Need recommendations on the best sub $100 earbuds.

[777php]

I've been doing some research and came across these

Sony MDR-EX70LP
Sony MDR-EX70SL
Etymotic ER-6 Isolator
Shure E2c

Anyone have experience with these and can recommend some good places to buy them from?

 

[SKC]

I got my shure e2cs from www.microphonesolutions.com. They took a little getting used to, but after being properly broken in, I really, really appreciate the difference in sound quality between these and other earbuds. I tried the sony ex71s before I got the e2cs; the sonys sounded muddy (compared to my trusty sennheiser mx500s).

Mids and highs from the e2cs are fantastic. There's less emphasis on bass, so they may sound different from what you might be used to/like. It's not that there's no bass, it's that it doesn't hit as hard. I found that, perhaps as a result, I could hear nuances in the other ranges much more clearly.

I had a great buying experience from microphonesolutions. They PMed to a site that was selling them for less, even though the other site wasn't an authorized reseller and shipping was fast. I noticed that, when I received the package, some of the foam inserts seemed dried out; I emailed them and the next day they sent out an entirely new package of inserts. I'd recommend buying from them.

 

[777php]

what was the adddress of the other site you PM'ed to? How much did you eventually get them for?

 

[SKC]

I don't remember the name of the site.. just do a search for shure e2c. I think I ended up getting them for ~80, including shipping. Microphonesolutions didn't do its full pricematch (+5%) because the site wasn't an authorized reseller, but they lowered it anyways, which was nice.

 

[Howard]

Siegfried Linkwitz likes the Shure e2c - he also notes that very little equalization is required to flatten their response.

Listening tests to commercial recordings and my own DAT head-related recordings revealed a very realistic tonal balance, frequency extension, superb detail and dynamics without using any equalization. When I actually listened to a slow sinewave sweep, I found a fairly broad peak centered at 3.8 kHz, a mild peak at 5.9 kHz and another peak at 9.2 kHz. I made no attempt at equalization, because the realism of the E2 is so convincing. Also, at all frequencies the sound seemed fuller than with the other models, though I cannot explain why it should.

There are definite differences between the three earphones that I tested, though not so much in their sound, if you equalize two of them. The ER-4S definitely need equalization, otherwise their sound is quite colored, which is easy to spot on most recordings. The MDR-EX71SL could almost be used without equalization since the canal resonance shows only on certain program material. This might be acceptable for general listening but not for use as a sound reference. The E2 meets my sonic requirements right out of the box. These are the sturdiest phones of the three in all aspects. Vibration transfer from the cable is low, on par with the Sony and far better than the Etymotic. Sound isolation against ambient noise is not quite as high as for the ER-4S, but higher than with the EX71SL. The $100 price tag of the E2 falls between the EX71SL at $50 and the ER-4S at $270.

 

[iamme]

Sennheiser MX400's for $14....can't beat that

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: iamme
Sennheiser MX400's for $14....can't beat that

The MX400 and the MX500 are the exact same, except I believe the MX500 has a built-in volume control and it looks better (subjectively).

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

I've been looking at the same thing since my 5 year-old craptacular Sony's are about to bite the dust. I really want the Etymotic ER-6's but I can't justify their price. From what I've read, the Sony MDR-EX71SL 's are nice and at < $40 you can't go wrong. Keep in mind that the Etymotic and Sure earphones are in-canal so if their fit isn't perfect they won't sound good.

Also, since the Sure and Etymotics are in-canal, you get something like 20 dB attenuation from outside sounds. That makes them not too suitable for anything where there is potential danger (jogging, biking, etc.) since 20dB attenuation means you're pretty much oblivious to the outside world as far as sounds are concerned. Canalphones are also very vulnerable to the "microphone effect" meaning that you hear it very loud if the cable rubs against your shirt or something since it goes straight to your ear.

Finally, I've read that the Sony noise-cancelling earbuds are pretty good if you want to hear the outsiode world. I forget the model number, I think it was MDR<something>-NC11. Look them up on sonystyle.com

 

[mdbound]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: iamme Sennheiser MX400's for $14....can't beat that

The MX400 and the MX500 are the exact same, except I believe the MX500 has a built-in volume control and it looks better (subjectively).

Ya, I like my senn's (MX500)....go well with the mp3 player. And you can get them at newegg for $16.

MD.

 

[deejayshakur]

it's almost always the same culprits--mx400/500, ex70, 71, 888, plugs, shures. i use 71sl and love em. check out the posts on head-fi.

 

[Howard]

Text

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
I've been looking at the same thing since my 5 year-old craptacular Sony's are about to bite the dust. I really want the Etymotic ER-6's but I can't justify their price. From what I've read, the Sony MDR-EX71SL 's are nice and at < $40 you can't go wrong. Keep in mind that the Etymotic and Sure earphones are in-canal so if their fit isn't perfect they won't sound good.

