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Are you still using the Apple headphones that came with your iPhone or iPod? Are they good enough? I am sure most people would say that they are. But they’re not. Sorry. I know the white Apple earbuds are ubiquitous with everything that is cool and hip about owning an iDevice.  Heck, Apple even used them as the main focus of a whole series of iPod advertising campaigns.  But in reality, the stock headphones you get in the box aren't really that good. Their sound quality is pretty low, they fit rather awkwardly in your ear, and have a pretty short life-span (just look at all the bad reviews here).

At this juncture, I should also mention that it’s not just Apple’s stock headphones that are of lower-quality. Most phone and MP3 player-included headphone are sub-par. However I’ll be looking specifically at replacement ones that are iPhone/iPod compatible in this post.  

Now that I've finished my tirade, it’s time to start looking for a new set of earphones -- I guarantee that once you hear the difference between those white monstrosities, and a set of much higher-quality earphones, you’ll never want to use the stock headset again. Now I know some of you are thinking that I am some kind of audiophile snob who is just being overly-fussy, but I assure you I am not.  Trust me when I say that music and calls will sound better to anyone’s ear with a good set of headphones, and you don’t have to spend a fortune either (prices begin at around the seventy-dollar range). The challenge, though, is finding out which headphones are best-suited for you, since Future Shop has almost fifty different types to choose from!

Today I am going to look at the Klipsch Image One headphones, S5i and S4i earbuds with an iPhone/iPod remote, and the S3 earbuds.

About Klipsch

Out of the headphone brands that Future Shop sells, I can definitely recommend Klipsch. While they only recently entered into the headphone and headset market in 2007, they have been making high-end speakers which have maintained a very good reputation for over 60 years. As it says on the Future Shop page about them here, “Klipsch speakers are recognized for their audio quality and the moving experiences that they create”.  Their headphones are all in-ear, apart from the new Image One headphones, and the earbuds all feature Klipsch’s patented Contour Ear Gels, which are oval shaped to fit better and reduce ear fatigue when worn for extended periods of time. Klipsch’s headphones aren’t necessarily the cheapest, but their sound quality is outstanding for the money, often sounding as good as models from other brands that cost quite a bit more. They also come with a 2-year warranty when most other brands have one year or less.

(PLEASE NOTE: Neither the Image One, S5i, or S4i remotes work with the Android or Windows Phone - JUST the iPhone/iPod. Unfortunately, Future Shop does not sell the Android versions that Klipsch offers. On the Android and Windows Phone, the only thing that works on these headsets is the middle button for pausing of music.)

On to the reviews:
 

Klipsch Image One Headphones with remote:

Hardware
The Image Ones are the first full-size on-ear headphones from Klipsch. They are quite compact, and fold up nicely for transportation in the included soft case. They are not really ‘travel’ headphones though, since they don’t break down to be as compact as others. Klipsch does include an airline headset adaptor, though, if you plan on travelling with them. They are very well-made, quite light, and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. At first, the ear pieces did look at little small to me, these being supra-aural headphones that don’t fully encompass the ear, however the ear-cups have memory foam on them that moulds to your inner-ear when you wear them, for a tighter seal to block outside noise. In practice I found that this worked very well. 

I was a little disappointed that the cord was a standard plastic one that tangles fairly easily, and that it was permanently attached to the headphones, rather than being able to unplug it. With a removable cord, if it gets damaged, you can replace it without having to replace the entire headset. The three-button remote is great for iPhone and iPod users for full music control, and the built-in microphone performed admirably during calls.

Sound Quality

I was very impressed by the sound quality that the Image Ones produced – it was easily comparable to what I have heard with more expensive cans from other brands such as Bose and Sennheiser. There was great bass, lots of range, crisp, detailed highs, and a full tonal balance. I did think that the bass was a little over-powering at first, but this is something that Klipsch headphones are known for, and while it was powerful, it didn’t muddy details, and I soon grew to like it.

I’d definitely recommending taking a look at theses if you are looking for a well-priced set of headphones with excellent audio quality, but you are not willing to spend the $200, or more, that some other comparable models cost.

Specs:

• DESIGN: On-ear, Dynamic Moving Coil 40mm Speaker
• DIMENSIONS: Driver diameter: 40mm; Packaging: 9.9" H x 7.5" W x 2.7" D
• DRIVE COMPONENTS: Full Range KG 150
• FEATURES: mic+3-button remote
• FINISHES: Black/Chrome
• FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 16Hz - 23kHz
• INPUT CONNECTIONS: 3.5mm
• INPUT IMPEDANCE: 32 ohms
• SENSITIVITY: 110dB
• WEIGHT: 138.3 grams
   

You can buy the Image One Headphones for $169.99 from Future Shop here.

Klipsch Image S5i rugged in-ear headphones with remote:

 

Hardware
Klipsch is marketing these as rugged, all-weather, in-ear headphones, and while I didn’t really get a chance to try them out properly in inclement weather, I am sure they live up to the claim. The S5i’s are an attractive all-plastic design, with a textured, ‘rugged’ finish. In the box you get 4 different-sized, oval-shaped silicone tips, Klipsch’s patented design that is supposed to make them fit better and more comfortably. In practice, I did find the standard-sized tip that came installed on the headphones worked best for my ears, and they did fit well, and feel good. With in-ear headphones, the fit is very, very important – in order to get the best sound quality and noise-isolation, the seal in your ear has to be nice and tight. I would, however, have liked to see a choice of memory-foam oval ear-tips, because, in my experience, they provide the best seal and audio-quality (they are however difficult to clean, unlike silicone ones). The stand-out hardware feature for me with these headphones is the remote – the buttons are almost comically-huge, but when you realize that you can use it while wearing winter gloves, it all makes sense – PERFECT for Canadian winters!

