Topic: Recommend a pair of cans $100 range

[cybergaloot]

Sennheiser HD280Pro cans

Yup!

They're what I've got. I also got a pair of high isolation cans for very loud environments but the HD280's sound better otherwise.

[tbger]

If you like the 7506's sound signature I'd look at something similar in this regard.   The same headphone still sells, Sony also has newer models like the 7509HD or something like that, and the ZX700, both of which aren't any better than the 7506.  Another commonly recommended $100 with quite a close sound signature to yours is the Creative Aurvana Live!.  The Audio Technica M50 and Beyerdynamic DT-880 lean to the warmer side while the Grado are mostly bright.

[Chilly Brioschi]

My main concern with headphones, and why I like the 7506, is how they sound without a nice headphone amp. The 7506 has a rated impedence of 63 Ohms. At 250 Ohms, I passed on buying a very nice used Beyerdyamic DT 770-PRO. They sounded awesome at home, but my laptop and ipod can't drive them on their own.

I See the ATH-M50 is low-impedance at 38 Ohms. Anyone else have a favorite lower impedance headphone?

Higher impedance usually translates to higher sensitivity, lower current and thus easier to drive at low power.
This is a heuristic rather than an absolute, as many other factors will affect it.

Always remember, we hear with our ears, not with written specs, so take a good test listen before you buy.

[F.O.Bean]

Sennheiser HD280Pro cans

Yup!

They're what I've got. I also got a pair of high isolation cans for very loud environments but the HD280's sound better otherwise.

[tbger]

Higher impedance usually translates to higher sensitivity, lower current and thus easier to drive at low power.

Obviously this is just the other way around.  I guess you actually meant to say "lower impedance usually ... ".
Headphone efficiency generally grows with lower impedance (the voltage gets lost at a given current) and higher sensitivity (dB per a given amount of voltage).

[Chilly Brioschi]

Higher impedance usually translates to higher sensitivity, lower current and thus easier to drive at low power.

Obviously this is just the other way around.  I guess you actually meant to say "lower impedance usually ... ".
Headphone efficiency generally grows with lower impedance (the voltage gets lost at a given current) and higher sensitivity (dB per a given amount of voltage).

No, voltage is easy, power is work.

Crystal headsets = high impedance, high sensitivity
Big, power-hungry magnetic coils = low sensitivity

Sure, engineers try design better, and will, but power isn't voltage.

[mosquito]

What are the Sony 7506's that are sold by a different Sony division called?  That's what I just bought.

Found it:  Sony MDR-V6.  May come out a couple of dollars less than the 7506's.

[fleish]

I "inherited" a pair of these cans back in 2004:


They were big & bulky and at some point I lost them. So I just bought a pair of 7506's in the YS and couldn't be happier with them. Great sound. Good isolation in a loud, live music environment. And they fold up to take up less room in my bag where space is at a premium.

[tbger]

No, voltage is easy, power is work.

Crystal headsets = high impedance, high sensitivity
Big, power-hungry magnetic coils = low sensitivity

Sure, engineers try design better, and will, but power isn't voltage.

Not sure I got your point, but looks like we're just using different terminologies rather than different logics ...  Some words may have different meanings, depending on the way you look at it, hence I wrote the meaning ("measuring units", kind of) of anything in brackets.

Anyways, OP has to notice there are two kinds of headphones in that aspect -
the less efficient ones that are intentionally designed for use along with a headphone amplifier;
and the more efficient ones that will provide pretty much all they can do, directly out of a portable device.

There certainly is a sonic difference but hey you can't have everything.

Personally, I'd recommend the Beyerdynamic DT-1350 for a portable headphone in the aspect of efficiency and also physically - it's light, isolates well, folds really nice on your neck when not in use and you even get a protective case for it.  Great for ride and travel.  It also has some nice flexible "DJ features" like twisting cups and splitting headband.  It's quite expensive and costs about 300 new and a little more than 200 used, but well worth it.