Home > Consumer Reviews > Philips SHE9850 In-Ear Headphones with Advanced Acoustics

I like to start with the bad. In this case there really is not much to complain about, I find that the little molded silicon ear sleeves tend to slip in my ears when I use the phones in the gym if I do not use the included wire clip, or while chewing (when this happens the sound is little better than an old transistor radio). Also, the wires tend to be a little more stiff than those on my standard iPod phones, not something serious, but they tend to retain the loops from storage a little longer when unpacked for wearing.

Like I said those are pretty minor faults. Stack that against the truly insulated environment of the memory foam sleeves and the rich sound they provide (note: do not wear these sleeves while cycling, you will never hear the car that hit you). The bass is so rich that I could swear that they built a subwoofer into these little babies. The memory foam sleeves do not slip and when worn at the gym I cannot even hear the metal plates clanking when I drop them back on the rack after a set. The high end turns in good response as well, not quite to the point of inspiring thoughts of a separate tweeter, but still very respectable.

The set comes with the phones themselves, three sizes of molded sleeves, one set of memory foam sleeves, a wire clip to hold the wire in place on your shirt and a metal storage case for securing these little treasures. All in all, I feel very comfortable giving these earbuds the full five stars, they deserve it.

Some people prefer their headphones outside of their ears, with comfortable ear cushions and other features, such as the Koss KTXPRO1 Titanium Portable Headphones with Volume Control. Others prefer wearing their headphones in the privacy of their own ears, with the added bonus of noise isolation.

There are good reasons for choosing either type depending on your personal preferences, such as comfort levels, where and when you're using them, what you're listening to, and whether or not you have to share with other people.

For general use at home, I use the regular "outie", especially for movies or music with inappropriate language that I'd rather not play in surround sound in the presence of young `uns. I also let my son use it when I'd rather not hear another note from the Jonas Brothers. However, in the wee hours of the morning when the only creature stirring is me, I prefer to use in-ear headphones, which shut out everything except the music.

At work, I hardly ever use headphones due to the telephone ringing off the hook, but at lunchtime I sometimes use the in-ear headphones for peace and quiet. I drive to work, so no headphones are needed for the daily commute.

This is a fairly expensive model, but it's worth every cent if you can safely use headphones that cut out most external noise.

Pros:

1. Really nice packaging, easy to open, simple instruction manual
2. Cool, sleek and compact black metal carrying case included, with a cleaning tool and cable clip as accessories.
3. It comes with three different sizes of rubber caps, and as Goldilocks might say, one is for ears that are big, one's for smaller ears, and one will no doubt be just right. Changing caps is simple too.
4. It also includes a pair of memory foam sleeves that fit so snugly in your ears that you may think they belong there.
5. The caps are washable, once you dry them properly before using them again.
6. The sound is marvelous, clear and true, and there's no need to raise the volume to sonic boom levels.
7. The headphones are clearly marked left and right, and are at an angle for easy insertion and a tight seal
8. Drastically cuts down on external noise

Cons:

1. Unless you're using it for an IPod or other portable device, the cord is too short.
2. May feel a bit weird for some people due to the superior noise isolation.
3. You may experience "ewwwwwwwwwww" moments when your friends grab them and try them on. These aren't for sharing.
4. Try saying "in-ear headphones" out loud six times


If you're looking for an excellent pair of (deep breath) in-ear headphones, I think you'll be pleased with this one.





Amanda Richards, July 2, 2008

I did not associate Philips with quality headphones so I was pleasantly surprised by these headphones as they are the best headphones I've used till now.They are in-ear headphones that provide a sound isolating listening experience, so much lighter, more comfortable and convenient to carry when compared to the large noise canceling headphones.

The sound is great with clear highs and lows, the bass is better than the Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones I have used in the past. Although I liked the sound quality of the Shure earphones especially for classical vocal performances, I missed the bass when listening to rock music. These earphones provide a good balance between the highs and the lows for a great sound. I have been enjoying my music so much more since I got these as I am constantly discovering notes that sounded muffled earlier.

As far as comfort goes, the Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphonesare ok but despite the many foams and sleeves provided, I could not find any that felt really comfortable. Not so with these Philips earphones. The black flex rubber sleeves provided with these headphones feel really comfortable but the best option is the memory foam sleeve. You pinch these to a thin shape and then insert them into your ear canal and the memory foam expands to fit your ears. It's supremely comfortable and I don't experience any discomfort even if I wear these buds for hours. The buds also don't fall out, this is probably the best fitting pair of headphones I have used, EVER!

