[mcurcio1989]

Okay I hate to ask such a vague question but I am really overwhelmed by the number of products on the market. Here is what I am looking for. I fly an ultralight aircraft and i really like being able to listen to music when I fly. I wear ear muffs (part of the helmet) to muffle out the noise of the engine screaming right on my back. I find that universal ear buds will always fall out when I put the ear muffs on. It is a huge pain because its not easy to fiddle with ear buds when I am in the air. I have tried some other options and I am thinking that IEM's are really the best choice, and I want them for various other activities as well. Biggest factor here is I am on a budget. I really want to keep it under $200 but I may go up to $300 if it is worth it I know i am limiting myself a lot there. The most important factor I need out of them is the isolation, they need to be able to block out the engine noise. I dont need the latest and greatest drivers. I have $30 pair of sony earbuds and I think they sound pretty good so anything that sounds better than that will make me happy. I looked into the kozees but I dont like the idea of having to wait 2 months for them to come as my flying season will be just about over. Of course I need them to fit well and be comfortable and secure so they will not fall out and get eaten by the prop. I have never owned custom IEM's before so any other considerations or help is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[NA Blur]

The $80 option:
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/etymotic-mc3.php
Awesome isolation, well built, sound pretty darn good for an $80 IEM
Drawbacks:  Fit can take some getting used to because they sit very deep inside the ear canal, need a cord clip to avoid microphonics
 
$100 option:
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/shure-se215.php
Good isolation, decent sound, look and feel fantastic\
Drawbacks:  Bass boost may not be for everyone, changing tips is tricky and may require you to freeze/cool your IEMs before swapping tips
 
$180 option:
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/etymotic-hf3.php
Awesome isolation, well built, sound good
Drawbacks:  May need to get some Comply foam tips to make them fit properly/comfortably
 
$300 or less option
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/EtymoticER4PT.pdf
Awesome sound, good isolation, known for being neutral sounding
Drawbacks:  Can sound a tad loud at times as well as a tad bright, cost