Best headphones for iphone / ipad ?

[Jerome W]

Hello Folks,

What are the best headphones for the iphone ( or ipad ) ?
My budget is up to 2000 dollars.
Isolation to external noises would be great but is not mandatory.

Thanks in advance !!

[Robert_Anderson]

Ultrasone Edition 8's will work, also, Ultimate Ears makes a custom fit IEM that sounds OK. If I were you, I would buy either an RSA Hornet or a Headamp Pico amp to go with it. They are small, and the output of an iPod pretty much sounds horrible.

[cmalak]

Jerome...do you plan on using the headphones direct into your iPad/iPhone? If so, I would not spend anywhere near $2000 as the internal DAC and headphone amp on the iPhone and iPad are not up to the task (maybe you meant $200 ). If you plan on using the iPhone/iPad into a headphone amp/DAC, now you open up many options. Here are 2 guides for headphones and headphone amps that may help you with your research:

1) Guide for in-ear phones: http://media.avguide.com/earphones_buyers_guide.pdf
2) Guide for full-size ear phones/amps: http://media.avguide.com/full_size_h...yers_guide.pdf

Hope this helps.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Jerome...do you plan on using the headphones direct into your iPad/iPhone? If so, I would not spend anywhere near $2000 as the internal DAC and headphone amp on the iPhone and iPad are not up to the task (maybe you meant $200 ). If you plan on using the iPhone/iPad into a headphone amp/DAC, now you open up many options. Here are 2 guides for headphones and headphone amps that may help you with your research:

1) Guide for in-ear phones: http://media.avguide.com/earphones_buyers_guide.pdf
2) Guide for full-size ear phones/amps: http://media.avguide.com/full_size_h...yers_guide.pdf

Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot Cyril, I will check that !
No I plan to use and headphone direct, mainly for holidays;
I meant 2000 dollars and not 200 because the dollar is going down everyday so who knows....? a pair of 2301's could cost 50000 dollars in a year or 2 !!

[cmalak]

Jerome...I hear you on the dollar . As randerson3024 mentions the output amp and internal DAC of the iPhone is garbage so definitely think about an outboard headphone amp/DAC combo. There are many small portable options if you want this primarily for music on the go. Otherwise, I would get a decent set of in-ear phone for $200-$400 and plug it into the iPhone direct and call it a day, especially if you just plan to have background music while you are doing something else (exercising, for plane rides, etc...).

[Chad.Wagner]

You might want to consider a SanDisk Sansa Clip+ with Shure SE535 earphones and a 32G microSD (I have two 16G cards).

The Clip+ plays FLAC and is very small. I also have a Cowan which has better sound, but the Clip+ is so small and keeps its charge for a long time. The player actually weighs less than the headphones. I keep it in the headphone case that Shure provides. I find its sound quality to be very good and my iPhone battery then can keep charged.

The Shure SE535 are a little bass shy, but they have an accurate presentation for the mids and highs. There may be better headphones around since I bought them last year. The Westone 4 may be worth considering.

[Dj_AmTraX]

Why the need to be iPhone/iPad? Do you need the in-line remote control?

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by Dj_AmTraX

Why the need to be iPhone/iPad? Do you need the in-line remote control?

No Mike,
it is because I listen to them only during holidays, when I'm far from home, on the beach, airplane etc...

[Dj_AmTraX]

So you want something more portable? Would you consider IEM?

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by Dj_AmTraX

So you want something more portable? Would you consider IEM?

Yes !