Great post. A friend referred me to the Etymotic hf2 Headset + Earphones but, I was never sold. I’m going w/ the Vibe Duo’s extra baby on the handling :)

Posted by Carl F. McKinney on 5 June 2008 @ 7pm

The Apple iPhone earbuds actually have decent drivers — the problem is, you can’t keep them deep enough in your ears to hear it for more than 3 seconds at a time.

I love, LOVE my UE super.fi 5 pros, even though they’re not “iPhone compatible”. Best sound I’ve ever heard in an in-ear earbud. The Shure E5c came a close second — but again, not iPhone compatible. It seems a shame that they can’t combine these great earbuds with a mic and a button.

The Vibe Duo has become my compromise pair. They offer somewhat decent sound (the midrange is lacking and the bass is unnaturally boomy), but offer the convenience of the built-in mic and clicker (even if the mic pod is so heavy it starts pulling my right earbud out half the time). I’m waiting on my 2nd warranty pair to be returned right now. It seems the failure point is where the very flexible fabric cord exits the very hard metal plug. I know they’re going for a high-end metal-and-fabric look there, but they really need a molded rubber strain relief at that spot.

Posted by Mark "bobtiki" Boszko on 5 June 2008 @ 8pm

I’ve been using various pairs of Ultimate Buds since I’ve gotten my iPhone. Which is basically good buds (I have ER6i and FS1 versions) grafted onto the iPhone set cords (perfect fit, clicker and microphone).

My personal preference is for the FS1s w/ the foam inserts (much more comfy and better bass response) but they tend to get dirty and need replacement fairly often.

I’ve liked all my Etymotics. Their a bit weak on bass, but very clear - maybe you got a bum set? Note, they *will* sound like crap if you don’t get a proper seal (you need to stick them in until you get a negative pressure seal - that probably won’t help w/ the ear infection flashbacks).

Posted by Leonard on 5 June 2008 @ 8pm

I’ve been using UB7 Ultimate Buds. They are actually a hybrid set: the Ultimate Buds people splice (flawlessly, invisibly) Etymotic ER6i phones onto Apple’s own iPhone bud cords — so you get Apple’s perfect clicker/mic assembly with Etymotic’s phones.

Of course, if you didn’t like hf2, I suppose you probably won’t like these, either. I’ve never tried the hf2, but would expect them to be sonically similar or identical, and you’ve still got the “tree” thing to deal with, and I understand that some people find them uncomfortable. But if you get used to the feeling of them in your ears, they’ve got the best noise isolation of anything out there, and as long as they’re seated correctly, you should be getting some of the most accurate sound reproduction, too. Astonishing sound reproduction for something so small, really. Some people complain about the lack of bass, but that’s because they’re used to blowing out way too much bass. The phones reproduce the sound that’s recorded.

But since there’s no accounting for taste, the Ultimate Buds people also do a similar splicing trick with other buds besides Etymotic’s.

Posted by Robbie on 5 June 2008 @ 8pm

So far I’ve been using the same trusty $50 Sony buds I’ve used since my first iPod (the same model, that is — I’ve gone through maybe 4 pairs in the last 6.5 years). I’ve added Shure’s adapter to the mix to regain the button/mic.

If you’ll allow me to tempt you with more options, a co-worker picked up a pair of buds that he’s happy with from Ultimate Buds. They splice the iPod’s factory earbuds’ cord with other 3rd party buds. There are Future Sounds and Etymotic models available.

I’m interested to see where you end up. Please post a follow-up!

Posted by Rick on 5 June 2008 @ 8pm

I have two posts that might be of interest:

http://blurbomat.com/archives/2008/03/17/why-i-chose-the-shure-se210s/

http://blurbomat.com/archives/2008/03/21/shure-se210-photos-an-iphone-earbud-tip/

The Shure SE210 are amazing on a plane. Reduce a ton of background noise and I only have to turn my iPod or laptop up to the 33% to 45% level of volume instead of the usual 90% level. Yes, you have to buy a kludgy adapter for the microphone and clicker, but the sound is spectacular.

Posted by blurb on 5 June 2008 @ 9pm

Have you tried the Bose earbuds? They look like they might be decent.

