Apples and Oranges: Replacing Headphones with a Speaker System

[datenshi]

Hey y'all! Thanks for posting on and maintaining such a useful forum!

Here’s my problem:

I am a college student with a budget of $75-$100. My roommate listens to music in his headphones all the time because the sound is so much better than the sound he gets from his iHome speakers. I hate the silence and would much rather he listen to music out loud, so we can both enjoy it, but I don't want to severely degrade his listening experience. We have discussed this and he's agreed to play music out loud more often. In return, I want to buy a stereo system good enough to allow him to suffer no great loss in quality.

The headphones:

Sennheiser HD 202, about $21

The speakers:

2.1 system, preferably from a brand with a good reputation, but as long as the speakers are good they'll speak for themselves.

Any advice, experience, or recommendations would be enormously appreciated.

 

[GranteedEV]

From my experience, headphones are a much better SQ deal than speakers. A budget of 100 max is tough to work with. Even some M-Audio AV30s would cost a bit more than that. That still wouldn't take a subwoofer into account, either!

There's also a matter of amplification. It can cost you around 50 dollars on the used market for stereo receivers if you don't get an active loudspeaker.

My advice is unfortunately to scower the used market - forum classifieds, audiogon, pawn shops, ebay, and craigslist and see what you come up with and we can go from there.

Alternatively, get yourself some headphones and a splitter. Then you guys can share it without breaking the bank.

 

[jamie2112]

For $100 I would get the Sony MDR 7506.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E

I have used these in the studio and live for almost 20 years.They are totally flat and are super comfortable. I would buy these and be done with it!

 

[lsiberian]

Link me your area craigslist and I'll see if I can find something for you.

 

[MinusTheBear]

I'd go straight for a pair of closed headphones. Along with the Sony 7506, the Shure SRH440 and Audio Technica ATH-M50

http://www.headphone.com/headphones/shure-srh440.php

http://www.headphone.com/headphones/audio-technica-ath-m50.php ( you can get these for around $100 if you shop around)

 

[datenshi]

GranteedEV, I found a pair of the speakers you mentioned for about $80, free shipping, putting them nicely within budget. Would you recommend them, since they're so inexpensive?

Isiberian, that's an incredibly generous offer! My local craigslist has a wealth of options, but I have no car, which makes things a bit more difficult. Besides, most of the speakers offered are floor speakers, and I have neither a receiver to accompany them or a room large enough to accommodate them. Thank you for the offer, however!

 

[GranteedEV]

GranteedEV, I found a pair of the speakers you mentioned for about $80, free shipping, putting them nicely within budget. Would you recommend them, since they're so inexpensive?

they're nice, but don't expect to drive them to the loudest volumes. At the end of the day they've got 3 inch woofers and 15 watts of amplification. I'd recommend a subwoofer at the very least... preferably crossed around 120 or 140 hz even