When HN users recommended it
3 HN users recommended this between 2010 and 2016, in 3 comments.
20072026
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
3 HN users recommended this between 2010 and 2016, in 3 comments.
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-He...
Seems to be even cheaper now, sitting at around 80 bucks.
Grado makes some really nice stuff. Their cheapest model (SR-60i) gets rave reviews as one of the audio world's very best values.
http://www.gradolabs.com/frameset_main.htm
I've used the same pair of Sony MDR-7506's on a professional, near daily basis for about seven years. They're very accurate, and more importantly, super solid. I mean, they're tools. And they work. About $100, and a really good value for money.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-He...
Sometimes being cheap and poor is expensive: more expensive sound equipment is more durable.
I also used to also buy new headphones (with about the same budget) every 6 to 12 months, usually with the cable breaking somewhere near the connector. I had similar buying criteria as you, but just to test a hypothesis, I spent a weekend researching what to buy and arrived at the MDR7506 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AJIF4E for many times my usual budget. However, they've lasted for 2 years of being shoved in a bag or pocket many times a day and running to lectures, and still show no signs of wear, so they've almost paid for themselves in dollars per day even if they didn't sound better than a $20 pair which, of course, they also do. Highly recommended.
Edit: I see other comments also praising these. Yep, we're clearly a knowledgeable lot. :)