Ultimate Ears 985-000282 200vi Noise-Isolating Headset, Purple

Ultimate Ears are absolutely my go-to headphone. I have owned a few pairs of the 200vi line, and I own a few of the higher-end UE models as well. The Ultimate Ear line has some exquisite headphones, but the 200vi are not top-of-the-line sound quality. They are nice, and much better than the stock headphones that come with any device. Rather, they shine in the field of durability. Never have I owned a pair that did not last at least a year, and I consider myself somewhat harsh on earbuds. If you consistently break headphones, if you find a channel going out in less than a month (or a week if you got your 'buds from Walmart), I urge you to try these. They are comfortable, they're attractive in their simplicity and curved design, and the sound is balanced and clear. Again, sound is not phenomenal, but there are some great UE headphones if sound is what you need (namely, the 600vi).

[Follow-up: When I put these to my ultimate test--faithful reproduction of the pianoforte in all of its registers along with detailed sound capable of accurately representing "inner voices" and fast (accelerando) runs without note "blurring" or "smudging," these Ultimate Ears 200's live up to their name. They're professional/monitor-level phones that are a steal for $10. At the same time, they're not, as some reviewers have said, "exciting" or overly dramatic phones that "enhance" the sound. But that sort of effect, or enhancement, is not something for which "monitors" are intended. Some users may prefer phones that have more "physical substance." These UE200's are so light (virtually weightless) and small (perfect, if you're looking for a pair you can sleep on), with such thin (yet tangle-resistant) cables, that it's quite likely some listeners assume the sound from these midgets doesn't have "body." Not true. They delivered a thundering low E at one extreme and the highest G at the other. And the middle register never lost it's forward presence. (I tested them with a solo piano CD by Jessica Williams.) If I had to compare them with popular headphones, it would be the Sennheiser 300's, which are similar in construction and sonics. At present the Sennheiser's cost about 3 times as much.]The key is finding the ear-tip that meets your needs. I tried different sizes, different components (mostly silicone and foam), and finally discovered that the large-sized Sony silicones successful blocked out extraneous sounds and brought out the sheer excellence of these little inexpensive "overachievers." (Feel free to ignore the following first attempt at a review--which is wordy and wasteful.)Original review:I can scarcely believe that Amazon has new Ultimate Ears headsets in the brand's 200 line for a price in the single digits! I've seen these same phones, earlier this year, listed at $40-$50. The reason the UE 200's represent such a good value:1. Ultimate Ears (made by Logitech) is a brand name that audiophiles and musicians around the world place in the same high-end category as the best Shure, Klipsch, Etymotics, Beyerdyanmic, JBL earphones.2. The 200 line in Ultimate Ears' offerings features the same or better noise reduction level (26db) as UE phones in the 300-700 lines.3. The speaker in the 200 line is the same as that in the 300, 400, 500 lines (they're merely tuned differently, using equalization at the manufacturer's end--one will emphasize bass; another will tweak the treble end. The 200's are "flat," offering true, natural representation of the frequencies.4. The only substantive difference between these and some other UE phones costing 5-10 times as much is, with the more expensive phones, the addition of a pair of Comforte foam rubber tips (I personally find Comforte tips irritating to the ear canal--producing itching in addition to the music).5. Since the manufacturer has apparently discontinued the entire line, you might be able to find similar bargains on UE phones in the 600 and 700 lines, both going for over $200 less than a year ago. They may employ an additional speaker (passive or active) as well as different "angling" for the sake of a more "sensational," surround-sound effect. They don't necessarily sound "better," however.As for the sound of the UE200's, to my ears it's less than "exciting." Typically, I'll compare a set of new phones with low-priced (Panasonic 120,or JVC HAFX32 "Marshmallow" series), mid-priced (Altec Backbeat 326 or Sony MDR EX-300LP and SP), and high-priced, "high-end" phones (Sony MDR-EX700 (LP and SP, Altec Ultra). All of these phones are capable of not only reproducing the source with faithful accuracy (i.e. great "fidelity") but with a distinctive "character" that makes one more suited to the human voice, another to an instrumental voice; one more most satisfying when reproducing the sound of symphony orchestra, another when the source is a chamber music group; one with a string quartet; the other with a jazz piano trio. (The pianoforte is, in my considerations, always the ultimate test, challenging the phones to cover all registers, all textures and dynamics, capturing the instrument's "wholeness" as well as the individual notes in a complex chord "cluster.")The fact that the price of my test phones ranged from $5 to over $200, yet the differences were rarely clear or dramatic or noticeable enough to distinguish the least expensive from the most expensive phones, came as a revelation to me. No longer will I cry over a defective speaker, a shorted-out connection, or lost pair, now that I know I can replace even my best phones with $10 models and be equally satisfied. Much of what you hear depends on the size the tip, the angle and degree of insertion, the constitutent of the tip (rubber or foam), the equalization setting of the player, the type of cables, etc., as much as if not more than the inherent technology of the phones.When I came to the Bill Evans Trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, I realized that the music from these Ultimate Ears phones simply wasn't grabbing me as much as that from, say, the Panasonics or JVC models, each of which cost me $7-8. I had to strain to hear LaFaro's bass, then make a separate effort to take in Motian's brush work. The music seemed enclosed within, if not compartmentalized by, these tiny, lightweight UE phones, removed from my experience as a listener. When I went to my top-of-the-line Sony's, the piano seemed to decompress itself in a grand unfolding action that reached out and drew me right into Bill Evans' keyboard. But a listener can't take this effect for long without being "overwhelmed" (Sony's speaker, at 16mm, has rarely been equaled and never superseded by any other phone on today's market). Lately, I've grown especially fond of the Altec Backbeat 326's, with their substantial cloth-covered cables. With them, Evans' trio seemed to realize the leader's aesthetic, and very democratic, vision for the group. I could sit back, close my eyes, and see as well as hear the entire ensemble in the finely tuned theater, or sound-stage, of my mind. LaFaro's bass seemed to resonate from my chest but never at the expense of Evans' carefully developed piano figures and carefully voiced (and placed) chords. The group came together in striking clarity, all the more stunning considering the 65-year-separation between the recording and my re-experiencing it. Listening fatigue was never a factor with these tiscontinued Altecs (though many owners have complaned about "electrostatic" noises stemming from the ultra-sensitive, conductive cables. Perhaps--but only if you don't take music seriously enough to sit still and, rather than study "with" or "by" the music, study the music for its own sake.Quick summation: if you're new to earphones, start with the Panasonic 120s. They should cost less than $10 and, with the right tips and minimal adjustment, feel immediately comfortable (they're made to "clasp" the ear gently, thus avoid the distracting feeling that the phones are on the verge of falling out. (Be forewarned that there's a sizeable community of J-lab J-bud fans, who will tout these $5-$7 phones above the Panasonics. I'm at a loss to explain why-unless like many young listeners their attention is focused exclusively on voice and guitar. But f you have any experience with the acoustic grand piano (I've played many a Steinway with a few Bosendorfers along the way), you'll no doubt come to a recognition of the deficiencies of the J-lab earphones (when I hear Bill Evans' chords in these phones, the notes "bleed" into one another rather than remain distinct.) But there are worse--the "Monoprice" (that's the actual name of the brand) earphones rank with the most atrocious I've tried--worse than some Barbie-Doll "novelty" ear-phones, but a "lesson in history," since they evoke the sound of communicating with 2 Dixie Cups and a string (an experiment I remembered from my days as a Cub Scout).You don't have to become a fanatic, an aficionado, or a compulsive collector of more phones than you can use (a self-reference). But by starting with the Panasonics you'll have value-priced phones that are no mere piece of molded plastic normally found in a "Cracker Jack" box--to the contrrary, they rank with a number of phones selling for over $100. Whether you use them as a "standard of reference" for comparison with subsequent purchases (and eBay has some undeniable bargains by way of Hong Kong) or you decide immediately that the Panasonics are just the ticket (call the search off!), you can't go wrong with these phones Panasonic RPHJE120S In-Ear Headphone, Silver (ranked #1 in Amazon sales, last I looked).

