This doesn't at all surprise me. I consider myself a enthousiast with a limited budget. For instance I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 25-1 II for maybe 15 years now and I still enjoy them. Same goes for my KRK Rokit monitors. But recently I wanted to buy some Bluetooth headphones, since you know, the 3.5mm is absent from my new phone.
For those headphones I just went to the local MediaMarkt. First looked at crazy expensive Sennheisers, than at some boomy JBL's (Samsung) until I finally settled at some House of Marley Positive Vibration II - Bluetooth. It was the least expensive set of Bluetooth headphones in store with the poorest reviews online. But for me the sound was great. At that moment I realized that I had forgotten an important lesson for audio devices: Choose with your ears. Especially when you have a limited budget, like myself.
My gut feeling for headphones is that the $40-$80 price point is optimal and everything above that is smoke and mirrors. (or more charitably "a difference without a difference" - something that is perceptible but which doesn't improve the pleasure derived in any meaningful way)
I think that $40-$80 is ideal for most. However like I said my Sennheiser HD 25-1 II was about $120 when it was new, so a bit over. But everything on it is repairable. So when I replaced the foam bits last year, it felt like a new pair of headphones.
And of course $300 or $600 or even more expensive headphones probably sound better. But IMHO the difference doesn't justify the cost.
For those headphones I just went to the local MediaMarkt. First looked at crazy expensive Sennheisers, than at some boomy JBL's (Samsung) until I finally settled at some House of Marley Positive Vibration II - Bluetooth. It was the least expensive set of Bluetooth headphones in store with the poorest reviews online. But for me the sound was great. At that moment I realized that I had forgotten an important lesson for audio devices: Choose with your ears. Especially when you have a limited budget, like myself.