First, some ground rules on the scope and purpose of my testing:

The headphones tested are all what you'd consider "upgrades" rather than "replacements" for the crap headphones that came with your MP3 player. While I capped pricing at $200, my "cheapest" pair started at around $40. The three tiers are under $100, $100-$150, and $150-$200.

The most practical measure of sound quality is to just sit and listen. I focused on in-ear headphones because they are built not just to jam a driver right next to your ear, but to block outside noise. It's simple: less ambient noise = better experience.

In the spirit of cutting aside the science-based marketing jargon, my tests were unscientific, but consistent across the board and based on real-world situations. The methodology was simple: a current-gen iPod, a sonically diverse playlist of music and, for isolation testing, a seat on the 14 bus in San Francisco, then some time next to a white noise machine.

With so much of the earphone inside of your ear, rustling of the cable can cause some serious noise. If the cable isn't properly buffered from the earphone, the deep, annoying shuffling can interfere your music when you try to walk or turn your head. That's why I made note of "cable noise"—this isn't to suggest there was some kind of buzz or white noise from the cable itself.

Here are the results of my testing:

Under $100
The Winner: Ultimate Ears metro.fi 2 Along with providing great sound and a decent fit, this set appeals to your normal side. The earbuds are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the ear, with a tasteful matte finish and an almost flush fit. In other words, you don't feel as ridiculous as you might with the Shure ear-garrotes or some of the other Ultimate Ears' protruding Frankenstein monster plugs. They don't sit too deep, so if you're apprehensive about the ear-rapey aspect of other offerings, you'll be comfortable with these. The sound, though emphasizing the low end, is clear and competitive with much more expensive units.

The Losers: This is a tricky price point, as some stock earbuds (Apple, Sony) are actually pretty good. Slapping a rubber cuff on a half-baked product doesn't justify a price of $50+. In the case of Apple's in-ears and the CX300, you aren't really experiencing a different class of audio than with stock buds, though there is a marked improvement. The CX500s put on a good show for bass junkies, but that's about it. Creative has a nice product with a great price, but it just can't measure up to the metro.fi on the performance front.

$100-$150
The Winner: Shure SE110 This price point offers the highest price to performance ratio, and the SE110 is the best of the lot. If you can get over the deep penetration and the over-ear looping, you'll find that the SE110s are comfortable, block out plenty of ambient noise and most importantly produce stunning, immersive sound. The tones are wisely balanced, and quality is at the level that you'll be noticing new things about songs that you've heard dozens of times. Decent discounts are available at various online retailers, as is the case with most of this category.

The Losers: Manufacturers know that this is a sweet spot for consumers, so the market is crowded with good options. The hardware starts to look a little more "professional," or more accurately, "weird." Etymotics, always fans of producing earphones that are really good on paper, fails with the ER6 not because of quality issues, but because the buds are awkward and overwhelm with the high and middle tones. The company's new earphone tips, however, are amazing (more on this below, in the more expensive category). Ultimate Ears loses their luster at this level. Creative is yet again a nice runner-up; the Zen Aurvanas are very capable, but couldn't supplant the crystal-clear SE110s.

$150-$200
The Winner: Etymotics hf5 Ostensibly designed with portable music players in mind, the hf5s solve the balance problems of the er6 models and much, much more. They're cool looking (with the right tips, they look like sci-fi laser pistols), have little to no cable movement noise and reproduce sound in a way that is both perfectly clear and highly enjoyable. Everything about these gives the impression of quality, from the brushed aluminum finish to the way that music suddenly sounds distinctly layered in a way that it didn't before, and that it doesn't on many similarly priced units. One caveat, though: the hf5s (and the er6s, for that matter) must be used with the new foam rubber tips, called "Mushrooms." They're a little phallic and sort of a sickly gray, but they are leaps and bounds better than Etymotics' trademark flanged tips. The tighter seal that these offer to most people is conducive to better listening, and the isolation properties are superb. You can't hear anything else with these guys in. Every manufacturer should have something like this. According to the Etymotics people, by the time the hf5s ship these will be standard issue. Good.

