Question about earbud sound isolation

[nightflier]

I will be travelling quite a bit this year and need a pair of earbuds to replace the much too clunky Sennheiser PX-250's I've been using. My primary concern is sound quality and isolating outside noise like airplane turbines. I've always had the suspicion that most companies that make earbuds are not interested in sound isolation for fear of being sued (ipod-wearing skateboarder couldn't hear truck comming, etc.). So I don't trust them entirely.

With other cans I've tried - namely the Senns and Bose - I've always had to turn the volume up too high which is not only bad for one's ears, but would probably be even worse with earbuds. Now there are tons of choices out there, including some from Sennheiser. I don't mind spending a bit more for added comfort and better technology, but those $500 jobies are over the top, in my opinion - these are earbuds, folks, not Piega's.

Any suggestions, recommendations?

[Fergymunster]

I will be travelling quite a bit this year and need a pair of earbuds to replace the much too clunky Sennheiser PX-250's I've been using. My primary concern is sound quality and isolating outside noise like airplane turbines. I've always had the suspicion that most companies that make earbuds are not interested in sound isolation for fear of being sued (ipod-wearing skateboarder couldn't hear truck comming, etc.). So I don't trust them entirely.

With other cans I've tried - namely the Senns and Bose - I've always had to turn the volume up too high which is not only bad for one's ears, but would probably be even worse with earbuds. Now there are tons of choices out there, including some from Sennheiser. I don't mind spending a bit more for added comfort and better technology, but those $500 jobies are over the top, in my opinion - these are earbuds, folks, not Piega's.

Any suggestions, recommendations?
Headphone.com They have a large selection of headphones or earbuds.Also you will be able to talk too a knowledgable person.

[audio_dude]

well, if you want to check out some awesome earbuds (sound isolation) look at the shure line up, they are all awesome

[nightflier]

Fergy, Dude,

What did you settle on?

[Fergymunster]

Fergy, Dude,

What did you settle on?
Who ME? Indoors:HD 650 Outdoores:PX-100.As if it matters

[audio_dude]

i've decided on getting the Shure e2c's, lot's of great reviews!!!

and they're cheap!! :lol:

[nightflier]

Dude,

Let me know how well they isolate outside noise. I'm very interested.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

[audio_dude]

ok, i will :2:

planning to get them in a week or so

[Fergymunster]

Just a suuggestion:I own the Creek 21se headphone amp and found that my high end headphone's the Sennheiser HD 650 sounds absolutely amazing.I got the amp for $350 however it's now $450.You also might consider the creek 21 headphone amp which is cheaper but well worth considering.Also I might add that the HD 650 is now around $300 and truely a bargain as it's one of the very best choices you can make and yes in my opinion headphones are much better than listening through speakers.Also to save your hearing you need not turn the volume all way up because with my amp you can listen at low volume and get just as much detail than any speakers I own.Just my 2 cents of course.

[E-Stat]

I've always had the suspicion that most companies that make earbuds are not interested in sound isolation for fear of being sued (ipod-wearing skateboarder couldn't hear truck comming, etc.).
I use Shure E-3Cs that offer good isolation on my travels by air. You put them in the ear canal to create a good seal. (they come with three different size inserts to accomodate different sized ears) They work great on screaming children as well!


With other cans I've tried - namely the Senns and Bose - I've always had to turn the volume up too high which is not only bad for one's ears, but would probably be even worse with earbuds.
On a recent trip, I met a guy who had the Bose headphones and tried them out. The Bose phones had dismal sensitivity and offered really no better sound insulation.

The Shures are highly recommended.

rw

[audio_dude]

then i'll definitivly have to hurry and get my cash to get the e2c's!!!

[emorphien]

E2cs are great for portable use because they're reasonably durable and sound very good for the money (You should be able to find them for $60 if you look).

I wouldn't want to carry extremely expensive headphones with me because in my mind they have a greater chance of breaking than the player, and if you can get that kind of performance for that price I'd say it's good enough for any portable music player.