Posted by Richard on 6 June 2008 @ 3am

I’ve never been quite fond of white earbud headphones shipped with the iPhone specifically because they get dingy pretty quickly but most importantly, they have the propensity to just fallout too often. As an active person, I prefer the ones that wrap around your ears but at the same time I wanted the microphone feature to be available. Although the price is lofty, I finally came across one that’s worked perfectly and that I highly recommend. They’re the Bang & Olufsen Earset.

Posted by Jorge Quinteros on 6 June 2008 @ 3am

You’ve made me feel a lot less crazy this morning. I thought I was the only one obsessing over perfect earbuds hahaha. Bonus points for a good set that not only has these features, but stays in your ear. My kingdom for noise canceling earbuds!

Posted by Travis Schmeisser on 6 June 2008 @ 5am

I too bought the v-moda pieces of crap. Haven’t sent them back for repair yet. But I did stumble upon these: Bang & Olufsen EarSet 3. Comfortable and they sound amazing. Easy button to grab for the clicker.

Posted by marcus on 6 June 2008 @ 7am

I’ll chime in and be the 421st person to say that the failure rate on the v-moda’s must be through the roof. I bought a pair and TWO weeks later, one earbud did the scratchy “dance of death.”

But they sound GREAT.

When they work.

Posted by jon deal on 6 June 2008 @ 11am

Personally, I have a hard time using anything but these babies. I must have a problem with my hearing.

Posted by Julie Jackson on 6 June 2008 @ 1pm

Man, I love the Vibe Duos - but currently, I’m on something like my 12th pair. At least one bud stops working. Tracked this down to the big metal plug - during use, it puts a lot of pressure on the cloth cable, and after it can’t take anymore the wireinside the cloth sheath just gives up.

Since their “1.0″ of these, they’re definitely improved the plug design, but it’s still an issue. Wish they’d just give up the metal plug and use a rubber one - heck, they can use the same one on the white Apple ‘buds!

Posted by Justin D on 6 June 2008 @ 2pm

Try the Sennheiser iphone earbuds. They’ll be the ones I’ll pick up when the iphone is released in scandinavia. Got the regular €50 buds from them and they sound amazing. Not quite as good as my HD595 but that’s rather impossible.

Posted by Mikael on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Are you serious about the etymotics? I haven’t tried this particular model, but etymotic make the best earplugs I have ever tried, in any price range. They are supposed to go far into your ear canal, it takes a bit getting used to, but the sound is always fenomenal.

Posted by arnemart on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Use any Shure earphones with their “Music Phone Adapter”

I use the SE530 which are great and sound amazing. Although the Music adapter works with any headphone.

Posted by Rafael on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

I have been using Skull Candy’s Full Metal Jacket ear buds for iPhone. They sound really good to me, are comfortable in my ears and the button that controls the iPod and answers the phone works well.

My only issue I have is that if I am using the mic as a hands free solution while driving my car and talking on the phone - people complain of the noise level/distortion of my voice. This isn’t an issue if I use it in a quite environment, say, at my desk.

Posted by Jory Felice on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Love my v-moda vibe duos… must have gotten lucky with quality, or I handle them well. Use them every day for hours (commuting), but when they’re not in my ears, I wrap them around three fingers (buds first) and slide them into the included pleather case. I’ve had to “re-distribute” the fabric cord a bit when it gets bunched, but in 6 months they’re still sterling. I hate the included white-buds ’cause they’re too big for my ears and hurt after 15 minutes, but the default (smallest?) set of v-moda sleeves is perfect for me. Hope I’m not putting the whammy on mine by this post!

Posted by Blair on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

EDIT: When I say “included white-buds” I mean the Apple headphones. iPhone or iPod, they hurt my ears.

Posted by Blair on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

I’ve been really curious about the Skullcandy Full Metal Jackets. They’ve gotten a lot of good consumer reviews, but they target an audience that may not have the best ears.

Posted by David on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

The UE 4vi’s don’t have craptastic sound - but it’s all about the fit of the actual buds. You have to find the exact size which fits you (they come with a choice of four sizes) otherwise you get the symptoms you describe… But the clicker is overly stiff, which is slightly annoying. The Ultimate Buds look ace!

