Pretty darn good earbuds for ten bucks!

First, let me say that my experience with wired earbuds is certainly not extensive; for a variety of reasons. I tend to be very rough on the little buggers and either lose them frequently or crush them getting in and out of my car or working out; and I like to keep a pair in different locations. I simply don’t care about having audiophile quality sound when moving around and I save that experience for my Stax phones/tube driver setup or the big rig. Not to mention that I am a cheapskate when it comes to “disposables”. Having said all that, and with the Xmas season approaching, I wanted to recommend what I think is an outstanding value and which might make a great stocking stuffer for the uninitiated in decent sound from their portable device. For $9.99 on Amazon I think these earbuds are simply amazing. Compared to anything that is typically included with the iPhone and similar devices and compared to the similarly priced Panasonic “Ergo Fit” and others that I have tried, these little guys are fantastic. Infinitely better clarity and refinement without harshness and more than decent separation for a semblance of a soundstage. Certainly not audiophile quality, but very enjoyable sound. They do need a few hours to “break in” sounding a little thin out of the box. To my way of thinking the mere fact that the break in is noticeable is a sign that they are pretty good to begin with. For ten bucks, pretty great.

Anyone with experience with these who has found something in a similar price range that is better, please, I’m all ears 😉.

PHILIPS SHE3590BK/28 In-Ear Headphones