earbuds coming-please help!!!

[banffsnowguy]

good morning...newbie here first post. i imported my ipod mini into canada just two weeks ago.ordered myself a case and bought the apple remote for it. it's primary use is for snowboarding.

please help me with my headphone choice. i have read through so many posts here and i am still unsure. ok...i bought the sony 71 headphones...loved the bass and sound but not the sound level. i found that when i used the ipod mini earbuds, i found a comfortable sound level at about half max volume. when i tried the sony ex71's, i found the sound to be so much better but i had to crank the volume to almost 3/4 to get the same sound level. i even had a friend and my girlfriend try the comparison and they agreed...you really had to crank the sony buds. so, i returned the sony buds and ordered the apple in ear buds. i checked my email from apple and they said i can only return the in ear buds if the package is unopeded. so...my question to you is...do you have to crank the volume on the in ear apple buds like the sony's or are they more like the original buds that came with my mini ipod. also, is the bass on the in ear buds actually noticeably different than the regular apple buds? how much better is the sound with the sony's? are the apple in ear buds as comfortable as the sony's?

please help this newbie out as i don't want to open the apple in ear bud package unless i am sure i am going to keep them.

thanks in advance for your help and responses,

david

[randombu]

I don't own them, but I read a review of the apple in-ear buds over on cnet somewhere that said they were problematic for use while excercising because the buds fall out/break their seal too easily.