SirRealist
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2007
- Posts
- 65
- Likes
- 14
I have small ears!
I bought Nuforce 700M earphones a couple weeks ago, and found that they are uncomfortable after wearing for about 30min. A few nights ago my girlfriend, completely unprompted, said that I have small ears. Then yesterday I'm searching for new earphones, and found this thread which lists a con of the 700M as "may be uncomfortable for those with smaller ears". So, there you have it.
Today I dropped my 700Ms in the mail for return to NuForce, and now I need your help in finding new ones. Ideally, I'd like them to be in the <$100 category. I mostly listen to spoken word (podcasts), indy/folk rock and electronica of all sorts. I also use earphones while running and using exercise machines, so low noise and tangle from the wires is good, as well as solid construction. I originally bought a pair of Etymotic ER6i about 4 years ago, but after a couple years of use they fell apart. Also, the tips would often pop off the driver assembly and get stuck in my ears. Next I bought Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 pro on sale for $130, and I really really loved them. The isolation wasn't nearly as good as the Etymotics, but the sound quality was several tiers higher. I used to go into a quiet room, load up the Waking Life soundtrack on my iPhone, and be transported... I could hear the nuances of the violin strings vibrating. Truly remarkable quality earphones, IMHO. Unfortunately, I lost them on an airplane a few months back, and now I need new earphones.
Which brings us to the present. I bought the 700M because of mostly favorable reviews all around, <$100, and the mic. Now, I'd like to have a mic on my new earphones, but its not essential. Please keep this in mind when making recommendations. Maybe you could suggest one with, and one without? I've been going over this thread and had decided to try the MEE A151s (esp since they are apparently on sale for $39.99 at newegg [promo code EMCJKKF8]), but then I realized they don't have a mic. Of course, there is always the Head-Direct RE0, but again, no mic. Also, a lot of people on Amazon complain that they break easily.
So, I guess my idea earphones would be (in no particular order):
<$100 (i could flex on this a bit if necessary)
low noise from wires moving against shirt/skin (exercise)
low wire tangle
solid construction
good for spoken word, indy/folk rock, electronica
as good or as close to sound quality of UE SuperFi 5 pro
not a problem for those who may have small ears
mic
I know, impossible right? Still, I'm hoping the amazing people here will be able to help. Years ago the people here helped steer me towards Sennheiser HD595s for cans, and I couldn't be more pleased for 5 years and counting.
Aaannndddd... go!
I bought Nuforce 700M earphones a couple weeks ago, and found that they are uncomfortable after wearing for about 30min. A few nights ago my girlfriend, completely unprompted, said that I have small ears. Then yesterday I'm searching for new earphones, and found this thread which lists a con of the 700M as "may be uncomfortable for those with smaller ears". So, there you have it.
Today I dropped my 700Ms in the mail for return to NuForce, and now I need your help in finding new ones. Ideally, I'd like them to be in the <$100 category. I mostly listen to spoken word (podcasts), indy/folk rock and electronica of all sorts. I also use earphones while running and using exercise machines, so low noise and tangle from the wires is good, as well as solid construction. I originally bought a pair of Etymotic ER6i about 4 years ago, but after a couple years of use they fell apart. Also, the tips would often pop off the driver assembly and get stuck in my ears. Next I bought Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 pro on sale for $130, and I really really loved them. The isolation wasn't nearly as good as the Etymotics, but the sound quality was several tiers higher. I used to go into a quiet room, load up the Waking Life soundtrack on my iPhone, and be transported... I could hear the nuances of the violin strings vibrating. Truly remarkable quality earphones, IMHO. Unfortunately, I lost them on an airplane a few months back, and now I need new earphones.
Which brings us to the present. I bought the 700M because of mostly favorable reviews all around, <$100, and the mic. Now, I'd like to have a mic on my new earphones, but its not essential. Please keep this in mind when making recommendations. Maybe you could suggest one with, and one without? I've been going over this thread and had decided to try the MEE A151s (esp since they are apparently on sale for $39.99 at newegg [promo code EMCJKKF8]), but then I realized they don't have a mic. Of course, there is always the Head-Direct RE0, but again, no mic. Also, a lot of people on Amazon complain that they break easily.
So, I guess my idea earphones would be (in no particular order):
<$100 (i could flex on this a bit if necessary)
low noise from wires moving against shirt/skin (exercise)
low wire tangle
solid construction
good for spoken word, indy/folk rock, electronica
as good or as close to sound quality of UE SuperFi 5 pro
not a problem for those who may have small ears
mic
I know, impossible right? Still, I'm hoping the amazing people here will be able to help. Years ago the people here helped steer me towards Sennheiser HD595s for cans, and I couldn't be more pleased for 5 years and counting.
Aaannndddd... go!
