The closed-back over-ear AmazonBasics branded headphones are now on sale for $34.99 per pair, with a limit of five per customer at Amazon’s own website. I typically round the prices for readability, but in this case, that little penny is important, because if you are not a Prime member, you need a $35+ order to get free shipping. You can always add an audio cable or some other add-on item or trinket to get to over $35 if you don’t need anything else… These average 3.7 out of 5 based on 50+ customer reviews…
Earbud Case (macaroon style) for $4 w/free S&H (from within USA)
And now something under $5 shipped, and shipping from the USA (Northern California), eBay seller DrHotDeal (98.8%) is offering a earbud cases, in macaroon-style shape, for $4 with free shipping. They have six color schemes available with about a dozen already sold out. Limit 50 per customer.
NOTE: $4 only gets you one case. The eBay listing starts with “3.5mm”, which may cause some speed-readers to think you get a 3pk. If you want volume and don’t mind waiting for a few weeks, you can find them from sellers shipping from China for less.
Buy Sony MDR-ZX110NC On-Ears for $48, Get $25 Dell Promo Gift Card
If you need active noise cancellation on a budget and you are a frequent Dell shopper, for a limited time, when you add the Sony MDR-ZX110NC On-Ear Headphones to your shopping cart, a $25 promotional Dell Gift Card is also added there automatically. This offer is good until 1/18/16. The $25 promo gift card will be emailed to you 10-20 days after your headphone order ships and it must be used within 90 days. It is a promotional gift card, not a “normal” gift card.
You know this offer is good when you see it in the shopping cart like this (screenshot below):
NOTE: the “NC” model is without a mic/remote. The “NA” model is with mic/remote. Together, they average 3.8 out of 5 based on 245 customer reviews at amazon.com based on 50 questions answered.
Beyerdynamic DT 990 (250 ohm) Limited Edition (straight cable) for $130
While Sennheiser and Audio Technica and AKG are well known for squirting new headphone models left and right, all across their line-up, Beyerdynamic is not far behind these days. Case in point, they have a recent limited edition of the DT 990 (250 ohm) open-back headphones with a straight black cable, and it is currently on sale for $130 with free shipping, with a limit of five per customer by Focus Camera on eBay. This is new condition in original packaging.
TIP: easy way to tell the “open-ness” of the Beyerdynamic DT-series, the higher the number, the more open they get. The DT770 is closed, the DT880 is semi, and the DT990 is open.
Buy Sony MDR-1A for $300, Get $100 Promotional Gift Card
There is a limited time offer at the Dell website. This appears after you add the headphone to the shopping cart. So when you add the Sony MDR-1A closed-back over-ears to the shopping cart, and click through to the proceed to checkout page (you don’t need to login or sign-up to see this offer), the shopping cart shows a promotion that gets you a $100 promotional Dell Gift Card if you complete the purchase.
It is important to note that the promotional gift card expires in 90 days and will be sent to you 10-20 days after your order ships. So you might as well plan your next purchase at Dell before you pull the trigger on this one.
Sony MDR-ZX300AP On-Ears for $18 w/free S&H
The new condition closed-back on-ear Sony MDR-ZX300AP headphones are currently on sale for $18 with free shipping, in new condition but bulk packaging with a 90 day warranty at discount seller Tanga.com. Limit ten per customer. No other coupons can be used on this because of the low price. Only the black-blue color scheme is available. As the “AP” in their model name suggests, these are Android (eg 1-button remote) headphones.
Munitio Nines Bullet Earbuds for $40 w/free s&h
Especially of interest to Call of Duty fans, Groupon Goods is offering the Munitio Nines Bullet Earbuds for $40 with free shipping, available in three color schemes (black, gold, silver). As the name suggests, these have a bullet-style shape and design. They are available with an Apple remote/mic and with an Android remote/mic. They come with a 2-year warranty from the manufacturer, and Groupon Goods offers free returns if you don’t like them.
Their line-up can be a bit confusing, check the big tablet of features-comparison further down the product page at Amazon if you want to quickly detangle (no pun intended) the situation 🙂
[DEAD] Starts on Friday at 9am ET: Audio Technica A500X and A700X Over-Ears and Monster DNA In-Ears
These three lightning deals expired, but all three of them are recurring offers. However, I have no idea when they will return…
Monoprice 8323 Over-Ears for $16 w/free shipping (limit 10)
This is as close to a bang for the buck deal as you are going to get. The Monoprice website is offering their frequently-recommended 8323 Closed-Back Over-Ear Headphones for $16 with free standard shipping, with a limit of ten per customer. These have a detachable cable (included), and fold flat, and have a number of hacks you can make if you want to improve their comfort. It is really hard to beat this as a bang for the buck headphone on sale and with free shipping included.
