which headphones for ipod?

[smartalic34]

I'm finally fed up with the stock apple earbuds and have decided to upgrade. I can't decide if I want over-the-ear phones or canalphones, but does anyone have any experience with these 4 models?:

Shure SE210 (in-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE210-Sound-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B000NDLJNG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213586297&sr=8-3)

V-Moda Vibe (in-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Vibe-Earbuds-Flashback-Chrome/dp/B000XHWAC6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213583349&sr=1-5)

Sennheiser HD-555 (over-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FTVDQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

Sennheiser HD-280 Pro (over-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Professional/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213583396&sr=1-1)

thanks!

[Muncher]

I'm finally fed up with the stock apple earbuds and have decided to upgrade. I can't decide if I want over-the-ear phones or canalphones, but does anyone have any experience with these 4 models?:

Shure SE210 (in-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE210-Sound-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B000NDLJNG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213586297&sr=8-3)

V-Moda Vibe (in-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Vibe-Earbuds-Flashback-Chrome/dp/B000XHWAC6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213583349&sr=1-5)

Sennheiser HD-555 (over-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FTVDQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

Sennheiser HD-280 Pro (over-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Professional/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213583396&sr=1-1)

thanks!

Canalphones are (I've heard) much quieter if used properly, but many people don't like them and say they aren't comfortable. On the other hand, as comfortable as over-ear 'phones are, they're not nearly as quiet as the canalphones.

Just some food for thought. :p

[SchneiderMan]

i own the v-moda vibe duo and the bose in-ear

get the bose in-ear for sure

[alexlovesmacs]

v-moda are great

[Super Intendo]

I own the v-moda vibes. I use them for recording music and for listening to music while i drum along. The sound quality is good and the noise canceling is just enough that i can hear the drums (I play loud... very loud) and still the music (clearly) but nothing else.

The only problem- i can only drum while wearing them for about an hour tops, regardless of how deep (or not deep) in my ear they are the just hurt. It may be because i'm not very big (about 5'7" and 115 lbs) and maybe my ears are small or something, but no matter which size plugs i put on them they just hurt.

If you've got bigger ears though, I'd definitely recommend them :rolleyes:

[thegoldenmackid]

Shure...


Shure is going to be much better then the V-Moda's. My E2's are so much better then the V-Moda's.

[cosmokanga2]

+1 for Shure

I own the SE110 and love them but the SE210 are even better! Go for them, they're conformable and block out a good deal of external sound.

[dadeef]

etymotic/shure cant go wrong with either.

[danielhayter]

Also consider Etymotic er6i in earcanal headphones. They go in to your ear quite deep and I've got to admit that I find them uncomfortable after 1hr+ of constant use, but if you're listening to music in a noisy environment (i commute 45mins to work in the paris metro every day) then they're great. They really block out external noise and the sounds they produce is very neutral. I tend to use those on the metro and then I have a pair of Sennheisers for use at work where it's less noisy.

[smartalic34]

thanks for all the great responses so far! I'm definitely going to go with in-ear phones. I'll add the etymotics and the other shure model to my list, so now it's between the shure se110, shure se210, v-moda vibe, and etymotic er6i.

any additional comments are appreciated.

two quick questions though: I've read that the yellow foams that came with the shures have been replaced by black coated foams. are these new black foams also disposable (like the yellows) or are they washable/re-wearable?

are the shure and etymotic models harder to put in/take out than the v-moda because they go in deeper?

[BMP1199]

Go with the Shure for sure!

I own em and I love em

[Minico88]

Go with whatever is cheapest at Wal-Mart. They they use a speaial Chinese based lead that makes everything sound better.

[MattZani]

Im a big fan of in ear, with the rubber cups, but i just picked up some Sennheiser HD 205's, and they have blown me away. Although, i havent tried similarly priced In Ear versions.

The 205's look cool too, and the 'R' cup rotates forwards and backwards, good for when your talking to people (The Box says DJ use though ;) )

[cosmokanga2]

I've read that the yellow foams that came with the shures have been replaced by black coated foams. are these new black foams also disposable (like the yellows) or are they washable/re-wearable?

Great question. The foams are now black and can be WIPED, not washed as this made mine loose their ability to hold their shape when putting them in your ear.

They do come off and can be replaced, but with clean ears and careful cleaning, they should last awhile.

[Beric]

Go for the Grado SR-60's. (http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B0006DPMU4/ref=cm_cr_pr_redirect). They have incredible sound quality for the price of $70 (the best in the industry), they are very comfortable, they are durable, and their warranty is extremely generous. I broke them in this crazy incident of major tripping which was so my fault, and they replaced them for free.

