[mrkangpae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fr4c for under $50?

Can't you find them for like $55-60 now?

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bg4533 Biking with canalphones is scary and incredibly stupid. I have tried it and while it is an interesting experience I would likely be dead if I did it regularly. I can listen to some things through 1 ear, but canalphones no. It is just too odd. How about something like Grado SR60s? They would be safer to ride with.

He needs canalphones, the helmet won't fit over Grados.

He's only got them in one ear, how is that unsafe? He can still hear out of one ear (I'd assume the one toward the road), I don't think that is unsafe at all. I do think it's unsafe to wear full headphones covering both ears.

Now, sound quality out of one ear? Not so good.

 

[PTheD]

Here is what I think.

50 is a nasty place to want to spend money on canalphones. This limits you to Sharp's MD33 and Sony's MDR-EX71LP or MDR-EX51LPs and numerous other cheaper models. With this in mind I would recomend, from reading opinions on head-fi and not personal experience, the MD33s.

I think that for just under $60 shipped, which is what the SHure E2C is going for, your friend could get more isolation than any of the sub $50 offerings, get better sound than any of the sub $50 offerings, get better quality of build than...., and be a happyer canalphone user than....offerings.

Also the using only one canalphone idea may be needed for one reason or another but it will do away with any usefullness that the deep isolation as you call it will do anything and it will also bring any, and i mean any canalphone he purchases down in overall sound quality to the level of the Sony MDR-EX51s at normal insertion processes, and that is not good.

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTheD Also the using only one canalphone idea may be needed for one reason or another but it will do away with any usefullness that the deep isolation as you call it will do anything and it will also bring any, and i mean any canalphone he purchases down in overall sound quality to the level of the Sony MDR-EX51s at normal insertion processes, and that is not good.

Sure, I agree. The deep isolation is just so that the canalphone stays in and isn't affected by the wind greatly. He needs to hear traffic, that's why he does the one ear thing. Sound wise....sucks. But he isn't picky...

 

[PTheD]

If he isn't picky then I would have to recomend the MD33 even though I haven't used it myself. It sounds like it just isn't the right thing to do to him, make him spend $60 when he would get just about the same thing for like $30 less, the isolation isn't as good but $60 is a lot to drop on canalphones for non-audiophiles.

 

[Blitzula]

Yeah, I just don't know how isolating the MD33 is. He is big on that.

 

[PTheD]

Ok, well then I might just change recomendations again...here is the break down.

If the sound is not important and the isolation is important and the price bellow $50 is important, then MD33.

If the sound is not important and the isolation is important and the price bellow $50 isn't important then Shure E2C, but keep in mind that a notable percentage of people find these uncomfertable, yet another consideration.

The MD33 are less expensive, sound nice are moderatly isolating...
The E2Cs are more expensive, sound better and are highly isolating...

 

[Blitzula]

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[PTheD]

You are welcome, make sure you get some other's opinions as well.

 

[ilovesocks]

if he really wants to save some money, he could get koss the plugs, especially if he wants a little project. modify them and he'll have some respectable sound for a respectable price (about $30, depending on which earplugs he uses)

anyway, what's the point of listening to music in one ear? the only thing i could think of is if you're trying to memorize lyrics or are studying a language or something.

 

[Blitzula]

It's background music for him. He's an athlete and rides for hours and hours each weekend. Relieves the tedium.

 

[ilovesocks]

ah yes, i've done that, now that i think about it. sorry - totally forgot.

EDIT: to reiterate, koss the plugs: cheap, and sound good with some simple modification; the inserts that come with them are awful, so it's a matter of replacing them with drugstore earplugs.

 

[acklee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovesocks anyway, what's the point of listening to music in one ear? the only thing i could think of is if you're trying to memorize lyrics or are studying a language or something.

To echo a point I made in a different thread, listening to only one channel can be pretty hit-or-miss. Depending on how the music is mixed, you might not even hear entire parts. Try putting on some of your favorite stereo CDs, and try listening to only the left or right channel... you'll almost certainly notice that something is missing, or at least that the mix is way off.

 

[PTheD]

I know that the one channel phenomenon mentioned above occures. Mixes today are ment for 2 or more channels and much of the mix is lost a large portion of the time when only one channel is listened to.

 

[Jmmmmm]

i think people need to stop critiquing his use of the earphones and just answer the question asked. not to sound rude, but really folks...

i think the sonys or the sharps will be fine
i do not recommend the e2c's for this.
the koss plugs would probably be just fine as well

past that, there's no point in thinking too much about it..put a picture of each in front of him and have him pick one