[funkboy]

What would be the best in-ear-canal headphones (or other type of headphone that wouldn't require such loud volume from my iPod) to use while exercising? I would mostly use them at the gym, so the types of exercises are fairly stationary - no treadmill for me, but instead some elliptical machine and the weights.

Key features:
* Good sound isolation, but not to an extreme where I cannot stand wearing them, or even possibly lose my balance while working out and moving around some
* No noises transmitted up the cord when I do move around, or when, say, a bar with weight on it bumps the cord
* A cord that that will flow from my head to my pocket easily, usually underneath workout wear

Any recommendations are appreciated. I don't want to harm my hearing while I try to improve my physical conditioning!

[all2ofme]

I'll give you an answer of what NOT to get. The Etymotic Research 'phones (while lovely) fail on numbers 2 and 3 in my opinion.

The Ultimate Ears that I've tried might be a better match - think they were the 5EBs.

[MacosNerd]

I use the old fashioned and in expensive headphones. I've never had good luck with ear-bud type headphones, they all seem to fall out as I run.

[funkboy]

I use the old fashioned ones currently, too, but I notice when at the gym that I end up CRANKING the volume on my iPod, and an article I read today keenly reminded me that I am going to pay for that later in life. So best to do something about it now.

Thanks all2ofme, that is also the advice I was looking for; what to avoid. I have Etymotic musician's earplugs (not the molded ones, just the basic ones) and like them, but their headphones don't quite seem as hot.

[mutelight]

The problem with ear plug style headphones is that since they create a seal in your ear to reduce exterior noise cable noise will almost surely be an issue. I have a pair of Shure E4Cs and I absolutely love them, the performance is very impressive which was highly important to me especially since I work in the audio industry. At first the cable noise was somewhat bothersome but after a few days it no longer bothered me and I was too focused on the great audio quality they were outputting. Another problem with ear plugs is that they really do cancel everything out which can be problematic.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by funkboy 

I use the old fashioned ones currently, too, but I notice when at the gym that I end up CRANKING the volume on my iPod, and an article I read today keenly reminded me that I am going to pay for that later in life. So best to do something about it now.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're worried about hearing damage because of the volume on the "old fashioned" headset. I think the issue remains for the air-bud style. Perhaps more so as it does sit in the ear canal and is more sensitive to higher volumes..

[mutelight]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're worried about hearing damage because of the volume on the "old fashioned" headset. I think the issue remains for the air-bud style. Perhaps more so as it does sit in the ear canal and is more sensitive to higher volumes..

That is very true, not only are they capable of extremely high output, the proximity to your ear drum raises the potential for hearing damage.

[ron_colsen]

Originally Posted by mutelight 

That is very true, not only are they capable of extremely high output, the proximity to your ear drum raises the potential for hearing damage.

So the best step still is moderation in carnking your volume either way. I recently purchased some in-ears for the exact same reason as yours, though initially I was really looking forward to the old style headset. however what i bought worked for me since these has a really nice rubber design.

[mutelight]

Originally Posted by ron_colsen 

So the best step still is moderation in carnking your volume either way. I recently purchased some in-ears for the exact same reason as yours, though initially I was really looking forward to the old style headset. however what i bought worked for me since these has a really nice rubber design.

That is undoubtedly the best step however sometimes it is easy to not realize how loud it truly is especially if you gradually increase the volume over a spanned amount of time.

[michaelb]

In-ear / isolating buds could actually be better for preventing hearing loss from too loud sound. They block out much of the environmental noise, you don't have to have the volume as loud.

[funkboy]

Originally Posted by michaelb 

In-ear / isolating buds could actually be better for preventing hearing loss from too loud sound. They block out much of the environmental noise, you don't have to have the volume as loud.

Yes, that is my goal in getting in-ear-canal phones: they will block out my environment sound, and thus to hear my music clearly I can have it at a much lower volume. This addresses your question, Macosnerd.

Agreed that turning the volume down is the best solution; in-ear-canal phones, with their superior isolating capabilities (15 dB or so), will allow me to play my music at a lower volume while in noisy environments, instead of having to turn up my volume in such noisy environs.

[all2ofme]

Funkboy - definitely not saying that the Etys aren't any good. I've got a pair of ER-4Ps (and the adapter to use them as ER-4Ss, too) and they're incredible. I just don't think they'd be good for what you want to use them for.

Also, take the well-intentioned "ear canal phones will damager your hearing" comments with an entire shaker of salt. Earbuds are not the same as canal phones, and the 35dBish of noise cancellation I get with mine mean that I can listen to music at a sensible (safe) volume even on the tube (London Underground) here. And that's one cocking loud ride sometimes

Here's a comparison of isolation between a reasonably well-regarded Sennheiser earbud and my Etys.

A great place to buy 'phones from (and read reviews) is headphone.com, BTW. They're helpful, cheap, great to deal with if something goes wrong etc. No affiliation, they've just made me very happy on every deal I've had with them.

Another good place to read up on headphones is http://www.head-fi.org/forums/

Be careful there, though. Catchphrase there is "Welcome! Sorry about your wallet."