Gaming World Forums
General Category => Technology and Programming => Topic started by: something bizarre and impractical on November 25, 2008, 01:04:17 am
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I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to buying headphones, but what I do know is that the ones I'm currently using a) look goofy as giggles and b) hurt my ears and c) don't sound that great. So what I'm looking for is a good set of headphones that are comfortable and won't make my ears feel like they're being crushed in a vice and that don't sound completely off. Preferably something under $100 but that gives you a lot to work with from what I gather. I don't care if it has a mic or not as I have a logitech mic that works fine.
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I had these RETRO ones that were pretty cheap and sounded good, but the wire broke because a cat chewed on it and now they don't work. I think they sell them at urban outfitters now in lots of different colors. edit: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&navAction=jump&id=15574130&search=true&isProduct=true&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS&color=10
now I have skullcandy earbuds and they're alright. they've lasted me a long time, don't sound too bad and they look good (black) but now they're popular with "dudebros" or w/e.
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http://www.turntablelab.com/dj_equipment/71/144/ Lots of headphones at or under $100. Companies to check out are Sony and Sennheiser.
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Sennheiser 280's and up are pretty good headphones, and I'd recommend Shure 210 or 310's for earphones.
BOSE also makes some pretty decent headphones and earphones and you'll be sure to piss off any 'audiophile' who sees you wearing them which is like a lil' real-life troll.
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I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 485s. They're mid-range headphones, I imagine. I got them new for about $80 on eBay, which is a bit less than they retail for, and I'm really happy with them. They're infinitely more comfortable than my old Sony over-the-ears, they sound fuller and handle low-ends better, and they look pretty cool I think. They have padded earmuffs or whatever, and a pad on the headband part too, so there's basically no part of you they touch that isn't padded with like an inch of cloth and soft foam. As far as pressure goes, I think they're pleasantly snug. They do exert a bit of pressure and as a result are really sturdy and stay in place even if you shake your head like mad, but it's not uncomfortable at all (for me, at least), and it doesn't feel anything like a VICE CRUSHING YOU HEAD. They're pretty well reviewed, too, iirc.
Here's a photo: http://www.mrgadget.com.au/catalog/images/Sennheiser_HD485_Open_Dynamic_Hi-Fi_Stereo_Headphones.jpg
Bose makes killer headphones, but their low-end stuff is not nearly as good. I considered getting a couple over-the-ear models they have in the $100-200 pricerange, and while they sounded pretty good and were comfortable, reviews show that they are plagued with reliability issues and the headband and other parts will consistently break. I would suggest staying away from Bose headphones unless they are the pricey ones.
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Bose makes killer headphones, but their low-end stuff is not nearly as good. I considered getting a couple over-the-ear models they have in the $100-200 pricerange, and while they sounded pretty good and were comfortable, reviews show that they are plagued with reliability issues and the headband and other parts will consistently break. I would suggest staying away from Bose headphones unless they are the pricey ones.
the on-ear ones are actually pretty sturdy and sound nice(better than the over-ear kind) if you're not bothered by the bassy 'Bose sound' that so many audio nerds pitch a fit about.
I think they're like 30-50 bucks more though.
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Koss KSC75 (http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K)
Get these and you will not regret them. I bought these for a friend who needed cheap headphones. I did extensive research and these were the best price:performance I could find. After trying them out before giving them to my friend, I determined that I must have a pair of these.
I also own a pair of Sennheiser HD-595 Premiers... which are audiophile quality headphones. I would say these Koss sound about 3/5 as good for 1/10 the price. Basically you are getting great sounding headphones for a steal.
There are downsides, however. If you are passionately against the ear-clip style, you will not like these. They are not 100% comfortable but they are comfortable enough... and more comfortable than any around the neck headphones.
Another downside is that they feel and even look sort of cheap (up close). But this is fitting as they are cheap.
I really recommend these though despite the cons, as they are virtually the best sounding headphones you will get at that price and even best most headphones that cost 3 times as much.
