Question for the Audiophiles on XDA - Need recommendation - Nexus S Accessories

I am looking for a good set of in ear headphones to replace my Dr. Dre beats. I know some on here have commented on said headphones in a negative light, but they do have great bass, but not so great treble. Also, they always seem to slip out of my ear.
Can someone point me in the direction of a good set of in ear headphones. Ones that would be wrap around the ear would be even better. I have been looking at some of the Shure headphones, but have yet to pull the trigger.
Any recommendations would be great, even better with somewhat of an explanation as to why I should get the suggested headphones and any personal experience with your own.
Thank you, MSD

Shure all the way. The more you spend, the better quality you get (SE 535 are amazing). Second goes to Etymotic Research ER4 line.
Either are light-years beyond all other in-ears.
This from a Sennheiser HD800 headphone fan.
-Adam

I just bought bose MIE2 mobile headset for 140 bucks at best buy, and the quality is amazing. Works with all music button clicks, and in line Mic is mind blowing good.

I'm looking into the SE535s as we speak. I was wondering if you have these and were willing to share your experience with them (sound quality, comfort, gym use). That would be great.

For in ears, my previous favorite for years had been the Etymotic ER4. With a good, sealed, in-ear fit, nothing could come close to the flat frequency response through a delicious mid-range all the way up to the limits of high-frequency audibility. Bass was thin, however, but acceptable.
The Shure 535 replicate the incredible, crystalline flat-response of the Etymotics, but add a rich, accurate, fast bass to the mix and are a better headphone for it. They are comfortable for a good in-ear seal.
Now, nothing is better than a good headphone amp and a pair of balanced Sennheiser HD800s with an HD audio source and a good DAC - but for compressed music on a portable player, the Shures are state-of-the-art.

I have a buddy that works for Shure as an engineer. I'm going to see if he can get me a better price. I read about 5 reviews and each states the same you did. These seem like the right fit for me.
Thanks adamsfbay for your help.
Also, RogerPodacter, thanks for telling me about the MIE2s. I checked them out, but I'm not a fan of Bose. I have a pair of AIAIAI y-com greys for use with phone conversations.
Sidenote, AIAIAI is a great headphone company from Denmark if anyone is interested in their style, kinda funky www.aiaiai.dk

Shures are awful. My SE210s just fell apart after a years use. The cable split, the jack shorted, and the rubber on the housings peeled off.
I've had nothing but good luck with the Etymotic sets I've owned. Their customer service is fantastic, and the IEMs themselves are world class. My ER6s lasted four years with constant use, and the hf5s that replaced them have been flawless.
Get a set of hf5s, you won't be disappointed. If you have extra cash, spring for the custom fit option. I LOVE mine.

What's your budget? $500 for the 535's? Checkout Future Sonics Atrio M5, nice warm sounds and amazing low-end, they can be had for well under $2bills and can't be beat by anything under $350.
You might not have heard of Future Sonics before but they are one of the industry leaders in concert and studio in-ear and reference monitors. These guys know their ****.

Thanks for the input, ill check those out. More recommendations are never a bad thing. Thanks XDAers
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

ikon8 said:
What's your budget? $500 for the 535's? Checkout Future Sonics Atrio M5, nice warm sounds and amazing low-end, they can be had for well under $2bills and can't be beat by anything under $350.
You might not have heard of Future Sonics before but they are one of the industry leaders in concert and studio in-ear and reference monitors. These guys know their ****.
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i'm spending wayyy too little, and enjoying wayyy too much my $4 noise cancelling ear buds. do folks really pay that much for earbuds or earphones ?

ohgood said:
i'm spending wayyy too little, and enjoying wayyy too much my $4 noise cancelling ear buds. do folks really pay that much for earbuds or earphones ?
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It is a bit much for any average listener, but for the audiophile hearing even the most minute difference in sound can mean a much better experience. Just like most of XDA, we are phone enthusiasts, but than there are so many other things that everyone seems to enjoy. If your $4 dollar headphones do the trick than thats not a bad thing, but going from $4 to $300 headsets is like going from standard definition TV to high definition TV. To each their own.

