In-ear vs. Full size headphones under $100

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Big Fred

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I can't decide between getting full-size headphones and in-ear headphones. I'm guessing full-size may sound better, but I could also used a good in-ear pair with my PSP. I'll use these mainly for gaming... So http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-application/our-10-best-headphones/sennheiser-px-100.php or http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-application/our-10-best-headphones/akg-k-26-p.php or http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-application/our-10-best-headphones/grado-sr-60.php vs. these in-ear http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-a...ones/ultimate-ears-superfi-3-studio-white.php
Are there big trade-offs that I'm missing in my forum surfing?
 
Depends on what you're looking for. Do you want good isloation?

I wouldn't take Grados out of the house, but that's just me.

I'd take the K26p over the PX100s.
 
I'd take the K26p over the PX100s.
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I wouldn't.
The K-26P's are not as comfortable.
(bending doesn't help much)
The little pads on the headband suck. :p
And the way the headband snaps back when you take them off is pretty annoying.
But they do have much better bass and they also stay in place better when you move around then the PX100s do.
 
How about Alessandro MS-1s? I used to own a pair, but am replacing them with Beyer DT880s, and they were awesome for everything, and the comfy pads were comfortable (bowl pads get more complaints). They are $99 US shipped.
 
I have sennhesier hd 497 headphones (over ear), and I love them. I got them for 75 bucks and they sound fantastic.
 
Thanks for the replies. Anyone have In-ear haedphones? My thinking was if I get In-ears, I can use them for two applications instead of one considering the quality to be similar. Also, maybe in-ear's perform better without an amp? I love music and have good home and computer speakers, but I don't really sit in front of the computer and listen to music. This would be my first "good" pair of cans so I imagine I would probably be excited with any of them. I guess maybe I should ask if getting the http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-a...ones/ultimate-ears-superfi-3-studio-white.php (in black) would be a mistake.
 
Also, maybe in-ear's perform better without an amp?
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All headphones benefit from an amp. With these cans though, there won't be that much of a difference with an amp.

My thinking was if I get In-ears, I can use them for two applications instead of one considering the quality to be similar.
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I don't understand what you're trying to say here. Do you mean you can use them for portablilty and at home? or you can be mobile as opposed to just sitting by your computer? (all the cans you listed are very mobile cans...)
 
Well, the smaller headphones would likely fit in my PSP case, while the larger ones would need their own case. I might not be able to bring full sizers with me depending on the situation. I can fiit the PSP in the pockets of some of my pants, but full-size headphones won't fit. Thanks for the info in in-ears and amps.
 
I haven't heard Shures, Etymotics, or Ultrasone IEMs, but any other earbud type/IEMs in the cheaper price range have not been able to reach the quality of a full-sized set of cans in the price range that you're specifying.
 
I have a pair of Shure e2c, and I consider them an excellent *portable* buy. They have better overall sound quality than my senn hd212pro I think; but not quiet as comfortable for hours at a time like the senns. The big thing with the Shures is figuring out how to get a good seal; it took me about a week before I could just toss them in and get a good seal without thinkign about it, and the first 2 days i nearly took them back due to lack of bass from lack of seal.
 
I can´t have in ear with the amount of ear wax in my ears :D. Really if you have had it for a week or something they must perform less than optimum already. Not to say I don´t think it´s good to have in ear headphones. You can literally get fungus in your ear if you don´t let air in which is just as disgusting as it sounds ;).
 
I can't find that thread where part of some guys in-ears broke off in his ear and he started bleeding trying to get it out...

Maybe that was on another forum.
 
NKDietrich said:
I can't find that thread where part of some guys in-ears broke off in his ear and he started bleeding trying to get it out...

Maybe that was on another forum.
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It's called a friend and a tweezer. LOL DOH!

Operator eror ≠ bad product
 
But seriously folks... I won't be using these headphones too much, only when I have to. With my 5.1 speakers I love hearing the pitter patter of Special Forces feet only to reverse and catch their body parts in my treads.
It looks like (from this and other threads):
1) In-Ear's block out sound better.
2) In-Ears's are a bit more portable.
3) Full-size sound a bit better.
4) but, In-ears don't lose as much quality from not having an amp.
5) In-ears require more work to sound right and cleaning.
6) You can make your ear bleed, get infected and DIE from In-ears :eek:

I think I'm flipping a coin. Having somewhere around her to listen to a few would help. Thanks for the input guys. :)
 
I think you really need to work hard at having a bleeding incident with in-ear units.
 
That was on head-fi. And I think it says all that needs to be said about whether it was product or operator error that it's only happened to ONE person out of all the head-fi people who've bought IEMs. :)
 
I personally would never use in-ear phones because of the accumulation of ear goop. Even iPod earbuds can give me problems after prolonged use. I use Sennheiser HD280's, which are closed, but they take a lot longer before my ears start to feel icky and I'm running for some Qtips. Look at some closed-air cans, those can provide for great isolation as well.
 
waddles said:
I personally would never use in-ear phones because of the accumulation of ear goop. Even iPod earbuds can give me problems after prolonged use. I use Sennheiser HD280's, which are closed, but they take a lot longer before my ears start to feel icky and I'm running for some Qtips. Look at some closed-air cans, those can provide for great isolation as well.
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Careful! Qtips will max wax buildup worse if you use them for more than cleaning the entrance to your ear canal. It packs the wax into areas where it wont naturally work its way out. I used q-tips for years and a year ago it had gotten so bad I could barely hear in my left ear, so I took a Water-Pik, put it on the lowest setting, and blasted the wax buildup out of my ear carefully at an angle. You dont want to shoot yourself directly in the important bits of your ear, could perforate something.

If you are uncomfortable with this, go to the doc once a year to have them flush your ear out, or buy a home solution from the store. Usually involving some ear drops and a little bulb to suck the stuff out.
 
Yes had to use that a couple of times when I was younger. Don´t have problem with Qtips if it is what I think it´s. But then I don´t use them very often and never get locks on my ear any longer.
 
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