inear headphones - General Accessories

any suggestions for inear headphones? something that will be durable for running and soft rain weather... since im running i need something that will last, usualy i buy something cheap now and it last few weeks did buy something for 20€ and last 10 days only since then im sceptical to buy anything expensive... so any suggestion? around 50€ if possible

I am using Beats by Dre, when I am running so far so good.
You should give them a try. :good:

dont waste your time and money with marketing gimmicks like Beats...
here you go... you might wanna start from here.. good luck
www.head-fi.org/a/2013-head-fi-summer-buying-guide-in-ear-headphones

For exercising, especially running in a soft rain like you mentioned, you should look into wireless headsets. You don't want to be bothered with hanging wireless or reaching out for controls. The two popular choices are Jaybirds BlueBuds X and Plantronics BackBeat Go 2. Look into my signature link for an index of all my reviews, including these two. For your price range, BBG2 will definitely fit the bill and they sound a lot better than BBX. Both are treated with water repellent, have just two earbuds with a wire between them and in-line controls (play/pause, volume up/down, track next/prev) and mic for taking calls. BBX has longer battery life, but BBG2 comes with a neat little storage case that has built-in battery for juicing up between trips. And also BBG2 is a lot cheaper, plus has a more detailed wider sound. Both benefit greatly when used with Comply Foam tips to stay better inside your ears when moving around and also for a better isolation (and deeper bass ).

I have no problems with running with a cord under my shirt. Rain is no issue this way.
First: read my guide
Second: Don't buy anything with vents or adjustment screws, as rain can get in (so can sweat).
Third: list your musical preferences (here, or even better, in my guide following the template).
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Related

On ear (wired) headphones?

I'm trying to find a decent set of on-ear wired headphones (not around ear and not IN ear) to use with the galaxy note for music listening. I'm not concerned with the expense.
I'd prefer on-ear, as they tend to be lightweight and easy to walk around with. I'm currently using a pair of Sony 7506's - and while I appreciate the sound from them, they aren't very portable.
I have several in-ear models (mostly shure), but I'm finding that they are becoming uncomfortable. I guess that as I'm getting older, my ear canals are getting more sensitive.
I really do NOT want some overpowering bass headphones, and I refuse to jump on the "pay too much for a brand name" bandwagon. Clip on's are not acceptable. I'd like them to be somewhat isolating, but I know that good isolation simply isn't feasible with lightweight headphones.
This would be easy if not for one last requirement: no external amp.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Gary
Grado Labs SR60i
I've owned so many headphones over the past few years, different amplifiers...Grado is the best.
lulcho said:
Grado Labs SR60i .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aren't the grado's completely open? Do they offer any isolation?
thank you
Gary
I know you specifically said you didn't want to pay too much for brand names or anything, but nonetheless, Bose OE2's or OE2i's may offer what you're looking for. Sure they're an expensive brand name, but you get what you pay for, and they're quite comfy!
If I were looking in this category, my search would be between Beyerdynamic, Ultrasone, Grado, Bose, and Sennheiser...probably even in that order myself. You will find a good mix between open-air and closed on-ear headphones in those brands. If you really want a closed on-ear design, you should probably skip Ultrasone and Grado though.
Sennheiser PX100 are pretty detailed & portable, but open backed.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App
Westone
If you are not concerned about the expenses the go for the Westone 4R
(http://westonemusicproducts.com/music/index.php/products/personal-listening/westone-4r.html) .
After you wear those for 5 minutes you will find out there are sounds is the music you are listening, sounds never heard before. It is an amazing experience.
I simply love them. The only drawback... expensive
one more thing. try to use them with with complyfoam.com earbuds. they really make a difference.
Before dismissing IEMs make sure you tried different tips.
The Shure olives f.e. are very comfortable on my beloved Etymotics HF5, I can wear them for 10 hours straight on a flight without any discomfort, whereas most tips irritate me within 30 minutes.
A populair on-ear with reasonable isolation is the Sennheiser HD25.

