Earphone Recommendation Wanted!

Okay, I decided earphone will fit my needs and more practical to me than headphone does. Nevertheless I'm never an audiophile so I basically know nothing about them. Thus I need people to recommend me a good pair of earphone that's price around $100 +-.

Currently , I'm currently looking at the Shure SE210 but its kind of out of budget. I might increase my budget but I want to know do I really need to spend that much on a pair of earphone? I never own audiophile range headphone/earphone before, my current earphones are some random earphones that came with my phones and an unknown Logitech one. So basically anything better than those I'm happy man.

Thanks in advance!

 

What is your budget ? Sennheiser cx300, Creative EP630 and Sony MDR-EX75/76 are some of the low budget ($25 ~ $30) good quality earphones I have tried. Not very high end, but pretty good for the price.

 

My budget is around $100 as stated. Thanks for the suggestion I'll look into them.

 

Sorry... somehow I missed that...

What about SE110? have seen some positive reviews...

 

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-SCL3-Sound-Isolating-Earphones?sku=270696

Available in white (Discontinued line) for $59, it's backordered until the 1st of the year but these are by far the best you'll find in this price range.

 

It really depends on what you're going to be listening to, as different headphones excel in different areas. Go check out head-fi for suggestions.

 

Um.

For $59 nothing will excel in any area better than SCL3's.

 

Well... basically I'll use it at my notebook for gaming/music in my room while phone for music at every other places (Bus, Cafeteria or Library). Hope this help and I seriously have no idea of what is "Good" sound. Comfort is my top priority as I'll be using it for a long time.

It will be a bonus if it come with some sort of carrying box too. My previous unknown logitech model earphone... well let say I don't know how but I somehow got the whole wire rubber protection tear apart exposing the copper wire inside.

@PhoenixFx and Jlbrightbill

Thanks for the input! Now this is getting more complicated than I thought lol.

 

Head-Direct RE2. Best bang for buck I've ever heard. It's $100, but the sound quality is WOW.

 

The type of music is whats important to know when picking headphones. Cause each pair of headphones has a different sound signature, which means it will do well with some types of music and not as well with others. The Audeo Phonaks are around 130$ and I've heard really good things about them. They're built by a hearing aid company and they're supposed to be really comfortable. If you wanted you could always go down the road of Custom fitted IEM's. Although doing those will take like a month because you have to get an ear impression(you can do it yourself or have a ear specialist do it for you) And then they build them to fit your ears. Those are the most comfortable with the best isolation.

 

Or, pay the closeout price of $59 for some Shure SCL3's.

You will not find a better price or sound for under $150. The SCL4's (Also backordered but until the 6th) are available for $79 and are the best sound under $200. You mentioned you're looking at the SE210's -- they are a re-designed version of the SCL3's, and the SCL4's are essentially an older model of the SE410's. At $59 and $79 there is no better choice.

 

I've got the Sony EX85FX - I love them, although maybe I should have spent 50 pounds more for the metal casing ones? Paint is now comming off the plastic

In terms of audio quality - I love them, brilliant. My mother got some Sennheiser headphones - the "big ones", I think HD 280 - I think my Sony's sound better - at least on the bass.

Disadvatage - never eat anything crunchy while using them.

Oh, and they get loud too - on appropriate hardware.

 

if your using them for long periods of time took at getting on-ear/head-band ones instead of in-ear ones. they are much more comfortable. grado SR60/SR80's, sennheiser HD 555/595.

if you want something cheaper, Koss portapro's are very good value for money. they dont match grados or the HD's, but they are cheap and quite good. on a par with those are the iGrado's, which contain the same drivers as the SR60's, but in an open backed form with a neck band. reviews said very similar performance, but the Koss were slightly cheaper.

or returning to the in ear style the sennheiser cx300's are good. shure are meant to be good, but ive not heard them. i agree with detlevCM though, dont eat anything crunchie with these in your ears!!!!

its worth having a look on headphone review sites, such as what hifi

enjoy!

