[Q] Did anyone buy the Beats headphones too? - Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE

I just went into the Sprint store today, traded in my OG Evo, and paid $155 for the phone, out the door.
However, while I was in there, they were pushing the Beats headphones a bit. Especially because the sound quality is supposed to be "amazing" using the headphones.
I decided not to grab them, but the iPhone comes with the headphones that you can also use to talk to people on the phone with. Anyone find anything similar, that aren't $100?

Only $100 for Beats-branded headphones? It's a fire sale!
Kudos to you on not paying about 90% mark-up for the label. (Don't they also sport a Monster logo for the cable?)
Are you looking for headphones with a mic built-in?

Yea, I am. I went on Amazon and bought the Klipsh S4i's:
I'd link them, but I can't post url's yet

I have these and they're godly

I don't own a pair of beats but I've tested some at Best Buy and it didn't seem all too special. I think you can buy a pair of cheap headphones and be satisfied.... Imo....

alainater said:
I have these and they're godly
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I just bought those too They're $57 on Amazon.
I just wanted headphones that I could use when I'm riding my bicycle around and need to make a call. I have one bud in my ear, and other open so I can hear around me.

Atooraya said:
Yea, I am. I went on Amazon and bought the Klipsh S4i's:
I'd link them, but I can't post url's yet
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alainater said:
I have these and they're godly
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Yes. Those I can get behind. Klipsch, Sennheiser, maybe even Shure. Do those S4i's work with the LTE? I thought that sometimes products intended for Apple devices have the contacts switched around on the TRRS tips.
What I'd like is a pair of exercise-resistant bluetooth headphones. I know Jabra has some, I'm still debating those vs. some lower-cost options. Just something solid that I can wear running to hear my music and audio cues, and that I could use as a hands-free headset. But I suppose that's another topic.

I have a pair of the Beats Tour earbuds with the in-line mic. I also own a pair of the S4i Klipsch. Quick review. The Beats sound fine when paired with a device that has the Beats audio software. They sound great when plugged into the Evo4GLTE. Now take same pair of Beats and plug into my iPod Touch and/or Classic and they sound like garbage. Regardless of what I have the iPod's EQ set to. Now the S4i's sound awesome when plugged into any of the devices. Only downside is the in-line mic isn't all that great. People always complain of excessive background noise, even when I'm in a quiet place. The mic on the Beats does a better job of blocking the outside noises & isolating your voice while on a call. The Beats are wayyyyy over priced and over hyped IMO. Now I have listened to a pair of the Beats Detox and they sounded good but I really don't have any other over-the-ear headphones to compare them too. I would hope with a $500 price tag they would be great.
Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

Skull candy ftw!!

I got a pair at a discounted rate from Sprint since I am on the 3rd Evo in less than a week. Finally got a great phone and Beats headphones at 50% off. Sound great and a good set up.

I've had every version of these and love them. They are sweat resistant.http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004BHCSQC
Sent from my EVO using xda premium

Success100 said:
Skull candy ftw!!
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See, now I feel bad, because I was just going to make a crack about how the Beats products are the new SkullCandy's. Just re-branded products with fancy colors. I met somebody with a pair of SkullCandy headphones that were exactly like my Sony headphones, just with Jamaican coloration versus my silver and black style. At least they sounded alright (mine were better, IMHO, for some reason) but they cost twice as much as mine did.
Anyway. It would be cool if there was a way to force the LTE's ambient mic to stay on during a headset call, so it could cancel out ambient noise the same way the onboard voice mic does. I have no idea if that would work or not.
---------- Post added at 03:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:23 PM ----------
Ryno_666 said:
I've had every version of these and love them. They are sweat resistant.http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004BHCSQC
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
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Nice, I've looked at those. Good to know you like them. I'd prefer stand-alone earpieces, but I guess if they're wireless it's about the same thing.

I have a pair of Solo HD's but I havent tested them with the phone yet. I dont really listen to music on my phone so I havent gotten around to it.

questions go here....

I have these Audio-Technica headphones (http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...KR8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338762494&sr=8-1) and so far they have been great.
I'm close to 4 years with them and traveled around the world with them. The best noise cancelling I've heard (you can't hear a thing on an Airplane, Train or Car) and they are extremely durable: been to Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan with them and they have come back alive and working.