The metal case is sleek but I don't use it much as storing these headphones inside the case and getting them out takes too much time. I prefer the case of my Sony MDR-E828LP Fontopia Earbuds with Winding Case which is well designed and more convenient to use. The cord of these headphones is thick enough so it doesn't get tangled easily but not as thick as the Shure E2C earbuds. These headphones are partly constructed with a metal and seem very sturdy. Great product that seems well worth the price.

I've been looking for the perfect headphones since I bought my first iPod in 2004. The iPod's earbuds were too painful, and I've had mixed results with headphones from other vendors. I was (mostly) content with my Philips HN110 noise-cancelling headphones, but they're hardly ideal for working out or walking on the treadmill. I didn't expect much when I was given the chance to try out Philips' SHE9850 in-ear headphones. I certainly didn't expect them to be exactly what I've been looking for.

The first priority for me is comfort. I want earphones that are going to stay in place, while not totally killing my ears. The SHE9850's are amazing in that respect. They fit like a pair of molded foam earplugs, softly fitting the shape of my ear canals, and expanding enough to stay in place. Like earplugs, the SHE9850's block out a tremendous amount of exterior noise, leaving you free to enjoy crystal clear audio with little outside distraction. When your iPod is competing with a treadmill and a noisy toddler, that's a big plus. I also tended to notice a lot more nuances to the music when using these earphones. They deliver such a clear, clean audio quality and screening out any outside noise, you really hear all the subtlety and nuances of the music.

The only downside that I've noticed is that with these earphones in, you hear your own voice differently, almost as if you're under water. If, ahem, you're prone to singing along with your favorite songs, it's going to sound a lot weirder to your own ears. Ah well, my wife doesn't seem to mind that I'm singing less these days!

The SHE9850's come with 3 pair of differently sized foam covers, so you can get the most comfortable fit possible, as well as a cleaning tool and compact carrying case.

Between the sound quality and sheer comfort, I'm completely satisfied with the Philips SHE9850 earphones. I'd highly recommend them to anyone who is fed up with the standard issue iPod earbuds.

You already know the one thing we've been instructed not to leave home without. For me, on international business trips, there's a second non-negotiable travel companion: my Sennheiser noise-canceling headphones.

So it was with some trepidation that I embarked on last week's six-flight itinerary to Beirut and back with these tiny Philips SHE9850 in-ear headphones in my pocket. Yes, in my pocket. The space savings over the comparatively massive headphones and their nifty-but also space-consuming carrying case--was formidable. I prepared myself for making the sacrifice on the quality-of-sound side.

After many hours of mostly classical music, I had gained newfound respect for the capabilities of this ear-bud approach. The bass and soprano qualities were remarkable. Volume was superb on the upper end. There was even a moment when I suspected I was hearing some kind of low-level interference until it dawned on me that it was the solo cellist breathing. I had never heard that on many listenings to the same recording.

This was looking to be a surprise four-star recommendation.

Then, on my next-to-last flight, homeward-bound now, my iPod cycled onto a very different kind of music, kicking in with my son's (I hasten to clarify ...) recording of Metallica's 'Exit Sandman'. Good grief, but it sounded good! Crisp drumming, driving bass. The Philips product was now performing on an entirely different stage and, in doing so, showing a whole packet of primary colors I had not heard on the gentler genres.

This is one very fine product. The Sennheisers may have to be hung from the rafters like Larry Bird's retired jersey. Like the Bird-man, the big headphone set was a champion in its day but now looks just a trifle dorky next to what just strolled onto the court.

There is more than just great sound and very convenient size here.

Over many hours of in-ear contact, my ears did not grow irritated as has happened before with ear-buds. The slight 'give' in the angle helps as does the very soft surface material of the bud itself.

The brushed aluminum carrying case is a nifty idea but a little too small for convenient stowage of the product itself. I'll probably carry it loose in a shirtpocket instead.

The highest praise I can give the Philips SHE9850 in-ear headphones is to comment that this product has converted me for travel purposes from the cave-like serenity of full-sized headphones to the convenience of earbuds by simple dint of exceptional performance.