Sennheiser HD201 Headphones Reviews

• Great sound, and the price is a steal!

  
  By A3R92PY6PBLMD on 2005-09-05
  This product is one of the best bang for the buck items I have ever owned. They may end up costing me a bundle, however.
  
  The HD201 came to my attention after reading a little debate on headphones on a bulletin board I frequent. Someone recommended the HD201s as being phenomenal for the money.
  
  I'm not an audiophile, but I do enjoy music and computer games where sound is important, so I thought I'd give them a try. The only other "cans" I've used have been the cheapos that come with portable CD players and a pair of Coby CV-200s that I bought seeking something cheap that would be better than the poor quality phones I have had in the past. The Coby units were a minor improvement, but bass rumbled like crazy.
  
  Enter the HD201s. These closed phones (they cover the ear with a foam pad instead of sitting on top of them) have a padded plastic headband, a long 10' cord that terminates in a mini jack (it comes with a 1/4" adapter). The earpieces have some swivel to them, and they fit my rather large head and ears just fine. Comfort level was as good as any headphone I was used to. I plugged them in to my computer (with a decidedly basic 5.1 soundcard) and began to listen.
  
  The sound is jaw-dropping if you are used to the garbage that ships with portable music devices. I popped in some CDs, from classical to metal, and the lack of rumble in the bass and the clear highs were a treat. Remember, I'm no audiophile (yet) but even to my tin and uneducated ear, the difference was easy to hear. Violins in "Adagio for Strings" were strong and clear, gone was the low rumble in the deep bass of Zep, and I even began to truly note the shortcomings of the audio in some MP3 and "oldies" recordings. Sound in games was great, and I caught some nuances in first person shooters that improved my play.
  
  I was now aware of the shortcomings of all the other cheapo headphones I had used, including the Coby unit, that until now I had considered "good enough". They just flat out sound better across the full range of sound, from low to high.
  
  I was a bit surprised that I could max out the volume on my computer without making the HD201s too painful...perhaps they are designed with more power in mind than my system delivers. My portable CD player drives them to about the same volume levels, loud, but not ear shattering. They might not satisfy those looking for super booming bass or earsplitting volume, but perhaps an amplifier might change this.
  
  I can't give your an expert review of the HD201s, nor translate what the tech specs on the box mean. I can tell you that for the price, I am deeply impressed with the quality of sound. I would be impressed if they cost a few times as much.
  
  A true bargain, but I worry that this might be the launching point in to a world of audio gear that I can scarce afford. If these things sound this good, perhaps I really need headphones made by Grado or the high end Sennhieser stuff, a new soundcard, probably an amp, and about the system in the living room.....
  
  
  

• Not loud enough, sibilant, slightly bright

  
  By A3IU3FVEVI8Q0U on 2006-01-31
  In summary this headphone has one general strength:
  1) Decent sounding depending on your tastes and needs, given the price, and given the kind of sound you get from most other closed headphones of similar price.
  
  However, the Sennheiser HD201 has 4 important weaknesses:
  1) Has very low sensitivity: it takes a lot of volume/power to bring them to satisfactory or normal loudness levels.
  2) It's a bit bright, bass is slightly lacking, making them sound slightly thin or "weak".
  3) Has a tendency to be SSSSSSSibilant with some female vocals.
  4) For a closed headphone, doesn't isolate that much.
  
  Weakness #1 is critical if you are considering these headphones for listening to music from your laptop or portable players. If that's the case, it's very likely you won't be happy with the sound even at max volume. These headphones are REALLY hard to bring up to normal loudness levels. If you will use them with the headphone out of a receiver, or maybe with an electric piano (as I am), then you are probably ok.
  
  Weakness #2 is very important if you are what's called a "bass-head". These headphones won't give you slamming rich bass. Bass is (slightly) on the weak side.
  
  Weakness #3 is critical if you listen to a lot of female vocals, and you find it particularly annoying when your playback system enhances the letter "S" as in SSSSSSSay, SSSSSSilver, SSSSSSpoon, preCCCCCiSSSSSe, etc.
  
  Weakness #4 is important if you are expecting these headphones to block all noises around you, you might be slightly dissapointed, it does block a bit but not too much.
  
