Guys, looking at the bleak economy and how things are churning around right now, I think it is a suitable time to address this issue: Which budget headphone you should get to get the optimum price/performance ratio.. For now (criticisms aside please), everyone is most welcomed to contribute their opinions on this topic..

Due to ambiguity, it is decided the term "budget headphone" should be used for headphones within the Rm100-200 range..Anything below the range would be considered inexpensive..

~Rm100-200:
1) KSC 75 (even though this is below 100, it certainly qualifies as a top contender in the category)
2) ON3
3) PX100
4) PX200
5) Sennheiser HD 201/202
6)




For starters, I'd like to give a head start:

No.1 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED : KOSS KSC 75 (~RM80)..
SQ: 5/5
Comfort: 4/5 (Awarded "just" a subpar 4(which is an average, given that ksc 75 is an absolutely terrific headphone) considering the fact ksc 75 utilises clip-ons, which would be slightly inconvenient if you are an active athlete or constantly on the move)
Build and design: 4/5 (another low point for ksc 75 because design-wise, let's just say that it doesn't quite have that X factor )
Note: Many people are customizing their ksc 75s right now, as we speak..So, enthusiasts please look up some mods online, google it, "yahoo" it..whatever and I'm sure you'll come up with some additional mods that'll really let your ksc 75 shine...Some even do recabling jobs to improve the SQ! Outrageous endeavour..Pay respect to those professionals!!!
Value: 5/5
KSC 75 wins the best budget headphone hands down, no questions asked. At a mere price of USD 6(~Rm23) in Radioshack, it is a steal..For fellow malaysians though, you can always get this pair of jewel for ~RM 80..Which, IMHO, is still a great bargain..

Other headphones I own and recommend:

Sennheiser HD 201(~RM100)
Sennheiser HD 212 pro(~RM200)
Creative EP 630(~RM50)

Headphones/Earphones I'm looking at:
1. Soundmagic PL 30 ~rm100++ coupled with Fiio3 amp
2. Shure SCL3 (there's a sale going on now, apparently they're going for ~$59 plus free shipping)
3. LEAR LE01..(an alternative to EP630, if not better..Hmmmm....I'm really dubious about that....=)
4.

*I know I sound like a cheap arse, but life isn't all that fair to everyone..hehe..I just enjoy the feeling of getting that optimum price/performance ratio..



IMHO, HD 201 is worth every single cent for its price because it's very comfortable, produces decent sound, and doesn't burn a hole in your wallet. Looks cool, albeit a bit bulky if you want to walk around with it slinging down your neck, and exudes a funky sense about yourself..Good accessory to add an attitude to your already unique self~

HD 212 pro..Hmm..Though it is a good pair of headphone and received numerous encouraging feedbacks about its performance, I would grade it a low 4/5..Why? Because it's a bit too expensive for the casual and average user who squirms at the idea of paying ~RM 200 for a pair of headphones. Naturally, if you are an average user who steps into the world of audiophiles and upscale headphones for the first time, the prospect of paying RM200 for a headphone seems daunting..And, due to this aspect, you, the user, would have this "pre-purchase bias", thinking for 200RM, this pair of headphone would produce great,absolutely mind-blowing SQ. Sorry to tell you this, that ain't gonna happen with this pair of headphones..Definitely, this is a pair of quality headphone, as can be judged by its appearance and build(which is highly commendable and looks very very "nerdy", in a positive way)..However, I'll still recommend getting 10 KSC 75s if you're willing to pay that price

Creative EP 630..Just look at my emo up there..
This shows enough? But I'll briefly describe it here anyway..It's the king of budget BASSHEAD STUNNER!!! Literally..The bass itself will leave you stunned and craving for more..For it's price range, I can steadfastly claim no other comes close to this pair of IEM..(Of course, there is this pair of LEAR LE01 running madly among our LYN green fields now, trying to claim this top post from EP 630).. For a mere RM55, which would otherwise cost you Rm110 if you were to get from a retail shop, this is another INEXPENSIVE(notice that I don't use the word CHEAP) investment which would prove to be an intelligent move in the long run..





P.S I'm in USA now, and I'm planning to bring some KSC 75s back home next time for you fellow forumers, who've helped me through the process of learning and unlearning of this audiophile world..Please pm me if you're interested..I'll post a thread here when I'm coming home to my homeland, Malaysia..

"All things under the sky shall perish,
Music shall live, forever" A quote from an excerpt by Daniel J. Levitin, author of the bestseller book "This is your brain on music"..