I know I saw above that they didnt hold up but I have had my se210 set for a little over a year and they still look and perform like new. Sound pretty good to me and I do have a decent ear. Use B&K Home system thru NAD stuff etc.
No expert, just I can tell the difference between different speakers or headphones.

What's your budget? Care to venture into the area of customs?
I have the JH Audio JH5 for $399, and they're awesome..
Good alternatives to the SE535 are the Westone IEM's, the Sennheiser IE8 if bass is your thing. These threads at Head-Fi might help you out, make a solid choice for yourself.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread...pared-monster-beats-tour-lil-jamz-added-12-29
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/450407/multiple-iem-shootout-v-3
Head-Fi has a huge amount of content. Don't get overwhelmed.

Related

Decent Headphones?

I had a fairly expensive set of ear buds,
http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Vibe-Earbuds-Flashback-Chrome/dp/B000K5VCUC
They sounded nice for the first 2 months, then the left side got quieter. I really can't stand anything but perfect sound from my ear buds, and uneven levels of volume is unacceptable.
I was wondering if anyone could recommend a nice pair of ear buds, with a nice bass, and good treble. Anything from 20-80 dollars.
Thanks
ipod earbuds are good enough for me.
you can try Bose http://www.bose.com/controller?event=DTC_LINKS_TARGET_EVENT&DTCLinkID=7467&perfsourceid=k9677&src=k9677
I use Koss "The Plug". They have great bass and treble, but mid too weak. There is also a problem for some people to use this kind of earphones (takes some time to put them in your ears). However, this is one of cheapest Koss models (15$). I guess some better model would do just fine. If not, there is always Senheiser, Shure.... Earphones like this are mostly used by some kind of audiophiles, so you will easily find some nice reviews on any of them.

In-Ear Stereo Headset?

Hey there, am wanting to get a Stereo In Ear Headset with handsfree..
Been look around and just wondering if any1 could recommend any?
Found a few, what do you think?
Thanks
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SUPERSTORE-HANDFREE-HEADSET-MICROPHONE-SUITABLE/dp/B003F135JO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272559758&sr=1-13
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PREMIUM-HANDSFREE-HANDSET-PALM-PRE-HTC-HD-HD2-HERO-/220595539084
Shum97 said:
Hey there, am wanting to get a Stereo In Ear Headset with handsfree..
Been look around and just wondering if any1 could recommend any?
Found a few, what do you think?
Thanks
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SUPERSTORE-HANDFREE-HEADSET-MICROPHONE-SUITABLE/dp/B003F135JO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272559758&sr=1-13
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PREMIUM-HANDSFREE-HANDSET-PALM-PRE-HTC-HD-HD2-HERO-/220595539084
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There look nice,but the price is to cheap for to be good!I use Sony mdr-ex38,I recommended instead,good price and good sound!
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDREX38iP-BLK-Earbud-Control/dp/B002M78JA2
http://www.head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=38
Those are probably some of the nicest in-ears you can buy for less than $300.
Read this if the price seems a little much.
The shure i2c-m's can be had of ebay for a very good price and offer very good quality sound. The same drivers as the e2c's that have very good dynamic drivers that increase in sound quality quite considerably after they been used for a reasonable amount of time. I'd also buy a tripple flange set of plugs or some foam ones, my favourite being the orange medium size shure brand, they give me a perfect fit with complete sound isolation. The quality of the microphone on these is also surprisingly good, better than my expensive bluetooth sonys.
The only problem is a lack of hardware button at the neck of the headphones for answering so i just press the phones hardware button in my pockets during use.
The following are what I use to listen to music and talk hands free.
When speaking to someone the caller is in stereo.
Although not "in ear" very reasonably priced.
http://www.lubixmobile.com/content.php?mode=view&c_idx=c0005&c_type=06&str_block=l001
i made a thread.. it might interest you... i happen to think they are perfect and one of the best... in sound quality, looks etc...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=656265&highlight=moda
Thanks alot people Now just to decide....
ProjektFuze said:
i made a thread.. it might interest you... i happen to think they are perfect and one of the best... in sound quality, looks etc...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=656265&highlight=moda
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Thanks bud, looks interesting
hey thats what these forums are for yea?? lol no problem

Best headphones around???

