Headphone Buyers Guide

2015 InnerFidelity Holiday Gift Guide

Tyll Hertsens, John Grandberg, n_maher, ljokerl, Bob Katz  |  Nov 28, 2015

Every year I put word out to the Innerfidelity writers to offer up ideas for gift giving in the holiday season. It's one of my favorite posts of the year as it's a fun peak into their heads. They, like I, post ideas that tickle our inner geek—stuff we love, or would like to have ourselves. It's gear lust pure and simple. Enjoy!

I'll post my recommendations for headphone gifts here, but don't miss my favorite fun geek gifts on the last page of this series. I know a lot of my recommendations below have been around for years and maybe aren't that exiting for many to read, but I guaranty the giftee who hasn't heard of them will love what they hear—these are all great headphones.

Tyll's List of Best Gift Headphones
Sennheiser HD 600 ($399)
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Long considered by many knowledgable headphone enthusiasts as the pinnacle of audiophile listening at a reasonable price, the Sennheiser HD 600 is a sonic wonder. Great build quality, sublime comfort, and a great selection of spare parts make this a headphone ready to deliver decades of outstanding home listening performance.

Full InnerFidelity review here.

Koss Porta Pro ($49.99)
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For close to thirty years, the Koss Porta Pro has stood the test of time. This is the headphone to give a budding young music lover. In short order its utilitarian looks will be forgotten as the simply outstanding sound quality wins over the listener to forever become a favorite piece of audio kit. Yes, please, give that favored youngster the chance to say, "I remember my first headphones...those Porta pros were awesome!"

Full InnerFidelity review here.

Sennheiser RS 120 ($99)
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Grandpa got the TV turned up too loud again? Here's a great fix: Hook up the Sennheiser RS 120 to the TV line-out and let him listen at his own volume without pealing the paint off the walls. Sennheiser makes a whole line of wireless base-station headphones for TV and movie use—all of which are simply superb, and any of which would make a great gift. But, to be honest, the venerable RS 120 sounds way better than a bottom rung product in the line ought to. A really terrific buy!

Noontec Zoro II HD ($82)
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This may be my favorite gift recommendation. The Noontec Zoro II HD will isolate you some from outside noise, looks terrific, comes in a variety of colors, folds for convenient storage and transport in the included draw-string bag, and sounds simply amazing. I can't tell you how many times I've plopped a pair on some unsuspecting audiophile's head to be met with the surprised response, "MAN THESE ARE GOOD, HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY THEY COST?" (Why does everybody shout when they wear headphones?)

Full InnerFidelity review here.

Aurisonics Rockets ($249)
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Joker will bring you more in-ear monitor gift recommendations on the next page, but none will work for motorcyclists under the helmet as well as the Aurisonics Rockets. Not only are they small enough to comfortably fit under a helmet, but their all Titanium housings and Aramid fiber cables makes them extremely durable. Oh, and they sound terrific, too. I wouldn't ride without them.

COMMENTS
Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on November 28, 2015 - 6:15pm

I have the RS-120 Sennheiser's on my night stand and use them just about every night and really like them. A real bargain.

I also have a pair of Koss Porta-Pros and for the money they are excellent, but I tend to use them less than my Grado 80s. Even my kids at school love the $99 Grados and are asking Santa for a pair for Christmas.

Now that my Focal Spirit Pros are broken in I really like them and they are the most expensive cans I own at $350, but my FAVs are still my 2 pair of AKG-K271s which seem to best match my 68 year old ear's reproducing ability. I will mix with the Focal's.

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on November 28, 2015 - 6:17pm

I should have added that for all of $99 the Shure SE-215's are a bargain for IEM. I use them often as well.

tony's picture
Submitted by tony on November 29, 2015 - 12:00am

I own both and would own better if I could find them. I've tried and tried again many times. ( I've re-tuned my RS120s to sound nearly as good as my wired Sennheisers )

The Etymotics with the best Isolation are easy and obvious additions that can transform horrible environments into Islands of Tranquility, keep a spare pair with the Passport.

