Budget Headphone Shootout! - AKG K361, Status CB1, OneOdio Monitor 60, Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 

AKG K361 amzn.to/3JbrZaM ---AKG K371 amzn.to/32o4tqp ------Oneodio Monitor 60 amzn.to/3Emcfhq --------Sennheiser HD280 Pro amzn.to/32sykxR --------Status Audio CB1 amzn.to/3syNQTT ---------CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K -----------Crutchfield Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yFEPeMyS ------------Best Buy Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH -------apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 ---------------------------------------------------------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman

Great review, Randy. I appreciate you letting us know that there are advantages in the sub $100 to not spend money on something that won't bring as much joy. I use the KPH30's because I am old and didn't grow up in the headphone era and most feel restricting and make my head sweat.

I got the OneOdio Pro 30 about a year ago because I was tired of using IEMs for my work calls. I’m actually shocked that they still look new. Not the greatest for music, but work fine for my calls. They are on my head for at least 4 hrs a day.

Thanks for a useful review. Have a Merry Christmas.

I can see Saturday Headphone Shoot Out in the future? Great review and thanks for giving us the run down on these headphones.

Thank you for saying unboxings are stupid I can't believe people will watch other people take something out of a bloody box!

Another great one, Randy. I totally agree about the Status; all show, no go! Cheaply built, and muddy sound. Had to return mine after getting them on sale for $49. Just got a pair of HifiMan 400SE for $129..........very nice.

Hey Randy. I just received my Sith Audio door hinges and already I can hear that a veil has been lifted in my music. They seem to improve the sound the closer I bring them to the stereo. Can't wait to hear what improvements they will bring when I actually install them. If they really move the music to the next level I will install them on all my doors and buy an extra set just to sit next to the rack.

Randy was spot on about the point of failure of the CB-1's that's EXACTLY where mine broke

randy my man, thanks to you now im so happy with the loxjie d30, but the hd280pro with eq are such a great headphones, build like a take, amazing detail, and 100usd.

Ok… call me old fashioned, but Sony MDR7506. Built very well, battle tested, been around for quite awhile. They are “professional “ after all. Very balanced sound and under $100-all day long.

Another awesome video. Thank you.

Keep up the good work! Recently bought a amazon fire tablet with USB charging. Then bought a USB C headphone DAC (tons of the on Amazon) RCA to 1/4 cable. I use the tablet for Amazon music streaming and get full HD quality. Also downloaded the itunes apk and installed it. Amazon music and itunes now both stream in HD , and gapless. I use my Yamaha stereo . Sounds alot better than Bluetooth

Love your videos great fun and really interesting. Merry Xmas from Switzerland.

Great work as always. I do wish you would have weighed in on the AT M50x in comparison though. I've bought every pair of the ancient AT M40fs that I'm likely to find. It's my go to mixing headphone and has been for a long time. I'd love to hear your take on the newer AT M series stuff someday. Keep up the good work sir! You're always entertaining.

I've owned my Sennheiser 280 Pros for around 20 years. I use them for audio/video production. The 280's flat eq makes great for listening for errors in recordings, not really for leisure listening. Mine were $100 back then and the same price now.

Right well you were talking about the Status ads I got the very ad you were showing 🤣

Love my M40x , usually less than M50s also. Have several closed backs and always reach for those. Hard to beat “at this price point”. Thx Randy

Had a set of SD280s for almost 20 years, love em. Was thinking of getting a set of 560S for my Christmas present but I can't get over the goofy cable /plug adapter.

just found this guy. awesome deadpan guy.... love him subscribed!

AKG are the best budget 🎧 . Happy Christmas from across the pond in England 🇬🇧🇺🇸💕

Nice orange handle channel locks! Excellente.

I've owned a couple of pair of status audio CB ones and they didn't used to make commercials. I have noticed a difference between an older pair and the newer ones there was a big Sonic difference in them. I only use these for my podcast and when I'm recording but it's only my voice so it really doesn't make that much difference. I've had other status audio products that I've sent back because the quality just wasn't there. It seems when they first got started they were better than they are now. I wonder if anyone else has had that theory or thought

i remember hearing the monk 3 headphones from a friend, literally 3$ and to this day they are the best bang for the buck buds ive ever heard, if your looking for disposable headphones, i have no idea if there still available

Randy, love your channel and I'm a super happy subscriber! You do great work. But.... really would like to see the Sony MDR-7506 included as a baseline for this comparo. They seem like the "standard" at this price range.

