Apple in-ear vs Bose in-ear

So I got credit a store here because of my cellular usage points...and I need a pair of headphones and the store where I can use the points only have the Bose in-ear and the Apple in-ear headphones. I personally wanted to get the Klipsch Image S4, but oh well....

I am mainly concerned about the sound quality and noise isolation.
Regarding sound quality, I was using these and thought they sounded pretty great so as long as they are the same, and even better, I'll be a happy camper. I listen to all types of music including classical, techno/electronic, rap, pop, rnb...I love bass.

So on that front, which one do you think would sound better?

Regarding sound isolation, I tend to travel and our library does manage to get kind of loud surprisingly (don't ask) so I'd like something that blocks out outside noise pretty well so I can listen to some classical music with low volume so I can study properly while blocking out outside noise.

And on that front, which one reigns supreme?

From what I have gathered, seems that sound quality should be pretty similar, probably with the edge going to the Bose. And regarding sound isolation, the Apple's should win pretty easily. Thus, I've got no clue which to get!

So if anyone can give me their opinion/thoughts, it would be highly valued.

Thanks!

Oh, and I would be using them with an iPhone 3G.

 

Can you let someone else use your store credit then buy some phones from a more reputable brand? I wouldn't get either.

 

lol... I'm kind of feeling like that too.

But I really need headphones and I'd rather get them for "free" than paying for another pair. So if you had to make a choice between the two...

 

Ditch the Crapple headphones. They sound no different from the stock iPod earbuds, just with a slightly different shape. It's like listening to music on your cell phone.

As for the Bose, I've always joked around about the Buy Other Sound Equipment acronym thing, but in this case they'd probably be the least terrible of the two.

Sennheiser CX300 for the win.

 

I always thought Bose offered the best sound systems, am I brainwashed by their commericals then?

 

Yes.

Among audio people (I don't claim to be one, but have spent a lot of time reading stuff by them), Bose is known for having at best average sound quality, and more often for using crappy components to build cheap parts, then using EQ to fool novice listeners in to not noticing the gaping holes in the sound reproduction offered by thier devices. Oh, and let's not forget the disgusting amount they overprice things. But if you like to pay for advertisements, by all means, buy Bose.

 

@sirmetman, thx for the info. I was planning on buying some bose earpieces for my mp3, oh and I also wanted to pay +-1000€ (in the far future) more for a bose system which audi offers instead of their standard audio installation.

I guess Sony is the best brand then? I really enoyed my sony ericson mp3 player on my phone (the phone broke after a year though, very bad quality, but the sound was awesome while it lasted).

 

If I had the choice I would get the apple dual driver in ears (Im assuming thats the model you are referring to) IF (big if) you listen to music with a lot of acoustics/treble as the apple headphones are known to be flat (some people see this as a con, but I love the objectiveness of flat sound) and may initially seem to be lacking in bass. If you really are a bass head, go for the bose. As for me, I tried the Bose in ears, and they are decent, but watch the cord, mine broke from taking it to jogging (although Bose service was excellent for replacements). Right now I have head-direct re0's, which are top of the line in ears (and flat) and what I would get if it wasn't for the store constraint (same ~80 price).

 

Ehm...So for me, a bass lover, bose would be good afterall then?

 

Everything else > Bose > Apple

 

Better than the Apple, most likely. Still not as good as a nice Sennheiser or Audio Technica.

As for your Audi stereo, if you're already spending €20,000 on a car that nice, you might as well go the extra mile. Bose isn't perfect, but their higher-end stuff tends to be noticeably higher in quality than their budget products. My dad opted for the Bose sound system in his A8, and it really is nice. Certainly nicer than the stock sound system in my A4, anyway.

 

No Highs, No Lows it must be bose

 

Then again, you could always go aftermarket and get a sound system even nicer than the Bose.

 

The shop literally just offers the two headphones and nothing else?
There's nothing from Sony, Sleek, Shure, UE or any decent manufacturers?

Honestly, if they're the only two options, I think you'll be disappointed either way compared to your previous Sony 'phones.
I know you'd prefer not to have to pay for your headphones but, in this case, buying something because you have store credit is probably not the best answer.

 

the apple dual driver iems are good, that's the word among audiophiles. i don't have any experience though.

 

Step666:
Yup...it's a small apple-esque shop with a limited selection of items designed for apple products.

Well, I've got credit to use there. There's nothing else there that the store sells that I need. So in my mind, getting a pair of decent headphones for "free" makes more sense than paying $80 for the Klipsch and leaving the store credit there. Besides, at worst, I get one of them, don't like them, and go and buy the Klipsch anyway...savvy? lol. But I might as well pick one of them up since I got the credit do so...and I just might end up liking them and saving myself some money. Not like I have anything to lose by picking one of them up. I really doubt the Sony pair I had will be better than either. I'll see though.

I guess I'm leaning towards the Bose then.

Thanks for all the replies...about what I was expecting.....Bose sucks....Apple sucks....lol.

 

Some perhaps but it's far from a universal opinion.

Even then, it seems like a really small range, given how many Apple products there are that use headphones.

