Best inexpensive microphones and headphones?

Are you looking for earbud types or ones that cover the entire ear?

They make great quality earbuds, but they're in the $3-400 range, and I don't know how they handle distortion.

You should check out the forums over at head-fi.org. Discussion usually leans towards more expensive headphones, but just poke around a bit and you should find recs for something in your range.

Just FYI, Koss KSC-75 are widely considered a great bang-for-your-buck headphone (beware they are clip-ons though).

Edith to say they can be found for under $20 on amazon.

I picked up a pair of Shure earbuds last year and have been loving them. They're the type that stick in your ear and seal off all outside noise, and were actually made for musicians, but they're also great for eliminating the noise of your girlfriend's reality tv shows when you're trying to write.

Got them for about 60 bucks online, look around and you can find a deal. Here's their site- http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/P...ones/index.htm

First, I'm going to recommend against ear bud style particularly if you are making loud, aggressive music. You are basically doing blunt force trauma to your ears due to the low frequencies not having anywhere to dissipate. If you work in short increments then they are fine but if you are mixing you're not likely working in short periods of time.

I'm a huge fan of the headphones that Sennheiser puts out. They are mid-range in terms of quality of monitoring but they are tremendous workhorse cans. The HD280Pro are in your price range and should last you a fair chunk of time.

For a step up I'd go with the AKG K271. They are worth the extra 100 bucks. Clear mids, lower than normal lows, and higher than you need highs. These are probably your best deal.

If you absolutely need ear buds go with the Shure E2. They take forever to get comfortable but once you have them broken in they replicate sound quite nicely.

For microphones it would all depend on whether you are talking vocals or instruments. I assume vocals, correct?

Get a decent large condenser and you'll never need to buy another. Something with a high pass filter and the ability to roll off at the lower dbs would be perfect. Audio Technica has the AT4040 or you could try the Rode NT1A. The Shure KSM27 is decent as well.

I tend to be a traditionalist with microphones. Granted, I haven't been looking to buy a new mike in years, but I would stick with Shure SM58s for vocals and SM57s for instruments. They will not die. Not great for the studio, but they double as live mikes. Invest in a darn good windscreen if popping is unbearable.

I like the SM57 for female vocals as well but only live. As studio mics the leave a lot to be desired. I need a little more oomph in a studio situation and they don't give me that.

(However, the SM58 makes a really great foley mic.)

SM57's are the mics God uses. There is no better instrument mic for the price.

As for vocals, I'm finding the SM58 Beta to be a God send. Just a nice, crisp sound. It's a little bit more expensive, but you can hear where they put that extra cost. But, that's live though, haven't tried in the studio yet.

For recording vocals you need a large condenser. Don't use a 58 or 57 for recording. Those pass for live stuff, or you can use a 57 to record guitar amps, but I think even a shitty cheap large condenser would work better than those kind of mics. Samson makes cheap ones. I got one for like $90 a few years ago. In the wide spectrum of mics it's shit but it's better than the garage bullshit I've been doing since I was 16 with radioshack crap. If you want to spend a little more, I can say that my AKG C 3000B is nice and clean, passes for capturing dynamic changes, and it has a switch for reducing distortion on close-in recordings, and a switch for bass cut filter. It was like $350 at guitar center or something.

Oh, and use a pop-filter, or just make one with panty-hose and a clothes-hanger.

Depends on what type of vocal tone you want, but you really can't go too wrong with any of the cheapo chinese made large diaphragm condensers for sale these days.

A quick peak over at zzounds.com shows an MXL V57M for $60 and an Audio Technica AT2020 for a benjamin. Killer killer deal on the AT mic. I'd jump on that baby if I had a need.

Just picked up a pair of ATH-M30s for my portable rig. Really great set of cans for a reasonable price. Excellent sound, good availability (in case your pair gets broken you can buy a new set easily) and pretty rugged design.