Maxell HB-202 Stereo Line Head Buds, Silver

Maxell should stick to media and stay away from electonics.
These head phones are very comfortable and functional but that's where it stops too bad the performance of the product doesn't match the functionality. As a sound engineer I have used many headphones, but I can safely say that 2 tin cans on a string would sound better than these do if not the same.

I love these. And if you like this vertical design, I recommend buying a few while you still can. (The design has yielded favor to hip-hop styles and earbuds, so Maxell seems to be discontinuing this model. It's disappeared from all the drugstores where I used to see it.)

Face it: no mfr.'s compact headphones/earbuds last very long under normal use. A cord gets tugged once too many, you permanently lose one channel or the other, and then you can't access the connections to re-solder them.

At least with these Maxell's, you minimize your upfront investment. They're comfortable and sound almost as good as the corresponding Sony models, but they cost only 1/2 or 1/3 the price. Maxell's cord is also a foot longer than Sony's (4' instead of 3'), which makes a surprising difference in convenience if you're plugging them into a laptop or into desktop computer speakers.

These things are okay to sit around and listen to alone, but while you're active, these things will fall apart. First the cushions on the buds will fall off and vanish forever, and if you have a big head like I do, they will fall from their band, causing frequent reattachment. If you're looking cheap, then try them out, but otherwise you should look elsewhere.

This was supposed to be a 2 star review, BTW.

EDIT: One of the speakers died yesterday, so I tossed them in the trash. With that, the search for the perfect headphones continues...