In-Ear Headphones v Normal Ones

[SimLive]

Well i've got the standard cheapy apple headphones, quite tinny - hardly any sound proofing but i can listen to the music on them for hours.

Yet with my in ear headphones, 100% sound proofing, deep bass etc - i can only go for about 15-20minutes without getting a slight headache and an urge to take them off.

anyone else find this?

[clonmult]

Originally Posted by SimLive

Well i've got the standard cheapy apple headphones, quite tinny - hardly any sound proofing but i can listen to the music on them for hours.

Yet with my in ear headphones, 100% sound proofing, deep bass etc - i can only go for about 15-20minutes without getting a slight headache and an urge to take them off.

anyone else find this?

Exactly the same here.

I've had a few in-ear phones over the years, and haven't found any that I can wear for more than 10 minutes without hurting.

Actually, not strictly true - I could wear the Motorola S9s with the in-ear pieces for hours on end, the blighters just weren't reliable though.

[psikey]

I've had Shure high-end ones and the Apple dual driver and both gave me ear fatigue with Silicon caps (not the Shure sponges, they are fine).

The best ones I've used (and still use) are the ones on my Sony Ericsson 970/980 BT headsets and HPM-77 wired headset which I can wear all day.

I'd recommend you try some HPM-77's as then can be used with SonyEricsson phones or MP3 players and can be had for under £10. Sound amazing for the price.

[soundstory]

I've had a number of Shure earphones & can't recommend them enough.

But the trick is how to insert them, they don't need to go too far into the ear, this is possibly why you getting headaches !

[vegetaleb]

The pros of the IE headphones:
-Isolation
-Full sound
-Don't go off you ears easily when jogging or skiing

Cons:
- Microphonics in many models (loud sounds coming from the cable when it whiping your clothes when running)
- Could not be comfy for all

Personally since I got my first IEM with my ex-sony A805,I can't return to ''normal'' earphones because of the pros I listed

[Kevo330]

Originally Posted by SimLive

Well i've got the standard cheapy apple headphones, quite tinny - hardly any sound proofing but i can listen to the music on them for hours.

Yet with my in ear headphones, 100% sound proofing, deep bass etc - i can only go for about 15-20minutes without getting a slight headache and an urge to take them off.

anyone else find this?

Yep, exactly the same here as well. I can hear myself breathing, sniffing, etc, etc, etc. I'm using the smallest tips and they still feel uncomfortable.

I'm unsure at this point as to wether i'll keep them or not, and try something else of a different type.

Could be a case of getting used to them though. If that is the case then it could be a while before that happens.

[vegetaleb]

The only IEM that will no give you microphonics(breathing sound,cable sound...) are the new Sony.
I have a pair of Sony MDR-EX32 and they have zero microphonics,but the old EX85 I had before had lot of them though

[russyj]

Originally Posted by Kevo330

Yep, exactly the same here as well. I can hear myself breathing, sniffing, etc, etc, etc. I'm using the smallest tips and they still feel uncomfortable.

I used to have this kind of problem, and used the smaller tips with my Shures, however switching to the next size up and running the cables over my ear before back down solved this. Worth a try

Regards, Russ

[Kevo330]

Originally Posted by russyj

I used to have this kind of problem, and used the smaller tips with my Shures, however switching to the next size up and running the cables over my ear before back down solved this. Worth a try

Regards, Russ

I'll give that a try

[Kevo330]

I've just tried the medium sized tips and i can't get the phones to sit in my ear now.

I've just got really small ear canal's i guess. So small that the small tips are slightly too big. My phone's btw are Goldring GX200's

Would the small tips be the same size on all phone's i wonder

[Kevo330]

I've just been reading about the JAYS -s-JAYS, and i wonder whether they'll be a better fit for me.
They come with extra tips including XXS/XS/S/M/L.

But that wont be any good if the bodies are bigger to begin with

[subbu68]

My first IE type came with my Xperia - HPM-70 I suppose. That worked like a steth passing my footfalls, rubbing of wire against shirt, breathing and above all it seals the ear such that I feel a sort of pressure in the ears.

Switched to Ear buds - in the quest for a good sounding economical one..

Tried SONY Ericcson - HPM64 that came with my wife's W595. Excellenet sound, bass is very strong but my wife would miss it. And only the bud does not come separate. I would have to buy another HPM-64 and the connector to the phone and mic would be wasted.

Philips SHE7850 - good sound for £10. Bass is very strong, overall quite good, the rubber pads that came with it hurt so plucked them off and put on a pair of sponge pads from another one and seems the sound has improved - better sealing? for use with the phone headset adaptor the wire is too long.

Sony MDR-NE2 - £12 convenient lanyard type. Overall very good sounding, bass is lacking as compared to SHE7850. One has to rotate the bud so that the port of the EP is directly into the canal (it is a half covered phone). I was at first shocked with the poor sound until I adjusted the phone. then I understood why SONY buds have a strange extension on their rim - rotate till it locks with the bottom of your pinnae. only then the sound port of the buds are into your ear.

[LFC_SL]

Originally Posted by vegetaleb

Cons:
- Microphonics in many models (loud sounds coming from the cable when it whiping your clothes when running)

Westone cable is well renowned for having much reduced microphonics compared to others

[YellowSphere]

I don't have any issue with wearing my UE Super.Fi 3 Studios for a two hour train journey using Comply Foam tips. Sound great too!

[scorpion88]

I think comfort of fit and consideration for other people is the primary issue. People don't wan't to hear your music paricularly early in the morning.

Some people are really selfish and you can hear 'the Birdie Song' from people using over ear phones at 05.30 hrs on the train.

Even worse is 'Renee and Renato' which IMO is hideous at any time of day or night.

Some people are really cruel and even start doing the dance at the same time.

Evil