They were clearanced at the store I used to work at and I got em for $15 while I had literally nothing else at the time, and for that I love them. Buuuuuut I couldn't help but agree with the video whole heartedly.
I realized the remote for the TV I was watching this on had died right when Dank said to take a trip to a "junk drawer" near you. I keep my batteries in my junk drawer. I found a pair of ear pods in there. I have never owned an apple device. I live alone. Aussie magic.
Samson actually has a closed back version of the 850. The SR950 has a slightly different driver but are so very close, and I used to use them to listen to audiobooks while using a riding mower, did a great job blocking out the sound. They're also sold as the Superlux 668b and 669, for closed and open back, with a different headband setup and a detachable cable.
My sophomore year of highschool I was rocking a pair of those Sony on-ears. I thought they were just fine until I visited my dad. He asked why I had these garbage cans around my neck and threw a pair of Sennheiser 558s at me. Completely changed my perspective on audio as a kid, and it's been a bonding point between us since. Seeing those again was a nice flashback :)
Usually they don't stink, they sound. Kinda their whole deal. I notice how my comment is surrounded by ones hearted by dankpods and respect his decision to ignore my terrible humor, it's probably the right thing to do
Samson Technologies is a pro audio company from New York. They've been around for a while, and their entire point, as far as I can tell, is that they try to be the cheapest viable option. Doesn't mean they don't have some big name customers, Eric Clapton was one of their featured users back in the day. I believe Thomann, the largest music store in Europe, pushed them really hard a couple years ago, until they introduced their own store brand.
They are a fantastic brand. I bought their Q2U microphone for a remote work and school setup and it's fantastic. Blows away any cheap Blue condenser mic or headset away at the price. Audio Technica have a similar one as well.
Their subsidiary (or maybe product line? I can't tell.) Hartke is similar. Absolutely the cheapest high quality bass guitar amp heads and cabinets you can get with the amount of power they have. And on top of that, the whole aluminum speaker cone thing is like a unique, signature thing for them that sounds awesome.
I feel you on the HD 206's. I remember my first Sound Recording class in college when I saw these in the recording floor of the studio, nodding my head impressed that they have Sennheisers just lying around and then I put them on... First of all they were the cheapest feeling headphones I've ever worn and you can hear literally everything around you because there was absolutely no isolation what so ever. They feel so shallow that it felt like my ears were just pressing against the driver. I thought they'd be $15 (USD btw) but $40?? that's insane
Yeah honestly I don't know what they're thinking with the HD 206, we had them at my former high school as well and I can confidently say that the random 10 Euro earpods I got from my local electronics store sound better. It really doesn't make sense to me why Sennheiser is even selling them at this price point and advertising them as entry level professional/studio headphones, especially since the HD559s which are for all intents and purposes excellent headphones aren't much more expensive (at least here in central Europe).
I use a pair of Logitech headphones for 1 New Zealand dollar they are legendary under the gaming chair wheels so many times and they are not even damaged
Bro why did the review of the Samons almost bring me to tears? Probably because I’ve spent days trying to find the right pair of headphones in my price point and you just did it for me....
@@Codexter1 If you're looking for semi-open headphones under 35 dollars, you can also check out the ISK HF2010 or the SUperlux HD681b. The SUperlux 668B used to be in the same price range as the 681b but was more popular, so now it's slightly out of that price bracket. The ISK HF2010 and 2011 sound better anyway though. But anyway, hope that helps.
I love your review videos. You're breaking down complex audiophile information into digestible jargon that smooth-brains like me can understand. Much appreciated.
