by Wiji A. Setiawati

Best Earphones are made by companies with a track record in the professional audio industry. We’re big fans of shure headphones, etymotic research and ultimate ears here at trustedreviews, who all have a history in making noise isolating headphones for stage performers who want to be able to hear what they’re doing on stage without going deaf. So i was a more than a little sceptical when i was handed the cerulean x1’s to review.

The company that makes them – iskin – has a creditable background, but it’s in producing stylish ipod cases and ’skins’, not the audio products themselves. It’s undoubtedly very good at what it does, but could it translate this decorative expertise to the hard, cold, intensely competitive world of portable audio?. On the outside, the x1s are every bit the ipod accessory.

They’re available in white (as well as black for those who just can’t bear to follow the crowd), and new iphone owners will be pleased to find that they come supplied with an adaptor for that device’s recessed headphone socket. They’re also beautifully engineered, just like the digital music players they’re designed to complement.

Every other pair of earphones i’ve picked up – even the expensive ones – feels plasticky and lightweight next to these. Hold them in the palm of your hand and they feel heavy, like pieces of expensive jewellery.

Best Earphones are from etymotic research, ultimate ears and shure. If you are willing to spend $300 to $500 and above, you can opt for the top of the line ultimate ears triple. Be assured either of these top of the line models will have you enjoying. There are two types of noise cancelling headphones. The passive type are usually the in canal earphones (they block out outside noise just like an earplug would).

Best Earphones are listed here in order of our preference. The westone 3 sits at the top in a very comfortable position, being the first true 3-way triple driver earphones. After the westone 3 you find the se530-pth and the um2 tied in second place. These 3 models are our overall best ear canal headphones, combining the best fit, comfort and sound, along with the best fitting cables.

Best earphones are compatible with all of your music sources. Make sure, when choosing earphones for your ipod, that the earphones have a connector that is compatible with not only your ipod, but also your mp3 player, your cd player, your dvd player and your gaming system. Earphones are not all equal when it comes to comfort.

Make sure you check out the comfort factor of the earphone before you invest in them. The best earphones for the ipod have a comfortable in-ear design. Some come with three different sized ear canals. Which will give you a custom fit and allow you to listen in comfort for hours at a time. When choosing the best earphones for the ipod you want to go with a name you can trust.