Are you a ‘sound snob’? Looking for the perfect sound? This is about as close as you’re going to get to in-the-ear bliss…the Turbine Pro In-Ear Speakers.

The Turbine Pro headphones are shaped like the original Turbines. However, that’s where the similarities end: the Pros are much more lightweight and the metal housing is available in either gold or copper plated. The base of the In-ear speakers are made of a rugged heavy duty rubberized plastic and the 3.5mm jack is gold plated to achieve optimum contact.

The Turbine Pro comes with five advanced sound Isolating eartips, each one aimed to fit every ear size. There is also cord management on the Pro cabling so that they won’t get tangled.

No, these aren’t for someone replacing their chepo iPod earbuds Apple gave you. These are for serious music lovers looking for the ultimate.

Buy for $250 from Amazon

The s4i is the first third-party headset to work with Apple’s VoiceOver feature that lets you control the iPhone through a gesture-based screen reader as well as the third-gen iPod shuffle, second-gen iPod touch, fourth-gen iPod nano and the 120GB iPod classic.

In addition, they now come with an in-line microphone and remote control for iPhones and iPod touch users to call or record audio. As with the original S4 models, the S4i set has the unusual oval ear tips that we’ve found to be more comfortable than circular tips found on other earphones.

But what might be most interesting is their new ’360-degree design’ that suppose to cancel out background noise. If it works as advertised, 99 bucks is worth it.

Buy for $99.00 from Amazon

But Amazon is selling them in white/chrome, black/chrome, and black/gold for around $60, a price that should put them back on your radar.

Even more impressive, the gold ones are actually plated in gold apparently, and sold for over $200 originally (other stores are still selling them for $150+)…

Buy Ultrasone iCans at Amazon

Looking for a solid earphone upgrade for your iPhone? Don’t want to go with the Shure I2C-M deal for about $35 we showed you last month?

No worries, this month’s earphone-du-jour is the Ultimate Ears-Metro.fi 200v. Unlike the Shure I2C-M which sells for about $30 everywhere despite is $119 retail price tag, the Metro.fi 200v sells for $65-$80 from all resellers.

But today, for whatever reason, Amazon is selling it for just $29.99. Given that yesterday the price on Amazon was $80.50, we suggest you jump on this deal.

They’ve got an attractive design, comfortable fit, and for the money are probably the best you’ll get (as long as the money is $30 — at $80 this is open for debate). Wondering why they’re so cheap? UE just rolled out the 220 series for the same price. They don’t seem that different from the 200′s, except for their tacky chrome exterior…

Buy for $29.99 from Amazon

Enter the Shure I2C-M Stereo Mobile Headset. Shure’s most junior offering won’t deliver the performance of their $200+ earphones, but it’s a solid bet—especially at around 40 bucks, which is what you can get it for these days (MSPR: $119; Shure Direct: $79).

This in-ear headset is compatible with iPhones and other cell phones right out of the box, features Dynamic MicroDrivers, a VoicePort inline microphone, various sleeves to fit different size ears, and a 2-year limited warranty.

$39.69 from Amazon with free shipping

Do they sound better with a $100 cable? How about a $1,700 tube amplifier?

How about this: you’re smarter than that, and recognize that the marginal benefit of these ultra-high end products and add-ons represent a terrible value proposition.

That’s why, for you, we’ve selected Sennheiser’s HD555 headphones. Like the HD650, these also feature a wide open design (you can hear everything around you, and everyone can hear you music), which creates a uniquely rich and deep listening experience.

While we haven’t tried them, many regard the HD555 headphones as the best bargain this side of $150 (the Bose On-Ear Headphones we’ve tried and recommend sell on the other side, at around $160).

In fact, you don’t even have to spend that much: Amazon sells them for $98.99.

But, for who knows how long, Dell is blowing all competitors out of the water with this unheard of deal: just $69.99 (plus tax in some states; shipping is free).

If you have the extra money, we still prefer the Bose for their more compact size and booming bass (the HD555′s are said to be tuned a little “warm”), but at $70 the HD555′s cannot be ignored.

They sounded good, but when I listened to a friend’s pair of Bose On-Ear Headphones, which retail for $180, I felt robbed.

I can only imagine everyone giving 5-star reviews to the SE420′s is trying to justify the 4 bills they dropped on them, because for half price you can get a far better experience from the Bose.

To be fair, headphones are in a different category from earphones for a lot of people (larger, bulkier, less subtle), but man does Bose know what their doing when it comes to headphones.

I’ll be the first to admit that Bose’ multi-$1000 Lifestyle systems are a joke (you know, “no highs, no lows, must be Bose”), but the On-Ear headphones are banging. Bass sounds full and powerful like I’ve seldom heard in headphones at this price, and highs are clear and precise.

Suffice to say, I recently sold my gently used SE420′s to a friend for about what I paid for them, and used the proceeds to pick up my own Bose On-Ear headphones, which Amazon is selling for just $161.95.