Still strikes me as something of a waste.
As suggested before, do you not know someone else you could trade the credit with for real money?

Also, I would strongly suggest shopping round before spending $80 on the Klipsch, if you do end up going down that route - I know a while back the UE Triple.fi 10s were going for $100, which are a considerably better set of IEMs.

 

No...I mean, I wouldn't even ask to be honest.
Not sure how it's a waste? I got store credit. Screw it man, might as well use it. Worst case scenario I give it as a gift.

Ya I remember seeing those for $100...but they are too bloody big. I did see them on Amazon for $140 a little while after they were being sold for $140, but their size is off-putting. On any account, thanks for the tips.

 

I have the TriPorts and personally I love them. If audiotechnia or grado or anybody else had more of an "in-store" presence, then I might have gone with them. But as it stands they don't. My triports are comfortable, and have the bass I was looking for. Also movies sound like a theater reproduction. For movies they're truly amazing. But then everyone's ears are different. Mine just happen to like the Bose a lot.

 

XGX2007:

How do they do with sound isolation?

 

Pretty good, considering that they aren't noise cancelling headphones. I think since the earcups have such a good seal around the ear, that helps with isolation a LOT.

 

No! Bose is mainstream but they get a lot of hate because of it; and because they use alternative measure to produce the sound that they do. In effect, if it's popular, then it can't be something the purest would want to own. Therefore, it must not be good.

In fact, Bose makes some of the most highly rated noise-canceling head phones available.

 

their noise cancelling products are good..
other than that i dont see it as an option when buying audio products

sony IEMs are a good start..if you want more theres AT and sennheiser

 

Where do you guys get Audio Technica stuff?

The one place I know of that has a nice selection isn't even really a store - they sell mainly to businesses, so in order to buy something I'd have to call in, wait for a quote, place an order, and then, since they don't have the bulk shipping rates megacorps like Dell and HP have, pay a fortune for shipping.

I guess I should be thankful that they bother taking individual orders since their business model is centered around selling tens of thousands of dollars of equipment in a single order.

 

I saw a critique/review of a mid-high end Bose system by a professional a while back (I think I even got the link through NBR) where he item by item ripped apart the Bose product. He found cheap components (cardboard where other companies use synthetics, low density composite board where other companies use high desity fiber board and other high quality components and materials, etc, all with an effect on sound output) that left large holes in the sound spectrum that the speakers weren't even physically able to produce. He then found that the system was designed with built in EQ that pumped up the portions of the spectrum on either side of the holes to tryto cover up the complete lack of those parts of the range.

That's not "alternative measure[sic] to produce the sound that they do." That's trying to dupe customers in to not recognizing the fact that they use cheap componentry by messing with EQ. But if you want to give them your money, I'm sure they will be happy to take it.

 

Haha, that's great. And here mostly everyone thinking BOSE were the sound system gods.

 

Their noise-cancelling products are only towards the better end of the range of available options because the companies that actually produce good headphones don't bother with such gimmicks.

If you look at decent headphone manufacturers, they don't use noise-cancellation, they use isolation instead.
And that goes for cans as well as IEMs.

 

some etailers do sell AT and sennheiser products...
as long as youre in USA ... theres plenty of websites that you can find...

but first.. .this is the one you need to visit

 

The Bose ones are fairly good, but very heavy on the base. Okay if you're into dance music and not bad with COD, but if you want all round good quality earphones, look elsewhere. Deffinately don't look at Apple. They may be able to build iPods, but they have no idea how to get good quality sound off of a motherboard and into your ear. I've had better quality headphones for under 99 cents. The only thing you can do with Apple in-the-ear headphones is strangle small animals.

Given the choice, go with Bose. If you have the chance, shop elsewhere and don't go for either name.

 

Ultimate Ears 700

 

Sennheiser CX500 all the way

 

this.

but the bose in-ear's are apparently pretty good. lol @ anything Apple.

pfft. Ultimate Ears all the way.

 

Shure all the way.

 

I like my UEs, but I'd say any truely reputable brand all the way.

 

Pf, al those brands you guys mentioned are totaly unknown to me. What would you guys chose if you had the folowing options: Sony, Philips, creative zen (don't really like their isolated standard earsets but maybe their more expensive earplugs are better?), and bose.

 

Then you mustn't be too audio savy That's ok, neither am I lol Easy example, not many people know about lesser laptop brands like Asus or Sager, but they're still very good products(if not better than bigger brands).

If I had to choose, I'd need models. Some Sonys sound better than others for example. It'd also depend what kind of stuff you're listening in it.

 

If you are going to limit yourself to those four brands, then Sony.

But, Sleek, Shure and UE are all far better.
Also, Sennheiser's top-end IEMs are well worth consideration, though their lower-end 'phones aren't too great in my experience.

 

Yeah, off the cuff, Sony, then probably Philips and Creative are tied, then I'd get an empty tin can and some string, then Bose. But seriously, you should concider the other brands. If you were to go buy car parts (assuming you know little about them), would you not pick up a brand you didn't know, regardless of what people that know more than you say? Well, the same should apply to audio equipment.