EDIT: Also I just remembered that a friend had bought a pair of Sennheiser HD-555s and they sounded very similar to my HD-595s (off an iPod - that is, which isn't saying much) but they cost like around $80? They're big though. Very big. Most Sennheiser audiophile headphones are big though.
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the on-ear ones are actually pretty sturdy and sound nice(better than the over-ear kind) if you're not bothered by the bassy 'Bose sound' that so many audio nerds pitch a fit about.
I think they're like 30-50 bucks more though.
Oh, yeah, I forgot about those. darkwhite has a pair and he's happy with them. I've heard their lower-priced earbuds are reliable, but the EARMUFF style ones in that pricerange not so much. I've never tried the earbuds but it's surprising they'd be bassy! Most earbuds I use end up being tinny and kinda shitty. I don't use $200 earbuds, though!
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btw don't get earclip headphones. they are hideously uncomfortable if you wear them for more than fifteen minutes at a time for a lot of people, probably including yourself
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I tried wearing a pair of earclip ones and I couldn't even get them to fit on my ears (or stay on my ears or really do anything useful at all). They are p. awful.
Personally, I can't stand almost anything but big over the ear headphones. I had a pair of Koss ones that got stolen, they were maybe $20 and fantastic for the price. Now I have some no name brand ones that also work really well, surprisingly enough. The only other headphones I could ever use are the earbuds that come with ipods, just because I was stuck using them for a while.
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I have pretty much used skullcandy in-ear buds for the past year because they were the first pair of noise-canceling headphones I had ever purchased and was amazed at how better music sounds when you can't hear anything else around you!!
The only problem I have with them is that they are extremely sensitive in the sense that having the wire rub against your jacket/shirt/whatever will make annoying low sound waves travel up to your ears.
I absolutely hate those wrap-around behind-the-neck headphones (oh and those normal ones that just work like a headband (i dont know any technical names)). Every time I've tried a pair, they were always TOO FAR AWAY from my ear to sound good. You end having to use your hands to press them tightly to your ears in order to hear any bass.
I'm surprised so many people here use fairly expensive headphones! I have never owned a pair of headphones that cost more than $25 and am curious to know how greatly the sound quality improves per $$ increase. Apparently those huge padded ear-warmer-esque headphones are the way to go???? Can anyone recommend me a pair for like $50-60, maybe $70 max???
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idk these (http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Sennheiser-HD-415-Headphones?sku=241469) maybe. i like sennheiser and they are only $50 and well-reviewed so yeah. the lack of an ear cavity seems a little odd, but i've worn bose headphones like that that still felt snug/secure and really comfortable and sounded good as well, so i guess it doesn't actually make a difference.
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Oh, yeah, I forgot about those. darkwhite has a pair and he's happy with them. I've heard their lower-priced earbuds are reliable, but the EARMUFF style ones in that pricerange not so much. I've never tried the earbuds but it's surprising they'd be bassy! Most earbuds I use end up being tinny and kinda shitty. I don't use $200 earbuds, though!
I have a pair of those earbuds at work, they sound decent for their price(like $99) and and the gel canal-shaped earpiece on them is very comfy so my ears don't hurt from wearing them for over an hour.
You're right though, if you want really good sound from earbuds you're gonna need to spend like 200+ for ones on the middle to high end.
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I had a PRO GAMER NERD headset which was pretty nice, especially the mic but both arms or whatever broke now so I dug out a little pair of sennheiser headphones i got about 2 years ago and the sound quality is much nicer. I dunno if they're ON EAR or OVER EAR though because searching for both those terms gives headphones that look basically the same to me heh. They can get a little uncomfortable after a long wow stint or whatever but it seems to be mainly because the arm extender things can slip longer over time and it puts pressure on the bottom of my ears. the also fold up cleverly into a lil package which is nice
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idk these (http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Sennheiser-HD-415-Headphones?sku=241469) maybe. i like sennheiser and they are only $50 and well-reviewed so yeah. the lack of an ear cavity seems a little odd, but i've worn bose headphones like that that still felt snug/secure and really comfortable and sounded good as well, so i guess it doesn't actually make a difference.
According to this reviewer (http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3OB7XR36AJEUU) who owned both a pair of HD-555s and HD-415s, the difference is night and day (the 555s are obviously the better of the two... as they cost more).
