Denon AH-C252K In-Ear Headphones (Black)

As a sound engineer and musician for over thirty years, I can attest that the Denon AH-C252 ear buds are simply the best buds available for under $30. They are superior in audio quality to others I have tried. They come with three different size light rubber tips that conform comfortably to the size of your ear canal. They are not entirely air tight, but let just enough ambient sound in so that you are not totally isolated from your environment.

The buds are also unique in their ergonomic design. Instead of buds that go straight into your ear, the tiny speakers are mounted at a slight angle so as to facilitate the angle of the ear canal with the ear itself. This makes the buds very comfortable and enhance sonic transmission.

There is also a little rubber clasp that is movable up and down the cable when they split into separate wires. The better ones always have this feature... it reduces tangling and knotting, and makes for better storage. The cable...Read more

I have to admit, for the relatively low price I paid for these buds, they really have performed admirably thus far. They're definitely not perfect--the sound's a bit imbalanced IMO--but they really do the trick. I'll sum up good and bad points in a few categories.

Isolation: As a frequent bus traveler, being able to listen to my music in relatively noisy environments is a plus. I'd rate the isolation on these about a 4/5. Even when sitting near the bus's engine in the back, what was once a loud, exhausted roar becomes an only somewhat audible rumble. I can also hear background chatter somewhat clearly. That's before I even turn the music on, mind you. I also don't need to use nearly as much volume as with my Panasonics, which also require an extra trick that coincides with the next category.

Fit: The buds are a little different than what I'm used to: the drivers are actually angled into the ear. As awkward as it sounds, it is actually an ergonomic...Read more

I got to use exactly for 1 month, one day while taking out the connective piece as I usually do every day - it broke. The sound quality is great, and they are very comfortable, but I was not ready for this to fall apart so soon. I have sony earphones for 5+ years and was expecting to get at least 3yrs life out of this one. I want to think I got a defective one - things like this do happen. But for comfort and sound quality, I do give it high scores.