Headphones vs Speakers

I have a gift-card of 100$ in FutureShop and I'm thinking of buying a pair of headphones or the Logitech Z-2300 2.1 speakers for 99.99.

In headphones I know that Senheiser ones are good but wich one offers more in my budget.

I also want to know if futureshop offer good prices on headphones?

I will use it with my laptop, for music (all kinds), games, movies

I want a good sound quality, and something that will last for longtime

The portability isn't very important

sorry for the grammar, i'm in the learning process

 

Headphones are obviously always superior in sound quality, especially considering that there isn't that much air the sound has to travel in. Headphones do not have distortion issues that speakers have to deal with.

If you are a purist for sound quality, avoid noise-canceling headsets. Sennheiser makes excellent headphones as you mentioned.

If you listen to a lot of music (especially strings) then I suggest getting Klipsch ProMedia speakers. Logitech is fine for gaming and movie purposes, overall.

 

Get the headphones. You have a laptop which I am assuming you take with you when away from the house so carrying headphones is much easier than speakers.

 

If you plan on playing music when you are doing something else like cleaning or working on something, then the speakers. But if you want to play games/watch movies on your notebook, I would say headphones. I like them for playing games and watching movies because it eliminate most of the noise that comes from every where. This is a big deal for me because I live on a street, and I can here the traffic. If you can, go with the speakers just for the sound quality and the bass.

 

Yea, I would get headphones since you got a laptop.

 

Thanks for the help, I will buy a pair of Senheiser headphones

Is it a good idea to wait the Boxing day?

 

I always thought speakers to have better SQ then headphones. Headphones lack bass and they can also only mimic surround sound.

If you are on the move a lot, get the headphones. If you play music and watch movies at home I would go with speakers.

The best 2.1 speaker system I have ever heard was the i-Fi from Klipsch. The satillites are VERY powerful and top quality, sound is very clear and bass is punchy from the sub/sats. It is a 2.1 system. I have also heard good things about Klipsch Promedias but they are a bit more boomy. Still Klipsch is known to make the best PC speakers. They impressed me.

If most of your media is music, I would go with 2.1. If you are into movies and games get a 5.1/6.1/7.1.

 

Right now I have Sony NDR-NC6 noise-canceling headphones and they are impressive to listen to. My recommendation anyways.

 

I use a set of Shure E3c's and they rock! I honestly haven't even given thought to buying a set of desktop speakers since i got these.

 

I recommend headphones, cause for that low of price you will get a much better system. I suggest Sennheiser PX100. They are cheap and the sound AWESOME, although they are open cup so you can hear things going on around you. Just depends on what you want though.

 

I use the same set when I use Sony Sound Forge to do audio editing, and they are the best pair that I have found. I recommend them too. The only problem that I have had with them was I was walking to school using them and i had my Creative 20gb Zen Touch in my pocket, after about a year of use the wire just broke and I had to replace the harness. But nothing too bad, just a little soldering.

 

At a given price range you will (almost) always get better sound quality from headphones than speakers.

Pros of Headphones:
Better Sound Quality
Portable
Helps block out external sound
Less annoying to neighbours etc

Pros of Speakers:
Not tethered by a cord to your head
Multiple people can enjoy sound

 

I have Sennheiser CX300 in-ear monitor headphones.

They sound awesome, block out outside noise (better than my noise cancelling headphones), are extremely portable, stay in your ears, can be used with anything and are $90 at FutureShop.

[ Link>>>]

 

Absolutely love my Grado SR60s. LOVE THEM!

~ Brett

 

No doubt about it -- get a pair of studio-quality, hi-fi headphones. Grados, Sennheisers, etc. Check out the reviews at Head Fi, great info there. Sound quality on a pair of good hi-fi headphones will blow away computer speakers.

Another suggestion -- get a pair of over-the-ear headphones, like Sennheiser HD 280 Pros (or something similar) that have a secure fit. Why? Because the headphones will block out a lot of external noise -- making it easier for you to concentrate, esp. in a noisy place like a library, dorm room, etc.

