I go thru earbuds like crazy.
I'm the only person I know who has this problem; I shit out a pair of those tiny little buds that people stuff into their ears to tune out the world just about quarterly. My last pair (or rather, my current pair, as I've yet to replace these) led me to believe that they'd be the last ones I'd have to purchase for a while, because they're water-proof.
Why does being water-proof matter? I sweat a lot, especially if I'm doing high intensity cardio (say, running or cycling great distances). The sweat gets into the buds and fries them out. I can tell when they're about to go because the sound gets really static-y or I just lose sound in one (or both) of the buds.
My current set, H2O Audio's Surge 2G water-proof earbuds aren't starting to go bad in the buds, but in the jack stem, causing me to have to reach down and twist it every so often or deal with static and cut out.
So, I figure since I've had so many different pairs of earbuds in the last few years, I'd review some of the better ones for you, just in case you're dealing with some of the same problems that I am.
Apple Ear Buds
What's great about them: Relatively cheap if you know where to buy them (say, Amazon.com, if you search the term "OEM" followed by what Apple product you're looking for, earbuds, charging cables, etc) you can get them in bulk.
What's not so great about them: If most of your audiophile friends complain that there's not much too the sound quality on these guys, they're right. Try a pair of these, and then listen to the exact same song with any other brand and you'll hear the difference.
Best for: low-to-moderate physical activity. From listening to music or watching a video on your iPod or iPad on the couch, to walks and light gym work.
Estimated Use Life: with the prescribed above activities, these should have at least a year shelf life, however, if you're more active on a more consistent basis (marathon runner in training, for example) or you sweat in buckets all the time, expect to get between two and four months out of these guys before they're cooked.
Personal experience: Sound quality aside, I have no real beef with these except the price Apple demands for them. I think they fit my ears fine (others have complained about this aspect as well), however with my level of activity, I will only use a pair of these if I can't find a more durable set.
($29.99 @ Apple.com, $10-$15 @ Amazon.com)
Skullcandy "Smokin' Bud" Ear Buds
These guys are nearly as ubiquitous as the Apple earbuds. Again, quality-wise these aren't your best bet, but they're cheap so you won't feel the pinch too bad if you burn thru a pair in a matter of months.
What's not so great about them: You get what you pay for. A high intensity work out will kill these things in weeks, not months. Often times they only come with one set of rubberized "custom-fit" ear pieces, that may or may not ride comfortably in your ears.
Best for: Any workout, as these things will be toast no matter how much or how little you workout.
Estimated Use Life: A few weeks to a few months, depending.
Personal Experience: I've had a few pairs of these over the years and my experience has always been the same. They're "ok" and "good enough" to get me thru a period between having decent to really nice buds. They're place holders. However, I find the fit on these to be bothersome, as the rubber inserts don't fit my ears all too well. While running, they'll sometimes fall out.
($11.99-$18.99 @ Amazon.com or any local retailer)
Rocketfish EHP-11
A middle of the road brand, Rocketfish make all sort of audio components like bluetooth stereo equipment and car gps mounts.
What's great about them: Came with about a dozen different sized rubberized ear buds so that you could find a "perfect fit" for your individual ear, and a magnetized fob to coral the extra-long chord.
What's not so great about them: With all the choices in little rubber pieces, none of them fit my ear properly. Plus the sound quality is affected by the gigantic 1970's stereo jack stem.
Best for: low intensity activity, as the jack stem and extra long chord tend to get in the way.
Estimated Use Life: I got about a solid month or so out of these before they got chucked, however, with the level of discomfort I experienced, I wanted to get rid of them sooner, but couldn't justify doing so with what I spent.
Personal Experience: Like I said, I felt a high level of discomfort from these, plus the buds were constantly falling out of my ears! The extra long chord and jack stem kept getting in the way as well (that magnetic fob is useless), leaving me no other choice but to toss these before they started to crackle and go static-y.
($29.99 @ Best Buy, $5-$20 @ Amazon.com)
H2O Audio Surge Ear Buds
Water-proof earbuds! Olympian Michael Phelps is on the packaging and website! For what they're charging these must be the answer I'm looking for!
What's great about them: They're water-proof. That being said, they should be sweat-proof as well, which was the primary reason I bought them. They also come with an assortment of rubber pieces to custom-fit into your ear, and of the bunch tested, H20 Audio's were the only pair to give me something close to a custom fit.
Best for: Pool work (which I've used them for as well) or any high intensity cardio workout. However, underwater the sound is terrible. The buds, if not seated just right before pulling the swim cap over your ears, will pinch and chaffe the insides of the ear. Keep them for running and cycling.
Estimated Use Life: I got about 6 months out of these before the jack stem started to go out on me. Within that 6 months, I trained for and completed a marathon, plus have worked out at least four days a week for at least 90 minutes a session. Not bad.
Personal Experience: Like I just said, I put these guys thru the ringer and they came out alright. The jack stem gets in the way and now I believe it's on the way out, causing static-y feed back in the buds. But for what I paid, I'd like to have gotten at least a full year out of these guys.
($45-$60 depending on exact model, @ Amazon.com)
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