Apple In-Ear Headphones: Worth $40?

[alexf]

So what's the consensus? Sony EX-70s or Apple In-Ear headphones?

They are both around the same price...

I could care less about the white iPod look of the latter - in fact, I would even prefer to not less everyone know that I am carrying a status symbol, as one poster mentioned...

 

[JFreak]

So what's the consensus? Sony EX-70s or Apple In-Ear headphones?

They are both around the same price...

a little more and you can get a pair of shure E2 in-ears. that's worth it in my opinion. that's good enough for live bands monitoring their performance, it should be good enough for you also believe me, i know. everyone in my band has E2:s, and the vocalists have E1:s. i myself have E5:s.

 

[JFreak]

The E2 is used as part of the Shure wireless monitoring system and is the "pro" version of the E2c, but there really is no difference between the models)

you're right! the only difference is the packaging, but the in-ears are just the same. and by the way, the same goes to E3 - E3c and E5 - E5c (i don't know if there are E1c:s existing, and the E1 is a discontinued model anyway. it's good for monitoring vocals, but lacks bass.)

I think the Shure E5 is overkill and I usually doubt those who say they own and use them (it's really used for on-stage monitoring and most that have them use customized ear-pieces for performance where it is part of your job; not with something as stupid as an iPod)

yes, it is, if they are bought just for listening to aac encoded music via an ipod. i however use them on stage and also off stage comparing my mixes in studio between the E5:s and the reference monitors. the E5:s are really pro-level stuff and i'd only recommend them to the people who have too much money to spend (and there are not many).

i don't have customized earpieces. yet, anyway. i use the generic pieces that have three flanges.

 

[legion]

You should never compare mixes with headphones (I don't care how much you paid for them.) Mixes for mastering have a different purpose. FOH mixing is different because you have to eliminate ambient noise to do a proper live mix, but studio mixes should be used only off of flat response monitors (working off of a/b nearfields and room masters)

 

[nspeds]

I'm not in the mood of spending 100$ for earphones.

The Sony EX71's fit me perfectly and they sound really, really nice. I tried the Apple in-ear headphones, the sound quality was bad and they kept on slipping out of my ears no matter what size plugs I used. I used the Apples for about a month hoping I could "break in" the plugs but to no avail. I switched back to my Sony's only to be pleasantly surprised by the difference in sound quality.

For those who don't want to lay out the cash for Shure's go with Sony, you can't lose.

Edit: I actually have two pairs of the Sony's. I stopped using the first one since I lost my earplugs for it (don't ask how). One annoys me the most is that I can't seem to find them anywhere in Houston! The only place I've been able to find them so far is in London Heathrow airport which is for 4 euros above the regular price.

Aren't there a Noise-Cancelling version of these headphones as well? I remember CNet reviewing them with high esteem. But they are almost as expensive as Shure's I think so you might as well.

 

[vwguy]

You can buy the Shure ear foams in packs (different sizes, S M L) and they fit the Apple In-Ear headphones (also the Sony's.) It's kind of the best of both worlds (good fitting ear pieces, cheap headphones--$40 for the Apple's vs $80 for the Shure E2c) I don't know why anybody has not suggested this before; anyone who's used Shure E series monitors for a long time keeps a pack of those foams because eventually the foams get dirty/gross. They're like $12 for a large pack (from any pro-audio store; pro-audio as in "instrument", not "hi-fi speakers"--The E2 is used as part of the Shure wireless monitoring system and is the "pro" version of the E2c, but there really is no difference between the models)

I'm very curious... how do you do that?? Does it fit right in there or does it need modification to do so?? Any insight will be great!

 

[Butler Trumpet]

I bought the in ear headphones when they first came out... they fit nicely but I think that they really lack a good strong sound. I'm a musician and for the music I listen to, mostly classical, they have hardly any bass at all. For rock music they aren't terrible, but the ear buds that came with them are much better in my opinion. I still use the ear buds because they have a very broad range of sound (20-20,000 Hz) are very clear for the music I like, and well I'm just a fan of being faithful to Apple. Apple needs all the help they can get really to compete with the monopoly that is microcrap, i mean microsoft, so I love em. Thats just my opinion however, you may do what you like.