MartinLogan Mikros 70Price: $149 per pair

Website: www.martinlogan.com

S. Andrea said: The Mikros 70s’ detail and clarity are excellent with small- to medium-scale music. Though they won’t substitute for studio headphones for more complex fare, they won’t discourage you from listening to such recordings. The Mikros 70 delivers a sonic balance that strives to please, regardless of musical selection or driving equipment. Tastes varying as they do, there’s no guarantee that you’ll like the flavor of sound offered by the Mikros 70s -- but I sure did.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: The vaunted speaker company makes a pretty good earphone.