EXCELLENT WITH THE RIGHT SOURCE & HEADPHONES
928264
This is an excellent, audible distortion free, ultra low noise, high resolution, powerful headphone amplifier that can effortlessly drive two pairs of headphones at once out of it's two phones jacks. Your SO, friend or fellow music/movie lover should appreciate that, provided you have two pair of headphones between you. To get sound this good from your speakers, be prepared to pay at least as much for a sound system as you would for a new car or SUV.

BUT, have you heard the one about a chain being only as strong as it's weakest link? The same principle applies to sound systems. If your budget won't stretch further than a hundred dollar pair of Grado SR-80i headphones (a great bargain, but many people want more comfortable ear pads) and a hundred dollar DVD/CD player, try a hundred dollar Fiio E-9 headphone amplifier. If you're planning on getting better headphones than hundred dollar Grados, the folks at Head-Fi (dot org) think a lot of the two hundred fifty dollar Matrix M Stage amp.

I've got a 20 year old six hundred dollar Rotel CD player for well recorded CDs, a four hundred dollar Onkyo player for SACDs and a five hundred dollar Oppo for DVD-Audio discs & the DTS Master Audio tracks on Blu-ray movies. I've also got three pairs of headphones in about the three hundred dollar price range: Beyerdynamics DT-880 (super high resolution, excellent for understanding the dialog in movies even with loud music & sound effects), AKG K-702 (really brings out the joy of music and all the subtle little sounds that you couldn't hear before, plus has an extra wide speaker-like soundstage) and Denen D-2000 (unlike the other two, very deep bass and flat frequency response, but I like the other two more).

Why not just plug good headphones into the phones jack of your receiver? Because it will sound horrible compared to even a Fiio E-9 headphone amp plugged into the tape output of that same receiver. I've heard that some older receivers are an exception to this rule. I've also heard that the flying saucer people built the Egyptian Pyramids.

MP3 IS HIGHLY "COMPRESSED". (Google it if you don't know.) If your only source of music is an iPod, put uncompressed tunes on it before even thinking about an amp like this one. You'll need an adapter to get a separate line output jack for your iPod, instead of just the phones jack.

This RudiStor NX-03 amp has so little noise and distortion that it can be used with extremely sensitive IEMs (inner ear monitors). Those are the only headphones that partly go inside your ear canal. BUT REMEMBER TO TURN THE VOLUME DOWN BEFORE YOU PLUG YOUR IEMs IN. They usually can't take much power. You want music coming out of them, not smoke. Not to mention the damage to your hearing if you're wearing the IEMs at the time.

My Beyerdynamics A-1 amp sounds the same as this amp with 250 ohm Beyerdynamics DT-880 phones, but not as good with the 62 ohm AKG K-702 phones and terrible with a pair of 25 ohm Denon D-2000 phones. I think that's mostly due to the high output impedance A-1 amp only matching high impedance headphones. My Headroom Micro amp (three hundred bucks at the time) can sound fairly good, but only with a pair of Grado SR-80 phones, probably due to higher resolution phones making the faults in the Micro amp more audible.

This amp is about 9 1/2 wide by 2 inches tall. The body is about 9 inches deep plus however much your audio interconnect plugs take in the rear.

Whatever gear you have, I hope that you enjoy your music and movies.
881459
Excellent pair of headphones with great sound, which I bought for a great price from Amazon, under $200. There are two cords, rather than one cord with a fitting to make it work for either large or small jacks. The cord is extra long, which is helpful if you need that length; otherwise, it will be necessary to keep part of the cord tied up.
2079777
Sound great plenty of presets and load enough nice headphones!
1341058
I have been playing with enough headphones now that I'm starting to think I know what I'm talking about.
Here's the thing about the Skullcandy S5blahblahblah, it's really good, and here's specifically why:

o It is light, but strong. You put this on and you hardly feel like you've got headphones on. The comfort pad on the underside of the loop fits my head spectacularly well, and what's more, that's true even wearing a hat. It cradles--not grips--the head, and stays on even with semi-violent head motion. I also doubled over and it stayed on, just enough friction without being intrusive. The cups are slightly inclined inwards to provide an even more secure hold without your needing to adjust it.

