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are these really better than say skullcandy for $20? i mean 105 for earbuds? they would have to be unbelievable.

good deal.. thx

Same question as #1. I know Shure is a quality company, but this is pricey.
Is isolation superior to noise canceling over the ear type?

No WAY could these be worth $150 before the discount, what could they possibly do? How much of an audiophile could you possibly be. It seems ridiculous to buy these, the same goes for the $1000+ over the ear things.

Unless you don't mind paying a price premium (mostly all for the brand name), I would rather suggest Sennheiser CX300's. I tried Shure E2C's a few years back, and they sound similar if not exactly the same.

Basically, the point is, when you're using earbuds -- you're probably going to be using a portable media/mp3 player/laptop/phone, which all have audio output sound quality nowhere near that of a recording studio (or even a good home audio setup), where quality monitoring headphones are essential.

$40 at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-CX300-B-Earbuds-Black/dp/B000E6G9RI

These are absolutely excellent earbuds. You do not have to have recording studio quality to appreciate them.

I listened to half a dozen different sets of buds and these blew them all away - at this price point, I don't think you can do any better. There are better buds at higher prices, but these are a good mid range.

These are pretty pricey...
unless you listen to music that are very high quality, I would advise you to just buy cheaper ear buds, like sony or JVC.
A 50-60 price can get you a pretty decent one.

as for isolation vs. noice cancelling:

I've used both good noise canceling (the BOSE that everyone drools over, plus good Sennheiser sound isolating, and to me they both give you about the same "reduction" (as measured by plane trips with them).

The difference is, the isolating just isolates. The canceling leaves you with and annoying high-frequency hum or buzz, even the really expensive ones. And I'm 40, not 8 yrs old, so my ears aren't THAT pristine.

I'd go with the in-ear isolating over any of the current cancellation types. Even the $40 Sennheiser trump the $350? BOSE (not sure of current prices).

... mid range?

I agree with everything else you said, but mid range? I think your standards are a little off from the norm.

I have the $2,000 one. It works great. I put it on and it not just isolate the wife's voice, she was gone. It even bring me beer. LOL

The $10 work just as good.

I would not pay over 50 for earbuds. this is silly.

I tried this once. It was just slightly better than the 110. Not really worth its price to me.

I have both the Sennheiser CX300 and the Shure E2C. I prefer the Cx300 - much richer base, and I got them for $10 from Newegg

+1 for the Senn 300s
Most of the time, I end up ripping them out of my hears when I snag the cord on something. I can tolerate a $30 set loss in that manner, but will break my heart if a $150 set got toasted like that.

I paid over a $100 for Shure earbuds. They were more annoying to wear than the Sennheiser CX300 that have gone from $80 to $50 to $30 and now I see to $10.

Shure is the word "overpriced" translated into a manufacturer's name.

The problem with these types of "earbuds" is that they're trying to do the job of much more expensive in-ear monitors, and they generally don't do it well.

I've used the cheaper Shures, and the slightly more expensive Westone (who used to make the Shures.) The $75 Westones are made much better than these. I've RMA'd my Shures twice for one of the earpieces dying. The Westones are a little more durable.

The $450 Westones IEM's are fantastic for what they do, which is kill off the 3000-plus Watts of soundstage noise so you can hear the mix you want at an appropriate volume. They're maybe not the best choice for jogging around with your iPod...

Yeah, 105 is a lot of bones to some headphones. Plus, I am so tough on mine it really wouldn't be worth it I don't think.

If you can afford it, why not?

I've owned every earbud out there, including these. They are just "ok". I paid $250 for mine and they weren't worth that. They *might* be worth $105. I now use the Sennheiser IE8. Look 'em up. Can't get 'em cheaper than $450. Worth every bacon double bacon burger.

Have the Shure E2C's, excellent sound quality, noise isolation better than BOSE noise cancellation in my opinion when it comes to plane trips. I only use them with my ipod, so I can't comment on professional use.