Suggest in-ear headphones that *really* block out...

N

nogglefish

CAGiversary!
Can anyone suggest a pair of in-ear headphones that REALLY block out outside noise?

I have JBuds J2 buds and a set of sensenheiser buds that sound great, but do not get a REAL tight seal. I need these for wearing on the train - I am looking for something close to what a pair of foam earplugs do.

Thanks for reading!
 
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I got a set from Costco that use rubber pads and the largest size completely seals my ears. It was actually an air-tight fit for me which I don't find comfortable but may be just what you're looking for
 
I won't recommend these on the quality (Sony 51s are my favorite, but those Costco ones look really nice), but you can get Koss "The Plug".

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If you're looking for something similar to foam earplugs, these are pretty much exactly that: foam earplugs with a small tube-hole in them for the sound. There are even instructions on the net that show you how to mod store-bought earplugs onto these for more comfort and replacement needs.

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-Plug-Por...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1231019194&sr=1-1
 
I would definitely suggest going with shure. My pair almost block out too much. They come with different size foam and rubber inserts so you can get the best fit possible.
 
Go with Shure, the most expensive model you can afford. Keep in mind MSRP is not what they actually sell for at reputable places online. They all come with a selection of tips; the flange or foam will offer the best stock sound isolation.

If you're willing to go all out, go to an audiologist and get custom ear molds made for them (~100 bucks). I have absolutely no discomfort wearing mine for hours at a time, I have utterly unbelievable sound reproduction, and it's as if I were wearing earplugs.

Even with no music playing, I just can't hear people talking to me unless they shout. I often wear them on airplanes and don't play any music, just to block out the engine and passenger noise. With music playing softly, I'm able to concentrate without interruption in even the noisiest environments.
 
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I have a pair of the JVC's coming for $12.xx shipped via Amazon. Thanks for the advice! If I can't find something that does a good job for cheap, I will probably suck it up and get molds made.

Thanks!
 
[quote name='Dataslave']Go with Shure, the most expensive model you can afford. Keep in mind MSRP is not what they actually sell for at reputable places online. They all come with a selection of tips; the flange or foam will offer the best stock sound isolation.

If you're willing to go all out, go to an audiologist and get custom ear molds made for them (~100 bucks). I have absolutely no discomfort wearing mine for hours at a time, I have utterly unbelievable sound reproduction, and it's as if I were wearing earplugs.[/quote]


I don't mean to threadjack, but I'm actually interested in having molds made for my Shure SE530PTH set. The headphones sound great, and the included earplug-like sleeves do a pretty good job blocking out outside noise, but I have a feeling that custom earpieces would really bring these things to life. If anyone has any advice regarding custom molds, has had positive/negative experiences with them, or can comment on whether they're "worth it", I'd like to hear it -- please shoot me a PM!

But, yeah, like everyone has said, Shures are great.
 
Another vote for Shures. Can't recall which model I have, but they do a great job of blocking out noise, while maintaining comfort.
 
Shures / Entymotic Research isolation headphones are what you're looking for, OP. I love my Entymotic Research bulbs. Used them on a cross atlantic plane flight where a baby cried the whole way from Switzerland to the US.
 
I ended up with a pair of Entymotic's at a good price - getting used to them. I went to pull one out of my ear, and the bulb stayed in my ear - kind of scary.

Getting them out of the ear worries me - I'm having problems pulling them out without a slight tug on the wire... I am afraid I might stress the connection.
 
[quote name='nogglefish']I ended up with a pair of Entymotic's at a good price - getting used to them. I went to pull one out of my ear, and the bulb stayed in my ear - kind of scary.

Getting them out of the ear worries me - I'm having problems pulling them out without a slight tug on the wire... I am afraid I might stress the connection.[/QUOTE]

Don't pull on the wire to remove 'em - you'll end up breaking a wire internally. I trashed my ER-6s that way. Grab the strain relief just behind the driver and pull them out that way.
 
@ Nogglefish : Make sure that the plugs that you have on the Entymotics are the right size for your ear. It sounds like they are too big. Entymotics usually come with a second set of plugs that are smaller.
 
Another vote for shure, plus they come with a two year warranty. I sent mine in 'cause the wire was peeling by where the earpieces are and they not only replced them for free but also upgraded me to a newer model. :cool:
 
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