Denon website
I suppose the 'standard' when it comes to iPhone earphones are the Klipsch S4i. I had them for 8 months before I lost them. It doesn't matter because they were about to break anyway, but I still wish I didn't lose them.
Fantastic sound overall: good bass, good clarity, good mids. They're just nice overall. Oh, the inline iPhone remote and mic is great, too! There are other iPhone earphones such as the V-moda Remix, but I haven't tried them. Also, I think Beats/Monster makes compatible earphones, but Beats/Monster make really overpriced earphones, so go ahead and get something else.The Denon C560r IEM (in-ear monitors) are relatively new, and there is a severe lack of reviews on the interwebz for the new Denons, so I'll give a short one here. I took the risk and bought them anyway, just because Denon's other earphones match the qualities I want in an earphone (noticeable bass without being overwhelming, while also having clarity on the higher end).
I just want to tell everyone that I'm not an audiophile, so take my review with a grain of salt.
I have owned Sennheiser CX300s, a decent pair of Sony EX85s (great bass, poor clarity, but incredible durability!), JAYS, Audio-Technica, Etymonics, and the Klipsch S4i. What can I say....I'm a loser (i.e. I lose things often).Artists I listened to today to assess the Denon's:
King Khan and the Shrines (Supreme Genius of....)
The Walkmen (You & Me, Lisbon)
Broken Social Scene (Forgiveness Rock Record)
Harlem (Harlem)
Rick Ross (Teflon Don)
Swizz Beatz (One Man Band Man)
Bad Books (Bad Books)
Junip - Fields
Julia Stone - The Memory Machine
Curtis Mayfield
Al Green
Simon and Garfunkel
.....and others.
SOUND:
The Denon C560r has slightly punchier, and lower lows than the Klipsch S4i. We're talking rather deep bass. However, I'm not a fan of really over-the-top, distracting bass like the stuff you'd find on The Beats by Dre. especially if it's poor quality like you'd find on Sennheiser CX300 and CX350 (the CX280s are better, IMO).
The treble isn't as piercing as they are on the Klipsch, which may actually be a positive thing. The Klipsch displayed quite a bit of sibilance (i.e. treble that was so high that it hurt my ear), and I'd need to quickly lower the volume on some songs. Perhaps the sibilance was there in the original tracks. It happens, but I doubt it. However, the clarity of the S4i was slightly better than on the Denon, and you can hear higher frequencies better. Depending on the track, you may be able to hear details on the Klipsch that you couldn't hear on the Denon's, but the difference isn't much.
The mids are more recessed on the Denons, and I don't think the soundscape is as large. I'm not too sure because I'm not exactly an "audiophile".
Overall, the Denon C560r's sound are punchier and more fun, but the clarity isn't as high as they are on the Klipsch S4i. You can tell the difference every time you hear snares, trumpets, etc. Compared to the JAYS, both are poor in clarity and details, but the JAYS I had didn't give me the bass I wanted.
Build Quality
By build quality, I refer to 2 different things: my impression of durability, and my impression of the materials used.
The durability of the Denons appears vastly superior to the Klipsch. I won't know until I own the C560r for a few months, but I can still make an educated guess, no? The L-shaped headphone jack is far superior to straight jacks like the one found on my old Klipsch S4i. I don't know why manufacturers make straight headphone jacks. They're more logical for those who put their iPhone in their pant pocket (i.e. most people), but they're also far easier to break due to the tugging they'll be exposed to daily.
Also, the point where the cable connects to each earphone also seem stronger on the Denon. On the Klipsch S4i, the rubber sleeve that wraps around the cable near the two earphones on the S4i split/ripped after 5-6 months, and I was afraid the cable would rip completely off the earpiece soon. Luckily they didn't, but then I lost them, so it didn't matter.
Also, the cable on the Denon is far thicker. Annoyingly, the cable can never be straightened out like on the S4i, but I'm willing to live with it if the cable and connections last longer than 1 year.
Having said all that, the materials and appearance found on the Klipsch is much, much better than the all-plastic shell found on the Denons. The Denons are completely made of black plastic. They feel sturdy, but they look cheap. They're like "Lenovo Thinkpad" level ugly, and you don't expect this for the money you pay. Even the remote looks and feels cheap. Luckily, button presses don't feel like crap. It feels nice.
COMFORT: The Klipsch are more comfortable. The C560r includes very conventional rubber tips and aren't as comfortably shaped. They do provide a good seal, but again, they aren't as comfy. Perhaps I'll get used to them? Also, the Denon earphones are ugly and completely plastic, and don't feel like they're worth more than $25. They feel sturdy, but don't look like it. The Klipsch look fantastic and feel like you paid for a quality product.
OTHER COMMENTS
The Denon's come with a nice hard case, but this is something I never use, so it's a non-factor. It comes with 3 rubber eartips, and a pair of Comply foam eartips. It also includes a clip so that the little remote can be clipped to my shirt/jacket. It's great. My Klipsch didn't come with a clip, but I think the new ones do.
CONCLUSION: Based on sound quality, I'd say the Denon and Klipsch tie. The sound is different, but I can't say that one is better than the other. The C560r aren't as comfortable as the S4i, nor do they look as good or feel like a premium product. However, due to the better build quality of the Denons, I would prefer to own the Denons. I don't know how they'll feel in 8 months, which is how long the Klipsch lasted, but I doubt they'll break within 6 months.