In-Ear

In-ear headphones are everywhere – iPod users know them as the instantly-recognizable round, white little earbuds. As the name indicates, in-ear headphones sit in your ear. They’re more portable than over-ear and on-ear headphones, and can be easily stashed away with your MP3 player when not in use. There are two types of earbud headphones: ones that rest in the ear, or ones that protrude into the ear canal, otherwise known as canalphones. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Outside Ear Canal
The iPod’s earbuds are examples of this kind of headphone. Found most often with MP3 players, these headphones sit outside the ear canal without protruding directly inside. These are known for their convenience, inexpensiveness, and portability, but there are downsides, as well. These earbuds are more likely to fall out than ones that sit securely in the ear canal. In addition, these headphones aren’t capable of producing the same kind of dynamic range as full-sized headphones and canalphones, which causes many users to raise the volume of the music they’re listening to. At a higher volume, users are at more of a risk for hearing damage.

Canalphones
Canalphones are inserted directly into the ear canal, and have a similar portability to earbuds that sit outside the ear canal. A number of different sizes are often available to fit an individual’s ear comfortably. The padding around the earbud is most often made of silicone rubber, elastomer, or foam for comfort and noise reduction. These headphones aren’t for everyone, though – some find them to be overly invasive and don’t like how much ambient sound the earbuds block out. It’s best to try them out first before picking up a pair.

Who Should Use Them?
In ear headphones are great for sports enthusiasts – wearing on- or over-ear headphones while working out is often uncomfortable. They’re also great for portable music devices, and can be easily stored in a pocket or small purse. They’re not often great at cancelling noise, especially earbuds that sit outside the ear canal, so in-ear headphones aren’t best for frequent fliers.

V-MODA Vibe Duo Headphones Review

The $99.99 V-MODA Vibe Duo headphones are a stylish, relatively inexpensive pair of in-ears. The Vibe Duo is actually a headset built for use with the iPhone (notice the slim plug). While this makes the headphones viable for use with both media players and cell phones, the Vibe Duo might have trouble with older MP3 players. Some older media players aren't built to accept a headset, and the playback will sound as though parts are snipped out unless the microphone button is pressed down. Thankfully, most modern media players won't have this problem.

Added on
2008-06-13 12:01:00

Apple iPod In-ear Headphones Review

Given the iPod In-ear Headphones' target audience -- people with iPods on the move -- we were surprised the Apple In-ear Headphones fell out of place so easily when we walked around. They won't outright fall out of your ear, but even weak tugs will cause them to shift around. Their portability is enhanced by their compact size, however, and the case they come with is great for keeping your cord from getting wrinkled.

In terms of audio quality, these headphones typically performed somewhere around average. They had some real problems with bass distortion, so those who like bass-heavy music should keep this in mind when shopping. Also, they were surprisingly mediocre in terms of isolation; in-ear headphones typically act like ear plugs, keeping out most external sound. They did control leakage really well, however, meaning those around you won't be able to hear your music, even if it's at a very high volume.

Added on
2008-05-12 09:24:00

Etymotic 6isolator Headphones Review

The 6isolator headphones are an in-ear offering from Etymotic Research. As in-ear headphones, they're tiny, portable, and have decent sound quality. The size of these headphones is really minute: the buds are barely visible outside your ears. The lack of a cable guard between the buds and the cable just makes them even more inconspicuous. The cable is of questionable quality, however, as it's thin and tends to hold wrinkles easily.

Added on
2008-04-04 07:36:00