Apple Earbuds (White with Gray Earbuds)
by Apple Computer
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Our Price: $64.18 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple Earbuds (White with Gray Earbuds)
Customer Review: Unsatisfied after 3 months
Summary: 3 Stars
ORIGINAL REVIEW: JAN 5, 2005
OK.
My original iPod earbuds went bad about 3 1/2 months after I purchased the wonderful device. I debated on whether or not to heckle apple and get a replacement set of buds, but upon weighing my hesitant instinct to deal with typically non-responsive unyielding customer service departments and my desire to get the most out of my iPod, I opted to upgrade to these Apple-made in-ear headphones.
A few things influenced my decision; I didn't want to spend over $50 on a set of in-ear phones even though there are many tempting options from Shure (E2c), Etymotic (ER-6i), and even Sony (MDR-EX71SL which actually comes in a visually appeasing white finish and comprable price), I wanted to buy an apple product (a nod to their design department), and I wanted a wonderful sounding product for my money (don't we all)!
Upon receipt of these headphones, I was very impressed by the packaging. Apple does seem to have that design aspect mastered, as opening the product made me more giddy than opening most birthday presents. The included carrying case makes perfect sense; the buds sit inside and the cord slips out a small slot in the edge and wraps around the channel while all is held in place by a clear plastic cover.
I was a little worried about the sound quality after reading most of the reviews listed on this amazon forum, and quite concerned about the fiddliness of these phones, as most reviewers write about the struggles about getting a good seal and the fit of the product. So I immediately began trying the three different sized included plugs (small, medium, and large) and quickly found one that fit my ear canal the best (medium). I spent about 15 minutes playing around with different ways to fit these in my ear, and heard a wide range of sound quality all determined upon the placement in my ear (some really 'tinny' like reported by some reviewers, and some rich and vibrant like reported by others). But after figuring out how to fit the buds in my ear canals, and mastering the correct placement, I was quite impressed with the sound quality of these in-ear phones. The highs are crisp and pleasant without distortion, the mids seem to be well balanced, and the bass is quite adequate. I listen to all kinds of music (Rock, rap, jazz, soul, classical, etc.) and tried all genres with the phones to test their adaptablity, and most if not all responded quite well.
Now, take my review with a grain of salt; if you have enough cash and desire to spend over $100 on a set of in-ear style headphones, I'm sure you will find the best quality sound offered by such a device, and I'm not writing to debate about headphones on which I cannot justify spending so much money. But if you merely require a great quality replacement with a wonderful range of sound, nice balance of highs mids and lows, and don't want to get too far into audiophile debates, then I would seriously consider these phones.
They do quite well at reducing exterior noise, and although the 'stethoscope' effect of touching the cords is a factor, it only seems to occur on the upper area of the headphones (ie. above the 'y' split point). I have never worn earplugs, and was quite unaccustomed to the almost nauseous feeling i developed after about an hour of listening to music with such a sealed ear canal, but I assume this is somewhat expected when using such a device.
Overall, I would reccomend this product highly for replacement headphones, and while there may be a better quality set out there, there may not be within this price range, and I'm quite satisfied with spending $39 on these puppies, as they satisfy all my immediate desires of a good quality, well designed, and relatively inexpensive set of headphones. 5 stars.
UPDATED REVIEW: APRIL 13, 2005 (just over 3 months later...)
Well after experiencing these headphones for about 3 months and using them while doing most activities (yardwork, jogging, walking to work, etc.) I found myself fiddling with them far more than I anticipated at first...
It is easy to get a good seal as stated in my review above...but the issue is KEEPING that seal tight through a myriad of activities...
I found that even something as silly as chewing gum would ruin the tight seal I was able to achieve. Running...forget about it...the seal lasts about 5 minutes tops.
Finally, just last week, the sound faded and eventually disappeared from the left channel and then began to distort in the right while jogging. I don't have particularly waxy ears, so I'm assuming my sweat caused a short of sorts in the earbuds. I considered sending these back under the one year warranty, but bought some Koss "The Plug" earplug style headphones as an immediate replacement and am actually more satisfied initially with those than the more expensive apple-made models. I hate the black cord, but I love the uncompromising sound from the Koss 'phones.
Overall, these phones were troublesome and failed about 3 months after purchase. They sounded good when everything was perfect...but were more trouble than they were worth.
The Koss Plugs have a great sound, cost less, and are less troublesome. Don't buy these.
Customer Review: Fall in love with your iPod all over again
Summary: 5 Stars
(EDIT: While I stand by my five-star rating of these headphones and still love them, they are NOT good for use while exercising. Energetic jostling like that will probably dislodge them, and if not, the subtle feedback from the cable bouncing around will affect the quality of the sound. If your intent is to find something for the gym or running, I'd advise you to look elsewhere. I use the standard earbuds that came with the iPod for exercise.)
