shure bet?

June 2, 2009 3:32 PM

What in-ear earphones should I buy for a cold weather climate?

I have been using Shure e2c earphones for a few years, but I have grown frustrated at how the cable housing seems to crack every year in the winter due to the cold weather.

What in-ear earphones in the ~$100 range should I buy that will give me similar sound and will not be so easily damaged by normal wear and tear? Bonus points for models that have a microphone/click button built in for use with a blackberry/iphone.

posted by soy_renfield to shopping (3 comments total)

I went through a couple of those eC2 buds and had cable breakage with both pairs near the earbud, even with gentle, non-cold use.

I've since moved to Sennheiser cx300 and would recommend them. They sound good, dare I say slightly better than the Shure eC2s and the Etymotic ER6s to my ears. They don't isolate as completely but they do a decent job and are plenty sturdy--the cable is very flexible and not prone to breakage.
posted by quarterframer at 4:49 PM on June 2

Can't help you with a suggestion- but I have the exact same earbuds and have replaced them yearly for cable cracks.
posted by Large Marge at 6:42 PM on June 2

I have the Sennheiser's quarterframer mentioned and they're nice. They don't have a mic though. The new Apple earbuds are similar in cost and sound though they have bigger silicone cups so I'd avoid them if you have tiny ear canals. And they have a mic, though it will only work with newer iPhones & iPods.

Oh, looks like Sennheiser has some new ones with a mic too.
posted by chairface at 10:31 PM on June 2