Klipsch Image S5i in ear headphones.
mantis
Posts: 17,200
Hello all,
I've been looking for a new pair of headphones for mountain biking use. I had the stock Apple ear buds which honestly suck ****. They don't stay in when your riding as I had them fall out so many times. They are not comfortable for me at all as I hate the shape.
So Apple had an in ear model which was highly recommend by my Apple Store so for the sheer hell of it I gave them a run. Yes they sounded much better and the fit was much better but they occasionally came out of one ear or the other but nothing like the stock models. Big improvement here. But the downside is they broke in one year and I only used them for riding and working out. They never got pulled on or abused in any way.
I almost purchased another pair of them until my guy at the Apple Store said he's been using the Klipsch S5i's and said they are incredible in all ways. He has tried all the models they carry and others as he is an active dude and is picky about sound quality fit and durability.
So on his recommendation , I picked up a pair of the Klipsch S5i's. They are more money then I really wanted to spend as I was thinking max 100 bucks. Screw it I ride a lot and for a few extra bucks and as much as he likes them , how bad can they be?
They come with an array of optional fitting buds. I found the medium size ones fit my ears well. The angle that they are on really works and is the first pair I felt very comfortable wearing. Excellent build quality and I'm pleased with the attention to detail.
So off to the trail I went and connected to my iPod Nano which I usually use my iPhone but I made some cool playlists and decided to give the little guy a go and now no one can call me and interrupt my ride. Nothing sucks more then being focused and working up a good sweat to be stopped by a phone call. So the Nano is now my workout music source and the iPhone now lives in my backpack and I can check calls during breaks.
First thing I noticed was the clarity , very good sounding for ear buds. Much better then both the Apple products. I was pleased on bass response and high end detail. Mid range was clear and strong and really pleased me. I'm not really looking for Hi fi ear buds for riding. I like listening to more up beat music when I ride to give me an edge and motivation to keep going even when I'm tired and wanna stop. Music is a huge part of my ride when I ride alone and really helps pull out those last few tuff miles.
The best thing about these ear buds is they stay in , forget about audio performance as good as they sound , stayed in my ears for a full 20 mile canal path ride. yes it's a flat minimal bumps and basically no turns but they stayed in and I loved that the most.
My second ride was a hard pack trail , hills , ride at penny pack park in Phila pa. It's a nice peaceful place to go ride and give you a mix of things to do. A lot of road bikers ride there as they have some good hills to climb without having to deal with cars and such that road riding brings not to mention pot holes. Yeah there are people walking on the concrete paths but it's not enough to change your mind about riding there. I use a mountain bike for all my riding as I don't like road riding and I just pump my tires up harder when I ride their as a lot of the riding is on concrete walk ways. I get a really nice 25 mile ride there and a few of the hills give me a excellent burn. I really enjoy that and hate it LOL. The key here for me was the ear buds stayed in the entire time and I never had to push them back in my ears.
Another feature of these head phones I really like is the huge volume and play/pause buttons. I run the wires underneath my shirt so the wire isn't flying all over the place. I place the buttons center of my chest and I can over the shirt adjust volume or change songs with ease even with my gloves on. This is genius and awesome. I couldn't ask for a better design.
Overall I would buy these again and again. Even if they break at the end of this season , I would gladly buy a new pair. They stay in , sound great and the control is the best. They come with a 2 year warranty and If I get 2 years out of them I'll be tickled pink.
If your looking for ear buds like this I strongly suggest checking these out.
http://www.klipsch.com/image-s5i-rugged-in-ear-headset
I've been looking for a new pair of headphones for mountain biking use. I had the stock Apple ear buds which honestly suck ****. They don't stay in when your riding as I had them fall out so many times. They are not comfortable for me at all as I hate the shape.
So Apple had an in ear model which was highly recommend by my Apple Store so for the sheer hell of it I gave them a run. Yes they sounded much better and the fit was much better but they occasionally came out of one ear or the other but nothing like the stock models. Big improvement here. But the downside is they broke in one year and I only used them for riding and working out. They never got pulled on or abused in any way.
I almost purchased another pair of them until my guy at the Apple Store said he's been using the Klipsch S5i's and said they are incredible in all ways. He has tried all the models they carry and others as he is an active dude and is picky about sound quality fit and durability.
So on his recommendation , I picked up a pair of the Klipsch S5i's. They are more money then I really wanted to spend as I was thinking max 100 bucks. Screw it I ride a lot and for a few extra bucks and as much as he likes them , how bad can they be?
They come with an array of optional fitting buds. I found the medium size ones fit my ears well. The angle that they are on really works and is the first pair I felt very comfortable wearing. Excellent build quality and I'm pleased with the attention to detail.