Sure, the Bose On-Ear headphones has a lower overall rating on Amazon than the Shure SE420 earphones (4 stars to 4.5, but it has 5x as many reviews)… but don’t let that throw you off, just check out the 5-star rating the headphones have at Apple based on 100 reviews. Just don’t buy them from Apple: you’ll pay more, and you’ll pay tax.

Oh, a few other points: out of the box, the Bose On-Ear headphones are first-gen iPhone friendly (narrow headphone jack), fold nicely, come with a great carrying case, and deliver all-day comfort.

The hf2 earphones feature both a built-in mic and iPhone-ready (narrow) plug. The result is great sounding music and iPhone convenience.

These $180 earphones have the same response accouracy as the compny’s $300 model, and is said to deliver more noise isolation than any other competing headset. It ships with the usual array of goodies that high-end earphones come with, including assorted eartips, a filter tool (and two replaceemnts), and storae case.

The hf2 isn’t just iPhone compatible, either: it will work with ordinary audio devices and other mobile phones.

Pick them up at Amazon for $176.81.

Kidding, kidding… we’ll stop writing about earphones as soon as we stop finding quality products at even more quality prices, like Harmom Kardon’s EP 730 earphones. H/K is a well respected name in audio, but its earphones are less well known.

So here’s what you need to know about the EP 730′s, the company’s flagship ‘phones:

• “natural” (read: passive) noise isolation to 35dB
• advanced transducers (read: good sound)
• in-line switch between High Fidelity and Bass Boost modes (read: slick)
• in-line volume control
• 20Hz-15kHz frequency response
• <4% total harmonic distortion at 1kHz at 100dB SPL

We’re not gonna lie: we have no clue what that last line means, but it sure sounds pro and I imagine makes headphones with >4% harmonic distortion tremble!

The best part, of course, is the price. The EP 730 earphones originally sold for $150-$200 a pair; most resellers today have them in the $90-$100 range. But Buy.com is selling them for just $56.99 shipped.

Not only is that a terrific price, it also differentiates these earphones from others we’ve featured here (which typically are in the $20-$30 range, or over $100). If you want some quality earphones for less than your iPod cost, the EP 730′s will fit the ticket nicely.

Let’s just hope you don’t lose one of Sennheiser’s new MX W1 earphones. These wireless wonders will set you back a cool $600 at full retail price. But what did you expect when you take cutting edge technology and combine it with a company that has as good a reputation as Sennheiser?

A thin transmitter plugs into your audio device and sends the sound over a 2.4GHz digital link to the earphones. The earphones themselves aren’t unobtrusive, but they’re better than first attempts at creating wireless earbuds a couple years ago, although folks might still wonder why you have what looks like a Bluetooth headset in both your ears.

The MX W1 earphones are literally plug-and-play with no setup required. Technical specs are commendable:

• 19-20,000Hz frequency response
• signal-to-noise >80 dB
• Dynamic transducer
• 32 Ohm impedance
• 115 dB Sound pressure level

Of course, the most important number when you’re talking wireless is battery life. Each earphone is rated to last 3-4 hours per charge, and takes about 2 hours to fully recharge.

This is acceptable, but not really impressive. The transmitter will last you 10 hours per charge (and also takes 2 hours to recharge), which is what we would have liked to have seen from the earphones.

Stock is very limited right now, but get your order placed for $549.99 at Amazon to get in on the next shipment they receive.

I believe the two earphones are basically identical, but with Razer discontinuing the ProTones some time ago, stock can be difficult to come across.

Buy.com is currently offering the white Razer ProTone m100 earphones for $17.99 shipped. (They’re normally about $35, so no telling how long this price will last!)

I won’t bore you with details or numbers, instead you should know these are extremely comfortable earphones that represent a noticeable upgrade from Apple’s iPod earphones (or any earphones that comes with a music player). Also included is a small pouch for the earphones that can also fit an iPod shuffle or nano, an airline adapter, and three different sized earphone cups.

All in all, a solid value for about the price of a large speciality pizza.

The design may not be for everyone, but if it works for you, the headphones are available in seven different colors so that you have to think that much longer before pulling the trigger.

These over-the-ear headphones have large foam earpads that provide a snug and comfortable fit. Specs include 40mm large-diameter drive units, 99dB/mW sensitivity, 7Hz-22KHz frequency response, neodymium magnets, and gold-plated plug adapter. The headphones tip the scales at a reasonable 5.4 oz.

Retail price is $59.95, but you can find them for less online (prices include shipping): black for $37.99, white for $39.64, green for $39.72, cream for $47.98, blue for $47.98, red for $56.97, pink for $59.98.

