Either these type of headphones have come a long way since I last purchased a set.. or I got ripped off when I purchased my Audio-Technica set 3 years ago. Because the A.T.'s were $125 at the time.... & I think these sound better. I got these with the purchase of my Sony Walkman 580i, & I quickly purchased a back-up set for the whopping price of $5.98 + shipping. The only thing I find a little bothersome is that when you are walking briskly , you actually hear wind whirring... because the buds are so sensitive. This may be because I always get a complete seal, in an attempt to block out as much background noise as possible, & to acheive this & I actually invert the buds leaving the post sticking straight up. But,it's nothing a little more volume can't cure. I also like the fact that the wires are so light, that the cord doesn't constantly pull down, which can make simply turning your head a pain. All in all, you can't beat these for the price.