http://www.etymotic.com

I have the ER-6's, they're great. The foam earpeices are wonderful on the plane even.

Check out this on the web

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/chmisearph.html

and

http://music1online.com/coandreofshi.html

and

http://www.powerbookcentral.com/columns/kravitz/fsears.shtml

and

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1830668,00.asp

and

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/epcomp.aspx

wow, that extremetech review of the ER-6i's has a picture with some very different foam earpieces than mine. Mine came with foamies that are shaped more like earplugs.

Shure E5c.

Best earbuds out right now.

I'm not shure (heh... heh...) if they are worth $500 USD a pair, but they sound better than anything else I've tried.

And I think the cheaper Shure buds don't sound anything like the E5c.

They sound more like nice $50 or $60 consumer earbuds.

I would like to try a pair of Ultrasone ICans though. If they are anything like my 2000's or 650's, I bet they sound pretty decent.

Etymotic ER-4S are my 'isolation' recording monitors and also do fabulous service on airplanes. Some might like the warmer sound of the ER-4P model, but I have no problem dealing with the difference in tonal balance between these and my reference cans (original Grado HP-1).

Michael

i have the e5's as well. got them for $350, so if you shop around a good deal can be had. they weren't what i expected when i first popped them in--a bit harsh if you're using them to listen to a cd. i use them for live shows with my in-ear monitors, and for that they rock. :wink:

dave.

I changed my entire setup last year for live performances and ended up Etymotic.

I started off with getting a couple of custom moulded "Musicians Earplugs" using different attenuators for different mixing situations (15 and 25). They were originally only to be used for the performance but the clarity of the sound with attenuators is so good that I actually use them for setting the mix as well. (And the tinnitus is at least not getting worse...)
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/erme.aspx

Then I realized that it was possible to use an adaptor to put the ER-6 in my moulded earplugs. The sound was amazing! I actually used the plugs during two gigs last fall and they were just outstanding. (Playing drums and singing backing vocals). Had I known how good they sounded I would probably not gone ahead and bought the all-pro plugs that I am currently using (with a x5 price tag...)
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6.aspx

Depending on what your budget is saying I would go for custom moulded Etymotic.