[mangochutney]

Kirkmc is right, those thing will blast out your eardrums if you're not careful.
On the other hand, with the iPod you can adjust the maximum level of the volume in the settings.
Mine is set to about 1/3 of the original max. volume and I barely drag the slider to max. even with this low setting.
The nice thing about this kind of earphone, is that you experience the full dynamic range of the music you're listening to at a comparatively low volume.
Given that you use the right sleeves on the IEMs and get a proper seal (which is also very important for bass response) those little buggers will give you between 30 to 40db passive noise reduction when you have music playing (quietly).

[Dan Frakes]

passiflora said:

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.

My favorite headphone vendor is HeadRoom, in part because they offer a 30 return policy with no restocking penalty:

http://www.headphone.com/

(Disclaimer: I did some copyediting work for the HeadRoom folks a few years ago. But I was actually a customer for years before that; in fact, it was because I was a happy customer that I did the work for them.)

The other option is custom earmolds, which are made by an audiologist specifically for your ears. I covered the production process a while back in an article about hearing protection:

http://www.macworld....siciansearplugs

[Dan Frakes]

Duboiz said:

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...

I actually own the MDR-V6 (which are the same as the MDR-7506). They're very good headphones, especially for analytical work such as mixing. However, given that we could list only a few examples of each type of headphone, I chose to include the Beyerdynamic DT 235 because, for a lower price, I think they offer more enjoyable sound when used with an iPod or a computer. I also find them to be more comfortable than the V6.

[Dan Frakes]

kirkmc said:

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.

I linked (twice) in the article to our feature on in-ear-canal headphones, which discusses the issue of canalphones and hearing safety. That said, any headphones can damage your ears if you accidentally crank the volume up too high; in our article on hearing safety, we recommended that users take advantage of the iPod/iPhone's volume-limit feature to avoid excessive volume levels.

[TowerTone]

Purchased the Maximos just like the ones shown for my iPhone and couldn't be happier with them....well, except I wish I could hear myself better when I use them to talk on the phone. My voice is muffled, but everything else is clear as a bell.

[1210910087]

I know that Bose headphones are considered expensive and too BIG. But they truly (in my eyes) produce the best balanced sound you could find though headphones.

[mangochutney]

Sorry, but then you've never listened to a good pair of Grado's or Beyerdynamic's.
After having listened to a couple of BOSE headphones and earphones at hifi-meets I came to the conclusion, that while they do sound fun, whole frequency ranges are missing.

Believe me, you won't ever go back to BOSE after having listened to the Ultimate Ears TF10pro.

[passiflora]

Thanks for the suggestions! I've been on the verge of giving up my search and just trying to cram my Grados into my purse.

[blackfrog]

Dreyfus - your story is my story. Loved my Vibe Duos while they lasted. Then, I lost one channel. The replacement lasted less then a month before a short started causing a horrible echo for a remote caller, and finally, I lost one channel. Again.

I think they have a problem with the wires pulling out of the jack casing. Thing is, I really liked the Vibe's. I like the way they feel, the way they sound. Er, felt and sounded.

Maybe I will take your suggestion and try the Etymotic hf2's, but that means another $100.

For sure, I'm sending the Vibe's back for an exchange. Again.

[mangochutney]

@blackfrog

Basically that's a good idea, quality-wise.
But you'd be going to the exact opposite sound-signature-wise.
The Vibes are pretty bass-heavy and in my opinion a bit mushy,
while the Etymotics are overly precise for single driver IEMs.
They have only a faint bass output compared to the Vibes,
putting an emphasis on treble and the upper mids.

Mr. Frakes gave good advice with the online shop he mentioned,
because you can try earphones without having to pay a restocking fee
should you not like the phones.

My recommendation would be the Shure SE310 combined with either the Shure Music Phone adapter
or the Griffin iPhone adapter.

Cheers.

[ward1383]

I read the story out of curiosity and then wanted to add something. I use the standard ear buds now that I found a product called BudFits. I am one of the people that likes the sound quality that ear buds provide, but hated the fact that they didn't stay in my ears. BudFits work great, are comfortable and don't cost a fortune. The only place I found them was on Amazon. The Apple Stores don't sell them but they should!

[Steve_S]

I realize every product on the market can't be reviewed, but for the noise cancellation category, you missed what is arguably the best product in the category - Creative Aurvana. I compared several models and ended up buying this one. It even has the narrow plug needed for the iPhone, etc.
http://www.maclife.c...rticle/creativeaurvanax_fi
http://www.pcworld.c...143778/creativeaurvanaxfi_headphones.html

[Panglos]

Although I favor the CX500, I agree with the many positive comments about the Sennheiser CX300. Be advised that there are many fakes of this product out there--don't expect to be able to pay $0.99 on ebay for it and get the genuine article. The real thing can be had for much less than list, though.

An alternative is to buy the CX300 repackaged via OEM agreement with Creative Audio as the EP-360. It's the same product with a different logo, sold for less.

[Dan Frakes]

ward1383 said:

I read the story out of curiosity and then wanted to add something. I use the standard ear buds now that I found a product called BudFits. I am one of the people that likes the sound quality that ear buds provide, but hated the fact that they didn't stay in my ears. BudFits work great, are comfortable and don't cost a fortune. The only place I found them was on Amazon. The Apple Stores don't sell them but they should!

We received a sample of the BudFits a couple weeks ago, and so far I'm liking them. I'm a fan of "earclip" headphones, and if you're satisfied with the sound of Apple's stock earbuds, the BudFits are comfortable and secure. We'll be doing a mini-review of them soon.