 

Guys, remember he has a $100 Canadian gift certificate from Futureshop. I don't think I have ever seen grados in that store.

For $100 get the CX-300 it is the only decent earbuds futureshop sells.

But, yes headphones are better than speakers depending on the model and of course the price you are willing to shell out. FYI headfi.org is a great site, but it will make you poor.

 

It depends on what type of media he will listen to as well.

If the OP is into bass heavy music he will need headphones/speakers with good bass. Grado headphones or the klipsch promedia speakers would be a good choice in this case. On the other hand if he likes movies, he will need a 5.1 speaker system or headphones with virtual surround sound (Not as good as 5.1 for movies). If he lives in a noisy area he may like sound isolated headphones or canalphones (Shure's).

I disagree a good pair of headphones will blow away PC speakers. The iFi sounds much better then any headphones I have ever used. The Promedias are said to sound about as good. Headphones are too small to drive strong punchy bass the way a subwoofer and large satillite speaker woofers can. No headphone can give you the experence a 5.1 system can give you for movies either.

 

If you often bring your laptop with you,
Get a headphone

If you always put it home,
Get a speaker

If you live in a quiet environment (noise restriction),
Get a headphone

If you have DEEP POCKETs,
just buy 'em BOTH brother

merry JESUS CHRISTmas!

 

Really depends on your situation. I got myself a set of Logitech X-530 which offer good sound for a very reasonable price and spent more on a headset since Im in college. I dont get to turn up the volume of my speakers so I dont need the power of say a Z-5500. Meanwhile a good headset is much more important. Right now I have the Sennheiser HD555s. Really nice headphones. Someone mentioned Grado SR60s which are great also. I might upgrade to the Sennheiser HD595 or some Audiotechnica if I find them at reasonable prices. But again the HD555 are really nice cans for the price.

 

I will try the Sennheiser cx300 and hd555 (189$).

The other thing is that FutureShop have good prices for computers and add-ons and for hi-fi stuff it's not amazing because they are rarely making good specials on it.

 

Heh. Try some hi-def headphones, like quality Senns, AKGs, or even Grados. You'll feel differently.

No disagreement, but, we're talking about a laptop here -- not an enormous 6.1 home entertainment system with a nice amp pumping clean power to a thunderous base and Vandersteen satellites. I stand by my original statement.

I take it you've never tried these. I own them, they rock. And let me say once more, we're talking about a laptop. Talking about a movie's Dolby-related 5.1 "experience" -- while watching it on a laptop, of all things -- is akin to discussing the thrill of a mountain ride on a Hayubasa motorcycle while piloting a Vespa to the local Gas-n-Sip. For laptop use, I really think headphones are vastly superior to any pc speaker system, period.

 

I bought today the cx300 and it's a very good product. Thanks!

Music on a laptop=Headphones

Games/Movies=Headphones and speakers

 

you can get sweet 5.1 surround headphones. Zalman "theatre 6" is what they are called for only around $44. Or for decent 7.1 surround headphones there is the razer gaming headphones for $120.

 

I found on a forum that cx300 and ep630 share the same driver and design with a 50$ difference and now even more because bestbuy sells the for 29.99$. : )

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodd...INGFS10082591&catid=21271&test%5Fcookie=1

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/642178.html

I think now to take the ep630 and a zen v (or plus version with video) 1gb...?

 

Today, I returned the cx300 and took the px100 and they are better in sound quality, the bass is very good

 

I'll reiterate what people have said before. In your budget range headphones will outperform speakers by a big margin - good headphones are Sennheiser HD 595 and Audio Technica A900. And I really reccommend anyone NOT to buy the Shure e3c. Either get the e2c or jump straight to the e4c. And as people have mentioned, Head-Fi.com is great resource for all things headphone but is your wallet's foe.

 

I use now Winamp,Stereo Tool 2.05 and PX100 headphones and the sound is very good.

 

PX100 are great phones for the price. I use Sennheiser HD555's, and they are excellent (though leak sound quite a bit) for home use.