  
  If you don't care about isolation I would highly recommend the Koss KSC-75 instead of these Sennheisers. If you do want a closed headphone (either you want some isolation from outside noise, or you don't want to bother anyone around you with your music), and are willing to spend a little more, you should consider the Sennheiser HD280 or maybe the Audio Technica AT500.
  
  The above sounds like a massive critique, and I'm giving it 3 stars because really for music these are not that great sounding headphones to me. However, these headphones sound relatively OK compared to how boomy or treble-happy are most other cheap headphones, whether open or closed. Compared to that trend, these are relatively decent. Yet, compared to other very inexpensive headphones known for surprisingly good sound (e.g. Koss KSC-75) these are not that great really.
  
  PS. Another suggestion in general, if you are looking for any headphone related information you must check www.Head-fi.org, it's really the place online for anything headphone-related.
  
  

• It's fantastic...

  
  By A2SAGWG5HRW7N8 on 2005-10-02
  I've 3 headphones that cost $ 175, $250 and $ 325.
  I bought this less than $ 20 Sennheiser HD201 for a gift and i'm trying just to know If i was doing a good gift, the result: I need to buy other pair for me. Since then I am not use anymore those expensive headphones. Iam thinking to sell it
  The Sennheiser HD201 it a fantastic pair of headphones, the sound and isolation is perfect and very light too
  Buy it, you're not going to dissapoint
  It's the best pair of headphones I ever use incluiding those that cost $ 300 or more
  
  Carlos GJ
  Miami FL.
  
  

• The S in Sennheiser Stands for Superb

  
  By A2NP96Z5OELESP on 2006-11-13
  Basically, I needed a new pair of headphones after I got tired of the Sony MDR-V150s that my roommate lent me. I did not like the idea of having the "cups" right ON my ear, and honestly, they did not sound all that great so I decided to do some searching. I looked at Koss(I did not like any of their models) AKG( I love them, but, for $100, I did not get involved with them.) So, I decided to search some more..
  
  I totally forgot about Sennheiser headphones. I heard them once at an ultra high end home stereo shop in Tampa, Florida and they sounded damn good. So when I saw these for less than $20, I decided to buy them..
  
  First of all, they arrived sooner than usual. I put them on and I noticed something...I could not hear any outside noise. These "cans" really kept outside sound out. They sat comfortably on my head and the "cups" covered my ears. Score!! Now, for the sound..
  
  I listen to a lot of music that I have on my pc. I have a Dell Dimension E310 with the ORIGINAL sound card and I have the Mp3s on Musicmatch WITHOUT any equalization. First of all, I chose tracks at random, all kinds and I heard things that I never heard before. I noticed tiny "cracks" on Avenged Sevenfold's "Seciond Heartbeat." Something I did not notice with the Sony's. I listened to all types of music and found the sound TOTALLY clean. No hissing, no muddy or "sour" midrange. Female vocals sounded great. Even the low end sounded great, specially with house and trance music that have a lot of heavy bottom end to them.
  
  BUT, I decided to try them on my Panasonic SA-XR55, which is a digital receiver, and I decided to "crank" it up. As I reached the higher volumes, the bass was lost, it sounded weak and muddy, but that WAS when I was pushing the receiver to its limits.
  
  These "cans" are great for listening to music at REGULAR volumes. If you want a pair of headphones that you can crank them up loud so they can sound like a car audio bass challenge, go for something like the AKGs.
  
  Great "cans" for the money, I TOTALLY recommend them.
  
  So here we go:
  
  Pros:
  
  They fit great, with even a leatherret piece on the top band of the headphones to keep things cushy.
  
  Great sound isolation. I can't hear squat once I put them on WITHOUT music.
  
  Gorgeous sound at "normal" levels. I do not care if you listen to Rap, Christian, House or Trance, you will get a great sound out of these.
  
  Built very well. They look like they do not move or swivel in the picture, but they do, and are very comfortable.
  
  Cons:
  
  NOT made for LOUD listening.
  
  Not really digging the double cord that comes out of the headphones. Single sided would be better, but that is just me.
  
  And to be honest, I cannot find anything else wrong with them.
  