Posted by Tom on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

I went the DIY route of the Ultimate Buds crowd. I spliced the Apple cord on to a pair of Shure e2c’s, and I love it… mostly. The problem with the e2c’s is that they’re so isolating that using them to talk on the phone is a really odd experience. But I’d highly encourage anyone that’s done a bit of soldering to look at putting Apple’s cable on your favorite pair of headphones.

Posted by Chad on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Yuin PK1s. Nuff said.

Posted by Vince on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

I started with the vibe duos and am now using the ultimate ears - I actually feel exactly the opposite to you about the sound. The vibes are very boomy and I had to run them with the bass reducer EQ in order to get balanced sound. I also noticed occasional distortion on the highs. The UE’s on the other hand have a much more balanced sound and so far no distortion at all. Something about UE’s earpiece really amplifies cable noise though so I’m still using the vibes for running, etc.

Reliability though is just as you noted - the vibes have been nothing but trouble. I’ve been shocked by them several times when using them with a laptop and the shock once disabled the audio on my powerbook (came back after a restart). Then the mic/clicker came apart and now the left ear only works intermittently. They’re going back to vmoda but once back they’ll be only for running & as backup if the UEs ever need to go back for repairs.

Posted by Evan Donn on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Have and love the Vibe Duos. Purchased from physical Apple Store and have had no complaints other than the clicker being too damn small. Great piece.

Posted by terrified on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Funny enough, I’m sending in my 2nd pair of Vibe Duos in for warranty and using my UE super.fi 4 buds until I get my replacements. :)

Posted by Mark Jardine on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

at Macworld this year I bought a pair of earbuds from SkullCandy which are fantastic. Great sound, great noise reduction (by fitting comfortably in my ears), very lightweight and designed for the iPhone (clicker, plugs in directly). Skullcandy is mostly a DJ and musician focused company so it figures that their product is high quality. I purchased my pair at the show special price of $40 but I think the retail price is a fairly reasonable $80. I use these with my iPod as well as my iPhone the sound is that good.

Shannon

Posted by Shannon Clark on 6 June 2008 @ 3pm

Why insist on earbuds? My Sennheiser PX-100’s are compact, fold-up headphones that fit in my pocket, sound way better than the Apple earbuds, and cost like $50.

Posted by John Simons on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

Earbuds for people with big ears: http://flickr.com/photos/goincase/2509242420/

Posted by huphtur on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

I have the Griffin TuneBuds Mobile, $39.

Sound isn’t so great but they’re cheap. Button is hard to press (why can’t anyone get this right but Apple?) but I like the cloth cord in general they work well enough for my needs.

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/tunebudsmobile

Posted by Dan on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

I’m very happy with these: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/tunebudsmobile

Perfect price point, almost as comfortable as my Shures, better sound than the Apple buds. I love the cable on them.

If I want good sound I forego the mic and just use the Shures.

Posted by Lenny on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

Another vote for the Etymotics/Ultimate Buds. Pricey, yes, but great sound, awesome noise isolation, incredibly comfortable, and the clicker/mic is in the right spot. Plus the UBs come with a set of different ear pieces, in case you’re not into the conical tree things. (Me, I love ‘em.)

I had a pair of Ultimate Ear superfi’s, and they were uncomfortable, didn’t stay in my ears, had massive amounts of microphonic noise, and broke after about two weeks of light use.

The Ultimate Buds are still going strong.

Posted by Coda Hale on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

You need to try a pair of Sleek Audio SA6s. Awesome mid-range IEMs. If you want a lower price alternative, try the Denon C351s.

Posted by Adam on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

Early last week, I picked up a pair of Griffin TuneBuds Mobile at $39 they’re a definite improvement over the stock Apple earbuds. The cord is canvas covered and doesn’t seem to tangle up as easily its stock counterpart.

Posted by Brooks on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

One thing worth mentioning — wind noise when you’re cycling. Yeah, yeah, safety, got it. I’ve noticed that my Etymotic ER-4s and the factory ipod buds are terrible for wind noise, but my cheapie Sony buds (the $40-$50 kind) are just fantastic. The bass heavy sound isn’t great for home listening (That’s why God invented Sennheiser HD650s), but the little Sonys can’t be beat for cycling, imo.

