• Durable, affordable earphones
    10 replies, posted
Looking for a durable and affordable pair of earphones. My last pair is doing that thing were one speaker doesn't work unless you twist the wire in a funny way. While I of course don't want them to sound like tin cans, I'm looking for something that will last more than anything else. They need to be purchasable/deliverable in the UK and also not cost a fortune. Why am I asking the internet this instead of just buying a cheap pair from ASDA? Because I'm a believer in the saying "I'm too poor to afford cheap", I don't want to replace them again in a few months or weeks.
Budget?
£30/$38 if there's some real quantifiable survivability behind them, I guess.
You're not gonna find much in terms of high quality (either sound or durability) at that price range. Anything sub-$50~ is gonna be roughly similar in terms of build and sound quality if you're looking at reputable brands.
I'll admit, I've not really paid attention to audio quality or anything like that so... I guess I've just been using terrible speakers all my life? I don't know what to do then really.
Are you on about earbuds or headphones? Earphones is a dogshit term If the former, Microsoft Lifechat LX-3000, if you want/don't mind a mic (I think they're USB only). Last I seen they were £20 a pop. I've owned 3 pairs and each has lasted me at least a year - which is saying something, I abuse the fuck out of my shit. If you want to extend their lifetime beyond what that'd translate to for you, use some kind of epoxy or clay around each end of the control box along the wire - that's its main point of failure for me cause it snags on my desk when I stand up - point being that something along those lines helps it deflect off such surfaces instead of basically pulling the wire out. Beyond that it's got pretty damn good audio quality for what they are, the mic is fine for a headset. Only real downside I can think of is they're tight as fuck when you first get them. If the latter, I don't know if they still make them (and if they do, whether they're still the same), but JVC Gummies were pretty good and cheap - £7 last ones I had but that was roughly a decade ago.
Get a hard case for your earbuds. Don't shove them in your pocket, don't wrap them around your phone or whatever. It'll make a huge difference as far as longevity goes.
These ones might be a good option. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07B4PDF6K/ref=twister_B07R2KH64W They are pretty well built, and come with a replacement cable and case in the box. They are pretty new so it's hard to say how durable they actually are, but the previous generation of these were good in this regard.
Most of the higher end brands offer some good cheaper models. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-206-Stereo-Headphone-silver/dp/B01N7S0IPR/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-K52-Closed-Back-Headphones/dp/B019EACGSU/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-M20X-Professional-Headphones-Black/dp/B00HVLUR18/ There's tons of really good options out there, just look up some reviews on whatever you're looking at buying to make sure it's not absolute trash.
My current headset is a Sennheiser pair. Can't remember the model but they've lasted a long time. However, I'm looking for earbuds. Thank you for the reccommendations though!
At your budget I'd recommend KZ ZSN. Also worth looking into TRN V80s. If you consistently find you're breaking earphones, then what @Ott said is your best fix - a hard case will significantly extend the life of any cables.
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