New earphones...

[bjlsurfer]

My old Sony earbuds are crapping out and I'm looking for some higher-end in-ear earphones.    I'm drooling over the new Super.fi 5s and the Sleek SA6s- anybody got positive or negative experience with either of these?  Or got something else under $200 to recommend?  Shures, Etymotics, Ultimate Ears, Jays?

[Budr]

Always Shures. For the price point, you'll be looking at these. Kinda low-end but the next model up is $299.

[Mission Difficult]

If you really want ear buds, I would recommend getting ear molds done and getting custom fitted ones. Westone makes some good ones but if you just do a search for in ear monitors you should find a bunch. The reason for the custom mold is so you get more isolation and thus don't have to turn up the volume to overcome ambient noise. Most other ear buds are terrible for your hearing.  :-X

[copulatingduck]

If you really want ear buds, I would recommend getting ear molds done and getting custom fitted ones. Westone makes some good ones but if you just do a search for in ear monitors you should find a bunch. The reason for the custom mold is so you get more isolation and thus don't have to turn up the volume to overcome ambient noise. Most other ear buds are terrible for your hearing.  :-X

Listen to this guy ^^

His business is sound. :o

[Budr]

If you really want ear buds, I would recommend getting ear molds done and getting custom fitted ones. Westone makes some good ones but if you just do a search for in ear monitors you should find a bunch. The reason for the custom mold is so you get more isolation and thus don't have to turn up the volume to overcome ambient noise. Most other ear buds are terrible for your hearing.  :-X

It's gonna notch up the price point some though. I've got custom plugs but the moulding alone cost £60 let alone the filters.

[HeK]

I was really impressed with the Skullcandy Ink'd headphones. They are uber cheap @ $20 but sound as good as my brother's $140 Sonys.
Downside: they don't label the right and left channels.

[Budr]

I was really impressed with the Skullcandy Ink'd headphones. They are uber cheap @ $20 but sound as good as my brother's $140 Sonys.
Downside: they don't label the right and left channels.

I don't mean to contradict you but I've heard quite the opposite.

[Luinbariel]

[quote author=HeK link=topic=1152.msg30195#msg30195 date=1218578301]
I was really impressed with the Skullcandy Ink'd headphones. They are uber cheap @ $20 but sound as good as my brother's $140 Sonys.
Downside: they don't label the right and left channels.

I don't mean to contradict you but I've heard quite the opposite.
[/quote]

I thought so too at first, but for serious; the ones we got were one million times better than the ipod headphones. I was getting perfect sound on the plane, and in flight they kept out all noise. It was like I was in my living room.

[Dave]

my earphones were 5 quid in woolworths.

[rumsfald]

Most other ear buds are terrible for your hearing.  :-X

For what it is worth, when I use my ety er-4p i I listen at about 50% my usual volume (about 1/4 to 1/3 on a 3g and 5g ipod). Lowest I have ever used.

But, the ER-4ps are far from as comfortable or as livable as I would want for that price.

[Mission Difficult]

The key is having a good seal in the ear. Because everyone has different ears, a mold is the only way to ensure a (close to) perfect seal. When I hear people say ear bud they're usually referring to something like the ones the ipod comes with, in which case you should just ram shit into your ears and pretend you can't hear.

[bjlsurfer]

Custom ones are cool, but for the amount of money I wanna spend, I'm not sure they're the best value, or even viable really.  I'm pretty sure that with some type of foam tips I'd be able to get a pretty good seal.

my earphones were 5 quid in woolworths.

WTF DOES THAT MEAN?  SPEAK AMERICAN PLZ!!!!1onetwoone

...

[HeK]

The Skullcandy's have this soft silicon liner that fits into your ear canal. The lack of any external sound passing by is likely why they sound decent. Makes your ears feel sweaty after an hour or so.


Still pisses me off that they don't have right and left markings.

[ScottyGrayskull]

@Hek:

I got those too. They're pretty awesome, although I agree about the l/r markings.

[ainmosni]

[quote author=Budr link=topic=1152.msg30211#msg30211 date=1218581857]
[quote author=HeK link=topic=1152.msg30195#msg30195 date=1218578301]
I was really impressed with the Skullcandy Ink'd headphones. They are uber cheap @ $20 but sound as good as my brother's $140 Sonys.
Downside: they don't label the right and left channels.

I don't mean to contradict you but I've heard quite the opposite.
[/quote]

I thought so too at first, but for serious; the ones we got were one million times better than the ipod headphones. I was getting perfect sound on the plane, and in flight they kept out all noise. It was like I was in my living room.
[/quote]

To be totally fair, the ipod earplugs are about the worst earplugs I've ever used...

[cbre88x]

I don't use in-ear headphones for the reasons Mission stated. I kind of have to have my hearing intact for my future career.

[Squishy3]

I don't use in-ear headphones for the reasons Mission stated. I kind of have to have my hearing intact for my future career.

professional hitman?

[Dave]

[quote author=cbre88x link=topic=1152.msg31189#msg31189 date=1218910563]
I don't use in-ear headphones for the reasons Mission stated. I kind of have to have my hearing intact for my future career.

professional hitman?
[/quote]

fart inspector.

[Maxon]

Whats the benefit or appeal of in ear ones?  They've always felt uncomfortable and I always though the sound was better in regular headphones.

[Luinbariel]

Whats the benefit or appeal of in ear ones?  They've always felt uncomfortable and I always though the sound was better in regular headphones.

From what I understand, they offer a seal that blocks out a lot more backround crap, and tend to thus sound clearer.