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The big Headphones VS. Earbuds debate!

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  • Rym said:

    Those things have always seemed ridiculous to me.

    image
  • The subpac is actually pretty cool, especially for vidja games.

    Even if you have a really good subwoofer connected to your pc, just having the direct feedback on your body, when you fire a weapon for example. There's something really satisfying about it.
  • So, basically, it's the bass-focused backpack sized version of that CD case I used to have with a flat-panel speaker in the front.
  • edited February 2015
    The subpac is more like a 'rumble pac', like what you have in a gamepad, only designed for audio. That undersells it, but it's pretty good for the one thing its designed to do.

    It doesn't produce sound, but it does produce vibration, that's why you need it close to your body.
    Post edited by Dazzle369 on
  • I got some Shure insertion earbuds to replace my failing pair of Etymotics.

    Sound quality is a little worse (in my subjective perception)
    Isolation is a little worse (again, entirely subjectively)

    Comfort and durability are a thousand times better.
  • I've been trying to find a pair of bluetooth earbuds with ear hooks, but the only ones I can see to find are the new Beats earphones and I don't really want those. I think I found some others but reviews weren't stellar. Although the reviews were generally people wearing them while running or something (which I might do I suppose).
  • MATATAT said:

    I've been trying to find a pair of bluetooth earbuds with ear hooks, but the only ones I can see to find are the new Beats earphones and I don't really want those. I think I found some others but reviews weren't stellar. Although the reviews were generally people wearing them while running or something (which I might do I suppose).

    These are very popular on Amazon, and I'm curious if they are any good.

    Soundpeats Qy7 Mini Lightweight Wireless Stereo Sports/running & Gym/exercise Bluetooth Earbuds Headphones Headsets W/microphone for Iphone 5s 5c 4s 4, Ipad 2 3 4 New Ipad, Ipod, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Smart Phones Bluetooth Devices(Black/Green)

  • Eh, I think another way to experience art is a good thing, but would worry about long term health risks and so on because that's what I do. Worry I mean.

    I like a good strong bass line sometimes myself.
  • I ordered these a few days ago because they're wooden, look cool, and were marked down to a reasonable $25 from the ridiculous $100 MSRP for what is probably low-bidder Chinese components in a pretty shell like most headphones.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C30HUQ2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  • Spent 80 on bose ear buds at the airport before a flight.

    Lost them by the time I got to the hotel.

    Somewhere between baggage claim, rental car, clients office, and the hotel I must have set them down and not realized it in my rush to get things done.

    So.... back to my boring set.

    They were good, but for their primary purpose: travel size hearing devices, they had shit for isolation. Did diddly for blocking dem jet engines.

    If I'm gonna blow 100 or so dolly partons again on some beast ear wear, I'm ma have to find something better at keeping out the background, still good at giving legit sound, and maybe slightly harder to loose.
  • What drives me mad about earbuds is the rubber tips falling off. It drives me spare no matter what I do they always fall off and I can't find replacements for love or money.
  • Loosing the tips has never happened to me, without loosing the whole rest of the set.

    In total, I have lost 4 sets of good ear-buds since I started college. Plus I've bought countless cheapo replacement sets and I might have one or two lying around if I look.

    They just don't stay handy.

    Thinking of just forgetting about portability and embracing the bulk of headphones forever.
  • On the subject of the Subpack, I see it being useful if I were to be doing an all-out flight simulator cockpit combined with Oculus and headphones, to provide a nice rumbly rumble factor when I put the throttle to the wall on a Twin Wasp R3600 and I wanna feel those thousands of horses. Obviously a sub-woofer can do the same thing but then I imagine it's audibly loud to other people.

    Otherwise I'm not sure if that's something that would be worth the money. The real hope would be something you could wear as a shirt all day.
  • Amp said:

    What drives me mad about earbuds is the rubber tips falling off. It drives me spare no matter what I do they always fall off and I can't find replacements for love or money.

    A google search of the model number and "ear tips" doesn't turn anything up? Someone's mentioned replacement tips somewhere. Amazon has a wide selection.
    SWATrous said:

    If I'm gonna blow 100 or so dolly partons again on some beast ear wear, I'm ma have to find something better at keeping out the background, still good at giving legit sound, and maybe slightly harder to lose.

    Thread them through your shirt/jacket?

    I am a cheap bastard when it comes to earphones, because I abuse them—I tug the cords through my coat and keep them bundled (nicely) in my pocket. I don't need insane sound quality because I'm not an audiophile that can tell the difference between good and great earphones, and I'm usually in noisy environments like the subway, city walking, or on a plane.

    That said, my go-to is to buy whatever the Wirecutter recommends for in-ear headphones under $40, two at a time so I have a replacement handy. These current ones, Brainwavz Delta with Mic, come with the usual silicone tips but also with a pair of Comply foam tips, which in my experience, have excellent sound isolation and are extremely comfortable. I previously had the Panasonic RP-TCM125, which worked well but felt cheap and didn't have as good sound isolation or fidelity. Both pairs have a mic with click button on the cord, which I find very useful when on the go. My only complaint with the Brainwavz are that the button takes some force to register.

