Wind noise - Which ear canal earbuds under $30 would you recommend?

When I’m out walking, there is a hill that is usually windy so I want to buy ear canal earbuds to solve the wind noise problem…  The Sony earphones that I currently use are the kind that sit in the ear but do not go into the ear canal and the wind noise is terrible.

My requirements are:

1.  Flat frequency response without over emphasizing the bass.

2.  Comfortable in the ear canal.

3.  Symetrical cords to both ears.  I can’t stand the asymetrical cords that put all of the weight of the cord on one ear, and the loose cord to the other ear flops around my face when walking, especially in the wind.

4.  No volume control in the cord which just adds weight to my ears.

5.  No short cord with extension like the Sony MDR-EX75 has.  The EX75 has a plug and jack in the cord to allow plugging the short cord into an armband device and an extension to allow plugging the cord into a waist or pocket device.  The plug and jack just adds extra weight to the cord when used with a Fuze or my waist mp3 player.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Sky

The Creative EP-630 might be a good option.

  1. Excellent sound quality (very tough to beat at this price point) with a pretty neutral frequency response.  Good passive noise blocking - when used on an airplane, with no music playing, the engine noise is almost completely blocked out.

  2. For me, at least, quite comfortable when using for a couple of hours.

  3. Symmetrical.

  4. No volume control on cord.

  5. Cord is 4 feet long.

Lots of reviews around for you to check as well.  While the list is $40 (above your budget), there are often deals on these that would bring it within your range.

Thanks Rallison.  The EP-630 does look good although it is about $40 on amazon.  Your feedback is very helpful.

Sky

I’d recommend the AI-M9 or AI-M6 from meelec.com.  Though they do have powerful bass, it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the sound spectrum.  I love them for their detail, and great, bright mids and highs. 

The “experts” at head-fi.org greatly prefer them to the EP-630’s, which are supposed to have really strong bloated bass.  I remember when they were released, it was rumored that they were rebrands of the Sennheiser CX300 drivers - which do suffer from bloated bass at the expense of all else.

The M9 and M6 have the same drivers.  The only difference is the casing with the M9’s being easier to wear normal and the M6 made to wear with the wires running over the ears.  Supposedly, it’s easier to get a better fit with the M6’s.  I have the M9’s already, but am tempted to get the new clear M6’s because they look so sweet.  The M9’s are about $20 shipped, with the M6’s being $40.  In the US you can buy them from newegg.com and overstock.com - but I’m told you can order them internationally from meelec.com.  They just improved the cables and you probably want to order directly from meelec.com anyway to make sure you get the newer silvery (less microphonic) cables.

That said, you might want to wait for reviews on the new R1 and M11 which were just released.  Also - if you want to get into way too much detail on this topic, research the following forum:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/

You’ll find lots of unbiased reviews of the ep-630, and the meelectronics headphones.  Plus a bazillion other headphones.

Message Edited by PolloLoco on 10-03-2009 11:29 AM

Message Edited by PolloLoco on 10-03-2009 11:34 AM

Hi PolloLoco,

I was not able to find the Meelec AI-M9 on amazon and since I ordered everything from there, I wanted to buy the earbuds from amazon also.  I checked out head-fi.org per your link and you’re right.  It does contain a wealth of information on headphones.

For newbies like me, the head-fi website has a thread that explains everything you ever wanted to know about in-ear canalphones also called In Ear Monitors (IEM).  I did find the JVC-HAFX66 Air Cushions IEM via that website.  I also found a youtube review that shows the construction of the HAFX66 and how it looks while inserted into the ear.  Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8PRU6tI3_k

This video shows that the FX66 has symmetrical cords.  The large part of the FX66 is actually a soft material that fits in the outer ear.  It is the “air cushion” function.  The air cushion is said to also reduce cord noise in the ear which will be great since I will use them mainly while doing walking exercise.  From the looks of the FX66 in the ear (in the youtube video) it looks like the air cushions might also help block the wind which is one of my major concerns.

The HAFX66 sells for $19.58 on amazon which is cheap enough to take a chance on them.  The reviews on amazon are quite good with the lowest number of negative reviews (percentage wise) compared to all other IEMs that I checked on amazon.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Sky

OK - I hope you enjoy the FX66.  I just have two comments on your dependance on Amazon.com.

I think there’s no reason to limit yourself to purchasing from Amazon.com in online purchases - since they’ll seldom have the lowest price or availability of specialty products.