Posted by Kevin Connor on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

After trying to learn to like the V-Modas (they hurt too much in the end), I discovered that Sennheiser had quietly released a new revision of their CX300s (the headphones I gave up when I got the iPhone) with a jack small enough that they work perfectly with the iPhone. Although they don’t have a mic or button, they’re comfortable, block sound pretty well, sound good, and were pretty damn cheap to boot.

A little while later, I found that Sennheiser has also made a set which appears to combine the headphones from the CX300, with a mic and button, and although they don’t actually appear to be listed on Sennheiser’s US website, they are on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-iP-Earbuds-Headset-Compatible/dp/B0018NU3KU

Posted by Julian on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

Etymotic headphones use nice noise isolating tips but the headphones themselves cost too much. Some enterprising eBay entrepreneurs discovered that the Etymotic tips fit onto Koss earbuds. It’s by far the best I’ve used in terms of comfort, sound quality and cost-effectiveness.

http://search.ebay.com/Etymotic

Posted by Christefano on 6 June 2008 @ 4pm

Curious if you folks are just squishing up your headphones into a tangly mess in your pocket or do you take care to rewind them into a carrying case? If the former, I can understand why they would quickly fail.

Posted by Jason on 6 June 2008 @ 5pm

I got some Ultimate Buds, the aforementioned ER6i’s, and they are pretty damn good. I slightly prefered my Shure e3’s to these, but my cat prefered the shure e3’s to her toys and ate em and left the severed e3 bud by the door. I got these cause I loved the supple iPhone cord and beautiful mic button, but hated the sound.

The ER3i’s will sound closer to a reference speaker, and may not be a good choice for all listeners. If you like thumpy bass and have bad taste in music they will disappoint. If you are a musician or like to hear details, they are great.

It sounds like some of your speakers didn’t fit in your ears with a tight seal. This doesn’t mean they suck. I thought my Shure E3s sucked till I got the seal right.

Posted by TomK on 6 June 2008 @ 5pm

If you already have a set of Etymotics, you can always roll your own. :)

Photos and full instructions provided at the Flickr set. The instructions would be very similar if you prefer to use full headphones, as opposed to earbuds…

Have the best of both worlds. Keep the mic/clicker, and rock out to the cans you like best. :)

Posted by Jeff Bravo on 6 June 2008 @ 5pm

The Apple earbuds sound craptastic, so I bit the bullet and did it properly and got a set of LiveWires (http://www.livewiresforyou.com/). You go to an audiologist and get moulds of your ears taken and ship them to LiveWires. They build you a set of custom in-ear monitors. The sound is nigh-on perfect and the isolation is fantastic — walking to work with them in I can feel a bus passing by me rather than hear it.

The critical feature is that the cables attach to the earpieces with MMCX connectors, so I got LiveWires to buy me a set of iPhone earbuds and hack the connectors on. So you get the Apple clicker and a plug which fits the iPhone.

Where it’s screwn me is I managed to hook the damn cable around a doorknob and my right channel is buggered and they’ve been slow to get on to sending me a new set of iPhone customised cables…

Posted by Robert Atkins on 6 June 2008 @ 5pm

i got a set of.. well.. they claimed to be the same hardware as these Sennheiser ear-buds but with the iPhone clicker, microphone, and longer jack. $50 US on Ebay. They pretty much work as advertised, but I’m concerned because the jack sheath has very sharp edges, which could abrade the cord eventually, particularly as it goes at right-angles in my pockets.

Posted by Nick Caldwell on 6 June 2008 @ 6pm

i had a broken pair of ER6i’s. for 40 bucks, an outfit called ultimatebuds.com would take the earpieces from the ER6i’s and put them on the cord from apple’s included earbuds.
Etymotic wanted 80 bucks to replace the broken ones, so it made sense to send them to ultimatebuds. the ER’s are great for jazz and classical - not enough bass for other types of music, but if you happen to have a pair of broken Etymotics, and don’t like the ones from apple, this might be an option for you.