This post has been edited by killz23: May 23 2009, 03:10 PM

I wouldn't say Creative Ep 630 is at a lower end than Bijou, but yes, there's a :slight difference: in between those two big boys I am thinking of getting 1 now though, but Uncle Wilson(yup, here in USA!) sells bijou for like 50 dollars a piece..Which I think is quite expensive..I think LYN has a better price heheeh might as well let forumers earn rather than let the guai lous earn hehehe.. support support!
Ep 830? Wow, I'm seeing some favourable support for fellow roticanai92's bulk here..hehehe, what's your best price? Looking at the specs don't tell much about earphones, as far as I'm concerned..Mind accentuating the lil jewel's strengths?Pm me k?
YUP!Definitely "special" price for roticanai92 I'll pm you when I come back...

Any how, I've noticed there's this model, "Soundmagic PL30" on sale right now..At mp4nation.com..They're selling that coupled with Fiio 3 amp for 27$ with FREE SHIPPING! I'm not sure whether the shipping includes Malaysia or not, but it's still a good deal nonetheless..Fiio 3 amp costs around ~30rm in our forum here..so..the earphone costs about ~RM70 only???Cheap eh? good deal there!! Might want to check that out..Oh man, I feel like selling off my 212 pro now to get that..hahaa..I don't really like my 212pro.Prefer Ep 630 for the bass, KSC 75 for clarity and crispness, and 201 for the "funky" and "nerdy feeling...

This post has been edited by killz23: Feb 14 2009, 01:18 AM

What do you think of LEAR Le01? Do you think it can outperform EP 630? EP 830(no offense to forumers rooting for this earphone ) seems a bit overpriced for the value it carries. Is it a worthy upgrade, or one should just switch over to the crossroads bandwagon?

Philips loooooookkkkkssss HOT!!! But for the average user, the price is a bit too high(~300rm)...Nonetheless, thumbs up for the good looks and quality!

I've been wanting to get the bijou for sooo long!!!!I've gotten a deal before for x3i..but the seller pulled out last minute..sigh...Saad....If not, there would've been a new addition to my collection ..hehehe pun intended

Ohhh..the review seems really in favour of that LEAR le01 o...My friend got it, and he's really impressed with the quality as well..Hmm..another noteworthy earphone here haha..to add to a far too long list of budget IEMs....

Yeah, why no EP830 user here? bro roticanai92, how much you're selling ar? +wink+ got good price? I've always thought of philips as inferior brand ler.hahah xp terrible terrible..skullcandy in malaysia got or not? I think they're pretty budget type and v v stylish..haha probably not as good as shure and akg, but style wise I think most people would fall in love with it, no doubt xp haha..

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Added on February 15, 2009, 5:04 amThere's so many people saying music shouldn be so much about hardware, but more towards the artistic appreciation of music itself..well, if don't use good hardware, how will the songs sound like?likewise, if too engrossed in hardware perfection, wouldn't one be indulging in the hardware itself rather than savouring its use-reveal music in its very true self?

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Added on February 15, 2009, 5:04 amThere's so many people saying music shouldn be so much about hardware, but more towards the artistic appreciation of music itself..well, if don't use good hardware, how will the songs sound like?likewise, if too engrossed in hardware perfection, wouldn't one be indulging in the hardware itself rather than savouring its use-reveal music in its very true self?

This post has been edited by killz23: Feb 15 2009, 05:05 AM

SCL2...Hmm...That's somewhere above Bijou I guess..SCL3? That offer is currently available in US only bro..hahah..I'm thinking of getting it now though..
Here's the link: http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/produ...27&CJPID=361116

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Added on February 15, 2009, 10:14 amHaha, people still don't know about the bulk yet probably? Hahah, bijou's bass, I heard, is tight and strong wor..hahaha..yup! special price k? hehe

This post has been edited by killz23: Feb 15 2009, 10:14 AM

Completely agree!! I want to do that to my ksc 75 too!!!! hahaha, I did the Kramer mod dy, and it's working great! wahhh, if only can recable it here..hehehee got some soldering machine selling cheap here..You think I can do it myself? hehee does ksc 75 work good with fiio 3 amp? Or any other amp to recommend?

This post has been edited by killz23: Feb 15 2009, 11:40 AM

Yeah, that's what I heard too..Fiio 5 ler? Any better? haha you can mod the ksc 75! wana get it ? I'll probably bring some home when i come back

*You know can mod the ksc 75 to headband? If you want, I can do it for you too!

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Added on February 15, 2009, 11:50 amYeah, that's what I heard too..Fiio 5 ler? Any better? haha you can mod the ksc 75! wana get it ? I'll probably bring some home when i come back

*You know can mod the ksc 75 to headband? If you want, I can do it for you too!

This post has been edited by killz23: Feb 15 2009, 11:50 AM

Haha, Yuin PK2 is china made ler..haha harder to find

I try find yuin pk2 in usa..haha see can get good price or not.. haha i heard lor, supposedly yea? Cuz no matter what, stock cables cannot work with commercial cables 1 mar..haha..

Reaaly??Where to find that??

J cord is a shortfall? In fact I like that thing! haha, wow Lear LE01 is just an infant company yet it is getting some really good reviews from many parties...Worth the try ler..