[dool]

I have the Etymotic ER-4P. They are in ear headphones and I got used to the feel and love them now.
They are nice to wear anytime its noisy. I used them when I was doing some remodeling and it was great, enjoyed the music and didn't worry about hurting my ears with all the equipment I was using. I also wear them when I'm doing yard work, and I hardly hear the mower or trimmer. They kind of double as ear protection.
I would also look into the new klipsch in ear phones, they are supposed to be the smallest and most comfortable, and are getting great reviews.

[thegoldenmackid]

The Grado's are in a different category, they are not the best cans for out and about. The Shure's will share some of the sound quality that the Grado's have (not all of it) and some of the noise-cancelling ability through superior sound isolation that the others have while coming in a portable package.

[ezekielrage_99]

IMHO I'd steer clear of the Sennheiser headphones because my last 3 sets were duds. The sound quality was very good however the build was rubbish otherwise they would have been outstanding headphones for the price.

I own both Alessandro MS-1 (Grado) and Audio Techinica ATH AD-700 (http://www.audiocubes.com/category/Headphones_Audiophile,+Hifi/product/Audio-Technica_ATH-AD700_Air_Headphones.html) 9 out of 10 time I will use the ATH AD-700, they sound better and feel much better on.

If you are still unsure try Headphonic (http://headphones.com.au/forums/)

[Victor ch]

I'm finally fed up with the stock apple earbuds and have decided to upgrade. I can't decide if I want over-the-ear phones or canalphones, but does anyone have any experience with these 4 models?:

Shure SE210 (in-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE210-Sound-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B000NDLJNG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213586297&sr=8-3)

V-Moda Vibe (in-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Vibe-Earbuds-Flashback-Chrome/dp/B000XHWAC6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213583349&sr=1-5)

Sennheiser HD-555 (over-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FTVDQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

Sennheiser HD-280 Pro (over-ear) link (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Professional/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213583396&sr=1-1)

thanks!

NO V-MODA please, they sound mediocre and the quality of the product is terrible.
Senn's Pro are plain sweet, they're cheap and sound fantastic. I'll rather use over-ears because they're waayyy much more comfortable but if you are planning to do some traveling and/or have a limited carrying space then I'll recommend any of Klipsch's (http://www.klipsch.com/headphones/) in-ear headphones (according to reviews they sound fantastic and are very comfy)

Hope this helped,
Victor

[smartalic34]

again, thanks for the replies everyone.

can anyone comment on the Sennheiser CX 400?

[Trainwreck707]

If price is a factor, Costco has the V-Moda Vibe for 69.99.

[David G.]

I really like my Etymotic er-6i headphones. The sound quality is really good, they block out tons of external noise, they have held up really well for the year I've had them given how poorly I treat them sometimes. Highly recommended.

[queshy]

Here's a mini-review of the SE210's from a non-audiophile...

In Canada they retail for $199 + tax, but I managed to get a brand new pair for $85 :P

First - make sure to clean your ears before wearing them - otherwise - mess will ensue. Ugh...

First pair I bought had to return since the right earbud produced 0 sound at all. Second pair works fine.

In terms of the fit - the left one stays in my ear very well but the right always falls out. Perhaps I need to try changing foamies - it comes with a variety of inserts and you can choose ones you find comfortable.

Overall, they sound I'd say 40% better than the iPod ones. That's just IMO. As I said, I'm not an audiophile...the bass is definitely much better which is nice. I don't find I can get "louder" music out of them without distortion - at high volumes there's still some distortion. Again, these may be stupid comments because I know nothing about audio. Overall, the best feature by far is how once you have them on you can barely hear what's going on around you. This is an amazing quality since you can only hear your music. I find that there are so many sounds that the white iPod earbuds muffle - when you put on the SE210s the music sounds slightly different - you hear more subtle background instruments and it's just more enjoyable especially since you don't hear background noise.

I also find myself using them even when not plugged into my iPod - in the library for example and I need to have an even quieter room - put on the Se210s and you're set! (not being sarcastic, I actually do this :P).

Bottom line - they're good - but not AS good as I was expecting based on their excellent reviews. Maybe they really are THAT much better I just don't realize it since i'm not an audiophile.

[.Andy]

I'm going to be anti-Shure (as I've done before). The sound is great but their cables are absolutely atrocious. They're thick and give you reassurance that they'll last, but they end up stiffening and cracking in a short time. Shure have acknowledged they have a materials problem and will replace your headphones under warranty, but that can mean going without them for a couple of weeks if you're unlucky.

