ATH-ON3
Earbuds for portable audio devices are convenient listening devices, they can be stashed in your pocket and lower-quality buds are easily found at your local electronics shop. For the same price as these lower-end buds (around 25.00 usd), you can get a set of small cans from Audio Technica that provide better sound and are stylish, the ATH-ON3 headphones…
…the stats. for the ATH-ON3 headphones are:
driver: 30mm impedance: 32 ohms
max. input: 100mW
freq. response: 12 to 23,000Hz
weight: 38 grams
cable: 1.2 meter
plug: 3.5mm gold-plated stereo
These were first released in January, 2007, in the following colors; black, light green, pale grey, dark brown, and white…
…and with the market success of these headphones, Audio Technica released a 1st anniversary set in February, 2008, with different colors; beige, dark grey, green, red, turquoise blue, and yellow.
The ATH-ON3 has a round-coated wire that functions as the headband. It is lightweight and smooth enough for resting on the scalp without causing irritation after prolonged wear. It is also smooth enough to work itself down to the scalp surface without matting hair.
The cups are plastic and each side can adjusted about an inch for adapting to different fits. When the cups are in the home state, pushed up on the band as far as possible, they can be turned 90 degrees for when you have these resting on your shoulders. One caveat regarding the band; it can be bent out of shape if stuffed into a backpack.
The speakers have a donut pad, hp-on3, to maximize comfort when wearing and to help isolate the sound. These pads are replaceable and can be ordered via Audio Technica for approximately 10.00 usd.
I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the sound. First, the pads sit well against the ears and provide adequate isolation without being too tight. Having tested these on a co-worker, I would not be concerned about sound leakage while wearing these on a train or bus. As I don’t confuse volume with quality, I don’t turn up the volume loud enough for open-end cans to be a nuisance to fellow passengers. Second, these headphones deliver great sound for their price. With both rock and techno, the bass is present without being slurry. The instruments come through clear as well as the vocals. Yes, it could be better but that would require a set of headphones that cost more. For the dollar, I think these give the best bang for the buck.
Would I give these to a friend as a gift? Depends on the friend…if they are accustomed to using stock earbuds and I wanted to introduce them to an entry-level pair of headphones, then ‘yes’; these would be my first choice. If the friend is someone who enjoys listening via mid-level and high-leverl headphones, then ‘no’, as they already have headphones that surpass the quality of the ATH-ON3 ‘phones but at a larger price. Sure, going to Circuit City or a CD store is easy and allows for the immediate gratification of obtaining a set of earbuds. If you have the patience to wait a week for an e-tailer to ship a set of ATH-ON3 headphones to you, it is worth the wait…and they look cool to boot. 
Since these are exclusive to the Japanese-market, the only way to get a set of your own is via an import shop. Looking around on the net for the best price with EMS shipping included, I have found three sellers; Audio Cubes has the original release colors for 61.98 usd, Bluetin has the original release colors for a bit less at 49.74 usd, or the J-pop store which has the limited release 1st anniversary colors for 37.99 usd.