After I got my IEM setup, I stepped out of the scene a bit to save my wallet. But now I want a pair of cans, but aren’t willing to spill as much as I did on IEM’s, I’m looking for recommendations under 150. I mainly listen to J-pop and rock, mandopop, cantonese pop, lofi/acoustic type music I guess like lamp and Ichiko Aoba and the occasional classical modern pieces.
1 Like
Check the HiFiMan HE-400se. $109. A superb entry-level, open-back, planar-magnetic headphone.
It can run without an amp, but it won’t sound nearly as good without one.
3 Likes
HD58x still one of my favs
1 Like
You’ve got the HD58X/HD560S, Hifiman HE400se/HE-X4/HE-4XX/HE400i, Beyer DT770/DT990, AKG K371/K553MkII (Amazon renewed for $138), etc.
There are others, but I think this list covers what I think of as the best in this price range. For your musical tastes I would probably look to one of the Hifiman models (I prefer the HE400i myself, but the 400se is also quite good and the HE5XX is only $169 on Drop right now too) or the HD58X. If you need/prefer a closed back the AKG K553MkII is very good but only in your price range on the Amazon sale I mentioned. The K371 is also quite good, but just not as good as the K553s which are one of the best closed backs available for anywhere near this money, IMO.
You should be aware that the HD58X and any of the Hifiman options will need fairly robust amplification to perform their best.
1 Like
Are you looking for an open-back pair?
The HD58x doesn’t need an amp.
I use them with my Roku, plugged into the remote, and usually need to turn the volume down to 25 on a 100 point scale.
I actually said they need one to perform their best and not that they need one to be used at all. I stand by that statement. When I owned them, I found that to be true, but, as with anything in this hobby, YMMV.
2 Likes
For the budget I’d go with a couple I have now. The Hifiman HE5xx is really versatile and fun. I switch between them and the Beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohm when closed backs are needed. Both on eBay you can get under 150 beans. The AKG K371Pro (not the bluetooth or regular ones) is excellent without an amplifier right out of the box. I never needed to equalize them, and 3 different cables for mobile use or desktop. The HD58X is good, but when I replaced the ear cup foam with one that was less dense (can see through it more easily) they got even more fun. If you don’t have an amp, my favorite is the Beyerdynamic DT860, bass slam and extension that goes really low.
1 Like
If I may shamelessly self promote:
5 Likes