(Q) recommendations on a very discreet headset

Hi all! I apologize if there is another thread like this, did a search and didn't turn up anything useful.
I'm looking for a headset that you can't tell that is being worn. I'm talking like spy style, in the ear, no flashing lights, etc. Idealy able to play music through and use voice dialing. I have seen a few out there which appear to plug into the headphone jack with a wired mic that slips under the collar of a shirt and uses bluetooth to the in the ear, ear buds. These have all been in online spy shops, and the like. Does anyone have any recommendations on something like this? I'd hate to drop $150+ on junk.
Thanks!
Jayson
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
You've watched too many spy movies.
I'm sure there are Headphones like that but they will definitely cost more than $150 and they probably won't be available on Amazon or the likes.
Batterylife will be dismal on a headphone that is small enough to fit into your earchannel and have a BT receiver aswell as good sound for music. You have to fit the battery the receiver and a large enough good quality loudspeaker into a very small room. One of the components will have to stand back.
Information about such things probably is hard to find but you can search the internet for inear hearing aids. There are several that are small enough to vanish in your earchannel and barely can be seen from outside. You'll see the prices and you will find tests about batterylife. The custommold of your earchannel will almost eat up your $150, no tech included.
Edit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_aid
If you get one of the itc or cic ones with bluetooth you only have to find a bt mic that can be used with a smartphone. I'm pretty sure those exist but again, the cost will by far exceed your expectations.
Yeah I know it's not gonna be cheap lol. About $150 is the cheapest I have seen, but have seen in excess of $500. I'd just hate to spend the money for something that isn't going function the way I would like was my main concern.
Just stumbled upon this. http://www.spycheatstuff.com/index....l&pop=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=55&lang=
This appears to be like your suggestions of the cic hearing aid, modified bluetooth headset with an external mic all wrapped up in a clunky box lol. Might not be too terribly difficult to fabricate something similar, but cost to purchase or make might wind up being close to the same. ... Uh oh... The wheel is turning now, but the hamster is dead lol.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
That's a weird device. The earpieces don't have a battery. That neckloop probably is a induction coil. I wonder if and how that works.
Even if it does, I can't believe the sound will be anything else than tinny. For that price they just can't use a balanced armature driver which would fit the earpieces size and is also used in hearing aids an high end in-ear monitors.
If they use a cheaper moving coil driver, the diaphragm has to be really small and therefore sound probably won't be good enough to listen to music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headphones#Ear-fitting_headphones
Getting them in and out of your ear canal most likely will be a real *****. Keeping them in for longer periods of time will lead to all kinds of problems, like sweating, itching, increased production of ear wax. And they act as hearing protection, blocking sound from your environment which may be dangerous.
Granted, all in ear headsets do that to some extent but you can easily flip them out when you don't use them and put them back in in a heartbeat.
Do you actually need a device like that or is it just something geeky you would like to have?
Do you mainly want to listen to music or to make phone calls?
For really good sound I'd suggest custom molded in-ear monitors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-ear_monitors
You can get them in any color, different tones of skin color included. The wire is worn over the ear, and usually behind your back aswell. So no cables dangling around. They are not invisible but way less visible than ordinary ear buds.
They deliver amazing sound quality and the fit just can't be beat.