The Losers: To sum up the category: Expensive without enough added benefit. Spending $100 will get you a phenomenal listening experience, so it's hard to justify spending more. The $200 cap was intended to filter out the luxury market/audiophile products that tend to show up at about that price, but hints of both are apparent here. The Shure SE210s are a wonderful pair of earphones, but the large premium over the SE110s is a dealbreaker, as side-by-side comparisons expose only the slightest variation in sound quality. The Klipsch Custom-2s are more of a luxury item than the others, with woven cable housing and a case that is ready for you iPod as well. Harman Kardon is just batting out of their league here, and Ultimate Ears doesn't improve on their cheaper models, even introducing some pretty terrible cable noise.

If you're looking to get the most out of your MP3 player, you'll have to spend some money. But as it turns out, the general rule is that once you pass about $100, your audio improvements will become smaller and more expensive. After reviewing all of these earphones, one simple fact is very clear: If I were in the market for a new set of earphones, I would buy the SE110s.

First and foremost, they loved the foam tips, claiming that they provided all of the benefits and none of the major negatives of their predecessors. As for the sound, they noted that these earphones would be a viable alternative to similar offerings by Bose—which is a pretty flattering endorsement. On the negative side, they weren't impressed by the overall look of the NR-10's and they felt that the bass-heavy sound could be a bit much for some listeners. However, the overall verdict was that the NR-10's were impressive, proclaiming them as a "good value for the dollar." Hit the link for the full review. [iLoungeand Comply]

The two speakers are one inch in diameter and die-cast aluminum in build, and the headband is of a light metal. Sony claims the the higher frequencies hit the outer ear, and the bass drills into your dome. $500, in April. These headphones have been in Japan for a little while now, and Wired even has a review of a prototype. (Which didn't go over so well.)

What you will look like wearing this V1:

Speakers Made Personal In a marriage between headphones and speakers, the PFR-V1 personal field speakers are designed to create a listening field around your ears. Music is projected through two 1-inch, die-cast aluminum speakers that are connected with a headband made of light-weight duralumin metal. When you place the band on your head, the speakers appear to float in front of your ears. The silicone rubber fittings on the band position the speakers about a half inch from your outer ear and direct the front of the speakers toward your ear canal. The speakers deliver mid- and high-range audio frequencies in a field of sound aimed toward the outer ear, while the bass frequency sound is delivered directly to the ear canal via the extended bass reflex ducts. By placing the speaker unit outside the ear and delivering the audio from multiple directions, you get the sense that music is being played directly in front of you — similar to the experience of being in a concert hall. The PFR-V1 personal field speakers, powered by two AA batteries, will be available in April for about $500.

See? Just don't ask me which is which.

Active Style Headphones Perfect for Sport and Fitness Enthusiasts Sony is also introducing a line of headphones that are designed to stay put when you're not. Whether on the treadmill, the track, or trekking through the mountains, the new Active Style collection features five headphones with a slim design styled with black silicone rubber with orange-red accents. In addition, all active style headphones have moisture-resistant features. The MDR-AS20J headphones fit around the outer ear with an earbud that sets inside the ear canal. The MDR-AS40EX headphones feature a convertible ear hanger so you can transform them from over-the-ear headphones to a traditional earbud style, offering users versatility and personal preference. The collection also will include more traditional headband style headphones (model MDR-AS100W), behind-the-neck earbud headphones (model MDR-AS50G) and behind-the neck open air headphones (model MDR-AS30G). The headphones will range in price from $20 to $100.

