The 8 was perfect. Seeing as how they?ll be stretched along the ground I need them to withstand the occasional foot traffic or rollover with a chair wheel. It is smooth, lucid with proper instrumental timbre. The HX550 was the best, but very pricey. I could not get this headset to stay connected for more than a couple minutes and my voice - according to my callers was so choppy they could not understand me. Had they been sized correctly I would have given them 5 stars. Forsure worth the price ! The plastic they use is soft, flexible and breathable - in the past, some of my cheaper sandals would stick to my feet cause of cheap plastics - but not Havaianas. Can?t beat the price for a stocking stuffer etc. It was time for a new pair so after looking at various new ones and reading reviews, I thought I would try these.