Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Earphones (White)

I bought these as a toss-up between the ER4P and themselves, and truthfully the ER4P are a lot better. these are a dual driver IEM that require a good seal to produce bass, and with the stock tips this can be hard, however, Sony's tips also work and are much easier and more comfortable.
 
To put them on you twist them into your ear and bend the wire around the top and then behind your ear. Then you wait for the quiet pop noise and all the bass to disappear as the seal breaks, and then you have to fiddle with them again. Eventually you get to hear your music, but of course sometimes the seal breaks more gradually, leading you to go through phases of continually checking them.
 
Overall a nice sounding IEM that works well with unamped players, and generally more comfortable than having Etys jammed into your brain, but they are sometimes frustrating, and don't even get me started on their cord that automatically forms any bizarre shape except for one that's useful and out of the way. If you use these, you will be wearing the cord around your chin, and that's that.

Bought these in NYC back in 2007.
 
These were to replace my Koss Porta Pros (had 2) as I wanted something really portable at that time. Wasn't pleased with the price value of the Shures e4c (as compared to e3c) and couldn't afford the e5c.
 
Pros:
- Audio quality is quite good even if not neutral. Bass is punchy, medium and high-mediums are smooth but detailed enough to me.
- Comes with a nice box and enough buds of various sizes and materials.
 
Cons:
- Wires turning green due to oxidation (I already had UltimateEars and Logitech sending me two new ones).
- Build quality looks strong at the beginning but these don't last even if you take good care of them.
- Since Logitech bought Ultimate Ears, I got another problem with my earbuds. Unfortunately, they I had to send mine back in order to have them replaced...by the new version which, apart from the name, isn't the same product AT ALL! In fact, the new ones sell for 100USD, less than half the price I paid for the previous ones. I'm trying to get a refund currently or an equivalent replacement.

I don't quite understand the desire of some IEM manufacturers to use loops over the ears as a support mechanism for bulky IEM's, they do not and IMO cannot actually rest on the tops of the ears, and all tension from the cord is still borne almost solely by the insertion into the ear canal.
 
A great sounding headphone, but required expensive foamies to even hope of getting a secure fit, they would constantly slide out and need readjustment.

Major caveat: I have small ear canals, and I appreciate strong mids. These phones are not for anyone with my preferences.
 
They are huge, they don't go very far in my ears, and I found getting a good seal all but impossible. Isolation was appalling; the cable was stiff and heavy; the mids recessed to the point where I felt I could only hear bass and cymbals.
 
I know lots of people who love and swear by these, but they didn't work for me at all. I sold them on ebay after only five weeks or so. I think they are currently a bit overpriced, and to be sure there are much better phones - even if you don't have my preferences - out there for the price.