Posted by mark on 6 June 2008 @ 6pm

Well, you’ve left out something that’s cheap and works - not great sound, but they stay in your ears better than Apple’s and don’t sound much worse. They have the clicker, the microphone, and they are CHEAPER than Apple’s. The NewerTech® Hands-Free Mic & Earbuds for iPhone are $20. You have to click pretty fast when double-clicking to skip forward a track, but they cover all the functions of Apple’s earbuds without costing anywhere NEAR $100.
http://www.newertech.com/products/iph11.php
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/IPHBUDMIC/

I good deal if you just want passable earbuds that stay IN your ears. I was always having to shove the Apple earbuds back in, like a lot of other commenters.

Posted by Dan Shockley on 6 June 2008 @ 6pm

blurb is right! Can’t believe you got so close with Shure and never checked out the perfect solution. And the Clicker is not that kludgy, it integrates perfectly. Been using mine every day since they debuted the mic adapter, and I LIVE in these.

Posted by Jeff on 6 June 2008 @ 7pm

I have had some V-moda Vibe Duo earphones since Xmas, when I bought them at the Apple store.

I got them because my Phillips SBC HN060 pair ($80?) had one side conk out. I tactually never occurred to me to return them to Phillips– I should look into that.

I don’t use my Vibe Duo fulltime, because I often use the $2 (yup, two bucks) RCA HP57FD pair I get at the dollar store. They come out, and the sound’s not perfect, but it’s not as if the vibe is 50 times better; maybe just 4 times better. But when I’m on the bus I do like the Vibes, and even more like the noise-cancelling Phillips.

but the Philips tips kept falling off, and I constantly bought tip replacements at $17/pop.

And don’t get me started about bike lights.

Posted by Jim on 6 June 2008 @ 7pm

I use these (Skullcandy FMJ: http://www.amazon.com/Skullcandy-Earbuds-Headset-iPhone-Compatible/dp/B00139Y616

Cheap-ish, decent (not great, but decent) sound, streamlined clicker, non-scratchy, durable (i.e. still working).

Posted by Francis Lukesh on 6 June 2008 @ 7pm

has anyone used earphones by klipsch?

Posted by chad on 6 June 2008 @ 7pm

I’ve washed the Apple version 3 times in my pants pocket and they still work! They don’t sound great and don’t stay in my ears too well… but just saying, they’re durable even after washing!

Posted by Dean on 6 June 2008 @ 8pm

I love the hf2’s but it took me weeks to begin to like the silicone ear plugs, but now they’re my favorite. However, mine have fallen apart twice with the earpiece falling apart at the point of the rear cover over the sodlering

To each his own, I guess.

Posted by Craig on 6 June 2008 @ 8pm

I’m using these, fully compatible with mic and clicker: http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/iphonefmj-p-72.html

My only argument is my ear canals must be smaller than average, because I can’t get them to comfortably fit.

Posted by Carlos on 6 June 2008 @ 8pm

I disagree with your review of the Etymotic Research hf2… These are some of the best sounding earphones on the market and well worth every dime!

They are actually called canal-phones because they are meant to be inserted deep into the ear canal and form a seal that flattens frequency response and attenuates outside noise - they are meant to be worn like earplugs.

Many people are afraid to insert them deep into the ear canal and never form the required seal, thus never achieving the level of sound quality and isolation provided by them.

Etymotic Research is well known for the quality of its audio transducers in the world of professional audio and hearing research. The hf2 are part of a line consumer products based on these specialty parts.

I agree with you about the mic/clicker being too bulky, however :)

http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/category/etymotic/

Posted by tnkgrl on 6 June 2008 @ 9pm

The Bose in the ear models are ok, but don’t seal out sound from the outside world and fall out easily if one is doing anything other than sitting. The sound is good if you like the boom.

Posted by blurb on 6 June 2008 @ 9pm

At Macworld Expo earlier this year, I tested four different sets of earphones for use with my iPhone: V-Moda Vibe Duo, Etymotic hf2, Shure SE210, and Ultimate Ears super.fi 4 VI.

Of the four, the Shures were _by far_ the most comfortable, and had terrific sound. If they did not have the crappiest cable design and microphone/control clicker add-on, I would have bought them on the spot. But the standard cable is split in two, which puts a heavy weight in the middle of the cable, which I have learned on other headsets is a pain in the ass. And the add-on microphone/clicker for the iPhone is far, far worse, heavier, and really awkwardly placed. I can’t believe that Shure thinks this is an acceptable product.