Good sound, but the switch and volume control on the right ear strand doesn't work at all. This is usually a GREAT product (I've gone through multiple sets), but occasionally their quality control is missing. I've had two strands in which the switch and volume controls don't work, while I've also had four sets in which the controls work well. Regardless, the ear phones are fine, as long as you go back to your cell phone (or whatever you use) to stop/start or control the volume. A bit frustrating, particularly if you receive a call while listening and these certainly do NOT function as advertised (at least one time in three). Still, most of what they ship works quite well.

It's ok nothing to brag about , price was right

I bought two pink and blue. My wife didn't think the sound quality was very good. She used them on the treadmill and turn them up just didn't work. She's now using her old head phones. I couldn't make mine stay in. I tried everything. I tried every size. They just kept falling out. (Sorry i have to say it. I clean my ears regularly. So that's not it).

Nice. Very secure in the ear, but kind of hurts after a while. The sound quality is great for the price.EDIT: It's been 8 months that I've had these, which is longer than most headphones I've ever owned last. The sound is a lot quieter now than it was when I first got it but what do you expect from a pair of headphones for this price?Anyway, this is a very good product if you're looking for cheap durable headphones.

I lost my original set while out of town for my sisters funeral. Hundreds of people came and went, and lord only knows what happened to them. I have been married to a "Grizzly Bear in a Man's body" for 34 years, and his snoring has gotten louder than my own. I was very pleased to to be able to hop on Amazon, and find my favorite headset - and at a lower price than the original! Ahhh, sleep - it's a wonderful thing!

I had them for less than a month and they broke. Let me be clear, I didn't break them, they broke. I'd love to talk about sound quality and noise isolation and durability, but these didn't last long enough under light use with no abuse for me to even do that. Very disappointed. I've had generic ones that I've kept for years with no problems. My $65 Etymotics have lasted so long and under far heavier use, I've bought another set despite my original pair still working flawlessly. Would not recommend these. You want good, noise isolating earbuds, buy Etymotics. If just need something to produce sound, buy something cheap. Either will last longer.