Related

Good pair of headphones

I'm not that impressed with the sound quality on the flyer and was looking into getting some over, or on, the ear headphones. Any of you guys have suggestions for some nice quality ones?
Sent from GrandAdmiral's phone using Tapatalk.
There are literally hundreds of great over the ear headphones out there, but because I travel on airplanes a lot, I use a set of the Sony Active noise cancelling phones and they are magnificent. I don't remember the model number but I will look it up. I paid about $70 on sale for them. They fold nicely into a case.
Beats by Dr. Dre. Always the best.
ikingblack said:
Beats by Dr. Dre. Always the best.
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My opinion of Beats by Dr. Dre is pretty much the same as most Monster products. Stylish and high quality but over priced and over speced without providing additional technical listening benefits for the overages. Plenty of equal or better products at half the price unless you are into fashion plates.
DigitalMD said:
My opinion of Beats by Dr. Dre is pretty much the same as most Monster products. Stylish and high quality but over priced and over speced without providing additional technical listening benefits for the overages. Plenty of equal or better products at half the price unless you are into fashion plates.
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This is true.
DigitalMD said:
My opinion of Beats by Dr. Dre is pretty much the same as most Monster products. Stylish and high quality but over priced and over speced without providing additional technical listening benefits for the overages. Plenty of equal or better products at half the price unless you are into fashion plates.
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Well overpriced I agree with but they do work well. I have tried one of my friends, and I can't hear anything but the movie I was watching. They do work.
ikingblack said:
Well overpriced I agree with but they do work well. I have tried one of my friends, and I can't hear anything but the movie I was watching. They do work.
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Yeah they are well overpriced. If I cough up that much, I might as well get some Bose.
Sent from GrandAdmiral's phone using Tapatalk.
I just ordered some Polk Audio Ultra Fit 1000. They should be coming in tomorrow, so I will let you know how they are. I paid about $80 for them total (tax and S&H)
I have V-Moda Vibes, you can find the last generation, which I have, for 40-50 bucks. I love them.
fillyo said:
I have V-Moda Vibes, you can find the last generation, which I have, for 40-50 bucks. I love them.
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What I don't like about V Moda is their low durability. I've owned a few V-Modas and I practically babied them, but still, they lose their volume.
What's your price range admiral? Do you need noise cancelling and what type of music do you listen to?
Here are some I own or have heard. But again price range and music type would help.
B&W makes a great set for $300
http://www.amazon.com/Bowers-Wilkins-Over-noise-isolating-headphones/dp/B003IHUHGE
Senheizer non noise cancelling for under $200
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD...E0/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1318999864&sr=8-16
Klipch for around $130
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938811&pf_rd_i=507846
And one of my fave designs for around $100
http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Head...3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1319000508&sr=1-3
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
Why not some bluetooth ear buds? These work very well. Music and movies sound good and they work with voice commands on my Evo View
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/JayBird...316933151&skuId=2264036&st=jay bird&cp=1&lp=3
For a long time use Skullcandy and I can say is excellent. much stronger and clearer sound than the factory.
I got some Skullcandy Uprocks for Christmas and I'm very surprised at how they sound for their price.
http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/uprock-sc-blue
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk
for my phone I use Monster mobile lil jamz.. for music listening/on stage monitors I use my shure se535's which are $499 I also had a pair of $399 shure scl-4's but I think I lost them
using a pair of wireless bt jabra halo not bad sound nice and have a few functions that are useful....also fold nicely! price was decent also able to use them with my phone and other things quite easily
I ended up getting a cheap pair of Sennheiser isolation headphones. Paid about $40. It'll do for now. Eventually I'll be getting some noise-canceling for when I start traveling.
Anyone know where I can get a contraption where two jacks can share one device? I'm sure the gf would be mad if she can't hear the movie while flying. Lol
Sent from GrandAdmiral's phone using Tapatalk.
I bought some Beats Solo HD's for my son for Xmas and was actually very surprised by the sound quality. I honestly think they sound better than my Sennheiser's (which I paid $220 for).
On top of it, I only paid $130 for his (on sale).
I am not normally an advocate for overpriced stuff, but when looking for headphones I didn't rule out anything.
I went to a few electronics places that sell headphones and had them available for listening. I have actually compared Sennheiser, Skullcandy, Bose and Beats. I have also used Vmoda (which fell apart) as well as many other types for Bluetooth and wired in-ear from Sony, Panasonic and so on.
All that said, the Beats Pro had the best sound in my opinion, however @400 dollars they are cost prohibitive. Then come the Bose, which sound well enough, but by comparison seem kind of flimsily constructed. The Sennheiser are a little better built, but the sound leaves a little to be desired (when comparing the different headphones head-to-head). The Skullcandy are good disposable headphones. The Panasonic "Marshmallows" if you can find them are a solid in-ear with marshmallow squishy ear pieces like most of the isolating disposable earplugs, which isolate sound very well.
I hate to give the Beats the credit, but the really do sound better, so I went out on my local Craigslist and found a lightly used pair for $200. This is definitely worth the money. If your not sure which to pick, then head to a local Best Buy, FYE, or other music store that sells headphones, you can actually try out some of the more popular models. What sounds good to one person, may not sound as nice to another person because the music type plays a huge role in selection.
I strongly suggest Panasonic "Marshmallows" for a great headphone under $20. I found out my local Big Lots was selling them for $10. I bought a pair for my siblings, and backup for me over the holidays.
The buds have plenty of bass, and because they effectively suppress the outside noise you don't need to turn up volume as loud. They are great workout phones. They don't come out easily, and they really block out all the annoyances that come with every gym.

