Ask Engadget: What are the best sounding headphones with in-line mic?

So you've got an awesome set of earbuds, but you're looking for a pair just as astounding with an in-line microphone for chatting it up. Thanks to the growing popularity of such a request, there are a few options on the market. Question is, which is supreme?

"I have this new music phone (it's a flush-jacked iPhone 3G) and I'm thinking about getting a new set of phones. I've used some high quality headphones before, but I'm currently using Apple's included headset because of the mic / remote. I've been looking at the Shure MPA kits, but what do you readers recommended?"

Thanks for the inquiry, dandaman. Let's hear what you've got, readers! Afterwards, feel free to send in a puzzler of your own to ask at engadget dawt com.

[CAHLITO @ Sep 18th 2008 9:37PM]

I've been wondering this same question!

[John @ Sep 19th 2008 7:51PM]

Yes, me too. (?) Along with what's the best color for the new iPod?

I see fanboys have immediatelly hijacked the thread to talk about a set of headphones no one can even buy yet, let along comment on thier quality.

Is this the Apple marketing site?

[MICHAELSD @ Sep 18th 2008 9:37PM]

The new $80 Apple in-ear headphones should be great for the price, especially since they have dual drivers.

[John F. @ Sep 18th 2008 10:55PM]

Anyone else noticed that there isn't a mention of the iPhone working with the new in-ear Apple headphones on it's compatibility list yet?
http://www.apple.com/ipod/inearheadphones/
or the apple store site:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA850?intcmp=AIC-WWW-NAUS-BUYNOW-FOOT-INEARHEADPHONE-080910

I'd think it's a gimme, but there's no way I'm paying $80 for it to "assumingly work" with my first gen iPhone (it's not like there is any new hardware it's taking use of since the original iPhone head phones already had in-line control).

[tooki @ Sep 18th 2008 11:29PM]

The new earphones probably will not work. The iPhone earbuds' button simply shorts two conductors on the plug. The new one has three buttons, so some extra hardware on both ends is necessary to encode three buttons into the same 4 conductors.

My expectation is that they will not work with the original iPhone, and that the 3G probably lacks the necessary hardware as well. It's probably restricted to the models Apple lists.

[who? @ Sep 19th 2008 1:51AM]

I read that everything but the volume controls will work.

[Todd M. @ Sep 19th 2008 4:26AM]

Hmmm... you people do realize that 1/8" jacks are standardized right? Apple's new headphones will work on any device with a 1/8" socket that accepts Left and Right audio output and a microphone input... as per the standard. They will also work on devices that don't accept mic in or are mono. Because it's a standard. The only wild card is how the buttons work and as far as I've heard the earlier poster is correct that the middle button works but not the volume buttons.

Getting back on topic... the best headphones I've used are the Ultimate Ears ear-buds I bought. I can't remember the model name, but they are the $150 ones. The only thing I had to get used to was that they isolate the sound so much that you hear your own voice so loud through your head so much it's almost distracting. The sound quality is impeccable.

[Galley @ Sep 19th 2008 9:05AM]

I'm holding out for the new Apple in-ears. $79 is a very competitive price.

[Lawrence O Wilson @ Sep 21st 2008 5:10PM]

Check out B&O headphones Bang & Olufsen

[Eli @ Sep 18th 2008 9:38PM]

anything from Shure.

[Rubicon @ Sep 18th 2008 9:40PM]

Shure ixc's, replace x with number from 2 to 5

[J @ Sep 18th 2008 10:07PM]

I'm also pondering this same question...i agree with Michael SD and I'm going to wait until Apple releases the new in-ear headphones until I make a final decision. On paper they seem to be very nice for such a low price compared to other premium dual-driver headphones.

[phil @ Sep 18th 2008 10:16PM]

Actually, if you're going to use the Shure MPA, I'd recommend the SE series since they are modular. That way you don't end up with a 2m cable attaching you to the phone.

