I understand because I really like my mini-ipod and I'm a grandma. I upgraded the earpieces to the kind that fit inside your eardrum. When you have those in, you hear nothing going on the outside even in an airplane. The technology is fantastic.
I'm thinkin' OUCH!
I know what you meant. :)
I'm on my fifth pair of earphones. I've purchased the Apple brand (2), Etymotic Research, Shure and now Ultimate Ear.
I only have part of one ear to listen to my iPod cranked up on full and the earphones are incredibly valuable to me.
The Apple brand are terrible when it comes to ear wax problems. Impossible to clean yourself without a very strong vacuum. My audiologist managed to save one pair for me.
The Etymotic Research 6i's are my favorites, but the wires are fragile in the plug and, once broken, can only be disposed of.
The Shure earphones were terrible. They hurt when inserted in the canal and were prone to slipping out. The weight of the earpiece seems an excess. The wires are thick and exceptionally long. Not lightweight as the other brands.
The Ultimate Ears are working out fairly well, so far. Their plug design is better than Etymotic's and the noise reduction seems to be on par.