The S5i's only come in black, with grey rubber accents for grip.
 

Sound Quality

Like the Image One headset, the bass on the S5i’s is powerful, but not overpowering. The clarity and detail in the high-end is stellar, and the overall balance is wonderful. And again, while these are not exactly cheap, they sound as good, if not better than some $250 headphones that I have listened to.

The great sound quality, in combination with a microphone that provides excellent call-quality, the oversized remote, and all-weather capabilities, makes these an excellent buy for the Canadian commuter.  When you are freezing your ass off waiting for the bus in March, at least you’ll be able to control your tunes, which will sound amazing on these headphones!

Specs:

• DESIGN: In-ear, Dual Magnet, Dynamic Moving Coil Micro Speaker
• DIMENSIONS: Drive diameter: 8.5mm: Packaging: 8.2" H x 4.5" W x 1.7" D
• DRIVE COMPONENTS: Full Range KG 25A
• FEATURES: mic+3-button remote
• FINISHES: Black/Rubber
• FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 19kHz
• INPUT CONNECTIONS: 3.5mm
• INPUT IMPEDANCE: 18 ohms
• NOISE ISOLATION: -16
• SENSITIVITY: 110dB
• WEIGHT: 11.9 grams
   

You can buy the S5i Headphones for $146.99 from Future Shop here.

Klipsch Image S4i in-ear headphones with remote:

Hardware
To be honest, there isn’t much difference on the hardware side between these and the S5i’s. The S5’s are basically ruggedized S4’s, so the shape of the earbuds and the tips are identical. Unlike the one colour choice of the S5’s, the S4i’s are available either in white with black and chrome accents, or black with chrome accents. They are an all-plastic design, but are still very well made – I do, however, think that the cord is a little thin, and while it is touted as tangle-free, it really isn’t.
 

Another difference between the S4’s and S5’s is the length of cord between the remote and the earbuds. On the S5i there was enough so that it hung down far enough that I could see it, but it was still close enough for the microphone to work well. On the S4i’s, the cord is too short, at least for someone with a huge noggin like mine, so the remote is pulled tightly up to the underside of my chin, and I can’t see it. This, however, will probably not be a problem for everyone, only for people born with heads like oranges on toothpicks!
 

The remote is a lot smaller on the S4i, but still has full iPhone and iPod control with volume, pause and play, and a great 360 degree microphone.
 

Sound Quality

Again, since these are practically the same internally as the S5’s, I won’t repeat all the details of the sound quality; suffice to say they sound excellent - as good, if not better than much more expensive headphones.

If you don’t need the all-weather capabilities of the S5i’s, you can’t go wrong with the S4i’s, and while they are still almost $120, it is well worth it. Plus as an added bonus they are still WHITE like the original iPhone ones, so you’ll still fit in with all the other iFanatics on the subway!

Specs:

• DESIGN: In-ear, Dual Magnet, Dynamic Moving Coil Micro Speaker
• DIMENSION: 8.5mm diameter
• DRIVE COMPONENTS: Full range KG 25
• FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz-19kHz
  FEATURES: mic+3-button remote 
• IMPEDANCE: 18 ohms
• INPUT CONNECTIONS: 3.5mm
• NOISE ISOLATION: -16
• SENSITIVITY: 110dB SPL/mW
• WEIGHT: 11.9 grams

You can buy the S4i Headphones for $118.99 from Future Shop here.

Klipsch Image S3 in-ear headphones:

Hardware

Unlike the headphones above, the S3 is not a headset; there is no in-line remote, or microphone. If you are looking for just pure headphones for a regular MP3 player, or have a phone that the S5i’s and S4i’s don’t support, and still want the Klipsch audio-quality, the S3’s would be a pretty good choice. However there are some drawbacks, considering that they are a lower-end model.

The earbuds themselves are all-plastic and available in a variety of glossy colours, such as red (which I tested), green, pink, and black. I personally think the missing chrome accents and bright colours make them look a little ‘cheap’, but I suppose that is a matter of taste.

The S3’s still have the patented oval silicone tips and there are 4 different sizes included, so you can get a perfect fit in your ear. Once you find the right one, they do fit well, and are very comfortable. However, the cord is fairly thin and tangle-prone.

Sound Quality
Unlike their bigger brothers, the S4 and S5, the S3 have a smaller dynamic driver in their bodies. What this translates to, is a less powerful sound, especially on the low-end.  While I would say they still sound a lot better than a lot of cheaper headphones, there is a lack of detail on the high-end compared to the models above. At the price they are going for now, $73.99, I would probably suggest spending a little more (Okay, so $35 isn’t really a little…) and getting at least the regular S4’s that don’t have the remote for $109.99 – the improvement in the sound-quality is well worth it.

Specs:

• DESIGN: In-ear, Dynamic Moving Coil Micro Speaker
• DIMENSIONS: Driver diameter: 5.8mm; Packaging: 7.9" H x 4.5" W x 1.3" D
• DRIVE COMPONENTS: Full Range KG 15
• FINISHES: Graphite Gray, Rebel Red, Perfect Pink, Galaxy Green
• FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 12Hz - 18kHz
• IMPEDANCE: 18 ohms
• INPUT CONNECTIONS: 3.5mm
• NOISE ISOLATION: -18
• SENSITIVITY: 106dB
• WEIGHT: 11 grams

You can buy the S3 Headphones for $73.99 from Future Shop here.