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Portable Headphone Review List

ljokerl’s headphone review list features dozens of portable and semi-portable headphones.

Color coding:
Red = denotes discontinued models (select “Show discontinued products” checkbox on left to display)

i column (denotes headset functionality)
blank = no headset functionality
1 = mic + single button remote
3 = mic + 3 button remote with Apple iOS volume control
v= mic + analog volume control (compatible with all devices)

Manufacturer Model Type i Build Isolation Comfort Sound Average Price
Xiaomi Mi Headphones On + over-ear 1 9.50 7.00 8.50 7.50 8.00 95
HiFiMan HE-560
Denon DN-HP1000 Over-ear 8.50 7.00 8.00 7.75 7.80 159
Alpha Design Labs ADL H118 Over-ear 9.50 8.50 8.50 8.75 8.70 269
Koss KSC75 On-ear 6.00 2.00 8.00 6.25 5.80 15
Parts-Express Mini Headphones On-ear 2.00 2.00 4.00 0.00 1.60 2
Panasonic RP-HX50 €œSlimz€ On-ear 5.50 4.50 9.00 4.50 5.60 20
Philips SBC HS430 On-ear 5.00 3.00 4.00 2.00 3.20 15
Philips SHL9500 On-ear 5.50 5.00 5.50 4.75 5.10 20
Kanen KM-95 On-ear 5.50 2.00 7.00 3.50 4.30 5
Kanen KM-880 On-ear 5.50 5.50 5.00 3.50 4.60 20
Panasonic RP-DJ120 On-ear 4.00 5.00 8.50 3.50 4.90 20
Coby CV-185 On-ear 5.50 5.50 7.50 5.50 5.90 10
Altec Lansing UHP304 On-ear 6.50 4.50 6.50 4.00 5.10 20
Aiwa Shellz On-ear 6.00 4.50 5.50 6.25 5.70 15
Philips SHL1600 On-ear 5.00 3.50 5.00 3.75 4.20 16
Coby CV163 On-ear 4.50 5.00 7.00 2.25 4.20 9
Sentry HO268 On-ear 5.00 4.00 7.00 3.50 4.60 10
Sennheiser PX100 On-ear 7.00 3.00 10.00 6.75 6.70 35
Audio-Technica ATH-ON3 €œONTO€ On-ear 4.00 5.50 3.50 4.25 4.30 35
Soundmagic P10 On-ear 5.00 5.00 7.50 4.75 5.40 27
Yuin G2A On-ear 7.00 4.00 8.00 7.00 6.60 49
Grado iGrado On-ear 5.50 2.00 5.00 7.00 5.30 49
JVC HA-M750 €œBlack Series€ Over-ear 7.50 8.00 7.50 6.50 7.20 36
iFrogz EarPollution Nerve Pipe On-ear 4.00 4.50 9.00 3.50 4.90 22
Philips SBC HP430 On-ear 4.00 4.50 7.50 5.75 5.50 40
JVC HA-S700 Over-ear 7.00 8.50 8.50 5.50 7.00 60
Denon AH-P372 On-ear 6.00 6.00 8.00 6.25 6.50 84
Panasonic RP-HTX7 Over-ear 7.00 8.00 7.50 6.00 7.00 41
Sony MDR-Q68LW On-ear 5.00 3.50 9.00 5.50 5.70 26
Equation Audio EP3070 Over-ear 7.50 8.00 8.00 5.75 6.90 30
Equation Audio RP-15MC Over-ear 7.00 7.50 5.50 6.50 6.60 100
Audio-Technica ATH-EM7 GM On-ear 7.00 4.00 8.00 6.50 6.40 80
Maxell DHP-II Over-ear 6.00 6.00 9.00 6.75 6.90 40
