[Adwiz]

I definitely agree with zgatt, that the Sony MDREX71SL canalbuds are the most outstanding value that I've been able to find. I've purchased a ridiculous number of headphones in an effort to find ones I'm happy with, and these are my daily favorites.

[clintbradford]

>>...The new Jawbone is definitely better than the original -- mainly in terms of fit and comfort...

I took care of that with a custom ear mold from Avery Sound for my original Jawbone. EXTREMELY comfortable, and you don't use the over-the-ear hook any longer. www.averysound.com

Clint Bradford
909-241-7666

[Dan Frakes]

ibeetle, depends on the model, but I've got a set of Etymotic ER-4P I purchased in the 90s that are still going strong.

[ibeetle]

Dan Frakes said:

ibeetle, depends on the model, but I've got a set of Etymotic ER-4P I purchased in the 90s that are still going strong.

Awww man, I am never going to get to to upgrade my headphones. Unless, the three year old gets ahold of them. Man I have seen him do things to suposidly indistructable items that would make your hair curl.

Seriously thought, I did wonder how long a good pair of in-ear-cannel headphones lasted. The ones I have are the first pair I bought. I did not know if sound quality diminished over time with wear.

So basically if one uses, and cares for their headphones within manufactures guidelines they should last several years.

[arizonie]

When you do the Bluetooth headset roundup, please test for functionality with Windows in Boot Camp and the virtualizers. I searched for info on that a couple of weeks ago and found lots of people asking what worked, but no good answers.

[mangochutney]

@ibeetle

When I don't need my Westones I put them into the protective casing. They are not nearly as old as Mr. Frakes Etys, only around 2 years, but they don't show any signs of usage or aging.

If I may, I'll give out a recommendation for a dealer: Earphone Solutions (www.88es.com). I bought all of the IEMs I owned over there. Good prices, fast delivery, good service.

[Photonerd]

Sennheiser phones FTW, if you're serious about audio.

[Dan Frakes]

Photonerd said:

Sennheiser phones FTW, if you're serious about audio.

Sennheiser makes a number of great headphones, some of which are recommended in the article. However, they don't have a monopoly on excellence ;)

EDIT: I say that as a big Sennheiser fan; my "big rig" headphones include the HD650.

[passiflora]

Thanks for the review -- any advice on how/where to try out in-ear headphones (or canal buds or earbuds) before buying? My ear anatomy is such that neither of the two I've been able to test (one Shure at Apple Store, Bang & Olufsen) sound right. I'd prefer not to have to pay restocking fees to websites. I'm dying to upgrade, so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Lisamacnewton]

I've owned a set of Sennheiser CX-300's for about 2 years. I love them SO much I bought my Mom a pair (for Mother's day) and my husband a pair. The difference between canal buds and ear buds is startling! It took me a little while to "get used" to the canal buds, I'm not one for having things IN my ear. Yet once I got over the "hump", I'll never go back! I'm glad that most companies include the different size rubber outer fittings, my ears are 2 different sizes. Anyway, thanks for the thorough article!

[dreyfus]

Regarding the iPhone headphone recommendations, let me warn people from buying the V-Moda VibeDuo model. I (and 4 friends/colleagues) bought them when they became available - the first one failed after 3 weeks (complete loss of right speaker), in the meantime not a single one is working any more (defects involve everything imaginable - loose cables, microphone switch not working and not a single pair where both speakers do still work), a four-week old replacement is showing problems again.
Whoever can afford the 80 bucks more for the Etymotic hf2, do not hesitate once - they are worlds apart. Sound quality of the hf2 is almost as good as my regular Etymotic ER4P (which cost a lot more, and I consider them the best non custom-made earphones available) and built-quality is light-years ahead.

[clintbradford]

passiflors: If your ears are, well, "different," then please consider looking at www.averysound.com and have a custom pair of earpieces made for you. It makes a world of difference when earpieces fit you properly! I use custom earpieces both for stereo enjoyment and for two-way radio communications. There's nothing better feeling than a properly-fitted earpiece! -Clint Bradford, 909-241-7666

[Duboiz]

If you want to hear a shockingly good headphone try the over 20 years in production, Sony MDR-V6 monitor headphone. Flat respond from subwoofer level to a dog hearing highs. I'm sure the reviewer did not test them because they will end up at the top of he list...

[kirkmc]

You should always point out that in-ear-canal headphones are the most dangerous of the headphone types. All it takes is a wrong swipe on the iPod control to max the volume out and give you potential hearing damage. They may sound better (though I can't wear them because they are too uncomfortable), but they're so far in your ears that the natural structure of your ears cannot dampen the sound. Even listening with IECs at high volumes can damage hearing, so one should be very careful.
Kirk