Also - keep in mind that when you’re looking at headphone reviews at Amazon - often, a large percentage of reviews will be from people who have nothing to compare to.  They like the product, but have never had a similar one.  At head-fi, a lot of the reviewers have compared dozens - if not hundreds of headphones.  So you’ll have a higher probability of not only liking what you buy - but making sure it’s at the top of it’s class.

OK - I hope you enjoy the FX66.  I just have two comments on your dependance on Amazon.com.

 

I think there’s no reason to limit yourself to purchasing from Amazon.com in online purchases - since they’ll seldom have the lowest price or availability of specialty products.

 

Also - keep in mind that when you’re looking at headphone reviews at Amazon - often, a large percentage of reviews will be from people who have nothing to compare to.  They like the product, but have never had a similar one.  At head-fi, a lot of the reviewers have compared dozens - if not hundreds of headphones.  So you’ll have a higher probability of not only liking what you buy - but making sure it’s at the top of it’s class.

 

The reason I buy almost all my stuff from amazon is because it is the only online company that I know of that has free shipping to Hawaii, where I live.  Amazon will restrict free shipping to Hawaii on excessively large or heavy items but those items are not on my online shopping list anyway.  Cheaper to just buy large heavy items locally since they were shipped in bulk via boat.

Newegg will only ship via UPS to Hawaii which adds a minimum of about $15 to $17 shipping no matter how small or light the items are.  I’ve sent two emails to newegg over the years requesting that they try to arrange free shipping to Hawaii like amazon does but they won’t do it.  I’ve requested that they at least mail small, light merchandise via the US Postal Service which is much cheaper than UPS or Fedex but they refuse to do that too.  Overstock will also not ship via the US Postal Service to Hawaii which eliminates them from my online purchases also.  Companies that refuse to ship via the US Postal Service are losing a large number of sales to Alaska and Hawaii.  I can’t fathom why they are willing to lose substantial money just because they don’t want to ship via the USPS.

Had I purchased the earphones from newegg or overstock, I would have had to add about $15 shipping to the item cost shown online.

I agree with what you said about reviews at amazon coming more from novices compared to head-fi.  I have had very good luck buying from amazon via their user reviews though, probably because I’m more of a jack of all trades type rather than a specialist type.

Thanks a lot for your input.  Much appreciated!

Sky

Gotcha, that makes more sense.  But keep this in mind if you don’t end up liking the FX66’s - or want another pair.  On Headfi, international users reported that international shipping from meelec.com was less than $7.  You’re not even international, so a $17.49 pair of headphones would still be reasonably priced.

 

Gotcha, that makes more sense.  But keep this in mind if you don’t end up liking the FX66’s - or want another pair.  On Headfi, international users reported that international shipping from meelec.com was less than $7.  You’re not even international, so a $17.49 pair of headphones would still be reasonably priced.

Sounds good.  MeElec must be shipping via USPS to provide shipping charges in the $7 range.  I can live with shipping rates like that. 

Thanks,

Sky

In my experience, Amazon has been really great about returns as well. I prefer to buy from them just for the good service, as long as the price is reasonably close.


In my experience, Amazon has been really great about returns as well. I prefer to buy from them just for the good service, as long as the price is reasonably close.


100% ditto on that!  I bought a HP printer from amazon and it was received DOA. 

HP - Thumbs down.

I worked with HP tech support and they determined that the printer was indeed bad.  They said they would replace it with no shipping charge to me.  They said they would send me a replacement printer along with a return shipping label.  After about 10 days, no printer.  I called HP and then they said I had not faxed them a copy of the amazon receipt.  BS!  I had the “Sent OK” printout that is printed after every successful fax completion.  But I faxed the receipt again and called HP immediately to insure that they received it.  They acknowledged that they had received my fax. … 10 days later, still no replacement printer!!!  I called HP and they said they had not shipped it yet but they would ship it soon.  I told them to forget it!

Amazon - Thumbs Up.

I explained what happened to amazon and requested a refund as I didn’t want to deal with HP for a replacement printer any more.  Amazon immediately credited my charge card and sent a return shipping label for free return shipping.  Outstanding Service!!!

I have no reservations about buying from amazon after that and have recommended amazon to all my friends without any worries.

Sky

@skyglider wrote:

Hi PolloLoco,

I was not able to find the Meelec AI-M9 on amazon and since I ordered everything from there, I wanted to buy the earbuds from amazon also.  I checked out head-fi.org per your link and you’re right.  It does contain a wealth of information on headphones.