12:24 YES!!! I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!! Those Samson Headphones were the one's I started out with. I use the Z55's right now, but I'm telling you, that little bugger there did me wonders. There's definitely a higher frequency bias feeling though, I won't lie about that. But they did the job well :)
@@garydsketch It's all very subjective. I hate the Koss porta pros honestly, I went through two pairs in the span of a month (got the first ones replaced because they broke within like a week). I wasnt even that rough with them just like normal headphones. Broke the other pair a few weeks later.. The sound is like.. meh.. Not bad for the price I guess but for just 20 usd more you can get way better over ear. Only problem is it will be clunkier as well. What I did a year ago or so is that I took a step back and invested in a pair of in ear, kz zsn pro (15 usd) sound veery good for that price. Specially if you EQ it a touch. Then if you want to get something even better there are kz zs10 pro for 30 usd or so which I bought 2 months back or so. I have been using over ears in the 40-100 usd range for years before that. Still do some times but rarely (sennheiser hd 280 or marshall monitor headphones). They both the kz's need to be played in a bit because at the start they are kinda sharp in the higher stuff, but if its something you are going to move around with I would recommend checking out in ears even if you might think that sound stupid. There are lots of very cheap very good options atm. It all depend on music taste etc though unfortunately, specially with the low price stuff.
@@garydsketch I'm rocking some SR950's right now (Sam-Ash had them for $50, apparently down from 100) and I LOVE these things. The 850s are probably arguably better being semi-open (my 950s are closed, but I bought these for DJ'ing) Totally recommend as starter headphones.
@@vir042 very helpful, thank you! It may be a dumb reason but I'm not too sure about getting in ears/IEMs because I'd prefer a pair of actual headphones, something I can hang up and grab quite conveniently
I bought the Samsons after hearing how universally praised they were. I had my doubts, but they didn't let me down. They sound great. I use them when tracking instruments, and I DO use them as reference headphones for mixing. They're not my ONLY reference, I'm not insane, but they offer another perspective from my DT-770s and studio monitors. Having said that, though, if you were strapped for cash, and they were your only headphones, I think you could use them for mixing and feel pretty confident about it. I have those Sonys too, and they're pretty tuuuurible. I bought them at Walmart for ten freedom bucks about 8 years ago, because I was taking a flight the next day and didn't want any of my good headphones to get mangled, or lost (I HATED earbuds back then). I still have them, and I'm not even sure why. They're 100% landfill.
I actually have that Sony pair, they've actually lasted me longer than any pair of wired headphones I've ever had, super durable and they've been a good daily driver for me
I used to have them. Used em for a year or so for my laptop and then the left ear went and it sucked. Bought another pair, plugged the Sony's in to my phone just to make sure they weren't working. They were FINE. Turns out the headphone jack on my laptop had busted before those bad boys
i just found this dude and he’s so interesting?? i first watched him R I P on raycons and i was thinking about buying them up til that point (not anymore lmao). like i’m genuinely fascinated by the shit he does, man is awesome!
I mean the whole "non-removable dual cables" thing is mostly because it's easier to design a cheap pair of headphones that way (expecially foldable ones like the Sonys) since the headband doesn't need to house the wire that connects the two sides really. Not to mention they can potentially reuse the cables from their earbuds which is exactly what they do with the mic version of this model. Also I use those for university (The fact that they fold is nice for my bag and I find them more comfortable than my Earpods-like earbuds) and eh I mean they sound all right, the top end is missing a bit but I guess that makes them a fairly mellow pair, they are also quite good with EQ.
I've had the noise cancelling version of those Sony headphones for 8 years now. The pleather pads are cracking and falling apart at this point, but having only paid $30 for them, they've had a good run as my office headphones. That cheap cable looks like it would break, but I've been using them 8 hours a day 5 days a week for years and I haven't heard a single crackle out of it. The noise cancelling is good at drowning out A/C noise and office chatter, but they'd struggle with anything louder than that. I want to replace them with a good pair of over ears like the AKG K240s, but I don't know if the newer ones are worth the money, seeing as how they're a samsung product and made in China now. if the new AKG K240s are essentially a cheapened version of themselves, why not just get the Samson SR850s? Decisions, decisions.