HD-555s on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-HD-555-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1227628336&sr=8-1). Right about the price you were looking at.
Again though, I feel I should tell you about the downsides. 6' cord. Pretty big and may look "goofy" if you're self-conscious about this sort of thing (what I'm saying is that they stand out a lot more than - say - iPod earbuds). They leak sound if you have it nice and loud - people WILL hear your music at even moderately high volumes. They aren't noise-cancelling so you can hear people around you. I don't know if those 415s have these issues.
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I dunno if they're ON EAR or OVER EAR though because searching for both those terms gives headphones that look basically the same to me heh.
As far as I've always thought, over the ear headphones don't actually touch your ear (it goes around them), whereas on ear headphones are touching your ear and rest directly on them. I used to have a pair of on ear headphones and they always hurt because I wear glasses, so it was constantly pressing my ears into the sides of my glasses. Over the ear ones still press on my glasses just a little, but they don't hurt my ears at all.
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As far as I've always thought, over the ear headphones don't actually touch your ear (it goes around them), whereas on ear headphones are touching your ear and rest directly on them. I used to have a pair of on ear headphones and they always hurt because I wear glasses, so it was constantly pressing my ears into the sides of my glasses. Over the ear ones still press on my glasses just a little, but they don't hurt my ears at all.
Oh man yeah I used to get that when i wore my glasses with my old headset, annoying as hell
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I always liked the Kossart iPro (mind you, NOT koss porta pro.. it's a different brand!). Really nice sound, both on the lower and higher ranges, for an affordable price (I don't know what they would cost in USD, but I'd guess somewhere in between 35 and 50.). The downside is that the discant (sp?) is slightly too loud when listening to music tracks of lower quality, and the cord is waaaay to long (might be short in comparison to other headphones but seriously.. I hate long cords!). I keep getting it stuck on things which unfortunately wears it out. There is one good thing about the cord however. It's made from some weird teflon material that doesn't get affected by the salt in your sweat. Jogging etc will thus not have a negative effect on the cord.
I googled for some reviews, but I can only find them in swedish and german so I won't bother giving you a link. Also, they leak a lot of sound so people might get angry with you on the subway, but all in all these are great!
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I'm pretty satisfied with my Skullcandys. I mean, I've never bought any expensive headphones, and yes, I know they do sound nice, but if I had to vote what sounded the best for the moneys worth, I'd say Skullcandy.
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I bought a pair of Sennheiser 477s after headphonics told me about his 480s, and I have to agree, Sennheiser makes good headphones. Granted, I'm not an audiophile, but as someone who has used OFF BRAND $15 headphones all his life, spending 60 bucks for these has opened up a WHOLE NEW WORLD for me.
As for comfort, well, I still find them hot/tight for long, long use, but I've yet to really find headphones that aren't like that. I guess it's just the nature of covering/obstructing the ears. Despite this, I would definitely say they are the MOST comfortable headphones I've ever owned, even if they aren't COMPLETELY comfortable for extended use.
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According to this reviewer (http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3OB7XR36AJEUU) who owned both a pair of HD-555s and HD-415s, the difference is night and day (the 555s are obviously the better of the two... as they cost more).
HD-555s on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-HD-555-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1227628336&sr=8-1). Right about the price you were looking at.
Again though, I feel I should tell you about the downsides. 6' cord. Pretty big and may look "goofy" if you're self-conscious about this sort of thing (what I'm saying is that they stand out a lot more than - say - iPod earbuds). They leak sound if you have it nice and loud - people WILL hear your music at even moderately high volumes. They aren't noise-cancelling so you can hear people around you. I don't know if those 415s have these issues.
uh those are twice as expensive as the ones i linked and substantially more than ase said he was willing to spend but okay??? gotta live within your means brah. heh why buy these decent, inexpensive headphones when you could get better ones for twice the price??? probably because he does not have twice the price to spend!!
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http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Headphones-Voice/dp/B00001WRSJ
These are sitting on my head right now, I've had them since I turned 20 and firmly believe they have changed my life.
