Best headphones you've ever heard/used

Concerning the in-ear phones, I own the Etymotic ER-4P and the ER-4S. Both models are highly regarded by the folks at Headroom.com. However, I recently bought another in-ear phone--the Shure E2c. They are now my favorites.

1. They seem more durable than the Etymotics
2. Everytime you move your head or move the cable, the Etymotics rumble; the Shures are quiet.
3. The Shures cost only $100 new.
4. The Shures are less colored as measured by an electrical engineer named Siegfried Linkwitz.

Here is a quote from his website:

"There are definite differences between the three earphones that I tested, though not so much in their sound, if you equalize two of them. The ER-4S definitely need equalization, otherwise their sound is quite colored, which is easy to spot on most recordings. The MDR-EX71SL could almost be used without equalization since the canal resonance shows only on certain program material. This might be acceptable for general listening but not for use as a sound reference. The E2 meets my sonic requirements right out of the box. These are the sturdiest phones of the three in all aspects. Vibration transfer from the cable is low, on par with the Sony and far better than the Etymotic. Sound isolation against ambient noise is not quite as high as for the ER-4S, but higher than with the EX71SL. The $100 price tag of the E2 falls between the EX71SL at $50 and the ER-4S at $270.

I want to emphasize that anyone who makes critical evaluations of loudspeakers needs to know the quality of his source material. Any one of the three earphones that I investigated can become a useful reference transducer."

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/reference_earphones.htm

One drawback to the Shures for my ear canals is that the Shures do not fit inside the canals as well. So I take the silicone inserts from the Etymotics and put them on the Shures. Voila! The fit is great FOR MY EAR ANATOMY. YMMV.
But you can buy the inserts directly from Etymotic for $14 for 5 pairs. Etymotic calls them Flanged Eartips.

Good luck.
Jon

I would definitely not recommend the EX71SL. I bought these headphones and I found them very muddied. The midrange is completely butchered. The bass is satisfying once you get a seal but the sound is just... horrible. What a waste of $50.
The etymotics are better, I havent heard shures, but they're supposed to be good. Basically you do compromise on any of these mini-phones, no doubt about it. Id pick the sub $200 HD-580 over the top of the line etymotics any day of the week. The Etymotics are still the best I've heard in a small package.
For at home listening, I would pick (in this order) the Sennheiser HD650, the HD600, the HD580 or the Grado SR-125 (havent heard any of the higher end grado's but I assume they'd be move up the quality range just like the sennheisers do.) I dont like any of the new Sennheisers as much (the 590s, etc.)
My opinion is stay away from Sony. At every price range above $40, someone makes a better set of headphones for the same cost.
Of course I haven't heard mega-buck 'phones like the Stax, so my choices are in the under-$500 category.
Also if your budget permits, buy a headphone amp. It opens up the music tremendously. Even the battery powered Airhead will greatly improve your iPod listening experience.

>>Id pick the sub $200 HD-580 over the top of the line etymotics any day of the week.<<

I know where you can get HD-580's for around $150. I own these and they are excellent headphones and an excellent value -- BUT -- when I tried to use them on an airplane, I couldn't hear anything -- even at top volume. This is because they are open backed, which lets sound in and out -- the noise coming in from the Jet drowns out the sound from the headphones. This is why I purchased the Sennheiser 280 Pro's. They are closed. Now, I have purchased the Shure E3's to compare, but I haven't flown with them yet. Having heard my Sennheiser 280 Pro's on an airplane against the Bose, I think I can safely say you don't have to give any money to Bose. The web-site I posted has the Etymotics for $219. I believe that if you go for a closed back headphone like the Sennheiser 280 Pro's or an insertion type earphone like the Shures or Etymotics, you don't need to go the "noise cancelling" route.

Bose -- $299

Etymotic -- $219

Shure E3 -- $179

Sennheiser 280 Pro -- $100

Shure E2 -- $100

Hi,

I enjoy my Senn 600's at home and work, but they are not practical to travel with. I tried the Ety's and they did not fit my ears at all, they hurt and did not seal the canal properly so I returned them. I now use Grado SR60's when I'm traveling; they fold flat and fit in my laptop case, are comfortable, sound pretty damned good, and cost $60. I fly 100,000 miles a year, I'm always open to new cans for traveling but cannot use in-ear headphones.

Best, Jeff

I've been listening to my Shure E3's against my Sennheiser HD580's. I've got to say the Shure E3's are superior to the Sennheiser 580's. The Shure's are more dynamic, fluid, more definition, and, for want of a better word, more fun. With the E3's in, my head is bobbing, when the 580's are on, it isn't -- the "head-bob" test is a biggie with me.