o The material on the cups are EXQUISITE. I don't think it's leather, but it's got that feel. It can't be leather because it allows the ears to breathe; leather, I would think, would likely cause sweat. This does not. I'm usually not a fan of over-the-ear cups, but this is perfect, and I use that term advisedly. They are so good from an audio point of view that even with no music playing, it effectively attenuates incoming sound. You are truly in your own world with these on.

o The sound is brilliant, with the highs and "tinny" trebles coming through as well as the deeper bass. Clarity continues at every volume level, no clipping or sound corruption again no matter the volume level. You will be surprised at how rich the sound is, no matter what genre you are listening to.

o The controls are beyond easy. One of the problems I have with these kinds of Bluetooth headphones are how silly the onboard controls are. You have to work hard at remembering what each button does. No such problem with the Skullcandy Grinders. The plus-sign shaped button increases the volume (imagine!) while the minus-sign shaped  you get the point. The middle circle answers and drops calls and pauses and plays music and also serves as an on/off button. The included instructions are clear and very simple, often with just one word. It takes a LOT of work to design simplicity without being simple.

o Range is EXCELLENT. I've had Bluetooth headsets with the very same phone I'm using with the Skullcandy which will start sputtering if I don't hold the phone at some "correct" angle. I had the phone in my back pocket and the sound came through without a single stutter as I walked the dog over three miles. Holy moly, this is like heaven to me. I've walked away about 20 feet and around walls with nary a drop or pop from the sound. THIS is how it's done.

o Modern Bluetooth pairing is usually easy and this is no exception. I was using the Skullcandy within 5 minutes of taking it out of the unsually-difficult-to-open box in which it came. Also, as a backup there's a AUX connection which turns it into a normal, wired connection with the same great sound. Recharging is pretty quick, less than an hour and I have not yet run out of juice yet. The mic in phone mood is just great, too, with my callers not having any problems hearing me and I them.

o Finally, this thing just plain looks great. That brown, suede-looking headband with the black metal and smooth matte black surfaces just feel well-made.

I have absolutely NOTHING to complain about. I want another one, just in case. 5, heck, 10 stars to this excellent headphones!

[UPDATE: The only thing I wish is that it came with a case.]
2512743
These are very excellent! Pretty flat response. The best I own. I have the Audio Technica ATH-M50X and Sony MDR-7506 and the sound quality and comfort are by far both better in the beyerdynamic. Get Some.
1884420
I'm always looking for the best deal in headphones. I have a few that are considered up there- Koss Porta Pros, some Senneheisers, the Grado 125's... and somehow I just found out about these a couple months ago through an article on Wire Cutter, when they named them the best headphone under $150.

That was pretty remarkable considering they were almost half that- about $78 on sale when I got 'em here on Amazon. The closed (i.e., sound doesn't leak) design and coiled cord makes them more practical than the Grados. And both the structural design (especially the soft ear pads) and the sound itself (I found the sound of the Sonys less harsh and sibilant). Though the Grados have more 'punch' to the bass and a little more detail overall, I think this is the more balanced, true-to-the-source headphone. It's easy to see why they're the industry standard in recording studios around the world.

I almost ended up getting the Audio Technicha ATH-M50, but after reading the Wire Cutter article, I got these instead. And at nearly half the price, I'm glad I did. These aren't a pair of headphones that will "enhance" the music you're listening to (like the M50's) through beefed-up bass; these cans will just give you a detailed, unbiased picture of the source: nothing more; nothing less. To some folks used to that sound,  they might think the Sonys sound "recessed" because their frequency balance is so remarkably flat.