Premium Headphones

What are some of the best premium headphones for the s2? I'm looking to spend between $100 - $200. I actually don't care if they are headphones or earbuds just as long as they fit in my pocket.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
Beats earbuds .. sound very nice!
$150
sent from my Galaxy SIII ...haha jk, I FOiLed ya!
I am a headphone junky... (I couldn't possibly name all the ones I've ever had haha) but all I can say is beats are overpriced for what they are. If you want a truly good pair of headphones, get the ultrasone hfi 580's. The sound is absolutely amazing!! Has a lot of bass but is is very tight, and not muddy (like the beats are). Also there is no lack in the highs and midrange. Of all the headphones I have used, there is nothing that comes close in my opinion. They are about $140 so they also fall in your range.
I just got the Klipsch S4 Reference and they look and sound amazing!
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Coreym said:
Beats earbuds .. sound very nice!
$150
sent from my Galaxy SIII ...haha jk, I FOiLed ya!
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150...FOR EAR BUDS??
I can't see that ever being worth it. I got some sennheiser cx200s (I think) recently on sale for 15 and they're awesome.
Klipsch, Sennheiser, Shure - all well respected high-end brands
Skullcandy is well below the price range you state but they offer good "bang for your buck", especially if you buy a set of Comply foam eartips for their earbuds.
Bose and Beats are massively overpriced crap.
Q&A or Accessories... Q&A or Accessories... where oh where do I throw this thread?
Moved to Accessories.
I am using Ultimate Ears 600 with my SGS 2, got for $78 from Amazon during Christmas sale. You can find it around $80 on amazon from time to time; however, you will probably want to buy 600vi, it has mic and controls and as much as I know everything but volume control works there. These are armature headphones and renewed superfi 5, so if you listen bass and not music, I would not recommend though. Klipsch S4 are also good from what I heard, but according to this and this theme, UI has better build quality quality, but S4i sounds better.... but I cannot personally comment how they differ. One thing, I am happy with UI 600.
Also just noticed that superfi 10 on sale again. This are one of the best IEM on the market. There is also vi version, with mic and so on, but I never saw it to go on sale, and you can buy replacement cable with mic for superfi 10 from logitech website anyway.
And yes, should agree about beats, as overpriced crap made and sold my same company who sells overpriced cables.
Don't get Beats.. They're overpriced useless things. Quality of sound and build is nothing compared to better companies such as Bose and Sennheiser. I'd suggest getting a pair of those. I have CX 400's and they're very good. Of course you can get higher-priced pairs. They really do make a difference in sound. For people who say otherwise, try a pair of 200 dollar headphones/earbuds and then try a pair of 10 dollar JVCs... It's night and day.
mcorrie1121 said:
150...FOR EAR BUDS??
I can't see that ever being worth it. I got some sennheiser cx200s (I think) recently on sale for 15 and they're awesome.
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150 is nothing lol my throw around everyday ear buds are shure scl4's which were like $399 when I got them and my other pair is a pair of shure se 535's which are like $499 (I only use them on stage as in ear monitors and when I cant find my other ear buds and I'm in a rush) lately for my phone I've been using the Monster mobile jamz because it has the control talk mic and the sound quality is decent.
I would also like to add that it should have a mic as well.
mcorrie1121 said:
150...FOR EAR BUDS??
I can't see that ever being worth it. I got some sennheiser cx200s (I think) recently on sale for 15 and they're awesome.
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To each his own i guess.. The earbuds sound awesome.. Deep bass and very very clear. For everyone that says they don't- well that's just stupid. They could be a little over priced but the sound quality is the best I've heard coming out of ANY earbuds. Even uses Monster cable.. (high-end stereo/speaker wire).. Depends who you are.. Someone like me is't gonna spend any less than $100 bucks anyway, regardless of what kind of headphones i get and when you get up in that price range (unless your spending $3/$400), your selection greatly gets narrowed down.. I landed on beats and they sound fweekin great..
