Budget shopping tips: Headphones The Grado SR60 now costs less than S$150 (US$110.44). I don't know about you, but finding a great deal always puts a little bounce in my step. What I like even more is helping others find what they want without requiring them to drop a massive wad of cash. In that spirit, here's a collection of buying tips that will help you find a good set of earphones on a limited budget. Also, make sure to check out CNET's list of in-ear headphones for less than S$100 (US$73.63). Look at older modelsHeadphone technology changes over the past 10 years or so have been evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and as a result, sets that came out five or more years ago often sound just as good as their more-recently released brethren. And after several years on the market, the list price is often significantly lower than the original MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price). For example, the Creative Zen Aurvana In-Ear once sold for S$169 (US$124.43), but now can be found for less than S$100 (US$73.63).Keep an eye out for end-of-life productsIf you're taking the above advise and checking out older products, keep your ears perked for news on models pending replacement. When Grado first released its followup RS2i Reference Headphones, its predecessor (the US$500 RS2) could be found for as little as US$395 online.Buy from giantsAs much as it pains me to say it, purchasing from the big boys in tech will probably save you money. Bulk processing cuts down on the cost to manufacturers and that's often passed on to you. The company with the largest chunk of the headphone market is probably Sony, and it's true that the company has made plenty of solid earbuds that cost well under US$100. Other biggies include AKG, Sennhesier and Philips.Shop the sale specialsNothing new here, really. Like just about every other consumer good, headphones tend to sport discounted price tags during the festive periods. Plus, you can often take advantage of the deals at IT fairs. Since most tech companies release new models every year, previous-generation earphones will often have their prices reduced.Consider secondhand goodsI don't recommend purchasing used headphones (yuck), but eBay and tech forums more often than not have products in this particular category. For the most part, the items on auction sites can be found for at least 5-10 percent lower than the retail price.Think long termNo matter how much you decide to spend, having to replace a product every six months is not an ideal scenario. Cheap headphones, particularly of the earbud variety, can suffer from durability issues such as weak cables and poor overall construction. A good rule of thumb--especially if you're spending less than S$100 (US$73.63)--is to make sure the earphones come with a decent warranty, preferably one that is at least one-year-long and covers any damage caused from standard wear-and-tear.Some companies that are known for good warranties are Shure which offers a two-year warranty and has a reputation for great customer service (often replacing damaged sets with brand new models), and Koss which gives lifetime warranty on its headphones that has received much positive feedback. (Incidentally, Skullcandy also provides a limited manufacturer's lifetime warranty, though I haven't heard much about the company's customer service). Tags: Philips Electronics N.V., Advertisement, Sony Corp., customer service, cable
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