I don't have an iPod either- heck, there are a lot of things I'm in no hurry to get - but I do a lot of recording and I have found with the headset, Leenia, that when I put the earpieces (NOT buds) in front of my ears and let the cheekbones conduct the sound I don't feel trapped. I wear glasses and I think that is the main reason that it gets actually painful after awhile when I put them on over my ears.