[audio_dude]

ya, i originally bought my Grado SR-60's to use on the road, but the sound was so amazing they are always kept beside my stereo for private listening :D

[nightflier]

E2C's or E3C's, besides the color & plastic, what's the difference?

[audio_dude]

i think the E3C has a tiny bit better isolation and sound, not *shure* though

[audio_dude]

YAY!!! i get my e2c's tonight, i'll post some thoughts tommorow!!!


and i just finished getting 200 posts!!! :D :D :D :D :D

[audio_dude]

there is only one way to describe these phones?...HELLZ YA!!!!

i went to the store, picked them up, nothing to hard 'bout that....they're packaged in the typical electronics/impossible to open/infuriating plastic...the scissors made light work of it, just cut off the ring around the outside!

so, i got home, opened these babies up...the first thing that struck me is the weight and cord size, they were as light as I expected, but the cord is at least double the thickness of the stock iPod earbuds. the packaging is very sturdy, many layers. after you remove the top layer with the actual earbuds, you are greeted with a small pack of "sleeves" that fit over the little sound channel to provide the sound isolation. I first tried the one that came attached to the phones, they provided a pretty good fit for me, but I still tried most of the others. i'm using the large foam sleeves, think earplugs...with sound! you squish them with your fingers and let them expand in your ear canal. the stock ones aren't bad ether.

from a isolation stand point, i don't really have anything to compare it to, except real ear plugs, and these come pretty damn close! i can't hear the keyboard as i'm typing this, but i can hear myself blink if i blink hard, which is kinda really freaktastic.

from a sound quality standpoint, they sound nearly as good as my grado SR-60s if not the same or better.

if you have any questions, just ask me!!!

[emorphien]

but i can hear myself blink if i blink hard, which is kinda really freaktastic.
:lol: OOook then. They're not going to isolate you from internal sounds so if you talk or fart, you'll hear it. Where exactly were you going with this thought?

[Fergymunster]

Just a heads up:The Sennheiser HD 650 is now affordable to almost everyone.The cable manufactures for this headphone are waiting with drowel running down their faces.Be careful as this is just the calm before the storm.

[nightflier]

I was wondering, Etimotic lists frequecy response only up to 16KHz., even on their best model. Now I'm not a bat, but I can hear stuff over 16KHz. through my speakers, so hobble the earbuds? If they are isolated & in-ear, wouldn't that warrant a full frequency range?

Also, Shure's website doesn't list specs for their e2/3/4c's. Since there's a substantial jump in price (more than Etimotic), between models, what would I be buying more of?

BTW, a-dude, thanks for the review of the e2c's. Fergy, I would love to take a pair of Senn 's and Creek amp on the plane with me, but I need something lighter.

[audio_dude]

:lol: OOook then. They're not going to isolate you from internal sounds so if you talk or fart, you'll hear it. Where exactly were you going with this thought?

well, i was just kidding there, but ya, if ur not *shure* about the isolation, just go buy a pair of foam earplugs and thats pretty much what they do...ya, you can hear your teeth click, or you swallowing (just a little bit)

[emorphien]

well, i was just kidding there, but ya, if ur not *shure* about the isolation, just go buy a pair of foam earplugs and thats pretty much what they do...ya, you can hear your teeth click, or you swallowing (just a little bit)
:lol: I was thinking I may have taken you too seriously. Yes the E2cs are a lot like foam earplugs. They'll cut out most outside noises, very nice for the money.

[Fritz]

This is kindof an old topic, but I just bought a pair of shure e3g's (apparently the same as e3c, different color). At first I was dissappointed with them (expecting alot for $133?), they seemed very lacking in bass. But, once I listened for a few minutes, I could hear the awesome detail in the mids and highs. The bass got better, I think I was just spoiled by the full-sized over-the-ear headphones:cornut: . Amazing isolation, almost too much for me, if there is ANY sound playing through them, then I cant hear someone talking to me from a foot away..I wonder what people will do to me when they find this out.. The cables struck me as a little too thick and stiff, but hopefully that means they will withstand wear and tear (aka, me sleeping with them on...I roll around alot). Good sounding overall. Very detailed. They are much more accurate than my Aiwa HP-X223's ($25 at Best Buy:5: ), although I will probably still use the aiwas sometimes since theyre more comfortable and easier to put on/take off quickly. There done. Hope I helped in some small way.