Hiya, im interested in gettin another pair of headphones and was wondering which ones were decent for around the £80-£150 mark, i have a pair of beats by dre solo's at the moment but i feel i could maybe get a better pair for the price i am paying?
So was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on what were a good brand to buy either from experience or whatever?
I listen to alot of rnb, hip hop and dance music, so if anyone has any suggestions id be happy to hear them
Thanks alot
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Depends on if you actually want to hear your music or you want gimmicky EQ settings.
www.head-fi.org is your best bet.
Do you want actual headphones, or in-ears?
I've always been a fan of Skull Candy headphones. They are crystal clear.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using xda premium
i cant ever see myself paying that much money for a pair of headphones... absolutely ridiculous. I'm always happy with simple pair of headphones that will last a good while and serve its purpose. Don't see the point in paying so much money for something that could accidentally break as soon as you put it in your bag
RBarnett09 said:
I've always been a fan of Skull Candy headphones. They are crystal clear.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using xda premium
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They're not horrible, but if you do your homework, you can spend $20-40 on headphones that sound better than the best Skull Candy headphones.
I spent $100 on my Shure SE215's. They've got a 2 year warranty dvd removable cables, in addition to fantastic sound for those who like some bass with strong mids. They sound 3 times as good as my old Klipsch S4i's.
No danger in buying high quality audio of you take care of it.
Sony MDR-7506
They've been the industry standard for almost 25 years for a reason.
I bought a pair of Ultimate Ears 700 some time back and am extremely pleased with them. First, look what the Head-Fi crowd think of them:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/ultimate-ears-700-noise-isolating-earphones
As you can see they come highly recommended! My other IEM's are Shure SE530's, which for a long time were the benchmark by which all other IEM's were measured. Unfortunately they are also clunky, cumbersome and not at all suitable for sports use, which is why i bought the UE 700's.
The sound characteristics between the two are very similar though, which is remarkable considering that the Shures cost between two and three times as much as the UE's. If you consider yourself to be appreciative of audiophile quality though, you won't be disappointed by these. They really punch above their weight! The Shures are lower impedence and therefore easier to drive, although the UE's aren't so high that they require amping. Most portable MP3 players should be capable of providing a sufficient volume for the listener using the UE's.
Returning to the sports angle, one of the biggest benefits to me is the compact nature of the UE's. They are tiny, yet despite that don't feel at all fragile or weak. Using Comply Foam Tips they remain wedged into my ear canal throughout a three hour gym session no matter what activity i'm doing. They can also be worn with the cord over the ear or hanging down. There's no benefit or drawback to either that i can feel, it's user preference only. Nice to have the choice though.
If in three years i'm looking for another pair of IEM's to buy, i'd buy another pair of the UE 700's for sure!
I considered those highly myself, but wanted a little more bass. I figure when I'm ready to buy my next pair, it'll be something similar to UE 900.
Gotta love Head-Fi. Tons of great information over there.

Headphones or Earphones for HTC One?

Please can someone help me decide a good pair of headphones or earphones for the HTC One?
There are that many around but i need the ones that do the One's sound justice.
Cheers guys
I use monster turbine pro gold and the sound is awesome!!!!!!Incredible Sound Quality and high quality construction of metal!Google it...some people say that they are overpriced..I don't know if they are but for me are the best pair I have used!!!It's down to your personal needs though so good luck with your search!
Sent from my HTC One X+ using xda app-developers app
urBeats
Just got the white urBeats from the handtec website today.
I've had them before with the Sensation XE but they were so good I had to buy them again. The remote & mic works perfectly with them. Not an audio expert but the sound quality very good, quite bass heavy, with good mids. The great build quality means they will last for ages as well.
The Monster turbines look awesome but i also like the Sennheiser IE 8, i'm not a real bass fan as i like easy listening music more.
Can someone with urBeats compair them with the ones that come with the phone?
i like the ones that come with the phone. not bad by any means
My Klipsch x10 earphones sound pretty darn good with the phone. I personally find the included buds to be garbage.
For the budget solution I can recommend the a-Jays 3. Their sound far surpasses their asking price, they have decent tangle-free cable, comes with a decent case and accessories, and are comfortable and very well made. I bought them when I lost some Senheissers that cost three times what these did, and they blow them out the water. Being aimed at more bassy music, they do falter slightly in the higher ranges if there are no other mid/lower sounds to support them, but they are perfect for my musical tastes. Their faults can also be mitigated if you use a player with a decent EQ. PowerAmp serves me well here.
Hunt around for a bargain, but even at £40 you are getting some buds that you'd be happy had you spent £100. Had mine two years and have no plans on changing them.

