[Mysteek]

Hello all from Japan!
 
I'm here on a 4 month exchange, and it just occured to me that pricing should be different here--I mean, places like AC are a tad pricy because of the whole import thing.
 
I have been looking around for headphones but I barely know what to look for (let alone where to look), so I would be interested in a list of a few models of headphones to keep an eye out on.  Budget should be around $400 or less.  
 
Should I be looking around Akihabara or is it generally cheaper the further away I go from the big cities?
 
Thank you all.

 

[nanaholic]

If you are in Tokyo go to Yodobashi Akiba (just behind the JR Akihabara station, you can't miss it, it's a giant building) and head to the audio floor.  There are enough headphones there for you to try for the entire day until you find the one you like, even high end phones like W5000, D7000, HD800, T1 or SR-009 are there for you to try.  Bring your source if you have a good portable rig, pretty much all the phones are free for you to plug in your own source.  Look for local brands eg Audio Technica, Sony, Denon even STAX which would be the most discounted ones in Japan.  Imported phones are expensive and not discounted in general so you would want to stay away from things like say, Sennheissers, Beyers and AKGs.    
 
Yodobashi prices are generally fairly good (I remember seeing the W3000NAV for something like 80,000yen when I was there this January), if not once you've found the phone you like head to Amazon JP and you might find a good deal there too.

 

[LordKim]

Don't know much but...
Ultimate Ears is very expensive when I was there...

 

[Darkblade48]

I assume you are in the Tokyo area, given that you are asking about Akihabara?
 
As already mentioned, going to the nearest Bic Camera or Yodobashi Camera will yield good results; they will have lots of different pairs of headphones for you to try on. The Yodobashi Camera where I live has a high-end section as well, where you can try high-end headphones connected to amplifiers, etc. Here are some pictures of what I tried (also note they have listening booths for "normal" headphones" as well)
 

 

 

 
In terms of price, Amazon is usually the cheapest. In store prices are very rarely better, but sometimes can be better by a few 100, up to 2000 yen or so. Amazon prices can often be significantly cheaper (AKG K550 is more than 25000 yen cheaper on Amazon).
 
Denon, Audio technica are usually the cheapest (compared to overseas prices, and from what people say it costs them online). Sennheiser and Beyerdynamics are hit and miss; sometimes they are about the same price as overseas, sometimes they are much more expensive.
 
Hope this helps,
 

 

[o63odt]

This is an old post but for anyone still interested
I would suggest 
http://www.soundhouse.co.jp/
I used to use it for ordering av equipment for a club in college
Cheaper than amazon or any other site I have encountered.
 
Also some foreign products are cheaper than in the US.
I got a SHURE SHR 440 for 5,980 yen.
 
They only have a Japanese site though.

 

[mikek200]

Here's one that Paradoxper turned me onto:
 
http://www.pricejapan.com/front/e_main_page.php
 
Very nice price on the 009's

 

[Dr Riddim]

Yodobashi Camera and BicCamera are great in most cases, especially if you have their PointCards.
 
For price comparison in Japan, I use this: www.kakaku.com
 
And last month I found the best specialist headphone shop i have seen anywhere in the World in Akihabara:
 
http://www.e-earphone.jp
 
They have all headphones I can think of and lots of second hand phones as well. plus cases, amps and whatever. And their prices can match Yodobashi and BicCamera.