[thejoseph]

It's time for a replacement: I commute via subway and just had my Shure E3's finally die on me.  I need great isolation and good durability in addition to clarity and soundstage.  I also prefer to wear my headphones over/behind the ear.  My go-to cans are Grado SR60s but they're obviously too bulky and open for the subway.
 
A few products I'm looking at:
 
Klipsch S4
Klipsch Custom 3 (found them for $100, still scared of apparently crappy wires)
RE0 (also don't look particularly durable)
Etymotic MC5
 
Any other suggestions?  I'm tempted to bite on the C3's...

 

[bmtran]

I'd go with MC5. Etymotic generally has good isolation and clarity, and though i don't own them, the MC5 looks pretty well made.

 

[ljokerl]

THe MC5 indeed covers all of those bases to a high degree except for soundstaging, which is pretty average. Not sure about long-term durability yet but you do get Etymotic's excellent warranty.

 

[pbcstylez]

Ive been flying almost everyday for the last two weeks(living out of airports sucks), and been using the MC5s exclusively while I also had the RE0s. I much preferred the type of seal/isolation I got from the MC5s and also the reassurance of the handling characteristics of the MC5s over the RE0s. The RE0s just felt like if i kinked them once, they would be potentially destroyed, whereas I feel like i can be pretty rough with the MC5s. In terms of sound, I like the RE0s better, but if I was to choose one, it'd be the MC5 for me and my use.