I’m thinking of getting a Kindle Fire for the commute, and wondering if it’s worth getting new headphones to replace the buds that came with my old mp3 player. They sound OK to my ears but let through a lot of background noise. Are can type ones any better? Do noise reduction ones work? Only looking to go around £25 so audio snobs need not reply!

Sennheiser CX300s or Skullcandy Methods are both good at that price. I imagine audophiles will be having a fit, but both are fine to me, and immeasurably better than the utter shit ones you get with iPods etc.

You’ll find that the triple-flanges that come with these will provide better isolation from external noise than many other earphones. They also come with a pair of ‘mushroom’ tips that other earphones come with and a pair of foam ones so there’s some choice if the flanged ones don’t suit you. They are sometimes available for £40. You might judge the £50 asking price too high.

My son got some panasonic ones like these (<£10). More isolation than the iPhone ones for sure but he complained they fell out irrespective of the tips he tried from the few that they came with.

These: http://www.amazon.co.uk/MEE-audio-Universal-Fit-Noise-Isolating-Detachable-Clear/dp/B00SLVB71Q
Proper IEM’s, a whole bunch of different ear tips, including triple-flange ones, plus replaceable cables with one a remote, all for £35. My Shure SE250’s are playing up, so I’m getting a pair of these, I’ve already used the M6 Sport ‘phones, and they’re very good indeed. The Sports are worth looking at as well, they’re even cheaper, and very low profile, you could sleep with them in.

Sennheiser CX300s or Skullcandy Methods are both good at that price. I imagine audophiles will be having a fit, but both are fine to me, and immeasurably better than the utter shit ones you get with iPods etc.

There’s nothing wrong with the latest EarPods, I use mine a lot, and they sound perfectly OK, the main issue is lack of sound isolation, nothing more.
I can happily compare them favourably with much more expensive IEM’s.

For that money I’d get Koss KSC-75’s

The Koss on-ear phones have very limited isolation from outside noise.

Tha Tao tronics £15.99 Bluetooth ones on Amazon are my favourites, and I’ve had a few pairs of £100 plus earphones. Wireless headphones are great for commuting, because of the lack of wires getting in the way if you’re listening to music on a phone, not so important for a tablet. But the sound quality on these ones is good, and not just good for £16 phones, actually properly good.