In summation: These are cans for music fans who just wanna listen to the music, not the headphones.
861300
Excellent Bluetooth headphone, can give 5 if they work on sturdy cable.
1354527
This is for the 80 ohm version.
My purchase of the DT770 Pro came as a desire to simplify my headphone situation. Like a lot of folks, I had Headphone Creep, where you hear what some decent phones can do for your music. But then you read that this amp might make a little more difference, that these headphones are just a little more "forward" or better with acoustic music. Before long, you might have a DAC, Amp, and several pairs of headphones costing 300-600 bucks. I got to the point where I couldn't hear the difference anymore. Rather, I could hear a difference. I just couldn't tell if one setup was better anymore. I should also note that I'm in my mid 50's and am probably just plain old losing details that are lost to me on higher quality sets. So I started over. I sold the HiFiMans, the Senns, the Schitts, the other Beyers, and started with lower ohmage products. I tried Grados (too painful), ATH-M50s (too squishy in the bass), ATH-M40s (liked these a lot. Almost kept them.) Where I live, there aren't a lot of places to try headphones, but I drove an hour away to a Guitar Center. The guy there pointed me to these, and I was sold. Also, they were on sale at GC for 200. So there's that.
I use the headphones connected directly to my iMac. There is plenty of juice there to drive these. A phone is going to be maxed out though. In my mind these are desktop headphones anyway.
They are comfortable, not as much as the Beyer DT 990s I had previously, but plenty comfy. The sound is remarkably open for a closed back headphone. The bass is gorgeous and deep, but so much better controlled than the M50's.
The sound signature must back off the mids a bit. For my purposes, this leads to very clear vocal and acoustic instruments. I can see where someone might feel it is less full. But you know how people will say that they've heard things in songs they've never heard before? It can be true. Some little keyboard touch, a bowed string, a breath you haven't ever noticed. It adds such an elegant detail to music, it can make you weep.
So at the end of the day, I have a little money in my pocket, new enthusiasm for the tunes, and a cleaner desktop.
797596
Preface:  I'm not an audiophile, but I do have sensitive ears and so sound quality is very important to me.  It is so annoying that you cannot test out non-professional style headphones in most department stores, because sound performance varies greatly between all of the (many) models to choose from.

After comparing specifications on many headphones, I took a chance and bought the Philips HS820.  I bought them for use with my MP3 players, both for exercise and travel.  The design appealed to me over the annoyance of jamming earbuds into my ear canals, and for the overall specifications:

Sensitivity: 106db (excellent)
Frequency Response: 10Hz-24kHz (excellent)
Input power(IEC): 100mW (very good)

If you find earbuds and over the head style headphones annoying, the neckband style (or "street style") headphones are a great alternative.  The band keeps the speakers comfortably adjacent to your ears without undue pressure, while still keeping the headphones secure during exercise.  I was also surprised to find that they still fit nicely with the back of my head resting on a pillow (which usually doesn't work well with most neckband style headphones).

Compared to the default headphones that came with my MP3 player, the HS820 is easily superior. I am very impressed by the sound quality for the price (I paid $20 for these at Target).  I would have paid $40, based on the performance.  When listening to high quality MP3's (at least 192kbps), you can really hear the difference.  The sound level is quite well balanced and the base is reasonably good, making them enjoyable for general rock 'n roll, jazz, and classical type music.  The mid range is beautifully articulated and the highs are crisp without being too bright.  The bass is decent without being boomy (so I'd say look elsewhere if you're into heavy bass hip-hop and rap).

The Good:  Comfortable fit (there's even a thin rubber friction skin cover to prevent slipping), very convenient collapsing neckband (you can coil the cord in the middle and it stays), beautiful styling (IMHO), and very nice sound.

The Not So Good:  Non-replaceable earpiece covers--if these ever get ripped or stained, you can't replace them.  They are light grayish in color and will darken if you have oily skin.  If anything, Philips should have either used a less absorbing material or a darker color.  After several months of use, it is easy to see dark spots where the earphones touch my ears.

