Running Earphones
September 16, 2009
Running Earphones
Many runners and other athletes have incorporated MP3 players in their daily workout some even during racing. For long endurance sports like running the MP3 becomes indispensable. It can help pass the time and kilometers pass. During the teams ultra marathon training several members incorporated the mp3 player while doing their long runs which they claim helped them run longer. One of the concerns regarding music and running is the earphones. Its difficult to use the earphones supplied by manufacturers since most of them are not built for running which usually slips out of the ear or malfunctions suddenly due to sweat. Earphones for running are difficult to come by. Most of all its very personal.
For those runners who run with music, hopefully these tips will help you chose and search for the perfect earphones for you. This is just a comparison report between the 3 earphones that I’ve tried. Kindly view the past blogs that I did on these earphones.
The first one that I got, was this Philips earhook sport earphones - first thing attracted me was the price (of course).
I run like 3 - 4 times a week and I have tried the black and white colorway. A little over a year, the sound quality started to crack. One time the sound is a on the left, then another time its all on the right. Then one day, no sound at all. At first I thought I might have worn it out to its extent or maybe the specific earphone that I got was just faulty. So I bought my 2nd pair again. After around a year - same thing happened.
I’m no electronics expert - but just hear my theory from a runner/consumers POV. I think the main problem is where the chord connects to the earpiece. Since this is used for sport, in my case running - this product will experience a lot of shaking; specifically bobbing up and down. So the weight of the remaining chord will all be carried by the connection to the earpiece - so I think that area should be well looked into.
Plus Points:
- Fit is good - though you have to adjust it once and a while, earpieces sits well in the ear hole.
- Sound - it has more bass than it should carry, this is good if you're into hip hop music.
- Good enough length of the cord.
- Rubber portion can be molded for a custom fit.
- You can buy this in almost any music shop.
Minus Points:
- Flimsy construction.
- Needs more grip on the ear hook behind the ear. Rubber is not resistant to slip when sweat is applied.
The second earphone that I got is also a Philips - but this time I went for a sort of high end model sport earphone. My mindset now was: maybe to get superb performance, I need to invest as well.
Price is P925.00
What attracted me to this kind of locking mechanism this features. For this one, instead of using a insulated chord, they used mesh or woven material to cover the chord to the earpiece - plus as soon as you wear it, the chord supposedly locks down behind your ear as the it is being pulled down by the weight of the rest of the chord (see arrow illustration).
Problem with this earphone is that the bottom portion is too heavy. First time I used it was in a controlled environment, treadmill in fitness first 3mins into the run, I gave up on the earphones.
So what happens is that the whole earphone is being weighted downwards then backwards by the main piece - which in turn pulls out the earpiece from the ear hole which leaves the product hanging and dangling.
Plus Points:
- Good looking earphones.
- Sound quality is good.
Minus Points:
- Not really for sport.
- Very lousy grip.
- Better if you just use it for walking or travel.
Third earphones I went for is a much higher end model and did more research (not to mention go out of budget).
The Sennheiser OMX70
When I saw this, I instantly noticed the design. I said to myself: this has got to be it. The design was flawless and the rubber material was high grade. Plus it comes in a bright volt color so as not to misplace it. Plus, it's Sennheiser - I think the margin for error is quite slim here.
The fit was perfect. It was hanging over the ear, very light weight plus you can mold the rubber portion custom to your ear. Also, you can adjust the earpiece to extend lower for a more personalized fit. Its very comfortable - you just hang it over; once you run, you'll forget its even there.
Plus points:
- Lightweight.
- Brightly colored - so you don't lose it.
- Premium rubber materials.
- Fit can be customized.
- The earpiece can be extendend lower depending on your ear size.
- Comes with a silicone case and a clip.
Minus points:
- Expensive.
- Earpiece is quite bulky.
What ever kind of earphone you land with and how ever much you bought it for, believe that someday it will also breakdown. The brand is just something to give you peace of mind - but what you have to really consider is the construction and the materials applied to it. And it so happens that the good brands are the ones who do that that’s why in turn - they get to charge us as much. Either way, if you Google running earphones or sport earphones on the net, you'll come up with a lot of brands - bulk of which are the Sennheisers, and the others are not available in the country (sigh).
Just like buying bike parts - no matter how much research and affirmation you get from your friends, unless you buy it, that’s the only time you'll realize it’s the right product for you. Shopping for the ‘the one’ is really a hit or miss - and I hope this blog will save you that extra bucks by trying to share with you my experiences.