I'm onto my second pair of SE210's and the cable is hardening again. The first set lasted only 2 months :(. I really wish shure would do something about their quality, as I'd have absolutely no reservations recommending their products otherwise. Personally I'd be keen to step up to a more expensive line like the E530s as I've been so satisfied with my SE210s, but there is no way if the cables don't last. There's a significantly large thread over at head-fi.org (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/shure-e500-e530-cable-poll-248730/)(>300 posts) discussing Shure's cable issues.

My verdict: Great headphones for the price, cable problems a deal killer.

[Vanilla]

I really like my shure e4c's... fantastic sound quality.

The only caveat I'd make for canal/in-ear phones is that you need to take great care in inserting them to ensure you get a good sound, the hassle of which is exacerbated when finding yourself having to listen to a train announcement or needing to talk to someone after having carefully inserted them!

Bottom line, it's much easier to flip on and off a standard pair of headphones or iPod white buds as the need arises.

But, if you can relax on your journey, the cost/sound quality ratio of Shure E series in-ear phones are unparalleled in my personal opinion.

Vanilla
PS: I use Large foam sleeves, which I find provide a really good ,close fit.

[queshy]

I'm going to be anti-Shure [...] SNIP SNIP.

Hmm, looks like I fell for it then - when I took them out of the packaging I was amazed at how sturdy the cable felt compared to my iPod ones.

[.Andy]

Hmm, looks like I fell for it then - when I took them out of the packaging I was amazed at how sturdy the cable felt compared to my iPod ones.
From the poll on head-fi not everyone has the problem so you might be just fine queshy :). But keep an eye on it anyway. The cables lose their malleability where they bend over your ear and eventually crack on the inside of the arc (if that makes sense).

[teflon]

In Canada they retail for $199 + tax, but I managed to get a brand new pair for $85 :P


May I ask where you got them from? I was considering them but I didn't want to pay over $200 for them.
Also, what bitrate are your music? I'm no audiophile either and I'm afraid that those earphones are going to pick up artifacts from some of my 128kbps music.

[queshy]

May I ask where you got them from? I was considering them but I didn't want to pay over $200 for them.
Also, what bitrate are your music? I'm no audiophile either and I'm afraid that those earphones are going to pick up artifacts from some of my 128kbps music.

Check your PM. Most of my music is 128. Perhaps I should try a higher bitrate? Some of my itunes plus stuff is higher though. I haven't made any comparisons...

[teflon]

Check your PM. Most of my music is 128. Perhaps I should try a higher bitrate? Some of my itunes plus stuff is higher though. I haven't made any comparisons...

PM received, thanks!
From what I gathered, good earphones can pick up the imperfections in low bitrate music. Higher bitrate do sound better, but my ears don't really hear a difference between 128 and 192. I can only pick up the difference between CD quality and 128kbps music. Maybe my earphones just suck, but I'm not really the type of the person that can pick up and analyze the highs, midrange, mid bass, bass and all that :o.

[queshy]

PM received, thanks!
From what I gathered, good earphones can pick up the imperfections in low bitrate music. Higher bitrate do sound better, but my ears don't really hear a difference between 128 and 192. I can only pick up the difference between CD quality and 128kbps music. Maybe my earphones just suck, but I'm not really the type of the person that can pick up and analyze the highs, midrange, mid bass, bass and all that :o.

The base on the 210s isn't as great as I thought it would be - I mean yes I admit the base on the 210s is better than on the iPod earbuds, but I feel like I'm still left with wanting more. I chose to keep the 210s rather than return them, so I guess that says something :) I suggest the OP to try them and return them if s/he doesn't like them. The reviews are hard to understand because you gotta hear them for yourself before committing.

[motulist]

I was looking to get a cheap pair of in-ear noise isolating (i.e. noise blocking, i.e just foam) earplugs. I went to radio shack and surprisingly found that they had an inexpensive $31 model of these type of earplugs. They were radio shack name branded, but I threw away the packaging so I can't tell you who actually made them.

Here's the real shock - they sound pretty darn good! The ambient noise blocking is surprisingly good, almost as good as my regular foam earplugs which are officially rated at 32 dB noise reduction. The base is loud and full, the highs are perfectly acceptable. I was surprisingly pleased.

And it comes with an in-line volume slider remote, which is awesome. As great as the iPod is, one of the major things I disliked was the absence of an always available volume control, and this eliminates that problem.