    At these price points, if they last me a year, I'm happy.
  • My kid needs a set that will not easily break. Most common problem being one bud going dead.
  • Any teenage kid will always destroy earbuds. It's a universal law. It has to do with how they store them and also with using them as handles/tethers to carry their devices or pull them out of a backpack, etc.

    Although the buds I just got (can't remember the name but they were marked down 75% to $25 on Amazon) have woven fabric insulation on the wires and I'm optimistic that will mean more durability. They also claim to be noise cancelling but the only power they get comes from the jack, so I dunno about that.
  • Yup. Most last less than six weeks before the wire inside breaks. My kid is so bad she broke the wiring inside a set of wireless headphones. I shit you not. She broke the wiring inside a set of wireless PC headphones.
  • Wow.

    My kid takes about 3-4 months to go through a pair, or at least, that's how long it takes her to admit that they're broken.
  • http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/g930-7-1-wireless-gaming-headset

    The wire inside these has broken. If you wear them a certain way both sides work but sometimes you lose audio in the right speaker.
  • Sheez. I hope she has a job so she can reimburse you. :P
  • I started taking them apart to try and resolder or replace the broken wire but I ran into a wall of star heads. I don't know why manufacturers use them other than to annoy consumers.
  • I have a whole collecttion of security torques an star drivers and crap that I've amassed over the years for this reason.
  • I need one of those Nintendo tri-head drivers.
  • Yeah amassing an array of custom bits is clutch. Over time I'm sure the cost is balanced out by the crap that can be fixed.
    okeefe said:



    Thread them through your shirt/jacket?

    I am a cheap bastard when it comes to earphones, because I abuse them—I tug the cords through my coat and keep them bundled (nicely) in my pocket. I don't need insane sound quality because I'm not an audiophile that can tell the difference between good and great earphones, and I'm usually in noisy environments like the subway, city walking, or on a plane.

    That said, my go-to is to buy whatever the Wirecutter recommends for in-ear headphones under $40, two at a time so I have a replacement handy. These current ones, Brainwavz Delta with Mic, come with the usual silicone tips but also with a pair of Comply foam tips, which in my experience, have excellent sound isolation and are extremely comfortable. I previously had the Panasonic RP-TCM125, which worked well but felt cheap and didn't have as good sound isolation or fidelity. Both pairs have a mic with click button on the cord, which I find very useful when on the go. My only complaint with the Brainwavz are that the button takes some force to register.

    At these price points, if they last me a year, I'm happy.

    I don't loose them on the go. It's when I take them off, put them somewhere and then because they are small it's easy to overlook them or not realize they aren't in a bag or pocket or whatever. I had a nice pair I left in a hotel room before a flight, for example. Had they been headphones I'd have noticed they weren't in my bag.

    If I'm taking the train to NYC I've been known to use my gaming headset, but it's usb powered so its less ideal for flights... and it looks kinda out of place with a mic dangling around, and I know one day I'll break them if I keep doing it.

    That said I may just go and do the Wire cutter under $40 And see about a basic set.
  • edited February 2015

    Bluez 2

    I got these awhile back and have been happy with them, but they have their problems. They aren't that comfortable....and their sales pitch about it being safer is meh. BUT! I am prone to getting horrible ear infections. So earbuds are out of the question. These work well for me in situations where I cannot get away with using my better (but giant) headphones. If you have long (black) hair, most people will not even realize you are wearing them.
    Post edited by Michipoo18 on
  • I need new headphones for work. I had these up until recently.

    http://amzn.to/1hzh0Ke

    They were great. Bluetooth totally worked. Great battery life. Nice controls on the side. Super comfortable. Good enough audio quality. Technically no noise cancelling or isolation, but still drowned out the noises of my co-workers typing.

    The problem is that the plastic headband snapped in one spot. Now even though they still work just fine they don't stay on my head. I tried to repair it with no luck. The phones don't press against the side of my head. They just swing out and flap in the breeze.

    I would buy the same ones again, but I'm afraid the same thing will happen.

    I've been using my etymotics at work, which are fine, but not ideal. I don't mind having them in my ears, but not for hours on end every day. I also don't want a wire tying me to my desk. Also, if for some reason I forget to bring them to work one day, I'm screwed. I need something I can leave at work.
  • Get some tin flashing from the hardware store and either superglue it over the snap or find some other way to mount it. Problem solved.
  • Get some tin flashing from the hardware store and either superglue it over the snap or find some other way to mount it. Problem solved.

    I tried. I guess I can try some more.
  • Very few problems can't be solved with liberal application of tin flashing, duct tape, superglue, or wd-40.
  • Since I can't put anything in my ears, I'm getting the new aftershokz
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