  So, if you just want to get some "cans" that are great sounding, without breaking your wallet, get these.
  
  Trust me.
  
  You will thank me later.
  
  
  
  

• Uncomfortable, hurts my ears

  
  By APUMIMQ3UROWG on 2006-12-12
  after 2 hours of wearing these bad boys, my ears are tender and erythematous. The sound quality is fabulous, but the physical discomfort is a pain.
  Perhaps I just need to get used to them, or "break 'em in" or something like that.
  
  Correction 1/1/07: now that I have gotten used to them, they are great. no longer hurts my ears even one bit. great cans; highly recommended. The nice frequency response range is great for hearing the ever-so-tough systolic click murmur of mitral valve prolapse.
  
  
• $20 well-spent!
  By A1XJVWD3DQLC1O on 2005-08-17
  I'm listening to music on my newly purchased HR201s right now and I'm pretty happy with them.
  
  I wanted a cheap pair of headphones to keep around my office and the standard iPod ear buds weren't cutting it -- after an hour or so in my ears, they really started to hurt.
  
  I would describe the sound on the 201s as gentle and smooth. The bass seems to be rolled off quite a bit (though this could be an impedance mismatch with my iPod, I don't know) but the mids and highs are, while not even, very pleasant. I think I'll be able to listen to music for hours at a time without getting fatigued -- they may also come with me to the local internet coffee shop on weekends.
  
  I tend to dislike cheap, closed cans because the bass is usually boosted beyond all reason. These are much more reasonable. I tend to listen to modern jazz and classical but have been known to throw in Autechre, Squarepusher, Underworld, Nine Inch Nails, and others and feel that this is a reasonable choice for $20 even if your music is mostly electronic or bass-heavy.
  
  
  
  
• hd201 vs hd202
  By A1USRNDLBC7TJF on 2006-02-04
  hd 201 fit over the ear. hd 202 are smaller and cushion sits on the ear; my personal comfort would be slightly in favor of hd 201. hd 201 filters out a little less exterior noise but people watching the TV will not be able to hear your music on either in same room.hd 201 has volume, bass, & treble set much lower than hd 202, this can be almost equalized by changing your volume, bass, and treble settings with your soundcard in computer. When listening to computer for over an hour I prefer hd201 due to comfort and less moisture in ear retention. I do not know if the hd 201 would be appropriate for someone not using a sound card to adjust treble/bass. Cord is long on both which is good for computer listening.Both are fairly sturdy & will probably last, each is plugged into its computer in den to avoid TV problems for the family. A very good family purchase decision. probably really 4+ on sound quality but I don't have $100 sets to compare it too.
  
  
• Great pair of headphones at a great price!
  By A3I8PBHXU7NC51 on 2005-11-29
  I just bought these headphones after looking at some noise canceling ones as well as a few others that were similar to this. I bought this pair because of good reviews from amazon as well as from a headphones site.
  
  These headphones sounds great! There is rich bass and the sound is full. It sounds just as good as a my speakers I have hooked up to my computer with a subwoofer. I plugged in these headphones and then put in the ipod speakers and these are a million times better. The only thing that I like about the ipod speakers is how small and convenient they are. Thus for short trips, working out at the gym or walking around campus, I probably will continue to use the white ipod earbuds. But when I go on longer trips, on flights, and even in my room when I can't have sound because of my roommate, I will use these headphones.
  
  They are comfortable as well. I have a pretty normal sized-big head and they fit well. As far as the guy who says they didn't fit his head, I don't see how that is possible. This is because you can adjust the headphones by pulling them out. So unless he has a really small head, one on which the headphones wouldn't reach his ears, then I don't know how they couldn't fit him.
  
  Oh and if you are looking for a pair of headphones that blocks out background noise, these will do the trick. I asked my roommate to talk and make noises and I could barely here him if at all! So on an airplane, I would imagine these would be perfect.
  
  All in all, these are a great pair of headphones and at a price of less than 20 dollars, they are a great deal!
  
  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
  
  
• Not impressed
  By AJF4LBYQ8C6QZ on 2006-08-02
  I own a pair of HD-202 for work and i was thoroughly impressed with it, so I thought I would try the much cheaper HD-201 a try for my own home use. When I opened the box and held it in my hands, I knew I was not going to be impressed with this product. It just feels cheap. The headset doesn't really close right over my ears so it feels akward, and the sound quality is mediocre at best.
  