The Etymotics were by far the least comfortable. The V-Moda and Ultimate Ears seemed roughly comparable, fairly comfortable, with the UE super.fis being just a bit smaller and better fitting. I bought the super.fis, and have been reasonably happy, except that the control clicker is a pain in the butt to find and click when, say, listening in bed before going to sleep. I have not experienced the Cons described here in the main article; the physical problems haven’t been for me, and I’ve found the audio quality to be quite good. Overall, they are not as comfortable as the Shures, don’t sound as good as the Shures, and the ergonomics of the cable aren’t as good as Apple’s standard headset. But it’s the best combination I’ve found.

If only the Ultimate Buds folks worked with Shure headsets, I’d get one with the SE210 earbuds. But apparently Shure’s assembly is harder to work with than Etymotic’s, and they have had a lot of failures, so they’re not an option, unless you want to gamble on the outcome (i.e., pay whether they work or not). I would happily pay for perfect earphones, but I don’t want to pay a lot and get nothing…

Posted by Alderete on 6 June 2008 @ 9pm

Try a set of custom earmolds. I’m sure Westone Labs makes ‘em, and Microsonic may. Search for “audiologist” in your area.

Posted by Glenn on 6 June 2008 @ 10pm

it’s not the headphone, it’s the iPhone!

together my iPod Mini (green) and iPod Nano (original) have killed 6 pairs of headphones;

The headphones were all of different brands and different models: 2 pairs of Sony E80, 1 pair of Etymotics ER6i, 1 pair of Westone UE2, 1 pair of Apple Earbuds.

iPods killed my headphones, I had hoped these days were over.

Posted by Charles on 7 June 2008 @ 12am

Klipsch Image earphones are excellent in-ears, they fit perfectly and are very comfortable to wear. Terrific sound, design and looks as well probably make them the best pair of earphones I’ve ever worn as a plus the jack is designed to fit with the iPhones recessed headphone slot as well!

Much better than the V-modas in terms of comfort and sound quality.

Posted by Namco on 7 June 2008 @ 12am

As far as extending the life of your head phones in and out of pockets, etc. - Belkin makes a product named Cable Capsule that wraps up and contains your buds safely. I have been using one for 6 months after destroying my first set of Apple ear buds in my pants pockets.

I work at Belkin - but I use this product everyday - if you want to consider that with this recomendation.

Posted by Jory Felice on 7 June 2008 @ 1am

I use a pair of Westone UM-2s with the Shure adapter. Great in-ear monitors (they’d want to be for the price) but the Shure adapter is too bulky.

Posted by Oliver Mooney on 7 June 2008 @ 3am

I’m still with the apple ones … They fit good enough, never fall out. The only thing I noticed on some songs you shouldn’t turn them up too loud, or it might hurt your ears, but then again that applies to all headphones. Btw, since when do the headphones that come with the iphone have a mic and a “clicker”?

Posted by flo on 7 June 2008 @ 3am

I’ve always stuck with the Apple white ones with every iPod (and now iPhone) I’ve had. I’ve always wondered why people complain about them, mine are comfortable and sound pretty good.

Then I realized: as soon as I get a new pair, I pop into my nearest Radio Shack, drugstore or whatever, and buy a set of those little foamy fabric covers that used to come standard with in-ear phones. The isolation and bass are improved greatly and they’re much more comfortable.

I just forget Apple doesn’t put these in the box.

Posted by Ben on 7 June 2008 @ 4am

> V-Moda Vibe DuoV-Moda Vibe Duo: the clicker button can be difficult to find without looking.

I found the button’s housing too heavy as well. I think I’ll try the UB7 Ultimate Buds. Apple’s clicker is perfection. Add in buds that block external sound, and I’m happy: I’m no audiophile, I just want some quiet.