A nice collection of Rossini will delight any music lover.

Tony in Michigan

ps. a top level Phonak hearing system properly adjusted is a god send ( the Audiologist tunes them for the persons hearing curves, a bit pricy at $6,000 for one pair )

zobel's picture
Submitted by zobel on November 29, 2015 - 3:13pm

I've had my HD600 for 16 years, still like new with replaced pads, and are are excellent in almost all respects, and a good value.

I've had the koss porta pros forever too. They are a great value, sound wonderful at this price point, and are very, very portable.

I also agree, and am happy to see the Sennheiser wireless recommendations. I have the RS175 and find them to be wonderful sounding and solidly built, and very highly performing as wireless cans. Great value too.

Other mentions might include;

AKG K7XX for $200 only at Massdrop.com. Maybe the best sounding AKG K7** series, and a great value. Thanks for the recommendation John Grandberg!

Sennheiser HD 380 PRO. Available for around $170, and a good shorter cable (aftermarket, Amazon) for around $26, for more portability. Very comfortable, closed, very accurate full range sound.
Highly recommended.

Thanks for the reviews Tyll.

John Grandberg's picture
Submitted by John Grandberg on December 2, 2015 - 10:20am

Massdrop is doing some good things right now. K7XX, then Grace Design m9XX, then Fostex TH-X00, all exceptional performers and reasonably priced for what they are.

I'll have to check out the HD380 Pro one of these days.

potterpastor's picture
Submitted by potterpastor on December 2, 2015 - 1:11pm

I used to have the HD380- The pros: Deep bass, WIDE soundstage, especially for a sealed phone, thick coil cable
The cons- Treble is a bit hot, cable not removable, can't remember mids

potterpastor's picture
Submitted by potterpastor on December 2, 2015 - 1:14pm

Con- the 380 pro is a tight fitting, skull gripping phone

zobel's picture
Submitted by zobel on December 4, 2015 - 1:57am

To most ears they are spot on. I wouldn't want any less clamping pressure. The cable is replaceable, and nice after market cables are available in various lengths. Are you sure you are talking about the same cans? The 280 Pro had a tight clamp force, maybe you are thinking of those?

zobel's picture
Submitted by zobel on January 17, 2016 - 9:37pm

and I thank you again for the heads-up on those John! I actually prefer them to my old standby HD600s. Better and more bass, and the highs are more forward with the AKGs. They too must be amped, and are a bit less forgiving than the Sen HD600, but good recordings sound more dimensional and dynamic with the K7XX. If I had to choose I would take the AKGs over the Sennheisers in this case. Never thought I would find cans to take their place, especially at such a better price through Massdrop. Thanks again John, this is the biggest upgrade to my headphone listening experience in 15 years!

John Grandberg's picture
Submitted by John Grandberg on January 18, 2016 - 9:34am
I too really enjoy them. Whenever I start to lament the situation of ever-increasing headphone prices, I go back to the K7XX to remind me what kind of quality SHOULD be attainable for $200.
Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on November 29, 2015 - 6:50pm

Smooth and effortless and I bought them for $229 off the AKG site 2-3 years ago I guess when WP reviewed them for "StereoPhile".

riker1384's picture
Submitted by riker1384 on November 29, 2015 - 9:39pm

The Beats Solo 2 is being offered in Black Friday sales for almost as cheap as the Noontec, and it's better imho.

Audioaddict's picture
Submitted by Audioaddict on November 30, 2015 - 3:44am

The Flare Audio R2A should have been one of the IEM's listed. Absolutley phenomanal for the price of 279$

ubercore's picture
Submitted by ubercore on November 30, 2015 - 12:15pm

You may want to change the Rdio/Spotify recommendation, as Rdio has declared bankruptcy: http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/16/9746220/pandora-to-acquire-key-parts-...