@@IWasAllLikeG93 The AKG K240s wouldn't be worth their money regardless of which pair you got to be entirely honest with you, nowadays the way to go is something like the K371s for example.
Thank you DankPods for the Samson SR850 recommendation! Have been looking for budget open ear headphones and I must say they're amazing! I bought some recommended earcup replacements from transtek and they're SUUUPER comfy! I love classical and jazz music and It's honestly like a whole different experience than I've had before. The highs from the bowed instruments in classical and the tings and clashes of the jazz drums really stand out to me! They're super dazzly!
Okay, so those first Sonys that you used, my brother has a pair that’s very similar from maybe 2013. We found them the other day when we were clearing out his attic and gave them a go, and the bass actually shocked me. I like bass, but those were insane.
lmao I own those Sennheiser headphones, literally the only upside to them is the length of the cable.
4 года назад
The $US20 HD201s (now rebranded as $US40 HD206s) were called "breadphones" by local sellers because they go through tons of them as they hit a sweet spot with performance per price. The pads disintegrate pretty quickly and the cable starts peeling instantly, but they sound ok for $20. $40 is highway robbery and no one should buy the HD206s.
Yeah that's why I prefer flat Micro-USB cables for when I'm visiting my friend's house, and I'm bringing my own charger because he only has USB-C and I seem to be falling behind in the technological race since I'm using an LG Tribute Empire phone, and it only takes Micro-USB. I could always just use one of those adapters, maybe even with a PD Trigger inside if I really wanted to be sure I wasn't shocking my phone with 12 volts, but I'd rather bring my own charger. I don't think he would appreciate it if I took his charger to plug in my phone, which I pretty much never charge at home, since I can't trust myself to just plug something in to my charger brick every night before I go to bed. But I guess that's just me.
Me in the intro: These headphones are gonna be the most awful thing I have ever see- *sees my exact pair of headphones for the first pick* ... _oh._ edit: thank you everybody for the buying advice, it’s really appreciated :)
Just go balls to the walls and buy a pair of Bose QuietComfort 2’s lol they sound MINTY 👌🏼 plus the noise cancellation is bangin, the AC in my room is loud as all hell and the second you put these headphones on and turn them on, you can’t hear anything at all, even without music playing. 10/10 recommend
I have... Sony zx300, $25US, they're alright, very durable, what I use when traveling, after like 6 years of use, I was actually able to tell that the speakers were losing definition, and why I upgraded to the 7506. Sony 7506, $80US, it's what I use for everything while at home, PS4 through controller, XB1 through the monitor jack (controller jack has too much static to use), phone, tablet, so much detail in everything. Took me 2 weeks for my ears to adjust to how they sounded. Skullcandy Crushers (wired), $35US, when BASS is both the question and the answer, there is no better choice, unless you get the Crusher Wireless, which have stereo active bass instead of mono active bass. Bass Canon is a proper canon! The Crusher (wired) suck for anything that isn't MAXIMUM BASS they are literally unusable for voice chat because one of my friends has a voice that is so freaking low that the Active Bass activates and I can't understand a single thing he says. XD
If you want really good sound at an affordable price, I'd recomemend looking at a company called Koss (they make some expensive stuff, but their cheap stuff is real good).
@@quantum.9883 I saw some Koss Nova 40 for $10 at good will, had a good laugh looking up some reviews online, and passed on it, "heaviest headphones I've ever used, like strapping 80's internal pc speakers to your head, with gimmicky surround sound" sure they may be worth something to a collector, but I don't do eBay. There is a reason everything was compared to the $90 Sony 7506, and why you often see them in the behind the scenes of movies, they're solid, like the Nissan GTR of headphones, sure there is a lot better, but it all costs more. So which specific model of Koss do you recommend, and how do they compare to the 7506?