I have custom molded ear protection and custom molded headsets although not with the more expensive balanced armature drivers of the high end models. Once you get used to putting them in your ear you can do it very fast. There is only one position for them and that is sitting perfectly in you ear. They won't ever come loose accidentally, they won't fall out, they won't break the seal to you ear, so they will never have diminished sound. You can barely feel they are there. You have to try it before you can appreciate how much better they are compared to non-custom in-ears.
If that's too expensive for you, you could get something like that and give it a new paint job.
Cheap, sound not bad at all.
I have a pair of those, too and although they are not custom molded they fit very well. They don't stick out of the concha, giving them a very low profile. Because of the wire worn over the ear they won't come loose or even fall out at the slightest tuck at the cable, like many other in-ears. They aren't as comfortable as my custom molded earphones but I have no problem wearing them over longer periods of time.
Combined with a wired microphone that offers a 3.5mm headphone jack, you'll have a wired headset that offers good sound is not very visible and doesn't use up battery for bluetooth.
Or you get something like this.
That is similar to what you can often see agents and security details use in movies. They usually have those coiled wires/tubes that are quite visible and always make me wonder why they would compromise the low visibility of their headsets with them. Maybe because the tubes without coils aren't good for headmovement. I don't know.
Maybe the absolute invisibility part is important to you. Then my alternatives won't be of much use. But if you want good sound, which is more important to me, those alternatives are the better solution. Still kind of geek devices not many people have but at a more affordable price as long as you don't get professional IEMs.
I'm really more concerned with the voice aspect and the invisibility than the music quality. The music would be nice but not a necessary thing. I see 100% how more likely than not the sound would be very tinny. Thank you, I greatly appreciate the education and help with all of this.
Upon searching ebay I turned up tons of similar items priced from $35 on up, (mostly made in China ) , but if nothing else I think I'm going to pick up a set and if the quality is too crappy I can attempt to modify them to suit my liking. Or possibly ideas for another project. And at the prices they are offered at I'm not out much if I trash it in the process.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Let me know how it turns out.
I'd find the neck loop annoying but it's a rather ingenious idea when it comes to battery life. You can wear a battery pack of any size anywhere on your body.
I'm pretty sure you won't get stereo sound with that setup, only mono but that's ok for voice only use.
That neck loop creates a magnetic field and your wearing it close to your head. I'd have slight concerns about that and I wouldn't be surprised if that thing would interfere with other technical devices like TVs and radios.
But it's hard to say for sure without ever having seen one of those kits in the wild and not much to be found on the internet. Maybe I'm completely wrong and they offer great sound and are absolutely harmless.
Covert acoustic tube earphones
Hi. I am interested in the same exact thing, just for recreational purposes.
i own the iphone version and can attest to it's clarity and comfort.. but i posted a samsung version i'm getting soon too.
hope this helps
i am so sorry, i am not able to post links as yet.
but if you search google for
Covert Acoustic Tube Earpiece / Headset for Samsung Phone: Galaxy S2, S3 etc
and also for
FBI Style Covert Acoustic Tube Headphone / Earpiece For Apple iPhone 3G 3GS 4 4S
i'm sure the first ebay links will lead you right to them. Both are under $20.
And finally, this one is absolutely tiny and hidden in your ear with no exposed wires. Here you go
wireless invisible gsm earpiece for test
you will find that on amazon. But if you do choose to try it please let me know how it goes

