I Need Earphones!
Posted on 26 Jul 2007 under Journal/Life Updates
A few days ago, my left earphone stopped working, and since I have no other set of backup earphones, that literally means no MP3 player music goodness falling directly into my ear-canals. It’s bad enough that my computer speakers are bad, and they make even Tool sound ordinary, but just try and imagine how bad it is for me during my 3+ hour journey to and from college everyday!
And so begins my hunt for a replacement pair of earphones…I wanted to spend some of the money I got from the WordPress theme I released recently, but amazon.com doesn’t accept Paypal payment. Undeterred, I decided to try ebay.com, and found that I could get new, unused products from ebay stores. So I started hunting around there. I found some pretty good bargains, and some stores which ship directly to India (of course, the shipping charges are bloated). I decided to take dad’s advice, and unfortunately, he mentioned how earphones, being an electronic item, would most likely be stopped by customs officials, and how they’d probably be sent back and forth between the store and customs, making ME pay the extra shipping charges. So that’s another thing that I suppose is out of the question. (I’m leaving it as a last option, however).
Dad suggested instead that I look around in some local shops, and try to get a good pair here, even if they’re a little expensive. Well, let’s give it a shot. The only problem is that I don’t really know any shops that sell good quality earphones. And while this lasts, I’m still music-less in the bus! 
I need earphones. Watch this space.
Update (26/10/07) – I’ve finally got a good pair of earphones. Read about it here : http://www.gurdit.com/blog/2007/10/24/a-lovely-day/
I hate when you say watch this space. I watch it and nothing happens >.>
As for ear phones, get cheap 25Rs. one’s for now until you can get better ones.
I think your dad may be wrong. Earphones aren’t really electronic because they don’t require a power source, they just transfer the sound waves to your ears from the source, be it an MP3 player, CD player, or cassette player.
I’d try and order some anyways and see how it goes (just as a future lesson).
I recently got a cheap pair, to last temporarily. They’re nowhere near as good as the Sony earphones were, but they’ll do for now. If my aunt’s coming here for a visit (from the US), she can easily get me a good pair.
@Scabdates, you’re right. However, Indian Customs officers are unpredictable. My friend ordered a batch of about 20 Ubuntu CDs a few months back, and they created quite a fuss about it.
Well I’m glad you got a cheep pair for now. Hopefully your aunt will get you a good pair. I’m using a nice phillips pair. They where expensive but they sound good.
I’ve also given my Sony earphones for “repair”. A junior of mine just told me that some guy solders a new pin in. Well, it’s worth a shot.
hah… i need a new phone.. and my speakers died. so i’m using this pair of headphones that my dad got for free in a flight he took… lol… i need noise cancellation headphones for my comp and a nokia n73 music edition… damn!!
and stop saying “watch this space” nothing happens when i do end up watching… where are those photos of kenya mister singh???
You need a lot more things than I do..
But why do you need noise cancelling earphones for your computer? Ordinary ones would do just fine.
Great article. Really enjoyed it.
How are the Sennheiser CX-300 earphones working out for you (read in other post). I personally use skullcandy headphones. They’re not the best, but they’re ok for the money and I like the way they look (plus my gf got them for me, so I kind of have to)
Totally know what you mean though. I have my ipod on me all the time, couldn’t live without music.
So far, I’d have to say that in terms of the quality of music, the CX-300 are the best I’ve used. They’re perfect for areas which have some amount of ambient noise. However, the best I’ve used in areas where the ambient noise is minimal are the Sony MDR-21. It’s a real pity they’re not very robust though
I am looking for an headphone good sound ref, soundproof to write music on my laptop. any idea?
I’d suggest you go in for some headphones rather than earphones. I’ve never really bought or researched headphones, but if you’re looking at writing music, you should look at companies like Shure, Sennheiser or Bose. Sony too has good sound, but I’m not sure how sturdy or robust they’d be.
Hmm, I would go with the Shure headphones if you want in-ear headphones that are noise-cancelling. The sennheiser cx-500s are kinda muffly if you ask me. I personally use a HD 595, can headsets, which are the best!
I’ve been using my Sennheiser CX-300 for a while now. I like them a lot, despite the fact that I’m still not completely used to the slightly higher than normal bass sound. However, the external noise isolation is perfect for travelling and commutes. I’m now thinking of another good pair (which is not in-ear or noise cancelling) which I can use around the house, where it’s comparatively more peaceful.
i am a fan of the new models of Motorola bluetooth series of headphoes. I like this headphone discussion going on. I like the Sennheiser CX-300 that Gurdit uses but I work as a dj and really need to have the best possible loud headphones. I like the cordless as well. I saw someone mentioned Skullcandy earlier. Those are amazing but hard to find in retail stors other than in the US.
That’s the first time I’ve heard of someone recommending Motorola headphones/earphones. I’ll look into them. Like I said, I need another pair for home use anyway.
I have never heard anyone recomending motorola headphones either. I know for a fact that they are not that bad and they have the bluetooth thing that can be convinient as well. I have owned skull candy headphones for the longest time and am very happy with them. My next purchase will be the skull candy GI. As far as earphones are concerned I dont like spending too much money for earphones and that is why is buy sonic impact. The hf1 model can be found for under $10.
Alright, I’ll keep an eye out and ask for more opinions on Motorola earphones. I’m thinking of getting myself another pair for relatively quiet environments (as I said before), so I’ll try to make an updated post on my findings.
I looked online at a couple different options for headphones/earphones that work in quiet environments (http://wize.com/headphones/for/inside/20810) and found a pretty good selection. They’re a bit expensive but very well reviewed.
@Leslie: Thanks, I’ll take a look at them
Isolation headphones are good – earphones are a bit of a compromise since your brain is working to filter out external sounds (that you inevitably hear when wearing earphones) so you never fully relax when listening on earphones, your brain is always radaring for external sounds – isolation headphones in a relaxed environment are perfect though.
You’re right. I do find that when I wear my noise-isolating earphones, I seem to be trying extra hard to pick up external sounds. They seem to be awfully loud if they’re able to break through the noise isolation to get to me, but when I take off my earphones, they don’t appear to be loud sounds at all.
With so many different types and makes of headphones out there I know for a fact that finding the right set of headphones can be a bit of a hassle. I suggest that you try and decide what type of headphone you are looking for. Then you can start zeroing in on a type. My personal experience suggests that you should either go for a sony or pioneer set of headphones. Certain panasonic models are ok but I find they are flimsy.
Stock headphones just don’t put out like a good quality set of phones anyway.
I remember the first time I realized it. My friend always used this “custom” set and they sounded way better than my factory set on the same player.
Now I always have a quality set I always take to poker tournaments and use when I mow the lawn and do other yard work.
I found your site by a random google search, good stuff! keep up the good job!