Good, durable earphones?

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Beats are similar to Bose. They are quantifiably better than $5 Chinese stocking stuffer headphones. They’re also probably better than $10 Skullcandys or $12 Phillips. But they are in every way, shape, and form worse than headphones that are in the same price bracket.

If you’re going to throw down $50, or $150, or $500 on some headphones, get the absolute best ones that you can. Which will never, ever be Beats.

The only problem I have with IEMs(inner ear) is fit is key, it’s everything. For me, that means I have to try different tips and spend the time fitting the IEMs in securely.

Regular over the ear headphones are just put on and go.

I don’t wear glasses though, so comfort is never an issue. Also, IEMs can’t be beat for portability, I can curl them up and put them in my pocket when I don’t need them, not gonna happen with over the ears unless you get a really small set and what’s the point of that? You might as well get the IEMs, unless you have sensitive ears.

I’ve had Bose ear buds, which were the most comfortable in-ear device I’ve ever tried by far, and also the QC3, which I have had for several years and am quite fond of (also very comfortable). Why the hate?

I covered that specifically. Like, not to be an ass, but the entire point of my post was “why the hate.”

Bose don’t make actively bad headphones. What they do is they massively overprice the quality they produce. Any amount of money you spend on Bose equipment would be better spent on a different brand. Period.

Bose speakers include marketing budget, but unlike a Mac or Mercedez, you’re not getting anything extra for those bigger bucks.

Beats are the very same. Yes, you get very deep bass. . . and you can get better bass (and clearer highs and a fuller midrange) for the exact same price if you’re willing to buy cans that don’t have Dr. Dre’s name plastered all over them.

Which post? Was it in the other thread? I just looked back in this one and I’m not certain what you are referring to. At any rate, no offense intended, just curious what the reasoning was. Bose stuff is definitely expensive. I used to live near an outlet store–I think in both cases I got mine on sale, which helps. I don’t know, perhaps there is better, but everything I’ve ever owned from them (including a Wave Radio I’ve had for 10 years or more) has always performed well for me.

I’ve heard that this isn’t true of their noise canceling headphones, which there seems to be widespread agreement are basically the best you can buy at any price.

Historically Bose gets a lot of hate from the audio enthusiasts for their somewhat bullshit-filled marketing around products like those single cabinet speakers they used to sell that reflected the sound all over hell and back and really were not that great.

That said, I tried 3 different expensive over the ear noise canceling headphones, and to my shame I liked the Bose the best. Very comfortable. Decent enough sound for airplanes (the only place I really use them).

http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showpost.php?p=3061091&postcount=22

Just to answer your Q.

Anyway, yes, I also spent a few years near an outlet for Bose. Good friend of mine was a salesperson there who is really into the idea of sales as a philosophical concept, so I endured some pretty obnoxious marketing for a few months before they fired the staff and started the store over. Even at outlet prices, they just can’t keep up with some Sennheisers or Audio-Technicas off Amazon, IMO.

Of course, now I’m coming across as an obnoxious salesperson, so I’ll probably try to drop it :)

My last set of earbuds started breaking, so I picked up 2 sets of these monoprice ones. So far, they’re pretty good. They’re shaped a little weirdly, but they sit snugly in my ears even without any muddling around with alternate tips. They seemed really large at first, but they aren’t so heavy they fall out of my ears or anything, so I don’t really have any complaints.

The cord seems a little flimsy, but seems like it does the job. Maybe gets tangled a little more easily than thicker cords, I guess.

I just bought a pair of JVC HA-FR201 on sale from Futureshop, mainly due to this head-fi thread going gaga over its twin, the HA-FX101.

It looks less flimsy than the monoprice. For sure.

That head-fi forum is humorous. Seriously debating the relative merits of cheap, mass-produced earbuds? I guess there must be a difference, but it seems like a low-value distinction…like teasing out the differences in Burger King burgers and McDonalds burgers.

I’ve found bose quiet comfort headphones, the type 2s and the new ones, to be absolutely incredible. I’m used to the hatred of me for daring to say they are great and I love them but I do.
It’s inexplicably cool to hate Bose.

I don’t necessarily hate Bose, but they’re way too pricy for what is essentially middle-range gear. They’re the Monster Cable of speaker makers.

They suck

These are my preferred earbuds:

Same here. Those basic Panasonics are good and cheap and comfy.

Urban Ears are super durable, and have convenience features like a short nylon cord that unplugs at both ends, and the ability to plug a second pair of headphones into the first set so that two people can listen (I have never tried this). They look very trendy (to me they look ugly) however. And the sound quality is not the greatest.

I wear them in bed, so they get some abuse when I roll over or something.

I still have my JVC. I had those Panasonics also, and I like the JVC more because they are more boomy.

My current earphone of choice is Final Audio E4000:


uh, maybe amazon link is better?

They are super light, made of metal, super isolating, and although you can wear these in bed, try not to roll over.

Just want to put it on record that my Sennheiser earbuds crap out on me a year after I bought them. I only used them very occasionally. Meanwhile the el cheapo Creative earbuds that came with my 10 year old laptop are still working.