Bose earbuds for iPod...are they worth it?

[tlongII]

For some reason, I've never found ear buds to be comfortable, nor could find any that wold stay in. Ever with cell phones, I've always preferred the over the head earpieces. Not to mention that 80% of the time I'm using my iPod, I'm working out.

My sister bought me a pair of the Bose and they're nicer than what I usually use, but I just don't use them that often.

This is true. What I like for workouts is ear buds that are connected to an over the head frame. That is what works best for me.

[exstatic]

Bose has been living off their name for about 20 years.

[koopa]

wow, why would anyone pay 100 bucks for ear buds?? i bought some for 5 bucks today at wal mart and they do the exact same as those probably

[SpursWoman]

For some reason, I've never found ear buds to be comfortable, nor could find any that wold stay in. Ever with cell phones, I've always preferred the over the head earpieces. Not to mention that 80% of the time I'm using my iPod, I'm working out.

My sister bought me a pair of the Bose and they're nicer than what I usually use, but I just don't use them that often.

Me, either. I don't know if its because my ear openings are particularly small or what, but buds cause actual pain in my ears. Sony makes a pair that has a very slim piece that fits into your ear (no pad thingys) and is connected to a head band that is very comfortable and sweat-friendly when you're working out...and the sound is great. They also fold up, which is pretty cool. They are like $10.

[ShoogarBear]

Me, either. I don't know if its because my ear openings are particularly small or what, but buds cause actual pain in my ears. Sony makes a pair that has a very slim piece that fits into your ear (no pad thingys) and is connected to a head band that is very comfortable and sweat-friendly when you're working out...and the sound is great. They also fold up, which is pretty cool. They are like $10.

You know what they say about the size of a woman's ear openings . . .

[CuckingFunt]

Me, either. I don't know if its because my ear openings are particularly small or what, but buds cause actual pain in my ears. Sony makes a pair that has a very slim piece that fits into your ear (no pad thingys) and is connected to a head band that is very comfortable and sweat-friendly when you're working out...and the sound is great. They also fold up, which is pretty cool. They are like $10.

Most ear buds do the same to me, but I bought these when I got my iPod and I absolutely love them. About $20, they don't fall out, they don't hurt, and they sound great.

[Cry Havoc]

I see that I need to educate you a little bit. The noise cancelling Bose headphones are excellent. How they do it is by taking the signal generated by the external environment and inverting it. This "inverse" signal is then directed into the headphones which effectively "cancels" out the external noise. When you combine a signal with its inverse signal the result is zero. That is why it works. It's actually rather remarkable. This technique works better with low frequency noise than high frequency noise though as it is difficult to produce the inverse of the high frequency (faster) noise and direct it into the headphones in time to cancel the external noise most effectively. I think Bose patented this technique and it is just one example of the fine engineering work they do. Are Bose products overpriced? Maybe, but there is no question that they make quality stuff.

Even if I gave you an optimal scenario with absolutely PERFECT active noise cancellation (not possible), you are still going to be paying for that noise cancellation technology. Which means less of the $$$ you spend on the headphone goes towards sound quality. It also means that you are either going to have to A) sacrifice higher quality parts to offset the weight of the noise cancellation or B) have heavier headphones due to the added weight.

And I have not stated that Bose headphones are poor quality. But for the price, they can be beaten in sound quality by a headphone that costs half the price, or less. Denon 1000s are considered superior to any Bose headphones on the market, at least according to audiophiles. But what do they know? They've only been listening (some of them) for decades and have tens of thousands of dollars in audio equipment. They could care less about the relative price, as an extra $300 for a set of headphones is nothing to them, and still the Bose is judged to be of inferior sound quality. Which is not to say they suck, just that they are not as good, point blank.

This is all assuming that the noise cancellation is perfect. But it's not. Any time you are diminishing noise, you are taking a chance that the sound you are attempting to be listening to will be lessened as well.

Again, there are benefits to active noise cancellation. However, for people on a budget, Bose just cannot be recommended.

[Cry Havoc]

For some reason, I've never found ear buds to be comfortable, nor could find any that wold stay in. Ever with cell phones, I've always preferred the over the head earpieces. Not to mention that 80% of the time I'm using my iPod, I'm working out.