When I was a kid, my dad used to own a pair of Senheiser HD250, and I remember loving them. Truth is, they didnt last long. The headband and earcups just completely desintegrated on each use. The sound was kinda meh, but I still have that nostalgia.
Those Samson's were my headphones before they got stolen and I got M40x's. They were solid. Also, my first mic was a Samson C01U; built like a tank, still working.
@@adamkocsis5769 if they are big and bulky they probably look expensive to a thief, so they steal them... I've heard stories of people breaking into cars by shattering windows and instead of going for the macbook sitting across the seat taking the CD player out of the car...
After 6 months or using those Sony's, the thin tissue covering the ear cushions started to rip apart. Also, the headphone jack started to lose signal when it bended too much. I had to constantly adjust it so I could hear sound. Back then they were worth 60$.
The superlux hd558b is a similar clone to the samson, except its even cheaper and sounds better. Balanced, but not too dry, and all the huge sound and more. Fits weird though, you'll see when you look them up.
Ps, whichever of the good clones you buy, get huge thick aftermarket earcups, thats vital. 5 bucks online, the same ones will fit all of them. They arent adjustable for head width, so padding makes all the difference, and the stock ones dont always seal well.
Those samson headphones are really nice for VR, i have a quest and they fit so perfectly around the strap so i can have super nice wide high quality audio in VR. They're also really light too so you don't feel any extra weight which is nice
Hey man :) I have had a pair of the sony for about 8 years I think. They cost me 90quid and they have been awesome I just gave them to someone and now they love them. There was always something missing though and you explained it to me. On the strength of that I had to go buy a pair of sr850s. They are awesome bro nice recommendation :) Could not go through your link because I'm in UK but you got a new sub :)
Superlux HD681 are almost identical to those Samsons. I wouldn't be surprised if they are just rebranded. I went with the Superlux HD668B because it has a removable cable which is nice to have when a dog or kid snags the cable as they run by at mach 6 or if they get chewed up or frayed or cut.
Got the Samsons for Christmas, and they're even better now. Cable's still fuckin ace, sounds is incredible, and the ear cups got an upgrade. Velour. I wore these for a 6 hour session of mixing and listening to music to stress test the comfort, and I forgot I had them on when trying to get up and get a drink. Pulled the plug right out. So cozy and great sounding. Please, PLEASE grab them.
almost bought the sampsons but went looking and ended up picking up a set of k240 studio's used for less than 2 bucks more. big thanks m8, they're exactly what i've been looking for and in excellent condition.
Those Samson's were my headphones before they got stolen and I got M40x's. They were solid. Also, my first mic was a Samson C01U; built like a tank, still working.
@@andreagarrett6429 What? lol Joel-Peter 4 months ago Those Samson's were my headphones before they got stolen and I got M40x's. They were solid. Also, my first mic was a Samson C01U; built like a tank, still working.
the trick with da apple dirty buds i've always used but i never knew if it was actually a thing so it's nice to see a music pro doing it--- i always angle them to the side though
Dude I just randomly stumbled upon your channel and I've just been binging all your stuff. You are just hilarious and enjoyable to watch, take care of yourself man and keep up the good work.
The secret is out about Samson now... they've been the best kept secret in hi-fi headphones for a little bit, hopefully they stay affordable. Reminds me of what Superlux used to do before they started making those futuristic designs with the 2 piece headbands and silicon rubber earcups.
I finally bought the Samsons because I have always wanted to have both a closed back and an open back (semi-open but still) headphones at home so that I just have that choice without breaking the bank. I currently own an OneOdio Pro 50 and Samson SR850 (with velour pads so that my ears don't get too hot) and I really enjoy the experience so far! Samsons in my opinion are just really good for casual music listening and general use at home in private, whereas OneOdio shines if I want to listen to something with extra bass or for me to bring outside on occasions because closed backs. I do want DankPods to visit this topic again though, especially for people that might not have the funds to truly get higher end stuff or just want something entry level. I just want more and more recommendations like these. Keep up the good work from the land down under!
