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my problem with inear ones is that they hurt my ears - do those Shure ones not hurt? - i CANNOT wear the ipod earphones.

earbuds - whatever

I use Sony Studio headphones (MDR-7506). I think they were about $150 new, back in 2000 or so. They have a fairly flat frequency response, which I like. But wanting more bass or treble or whatever is a very personal choice. The best way to choose headphones isn't to read reviews for hours on the internet, but to find a high-end audio shop, bring in a few of your favorite CDs, and listen to your music on a variety of different headphones and compare directly. This is also the best way to choose speakers and any other audio component.

After a lot of research, I bought a pair of the Grados. The are ugly but have fantastic sound!

I apparently have odd ears, because the iPod earphones hurt and constantly fall out of my ears because they are too big. On a whim, I bought a pair of $100 in-canal V-MODA Vibe Earphones from the Apple Store and couldn't be happier. They come with three different sized ear fittings in both clear and black (I use the small ones), and don't hurt at all. I put a clear ear fitting on the left headphone and a black one on the right headphone so I don't have to look for the little "L" and "R" on the sides. As for sound, sometimes I pause for a moment and smile, thinking of how the music seems like it's floating right in the middle of my brain with its pristine sound. I'd never thought of music that way before these headphones.

B & O are the best ones I've found so far.

http://www.bang-olufsen.com/page.asp?id=46

Just chiming into say the the Sennheiser PX100 is indeed wonderful... I use mine with my DS and mp3 player... they're especially nice when travelling as they can put out good sound, but are comfortable for long wears.

You can find them on sale on Amazon or Ebay for pretty cheap too!

I love love loveee my BOSE in ear set...and it comes with different sized gel like ear covers..

love it.

I had the Grados and loved them; lost them in a burglary. Bose Quiet Comfort are worth every cent if you fly a lot (as I do). Am planning to get some of the Bose in-ear plugs; glad to hear they are working well for you Bellaknolle.

I got the sennheiser CX 300 in-ear noise blocking earbuds after I realized I had my ipod set REALLY LOUD to block out the noise of my gym. I love them, but they are a bit weird to run in, since you can hear things like the cord banging against you and your heartbeat a bit louder than usual.

Beware buying on ebay - tons of fakes out there.

Have the Grado SR80s (better bass response & wider soundstage than the SR60s) and a pair of Shure E3cs (get the triple flange sleeves, much more comfortable than the regular ones) that are fantastic for blocking out noise, on planes or on the subway. Love and highly recommend both of them, way better than Bose or an 'image' brand like B&O.

Also, as far as noise canceling goes, it's handy to remember that active noise canceling (bose quietcomfort etc) only works well for continuous noises (i.e. engine noise but not screaming babies).

Yep, I agree with the comments about Grado's. I have the Grado SR225's and they sound beautiful. I also have a pair of Shure SE310's that are great for commuting (I live in London and have to travel on the underground every day).

Here is another good guide to the Top 10 Best Headphones