Posted by Paul D. Waite on 7 June 2008 @ 5am

I had some V-Modas when they first came out and they made the mistake of putting in a mic but no clicker. I sent them back and didn’t bother getting the new version with the clicker.
I ended up going with the Ultimate Buds UB7EB which is the Future Sonics FS1 grafted onto an iPhone cordset. They sound great to me. Of course, since then I’ve seen the FS1 buds for sale in a TJ Max for about $30, so if you’re handy you could swap them onto the iPhone cable yourself…

Posted by GadgetGav on 7 June 2008 @ 5am

I ordered 3 pair of the Rivets from Amazon for less than $50 total (now $25 ea). They are really efficient — plenty of sound at low volumes — at least twice that of the Apple headset. The clicker works well — not as easy to actuate as the Apple but still acceptable.

http://www.amazon.com/Rivet-Stereo-Earphones-Headset-Compatible/dp/B000SSSUG0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1212849260&sr=8-1

Posted by Stevo on 7 June 2008 @ 6am

I generally don’t like in-ear buds, but I’ve been totally won over by the Sennheiser MM-50 iP. Really good sound, with a mic and button thingy for answering calls.

Posted by Ian Betteridge on 7 June 2008 @ 7am

My v-modas have worked great for 6+ months now, though I keep them in the faux-leather case that they came with, not stashed in my pocket with the phone itself. I imagine that they might not hold up to rough handling very well.

Posted by Josh Santangelo on 7 June 2008 @ 8am

*ALL* the V-Moda headphones I’ve ever owned, regardless of model, have broken without any extraordinary wear and tear. The last pair I purchased were for my iPhone- they lasted about a month before they just stopped working one day while I was out walking. Every time I send them away it takes at least three weeks. This last time, I sent an email to them to ask when they where going to send them back. They told me it could take up to 14 business days from then they recieved them, and then proceeded to say they got them almost two weeks after UPS said they did. Wankers.

Posted by Mike on 7 June 2008 @ 8am

Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Whoa. Hold on there.

I feel the hf2s deserve a bit more credit then you’ve given them. Canalphones don’t always work for everybody for various reasons, and that’s understandable - but if they do work for you, the hf2s really do sound absolutely phenomenal. I own both the v-moda Vibe Duos and the hf2s, and while I enjoy the Vibe Duos I’ve heard things in my music with the hf2s I didn’t realize existed.

The key, for me, was using the foam earpieces, not the rubber ones. The rubber ones were a bit uncomfortable, and didn’t seal my ears properly; and if there’s one way to be disappointed with a set of canalphones, it’s not getting a proper seal. The foam ones, on the other hand, seal my ears so well an opera singer could be murdered behind me and I wouldn’t notice. They still are less bass-heavy than the Vibe Duos, but it’s still present and strong, and in no way would I characterize that as a bad thing.

As I mentioned, I do also enjoy the Vibe Duos - they’re slightly less ear-sealing, which is better for an office or someplace where you’d like to be slightly aware of surroundings, and the bass is very strong on them (perhaps too strong). But they are also definitely far behind the hf2s in terms of clarity, transparency and punch.

I also keep the Apple earbuds on me, but they’re sort of relegated to the “beater” pair - least amount of noise isolation and worst sound quality, fine for listening to podcasts while out’n'about but not much else.

Posted by Rufo Sanchez on 7 June 2008 @ 12pm

I second (or third, or fourth — I lost count) the SkullCandy FMJ recommendation, I’ve had the Vibes, the Ultimate Ears, and the FMJs. The Vibes were great but succumbed to a chew happy kitten. The Ultimate Ears are indeed terrible and shoddily made. The FMJs are surprisingly good and well built especially for the price. My only real complaint is that the metal housing can dig into your ears a little bit when you try to use them lying down which is the only time I bother with the Ultimate Ears.

Posted by whalt on 7 June 2008 @ 9pm

I completely agree the V-Moda Vibe Duo is the best of the bunch here. The sound I get from my iPhone out of these things is better than I could’ve imagined for the $99 price tag. I reviewed the Vibe Duo in December and have since had no issues with mine except that the cover over the plug that goes into the iPhone slips off at times when yanking the headphones out. But no issues with either earbud dying on me, so maybe I’m just lucky.

My biggest pet peeve with these headphones is the pause/advance “clicker.” Besides the slightly difficult-to-find button, it’s also a little on the heavy side, causing the right earbud to feel a little more pull downward than the left. That, and because of its design, it gets caught on my jacket/shirt all too often.

Overall though, I’m very happy with these headphones. I hardly ever use the white earbuds from Apple, unless I go running, because I can hear more of my surroundings than the music from my iPod or iPhone.

