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Best earbuds?

Hello xda!
I'm getting a galaxy nexus next week and heard it has one of the best "soundcards" in it, and wanted to get an "higher end" earbuds than the ones that comes with it. I have beyerdynamic dt770 pro 32ohm already for home use, but im looking for earbuds that I can use on the bus/plane and when training/running. My friend has iBeats on his htc sensation and he is pleased, but sometimes he calls random people because its only meant for iphone I think? So this is what I want
- Good quality (durable)
- Good sound (Listen mostly to hiphop, dnb, metal)
- Good bass
- Volume control (dont REALLY need this)
- Compatible with android
- Price not above 200 usd
edit: Also they have to be noise cancelling. Does anyone know if the volume control thing support spotify? Thats the only music program I use and it would be really great to change song, pause and volume +/-

I'm currently using the Zagg Smartbuds. They sound great and are very durable. Its also designed to sit around your neck which I find works great for running and workouts.
It has a built in slider volume adjust which works with any phone and a single button/mic for answering calls and music control. I haven't tried spotify yet but when I use poweramp I can pause/change/play all my songs with the one button.
They are noise isolating earbuds and come with various bud sizes. They are about 50$.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

xiophyte said:
I'm currently using the Zagg Smartbuds. They sound great and are very durable. Its also designed to sit around your neck which I find works great for running and workouts.
It has a built in slider volume adjust which works with any phone and a single button/mic for answering calls and music control. I haven't tried spotify yet but when I use poweramp I can pause/change/play all my songs with the one button.
They are noise isolating earbuds and come with various bud sizes. They are about 50$.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
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Thanks, but dont seem to find Zagg here in Norway Ive heard good things about Klipsch image s4, they cost about half of the ibeats here in norway.

I'm using the Klipsch s4a model (designed for Android) and I love them. I've also swapped out the tips with Comply T-100 foam tips. They're much more comfortable, better noise cancelling and bass.

+1 for Klipsch S4's, been using them on my galaxy nexus and love the sound.

If you're looking for something instead of beats you should try ultimate ears triplefi out. I got them not to long ago and they've been working great so far.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears-TripleFi-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B0019RBJOE/

I use a jays one there nice but lately I have been switching to the stock headphones for the in line mic. But I think ima look into the s4a

If you want something cheap, but yet has damn good sound then I recommend the ZAGG Smartbuds. ZAGG always has 50% off coupons through their Twitter so I got it for 25 bucks. If you want something a little better and a little more expensive, then the Klipch (I think I spelled that wrong =/) is your best bet. I believe they're under 100. Good luck!

i have the Pure Pur-1000 and i've gone through many earbuds and these are the best sounding kind.
make sure you break them in correctly though-- i left mine playing on a playlist overnight-- takes around 20-30hrs though for a full break in.

I have used the Kilpsch Image s4's as well as others in here and agree they do sound great. The problem I ran into with them was getting them to fit comfortably. They are IEM's meaning the go into the ear canal. I have Sony MDR XB40EX model ear buds. They are great if you really like bass, and the overall sound quality is pretty good.

you wouldnt think this company would make great earbuds but you have to check them out best sound for the price $50. ifrogz timbre pro
http://m.nypost.com/p/blogs/gamereport/ifrogz_timbrepro_review_KwXl5uT1zBrp0wR8vjePUI

I would rather go something cheap.
Brainwavz M1
http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-BWAVZ-M1-M1-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B004IK2EAW
I've been using the Yamaha EPH-100. I would say its one of the best under $200. Do dig into head-fi and check reviews

These won't win any awards for looks, but they sound DAMN good for the price. Give all those higher end buds a run for their money.
Monoprice 8320
No noise cancellation, but they do isolation pretty good.