Yup, good point there does it fit? Sony ericsson eartips are slightly different from stock eartips right?

One question here I must ask: Can a phone perform better than a music player? I'm using my sony ericsson p1i with all the songs and earphones/headphones..Somehow I think my phone perform better than my punny lil Creative Zen V Plus, although there were rave reviews about how good the sound quality of the music player is..Quality aside, my phone somehow cannot afford to push itself up to the level of powering a pair of Senn HD 212 pro..I think it's quite power hungry, because my current rig doesn't seem sufficient to let it shine, to perform at its very best..It's constrained..Like not enough energy liddat..Please help!

Haha, 8units??Hmm..don't know can bring to usa and sell or not hor..hahaha got market here you think?
haha the user already spoilt the EP830 ler..haha promoting bijou now

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Added on February 17, 2009, 1:57 amOh, I see..I misplaced my eartips dy lar..haha, if not for the case, I would've used it too..darn

I'm using Megabass as well(P1i has megabass too!:D), and it sounds good when the feature is switched on. I agree, when the EQ is turned off, all sorts of crappy stuff runs out to play on the audio street..scary..Yea, I want to get an amp..but don't know which would be the best for optimum performance/price ratio..Which is the main reason this thread was created: to seek the best budget audiophile equipment


This post has been edited by killz23: Feb 17 2009, 01:57 AM

Yup..Haha, not everyone's into heavy bass..Quoting another forumer who said this earlier on, "one man's meat is another man's poison". haha

Fiio 5 I can get it for around 66rm in usa..good price? Or a Cmoy? ahh...so many choices..so limited funds.. haha..

So far haven't seen anyone asking for it here..Will try look around haha..yea, for bassheads, SE stock earphones are good..and the phones are good too, provided they have Megabass feature turned on..

As i'm primarily using my SE p1i for music purposes, will a fiio 5 amp be any use?

Oh, really? Certain amps correspond better with certain types of earphones? That's new to me haha thanks! I'll be waiting for your recommendation on an amp for cans..haha..

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Added on February 19, 2009, 2:59 amanyway, what do you guys think of PX100 compared to senn HD 201 and HD 212 pro..and KSC 75 of course

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Added on March 26, 2009, 10:27 amYeah, I heard FIio 5 is only good for small portable players with sub $100 earphones...Shure SCL3, head direct RE2, KSC 75 etc...all these are earphones which could really benefit from the amp..I just ordered it from Dealextreme can't wait for the amp to arrive..haha..

Anyone knows how to recable ksc 75? as i'm in the us, it's hard to find some1 to recable for me..So i'm thinking of venturing into recabling myself...

And By the way, I wana clarify...Sennheiser 212 pro actually sounds really really good...hahha..just have to set the correct EQ and good player to let it shine

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Added on April 15, 2009, 2:10 pmMy Fiio E5 arrived dy!! sorry for the late post hheehe..

Okay my current set up is

Creative Zen Vision M > E5 > Senn 212 pro..

Hmm..maybe my ears not so sensitive, but I cannot detect any noticeable difference..Although when I set it on Bass boost..There's a slightly more bass in the sound output..However, the bass is still kinda tight, doesn't sound very "loose" and diffused...

Is that what E5 is supposed to do ? hehehe..

Planning to get either a Senn HD 555 or E4C ler...Any advice?

*Oh no....getting more expensive cans dy...cham..

This post has been edited by killz23: Apr 15 2009, 02:10 PM

I've never tried Bijou so can't really give much comments..haha..If you don't like in ears, take the Senn HD 212 pro..It's great..The bass is really "thumping" ur skull..You can feel each beat, I mean EACH beat..so it's really fun to listen..haha..

If you're walking around type, then closed headphones and in ears shouldn be you consideration...hahah..too bad Senn HD 212 pro is closed...KSC 75's bass is really tight, although not as "bassy" as Senn HD 212 pro..Or EP 630 for that matter..hhaa.

Haha pay a lil extra to get better colors or maybe can request different cables? Haha or you could wear light colored shirts to match the colorful cable..

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Added on April 23, 2009, 3:54 amI guess the bass is one of the slight drawbacks for this otherwise awesome headphone.. Has anyone tried the kramer mod? And the stock earpads cover up the driver, impeding the direct transmission of sound from driver to your delicate ears, to your soft hair cells..
I've seen some crazy mods on headfi.org..haha senn hd 414 pad mod and headband mod combined with recable and some major faciallift..phew..looks totally different

This post has been edited by killz23: Apr 23 2009, 03:54 AM

Wow! Bro, how's you do that?? Did you do that yourself?
That's more than kramer + headband mod..hahaa...plus the earpad + recabling...I think you must've added some "extra" ingredients in that huh? xp

How does it sound like right now? Can compare with any pair of headphones? Grado Sr 60 or sr80? Sennheiser?