Overall: They are a good buy and I recommend getting them.  I would also consider Koss KSC-75's, which have a newer style without a neckband (they clip onto the ears).
4468739
A good Equalizer app can really bring out the Bass in these Headphones & they have good sound quality too.
263530
I chose to buy these headphones because I was sick of having to deal with tangled earbuds that always got in the way of exercising. I paired these with the Samsung T10 player.

Overall, I'm very impressed.

Fit:The headphones fit well, with a very snug fit. They wrap around the head and rest between the back of your head and your neck, meaning that they won't get in the way of anything. I can benchpress and squat while my music keeps going.

Range:The range is very good. I can set the player down in one room, walk into the bathroom 30 feet away (with closed doors) and still keep listening.

Battery: I've gotten the claimed 6 hours of battery from the headphones. The battery life drain of blue tooth on mp3 player doesn't seem to be any higher than standard headphones, probably because the player doesn't have to supply power to the headphones, only the signal. Charges using a standard mini-USB port, so you can use a Motorola Razr charger for these headphones if you want.

Use: The headphones have volume adjustment and forward/reverse/pause buttons right above the earbuds. These work very well, and can still be used even if the mp3 player itself has been set to the "hold" position.

Sound: Excellent quality. Far better than my iPod's earbuds. Volume can go extremely high if desired. Obviously these are earbuds and no match for audiophile, recording-studio, bulky over-the-ear headphones, but that's certainly not what customers are deciding between.
3290385
Bummer that you have to buy them separate from the headphones, but otherwise excellent!
2658686
Whoa, I suffer from a genetic hearing problem, so I looked for a headphone with good dynamic range and bass response.  Bam!! this is it.  take time to install the right size ear pieces, (I use two different sizes) and the fit is snug and secure with outstanding sound.  A fully charged set will give you about 5 straight hours.  The range is excellent but can be tricky.  While moving the bluetooth can skip while in my back pocket, but with the source stable the unit will transmitt from the 2nd floor to the basement in my 100 year old house.  If exercising wear the source as close to your head as possible. Charging them through a computer is a pain and I'm sure Denon is working on a portable solution.  Theses are underrated headphones at a great price.
559487
I shopped around considerably when looking to replace the stock earbuds included with my 60GB iPod video.  After reading numerous reviews I decided to go with the MDR-EX81LP.  I was unsure of how I would like the over-the-ear hanger, but I knew from experience with a Sony headset for my cell phone that the soft rubber earbuds would fit much more comfortably than the iPod's stock earbuds.

Overall, I'm very impressed by these headphones.  The soft rubber earbuds do a fantastic job of reducing surrounding noise and fit very comfortably into your ear.  The over-the-ear hanger adds an additional layer of protection, eliminating both the earbuds coming out of your ear and the rubber earbud covers subsequently coming off and getting lost.

Sound quality is excellent for this price range and far superior to the stock iPod earbuds.  Bass is enhanced nicely without becoming muddy or overwhelming.  Midrange and treble are improved over the stock earbuds.  Again, I'm not comparing these to a pair of Shure E4Cs here.  Overall sound quality is excellent for all but the most discriminating audiophile across a number of different music genres.

The only real negative I have has to do with the cord.  Rather than a simple "Y" style cord with the left and right cords the same length, Sony uses a longer cord on the right side, allowing you to put the left earbud in and run the right one around the back of your head.  Some may prefer this setup, but I'm not one of them.  Overall, a minor gripe for an otherwise quality set.

