I've never used earbuds, and I'm wondering if I should invest in a pair for casual listening, not mixing. How do they compare to headphones? It seems they would be much more comfortable for long listening sessions. Any advice from audiosexers on this? I've seen them go for up over $200.00. This seems quite a bit unreasonable to me, but who knows? Thank you for your responses.

 

Venture Electronics - Monk
Best $5 earbuds I have ever owned. Not the best, but for casual listening way more competent than Apple Earbuds costing much moar.

 

they are less comfortable especially if you listen at anything more than whisper volume. Anything that closes that cavity causes fatigue, if you want comfort open back over the ear is the way to go. The more isolation the less comfort.

 

I think I'm with @Andrew on this one, $200 for Beyerdynamics.. ok !.. earbuds? naaah

 

It kinda depends on your listening habits, I think.
At home, on the couch, headphones. Outdoors, on the road, commuting on the train, earbuds. At least, that's how I use them. Mainly, because I'm used to earbuds, but also for cosmetic reasons. I don't want to look like mickey mouse. But I don't grow a beard either so what do I know... I mainly listen to podcasts on my mobile phone so the cheap sony headset is my choice.
Some years ago, I spent a lot of money for good earbuds and they all where great. The best ones I ever owned where sure in-ear monitors. Incredible sound, noise insulation like badass earplugs.
But those expensive earbuds are simply not rugged enough for rolling up and cramping them into the pocket several times a day. Cable break was a constant issue, and a great nuisance. If you cannot replace those cables it's 200+ € down the drain. Now, with my 10€ sony cheapos, the financial damage would be bearable. The thing is, those bastards they never ever break, and I'm using them every day for years now (which is kinda bad because I wanted to buy some new, good ones but swore to myself I'd wait until the cheap ones break. Damn them. lol). They sound crap, but for spoken word they are more than ok.

I cannot use earbuds like this because they hurt my ear real bad. They are simply too clunky. I need earbuds that go kinda into the ear.

 

If we know most people habits, where they listen on to to high volume levels, im strongly against earbuds. If over head headphones are already bad for our ears, then earbuds are at least two times worse. Direct high sound pressure on exposed "ear sound sensors" is something we all should avoid, not to mention long listening hours.

 

Yeah I know this kinda argument sucks but I'm using earbuds since 20 years, if not longer. I have an audiometry performed annually and I have the hearing of a 16 year old. What you say about earbuds is true in principle but neglects the fact that one has the ability to adjust the volume.

 

You could be lucky or just having a healthy lifestyle.
Using earbuds in a heavy industrialized city zones is extremy foolish.

 

As i say people quickly adjust on certain volume and forget how loud they already listen. Good for you if you have control over that aspect, many don't. Ability to adjust volume is just that, the rest is in "operator". Also the fact people have more or less sensible ears. What may not hurt your ears, could hurt other ones.

 

In my own quest to find something that is comparable to the Audio Technica ATH M50 headphones that I have been using for the past 6 or 7 years, I needed to spend way more than I was comfortable with, about $250 compared to the $149 for the cans. I even fucking dropped and lost the ones I originally bought (shock to despair to anger to sadness all in the space of 2 minutes) that I replaced, thank goodness for waaaaaay less for a returned perfect set from B&H Photo while in NYC last fall. Maybe the person that found them needed something wonderful to drop down from out of the aethers, a heavenly gift or some shit, and it was in the end a marvelous thing for the universe. Anyway, these have cables that are reinforced with Kevlar and have withstood being in bags and my pocket and can be replaced if they ever are damaged. They also have an adjustable tilt eq bass enhancement novelty thing that I found sounds good set at about 2 o'clock. Since I lost them I now employ an old capuchin monkey who is trying to get by on his pension that works for cheap. Ferdinand's only job is to sit on my left shoulder and make sure that if I drop or leave behind these ear buds he is to pick them up and give them back to me. So far it has worked out really well. Twice so far I dropped them while walking with my dog Marley, and Ferdinand immediately was on the case, scampering down to the ground and retrieving them for me, then right back up on my shoulder. My only issue so far with this arrangement is that I have asked him very nicely to just make sure that his butt is clean before he gets to work, and a few times now my shoulder has been sullied by his forgetfulness, but he's an old guy now so what are you gonna do? I can always wash a t-shirt.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Aug 1, 2016

@Herr Durr .. interesting concerning the Sennheisser IE80 ear buds, Ferdinand, or both?

 

@superliquidsunshine may i or may i not touch your monkey?

the option was not presented, but may I take the liberty of answering.. all of the above?

another question.. do people regard you with curiosity there in your
little village?

 

Last edited by a moderator: Aug 1, 2016

I take buses to move around my city. Earbuds offer isolation where I am definitively exposed to high SPLs anyway from the crowded city noise. However, I'd spend no more than $15 bucks on a pair or Panasonic earbuds. I love the however deceiving bass boost, so before I buy I check that the frequency response is greater than 20-20000 Hz. I go for 12-20000 or less. I once bought a pair of buds that claimed 5-30000 for 20 dollars. I know you can't hear that much, but for whatever reason you feel the bass depth more.

 

You have to ask Ferdinand yourself, he's not my monkey but rather just works for me. In regards to your other question, am I regarded with curiosity in the village, and the fast answer is no, many are not since I stopped walking around naked, upside down and on my hands, but many certainly are curious as to why I suddenly stopped doing so.

About ear buds...I used to be of the opinion also that it's just stupid crazy to spend any serious money when it comes to those things we stick in our ear canals. I used to walk around with one of my pair of ATH M50 because they are my reference cans, I know them so very well, and while not ultra high end, do the job that I ask of them. The problem with the ATs for me is that they are a bit combersome and get in the way, harsh my mellow. My brother-in-law had a pair of these Sennheisser IE80's and they sounded sooooo very much better than the 25 buck things that I had been using, and had to my ears a very similar sound signature, that I had to buy them. I guess the technology that goes into miniaturizing components to sound as well as big magnets is more costly. I appreciate so very much to have them with the quality they offer without having to lug the huge cans around to get the same thing approximately in tone, but the tradeoff comes with my real fear of loosing them again... money doesn't grow on trees, bananas do, just ask Ferdinand.

 

well the Sennheisers probably should sound a bit better at 10x the price point of yours...
but for every day use, walking the dog, and monkey fetching, who needs that kind of fidelity ?.. I don't

would I be safe in saying you are the only guy there for miles who walks around with
a capuchin on his shoulder? I think it would catch some attention.. but then those swiss are that blasé ?

where can I get a pair of your $25 ones... and may I hire your monkey to retrieve them for me?
would be so much cooler than Amazon delivery..

update: just ordered 2 pairs of the Darth Monk,
the monkeys, however, were a little pricey for now...
so I will have to wait for that add on

 

Last edited by a moderator: Aug 2, 2016