Headphones. Are these any good

stefano

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/SID-CE0F99C1-277772DC/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_12211.htm
Is this any good/value for money or should I spend more (you get what you pay for? They'll be neededfor listening to music and TV programs

esuhl

I haven't heard of the brand, and that's very cheap for a pair of headphones. The fact that they have noise-cancelling circuitry at that price would make me think they're probably a bit rubbish...

The Sennheisser PXC 250 'phones seem to be considered reasonable quality phones - and there's £45 off at Play.com.

You might get better sound by using noise-isolating earphones (rather than noise-cancelling headphones) like the Shure SCL2. I have a pair of them and they're great - I can listen to music at a low volume in the noisest bars or on trains and you hardly hear any background noise at all.

Spank

What's Lidl's returns policy? cos they look very good for £13 with a 3 year warranty, if you can return them if you don't like em, i'd go for it.

FIK

Most companies will not let you return headphones or earphones once you have tried. I bought from a company called soundwise who sell online in UK. They do allow you to try and return if you don't like and they give the earphones returned to charity.

Looking at the details of these earphones I would say you would be better getting a pair of sound isolating earphones at either the same price or slightly more. In my exerience noise canceling is of very limited use. It only slightly cancels out a very narrow range of frequency (engine noise)

Coopdivi

I got a pair of Silvercrest usb headphones from Lidl a few years ago for £15 and they were absolutely brilliant. They weren't very comfortable to wear but the sound quality was stunning.

For £13 stefano, yours look a bargain and the earpieces are well padded as well.

esuhl's Sennheiser headphones are 55 quid and the Shure even more so hardly a fair comparison.

Unless you're a music snob or loaded there's no need to spend more than £25 on headphones.

Avoriaz

Unless you want or need the noise cancelling facility, spend your money on an ordinary pair.

oldagetraveller

Coopdivi wrote: »

Unless you're a music snob or loaded there's no need to spend more than £25 on headphones.

Total nonsense. Try listening to music - yes music - and not sound with most sub £25 'phones from a decent top end system and their shortcomings will be realised.
Listen to noise from a cheap/rubbish source eg. iPod or similar with top end headphones and the shortcomings (ie compressed music) of the source will be realised.:D

Idiophreak

oldagetraveller wrote: »

Total nonsense. Try listening to music - yes music - and not sound with most sub £25 'phones from a decent top end system and their shortcomings will be realised.
Listen to noise from a cheap/rubbish source eg. iPod or similar with top end headphones and the shortcomings (ie compressed music) of the source will be realised.:D

I quite agree with this.

I think it's true that there comes a point when you're paying for differences most people wouldn't notice, but I'd suggest this point is actually quite high...I can hear the difference between my £30 headphones and the stock ones that came with my MP3 player - and I can definitely tell the difference between my £30 phones and my £100 ones (Grado SR80) - I've tried some pairs at a couple of hundred, though and the increase in quality is much less noticeable...

FIK

Its like anything it depends on what you are used too. If you cycle a £3k bike then a £300 bike will feel heavy and slow. There is an eliment of you get what you pay for but then again you also pay for a brand name. In some cases you are really paying 60%+ for them to advertise it too you. I think if your posting on a site like this we are a bit more savy and can see through this. The earphones I bought are actually sold under 3 brand names. The product itself is identical.