AG help me choose what headphones I should buy

[GodlikeRoy]

So I bought an ipod a month or two ago and i'm still only using the default headphones that comes with it, which are, very crap. If I turn the sound up too high the music starts crackling , and they have almost no noise reduction (or noise-cancelling? i'm not sure of the correct term, but whatever it is that allows the sound to be heard fairly loudly by others around me).

That being said I know almost nothing about what makes good headphones, which brands are best, overpriced, etc. So any help would be greatly appreciated.

What i'm looking for:

- Nothing insanely bulky that i'd need a backpack or something to carry around without them being a nuisance. The smaller the better (without losing a lot of quality, if possible).

- Great noise reduction

- Nothing crazy expensive. I know there's a huge range in prices, I don't particularly want to spend anymore than $150 - $200 unless anyone can provide a good reason.

- I've heard here and there about wireless headphones - are these any good? Worth it? is there a reduction in quality? I think these would be cool to have as I hate wires.

That's about it. Thanks all.

[The Golden 1]

I've heard good things about these Shure headphones. If you move quick you can get in on this deal at amazon. I'm thinking about getting a pair for myself as well

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 35-1615322

[GreaterThanU]

http://www.amazon.com/Bose-QuietComfort ... lectronics

look dope...but if thats outta your price range...

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-NC6-Nois ... lectronics

I think my boy has those...and they're good...

[WayToGo]

[Molina]

[GodlikeRoy]

What does open-backed mean?

Sennheiser are probably my #1 candidate atm, i'm looking at these ones: and thinking they look pretty good. My only issue is the earbuds look a bit small and it looks like they may hurt my ears after a while.

WTG - Why do you think those Bose ones are trash? They look great from what i've seen and a few reviews I read from amazon.com. They're a little expensive but I was thinking about getting them anyway if I couldn't find another I liked, any reasons in particular you think they're no good?

[Molina]

Open backed means they're not completely enclosed and so sound pours out of the side. Not good for in public. However the air flow means that you can wear them longer because your ears don't reach massive temperatures.

I dunno if I recall correctly but open backed 'phones are more likely to produce better sounding results.

Amongst hi-fi purists Bose are not liked much. They're like an expensive version of modern day Sony. They're pricy and market themselves well so as to be seen as the ulltimate in quality for their area.

In the UK Bose have never supplied equipment for testing to What Hifi? magazine as far as I know. That they don't want to be tested against smaller (and sometimes cheaper) manufacturers/models does not exactly fill me with confidence. But as long as they advertise in aspirational magazines and sell to mainly well-off male executives, they don't have to be critically acclaimed.

Molina

[WayToGo]

[redhouse]

[Jarren]

I have owned Sennheiser and thought they were super nice in the past

I currently own a pair of Bose Triport headphones ($150) and I have to say they are fantastic. I would highly reccomend them

also the Bose Sound def headphones are very nice, I used a pair on a plane and you can't hear any background noise at all. of course these are $300 but I loved them too

Can't go wrong with Sennhieser either though

[laynegt]

[GodlikeRoy]

Ok thanks for all the input. I think i've settled on this pair:

Does anyone see anything majorly wrong with them that I wouldn't like? I know they're a bit on thebulky side bit i'll take that if it means they're comfortable.