  Oh, and the responding frequency reported on this site is false. It is not 18-22khz. If you look on the Sennheiser website, it's actually 21-18khz. I returned mine and am hoping to get a full refund due to the wrong information put up on the webpage.
  
  Conclusion: get the HD-202 instead.
  
  
• I thought they were good until I actually used them...
  By A145KGE3F7WO77 on 2007-05-12
  I almost never ever review items unless I am really surprised with their quality. And that can go both ways. Unfortunately it is not in a good way this time around.
  
  I bought these when I needed a second pair of headphones because I took my first pair (Philips SBC HP170) to use at work and wanted to leave a pair at home. Well, I ended up rarely using them at home until recently I decided to give them a shot.
  
  I took them to work and have been listening to them every day for the last 3 days, about 6 hours on average (I'm a software developer).
  
  At first I thought that something was wrong with my sound output because I had to crank up the volume to FULL on the system and take it down a notch from there. They have very poor sensitivity it seems. Now I understand why I could never get strong enough sound from my laptop either a while back. I just ignored it that time.
  
  Secondly, I turned up the bass in WinAmp's equalizer because these headphones barely have any bass response. However, all that did was muddy up the sound, didn't really do much with the bass. No matter how I played with the equalizer I couldn't get these to work right. Now it got to the point where I'm listening to music that I used to listen to on my old headphones and I HAD to stop what I was doing because the poor quality of these headphones made me so frustrated that I couldn't focus on work!
  
  I unplugged the HD201s and plugged back in my old cheap, (I think they cost me 17 bucks at RiteAid a few years ago), Philips HP170s. Wow, I'm back to normal now!
  
  Overall I would definitely agree with the review named "Not loud enough, sibilant, slightly bright." It's rare that I get frustrated (or happy) enough with a product to take the time to review it but this is one of those times.
  
  Good luck!
  
  
• Great cans for the price
  By A2YDEU9IYOSHU8 on 2005-09-03
  I was very impressed by the performance out of these very inexpensive phones. The phones seem to be very durable, well built. These headphones are very efficient so they work great for portables...iPod in my situation. I also purchased the HD580s at the same time and wooohooo I'm very pleased with them as well! I've owned them for 2 months and get quality sessions out of both. I work in a lab so the HD201s are great for their "closed", non-disturbing to others design. Bottom line, the 201s are amazing quality for what you pay.
  
  
• For ~$20 US, excellent.
  By AKCN1RY4GLICJ on 2006-01-04
  I listen to music frequently, and though I could not honestly consider myself a TRUE audiophile (an audiophile being a person willing to spend $100 on a certain type of speaker cable for "maximum audio quality), I am definetly familiar with audio equipment that sounds good. I spent $100+ on an Audigy 2 soundcard, a card that has made a significant impact on the enjoyability of my listening experiences on my comp, and $200 on a decent set of speakers, and those are the two largest audio purchases I've made in a long time.
  
  I've used several different "studio-style" headphones over the past few years, and while the HD201s are not at the top of my list, they make a close second. The bass isn't quite as powerful as I'd hope it'd be, but it was actually more powerful than I expected (high hopes, low expectations, that's me). Treble's fine, though it can be a bit ringy at times.
  
  I mainly got these to:
  
  1) Listen to music sometimes at night when everyone is asleep.
  2) Listen to music at work during break.
  3) Listen to myself practicing guitar, so I don't drive everyone in my household nuts.
  
  If you need headphones for any of the above reasons, or similar ones, I'd suggest giving these a shot. They're durable, comfortable, and have better sound than most anything else you'd get for ~$20.
  
  
• A Boom-Box for Your Ears
  By A2UNEEEJNHGS2D on 2006-04-19
  I bought these headphones to use when I play my keyboard. They are precisely what I need. First and foremost, they reproduce sound very well. It is clear, without any hissing or static.
  
  They are comfortable to wear. The headband is adjustable and padded. It fits me and my husband comfortably, though we have different head sizes. He is bald and appreciates the padding!
  