Earsquake PIXI On-ear 6.00 5.50 4.50 4.50 5.00 23
iFrogz ThrowBax Over-ear 6.50 6.50 7.50 4.50 6.00 27
Subjekt X! HD-AK1000 Over-ear 5.50 6.50 9.50 4.50 6.10 18
Soundmagic P20 On-ear 5.50 4.50 6.50 5.25 5.40 37
MEE audio HT-21 On-ear 6.50 5.00 9.00 6.50 6.70 18
Arctic Sound P281 On-ear 5.00 6.00 7.00 3.75 5.10 27
dB Logic Logic HP-100 On-ear 6.50 7.50 7.50 6.00 6.70 30
Audio-Technica ATH-FC700 On-ear 6.50 6.00 8.00 5.75 6.50 70
Sennheiser PX90 On-ear 6.50 3.50 9.50 6.50 6.50 40
Koss KSC35 On-ear 5.50 2.00 7.50 6.75 5.70 45
Prodipe Pro 800 Over-ear 7.50 7.50 8.00 7.00 7.40 45
Koss UR55 Studio Pulse Over-ear 7.50 5.00 7.50 6.75 6.70 25
Sony MDR-770LP On-ear 7.50 3.50 8.00 4.75 5.70 21
Coloud Colors On-ear 1 6.00 7.00 5.00 4.25 5.30 40
Pioneer SE-MJ71 On-ear 5.00 6.00 7.50 4.25 5.40 43
Sony PIIQ MDR-PQ2 Giiq On-ear 6.50 5.50 8.00 5.75 6.30 30
Astrotec AS-100HD On-ear 7.00 5.00 8.50 6.25 6.60 24
Astrotec AS-200HD On-ear 7.00 6.50 8.50 6.00 6.80 24
Koss KSC75 (modded) On-ear 6.00 2.50 8.00 6.75 6.10 55
AKG K81DJ (K518DJ / K518LE) On-ear 8.50 9.00 6.00 6.75 7.40 50
Ultrasone Zino On-ear 6.50 4.00 7.50 6.25 6.10 65
Sennheiser PX200-II / PX200-IIi On-ear 3 7.00 6.50 7.50 7.00 7.10 70
Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 On-ear 7.50 6.00 5.50 7.00 6.80 99
Grado SR60i On-ear 8.00 2.00 8.50 7.50 6.70 79
Philips SHP5400 / SHP5401 On-ear 6.50 4.00 7.50 7.00 6.40 55
Beyerdynamic DT235 Over-ear 8.00 6.00 8.00 7.00 7.20 50
Sennheiser HD238 / HD238i On-ear 3 6.50 3.50 9.50 6.75 6.60 70
Sennheiser HD228 On-ear 6.00 5.00 9.50 6.50 6.70 60
Sony MDR-XB500 Over-ear 7.50 6.50 9.00 6.25 7.10 60
Alessandro MS1 Over-ear 8.00 2.00 8.50 8.00 6.90 99
Numark PHX Pro Over-ear 8.00 7.50 8.00 7.75 7.80 66
Ultrasone HFI-450 / RH10MS Over-ear 8.50 8.00 8.50 7.50 8.00 100
Koss Pro DJ100 Over-ear 8.50 7.00 8.00 7.75 7.80 50
Denon DN-HP700 Over-ear 8.50 7.00 8.00 8.50 8.10 119
AKG K430 On-ear 7.00 6.50 8.00 7.00 7.10 75
Sony MDR-XB700 Over-ear 8.00 7.00 9.00 7.25 7.70 80
Sony MDR-V6 Over-ear 9.50 8.00 8.00 7.75 8.20 110
Audio Technica ATH-SQ5 Over-ear 6.50 7.00 9.00 7.00 7.30 70
Pioneer SE-MJ5 On-ear 7.00 6.50 7.00 7.00 6.90 80
Ultrasone HFI-15G On-ear 7.00 3.00 9.50 6.75 6.60 90
Sennheiser PX100-II On-ear 7.00 3.00 10.00 6.75 6.70 60
Beyerdynamic DTX 300 p On-ear 7.00 6.00 7.50 6.75 6.80 59
Superlux HD668B Over-ear 7.50 6.50 8.00 8.25 7.70 60
