[bigflem34]

I am a college student who needs something for my mp3 player. The standard headphones are horrible and I can't take them any longer. I was thinking that in-ear headphones would be the way to go because they are easier to have with me at all time (walking between classes, etc). First off, are in-ear headphones worth it? Is the quality good enough?

So now, which ones do you suggest? I am in college and therefore do not have a lot of extra money. I will need something affordable, but i dont want to waste money on something that lacks quality. Any ideas? I really appreciate this, I am at a loss at what to do. Any input will help.

 

[lindrone]

I think the first "acceptible" quality canalphone mentioned here is the Shure E2c, although a lot of people uses the Sony EX71, most would agree that its sound signature is too muddy to be of acceptible quality.

The thing you do have to realize, is that to get similar quality full-size headphones will always be cheaper than canalphones... there is an extra cost incurred by miniaturization. The benefit though, is that canalphone blocks out and isolate more sound than any full-size headphone (even ones with noise cancellation) could ever perform; this is the special feature of canalphone that's unrivaled, but at the same time, not everyone needs that type of isolation.

When you move into the really high-end canalphones, no earbuds would come close to competing with them. However, like I mentioned earlier, similar quality full-size headphones will always cost less.

 

[Thaddy]

I was in the exact same situation as you a month ago. I was sick of using my Sennheiser MX500's, and I don't think I even opened the MX300's that came with my Karma.

I ended up scraping ~$80 together and getting a pair of Shure E2's from www.microphonesolutions.com It's the best $80 I've spent (so far), and I'm really happy with my purchase.

They are really low impedance, so you don't have to worry about pairing them with an amp, and they block out ~20dB of outside noise, which is nice if you listen to music while studying.

Anyways, good luck with your decision

 

[pedxing]

E2 are probably the best and cheapest solution for people on a budget. You may want to factor in the cost of replacing the disposable filters.

The other question you may want to ask yourself is that do you need that much isolation and are you comfortable with plastic things stuck inside your ear. If you don't know if you would be comfortable with things shoved in your ears, try wearing some ear plugs for long periods of time. Most people find the earcanal phones annoying, but they get use to it over time.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Facts: The EX71 are too bright. The E2 are less bright and may sound muddy to some, but when fed from a good amp the lows and highs improve. My E2 sounds pretty bad out of my mp3 player, but sounds sweet out of my bozak mixer.

 

[bigflem34]

So are models like the Shure E2 and the Etymotic ER-6 are worth the extra money when compared to the Sony ex71? What exactly are you paying for?

I listen to rap and also a lot of r&b and older easy rock. So bass is somewhat important.

Thanks for the advice so far. Any more help will also be appreciated.

 

[lindrone]

There's no doubt they're worth it.. what are you paying for?.. Clarity, detail, more accurate rendition of what each instrument is supposed to sound like.. so on.. so forth..

For example, a small one of many, do you ever wonder why it's so hard for you to understand the lyrics on some songs? You think it's your ears, you listen to it over and over again trying to figure out what the lyrics are... Well, it's not your ears (well, part of it might be), it's your headphone.

This is also why Head-Fi is poisonous.. once you start.. you'll keep on wondering what the next person is paying for

 

[kent1146]

Quote:

Originally posted by bigflem34 So are models like the Shure E2 and the Etymotic ER-6 are worth the extra money when compared to the Sony ex71? What exactly are you paying for?

Absolutely worth the extra money. You will be amazed at how you ever got along before discovering these headphones.

Lindrone hit the nail right on the head with what you are paying for.

Some of the coolest things about having good phones is being able to hear a distinguishable difference between the instruments, and the sticky saliva sound when singers open their mouths (gross, but incredibly cool).

My all time favorite is when you can hear the singers counting the beat of the music in some older rock songs, like during the silence after the initial guitar intro of Tangerine by Led Zeppelin, and in Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles.

 

[bigflem34]

So which do you recommend? The Shure E2 or the Etymotic ER-6? is the difference worth it between those? Also, does it make a difference of how they fit in your ear? I am not sure if having something WAY up them would feel right. Is this true?

Also, what quality of music is needed to realize the benifit? Do you need cd's or do you still hear better quality from mp3's?

 

[terrymx]

well the e2c have more bass punch and power on the lower end, good for rock and pop. the er6 aare supposed to be brighter and have more concerntration on treble, and more detailed, but not much bass which might get drown out when there is lots of outside noises. also slightly bigger soundstage i hear.

if you are wondering if in ear headphones quality are good enough, i like my e2c sound more than the grado sr60.
*ran away and hide*

 

[lindrone]

I suggest E2c's for now.. and if you like the way they sound, save up for either the E3c, ER-4, or E5c... Reason being, E2c is cheap, and ER-6 isn't much of a step up.. in fact, there's more than few people who prefer the E2c to the ER-6 anyway.

It is very important to make sure they have a good seal so they can sound right... not sure 'bout what else you're asking.

Even MP3's should show you the difference of having a better headphone... although it might also show you just how crappy MP3 compression is.

 

[MechanicalMan]

It might be premature to comment on my MD33's, because they haven't had time to burn in yet (if they need it). But so far, I'm pretty happy with how they sound. They are a bit muddy and have too much emphasis on low mids. But I'm pretty sure no one would complain about them lacking bass. They're also low maintenance, inexpensive, and very comfortable. Oh, and they're short cord, if that matters to you. I wish they isolated more, but I see it as a tradeoff for the comfort, ease of use, and no filters or foamies, etc.

 

[RobbaDobba]

Is that "short cord" with the extension/conversion cable (to allow use with non-Sharp players) or without?

 

[terrymx]

the short cord can only be use with sharp md players. the extension cable is the converter. the cable is thin so i tied it together.

 

[daveman_84]

I also recommend the e2. I tried the ex-71 and they were simply ear-bleeding. Hated them and returned them in less than a week. Got the e2's, loved them, and still love them! They have a real even, warm sound.