In ear headphones - horrible

[brit-pop]

I just can't get on with those in ear canal style headphones at all...

Some background.... I spend a lot of time using my work BlackBerry for conferencing and calls so a mobile headset is essential for me, allowing me to work hands free and I tend to go through the ones you get with the phones pretty quickly as they're poor quality. Anyway, another pair broke on me recently so as I passed a music shop I decided to nip in and get something more up to the job. Thinking they might also do as a backup to my on ear akg k450 which are always in my bag for train journeys and such I bought a pair of Sony in ear style ones for around 20quid.

They came with a bunch of the earplug things in different sizes and I thought they might offer better isolation when travelling. In short I just can't find a comfy fit at all, if they're in too far the sound is muffled and dull, not far enough and its tinny and shrill.

Maybe a generational thing but I don't know how all the youngsters and joggers you see with them can possibly be enjoying music on these things... they fall out easily and the feeling of having something rammed into your ear canal is well..just weird.

Maybe I'm using them wrong but these things are going in the bin... never really got on with ear buds for music but I did manage to dig out an old pair of jvc earbud style ones and they actually sound ok for music and you sort of forget you're wearing them after a while.

A quick search of the net shows some of these ear canal style ones are pretty darn expensive. You could buy a quality amp and speakers for what some people pay for these little bits of wire.

Anyone else get on with em or do I just have odd shaped ears?

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Ear shape is like finger prints we are all different.

[alfer]

Could not get on with Apple freebies. Put it down to my ears being old and inflexible.

[jammy395]

Na..... In ear phones are crap, and have fuk all to do with hifi.
Have you seen the price of some of em...!!!

http://www.thebestearbuds.com/5-most-ex ... -the-bank/

Sorry prices are in Dollars, but if you fancy any of the above "Rip Off Tat" im sure you can get em here on Amazon........

[Fretless]

I've been through a whole series of in-ear phones and have found a few to be worthwhile. Comfort tip is to lick the rubber insert so the moisture forms a seal in your ear, they stay in better that way.

Best In-ear: Sony MDR EX500



Amazon - Sony MDR-EX500LP

These just have a rich, full and detailed sound which isn't tiring or annoying. No longer made but you might find some discontinued stock somewhere.

Ear-buds: Try the PK2 from Yuin, has a bit of a Grado-like character and a surprisingly 'big' sound for an earbud.



Yuin PK2

Those are my two favourites. The biggest disappointment I had was an expensive IEM from Shure. Horrible trebly things.
Sony's are usually good sound and value, Philips as well.

Edit: These days I use a Koss Porta-Pro which clamps lightly to your head, doesn't slip and sounds like a budget-version Grado SR80 (cheap too!).

[joe]

I can't be doing with in-ear headphones either. Fortunately these days it's OK to have a massive pair of headphones clamped to the side of your head.

[Macca]

Headphones - just say no.

[Daniel Quinn]

It is a ridiculous trend popularised by idiot teens slavishly copying footballers and gangsta rappers.

In ear are fine sounding phones that fit in your top pocket. Also try memory foam earbuds they work a treat.

[_D_S_J_R_]

The Shure Etymotics used to be well thought of, but ordinary ear buds don't fit my lugs either. Those cheapo CPC special headphoness at £2.50 are fine for me for casual listening and sound better depending on the signal fed them, so job done for me most of the time.

[slinger]

I use Creative EP-630 in-ear phones with my MP3 player. Dirt cheap (currently £10.99 at Amazon) and quite comfortable. They don't sound too bad either.