Also, since the Sure and Etymotics are in-canal, you get something like 20 dB attenuation from outside sounds. That makes them not too suitable for anything where there is potential danger (jogging, biking, etc.) since 20dB attenuation means you're pretty much oblivious to the outside world as far as sounds are concerned. Canalphones are also very vulnerable to the "microphone effect" meaning that you hear it very loud if the cable rubs against your shirt or something since it goes straight to your ear.

Finally, I've read that the Sony noise-cancelling earbuds are pretty good if you want to hear the outsiode world. I forget the model number, I think it was MDR<something>-NC11. Look them up on sonystyle.com

lol the 70SLs are definately not nicer than e2cs or ER6s if you ask me. unless you like bass heavy music everywhere. even the E2cs are bass bloated to some people. the er6s are the most balanced and most detailed, with the e2cs coming in second. some people prefer the comfort and fit of the e2cs, although the er6s are very "wearable". especially if you compare them to the er4s. the 70sl and nudes will be more comfortable for the most part but will definately not provide the sonic quality of the other two, but it will offer LOADS of bass.

 

[Sid59]

senn's mx series is good. alot better than the sony's i had. ( i think the old sony was around 30bucks)

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother

lol the 70SLs are definately not nicer than e2cs or ER6s if you ask me. unless you like bass heavy music everywhere. even the E2cs are bass bloated to some people. the er6s are the most balanced and most detailed, with the e2cs coming in second. some people prefer the comfort and fit of the e2cs, although the er6s are very "wearable". especially if you compare them to the er4s. the 70sl and nudes will be more comfortable for the most part but will definately not provide the sonic quality of the other two, but it will offer LOADS of bass.

I never said they'd be better, as a matter a fact I'm almost certain the ER-6s and the E-2Cs would pummel the Sonys (I've never heard either of them). I should have been clearer in what I was saying; the Sony's are good earbuds for much less; at < $40 they're obviously not direct competition for either the >$100 ER-6s or the E-2Cs. I was just stating that in my case, I was willing to sacrifice some sound quality to save some bucks. Also, I plan to run and bike with these earphones so the 20 dB attenuation would be a problem.

If I had the cash, I'd get some ER-4S earphones, the specs and reviews on those are very, very impressive.

 

[dethman]

the e888's are much clearer than the ex70/71 series.

most people consider those muddy...good on the bass but not much else.

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother

lol the 70SLs are definately not nicer than e2cs or ER6s if you ask me. unless you like bass heavy music everywhere. even the E2cs are bass bloated to some people. the er6s are the most balanced and most detailed, with the e2cs coming in second. some people prefer the comfort and fit of the e2cs, although the er6s are very "wearable". especially if you compare them to the er4s. the 70sl and nudes will be more comfortable for the most part but will definately not provide the sonic quality of the other two, but it will offer LOADS of bass.

I never said they'd be better, as a matter a fact I'm almost certain the ER-6s and the E-2Cs would pummel the Sonys (I've never heard either of them). I should have been clearer in what I was saying; the Sony's are good earbuds for much less; at < $40 they're obviously not direct competition for either the >$100 ER-6s or the E-2Cs. I was just stating that in my case, I was willing to sacrifice some sound quality to save some bucks. Also, I plan to run and bike with these earphones so the 20 dB attenuation would be a problem.

If I had the cash, I'd get some ER-4S earphones, the specs and reviews on those are very, very impressive.

true. trust me man, the ER4s are sweeeeet. i have them and i use them when i go on long trips. only problem is comfort, they take quite a while to get used to (having something stuck deep in your ear isnt exactly pleasant). ive heard all the headphones listed, i would choose the er6 first, the e2c in a very close second, and the 70sl isnt bad for the price at all. but then again $40-$70 is a strange area. its on the borderline of spending a lot, but the holding back. its a weird place, so you dont get a bargain, or a great sounding bud (this is just imo).

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: dethman
the e888's are much clearer than the ex70/71 series.

most people consider those muddy...good on the bass but not much else.

Who makes them? I hadn't heard of them.

I'm looking for good earbuds to use with mp3s/WMAs while working out and biking so I don't need something too high-end since these are hardly ideal conditions. I'm just looking for some reasonable good earbuds that don't attenuate outside noise too much. I'll be using them with an ultra-portable mp3 player, likely a Rio S30.

What would you guys recommend for this? I was leaning towards the Sony EX71SLs at this point but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[deejayshakur]

e888 by sony. open earbuds so no isolation.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: dethman
the e888's are much clearer than the ex70/71 series.

most people consider those muddy...good on the bass but not much else.

