Ok, I'll delve into all the earphones I've ever owned or tried out and guess what, I'll put them in chronological order, newest first. Here goes:- Creative Zen Aurvana DJ
- Razer Pro|Tone m100
- Sony Ericsson HPM-70
- Etymotic ER-6i
- Apple iPod earphones (1st gen)
- Sony MDR-E888LP
- Sennheiser PX-100
- Sennheiser MX-400
- Creative EP-480
- Aiwa HP-V161
- Sony MDR-G82SL
- Sharp earphones (bundled with Sharp MD-MT877)
- Sony MDR-E837A/L
- Sony MDR-1122
- Sony MDR-E515
To break them down, I'll split them into 3 categories where b. and c. are purchased seperately (ie. non-supplied):
a. Supplied Earphones
b. Good Earphones
c. Others
a. Supplied Earphones:
- Sony Ericsson HPM-70 (with Sony Ericsson W800i)
- Apple iPod earphones (1st gen - with iPod mini)
- Creative EP-480 (with Creative Zen Micro)
- Sharp earphones (with Sharp MD-MT877)
b. Good Earphones
- Etymotic ER-6i
- Sony MDR-E888LP
- Sennheiser PX-100
- Sharp earphones (with Sharp MD-MT877)
1. Price-point ie. bang for the buck
2. Comparisons with earphones of similar type
There is absolutely no way you can compare normal earphones like the Sony MDR-E888LP with full-grade headphones like the Grado SR60 in terms of price, bass/treble response hence they have to be gauged with their peers. In-ears are compared with in-ears. Headphones with headphones. You get the idea.
I'll give some in-depth reviews over the next few postings. For now, to explain their 'good' status, take the Sony MDR-E888LP. These are Sony's top earphones and when I'm talking about earphones, I'm not talking about in-ears or headphone types. The bass and the treble are clear and resonant. No doubt it has a 16mm diameter driver which produces great sound. I'd have to say its only failing is when it's used on the train - I only hear the treble, the bass is pretty weak. However in a quiet environment, I'd give my thumbs up.
The Sharp earphones I listed are bound to cause certain consternation among audiophiles. For one obvious reason, these are supplied earphones! Then again, I state - based on price point (being bundled is already a bonus for users) and compared with its peers, these are solid earpieces. I just chose to close my eyes and listen. For a simple earphone comparison, this gives the Sennheiser MX-400 a good run for its money and totally blasts the Sony MDR-E515 away and I did pay for the E515s.
c. Others
The 'others' are the earphones apart from the 4 I listed under b. Special mention goes out to the Aiwa HP-V161 and the Sony MDR-G82SL.
The Aiwas are interesting because they have a silicon bubble that is meant as a cushion within your ears and what's more, they are pretty affordable too! Sound quality is decent...as long as it remains in your ear properly. While some users say it provides a perfect fit where sound actually doesn't leak, my experience says otherwise. The diameter is pretty small. As such, only when I stuff the earpieces into the ear, then I get pretty good bass. Since I bought them in 2002, the cables frayed and one side became mute so I placed them aside.
The Sony MDR-G82SL are around-the-neck headphones. These were pretty expensive and not really worth it. The sound quality is indeed isolated as your ears fit into the cups. Once in, the experience is kinda forgettable. The treble and bass aren't too distinct though the emphasis is more on the bass. As one of its redeeming factors was its excellent industrial design, I managed to get a buyer for this model.
