Looking for a pair of headphones for a gift

Jragghen

So, for my father's birthday, I'm looking at getting him a decent pair of headphones to go with the mp3 player my Mom's getting him. Problem: he would want them to be easily portable (so no clamp-over-ear models), and he detests earbuds, which are the two classes that I have experience with - I'm not fond of press-on-the-ears myself.

So I was wondering what I should be looking for in that style in particular, and looking for recommendations in the $50-ish price range.

wonderpug

When you say he detests earbuds, do you know if he just hates the default iPhone earbuds? Or that style in general?

In-ear headphones look similar but feel very different, and they sound amazing. They actually stuff inside your ear canal instead of just sitting in the, uh, outer... nook or whatever of your ear. The good brands typically come with different size cups so you can get a perfect fit.

Jragghen

wonderpug wrote: »

When you say he detests earbuds, do you know if he just hates the default iPhone earbuds? Or that style in general?

In-ear headphones look similar but feel very different, and they sound amazing. They actually stuff inside your ear canal instead of just sitting in the, uh, outer... nook or whatever of your ear. The good brands typically come with different size cups so you can get a perfect fit.

That style in general. He doesn't like having things "inside" his ears.

wonderpug

I worded it poorly. So he definitely hates things that look like this:



But has he ever tried something that looks like this?



The latter actually jams into your ear canal and I think are way more comfortable than the iPod style.

Mike Danger

What about a sort of clip-on style? I just picked these up for my iPod and they are pretty great.

Jragghen

wonderpug wrote: »

I worded it poorly. So he definitely hates things that look like this:

[i mg]http://www.onheadphones.com/images/AppleEarBuds1_headphone.jpg[/img]

But has he ever tried something that looks like this?

[i mg]http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1443003_f260.jpg[/img]

The latter actually jams into your ear canal and I think are way more comfortable than the iPod style.

No, I understood what you meant. I'm working with second-hand info (it's still technically a surprise, it's just something my mom knows he wants), but it matches my expectations of him - he's had ones like the latter where they fit in the ear canal before (it's what I use) and he wasn't a fan.

JWashke

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303349632&sr=8-1

Koss PortaPros are pretty good headphones for the price, they fold up for portability, are pretty durable, and sound great. I also don't like the press-on-ear style, but for jogging, when i want to hear the world around me and dont want to lug my sennheisers around I caved in and bought them, and have been pretty satisfied.