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
I have a pair of Shure SE425 earbuds....I love them. Might be a little out of your range though.
yomama84 said:
I have a pair of Shure SE425 earbuds....I love them. Might be a little out of your range though.
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Those look pretty good but doesn't seem to have a built-in mic
Firepac said:
Those look pretty good but doesn't seem to have a built-in mic
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i have a pair of sennheisers. best headphones evar!!
Coreym said:
To each his own i guess.. The earbuds sound awesome.. Deep bass and very very clear. For everyone that says they don't- well that's just stupid. They could be a little over priced but the sound quality is the best I've heard coming out of ANY earbuds. Even uses Monster cable.. (high-end stereo/speaker wire).. Depends who you are.. Someone like me is't gonna spend any less than $100 bucks anyway, regardless of what kind of headphones i get and when you get up in that price range (unless your spending $3/$400), your selection greatly gets narrowed down.. I landed on beats and they sound fweekin great..
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
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Then you may not have heard Klipsch Image S4's. For $70-$80 they're pretty hard to beat in terms of earbuds. Tight bass, clear highs and mids, you'll be hearing sounds in your music you never
even knew was there
Regarding Monster cable use in Beats.......could be the reason why they are overpriced Monster cable being overpriced is another topic all together...lol
I have had a pair of Bose in ear headphones for a while and I love them. about 89$ so not to expensive. They don't have a mic but just for something that is nice in quality and isn't going to break the bank. Bose
Entropy512 said:
Klipsch, Sennheiser, Shure - all well respected high-end brands
Skullcandy is well below the price range you state but they offer good "bang for your buck", especially if you buy a set of Comply foam eartips for their earbuds.
Bose and Beats are massively overpriced crap.
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Tripsyou said:
I have had a pair of Bose in ear headphones for a while and I love them. about 89$ so not to expensive. They don't have a mic but just for something that is nice in quality and isn't going to break the bank. Bose
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I take it you didn't see/read this post
Blaze9 said:
Don't get Beats.. They're overpriced useless things. Quality of sound and build is nothing compared to better companies such as Bose and Sennheiser. I'd suggest getting a pair of those. I have CX 400's and they're very good. Of course you can get higher-priced pairs. They really do make a difference in sound. For people who say otherwise, try a pair of 200 dollar headphones/earbuds and then try a pair of 10 dollar JVCs... It's night and day.
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Agreed 100 fold. Beats are for people who don't know anything about balanced sound and just want muddy thumping. They don't even have as much of a kick as they should for what they're going after.
I personally have Phonak Audeo PFEs. I bought them for use with an mp3 player and not a phone so I'm not sure how they'd work out there. I am one who with always tune my equalizer to get the sound I want, and the PFEs are great in that regard. They have a very balanced sound which lets me EQ to my hearts content without getting any sort of distortion. The low end is a bit lacking compared to other headphones I've had (like Hippo VBs and CX300s) but they have better mid and high range to compensate.
gorcorps said:
Agreed 100 fold. Beats are for people who don't know anything about balanced sound and just want muddy thumping.
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..haters gonna hate
sent from my Galaxy SII

