What's The Most You'll Pay For Earphones?

[civiclx]

I've been checking out some reviews on cnet.com and I'm interested in the Ultimate Ears superfi.5 PRO but I can't see spending $150+ on earphones. My untrained ears probably couldn't tell much of a difference between $50 earphones and $150 earphones so I'm hesitant to spend too much. How much are you guys willing to spend for good earphones?

[M Polo]

I just spent my limit of $150 for my Etymotic ER-4P's and that was after $25 Amazon gift certificate.

My hand was shaking enough as I clicked the confirm order button at $150, lolol. I can't imagine spending more. I dropped $80 on my Grado SR60's and thought I was crazy then.

[Code Monkey]

The big qualifier to earphone value is their durability. The most I've paid to date is $124 for some Audio Technica ATH-EC7 clip earbuds. Amazing sound quality and amazing comfort but I succeeded in killing two sets (the second was "only" $114) in under two years. So now I've lowered my target and am working with $70 a pari Yuin PK2s, nearly as amazing sound and comfort but, hopefully, longer lasting for me, and even if they're not, significantly less painful to replace.

For me, it comes down to a cost over time issue. If I could be guranteed five years of hardcore daily use, I'd have no problem dropping as much as $300 on a pair of quality earphones.

[civiclx]

I just spent my limit of $150 for my Etymotic ER-4P's and that was after $25 Amazon gift certificate.

My hand was shaking enough as I clicked the confirm order button at $150, lolol. I can't imagine spending more. I dropped $80 on my Grado SR60's and thought I was crazy then.

lol I know what you mean. I get nervous just putting items in the shopping cart to get an idea on the price:D afraid I might click something I didn't want to and make an expensive mistake. well I think if I'm going to go with anything in the $150-$200, it will come down to the Shure E4-Cs and the UE superfi.5s. I was also thinking I could just start out with a cheaper pair for now, but I don't want to decide to upgrade later on so I might as well just get the best ones I can afford for right now.

durability, while I haven't given it much of a thought, will definitely be important. I believe both come with a 2 year limited warranty.

well thanks for the replies:)

[Sypher]

I've been checking out some reviews on cnet.com and I'm interested in the Ultimate Ears superfi.5 PRO but I can't see spending $150+ on earphones. My untrained ears probably couldn't tell much of a difference between $50 earphones and $150 earphones so I'm hesitant to spend too much. How much are you guys willing to spend for good earphones?

I would imagine that pretty much anyone can tell the difference between standard-ish earphones and higher-end ones - friends who try out my 5 pros are rather amazed by them. People flinch when they find out how much they cost, (.. I was given mine by a most kind person though :D) but, hypothetically, I'd rather have earphones which make listening to music a true pleasure rather than, I dunno, the clothes/shoes/nights out I would spend the money on otherwise. Also, considering you can spend upwards of $800 on headphones, $150 isn't that much :p

[M Polo]

I'm definitely happy with my ER-4P's! At first I thought it was crazy for canalphones BUT I tried to slip by and I paid $30 for some SkullCandy things and dear GOD were they awful. I've never heard something quite that bad in a headphone in my life. The $30 wasted experience there helped me big time in dropping the money for the Etymotic's.

Don't waste more money than you need to, research and spend the cash for what fits your taste. There is a difference!

[Signal to Noise]

Well I've bought both the UEs and Shures (see my sig) which means I spent over $300 CDN. Si I guess my limit would be around $300 to $400 depending on the phones and kind of reviews they get. I have no problem in paying for quality.

[SouthsideIrish]

I spent $499 plus another $39 for the microphone to go with it. I am happy with them. See sig.

[misper666]

I'm definitely happy with my ER-4P's! At first I thought it was crazy for canalphones BUT I tried to slip by and I paid $30 for some SkullCandy things and dear GOD were they awful. I've never heard something quite that bad in a headphone in my life. The $30 wasted experience there helped me big time in dropping the money for the Etymotic's.

