[Ikarios]

Hey guys, I'm about to dive into my first smartphone purchase, an HTC Thunderbolt, so I'm looking into having an IEM with a mic. Unfortunately it doesn't appear there's very many IEMs that are mic-compatible in the range I'm looking at (~$100-200) - there's the IE8, Triple.fi 10, and a few other one with built-in mics, but not a whole lot. However, I've come across three ways to add a mic to an IEM - either with a completely modular cable (like the TF10 and the ie8 do), recable it with a cable with a mic (like an MEElec cable), or if the IEM is compatible, using something like what Shure does - have a short initial cable, then whatever attachment after that - a mic attachment, PTH, etc etc. I'm not sure what IEMs fall into the second category besides Shures, though... maybe the jays Q-Jays?
 
Can anyone else chime in with how they deal with getting a mic on their IEM? thanks!
 
EDIT: as a reference point, I like fast, clean IEMs that have extended treble and a balanced frequency response, like the RE0 or the Sunrise Xcape. A couple of the IEMs I've been looking at recently are the qjays and Phonak Audeo PFE121/122, but that's for a separate topic.

 

[Ikarios]

Bump, probably gonna pick up my Thunderbolt tonight... anyone?

 

[ClieOS]

Phonak PFE 121 seems to match what your requirement, but are you sure your HTC is compatible to iPhone headset? I am actually using a MEElec adapter so I can use PFE on my Samsung cellphone.

 

[magicianky]

I deal with this issue everyday at my store. It is my experience from dealing with multitudes of airport travelers that the Apple 3-button control and mic set-up does NOT work properly (or at all) on nearly anything but an iPhone/iPad. The only exception I have come across seems to be the HTC Incredible. My suggestion would be either track the Shure mic adaptor (good luck) and use it, OR find one with a single button control (microphone only). The Etymotic HF2 comes to mind. Or, if you can stomach it, the Monster Mobile Jamz. I haven't come across any other remotely high-end pairs that are microphone capable that aren't set up for Apple.
 
Good luck.

 

[dfrost]

Joker's chart in Post #8 of his review collection includes a column indicating which IEMs have mic/remote functionality. Note that the Monster Turbo Pros are (were?) supposed to have this as an available feature ("ControlTalk"). You'll have to dig deeper into individual IEM websites to find whether the capability uses a one- or three-button control.
 
There's another option besides the expensive Shure mic adapter. I occasionally use this much cheaper variation from Amazon. It has a volume control, but it just attenuates whatever was already coming out of the phone/DAP. I had the first generation Shure adapter, and liked this one better. Both work fine with my Blackberry, as do the other phone-compatible IEM's in my sig.

 

[Yggdrassilious]

Monster has a number of offerings that includes control talk... however, without an adapter the control talk is going to mess up the sound for your non-apple device..
 
Really, I mean, and I am saying this after owning 5 android phones, just get the iphone dude... for the accessories (i.e. most earphones with controls are geared toward the iphone), and the soundquality (most perfect frequency response across all mobile devices. source: gsmarena), and iTunes (iTunes U, Genius, music file management, internal storage for music). Especially since HTC is going to start locking down bootloaders now,  and Google has announced to make Android a bit less open-source everyday.

 

[bedojo]

i might have to go to an iphone, as i use my droid x as a PMP.
i am having the same problem, i own and love my klipsch image s4, and was about to buy a set of S4i's but found out they only work with ipod/phone and a few select androids.
 
my hesitation of going to iphone is all my (90%) media is in FLAC, format. even on my phone, ( whether or not i hear any difference on it is up for debate), big difference going through my my my home theater/audio system. 
 
i am going to try out one those 10 dollar amazon adapters, hate the idea of extra 3 feet of wire >.<
 
i just bought a set of MEE m9p's, and i am very disappointed  in them , after about 20 hours of burn in they sounded a bit better. 
but hey im comparing them to my 3x the price S4's 
the m9ps just sound muddy and not crisp anywhere to me, the s4's crisp in mids and highs and a tad muddy in the bass, but not bad at all. listening to hiphop, rock, punk rock. 
 
every day it seems like i am going end up going to an iphone, just  about 1 more year on my new every 2 contract.
hopefully, verizon wont make me get a new data plan with the new contract. $10 for 75 mb, $30 for 2 gigs, $50 5 gigs and keeps going up, is crazy!, kinda want the playstaion phone, but will end up going iphone, already converted to mac, (hackintosh)
 
so i guess this thread answerd my question about good s4 quiality or better headphones w/ mic compatabile with android. 
 
so do those 8 dollar mic adapter effect sound quality? 
 

 

[i2ehan]

My exclusive in-line mic earphone is the Atrio X (cost me only $35), and not only does it sound great (obviously not as great as some of the top tiers of course), but the mic works great as well. I tested it out the first day in and voice quality was crisp and clear according to anyone I spoke with. No complaints on my part!

 

[Macgirl]

I love my thinksound ts02+mic. Nice warm sound, mic works well and the plug fits using most cases on my phone. It's not perfect but it does a lot of things really nice and efficiently. May not be the sound signature you're looking for but if you want something on the go with your phone, it's worth a look.

ts02+mic headphones are compatible with:

iPod, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPad, iPhone (3G, 3GS, 4), Macbook, Droid II, Droid X, Droid ERIS, HTC Droid Incredible, HTC Thunderbolt, HTC EVO, HTC MyTouch, Samsung Fascinate, Blackberry (with 3.5mm standard headphone jacks only), Motorola A1600, Motorola Milestone, and many more. Contact us if you want to know if your phone is compatible.
 
Edited to add: use code "PLASTICFREE" in the thinksound store and get 20% off, don't know how long it lasts though.

 

[bedojo]

i just stumbled onto these Klipsch ProMedias, they apear from the specs to be the same as the image S5i, and pretty much the same as the s4/s4i 
has the same driver as the s5i, which is revision A of the s4's kg 25 vs kg 25a
http://www.klipsch.com/promedia-in-ear-headset
http://www.klipsch.com/image-s4-black-in-ear-headphones
 
amazon has the promedia's for 50 bucks right now , i found some people got them as low as 30/40 dollars on tiger direct .
http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-ProMedia-Premium-Noise-Isolating-Headphones/dp/B0044TZF44/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312209408&sr=8-2
 
mine will be here tomorrow  
if they let me down i will have to give that ts02+mic a go, im not to hung up on the sound signature, so long as it sounds good. 
i know the m9p's are a 20 dollar set, but they get rave reviews, and sound like your listening through mud, imo, after 20+ hrs of burn in. 

 

[Ikarios]

Well, this is an old thread, but whatever. The only IEM with mic I owned for a while was the Phonak 122, which worked flawlessly (button and all) with my Thunderbolt. It should work with other HTC phones as well, but I'm not sure about other manufacturer's phones.

 

[bedojo]

got the klipsch pro images yesterday, burned them in for 10 hours so far.
i love them, they sound very close to my image s4's which have about a year of use on them.
mic and button works
the case with the pro media is not nearly as good, it is a fabric,with hard sides case (like cardboard or thin plastic inserted) 
s4 case is aluminum 
promedia, no right arm on the 3.5mm plug,
no cordsaver
but comes with a removable shirt clip