Fischer Audio FA-004 Over-ear 8.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 7.30 68
Soundmagic P30 On-ear 7.00 7.50 8.50 6.75 7.30 75
Sennheiser HD428 Over-ear 6.50 7.00 9.00 7.50 7.50 50
Urbanears Plattan On-ear 1 7.00 7.00 5.50 5.75 6.20 39
Marshall Major On-ear 8.00 6.50 6.50 6.75 6.90 70
Philips O’Neill SHO9560 Over-ear 9.00 8.00 9.00 6.25 7.70 50
Fischer Audio Oldskool ’70 On-ear 8.00 4.00 8.50 7.00 6.90 68
Rock-It Sounds R-Shield Over-ear 8.50 10.00 7.00 7.00 7.90 50
M-Audio Studiophile Q40 Over-ear 9.00 7.00 6.00 8.00 7.60 100
AKG K181DJ On-ear 9.00 9.00 6.50 8.00 8.10 130
Sennheiser HD25-1 II On-ear 10.00 9.50 8.00 9.00 9.10 200
Phiaton MS400 On-ear 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 170
Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A On-ear 8.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 8.10 219
TDK WR700 On-ear 7.00 6.50 8.00 6.00 6.70 130
V-Moda Crossfade LP Over-ear 9.00 8.50 8.50 6.25 7.70 130
Bowers & Wilkins P5 On-ear 3 8.50 9.50 9.50 8.00 8.70 290
Sony MDR-ZX700 Over-ear 8.50 8.50 8.50 8.00 8.30 119
Monster Beats by Dr Dre Studio Over-ear 3 7.50 9.00 8.50 6.75 7.70 200
Bose Triport (AE1) Over-ear 6.50 7.00 9.50 7.00 7.40 160
Audio-Technica ATH-ES10 On-ear 8.50 8.00 9.00 9.25 8.80 412
Denon AH-D1100 Over-ear 9.00 8.50 9.00 8.25 8.60 110
V-Moda Crossfade M-80 / V-80 On-ear 3 10.00 7.50 7.50 9.00 8.60 199
Fischer Audio Oldskool rpm 33 1/3 On-ear 6.50 5.50 9.50 8.50 7.70 200
Skullcandy Mix Master Over-ear 3 8.00 7.00 7.50 8.00 7.70 200
Klipsch Image One On-ear 3 7.00 7.00 7.50 7.00 7.10 131
Bowers & Wilkins P3 On-ear 3 8.50 7.50 9.50 7.50 8.10 199
Monster DNA Pro Over-ear 3 9.00 8.00 7.50 8.25 8.20 250
Creative Aurvana Live! 2 Over-ear v 8.00 6.00 9.50 8.25 8.00 115
Rock-It Sounds R-DJ Over-ear 8.00 8.00 8.50 7.25 7.80 76
Munitio PRO40 Over-ear 3 10.00 8.00 8.50 7.75 8.40 245
Beats by Dr Dre Solo On-ear 3 7.00 8.50 8.00 6.50 7.30 150
Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Over-ear 9.00 8.00 9.00 8.75 8.70 105
Panasonic RP-HTF600-S Over-ear 7.00 5.00 9.00 7.75 7.30 32
Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Over-ear 8.00 6.50 8.00 6.50 7.10 45
Koss PortaPro On-ear 3 7.00 3.00 9.00 6.75 6.50 50
JVC HA-S150 Flats On-ear 6.00 5.00 6.00 5.50 5.40 20
Beyerdynamic DT1350 On-ear 10.00 10.00 7.50 9.25 9.20 200
Manufacturer Model Type i Build Isolation Comfort Sound Average Price

