The Magic of Monoprice Ear Buds

Thanks for the tip! I just happened to be in need of new buds.

Same here. How's the bass on them? 

Just recieved my pair yesterday. Using them now while at work.

Verdict? They're a massive step-up from regular buds. Straight away, I noticed a dramatically increased sense of instrumental space. It no longer seems like to independent sources are blasting in my ears. The sound is all-enveloping. The bass is fantasic & the fabric cord is nice too.

Well fucking worth $8. Thanks, Mangy! 

There needs to be a Monoprice appreciation thread or something, because there is a ton of awesome stuff you can get from them for dirt cheap.

I bought a couple of pairs of the 8320s but I wasn't that impressed.

However, the 9396 model pair that I bought (for a dollar less!) are the best damn pair of earbuds I have ever owned.  Maybe it is just my hearing but I think they blow the 8320s away.

Hmm, wish I'd paid attention to these before I ordered the expensive ones.  I cruised a few cheapie options.  But you never can tell because no one really tests them.  Personal reviews are a very hit and miss.  So too the equipment itself (at any price really).  But every now and then you find the unbadged version of the expensive model, or its got the same parts, comes from the same factory etc.

Rolling the dice on these wouldn't have cost much skin.

Yeah I have a pair in my ears right now, they are great.

All 3 buds I've owned in the past (2 Sony PSP buds and 1 pair of standard iPod buds) have died in about a year due to chordyanking f'ing up the wiring to one of the speakers. I'm using some Senheiser ones right now that were under 15 bucks, cheaper than the ones that advertised better bass. Didn't want to risk too much money on an unknown.

Overall the Sony PSP ones were the best I've owned. The bass came through very clear and dimensional, and everything sounded perfectly balanced and dynamic. I'm not sure if the sound is the same on any of the newer ones, all I saw at the store were cheap 10-12$ ones with annoying over-the-ear holders.

The iPod pack-in earbuds are just fucking dismal. It's like everything is compressed into a muddy crapstream. I weap for the millions of people who own those and think that's what music is supposed to sound like.

The Senheisers are damn good, but just a touch under the Sonys in terms of complete sounding frequency range. They do high and mid range very nicely, though. Their biggest advantage is the superior design, with L-shaped jack and reinforced chords going into the buds. I have a feeling they will be more resistant to chordyank down the line. Another significant advantage is that they seem to have more power, I notice I have to turn the volume up much less than with the iPod packin buds to listen comfortably. It's been to long since my PSPs died, so I can't compare them on that front.

The price is right, so I'll have to give these Monoprice ones a try, just to have a spare pair.