WTF, is there any point in buying decent earbuds?

[darkxshade]

As the previous poster mentioned, high end Ultimate Ears make them like this, I got the Superfi.10s and they sound great and easily self-servicable. Not sure if any other brand does this though.

 

[nageov3t]

Firstly, you need to have a good source for your earbuds, and the *only* sources good enough for my ears are Apple products. Secondly, you have to pair up your earbuds with your Apple product. I recommend UE or Shure, as they each have the style, function, and simplicity necessary to compliment an iDevice. Everyone knows this.

I feel dirty speaking well of apple, but I have had the same set of earbuds since my ipod g2 and they still work fine.

 

[KeithTalent]

As the previous poster mentioned, high end Ultimate Ears make them like this, I got the Superfi.10s and they sound great and easily self-servicable. Not sure if any other brand does this though.

Damn, those look crazy expensive.

KT

 

[darkxshade]

Damn, those look crazy expensive.

KT

The triple.fi 10's? Yea, I got them for $108 shipped during an Amazon christmas goldbox deal last year. So if you keep your eye out, you might see a similar deal in the future if not close. They sound the best of all the earbuds I own to date but the earpiece is big and clunky.

correction: they're called triple.fi 10 not superfi, that's another line from the same company that I don't own.

 

[KeithTalent]

The superfi 10's? Yea, I got them for $108 shipped during an Amazon christmas goldbox deal last year. So if you keep your eye out, you might see a similar deal in the future if not close. They sound the best of all the earbuds I own to date but the earpiece is big and clunky.

I guess I'll go do some shopping at lunch. I have no problem paying for good quality, but for earbuds, where I seem to fail epically in my handling of them, I may just go cheap this time, or I guess get a warranty. We'll see.

KT

 

[AstroManLuca]

Solution: Don't wear earbuds. They suck. Regular headphones are so much better. They're more comfortable, sound better, and they can actually more portable because you don't have to deal with them getting all tangled up. Of course earbuds sometimes have those cool windup cases.

 

[KeithTalent]

Solution: Don't wear earbuds. They suck. Regular headphones are so much better. They're more comfortable, sound better, and they can actually more portable because you don't have to deal with them getting all tangled up. Of course earbuds sometimes have those cool windup cases.

Headphones will not work for running as I think that would be extremely uncomfortable, plus they would probably fall off.

KT

 

[keyed]

Headphones will not work for running as I think that would be extremely uncomfortable, plus they would probably fall off.

KT

Try earbuds with neckbands. I bought a Sennheiser PMX 680 because the remote control on my apple earbuds would die every ~6 weeks from working out.

Pluses:

• Neckband keeps the ear pieces in place fairly well. Running's never caused the me to lose sound.
• It has a detachable cord. The shorter cord is for armbands. When I've gotten the cord caught in something, it's usually the shorter part that gets detached and not the part connected to the Touch.
• 2 year warranty plus it's supposed to be moisture resistant. I wanted both after constantly replacing the Apple buds.
• Single cord going to neckband instead of two cords, one to each earbud. You don't have to deal with tangles.
• A neckband design allows you to leave it on your neck if you have to pay attention to something. I lost my previous earbuds literally at the dumps. Unplugged it to pause the music and took off the buds to pay attention to instructions. I left them on my shoulders and they fell off somewhere. On another note, I now have an extra pair of Apple buds that I found last week in the parking lot. Someone dropped them in the rush to get through the rain.
• Sound is good. I'm not an audiophile, so I can't tell you the quality.
• Volume control.

Minuses:

• Full cord is a bit too long.
• Neckband and clip don't allow you to use it for some exercises that you would with a normal earbud. I have to take it off for bench-press (can't rest the head with a neckband) and OH press (would hit the clip).
• About the clip. Because of the included weight of the volume control, you have to clip it to the neck of your shirt when you're running. Otherwise, the weight tugs when you bounce in your steps.
• No remote control. I know most earbuds don't have them, but I got used to them on the Apple ones. Being able to pause the touch without having to pull it out was convenient. Now, I have to pull it out and pause manually, or yank the cord out.
• With the full cord, I have to pause then unpause to get the full volume. For some reason, the touch doesn't output the full volume on the first try when the full cord is attached. It doesn't do this when you just use the armband cord.

Overall, it was worthwhile. It's been two months and hasn't died on me.

 

[KeithTalent]

Try earbuds with neckbands. I bought a Sennheiser PMX 680 because the remote control on my apple earbuds would die every ~6 weeks from working out.


Pluses:

• Neckband keeps the ear pieces in place fairly well. Running's never caused the me to lose sound.
• It has a detachable cord. The shorter cord is for armbands. When I've gotten the cord caught in something, it's usually the shorter part that gets detached and not the part connected to the Touch.
• 2 year warranty plus it's supposed to be moisture resistant. I wanted both after constantly replacing the Apple buds.
• Single cord going to neckband instead of two cords, one to each earbud. You don't have to deal with tangles.
• A neckband design allows you to leave it on your neck if you have to pay attention to something. I lost my previous earbuds literally at the dumps. Unplugged it to pause the music and took off the buds to pay attention to instructions. I left them on my shoulders and they fell off somewhere. On another note, I now have an extra pair of Apple buds that I found last week in the parking lot. Someone dropped them in the rush to get through the rain.
• Sound is good. I'm not an audiophile, so I can't tell you the quality.
• Volume control.