My sister bought me a pair of the Bose and they're nicer than what I usually use, but I just don't use them that often.

Ever used a pair of high quality ($120+) canalphones or IEMs? They stay in your ear much better as long as the cord isn't yanked on.

[ShoogarBear]

Ever used a pair of high quality ($120+) canalphones or IEMs? They stay in your ear much better as long as the cord isn't yanked on.

Problem is, my cord is always getting yanked.




(I mean, I'm usually working out in them. )

[tlongII]

Problem is, my cord is always getting yanked.




(I mean, I'm usually working out in them. )

Ya, suuuuuuuuure.

[tlongII]

Even if I gave you an optimal scenario with absolutely PERFECT active noise cancellation (not possible), you are still going to be paying for that noise cancellation technology. Which means less of the $$$ you spend on the headphone goes towards sound quality. It also means that you are either going to have to A) sacrifice higher quality parts to offset the weight of the noise cancellation or B) have heavier headphones due to the added weight.

And I have not stated that Bose headphones are poor quality. But for the price, they can be beaten in sound quality by a headphone that costs half the price, or less. Denon 1000s are considered superior to any Bose headphones on the market, at least according to audiophiles. But what do they know? They've only been listening (some of them) for decades and have tens of thousands of dollars in audio equipment. They could care less about the relative price, as an extra $300 for a set of headphones is nothing to them, and still the Bose is judged to be of inferior sound quality. Which is not to say they suck, just that they are not as good, point blank.

This is all assuming that the noise cancellation is perfect. But it's not. Any time you are diminishing noise, you are taking a chance that the sound you are attempting to be listening to will be lessened as well.

Again, there are benefits to active noise cancellation. However, for people on a budget, Bose just cannot be recommended.

Dude, I suggest you investigate the frequencies that the human ear is able to recognize.

[SpursWoman]

You know what they say about the size of a woman's ear openings . . .

It's true.

[Cry Havoc]

Dude, I suggest you investigate the frequencies that the human ear is able to recognize.

And I suggest you stop parroting stuff you've heard on a Bose store tour.

Or better yet! Why don't you go on head-fi and attempt to explain how superior Bose headphones are. Please, by all means, try that. If you're really convinced they're so good, you should definitely step up to the plate.

[Thunder Dan]

Bose is so overrated it is funny.

I know. People hear 'Bose' and they think it's the best there is becasue of the price. I was given a pair of their noise cancelling ear phones (over the ear ones) as a gift last year and they were alright....nothing great. I think Shure makes a much better product and they don't charge you for the name on the box. They also have a better warranty than Bose. I stepped on my earphones and crushed the ear cylinder in October. I sent them back and recieved a brand new pair within 2 weeks with no hassle.

http://shure.com/PersonalAudio/Produ..._se110_content

[L.I.T]

And I suggest you stop parroting stuff you've heard on a Bose store tour.

Or better yet! Why don't you go on head-fi and attempt to explain how superior Bose headphones are. Please, by all means, try that. If you're really convinced they're so good, you should definitely step up to the plate.

The deficiencies of Bose only show up when you listen to a pair of Grados or mid-end Senns or any decent headphone. Until then, their piercing highs, recessed/hollow mids and lovely flabby bass sound great.

Even in active noise cancellation headphones I think they've fallen behind Sennheisers new offerings.

[ATRAIN]

These are the ones that I havehttp://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1155848368219 . They are pretty good for sound and price, my only problem is the chord is longer on the right side (meant for over the back for working out).

[BeerIsGood!]

I personally like the Denons. I've used Denons for a while now and have no desire to pony up an extra few hundered to get something that will sound marginally better.

[Cry Havoc]

I personally like the Denons. I've used Denons for a while now and have no desire to pony up an extra few hundered to get something that will sound marginally better.

Well, yes. To a point, you experience diminishing returns with a certain level of audio equipment. I mean, $1000 headphones do not sound significantly better than a pair of $300 headphones for the average person to justify the cost.

