[Vergex2]

For me, it has to be the free iAudio earphones with the Cowon S9.

Here are the advantages:

- Looks nicer than iBuds (doesn't hold a candle to my ES10s though)
- More balanced than my ES10s (if you're into the 'reference' sound. Then again, so are iBuds..)
 
 
Oh god this thing makes me want to throw up. The S9 is definitely an audiophile player for a reason - the included earphones are ATROCIOUS, REJECTED, FAIL ABORTED, UTTER CRAP. It somehow even makes compressed modern rock sound disgusting and makes me want to throw up. This is 20,000 leagues under even iBuds. I don't know why the cable is also terminated at the Y in such a strange way, not to mention the entire cable is of a strange length. I very nearly almost threw up 3 seconds into what should have been an extremely relaxing, melancholic track that I knew very well. There is no discerning between 64 kb/s MP3s and lossless. Hell, even white noise sounded especially harsh and cacophonous.
 
It sounds so damn hollow..

I think ES10s will be heaven when I finally get them back..

 

[ethan961]

Worst for me was some knockoff iPod buds I got when I sent my iPod in to be repaired by FutureShop under extended warranty. Now that was crap.

 

[JxK]

It's a tie between the stock sansa buds and a $2 pair of sentry buds from big lots. Oh, and the airplane headphones by brother had lying around his room.

 

[anomalouscode]

anyone remember those airplane ones that are like 2 rubber tubes fused together which looked like a stethoscope, with those white plastic ear thingies?
 
i used to travel the 3rd world quite a bit and they are on just about every plane still.

 

[Fazzmania]

For build quality my vote goes to the Razer Carcharius. Went through two of them in 6 months, both exact same fault where one drum would fail and the mic would go at the same time. After the hassle it was to get a replacement pair under warranty I just couldn't be bothered the second time around. They sounded decent but the manufacturing quality was absolute rubbish.
 

 

[Sonic 748i]

The earbuds they gave to me on my flight to The Bahamas. I wanted to test them for craps and giggles. I hit play on my HiFiMAN and after 3 seconds the earbuds were on the floor. I don't know what was coming out of those things but it wasn't music.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Some 10 year old COBY branded $2 earbuds that sound much worse than ibuds (not kidding) and actually hurt your ears listening to them due to the tinniness. Oh the other end of the scale = HD800's
But yes, the default cowon buds are utter utter trash.

 

[2rooi123]

sennheiser mx 50 streetline. i cannot describe the sound. worse than apple stock buds. i burned it after 10 seconds of listening!

 

[Spelaeus]

Sennheiser CX 300-II. Not as bad as the $5 ibud knockofs, but absurdly overpriced for what they are. Especially since I received them for the MSRP of $79.95 due to a bait-and-switch scam after placing an order for the CX 300 at significantly reduced price tag as they were going out of production. After several weeks of no information I was finally informed that the CX 300 was no longer in stock and I'd have to accept the CX 300-II and pay the difference. This for an overhyped pair of IEMs which in all honesty sound worse than the JVC air cushions that I got for $17. Overly bassy and muddy/veiled as hell. Not to mention, the left channel died after about three months...

 

[googleli]

For me it is SE530.

 

[Sonic 748i]

Quote:

For me it is SE530.

 
LOL, really? I liked the them for their smooth sound but the rolled treble off was really hurting the energy of the music. Then I got the Westone 3's which was much better.

 

[Chimera-se]

For me it is SE530.

These are the worst phones you've ever used? Wow, I want to live in your world then. What are you listening to? Please do tell!

 

[pinkmoon1972]

Quote:

For me it is SE530.

SE530 really take some time to grow on you, they sound incredibly smooth and refined and effortless to my ears, I'm finding them completely addictive, but they only shine with certain genres. 
Most disappointing phones for me were the Soundmagic PL50's ( loved the PL30's). The worst in terms of sound/ price ratio were the SE210's, and the very worst ever were some Nokia earbuds that were just stunningly bad, they made my sansa fuze stock buds sound like the best earphones on the planet in comparison. 

 

[ASilva]

I've listened to a couple of crap earbuds and such but the ones i bought and was really disappointed with were the V-Moda Vibe

 

[zarcondg]

Stepping on toes, I know. The Grado 125, 225, and 325 (1999ish). They pined my ears to my head something horrid, I felt like my ear were in a vice. I liked the sound, they just hurt to wear.

The Koss Portapro (1998ish) didn't pin down my ears as bad, shame the disc-man slipped and fell off the gangway. Eh, they were cheep.

I so miss my father's STAX SR-34 headphones & SRD-4 switch/transformer thing (1984ish).

Well good day y'all, I need to go pay monthly bills.