I bought http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHO9561-28-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B003VNKKV2 a few months ago (in black) and they are very much worth it in terms of all the normal categories you can judge a pair of headphones on (sound quality, comfort, noise cancellation etc)

However,

if the cord rubs against anything ever so slightly (my shirt, my desk, my computer, a thick patch of oxygen), I can hear it.

if the headphones 'flex' at all ever so slightly (by touching it, turning my head 2 degrees, breathing wrong), I can hear it.

if I touch the headphones anywhere ever so slightly (the ear pieces, the bridge, the padding), I can hear it.

None of this bothered me at first, then it became annoying. Now, it actually makes me cringe every time. All 3 of these things happen, mostly simultaneously, as frequently as every other second, and no less often than every 30 seconds. It sounds like a mixture of someone gritting their teeth, sand blasting a cat, and blaring dubstep directly in my ears at the same time.

What the hell can I do to fix this?

Take it to the College of Winterhold, find Sergius Turrianus and ask him to get that [censored] soultrap enchantment off your headphones

Or, you could just buy a new pair of a different model. I hear the daedric headphones offer some quality sound.

i had some earplugs like that. i think i ripped them apart after a while and bought some other

Basically, what I'm asking is, can I fix the problem without buying new headphones or playing Skyrim?

no

Probably closed headphones. You want open.

This.

So... I need to get some more patriotic headphones then.

All the cool kids use Beats by Dre. Seriously though, everyone says they're the best headphones ever made, so maybe drop $400 on a pair and you'll be good. Or you can get the Beats by Bieber edition if you prefer.

Huh, mine are closed and I don't any sort of problem like this. I'm not clear whether the noise you hear is coming from the speakers inside the headphones, or do you just hear the vibration when you touch them?

No.

It is the vibration. The horrible, horrible vibration. Not the good, Beachboys kind.

Get some audio technica headphones...
Buy Dre's if you like wasting money on crap or have an Iphone

Those look pretty good for the price. I'm just afraid it would happen again, and there's really no way for me to find out until after I make a purchase. I'm also not accustomed to buying something and then replacing it if it costs more than AA batteries.

Don't worry though, I would never buy Dre's headphones.

I second that recommendation.

Perhaps find a local audio shop that has a "try them on" display of headphones, to see if the problem is due to your specific set of headphones, or just a "I'm really sensitive to this thing, so I'm screwed because it'll happen with any headphones" issue.

(Heck, if you can't find a store like that, the audio section of the big chain bookstores should have headphones at their "listen to it" stations, that you could try)

try them on at a store Guitar Center usually has them in stock.

I tried these on at the local Worst Buy, and I'm assuming I didn't notice it because the store sounds like a LAN party inside a vacuum cleaner.

*Dies a little inside*

If you're going to be dropping around half a grand on headphones, there are many better options than Beats. Like... just about anything else in that price range. Sennheiser HD650s are only around $450 now.

no disrespect meant, but beats are rubbish. They're just very bass heavy headphones that are no better otherwise in sound quality than a $10 pair of Sony MDR-150s. at around $300 I believe you can get AKG k 242 HDs which are far superior.

If you say so. I've never met anyone who owns a pair who's disliked them. I know a lot of people don't like them, but I just chalk it up to hating the brand. Personally if I were to invest in a set of headphones I'd go with the Beats Pro for $399. But I don't often use headphones, I have a surround system I use in my room and have no real need for anything more than iPhone headphones at the gym.

To be fair, the beats aren't exeptionally bad, they're okay, it's just the 'designer headphones' idea pushing the price up with no relation to the actual value of the product.

My father owns a pair, I've listened to them extensively before I bought my HD650s, they svck.

In all fairness, the Beats aren't necessarily unquestioningly bad headphones - they just heavily emphasize the bass and do little else, but the marketing makes them out to be some kind of ultimate headphones and necessitate that $400 price tag.

My brother owns a pair he uses them to show off then puts them away.

How many of these people have tried something that isn't crap, though?

The Beats Pro have a metal construction and are very heavy. So there are better options for portable use, and at home the brand doesn't matter so you'd be better off with something that sounds good. Just saying.