Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    
    I'm using Sony MDR-M77s, which I bought at the same time I got my
    D-7s.  They cost me about $55 dollars, on sale, at Lechmere's.
    
    DFW

    More Sony...
    
    If I remember right, the MDR-M77s are the mid-sized ones with "DIGITAL"
    printed on the side. For a reasonable priced pair of smaller headsets,
    try the MDR-34s. I paid $19.95 for them and they provide an amazingly
    good bass response for a headset of their size. I am now on my second
    pair (the first one was munched in my briefcase) and still like the
    sound they provide with my D-5. 
    
    Happy Listening...
    
    							--- Neal
    

SONY MDR-CD5!

These cost me $80 at O'Coin's in Worcester...and I saw them for $99 at
Lechmere.

They're fantastic!  I can play Telarc's 1812 through my Technics portable and
the canons sound great.  As a matter of fact, when they go off and the player
is turned up a bit (probably at too loud a level for save listening) the
headphones actually lift off from my ears.  And, as far as I can
tell...they're not distorting or clipping.

    How is the MDR-55?  It is on the sale for $40.00 at Service
    Merchandise.
    
    - Vikas

    I have the MDR-M55 headphones, they were advertised as 'digital'
    as well.  I think they're great!  I'm listening to them now with
    a SONY walkman, but the true test of headphones is on my CD player
    at home.  Great bass response as compared with the smaller ones
    I've heard.  I compared these with a Koss set at Lechmere, and opted
    for sony, partly because of their superior construction (they're
    pretty solid).  I would strongly recommend them, particularly at
    $40!  (I paid $60, that's what you get for impatience.)
           -Steve

    re .3
    
    I find it hard to take a recomendation from someone who has the
    1812 playing so loud that the headphones "lift off their head".
    I don't think it is that they do not distort but that you do not
    have any ear drums left; and if you do it's only because even the
    CD doesn't have the dynamic range to reproduce a howitzer(sp?).
    
    good luck,
    
    paul

    I also have a pair of the Sony MDR-??.  I don't remember the number
    but based on the other responses, I think you're safe in listening to
    whatever Sony headphones are available and then buy the pair that
    have a good enough sound and fit whatever budget you planned for.
    
    					Alan
    

    I also bought the Sony MDR-55 from S.M. at $40.  Compared to the
    Koss headphones on sale for the same price, the Sony was much better.
    They both sounded nice at low & medium volume, but the Koss distorted
    at high volume whereas the Sony had no distortion, even at painful
    volume.  Better hurry though, I believe S.M. is discontinuing the
    MDR-55's, so once they're gone, they're gone.

    A factor which will be very important in headphone enjoyment is
long-term comfort.  If you have the time, go to a store which has a
decent selection of headphones and perform both a listening AND comfort
test for models which appeal to you.  Use them for at least 15 minutes
each (although Real fatigue takes a bit longer.)
    Having said this, I would like to put in my 'plug' for the AKG K-240,
which are extremely comfortable (to me, anyway) and have an impressive
bottom end (for headphones.)  They're not compact, but they are easily
driven by small headphone amplifiers.

    re: .3 and "painful volume"...  you should be very careful with
    the volume when using headphones because it's easy to cause hearing
    loss even when you don't play the 1812 Overture.  Just ask your
    friendly neighborhood audiologist.  :-)
    
    Glenn

    AIWA HX-PRO-10 is also very good.  Unfortunately it costs about
    $80.00 and only one was left in the Manchester Lechmere.
    
    I bought the SONY MDR-55 from Service Merchandise.  Salem NH store
    had few left in the stock.  Since it is a discontinued item, they
    will not be restocking it.  It is a tremendous bargain at $40.00.
    
- Vikas    

    I own a pair of Realistic PRO-60 from Radio Shack that I bought
    about a year ago at $49.99.  These are actually made by Koss and
    have excellent frequency response.  I like them because of their
    over-the-ear design produces a more solid bass.  They take a little
    bit more power than most units, so they are probably more suited
    to be plugged into your receiver than you walkman.
    

re: .11

Lechemere's in Nashua had LOTS of the SONY MDR(?)-55's in stock for $37.95
when I was there last nite.
						     
							- JP

Reply to < Note 532.6 by APOLLO::GOODWIN "send laywers, guns, and money... " >

>   I find it hard to take a recomendation from someone who has the
>   1812 playing so loud that the headphones "lift off their head".
>   I don't think it is that they do not distort but that you do not
>   have any ear drums left; and if you do it's only because even the
>   CD doesn't have the dynamic range to reproduce a howitzer(sp?).

Just to set the record straight...I did say that the volume was turned up a
bit (probably too high for safe listening).  This was the first time I'd used
the earphones and I wasn't quite sure how loud to make it.  If you've heard
the 1812 on Telarc you know that it does have it's quiet moments.  That's
where I started.  When the canons went off I was "into it" and wasn't thinking
about my ears (dumb).

Anyway...the point I was trying to make was that the darn earphones are
terrific.  Even when the phones started bouncing on my ears I can't say that I
could detect the driver bottoming out.  The canon fire sounded about the same
as it does on my Ohm Walsh 4's.  (And I've heard this disk on systems that do
clip...you can easily tell.)

I don't know how the '55's compare with the higher priced 'CD5's but if you
can you should compare them.  Try all sorts of music sources (just as you
would if you were shopping for large speakers).  I think that, even with ear
phones, you get what you pay for.

Dick

        I have both the Sony MDR-M55s and their MDR M33s. (I got the
        best price on the 55s so far--they came for free when Sony
        replaced my defective D5, which had the "laser jams all the way
        out" problem, with a whole D5S system.) The M55s are good, but
        the M33s are lighter weight and more comfortable. The sound is a
        bit different between the two, but pretty similar. The M33s were
        less than $50 at Service Merchandise. 
        
        JimB. 

Lechemere has the complete line of Sony Headphones on sale this week for 
20% off list. The M77 and CD5 are selling for $79.95. The CD5 wasn't in 
stock (Framingham store) when I was there this morning, but they were 
giving rainchecks.


                                                    Earl