Speakers are the most important part of your sound system and earphones should be the most important element of your portable MP3 Player or iPod. But even the best players come with lousy earphones. The first thing you should do is run out and buy the Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones.
I tried lots of earphones at all kinds of different price ranges and after trying these I couldn't justify spending more. At a little under $100 they're not cheap but if you're like me and spend 3-4 hours a day listening to music while you're commuting or when you're at work then consider it an investment - and an excellent one at that. They're solidly built and have a thick cord that should last a long time. You also don't hear anything when the cord rubs against something - not like those cheap earphones.
The key to making these earphones work is the fit. They go into your ear canal and block out extraneous sounds. You get to choose from 3 different kinds of earpieces in three different sizes. I find the foam earpieces to be the best because they work just like earplugs. They block outside noise which means that you can keep the volume low and avoid damaging your hearing. They're great on buses and airplanes and work so much better than noise cancelling earphones. They stay in and won't fall out regardless of what you're doing - even running.I like the sound better than my Sennheiser HD580 Stereo HiFi Professional Headphones
and even my stereo system.
