[sammyvine]

  jaybird bluebud x. they might still have the 50$ promo going on, check slickdeals.net for the coupon or the other 5 posts or so that i had previously mentioned the actual coupon code itself.

 
 
The problem is the jaybird are bluetooth and i will be using my ipod shuffle which doesnt have bluetooth
 
are the bluebuds good?

 

[cakebot]

Hello HeadFi people!  I'm posting to this thread because I'm too much of a rookie to start my own, and this thread is the top hit on Google when you search for "workout earbuds".
 
Anyway, I’ve been creepin’ these forums for a couple of years now but haven’t contributed before.  I recently set out on a quest to find good burner in-ears for exercise.  A bit about me:  I’ve got 7 years of experience in live audio.  My main in-ears are Shure SE535, my cans are AKG Q701 and my player is a FIIO X3 (for better or for worse).
 
I wanted a good sounding pair that stayed in my ears, blocked out the gym music, and were dirt cheap.  (I don’t want to ruin my SE535)  I was rather discouraged by the reviews for a lot of the “sport” earbuds.  So I decided to buy 4 of the highest rated IEMs that Amazon sold under $30, especially if they were mentioned on headfi.  Below I share my findings:
 
Logitech Ultimate Ears UE200 ($14.69): Very comfortable fit that stays in place.  Sounded nice overall with a decent balance.  High frequencies are a bit harsh.  Low end is balanced.  I can add more and push the FIIO X3’s bass boost to 10 without distortion.  Good sound isolation.  Wire is moderately sized.  Comes with a little carrying pouch.  Default earplug fit me out of the box.  Comes with various other sizes of the same style.
 
Panasonic RPHJE120K ($8.79): First impression was that the wire was very flimsy.  I could probably cut the wire with my fingernails (yeah, they’re a little long right now.)  The low end is just silly, and not in a good way.  With a flat EQ on the player, they sound like the bass is up to 10… but in the way an $8 pair of headphones handle 10.  The mids and highs sound fine.  Lowering the bass on the X3 takes away too much of the lower-mids.  Earplugs are comfy and isolate.  Had to change out to the bigger size to fit my ears.
 
JVC Riptidz HAFX8W ($7.99):  Another flimsy wire, but not as bad as the Panasonics.  The EQ balance was very noticeably off with these.  Lots of mid-highs combined with a bit too much extreme high-end, which results in hissing and tininess. (is that a word?)  The warm middle and low end is non-existent.  The earplugs were okay but not quite as comfortable or as isolating as the others.
 
Symphonized NRG Premium ($25.00): Lots of TLC put into making these and it shows.  Cloth cable, nice packaging, carrying pouch, sturdy build.  I’m not sure why they felt the need to make the earbuds wood??  The sound is very nice.  A little low-end heavy at a flat EQ, but they are clearly going for a warm sound with these.  Despite the extra lows, the overall sound is still fairly clean (for $25)  The isolation is good, earplugs were comfy.  However, I felt like the medium fit was a bit too small, but the large felt like they would definitely fall out when exercising.  We’ll see.  The cable is also rather noisy when touching it.  This could be a problem when running.  Oh, and they make a loud clicking noise when you push them in your ears.  Probably the diaphragm flexing from the sudden pressure change?
 
 
RESULTS:
Another forum user went through a similar study and settled on a pair of the UE200.  I agree.  While the Symphonized NRG Premium IEMs sounded the best and the cord was cloth, they don’t feel secure in my ears.  The cord was noisy and the earbud itself has a large grill that sweat will inevitably get into.
 
I hope this helps!  And thanks to headfi for being a great audiophile community.

 

[voicemaster]

Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 will be a great workout IEM imho. Sounds pretty good with boosted bass, but not bloated which is good for those EDM songs for workout.

 

[Capital BMC]

Why don't you chose any pair you want and then waterproof them yourself, I found this on my travels I hope it might be useful to you
 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1535066921/diy-wateproof-kit-for-earbuds-and-mp3-players-made

 

[Ira Delphic]

  Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 will be a great workout IEM imho. Sounds pretty good with boosted bass, but not bloated which is good for those EDM songs for workout.

 
I have to agree. With the stock tips medium they don't fall out of my ears. And I have a problem finding IEM's that don't pop out after 10 or 15 minutes in the gym or when running outside.

 

[Philmybeer]

The best gym headphones I have found that work with iOS and android are 66 Audio BTS off of Amazon. I originally had Motorola 305s but thes are much better with a similar behind the neck design and Bluetooth 4.0 plus EDR, as well as noise cancellation on the calling part. Check them out for running or working out. I haven't found any better at any price. Paid 50 and got them next day with prime.

All earbuds or IEMs fall out and have wires, no matter the quality. These won't! Not missing any phone calls is nice, with an awesome battery.

