In-ear phones for iPod suggestions
Apr 9, 2004 at 7:06 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 10

ipodder

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Hi, I am an iPod owner in search of really powerful in-ear phones. Can you suggest the most powerful in-ear or audiophile, or regular headphone from $300-$350 price range?

This discludes any Shure headphones, not to fond of them, also i'd rather steer away from the ultimate-ears unless the ear impressions are cheap.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 7:09 PM Post #2 of 10
Welcome to Head-Fi.

What do you mean by "really powerful"? Also what didn't you like about the Shures?
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 7:14 PM Post #3 of 10
Thanks, seemed like a good place to fine headphones
600smile.gif


When I say powerful, I mean isolation/noise canceling power, yet portable, amazing sound quality, yet portable...

As far as the shures, they just seem to odd to fit in my ear, they look almost too much of a hassle to put in, and take out when someone talks to you.

I would also like to add comfort factor, I will be using them through a 14 hour flight, and will be using a power inverter to keep my iPod charged, so power consumption is not a problem.

-Thanks
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 7:28 PM Post #4 of 10
If you never got use to the effort for the Shures, arguably that knocks out the Etys too. And basically if you don't want to spend $70-$100 for custom molds (for UltimateEars), that pretty much knocks out earphones. So I guess I'd concentrate on headphones. Don't know of many portable phones in the $300 range. Maybe others can pipe in here. Kinda back to the default A900 suggestion.
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 9:03 PM Post #5 of 10
As far as canalphones are concerned anyway.. there's no universal fit canalphone that's more comfortable than the Shure's. Otherwise you'll have to go to custom molded canalphones.

They take some practice to learn to put in, but after about a week it's like duck in water...

Quote:

$70-$100 for custom molds (for UltimateEars)


Of course, this isn't the price for the earphones, it's just for the custom molding process. I think for Ultimate Ears it might be included in the price?

For my ProPhonic 2X-S it's $50 for my audiologist, and $750 for the earphone.
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 9:20 PM Post #6 of 10
lol i've been derailed

since i'm not getting anywhere with this, let's try this: The most powerful headphones period

again when i say powerful i mean good sound quality portability and isolation/noice cancelling

within 300-400 dollars
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 9:25 PM Post #7 of 10
Quote:

Originally posted by lindrone
As far as canalphones are concerned anyway.. there's no universal fit canalphone that's more comfortable than the Shure's. Otherwise you'll have to go to custom molded canalphones.

They take some practice to learn to put in, but after about a week it's like duck in water...


Of course, this isn't the price for the earphones, it's just for the custom molding process. I think for Ultimate Ears it might be included in the price?


Hold on. It only costs $50 USD for the audiologist fees to get ear impressions made at your home. You should not have to pay more than $50 USD as is stated on the Ultimate Ears website. Please duly note this correction. Thank you very much.
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 9:33 PM Post #8 of 10
Quote:

Hold on. It only costs $50 USD for the audiologist fees to get ear impressions made at your home. You should not have to pay more than $50 USD as is stated on the Ultimate Ears website. Please duly note this correction. Thank you very much.


Ah, okay, so it is the same as the Sensaphonics then. I thought Ultimate Ears included the impression process in their price and Sensaphonics didn't. Turns out neither did. So it's all the same.

Quote:

since i'm not getting anywhere with this, let's try this: The most powerful headphones period

again when i say powerful i mean good sound quality portability and isolation/noice cancelling

within 300-400 dollars


You're contradicting yourself with this request. If you're talking about the most powerful headphone in that price range, they're usually not concerned with isolation nor noise cancellation. Those headphones are meant to be used in a home environment, where isolation and noise cancellation is usually not a problem.

Closed headphones at that price range all offer some isolation, but nowhere near the isolation of any canalphones. There are no good noise cancellation headphones, period, in terms of sound quality. Sound quality on noise cancellation headphones is generally okay, but unacceptible for the price (because the noise cancellation circuitry cost a pretty penny or two), and good noise cancellation is hard to come by. Noise cancellation doesn't do half decent job at creating true isolation that any of the canalphones are capable of.

When it comes down to it, if you want the most powerful headphone in that range that offers isolation within your budget... Shure E5c is it.. there's really no other choice whatsoever.

If you're willing to give up isolation, portability, and size, there's plent of full size headphone in that price range that's very good. Not to mention there won't be anything that's truly "portable" either.
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 9:51 PM Post #9 of 10
Thanks, I have a good idea of what I will look for now. Are there any kind of accesories that make the e5c's look any better, I have an eXo2 Asphalt (i.e. a black iPod). Any suggestions?
 
Apr 9, 2004 at 9:54 PM Post #10 of 10
Quote:

Originally posted by ipodder
lol i've been derailed

since i'm not getting anywhere with this, let's try this: The most powerful headphones period

again when i say powerful i mean good sound quality portability and isolation/noice cancelling

within 300-400 dollars


Powerful (loud), great sound, isolating, lightweight, portable and durable (very robust)...sounds like the very purpose of the Sennheiser HD25-1 . It is a supra-aural headphone which isolates as much as in-ear-phones.

The price tag...$180
 

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