104 Responses

  1. Hi Joker, I’ve just recently lost my beloved Klipsch x10i and would like to find a new replacement. I’ve done plenty of research and narrowed it down between Vsonic GR07 Classic, Hifi RE-400, Shure and V-Moda M80’s (I’ve heard V-Moda XS were much better?) but couldn’t decide which to pick.

    I would say I’m in favour of a more balanced sound but then I wished that my Klipsch x10i were less “dental” but more “funner” if that makes sense? As in fuller and having more of a visceral impact instead of this flatness. Although I did find the bass of my Klipsch x10i just a tad bit much as well. So overall I’m looking for a clear and precise sounding iem but with a charming soul to it?

  2. IMO that would be the Panasonic RP-HTF600 if you don’t mind its large size and long cord: http://amzn.to/1LZgDC0 . Not a ton of bass, but it sounds very good for the price and has excellent clarity. If you want portable, the Panasonic RP-HTX7 is worth checking out: http://amzn.to/1eMqUau . It’s a little bassier and not as clear or balanced as the HTF600, but it’s also something you can pretty easily use outside.

  3. Have you tried the Momentum 2.0 on ear and over ear models? They are sort of portable with their foldable designs. Thanks for the reviews!

  4. The CAL1, definitely. The CAL2 is a very bassy headphone. The CAL1 is moderately balanced, though still a little on the warm side, and very versatile. I am guessing the $25 difference is for the CAL1 being cheaper, too, which doesn’t hurt.

  5. you know something, i thought a little bit more and i guess i can spend few more $$ on a better headphone that suits my needs, and i’ve been looking at the CAL 1 and CAL2 now and i found both with a 25$ difference between CAL1 and CAL2 which one do you think will suit me more CAL1 or CAL2? i like the fact that CAL2 has a detachable cable which is good for porting it. still confused, i’ve been reading your review about it, and i understood that there’s not much difference in the sound between both, thou i cant decide which one will be good for the kind of music i like. and i want to feel the bass when listing to other music than rock/metal and keep the “fun” sound.

  6. Sadly couldn’t find a place to buy the HD428, i find the 429, what’s the difference between both of them?

  7. I’d go with the HD428 if you can handle the form factor. It doesn’t fold but it’s smaller than the HD668 and has a portable-length cable. For a nicely versatile, non-bassy sound in this price range it’s up there with the best.

  8. I see, thanks for for reply, can you suggest a good pair of headphones around 50-60$, i usually listen to rock, metal music, pop, and sometimes dubstep. I prefer portables, not so heavy bass. I came across R-Lite, akg k420, HD668b and HD428(thought its not foldable) , which i should chose? According to you’re experience?

  9. I tried the R-Lite as well but though the R-DJ was more deserving of a review due to its better all-around performance. The R-Lite is okay for being cheaper, but not as impressive.

  10. what do you think about the Rock-it-Sound R-Lite, have anyone tried them, and how they are compared to her sisters?!

  11. Hi Joker! I’m still waiting funds for the RHA MA750 and while waiting, I purchased the NuForce 770X. Mi gawd, what polycarbonate haha! And the initial sound testing? Sounds muffled but of course it requires a burn-in then changed tips from stock to the RHA MA450i earbuds and everything that says on their website is true! It has a natural and warm acoustic signature, lightweight and comfortable like I can hear Britney Spears’ “From the bottom of my broken heart” backing vocals. The build quality is meh, though.

  12. Not sure about the Pisces but I wouldn’t pick the CX880 or S4 over the MA750i. These are quite old and while the S4 was a pretty good value when it came out (2009 or 2010), you can get similar performance for less these days. The Xiaomi Piston 2.0, for instance, is a better performer for <$25.

  13. It appears like the RHA MA750 is the one to pick. I saw another store here selling discounted Sennheiser CX 880, Accutone Pisces and Klipsch S4 (as well as Image and Reference) however the S4 and the CX 880 are discontinued models and I don’t wanna feel being left behind. I also saw your review about the S4, with a neutral rating. Thanks again joker!

  14. Hi joker!

    I only got the chance today to respond to your message and I would like to thank you again for that!

    Regarding Vsonics, they are not locally available here and I’ve been looking for pre-owned quality but to no avail.

    Btw, there’s a sale here on local store for Sennheisers and I was told IE-80 and IE-800 are high fidelity mid levels but the asking price is too much. I was offered a in-ear Momentum? What do you think of it?

  15. Quite a few options there for IEMs and headphones. With your preference for smoother treble I would maybe skip the B2, which is a touch on the bright side, but the rest are all good options (MA750 included – I tend to prefer it to the higher-end Nuforces and to the Shure SE215).

    Regarding amping, that’s a tough question to answer. The short answer is that it’s probably not worth it to invest in an amp with most mid- and even higher-end IEMs if your current sources are at least decent. However, if they are not designed to drive IEMs and have high noise floor, high output impedance, or some other fault, it might be worth looking into an Amp or even Amp/DAC combo to get the full potential out of them. I wrote a little more on this topic here: https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/vsonic-vc1000/#comment-27328 in relation to a more source-dependent balanced armature IEM.