Also, if you hate how the ipod volume never gets low enough even when it's turned all the way down, this in-line volume control solves that problem too. When the ipod volume is at zero you can then start sliding the in-line volume control down and get the volume to basically be inaudible even in a totally quiet room.

[thegoldenmackid]

The base on the 210s isn't as great as I thought it would be - I mean yes I admit the base on the 210s is better than on the iPod earbuds, but I feel like I'm still left with wanting more. I chose to keep the 210s rather than return them, so I guess that says something :) I suggest the OP to try them and return them if s/he doesn't like them. The reviews are hard to understand because you gotta hear them for yourself before committing.

fit = everything.

Also, the SE210 aren't what I would recommend for the price, try to find a pair of e3's or e4's much better sound for the price, and the 210's are still single driver headphones, as opposed the SE530s which are triple driver. But I can understand why you don't hear much of a bass difference, but I'm puzzled about the lack of clarity with distortion at louder volumes?

[queshy]

fit = everything.

Also, the SE210 aren't what I would recommend for the price, try to find a pair of e3's or e4's much better sound for the price, and the 210's are still single driver headphones, as opposed the SE530s which are triple driver. But I can understand why you don't hear much of a bass difference, but I'm puzzled about the lack of clarity with distortion at louder volumes?

It gets pretty loud like with my iPod headphones but at high volumes it's not as clear as it should be.

[thegoldenmackid]

It gets pretty loud like with my iPod headphones but at high volumes it's not as clear as it should be.

How do you know what it "should be" Not to get too mean or insulty... the SE210s are the lowest end Shure's. And while I do think that they are a good product and better then a lot of their competitors, Shure is taking advantage of their name, just like Bose. Now Shure's products havent reached the mediocre level of the Bose in-ear headphones, but as a Shure fanboy, you're expectations may be too high. There is no distortion at the highest level on my SE530s or UE10s but there is a difference. You shouldn't have a problem with distortion at anything that won't blow your ears out however.

[queshy]

How do you know what it "should be" Not to get too mean or insulty... the SE210s are the lowest end Shure's. And while I do think that they are a good product and better then a lot of their competitors, Shure is taking advantage of their name, just like Bose. Now Shure's products havent reached the mediocre level of the Bose in-ear headphones, but as a Shure fanboy, you're expectations may be too high. There is no distortion at the highest level on my SE530s or UE10s but there is a difference. You shouldn't have a problem with distortion at anything that won't blow your ears out however.

Actually, the SE110s are the lowest end shure's.

I'm not a Shure fanboy. I was looking for headphones and found a brand new pair of the 210s at an incredible price (85$).

You're right ...I don't know what it "should" be. I do know that on my HK SoundSticks 2 at home, the volume gets very loud and doesn't get distorted. I know these are headphones and it's a different game, but I thought with the Shure's I'd be able to put it up louder than on my iPod earphones with no distortion, but I was wrong. By distortion, I don't mean inaudible and incomprehensible, I just mean not pleasant to listen to because some of the notes sound off. Hard to explain. I guess a good analogy would be ...turn up the volume high and it starts to sound like the quality of a cheap radio. I probably shouldn't be listening to it that loud, anyways.

[QCassidy352]

I use the vmoda duos (vibe with an iphone mic) with my iphone and they fit extremely well and have really good sound. At least to my non-audio-snob ears. :rolleyes:

[phairphan]

Here's another vote for the Shure e4c. I've had them for a couple of years and I've been incredibly pleased with them. I travel quite a bit for work and they've become a much beloved travel companion. If you're ever stuck on a plane with screaming children (which is every other flight for me), you'll consider this some of the best money you've spent.

You're not going to get thumping bass from these; they just don't have the drivers for it. The sound tends to be more neutral in tone. I can't comment on the volume of other Shure products, but these can get uncomfortably loud without distortion on my iPod.

As a PSA after reading some of these posts, canal phones really shouldn't be used in environments that require attention to surroundings, like biking or walking down the street and mowing the lawn.

[smartalic34]

hey everyone. thanks again for all the responses! it's awesome when so many people respond. definitely hadnt heard of klipsch and didnt really consider etymotic and other headphones before.

I'm actually now leaning towards the Denon AH-C551K... the clarity of shure with a vibe-like sound signature. not 100% sure yet, as some great shures, sennheisers, and etys are still in the running:)

kudos to everyone on the great comments

[01jamcon]

again, thanks for the replies everyone.

can anyone comment on the Sennheiser CX 400?

