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iPod earbuds

Foxer

Foxer

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 22, 2003
1,274
30
Washington, DC
Hey all. I need a recommendation for earbuds. I'm usually in settings with a fair amount of ambient noise, so the regular iPod earphones don't do it. I've got a set of the Bose Noise cancelling phones, but I'd like a more portable option.

For those of you with access, the copy of MacWorld that arrived at my house yesterday highly recommended one set. If someone has that issue at hand, please just pass the name of the manufacurer along - that would be a big help. (My copy is at home, and I'm travelling this afternoon, so I was hoping to pick these up before I leave town.)
 
I know the PERFECT ones.

I picked up a pair of ER-6 "can" earbuds off eBay. They cancel out MORE noise than your big ol bose headgear does, and they do it passively, by fitting the headphone tightly in the ear. I am sorry I can not remember the name of the brand, but if you search the new or eBay for ER-6 and Headphone, you should find then for a little over $100. I am not going to take the time since I am sitting in Ohare waiting to board a plane using my cell phone for access.

They sound absolutely AMAZING, they are HIGHLY portable, and they block out 90% of Chicago's EL noise with no audio playing. They are amazingly comfortable, believe it or not, the most comfortable earbuds I have ever worn since it is soft rubber instead of hard plastic shoved in your ear.

My one reccomendation; make sure you insert them correctly, so you can barely see them when looking in a mirror. they will sound great, block your noise, and you will be pleased and wonder why you bought those noise headgear things in the first place.

Just do a search for ER-6 on the net or eBay.

-Ben
 
As a cheaper option, I use Sony's MDR - EX71SL. Basically earplugs with speakers in.

I don't know how they compare with the ER-6s but I am really pleased with them.
 
Re: I know the PERFECT ones.

Originally posted by idkew
I picked up a pair of ER-6 "can" earbuds off eBay. They cancel out MORE noise than your big ol bose headgear does, and they do it passively, by fitting the headphone tightly in the ear. I am sorry I can not remember the name of the brand, but if you search the new or eBay for ER-6 and Headphone, you should find then for a little over $100. I am not going to take the time since I am sitting in Ohare waiting to board a plane using my cell phone for access.
Click to expand...

Etymotics is the brand.

They are not cans. I believe "cans" is reserved for superaural or circumaural type 'phones. The Etymotics line is informally called "canal phones" as in ear canal. That may be what you are thinking of...
 
Be sure to check out Shure too.
On par with the Etymotics, but I prefer them because they don't stick out of the ears so much, and are built a lot more ruggedly. I think that i'd destroy any of the Etymotic range in about a week of use - but that's just me - carry bags and stuff round snags sometimes.
Do a search on this forum (or look in my sig) for "E3c" and you'll find a lot of positive feedback about them. I think they are a big more available than the Ety's too.

EDIT: The step up in price from Sony etc. does also represent a significant step up in quality. All Sony 'phones I have ever used are so base-heavy that I can't listen to any music other and contemporary rap pop r&b etc. Jazz, classical etc are all much better on these. And the frquency range is a lot better represented.
 
me too

i also have sony in-earbuds the MDREX51LP's. they seemed sorta pricey to me at the time. around $60 canadian dollars but well worth the moola!
seriously blown away. :D
 
i recently bought a pair of "the plugs" by koss. they're reeeeaaly cheap (20 bucks) and they block out a lot of noise. they're quite in-ear and it takes a bit of getting used to but after that they're great
 
ok, I just got my MDR-EX81LP's via FedEx. I knew I had received them when my package tracker widget reported that it was delivered :)
I really like them so far. I don't think they are as bassy as people have made them out to be, but that might also be because my other pair of headphones are the huge MDR-V700DJ, which are very bass heavy.
The EX81's are also very comfortable, although the clips don't really rest on the top of my ear. And 50 bucks is a good price for the sound quality emitted by these great OEM bud replacements.
 
I'd recommend the Sony MDR-EX51LP. $26.48 at Amazon, free ship, and no tax.

Similar to Sony's EX71SL, but the cable is longer. No cord extension needed on the 51's.

There are even white ones if you want to match.
 
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the sony buds are a nice upgrade than the apple earbuds. but they're not "true" canalphones and won't give you the sound isolation that the etymotics or shures will. the etymotic er6i can be had for about $80, most recently at buy.com. the shure e3c is a bit more expensive, but sound great as well. if you're going to spend $40-50 for the sony ex81, spend a little bit more for the er6i, which sound much much better. let us know what you get!
 
quackattack said:
I love the Shure's look at the e2c or the e3c depending on your budget. You won't be sorry!
Click to expand...

And they're both on sale right now at Amazon.

E3c's are $112.94 with free ship and no tax, plus you also get a free $15 iTunes card.

The E2c's are $69.99 with free ship, no tax, and a free $15 iTunes card.
 
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I've been looking through the latest issue of MacWorld for an earbud recommendation that the original poster asked about. The closest thing I could find was a small quarter-page ad for Etymotics; there was simply no actualy review for a pair of earbuds in this issue (July 2005).

Then, I noticed the date of the original post. 2003?! How did this one get dug up? The guy said he was leaving (perhaps on a jet plane) and I was trying to get a reply out as quickly as I could.

Someone must have been doing some gravedigging for posts.
 
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