Looks can be deceiving. A big headphone doesn't equate big sound. Quite the opposite; most full size headphones will require some sort of amplification to sound good. The high-end in-ear earphones we sell are very different in that regard as well. They are extremely efficient and, because of the added benefit of the isolation, you will probably need half the volume setting with an in-ear earphone than with regular headphones for them to output the same volume.
With in-ear earphones (also called canal phones) the sound is inside your head rather than coming from right and left. It's a very distinguished experience in itself. In-ear earphones will not require any kind of amplification and we recommend caution when trying to get an amp as most will add hissing to the sound. The in-ear earphones are small only in size. Their sound is MUCH bigger than a full size headphone.
We believe that the top of the line headphones are the ones that have the greatest performance without distracting us from what really matters, the sound. In-ear earphones are almost invisible and many times lighter than a full size headphone. Their sound will never be comprehended until you listen to them. These in-ear earphones utilize a different technology. A full size headphone is comprised of dynamic speakers much like your stereo speakers. The high-end in-ear earphones we promote at Earphone Solutions utilize micro drivers called "balanced armature drivers" that work like a tuning fork rather than a moving woofer cone. The micro balanced armature drivers are a very hi-tech piece of hardware that are only made in two countries in Europe and in the USA.
High profile artists use these high-end earphones not only for stage monitoring but for their personal listening as well. They all own iPods and they all have two things in common: they can buy anything they want and they all use the in-ear balanced armature drivers earphones -- not to be confused with cheap earphones that come with the iPod -- two completely different technologies; stock iPod earbuds and all of the earbuds sold at big box retail stores are all mini dynamic speakers that can be bought by the tens of thousand for $0.50 each from Chinese distributors!
Going back to our ranking, our first place goes to the New Westone 3 ($399.00). The Westone 3 is the first TRUE 3-WAY Triple-Driver earphones. It has 3 distinct drivers each handling one frequency range: highs, mids and lows. The SE530-PTH in contrast was a triple driver earphone in a 2-way configuration (discontinued as of May 1, 2010).  .=They both have 3 micro balanced armature drivers inside each earpiece. The sound is unbelievably detailed. Comfort and fit are only second to the Westone 2. What I really like about them, is that unlike full size headphones, these will isolate up to 44db (compare that to 24db with the Bose Quiet Comfort) allowing you to listen to your music at a much lower volume setting and still providing lots of output volume with extreme detail. You could never get this combination with headphones.
The Westone 2 headphone ($249.00). The Westone 2 outputs a warm, balanced sound with stronger bass presence. It's one of the favorite of joggers and gym nuts :) (myself included).
An awesome entry point is the Westone 1 ($139) which will give you excellent sound, excellent comfort and fit at an affordable price.
All the above models offer far superior isolation than the Bose noise cancellation headphone. The Shure and the Westone in-ear earphones will isolate up to 44db of external noise while the Bose will cancel only up to 26db.
When it comes to isolation, nothing can touch "ear canal" earbuds. For this reason and the obvious difference in size, the in-ear earphones are also by far the best choice for frequent flyers and frequent subway, train and bus commuters.
If you are looking for the headphone with the most comfortable fit, the Westone 1 headphone is your ticket. We also recommend them for children and people with small ear canals.
If you are a bass lover, nothing will beat the IE8.
If you are looking for the most comfortable and that will stay in your ear while running, you can't go wrong with any of the Shure models and any of the Westone earphones. Top sound quality can be found on the Westone 3. If you are looking for less expensive options but that would work perfectly for jogging, the Westone 1 and Shure SE210 would be on the top of my list.
We hope you enjoy our ranking!
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