[Nepenthe]

Today my boss, knowing that I'm a big headphone listener, asked me to come up with "the best earphones from $40 to $60." After clarifying, he's wanting "in ear monitors" which I have absolutely no experience with. But I told him I'd figure something out.

I don't know a whole lot about his listening preferences; I think he listens to a little old school jazz and a country artist named Pat Green. Probably some classic country with new country. The most country I've ever listened to is probably Son Volt and Wilco, maybe Mother Hips.

Sound quality probably isn't the most important thing. Neither is isolation I believe. Instead, ease of use, comfort, and ability to be used during mild or occasionally moderate physical activity/exercise would probably be the most important criteria. He's no audiophile, but he'll want something that's easy to use that he doesn't have to suffer for. But if the sound is decent, that's definitely a big plus.

What should I be looking at for further research in this area? Recommend a couple? Thanks!

 

[jewman]

For genuine IEMs, check out the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3. You can find them from $40-70 dollars, and they're quite comfortable and accurate as well.

You might also want to check out some canalphones, such as the Sennheiser CX300 or the Mylar Crossroads.

All of the above have plenty of isolation, the Super.fi having the most, however.

 

[kpeezy]

Yeah.. for ease of use I would just stick with canalphones. The only IEM in his price range is the super.fi 3's and they require you to wrap the cable over your ear which is sometimes a hassle. I've never used any canalphones so I can't recommend any, but that's the route I would take.