MDR-AS100W Over the Head Earbud Headphones Available in March for about $100 Lightweight, secure fitting headphones with single side cord for sports usage Short (2 foot) cord ideal for armband use; supplied extension cord (2 feet) for general use Water-resistant design Three sizes of earbuds (S, M, L)

MDR-AS50G Behind the Neck Earbud Headphones
Available in March for about $50
Lightweight spiral neck-band headphones for secure fit during activity
Short (2 foot) cord ideal for armband use; supplied extension cord (2 feet) for general use
Water-resistant design and washable carrying case
Three sizes of earbuds (S, M, L)

MDR-AS40EX Over the Ear Earbud Headphones
Available in March for about $40
Detachable ear hangers for stable fit
Short (2 foot) cord ideal for armband use; supplied extension cord (2 feet) for general use
Water-resistant design
Three sizes of earbuds (S, M, L)

MDR-AS30G Around the Neck Headphones
Available in March for about $30
Newly developed stability tip prevents movement of headphones

Sennheiser Unveils Industry's First True Wireless Stereo Earphones Using Kleer Technology

Cupertino, CA, January 4, 2008 - Kleer™ (www.kleer.com) today announced that world renowned
audio specialist Sennheiser has introduced the industry's first true wireless stereo
earphones based on Kleer's wireless audio technology. Sennheiser's new MX W1 wireless
earphones deliver crystal-clear CD-quality stereo sound, in addition to providing extremely high
noise immunity in the crowded 2.4 GHz band environment. All Kleer-based products are fully
interoperable, enabling the MX W1 earphones to receive wireless audio from any Kleer-based
portable media player. Kleer's Listen In™ technology also enables two or more people, each with
a set of MX W1 earphones, to listen to the same audio stream at the same time.

"Kleer's digital radio transmission technology produces excellent sound quality which means that
for the first time, we're in a position to offer our customers wireless earphones without
compromising our special Sennheiser sound," said Stijn Jans, Managing Director of Sennheiser
Consumer Electronics, Singapore branch. "Kleer's very low audio signal latency, coupled with
extremely interference-free transmission also translates into considerably longer battery life than
what you'd get with conventional transmission standards."

About the Sennheiser MX W1 True Wireless Earphones

The MX W1 is comprised of two sleek ear pieces (untethered right and left earphones) featuring
Sennheiser's 'twist-to-fit' system to ensure a secure and comfortable fit in each ear. Kleer's 5x -
10x power advantage over Bluetooth has enabled Sennheiser to use the smallest rechargeable
coin cell battery in the world, thus facilitating a compact, ergonomically pleasing industrial design
that consumers demand. The earphones also come with a small, matchbox-sized transmitter and
a transport case which includes an integrated battery that can recharge the earphones when
away from home.

"The name Sennheiser has been synonymous with top-quality audio products for over 60 years,"
said Levent Gun, President and CEO of Kleer. "It's therefore a huge vote-of-confidence that this
industry giant has validated our wireless audio technology with an outstanding product that we
believe will set a new standard in wireless audio sound. The MX W1 represents the best our
respective companies can offer to consumers in wireless earphone technology and design."
The MX W1 will be available from May 2008.

Here's how it works: 960 of the little buds are speakers, collectively pushing buzzing sounds around the room, while the remaining 40 buds act as microphones to fuel the feedback loop. "Another unpredicted but welcomed sound source was some white noise from a fucked-up amplification circuit I built," says Avel s, who tells us he wants to stage the installation again in Amsterdam, where he lives. Below is a photo of Avel s putting the final touches on his project; he says audio and video samples of the event are coming soon.

[Make; Andr 's Flickr Gallery]

Its integrated microphone lets you keep those earphones on and rocking, and you can hear someone talking to you at the same time. You can adjust the mix of outside sound with your own music, a good idea when walking busy city streets, driving, pretending not to ignore the bullying vicissitudes of your nagging mate, or waiting for an important phone call.

While the company's site makes a big deal out of not damaging your hearing, it looks like this sucker can really crank up the sound, too, and while you might not want your 'phones to be louder, higher quality sound would certainly be welcome. An intriguing possibility is the product's Soundfield Expansion, designed to alleviate that feeling of music playing in the middle of your skull, bringing it out front and around you.