 

I think its a lot of preference - I've used my in-ear head headphones for long periods of time and "on-ear" ones too (each one seperate, only connected by cable).
Both are uncomfortable if you take it off after a long period of time - just leaving it in position is fine for long periods...

The in-ear ones may be pressing against your ear - the on-ear ones will "hang on your ears"...

Question is:
What are long periods of time?
A couple of hours? I've definitely used my headphones (both) 1 hour + - maybe 2 hours +

 

sorry detlevCM, i meant full size cans with a headband, not the clippy on sort. those i really do hate. lol

 

Ah, OK.
Hmm, I hate the headband ones they always slip of my head or get in the way for me...

But then - everybody is different.

 

Well... most of the time I'll be using it (On the bus or alone in library) except when I'm eating with my friends and during classes. If I'm not busy with assignment, I'll be wearing it throughout the night maybe take it off for a while to rest.

The problem is, my budget is limited to only one earphone. Thus I need to get a balance in able to carry it around without attracting much attention and wear it comfortably during gaming, music or movie.

 

Shure SCL3. Still on sale.

>.<

 

the in ear types are comfy, as long as you use the correct size silicone thingies.

my usage is real endurance test for them i regularly go on 14 hour flights from UK to singapore......

my earphones arnt as expensive as some of the recommendations though, im using a sennheiser CX300.

before this i used:
V moda bass freq (great sound but not reliable, got spoilt in 2 months, many complaints abt it failing on the net)

sony MDR EX70- died after 2 years

MDR EX71- replaced twice, left channel keeps dying

NX-1 great design, but again, one side died :|

i finally got the sennheiser because i was sick of earphones dying on me and it came with a 2 year warranty vs 6 month sony

 

I'll be sure to check it out once I leave this no man land this Thursday.

@afhstingray

Thanks for the input, German product are famous in my country. Although their product don't seem to be as beautiful as the other (Can be subjective) but I've heard good things about them in term of quality and life span.

I'll try to test them out first in term of comfort before I make the purchase (If they allow me to). Thanks for all the other input, have write them down and appreciate your help!

 

just realised you're from malaysia. i was born in johore bahru

 

I highly recommend either the Sennheisher CX 500s or Shure SCL2s.

You will not find superior sub-$200 in-ear-monitors with such audio fidelity as the aforementioned in-ear-monitors. What's more, Shure offers an impressive two-year warranty, covering parts and labor and shipping. Bang and Olufsen, who, what?!

Neither the CX 500's or SCL2's suffer from microphonic annoyances.


Second pair just arrived...

 

Check out Head-fi.org.

 

dosent the cx500 have the same drivers as the cx300 except it has an in line volume control?

 

for that price westone um1 are the best in sound and build quality and they don't stick out. if u want to get them get some shure tips to go with them s the complys get dirty easily

 

Oh, by the way.
I used the Sony EX85 for about 6 or 8 straight hours (through the night, I shall sleep well today)

no problems.

 

i recommend etymotics e6i

awesome sound, with a good/better foam insert than supplied such as olives from shure(which you could order separately), they sound even better!

in comparison to bose over the ear triport, e6i seems to sound clearer too

side note: i am not a bass person.

 

I Recommend Sennheiser CX-300 or CX-500's

 

CX series by sennheiser is a waste of money..bloated bass..recessed mids and rolled off highs.



Get IE series... IE6, IE7 and IE8 by Sennheiser are true IEMs u can get if u got $$$ to spend.


or u can get UE Super.fi 3, Super.fi 4 or Super.fi 5 by Ultimate ears...better priced and offer a much balanced sound and great details in SF5 Pro.

 

Now thing is getting complicated... I'll search around for whichever available locally and test them out before buying. Thanks for the further input.

 

uhh....not everyone wants reference earphones. some people just want it to sound good. just like not everyone wants a true colour LCD display. most people prefer vivid colours, even though they're not true.

personally i prefer headphones with a bass bias


reference grade earphones sound as flat as wide gamut LCD calibrated for true colours

 

Shure SCL4 for $80 at GuitarCenter/Musician'sFriend/Music123 is probably the best you'll get for under $100