ajay one + or sennheiser cx 300-II chrome headpones ?

which headphones should i purchase i have read great reviews on both but hopefully some one can give me some feedback as to which is the better out of the pair, i dont listen to music a lot but when i do i want a nice crisp clear sound with no distortion.
which should i get ?
A word of warning: All headphones sound a wee bit dull and lifeless when plugged into the HOX due to its dreadful amp circuitry (I guess it must be the amp side as I'm led to believe the Nexus 7 uses the same DAC, despite sounding waaaaay better on the same cans.) If this really bugs you (as it does me) you'll probably end up investing in an APT-X capable Bluetooth streamer as a workaround because although a cheap dedicated headphone amp might solve the impedance issues that toally lose everything over 16KHz with my TDK BA100s, it's not going to improve the general muddiness of the sound I've noticed even using cheaper dynamic driver IEMs. I've got a Samsung HS3000 streamer on the way to try (it was pretty cheap, at about £20 so I'm not too worried if it doesn't sound fantastic and it would be really difficult for it to sound worse than the HOX )
Regarding the actual headphones you choose I've only tried (briefly) A-Jays 3 but I'd describe them as having a notably better soundstage than CX300s (I or II, I didn't notice a difference in sound to be honest) - they have better instrument separation and placement... But the Sennheisers (several sucessive pairs of which were my mainstay for years before switching to the TDKs I've got now) are far more bass-centric and could take a lot more in EQ if that's your kind of thing. I listen mostly to a mixture of electronic music like dubstep and drum and bass which tends to favour these kind of earphones, and progressive rock and metal, which definitely sounds much better through something with a more detailed high end and real mid punch like the BAs I'm using now.
The CX300s were something of a revolution in the IEM market when they first came out, because there was nothing else cheap worth owning. Now they have a lot of competitors (A-Jays, Soundmagic, MEElectronics, etc, etc) who if anything outdo the cheaper Sennheisers.
If you've never used IEMs before, you might find a while to get the tip size and style that suits your ears best sorted. They usually come with a few different sizes of the single flange silicone type, but there are also double and triple flange silicone tips and aftermarket 'Comply' memory foam tips I'm using now. They are dead comfy. You'll know when you've got the fit/position right because you won't be able to hear anything outside short of a small nuclear blast happening next to you, plus the bass tends to lose all depth without a good seal.
Oh, and one more thing: Don't buy Sennheisers from eBay. Or, for that matter, any online distributor you haven't heard of. 95% of those available are fake, and some are physically very good copies right down to the packaging.
Azurael said:
A word of warning: All headphones sound a wee bit dull and lifeless when plugged into the HOX due to its dreadful amp circuitry (I guess it must be the amp side as I'm led to believe the Nexus 7 uses the same DAC, despite sounding waaaaay better on the same cans.) If this really bugs you (as it does me) you'll probably end up investing in an APT-X capable Bluetooth streamer as a workaround because although a cheap dedicated headphone amp might solve the impedance issues that toally lose everything over 16KHz with my TDK BA100s, it's not going to improve the general muddiness of the sound I've noticed even using cheaper dynamic driver IEMs. I've got a Samsung HS3000 streamer on the way to try (it was pretty cheap, at about £20 so I'm not too worried if it doesn't sound fantastic and it would be really difficult for it to sound worse than the HOX )
Regarding the actual headphones you choose I've only tried (briefly) A-Jays 3 but I'd describe them as having a notably better soundstage than CX300s (I or II, I didn't notice a difference in sound to be honest) - they have better instrument separation and placement... But the Sennheisers (several sucessive pairs of which were my mainstay for years before switching to the TDKs I've got now) are far more bass-centric and could take a lot more in EQ if that's your kind of thing. I listen mostly to a mixture of electronic music like dubstep and drum and bass which tends to favour these kind of earphones, and progressive rock and metal, which definitely sounds much better through something with a more detailed high end and real mid punch like the BAs I'm using now.
The CX300s were something of a revolution in the IEM market when they first came out, because there was nothing else cheap worth owning. Now they have a lot of competitors (A-Jays, Soundmagic, MEElectronics, etc, etc) who if anything outdo the cheaper Sennheisers.
If you've never used IEMs before, you might find a while to get the tip size and style that suits your ears best sorted. They usually come with a few different sizes of the single flange silicone type, but there are also double and triple flange silicone tips and aftermarket 'Comply' memory foam tips I'm using now. They are dead comfy. You'll know when you've got the fit/position right because you won't be able to hear anything outside short of a small nuclear blast happening next to you, plus the bass tends to lose all depth without a good seal.
Oh, and one more thing: Don't buy Sennheisers from eBay. Or, for that matter, any online distributor you haven't heard of. 95% of those available are fake, and some are physically very good copies right down to the packaging.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thxs for the advice i think i will go for the a jays one + many thanks for a very detailed and helpful reply