If you really like bass, but want clarity and natural sound and don't mind paying a little bit more I would totally recommend the Hippo VB (Variable Bass). They have the deepest bass of the bunch, or at least appear that way because they lack a distracting midbass hump. Their bass is also quite controlled and rich in texture, more like a good full-sized phone, and clearly performing way above its price range. You can read some reviews of people who had them (and know what they are talking about) here and get them from ebay.
Have a good one

It depends on what sort of sound you're looking for. I, for instance, appreciate the lush midrange (vocals, many instruments) of my Thinksound Rain headphones. They're durable, too. I accidentally put them through the washer and they came out just fine.
Thinksound's TS-02 would be a good model for a cell phone. I'd buy them myself if I wasn't already happy with my Rockboxed Sansa Fuze.
The guy who owns Thinksound, Aaron, is amazing. I sent him an email complaining that none of the included eartips were a good fit for my ears, and he contacted the factories in China to see if any others could be special ordered for me. The answer was no, but it's the thought that counts.

I don't know about the Klipsch. But I had the Zagg ones and decided to use my stock ones from my old xv6700 instead, just wasn't a fan.

I use skull candy 50/50. Great sound and bass. Just wish the in line mic would work.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I've been using Meelectronics as of the last year or two. They have lots of great low priced ones (my current pair is $10 and are on par with $40 pairs I've owned). They also have some higher priced ones in the $50-$80 mark, and from looking at the reviews, they're worth that much as well.
The company is all over Amazon. Check out a few pairs of their headphones and some of the reviews, and if you go with them, enjoy!

indyred99 said:
I use skull candy 50/50. Great sound and bass. Just wish the in line mic would work.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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They have a lifetime warranty.
Sent from my I9250

I have Sennheiser IE-8 and they are really good earbuds. Before you ask what is the best, you should give us some info on what's your budget, and music.
Will you be able to spend $400+? Are you looking for custom made IEM and can spend $900+? What interests you the most, bass, mid, or high?
Are you an audiophile at head-fi? Maybe I know you.

Review of Westone W40 in-ear headphones w/lots of pics!!!

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Have you checked to see if the cables are compatible with your UE900? It would be interesting to know for replacement/upgrade cables.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Have you checked to see if the cables are compatible with your UE900? It would be interesting to know for replacement/upgrade cables.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Yep, the same connector I will do a sound test to make sure it sounds all good as well. That would have been fantastic for those with Note 2 and custom cable that has Samsung volume and multi-function control. But the original Westone twisted cable is by far the best I have seen, which most likely will be a benefit to SE and UE users if you can buy it as an accessory.
Btw, that warm sound signature is really growing on me!!! And their design/fitment is so comfortable!!!

Excellent. Are these a keeper or review only?
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Thank you very much for the review. I owned the Westone UM2, W3 and W4 for around 5 years now and I can´t be more please with their sound. I would like to change my W4r for this W40 but I am not sure if the sound quality is exactly the same. According to Westone they are but... :S.
I am also interested in the cable but as I use Android I don´t think it works with previous/skip song buttons. Btw, I didn´t know that they included 2 pair of cables, that´s a big bonus!