Sennheiser HD 558 for $90 (limit 2)
If you are a fan of senning (verb) the heisers (noun) [feel free to throw tomatoes at me], the open-back over-ear Sennheiser HD 558, the middle child of their three-tier line-up is back on sale again, going for $90 with free shipping, with a limit of two per customer, at Amazon by Amazon actual. It averages 4.6 out of 5 based on 770+ customer reviews and has 170+ customer reviews if you are curious about it. Both reviews and questions-answered are searchable, they have their little search-boxes but you kinda have to look for them – they are not easy to find while casually glancing around the ever-so-loaded Amazon product pages.
Used Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd Generation) for $879
The second generation Beyerdynamic T1 Tesla headphones are already in-stock at various retailers for $1100, but if you are fond of used headphones, and want to save some, as of the time of writing, there is a single used listing on them, in “Used – Very Good” condition (cosmetic imperfections on the item, damaged packaging), going for $879~ by Amazon Warehouse Deals actual. These are 600 ohm headphones and with their latest models, BeyerD has finally discovered detachable cable technology (comes with detachable double-sided braided 3 meter (almost 10 feet) cable) 🙂
Pioneer HDJ-2000 DJ Closed-Back Over-Ears for $219
It’s DJ time on the internets, because we have another DJ headphone, it is the black color scheme of the Pioneer HDJ-2000 (closed-back, 50mm drivers, over-ears) going for a limited time for $219 with free 3-day shipping from authorized dealer Adorama.com.
PS: a “DJ headphone” is (or has become) a bit of a nebulous description. The original thought behind the term was for headphones that are designed for use by DJs while DJing (verb). Over time, marketing took over the term, so now a DJ headphone is not just one that has features that might be useful to a DJ (closed-back, swiveling earcups, one-ear listening, folding, isolation, cable flexibility, etc), but it is also a style – pandora’s box has been opened. This is a general purpose comment, not meant for this particular headphone specifically.
Sennheiser HD7 DJ Closed Over-Ear for $129
If you were looking for an opportunity to scoop up the closed-back over-ear Sennheiser HD7 DJ headphones, they are currently on sale in new condition from authorized dealer Adorama.com for $129 with free shipping. I do not know when this sale ends.
Plantronics Backbeat Sense Bluetooth On-Ears with $50 Gift Card for $180
The black-espresso color-scheme of the on-ear Bluetooth Plantronics Backbeat Sense headphones are currently bundled with a free $50 B&H Photo Gift Card at B&H Photo. The gift card promotion is mentioned there while this promotion is running and the B&H packaging department will include it automatically during this promotion. There’s no coupon code or anything else you need to it.
NOTE #1: Only the black-espresso color scheme gets the free $50 gift card. The white-tan color-scheme does not.
NOTE #2: this model should not be confused with the “SE” (Special Edition) models that come with a “Splashproof Coating”.
Refurbished Audio-Technica ATH-T300 for $14 w/free S&H
And now refurbished action, the Audio-Technica ATH-T300 are available in manufacturer refurbished condition with a 90 day warranty for $14 with free shipping by Dealfisher thru Amazon. They ship from Dealfisher, so everyone gets free shipping, but they are not eligible for Prime 2-day shipping. They have 4 customer reviews with each star represented except for the 4-star rating. In other words, a 2.8 out of 5 rating, so be sure to look into them if you are not already familiar. (their new condition price is currently $35 by Amazon actual).
Panasonic RP-HV-096-K Basic Earbuds for $3.38
Amazon actual is offering the new condition Panasonic RPHV096K Basic Earbuds (black color scheme) for $3.38 per pair, with a limit of five per customer. There is one catch however, these are “Add On Items”, so you must place an order of $25 or more, otherwise the shopping cart will simply refuse to let you buy them. The restriction applies to all, including Prime and PrimeFresh members. These are old-school earbuds, no protrusions that go inside the ear plane. They average 3.6 out of 5 based on 130+ customer reviews. Earbuds are typically a matter of convenience and disposability, not an audiophile-priority purchase.
Yamaha HPH-200WH On-Ears for $60
If you like white/gray color-scheme on-ear headphones, the Yamaha HPH-200WH is currently on sale for $60 with free shipping by marketplace sellers with the order fulfilled by Amazon, so free 2-day shipping for Prime members. The seller of record however is not Amazon but a marketplace seller. The black color scheme goes for double… These average 4.1 out of 5 based on 28 customer reviews…
Tracking the new headphones of CES 2016
CES 2016 brought some new headphones, or at least shone the spotlight on some of the headphones that got quietly mentioned during the holiday shopping season. So I started a new tracking post to round up some of the many new headphones that generated some buzz at CES 2016. More will be added, but if there are any models you want to see added specifically, please leave a comment!
Audio-Technica ATH-WS50 On-Ears for $20 w/free S&H
The clearance sales have already began, on the closed-back on-ear front, the Audio-Technica ATH-WS50-BK headphones are on sale for $20 with free shipping, in new condition, at authorized dealer Adorama.com. These are part of AT’s “Solid Bass” line-up.