Loud headphones, buds, or BT

I am kind of hard of hearing.
I am looking for suggestions on the following for headphones/buds. I would prefer buds but over the ear is okay.
1. Loud. (Loud enough to use while I am mowing the lawn and weed eating) I listen to both music and podcasts.
2. Clear/Good sound.
3. Not too expensive.
First one that says "Beats" gets my AR-15 pulled on them. Though no one should make that suggestion since two of my requirements are that they sound good and are inexpensive.
I use the ones that came with my M8 for everyday use and I had a certain set that I used while mowing. (They were earbuds and came with one of my MOTO phones I think) I broke them the other day mowing when they caught on the handle of the pull start and ripped apart.
Anyway, is anyone in a similar situation that has suggestions for me?
Also, down the road, I would like to find some BT earbuds or headphones that fit the same criteria.
If you have seen a sticky with all my reviews (also the link in my signature), I reviewed a ton of headphones. When it comes to wired ones and on a budget, Xiaomi Pistons might be a good choice for you but wires will get in the way. Speaking from a personal experience when I'm working in my backyard, you need to go with a wireless headset. I absolutely enjoy using my LG HBS-730 because of all the controls under my fingers. HBS-800 has a better sound, but some of the controls are not as easy to access and 800 cost $90 while 730 is on sale for $43 now. Both were reviewed and in my list. 730 is a great choice under $50, you can get it loud enough, and all the controls are easy to access.
It really depends on what you want to use them for.. Yes obviously listen to music but is that all?. Do you want a pair for watching movies with big sound or are they just for your way to work on the bus..
Perso, I bought the cheapest pair of sony buds and they work like a charm.
On a side note, if your hard at hearing why would the sound quality be a priority since your probably going to phase out the deeper hrz you would find on more expensive gear.....
If somewhat hard of hearing, I think sound isolating headphones (either closed back ones that just keep sound out, or active noise cancellation ones) would be the way to go. In my experience, managing the signal-to-noise ratio is as important as total volume. Knock out the background noise, and the signal that you want to hear will be easier to hear at moderate volume.
Xiaomi Piston 2 have very good sound from what I have read. If you use Comply tips they will also isolate very well.
Xiaomi Piston IF Commemorative Edition (With more tips)
Xiaomi Piston Design 2.0 Earphones
They are both the same
vectron said:
If you have seen a sticky with all my reviews (also the link in my signature), I reviewed a ton of headphones. When it comes to wired ones and on a budget, Xiaomi Pistons might be a good choice for you but wires will get in the way. Speaking from a personal experience when I'm working in my backyard, you need to go with a wireless headset. I absolutely enjoy using my LG HBS-730 because of all the controls under my fingers. HBS-800 has a better sound, but some of the controls are not as easy to access and 800 cost $90 while 730 is on sale for $43 now. Both were reviewed and in my list. 730 is a great choice under $50, you can get it loud enough, and all the controls are easy to access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for just now getting back here but I have been busy. Thanks for the replies. As recommended both by you and note10 I will check out the Pistons.
As for the LG BT buds, I picked up a pair a few months ago at the Verizon store. A lot of the employees in the stores had them on so I specifically asked about quality and volume. I was told they were great. So I bought them. They were the LG Pro. On sale for $59.
Well they sounded like crap. no volume and it was like I was listening through a tin can. So I took them back. Someone I know was working theat day and I told him my problem. And he was wearing a pair. So this guy leveled with me. The ones they are carrying are the second gen and they have been getting them all back. Just about everybody in the store that was wearing them had the first gens. Huge difference.
obtuce said:
It really depends on what you want to use them for.. Yes obviously listen to music but is that all?. Do you want a pair for watching movies with big sound or are they just for your way to work on the bus..
Perso, I bought the cheapest pair of sony buds and they work like a charm.
On a side note, if your hard at hearing why would the sound quality be a priority since your probably going to phase out the deeper hrz you would find on more expensive gear.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will mostly use them around the house and yard work for both music and podcasts of talk shows.
As for wanting sound quality, I am hard of hearing, not deaf. I have losses in some upper ranges. And I also have tinnitus which is mainly why I need the louder volume. I still like deep rich bases and clear highs (at least the ones I can hear)
Skullcandy
I don't like buying headphones that are too expensive. That's why I bough the Skullcandy Ink'd 2.0. They seem to be really solid headphones and even after 5 times in the washing machine were working for me. :good:
They can go pretty loud and they're really clear audio quality. That is my recommendation
If volume is the biggest problem, something like a Fiio E11 ask amp, or even an E6, would help.
However, I fully agree you should first focus on isolation and clarity, thus salvaging whatever hearing you can. Foam tips are your friend.
Bluetooth will likely never be as loud or as clear as plugging directly in, also.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
For me it is BT headphones.

Good Earbuds under 40$ ?

