User Review:

A few years ago I bought Sony MDR-EX71SL Fonotopia Headphones in Norway. I loved them, paired with my MP3 player at the time, a Creative Muvo TX. The sound was pretty neutral, but with a wicked deep bass. They were way better than the current darling of most young boys at the time, the  Koss PortaPro. The bass on the PortaPro's is unbelievable, but I can barely hear the other frequencies. I like a more neutral sound, with some preference to sibilance, without it sounding harsh.

I had to stop using the Fonotopias for an unrelated reason, and went looking for another pair of in ear earbuds. The Creative EP630 won out because of the prize. They were very well priced at the time. (Second vendor on Amazon). They appeared to have less bass than the Sony earbuds, but the sound seemed more neutral. Over time I've realized that the frequency response is different. The Sonys had amplified bass a bit higher on the scale, while the Creatives have insane bass on the lowest frequencies, but it doesn't show up until you get really deep down.

By now I've got several more MP3 players, and I have two pairs of EP630. Back then there were few in ear earbuds, but right now there are loads of them. I don't have a clue which ones are the best (some are VERY expensive). For my ears the budget prized ones are OK, but some audiofiles would frown on my EP630s...

Have a look at the long list of in ear earbuds on Amazon.

Other earbuds:

I've been using earplugs specially made for musicians, to cut down on ambient sound when attending concerts. Have a look at them here (these from Amazon look identical). The fit is very similar to the fit of the Sony earplugs, so I was fairly certain I'd be comfortable with them. I've also slept with the Design-Go Q-zone plugs for quite a while. There are many similar types available. Earplugs take some getting used to, so knowing I'd already gotten used to the general type of plug felt more reassuring. I can recommend both types of plugs, BTW. Go for really short ones for sleeping, while those for concerts can be bigger without problems. Make sure you clean them with sudsy lukewarm water now and then. The wax does build up over time, and it itches!

Does your ear itch? That's a general side effect of using any type of earplug, as well as irritating the skin inside the ear for other reasons. Check out this easy solution (dripping olive oil into the ear).