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Headphone Choice
- Thread starter Iglio
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I have the V-MODA Vibe Headset in black. I got them for free after the Apple Store manager recommended them to me (after a small disagreement regarding customer service).
So while I do appreciate anything that is free, I really would buy this headset if I had 100 dollars to spare. The only "problem" would be that the button to answer/end calls is on the high side, but that balances out with the fact that the mouthpeice is perfectly positioned for handsfree conversation and is great even in windy situations, where the interference might be a problem. People I talk with feel it is crystal clear quality, and the volume is pretty solid.
As for using them as headphones, these are excellent. The quality of sound is a little on the bassy side, but the high's aren't too tinny and certainly give a great sound experience for any device, let alone the iPhone. I really like the quality of material used for these headphones, which is like a lace material, rather than the rubber material or wire material that Apple headsets have used. They don't fall out of your ear and come with replaceable earpieces (three clear and three black in the "black" variety). And the color being black matches the iPhone perfectly.
Overall these are the best headphones (let alone headset) I've owned.
So while I do appreciate anything that is free, I really would buy this headset if I had 100 dollars to spare. The only "problem" would be that the button to answer/end calls is on the high side, but that balances out with the fact that the mouthpeice is perfectly positioned for handsfree conversation and is great even in windy situations, where the interference might be a problem. People I talk with feel it is crystal clear quality, and the volume is pretty solid.
As for using them as headphones, these are excellent. The quality of sound is a little on the bassy side, but the high's aren't too tinny and certainly give a great sound experience for any device, let alone the iPhone. I really like the quality of material used for these headphones, which is like a lace material, rather than the rubber material or wire material that Apple headsets have used. They don't fall out of your ear and come with replaceable earpieces (three clear and three black in the "black" variety). And the color being black matches the iPhone perfectly.
Overall these are the best headphones (let alone headset) I've owned.
I will recommend the Bang and Olufsen Earset 3. They have amazing sound quality, incredible highs and great bass, as well as a very custom fit. They are so adjustable that they will fit almost any ear. They are made of aluminum and hard rubber, so they have a very sturdy feel but are also light weight. They also have a built in mic that delivers great call quality on both ends. They are a bit more than you said (200$) but I think they are well worth it.
If you'd like to spend closer to 150$, the B&O A8 headphones are the exact same thing minus the microphone and cost around 160$.
Hope this helps!
If you'd like to spend closer to 150$, the B&O A8 headphones are the exact same thing minus the microphone and cost around 160$.
Hope this helps!
Wanted to give my opinion on this one here. I have tried both the v-moda duo and the UE 4vi. The UE is much better IMO. The v-moda has exceptional bass, but sounds very muddy overall. Also, the mic is cumbersome and the button on the mic difficult to find at times. Also, I don't like having to reach up to my ear all the time to answer the phone and change songs. Plus, if you read a lot of the reviews, a lot of people have had issues with these headsets not lasting long at all.
The UE headphones are great. The sound quality is much superior. I constantly find myself listening to songs I have heard many times before and hearing new instruments and notes that I never noticed before. And don't believe the other people who say there is not any bass. There is. You just have to get an adequate seal. The mic button is also great on this. Very easy to use and nice that it is separate from the mic. You don't have to reach up by your ear to press the thing. As I had two different pairs of this headset, I can tell you that there are two different types of buttons. One has a raised button that is good sized and easy to press. The other is flush with the box and has no raised portion, and you just sort of squeeze the whole button like you do the apple headphones to use it. I will say however that the eartips are not that comfortable. They are alright, but I have used softer ones before. If you want something more comfortable, get the Comply tips for this headset and you will be good to go. I highly recommend this headset. Plus you get a two year warranty on the things just in case, so you can't really go wrong.
