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Comfortable Stealth Headphones? 78

Posted by Cliff from the comfortable-and-invisible-at-the-same-time! dept.
rhetoric asks: "I work in valet parking, and I got an iRiver unit for Christmas. This is great because I can listen to music in one ear while parking cars or in both ears while idle, and with the right headphones, no one can tell I'm wearing them underneath my coat and hat. The problem is that the iRiver headphone cord is horribly short and poorly proportioned, and the headphones are rather uncomfortable. Could anyone recommend some comfortable yet small headphones that wrap around the back of the head, so that the cord can go down the back of one's neck?"
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Comfortable Stealth Headphones? More

Comfortable Stealth Headphones?

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  • The Bone Fone (Score:5, Funny)

    by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Monday December 29, 2003 @04:18PM (#7829823)
    There is always the Bone Fone [authenticvintageads.com]. Personal sound, with nothing in your ears.
    • I remember them when they came out - they were supposed to feed the sound into your collar bones, and the sound would somehow get through your body to your ears. The only problem is that they didn't work, (Collar bone is not connected to your head perhaps?), so you heard the sound through the air from the speakers which were just below your ears, on your collar bone/shoulder.
  • Right here [google.com]

  • Oh lord, no (Score:5, Funny)

    by GuyMannDude ( 574364 ) on Monday December 29, 2003 @04:21PM (#7829842) Journal

    Dear Slashdot,
    I am looking for a way to secretly do something at work that I am not supposed to be doing. My job entails the operations of heavy machinery that has been entrusted to me. These people also tip me for taking such good care of their vehicles. Can you please help me?

    Thanks!

    P.S.: I would also like whatever is suggested to be comfortable as well. And not too expensive, either.

    • eh? wtf? he might just as well be allowed to do it, as long as the customers don't complain! it's just cars, people drive them while listening to radio with changing content(speech!) at much higher speeds than what his ever going to hit, heck some even think it's ok to do their makeup whilst doing so.

      sure it's a stupid question as there's shitloads of forum posts & others right on google on the topic of comfortable, good sounding earplugs/phones. and of course it was totally useless to even mention why
    • Dear Slashdot,
      I am looking for a way to secretly whore my self out for karma. My post entails that I bitch and complain because i don't have anything valid to contibute to the discusion. The people that moderate should have moderated my comment as (-1) offtopic. I should be complaining that the editors post the dumbest stories but instead I'll make fun of the poster and ignore his question, thats what makes slashdot suck. Can you please help me?

      Thanks!

      The moderators at slashdot never cease to amaze

  • These (Score:3, Informative)

    by Apreche ( 239272 ) on Monday December 29, 2003 @04:23PM (#7829858) Homepage Journal
    these [sonystyle.com]

    I've used these headhpones almost exclusively for casual listening for about a year now. They're no good for serious audio quality, but for a discman or an mp3 player I like them the best. They come in multiple colors now too, ooooh.

    • Re:These (Score:4, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, 2003 @04:28PM (#7829904)
      I would recommend these [sonystyle.com] instead.

      Earbuds with very good sound and lots of bass when inserted properly. I'm using them in replacement of the white thingies that were included with my iPod. There's no going back.

      They are almost unnoticeable too.

      • The AC points out the nicest earphones that are cheaply available (IMHO)

        Sony Fontopia MDR-EX71SL [sonystyle.com]
      • Watch out for the headphones shaped like the ED21LP or the ED238. While they are very small and sound great, they hurt my ears after about 2 hours. The inside of my ears begin to hurt terribly. I can't comment on the EX71SL which is at the top of the linked page, and presumably the ones the poster is talking about, but I know that I had to switch to the G73LP for extended listening.
      • I've had these for a year or two and I like them a lot too. What may not be so good is they tend to pretty much block out all outside sound, which means they're great for wearing on a subway or train, but if you're driving you may want to know an 18-wheeler is headed straight for you. In any case, they're very comfortable and sound pretty decent for the price.
    • I have a pair of these and I find them very uncomfortable. They create a pressure point where they fit in the ear if I put them in tight and they lose a lot of fidelity if I leave them loose. Perhaps I just have an unusually small ear opening.
    • yeah, those have pretty good sound and are very very comfortable. but not indiscrete, as the op wants.
    • This [davidclark.com] headset is the most comfortable headset I've ever worn. I've had it on for 20hr days and it's still bearable. Oh, that's not what you had in mind? But it's got great urban 'curb appeal'.
    • What's most interesting about that link is reading these two sentences in the very same page:

      (about the MDR-EX71SL): Additional features include a Super-light In-the-Ear Design, New, Super-Small 9 mm Drivers which are ultra-compact drivers that produce powerful sound ...

