Sony MDR-AS40EX Active Style Headphones Earbud Style (Black)

Review updated: March 2011

When I bought these, I was searching for a pair of headphones that would:
1. Fit snug inside my ear so as to not fall out or come loose when working out
2. Produce excellent sound while blocking most ambient noise
3. Have a comfortable clip and ear bud so that they can be worn for hours at a time.

I have been using these headphones specifically for almost four years (I'm on my second pair, but that's because I lost my originals.) I use them almost exclusively for working out (weightlifting, cardio and gymnastics) and have found no other headphones to compare for my needs. A few things that make these great: outstanding Sony quality sound, very snug and customizable fit and good noise reduction. Sony includes three different ear hanger/clip sizes as well as three different ear bud/cone sizes. This allows you to enjoy the best possible fit, and if needed, adjust each ear individually. The sound quality is superb,...Read more

I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of using the handy ear hooks (you get three sizes - S, M , L), the ear buds went in snug and comfortable (you also get three sizes), as well as the dynamic sound that filled my ears when I turn them on! Not only that, but the sound isolation takes all background noise away, so as not to deter from your listening pleasure. This beats noise cancelling because isolation rids background noise by keeping it out of the canal, whereas noise cancelling uses circuitry to counteract background noise, introducing artifacts into your audio.
I use a treadmill and bike long distances outside, and they have never budged. You put them in and they stay put. They also have a guard which prevents sweat from causing damage, which is excellent for outdoor activity, and can be easliy removed and washed. Because I ride a bike, I can pull the left earbud out of my ear, but still leave it hooked in place to hear the music, but more importantly, to hear traffic...Read more

About a year ago, I purchased an iPod Shuffle for working out. At the time, I was doing a lot of running (I still run today, just not as far). I would often base my runs on the length of songs (today I would run the distance of 12 songs, tomorrow 18 and so on), plus music makes the time go by. The classic iPod was just too bulky.

While I normally don't mind the basic iPod earbuds, they are terrible for working out; always falling out of my ear, I end up focusing on keeping them in-place rather than my task at hand.

In the past few years I've gone though various headphones looking for something that worked well, sounded decent and stayed in place. I've read reviews of all kinds, purchased headphones that were "made for working out" but nothing came close. My search ended up costing me more than I care to calculate and I had just about given up, doomed forever to readjust the bud in my ear.

But one day, while in Target, I saw these...Read more