However, the difference between a set of $130 canal phones or IEMs and proprietary earbuds that come with the iPod is massive. Considering that headphones will last you at least 5 years if you take care of them, 5 years divided by 130 is $26, or just over $2 per month. Hardly a lot of money to pay for superior audio quality. The extreme high-end gear like the top of the line Ultimate Ears or Sony's are for enthusiasts and audiophiles, so of course they won't be worth it for the average person, just like ponying up the cash for a direct port nitrous system and a tuned suspension isn't for anyone.

[usckk]

Here's basically the deal with headphone:

1) If you want to use them while your walking, get canal or earbuds. Otherwise get cans, ones that cover your entire ear.

2) If you want cans, you then have to decide when and where you are going to us them. If you are going to travel with them, get noise-canceling ones. If not, get non-canceling ones as they are probably cheaper and the sound quality is better.

3) If you want noise-canceling ones, you have two more choices depending on your budget. If you want good, reasonably priced ones, get Sennheiser. However, if you have the money, get Bose ones. Their active-canceling ability is better (less white-noise) than Sennheiser.

[usckk]

P.S. Cry Havoc, I know that active noise-canceling headphones reduces sound quality. But would you agree that if you travel a lot on planes, active noise-canceling headphones would be worth getting?

[Ronaldo McDonald]

i don't care what anyone says 100 dollars for heaphones is too much money. It's a rip-off. they'd still be making huge profit if they cut the price by 50%...

[Cry Havoc]

i don't care what anyone says 100 dollars for heaphones is too much money. It's a rip-off. they'd still be making huge profit if they cut the price by 50%...

Yes, because we all know that advanced sound technology is a cheap endeavor to research and develop for.

I mean, making a TINY speaker system that is able to produce a range of frequencies that equals that of human hearing, to do it regularly and improve upon it with new technology, 2 years at a junior college should be enough to get that done!

Let's see you build a speaker about the size of a small person's pinky finger, manufacture it so that it's A) reliable, B) produces good bass, mids, and highs, and C) is comfortable to wear. Now keep in mind, if your speaker produces a lot of sibilance, if it overemphasizes a particular side of the music, or if it just falls out of people's ears, no one is going to buy it.

Also keep in mind that unless you are Bose, Shure, or Sennheiser, you're a small company (at best) with a constrained budget who has to not only sell headphones, but turn a profit.

$100 for a processor is just too much money. Everyone knows they're all the same. And they're so tiny! They obviously aren't too complex.

$500 for a guitar is too much money. It's just a piece of wood!

$10,000 for a harp is too much money. They're just a bunch of strings attached to a funny shaped frame!

Come on now. I understand -why- you would think something like that. But why spew so much about a subject you clearly have no knowledge of?

As an added bonus, you do realize that 99% of all companies (aside from non-profits) on the FACE OF THE EARTH are out to make... yes.... a profit, right? That means YES, you are paying for more than what you get. Shocker.

P.S. Cry Havoc, I know that active noise-canceling headphones reduces sound quality. But would you agree that if you travel a lot on planes, active noise-canceling headphones would be worth getting?

Active noise canceling is not the only method for reducing external sound. Almost all headphone manufacturers produce what is known as a "closed" headphone. This is simply a headphone constructed of more resistant materials (i.e., they don't transmit sound as readily through the material). These can produce extremely high quality audio experiences without sacrificing comfort, durability, or sound quality, provided you buy the right pair. Will they be perfectly silent? Probably not. But they'll knock out almost all sound, and your music will most likely block a lot of it anyway.

In that stead, the Sennheiser HD-25-Is are a very good buy.

[slayermin]

The newer style Apple earbuds are awesome.

I recently bought a pair of Bose over ear headphones and I returned them the next day. They do reduce outside noise but not enough to merit the $80 difference of my Sony headphones.

[Cry Havoc]

The newer style Apple earbuds are awesome.

I recently bought a pair of Bose over ear headphones and I returned them the next day. They do reduce outside noise but not enough to merit the $80 difference of my Sony headphones.

You should try some quality headphones from Grado, Sennheiser, or Denon.

[usckk]

So your saying that noise canceling headphones have ZERO benefit at all? I own two: Sennheiser PX250 (for more mobile, and portable use) and Bose QC2 (for home use).