I also vote for the PX-100.They’re about the same size as the headphones that used to come with portable CD players, back before earbuds became the standard junk add-on. So they’re definitely portable. They even fold up into a case about the size of an eyeglass case. The sound is quite good - not as good as an HD series headphone, but still very good. Frequency range is 15 Hz - 27 kHz, but all Sennhsiers should cover the entire audible range. You can get them from Amazon for about $35-40.
Comfort should also be a factor, I think. The PX-100 pads can be a little scratchy at first, but after a couple of weeks they’re quite comfy.
One downside is the cord is a bit long for portable use - 6 feet. You end up with a big loop dangling down in front of you, and it catches on things easily. Eventually this breaks the cord. Sennheiser is great about warranty replacement, but beyond the warranty period you usually just have to throw them away. My last pair broke about about 3 years. Its still such a wonderful headphone, I immediately bought another pair. I currently have a pair at home and a pair at work. I really like the PX-100.
Another downside is they are “open”, meaning outside sound can get in (and if you listen to them loud, your sound can get out a bit). They’re fine in places like malls and neighborhoods, but if you’re in a noisy area, it can be a problem. The PX-200 is supposedly “closed”, but I’m not sure how closed it is. The earbuds that you jam into your ear canal work best at blocking outside sound (and they’re the only kind fo earbuds that really sound good), and not everyone is comfortable iwth being so blithely unaware of their surroundings (I’ve had a couple of bad experiences with these).
I also have a pair of HD-500 headphones. As you can see from the picture in the earlier link, the HD series are huge. Its a real stretch to call them “portable”…sort of like how a laptop can be used as a “portable” mp3 player. I once asked why people would buy a tiny player only to use it with enormous headphones, and all the responses were that they do this around the house (which makes sense). The cords are also even longer than the PX-100 - usually about 10 feet. They also have a much higher impedence than the PX series, so you really have to crank up the Fuze volume to get the same volume out of the headphones (draining the battery faster, and limiting the possible volume).
I have several pair of Sennheiser earbuds (none of the models that you push into your ear, though). Like all traditional earbuds, they have weak bass and let in a lot of noise. The newer models have equal-length cords to both buds, which a lot of people seem to prefer, but I don’t like that because you can’t just take them out and let them fall onto your neck…you have to find some place to stash them or they’ll be dangling down to your feet.
Message Edited by bdb on 03-11-2009 12:01 PM