As an athlete, I've always struggled to find ear buds that are durable and give high quality sound. I know you are also searching for your very own "perfect" ear buds, so here are some options that I have tested personally which may just be YOUR perfect fit.
Athletic technology must conform to the rigorous activity of the consumers, but must also perform well. Therefore, I will scale each pair of ear buds on these set of criterion,
- Durability (Of course!)
- Sound Quality (Duh, these are ear buds)
- Price
- Comfort
- My Personal Fit
- Accessories
First off the list, the Enhanced Bass Hi-Fi Noise Isolating Earphones by Monoprice
Description: This is a set of in-ear ear buds, which come with 3 sets of ear tips at the price of $7.88 on the Monoprice website! That is definitely the wow factor in that set of ear buds as they are extremely cheap for their quality.
Pros: These are really CHEAP. If you are looking for durable, good quality ear buds for less than $10, these are the ones you need. The sound is strong, as these ear buds have large monitors, in contrast to the small pill-like monitors that most tech companies sell.
Cons: As you can tell by the name, these ear buds should provide quality lows with great noise isolation. However, after testing these for a couple of weeks. I have found that these actually don't have booming bass and complete noise isolation. I listen to a lot of hip-hop, so I should have heard extremely loud lows from these ear buds, but I didn't. The sound isolation is slightly better than average, and Bose's noise isolating ear buds would destroy these in competition. Because the cable is long, it is extremely easy to tangle. If you want these to stay tangle free, you MUST wrap these up with a twisty tie when transporting. Also, due to the large monitors, wearing these for a sustained period of time can hurt your outer ear. However, if you take these off from time to time, the pain will subside quickly.
Ratings: (1-10, 10 being the highest)
- Durability - 9.5
- Sound Quality - 7
- Price - 10
- Comfort - 5.5
- My Personal Fit - 6
- Accessories - I can't blame them for only giving three sets of ear tips because these ear buds are so cheap, so I will grade these a 8.
Next, the M6 PRO Universal-Fit Noise-Isolating Musician's In-Ear Monitors with Detachable Cables by MEElectronics
Description: MEElectronics was definitely going for the wow factor when they released this product. It comes with two clear monitors, two clear detachable cables(similar to the Shure SE846 at $999.00), two shirt clips, 6 sets of ear tips with one set of memory foam ear tips, a zip-up carrying case, and a 1/4 inch adapter. While it is created for "musicians", I found that it doubles as a set of gym earbuds when you use the "gym" cable. This set of earbuds sells for $49.99(Under $50 if you are looking for that price range) on the MEElectronic website and Amazon.com.
Pros: In my opinion, the detachable cables are the best parts of this product. One cable has a universal volume control and a hands-free cable control. The other cable has neither, so it functions well at the gym as it is completely sweat resistant. The cables both have memory wire at the monitors, so these can both hook behind your ears but also act as normal ear buds. If you are looking for earbuds that stay in while you run or participate in movement oriented sports, this is YOUR fit. The sound quality of these earbuds are great. Neither high nor low registers were overpowering, and mids were definitely clear. Also these ear buds are extremely durable as the cord is very tough and hard to tangle. This is a great buy for under $50. Personally, I highly recommend this product as I use it every day.
Cons: When you switch monitors, you MUST unbend the memory part of the cables. This is sometimes annoying but is absolutely necessary. While the universal volume control can turn the volume down, it can not turn the volume higher than it is set on your device. Lastly, the memory ear tips are very fragile, even with the utmost care. I tore one of them in the first few weeks, with no heavy use.
Ratings:
- Durability - 9
- Sound Quality - 8
- Price - 9.5
- Comfort - 9
- My Personal Fit - 10
- Accessories - 9.5
Third, the Image S4i Premium In-Ear Noise-Isolating Headset with 3-Button Apple Control by Klipsch
Description: Although these earbuds have been discontinued by the manufacturer, they are definitely a great set, and can still be found on Amazon.com for $68.71. The newer model, the R6i, has a slimmer body and smaller housing but still has the same sound quality. I do not own the newer model, so I will complete the review on the older version and update it when I buy the newer model. The S4i comes with 3 sets of ear tips, and a black carrying case.
Pros: The sound quality is something that shocked me right out of the box. Everything was clear and the sound signature was definitely one of the best I have ever heard. If you are looking for gym ear buds with high sound quality, these are YOUR fit! While these are designed to go straight into your ears, they can also hook behind your ears. These earbuds come with a 3 button volume and call control optimized for apple users, which can also be used by android owners.
Cons: The S4i ear buds come with very few accessories, and the ones that are included are not high quality. The carrying case is solid aluminum, and does not have a hook for a carabiner or a clip. However, this was not a major issue for me, and I loved the product.
Ratings:
- Durability - 9
- Sound Quality - 10
- Price - 7
- Comfort - 8.5
- My Personal Fit - 8
- Accessories - 7.5
Next, the EB900 High Fidelity In-Ear Headphones by TDK
Description: Just like the S4i's, these earbuds have also been discontinued by the manufacturer. However, you can still find these on Amazon.com for $63.01. When I bought these, they were selling for $120 so the price has definitely dropped significantly. The earbuds come with a carrying bag, 3 sets of ear tips and one set of memory foam ear tips.
Pros: These earbuds have great sound isolation and sound quality. The sound signature is amazing and everything is very clear. As an added bonus, they are long and are very comfortable. If you love working out with comfortable earbuds, these are YOUR fit!
Cons: Although I loved these earbuds, they had some major issues, both short and long term. These earbuds have a very disappointing set of accessories. The carrying bag I received offered almost zero protection. It was soft and the earbuds could be crushed even while in the bag. I eventually threw the bag away and just used a case made by Dr. Dre Beats. The ear buds themselves were very fragile and after a couple of months the sound in the left monitor was ruined.
Ratings:
- Durability - 5
- Sound Quality - 9
- Price - As of now, these earbuds are a great catch on Amazon - 8.5
- Comfort - 10
- My Personal Fit - 8
- Accessories - 6
And lastly, the Inspire 300 by Yurbuds
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| Inspire 300 for Women |
Description: The Inspire 300's were created for athletes. They sport the Twist Lock technology which they claim to prevent these ear buds from ever falling out. These ear buds come with a carrying case and a pair of extra ear tips. The Inspire series come at different prices, but the Inspire 300 can be bought for $29.00 from Amazon.com and $39.99 from the Yurbuds website.
Pros: These earbuds are supposed to be the "athlete's dream". They are extremely durable, water/sweat resistant, surround sound, and have a mic and one-button remote. While the Twist Lock technology did not work for me, they worked for my sister(she has the women's version) and has received great reviews from other users. If you need a pair of ear buds that will always stay in, these are YOUR fit!
Cons: The earbuds have average sound quality. Other than that, I did not find any major issues with this product except for the problematic fit with my ears. Before you buy this product, you may want to check to see if your ears would be compatible with the special ear tips.
Ratings:
- Durability - 9.5
- Sound Quality - 7
- Price - 9
- Comfort - 8
- My Personal Fit - 4
- Accessories - 6.5
Yurbuds Website
Amazon
Female Version - http://www.amazon.com/Yurbuds-CE-Inspire-Isolating-Headphones/