  The earpieces cover my ears well and block outside noise sufficiently for me to practise the piano, while the TV is on, in the next room.
  
  Lastly, here's a hint. If you want to leave them out on top of a table or cabinet, a wire banana hanger makes a good-looking, inexpensive stand.
  
  These are great headphones at a modest price.
  
  
• Great Value
  By AMS2CPERWN7JV on 2006-12-08
  I got these headphones for $9.99 on one of Amazon's sale, and for that price these headphones are unsurpased. They don't offer a great fit, but they offer a really good one. Quality of sound is good, but it's not off the charts.
  
  What it comes down to, is that for the price (and even $20 more) these are some of the best value for your money. You get full on closed ear headphones for what a pair of original ipod earbuds would run you. You can't beat that.
  
  
• Doesn't live up to Senn's name
  By AZ0SIZRQWN7RC on 2007-01-08
  The HD201 rests on the lowest rung of Sennheiser's product line - inexpensive closed headphones with a cheap plastic design and a sound that lags behind its competition in this price range. The sound has surprisng range, but the trebles can be irritating, with a hollowness that can't be overcome by any combination of music and volume. The pads are passably comfortable, and of course, they're composed of an inexpensive leatherette.
  
  Most listeners seem to prefer the Koss KSC35 or 75, but many headphone designers have products that surpass these. But these do have one thing going for them - name recognition - and that (with its price) might enough for them to push a few extra units. But if you're expecting a miracle from these headphones, it's probably best to look for your sonic miracles elseware.
  
  
• What a Surprise!
  By AK6FTDBW6WCLC on 2007-02-24
  To be honest, I ordered these headphones as my order fell short of the amount needed to get free shipping. I have been on a quest to find good headphones to use with my iPod, so I thought, "Why not?"
  
  They are my first pair of over/around-the ear-headphones. When I used them my initial thought was they don't deliver the volume I felt they should. But, I realized I didn't require a higher volume to hear what I was playing. And, I didn't have to jack the volume up when I went into a noisy room, or while driving in the car with the windows down. I could hear everything, with no adjustment to the volume. Amazing!
  
  The added bonus? I can wear these headphones for hours and they never become uncomfortable!! And how about the quality of sound? I can find no fault in what I hear.
  
  Very impressive!
  
  
• Good Quality, Wont find a better pair of headphones for $20
  By A22LQ0SWRPS1O8 on 2007-04-12
  since the 201s are entry-level cans, obviously, you can easily find better headphones out there. But you will not find a better set of headphones for $20.
  
  PROS:
  
  1. Sounds are separated and clear. (I hooked these cans up to my TV and the sound was so clear that I could pick out individual voices and conversations in the crowd during a basketball broadcast.)
  
  2. Fits comfortably around your ear, unless you are Yao Ming. Only problem is that after an hour or two the tight seal around your ears makes them hot. Just take breaks every now an then.
  
  3. Blocks out noises from outside. (I used these at work and I have to wear them off my ear a little bit because people yell at me and I cant hear them.)
  
  CONS:
  
  1. Bass is lacking. (I compared the 201s to a set of Sonys that my Dad bought for the same price. The sonys actually had a deeper bass, but the bass was muttled and the sounds were jumbled together. The 201s had a tighter but not as deep a bass. If that makes any sense)
  
  2. Volume is also lower on the 201s than other audio output devices. But unless you are practically deaf, this shouldnt be a problem. You can hear the music at a pretty good level with your volume settings at around 60%.
  
  
• Just get a pair already
  By A353OKYDCIKCRZ on 2006-11-18
  Mine cost $17 with free shipping. I'd have been satisfied had they simply been adequate, but I was very surprised. They ain't audiophile, but they also sound like "real cans", as good or better than the competition costing 3X as much.
  
  Pros:
  flat response: some will call this "boring"
  Extremely light and comfortable, especially for large heads
  great soundstage
  stupidly cheap
  3m cord
  
  Cons:
  not sensitive, and need a strong source like an receiver.
  
  OK, that's a pretty lame con, as these are intended to be hifi cans, not ipod replacements.
  