Hello, my House of Marley Earbuds recently broke and now I'm searching for an replacement. I'm not sure if I buy wired headphones again or switch to wireless headphones. Can someone recommend me some good headphones under 40$ ? Is there also a pair of wireless earbuds with an wired option (that would be ideal) ?
Do you want earbuds, in ear monitors, or headphones? Those are 3 different things. Earbuds, just like apple ipods that don't have a nozzle that goes into your earcanal, the best price/performance ratio in that category is $5 VE Monk+. In ear monitors (IEM) have a nozzle that goes into your ear, a more traditional, probably like the one you had before where you have a nozzle and different size eartips you select to make a better seal. If you want a killer price/performance ratio iems, try Meeaudio RX18, they are on amazon for $5-$6.
It has been awhile since I reviewed budget headphones, back when I used to review and to post on XDA, but I can tell you will not be disappointed with either of these $5 budget gems. Both have a very impressive sound quality, and shows you that you don't need to spend even $40 to get a good iem. Also, IEMs by KZ, like KZ ATE model which you can find for $12-$13 are very good. Of course, there are TOTL flagship iems that cost thousands of dollars, but that's not for XDA discussion
Thank's for the explanation ?. I mean't the In ear monitors. I'l check out the Meeaudio RX18.
What do you think about the Xiaomi Hybrid ?
And is it a good idea to buy a pair of Bluetooth i montiros (mostly for watching YouTube and gamimg) ?
Frostplexx said:
Thank's for the explanation . I mean't the In ear monitors. I'l check out the Meeaudio RX18.
What do you think about the Xiaomi Hybrid ?
And is it a good idea to buy a pair of Bluetooth i montiros (mostly for watching YouTube and gamimg) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xiaomi makes great stuff, you probably gonna like it! You can never go wrong with hybrids that usually feature dynamic driver (for the bass) and Balanced Armature "BA" driver for mids and treble.
You can find a ton of bluetooth IEMs, typically a pair of earpieces connected by a "wire" with in-line remote. They sound OK, but not all of them have a decent fit/comfort. With a wire-down fit they can fall out easily as you move around. Again, for example, Meeaudio has X6 Plus wireless sports in-ear monitors that have over-ear fit so it stays comfortably in your ear and those are reasonably priced under $30. In general when you are a looking for wireless budget iems, keep in mind that just because they look cool they might not function as good. Big fancy earpieces can easily fall out of your ears, and when you start fiddling with in-line remote to play/pause/skip/volume adjustment - earpieces can also fall out when you pull on the wire. So, over ear fit, regardless if its Meeaudio or someone else - is more desirable.
Another thing to keep in mind, most of these are BT4.1. Definitely make sure they support aptX codec, you will get better sound quality. But be aware, the current mainstream BT protocol still has a sync delay between video and audio. For playing music it's fine, but once you start watching YT or Netflix or playing games, you can have some delay. It's a gray area because I have seen some companies selling low-latency Bluetooth transceivers but not sure if there are headphones to support it yet...
Thank you for your help. I just bought the Xiaomi Hybrid.
Frostplexx said:
Thank you for your help. I just bought the Xiaomi Hybrid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget to come back and share your impressions!
The In ear monitors just arrived and they sound great. They sit also very well in my ears butt its a little tricky to get them in your ears because of the angled design. The only thing that I don't understand is why they change the cable midway from sleeved to rubber. I would recommend these in ear monitors.
Frostplexx said:
The In ear monitors just arrived and they sound great. They sit also very well in my ears butt its a little tricky to get them in your ears because of the angled design. The only thing that I don't understand is why they change the cable midway from sleeved to rubber. I would recommend these in ear monitors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like in the attachment? That one is Xiaomi Pistons 3, so probably similar.
When cable rubs against your clothe, it can create microphonics effect, and it can get worse with that braided sleeve. That's why they change it to rubber sleeving going up above the y-splitter. Plus, rubber sleeving is more durable which makes sense to have at the top, because the clothe braid will be wearing off faster and can get loose after awhile.
Ok that makes sense. I noticed when I wear the headphones for a longer period of time they start hurting a little bit, but i think thats because u have pretty small ears.

Categories

Resources