      (about the MDR-ED21LP): Extra-large 16 mm drivers make Sony's MDR-ED21LP Fontopia(R) Stereo Headphones an outstanding choice for listening on the go...
    • I'm very picky about comfort for cell phone and computer headsets, a similar but not identical application. In my case, stealthiness was not a big deal, but comfort was. The two big issues I found were discomfort from earbuds (both conventional earbud [plantronics.com] and gel [jabra.com]), and both leave my ears feeling very uncomfortable after even short periods of time. The more conventional headset earpads [plantronics.com] make my ears hot even at normal ambient room temps.

      Here's my favorite [belkin.com]. This style uses an "ear clip" to essentially dangle

  • Amazon.com search (Score:4, Informative)

    by $exyNerdie ( 683214 ) on Monday December 29, 2003 @04:30PM (#7829935) Homepage Journal

    I ran a simple search on amazon.com. There is a good selection to choose from depending on what you need....

    Try it yourself on theor website or here are the links for In-Ear Headphones [amazon.com] and Over-Ear Headphones [amazon.com]


  • I think this will help (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Np18 ( 685665 )
    I just got earmuffs with a headphone ulit inside them. I think they were from JCPennies. They are called 180's. They have headphones that slip inside them and the cord comes out he back of the earmuffs. www.180s.com
  • This site [headphone.com] is THE place to go for headphone info and a really decent place (good prices, great selection) to buy most 'phones too. There is a buying guide for portable 'phones that should tell you what you need.
    The great thing about headphones (if you care about sound quality) is that for about $500 you can get a 99th percentile system (say some etymotic er4s's and a total airhead portable headphone amp) whereas that kind of fidelity will cost you tens of thousands in a stereo. And with the right selecti

  • I've got your headphones right *here*. (Score:5, Funny)

    by stienman ( 51024 ) <adavis.ubasics@com> on Monday December 29, 2003 @04:51PM (#7830124) Homepage Journal
    verbosity asks: "I often park in valet parking, and I got a nice car for Christmas. This is great because I can get to where I need to go in style, but never have to park my own car. The problem is that the valets always seem to be wearing illegal and distracting headphones while driving my car. Could anyone recommend some cheap yet effective EMP devices that I can install and use to 'disable' music players, without damaging any car components?"

    -Adam
  • Go to a Bang & Olufsen store and get their earphones -- they're silver and black, very comfortable, quite stealth, and have GREAT sound.
  • You may want to check into these retractible ear-buds [zip-linq.com], or the retractible handsfree cell earbud [zip-linq.com] might be better.
  • although these [bang-olufsen.com] aren't behind the head type earphones, they are both slim and comfortable, and could be worn with the cord going behind the neck. I received a pair as a gift and was impressed by the sound quality.
  • I got an iRiver 390T for Christmas and they neglected to put headphones in the package. I got them to mail me a set. If the cord's short and the headphones are uncomfortable, maybe I would've been better off without them?

    *Sigh*

    • I got my wife a 395t and thought the same thing. They are almost hidden in the package. If you still have it, completely take it apart, and I bet you find 'em.
  • How can you surf /. all day while being a valet parker? Do they provide you laptops with wireless connections or something? Am I missing something?
  • Wear a suit and sunglasses to work. Make sure to always stand with your hands crossed behind your back. Get an earpiece that goes in your ear, with a curly phone-type cord. Wrap the cord around the top of your ear, and run it down the back of your shirt. Lift up your collar occasionally, and mumble something into it.

    If anyone criticizes you, just put your hand in your jacket pocket, point your finger at them, and tell them to move along.

