Earphones - on the hunt

Col_M · 21 Oct 2007 at 18:34

Well canal phones to be precice.
I've just got one of the new nanos but the headphones aren't too great, they actually make my ears sore after extended use like most bud types and the audio isn't great. I have no such problems with some sony canal jobbies that came with my minidisc player years ago but the right is going crackly now.

Im currently looking at something like the Shure E3c, Etymotic ER-6i, MylarOne x3 or maybe v-moda vibes. Budget is around £75 or cheaper (i've read that around that $150 is a sweet spot with regards to price/performance).

Anyone had any experience of these and can share some experience or maybe offer up something similar?

Flibster · 21 Oct 2007 at 19:39

e3c's are very good. Have them for the gym. They have been recently discontinued by Shure though so some bargains may be available soon.

As with all Shure headphones - fitting them correctly is king.

Simon/~Flibster

Mansize_tissue · 21 Oct 2007 at 19:59

What's your preference with respect to sound signature? If you like a lot of bass, the ER6is might not be for you.

r0cky · 21 Oct 2007 at 20:18

I always use my Shure earphones on Trains,planes, and buses; without the sound isolation I wouldn't be able to hear a thing! They also sound absolutely amazing. The only downside is that you have to fit them correctly and it takes a few seconds; it's also annoying when someone wants to talk to you and you have to remove them and then reposition them. Maybe I should get one of the push-to-talk version?

Col_M · 22 Oct 2007 at 00:06

Mansize_tissue said:
What's your preference with respect to sound signature? If you like a lot of bass, the ER6is might not be for you.

Yes that's a good point and one i'd actually read about, to be honest I like a moderate amount of bass but not so much that it muddies and overpowers other frequencies. I'm not a bass head though but it was one of the things that could possibly steer me away from the ER6is.

MikeHunt79 · 22 Oct 2007 at 00:40

there loads of good info on that head fi site.

e2c's are supposed to be good.

Why do you want canal phones?

Col_M · 22 Oct 2007 at 10:15

MikeHunt79 said:
there loads of good info on that head fi site.

e2c's are supposed to be good.

Why do you want canal phones?

Because the 'bud' types are uncomfortable for me and I just don't like headbands or hooking something over my ears. Canal phones are just my prefrence because they are much more comfortable for me and I like the isolation from the outside noise

I'll check out the head fi site in my 'lunch break'

MikeHunt79 · 22 Oct 2007 at 14:30

Col_M said:
Because the 'bud' types are uncomfortable for me and I just don't like headbands or hooking something over my ears. Canal phones are just my prefrence because they are much more comfortable for me and I like the isolation from the outside noise

I'll check out the head fi site in my 'lunch break'

Gotcha - I've never tried canal phones myself, but apparently getting them to fit is the most important thing.

I should've warned you tho, if you spend too much time on head fi, it's very easy to get carried away and spend far too much money on headphones. :eek:

If I had £75 going spare, I'd get Allesandro MS-1's ($99), even tho they have a headband, they are pretty comfortable, and you can change the earpads for more comfortable ones if you wish.

A2Z · 22 Oct 2007 at 21:45

i used to have the e3c's, they were very good, but i broke them

then got cx300 as a cheap replacement, TBH i didnt notice that much difference from the e3c's

lost the cx300's though, and just TODAY ordered the CrossRoads MylarOne XB's from Singapore for $67 with free shipping, i did a lot of research on head-fi, and they came highly recommended for the price bracket i was looking at, will let you know what they are like in 8-10 days, although theres a big thread about them on head-fi

Mansize_tissue · 23 Oct 2007 at 00:19

A2Z, I was going to get the XBs but they looked way too long so I got a pair of Creative EP630s. When they arrive can you tell me what you think of them (size-wise, as well), please? They just look like they'll stick out an awful lot when worn.

Col_M · 23 Oct 2007 at 00:40

Thanks A2Z, it'll be good to hear what you think

One other I heard goos things about were the Futuresonics Atrio M5s on head fi so i'll do a bit more research

Is it just me or when you're researching things and especially AV equipment you set a budget and you always see options that are more than you're willing to pay and try justifying to yourself that it's worth it

A2Z · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:54

Col_M said:
Thanks A2Z, it'll be good to hear what you think

One other I heard goos things about were the Futuresonics Atrio M5s on head fi so i'll do a bit more research

Is it just me or when you're researching things and especially AV equipment you set a budget and you always see options that are more than you're willing to pay and try justifying to yourself that it's worth it

lol yep...i was set on a £15 budget ie. the cx300's but ended up £30 for the XB's

when they arrive will let you know guys

Luke · 23 Oct 2007 at 13:06

I've got a set of e2c's but in all honesty I'd not recommend them to others.
They are very light on bass and the cables have started to perish after just over a year. Where the cable loops over my ear, it is now very jagged, and I can't wear them.

