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iPod touch In-ear headhones for iPod Touch - realistic options

PeteB

PeteB

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 14, 2008
523
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I realize there's plenty of threads for earphone recommendations, but I'm also aware that the iPod isn't exactly an audiophile device (especially considering the bit-rate served up by iTunes).

So. Given a moderate budget (up to $250USD), what recommendations are there for in-ear headphones that won't be wasted on the iPod?
 
PeteB said:
I realize there's plenty of threads for earphone recommendations, but I'm also aware that the iPod isn't exactly an audiophile device (especially considering the bit-rate served up by iTunes).

So. Given a moderate budget (up to $250USD), what recommendations are there for in-ear headphones that won't be wasted on the iPod?
Click to expand...

$250 for earbuds is a moderate budget? :eek:

I have the ety ER6is (~$60) and I have no complaints about the sound.
 
You can get almost anything in that price range. Shure SE530's can be picked up used for that (they are going for ~300USD new from headphone.com), Etymotic ER4's sound amazing, ER6's sound great for a lot less money. I've heard that the HF2's are not great so I would avoid them.

As far as quality of music, if you care enough to drop 250 on phones, encode your own music and that way you decide how it sounds.

Go to a store, take your iPod, listen to headphones, pick a pair that you like.
 
iPod works with uncompresed music.
You can also buy 256bit AAC DRM-free music from iTunes.
Nothing is "wasted" on iPod. It might be wasted by user's lack of knowledge or lack of ability to search on something that's been beaten to death.
 
The Shure SE series are good, as are Westones. You can get Shure earphones from the Apple online store, and Westones from RadTech, just to name a few places.

I have a pair of the cheapest Shures (SE110's) and they're good. The sound quality isn't quite worth the price, but for the sound isolation they give, I'm happy.

For all your portable hi-fi needs, www.head-fi.org. They have a sub-forum dedicated to in-ear headphones.

About iTunes sound quality... on a hi-fi separates setup that cost several thousand $, I can tell a difference between 128kbps AAC and the original CD, but it is a surprisingly small difference. High frequencies seem a little bit recessed (earphones tend to suck with high frequencies anyway), but other than that, I can hardly hear any difference at all.

If you're really worried about sound quality you shouldn't be buying 128kbps iTunes tracks, you should be buying CDs and ripping in Apple Lossless.
 
Consultant said:
iPod works with uncompresed music.
You can also buy 256bit AAC DRM-free music from iTunes.
Nothing is "wasted" on iPod. It might be wasted by user's lack of knowledge or lack of ability to search on something that's been beaten to death.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the character assassination.

The fact remains that the iPod isn't an audiophile device. And not all of my music (or pod casts for that matter) is at CD quality.
 
That's a limitation on your library, not an iPod limit.

I buy CDs and rip lossless.

I have a backup DJ setup of which iPod outputs line level audio via dock connector adapter.

Audiophile are known to carry headphone amp with their portable music players, but as you know those are sort of pricy.

FYI, full sized headphones will be better bang for the buck than in ear headphones, so you might want to look into that if quality is more important than portability.
 
At the price range he is looking at and running with iPod as a source, IEM's are a better idea. The iPod has a tiny little headphone amp in it and running most nice big headphones puts you right at the top of it's range. It distorts and sounds really terrible. My senn's sound like garbage attached to an unamped iPod. For the budget he has, you can pick up some really great IEM's that you will have trouble using more than half volume on your iPod with. That leaves some headroom to keep things dynamic.

As stated above, check out head-fi.org or headphone.com, they are both excellent sources of info (and much less fanboy crap than here).
 
The new apple in ear headphones with microphone/ remote appear to be good quality, but i have no first hand experience.
 
Beats by Dre TOUR FTW!

Or, spend an extra $100 over your budget, and Beats by Dre STUDIO FTW!
 
Sdevante said:
Beats by Dre TOUR FTW!

Or, spend an extra $100 over your budget, and Beats by Dre STUDIO FTW!
Click to expand...

From what I have read, they are the worst sounding POS made in a long time and really over priced. Never listened to them though.
 
i have a couple pairs of older shure e4c's. they've been great for me.
 
The new in-ear headphone from Apple is a steal considering it's only $89 and you get dual driver. You really get to hear the crispness and clarity. The bass is responsive yet not too boomy. Very accurate IEM imo.

dL
 
Hi i don't want to "hijack" the thread, but i recently got skull candy 'smokin buds' and when i listen to them on my ipod touch 2nd gen the music comes out the ear phones, as well as the speaker, otherwise i love skull candy and recommend them :p.
 
I am currently enjoying the Sleek SA6 with Bass+ and Treble++ tuning ports with my 2nd gen Touch and prefer them for overall sound and comfort over my UE TF10, and Shure SE530. With the VQ Tuning System and replaceable cables they are pretty hard to beat at around $200. If you have a 2nd gen touch I would also recommend picking up one of Sleeks iPhone cables that allow you to remotely control play\pause, next\prev with 1, 2, or 3 clicks of the cable mounted control button.

Although slightly over your budget they can also pick them up bundled with the Sleek W1 Kleer Technology wireless transmitter for under $300.
 
yeah...i like skullcandy, nice in-ear earbuds for like 10 bucks, the seem to sound pretty good
 
Thanks for the advice guys. In the end I went for some UE Super.fi 5 Pros that were on sale. I just got them this morning and woah, they're good.

The only downside is that they're a bit of a fiddle to stick in your ears, but once they're there, they're completely comfortable.

Finally, I have bass and mid-range again - I've not heard Metallica sound this good in quite a while.
 
PeteB said:
So. Given a moderate budget (up to $250USD), what recommendations are there for in-ear headphones that won't be wasted on the iPod?
Click to expand...

Jeez... $250 as a "moderate" budget... I just don't understand audiophilia...

Sound quality is important to me, but there is a limit.
 
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