I won the Etymotic hf2s from WhatsOniPhone.com and I really enjoy them. I normally don´t buy earphones for €40+ so I can't compare them with other first class earphones. But you may like to take a look at them. http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/hf2.aspx
While its not ultra-premium, I bought the Shure SE110 earphones with the "Music Phone Adaptor". The Shure SE110 have the earphone pieces connected to a 2.5mm jack about 12" long, and basically another 3' extension to your device. The MPA replaces the extension part with a microphone module that has a button to replicate the iPhone3G's standard buds, and a 2.5mm socket to plug the earphones into. The sound quality is a million times better than the standard earbuds! The timing and clarity of music makes the songs become so much more enjoyable at 128kbps MP3, and just jaw-dropping at lossless quality. As its only a single driver, the bass isn't heavy, just enough to put some beat into the tunes. Its perfect for jazz and classical music where you can hear every timbre of every instrument with laser precision, but contemporary music like pop etc is still good. Deep 5Hz bass on rap tunes are just lost on these. I hear that SkullCandy earphones are better for that kind of music. If you have more money, do audition for the SE530 models. (Yes, audition. Like with Hifi equipment) All I can say is that it feels like you're swimming in an ocean of sound. It's an unbelievable experience! Remember that with these premium earphones, you should treat them like they're real audiophile hifi speakers. They need to be run-in so the drivers become loosened up and then they're really sing! FYI, I thought the SE110s were utter crap when I first bought them, and complained to the shop. They referred me to the Shure specialist, who explained that I should run them in for 200hrs (ie. play non-stop on various music). I said B*llocks, but after listening to his demo SE110, I could really tell there's a difference. I did as he suggested, and even now, after 4mths, I'm still stopping in my tracks, amazed at the music quality and think "my god, how comes I never heard that before??!". Which is quite dangerous when crossing a busy road!!! Damn, just realised how much I typed! Guess that's an indication of how much I love these Shures. If I had the money, I would buy the SE530s without blinking. They're that good.