On the plus side, the mid range and treble is fantastic, and the isolation means I can listen at a quarter of the volume I was before. They also don't leak sound at all, which makes for a considerate commuter!

Fubsy · 23 Oct 2007 at 13:29

emailiscrap said:
I've got a set of e2c's but in all honesty I'd not recommend them to others.
They are very light on bass and the cables have started to perish after just over a year. Where the cable loops over my ear, it is now very jagged, and I can't wear them.

On the plus side, the mid range and treble is fantastic, and the isolation means I can listen at a quarter of the volume I was before. They also don't leak sound at all, which makes for a considerate commuter!

If your cables start to break/perish get them sent back to Shure, they have replaced mine every year for the past 2 years for the same thing.

I also have an order in for some MylarOne X3's (less bassy version of the XB), hopefully give you some views when they arrive. Worried about the apparent awful build quality though.

Mr Jones · 24 Oct 2007 at 21:35

I've been looking around to replace my CX300, saw some CX400 on sale and some CX500 pre-orders being taken on some online retailers - what reviews I can read about the CX400 is more or less the same as the CX300.

The CX500 is apparently "going to be poop" due to the inline volume controls.

So I've just placed an order for a Crossroads Mylar XB, so hopefully I'll get it in the next week or so

Fubar said:
I also have an order in for some MylarOne X3's (less bassy version of the XB), hopefully give you some views when they arrive. Worried about the apparent awful build quality though.

Apparently if you e-mail Uncle Wilson when you've got issue with the quality, he'll quickly replace it e.t.c. - very good service, or so they've been raved to be

Mansize_tissue · 24 Oct 2007 at 22:57

Dr Jones said:
Apparently if you e-mail Uncle Wilson when you've got issue with the quality, he'll quickly replace it e.t.c. - very good service, or so they've been raved to be

Yes, the service is very good, although I haven't actually got around to buying anything from him yet. But, when I emailed to ask about a product, I got a reply within 20 minutes; pretty damn good if you ask me. Also he said he'd throw in a pair of bi-flanges and mark the item as a gift or of low value so as not to incur import charges.

Fubsy · 26 Oct 2007 at 13:00

My Mylarone X3's arrived this morning (dam quick that, 7 days from order to delivered from singapore.)

Build quality is not great as I expected, thin wires, cheap plastic casing etc. I can see these breaking within 6 months.

They have much better low end than my Shure E2C's but that's to be expected seeing as the Shures are just lacking there anyway. They do sound good on first listening and really make some of the mp3's i have sound terrible due to the compression, most notably the new Radiohead album. Going to give them a chance to burn in before I dcide whether I'll use these as my primary phones over the Shures.

A2Z · 26 Oct 2007 at 13:03

Fubar said:
My Mylarone X3's arrived this morning (dam quick that, 7 days from order to delivered from singapore.)

Build quality is not great as I expected, thin wires, cheap plastic casing etc. I can see these breaking within 6 months.

They have much better low end than my Shure E2C's but that's to be expected seeing as the Shures are just lacking there anyway. They do sound good on first listening and really make some of the mp3's i have sound terrible due to the compression, most notably the new Radiohead album. Going to give them a chance to burn in before I dcide whether I'll use these as my primary phones over the Shures.

nice, should get my X3's by next week then

yes X3's, when I ordered the XB's, got an email saying they are out of stock - would i accept the offer of getting the X3's now instead, then the XB's free of charge when they are back in stock in a couple of weeks...couldnt really say no lol

Mansize_tissue · 26 Oct 2007 at 13:23

Fubar, do you think the XBs are a little big? They look really long and as if they'll stick out quite far when being worn.

Fubsy · 26 Oct 2007 at 13:26

These X3's are tiny tbh, they don't stick out from my ears at all, but I am using the Shure flex sleeves as I just find the rubber double flanges they came with keep them in my ear well enough.

EDIT: The E2C's stick out much further.