I had some Shure earbuds sometime back that came with these foam tips for options. Those things were so comfortable, and made a perfect seal. I might just look to see if those tips can fit on other earbuds...
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What Headphones Are You Using?
- Thread starter MICHAELSD
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Yes, I have read very good reports on Shure headphones, both the in-ear and on-ear versions.
At home I use Grado SR 60 and SR 80. When travelling Etymotic ER4. All are very old but have a detailed, balanced sound.
I used to have a pair of Stax electrostatic headphones. IIRC, they cost more than $1,000 back in the 1980s when I was younger and foolish, but the sound was amazing. I still have the driver unit, but I don't know where the headphones are. A few years ago, I bought a set of audio-technica noise canceling headphones. The noise cancellation works well, but the overall sound is a bit on the dull side, even if I compensate with the equalizer. I also got Shure earbuds along with my first iPod in 2003. They were OK, but I've never found any in-ear phones that I found comfortable.
Agreed.
That is why I always buy - and wear - on-ear headphones, as well, as I have never been able to find a pair of in-ear head phones that were comfortable.
For an ideal level of comfort over-ear is recommended. The difference is that over-ear is supported mainly by your head while on-ear is supported by your ears, which many users quickly find uncomfortable.
Well, I am impressed and more than a little envious of those who can (comfortably) wear in-ears, personally, I have never managed it, - not even the B&W (a company I love) in-ears headphones (the C5s) were comfortable.
Some can manage this sort of stuff, but I comfort and sensory issues matter to me.
ATM i just use a pair of Memorex Headphones that came with a Memorex CD Player I got at a garage sale for a buck solely for the headphones.
Back in the distant day, Memorex used to make superb quality tape cassettes, of a far better quality (and yes, somewhat more expensive) than some of the better known brands. They were the cassette tapes you used to record the stuff you really loved (or needed)….
On rotation:
Grado SR80
Audio Technica ATH-M50x
Looking to add a pair of Beyerdynamics in the near future.
Grado SR80
Audio Technica ATH-M50x
Looking to add a pair of Beyerdynamics in the near future.
RHA 600i, after trying Sennheiser and Etymotic (both good but the models I tried, especially the Etymotics, were not very durable). I can't say enough good things about these buds-plus they sound good and with Comply tips they are quite comfortable.
http://www.rha-audio.com/uk/headphones/ma600i.html
http://www.rha-audio.com/uk/headphones/ma600i.html
I'm using:
BeyerDynamic DT770 Pro's (250 ohm version)
Denon AHD2000's
Sony MDR V6's
Sennheiser PX 100's
BeyerDynamic DT770 Pro's (250 ohm version)
Denon AHD2000's
Sony MDR V6's
Sennheiser PX 100's
As I recall, the tag line read "Is it live, or is it Memorex" (or something similar). I still have a few Memorex cassettes around, but I digitized anything worth keeping on them and my other tapes last year.
Well, I was that kid with glasses who trotted around conducting interviews with some historical figures; I remember receiving advice to the effect that if I wanted high quality tapes, on which to store some of these interviews, so that they would be accessible years later, Memorex was the one that I was recommended to use.
They were excellent, and came in an attractive, sober, understated packaging..
I'm a bit of an ear bud headphone junkie:
The RHA's are hidden gems, and should sell for twice the suggested retail.
I will also note I purchased an Anker bluetooth aluminium transmitter/receiver. It converts any wired headphone to bluetooth. It's smaller than a matchbox case. The sound quality is reduced and you still have your headphone cord to deal with (although you can minimise this to some degree.) It's a nifty little option. I can have music playing from my gym bag, and not have to keep track of my iphone whilst at the gym. It's also good for streaming video, especially with an ipad. The last thing you want is a chord tug causing the ipad to fall off it's holder. Highly recommended.
A lot of this is personal preference, and there's a lot of good stuff out there. I'd urge you to try what you can to find your sweet spot. Also keep in mind tangling and transport. Nothing is more aggravating than having to untangle headphones before using every time!
- For mid range price points: 8- ball EX811. Extremely good sound at its price point. I originally couldn't believe they were "that good" and kept trying to find fault with them. Great mod styling, too. The company is also super fantastic, and back their product 100%.
- Upper range: RHA 10Ti. Another great value of the sound. They define the word clean. Solidly constructed. I can't say enough about how great they are
- "molto caro" range: Westone ESXX line. The best out there in my opinion. They require an ear moulding. It's hard to justify the expense of these unless you're a musician playing live, working in a noisy environment, or are just crazy committed to ultimate sound. You won't be disappointed.