Minuses:

• Full cord is a bit too long.
• Neckband and clip don't allow you to use it for some exercises that you would with a normal earbud. I have to take it off for bench-press (can't rest the head with a neckband) and OH press (would hit the clip).
• About the clip. Because of the included weight of the volume control, you have to clip it to the neck of your shirt when you're running. Otherwise, the weight tugs when you bounce in your steps.
• No remote control. I know most earbuds don't have them, but I got used to them on the Apple ones. Being able to pause the touch without having to pull it out was convenient. Now, I have to pull it out and pause manually, or yank the cord out.
• With the full cord, I have to pause then unpause to get the full volume. For some reason, the touch doesn't output the full volume on the first try when the full cord is attached. It doesn't do this when you just use the armband cord.

Overall, it was worthwhile. It's been two months and hasn't died on me.

Hmm, thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to look at those, though it looks like it would take a bit of getting used to.

KT

 

[CZroe]

Headphones will not work for running as I think that would be extremely uncomfortable, plus they would probably fall off.

KT

Earbuds don't even stay in my ears while sitting. At least hadphones can clamp on. behind the neck varieties with over-the-ear hooks won't fall off... like Sony Street Style.

 

[KeithTalent]

Earbuds don't even stay in my ears while sitting. At least hadphones can clamp on. behind the neck varieties with over-the-ear hooks won't fall off... like Sony Street Style.

The past two Sennheisers I've owned had little flanges or things that kept them stuck on the ear. They worked really well and were quite comfortable.

KT

 

[darkswordsman17]

Headphones will not work for running as I think that would be extremely uncomfortable, plus they would probably fall off.

KT

Actually regular headphones are about a million times better than earbuds or IEMs as far as running is concerned, depending on the headphone, but most should be better.

Buy some KSC-75s or maybe PortaPros and you will be very pleased. They don't cost much, they sound great, they're portable, pretty durable, and Koss has a great warranty. You could even recable them if necessary.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Koss PortaPro and Sennheiser PX100 are both great. Collapsible, highly portable, but they sound great and they're secure. I have the PX100s and I love them. Yeah, they go over the top of your head but if you're running, who cares what your hair looks like?

 

[destrekor]

Both pairs of Shure earphones I have owned have worked amazingly for running.

Especially my current pair, the SE-210s iirc, the wire is supposed to loop over the back of your ear and then you push them in the ear. They stay put perfectly while running or working out, and if I want to hear the outside world clearly I can pop one out, and it'll hang there since it is wrapped over my ear.

 

[zoiks]

I have like 5 different pairs of earbuds that I bought exclusively and I have yet to break any of them. I run every other day for an hour and haven't had any issues yet.
I did break the shitty apple earbuds however when sweat damaged the control buttons on the wire.

 

[darkxshade]

Earbuds don't even stay in my ears while sitting. At least hadphones can clamp on. behind the neck varieties with over-the-ear hooks won't fall off... like Sony Street Style.

If you're talking about IEDs then you must not have the correct size foam attached. I run with earbuds and they NEVER fall off unless my arm accidentally yanks the cord as I go from one stride to the other.

 

[CZroe]

If you're talking about IEDs then you must not have the correct size foam attached. I run with earbuds and they NEVER fall off unless my arm accidentally yanks the cord as I go from one stride to the other.

I'm talking about standard earbuds, not in-ear earbuds (Improvised Explosive Device?). It irks me that any device would ever include them standard when they just do not work. It's not just me... I have a twin brother.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I'm talking about standard earbuds, not in-ear earbuds (Improvised Explosive Device?). It irks me that any device would ever include them standard when they just do not work. It's not just me... I have a twin brother.

Its not just you, I have never had IEMs that stayed in well, and I've tried quite a few as well as plenty of different tips (can't wear the really sponge like foam though as it creates too much discomfort in my ear canal). Er, actually, I have had some that stayed in, but they were customs, but they caused some discomfort with extensive movement and sometimes they'll break seal (which likely could be due to not a perfect fit). I use pretty much all IEMs by looping them over the ear (and even used silicon ear guides) and they need constant fiddling to keep them in place.

But if they do work for you then great. Just make sure you're not compensating poor fit with extra volume though, as that's a recipe for hearing damage, and its something I notice a lot of people doing with earbuds and even improperly wearing of IEMs (where they basically wear them like earbuds and then cranking the volume).

 

[Rubycon]

If you're talking about IEDs then you must not have the correct size foam attached. I run with earbuds and they NEVER fall off unless my arm accidentally yanks the cord as I go from one stride to the other.

IEDs? Wow talk about dynamite sound!

 

[sdifox]

IEDs? Wow talk about dynamite sound!

For some reason they like to call those In Ear Drivers.


I think it works better if you say explosive sound.

 

[Taejin]

I feel dirty speaking well of apple, but I have had the same set of earbuds since my ipod g2 and they still work fine.

that's the genius of apple, giving you a 50 cent pair of earbuds for a 200 dollar machine

 

[Rubycon]

For some reason they like to call those In Ear Drivers.


I think it works better if you say explosive sound.

DY-NO-MITE! aka 70s disco style!

Remember the soul train?

When people actually knew how to dance.

Not this crap that resembled shoving a pencil into a gyroscope, throwing off the balance and having it tumble all over the damn place.

 

[0roo0roo]

that's the genius of apple, giving you a 50 cent pair of earbuds for a 200 dollar machine

any amount they spend is wasted, they are spending your money on their choice of headphone. best they spend 50 cents.

 

[Ika]

I feel dirty speaking well of apple, but I have had the same set of earbuds since my ipod g2 and they still work fine.

apple ibuds sound like shit, and if you think otherwise you've clearly never listened to a halfway decent pair of earphones.

 

[sdifox]

DY-NO-MITE! aka 70s disco style!

Remember the soul train?

When people actually knew how to dance.

Not this crap that resembled shoving a pencil into a gyroscope, throwing off the balance and having it tumble all over the damn place.

just because it's dynomite does not guarantee it will blow up...