    My personal suggestion is always to upgrade IEMs/headphones first, then source (to a reasonable level), then your audio files, then apply any potential mods/upgrades to your headphones (EQ, different tips, vent mods, impedance adapters), and only then pay attention to additional stuff like cables, etc.

  16. Hi Joker!

    I don’t know where to start because I’m just new to this stuff. I don’t consider myself as an audiophile but I’ve been loving music for more than a decade.
    Anyways, I used to have a NuForce 600M, my first premium earbuds that introduced me to the hifi community, but I got tired of getting replacements due to its weak headphone jack so I got a JBL-33. I was unimpressed because of it’s robotic highs and sibilance even after burn-in. So I got myself another one, the a-jays three but what other people say, the highs, though not piercing, are tiring to the ears. Then saw another deal for Shure SE-115, very warm, however you have to equalize in order for you to get the most out of the sound. Now, I got a great deal with RHA MA450i. I am currently using it on my Android smartphone for daily commute since windows phones can’t play flac files . Also got a chance to listen to RHA-MA750i, sounds refined, just can’t afford it right now haha. As you notice, all of the IEMs I currently own are entry-level.

    I wanted to move on to mid-grade IEMs, even high-end ones. I’m not really particular when it comes to sound signature because I believe that it depends on the type of music that you’re listening to and I think that an IEM with a balanced sound can handle most of the genre, especially pop. I have lot of IEMs in mind, Brainwavz (especially the B2 BA), Havi, Rock Jaw (just heard it recently), Etymotic Research (not available in the Philippines but still I would love to try them!), NuForce 770M or 770X, Shure (SE215 or SE315). I also even think of getting the Grados cans (SR60e, SR80e or the SR225e). I am willing to spend more than $100 – $200 as what appears on the web pricing however if you are going to buy these IEMs or cans here in the Philippines, you’ll end up paying more.

    I’m also thinking of getting a headphone amp. I guess my ultimate question is, which one should I get first? An amp (amp or amp+DAC) or an IEM? I’ve been through different websites like headfi and whathifi but I guess It’d more helpful if it’s coming from an expert. Thank you!

  17. thank you so much 😀 really love that there is a hero like you who made a comprehensive review list like this 🙂

  18. hi joker,
    can you give me an advice and head2head between meelec HT-21, Senn HD238, and Beyer dtx501p. Which one I should buy for these portable headphone ? Thanks !

  19. Thank you very much for taking some time out of your day to reply to a fellow music lover. I don’t know which one I’ll pick first but I’ll eventually get them both in the future. Anyways, Happy New Years!

    Thank You,
    Masta C

  20. IEMs and headphones generally present music a little differently – I personally think it’s good to have both if you have occasion to use them. The M50x will sound better than the MA750 in some days but may not have that visceral in-your-face detail presentation that IEMs tend to have. And you won’t find the midrange lacking coming from the MA750, which is not exactly king of mids (not sure how the SRH840 compares, though). The M50x is not THAT mid-recessed. I think much of the negative feedback on it is just a knee-jerk reaction to its popularity (which might be a little excessive, but it’s still a solid headphone).

  21. Hello, I’d like to ask few a questions. I don’t have any experience with headphones at all. I’m currently looking at the blue ath-m50x that are priced at $189 and the shure srh840 which is $199. I have owned a variety of In-ear monitors like the sennheiser cx300, klipsh s4i, and thanks to you, the RHA-750i. I don’t even know if the headphones will sound better or worse than my current IEMs. I don’t think you have reviewed the Shure srh840 yet but iv’e been looking around online and everyone says that the srh840 are better than the m50x especially the mids. Are the mids on the m50x really that recessed?

    so basically…
    1. Should I upgrade to headphones if I already own a pair of RHA-750i? just in terms of sound quality alone.
    2. Ath-m50x vs Shure srh840 (Don’t have to answer if you don’t know)?
    3. Are the mids recessed on the m50x like everyone says? are the mids better than the RHA-750i specifically? I usually listen to female vocals so it’s kinda important.