Shure se215, klipsch s4, bose ie2 or beats by dre w/control talk

Just sold my ibeats for $75 today. I like the base and quality of the earphones but couldn't stand the cheap flimsy cord and weak highs and mids. I'm looking for another set of earphones and am down to four. I would like audio controls on the cord but it's not a necessity since I prefer sound quality over audio controls any day of the week. Which set do you prefer and why? Your comments would be greatly appreciated and really helpful. If you have another set of earphones in mind, well please feel free to post a comment about the. Thanks!
Sent from my HTC Rezound
quikfinger00 said:
Just sold my ibeats for $75 today. I like the base and quality of the earphones but couldn't stand the cheap flimsy cord and weak highs and mids. I'm looking for another set of earphones and am down to four. I would like audio controls on the cord but it's not a necessity since I prefer sound quality over audio controls any day of the week. Which set do you prefer and why? Your comments would be greatly appreciated and really helpful. If you have another set of earphones in mind, well please feel free to post a comment about the. Thanks!
Sent from my HTC Rezound
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I'd recommend these SOUL by Ludacris SL150CB for the perfect sound quality. I'm amazed by how clean these sound. They are more expensive than those you're looking at and they're over-ear. Just a friendly suggestion. Plus they have in-line controls with a mic. (They actually come with 2 cables, one with the in-line and one without it).
As for in-ear, I haven't used any of those, but would recommend the Bose based on past experience with their products. Generally they just have a cleaner sound. I might recommend the SOUL in-ear headset also. I'm not sure if they have the in-line control, but they should have some with it. The headphones I have are very clean sounding with just the right amount of bass for everything. Just a thought
If you are lucky you can still find Klipsch X5 for under $100 still, bass is clear with instrument that is better than the others listed here. Its actually a $225+ iem that are on sale for under $100 now. The S4 is a bit sibilant vs the others, but bass production is solid for the price.
I would also say really take a look at the Monster Turbine line, may not be as flashy or what not as the Beats, but they sound better for the same price as the Beats(after all Monster is the company that made the Beats line). Trust me these are way better than the iBeats and the Beats by Dre, at the same price.
For all things headphones - http://www.head-fi.org/
I should sell mine too, I have a pair of Etymotic ER-4's I've been using for a couple years now.
quikfinger00 said:
Just sold my ibeats for $75 today. I like the base and quality of the earphones but couldn't stand the cheap flimsy cord and weak highs and mids. I'm looking for another set of earphones and am down to four. I would like audio controls on the cord but it's not a necessity since I prefer sound quality over audio controls any day of the week. Which set do you prefer and why? Your comments would be greatly appreciated and really helpful. If you have another set of earphones in mind, well please feel free to post a comment about the. Thanks!
Sent from my HTC Rezound
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I had the Shure SE215, and sold them, I thought the sound was very weak. I DO however have the Shure SE530s and these are the best in-ear phones in existance, bar none!! Assuming you're not in the market for $350-$400 earbuds, however, for ~ $75 (they were $55 when I got them) the klipsch s4s sound fantastic. I compared them against the bose, and thought they (the klipsch) sounded much better. ymmv
If sound quality is more important to you than bass, I go with the Etymotic MC2s. They include a mic and volume controls. I owned the Klipsch Image S4, and while they were good, they were a bit heavy on the bass. Etymotics are cleaner with less bass distortion.
My vote for the best over the ear headphones goes to V-Moda Crossfade. Nearly half the price of Beats and the sound is amazing. Plus they come in a variety of colors to satisfy whatever vibe your going for.
Rogueharvest said:
My vote for the best over the ear headphones goes to V-Moda Crossfade. Nearly half the price of Beats and the sound is amazing. Plus they come in a variety of colors to satisfy whatever vibe your going for.
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My vote goes here too. The Crossfade LP can be found for a little over $100 on eBay and sound great. They also have amazing build quality and look frekin sick. Check them out, you won't be disappointed if you buy a pair.
Well i appreciate everybody's input. Those all seem like good pics but i ended up going with the bose mie2 and etymotic research hf5. Im going to do an extensive test on both and return the one that i dont want. Im leaning more towards the etymotics though due to its earbud inserts.
Sent from my HTC Rezound
I looked up the x5's but i couldnt find a legit and good pair anywhere. Seems like the chinese are making tons of x5 and x10 knockoffs.
tbaker077 said:
If you are lucky you can still find Klipsch X5 for under $100 still, bass is clear with instrument that is better than the others listed here. Its actually a $225+ iem that are on sale for under $100 now. The S4 is a bit sibilant vs the others, but bass production is solid for the price.
I would also say really take a look at the Monster Turbine line, may not be as flashy or what not as the Beats, but they sound better for the same price as the Beats(after all Monster is the company that made the Beats line). Trust me these are way better than the iBeats and the Beats by Dre, at the same price.
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Sent from my HTC Rezound
I got mines at Frys, but price went up to $150 now. And from what I was told there is no knock off of these, but there is of the pricier X10.
I would ask around to see how legit it is, but you can now get the X10 for pretty cheap on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-Image...HFBK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1329122892&sr=8-3
I have the Audeo Phonak PFE 012's.
http://www.amazon.com/Audéo-Perfect...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1329123911&sr=1-1
They are amazing, very strong bass.
Reviews:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/496179/phonak-aud-o-perfect-bass-earphones-new-models-pfe-012-022
DIncLover said:
I
I DO however have the Shure SE530s and these are the best in-ear phones in existance, bar none!!
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I thought that too until I got a set of Ultimate Ears TripleFi's. Now I never use the 530s anymore.
jmorton10 said:
I thought that too until I got a set of Ultimate Ears TripleFi's. Now I never use the 530s anymore.
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Which ones? I see several Amazon links :
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Triple-fi-10-Pro-Roadie/dp/B000JFHELE
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears...arphones/dp/B0019RBJOE/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0
DIncLover said:
Which ones? I see several Amazon links :
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Triple-fi-10-Pro-Roadie/dp/B000JFHELE
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears...arphones/dp/B0019RBJOE/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0
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Well, I guess this is a very ymmv thing. Based on your recommendation, and the excellent reviews the Triplefis get, I ordered a pair and lived them a week. I don't care for them, thought the bass was boomy and the imaging not as good as the 530s, so I returned them. I know all about requiring a good seal with earbuds, so that wasn't my issue.
But I'm always searching for a less expensive alternative to the Shures (I know the cable's going to tear off one of these days).
I highly recommend Etymotic headphones. I have the mc5's. They have great bass without muffling mids like beats and excellent sound isolation. Etymotic.com also check out head-fi.org for rank and reviews
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA App
love my klipsch s4, the controls are nice too
rezound said:
love my klipsch s4, the controls are nice too
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I too have the Klipsch S4i. There are better sounding earbuds, but not for less than twice the price. These are about the best sound and comfort per dollar. IMHO

