I can't imagine that anyone finds the hard plastic earbuds that come with all iPods and most MP3 players comfortable. For me, they either fall out of my ears or start to hurt after about 5 minutes.  So I am always in the market for good earbuds that are comfortable, sound great, and are not too expensive. The  Griffin TuneBuds (formerly known as Ear Thumps) fit the bill in all of these categories.

The TuneBuds  have soft tips which, in contrast to the hard round earbuds, are nicely shaped to fit in the ear. They come with three different sizes of comfortable, washable silicone inserts for the tips, so you can choose the right size for your ears. In fact, even if your ears happen to be two different sizes, the TuneBuds will still accommodate you.

I'm not an audio expert, but I think most average listeners will find the sound quality excellent. I put the TuneBuds up against some similarly shaped  $150 earbuds in a casual testing with family and friends.  Half of my testers thought that the TuneBuds sounded better than the expensive earbuds. Everyone, however, agreed that the sound quality of both were similar. For those of you who are audiofiles, the manufacturer says that the TuneBuds are "Tuned neodymium dynamic drivers deliver a wide, immersive soundstage and enhanced bass."

The TuneBuds have several other nice features. They come with a 46" earphone cable which is long enough for just about any needs, but not too long when you want to put them away. They also come with  a nice soft fabric carrying case. The case is small enough to pop in your purse or pocket, yet has a zippered compartment to store the unused tips and mesh pockets to keep each ear bud secure. They are available in black or white.

Date of Review:  2-27-2008

Retail Price: $29.99