Ear-Canal or Sound Isolating Headphones provide sound quality far beyond the technical ability of the most expensive earbuds and isolation that’s superior to the best headphones. By creating a secure fit between the sound source and your ear canal, unwanted background noise is blocked out while the music comes straight in.

What are Ear-Canal Headphones?
Ear-Canal Headphones were originally developed as Personal Monitor Systems to allow musicians to hear their own performances in loud onstage environments. Ear-Canal Headphones work by using soft, pliable sleeves inserted right down into the ear canal to block background noise, allowing small, high-performance drivers to deliver incredibly precise sound directly to the ear.

Is isolation different from noise cancellation?
The seal created by an Ear-Canal Headphones physically blocks most frequencies of background noise. Active noise cancelling “headphones” are generally larger, heavier and battery-driven. The active cancellation process negates selected frequencies through a complex process that can even introduce unwanted artifacts into the resulting audio. The natural sound isolation properties of a properly fitted Ear-Canal Headphone exceeds the performance of even the most expensive active noise cancellation alternatives.

How are Ear-Canal Headphones different from other headphones?
The primary difference is their listening position - where they are worn in relation to your ear. Headphones generally enclose your ear or rest on top of it. Regular earphones (like the earbuds often packaged with MP3 players) sit on the outside of the ear. Ear-Canal Headphone are different. They are designed to fit inside your ear canal, where they create an isolated listening area that is responsible for their superior acoustic properties.

How do Ear-Canal Headphones work?
By selecting from an assortment of included soft, flexible sleeves, you’re able to personalize the fit of the earphones to your ears. The sleeves conform to the unique shape of your ear, creating a seal that isolates you from ambient noise.

Why is isolation important?
Sound isolation makes it possible to hear greater detail at a lower volume than is possible with earbuds or most headphones intended for portable use. Lower-volume listening means less fatigue over extended periods and is safer than trying to overcome background noise by turning up the volume. This makes Ear-Canal Headphones the ideal choice for commuting, travel, exercise, study, or work - any activity where you desire portable, hi-fidelity sound.

Which Model to Buy?
With 60% of all headphones sold in Australia being ear-canal headphones, the market is swamped with models and prices range from under $100 to well over $600. So without knowing the budget of a buyer it is difficult to make recommendations. The Sennheiser CX300-II is the most popular under $100, but a great alternative is the Audio-Technica ATH-CKM55. Neither are deadly accurate but of the two my personal preference is for the Audio-Technica.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Shure SE530 was king of the top end for years, but in recent times the Westone W3 came along to knock it off it's perch. Truth be told they are both truly superb. The choice would come down to personal preference, as the Shure produces exceptional midrange clarity, the Westone better top end, while both have around the same bottom end.

In October of 2009, we introduced the Ortofon eQ7 to the Australian market, and it has fast become the new king of this segment. Where the Shure and Westone are both triple driver designs, the Ortofon is a single driver design that in my view beats them all at their game. It reproduces the smoothest most dynamic sound of them all and does so for less money. Build quality (made in Japan, not China), packaging and inclusions are simply icing on an already very sweet cake!


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