    Thank you,
    Masta C

  22. Trying to figure out why it went away…

    M50X should be more than fine for electronic music. You might not get Beats by Dre-like heavy bass quantity but the overall quality of the sound should more than make up for that.

    I’m not very well-versed when it comes to bugdet desktop amps. I have a couple of cheaper portable ones but the only desktop DAC I use is a higher-end OPPO unit.

  23. why not showing up 🙂 is it still good heaphone for u ?

    i am thinking of buy m50x , i generally listen electronic musics , do you recommend it ?

    if you recommend it to me also i need dac and amp , i have 150$ budget , i use it them only desktop pc

  24. Hey Joker,

    I too would love to hear your opinion on the new Aurisonics Rockets. I already own a pair and would like to see how you’d rate their sound quality on your iem list 🙂 I just found this site today and I’m quite impressed! Keep up the good work and many thanks!

  25. I have seen mentions of the ON1 here and there but it’s never really gotten on my radar. Unfortunately it’s not among the few portables that I have queued up for review right now.

  26. Hello Joker! Will you be reviewing a Thinksound On1 anytime soon? I heard it one time and I can’t forget how it sounds. It’s a really good portable headphone, IMO. Though I don’t trust my ears that much. LOL!

  27. DJ100 should be alright – I haven’t tried the M20 but I prefer it to the M30. If you’ll be using them at home you may also consider the Panasonic RP-HTF600. They have much larger cups and are very comfortable, and also sound excellent for the price.

  28. Koss ProDj 100 vs ATH m20x! Im on a really tight budget (under 50$) and i want to buy my first pair of headphones, so far my collection is only composed of IEM’s (XBA1, M1, Ety MC5) im looking for a neutral sound with a tad of bass, and i have large ears and have glasses, so im kinda worried that the ProDj 100 won’t fit me or end up being extremely uncomfortable, i really hope you can help me! Thanks lJokerl!

  29. Yeah, $50 and under it’s really hard to do better than one of those. I would also strongly recommend the Panasonic RP-HTF600. It just has such a comfortable form factor and really versatile sound, especially if you’ll be using it for more than just music. The HD668B tends to be lighter on bass and more analytical, and the Sonys a little darker.

  30. Thanks.

    What would your recommendation be for the following criteria? I came up with the Superlux HD668B or Sony MDR-7506 options using your above list and reviews weighted heavily on the sound rating and overall value but want to make sure I am on the right track.

    For non-portable use exclusively at home for mostly movie/TV watching via Blu-ray, DVD, cable and streaming from Netflix/Hulu and also for music listening (various genres but mostly rock and oldies). This would be my first legitimate pair of headphones for this purpose so nothing to compare it to. I imagine I would like something in the neutral/accurate range – since movies and TV tend to be mixed with a desired goal in mind versus accuracy already so perhaps pairing that with a headphone that exaggerates some frequencies is counterproductive. Price range would ideally be ~$50 or so and under. If there were a dramatic jump in quality just above that then I would consider it but I would prefer that to be along the lines of a substantial improvement rather than paying more for something I may only appreciate in the abstract or being able to A/B them.

    Thanks again for your time and knowledge.

  31. Yes, I have the Monoprice. It’s definitely good for the price, but somewhat forgettable next to higher-end headphones. It’s tuned not too different from the MDR-7506, just less refined. It still has robust bass with good depth, but is a little dark overall and not very spacious.. The brighter, airier HD668B sounds very different from both the Sony and the Monoprice.

  32. Have you heard the Monoprice Premium Hi-Fi DJ Style Over-the-Ear Pro Headphone 8323 or might be able to make an educated guess on how they might compare to other options? Worth considering as an alternative to something like Superlux HD668B or Sony MDR-7506 or just spend the extra ~$20 and go that route?

    Thank you so much for these lists and reviews.

  33. Hello,

    I was wondering if someone could review the Bowers & Wilkins P7. I know it’s a highly priced headphone, but many people give it positive feedback. Therefore, I think it would do the public well to know more about the headphone before considering purchasing it. Personally, I would like to know more about it, as I’ve been thinking about diving into the $400 range of headphones for a while now. It would be great if I could get some professional, audiophile-level feedback on these headphones. Thanks!

    Regards,
    Eddy

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