In need of new earbuds

My iPod earbuds have finally started to give way, so I want to get some replacements before the cable gives out and I lose stereo.

The options seem to boil down to the Sony EX71 or the Sennheiser CX300. The EX71s come recommended from a number of people just off the Flickr photo, but do have a number of complaints about build quality in the Amazon reviews. The Sennheiser’s are in at the same price point, have better Amazon reviews and therefore strike as possibly a better option. Does anyone have a preference for one over the other though?

The other option is to spend a little more (£40) and consider thea Shure EC-2 earbuds. I do listen to a heck of a lot of music on my iPod, so whilst I can’t afford to go nuts, I’ll go to £40 if it’s going make a worthwhile difference.

What does the internet say?

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10 Responses to “In need of new earbuds”

  1. Comment by http://joeblade.com paul haine

    November 19th, 2006 at 7:24 pm 2006-11-19UTC19:24:10+0000

    You can’t go wrong with Sennheiser.

  2. Comment by Jono

    November 19th, 2006 at 8:12 pm 2006-11-19UTC20:12:50+0000

    I’ve had 4 pairs of ex71’s now and they’re fantastic; i’ve only had so many pairs becase my fiancee keeps losing the little rubber earpieces. I’ve recommended them to everyone i know who uses ipods or other personal music wotsits and i think they’d all agree with me.

    but – i do have a pair of sennhesers that i use when i’m on the PC and theyre damn good, although not he ones you were looking at.

  3. Comment by http://andyhiggs.co.uk/ Andy Higgs

    November 20th, 2006 at 12:49 am 2006-11-20UTC00:49:03+0000

    As with Jono, I agree the ex71s are a good choice. I opted for them because they were cheaper than some of the alternatives and I have a habit of breaking things. In true Higgs fashion, broke the cable on the first pair somehow, but this second pair have lasted about a year so far and are infinitely more comfortable than the old Apple ones that came with the iPod. The sound is of a decent quality too.

  4. Comment by http://cackhanded.net/ Mark Norman Francis

    November 20th, 2006 at 4:34 pm 2006-11-20UTC16:34:02+0000

    I’ve not tried the Sony headphones. However, I can tell you that until recently I was using Etymotic ER-6i headphones on my PowerBook, iPod and PSP. They broke, and I grabbed a pair of the CX300s at HMV as a stop-gap until I could replace them.

    I never did.

    The CX300s are the best in-ear headphones I’ve ever used. I’ve got three pairs now. Great detail, good bass, decent volume, very good at keeping external noise at bay, and far more comfortable than the Etymotics. I’d thoroughly recommend the CX300s. I just can’t compare them for you. :)

  5. Comment by http://www.benedictoneill.com/ Ben O’Neill

    November 22nd, 2006 at 12:19 am 2006-11-22UTC00:19:49+0000

    I bought a pair of Creative’s EP-635 headphones for my girlfriend a year or so ago. They sound great and are comfy too

  6. Comment by http://www.stefpause.com Stef

    December 5th, 2006 at 2:48 pm 2006-12-05UTC14:48:13+0000

    Can’t say too much about the Shure E2C’s as I’ve never tried them, but I’ve got the E3C’s and they’re stunning. (I bought them when they came out as I couldn’t get on with the Etymotics.)

    The comfort’s good, not as snug as my custom musicians’ earplugs, obviously, but pretty close and they come with a fit kit containing different size sleeves to accommodate different ears.

    The only problems are the occasional slippage of the silicone sleeves, gunk buildup (a wax tool is supplied) and the fact that they isolate external noise very effectively so you may be accused of ignoring friends when you walk down the street :)

    I’d recommend taking a look at the HeadRoom website for some reviews:
    http://www.headphone.com/guide/

  7. Comment by parnuk

    December 22nd, 2006 at 12:10 am 2006-12-22UTC00:10:22+0000

    I’ve had the sony and really liked the sound but then the cable died like to many others. I bought the sennheiser and it’s not fair to compare them to the sony headphones because they are so much better. The sound quality is amanzing and can be compared only with headphones that costs more than twice. The cx300 are much more comfort and it won’t be hard for them to be more relayable

  8. Comment by Mark

    March 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm 2007-03-08UTC12:36:09+0000

    I use the Soundwise G3. I read a review at http://www.lordpercy.com I really could not be happier. soundwise also also they do replacement tips. The tips will also fit the cx300 and ex71. I would honestly rate soundwise G3 well above the Sony Ex71. I did have and I was going to replace, but glad I read the review first

  9. Comment by si levy

    May 19th, 2007 at 10:04 pm 2007-05-19UTC22:04:20+0000

    I’av just brought a Sandisk e280, after my ipod nano broke for some reason. And I love my sandisk but the headphones that come with it are, well rubbish. So I looked at many earbuds, and got my short(ish) list down to the V-Moda Vibe, Sennheiser CX300, Cresyn LMX-E630 and the Soundwise G3. And I went for the Soundwise G3, they are a great buy. they have perfect sound, good bass and are very comfortable.

  10. Comment by Josh

    June 25th, 2007 at 9:18 pm 2007-06-25UTC21:18:52+0000

    After reading several comments, I went on and tried to purchase Soundwise M8 (a level higher than the G3) from http://www.soundwise.co.uk. The customer service kindly told me that I can purchase from authorized distributor in the US (www.soundwiseusa.com). I called them and asked for information about their earphones. Now I’m very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend Soundwise M8.