Klipsch's IMAGE earphones deemed "world's smallest"

While JAYS' q-JAYS claimed to be the "smallest earphones on the market" just days ago, we doubt Klipsch would be willing to agree. Turns out, the firm's IMAGE earbuds are also proclaiming that they are the "world's smallest and lightest in-ear earphones," and while we haven't seen the ruler busted out just yet, we fear it may be needed to settle this obvious conflict. Regardless, these 'buds utilize patent-pending Contour Ear Gels, KG926 balanced micro-armatures, aluminum bodies that are finished in anodized copper, and come with 50-inch long vinyl cables. Ready for a November release, the IMAGE earphones will ring up at $349 and will arrive with a carrying case and pouch, a 1/4-inch / airline adapter, five sets of ear gels, and a cleaning tool to boot. Click on for a literal hands-on shot.

[Adam @ Aug 30th 2007 9:02AM]

So these are dual drivers or not? Because it's a big difference if they are not. The new q-Jays have 2 drivers per earphone.

[Jasp @ Aug 30th 2007 8:42PM]

Right 2 drivers makes a huge difference. Bigger is better. That's why a V8 diesel ford will smoke a 4 cylinder Honda S2000. I don't think so. Have you ever even listened to a pair of IEM's and acoustics? It's all about design.

Yes, the Klipsch are single drivers, and yes I think they know what they are doing. Sleek Audio is also using a single driver in their new model.

[Adam @ Aug 30th 2007 8:50PM]

Yes Jasp, I have listened to IEMs before. From Sennheiser's CX300s up to Shure's SE530s. I was just stating that the new q-Jay offer a small size but somehow cram two drivers instead of one, not that "bigger is better". I'm currently using Denon's AH-C700's and they are the best single dynamic driver I have ever heard.

[james @ Aug 30th 2007 9:09AM]

why do they need to be SO small? I mean, my main concern with current earbuds isn't that they're too small, it's that a lot of them aren't shaped quite right and the sound can be underwhelming. That said, I've been blown away by my $40 V-moda earbuds.

[Zadillo @ Aug 30th 2007 10:28AM]

I'll second that - I got a pair of the v-moda bass freq headphones, and have been loving them.

[james @ Aug 30th 2007 9:10AM]

oops, I meant *too big. My main concern isn't that they're too big.

[zoo @ Aug 30th 2007 9:58AM]

All the in-ears still need to seal properly and as long as they are comfortable and don't fall out randomly it doesn't matter IMO.

On another note, it's crazy just how much the market for IEMs has blown up in the past 2 years.

[Muu @ Aug 30th 2007 10:07AM]

Hey, I can make my etys and Shures smaller by using smaller foam pieces!

The way that thing looks, part of it's going to stick out of your ear like the etys, whereas the bigger shures fit snug on your ears and have no such issues. Guess I'll wait till the generous folks in headphone forums get ahold of thing and run torture tests through them.

[711 @ Aug 30th 2007 10:19AM]

Anyone else reminded of the ear-bullet from farenheit 451? Waiting on a bluetooth/RF model.

[Zondajag @ Aug 30th 2007 10:35AM]

i don't much care the size of the headphones...as long as they fit in my ears and have wonderful sound thats all that matters to me. I'm happy with my Shure E2C's thankyou very much lol :D

[Andune @ Aug 30th 2007 10:59AM]

q-JAYS seem to be shorter but a bit "fatter" than these, and half the price ofc...
I would probably choose the q-JAYS.

[Jaylati @ Aug 30th 2007 11:53AM]

My Skullcandy earphones aren't that bad. I'm not really that big into headphones so are those V-Moda things pretty good?

[John @ Aug 30th 2007 12:30PM]

I highly recommend you visit head-fi.org where, should you go to the headphones & IEM forum, you will be told by what would appear to be every forum member just how bad Skullcandy is.

With regards to these however, I don't really see "world's smallest" as that great an accomplishment. You're going to have cords running out of the things anyway, so people will notice you've got the monitors in. I guess with these when people ask you what headphones you're using, you can act like "headphones? no, I just got a wire running through my head."

[Jaylati @ Aug 30th 2007 5:17PM]

Haha thanks alot man.

[pancake @ Aug 30th 2007 11:58AM]

Nothing beats the Etymonics ER 6i for $100. I bought the $275 Shures from Best Buy they were muddy relative to the Etys. They did have more bass, but the sounds was fake and processed.

D-jays are great for the money. Vmodas are great too.

These look like a freaking rip off.

[zakk @ Aug 30th 2007 2:30PM]

I'm glad to see that Klipsch is finally going to make headphones.

[Ziggy @ Aug 30th 2007 10:15PM]

I had a chance to hear these headphones this summer. They were still prototypes but the sound was like no other. There were details in recording I had not heard in 30 years of listening to the same track. I couldn't believe my ears!

But that wasn't the best thing... The comfort was the most none intrusive feeling from any in earcanal phone I had ever tried. I have demoed Shure phones with their clear eartips. I felt like putting a rock in my ear. No comparison. If you don't like in ear phones you owe it to yourself to try these phones from Klipsch.

[bsam @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:58PM]

I also listened to prototypes of these this summer and the sound was amazing.

And they were quite comfortable. Much more comfortable than any other in ear phones I had ever tried. And a (larger) 2 way version is also available.

Klipsch products typically deliver performance well beyond their price and their new earphones should only enhance that reputation.

[mfiver @ Nov 23rd 2007 3:07AM]

I'm a long-time Klipsch fan. Have owned Klipschhorns, LaScalas, Heresys, 5.1 and 2.1 PC systems, quintets. I look forward to trying these Image headphones out. I've tried every other brand of earphones: Etymotic, Shure, V-Moda, Sony, JVC, SkullCandy. My favorites for sound were the Shure 500 series ($499) and for comfort were Sony SL71s ($49). Vmoda Bass Freq's have remarkable bass bass but mids and highs are weak. Shure's high end phones sound very good, but are not comfortable for long periods and $500 is beyond most budgets. Etymotic are efficient, but harsh with lacking bass.

But I was blown away recently with a pair of Neo phones from HeadSpace Labs ($99) that I demoed at a local store. The Neo model is lightweight machined aluminum with 3 sizes of clear silicone flanges. The sound was incredible. Very efficient, eye-blinking impact, effortless clear highs, smooth mids, solid, deep bass. My Klipshorns have spoiled me forever for "you are there" sound, and these HeadSpace earphones are the closest thing to Klipschorns for my ears that I've come across.

The store rep said that they're set to launch an online store at www.headspacelabs.com in the next week or so.