I own the HD 280's and the Audio Tech 50's . I think it's time to try some AKG's. I thought the Sivga sv021's looked interesting as well. This was a great review, cause I'm looking to expand my headphone world.

Thank you

Nice video on the budget headphone world. I have a set of Bowers & Wilkens P5's on-ear (just under $200 CDN) which sound decent but i am sure there are affordable better (especially going to over ear open back?). My question is regarding you stated during review that you equalized and adjusted certain frequency ranges. What device (or software) did you use? I am in the market for an EQ and would love to hear your input on them....maybe a video review someday? Cheers and Marry Christmas to you and your family.

GRADO SR80x or 60x would also be good alternatives in this price range. I was surprised how much I like my 80x.

I picked up a set of AKGK612 for very little money. They sound great with my Zen DAC. They need quite a bit of driving though.

Great review man, I think sennheiser hd58x also a great budget headphone under $150-170. Please review those.

Randy, Check out the Shure SRH440 closed back professional headphones for $100 at Amazon, Sweetwater, and Sam Ash. They are beautifully balanced and very natural sounding. Very good baas but not exagerated: great mids and crisp highs (not over done). The build quality is also quite good and they come with a detachable cord (standard and mini jacks). Love your great reviews and sense of humor! Joe C

Creative Aurvana Live (CAL) are incredible for $50. Sound great and can handle lots of power.

AKG 361 for me. I wear them for hours either YouTubing or listening to music while playing games. Adding Dekoni Suede pads made them a lot more comfortable and much cooler than stock pads. Just sorry I waited until the dogs ate the original pads before I replaced them!

Hey Randy, I really like your reviews man great content. Unfortunatly in Europe where I live half the speaker in your videos aren´t available. So I wanted to ask you if you know the Brand Heco. I read they are available in the US. I mean not that I want you to buy one to test it out just for me but I would really appreciate it if in some video in the future this brand gets covered.

Thumbs up for the "audiophile pliers" I chuckled quite a bit.

Looks like I ordered the right headphones to evaluate: I just ordered the K-361, the HD 280 Pro, and the DT 770 Pro 80 Ohms, along with some cheaper knockoffs to see how they stack up. My reference cans are DT 880 Edition 600 Ohms which sound awesome but don't work well for recording/practicing/jamming along with music on my bass guitar. They sound great for this purpose but are to quiet and too open. So what I'm looking for is a pretty much flat, maybe slightly sounded response, along with a reasonably strong but tidy bass response. Clear and even low mids are a must.

The Phillips SHP9500 are my favorite headphones under $150

I'd have really liked to hear your views on the comparably priced Grado SR-60x and SR-80x. I've had a set of OG SR-60's for years and they have held up well and sound great. If you want a real bargain basement shocker, there's the Koss PortaPro - stunning for the money! The downside is the cheap head band tends to grab longer hair.

Those pliers are also ideal for pulling teeth. I use AKG52 to listen on my computer because AKGs are so comfortable. Sony MDR7506 to mix because they are flat but still sound great. And ATH M40X to master because I like the bass boost once I am no longer doing anything but setting volume. My 280s pro also add too much bass like the ATH M40X.

I don't have the K361's, but I do have the AKG K240 "Studio" headphones, which have more in common soundwise with the K240 mkII model than they do with the same vintage headphones made in Austria. That aside, they are good for what they are; Semi-open but they're great for phone calls, and they're warm and toasty for music listening too. Light on bass but fixed with an EQ if that's your bag. No complaints. Except the detachable XLR cord is turning brittle and cracking after 3 years of daily use. One complaint.

Sony MDR-7506 are still my go to headphones for relaxing on the couch and going into a Pink Floyd, Led Zep, and Van Halen listening binge. Best $100 headphones IMO. Everyday I will just use AirPods.

Enjoyed the headphone content. Could you do an affordable planar shootout?

Samson sr850. Best headphone I’ve ever experienced. Extremely cheaply built, but very bright and “cheerful” sounding. I think they sound better than my Sennheiser dt770 pro’s. They may have cut costs on the chassis, but they sound way better than $50 headphones should!

At that price the Grado SR60 (sometimes SR80 on sale) is worth looking at too. They’re an open can, which is not for everyone. But man they’re a delight to listen to.

Koss KPH30i or KPH40 are very good for the money. Would love to see your review on them.

Any way to get a decent cable with a mic for the k361?? I'm new to headphones and the ones I've come across were like $40-80 or something and doesn't look ideal. Why is it such an oddity for them to come with a mic cable once in a while?

The 40x is better then 50x just tryin to pass good info around!