Samson SR 950 Over Ears for $25 after $10 MIR
The over-ear Samsung SR 950 headphones are on sale for $35 with free shipping, but that’s not all. They are also eligible for a $10 mail-in rebate (see PDF details) when you purchase it at Adorama.com. Even without the mail-in rebate, $35 is not a bad price for this. Offer ends by 1/14/16.
Samson has just a new Z-series with four closed-back studio-headphones. You can find those to our brand new on-going post, New Headphones at CES 2016.
Ultrasone PRO 550 for $129
If you are fond of the S-Logic line of headphones, the closed-back and folding Ultrasone PRO 550 is on sale for $129 with free shipping at Adorama.com until 1/16/16 or earlier if they sell out. Case and cable are included.
ASUS XONAR DG Headphone Amp for $19 after $10 MIR
A new month is here, and in typical fashion, ASUS has a new round of mail-in rebates for their sound cards that include the bang for the buck ASUS XONAR DG. The price is now $18.69 after the $10 mail-in rebate. The rebate amount is fixed but the item’s price can change over time. This rebate offer is good for purchases made January 1-31 in 2016. The DG is not the only eligible model. Check the PDF of the mail-in rebate for all the details.
Fiio E07K Andes USB DAC and Amp for $57
The Fiio E07K Andes USB DAC and Headphone Amp is currently on sale for $57 with free shipping by seller “Etailz” with the order fulfilled by Amazon, so it is eligible for Prime shipping. The seller has a 99% rating with nearly 130,000 ratings. The Fiio averages 4.3 out of 5 based on 280 customer reviews, and has 130+ questions answered by other shoppers over there.
Keep in mind that Fiio is rebooting their line-up with a new product naming scheme, so this is not a “latest model name” product.
[DEAD] Used Magni 2 headphone amp for $95~
As of 1/14/16 re-check, all the used units are sold out…
[DEAD] Price Crash! M-Audio Micro (USB DAC) for $31.50
Rechecking on 1/14/16 shows that the price has jumped all the way back up to around $100…
[DEAD] Wedn: MEelectronics M6 for $10.50, M6p for $14.50
This daily deal expired…
[DEAD] Demo Monster Inspiration Over Ears for $40 w/1yr warranty
As of 1/7/16, this too sold out… I am jinxing all the eBay Deals 🙂
[DEAD] Sennheiser HD 218i On-Ears for $25 + $5 S&H
This daily deal expired, but Woot offers are often of the recurring variety…
AKG K3003i Reference In-Ears for $900 [Update: open-box sold-out)
Flagship time on the in-ears front, the AKG K3003i Reference Class in-ears are on the sale swing again, going for $900 (was $930) with free shipping, with a limit of five per customer at Amazon by Amazon actual where they average 4.4 out of 5 based on 23 polarized reviews (no 3-star reviews).
UPDATE (1/7/16): while the new condition price dropped a bit, the open-box on eBay sold-out, while the used prices at Amazon went up… If you prefer non-new, you can get them for $650 in open-box condition with full warranty from RazorDog Audio. This has “less than 10 hours used” per the listing… Contrast that price for the no-warranty but 30-day-return-policy in “Used – Good” condition for $640 by Amazon Warehouse Deals…
Monoprice Desktop Headphone Amplifier for $80
The Monoprice Desktop Headphone Amplifier (USB and RCA inputs, RCA line-out and pre-out, and of course headphone out) is on sale again, going for $80 with free shipping by Monoprice through Amazon, one of many ways to spend any Amazon Gift Cards and promotional credits you may have accumulated during the holiday shopping season 🙂 This averages 4.6 out of 5 based on 11 customer reviews and has 10 questions answered.
[DEAD] Denon DA-300USB DAC/Amp drops to $220
This price was too good to last, as of 1/7/16 this is done, and can no longer be ordered…
[DEAD] Open-box Hifiman HE1000 w/full warranty for $2600
As of a 1/7/16 re-checking, this eBay listing is closed…
Used 32GB ZTE Axon Pro for $292~
This is a bit of an unusual DAP (digital audio player), although I suppose not really since we are in the era of smartphone domination. One of the priorities of ZTE’s flagship Axon Pro line was hifi audio. This phone goes for $400 in unlocked new condition, but if you want to save, you can get it used. The blue color scheme goes for $291~ in “Used – Very Good” condition at Amazon Warehouse Deals and there are plenty of listings there, so price pressure may lower it further. Meanwhile the silver color scheme goes for $293~ in “Used – Very Good” condition. This too has multiple listings so there’s the possibility of further discounting because of supply and demand.
This is the 32GB version. The 64GB version goes for more. Sadly it does not have a microSD slot, but it has 4GB RAM and runs on the Snapdragon 810, with Quick Charge 2.0 (so you don’t have to wait too long for recharging), and comes bundled with JBL earphones. Plenty is written about it online, so one could spend time researching it while waiting for the used prices to drop further down.
[DEAD] Refurbished Beats Solo 2 Bluetooth On-Ears for $130
This eBay offer expired but there are many more to be making the rounds as Beats is selling these by the ton…
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