frozst said:
Thank you very much for the review. I owned the Westone UM2, W3 and W4 for around 5 years now and I can´t be more please with their sound. I would like to change my W4r for this W40 but I am not sure if the sound quality is exactly the same. According to Westone they are but... :S.
I am also interested in the cable but as I use Android I don´t think it works with previous/skip song buttons. Btw, I didn´t know that they included 2 pair of cables, that´s a big bonus!
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I tested the remote with Galaxy Note 2 and it works perfect!!! As a matter of fact, every iDevice in-line remote always works with my Galaxy phone. Volume up/down will not work, those are dedicated iDevice buttons with specific internal resistor values. But multi-function button always works for play/pause/call and transport control. By default, double-tap always skip the track forward. You can download free JAYS app for headphone control and in there configure and fine tune multi-function control to even triple-tap to skip back. Also, long press starts Google NOW.
But to be honest, I have been enjoying braided cable too much. Absolutely love it!!!! Plus, keep in mind since Westone changed the connector to "universal" rotating type used by Shure and Ultimate Ears, you have a lot of replacement choices. You can check out my UE900 thread where I did review of alternative cables from Lunashops. They are cheap and will not offer any sound improvement but will have dedicate android controls, like a specific one for Samsung Galaxy with volume up/down working! I'm also waiting for FiiO guys to send me RC-SE1 silver-plated audio cables that work with Shure/UE and now with new Westone W-series. Those supposed to offer sound improvement!!! Will review it as soon as I get it. Supposed to receive it together with X5 review unit
Regarding sound quality. I can't compare it to W4 model, but I can tell you that everything that I have reviewed (check out my full review link in the signature) such as ATH-M50, M-80, M-100, MOMENTUM, P7, COP, UE600, UE900, HF2, ATH-CKX9 and CKX7, M-Duo, ATLAS, and other cheap stuff - doesn't even come close in comparison to sound quality of W40. It's like a fine wine, gets better with more hours of burn in. The soundstage widened, the mids came up (still not upfront like UE900, but it's not as scooped as it was at the beginning), and overall level of details improved. What is amazing, the sound quality is perfect listening even to 128kbps mp3s directly from my noisy headphone jack of ThinkPad laptop.
I'm trying to get SE535 review sample just to have the final comparison, but I seriously doubt they will be better than W40 because everybody describes them as more upper-mids upfront and more neutral accurate bass. W40 has bass accuracy, even some sub-bass quantity (I guess dedicated 2 bass drivers), so both quality and quantity of overall bass. Not basshead type of quantity but intelligent quantity where you actually can hear it (missing link of UE900). I know I gushing about it, but they are just perfect where you have combination of both details and warmths.
Also, heard from Westone PR rep that W30 will be available soon. Of course, W40 is a perfection, but for $100 less W30 will be a good alternative.
If you are going to get W40, I would love to hear comparison between W40 and W4.

Thanks for this review, should be helpful!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

I already bought them and sold my w4r for only 60 EUR less than the w40...
Depending on when I receive them I will be able to do a side by side test so I will post my conclusions after 2 years with the w4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

frozst said:
I already bought them and sold my w4r for only 60 EUR less than the w40...
Depending on when I receive them I will be able to do a side by side test so I will post my conclusions after 2 years with the w4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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Oh, can't wait to read your side-by-side comparison!!! Except, you already sold W4R so how will you able to compare it?

I sold them but I don't have to ship them until the 6th
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

frozst said:
I sold them but I don't have to ship them until the 6th
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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I see. I hope you will get W40 soon and have enough time for burn in. Overnight of pink noise loop or running this (http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php) always does a trick for me

frozst said:
I sold them but I don't have to ship them until the 6th
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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So what is a verdict?

vectron said:
So what is a verdict?
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According to Fedex I will receive the earphones tomorrow at 12pm, so let´s see if I can test both.

I now have both W4R and the brand new W40 and I have to say that I am very (VERY!) disappointed with the sound. Compared with the W4 they are less clear, with a deep bass. They sound more obscure in general, with less details... I hope it changes after a few hours...

frozst said:
I now have both W4R and the brand new W40 and I have to say that I am very (VERY!) disappointed with the sound. Compared with the W4 they are less clear, with a deep bass. They sound more obscure in general, with less details... I hope it changes after a few hours...
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Burn in!!!

vectron said:
Burn in!!!
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That's what I'm waiting for. I will leave them all night plugged and check after a few hours.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

frozst said:
That's what I'm waiting for. I will leave them all night plugged and check after a few hours.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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Westone guys said that drivers between W4 and W40 are identical. Btw, when I first plugged these IEMs in, I wasn't as impressed either (after listening to UE900 beforehand), but burn in brought up a lot of details, and it continues to improve day by day.

vectron said:
Westone guys said that drivers between W4 and W40 are identical. Btw, when I first plugged these IEMs in, I wasn't as impressed either (after listening to UE900 beforehand), but burn in brought up a lot of details, and it continues to improve day by day.
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Hi could you please elaborate/explain more about the W40's bass quality and quantity compared to the W4? I'm deciding between the um 30 pro and the W40 but I just can't do without a good strong bass quantity. Would you say that the W40s offers more kick and punches/ bass slam quantity than the W4? I just love that rich and tight quantity of bass the um 30 pro provide when i went to audition it, it gives me that superb kick and punches or what you can call a sweet bass slam with crisp clear mids and highs but that soundstage is pretty closed up which is the main part i'm worried about.

