IEM with volume control and play/pause (3 button)

[SDVanman]

I hike in the wild for days at a time and need the ability to change tracks and adjust volume from an inline neck control. I have an Android, so unfortunately the ETY HF3 is not compatible. Can anyone suggest an alternative? Weight is also a consideration.

 

[D!sco]

I hate to be that guy but the Airpod Pro 2 is probably one of your best bets. Apple care is worth it if you're rough and outdoorsy with them.

 

[SDVanman]

Sorry, I should have also included that wireless are not an option as I have no way to keep them charged during weeklong hikes.

Found these online but they have very little in the way of measured reviews:

R-210

Studio Reference In Ear Monitors Features: Studio reference tuned acoustics Proprietary tuned Balanced Armature driver by Knowles® Detachable cable with gold plated MMCX (Micro Miniature Coaxial) connectors Lightweight Aluminum-alloy & polycarbonate IEM casing Multi-Braided Monocrystalline grade...

akoustyx.com

 

[henologist]

You can get aftermarket IEM cables with inline controls/mic, like the Tripowin Grace.

Comply foam tips and Moondrop's foam tips both have great isolation in my experience, with the latter being a bit easier to insert/remove.

 

[SDVanman]

You can get aftermarket IEM cables with inline controls/mic, like the Tripowin Grace.

Comply foam tips and Moondrop's foam tips both have great isolation in my experience, with the latter being a bit easier to insert/remove.

This looks like a great idea except no volume control. I have found other super cheap inline 3 button controls, but I have to believe they will degrade performance.

 

[markanini]

Truthear Hola mic cable variant.

 

[SDVanman]

View attachment 284727
Truthear Hola mic cable variant.

Crazy cheap but no pause/play Looking for control of play/pause as well as volume. Really appreciate the suggestion!

 

[staticV3]

Crazy cheap but no pause/play Looking for control of play/pause as well as volume. Really appreciate the suggestion!

Usually with these inline remotes, the middle indent on the remote pauses and plays your music, and the Plus and Minus buttons on the outside control volume.

So just because there's no clearly marked Play/Pause button, does not mean there isn't one.

 

[SDVanman]

Usually with these inline remotes, the middle indent on the remote pauses and plays your music, and the Plus and Minus buttons on the outside control volume.

So just because there's no clearly marked Play/Pause button, does not mean there isn't one.

For $15 I may give it a shot, no description of any play/pause. Would be fantastic as an in-between.

I found these which seem expensive for what they are. A single BA driver but it does have integrated play, pause and volume control for Android. Just leaving this here for future searches.

Akoustyx R-210 $119

R-210

Studio Reference In Ear Monitors Features: Studio reference tuned acoustics Proprietary tuned Balanced Armature driver by Knowles® Detachable cable with gold plated MMCX (Micro Miniature Coaxial) connectors Lightweight Aluminum-alloy & polycarbonate IEM casing Multi-Braided Monocrystalline grade...

akoustyx.com

 

[slashvanyoung]

The Moondrop Quarks DSP do all that, while sounding really good… if your phone has a USB C port.

 

[Somafunk]

Second on the Moondrop quarks, the sound quality from my iPad Pro (usb c) is surprisingly very decent for so little expenditure

 

[Raxumit]

This was a timely topic for me, since I have essentially the same use case. I ordered the Truthear Hola with mic cable linked above, since I already have the Truthear Zeros, like them, and the connector should be the same. Thanks @markanini for the suggestion.

Sorry, I should have also included that wireless are not an option as I have no way to keep them charged during weeklong hikes.

I hike with a 10,000 Mah battery pack that I charge in town. This is SOP in the thru-hiking community, and lets you keep your phone / Garmin InReach / digital camera / headlamp etc. all charged. A very few people claim success in southern desert areas with portable solar panels, but if you are in tree cover or at a northern latitude the battery pack is your only realistic option.

I like wired headphones and am an Android user, but the Apple Airpods are a very popular choice for long-distance hikers, and should not be dismissed just because of charging issues.

 

[staticV3]

The Quarks DSP seems to have some excess treble at 5-8kHz compared to the Hola:

 

[SiW]

Chu’s work well with 3 button remote

 

[SDVanman]

Wow, great prices! Ordered both and will AB against the Akoustyx R210 on my upcoming Buckskin Gulch thru hike!

 

[mc.god]

For $15 I may give it a shot, no description of any play/pause. Would be fantastic as an in-between.

I own Hola with mic and can confirm that pressing the central portion of the remote gives you play\pause\skip-track\answer functions. I orederd them for the main reason of having a good mic\remote cable to use with other 0.78mm pin iems I own, plus getting a smooth and pleasant sounding iem nearly at the same price of a tripowin grace alone.