Generally, for as long as I’ve had mp3 players, I’ve had iPods. Which may be a questionable decision in itself [the only non-iPod I’ve owned was a 2GB Samsung model to tide me over when my second-gen Mini experienced an alarming software error which caused its contents to be replaced by Aerosmith’s back catalogue], but it’s always been fun replacing the stock earphones with more exciting models. As much as I live and breathe music, I really only use my iPod while walking and as a result, headphones for it have never really factored heavily into my budget. Accordingly, none of the models I’ve purchased has cost over US$30.00.
But, surprising as it may be, they’ve all been rather good. So, in direct contrast to the top-of-the-line speakers featured in my last two articles, here’s a list of my favourite budget headphones that I’ve owned. They may have their flaws, but all of the models listed below have served my purposes, even if only for a few months.
Skullcandy Riot – RRP US$19.99
Utah-based Skullcandy has always been as much about eye-catching design as performance, and its least expensive earbud [tied with the Chops and Ink’d models] is certainly no exception. Available in a range of slick colour combinations, it produces a crisp, detailed sound with its 11mm speakers, while cancelling out external noise. Cons? Only that the cord is kind of heavy compared to other models on this list, but at 1.3m it’s long enough for them to stay in perfectly fine whilst walking or running. Sick, bro.
Panasonic RP-HJE200-A – RRP US$19.99
One of Panasonic’s many mid-range earbuds, the RP-HJE200-A initially attracted me because of its colour [Tiffany blue] and the interesting variance of textures between the cord [slinky and metallic], the buds themselves [opaque plastic] and the earpads [transparent rubber]. I’m not shallow at all, right? At 11.5mm, the speakers are larger than those of the Riot, but the sound isn’t as all-enveloping; even though it’s perfectly adequate, it lacks the Riot’s bass response, which makes it sound slightly tinny in comparison. It also has the shortest and most confusing cord ever, a claustrophobic design riddle which may look cool but causes major annoyance when you’re listening to music on a train and it gets caught on whatever else is on your lap, or when you realise that if you are even of average height you actually have to hold your mp3 player up while walking. But if that doesn’t worry you, it’s still good value for money.
Griffin TuneBuds – RRP US$19.99 – US$29.99
Sound quality-wise, Griffin’s TuneBuds are a combination of the Riot and the HJE200-A; heavy bass to rival the Riot, but with a slightly metallic sound to the treble reminiscent of laptop speakers. They don’t fit quite as nicely in the ear as the other two – maybe it’s the thicker earpads – but the cord is ideal, long, lightweight and perfect for exercise. The TuneBuds Color [$19.99] are sold in five appealing pastel colours, designed to complement the 2007 iPod Nanos, while the standard TuneBuds Mobile [$29.99] come in basic black or white [bonus points for naming the black “Mysterious-Government-Helicopter Black”]. Unfortunately the TuneBuds have a tendency to, well, die – a pair of TuneBuds Colour lasted only a few months in my possession before the left one pegged out completely and the right one needed constant twisting of the jack to produce any sound whatsoever.
Skullcandy Smokin’ Bud – RRP US$29.99
The Smokin’ Bud is a step up from the Riot in that it has an in-line volume control affixed to the cord, so if you want further control over the volume of whatever jams you’re pumping, all you have to do is slide it one way or the other. Obviously, you’ll still have to adjust the volume on your mp3 player if you want to make it louder overall, but it’s a nice touch. Otherwise, its performance is very similar to that of the Riot, the snug-fitting earpads also making use of Skullcandy’s noise-elimination technology.
And, of course…
Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic – RRP US$29.00
We all know what these sound like. They’re entirely adequate but feel uncomfortable and ill-fitted inside the ear after the more streamlined shape of the earbuds. They’re also fragile, with my first pair lasting only marginally longer than the TuneBuds before one of the speakers fell out. Like the Smokin Bud, Apple’s current model includes an in-line volume control, but the Bud’s definitely superior in terms of sound quality and durability. As evidenced by the iPod’s popularity among runners, the cord is long and light, and in general [with the exception of the comfort factor] they’re really quite good. But if you’re an iPod owner, have a spare $30 lying around and aren’t entirely satisfied with the sound quality of the stock earphones, looking at other options is definitely recommended.
By: Heather Fuhrer
ugh, those apple earbuds are horrible in every possible way.
sennheiser do some decent canal earbuds but they’re about double that price… and they feel a bit weird at first.
I hear ya (no pun intended) any earphones in the same style as the Apple ones (That don’t totally go in your ear like the Skull Candy ones) are horrible. They rub your ear and cause sores that hurt. Unless you’re willing to wear them for a few weeks and tollerate the pain until your skin roughens up a bit I wouldn’t reccomend buying them… AT ALL.
JVC HA-FX34 $20 Pretty decent also! Great Bass and High end.
>>>Skullcandy
you gotta be f**** kidding….
I just buy these
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-J10-Headphones-Non-Slip-Design/dp/B000092YR6
damned things because they actually stay in my ear.
[...] by the token gesture that is stock headphones, but also a longer-lasting product than, say, a $30 Skullcandy [...]