If they break from use then I will happily spend the money on replacing them.
My dad imported them from the US as he was told they were the dogs bollocks and they really really are.
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I've been looking at the Sennheiser HD280 PROs. How does Sennheiser's numbering system work exactly?
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I've been looking at the Sennheiser HD280 PROs. How does Sennheiser's numbering system work exactly?
I'd really recommend spending a little more for the HD595.
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uh those are twice as expensive as the ones i linked and substantially more than ase said he was willing to spend but okay??? gotta live within your means brah. heh why buy these decent, inexpensive headphones when you could get better ones for twice the price??? probably because he does not have twice the price to spend!!
thanks but its really not a big deal. the only reason i wrote that as my price range was because i don't think I could bring myself to suddenly spend 4x more on headphones than I had every previously paid without knowing for sure that I will be satisfied with my purchase. spending $50 extra isn't going to kill me, but I will definitely hate myself more if I pay $100 for headphones that I ultimately decide are too uncomfortable for everyday use than if I spend $50.
Return them yah yeah but it's a hassle and i'm lazy, especially if it's online ordering.
I don't know if it's a good idea to ease myself up the audophile ladder (heh) like this but unless I get unanimous agreement that there is a huge difference between $50 sennheiser and $100 sennheiser, i will probably not bother to spend twice as much.
edit: hmm well i didn't realize mama luigi was comparing his headphones to the ones headphones ) posted. Still, leaning towards the cheaper ones right now. Thanks for the pro-tips dudes
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i need new earbuds and i'm looking for something around $20-30, would skullcandy be the best choice?
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thanks but its really not a big deal. the only reason i wrote that as my price range was because i don't think I could bring myself to suddenly spend 4x more on headphones than I had every previously paid without knowing for sure that I will be satisfied with my purchase. spending $50 extra isn't going to kill me, but I will definitely hate myself more if I pay $100 for headphones that I ultimately decide are too uncomfortable for everyday use than if I spend $50.
Return them yah yeah but it's a hassle and i'm lazy, especially if it's online ordering.
I don't know if it's a good idea to ease myself up the audophile ladder (heh) like this but unless I get unanimous agreement that there is a huge difference between $50 sennheiser and $100 sennheiser, i will probably not bother to spend twice as much.
edit: hmm well i didn't realize mama luigi was comparing his headphones to the ones headphones ) posted. Still, leaning towards the cheaper ones right now. Thanks for the pro-tips dudes
what would your poor parents think if they heard you saying "heh nah its ok"
also i had some cheap skullcandy earbuds i got for like $20 on ase's suggestion and i liked them a lot.
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uh those are twice as expensive as the ones i linked and substantially more than ase said he was willing to spend but okay??? gotta live within your means brah. heh why buy these decent, inexpensive headphones when you could get better ones for twice the price??? probably because he does not have twice the price to spend!!
Oh I was confused/didn't know ase was looking for headphones too/didn't read the rest of the thread good enough. My post was directed at the OP and yeah I was just comparing. I've only tried the HD555 and HD595 as well as some of their low end models (which suck major ass) from Sennheiser. The 555s are just like the 595s in terms of comfort (high marks in this category btw), weight, and shape and they sounded pretty much the same to me on an ipod.
I should also make it known that I can't stand earbuds... they're not very good for your ears.
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Man... $100 for headphones... I never paid more than $5 for them :(
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well i'm seconding HD 555/595s, i've used 555s for a while now (when i bought them 595s were like 50-60e more and i saw nothing that justified that much higher price for what seemed essentially the same headphones). these are the most comfortable headphones i've owned, and i've owned many (most were shitty cheap ones though!)
anyways i've been REALLY happy with them. i break headphones easily (i've broken like 4 ones in 2 years), yet these ones seems to be very nicely and firmly built, and i can throw them all over and accidentally step on them a bit etc. and they're still in perfect shape! highly suggested. and i really think if you're willing to put those extra bucks to better headphones, you will never look back, the comfort and quality of sound are that much different (i used to buy $20-30 headphones in the past too, and i always thought they were 'decent', but that was merely because i had not used good headphones).
