First off, I find the 'stock' headphones / earbuds that Apple ships with their products both uncomfortable and unlistenable. So that's where I'm coming from. I like my music to sound as good as it can, and am spoiled by my home setups most likely. I'm a touch audiophileish, although I know that's a dirty word
I'm really surprised by the Creative EP-630 headphones. Not expensive at all, great fit, and surprisingly good sound given the price (around $30). They actually sound better to me than my Shure E4C's, and they fit better and more snugly as well. I get much better isolation with the foam earplug style earpieces for the E4C, but the Creative just sounds a bit fuller and just as clear and dynamic. I actually have 2 sets - one for work, one for home - that's how much I like 'em. And at that price, why not!
Interesting side note too - I must have knocked a set into the hamper at some point a couple months ago, and I did a full load of laundry... washer AND dryer... with the headphones going through as well! So water, detergent, high speeds, intense heat... torture. The cables were a bit kinked up, but other than that they looked... fine! I let them sit for a day, plugged them in and they were in
perfect working order. I even brought home my set from work to A/B them and see if the frequency range had been altered - figured I may have lost some clarity and highs due to a weakened speaker element or residue on the small, silver (antimicrobial) grille... and nope - they sounded identical. Amazing.
And yes, they have a small, straight plug that easily accommodates my iPod in a DLO leather case, so I'm betting they work fine with an iPhone.
And FWIW, I would suggest that you buy from a reputable online seller, brick-and-mortar, or simply
Creative itself. There has been a large problem with low-quality near-knockoffs of this particular model. You can Google "ep-630 fake" and find info and testimonials.
-Ben