Aerversair said:
Hi could you please elaborate/explain more about the W40's bass quality and quantity compared to the W4? I'm deciding between the um 30 pro and the W40 but I just can't do without a good strong bass quantity. Would you say that the W40s offers more kick and punches/ bass slam quantity than the W4? I just love that rich and tight quantity of bass the um 30 pro provide when i went to audition it, it gives me that superb kick and punches or what you can call a sweet bass slam with crisp clear mids and highs but that soundstage is pretty closed up which is the main part i'm worried about.
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Sorry, unfortunately I don't have W4R for a comparison. I can tell you it has more bass than UE900, both in quantity and quality, it has almost the same bass as UE600 (in quantity, but NOT quality), and it has less bass than M-Duo, CX985, and ATH-CKX9is I tested. But those are 3 have more bass in quantity but NOT quality/details, and they lack overall balanced sound quality especially in mids and overall details across all frequencies. At the same time, UE900 is more surgically accurate in mids and treble, but it sounds colder and I get more ear fatigue after extended listening period. Since I can only speak from an experience of listening/testing/comparing those headphones in my review list and based on my listening preference, if I can only keep on headphone - it would definitely be W40. Btw, I'm talking to Shure guys and might get a chance to receive review sample of SE535 and SE215, keeping my fingers crossed. W40 vs SE535 with UE900 thrown in the mix would be a very good comparison. But I also very interested to hear SE215 since its one of the best values in this single BA driver category.
To be honest, when it comes to bass or any other sound aspects, it's always a matter of personal taste and the type of music you are listening to. I love Tyll's reviews on Innerfidelity because he always captures frequency response for every headphones he tests. That's where you can actually see an unbiased comparison of quantity in different frequency bands.

Thanks vectron, for your detailed experience! So based on your experience, how would you rate the W40 in terms of quantity/slam/kick/punches? (Poor/Below Average/Average/Above Average/Great Quantity)
frozst said:
I now have both W4R and the brand new W40 and I have to say that I am very (VERY!) disappointed with the sound. Compared with the W4 they are less clear, with a deep bass. They sound more obscure in general, with less details... I hope it changes after a few hours...
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Hi frozst, I see that you've both the W4R and W40, could you share your thoughts on the bass department as well? Does it have more bass quantity/slam/kick/punches than the W4R?
Also to all, between um 30 pro and W40, which offers more bass quantity/slam/kick/punches? I understand that the um 30 pro's bass is more forward sounding than the W40, could it be due to this effect that the W40's bass seems to be offering less slam? (Since it is slightly laid back in the soundstage)

Review of Beyerdynamic MMX 102ie and DX 160ie in-ear headphones w/lots of pics!!!

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Really appreciate your reviews.. It's great to have someone like you in this section and I'm very much interested in earphones so thorough and in-depth reviews like yours are always welcome.
I went for the Xiaomi ones you reviewed instead, and looking forward to receiving them. Out of curiosity, do you use the Viper mod for your Note II?
Also, do you have a pebble watch? I've noticed a massive bug with that + the bluebuds x on Android 4.3 which I've not been able to ask anyone else about!

fade2black101 said:
Really appreciate your reviews.. It's great to have someone like you in this section and I'm very much interested in earphones so thorough and in-depth reviews like yours are always welcome.
I went for the Xiaomi ones you reviewed instead, and looking forward to receiving them. Out of curiosity, do you use the Viper mod for your Note II?
Also, do you have a pebble watch? I've noticed a massive bug with that + the bluebuds x on Android 4.3 which I've not been able to ask anyone else about!
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Thank you for the kind words! More headphones and other audio equipment reviews are on it's way
My N2 is all stock 4.3. Don't use Pebble, but Metawatch instead. Regarding question about Pebble, don't know if you aware but XDA has a separate smartwatch section with Pebble sub-forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwatch/pebble - I have no doubt someone will be able to help you in there. Good luck!