Headphone/earbud comparisons

I have been testing a bunch of different headphones and earbuds lately and will answer in a completely unbiased way any questions posters may have about any of the setups.
I have been doing extensive listening with all these different setups lately.*
To tell what kind of listener I am, I was in the high end/audiophile *stereo business for over 10 years. I also sold/installed competition grade car audio.
I have a fairly musical ear from all that, but I am absolutely NOT an audiophile. *I am no different than a good majority of posters in that I like loud rock music with plenty of bass and a bright high end. *I am NOT looking for the most accurate sound (that is boring to me), I want my headphones to ROCK. *I used to sell $4000 electrostatic speakers and when I listened to them I always wanted to crank up the bass and treble, it drove the "true audiophiles" crazy LOL
I have tested and own:
Headphones:
1. V-Moda Crossfade
2. Bose QC 15
3. Beats Studio
4. Beats Solo
Earbuds:
5. *stock Rezound ibeats
6. Beats Tour
7. Ultimate Ears TripleFi
8. Kicker (don't know the model, they came free with some car speakers)
9. Senheiser CX300 ll
10. Etymotic ER-4 Micro-Pro
Right now, my daily driver at work are the Bose QCs but it's not because I am overly impressed with the sound (I'm not). *The battery powered sound isolation in the QCs is absolutely amazing and I work in a noisy environment. *This is great for me, but my son says the sound isolation feature makes him nauseous so they are not for everyone. They are also very light and comfortable (but the build quality sucks for the price, they remind me of the build of a galaxy nexus)so I can wear them all day.
My favorite headphone sound wise are the beats studio (which also use battery sound isolation but it is not even close to as effective as the QCs) although they are overpriced. *I got them from the monster outlet store for $199 and the site said they where "refurbs" but they sent me a brand new pair in a sealed box. *The studios have much stronger bass than the Bose and it doesn't break up when i push the volume like the Bose do. *I tried to wear the Studios for work, but they are a lot heavier than the Bose and gave me a headache after a few hours.
I like the beats tour a LOT, *they are much better than the ibeats and are also available in the monster refurb store.
The TripleFi's are awesome (as well they should be for the price), the senheiser sound absolutely amazing for the $30 price.
The Etymotics are much too accurate for me and I hate them and they are really expensive.
The V-Moda are a great deal for the $100 eBay price, sound really good and are very comfortable. They sound a little "hollow" at times, but I don't object to it.
The beats solo are $200 and they sound awful to me plus they hurt my ears after a while.
I recently sold a pair of Klipsch M40s also, I thought they where much too heavy and way overpriced.
Think you should check out nuforce. Their earbuds are 70 $ and destroy all of what you have listed.
I much rather listen to my B&W P5s but I didn't like B&W's earbuds so I got the nuforce.
Also...$4000 dollar electrostats are not audiophile grade. Not even close. I to work in high end audio, and you start hitting audiophile grade electrostatics at 13K or so.
Plus, your never going to get car fi bass outta a two channel stereo setup for what you said, it is accurate and real sound.
I am guessing you never go to concerts? You wouldn't like those either because they are to accurate lol.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA App
nosympathy said:
Think you should check out nuforce. Their earbuds are 70 $ and destroy all of what you have listed.
I much rather listen to my B&W P5s but I didn't like B&W's earbuds so I got the nuforce.
Also...$4000 dollar electrostats are not audiophile grade. Not even close. I to work in high end audio, and you start hitting audiophile grade electrostatics
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No argument from me about the nuforce, I have a set of NE-700x sitting right here but haven't really had a chance to check them out yet.
I agree that $4000 is certainly at the low end for electrostatics, but we didn't stock the higher priced models -those where just a demo set.
I am not in the business anymore, but I was the top B & W dealer in our area for a few years.
Where is your business??
jmorton10 said:
No argument from me about the nuforce, I have a set of NE-700x sitting right here but haven't really had a chance to check them out yet.
I agree that $4000 is certainly at the low end for electrostatics, but we didn't stock the higher priced models -those where just a demo set.
I am not in the business anymore, but I was the top B & W dealer in our area for a few years.
Where is your business??
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I actually work for a Magnolia Home Theater right now in cincinnati. One of the few salesmen who hasn't been corrupted by best buy yet. Trying to leave for that reason. Best buy has been ruining everything they touch.
We are the only B&W dealer in like 100 miles. The other company that was, started discounting B&W to steal our sales and B&W found out and pulled all their products from them.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA App
I don't have enough experience with headphones as I used Skull Candy buds in the past which sounded ok to me and were cheap (which is why they don't last long) so these headphones are my first set of quality buds.
I would like something with a bit better sound, however, I would like to also maintain the buttons which are useful on my long commute to/from work. Do any of the buds you have used maintain the use of the buttons?
Rezound ibeats plugged into an Beats Audio HP laptop with tweaked settings. Beyond amazing! If only I could get the same beats quality sound from my laptop on my Rezound. Beats on Rezound arent as good.
Marcismo55 said:
Do any of the buds you have used maintain the use of the buttons?
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The beats tour do, but like most buds they are set up for an iPod/iPhone. (same with all the headphones Listed)