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Man... $100 for headphones... I never paid more than $5 for them :(
Then you're really not hearin da music.
Seriously though, I really really really recommend a nice pair of monitor or 'premium' headphones if you like listening to music a lot because sound quality makes a significant difference in music appreciation... Just don't take it to the retarded extremes audiophiles do and buy $500 blocks of "vibration resistant" wood to put your turntable on.
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Headphones.com.au
It's an Australian site so take that into account if you're from the US (the prices will be lower then stated) but it's got good reliable reviews of a huge range of products from many price ranges.
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DietCoke: bose do not make high quality audio equipment. the price you pay for bose hardware is way more than the quality would dictate. they might be half decent but you're throwing away money by buying them. bose is what you buy when you want the most expensive shit possible, because its GOTTA be good if it costs more.
bose do not publish tech specs about their hardware. why would you buy something without knowing anything about its quality? criticisms levelled at bose are well founded, and anyone who suggests buying bose rather than the far better alternatives is gay
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I have Audio-Technica ATH-M50's but they're monitor headphones so maybe they aren't the "best" sounding, just the most accurate right? I still think they beat the crap out of everything else I have though
Edit: Lol
http://mixonline.com/news/headline/metalliance_certifies_athm50_0711/
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What about behringer have any of you guys tried them?
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One word, skullcandy. Great headphone brand, they even do one thats like earmuffs.
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One word, skullcandy. Great headphone brand, they even do one thats like earmuffs.
http://uk.gear.ign.com/articles/861/861582p1.html
dont buy designer headphones
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I swear by SkullCandy. I've had Full metal jackets, now I have the Smokin' v3 Ear buds, and a Set of Grey Digi-Camo (not that that matters) G.I. Biggum headphones. SkullCandy's Sound is stellar and they pack a bang for your buck.
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I would never want to wear headphones that like . . . had a SKULL on them.
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okay I have to point out my skullcandies broke in less than 24 hours of use, and when I googled I found multiple people saying the same thing, they broke in a week. they also have a VERY weird sound to them, not enough bass or treble, I forget which (I mean it broke in a fucking day, of course I don't remember). basically dont just use gw when checking headphones.
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I have some really nice bose headphones.
They're not noise-canceling, but they sound amazing (lots of good low eq range) and they are super confortable.
They're kinda pricey, but if you wear headphones a lot, you might as well get a nice pair
http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/audio_headphones/around_ear_headphones/index.jsp
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http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p1_Headsets_202791_Business_Supplies_10051_SEARCH
This thing is pretty damn good, and it's even on sale right now.
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Steel and dom are absolutely right, designer headphones look great (for about 5 minutes - also pretty dubious on those skullcandies!) and sound lousy. as for a recommendation, I've used a few different Sennheiser headphones and they consistently have sounded pretty great. Apparently they do a range of portable headphones too so that should be good for your usage, right?
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DietCoke: bose do not make high quality audio equipment. the price you pay for bose hardware is way more than the quality would dictate. they might be half decent but you're throwing away money by buying them. bose is what you buy when you want the most expensive shit possible, because its GOTTA be good if it costs more.
bose do not publish tech specs about their hardware. why would you buy something without knowing anything about its quality? criticisms levelled at bose are well founded, and anyone who suggests buying bose rather than the far better alternatives is gay
well yeah I know that, but Bose is nowhere near the most expensive stuff on the market. My wife and I bought the bose over-the-ear and earbud headphones for an overseas plane trip out of a best buy vending machine(lol) because all the Shure sets were gone and all we had were regular earbuds and you can't hear those things on a plane. They're decent enough IMO and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and that's pretty much all I said about them other than people like you seem to have strong feelings about them.
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Grado SR-60
/thread
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I've had my white HESH Skullcandy (earmuffs ^^) for over a month now and no problems whatsoever. It's a sturdy headphone and it has a delicious band, meaning you can just put it on your neck for a while and it feels great. The sounds is also good enough imo.
If your Skullcandy broke I have to assume you either got it off ebay or you were throwing it across your room or something and dropping a TV on it