Recommend Headphones - Closed Back, Budget, Wired, Detachable Cable, Budget Audiophile (Budget $200)

huggsymersh on 28/10/2021 - 13:27
Last edited 28/10/2021 - 19:52 by 1 other user

[EDIT- I ended up repairing my broken Audio Technicas by stripping the broken wire and soldering a fresh connection. They work again! Will still keep up this thread as I may end up getting new ones eventually. Thanks for all your suggestions!]

Hey all

Looking for any recommendations for headphones on a budget - closed back, wired, budget audiophile headphones with detachable cable.

There's quite a lot out there it seems.

Not interested in wireless or noise cancelling (features I'd pay more for but don't personally need)

Use case - gaming (have a separate mic), listening to music out and about (but only streaming spotify from the phone), occasional monitor for home music recording, and occasionally listening to HiRes audio via a Focusrite DAC.

Appreciate that the specialists here would choose a separate pair for each use case. But despite wanting headphones that achieve some minimum level of detail, I'm actually not that fussy.

I have been using a pair of Audio Technica SQ5 for the past decade. Last night the stupid cable to one of the ear pieces finally broke. So looking for something with detachable cables. I was previously quite happy with them. Or, at the very least, not unhappy!

https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone-review/audio-technica…

Looking at buying from JB Hifi, Amazon, Headphonic, Store DJ or anywhere else!

Looking forward to and thanks in advance for your suggestions, from the mundane to the exotic.

• 

  wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww on 28/10/2021 - 13:48

  +2

  I've compiled a list of highly recomended budget closed backs that I'm on the lookout for since my environment isnt suited for openbacks. - I've used Crinacle's list as a base reference and read other recommendations off head-fi

  Shure SRH440 - Current price $100 - Sale price $75
  Shure SRH840 - Current Price $332 - Sale price $260
  AKG K371 - Current Price $199 - Sale Price $150
  AKG K361 - Current Price $148 - Sale price $100

  This one just came out and most expensive so obviously depending on your budget also consider
  Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X - Currently $400~

  Edit: Also might be worth considering IEM's if they fit your budget - Highly recomended are Moondrop Aria's for $100~120

  • 

    huggsymersh on 28/10/2021 - 17:42

    thanks wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I'll check these out.

    I've had decent IEMs in the past, but lost them. For some reason I'm not gravitating to getting another set. I'm not sure that I warmed to the intimacy of IEMs and seem to prefer an ungainly cloth, plastic and metal clamp on my head instead. Maybe I will regret this over the summer months.

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  skinnytie on 28/10/2021 - 14:28

  +1

  I haven't tried enough headphones to make a recommendation, but I bought the Shure SRH440 for similar all round use and didn't really like them.

  I though I wanted a neutral sound and didn't care about bass, but I soon realised I was wrong. The SRH440s don't sound bad, but out of my three pairs of headphones I find them the least enjoyable to listen to. Of course, that's a matter of personal preference and the Shures are much more suitable as studio monitors than my other headphones.

  The SRH400s are also quite bulky, and I found them a annoying to uses for commuting. The heaphones fold, but the earcups don't swivel so they still take up a lot of room in a bag.

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  RiseAndRuin on 28/10/2021 - 15:57

  +1

  Broken cable sounds like an easy fix if you want to keep the ATH

  • 

    huggsymersh on 28/10/2021 - 17:45

    You're probably right. I'll get out the teeny weeny screwdrivers and open them up tonight see if it's just a wire strip and solder job. Usually not very good at these repairs but mainly because I don't usually try. When I do it sometimes works. Thanks for the reminder of the power of repair!

  • 

    huggsymersh on 28/10/2021 - 19:51

    +1

    Rise and Ruin, thanks so much. You saved me $150 or whatever goes for budget these days.

    I opened them up. Desoldered the broken wire, cut and stripped the wire to expose fresh wire, did the worst soldering job in the history of electronics, and ta-da, they are as good as news.

    Fiddly job. I am a hopeless solderer. But I will put off buying a new pair for a little longer!

    Thanks again!

    • 

      RiseAndRuin on 28/10/2021 - 21:37

      No worries :)

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  CrispyChrispy on 28/10/2021 - 16:11

  +2

  Budget; how 'budget' is your budget? Under $500? $1000?

  • 

    huggsymersh on 28/10/2021 - 17:40

    Yes, good question. Honestly, probably under $200. Not because I pooh pooh the quality of higher end headphones, just that with my main uses (gaming and occasional music recording) I don't really think I personally will appreciate the added detail and refinement.

    I mean, if SQ was my highest concern, and seeing as I am using them mainly at home, I should probably go open back no? But I'm happy to compromise and get closed so I can walk around with them every now and then.