Who makes them? I hadn't heard of them.

I'm looking for good earbuds to use with mp3s/WMAs while working out and biking so I don't need something too high-end since these are hardly ideal conditions. I'm just looking for some reasonable good earbuds that don't attenuate outside noise too much. I'll be using them with an ultra-portable mp3 player, likely a Rio S30.

What would you guys recommend for this? I was leaning towards the Sony EX71SLs at this point but I'm open to suggestions.

Again I suggest the Shure E2(c) buds.

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: dethman
the e888's are much clearer than the ex70/71 series.

most people consider those muddy...good on the bass but not much else.

Who makes them? I hadn't heard of them.

I'm looking for good earbuds to use with mp3s/WMAs while working out and biking so I don't need something too high-end since these are hardly ideal conditions. I'm just looking for some reasonable good earbuds that don't attenuate outside noise too much. I'll be using them with an ultra-portable mp3 player, likely a Rio S30.

What would you guys recommend for this? I was leaning towards the Sony EX71SLs at this point but I'm open to suggestions.

Again I suggest the Shure E2(c) buds.

agreed. the isolation of the e2cs will be a pleasant bonus if you work out in a noisy environment (gym) or something. however, the EX71SLs provide slight isolation as well (a little) and should be sufficient since the bruteness of it (low frequency) will be able to cover most other noise. in your case the EX71SLs seem to be a good fit. good price, secure (for working out), mild isolation, and as far as sound is concerned, its good enough for working out.

e2cs are a good choice too. better sound, isolation, secure fit. drawbacks are a higher price, and are slightly more difficult to insert as opposed to the sonys.

 

[KingNothing]

My contribution to the thread: The Etymotic ER-6 are available at the PalmOne store for $99, instead of the $129 that Etymotic charges. Go figure.

 

[bigalt]

if $100 is your price range, i also put in a vote for the shure e2c's. Got a pair for my girlfriend and was reluctant to actually hand them over (I stuck with my ksc-35's).

etymonics are of course the top of the line, I don't know anything about the er6 personally except that if you can find them for less than 100 that's a good bargain. if i were to spring for them though i would bite my wallet and go for the er4's which I have listened to and are sooo nice.

i think i have a pair of one of those sony's your looking at that I used for a while until i lost one of the pads (and all the replacements), if they're the ones I'm thinking of they're like $50- and still sound pretty good, especially to the non-audiophile. They're a little more comfortable than the shures.

 

[MaxDSP]

I use Sennheiser MX500's for my MiniDisc player...for the price, they were a REALLY good value (altho, you have to break them in a bit). I got em for like $16 shipped from B&H photo or something, but Newegg is a good place to get them also.

 

[cucumber]

I would vote for the Etymotics based on what I've heard and read. I've tried both the Shure and Etymotics. I'm not sure of
the specific models, but I was only trying out the cheaper ones. (Around $100- $200 ish...) The Etymotic's seemed a bit better.
They seemed to have a bit more debth while the Shure's sounded a bit thiner and harsher. (Though your source is just as
important too. The different headsets may work better with different sources. ) I know of Sennheiser as a great brand too,
but I never tried them out.

My advice would be to try a bunch of them out and see which one you like the best. Etymotic, Sure, Sennheiser, AKG
etc..... are all great brands.

There are more than a few great brands that you can trust, but the most important thing is to try them out. Regardless of
reputation and perceived quality, the most imprtant thing is how you feel about them. If you like a certain set of earphones
and you get to know them (quirks, qualities, faults, strengths etc...) you can mix anythiing well.

If you're just looking for something that will please you, get whatever sounds the most to your liking. If you plan to record and
mix music pick the ones thatseem the most acurate to you. (Acuracy is really up to you to judge. Even if your speakers are
horrible, it you know them well, you can still make a great mix)

 

[SKC]

don't know if anyone's still reading this thread, but an update--

I found this mod in the ipodlounge forums:
My friend gave me his extra medium ear inserts from the sony ex71s (the soft rubber parts that go in your ear). The shure e2cs come with several sets of inserts (three sets each of rubber and foamies). Using a knife, I stripped off all the foam on the largest set of the shure inserts, leaving just the plastic sleeves. The ex71 inserts happen to fit perfectly over these plastic sleeves (I used superglue to keep them in place, just in case). The result was (with the inserts from the ex71s fitted to the e2c earbuds) a huge increase in comfort, fit and thus sound quality.

Sorry for the convoluted sentence structure; had a long day.

Cliff's notes:
obtain earbud-inserts from Sony ex70/71s
strip foam from a set of the included shure inserts, leaving plastic sleeves
slip sony inserts over plastic sleeves
insert in ear
revel in comfort and sound quality