The Right Earbuds for You
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
It’s a common dilemma: you know you don’t want the earbuds that go with your MP3 player or phone, but the headphone aisle has an intimidating array of choices. Which ones are right for you? Here we look at three different types of earbuds and what type of lifestyle they suit best.
Music Lover’s Choice: If you are always disappointed by the sound quality in earbuds, there is finally an answer. The Scosche IDR350M are a well rounded choice that will satisfy your need for clear sound and bass. Not only do these earbuds give great sound, they are affordable, usable, and attractive. They offer all the frills you could ask for and more, including several color choices and a variety of interchangeable faceplates. Not only are they attractive and highly customizable, they are comfortable and offer several different ear tips to ensure that you get the right fit. They stay put well enough to wear during exercise and other physical activity, but listening to songs with bass is where they really shine. At $24, they are a bargain.
Perfect for Runners and the Gym: If you are looking for earbuds that can keep up with your busy lifestyle, you’ll be happy to hear about the UrbanEars Medis. These headphones are made for high levels of movement. In fact, they aren’t even really earbuds, although they have the same basic design. The earpiece itself is not really a ‘bud’ at all, instead more of a disc shape with a rubber piece that keeps them in place. This design ensures that they do not move at all, even in the most strenuous activity, which makes them a great choice for exercise and running. However, this revolutionary design is one of their biggest downfalls as well. Although they only partially insert into the ear, UrbanEars Medis become uncomfortable after about an hour of wear. This makes them a bad choice for more continuous wear and any activity where staying put is not the highest priority.
The Everyday Favorites: The Wicked Empire Lucky Earbuds are the most simple of our three, with a rather standard design and no interested color plates or frills. They are exactly what you would expect of reasonably priced earbuds—nothing more and nothing less. The bass is not impressive, but good enough for everyday listening. The sound is relatively realistic, although the bass gets a little distorted at the highest volumes. These buds will stay in your ears while you perform everyday activities and they are comfortable enough that you won’t mind them. These aren’t the most impressive earbuds on the market, but they are better than Apple’s earbuds and have a price that even tightwads can love. Although these are bargain earbuds, they are attractive in a sleek black with an eight ball design on each one.
There are enough earbuds on the market that it can be difficult to narrow down the selection. Hopefully this guide makes it easy to find the earbuds that are best suited to your lifestyle.