guitar practice/computer use - something sturdy, with a decent long cable (2 metres or more) and ideally with bearable sound quality. Probably closed back would be best. I can see some threads on ASR for headphones circa $200 but I don't want to go that far.
An immediate standout is the lowest in the Sennheiser range, the HD 206. They fulfil most criteria. I can't find any specific frequency response graphs for them but can for the HD 201S which I think may be similar or possibly identical. They look, hmm, but for the price?

Any real standout headphones which sound good for a very low price? I'm in the UK btw.

(I'm not so interested in IEMs, purely as I find headphones easier just to slide on my head quickly or keep around my neck ready to put on)
 
thewas

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Bob-23

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I'd add the (closed back) Superlux HD-662 EVO:
https://www.thomann.de/intl/superlux_hd_662_bk_evo.htm

Order in addition the velour pads of the HD-681 EVO:
https://www.thomann.de/intl/superlux_hd_681_evo_ear_pads_velour.htm

Read Solderdude's article & a simple mod:
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brand-superlux/hd662-evo-2/

Be aware that sooner or later you'll have a cable break where the cable comes out of the earcup (this applies also to the HD 681). No problem at all if you have a soldering iron, also no problem - at least within warranty - if you get them from Thomann's, 3 years warranty, they'll send you a new one ( Thomann is well known for being fair.) 8 £ shipping to England.

EDIT: they are delivered with pleather AND velour pads.
 
Last edited:
frogmeat69

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The CAL! is a great sounding headphone, but they are not sturdy at all, and the cable is very short, and the OP asked for something sturdy with a long cable.
 
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SMc

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frogmeat69 said:
The CAL! is a great sounding headphone, but they are not sturdy at all, and the cable is very short, and the OP asked for something sturdy with a long cable.[/QUOTE
Click to expand...
Missed the UK thing, too. The CAL2 has a detachable cable FWIW.
 
thewas

thewas

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Feargal

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Nice. I notice there's a Creative Aurvana Live! SE:
https://www.amazon.com/Aurvana-SE-O...vana+live&qid=1603092491&s=electronics&sr=1-3

and a Live! 2 which is a bit different:
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Aur...vana+live&qid=1603092428&s=electronics&sr=1-5

Wondering which of the two is better? (and unfortunately they are a little tricky to source in the UK for some reason, despite Creative products being commonplace). They both look like good candidates (as do the Supaluxes).
Looking at the frequency response graphs and especially with EQ, these are all looking way better than I was expecting.
 
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goldark

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Feargal said:
Nice. I notice there's a Creative Aurvana Live! SE:
https://www.amazon.com/Aurvana-SE-O...vana+live&qid=1603092491&s=electronics&sr=1-3

and a Live! 2 which is a bit different:
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Aur...vana+live&qid=1603092428&s=electronics&sr=1-5

Wondering which of the two is better? (and unfortunately they are a little tricky to source in the UK for some reason, despite Creative products being commonplace). They both look like good candidates (as do the Supaluxes).
Looking at the frequency response graphs and especially with EQ, these are all looking way better than I was expecting.
Click to expand...

The CAL SE is a little more neutral/more refined than the original CAL, which has a little bit of a fun bass boost that can be bloaty to some people - they use the same drivers and it's not a night and day difference. They both are generally looked more favorably upon than the CAL 2.
 
DSJR

DSJR

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I was looking around for a cheapskate pair of 'phones' to use when herself was watching TV. I was suggested these -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-HF-2...ywords=lindy+headphones&qid=1603113305&sr=8-7

Absolutely no idea as I ended up resurrecting a set of sealed Sennheiser HD265's which, despite the headband losing all its soft padding and the foam fims over the diaphragms beging to go home (ear pads themselves are fine), they actually 'sound' very good and were one of the best closed back types I'd heard twenty years or so back. Looks like many parts are no longer available though...
 
daftcombo

daftcombo

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