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kill bill · Aug 29, 2009, 12:29 PM

I just got my iPhone 3Gs, and I love it. Well, everything except for the headphones. With all of my previous apple products, I always disregarded the included earbud headphones because they didn't offer any functionality beyond that of traditional headphones. However, the 3GS earbuds work with many of the phone's functions. I must confess that I've had a long standing beef with in-ear type headphones. I supposed I have oddly shaped ears, but I can not get the earbuds to stay put. When I'm sitting idly, they still fall out (I guess the opening in my ears is just too small). In short, I have never been able to use earbuds, nor do I think I ever will be (without reconstructive ear surgery). Are there any headphones (traditional or wrap-around) that offer the same functionality as those of the 3GS earbuds or am I stuck?

slugslugslug · Aug 29, 2009, 04:36 PM

The ones that come with the phone are earbuds, but not really what folks call "in-ear" these days. In-ear is a subtype of earbuds that actually go into the canal a bit and are less likely to fall out. Apple's In-ear Headphones with Remote and Mic have the same functionality, are in-ear, and come with 3 sizes of rubber inserts so they're way more likely to fit in your ears than the bundled ones. And they have all the same buttons.

Other folks (etymotics, Maximo, Griffin (though I'd avoid the latter, having had 2 sets break on me)) make iPhone compatible headphones with a single button for track control and phone answering. But I don't know if anyone's come out with a set with the volume buttons yet.

ghporter · Aug 30, 2009, 01:44 PM

I have used old-style iPod earphones with Griffin in-ear covers with my iPhone, and it works fine except for the lack of the volume control...

gbhgbh · Sep 3, 2009, 05:51 PM

I bought the Philips iPhone Microphone Adapter for $10 at Target and use a regular pair of headphones with it. In order for this to work best, I had the cord on my headphones modified at moon-audio.com. I had them cut the cord 8 inches from the headset and put a 1/8 inch male plug on that end, and put a 1/8 inch female plug on the other part that was cut off. Now, the mike hangs down by my lapel when connected to my headphones. It works great hanging from that distance, I don't need to clip it or put it close to my mouth. I connected the other part of the cord to my home audio system, so I can use the headphones with either my iPhone or home audio. BTW, Moon-Audio charged me $20 plus shipping for the modification.

wulf · 12:17 PM

This became a bit of a bugbear for me, having initially been a bit dubious about in-ear phones, and after trying a few cheaper alternatives I went for the Etymotic hf2s.

The 'flanged' eartips are more comfortable than I expected, and stay in my ears without problems (unlike some others). The sound is excellent, and you have pause/skip control from the inline mic thingy.

However they're not cheap. And the 'fit' of in-ear headphones is a very personal thing. The Etymotics do come with a range of tip styles and sizes - not just the flanges but more regular silicon and foam ones too - but it's a shame that it's so difficult to find a place where you can try out the earphones before buying.

Anyway I realise the OP was saying that in-ear are not a good fit for them, just trying to say that sometimes you might not know you'll like them 'til you find the ones that fit

romeosc · Sep 10, 2009, 09:24 PM

I buy in ear earphones for $4
Black In-ear Stereo Headphone/Earphone with microphone for iPhone

Cold Warrior · Sep 10, 2009, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by wulf

The 'flanged' eartips are more comfortable than I expected, and stay in my ears without problems (unlike some others).

I've always liked earplugs like that and those in your link look nice. Thanks.

ghporter · Sep 11, 2009, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

I've always liked earplugs like that and those in your link look nice. Thanks.

The earpieces in Wulf's link look very much like the GI earplugs I used to get issued. The flanges secure the earpiece in the ear canal and block incoming sound quite well, so applying that to an in-ear earphone makes a lot of sense.

I've had issues using my Plantronics Voyager 850 while driving, because the earpiece blocks external sounds TOO well. Having one ear occluded changes how road noise, the car stereo, and conversational sounds come through, and it's weird. But that earphone works GREAT for music. Still, while driving, I keep the earpiece loosely in my ear and only insert it fully when I'm using it for a call.

I noted that the new iPhone firmware, ver 3.1, finally includes using Voice Control from a Bluetooth headset-that will make a good headset even better now...

EdipisReks · Sep 15, 2009, 11:09 PM

i use Shure SE530s with Shure's MPA-3C cable. not precisely cheap, but i like it.

Bearsfan34 · Sep 16, 2009, 11:40 PM

Strangely enough, I bought a pair of the Apple IEMs. I've tried V-Moda, the Shure SE110s, and a few others...and for the money ($80 bucks US), I really, REALLY like the Apple IEMs.

The dual drivers are terrific, and while they don't match the likes of the Etymotics or SE530s or the super-high-end IEMs, for the money, the Apple's are terrific. Bass is solid, mid-range is good, and upper range is clear. I use them every work day with my 3GS.

I never thought I'd like the volume control/mic/clicker combo, but now I rely on it and miss it if I'm using a pair of Grados or something else. If you're willing to spend under $100 but don't want to mess with cutting cords or aren't "married" to a fave pair of phones, the Apple IEMs are recommended. The tips come in 3 sizes (I use the mediums) and are very comfortable.