If you've already spent a few hundred bucks and some really nice earphones, the EAP03's $179 may not be too painful. [Tension Labs]

Specs:
Model: EAP03-01S
Weight: 55 grams (2 oz.)
Size: 82.5 mm (L) x 52 mm (W) x 13 mm (T)
Battery: Lithium-Polymer 950 mAH 3.7V
Battery Life: 7-8 Hrs. Full Charge (500 cycles min.)
Freq. response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Distortion: 0.03% THD typical
Hearing Monitoring Function: Based on NIOSH 98-186 Noise Exposure Standard

I have used the SE210 for a few months now, and they are great, but at $149, probably still too pricey. I will be a fan of the SE110 only if it comes with the squishy noise-isolating memory foam that makes its predecessors so damn comfortable and peaceful. It is hard to tell looking at the specs what they stripped out going down from the SE210. The only way to really find out is to have a listen, so stay tuned. [Product Page, Press Release]

Take a look at that diagram above, and you'll see that even the cables on these mini-cans are interchangeable. The company says they sound good enough to be called "in-ear monitors." The last time we tried earphones that called themselves that (the much-vaunted Shure E5c), they had the best audio reproduction we'd ever heard. But then, those were $500 earphones—we're wondering if these Sleek Audio phones can match up to them for a comparatively low $229.99 price. To find out, we'll have to wait until they ship in mid-October. [Sleek Audio, via Audio Junkies]

Pros:Listening to a frequency sweep, base came in more clearly and with more tactile oomph off the line, while slightly peaky on the high end. They were more punchy, and the earpieces (comes with several sizes) were comfy and stayed in while not picking up too much ear grease. More efficient, so louder at a given volume setting than stock buds. Better sound isolation. Cloth covered black cables were nice. Microphone built in for calls. Leather carrying pouch included.
Cons:Headphone jack stem is too tall. Unbelievably, no remote control button for play/pause, track skipping, or call accept/reject.
Verdict: If you're into the headphones for calling, instead of using a bluetooth headset or the handset itself, you'd better pass. If you find yourself using the iPod in the iPhone a lot, these might be worth it, but consider Belkin's $10 adapter that will allow all your old headphones to work with the iPhone, first.
[VModa]

Here's the deal: the AH-C351K/W at left will cost $50 and is out in August with white or black finish, and a soft carrying pouch. The step-up AH-C551K will sell for $100 in October. Made from machined aluminum, it comes in black with a hard case and accessories like an L-shaped connector and a cable clip. The high-end aluminum AH-C751S will cost $200, out in August in black or silver.

I don't have any extra info on the larger headphones—AH-D301, AH-D501 and AH-D701—but if you subtract 1 from each model number, you can figure out basic price ranges and performance numbers. I will tell you that none of headphones "Works With iPhone" but they mostly have two-piece cords, like Shures, so there will likely be an iPhone-friendly extension or adapter, perhaps even with a built-in mic, in the future. If I ever get more info, I'll be sure to let you know.

Designed with both safety and comfort in mind, the AirDrives meet OSHA standards for all-day listening because of the distance they put between the ear drum and the audio source. MadCatz also claims this unique design drowns out less ambient noise than traditional earbuds or over-the-ear headphones, making them realistic for office workers, joggers or other users who don't want to zone out entirely while enjoying their music. Available in September, a kid-sized set will cost $70 while the one-size-fits-all adult version will be $100. [MadCatz AirDrives via Electronista]

Sponsored by Shure: "Sound isolating fit, premium quality - listen to music the way it was meant to be heard with Shure Earphones."

Shure Thing v3.0: Win a Pair of SE310 Earphones [Gizmodo]

• How many, and what are the names of the earphone sleeves that are included with the SE310?

All of the standard Gawker contest rules apply. The contest ends Friday May 25 at noon Eastern and then two winners will be selected at random from the correct entries.

Sponsored by Shure: "Sound isolating fit, premium quality - listen to music the way it was meant to be heard with Shure Earphones."

You know, for historical accuracy to the cartoons. – Brian Lam

Earphone Transforms Into A Robot [Tokyo Mango]

Of course, they're nothing like the V-Moda set we reviewed recently, but free's free.

Got more Weird Combos of the Day? Send them in. – Jason Chen

Thanks Micah!

Bose (Sort of) Admits its New Headphones Are Flawed [Crave]