I use an app called "headset button controller" to make the control compatible with Android.
as far as just listening to music(no mic) goes, i have these Sony sport earbuds i got from Best Buy for like $45 - $50... model #: MDRAS40EX.
they have about as much bass as the beats + sound cleaner. i got them because the beats kept falling out of my ears when i was working out. i don't have that problem anymore.
LOL, that's quite a sig you got there bro.........
I use a $20 set of Skullcandy buds.
The Beats headphones that come with the phone sound pretty good, but ergonomically they are complete crap. Too long and too heavy, they simply will not stay put in your ear, and as soon as they shift out of position even slightly, the bass and sound quality go to ****.
Because of the weight and length, they get a ton of leverage and unless you are sitting perfectly still, they work their way loose no matter what cushions I use. And they are too long to fit inside a helmet, so I got a set of Skullcandy buds and they sound almost as good, and they stay put and work really well inside a motorcycle helmet.
Yea, inside a motorcycle helmet presents a whole new set of problems.
I have ridden a motorcycle for years (& I owned a biker bar for 20 years) so I know all about that.
The Senheiser & the Kicker buds I have work fine under a helmet, others like the Ultimate Ears or the Beats Tour definitely do not.
EDIT: if you think the ibeats are too long, you sure don't want to try the Beats Tour -those are like twice as long...LOL
I just recently have been trying to use the stock ibeats for when at the gym and I can tell you that they just don't work for me. I can't seem to find the right fitment so they are always falling out.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda premium
I know a lot of audiophiles absolutely hate Bose, but I've got a pair of IE2s, and I personally think they're the best headphones I've ever used. The ear pieces do not come out, and they're comfortable, so that's a plus.
They're extremely clear and they handle the bass really well. (although probably not as well as a pair of Beats.)
godsmacked4653 said:
I know a lot of audiophiles absolutely hate Bose
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Right, they all hate Beats/Monster stuff too.
It is the hip/sophisticated snob attitute to say that kind of stuff.
The fact is Bose & Beats stuff put out exactly the kind of sound a lot of normal guys (not audiophiles) really like. I love the sound of my Beats Studio headphones. Are they accurate?? Absolutely not, they have too much bass & the high end is too bright but that is exactly what I like about them.
The high end Klipsch cans I had ($350 a pair) where more accurate for sure, but I sold them because I like the Beats better.
marksde said:
I just recently have been trying to use the stock ibeats for when at the gym and I can tell you that they just don't work for me. I can't seem to find the right fitment so they are always falling out.
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Click to collapse
That is a problem with a lot of earbuds.
My UltimateEars TripleFi solve that problem although they are expensive. The UEs have a stiff bendable wire section of the cord right after the ear part. That wire can be bent to wrap around the back of your ear & hold the buds so there is NO WAY they can fall out.
One thing I have found out lately is what a HUGE difference in the sound a different set of ear tips can make. I must have gone thru 12 different sets of tips on the UEs thinking the whole time that "these things don't really sound all that great especially for the price".
Then, I tried a set of Moster gel tips that just happen to also fit the UEs & all of a sudden it was "WOW, these things sound absolutely awesome"
jmorton10 said:
Right, they all hate Beats/Monster stuff too.
It is the hip/sophisticated snob attitute to say that kind of stuff.
The fact is Bose & Beats stuff put out exactly the kind of sound a lot of normal guys (not audiophiles) really like. I love the sound of my Beats Studio headphones. Are they accurate?? Absolutely not, they have too much bass & the high end is too bright but that is exactly what I like about them.
The high end Klipsch cans I had ($350 a pair) where more accurate for sure, but I sold them because I like the Beats better.
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I completely agree. Most people fail to realize that audio is subjective, and "if you don't like what I like, you're wrong."
godsmacked4653 said:
I completely agree. Most people fail to realize that audio is subjective, and "if you don't like what I like, you're wrong."
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Click to collapse
It's a lot more objective than you claim. It's more like "The further you get away from the sound coming from the monitors when the final mix was made, the more you're wrong."
Just sayin' - I know some people simply don't care about what the artist intended to be heard. But then again, there are the Enid Lumley's, who say they can hear a difference in the sound when they point a flashlight at the speaker.
mike.s said:
It's a lot more objective than you claim. It's more like "The further you get away from the sound coming from the monitors when the final mix was made, the more you're wrong."
Just sayin' - I know some people simply don't care about what the artist intended to be heard. But then again, there are the Enid Lumley's, who say they can hear a difference in the sound when they point a flashlight at the speaker.
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My point was that what headphones sound good to one person don't sound good to another. Whether the artist intended for you to max out the bass when you listen to their music doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong. It's the same reason why people like band A but dislike band B.
godsmacked4653 said:
Whether the artist intended for you to max out the bass when you listen to their music doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong..
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Whoosh.
If the artist wanted more bass, they'd put it on the recording, not expect it to be added in playback.

