[austonia]

hi guys,

I have been reading many of your reviews, they have been very helpful in learning about headphone brands and models, technology, and the lingo. You have really got me excited about buying some new phones! I have only a meager setup right now, a Creative Nomad Zen (20gb MP3 player, 96dB SNR) with Koss PortaPros. I use it mostly at work (minus the PP's) and this is where I could use your help. I work in a 24/7 network operations center so I need to be able to hear and communicate with those around me, and answer phones sometimes. So what I need is a earphone that I can put in just one ear, and that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, and isn't ~totally~ isolating. I've read about the Ety er4P's, Ety er6's, and the Sony EX70 and 888 models, and the Senn MX500's. I think I would like the ATH-EM7 but I think it would stick out to much for a business casual enviroment, same for Koss 50s. Money isn't an issue (within reason). I can stick one phone in my ear and the other in my jacket pocket, that's not a problem. I've been using Radio Shack knockoffs of Koss "the plug" earphones but they are really crappy. I'm not expecting the world, but I would like something with a warm sound to play at a moderate level in one ear so I can still function at work. If it matters, I listen to electronic (Orbital), trance (Tiesto, PvD), some rock (311) and hip-hop (BBoys), etc. I could use any advice, any ideas..?


BtW, the Nomad Zen is an awesome MP3 player, i have 1500 songs it and 8gb still free. I know many of you are audiophiles arn't hot on lossy music formats but for portability this unit is great. Clean, LOUD ouput. I don't think you would need any additional pocket amp for most headphones - at the top setting it is _unbearably_ loud with Koss PP's. There's several detailed reviews including mine over at nomadness.net forums.

 

[redshifter]

for your money i would get some senn mx500, and a stereo->mono adapter from radio shack. that way both channels from your stereo source will be combined into a mono signal in your ear. if you want something that has a bit more isolation and sounds pretty good at low levels, you can also try the ex70.

 

[DarkWolf]

I would suggest open phones, but they would stick out and you'd have to take them off to use a telephone. Also, even though they don't block any noise, people would likely be put off talking to you if you were wearing larger cans. Good ear buds and a mono adapter was a good idea. I'm not really up on ear buds, but I'd be suprised if the Sennheiser MX 500's didn't wipe the floor with anything you bought at radio shack.

Personaly, I'm planning on getting a pair of HD590s. I want some good open pones, so that I can hear what's going on around me. In my case though, the only time I'd need to talk to a lot of people while wearing them would be a LAN party, which isn't exactly formal.

 

[IZCool]

Sony makes a mono version of the EX-70...
Check out their website www.sony.com