vectron said:
Thank you for the kind words! More headphones and other audio equipment reviews are on it's way
My N2 is all stock 4.3. Don't use Pebble, but Metawatch instead. Regarding question about Pebble, don't know if you aware but XDA has a separate smartwatch section with Pebble sub-forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwatch/pebble - I have no doubt someone will be able to help you in there. Good luck!
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Thank you for the link. Unfortunately though I had already barked up that tree a while back and got nowhere. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2655628
It's a shame as it makes using the Bluebuds with my phone useless unless I disconnect the pebble first, which sort of defeats the point of using apps like "music boss." Since it works fine on 4.4 on my Nexus 4, I'm guessing that the bitpool of the bluetooth connection lowers when the pebble is in town. Really hoping for a kit kat update soon to sort this out!

vectron said:
Thank you for the kind words! More headphones and other audio equipment reviews are on it's way
My N2 is all stock 4.3. Don't use Pebble, but Metawatch instead. Regarding question about Pebble, don't know if you aware but XDA has a separate smartwatch section with Pebble sub-forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwatch/pebble - I have no doubt someone will be able to help you in there. Good luck!
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Hey man, thank you for such an in depth review!
I'm currently looking for some buds to replace my Sennheiser CX300IIs.
I am wanting a good sound at a good price and I've narrowed my options down to 3 possible buds:
RHA MA750i
Beyerdynamic DX 160 (after reading this)
Klipsch X7i (I think my favourite)
But I am no audiophile and these would be my first pair of half decent in ear buds.
I'd love your opinion and which ones would you go for?
Thank you for your time

To be honest, $25 Xiaomi Pistons were designed as an alternative to CX300 Klipsch has a very poor quality. Beyer sounds good, but Pistons have the best value.

Advise needed
I recently lost my Klipsch S4 headphones, with no clue as to where they are. *sad
I am looking to invest in a good pair of IEMs to replace them, something that will last me a while.
My list comprises of this: Soundmagic E10, Shure SE112, Klipsch Image S4A-II, Philips Fidelio S1, AKG K376, and one of the two Beyerdynamics you reviewed in this post.
I would like your advise on these earphones and possibly any others that may be of note. It's hard to buy earphones off the internet because of an inability to test them before committing to the product. I would like to have good audiophile quality and perhaps the extra functionality with my HTC One will be nice (although not having it will not be a dealbreaker).
Thanks mate.

PopeBaldie said:
I recently lost my Klipsch S4 headphones, with no clue as to where they are. *sad
I am looking to invest in a good pair of IEMs to replace them, something that will last me a while.
My list comprises of this: Soundmagic E10, Shure SE112, Klipsch Image S4A-II, Philips Fidelio S1, AKG K376, and one of the two Beyerdynamics you reviewed in this post.
I would like your advise on these earphones and possibly any others that may be of note. It's hard to buy earphones off the internet because of an inability to test them before committing to the product. I would like to have good audiophile quality and perhaps the extra functionality with my HTC One will be nice (although not having it will not be a dealbreaker).
Thanks mate.
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What is your budget? Your price spread is from $25 to $125 (Beyer phones are over $100). If you are constantly on the go and prone to loosing your headphones, I wouldn't invest into anything expensive. Stay within good value budget so if you loose it - it's easier to replace without breaking a bank. Klipsch quality went down. Shure lower price model is a junk. Except for E10, I'm not too familiar with others but see reviews with a mixed bag of comments.
If you want to stay on the budget in $25-$35 range, Pistons 2 and E10 are great. Btw, Soundmagic just released E10S version with in-line remote, I'm getting it for review toward the end of this week. Going a little higher in price you have Ostry KC06A and Audio Technica ATH-IM50 (with removable cables). Hitting $100, you have a great choice of Beyer DX 160 or Brainwavz S5.