Hey big guy! Thanks again for the awesome content! I just got a Moukey small amount for headphones and some smaller monitor/desktop/bookshelves. Not sure if you have reviewed these at all as I have to go back and look through the vids. If you haven’t revised any products from this company I was wondering if you could do a review. They are class D and about $67 at the time of this. I’m gonna do a rundown on quite a few of my favorite bookies and smaller monitors along with some of my headphones 🎧 and see how it does. Anyone else try Moukey?

One of my favs ( I have a few) are my sennheiser hd25s

Have you tried the Philips SHP9500? I know there are a lot of other reviews out there but you being the CheapAudioMan, It will be really interesting to hear your thoughts about it!

Hey Randy. What do you think about the Yamaha MT5? It's also in this price range and I'm curious what you think of it compared to something like the AKG.

For anyone not afraid to buy off eBay, there are some k361 headphones available around $75

I've had the Sony MDR-V6 and its bigger brother, the 50mm DJ version and neither could compare to the Monoprice Retro at... dare I say it... at $30.00. I've tried other Monoprice headphones and thought they were awful, but the Retros... goodness gracious. OTOH, I am getting old, and I can't hear well above 12K, but a LOT of people like the Retros, yet they are never included in budget comparos. Anyone have any thoughts?

Take off your glasses while listening to the K361. You have thicker glasses like me. Dan Clark taught me to always wear my glasses in a way that doesn't break the seal around my ears when listening to headphones and since then I've been amazed by how much of a bass boost I get with many different headphones. You can test this by taking your glasses off while music is playing. Once you get a good seal you can reposition your glasses in a way that doesn't break that seal.

Hi Randy, wow, I have a different experience with the Status Audio CB1s. Yes, they are cheap Chinese made, but I knew that going in. Most headphones are made in China and with few exceptions all plastic (yes, even the ones that cost thousands). I own two pair of the Status CB1s. I got the first pair specifically for audio work such as vinyl record sonic grading during restoration. I spent an undue amount of money looking for neutral headphones (aka studio monitors) for that task. I also prefer a more neutral sound for music listening, which for me is speakers 99% of the time. My current stable of cans (with no intent to add more) are: Sennheiser HD518s ($120) (My first pair of "audiophile" cans) My most comfortable headphones, but also my worst sounding. At first I thought they were great, but after about 3 hours I discovered I was not hearing music at all, just mud. Not good for anything except keeping my ears warm, which I do not like. That is when I quickly learned that "Audiophile" generally means crappy 99% of the time. Takstar Pro 80s. I bought these because they were around $70 and came with a nice hardshell case. (I like to call it one of those things where you are buying the case and get the headphones free). As it turned out, they are half metal or aluminum or whatever. They are closed back. However, they are one of my least comfortable cans around the ears. The sound is a major U shape, but they are surprisingly fun to listen with and not incredibly fatiguing. You will be ripping them off your head from the discomfort long before you notice fatigue. AKG K7xx - I bought these on the promise they were neutral and had excellent staging. My experience is different, but they aren't bad. They are comfortable and good for listening I'd say. Status Audio CB1 version 1 = I got these on the promise they are studio monitors and therefore neutral and they were cheap at $50. When I inquired about them I got a further discount on the promise that I would let them know what I think. (ok, no problem). Note: They are different from the version 2s you have. More on that later. Sennheiser HD6XX (AKA HD650) - I bought these based on reviews as I was looking for my last pair of cans that could be used for listening on rare occasion. I also find them expensive. I had assumed that they would have the Sennheiser comfort of my HD518s. Wrong, they are one notch more comfortable than my Takstars, which means pretty uncomfortable. It is the clamping force on them. Why did Sennheiser make the clamping force enough to hold large pieces of wood together for using pressure active adhesives? I asked Sennheiser this as well and got a non-answer. I got a pair of nuggets from Dekoni to see if it helps, which I have not tried yet. The HD6XX is also not broken in yet. Out of box sonics, it sounds like they have potential to be alright for listening, better than the HD518s and far better than the HD800s. I don't use headphones often, I find them to be a necessary evil on occasion. That said though it still makes sense to find a pair you like. One reason I do not like headphones for listening is the lack of staging. No headphone no matter the brand, has even decent staging in my experience. That is just the nature though. Unless you use some sort of processing, you can't have staging with headphones. Speakers are a different matter, because you have "setup" involved with speakers where you can manipulate the staging. So after my AKGs I gave up looking for staging. In regards to that though, I will say my AKGs are my best performers in that area for what its worth. As mentioned, I have 2 pair of the Status CB1s, versions 1 and 2. I prefer the version 1 slightly over the version 2, which are the ones you reviewed. I do agree, they did something to the voicing on version 2 that I also don't care for. They also changed the ear pads (which can make a large difference as well). The pads on version one are much thicker than version two and yes, they are also voiced differently. The version 1 does not have the very obvious bump in the 300Hz or the upper frequencies. (I have no measurement devices for that task though). I use my CB1s strictly for checking my work so to speak and not for listening. I did try them for listening and while I am one who prefers neutral, I found them fatiguing (both versions) after about 15 minutes. There are other headphones I tried in the three to four figure range that I found fatiguing in around 2 minutes. In my journey, I found that you have to choose headphones based on use and personal sonic preference of course, the same goes for speakers. I find reviews on headphones and speakers pointless beyond discussion of build quality and measurements and should be taken with a salt lick. It is not the fault of the reviewer or anything, it is the nature of it. We all have different hearing, different preferences, etc. One persons sonic bliss is another's nightmare. I have tried hundreds of headphones from $29 to $4000. With the exception of ear pads and sonic signature, they all sound either meh or terrible to me. The sound also depends on the amplification. Using a phone or PC to evaluate headphones is not useful at all. The amplification and such are crap. The best you will get from phones and PCs is crap, I don't care what outrageous claims Audioquest makes or whatever. For example (again personal experience): I don't find the CB1s to be a huge problem especially for my uses. The version 2 I do notice the bumps, but I would not call them as extreme as you did. Again, I prefer the version ones where the bumps are subtle at best. That said though amplification makes a huge difference as well. I generally use a 2nd generation Schiit Audio Magni or a straight connect to my CD player or Preamp. That will be vastly different than a phone or PC. As for Status Audio advertising, I have the same opinion for all advertising: Pay zero attention to it, it is all BS, period! I have not even seen the ads for Status Audio (I found them from watching a review from Steve Guttenberg). If you want outlandish claims, read or watch an Audioquest ad or any number of "Audiophile" companies. When I shop for something I only look at hard data. Reviews have their place as long as one understands them and the item being reviewed. Reviews are a bit more useful for things like amps and such, but less so for speakers, headphones and even music because all those are 100% subjective.