[E-Stat]

At first I was dissappointed with them (expecting alot for $133?), they seemed very lacking in bass. But, once I listened for a few minutes, I could hear the awesome detail in the mids and highs. The bass got better, I think I was just spoiled by the full-sized over-the-ear headphones...
That is what I thought until I experimented with the different sleeves. It seems that the default "medium" sized sleeve was too large for my ear canal. When I switched to the small sleeve and really placed them in my ear, the bass response improved significantly.

rw

[audio_dude]

remember, with IEM's you ALWAYS must spend the time to get a perfect fit... when you do, it will greatly improve the bass, and also, the phones need a little time to break in before they sound to their full potential!

yes, i recently sent my Shure e2c's in for repair, i hope I get them back soon!

[nightflier]

(Some of this is from another thread on the same topic)

I coudn't decide on what to get and from all the posts it seemed like the in-ear phones lacked a little bass, even when inserted / fitted properly. So I bought two units: the Etymotic ER-6i and the Shure E3Gs, which are both supposed to have a little more bass than their "i" & "c" counterparts. This is something that was a common complaint with the iPod earbuds apparently, so these are called the iPod / gamer versions. I don't have a PSP, but that may be my next purchase...

So I've been running these through their paces before taking off on a long trip and I must say that they are very similar, sound-wise, with the edge going to the Etymotics, I think. They sound crisper and just a tad clearer with vocals. Regarding the bass, it's not going to be anything like a full-size can, and I wasn't expecting that. As a matter of fact I would call it mid-bass rather than actual bass and it seems to flutter off pretty quickly when listening to Massive Attack or Bach's Toccata. That said, it's still quite good. I haven't heard the non-bass versions, so I can't compare, but the bass on these two models is pretty similar, with the Etymotic having a little more clarity there as well. But they defer more in the mids and highs.

One minor gripe I have with both is that they don't have in-line volume controls - I know it's petty, but I doubt it would have added much to the price. Yes, I could buy one at Radio Shack, but that would add more complexity to the path, not to mention more junk I have to carry around.

By the way, the best price that I found online for these was at NewEgg. There were a few lower prices from some never-heard-of-'em sites, but I thought I would play it somewhat safe and buy from an authorized reseller. Shipping was super-fast: 2 days for just $6, probably from a local distribution center.

[jerbal1226]

If you are looking for quality earbuds with great noise cancellation, I recommend the JLab earbuds. They just came out with the J3, which would be perfect for that. They're actually getting ready to do $500 daily giveaways as well as a ton of other free stuff so i would take advantage!

[audio amateur]

My senn CX-300s cut out outside noise very well. I love them, and only paid about 25 bucks.

[Reticuli]

Etymotic Research ER4S. If you think the ER6 sounds better than the Shures, then the 4S will blow them away. The HF5 is just an unmatched pair of ER4P. The ER6 is a lower-end product than even the ER4P & HF5. The ER4S is true reference gear.

Considering many portables can't run low impedence phones flat anyway...

ER4S > ER4P > HF5 > ER6

[nightflier]

Well my ER6is are OK for now. There is still a lot of ambient noise when I travel, so I'm not expecting ultra hi fidelity. If they break, I'll consider the next level up.

[Headphone_Guru]

IEM's or In-ear's block out more noise than any other type of headphone, however its weakness is blocking out the frequencies that you would be exsposed to on an airplane. Active noise cancelling headphones are your best bet for air travel and the only use I'd really reccomend them for. IEM's traditionally sound better and actually block out more noise for most scenarios.