Decent ear/headphones?

Having decided to keep my N3 even tho I'm not bowled over by the audio, I'd like to reach out and ask which earphones you guys use, and rate highly? I'm in the UK
Thanks.
What's your budget and what do you look for in a pair of them? Quality over sound or vice versa. What type of music genres? Etc... do you want more bass or more average or more vocals to pop out?
Sent from my SM-N900T using xda app-developers app
try something from Denon or Audio Technica!
I use the stock buds at work as they allow me to listen in on conversations of colleagues (meaning I can hear them when they try talking to me). If I want good sound away from home, I use a shure 215 se. There are pricier options, but for 100€ it's really great sound. At home I use a sennheiser MD 598 if I really want to have it like the musicians inteted their songs. But the sennheisers are open back and so sound gets out and my family is annoyed by that if they wantto watch TV. So I bought the Yamaha Pr 500. they are closed backs and almost don't leak sound, even if I use my Fiio alpen to crank it up. The Yamaha is a little tinted to the lower frequency side, but it sounds awesome to hear all the bass lines. And with EQ you van tweak the sound to your liking. But what I found is, that any over the ear headphones with big drivers really gives a much better sound stage. When using my big cans I almost always get back to live tracks over studio recordings, because it sounds as if you were standing in front of the stage. I recently had to thin out my music collection on SD card to make space for higher quality recordings. Now the minimum I use is 160 kbps and I have tracks up to 320. and the difference is amazing.
Sorry for this rather long post, but I hope you can get something out of it.
Check out Headfi
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Agree. Headfi.org is great if you research audio stuff.
Another vote for head fi. Watch your wallet though. The headphone out on the Note 3 is very good. A high quality headphone is worth it. Personally I use a Vmoda m100 most of the time. It's a fantastic headphone if you like your bass. I also have a pair of Audiotechnica A900s which still sound amazing after 5 years since I purchased it. For ultimate portability I use Sennheiser IE8s which still blow me away with their bass and soundstage.
Good luck with your search. There are lots of good choices.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk 2
I'm using the Sennheiser Adidas MX 685 as my put-in-pocket pair of earphones. They sound great, are water-proof, and don't fall out of your ears! You can get them in multiple form factors.
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Adidas-Sports-Headphones-Packaging/dp/B00E367V4A/
http://www.amazon.com/Sennhesier-Adidas-Sports-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0094R4PBU/
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Adidas-Sports-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0094R2HZQ/
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Adidas-Sports-Neckband-Headphones/dp/B0094R4Q6Y/
Discovered JVC HA-S500 through HeadFi. I loved them so much I now own three pair so the wife and kids can use. They are import only from Japan.
http://www.amazon.com/JVC-Head-band-Portable-Headphones-HA-S500-B/dp/B008FWB9TQ
JCM800 said:
Having decided to keep my N3 even tho I'm not bowled over by the audio, I'd like to reach out and ask which earphones you guys use, and rate highly? I'm in the UK
Thanks.
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Click to collapse
www.Rockitsounds.com
=)
Bose earbuds. Designed so they cannot fall out of your ears, tons of BASS, amazing. Cost around $150
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note III.
Prevous Owner/Hacker of... numerous other devices!
JCM800 said:
Having decided to keep my N3 even tho I'm not bowled over by the audio, I'd like to reach out and ask which earphones you guys use, and rate highly? I'm in the UK
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Monster inspiration noise canceling headphone they work pretty good.
Sent Via Tmobile note 3
Try a pair of these.
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE535LT...F8&qid=1382456681&sr=8-2&keywords=shure+se846
The output from the N3 is extremely good. If you're not feeling that then either you're using dodgy earphones or poor quality source material. Well recorded 24/96 audio through my Shure E3C earphones sounds pretty amazing.
Really can believe no one has recommended Etymotic. I picked up a set of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000XP8DJC
And I am as happy as I can be with them. You can't beat it for under $100 IMO. I plan on investing in their ER-4s based on my experience with how impressed I am with the hf4. I never thought I would be paying as much for a set of headphones as I would a phone....
JCM800 said:
Having decided to keep my N3 even tho I'm not bowled over by the audio, I'd like to reach out and ask which earphones you guys use, and rate highly? I'm in the UK
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One of my friend in Hampshire ordered headsets for his N3 from fommy....and he was quite happy to receive them so you can check out their may be you find some better ones....
XxLostSoulxX said:
What's your budget and what do you look for in a pair of them? Quality over sound or vice versa. What type of music genres? Etc... do you want more bass or more average or more vocals to pop out?
Sent from my SM-N900T using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly thanks for the replies everyone. I wasn't receiving post updates.
I listen to Led Zeppelin a lot. Rock music. Like to hear the bass too and mid range .
I think I'm more inclined to use in ear buds, so shall look through the thread and check recommended types.
Thanks all
I picked up a pair of Bose IE2 a few days ago and blown away with audio quality and comfort. Kinda pricey but well worth it.
http://www.amazon.com/Bose-327279-0...=UTF8&qid=1382528712&sr=8-1&keywords=Bose+IE2
dsmero said:
I picked up a pair of Bose IE2 a few days ago and blown away with audio quality and comfort. Kinda pricey but well worth it.
http://www.amazon.com/Bose-327279-0...=UTF8&qid=1382528712&sr=8-1&keywords=Bose+IE2
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Click to collapse
Thanks ill have a look. I'm just used to those silly shaped in ears that came with my old iPhone 5 - I imagine Bose would be better than those!?
JCM800 said:
Thanks ill have a look. I'm just used to those silly shaped in ears that came with my old iPhone 5 - I imagine Bose would be better than those!?
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Click to collapse
Yes, definitely. These come with different size buds and stabilizers depending on your ear size. I don't even know I'm wearing these when working out for long periods of time. They have another version with volume controls and mic for $30 more.
Returned for a refund the Plantronics BackBeat Go 2 bluetooth headset because the buds were uncomfortable and popped out during movement.
JCM800 said:
I think I'm more inclined to use in ear buds, so shall look through the thread and check recommended types.
Thanks all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use over the ear headphones with the N3 but I wouldn't recommend it. I tried my Sennheiser HD650s plugged into the N3 and they sounded okay but not great, problem is the N3 doesn't really have enough power to drive them. Through a headphone amp or external DAC they should be fine, I tried the N3->HLLY SMK-III DAC->Sennheiser HD650 and that sounded awesome.

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