The RHA's are hidden gems, and should sell for twice the suggested retail.
I will also note I purchased an Anker bluetooth aluminium transmitter/receiver. It converts any wired headphone to bluetooth. It's smaller than a matchbox case. The sound quality is reduced and you still have your headphone cord to deal with (although you can minimise this to some degree.) It's a nifty little option. I can have music playing from my gym bag, and not have to keep track of my iphone whilst at the gym. It's also good for streaming video, especially with an ipad. The last thing you want is a chord tug causing the ipad to fall off it's holder. Highly recommended.
A lot of this is personal preference, and there's a lot of good stuff out there. I'd urge you to try what you can to find your sweet spot. Also keep in mind tangling and transport. Nothing is more aggravating than having to untangle headphones before using every time!
I'm a bit of a headphone junkie, not so much of an earbud fan.
Grado SR80 cans for traveling.
Grado SR325e cans for the home/office.
Sony MDR-DS7500 for movies. I bought the Japanese version from Amazon, about $175 less than Sony's US Store, and the transmitter pairs with up to 4 sets of the headphones.
Just ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic T51i cans @$199 from Adorama for travel to replace some old Sony earbuds I've tired of. They'll be here (hear?) before the holiday weekend!
Considering a pair of Beyerdynamic T90 cans (to complement my SR325e cans) from Massdrop that are going for considerably under list for the next several days.
Grado SR80 cans for traveling.
Grado SR325e cans for the home/office.
Sony MDR-DS7500 for movies. I bought the Japanese version from Amazon, about $175 less than Sony's US Store, and the transmitter pairs with up to 4 sets of the headphones.
Just ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic T51i cans @$199 from Adorama for travel to replace some old Sony earbuds I've tired of. They'll be here (hear?) before the holiday weekend!
Considering a pair of Beyerdynamic T90 cans (to complement my SR325e cans) from Massdrop that are going for considerably under list for the next several days.
A pair of Nokia Purity Over Ear headphones by Monster. They were were bluetooth and sound isolating, but they don't charge anymore, so there goes that. Thankfully I can still use them wired. The sound is still good, but I miss the sound isolating feature.
I have a pair of Plantronics Backbeat 2Go (something like that) for running. Thankfully those do charge still!
I have a pair of Plantronics Backbeat 2Go (something like that) for running. Thankfully those do charge still!
I recall some folks mentioning an interest in the Sennheiser Momentums - these are the ON ear version (vs. OVER), but this still seems like a solid deal:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0TH-0036-000B3
So $99, then with this promo code: EMCAVAT28
The price is $69 ... !
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0TH-0036-000B3
So $99, then with this promo code: EMCAVAT28
The price is $69 ... !
I had a nice pair of Sennheiser PX100s - lost 'em somewhere traveling. Added a set of Klipsch S4is rugged for a couple of years - washed 'em by accident. They earbuds still work fine despite 2 hours on super-hot in the laundry but the mic is toast. Unfortunately, the jack is partially broken and I don't want it to break off in my iDevices.
For Father's Day I got a pair of OPPO PM-3s. They survived a long trip to SoCal for a family reunion. They sound and look great. I tried the P7s and P5s at my local Apple Store and the OPPOs just sound cleaner. My iPhone 6+ drives them well without an amp but now I'm chasing better sound files
.
For Father's Day I got a pair of OPPO PM-3s. They survived a long trip to SoCal for a family reunion. They sound and look great. I tried the P7s and P5s at my local Apple Store and the OPPOs just sound cleaner. My iPhone 6+ drives them well without an amp but now I'm chasing better sound files
.
Given that quite a few who have posted here seem to have had positive experiences with in-ear headphones, I wonder has anyone tried out, used, or had any experience with any of the products from the Thinksound company?
They seem to be a highly regarded (ethical, organic) company which uses natural wood when making their in-ear headphones, - which apparently produces a lovely, mellow sound, and I would be curious to know whether anyone had come across them.
They seem to be a highly regarded (ethical, organic) company which uses natural wood when making their in-ear headphones, - which apparently produces a lovely, mellow sound, and I would be curious to know whether anyone had come across them.
For daily commute I use a $50-100 pair of in-ears called Sony MDX-650AP or something like that.
At least their sound is unlikely to be tinny.
Seriously, though, my issue with in-ear headphones has been more related to comfort than fidelity, although over-ears have an obvious sound advantage because of their size. With all the earbuds I've tried, include the Shure Etymotics I had, I found that I had to push them well into my ear canal to achieve a proper seal, leading to discomfort and a constant awareness of their physical presence.