• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Good quality Earbuds for ~ $60

Davidh373

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Is there a good quality earbud for around $60? I have nice circumaural headphones but their portability is non-existent (earpieces are far too big to go around my neck). I'd like audio quality to be there of course, but I realize some has to be sacrificed for you can't fit a 40mm speaker into a 3mm space 🙁. It looks like $60 is a popular range for brands like Sennheiser, Boss and Koss.

I was looking at these

Sennheiser
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-MK-...3926280&sr=8-7

H2O (not really needing waterproof though...)
http://www.amazon.com/H2O-Audio-Surg...25652&sr=1-238

Bose
http://www.amazon.com/Bose--Ear-Head...25716&sr=1-254

Pioneer
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SE-CLX...25716&sr=1-265

Koss
http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KDX300-Is...926000&sr=1-17

I'm looking for something that matches (I know, kinda girly, but I'm a graphic design student). I'm looking more for something in Silver, Black, Red or a mix. I'd prefer a rough brushed steel look but glossy is a close favorite. I don't want them to look plasic glossy, more glass or metal glossy. If it costs me a few dollars, but not many dollars so be it. If this is any indication of brand I like to listen to heavier, eventful sounds. I frequent Classical like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and the like. I also frequent bands like Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Coldplay, Radiohead, and many indie bands like Spoon, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips and so on. I also like Techno and Electronic like Basshunter, DJ Tiesto, Justice and a few of the more electronic hip-hop artists like Kanye West, and Kid Cudi. I know this is a wide range (maybe even a strange range) of musical tastes, but I like me my music!

Thank you for your help in advance.
 
Last edited:
I have the mx880 set and they sound great. At home I run some really expensive headphones with an amp and dac and all that and these sound 90% as good out of my iphone on the go.
 
Do they have some noise cancelling? It looks like they might but I'm not sure from the pics on amazon. I'm not quite to the level of Amps and DACs, so if they sound 90% as good they may make my good ones obsolete 🙂.
 
do you need noise cancelling? on your list some of them are IEM that blocks noise and some of like the bose and the senn are just ear buds that goes further into the ear.
 
I shouldn't say "noise canceling" but I would like something that blocks some of the noise, like the ones that go into the ear. I Shure a good brand? I haven't heard of them before.
 
Shure is a very good brand, however they are a bit more expensive then what you are looking for. i had a pair of Shure E2Cs for years and now have a pair of SE115s
 
Anubis said:
Shure is a very good brand, however they are a bit more expensive then what you are looking for. i had a pair of Shure E2Cs for years and now have a pair of SE115s
Click to expand...

The one's posted by Jag are $67, which is "~$60" so I'd go for those if they were better than the Sennheisers for ~$60 or the Nuforce.
 
I'll probably get crucified for saying this, but my Razer Earbuds sound amazing. Especially for 30 bucks.

What source are you using these with? If it's an ipod I wouldn't go overboard on buying super expensive drivers.
 
I can wholeheartedly recommend these, even though theyre slightly over your price range at $80:

http://www.headphone.com/headphones/yuin-pk2.php

They look like cheap buds, but they sound AMAZING. They give my high end circumaurals a run for the money. The detail on the highs are incredible, and the low end is more than you'd ever expect from earbuds. Its obviously not like subwoofers in your ears, but the bass is very present and incredibly tight.

I run them 6hrs a day at work off an iphone, easily one of the best purchases I've ever made. And I know my way around a good set of headphones, believe me when I tell you these are absolutely fantastic.

I'm all out of superlatives. Seriously, get these.
 
Those are a tad too far out of range i'm afraid, but they do seem very well reviewed. I'll keep them in mind.
 
Davidh373 said:
Those are a tad too far out of range i'm afraid, but they do seem very well reviewed. I'll keep them in mind.
Click to expand...

For me it was an easy choice cause it's something I use all day every day...I've literally put thousands of hours on mine for the few years I've had them. And even though I'm totally used to them, they still consistently impress me. If I could get away with bringing my Ultrasone circumaurals to work I would, but these are easily the next best thing.

I personally cant stand the kind that literally plug into your ear - they make me feel like I'm underwater. The PK2 manage to sound great and have good bass without forcing you to stuff something inside your inner ear.
 
Yeah Bigi, I already have good around the ears headphones. Want something portable. Thanks though. I think i've made the decision to go with Shures Jag posted. Thank you everyone and I'm sorry it's been a while since i've posted, been busy.
 
There's far far far too many players in the <$80-100 IEM market today. Best I can do, without telling you to go to Head-Fi and reading the reviews yourself, is to get the Nuforce NE7M.

Although, yoyo, those SuperFi.5vis look pretty good... maybe four years ago the original Super.Fi 5 Pros were $200 and competed, to a degree, with Etymotic ER4Ps. These are supposed to be improved in most ways, and Etymotics are still selling used for maybe $80-100. That said, like I said, there are LOTS of options in the IEM market today, so it's going to be very hard to find a consensus.
 
I have these, and they are very nice ($50). Very musical, bass is a bit lacking (to be expected), but they seal out the outside noise very well. They're great at work and on airplanes. Paired up with a CMOY amp they are a wonderful value.

The only downside is that the cables are cord-wrapped, which makes them pretty, but any sound along the cable is clearly heard. They are very good if you're not using them for running where the cables will constantly scrape on stuff. Otherwise, you won't notice it.
 
BD2003 said:
I can wholeheartedly recommend these, even though theyre slightly over your price range at $80:

http://www.headphone.com/headphones/yuin-pk2.php

They look like cheap buds, but they sound AMAZING. They give my high end circumaurals a run for the money. The detail on the highs are incredible, and the low end is more than you'd ever expect from earbuds. Its obviously not like subwoofers in your ears, but the bass is very present and incredibly tight.

I run them 6hrs a day at work off an iphone, easily one of the best purchases I've ever made. And I know my way around a good set of headphones, believe me when I tell you these are absolutely fantastic.

I'm all out of superlatives. Seriously, get these.
Click to expand...
They also seem to kill most IEMs in accurate frequency response. Interesting.
 
Sounds like you'd enjoy the shures since you said you like heavier sounds. Shure, especially their entry line SE115, has a very heavy sound signature, that is heavy bass with rolled off highs.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/476139/impressions-on-shure-se115

Although for your musical tastes, I'd prefer something more detailed and has better instrument separation. I would've went for either the Head-Direct RE0 or the Etymotic MC5. These, in comparison, will produce this live imaging effect in which it sounds like you can distinctly hear where all the instruments are coming from in front of you in utter clarity like you're in the front row seat.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/512909/best-100-iem

The Yuin PK2 also kicks butt if you don't care for sound isolation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top