These earphones, now the de facto first upgrade for an iPod, are alright if not unexciting. Compared to the stock iPod buds they're like hearing music for the first time again, but there are many other options which sound as good if not better. For my money, I would and do recommend Sony.

Nobody's likely to steal these based on their looks alone, which are kind of stylish in a teutonic minimalist sort of way, but it's disappointing when people wearing neon pink plastic get more compliments that you. The plus, of course, is the amazing sound quality. If you don't mind getting hit by the bus you didn't hear, these are the best choice for amped or unamped portable sound; even an iPod can drive them acceptably, and better players like the Sony X can drive them fantastically.

These are deep seated IEMs like all the others in Etymotic's range. Personally I would place them around the ER6i, and well under the ER4P in audio terms.   The only problem is that the tips, like all Ety's stuff for me, make my ears sore. It's bearable, but I can usually only listen to an album or two before I want to take them out. It's an acceptable payoff, but it means these are "sometimes" headphones that are exclusively for when I'm using the phone and where isolation isn't going to be dangerous; although that said, Ety have an app which...