I consider these silicone “noise reducing” earbuds to be a different class of earphone than the standard earbuds, and one I especially don’t like while walking or running. They have the same problem as the true in-ear ‘phones (Etymotics) of cord and body noise, though to a lesser degree. For regular earbuds, I recommend the Yuin PK models, or Sennheiser 5xx.
Just bought some SoundMAGIC PL11s and have been blown away by how good they are for the money. Lots of bass, but plenty of clarity in the trebles.
interesting!
ughhhh…. people… Canal earphones are SO destructive to your hearing… use external headphones or at least just regular in ear headphones. (Like apple’s)
TRY Sony Mdr-As20J…almost made me regret buying my Monster Turbine Pro Copper Edition…
There are much better earphones under $30 than these, usually from China, like the Hippo VB or Hippo Boom, or the Sound Magic PL30.
Nice selection – I like my JVC marshmallow earbuds when using my MP3 player. Less than $10 on Amazon.
Skullcandy, really? I own the ink’d series. The high frequencies are incredibly harsh and tiring; the lows are just muddy, albeit deep.
Colby said: “ughhhh…. people… Canal earphones are SO destructive to your hearing… use external headphones or at least just regular in ear headphones. (Like apple’s).”
I hate those cretinous ‘regular’ earbuds because they habitually fall out while running or by even tilting your head the wrong way. Where are your facts to back up your claim about canalbuds being more destructive than earbuds? Everything in moderation isn’t a bad thing albeit any sound device should be used responsibly. Trust me, some people (like my pompous boss) talk at a volume that can likely cause hearing damage over time.
Anywho, I just came on here to say to stay away from two earbuds from the (don’t laugh too hard) $10 down category for cheap gym earbuds.
1. Coby Jammerz: The “extra bass” is basically achieved by killing the treble. Terrible muddy sound.
2. Elecom Ear Drops Series 3. Cheap sound like the Cobys, ‘nough said.
I think I’m going to try out the Merkury MI-HP5510 for $10 being that the reviews are quite good. I could buy Skullcandy Inked for $10, but I heard they aren’t that great being that they also kill off the high end to sacrifice for the low end of the sound spectrum. I need a balance for my span of music that goes from Zamfir all the way down to Slayer. Oh, and the wire cords on the Merkury MI-HP5510 are a braided fabric overlay, so you would likely not get the sporadic noise transfer from the wire cords from the typical vinyl variety. I’ll buy the new MI-HP5510 buds in a few days and report back.
My major gripe with almost all earbud manufacturers is the use of a straight plug versus the ‘L’ shape because a lot more stress is taken by the jack with a straight plug in it, for obvious reasons. An angled plug also keeps my player more compact.
(PS: a non e moose: “Keep it clean.” That request probably means no profanity (no matter how much you mask it), ya think?! I know I shouldn’t expect better etiquette over the web, but I’m a dreamer. I’m always guilty of profanity-laced “shop talk”, but I treat the web like any public area with consideration and respect for others. It’s like blowing cigarette smoke in another person’s face … just because you enjoy smoking as much as the next person, nobody likes smoke blown into their face whether they are a smoker or not.)
“I think I’m going to try out the Merkury MI-HP5510 for $10 being that the reviews are quite good. I could buy Skullcandy Inked for $10, but I heard they aren’t that great being that they also kill off the high end to sacrifice for the low end of the sound spectrum. I need a balance for my span of music that goes from Zamfir all the way down to Slayer. Oh, and the wire cords on the Merkury MI-HP5510 are a braided fabric overlay, so you would likely not get the sporadic noise transfer from the wire cords from the typical vinyl variety. I’ll buy the new MI-HP5510 buds in a few days and report back.”
I finally got them. Wow, these Merks are great sound!
The spectrum is fine. I wouldn’t mind a bit more treble, but I realize that’s a tall order for canal buds. I’ll bet these $10 canalbuds will be a worthy opponent to any of those listed. I can’t be happier seeing how I went through three sets of crap to finally get the sound that I like.
http://www.amazon.com/Merkury-Innovations-MI-HP5510-Metallic-Earbud/dp/B002MZZR6I
I suppose the final score depends on how long these Merks will last. A low point is for the straight jack versus a sensible angled one. For shame.
Great reviews! I lost a stupid bud for my skull candy headphones. Just the little foam part and to the only place I can find them is on Skull Candy’s website and they’re six bucks on there. After shipping I might as well buy a new pair from Target that comes with the headphones plus extra foam things. However, I would like to upgrade. The Riot looks awesome to me. I wish I could afford the “Smokin Buds” but 30 bucks for a pair of headphones is not going to cut it right now. So thanks for putting me int he right direction!
i dont know why so many people are against skullcandy cuz of my experinces, they are amazing headphones. i personally own Ink’d and they are great. way better than the others in their price range
Sony earclips.
Well canal buds aren’t destructive at all. They’re actually better if anything to regular buds. Because when you get the in-ear buds you don’t have to blast it as much since they’re noise cancelling. Regular ones on the other hand, Need to be blasted to get the full effect of being surrounded by music. But even then the quality is not even close to the in ear buds.