  • These discreet earbuds [junik.lv] work perfectly when you're trying to blend in. As you can see, they're virtually undetectable. Come with a comfortable, expandable cord [junik.lv]

  • hey, news for nerds (Score:4, Insightful)

    by DrSkwid ( 118965 ) on Monday December 29, 2003 @07:46PM (#7831475) Journal
    A real nerd would cut the current cable and make one to his/her own spec.

    loser

    • Though a bit gruff, this fellow is correct. Extending the cable is very easy; just cut the cord and add some extra cable in-between. If you're not one for soldering and/or crimping simple connectors [radioshack.com] onto the wire, just twist them together (perhaps with a wirenut) and tape them up.

      It certainly is cheaper than purchasing new headphones, and if you're not going to use them anyway, then why not give it a try?

      • Yes this has occured to me =) Still doesnt solve the comfort issue.
      • Extending the cable is very easy; just cut the cord and add some extra cable in-between. If you're not one for soldering and/or crimping simple connectors onto the wire, just twist them together (perhaps with a wirenut) and tape them up.

        Wirenuts! Just twist them together!!!!!

        Good god man! You sound like type that would tell someone to just wrap aluminum foil around a blown fuse.

        That wouldn't last a week. Then his cob job cord will short out his $400 mp3 player.
        If he's going to extend the cord, h
  • Not sure if anyone recommended these yet - they fit in your ear canal and block out all external sound. They sound great and the cord goes down the back to stay out of your way.

  • Barking up the wrong tree (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Brento ( 26177 ) * <brento@ b r e n t o z ar.com> on Monday December 29, 2003 @08:21PM (#7831691) Homepage
    Everybody's going the wrong way with this. Hide them in plain sight. Get a cheap 2-way radio and run a cable into the headphone jack. Make it look like the earpiece going into your ear is going into the radio. Bonus points for busting open the radio and hiding the iRiver inside it, thereby also hiding the iRiver. Nobody will ask why you've got a 2-way radio clipped to your belt - even Gap workers have them these days, for crying out loud.
  • I work in a high noise enviroment. Poke a hole in standard ear plugs and add the Plugs. 25+ db of noise reduction and music. Best of all they look like regular ear plugs on a cord. People that think that earphones are somehow more dangerous than operating a modern car with all the sound insulation and huge stereo are just lying to themselves.
  • Have a look at this TidBITS headphone article [tidbits.com] which discusses the merits of several different brands and models of headphones for use with portable music players. Very informative and well-researched.

    By the way, there's a section that deals specifically with the type of headphone that you described (i.e. behind-the-head). The Koss KSC-55 (mentioned in the article) gets a good review. It's one of two headphones in this style that actually sound decent. Also, it only costs $19.99 US.

    D.
  • If you don't mind having earphones shoved way into your ear canals, these are great [audiocubes.com].

    They don't have actualy noise-canceling abilities, but they go a long way to block outside noise, and they have a longer cord for the right bud so you can wear them behind your neck.

  • Get yourself a pair of 180s Earwarmers [180s.com]. They have a headphone accessory [180s.com], where the speaker is inserted into the earmuff. They wrap around the back, so your cord could easily go down the back of your jacket.

    The perfect solution for winter, but you'ld look pretty funny wearing them in July/August.

  • Long hair and high school. It is an amazing cover, I had a discman coveted away in the top of my pants and ran the headphone wire up my back. Put one little bud earphone in for classes where they might call on you, both for classes you really don't need to hear (English, Calculus), pull the hair down over the ears, smille, stare at the teacher. Only my nearest neighbors ever knew, pissed them off to no end (because I did better on the tests, and they knew no homework or listening in class was occuring), but
  • These are a cross between ear plugs and ear phones. Have a look at: http://www.shure.com/earphones/index.asp They are usually used by musicans. (Note, they are not headphones where the sound has been modified, but in-ear monitors) I have a pair of E2s and an older pair of E1s with custom ear molds. They reduce background noise by 15-25dB hence you can listern to music at a lower volume. Also you maybe glad to know they come witha 3ft cable and they fall down the back of your neck. Reviews: http://www
  • Sometime's the oldest is the best. This one [startrek.com] works really good.

    And it has almost 22nd Century technology in it.

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