While these don’t have the greatest sound available, I’ve never worn earbuds that fit as well or that stayed comfortable for as long. Don’t get me incorrect; the sound is perfect for my favorite NPR talk, it’s just not as excellent for music as my no-name-apparent but bought as an upgrade phones. Fantastic for walking or cycling.

I am very specific about my music listening needs. The sound that comes out of my in-ear headphones must be clear, crisp, and balanced in both treble and bass. I don’t like the bass to be overwhelming, but there’s gotta be a punch and thump to them that doesn’t sound “all over the place. ” Another thing I can’t stand is thin, “airy” sounding headphones, that make the music sound like it’s coming from a large empty room. I’ve tried the UE Super. fi. 3’s and I could not bring myself to like them for this reason, even though it’s $30 more expensive than the Panasonics. These Panasonic HJE300’s fit my standards perfectly sound-wise. I use then with all of my mp3 players: Creative Zen, Vision:M, Microphoto, Sansa e280, and Insignia Pilot Video. They all sound incredible with these headphones. Not only are the sounds detailed and clear, there’s substance to it, not just an echoey, dull sound. The headphones that come close to the Panasonics are the Sennheiser in-ears. Make sure you have excellent fit with the right sized plugs. It makes all the difference. Another positive about these ‘phones are the Y-shaped cable and the single cord. It’s just the right length and isn’t broken into two parts. In addition, I don’t need to use a clip like I had to with the Sennheisers and HJE50’s to prevent the cord from rubbing my clothing and interfering with the sound. I just wish the plug was L-shaped instead of straight. I’m worried about how long these headphones will last. Although I’ve been using them practically every day for about three months, and no problems yet. These are the best sounding in-ears in the sub-$20 range, and I suspect they compare to the headphonese in the $60 range as well. What a bargain!

I’ve been searching a long time for decent headphones to replace the stock ones that came with my ipod Nano 2G. These are it. They fit comfortably and form a tight seal to stay seated in my ears and block out nearly all external noise. The cord is the Y-type variety (equal lengths rather than 1 small wire & 1 long wire), and even has the small adjustable guide to prevent the wires from tangling. The plug is narrow like the Apple earbuds so they fit just about flush on my Nano. The sound is blissful, with tight bass and clear highs. I bought a pair of Shure E2c’s at the same time as these, and the Shures are going back. These have more bass and volume, and are so much simpler to place on than the Shures (which require that you wrap the wires above and over your ears). To be honest, I listen mostly to electronica/dance/trance, so maybe the Shures would fare better on more detailed music. Bottom line: I am in like with these headphones, and reckon they are a steal for the money. Don’t bother with the Sonys, JBuds, I’ve tried them all and there’s no comparison.