I have the SE210 with the MPA for my iPhone. Price and quality-wise they are comparable to the e3c (the model I had before). I'm seriously considering getting the SE530 (the set *many* audio sites use as a reference set when reviewing canal-phones), but then my fiscal common sense kicks in.

[Aaron @ Dec 12th 2008 7:14PM]

I loved my Shure E2C headphones, My iPod never sounded so good. But after about 9 months the cables started to wear out. Until Shure has replaceable cables I will never buy headphones from them again.

[Chuck @ Sep 18th 2008 9:39PM]

Ultimate Ears triple.fi vi: http://www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/products/triplefi/triplefi10vi_description.php

Awesome.

[Zgradis @ Sep 18th 2008 9:47PM]

My UE broke after a year and a half, the cable broke in half near the earbud, then i replaced that and the driver died in that same side... plus the UE have HUGE inserts (the part that goes into your ear) making them quite uncomfortable.

[JS @ Sep 18th 2008 10:26PM]

My UE mic/skip button was broken out of the box.

[UltraDagger @ Sep 18th 2008 11:44PM]

I have the triple.fi 10vi too. they're awesome. coming from the super.fi 5 pros. this was the obvious way to go.

[Bryant @ Sep 19th 2008 12:21AM]

@Zigradis: Interesting that you mention the cable breaking. I had the exact same problem with my Shure e2c earbuds from roughly twoish years ago, and it happened to the plastic covering on the part of the wire I'd loop around the ears.

Do they use the same plastic?

[Dave @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:10PM]

Are you guys really walking around with a $419 pair of earphones? Holy poop. Too rich for me.

[Nick @ Sep 18th 2008 9:42PM]

I reli like the v-moda ones that were made for the iPhone. They have great sound, style, and most importantly a great warranty.

Also, no matter how suprising, I think that the ones that come with the iPhone are good too. Yes, they break reli easily, but they have a 1 year warranty, there cheap, and while they work the have pretty good sound.

[phil @ Sep 18th 2008 10:19PM]

I don't know, I bought the V-Moda vibe-duo before I got the SE210s. While the mic was fair, I found it way too bass heavy and a little muddy on the high ends. Some people like the heavy bass so I guess it's a matter of taste.

[Rob @ Sep 18th 2008 11:15PM]

I don't know about the reliability of the Vibe Duos but I thought everything else was pretty good, the sound, and style were great. If you go over to apple.com and look at the reviews for these things, you'll see that the majority of people have had one or both sides fail after a few months. They've corrected the issue, so I'm told, so I'll be sending mine in for warranty replacement (1 yr).

[Shaun @ Sep 19th 2008 11:59AM]

I don't know. I've had two pair of the Vide Duo and both had to be sent back due to two completle seperate issues. They sound and look great but will break down after about two months of regular use.

[Makalaster @ Sep 21st 2008 1:40PM]

Well, I know. I bought the V-Moda Vibe Duos using the iPhone rebate money, and I've had absolutely no problems with them. In my opinion the sound is great, and people never have problems hearing me.

The only things that can be construed as issues could be the button on the mic and sharp metal-to-cloth transition at the jack. The mic button is kind of small, but if you roll the mic in your hand, you'll find it easily enough. I read some reviews that the phones lost sound in one or both ears due to the sharp transition at the jack, but if you just pull the headphones out carefully, there shouldn't be a problem.

Like I said, I've had these headphones for well over a year now, and I'm still quite happy with them.

[Bryan @ Sep 18th 2008 9:43PM]

Shure would probably be the best bet. There are also Etymotic and Ultimate Ears (UE has a new model coming out Oct. 1), but they can be hit or miss depending on personal preferences.

You can also switch out cord if you have any experience with a soldering iron. There are tutorials on youtube.

[zissouzissou @ Sep 18th 2008 9:46PM]

I just picked up some Bose QC2 headphones with an in-line mic, they rock my world. It's like Jesus humming all of his secrets into both of your ears. Go crazy.

[Reader @ Sep 19th 2008 3:25AM]

Really? Forget the meaning of life, could you get that water to wine trick from him?