I am a pretty solid Sennheiser guy (picky on them though)...casual on headphones but never liked the 280's. I have HD439's I picked up on a budget I like okay but for a little more money you can pick up some of the Drop (559. 599 or 58X Jubilees) that are solid. Honestly though you have to listen for yourself on your source if you can and like it. Everyone hears it a little different and prefers something different.

I've tried a number of over the ear headphones (mostly noise canceling for airline use) and I must have really big ears but they all seem to bother me in that area, also I find that they're hot (on my ears). Any suggestions. I'm now using ONEMORE Audio's in ear wireless/noise canceling and they're pretty good. Suggestions?

Awesome. 😐 I don't have the money for expensive headphones right now and asked for a set of Oneodio bluetooth headphones for x-mas. Hopefully I don't hate their sound signature as much as you.

GRADO SR80x

Does Sith Audio offer a tube connector option for the rusty channel locks?

Any sub-$100 should probably include the Monoprice 8323. You can buy and repad them (if you want) for less than $40

What's your opinion or comparison between the k361 and the Phillips 9500 . I know they're different headphones but about the same price I believe . Thank you

under $100 akg k240 all day everyday! neutral not for bass heads but beautiful tone and texture. i also have a pair of one odio pro 10... dj style for kids.they were only $35. i thought they sound fun. clamping was too much for me. at this price point, you have to mention koss!

i just grabbed a cup of really great coffee

What did you say the audio source was? And the system you listened on? Oh, that’s right, you didn’t say. I just spent a couple of hours listening to Dr. Chesky’s SFaSABSS, Steely Dan’s Aja and Rodrigo y Gabriela’s self titled album on my iPad through my AKG, Grado, and my Status headphones and enjoyed it completely. Thanks for reminding me that audio gear sound is mostly subjective - except for build quality and driver specs, frequency response, etc. And that the enjoyment is somewhat dependent on the production quality of the source material and other factors beyond my control. My impression of Status is that they are trying to offer competitively priced headphones that sound great. BTW, their RU-vid ad is hilarious and only disses Apple headphones - I think Apple can take it - . It’s not a big budget ad, but it’s well done and did I mention, very, very funny. I bought my first Status < $100 headphones on recommendation by the Audiophiliac. I might try the OneOdio Monitor 60s at some point.

