

Ask HN: Durable  Earphones Wanted - quizbiz

I go through ear buds like crazy. I don't even listen to music that much so I'm not looking for crazy good quality, but I do frequently listen to podcasts and I live in a dorm room. The thing is I fall asleep with them in my ears so I need a pair that is very durable. Something long lasting.<p>Any recommendations?<p>Edit: Maybe these still need to be invented?
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anigbrowl
Sony MDR-7506 for about $100. I have over a decade's experience as a
professional sound engineer, score in the 98th percentile in clinical
audiology tests, and use >$2000 microphones. All other headphones are junk.

Also, noise-cancelling headphones are a tool of the devil. Consumer earbuds
were invented by one of his minions. If you own a pair, sell them or better
yet throw them away.

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jdietrich
'All other headphones are junk' is a bit strong, no? What about AKG K701s,
Sennheiser HD800s, Grado PS1000s or Ultimate Ears 18 pros? I'd rather listen
with any of them than anything by Sony. Broadcasters love the MDRs, but only
partly for reasons of fidelity.

In response to the OP, the simple solution is to do what we do professionally
with $1000 custom in-ear monitors and $2000 lavalier microphones - attach them
securely to the user. Unless you're doing something really weird, it's cable
strain that is killing your earbuds. Think about how you can secure the cable
to yourself to stop the cable from getting tugged in your sleep.

Possible solutions:- Loop the cable from each ear and tape it to the back of
your neck with Micropore surgical tape. Use bobby pins or spring clips to
attach the cable to your clothing. Run the cable inside your clothing. Use an
armband or a clip to attach your MP3 player to yourself.

If you sleep on your side then that rules out all the quality in-ears I would
normally suggest, as they all protrude quite far from the ear. My usual low-
budget recommendation is the Sennheiser CX300, which sounds a bit boxy and
dull compared to the high-end buds but works well enough for $40 and comes
with a 2-year warranty. Just don't buy them on eBay, it's full of
counterfeits.

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anigbrowl
Ah, I knew I was going to regret saying that - I was in a bit of a hurry :-)

But I do think many of the premium models are horrendously overpriced. For me
the MDRs hit the magic intersection of fidelity, exterior noise suppression,
and durability. They're the only phones that give _me_ the same sound I was
hearing before I put them on - YMMV. I just don't like the first two you
mention for reasons of fidelity and build quality respectively, and feel the
Grados are more of an luxury product than one for engineers.

The Ultimate Ears are a very different proposition. They're fantastic in-ear
monitors, without a doubt, but custom-fitted pieces like that seemed way
outside the scope of the question. Although they make total sense for people
on stage, I don't really like putting things into my ear canal. Plus, I have
an unscientific hunch that I'm used to the sound of my own pinnae and
bypassing them inclines me to do unecessary EQ.

By the way, I use micropore regularly, but it seems to leave adhesive residue
on a lot of people's skin. Do you know a better brand than 3m? I hadn't
realized OP was looking for something compact he could sleep with...I have no
ideas for that. I don't think I've used a pair of earbuds since sometime in
the mid-90s.

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chris11
Unfortunately, I can't really help you with a decent pair. I too go through
headphones really fast.

But if you don't care about quality, I'd suggest that you buy a really cheap
pair. I am currently using a $4 dollar pair (eh 220 earhugger). Sound quality
isn't great, but they work well for audiobooks and are okay for music. And $4
dollars is cheap enough that I don't care buying more once I break them.

~~~
quizbiz
Shipping from amazon ads up...

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rms
These are the best sounding cheap headphones, but they aren't earbuds...
[http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-
Headph...](http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-
Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0)

You might want to consider separating your music listening and sound-blocking,
earplugs work pretty well in dorms.

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brandonkm
I would check out the Bang & Olufsen A8 earphones. They run about $160, but
the sound quality is amazing and they will last you a lifetime.