[Rubix @ Sep 18th 2008 9:47PM]

How odd to see this pop up not 2 days after I bought a new pair...After much research, I went with Etymotic Research hf2 iPhone Stereo Headset. It can be bought from the apple store (I used my $100 from apple for buying the iphone when it came out to help pay for them). Review here:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/review/2008/08/02/Etymotic-Research-hf2-iPhone-Stereo-Headset/p4

[chris @ Sep 18th 2008 11:25PM]

I'm using the etymotic ones too, they're amazing!!

[Sean @ Sep 19th 2008 9:40AM]

I love the Etymotic ER6is but they never last for more than a year. I am on my 3rd set. Hopefully the hf2s are more reliable.

[Jonathan @ Sep 19th 2008 2:52AM]

I also vote for the Etymotic HF2's. I have been a Shure E2c user for a good while, but it was a pain plugging them out to answer a call when I got my iPhone.

Did a good bit of research vefore buying and am very happy with my choice. Some pro's and con's:

Pro:
1) Sound is clean, pure, fantastic.
2) Noise isolation is even better than the Shure E2c's.
3) Comfort, in ear may not suit everybody, but I find these very comfortable, more so than the Shure E2c.
4) First in ear phones to stay in reliably while out for a long run,

Con:
1) Cable sound is a bit of a pain if you don't position it right, same for occlusion effect when on the phone.
2) Speaking of the cable, it is much lighter than the Shure which was tank like. I would not be as confident of them
3) Boy is there a lot fo gunk in my ears ;-) which these ear pieces are more than happy to extract!

Jonathan
www.jonathanbourke.ie

[Dman51 @ Sep 18th 2008 9:50PM]

Any Ultimate Ear headphones in the vi series. Work for iPhone's Blackberry's etc. Best by far!

[frozenrubber @ Sep 18th 2008 9:53PM]

Ultimate Buds!

They are the best, because they keep the best function, the original iPhone mic/clicker. They re-wire earbuds of your personal preference and you keep a really well designed inline mic. Also, if the cord breaks/fails, you can replace just the cord, not the entire set of earphones. Absolutely the best.

http://www.ultimatebuds.com/store/home.php

[Sam @ Sep 18th 2008 9:55PM]

As people said below, anything from Shure.
They are expensive, I know, but the audio quality is incomparable(except of course Ultimate Ears 11...). I own a mid-range earbud set from Shure and they're fantastic. Check out amazon for great deals, I got mine 150 dollars off.

[Jake Spurlock @ Sep 18th 2008 9:58PM]

Check out the SkullCandy Full Metal Jackets, the iPhone edition. Comfortable, and they sound awesome. Cool colors help too... I have the orange ones.

[mike thomas @ Sep 18th 2008 10:07PM]

Agreed on the Skullcandy. Great customer service, the guys there are amazing if you have an issue. Basically carrying a life time warranty, cut the metal jack off, and mail it back, get new headphones :P

[iPilya @ Sep 18th 2008 10:03PM]

The answer is a bit more complicated then just listing everyone's fav-headphones. You must first determine the type (in-ear, over-ear, ect...) as there is no point in having everyone tell you about the great in-ear units if you are unable to wear them. Additionally, you will need to decide what aspect you are will to sacrifice.

For me.. there is no perfect set... though I sure wish Sennheiser would re-tool their PX-100 headphones to include a mic... as there is no headphone under $200 that can match the performance/price ratio.

Just my 2-pence

[METALGEAR @ Sep 18th 2008 10:05PM]

The V-moda ones are amazing headphones. I own the regular pair of in ear headphones and they sound great for the price (look sweet too). And since the in line mic ones are exactly the same just with a great mic added, i feel you can't lose with them.

[JJ @ Sep 18th 2008 10:07PM]

Griffin EarJams. I don't even think twice about putting apple buds in my ear without the ear jams on em'

Adds actual bass, and beleive it or not, Apple really does try to make pretty balanced earphones. I mix music a lot. On various sepakers. From $3,000 Genelecs, to $700 Yamaha's, right down to $30 Radio Shack Hi-fi's. And the music I mix down always sounds pretty balanced on the Apple ear buds. BUT not without the EarJams.

