So it goes without saying that we are huge fans of the power & quality behind Monster headsets (Evident HERE & HERE), they’ve continued to blow us away again and again.  However, our hearts are big enough to love more than one!  While Monster knocks my socks off at home, and chillin around the world… somebody else is holding my hand day-to-day whilst I make my routine journey.  The Klipsch X10i In-Ear Headset ($350).  Sound-wise these insanely light earphones kick out amazing clarity, serious bass attitude and noise canceling rivaled only by a few others.

I used to pimp my ride with the clip-on visor bluetooth speakerphone… which was nice and did what I needed it to do, but playing my music through the radio was always a bit static and phone quality usually pissed my friends off.  So I tried a few different in-ear headphones, but it was usually cumbersome to put it in, take it out (that’s what she said) every time a call came in… and let’s be honest, great headphones are a bit on the clunky and heavy side.  Then I found Klipsch.  I started with the S4i which was nice… but left me missing a little something when really rocking out (it’s the closet audiophile in me I guess).  I liked the design style and lightness of the S4i… so I stuck to the Klipsch family and simply moved up the ladder.  Well, I fell in love!  The X10i knocked my socks off!  Like I said above… amazing sound and clarity with a bass thump that quite honestly surprised me.  The great thing is I can pop these little devils in, and if a call comes across… push a small button on the corded 3-button remote and just talk… when they hang up it smoothly resumes back to what I was groovin with.  They are so light that I hardly notice they’re clipped on… and the ingenious design with the ear-tip leave it practically unnoticeable.  My only complaint about the X10i… it blocked outside noise so well that I can hear myself clear as a bell when singing along.  NOT something I, or anybody else for that matter, can enjoy.

Final Word: it’s a close tie between the X10i & the Monster Turbine Pro.  With just a few minor differences, figure out which is really best for you… either way, one of the two would make an amazing addition to your audio must-haves.

Here are specs called out by the people at Klipsch… you can see everything in detail HERE

Overview

Inspire envy with our flagship Image X10i headset. Among the world’s smallest, lightest in-ear headphone designs, it employs a wealth of micro technology for comfortable wear and audiophile-quality listening. Plus, it includes an advanced mic and 3-button remote for taking calls and controlling the music content on your iPod, iPod touch, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4or iPad.

  • Full music and/or voice control on select products*
  • Award-winning sound performance
  • Patented oval ear tips for unbeatable comfort
  • 360° mic enables highly intelligible phone calls
  • Superior noise isolation
  • Amazing bass response
  • Durable cables with built-in strain relief
  • U.S. Patent No. D603,844. Other patents pending.

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Superior Design

Based on our highly acclaimed Image X10 headphones, the X10i offers the absolute best in style, sound comfort and fit. It caters to discriminating, on-the-go listeners who are constantly playing music and taking phone calls.

The X10i positions its in-line microphone and remote at the yoke—where the two cables meet at chest level—to create a more natural feel when answering calls and controlling music.

Because the microphone is a highly intelligible 360° design, you don’t have to talk down into it or hold it close to your mouth. The microphone also features echo cancellation, which keeps it from picking up surrounding noise, so you’ll always be heard crystal clear.

Luxurious Comfort

It doesn’t matter how great a pair of headphones sound if they are painful to wear. Unlike traditional, circular-shaped ear tips that put stress on the pressure points inside your ear, the X10i utilizes patented oval ear tips that naturally fit the shape of your ear canals, making them extremely comfortable and virtually impossible to feel.

Additionally, these exclusive ear tips produce a perfect acoustic seal, which minimizes outside noise so you can enjoy your music at lower, safer volumes.

Magnificent Sound

Inside each ear piece, which is made of machined aluminum and finished in anodized copper, you’ll find an exclusive full-range armature micro-speaker with a tuned bass-reflex system that delivers lifelike dynamics, sonic clarity and booming bass.

Please be aware that the X10i is not for casual listening. If you rip your digital music files using a poor compression format and low bit rate, this high-resolution Klipsch headset will uncover all the flaws in your content.

Additional Perks

The Image X10i comes with a 2-year warranty and includes 5 pairs of different-sized ear tips, an ear tip cleaning tool, an airplane adaptor, a ¼-inch jack adaptor, a protective carrying pouch as well as a clothing clip.

*Compatibility

While the Image X10i serves as a pair of premium headphones for any device with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, its mic and remote system handles the music and/or voice control of the following Apple products: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, third generation iPod shuffle, second generation iPod touch, fourth and fifth generation iPod nano models, iPod classic 120GB, and the iPad.

If you have an iPod touch or iPhone and Wi-Fi access, you can also use the Image X10i with VOIP (need an adapter for PC or Mac), Skype and iChat.