For once I actually have my coffee while watching one of your videos. Noice

you are too fun wow i can believe something as serious as looking for good headphone can be fun without trying toooo hard

I have oneodio pro m or something like that i think. Bought them as a temporary headphones for my pc for playing games. Expected a year from them at most because im prone to breaking headphones. It's been three years now. The hinges look super fragile but i didn't manage to break them,the foam on the cups is still ok,they sound the same so the drivers didn't crap out. They are light and feel cheap but are actually quite durable. I think i payed 30€ for them. I never had better headphones in my life when i look at price/value i got from these. I have better sounding headphones,the jbl live 500 i have sound 5x better but looking at the bang for the buck i never had anything comparable to oneodio.

The Status Audio CB-1 is a sad story of silent revisions. The first generation of CB-1's came with large, angled hybrid pads, a different driver, a different dispersion plate, and damping materials for the cup and driver. They were great, for the price. Then everyone started posting reviews, and they started selling out regularly. The first revision they changed to really small pads, and people started complaining, so they made the pads a little thicker, but kept that ridiculous inner shape that makes them guaranteed mud slingers. Then the driver and dispersion plate changed to whatever they're using now, so they're mud slinging treble cannons. It just makes me wonder what happened to the original version, and why did they change a good thing? All the expensive videos in the world won't matter, if your product gets worse.

what camera are you shooting your vids on

What, no Grado's?

No Grado SR60x?

Review the Roda NTH-100 at $150 price tag, I like to know your opinion

any links avail for the oneodio vid? sounds funny

I have a 3-yr-old OneOdio Pro50s and an almost 3-yr-old ATH-M40x. Simply because I despised the ATH-M50x. 😅

I love my k361's . They're tanks . Ears get warm but I love them . They can be eq'd and they resolve really . I bought them for my Brother now the more I listen to them I don't wanna give them to him 😹😹😹

I'm quite partial to pre Samsung true 80s-90s AKG full can studio phones and classroom (often mono) phones W/ 4+ port hub. Any affordable recommendations I should bookmark on eBay or Gumtree when the price is right? They are comfortable to bearable yet sound so warm and vibrant. If not maybe Panasonic Technics from same era.

m50x's are also definitely more for making music rather than listening. With them, I'm just trying to make things sound bearable but never really getting there. Then I try the mix on k240's which sound really agreeable and open in comparison and I feel like I'm a mixing god.

Currently enjoying the AKG K92 (a bargain at £37), wonder if the K361 is worth getting.

Hey Randy the cables removable on any of these? Or are they all fixed? Thanks! 👍

What do you recommend for under $70.00 I like loud bass n clean Highs?????

Try ROCCAT Elo X close audiophile on budget can handle amps

My favorite headphone is pioneer se a 1000 all day mybe my Bose ae2 or hd280 pro MK2 . All other vmoda lp and Bluedio had harsh even listen to Michael Bolton or poilice

I've got a ton of headphones. My favorites Wired On/Over Ear ones are the Alessandro MS1 by Grado, the Harman Kardon CL, and by a solid measure, the Massdrop Sennheiser 6xx. All under $200 when purchased ✌️

How about the Sony MDR-V6, MDR-7506 or Technics EAH-DJ1200?

Can you maybe keep the title on the screen during the duration of each headphone review? It's really hard to keep track of the one you are currently talking about.

Koss Kph 40 when in stock at 40 Kph30i at 25 like others have said Maybe Phillip 9600 also

Is it possible that you getting the boosts at 300 Hz and 2000 Hz was a result of plugging low impedance headphones into a high impedance amp? there's a Julian Krause video demonstrating this

Used headphones are also a decent option, beyerdynamic stuff is usually dirt cheap used, and it's Beyerdynamic, so can't really tell they're used, my custom one pro was 50$ used and had like 5 years one them, still looked and functioned like new, same goes for the Sennheiser hd25 (the Nokia 3310 of headphones) Never had a bad experience buying used to be honest.

Philips Fidelio X2HR is made like a tank. It's all aluminium and leather and costs 95euro on the European Amazon. Just remember it's openback so people can hear what you are listen to.

As for the Sith Audio Pliers, I was made to understand that here would be no math

Shhhh, Randy! Don't tell them about the headphone Illuminati

M40x's with upgraded pads. Just over $100.

Probably the AKG head band factory sold the assembly to the new headphones reviewed.

@5:18 you see chintzy leather bag, I see the beginnings of a gimp suit

What no Grado SR60 ? Blasphemy

The one Odio monitor 80 open back pro

JOHN S. WE WANT ROCKTOPUS!!! make it happen! lol

Pls test the beyerdynamic tygr 300 r