  If I compared them to higher priced stuff, then I might start talking about how the texture and timbre of the instruments is a bit lacking--but I can't really go there at the price point. For their intended use, at at the price, there are simply no glaring faults.
  
  Tip: out of the box, sybilants such as female SSSSs's and drums can be painful. Let them burn in overnight mounted on a cantaloupe, and the drivers will loosen up. Sounds like utter voodoo, but the result was obvious with my pair.
  
  
• garbage
  By A3A27I0G8SADDH on 2007-05-07
  i hate these headphones... why did i buy them? and why did i drink so much tonight?
  
  
• Can't beat them for the price.
  By A3DWJ14SQ74DC5 on 2007-05-17
  I bought these to use with my guitar combo. I can play at a good volume without blowing out my ears and without getting an inordinate amount of distortion. I own better headphones, at 4X the price. I have never heard headphones in this price range that perform anywhere near as well as these.
  
  
• The best for the price
  By A2R9Q5MQ7FW5VR on 2006-01-10
  I was looking for a set of headphones that sound great and that I could wear at the office for most of the day. These really did the trick. I am no audiophile, so I am sure some higher priced headphones probably sound better. However, in my opinion these sound amazing. They are much better than some other headphones I used that were also in the $20 range. The sound is pretty balanced so the bass doesn't get too tiresome after a few hours. Also, the circumaural ear pads keep my ears from getting sore and the closed design keeps my cube neighbors from hearing my music.
  
  
• Sound probably not optimal due to fit.
  By ASIX20HNI6G1F on 2006-03-17
  I used these headphones for about a month before deciding to return them. i tried to justify keeping them due to their bang-for-the-buck, but ultimately, i decided that the fit and sound weren't really satisfying, even though they were $18, and they definitely sounded better than anything i have ever purchased in that price range.
  
  my previous headphones were a pair of 4-year-old Sennheiser HD497 ($50 to $60). i decided that i wanted a closed-back over-the-ear model to help drone out some work noise. the HD497 are an open-aire model that are over-the-ear for me (barely) but can be on-the-ear for others. that's my only basis for comparison. . .might not be fair.
  
  Fit and Sound Isolation:
  (last time i checked, my hat size was 7 1/4.)
  
  the headband is much different from the 497 (and 457, 202, and others). a common complaint with those models was that the one-piece headband was way too tight on people's heads. the 201s fit much looser and the earcups are much bigger, so you get a real over-the-ear fit. however, on my head, i found that it was a bit *too* loose, so i wasn't getting a real seal on my head. as a result, i felt like i wasn't getting proper sound isolation.
  
  Sound:
  these are definitely underpowered for my workstation's soundcard. i had to really jack up the volume to bring it up to the 497's level. i am not a huge bass head like some people are, but i felt like i really wasn't getting a decent amount for a closed set. i am going to attribute it to the loose fit, as mentioned above. i was also a little disappointed with a seeming lack of mids. the 497s really excel at presenting the entire range of lows and highs. the 201s sounded considerably less vibrant overall. in fact, parts of me just feel like if i had a bigger head, everything would've sounded better. whenever i slighly pressed the earcups to enhance the seal, everything sounded deeper and fuller.
  
  Price:
  for $20, you get good sound quality. definitely better than stock headphones included with mp3 and cd players
  
  Build Quality, Durability:
  i do give the 201s some praise for its clean look, but i couldn't help but feel that these headphones were a bit fragile. the pieces where the earcups meet the headband looked like they could disengage at any moment. i also didn't like how the cables were fixed onto the earcups. the 497s have detachable cables which have proven their usefulness when i managed to snap the cord once.
  
  Summary:
  i love sennheiser headphones, and i can't argue with the price, but i can't give it more than 3 stars. if you have a bigger head, these might sound much better.
  
  
• Excellent value
  By A1RBKQ42VSXTDZ on 2006-05-16
  The cans have no right sounding this good for the amount paid. There a natural sound to them. Clarity is excellent so every detail is heard.
  
  These are lightyears ahead of earbuds and even some more expensive headphones. Not for the bass-thumpers though, but these deliver the accurate amount of bass, as well as other frequencies.
  
  Comfort is subjective, but these are not the Armanis of the headphone industry. You can get the hang of putting them on so they feel all right. At least they're light so you won't sprain your neck.
  
