Panasonic RP-HJE50 Headphones

I have to say that these stereophones are truly amazing and they sell for about 15 to 20$ less than the Sony Fontopia brand. The key to realizing their potential is understanding what you're buying. Inner earbuds like these use a smaller driver than bulkier headphones which makes them smaller and more able to fit in your ear canal. This feature allows the sound to be delivered exactly where it's needed and not where it will be wasted. It also somewhat isolates you from any outside noise, though passively. Headphones that stay out of the ear canal actually use more power trying to get sound into the canal. You can see how putting the sound in your ear directly can allow for better quality from a smaller driver. You shouldn't expect the same kind of sound that you hear in a live setting, however, because the low frequencies produced by these phones will not shake your skin (remember, the sound is inside your ears not flowing over and through you like it might in your car or at a concert). As far as range and quality of sound, the specs don't lie. Frequency response from 6 hz all the way up to 25,000. People can only really hear from 20 to 20,000 hz and depending on how old you are and how loud you listen to your sound, most people actually don't even hear the whole range that these phones provide. There are other specifications that when compared to the Sony model prove that these headphones are giving you more for your money. Two other key features are the power handling capacity and the sensitivity (In terms of decibel level per mW) More power handling capability and sensitivity are a good thing, but most people won't really be able to utilize these specs unless you have an MP3 player that can really pump out the juice. You might only need this when listening to music that hits hard on the highs and lows - but it's nice to know that the extra is there. The last thing that I will say about these stereophones that is similar to the Sony model is that both units use an asymetrical design that favors the cord running from the left side of the body. This feature is especially useful if you use an armband while running or just in general. I love this product.