The Sennheiser's have really good sound quality, good bass without being too overpowering. The only thing not sure about is the split cable system, depends on if you mind that the cable comes in two parts. They are realatively cheap though, and for the money probably better than the shure's or v-moda's.

[motulist]

Here (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2405793&cp=2032057.2032187.2202780&pg=9&parentPage=family) are the inexpensive but surprisingly high quality ones I was talking about earlier. I was so impressed by them that I did some research and found out why they're so good. They're radioshack branded but are actually made by a company called Hearing Components (http://www.hearingcomponents.com/technology.htm) which has specialized in high-noise environment audio reproduction long before the consumer noise reduction headphones became a craze. They've been making audio reproduction systems for the military and for hearing aides since 1990, so of course their stuff is super high quality. Check out the in-ear headphones they make (http://www.complyfoam.com/noise-reduction-earphones).

I'm telling you, for a little over $30 dollars it's a steal because these headphones produce very high quality sound. The in-line volume slider is super useful too. And the foam is really comfortable and comes in 2 different sizes for different sized ear canals.

p.s. I know this almost sounds like a commercial, but I promise you I have absolutely no connection to this company or their products. I was just so impressed by the high quality that came out of these cheap radio shack headphones that I had to figure out how this was possible.

EDIT: Check out the other user reviews (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?pg=9&parentPage=family&summary=summary&techSpecs=techSpecs&currentTab=custRatings&cp=2032057.2032187.2202780&custRatings=custRatings&features=features&accessories=accessories&productId=2405793&support=support&tab=custRatings), apparently I'm not the only one who's been thoroughly impressed by these things.

[hank-b]

The Sennheiser's have really good sound quality, good bass without being too overpowering. The only thing not sure about is the split cable system, depends on if you mind that the cable comes in two parts. They are realatively cheap though, and for the money probably better than the shure's or v-moda's.

I've used Sennheiser CX300 headphones on my iPod for the last year and been very pleased with them. They're very cheap for what you get.

HB

[flyinmac]

I like the old $3 headphones. You know, the ones that go on the outsides of your ears.

I hate having things shoved in my ears. That's just uncomfortable. Then, they fall out, and so on. Plus, I'll share headphones, but I won't share ear buds or things like that (nasty goo).

I just don't know how people have gotten accustomed to ear buds. So uncomfortable, and a pain to keep in. I don't care what it looks like, I'd rather have something outside my ear than in it.

Plus, with the standard headphones, my daughter has no excuse to ignore me. I know she can still hear me. Sure, you can get noise canceling ones, but I know she can hear me with the cheap ones.

[wiseguy27]

Since other options are being presented, I would also suggest Ultimate Ears (UE) - ultimateears.com. They make some great canal phones. I personally use UE Super.fi 5 Pro. Customer care is very good from Ultimate Ears - something that adds to the value of a product in a different way.

[thegoldenmackid]

Here (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2405793&cp=2032057.2032187.2202780&pg=9&parentPage=family) are the inexpensive but surprisingly high quality ones I was talking about earlier. I was so impressed by them that I did some research and found out why they're so good. They're radioshack branded but are actually made by a company called Hearing Components (http://www.hearingcomponents.com/technology.htm) which has specialized in high-noise environment audio reproduction long before the consumer noise reduction headphones became a craze. They've been making audio reproduction systems for the military and for hearing aides since 1990, so of course their stuff is super high quality. Check out the in-ear headphones they make (http://www.complyfoam.com/noise-reduction-earphones).

I'm telling you, for a little over $30 dollars it's a steal because these headphones produce very high quality sound. The in-line volume slider is super useful too. And the foam is really comfortable and comes in 2 different sizes for different sized ear canals.

p.s. I know this almost sounds like a commercial, but I promise you I have absolutely no connection to this company or their products. I was just so impressed by the high quality that came out of these cheap radio shack headphones that I had to figure out how this was possible.

EDIT: Check out the other user reviews (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?pg=9&parentPage=family&summary=summary&techSpecs=techSpecs&currentTab=custRatings&cp=2032057.2032187.2202780&custRatings=custRatings&features=features&accessories=accessories&productId=2405793&support=support&tab=custRatings), apparently I'm not the only one who's been thoroughly impressed by these things.

I went out and bought these last night, after your post I just assumed these were the ones. I was actually impressed, they weren't as good as my E3's but definately weren't off from the E2's. I then let them break in at 50 percent volume. and while the sound on the right side blew out. The construction is definately terrible, but if 3 pairs would last me as long as some SE110s, I'd be fine.