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I have had a few of these over the years and am amazed each time. I can't tell a differnce between these & the ones that come with ipod or iphone. But my daughter thinks she can tell a slight difference. Great for the price, or to keep as a spare, etc.
The story in a nutshell -- all the $8-$10 earbuds are a slight step up from the Apple buds, all the $6 earbuds are a big step down.JBuds Hi-Fi Noise-Reducing Ear Buds (Black) (paid ten dollars) (Four stars)Positives: Good sound, decent comfort, long cordNegatives: Too long cord, no "slider"A very solid sound -- much like the Apple buds. Really impressive, but it's actually a bit too much bass -- the balance is off. These deserve four start on performance, but gotta ding them on the design and packaging.Panasonic RP-HV21Portable EarDrops Earbud Headphones (Black) (paid six-dollars) (one star)Positives: NoneNegatives: Huge earbud, terrible soundI liked the look of these when I got them out of the package, but they are a bigger and worse alternative to the standard Apple earbuds. I ended up tearing one of them before I could even try them out. If you are listening to bass heavy music, it's overwhelming -- I had to try to adjust the EQ on the I-Pod to bring it down, and even then a bit too heavy. But a note of caution -- these are slightly *bigger* than Apple earbuds, even without the foam covering.
A 54" cord was the longest of the ones I tested, and arguably too long. At the same time, the Sony Fontopia has an unusually short 40" cord (even shorter than the Apple 45" that bothers some people), but it's plenty long for typical uses (walking, etc). The sound is not mushy or distorted, just like the equalizer is shifted too much. The sound balance is similar to the Apple's, but a bit crisper and clearer, perhaps due more to the in-ear design than the actual technology. (Is this a problem with all in-ear buds that have a snug fit).Sony MDR-E818LP Fontopia Ear-Bud Headphones with Acoustic Twin Turbo Circuit (paid eight dollars) (Three stars)Positives: Good soundNegatives: Even bigger than Apple buds, poor packaging, short cordTo my ear, the Sony's had the best sound of the five low-cost buds I tried -- a solid step up from the Apple buds, for people who don't like the in-ear style of bud.
The JBuds ship with three sizes of silicone ear-inserts for different size ears, though I personally find the fit to be awkward and a bit slippery (see SkullCandy review below). Here is a review of five low-priced alternatives bought on Amazon in March 2010. I have no problem with that, but you have to put the foam pads on yourself, and it's very difficult. I've wondered if there is a low-cost alternative, and my wife doesn't like them because they are too big and uncomfortable. In my ear, the foam cover makes them comfortable enough, but they are rather large. Also, there is no "slider" on the cord to hold the buds together when you are storing them (A very nice feature of the standard Apple buds and others).Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds (White) (paid ten dollars) (Four stars) Positives: Great bass, very comfortable, long cordNegatives: Too much bass, line-rustle noise in cordHow it is possible to get so much bass into a tiny and cheap earbud I cannot imagine, but there it is. They're too big for comfort in my ear, though that's always a personal consideration -- these Panasonics are larger than the Apple buds and equally hard surface.These Panasonics are about the same size as the Sony MDR-E818LP Fontopia earbuds, but those have a foam pad that helps hold them in and provide a little comfort. A long 52" cord, with a "slider" to hold the buds together when storing.
As a regular I-Pod user, I've never been that unhappy with the standard Apple I-Pod earbuds -- they don't sit terribly well in the ear, but I find the sound and design to be adequate. There is no "slider" to hold the earbuds together when storing, which is a feature I like on the Apple buds. I have one big beef with these though -- the earbuds have a thin foam cover over the speaker that helps it hold in your ear more firmly and comfortably. It's very frustrating to buy a new product that breaks before you can even use it. A BIG concern -- there's a fair amount of cord-noise that rides in the line -- if the cord is brushing against your shirt or jacket when moving, you hear the rustling right in your ear. the "Clip" feature on these (the two buds can clip together, or clip to clothing or cords when not in use) is nice, but doesn't override all the performance downsides. These are a great low-cost in-ear alternative to the Apple buds. I'm tossing them -- way worse than the basic Apple buds.Coby CVE92 Isolation Stereo Earphones (paid six dollars) (one-star)Positives: NoneNegatives: terrible soundThese are cheap and I like the packaging (just in a plastic ziplock, not clamshells and fluff), but the performance is simply substandard for the pricerange, These Coby's have a very muffled sound, and don't come with different size silicone ear inserts (most people know these really aren't one-size-fits-all).
These in-ears come with three sizes of silicone ear-inserts for different size ears, and I find the fit to be great. I've had worse cases of this in the past, but it is very noticeable in these, and makes them less ideal for walking or moving situations. A very "tinny" and shallow sound compared with others at the same price point. I'm tossing them -- way worse than the basic Apple buds.
Bought these headphones in September. I've used them off and on for biking and put them in when I'm walking around campus. Tonight, I realized the rubber casing on the right earphone had worn off and the circular metal sound piece had become loose so it is detached from the rest of the headphone.Not durable enough for my active lifestyle.
These are some real nice sounding and fit comfortably. The only bad thing about them is the wire is a little stiff but that is all.
I am not and audiophile so I don't know what an audiophile would think, but for just listening to music on an mp3 player they are great. these are the best ear buds i ever had. to me they are very comfortable and with the padding (I don't know what material it is) they never get out of my ears, which makes them the best because every other type of earbud (except for clip on headphones and headphones) i had always fell out of my ears. I only had them for a few days so i dont know how long they would last, but at this price i could buy as much as i need. Definately recomend
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