Make the most of smartphone music

For smartphone users, I definitely don’t recommend using lossless formats unless you can afford the space, have good enough ear/headphones to notice the difference and good enough ears! The first reason is the primary reason I don’t use my iPhone for music – it’s too space constrained and I believe that lossless formats also tax the battery more than compressed formats.

But, like most others, I would certainly recommend trashing the earbuds that come with your phone! They are universally 3rd rate, and if you care about your music at all, you deserve better buds or cans. I’m not real keen on earbuds because they never stay in my ears and they let too much sound escape. My favourites are definitely IEMs like my IE-40′s, but the danger in these is that they block out all sound, so you definitely don’t want to use them while engaging in activities that require your attention – like driving or walking! Also, because they go directly into the ear canal, you need to ratchet the volume back quite a bit to avoid hearing damage.

BUT for the ultimate in listening experience, IEMs are the way to go when used sensibly and safely. They literally fill your head with sound and you hear all the nuances (and flaws) of your recorded music. The best IEMs are expensive – my IE-40s cost $400 when I bought them (although I believe both they and the UE Triple Fi Pros, of which the IE-40′s are a clone, are a bit cheaper now), but you needn’t spend this much. You can get decent IEMs for about $100 (sorry about using $s but I’m American and don’t know what the equivalent in Pounds is).

Second best, in my opinion, are open cans like my Senns and Grados. The Grados cost $60 and equal the sound of cans that cost double or even triple that amount. The sonic clarity of these phones is absolutely astounding. They do lack on the low end in “thump” and if you’re a basshead, don’t even consider them. The low end is there, it’s just not inflated by any stretch of the imagination. The Grados are also HUGE and, frankly, ugly. But the sound is divine. On the other hand, the Senns cost me $110 (and I think they’re cheaper now, as well) and they’re lightweight and quite attractive. They almost equal the Grados in sonic clarity, but have much more of a low end presence, although again, not inflated. I prefer the Grados particular for classical, orchestral and acoustic music because of their clarity and they don’t distort at all. The Senns I prefer for their superior comfort and better low end, although they don’t match the Grados in the high end for clarity. The Senns tend to be a bit too sibilant and bright on the high end for my ears.

It’s hard to describe the clarity and “aroundness” that open cans bring to music, but I find the soundstage of open cans to be fantastic. Downside – everyone around you gets to enjoy your music with you! There is no real isolation with these cans and they’re best used in quiet environments where you won’t disturb anyone!

Phones are a bit of a challenge for finding good ear/headphones because of the way we use them and the fact that they are go everywhere devices. Personally I think that anyone that owns a smartphone and cares about his/ear music quality should have two sets of cans: one for home/stationary environments and one for out and about. Spend your best money on your home cans. Consider IEMs or earphones (but not earbuds) for your out and about cans. There are many good brands and both categories, and no matter what you spend, you’re almost certain to find something better than the ones that came with your phone!

Donald