The UE headphones are great. The sound quality is much superior. I constantly find myself listening to songs I have heard many times before and hearing new instruments and notes that I never noticed before. And don't believe the other people who say there is not any bass. There is. You just have to get an adequate seal. The mic button is also great on this. Very easy to use and nice that it is separate from the mic. You don't have to reach up by your ear to press the thing. As I had two different pairs of this headset, I can tell you that there are two different types of buttons. One has a raised button that is good sized and easy to press. The other is flush with the box and has no raised portion, and you just sort of squeeze the whole button like you do the apple headphones to use it. I will say however that the eartips are not that comfortable. They are alright, but I have used softer ones before. If you want something more comfortable, get the Comply tips for this headset and you will be good to go. I highly recommend this headset. Plus you get a two year warranty on the things just in case, so you can't really go wrong.
Hey mate, I'm thinking of getting the UE 4vi. How do you insert them into your ear - I've seen some strange ways on the UE website with inserting them backwards and wrapping the cord around your ear, I wouldn't be too keen on that if that was the only way to create a good seal.
The other headphone I'm considering is the Bose in-ear set. Reviews all say they are very comfortable which is a good thing as I have had some bad experiences with in-ear headphones in the past, however they don't create an airtight seal which is a concern as I travel a lot on trains. Had any experience with these?
You can wear them straight down like regular headphones. They stay in very well. I am a runner and have used these with no problems. You can also wrap it up over the ear, but I don't really know why you would want to do this.
As to the Bose, I have not used these myself. I know a lot of people like them, however, they do not have the same functionality that the UE have because they don't have the mic and the button to answer calls/skip or pause music. For me, this was super important since I am using them with my iphone. Also, I can say that I have read a lot of reviews on these from many people on www.head-fi.org. They all seem to think they are crap, but I don't know for sure.
Good luck.
Thank you!
How is the bass on the UE's? The only other concern I have is that some reviews on the Apple Store website say they don't produce much bass (in comparison to v-moda vibes for example). What's your opinion?
cheers
Etymotic ER-6i
If total sound isolation and pure listening pleasure is your goal, I would suggest the Etymotic ER-6i. I bought a pair for use when I ride my motorcycle. They fit well under my helmet and the sound isolation is phenomenal!
If total sound isolation and pure listening pleasure is your goal, I would suggest the Etymotic ER-6i. I bought a pair for use when I ride my motorcycle. They fit well under my helmet and the sound isolation is phenomenal!
If total sound isolation and pure listening pleasure is your goal, I would suggest the Etymotic ER-6i. I bought a pair for use when I ride my motorcycle. They fit well under my helmet and the sound isolation is phenomenal!
I'm amazed that you would suggest that sound isolation is a good thing when riding a motorcycle. That's to say nothing of my amazement that you're wearing headphones while riding a motorcycle in the first place.
I was just going to say the same thing.. That actually frightens me that someone on a motorcycle would wear headphones.
The v-moda certainly have more bass, but it is actually overbearing. I am a self-proclaimed bass head so to speak. I listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop, so bass is important to me. The v-modas definitely produced a lot of bass, but actually too much. It made the rest of the higher notes really muddy sounding, or you could not hear them at all. The UE have a much more ballanced sound stage. There is bass, but if you are used to the v-moda like headphones, you may think there is not. Those who said there is no bass most likely did not have an adequate seal with the eartips. This is crucial with these type of IEM. If you do not have the correct sized tips in, you will not get the bass. I have a good fit, and trust me the bass is there.
Hope this helps.
Great, I'm sold! Thanks a lot. I think I will wear them in the 'normal' way as I think the method that UE suggests looks a bit abnormal. You're right that it is important to get a good seal, otherwise you're wasting your money buying in-ear 'phones.The v-moda certainly have more bass, but it is actually overbearing. I am a self-proclaimed bass head so to speak. I listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop, so bass is important to me. The v-modas definitely produced a lot of bass, but actually too much. It made the rest of the higher notes really muddy sounding, or you could not hear them at all. The UE have a much more ballanced sound stage. There is bass, but if you are used to the v-moda like headphones, you may think there is not. Those who said there is no bass most likely did not have an adequate seal with the eartips. This is crucial with these type of IEM. If you do not have the correct sized tips in, you will not get the bass. I have a good fit, and trust me the bass is there.
