Stick or twist?

[admin_exported]

Hi all, hope you are well!

My old Sennheiser CX380 sports headphones recently died unfortunately...goodbye to a well used and trusted friend :-(.

I'm in something of a pickle, as i'm unsure whether to buy the same and stick with what I know, or to upgrade and try something a little more expensive.

I would be using the headphones almost exclusively at the gym.

I am considering either;

Sennheiser CX 300 II (BLK) - £18

or Shure SE115 (er...pink!!!) - £40

The CX's are very similar to my old phones and are cheap, but have heard great reviews about the SE115's. They would be a lot more expensive, £80, but are cheaper due to the colour.

I also have an Amazon voucher for £20, so the CX's would be free, and the SE115's only £20!!

Please could everyone and anyone help and give me some advice as to what to do? Ooh, any other headphones you have to recommend would be a more than welcome suggestion .

Many thanks,

Russ.

Gear ; Sony Walkman, Atari ST, Commadore 64 and the new Sega Megadrive!! ...joking of course

 

[neilmistry]

Russ,

I was incredibly dissappointed by the Shures. I bought a pair as my Beyerdynamic buds had died but sent them back hoping they would be replaced under warranty. In the meantime, I bought a pair of the Shures (£30 - in pink!) and endured them for a day. I just couldn't get a good fit, even with the 6 pairs of tips (3 foam, 3 silicone). In the end I received a replacement pair of Beyers and the Shures haven't been touched since, although my wife said she will use them.

Neil.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply Neil

Sorry to hear that the Shure's didn't fit! Out of interest, do they fit your wife? And do the Beyers fit her too? I only ask as i'm guessing different brands will have slightly different sized tips? Also that I have slightly odd shaped ears, and was wondering that if both sets fit your wife, then maybe I should stick to a pair that I know will fit, rather than try everything?

Many thanks

Russ.

 

[neilmistry]

My Beyers fit perfectly, and the silicone is very soft so moulds easily to the ear canal. My wife has tiny ears, but don't know if they Beyers fit as she has never tried them.

I found the Shure silicone tips too firm (and were a much more rounded shape). The small ones were too small; the mediums were about right but found they hurt due to the hardness of the material. I didn't get on with the foam ones as they didn't feel like they made a good enough seal.

As a result I found the sound to be 'thin' - no real weight, recessed mids and no treble. Maybe I have been spoilt a bit by the Beyers, and maybe I was expecting more from the Shures, especially as the RRP is £100. Even at £30, I can't really recommend them, although I have read lots of positive reviews. This is the problem with earphones - you can't try them out. You're right, it is a gamble but if you've found a pair that work for you, it's probably a good idea to stick with them.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you again Neil!

Out of interest, which model of Beyers do you own? Do you think they'd be suitable for gym use (light running, rowing and weights) ?

Russ

 

[neilmistry]

I have the DTX101's (a replacement for the a failed pair of DTX 100's of constant use over the past 18 months). I dont use them in the gym as the cable makes too much noise when moving. I think this tends to affect all in-ear headphones.

I use a pair of Sennheiser PMX80's for the gym - far more sturdy and sweat proof and the neckband does away with flapping cables. I think I paid £18 for those and they do the job brilliantly.