Thanks
vectron said:
What is your budget? Your price spread is from $25 to $125 (Beyer phones are over $100). If you are constantly on the go and prone to loosing your headphones, I wouldn't invest into anything expensive. Stay within good value budget so if you loose it - it's easier to replace without breaking a bank. Klipsch quality went down. Shure lower price model is a junk. Except for E10, I'm not too familiar with others but see reviews with a mixed bag of comments.
If you want to stay on the budget in $25-$35 range, Pistons 2 and E10 are great. Btw, Soundmagic just released E10S version with in-line remote, I'm getting it for review toward the end of this week. Going a little higher in price you have Ostry KC06A and Audio Technica ATH-IM50 (with removable cables). Hitting $100, you have a great choice of Beyer DX 160 or Brainwavz S5.
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Thank you for your response and I will look into the suggestions you have made. I would also like to inquire as to how well these headphones would handle use during sports like jogging. Your advise is very much appreciated.

When you a dealing with this type of wire down headphones (versus wire over the year or with removable in-/over-ear stabilizers), the fitment while you are exercising will depend on how well eartip is jammed into your ear If you are using Comply foam tips, they expand creating a great inner ear seal and hold earpieces secure. BUT a big drawback with Comply tips is their superior noise isolation which cuts down on your awareness when outside running/exercising/cycling, etc.
For exercising and great sound quality, I would highly recommend Monster iSport Victory (look up in my list, I reviewed those as well). Totally forgot to mention about those, but their sound quality is on part with DX 160ie, and they got in-ear stabilizer. The neon green one is on amazon for $118, the same price as DX 160ie.

[Q] Klipsch X10 v X11i In-Ear

Hi all,
Was hoping to get some advice on headphones here. I'm looking at getting the Klipsch X10 v. X11i
I can get the discontinued X10's for pretty cheap, about $50 less than the X11i's but I was wondering if the X11i are worth the extra investment? If I can get pretty much the same headphones for $50 less that would be great. I just don't know enough about the technical specs etc to know whether The X11i are THAT much better than the X11i. I have a pair of S4 Klipsch right now and they have been great, but definitely looking for that next level headphone for my music Any advice is great!
Thanks

The first thing to ask yourself is where your S4's are lacking TO YOU.
My experience with Klipsch S4 was that the bass spilled into the mids too much, the highs weren't very detailed, and they still somehow managed to not go as deep in the bass as I wanted. Worse, the strain reliefs were very weak and the cable was prone to breaking.
Given that, my requirements when I replaced mine were removable cables, better details in the highs, but a focus on mids with a strong bass presence that didn't spill over. Combining that with my $100 budget led me to Shure SE215s.
Your wants may be different. Don't lock yourself into Klipsch. They're a great brand, but with headphones you can often find something more suitable for the same price.
For recommendations better tailored to your needs, please see my guide, copy the recommendation form, and be sure to mention what you would like to be better in your S4s.
Lastly, read lots of reviews before you finally purchase. Make sure some of the reviews are very recent (sometimes problems are fixed that may have turned you away from them upon initial release).
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

I have to agree, after awhile when I started to review more headphones, S4 went down in value/sound quality. X10 and X11 are plagued with build quality problems. Removable cable is a plus, and in sub $100 category you have SE215 and ATH-IM50 (waiting to get M50 for review soon). Other two, which have been the latest hype on head-fi, are Ostry KC06 and KC06A (A ver has more bass) and Zero Audio Tenore - also planing to review both Ostry and ZA within a month. Those are in sub $60 category, though cables are not removable, and supposed to have sound quality of $150-$200 range premium headphones. The only problem dealing with small Chinese and/or Japanese brand names, you have to buy them from overseas and typically can't apply warranty if you are in US.
As Jeremy suggested, visit his page and fill out the headphone form to get a suggestion Also, if you have 20 hours to kill, visit head-fi.org