 

Ha, good example with asus, good quality (their 'hot' g series aside) but very unknown in Belgium, except for their netbooks.

I think i'll just buy the most expensive earpluggs from sony that i'll find. Expensive stuff + a good brand name = a good bet IMO.

 

I'd save the credit for something else and just buy some JVC Marshmellow earbuds form Walmart/Best Buy. Cheap, comfortable (and I hate buds) and surprising quality(though still not great) SQ for $20 retail. I use them for the gym (my Sennheiser's are for home/walk use). If you really must get earbuds with your credit, go with Sony I'd say. While Sony overprices as well, its not to the amount Bose does.

 

head-fi.org is the best place to look for information on headphones of any kind.

 

Really?

 

Well, exagerating for effect... but yeah, Bose is on the same list as Apple for me. Never purchase.

 

Whatever driver tickles your eardrum I guess...

 

Well, Apple is for a different (well, sort of) reason, but yeah. All you have to do is look up critiques of Bose products online to see why I say what I say. Buying Bose is buying hype, not a quality product.

 

Noise-canceling technology is not a gimmick. Rather, it is a compromise on the purity of sound you might not get without having it applied.

As I've stated, isolation only works to a point. And it takes for granted you are in a relatively civilized environment to begin with. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.

In a perfect world I would agree. But since we don't always listen to music in a library setting, noise-canceling headphones were developed.

There's a few things you forgot to mention:

First, ALL speaker have some level of compromise when it comes to sound reproduction. And each have it's own idea on what constitutes the "best" sound reproduction.

Second, [/U]ALL[/U] manufacturers try to keep cost down by useing the most functional and economical material they see fit to accomplish the task. Just because you use a more expensive wood doesn't necessarily mean you will get a better sound form it. Sometimes the material of choice for the enclosure is for cosmetic reasons only and serve no useful effect on the sound whatsoever.

Finally, I would agree that Bose does have a market sector and do indeed adjust their product to accommodate that sector. However, the same can be said of Klipschs Harmon/Kardon, or Polk Audio as well as many other manufacturers. That's just targeting in business, and there's nothing wrong with that. If you don't like the sound of Bose (I would buy them for classical music either) then buy from a different manufacturer whose sound you do like.

 

It's a more expensive way of producing an inferior effect, not to mention that the method used does not protect your hearing in the same way that isolation-based 'phones do. You're still getting your ears pounded by the same amount of pressure as if you didn't have the cancellation in effect ( to be able to cancel out the background noise, active noise cancellation requires that you listen to an inverse sound wave of the same volume, so even though you can't perceive it, you are in fact still listening to all that noise) whereas if your ears are isolated, the pressure of the sound waves reaching your ears is reduced, meaning that you're actually being protected.

Whilst it's true that it does go some way to blocking out background noise, it's just not as good a solution.
Obviously individuals will have different preferences but if you want to read a variety of discussions and opinions on the matter, knock yourself out.

With most decent IEMs, you can achieve isolation to the degree of 25dB or so - which is greater than the ~20dB that is perceived by the human ear as around a four-fold increase in volume.
Some top IEMs even provide isolation in excess of 40dB, or put in looser terms, that's like taking sound at a volume that causes physical pain and reducing it around that of a telephone dial tone.

Personally, I test the seal of my IEMs by wearing them (not connected to a source) whilst doing the hoovering. When you get the seal right, you can't tell the hoover is running.
And that applied to my old pair of Shure E2Cs as much as it does my Triple.Fi 10s, which goes some to showing that even relatively-modestly-priced IEMs can be very effective.

So, I'm sorry, but I find your assertions about the effectiveness of isolation-based headphones to be completely removed from reality.

 

That's because you're considering special application, and not practicality. How about you describe these headphones and the degree to which the typical consumer would wear them? People are not just concerned about the noise reduction (and it's effect on hearing), they also want convenience, but most of all, comfort.

If your idea was all that practical, there wouldn't have been a need for the development of noise-canceling headphones in the first place. Think about it.

 

Yeah I am - day-to-day usage in noisy environments, really special(!)

Convenience - they're smaller, lighter and don't rely on batteries to work.
Comfort - too subjective.

You forgot two pretty important points though, price and sound quality.
IEMs are available at far more reasonable price-points than active cancellation 'phones and for the same price you will get a significantly better-sounding pair of headphones.
I would imagine that the 'typical consumer' would consider those to be important.

That is the most ridiculous non-argument I think I've ever read.

Believe what you want about noise cancellation. If you want to spend more on inferior headphones, I'm not going to stop you.

Everyone else: read some of the sites in the Google search results I linked to, the consensus speaks for itself.

 

That's just plain wrong. If two sound waves have complete destructive interference at a specific location, the sound pressure level at that location is zero. Sure, you won't get completely no sound at the ears because the ears are not single points in space, and generating a perfect inverse is impossible, but the sound pressure level can be greatly lowered with active noise cancelling.

However, ANC is ineffective for higher frequencies, and makes it more difficult to produce high-fidelity sound. Nonetheless, simply saying that ANC produces an "inferior" effect is ignorant; it is a superior technology for situations where there is a lot of low-frequency noise.