Photography by Gordon McGregorI need some decent headphones for running. My first run with my new iPod Nano was frankly quite disappointing. It wasn't the playlist, although that could definitely benefit from a little post-run editing, but the unsuitable earbuds which kept ejecting themselves from my ears every few minutes. I realised that there must be some more appropriate earbuds out there.
After the run I sat down and thought about what I really wanted out of a pair of sport headphones. As a part-time triathlete currently training for an Ironman, I frequently run for two to three hours at a time and so I need something that is primarily going to stay in place during these long runs while also feeling comfortable. I don't shy away from running in the rain so I also need something that can withstand a light drizzle to a torrential downpour. Sound quality is also important, to keep me motivated during the last part of the run when it gets difficult, and I don't like to compromise on style.
After deciding on features, my next step was Google to find out what types of sport headphones exist on the market. After I'd selected a couple of options I searched for product reviews to get a general understanding of the consumer opinion. These opinions can provide some useful information if taken with a grain of salt. Then I hit the manufacturer's website. I'm partial to a well-designed, contemporary website.
Based on my research I decided that the Sennheiser MX 75 Sport stereo headphones were a good match. The MX 75 Sport headphones have a "Twist-to-Fit" design that promotes a comfortable fit that will stay in place during sporting activities, sweat and water-resistant construction that is also machine washable, and powerful neodymium magnets that provide crystal clear, crisp sound. As far as style goes I could live without the lime green, but I love that they twist into my ears rather than requiring a behind the head extender to keep them in place. So I headed to my local Target store and purchased a pair for myself, and also a pair for my husband to go with his new iPod Shuffle. The retail price was $49.95 although I have seen more competitive prices advertised on other websites.
My first opportunity to try them out came three days ago. I ran without music for the first 1.5 hours then decided that I needed some music to motivate me through the final 1.5 hours so I twisted in the earbuds, arranged the wire behind my neck, started my Nano and off I went. The sound quality was great, the music was clear with good volume. The earbuds never once came out and never needed to be re-adjusted. In fact, I barely noticed the earbuds other than the fact they were pumping music into my ears! The length of the wires was adequate although I wished I had clipped them more neatly to my armband, so that they didn't fly around so much. During the run it rained on and off, quite heavy at times, and the earbuds continued to stay put and provide great music quality. After running for 3 hours my body felt tired but my ears felt good. Now that's a good run.
4 comments:
Thanks for the writeup Amanda...I've been wanting to buy some new headphones for running for a while now, and I grew curious about these Sennheisers after seeing the photo on Gordon's blog.
Sounds like they worked out for ya?
Yeah, they're working out well. I ran with them again this morning. They have different size twist covers in case you have bigger or smaller ears. Next time I need to make sure I clip the wires because with the armband they would sometimes get caught which was a little annoying. They include a little clip in the package. I haven't washed them yet, but they're supposed to be washable?!
I bought a pair of Sennheiser MX75 sports headphones from Hifi Headphones in the UK. They fit so well in the ear and hang on now matter how hard I'm working out. Great value too!
has your wiring frayed yet? almost everyone I know has had that problem even people on the net..love the head phones but a sport set they are not.
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