vectron said:
I have to agree, after awhile when I started to review more headphones, S4 went down in value/sound quality. X10 and X11 are plagued with build quality problems. Removable cable is a plus, and in sub $100 category you have SE215 and ATH-IM50 (waiting to get M50 for review soon). Other two, which have been the latest hype on head-fi, are Ostry KC06 and KC06A (A ver has more bass) and Zero Audio Tenore - also planing to review both Ostry and ZA within a month. Those are in sub $60 category, though cables are not removable, and supposed to have sound quality of $150-$200 range premium headphones. The only problem dealing with small Chinese and/or Japanese brand names, you have to buy them from overseas and typically can't apply warranty if you are in US.
As Jeremy suggested, visit his page and fill out the headphone form to get a suggestion Also, if you have 20 hours to kill, visit head-fi.org
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20 hours or $20k? Lol
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Both
jRi0T68 said:
20 hours or $20k? Lol
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Thanks to all of you for the suggestions. Part of the reason I am so drawn to the Klipsch is because I've had a great feel inside of my ear from their ear bud tips. I've never been able to sit that long with ear buds in without having pain or soreness but with klipsch I could wear them all day. I will look into other options for sure! It's an investment that I don't want to make lightly, because I love my headphones. Thanks a lot
Sent from my HTC One_M8

Foam ear tips should be infinitely more comfortable.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Couple of things: I assume foam tips are something that I buy as an add on/ accessory? And I am a bit overwhelmed with trying to find a pair that will be best for me, if you don't mind @jRi0T68 could you comment on what aspects of a headphone I should look for based on the following:
1) I love the sound of instruments, especially guitar. I listen to metal, and I enjoy both the high frequencies and the lower frequency/ heavier riffs
2) bass is not as important for me, although I do listen to electronic music every now and again.
3) vocal clarity is something I like also, but not as much as the sound of the guitars
In terms of "mid range" and treble etc. what should I be looking for? I read your guide but I'm still finding that I don't know what I'm looking for lol. Thanks so much for your help

I'd say you're looking for bright highs without sibilance, warm detailed mids, and bass texture over bass quantity.
What's your budget?
What do you use as a player? What file types?
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
I'd say you're looking for bright highs without sibilance, warm detailed mids, and bass texture over bass quantity.
What's your budget?
What do you use as a player? What file types?
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Cannot thank you enough for the help. My Budget is around $200 +/- and I'm using google play, 320kbps bit rate on my HTC One M8. And I think google play uses mp3 format

I will take a shot with my recommendation - HiFiMAN RE400 ($99), neutral detailed warm sound, not too bright, great clarity and separation, not too much bass - but very detailed quality. Comes with a ton of eartips including double-flange type (you will feel right like at home with these after using Klipsch), some custom eartips, and even two pairs of premium Comply tips. Also, this is their new production batch with improved reliability. I reviewed it here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2748643

vectron said:
I will take a shot with my recommendation - HiFiMAN RE400 ($99), neutral detailed warm sound, not too bright, great clarity and separation, not too much bass - but very detailed quality. Comes with a ton of eartips including double-flange type (you will feel right like at home with these after using Klipsch), some custom eartips, and even two pairs of premium Comply tips. Also, this is their new production batch with improved reliability. I reviewed it here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2748643
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Great review. And thanks for the recommendation. I can't believe those are $99 they have received great reviews and sound exactly like what I want in a headphone according to jriot. I am a bit concerned about how large they look compared to my s4i though. I wear my headphones for hours at a time and really dislike having a sore ear when I take them out. Can you speak to that a little bit, your experience with their size?
Sent from my HTC One_M8

Aside from Klipsch small design, these are among the smallest shells you can find. I zoom in a lot in my pictures

In addition to RE400, my search based on your criteria leads me to suggest T-Peos H100 or H200. Based solely on reviews, they sound like something I would enjoy if I had your preferences. Definitely worth looking into.
There are also IEMs like Vsonic GR07 or GR01 that might be what you're looking for. You'd need to prepare for a big loss in bass punch but added clarity.
Dunu DN-1000 might also suit you as a bassy iem that improves a lot on the clarity that is missing desperately from Klipsch S4.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Thanks for all the recommendations. I cruised over the head-fi and posted on their rec forum and got a few suggestions, one of which being the HiFiMan RE-400's but also Etymotic. I ended up buying the Etymotic hf5's for $100 on Amazon. So far so good, I can't believe some of the sounds I was missing with some of my metal songs. There are some notes as well as some synth in there i was completely missing before haha. Amazing what a decent set of IEMs can do for your music experience. And for $100, can't beat that!
Thanks for all the advice!

