ot: earbuds

[Fat Cat Music]

Here is an odd question for everybody:
Is there such a thing as good sounding earbuds?
Has anybody found any that are useable at all?

[Ian Alexander]

Based on ratings from a consumer magazine, my sister ordered some yesterday for my son's birthday. When they arrive, I'll give them a listen and let you know. They are Panasonic RP-HC55 - a noise canceling set of earbuds that goes for about $50.

Isolating (but not noise canceling) earbuds they liked include Sennheiser CX 300 - $35, Altec Lansing BackBeat Titanium UHP326 - $80, and JVC HA-FX300 - $100. Sennheiser also offers CX 400s and 500s that look interesting for a bit more.

I was surprised to see the expensive Shure buds way down the ratings list.

Please note: I have not used any of these.

[Car 24]

I use the Altec Lansing Backbeat Pro with my ipod. I think they're pretty good.

[DominicPerry]

Not ear buds but, I have some Future Sonics. Sound good but I hate things down my ear canal. No IEMs for me - wedges and tinnitus only.

Dominic

[Trackzilla]

Tried the Sennheiser CX300s when they first came out, maybe I had a crap set, but they had a pronounced spikey resonance at around 3.5k. made them unlistenable for me.
Some Altec wooden housing ones the Mrs brough around for me to try...they have a similar spike, but not as bad.
Believe it or not, the 'marshmallow' model by JVC sold at Walmart are the so far nicest sounding of the consumer level I've tried while also being the cheapest. Go figure eh?

[Bill Park]

Here is an odd question for everybody:
Is there such a thing as good sounding earbuds?
Has anybody found any that are useable at all?

Depends upon what you want to do with them. As standard stage monitors, the various models from $200 to $1000 do a credible job. I think that my last ones came from Precision, and were 2 driver, but I can't remember whos.

To use to mix recordings? nahhhhhhh.

[studio-c]

I use the Shures, cost about a hundred bucks a pair.
I really want to go to an audiologist and get the custom ear inserts, a la in-ear monitors. The little rubber bits are just kind of icky, I don't like things jammed in the ear canal and totally closing it off.

But they're okay.

[Tim Miskimon]

I just can't get use to any of those damn ear buds.
They remind me too much of when I was a kid with a bad earache.
You know - the oil, the cotton, etc...

[Bill Park]

I just can't get use to any of those damn ear buds.
They remind me too much of when I was a kid with a bad earache.
You know - the oil, the cotton, etc...

I've been wearing the custom molded jobs for many years, and as they are custom fit, they do not feel anything at all like the 'off the shelf' variety. There is no pushing on the canal, no aching afterwards.

Bill

[dragoodan]

I've noticed many don't like earbuds since they do not like to have a thing inserted in their ear canal, well, do beware of these kind of earphones, since they close your canal, and work with air pressure, it is very aggressive upon the eardrum, if you use them you can notice how ear wax starts coming about, and that is only because it is the body's defense against this hearing assault. I would recommend using open earphones, not ones that enclose all the pressure exchange.

Cheers!


Dan