[maep]

> Every wired headphones I've had started to break down after a year or so, including ones with a detachable cable.

To counter your anecdotal evidence, let me offer mine.

My AKGs are almost 20 years old now. I only had to relpace the plug once which was a cheap repair I could do myself.

[lotsofpulp]

I use the $7 to $10 Panasonic HT21 for many years at a time, for the past 15 years.