IMO, for your money? They are the only way to go.

I don't work for them, but a lifetime supply wouldn't be bad either...
Griffin? You there? Griffin?

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/earjams

[alan @ Sep 18th 2008 10:09PM]

I happily use Shures "MPA" (music phone adapter) and "PTH" push-to-hear products with my shure buds... and they probably work fine with the earphones of your choice!

[Daniel Cormier @ Sep 18th 2008 10:12PM]

I like my Bose QC 2's. Get the mobile kit for it and you've got an inline mic.

[VeganTnT @ Sep 18th 2008 10:14PM]

Why do the ear phones need a mic?

I use shure e5c's with the shure 1 phone adapter

the adapter has a mic and a button which does the same thing as the button on the standard earphones that come with the iphone.

You can find plenty of adapters like this in the 20-30 dollar range.

The all you have to do is worry about getting the best headphones PERIOD

[Zorro @ Sep 18th 2008 10:17PM]

This is perfect for me, it works with the old iphone and is stylish while providing a inline mic at the same time,
since i had a erricsson w580i before and the earphones are in two parts (the actual earphones + exactly like the griffin product)
this is perfect cuz i can stick with my erriccsson earbuds.

Griffin SmartTalk Headphone Adapter + Control & Mic for iPhone 3016-SMRTLK
http://www.onsale.com/shop/detail.aspx?dpno=7386615&store=onsale&source=bwbfroogle

[Jon Sims @ Sep 18th 2008 10:17PM]

Depends if you like or need bass in your life. I purchaed the etymotic hf2 pair for $179... they sounded great at the mid-range, but bass was really, really missing. Ended up returning them and getting the v-moda duo for $99. I like them MUCH more... the bass is heavy, the fit is more comfortable (the hf2s go very deep in your ear), and I can hear my callers (and they me) very clearly. Plus, the cords are covered in fabric and not a rubber/plastic, which is really very nice.

[manfesto @ Sep 18th 2008 10:20PM]

https://www.ultimatebuds.com/store/product.php?productid=16134&cat=253&page=1

The Ultimate Buds UB7EB - Featuring drivers from Future Sonics.

Seriously, they're worth every penny of their $150 price tag - a friend has them (we're both audiophiles, but him moreso than me from a grear standpoint) and let me listen to them, and they compare VERY favorably with reference Etymotic ER-4S's. Great clarity, strong bass - actually stronger than the ER-4S.

I am waiting to see how good the new Apple buds sound (very flat frequency response with a slight bump in the upper mids, just like my beloved Grado SR60s - I HAVE to know how these sound in person). If they don't blow me away, you better believe I'll drop cash on the Ultimate Buds UB7s.

[nick @ Sep 18th 2008 10:23PM]

thats mutte point really.. .buy ANY HIFI headphones, then buy the Shure inline mic adapter and you have the best soundeing and a mic. none of the current inline headphones are on par with audiphile grade headphones.

go get some Grado s80 or Aidio tecnica es7 or senns then buy the Shure in line mic adapters and your set... and phulease dont bring up Dr Dre things...phulease!!

[bwulfe @ Sep 18th 2008 10:25PM]

Shure SE530 + Musicphone adapter cable. Awesome earbuds for which you can get custom molded earpieces for the truly perfect fit. Expensive, but the request was for the "Best Sounding" headphones.

[Rytr @ Sep 18th 2008 10:31PM]

I recommend the v-Moda vibe duo set myself.. I bought some shure's and they were great.. until they became uncomfortable, which was about 30 minutes in (and yes, I used multiple configurations) The VMs sound much much better than the stock buds and I wear them all day long and forget they are there..

[Joel @ Sep 18th 2008 10:43PM]

v moda vibe duo.

amazing headphones.

a little heavy on the bass for phone calls, but music quality blows me away.