  If sound quality and price are your main objectives; again these headphones just don't have any right sounding this good.
  
  Five stars for sheer value, easy.
  
  
• Decent *only* relative to their price--I'd recommend other options
  By A33SG2UA24DJ9P on 2006-07-08
  These headphones are a very strange. For $20, regardless of sound quality, you'd expect the headphones to be designed/paired with inexpensive, low-power audio devices. Like an Ipod. After all, what person that has the money for a $500 receiver or a $250+ headphone amp is going to choose these $20 headphones? Nevertheless, that's exactly what you need in order to get *anything* even semi-impressive on bass-wise out of these. Just look at the impedence specs and you'll see that they'll be a *terrible* choice for all low-output devices.
  
  Is the clarity impressive for $20? Yes. But beyond that they're totally underwhelming from lower-power audio sources--tinny with no balance whatsoever. In other words, they're exactly what you expect for $20--headphones with severe flaws. Not sure what all the 4-and-5 star reviews are about at all.
  
  If you *have* to have closed headphones in this price range and are listening from a low-power source, buy something else, any $20 closed Koss model will give you better results from low power sources than these. What I'd really recommend though is you move up to at least $40ish for the Phillips HP460, or to $60 for the Sony MDR-V6, as there's a HUGE quality difference in the sound quality related to closed headphones as you move up the pricerange. If you MUST spend only $20, go to "open" headphones such as Koss KSC-75 or Sennheiser PX100 instead where you get much better bang for your buck.
  
  
• great value for the price
  By A261OFWDZF59Q8 on 2005-10-04
  This is the first pair of headphones I've ever paid more than $10 for, and I wasn't about to shell out much for a new one, but this product was definitely well worth it. Music sounds great, blocks out other sound pretty well, and most importantly, it's very comfy.
  
  
• STEAL
  By A3BT5ZLAZ87H1Q on 2005-12-30
  Bottom line - for 20 bucks,how can you lose?
  They make an exceptional upgrade to the cheap-o headphones that came with your portable cd player (though i have to admit the cord is a bit long).
  Are you going to get audiophile sound?Dude,you are spending twenty bucks so take that in consideration...
  For disposable headphones I am hard pressed to see how you could do any better...Worth at least double the asking price!
  
  
• You get what your pay for.
  By A28AQ02AMRI43I on 2006-03-02
  Well, I just received these headphones and using them as I type this review. I sound isn't all that bad, but this headphone really lack BASS. Even on my ipod with the "Bass Booster" EQ setting the headphones really don't deliver the bass well. These headphones do block the outside noises fairly well.
  
  I had a pair of HD-202 and unfortunately my left channel went out and I only had the right channel. When my HD-202 were working though I defintely thought they delivered better bass than the 201's.
  
  If bass is important to you, then I would spend a few more buck and get the 202's and if you're really on a budget, then get the 201's.
  
  Overall, for the price you really can't complain too much about these headphones. Hopefully they will last longer than my 202's.
  
  
• Not comparable to the same price for a different product
  By A2AHLI0GA153P9 on 2006-06-23
  The first thing I did when I got these speakers was have my jaw drop to the floor and ask what made these speakers so utterly horrible. The cushions are nothing compared to the HD202s, which sell for 2 dollars more! The sound is nothing like the HD202s, which again, is for roughly the same price, and the feel of the headphones are very clumsy. There's two places where you have to move the headphones to get them to fit on your head, but the HD202s, only 1 place you have to adjust. The plug on the headphones were broken when I recieved them, but that doesn't affect the score. What affected the score was the high price for this quality a product coming from Sennheiser, and the pain I got from wearing it for 10 minutes.
  
  
• Great For the Price
  By AJQ2FWH42GW53 on 2006-07-26
  Good comfort and sound for the price. Volume when using iPods or other portable devices is pretty low, even with the dial cranked up.
  
  
• You get what you pay for
  By A3A4SSRMPX3GN3 on 2006-09-13
  I use these everyday at work. Good sound and comfortable. For those "Audiophiles" writing crazy point by point reviews, what do you expect from headphones < $20??? For normal daily use they work great.
  
  

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