[gjsi]

ne7m's are good alternative to the er6i's. ne7m's are cheap too! er6i's are quite durable, but the wire is quite thing and appears fragile. so far mine are ok tho. have had them for nearly 10 months and use them almost daily.

 

[leveller1642]

I'm happy if I can get 6 months out of a pair of ER-6i. I must be getting close to my tenth pair. Four pairs have been replaced by Etymotic. I really need to order another pair from eBay to keep as a spare. I love these phones so much I'm happy to drop $US80 every few months.

It is always the plug that goes with mine.

 

[Martiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigburger /img/forum/go_quote.gif OP: Even headphones from Skullcandy, Philips etc should last more than just a measly four months - that just seems to be far too short a life cycle. I think you should definitely consider how you're treating them. You did mention that you store them in the case, but it might just be how you're handling them. Make sure you don't wrap the wires too tightly, try to ensure you don't bend or tug on the cables ,especially at the jack and where the cable connects to the earpieces. Don't put excessive pressure on anything - make sure they don't get squashed, squeezed, dropped. I've never had any headphones or earphones that have broken or failed, even those free pack-in type earphones (not that I ever use those). I don't even keep mine in cases, but i do ensure the cables are well looked after (particularly when wrapped) and the earpieces are safe. While the build quality on expensive gear is generally better, you should probably treat it even better since it costs more!

If it is the way I'm treating them, could you please be a bit more specific as to how to wrap/store them when not in use?

 

[nigeljames]

Not intending to be rude but you can't expect them to last if you keep buying garbage headphones.

 

[Martiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigeljames /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not intending to be rude but you can't expect them to last if you keep buying garbage headphones.

I understand that - that's why I'm here.

 

[qusp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kataphraktos /img/forum/go_quote.gif Devil's advocate here... My Shure SE530s are awaiting a recabling project because I can't find my receipt... My SA6s are waiting for replacement cables, as are the SA6s of dozens or hundreds of other owners... Meanwhile, my cheap-as-crap Sony behind-the-head headphones that I have been sweating into at the gym for at least five years sound as "good" as the day I bought them... and, you know, work as opposed to sitting useless in a desk drawer. Of course, I'll still continue to buy and use the good stuff, just tempering the comments about build quality and warranty quality you'll get for your money...

the SE530 has known cable issues, but the warranty IS superb; dont blame shure just because you are too careless to put your warranty someplace safe

 

[Martiler]

All right - without mentioning specific brands except for reference, what should you be looking for in a good set of headphones?

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martiler /img/forum/go_quote.gif All right - without mentioning specific brands except for reference, what should you be looking for in a good set of headphones?

sound quality = 1st
comfort = 2nd
build quality = 3rd
design = 4th.

ill explain, sound quality is the number 1, its the most important aspect, if it sounds rubbish then it is rubbish.

second is comfort, this is a biggy, if your earphones dont fit well, hurt your ears or you cant listen for more that 15 mins a time then you cant enjoy them, meaning you just wasted money on something that causes you more pain than joy.

third is build quality. not as important as the first two but you still want your high quality headphones to last, quality manufacturers in general who are dedicated to making high end earphones will be built to a high standard and the manufacturer wants them to last you as long a you would like them too.

design is the least important, although if the first 3 meet requirements then this is another aspect to consider, afterall we all want our high end gear to look good on the street, although beware as thieves like stuff that look good and yes its cliche and old but avoid white when possible.

hope this helps you in making a choice for some high end earphones, theres no way to know how some high end phones sound but thats what were here for, we can all give you an idea whats for you just tell us your price range and what sound you enjoy the most ( warm - bassy - fun / cold - detail intensive - analytical) enjoy

 

[Martiler]

How can you test headphones for sound quality/etc when they're in packages?

 

[Sinocelt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martiler /img/forum/go_quote.gif How can you test headphones for sound quality/etc when they're in packages?

Why do you think most of us are on Head-Fi? We wouldn't need reviews if we could test all the stuff ourselves.

 

[Martiler]

Fair point...