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Comply NR-10 Earphones With Military-Grade Noise Reduction Reviewed (Verdict: Good Value)
Posted by Sean Fallon at 11:50 AM on March 28, 2008
According to Hearing Components, their new Comply NR-10 Earphones can deliver more than 48 decibels of noise reduction using the same technology enjoyed by the US Army and Special Forces. They were also designed to "maximize bass response and deliver superior sound quality." At US$80, it would seem like a decent value—if they worked. Fortunately, the folks at iLounge took them for a spin and weighed the pros and cons.
First and foremost, they loved the foam tips, claiming that they provided all of the benefits and none of the major negatives of their predecessors. As for the sound, they noted that these earphones would be a viable alternative to similar offerings by Bose—which is a pretty flattering endorsement. On the negative side, they weren't impressed by the overall look of the NR-10's and they felt that the bass-heavy sound could be a bit much for some listeners. However, the overall verdict was that the NR-10's were impressive, proclaiming them as a "good value for the dollar." Hit the link for the full review. [iLoungeand Comply]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
One2ManyCords
Posted 12:59 PM 28/3/08
@daftrok: Dude you need to get out more....Phillips is the ABSOLUTE worst when it comes to audio equipment and being a part of the SPIDF protocol you would think they would do better.. I have some JVC's that kick ass for about 30 bucks, but I am holding out until father's day for the Bose QC3's or these if I can test them(wait that would be gross).
One2ManyCords
FuzzysFriedChicken
Posted 12:49 PM 28/3/08
48dB is a ton. I may have to snag a pair of these to try. I have Etymotic Er6i now, should be a decent comparison.
FuzzysFriedChicken
shenanigans61
Posted 12:30 PM 28/3/08
I hate to say it...but $50 almost sounds reasonable for these. $40 is a deal.
shenanigans61
daftrok
Posted 12:26 PM 28/3/08
I'd get them if they were 50. 80 is pushing it. Then again I'm happy with these:
[reviews.pricegrabber.com]
daftrok
shenanigans61
Posted 12:24 PM 28/3/08
Pfft.
I'm fine with my $15 Skull Candy's as far as sound quality and noise reduction goes. No way in hell am I paying 5 times more for minimal improvement.
shenanigans61
Tonicboy
Posted 12:20 PM 28/3/08
@shenanigans61: well that's about as good a price as you'll find for noise-reduction earphones. i like the foam tips but i found that they got dirty pretty quickly on my Shure's and had to be replaced every couple months, which makes the price add up over time.
Tonicboy
shenanigans61
Posted 11:55 AM 28/3/08
iPhone/Touch in the background...subliminal messaging? Nahhhh
I like em, but I won't pay $80 for them.
shenanigans61
Damage
Posted 2:12 PM 28/3/08
Oh, gees, where have I seen those earbuds before...
Oh yes, from Skullcandy:
[www.skullcandy.com]
All for $30 (I paid $20). Looks like the Bose comparison is well applied in this case. You're paying $60 for foamie tips and the Comply brand name.
Stinks is what it is.
Damage
One2ManyCords
Posted 1:02 PM 28/3/08
@One2ManyCords: sorry thats SPDIF, darn transposed keys...
One2ManyCords
hnkelley
Posted 2:58 PM 28/3/08
I had never heard of these guys before, but I discovered them when looking for alternative headsets (mono) for our staff. I've been testing the NR-1CM for a month now and love it. Looks? Not an issue. It's a bloody earpiece! No way you're not going to look like a geek or a secret agent with any headset. The fit is very good, as is the sound quality. I have come to prefer the foam earbud over the standard covers or even the Jabra form-fit thingies.
hnkelley
Damage
Posted 3:59 PM 28/3/08
@electrikecho: I can vouch for the Skullcandies, they are very good for $20-30. I wouldn't recommend anyone to get the comply's though, when all they're offering is different foamies for the extra $60 markup.
Damage
electrikecho
Posted 3:52 PM 28/3/08
@Damage: I've used those earbuds - pretty good. I'm sure there's an instructable out there that does pretty much the same thing as these...
...here: [instructables.com]
electrikecho
wingchun
Posted 5:08 PM 28/3/08
skullcandies are not going to compare. the stated bass response on the skulls is 100hz, which means its going to roll off well before then. the comply's reach down to 20hz, that is a HUGE difference in sound. also i doubt the skullcandies are taking anywhwere near 48db's off.
wingchun
sharkfan1781110
Posted 4:47 PM 28/3/08
@shenanigans61: that's clearly an iTouch cuz of the non-recessed/bottom placement of the head jack...and you call urself a gizmodo boy? lol jk
p.s there is no real "subliminal message" just would you think it smart to show it with the shuffle or one of those cheap ass stick mp3 players? the headphone would cost more than the player
and on the price if you go shopping around and ever wear one of these things you will understand why they are that much. My friend bought the $499 sure headphones and i called him crazy, then I tried them out and was STUNNED. Of course i don't care about my music to EVER pay that much but if you have it and care for your music, they are worth EVERY penny
sharkfan1781110
cdawson2000
Posted 12:25 AM 29/3/08
Cool. I'm looking for some worthy ear bud replacements. I really hate to buy ear buds without having the chance to listen to them first.
Looks like they will fit in my budcase though.
cdawson2000
ashoushanian
Posted 11:54 PM 28/3/08
If you go to Comply's site you can order the foam tips for many earbuds. The tips are what make the difference. I have been using them on a pair of Westone UM1's for years and traveling often. They beat all noise reduction headphones hands down and because they block the outside noise you do not have to turn the volume up as loud as other earsets. [www.complyfoam.com]
ashoushanian
Stevengore
Posted 1:52 PM 28/3/08
v-moda!
Stevengore
ksins5
Posted 12:53 AM 29/3/08
Does this kind of earplug actually comfortable and have good sound? I mean it looks unusual but there are more and more products like this so there must be something to it.
ksins5
mnstrZRO
Posted 3:38 AM 29/3/08
I've got a set of Comply foam tips on my ER6is and they're great. They're more comfortable than the stock silicone flange tips, and provide much greater noise reduction. With them, I can listen to music while on my motorcycle without having to have the volume cranked.
Only problem is that they're starting to look a little nasty, but that's going to happen with anything you stick into a body orifice for a prolonged time.
mnstrZRO
jdame
Posted 3:33 AM 29/3/08
Wonder how these compare to $99 shures? I would think that the marshmellow plugs on the shures would block more noise than the foam ends on these.
jdame
Ward
Posted 7:58 AM 29/3/08
I'm using Comply tips on my Ultimate Ears super.fi pro 5 headphones. They're a huge improvement in comfort and bass and I think they are a "must buy" for anyone using IEM headphones, with the exception of Shures used with their new "olive" tips.
Ward