I got some samsons, those are wonderful! Yes, you'll hear the train in subway for example, they terribly cut surrounding noise. But I bought them just for music, they really perform their task.
I remember in my computer class in school, they had a literal box full of those Sony headphones. Most of them were broken in some way or just covered in nastiness, since every single kid came through every day and used them, and they were never cleaned.
The samsons almost look like Monoprice Retros, which are amazing with a pad swap (brainwavz if I remember correctly). I did it for a total of $30, and while I still prefer KPH30i's for the price range, I've sat down and listened to several vinyls in a row with them since they punch up the bass to a reasonable level since my Grado Black cartridge is slightly bass light.
I was almost anxious to hear you talk about the Samsons, and I can't explain the relief that washed over me to know a funny Australian man validated my choice in budget headphones 😀
I literally lol'd and almost spit my coffee out at the twisted, contorted senheiser's and "These'll fit kids now too." If I hadn't just swallowed, there would have been coffee all over my phone screen.
Me too mate. Everytime i go out an buy headphones for 30-40 bucks. They all sound worse than the stock apple ones. Ngl the apple ones are the best cheap ones I’ve used so far
Marcus Chrome I always bought them for the feeling because I didn’t like how others felt in my ears. I always wanted them to be wireless though because they broke every once in a while from heavy use. AirPods are a godsend
Here's a little thing that might blow the mind - try cleaning the aux plug, and also clean the sockets too. My headphones were sounding flat, but then I hit it with some Deoxit (although isopropyl would work wonders too) Sounds like a new set of headphones; with all the range having come back! Contact oxides. They turn expensive headphones into cheap headphones behind your back!
Just waiting for him to test some Superlux HD681 EVO, those are even cheaper (I think) and it wouldn't surprise me if they're even better. Never had the Samsons but damn those Superlux are amazing
hell yeah! i was honestly worried when i saw my headphones pop up because I thought he was gonna roast them, but i really like them. i was relieved when he said they sound good! i've heard there's some chi-fi brands that are even better for the money, but i don't plan on replacing my samsons anytime soon. when i do, i'll be upgrading, but for now? they're doing a great job and i would highly recommend them to anybody looking for decent headphones on a budget.
My Samsons actually died after a year! The strain relief for the cable didn't do its job and just became a piece of thin rubber going over the cable, didn't hold it at all, so the wires inside the headset actually broke after some rough handling.
Those Sennheisers remind me of the one week I had a pair of casual Sennheiser cans that were even smaller/cheaper than the pair you showed. I say one week because the things quite literally fell apart in my hands within 4 days of owning them.
Oh my god, yes. You found them. My Senn HD206s. They were my “best” headphones as a broke teen living under rule. I even had two, as my first set was broke out of the box on Christmas, and they replaced them. Did they break? Did they snap? Did the cord go? Yes. Yes to all. Multiple times. Ooohhh, boy. (Though I always blamed myself lol). I used these as soldering practice many a time. And these are part of the reason I devoted this ethos of never spending big bucks on headphones, as I lived under the assumption that all headphones break after, if not within, the 6 month mark. . . Lol. XD Colour me surprised when after I get a stable job and end up buying multiple “mid tier” headphones for different use cases, in a bid to keep them alive, how long they lasted me. XD Man, just as someone who grew up in a “scratch means it’s worthless now” household, your channel is generally so therapeutic. These boots were made for walking, kinda attitude. The whole: if it breaks you can fix it, and if you can’t fix it, it can still be used to fix something else. But also? Who cares. :P Idk, but man is this channel just pure serotonin to the system. And seeing you lay into these headphones, both verbally and physically? Man. My week is made. X’D
Also just: You: But do they sound good? Me: . . . Do they sound good? I don’t recall them sounding particularly special to me, though I was more concerned to living to next week after them breaking, again. Still, music is life. And I remember barely having any reaction to them? Unlike when I bought my first second hand, Proper Speakers at 26? Hmmm. 🤔 They were just. . . headphones??? You: These are the worst headphones I ever bought. Me: Vindication!!! Omg, Preaccchhh King! :DDDD Seriously, this video just makes me think of the skit you did on the No Headphone Driver “Headphone” embigginers. These. These were those “don’t say we never did anything for you” headphones for me. XD
I remember going into an HMV years ago and roadtesting the "go to" headphones of the day, Beats Audio. They were selling for £130, and the sound was appalling compared to my £70 Skullcandy Aviators, which I'd bought as much for the looks (brown/gold) as for sound quality. The Beats were totally dominated by bass, almost to the exclusion of everything else. Okay, Skullcandy are bass heavy too, but with a good music source the mids and trebles come through as well to produce a pretty decent sound. Not bad for 1/2 the price of the "kings". Funny how marketing can overcome actual experience !