Hope this helps.
Hopefully if they don't suit me the Apple store can grant me an exchange though.
Look, here's the deal. It is actually a good idea that ear protection be worn while riding:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/earplugs.htm
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/0710_crup_motorcycle_hearing_protection/index.html
http://www.soundrider.com/archive/safety-skills/earplugs.htm
(Top 3 Google hits for hearing protection while riding)
Wind noise can be extremely damaging to ones hearing. With the ER-6is, I get the hearing protection with the added bonus of music. I don't actually listen to the music unless I'm in a remote highway location. In town around traffic, the ear plugs are just in for reduced wind buffeting. Get it? Probably not. And really, what is the difference between listening to music in a car and listening to music on a motorcycle? Can they not be an equal distraction for both? What you really have to watch out for on a motorcycle are the idiots in their cages talking on cell phones.
Tell you what, you ride your ride and I'll ride mine.
hey guys... im supposed to get "the new generation" of the v-moda vibe duos because both of the vmodas i used to have had the widespread one earbud not working.. i sent in my defective set in a month ago and they said if i wanted to , i can wait until the new ones come out, so i did.. and if you guys want i can tell you guys how the new versions sound..
idk when the general public will get info about them... i dont even think the new version will look any different than the new ones.. mine should be here in about a week hopefully
The Super.fi 4 and 4vi are designed to hang straight from the ear canal, rather than with the over-the-ear loop on the other Ultimate Ears IEMs. The other Ultimate Ears (like the Super.fi 5 and the Triple.fi) have stiffer cords near the earphone to facilitate the over-the-ear loop - those are the ones they have the video instructions for.
Ultimate Buds are going to be selling the UB7 EB's in black as from this friday (supposedly - I emailed them enquiring if they were planning to sell in black and they said yes, as of this coming friday).
I originally couldn't decide between the white UB7 EB's or Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 vi's (to soon be released). Now that the UB7 EB's are going to be available in black, my mind is made up.
I originally couldn't decide between the white UB7 EB's or Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 vi's (to soon be released). Now that the UB7 EB's are going to be available in black, my mind is made up.
I was actually speaking as someone who rides a scooter in central London - if you wore headphones riding a two-wheeler in central London you'd be dead inside 5 minutes.
I guess it's different if you're riding in remote areas of the US.
Totally agree about the idiots on their mobile phones. Making it illegal was one of the best things they ever did in the UK (not that it has stopped lots of idiots from continuing to do it of course, but at least some get caught and punished)
Wow, great thread!
I came to the forums looking for advice on headphones that wouldn't fall out of my ears like the Apple ones do, while still having the little clicker button that makes the iPhone so easy to use.
And now I know the answers. Thanks everyone!
I am very interested to hear how the new V-MODA's work out, I really like the looks of the gunmetal/red ones.
Maury
I came to the forums looking for advice on headphones that wouldn't fall out of my ears like the Apple ones do, while still having the little clicker button that makes the iPhone so easy to use.
And now I know the answers. Thanks everyone!
I am very interested to hear how the new V-MODA's work out, I really like the looks of the gunmetal/red ones.
Maury
okay the box showed up with the new gen duos..
sorry for the bad quality (from my iPhone 3g)
they look pretty much the same except for a couple things..
1. the actual headset plug looks a lil different.. its sorta like a v shape ( i have a pic of the old vs new comparison )
2. the cord is a little shorter.. but is still perfect if your phone sits in your pockets
3. The button feels a bit stiffer
4. the headset is a slight bit bass heavy.. but still absolutely sounds perfect, bass and all
sorry for the bad quality (from my iPhone 3g)
they look pretty much the same except for a couple things..
1. the actual headset plug looks a lil different.. its sorta like a v shape ( i have a pic of the old vs new comparison )
2. the cord is a little shorter.. but is still perfect if your phone sits in your pockets
3. The button feels a bit stiffer
4. the headset is a slight bit bass heavy.. but still absolutely sounds perfect, bass and all