Posted by Patrick Haney on 8 June 2008 @ 1pm

Had already been through a stock Apple, a Sony, and a UB headphone. The Apples wouldn’t stay put and I never liked the mushy big-boom sound of the Sony or the UB. None of them did much for noise isolation so I ended up cranking up the volume real high just so I could hear the sound over outside noise. After a while I was getting headaches from all the high volume pumping into the ear canal.

Picked up an ER6i at the last SF Macworld. Not as much bass, but decent noise isolation, which meant lower volume settings. Really liked them but then they fell out of my pocket one day.

Being on the iPhone and wanting a mic and on/off switch, I went with the HF-2. The plugs looked big, but they fit well and kept much outside noise out. I’ve become a convert. You can practically hear every note of the piano keys tinkling away. Also work well for audiobooks or podcasts. The switch/mic button isn’t tiny, but then it’s easy to grab when a call comes in.

The only downside is you can’t hear someone or thing sneaking up on you. So not recommended while in walking in traffic or when doing dishes ;-)

It’s too bad there isn’t a single place (outside of Macworld) where you can listen to all of them side-by-side.

Posted by Ramin on 8 June 2008 @ 1pm

I had ER6i from before. Last night, I took apart them and Apple iPhone headphones and combined the Apple’s cable with mic with ER6i drivers. Now I have perfect buds. :)

Posted by Aleksandar on 9 June 2008 @ 1am

I agree with you on the V-Moda Vibe Duo although I just bought my pair and am hoping I won’t have to replace them as often as you. So far, I freakin’ love them. I was torn between these and the Shure buds, but I’m so glad I got these - fantastic sound and I like the built in clickr and the cord.

Posted by christine on 11 June 2008 @ 3pm

I have the cheaper version of the Etymotics, and agree sound quality is not phenomenal. But those “trees” help keep out the deafening noise that you often experience on BART. I read that the noise level can reach 107 decibels.

Posted by Jason on 14 June 2008 @ 12pm

I just got a pair of JVC HA-FAX300-T phones today, because I read they were comfortable for wearing in bed. I want to be able to go to sleep listening to language learning podcasts. I took a nap this afternoon after the post came (all in the name of testing, of course.) So far, so good. And the sound is excellent.

Posted by Carol on 12 July 2008 @ 4pm

I am sending my fourth pair of v-moda’s back. GRRRR.

Posted by kokernutz on 24 July 2008 @ 12pm

I have the Shure E2c which I used with my iPod Nano and now the iPhone 2G. I had to trim the plastic on the plug to get it to fit in the iPhone’s recessed jack. But, it works great to isolate you from airplane noise when watching movies or listening on flights. If I need to answer a call, I just put the iPhone up to my mouth to talk. But, it isolates too well to use it for handsfree calling, such as in a car. Once you get the right fit, the sound is excellent. Seems pretty durable too. Amazon still has it for sale for about $65, even though it’s discontinued, so get it now before they disappear from the market.

Posted by Walter on 26 July 2008 @ 2pm

I got the Ultimate Ears super fi 4vi’s and I actually liked the sound quality quite a bit, though I really disliked the fact that they came without a slider to hold the right and left cords together, and also that the foam tips don’t work with them. On top of that, after less than 5 months the left earbud stopped working. Better lifespan than those v-modas I suppose, but still. UE’s website says that a super fi 5vi will be coming out in October, so I’ll be looking forward to trying that out once my 4vi’s die post-warranty.

Posted by Max Ghenis on 1 August 2008 @ 5pm

i’ve also had trouble with my v-modas…this will be my third pair. are you still sticking with them or have you moved on to something else?

Posted by jason on 13 August 2008 @ 6pm

You’re dead on about all these earbuds. I’m on my fourth pair of V-Moda’s. The sound is perfectly balanced and lush but they break exactly in the same place. I really hope they fix this soon. I can’t find better earbuds.

Posted by Mark on 11 September 2008 @ 12pm

New V-Moda Vibe and Vibe Duo Jacks Mean Fewer Dead Headphones (Hopefully) :
http://gizmodo.com/5048667/new-v+moda-vibe-and-vibe-duo-jacks-mean-fewer-dead-headphones-hopefully

Posted by Del-Uks on 12 September 2008 @ 5am