I have a friend that is really really hard to convince to spend more than $50 on earbuds and want to know what some good cheap earbuds are. I recommended him the Yuin PK3 since you can get for $41. He does not want IEM or canalphone, he does not like them and he doesn't want any over the head either, so earbud is all. Are these a good choice or are there better still cheap earbuds? I showed him my D2 and now he is going to sell his Sansa and get one too, ha ha, I even had one my friend try and buy it off of me the when I only had for about an hour.

Well, you're seriously limited with under $50 earbuds. I used to be the same way, though, so you may be able to convince your friend to use canalphones. The reason I swore canalphones off was because I didn't believe they could stay in my ears securely, and especially while I was doing things.

That's was before I involved myself with the JVC Air Cushions and the Sony MDR-EX85 style that comes with there DAPs. These two phones have a shape that causes them to have a wedge in the ear, giving them a secure fit that won't easily come out or simply fall out.

If this is your friends issue, your best bet would be to get him a set of Air Cushions and let him get used to them and begin to enjoy them. If he sees the light about canalphones, as I did, he'll advance to the better stuff and start venturing into Complys and olives and such.

Also, show him how to wear any canalphone over-the-ear style, with the cord wrapped over the ear. They stay a lot more secure and, once he is able to learn how to get a good seal with them, strengthen his like for canalphones.

I don't know of any good earbuds that aren't Yuins, actually.

It's especially hard if you're going to dismiss canalphones.

Comfort was the issue, but he was using the Philips Noise-Cancelling earphones, which I used before and they are horribly uncomfortable and don't fit right either.

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The best bet is to use an earphone that doesn't have to squeeze into the ear canal. The particular Sonys and the JVC are that way. You can let them sit in the ear similar to an earbud and will have a sufficient seal as long as the appropriate size sleeve is used.

Are there are any decent priced canal phones that can have the Black 'Olives' as tips on them? He prefers more bass than treble so I don't think it would be difficult to find some decent phones. Can the Denons use the Black 'Olives'?

The olive will need to be modified to use on the larger nozzle of the Denons but that's a simple task. Why not get some Comply foams? They work at least the same as the olives and I believe are more comfortable.

However, to use an olive on a large nozzle phone, simply remove the core from the olive and replace it with the core from a foam that fits a large nozzle phone, like an OEM foam. Put the internally smaller end of the core into the flat side olive first so the internally larger end of the core will fit over the nozzle when installed. Acquire some super glue, pull apart the olive and core at the pointed side and squeeze in a small dab of glue at least 3 spots around the core. You want the end that goes into the ear glued so it won't roll back while shoving it into the ear. The other end doesn't really need gluing.

If comfort/fit were the issue(with crappy headphones) I sugget he get the JVC Marshmallow or Skullcandy Ink'd. Both can be found for under $20. That way if he doesn't like them not too much money was spent on them. I've used both and they are comfortable. Never used the Phillips but I think I know which one you're talking about and it didn't look very good.

Personally I prefer the fit and seal of the SC silicon tips over the foams. If he likes those, maybe he can upgrade to the Sennheiser CX300.

But if he's dead set on earbuds, there's not much out there. Open earbuds suck(IMO) and there really isn't anything "good". If he wants cheap, get the JVC Gummy earbuds.

Phillips or Skullcandy are in you rprice range. Go for it.

I like Philip's SHE2610-as it comes with. colored caps that can be fitted near where the cable starts.

Sennheiser MX90 VCs are going fo $25 on Amazon now.

Sennheiser MXL51-has a extension cord, mine were $29.95.

Sennheiser Mx 90 VCs are $25 on Amazon now. I have a pair of those, and I like them. However, fitting is the usual complaint. The twist-and-lock action makes it a little touch-and-go. Then again, the size is adjustable to some extent, with the different little rubber discs.

Hey, I posted here already. LOL.