Koss KDX300 Gold: $99.99

Reasons to Choose Them:

• Track record: Koss has been making high-quality headphones and earphones since before most of us were born.
• Simple, solid construction.
• Sound is generally clear and neutral, but with an added touch of mid-bass warmth that gives the Golds an easygoing quality that can compensate for some of the iPod’s sonic “rough edges”).

Reasons to Look Further:

• Sound might be too easygoing for its own good.
• Some Playback staffers find the brighter and more vivid-sounding Koss KDX200 Silver to be the more appealing model (the Silver costs less, too).

Honorable Mention

Yurtopia Yurbuds: $30 (earphones), $20 (adapters for stock earbuds)

Reasons to Consider Buying:

• Inexpensive: offered either as ready-to-use earphones or as adapters that slip over standard Apple-type earbuds.
• Available in a wide range of sizes for a semi-customized fit.
• Once properly fitted, the Yurbuds essentially “lock” into your outer ears and are difficult to jostle loose. Developed by a guy who runs marathons for fun, these are a good choice for active athlete/listeners.
• Based on stock earbuds, but offer significant sonic improvements.

Reasons to Look Further:

• The “lock-tight” fit isn’t for everyone.
• Sound quality is better than stock earbuds, but falls well short of the best available in the sub-$100 class.

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You can read the full reviews of these and other earphones in the Playback Guide to Earphones & Custom-Fit In-Ear Monitors. Download for free here.

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