In-Ear Monitor Quest, Part 3: Koss KE29R

Regular readers may recall that I’ve been trying some different “in-ear monitor” (canal-style) headphones, which fit into your ear canal.  The fact that there’s a third installment should signal that there is “trouble in paradise”…or at least in my ears!  Indeed–there were enough annoyances with previous IEMs, that I decided to try yet another set.  I’m still convinced that I would prefer a set of Etymotic or Shure IEMs, as they have longer earpieces, but they’re not within the budget right now.  I did find some Sony over-the-ear clip-on headphones, but after an hour or two, they became a bit uncomfortable.  So, what made me change IEMs again?

Recap: I started out with some Sony IEMs.  The sound was mediocre at best (the high end had a weird sound), and at first, i couldn’t get them to stay in.  Turns out I needed to use the smallest silicone tips, not the larger ones, and they stayed in.  But shortly thereafter, the left transducer just quit, for no reason.

Enter the JVC “Marshmallow” IEMs.  Instead of silicone rubber, they had foam inserts that, when warmed up, would conform to your ear canal.  Well, let me tell you that it works only for a short while, then things fall apart.  I have oily skin, so anything’s going to want to slip out of my ear if it’s in there too long.

These JVC foam ear cushions needed softening (with body heat) before putting them in your ears, or they’d feel about as big as a baseball bat.  Thing is, once they’re in your ears, they get even softer and soon fall out.  Not only that, the sound ports were getting clogged with ear wax constantly, and the sound would get muffled or totally disappear.  Toward the end, the foam tips were coming off constantly.  By the way, they sounded better than the Sony, but not ideal.

Enter the Koss KE29R.  I found these on clearance at a local store for $13.99, so I decided to try them out.  Ruby red, of course, to match all of my other “toys”.  I’m glad to say they come with the silicone rubber ear tips, like the Sony phones.  And they take a bit of doing to get the tips on and off, so they’re not getting lost or stuck in an ear canal.

Sound?  The highs and mids are actually the best of the three.  The Sony still is the clear winner in the bass, reaching a few more notes lower than these.  Isolation is good, but more on that in a minute.  One nice extra is that these have a tiny volume control on the cable, so you can cut the volume quickly if needed.

The silicone fit my ears better, and while I tried the medium tips, I put on the small tips and they fit a little better.  The medium tips kept squeezing out of my ears, but the small tips were also edging out after a short while.  On a lark, I decided to try the Sony silicone tips, and guess what?  I had these in for almost two hours, and hadn’t needed to adjust them, clean them, put them back in, etc.  As for isolation with these Sony tips: someone came into the room and talked to me, and I couldn’t even make out the words.  This is how the earbuds are supposed to work!  They stay in, they isolate outside noises, and they provide the best bass when they are sealed in your ears properly.

For now, I’m going to declare the Koss KE29R, with the Sony silicone tips, as the winner.  After another few weeks, I’ll see if my opinion changes, especially when I take them outside to do some yard work.  In fact, I may go grab another pair before they disappear completely.  Cheap insurance in case these meet an unfortunate end.  They will not be my ideal IEMs, but for the price, they’re a great all-purpose earbud that I’m not afraid to lose or abuse.  In fact, since these sound fairly good, I’m thinking of trying a model higher up in the Koss lineup, provided they use the same ear tips.