Don't waste more money than you need to, research and spend the cash for what fits your taste. There is a difference!

in the uk ER4p's can be had for £160 - £170ish. that's probably my upper limit for canal phones.
i keep reading about how perfect the upper range IEM's are (custom moulds) but then i read negative things like people needing to get remoulds, ear shape changing minutely thus giving miniscule but noticeable change in sound. so the ER4p is probably the one - except that something really offends me paying that much for something so small, good as they are, they'll be subject to the same strain & abuse as the cheapest pair of earphones would be.

[Macromedia]

If I had the money, I would buy the UE 11pro at $1150.

[JazzyMac]

Check sig. I was tired of buying the iems that I had to keep adjusting to get it "just right". With customs, "they just fit". :)

[Reiki]

I spent $159 for the Super-Fi 5 Pros and $235 for the Westone UM2's. I'm waiting for the Westone 3's to debut and, while I'll wait an appropriate amount of time for them to be reviewed, I know i'm gonna drop $399 on them. Such is life.:shake: I'd spring for the custom UE-11 Pro but I had trouble with the fit on custom pieces I had made for the UM2 (UM56) and I figure it's not worth the hassle right now.

[camille]

I'm with JazzyMac. I couldn't stand getting a "Just right" fit from universal IEMs, so I went the custom route. $650 later, I still don't regret it (see sig). it's the be all and end all of earphones for me

[funkyg]

I just paid £60 for some ER6i's and love them to bits. My previous ones were the Sony MDR71's that I paid £30. The wife though the Sony's were expensive, I daren't tell her about the Ety's! I would have loved to get some ER4's but couldn't justify the £100 cost.

[yongkailoon]

Since I am just a student and I don't have that much cash, the most I am willing to fork out for a new pair of earphones will be around $30-35. Well, it will still perform better than the original iPod earphones right ? :)

[truckson]

The big qualifier to earphone value is their durability. The most I've paid to date is $124 for some Audio Technica ATH-EC7 clip earbuds. Amazing sound quality and amazing comfort.

I'll pay $150 for any high-end AT earphones.

In fact, you can get the Audio Technica earphones at better price now. I recently purchase the new Audio-Technica ATH-CM700 (http://www.warehouse123.com/ProductInfo.php?pid=AUTATHCM700-BRN) for less than $100. Sound is very detial and clear like crystal. I love the build quality of AT phones which look very solid!

[Code Monkey]

Well, just blew $173 of combined birthday money on some Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 pros, so I guess I've now set a new high of how much I'm willing to spend. Was able to convince myself to go this high because of their replaceable cord. Every dead head or earphone I've had is due to cord failure either at the jack or the earbud-cord interface and these are effectively immune from that so we'll see how their long term health holds up.

[N e s s]

I got my Shure for $70 and TriPort for $130, but I sold the latter off. My limit is probably around $200.

[v43]

I just picked up a pair of e500pth for 330 like another person said I had to force myself to just go ahead with the purchase.

I'll be getting them soon hopefully they'll be a great upgrade in terms of sound from my cx300 headphones and i'll be isolated from the rest of the world completely too :D.

I thought of getting something cheaper but the e4cs would have cost about 200 and not enough bass and the superfi 5pros at about the same price have a thin cord.

[Code Monkey]

... and the superfi 5pros at about the same price have a thin cord.The first produced ones did, not current production. I'd say they went too far in the opposite extreme - it's like speaker cable and not very flexible at all which makes it very easy to dislodge them without care.

[v43]

good to know

[captainnewbie]

I brought a pair of Super.fi 5EB's and can honestly say they're the worst headphones (definitely for the money) that I've ever heard.

How much would i spend? I don't no if these count for what you have in mind, but they are superb.

http://www.audiocubes.com/product/Stax_SR-001_MKII_System.html

and here they are in the flesh

http://headphonedeals.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/stax-in-packaging.JPG