I've been hemming and hawing over what headphones to buy for like two years, been using an ultra cheap no name brand that are awful in build for so long, but I just couldn't trust anyone's opinions. This video couldn't have come at a better time! Cheapest headphones that have good quality, thank you!
If you're okay with earbuds I cannot reccomend a pair of RHA's enough. Whenever I'm not at my home setup, I run them. Fairly affordable for the more value oriented ones too.
@@Meglelelo I had picked up the samsons he recommended, but I took a look anyway since I do need a new pair of earbuds for on the go. Do you know if they have any wired models? I'm not particularly a fan of wireless ones that I would need to charge, and I can't seem to find any wired that they have. Do you use the wireless ones? I don't trust battery life and all that.
@@coreyvaldis2276 they used to have wired models I'm sure you can find on Amazon still, but unfortunately most of their current stock is wireless. I will say though their higher end models have removable connecters for both. The MA390 and S500 are still for sale in a wired model and sound very decent for the money while being very affordable. If you do decide to go for them, just make sure that they aren't an early model of the over ear wire (old t20 and MA750) as those have issues with the way they connect into the bud, which is sorted out on their new ones.
My first pair from them were the MA390's. From there I purchased the early model T20i and loved them for the short time they lasted (Had to get them replaced twice because of wire failure). I purchased a few wireless sony buds and have used plenty of other ones that my friends owned but nothing would come close to my RHA's. That is when I decided to fork over the Franky ridiculous $180 (at the time) for a set of wireless MA750's. Absolutely zero issues with those for year and a half I used them. Eventually, they came out with the wireless T20i headphones and I couldn't say no, even for the ludicrous price. I've been running the MA750 and t20 wireless ever since and I believe that each has their own merits and I switch between them frequently.
You really got me into the basics of sound and how different headphones sound better. Like I'm still in the complete pov-spec area but it's suprising the difference good sound can make. I've had a set of razer hammerheads, always knew they weren't great, but when I got some Sennheiser buds, wow the difference was unreal! And even at home I still way prefer my wireless headphones, I don't usually sit at a desk and I just hate cables, so I have multiple wireless headphones, I have a set of JBL quantum 800s that I use for pretty much everything but when they go flat, I pull out the buds that came in my last Oppo phone. They are absolutely amazing! They're made of aluminium and even though they aren't wireless I love using them as they are the best sounding head phones I own.
i actually went through two pairs of those Sonys because they're were the only ones cheap enough for my parents to buy me and I've got to say that with some eq work, to me they didn't sound half bad (then again I haven't tried many high end headphones)
I remember in school during band class where we all got these really cheap headphones. They would rattle and they weighed NOTHING. I would describe the audio quality like cheap plastic. Some bass tones weren’t even audible and the top end didn’t give much juice either. I should mention digging through the plastic box filled with these, finding 8 or 9 pairs with only one side working and 5-6 pairs with loose drivers on the inside, some ones had lost their padding too.