If anyone can beat these, then let me know? I've been very satisfied. Just want the next pair to have Aptx etc so I can stream Tidalhifi in cd quality. Overall sound quality is the best I've found in portable gym headphones.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71X2XpEvBQL._SL1500_.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.headphonesunboxed.com/best-bluetooth-headphones-for-running/&h=908&w=1500&tbnid=vchLlao89KGpwM:&zoom=1&docid=hbp9h_oOYIdjtM&hl=en&ei=ZG-uVKGoPLLksAS854LoBA&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0CCIQMygEMAQ

 

[Philmybeer]

The best gym headphones I have found that work with iOS and android are 66 Audio BTS off of Amazon. I originally had Motorola 305s but thes are much better with a similar behind the neck design and Bluetooth 4.0 plus EDR, as well as noise cancellation on the calling part. Check them out for running or working out. I haven't found any better at any price. Paid 50 and got them next day with prime.

All earbuds or IEMs fall out and have wires, no matter the quality. These won't! Not missing any phone calls is nice, with an awesome battery.

If anyone can beat these, then let me know? I've been very satisfied. Just want the next pair to have Aptx etc so I can stream Tidalhifi in cd quality. Overall sound quality is the best I've found in portable gym headphones.

 

[Bouldercolder]

For what it's worth, I'm still really loving the Decibullz custom molds. Ordered the new Contour model (molds plus buds) at Decibullz.com after seeing them at CES last year.
 
The sound quality is quite good, and the tip shapes are a little different than most. They seem to keep the sweat out and, with the molds, keep out noise VERY well.
 
Like the original product, they are easily moldable and re-moldable, and, if I may respectfully disagree with Philmybeer, they just don't fall out. No clips, neckbands, etc., because you mold them to fit the shape of your ear conch. (This year at CES, Decibullz had these guys doing crazy gymnastic flips while wearing the Contour; pretty convincing.)

 

[Rush-n-crush]

Piston 2.1
 
sound great, low weight, in line controls, if they ever break extremely cheap to replace, one of the few iems where i can do the chew test with them in and they dont budge 

 

[EriCCirE]

  For what it's worth, I'm still really loving the Decibullz custom molds. Ordered the new Contour model (molds plus buds) at Decibullz.com after seeing them at CES last year.
 
The sound quality is quite good, and the tip shapes are a little different than most. They seem to keep the sweat out and, with the molds, keep out noise VERY well.
 
Like the original product, they are easily moldable and re-moldable, and, if I may respectfully disagree with Philmybeer, they just don't fall out. No clips, neckbands, etc., because you mold them to fit the shape of your ear conch. (This year at CES, Decibullz had these guys doing crazy gymnastic flips while wearing the Contour; pretty convincing.)

 
How have they dealt with salt/sweat?

 

[Bouldercolder]

Extremely well. That interestingly shaped tip does a good job of sealing out sweat and keeping it away from the electronics. Also, most folks I know who have the Contour use a larger size tip (it comes with three sizes) than they normally do. The larger the tip, the better the sound and more of the earbud it covers. 

 

[EriCCirE]

  Extremely well. That interestingly shaped tip does a good job of sealing out sweat and keeping it away from the electronics. Also, most folks I know who have the Contour use a larger size tip (it comes with three sizes) than they normally do. The larger the tip, the better the sound and more of the earbud it covers. 

Thank you for the quick reply. I am going to look into these guys as I am in the market for a sport headphone.

 

[Philmybeer]

I think that is great that they have IEM that are molded and stay in place. My issue is that they have a cord. If they have a cord, then it will snag on something during physical activity (eventually). Even a molded IEM will be pulled out of your ear not because it simply falls out, but is pulled out by the cord that catches on something.
 
 
So the neckband solution is the best I have found for weightlifting/running.
 
Any "sports headphone" that has wires, to me isn't a sports headphone.
 
With Aptx, CD quality sound can be achieved without wires, and offers the freedom of movement without your IEM being ripped out of your ear because it snagged the cord. I don't know of any sports headphone that currently has this. 
 
The 66 audio also has a phone capability with noise cancellation. I stream Tidalhifi.com FLAC from my Note 4 and the sound quality is above average and quite pleasant. For 50 bucks on Amazon, its the one to beat.
 
I do think that a contoured or custom IEM is an exciting option, considering the sound capabilities, but is the wrong format for me as a sports headphone.

 

[Bouldercolder]

Thanks for specifying your sports. I can see how a neckband could be a good choice for weightlifting and running. I'm just one of those folks who find neckbands irritating and distracting, especially when I have them on for more than 25 minutes.
 
With the molds, I use earbuds for all-day activity and often forget I'm even wearing them. I don't know if Decibullz are advertised as noise cancelling, but the design is such that they sure have that effect (friends introduced me to an app that lets in some background noise when I need it). A side note: I'm no audiophile, but I really like how when you mold/remold them, you can "aim" them to get the best sound down your ear canals.
 
Also, the Decibullz work well when I'm exercising while on my back and with hats, helmets, all kinds of outerwear, etc. --neckbands not so much. The cord isn't an issue for me; you see serious athletes effortlessly using corded earbuds for all kinds of insane activity at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. That said, I look forward to advances in bluetooth technology ...

 

[n364hi]

I personally use the Sennheiser CX 685 and I really like it. They have nice sound isolation and do not fall out while workouts. The only problem with this model is the lack of controls, but that is up to personal taste. If a budget is not restricted then Bose SoundSport would be a great option IMHO...