Headphones for listening stations?

December 18, 2018 9:48 AM

I need to recommend the purchase of about a dozen pairs of headphones for my workplace, for the public to use. Criteria: over-ear, with volume adjustment (ideally a knob for each ear, NOT the little wheel on the cord). Easy-to-clean a plus! Under $100 ideal, given that we have to buy a bunch. Anyone have recommendations or suggestions, so I'm not stuck with random googling? Thanks!
posted by theatro to Technology (5 answers total)

I have a pair of Monoprice 8323 over-ear headphones, which I like and are well reviewedparticularly given they are ~$20 headphones. Monoprice have a reputation for producing solid quality tech gear for low prices. One note on these - they have a 1/4" audio jack on the headphone itself where the connector cable to the audio source plugs in, that is, they could be unplugged from the audio system at the headphone and taken, if the listening station is in a public/unsupervised setting.

I too have never seen volume adjustment on the earpiece for headphones, except for bluetooth headphones which have no other place to put the volume adjustment. Every listening station I've ever seen has the adjustment on the station itself.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 10:45 AM on December 18, 2018

something like this? i googled "library headphones" and there were other models as well. that may be where you want to start.
posted by koroshiya at 11:27 AM on December 18, 2018

to not abuse the edit, i see a volume knob on one side. you might be able to email the company and see if it's on both.
posted by koroshiya at 11:28 AM on December 18, 2018

Yeah, you want oldschool library headphones. Sound quality will not be very good, but they'll be rugged and easy to clean. And here you go:
Califone 3068AV Stereo/Mono Headphones, 3.5 mm Stereo Plug, Black - Volume control: volume knobs on each earcup allow the volume for each ear to be controlled independently
posted by zsazsa at 11:31 AM on December 18, 2018

Ahhhhh, very helpful to have the term "library headphones", that's just the ticket. And I'll try out a pair of those Califones. Thanks, all!
posted by theatro at 5:35 AM on December 19, 2018