For newbies like me, the head-fi website has a thread that explains everything you ever wanted to know about in-ear canalphones also called In Ear Monitors (IEM).  I did find the JVC-HAFX66 Air Cushions IEM via that website.  I also found a youtube review that shows the construction of the HAFX66 and how it looks while inserted into the ear.  Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8PRU6tI3_k

 

This video shows that the FX66 has symmetrical cords.  The large part of the FX66 is actually a soft material that fits in the outer ear.  It is the “air cushion” function.  The air cushion is said to also reduce cord noise in the ear which will be great since I will use them mainly while doing walking exercise.  From the looks of the FX66 in the ear (in the youtube video) it looks like the air cushions might also help block the wind which is one of my major concerns.

The HAFX66 sells for $19.58 on amazon which is cheap enough to take a chance on them.  The reviews on amazon are quite good with the lowest number of negative reviews (percentage wise) compared to all other IEMs that I checked on amazon.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Sky

 

Good choice, the Air Cushions are great.  The requirements you listed are very close to mine and I’ve been extremely happy with them, so I expect you’ll like them too.  They are defintely among the best in the budget segment and can actually compete pretty well with some of the phones in the $50-70 ballpark.

 

Good choice, the Air Cushions are great.  The requirements you listed are very close to mine and I’ve been extremely happy with them, so I expect you’ll like them too.  They are defintely among the best in the budget segment and can actually compete pretty well with some of the phones in the $50-70 ballpark.

 

Skinjob,

Thanks a lot for your reassuring input.  I’m looking forward to using them.

Sky

Back to the wind noise…

I have a pair of v-moda vibes which are quite susceptible to conducted vibration from wind, rubbing etc. Mostly I think because the cable has a woven outer.

I fix the problem by routing the cable over the top and down the back of my ears. That way the vibration is damped out by contact with my skin before it reaches the in-ear driver.

@daytona955 wrote:

Back to the wind noise…

 

I have a pair of v-moda vibes which are quite susceptible to conducted vibration from wind, rubbing etc. Mostly I think because the cable has a woven outer.

 

I fix the problem by routing the cable over the top and down the back of my ears. That way the vibration is damped out by contact with my skin before it reaches the in-ear driver.

Yeah, pretty much all IEMs have problems with the cables transferring vibrations to your ear canals, especially in the budget segment.  Most in the budget IEMs make little or no attempt to prevent this problem, but the Air Cushions at least have features to limit vibration noise.  The cables are very smooth, so they create little friction and according to JVC there there is some sort of “vibration-proof structure”, whatever that is.  In any case they’re fairly decent in this regard, at least compared to others at this price point.

But a good point made is that if you have a pair of microphonic earphones, they can often be fixed or the noise reduced by just wrapping the cables up and around your ears.  The ears insulate the vibration noise before it hits your eardrums.

I actually use a pair of CX500’s for running, with a pair of earguides meant for the PFE in this way.  Otherwise, there’s no way anyone could use them for running due to the highly microphonic cable.

Here’s my mini review of the JVC HAFX66 Air Cushion In Ear Monitors (IEM).

The HAFX66 IEMs fit very comfortably in my ears.  What I hoped for and no problems here.

 

The audio quality is very good with highs and lows and without excessive bass.  Very happy here also.

 

The wind noise has not been reduced much from the Sony earbuds (that fit in the outer ear) that I’ve been using.  Turning a household fan on to medium speed, the wind noise seemed almost the same using the HAFX666 or the Sony earbuds.  I was actually surprised that the wind noise reduction is so minimal using IEMs. ----- Finding this out, I decided to test using my Audio Technica completely over the ears headphones and my Sony MDR-7506 headphones which also completely cover the ears.  The wind noise is also about the same using them.

 

So my conclusion is that IEMs, earbuds or complete over the ear headphones all have about the same amount of wind noise.  There is only one way to really reduce windnoise which is to hold my hands in front of my ears so the palms are perpendicular to the sides of my face.  That almost reduces the windnoise to zero.

 

Cord noise while walking is very minimal and acceptable.  Cord noise while simulating jogging is noticeable.  Routing the cords over the ears reduces cord noise substantially.

 

Cords are symmetrical to both ears and the length is fine for putting the Fuze in a waist pouch.  The cord is soft, flexible and smooth and I have no problems with the cord at all.

 

Would I buy the HAFX66 IEMs again?  That will depend on my using them for an extended period to see how they work out in the comfort department.  As far as audio quality goes, yes I would buy them again.  Wind noise has no bearing on which ear listening device I buy from now on.

 

Sky