John Grandberg's picture
Submitted by John Grandberg on December 2, 2015 - 10:23am
I had already made my list before this news happened. Too bad.... not that I didn't see it coming. Rdio had something of a "MOG" quality to it - too focused on music lovers, maybe not enough on marketing. I bet Spotify is hard to compete against.
zobel's picture
Submitted by zobel on November 30, 2015 - 4:14pm

Pandora is buying it. No new subscriptions taken there. NBD if Pandora will incorporate some of the better features.

I'm shocked to see that someone (John G.?) didn't list a cassette player in their list...not. But really, cassettes are making a comeback of sorts. It has even has made the news;

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/old-school-cassettes-make-comeback-c...

Makes it hard to compare CDs to VHS tapes (John G.), to DVDs, yes.
I still like the hard copy. I read newspapers, buy paper books, and prefer reality to virtual reality. I'm old school, which is understandable, since I'm old. But... may your downloads serve you well, and When you stream, may you do so merrily merrily merrily, because life is "but a dream".

zobel

John Grandberg's picture
Submitted by John Grandberg on December 2, 2015 - 10:35am
I've spent countless hours assembling cassette mix tapes over the years. And shopping for the best sounding blank cassettes... BASF Chrome? Sony UX Pro? TDK or Maxell something or other (can't recall the specifics)? Lots of fun to be had, but alas it's probably been nearly 2 decades since I've touched one.
zobel's picture
Submitted by zobel on December 2, 2015 - 12:46pm

I also spent that time making mixes on cassettes, and trying different tapes. I even had a couple wire recorders. Those are all gone now since they didn't age well, and really weren't all that great sounding to begin with. The Tascam four track cassette recorder was fun too. I had a reel to reel at that time too that I played with a lot, and it sounded much better.
I still spend countless hours making compilations on music CDRs. I just enjoy the process, and the sound is soooooo much better than the analog tape, (or the wire recorder) :-)
Can't believe people will want cassettes again after they have left the farm and been to Paris.

logscool's picture
Submitted by logscool on December 1, 2015 - 1:46pm

Just curious if Bob has actually tried the DIY DAC project listed? How does it compare to some of your favorite converters?

potterpastor's picture
Submitted by potterpastor on December 1, 2015 - 11:22pm

Does this mean you have changed your mind and now like HD 600 better than HE400S? I change likes from time to time.

poleepkwa's picture
Submitted by poleepkwa on December 3, 2015 - 4:22am

I have to agree with this recommendation. The Sony is under appreciated. It does have limits, but its ease of use and battery life is simply fantastic.It sounds surprisingly good too. I got the RHA T20 with these and have been very pleased.

jonny564's picture
Submitted by jonny564 on December 4, 2015 - 11:15am

With holiday pricing on amazon the noontech hd II, Momentum on ear, urbanite, and vmoda m-80 are all around the same price. within $10 or so...gift buying is so difficult. Tyll if you read these, if you had to re-review those headphones and they were all the same price which would come out on top.

Tyll Hertsens's picture
Submitted by Tyll Hertsens on December 4, 2015 - 1:52pm
I'd say the build quality of the other three are quite a bit better, but my guess is that only the M-80 may be better sonically. YMMV, this is a guess from memory.
Currawong's picture
Submitted by Currawong on December 20, 2015 - 8:32pm

I now have 1 vest and 3 jackets. Don't forget the pants too! I remember the look of shock on the face of a Sony engineer when I pulled a long headphone adaptor cable out of the one of the pockets after being asked to audition one of their DAC/amps with my headphones.

audiobill's picture
Submitted by audiobill on December 23, 2015 - 8:47am

In your review of the HE400S you say, "I do find its transient response cleaner than the HD 600, thereby delivering slightly better imaging." You also say, "In fact, I found it to be modestly superior to the Sennheiser HD 600/650, delivering a more present mid-range and tighter bass." But then you recommend here the $100 more expensive HD 600. Can you please explain this apparent contradiction?

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