'Phones for Working Out AND Use in Quiet Situations

[DvChWi]

Hello all,
Just got a new 40gb iPod and I'm loving it! However, I am now in need of some headphones. I have a pair of Grado SR-60s, which are great for home use, but are much to bulky for working out, and leak noise like mad, so they are useless for using in libraries and other places.

Keeping this in mind, I would like a pair of phones that will be lightweight and good for exercising, but also be decent sounding and quiet enough to be useful at school. I've considered canal phones, but they don't sound like they would work very well for exercising(microphonics, footsteps and heartbeats amplified, sweaty ears, ect.) I've owned a pair of Sony behind the necks that worked great, but the sound quality was lacking sorely. Now, I'm considering the Koss KSC 55 behind the necks, but I have read reviews that seem to indicate that they leak sound.

So, does anyone have a solution to my dilemna, preferably one that only involves buying set of 'phones? I want to be able to through one set of 'phones into my backback and be set for the day. Thanks for your help.

[MagicChicken]

I own a pair of Sony MDREX51LP in-ear headphones and I love them. I can barely hear anything but the loudest noises once they're tightly fit into my ears.

I think they are great for jogging since I don't hear any footsteps. Of course intense physical activity will increase your heart rate, but I haven't noticed any "amplification". I've never had sweaty ears either... The headphones stay firmly in place as long as I don't (accidentally) pull the cord.

[gillrichard]

I generally find that noise leakage is less prominent with earphones that have inserts...they are closed to the ear drum and therefore need a lot less volume to achieve the same level in your ear. This means less noise around.

Sony do a full price range of in-ear ones from about ??15 (small insert) to ??50 for a mush larger (although comfy) insert.

[DvChWi]

I've looked at the Sonys, but I just assumed they would have the same issues that people have reported with the Shure and Etymotic phones when it comes to exercise. Has anyone who has heard the Grado SR-60s compare them with these Sony( and Koss) models? I know they probably won't be as good, but I'd like to know if they at least come close enoguh.

[jngrossmann]

Sony's behind the ear phones are extremely good for excersizing. If you can spare the us$10, I suggest you get the behind the ear phones and get a separate pair for relaxing.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384802735&skuId=4294285&type=product