There’s also a new Ryan Scheckler Limited Edition RP-HTX7-RS version, which is basically the red set with a print of the skateboarder’s autograph on one of the cups. Why you’d paid $10 more for that privilege is beyond us…

The AH-C751 earphones represent the pinnacle of Denon’s in-ear headphones. Among the features:

• aluminum housing (nice)
• 11mm diaphragms
• OFC cabling
• 16 ohm input impedance
• 104dB/mW sensitivity
• 3 ear pad sizes
• carrying case, extension cable included

The AH-C751 earphones have received solid critical praise and sell for $199 from most retailers, including Amazon.

But the folks at Provantage (a very reputable reseller) are dishing out stock for much less: just $118.78 for the silver model, and $119.84 for the black version, making the AH-C751 earphones one of the best values in this segment.

Headphones and athletics usually don’t mix well. For practical reasons, you don’t want to spend much money since you know they’ll be exposed to less than calm conditions.

At the same time, you don’t want them to sound like crap and you certainly don’t want them falling out of your ears.

Sennheiser’s MX 75 Sport Headphones fit the bill perfectly: excellent audio and build quality from the legendary German manufacturer, first-rate fit, and an affordable price.

Unlike other sport earphones, the MX 75′s feature a unique design that forgoes the traditional ear-clips or over/around-the-head designs. They stay in place with a combination of friction and clever design, regardless of the shape of your ears.

Like other models in Sennheiser’s Sport line, they’re also virtually impervious to sweat. I know nothing irritates me more than a drop of sweat working its way into an earphone and muffling out the bass for the remainder of the work-out. In fact, I can even forgive Sennheiser’s unusual color selection for the Sport line since they flat-out rock.

And the best part?

The MX 75 Sport headphones retail for $50 but can be found at Amazon for just $29.99 with free shipping.

(If you like the Twist-to-Fit idea and don’t need the Sport features or gnarly green color, go for the Street model for just $19.99.)

Fortunately, qualty can also be affordable, like in the case of Creative’s EP-630 earphones.

These earphones are among the most comfortable we’ve ever tried, thanks to the soft silcione earbuds that slide in smoothly and sit gently in your ear. They also provide a decent amount of passive noise blocking, not so much that you can’t hear someone calling your name, but enough that your cube neighbor’s paper shuffling will no longer be heard.

Bass is surprisngly solid for such an inexpensive pairs of earphones and the highs are well balanced.

A little bird also told me once that Creative’s EP-630 earphones ($40 MSRP) are identical to Sennheiser’s CX 300 ($70 MSRP), and may in fact be manufactured by the legendary German earphone maker (or vice versa, who knows).

Even better? NewEgg sells the EP-630 earphones for $21.99 + $5.99 shipping, but for the next few days you can take $5 off that with promo code EMCAFCACE.

Triple TruAcoustic Micro-Speakers manage your private “soundstage” with dedicated tweeters and dual woofers. The Push-To-Hear feature allows you to shatter your privacy by mic-ing your surrounding environment without removing your earphones.

Custom fit is en-Shured (sorry, had to) with four size variations of their sound isolating sleeves. A carrying case, modular cables (9″ & 3′ lengths connect to the 18″ attached to the earphones), level attenuator and adapters also help manage the pain of parting with half-a-grand for svelte silence.

Gold-plated input jacks, metallic-bronze finish and 2-year limited warranty round out the SE530 package.

While sleeping with the earphones in can still trouble some individuals’ slumber, they do allow for more convenient head positioning when crammed in coach compared to the QuietComforts.

The SE530 is available for $449.99 from Amazon, while the SE530PTH (with the Push-To-Hear accessory included) will set you back $499.99.

If that’s too much money, you can pick up the SE530 from less savory retailers for a reduced price, like this auction at uBid that’s currently offering 10 new pairs for $300 a piece. Or you can settle for a less robust offering from Shure, from the budget SE110 ($99), SE210 ($139), SE310 ($196), and SE420 ($298).

iPhone owners: don’t forget to pick up the Shure Music Phone Adapter ($39), which will let your earphones fit into the iPhone’s skinny headphone port and includes a built-in mic.

The difficulty with that is that most $500 pairs don’t look much better on the surface than a $5 pair.

But not the new Klipsch Image headphones. True to their name, the Image sports some pretty sharp looks, assuming you have a thing for modern, unconventional design—which if you’re a geek you probably do.

It’s not just about looks with the Image; at least, at $349 a pair, I hope it’s not. Fortunately, the Klipsch name ensures that these are quality wares, unless you’re one of those super geek audiophiles who scoffs at anything that doesn’t cost ten-times more than what most people would consider sufficiently expensive.

Along with “true-to-life sound immersion” Klipsch delivers five different ear gel sizes to ensure an extra comfortable fit.

But let’s be honest. You’re not buying these because they’re the world’s smallest in-ear headphones, sound great, or fit fantastic, you’re buying these because they look cool. And the person next to you will respect that much more for it, too.

Bonus – At the time of this posting, Amazon is offering a free 4GB iPod nano if you buy it at the same time as the Klipsch Image earphones. The discount is instant, and saves you a cool $139.66.