----UPDATE--- September 6, 2006
After having these for a few months I'm a little disappointed.  As noted in other reviews, the white casing has started to disintegrate in places along the cord, leaving 1/4 to 1/2" spots where the copper strands are completely exposed.  I don't think it will be long before the cord breaks at those points.  Also, replacement earbuds are hard to find - you can get them on the internet or eBay, but when you lose one, you don't generally want to wait to have new ones shipped.  I love the design and the sound, but the durability definitely leaves something to be desired.  Lowering my review from 4 starts to 3.
1207210
I probably did what most people do before buying these, researched like crazy.  What I found was one amazing review after another, and after having used them for many hours, I can agree with the reviews.  The sound that comes out of these is great for most any type of music and the fit is quite comfortable.  I know people complained about the headband but I have a fairly large head and have not been bothered at all.  The earcups are cheap vinyl material and can hurt your ears after a while, but keep out sound well and are pretty comfortable overall.  What I noticed right away when using these is that they are loud thank to their drivers.  Compared to the other pair of over the ear headphones I have these are considerably louder and more clear.

That being said, these are not "holy shi*t" headphones that will blow you away.  What they are, however, are cheap, great sounding, comfortable, casual listening headphones that won't make you lose your mind if you break them.  I saw a lot of raving about build quality but, honestly, it's only OK.  It's certainly cheap plastic both in look and feel.  The cables that came with the unit are also OK.  I immediately purchased a quality braided male-male 3.5 cable and it works wonders.

I'm no audiophile by any means.  Frankly, I don't even know what that term is supposed to imply.  If it means someone that listens to a bunch of music pretty often, then I'm an audiophile.  If it means someone who gushes over music tech and uses words like "sound stage" and "ohms," then I'm not an audiophile.  But I digress.  For casual listening and an immersive, over the ear headphone experience  that won't break the bank, these are a top pick.

As a side note, while Amazon is a lovely company, you can pick these up directly from Monoprice for $17 as of this review, brand new.
4655251
As I became more interested in a better music listening experience, I stumbled across these. After looking at some favorable reviews online, I figured for $29.99 it must be a great deal since these headphones usually retail for $50+. If you have any doubt about purchasing these headphones let me ease your mind by telling you that these headphones are awesome. Even though they're refurbished, these headphones looked brand new to me. Like many other headphones, these require some burn in (in other words they need to be used for an extended amount of time) before they reach their potential. The first time I used these it sounded like I had a sub woofer attached to my head and it had me a little worried, but with every hour I used them the bass slowly calmed down and everything else became clear. To date I've used these headphones for 20+ hours and the sound quality is great. In addition to sound quality these headphones are comfortable too and can be wore for hours without them hurting your ears. The only negative thing about these headphones is that due to their open design they leak sound. It probably won't be a problem if you're walking on the streets, but if you're in a quiet setting and like to listen to your music loud then you will disturb those next to you. Other than that, I cannot recommend these headphones enough. For the price, it's simply an excellent deal and if you don't believe me then google some reviews and see for yourself.
80203
Pros:
The sound & design exceed my expectations. The additional headphones jack is a neat feature! I've shared my music with numerous others, but I haven't seen how the volume translates to the next headset. The bass is superb. The trebles are clear, but definitely set back in comparison, but for my listening, it's fine. I've taken out the filters because I want the treble to be louder; the bass is plenty intense without the trebles and mids being even slightly muddled - very cool feature though. The headphones are tight and comfortable. I like their slim fit close to the head. The isolation is fantastic and the other reviews are right: they get very loud with no noticeable distortion. Additionally, the sound does not escape.
Cons:
The dangling mic is ineffective every time I try it due to its hypersensitivity to ambient noise. Also, unfortunately there is no pause, back track or track skip buttons on the headphones. These two drawbacks do not equate a star comparably to the other features, though.
Overall:
I got a used pair (one week returns) for $60+shipping=worth it. They're brand new with exception of the packaging, but I didn't buy these for the packaging.
P.S:
When I first got them I was afraid to damage the cord by pushing it completely into the headphones. It felt secure just half way in, but (obviously) they sounded incomplete. Please ensure the entire jack is encased by its input, otherwise you're being too cautious.
P.S.S:
This review is coming in almost three weeks after receiving them in the mail. I'll report back when they break, but I don't expect to be reporting back before the end of the year ... or three for that matter.