Best portable Bluetooth Speaker

I was in the Verizon store where they had the Bose Soundlink Mini set up and I paired with it and played various types of music through it and all of them sounded incredible (no surprise, it IS Bose). I have been thinking about getting a GOOD portable bluetooth. This one would seem an obvious choice but one thing about it bugs me. It DOES NOT support handsfree calls. It's A2DP only. Seems like a pretty major oversight for something that is supposed to be a high end accessory for a smartphone.
So, I know some of the other brands out there are of course Jambox, JBL, Braven, Logitech, and I'm sure there are some more. What speakers have you guys found that you really like?
I think sony SRS-BTX300/BLK may be fit with ya
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app
The JBL micro works very well. It's smaller, which makes it more portable. The drawback is also related to how small it is. Doesn't really do bass well and distorts at higher volumes. Still, a good all around portable that's easy to transport and sounds better and bigger than comparable speakers.
I have JBL Charge and I think is the best bluetooth speaker price/quality wise but no handsfree. If you want handsfree check out Logitech UE Boom.
powerplaygraphix said:
I was in the Verizon store where they had the Bose Soundlink Mini set up and I paired with it and played various types of music through it and all of them sounded incredible (no surprise, it IS Bose). I have been thinking about getting a GOOD portable bluetooth. This one would seem an obvious choice but one thing about it bugs me. It DOES NOT support handsfree calls. It's A2DP only. Seems like a pretty major oversight for something that is supposed to be a high end accessory for a smartphone.
So, I know some of the other brands out there are of course Jambox, JBL, Braven, Logitech, and I'm sure there are some more. What speakers have you guys found that you really like?
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I've been incredibly impressed with this Monster brand speaker. Amazing phone call quality, super small, incredible battery life (4-5 hours on a charge), and the sound quality is astounding considering it fits in the palm of your hand. Try to pay around $50 for it.
http://www.monsterproducts.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=5917
I vote for the sony btx300...best of em all
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app
I got the jamz speaker at best buy for $59 and its great. You can add a 2nd for stereo. Its small,but the bass is quite good
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk
Well I have these Verizon Jawbreaking ear buds :laugh: and they really work very well...I enjoy the beats in it and moreover and its quite comfortable to switch from music to answer the calls..so I dont get pissed off when a call disturbs me while listening my fav track...
they are quite durable and of good material too.....so i really like them....:good:
lattiboy said:
I've been incredibly impressed with this Monster brand speaker. Amazing phone call quality, super small, incredible battery life (4-5 hours on a charge), and the sound quality is astounding considering it fits in the palm of your hand. Try to pay around $50 for it.
http://www.monsterproducts.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=5917
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Picked up two at Radioshack for $30 each the other day. Great sound and range for the bluetooth.
I'm interested in in the Anker Bluetooth speaker now.
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Blue...31126&sr=1-1&keywords=anker+bluetooth+speaker
Jimmy2u said:
Well I have these Verizon Jawbreaking ear buds :laugh: and they really work very well...I enjoy the beats in it and moreover and its quite comfortable to switch from music to answer the calls..so I dont get pissed off when a call disturbs me while listening my fav track...
they are quite durable and of good material too.....so i really like them....:good:
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Thanks, but looking for Speakers to play it out loud, not earbuds
I got the Shoqbox SB7200 from Philips and it's been awesome!
Real cheap compared to other similar products.
* Rugged
* Water resistant (shower, rain, pool area)
* Dust proof (ideal for biking/hiking/camping/beach)
* Long lasting battery
* Gesture control (somewhat annoying at times but works great when used properly)
* Great sound (bassy)
* Cheap
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-ShoqBox-SB7200-Bluetooth-Wireless/dp/B007PZYBTY
Cheers!

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