TheEmpyre said:
Thanks for all the recommendations. I cruised over the head-fi and posted on their rec forum and got a few suggestions, one of which being the HiFiMan RE-400's but also Etymotic. I ended up buying the Etymotic hf5's for $100 on Amazon. So far so good, I can't believe some of the sounds I was missing with some of my metal songs. There are some notes as well as some synth in there i was completely missing before haha. Amazing what a decent set of IEMs can do for your music experience. And for $100, can't beat that!
Thanks for all the advice!
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Good to hear!
Next steps:
Neutron music player
Flac files
You'll be surprised.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Good to hear!
Next steps:
Neutron music player
Flac files
You'll be surprised.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Click to collapse
I was just looking into FLAC tonight, I'm totally hosed though because I don't have a CD drive to rip my old CD's anymore, and everything I use is digital music subscription services now. I've done a minimal amount of searching so far but I'm sure theres alternatives out there (legal ones).

I'll just say that I don't mind going the way of unauthorized music distribution when I've already bought the music in a different format.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
I'll just say that I don't mind going the way of unauthorized music distribution when I've already bought the music in a different format.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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I have long held that same belief, because what makes that different than a "personal backup" but ultimately with your every move tracked on the internets these days, I have become paranoid lol

Need recommendation for over-the-ear behind-neck bluetooth headset

OK. I am looking for a nice bluetooth headset that hits the below criteria. Please let me know if you have any recommendations!
Decent battery life - over 6 hours of use preferred
Clear sound
Good/deep bass reproduction
mic for voice/phone calls (this is not as important as audio sound)
Over-the-ear style - no in-ear suggestion please. Tried many, dont like them.
Behind neck style band (NOT over the top of your head like many are)
Price range between $70 or less and max of $100
Ones I have tried:
Motorola S305 - Not near enough bass or sound volume.
Rocketfish RF-MAB2 - Pretty damn near perfect... great bass! Ear pad broke on one side and there arent replacements for them. Model is discontinued. They didnt fit quite well enough though on my ears. Usually sat at an odd angle.
Motorola S10 and S9 - OUCH! Heavy and hurt my ears. YUCK.
Fire away!
Thanks!

GlitterKill said:
OK. I am looking for a nice bluetooth headset that hits the below criteria. Please let me know if you have any recommendations!
Decent battery life - over 6 hours of use preferred
Clear sound
Good/deep bass reproduction
mic for voice/phone calls (this is not as important as audio sound)
Over-the-ear style - no in-ear suggestion please. Tried many, dont like them.
Behind neck style band (NOT over the top of your head like many are)
Price range between $70 or less and max of $100
Ones I have tried:
Motorola S305 - Not near enough bass or sound volume.
Rocketfish RF-MAB2 - Pretty damn near perfect... great bass! Ear pad broke on one side and there arent replacements for them. Model is discontinued. They didnt fit quite well enough though on my ears. Usually sat at an odd angle.
Motorola S10 and S9 - OUCH! Heavy and hurt my ears. YUCK.
Fire away!
Thanks!
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A bit over your budgets, but here you go: http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/backbeat-fit
Everything else will fall into a cheap category...

vectron said:
A bit over your budgets, but here you go: http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/backbeat-fit
Everything else will fall into a cheap category...
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Thanks! Was just looking for some new leads to research before making a purchase. I may be able to swing these. VERY NICE.

GlitterKill said:
Thanks! Was just looking for some new leads to research before making a purchase. I may be able to swing these. VERY NICE.
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If you get it, let us know how they are. And these are not that good, always great to buy it on amazon so you can return it back