I'm short on money after getting my 5G iPod, but I need better sound that the ones included with the iPod. I've come to decide between these:

MX-350
MX-450
MX-500

Here is what I need:

*Quality for street use, winding cord, storing in pocket during the day.
*Well-rounded sound for all styles. Bass is not so important (I don't need a huge amount), but it definately should be present. I listen to Rock, Jazz, Electronic, and Hip-Hop.
*Comfort. I like how the iPod earbuds fit in my ears, and that they do not need to be pushed in the ears, falling out, etc.

*Answers soon - I plan on buying this tonight to save on shipping (I'm combining purchases with another person).

I have the MX-400's, wich I believe are the same as the 500's but without the built in volume control. They sound decent and the bass can sound very nice without sounding woofy (I don't think that's a word but bleh). Comfort on the other hand is not so good on small(ish) ears, and the foamy things don't provide much comfort either after a couple of days of use.

I liked the 500s. The volume control is handy on an ipod since theres no remote. They were pretty comfortable, provided you didn't lose the cloth covers for them. With bare plastic they were really, really uncomfortable. They didn't ever fall out of my ears though, even when biking. They're not a bad deal.

They provide no isolation at all. So you can talk and hear with them in easily. Downside is that they're completely useless in very noisy environments, like airplanes.

Hmm, this could prove to be a problem. I have no experience with isolators, would you consider the iPod buds isolating? Because that I can live with.

No, the iPod earbuds would not be considered isolating. For that, you need an in-ear canalphone, like the CX300s. However, canalphones are generally more expensive than earbuds.

In that case, earbuds are fine, if no one else has anything to say about the other two I guess I will go with the MX-500's.

I recommend the 400s or 450s over the 500s, just because the volume control is one more component that can break, and it doesn't adjust volume in the ears evenly.

true, but the reviewer on the 450 page favors the 500's for reasons that seem more important to me.

thanks, i should be buying them within the hour.
i love HA!

Anyone know how the new Sennheiser Sport/Street/Style line compare? There's a bunch of Flash for all of them on the Senn website. I'm mostly looking at the MX 51. Judging by the photos, they appear to be built a little better. Strangely, Amazon says to have just one pair in stock.

MX 51 Street

I have some MX-500s that don't work for me at all. I wanted a replacement for the Apples (dull and midrangey) and Sonys (lifeless and bass shy) and so tried the Sennheisers. In my ears they sound shrill and devoid of bass unless I forcefully push them against my head.

I am 100% sure that the other reviewers who like the Sennheisers were totally honest. Earbuds vary a lot due to differences in outer ear shape. In my case, the Apples were still winners.

However, I recently found the Cerulean XLR earphones from iSkin and they actually work for me. While not replacing my Grados for close listening, they are the first non-irritating earbuds I've ever had.

Sennheiser CX-300

Isolating and terrific-sounding.

I have them.

Great investment.

I can confirm the cx 300 are great.
Somehow they are not isolating so extremely as do other canal phones (I had creative ep-630 phones before) to me while environmental noise is still kept off sufficiently. I appreciate that not wanting to be totally isolated.
Sound is great anyway.