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Headphones ~$20?

mrgreen4242

mrgreen4242

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 10, 2004
4,377
9
OK, here's the problem: Apple's headphones KILL my ears. Wearing them is like torture for me, they are easily the most uncomfortable product I have ever encountered in my life.

I really like the fit of the old Griffin Ear Thump headphones, but they don't seem to make those anymore AND the build quality on them SUCKS. I've been through two pairs in as many years, they've both broken (insulation just fell away, one side cuts out, etc, etc).

I have crappy hearing, so I don't need $100 headphones, I just need some in-ear's that are comfortable (adjustable sizes are nice), decent sounding, decent noise isolation, cheap, and durable.

Any suggestions?
 
Are you located in an area with a Staples store?

If so, try to check out the SkullCandy Smokin' Buds in the small case, not the big case. The small case has better frequency response and larger drivers (IIRC) than the big case of Smokin' Buds, and they're cheaper. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, they're a good option.

My experience with them was very pleasant. They fit well, sounded great, and were the right price when I needed ear buds on short notice. As always, YMMV.

A word about the small case I'm referring to- SkullCandy may be phasing out the old version of their Smokin'Buds for whatever reason, so they may only have one kind available. They have a more rounded body than the ones on the SkullCandy website, so I know they were recently redesigned since the ones I bought in the small case looked exactly like the ones on the website.
 
Yea try the skull candy head phones. I have been told they have fair quality.
 
i personally like the JVC marshmallows cheap noise cancelling that work really well and sound good too they are 20 bucks
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I've got somewhere to start now at least. I wish the Griffins weren't so poorly made, I love them except for the fact I'm out $25 every 10 months or so because they don't seem to last.

I've heard of Skullcandy before, but never tried them. The JVC Marshmallow's look pretty OK and they carry them at Target, according to Amazon, so it could be an easy way to get a pair.

I'm also going to hunt for a deal on those Creative's. If I can find them on sale somewhere for <$25 (already only $28 shipping on Amazon) they look like the best option based on the reviews.

Thanks again!
 
If you have crappy hearing, in ear buds aren't the best choice. They will only make your hearing worst. Why not just get some over the ear noise-canceling headphones? They are making them not so bulky anymore if thats what your concerned about.

Good luck

FYE (if you have one locally) sells SkullCandy and they are almost ALWAYS on sale if you still decide to go with the earbuds.
 
I'm very happy with my Skullcandy ones. They have a few different models, ranging from about $15-$50, the pair I use costs about $30 and sounds great, stays in my ears, has inline volume control which is helpful with my iPod touch, and a nice case to keep them untangled.
 
I saw a clearance price on the JVC marshmallows, blue and pink only, unfortunately, I would have rather white, black or even grey, but for $8 + $2 shipping I had to try because of the comments here.

Anyways, I would rate them an 8/10 for comfort, sound isolation, and performance, a 6/10 for looks (white would have bumped that to a 7 or 8 I think), and a 9/10 for durability (at least they look and feel much better built than the Griffins I used to have) so for $10 they fulfilled my requirements. Thanks for the help!
 
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