I’m a big fan of the idea that quality is the most important factor in a product. I will always buy the more expensive product if I’m convinced that it will be more satisfying to own than cheaper competing products.
Headphones are one example of a product line that I will spend extra money on. I want to hear everything or nothing, depending.
I spent about $100 on a pair of Shure headphones prior to leaving for Iraq. Great investment.
Now I’m thinking about a second pair because I’ve literally worn out the first pair via a few travel incidents and some very rough handling. The internal debate I’m having is over which set of headphones to purchase (assuming I can get a wife seal of approval on either). The finalists are:
The tech specs are pretty darn similar:
Shure E2c Sound Isolating
Etymotic Research ER-6i
I know that you, my readers, are hyper-literate and vastly intelligent. If it were your dollars being spent, would you purchase one over the other? Perhaps you have personal anecdotal evidence or a compelling technical reason why one product is vastly superior to the other. If so, please share the wealth. That is what the Internet is for.