Looking for some nice, fairly inexpensive headphones

[erorr404]

I want some headphones that fully cover your ears for under $50, can anyone recommend any? Any good deals/rebates going on right now?

[radeonman]

u can get some kinkyos 5.1 headsets for 40 bucks . they work well and there true 5.1 . give them time to burn for them to work better. they have 5 speakers in them and 1 sub. and they virbrate also. when i was playing Doom3 i could hear where the monsters and stuff was. and they works great for music also. just turn on Cms2/3.

i have them and there great. http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=36-401-016&DEPA=0

[evilentity]

You might be able to find a pair of sennheiser HD497's for $50.
If you want closed, then you have fewer options. HD202's(~$30) are alright, but I'd save up and get a pair of sennheiser HD280's or sony MDR7506's(both ~$100).
All of those are available at Guitar Center, except for the HD497's, which you'll have to shop around for.

[blueworm]

Another vote for sennheisser HD 497. real clear sound.
I downgraded to them from my HD 500 which are a POS.

[Karl Norris]

I really like my Zalman's surround sound headphones, but there somewhat pricey at about $60: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=36-501-001&depa=0

Karl

[doxology83]

I heard you cant go wrong with Grado's SR40's or SR60's.

[recons]

IF you want something that is portable, check out Sennheiser PX100s.

They have great sound and bass, fold up, and are cheap.

[erorr404]

thanks for all of the input.
right now im having trouble deciding between the Senn HD 497's and various 5.1 headphones, like the Zalmans and Kinkyos recommended above.
is there any downside to getting 5.1's? is the sound quality poorer than with conventional stereo headphones (like the HD 497's or Grado SR60's)? also, do the 5.1 headphones benefit from dolby digitial decoding? my soundcard is a Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1 and doesnt have it.
i am planning to order the headphones and a 6600GT from newegg today, so i need fast.

[Karl Norris]

Hey erorr404,

I too am using a Fortissimo III sound card. Absolutely love it in gaming. Only issue I have is that in movie playback the sound is sometimes just loud enough.

I am using the PowerDVD Pro EX and there is a small speaker boost on one of the settings that helps. But for some folks, I think this might be an issue.

I emailed Hercules, and got a reply that the card doesn't have an output power amp and so what you get when you drive speakers with the card is already the maximum available. No further tweaks or tricks...

Regards,

Karl

[S1nn3r]

I use shure in ear monitors/earphones. These are consumer versions of the ones you see guitarists/vocalists/drummers etc useing for personal monitoring on stage and they do sound great indeed and fantastic isolation. I have the E2C's but may upgrade to the E3s as some point and if i could afford the E5s id get them no question.

Shure have been great customer service wise to, I used my original pair of E2Cs so much that the wire wore out and I was half a year past the warrenty but they sent me a new pair free anyway :)

http://www.shure.com/personaltech/default.asp?id=mainsub1

[amd4me]

the senns's are nice I guess.