So off to the trail I went and connected to my iPod Nano which I usually use my iPhone but I made some cool playlists and decided to give the little guy a go and now no one can call me and interrupt my ride. Nothing sucks more then being focused and working up a good sweat to be stopped by a phone call. So the Nano is now my workout music source and the iPhone now lives in my backpack and I can check calls during breaks.
First thing I noticed was the clarity , very good sounding for ear buds. Much better then both the Apple products. I was pleased on bass response and high end detail. Mid range was clear and strong and really pleased me. I'm not really looking for Hi fi ear buds for riding. I like listening to more up beat music when I ride to give me an edge and motivation to keep going even when I'm tired and wanna stop. Music is a huge part of my ride when I ride alone and really helps pull out those last few tuff miles.
The best thing about these ear buds is they stay in , forget about audio performance as good as they sound , stayed in my ears for a full 20 mile canal path ride. yes it's a flat minimal bumps and basically no turns but they stayed in and I loved that the most.
My second ride was a hard pack trail , hills , ride at penny pack park in Phila pa. It's a nice peaceful place to go ride and give you a mix of things to do. A lot of road bikers ride there as they have some good hills to climb without having to deal with cars and such that road riding brings not to mention pot holes. Yeah there are people walking on the concrete paths but it's not enough to change your mind about riding there. I use a mountain bike for all my riding as I don't like road riding and I just pump my tires up harder when I ride their as a lot of the riding is on concrete walk ways. I get a really nice 25 mile ride there and a few of the hills give me a excellent burn. I really enjoy that and hate it LOL. The key here for me was the ear buds stayed in the entire time and I never had to push them back in my ears.
Another feature of these head phones I really like is the huge volume and play/pause buttons. I run the wires underneath my shirt so the wire isn't flying all over the place. I place the buttons center of my chest and I can over the shirt adjust volume or change songs with ease even with my gloves on. This is genius and awesome. I couldn't ask for a better design.
Overall I would buy these again and again. Even if they break at the end of this season , I would gladly buy a new pair. They stay in , sound great and the control is the best. They come with a 2 year warranty and If I get 2 years out of them I'll be tickled pink.
If your looking for ear buds like this I strongly suggest checking these out.
http://www.klipsch.com/image-s5i-rugged-in-ear-headset
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
Post edited by mantis on
Comments
-
Glad you are enjoying them... the buttons do look awesome for easy search and finding...
And the first thing I thought of when I heard Klipsch headphones was headphones with horns- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
LOL that would be pretty funny. it would have to be an extremely small horn to fit into ones ear.Glad you are enjoying them... the buttons do look awesome for easy search and finding...
And the first thing I thought of when I heard Klipsch headphones was headphones with hornsDan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
I have S4s and have been quite happy with them as well. I can't stand the stock ear bud covers on any IEMs though. I use the 'Comply' foam ones - they're like memory foam. Very comfy and they'll stay in your ears - just a thought if you ever have any comfort issues.ALL BOXED UP for a while until I save up for a new place
Home Theater:
KEF Q900s / MIT Shotgun S3 / MIT CVT2 ICs | KEF Q600C | Polk FXi5 | BJC Wire | Signal / AQ ICs | Shunyata / Pangea PCs | Pioneer Elite SC 57 | Parasound NC2100 Pre | NAD M25 | Marantz SA8001 | Schiit Gungnir DAC | SB Touch
2 Channel:
Polk LSi9 (xo mods), Polk DSW MicroPro 2000 sub | NAD c375BEE | W4S DAC1 | SB Touch | Marantz SA-8001 | MIT AVt 2 | Kimber Hero / AQ / Signal ICs | Shunyata / Signal PCs -
Interesting , I'll have to check that out. Currently I have no issues with the stock ear bud covers. The medium ones fit my ears well and don't fall out. They stay in even in a long bumpy ride.
Best headphones for riding I've owned so far.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Found the Klipsch X5's on clearance for $150 bucks about a year ago. Loved these things to death, but the chord and 3.5mm plug were flimsy and cheap, and they eventually gave out. I've since moved on to Shure's for the replaceable chord. Really wish Klipsch would use replaceable chords with their products too.My System Showcase!
Media Room
Paradigm Studio 60 - Paradigm CC-690 - Paradigm ADP-390 - Epik Empire - Anthem MRX300 - Emotiva XPA-5
Living-room
Paradigm MilleniaOne - Rythmik F12GSE - Onkyo TX-SR805 - Adcom 5400
Headphones
Sennheiser Momentum Over-Ear - Shure SE215 - Fiio E18 Kunlun