First off... let's address those one-star reviews: you folks either haven't inserted them properly, have irregularly shaped ear canals, or got a faulty product. Let me be clear: THESE HEADPHONES ARE AMAZING.
My old pair had been damaged and I needed a replacement set. After reading through the reviews, I was compelled to give these new headphones a try. Especially helpful was Steve from NJ's description of how to fit them correctly. So I took his advice and gently tugged up on the top of my ear with one hand while inserting the phone with the other (very much like putting in earplugs) and... was blown away. The sound quality just doesn't compare. They're better than the originals that came with the iPod. They're better than the Grundigs I was using as a temporary replacement. They're as good or better than over-the-ear models I've used. I fell in love with my iPod all over again.
Reasons to buy:
1. The sound quality (when worn correctly) is fantastic. I'm noticing bass and subtle highs that I missed with the old phones.
2. The headphones are very comfortable. The soft plastic is really easy on the ears and I've worn mine for over an hour so far. (One caveat: if you don't like wearing earplugs, DON'T BUY THEM. But why are you even reading this review if you don't want an in-ear product?) Which leads me to...
3. They act as great sound reduction. They're basically earplugs, so they significantly cut down on ambient noise. They help cut down the racket on the train when I'm commuting to and from work. Adds to the quality of music as well as peace of mind.
4. They (might) protect your ears. Because there isn't as much noise to compete with, you can turn down the volume and still get better sound quality. That means you're exposing your ear to less volume over the long run.
5. They (might) save battery time. Less volume = less energy output.
These last two items I say "might" because I have no way of proving them, but they seem so common sense, I'm including them anyway.
Reasons not to buy:
1. You don't like earplugs/in-ear headphones. 'Nuff said.
2. You have irregularly shaped ear canals. Not sure what percentage of the population you're in, but try a friend's pair if you're wondering.
3. You don't like the price tag. Can't help you there... the modest investment was totally worth every penny to me.
(EDIT: 4. You need headphones for when you exercise. I don't think any in-ear design will stand up to vigorous motion but your mileage may vary.)
So there's my $.02. If you're still undecided, go ahead and buy them. Be sure to wear them properly. Aside from a bit of cash, what have you got to lose? If you hate them, well... at least you can write a review here on Amazon and share your opinion with the rest of us. And if you don't hate them, come on back and post a 5-star review like this one to even the odds!!
Customer Review: BLACK IS THE NEW WHITE
Summary: 1 Stars
Here's the thing. The iPod is cool. It looks cool. It sounds great. The dangly white headphones identify you as a hip, modern music listener. I love my iPod, and I am embarassed at the amount of accessories I have bought for my little guy. When Apple introduced the in ear headphones, with "increased fidelity and bass response," I had to have them. Let me be straight with you, the four people reading this... They sound terrible. They look cool... sound terrible. Easy distinction. "Why?", you ask. Apple has not let us down before. The answer, I believe, is that the design is flawed- they'll never fit in your ears properly, even though they come outfitted with three cap sizes. I have discovered that I am a medium cap size guy. The small cap, while it fits further in my ear, allows too much air between the phone and my eardrum, thus giving the bass room with which to escape while trapping external noise (that these things are supposed to eliminate) inside my ear. And the large caps, as much as I want them to fit, sit akward and far from my eardrum. While they tend to trap all the good sound from the earphones, exaggerated bass frequencies (the reason I bought the damn things) rely on close distance between the ear and speaker. So medium it is.
By the way, they aren't even that comfortale. To achieve even a decent audio quality that won't leave you dizzy and nauseated from trebbly wobble, you have to jam the stupid things so far into your ear, you'll think they might actually be touching somewhere around the frontal lobe. Did I mention that they sound terrible? They do... and I think Apple knows this. Why, you ask. Well, being the obsessively proactive consumer that I am, I have developed a theory...
I can only think of 2 reasons that Apple would have set out to design this disgraceful product. 1. To compete with Sony's far superior (though they only come in unsightly black) in ear phones. I doubt it. Sony's phones are great, but will never discourage people from buying iPod's, which is really what this is all about...or 2. Because people have complained that the original white earbuds are a bit uncomfortable after long listens... BINGO. So they were developing a whole new earphone for the iPod, and they test marketed them and their audio guinnea pigs said "are you f%$&ing kidding me, these sound like mud. This will hurt iPod sales...the people will think that their MP3's sound bad and they'll go back to...gulp...buying CDs or worse...I can hardly say it...records..." So they went ahead with production, as good R&D money cannot be wasted, dropped the price $10 from their that of their competitor's and put them on the shelves as an iPod add on. If they ever end up in the iPod box, I'll stand corrected, and you'' find me bidding on original ear buds on e-bay.
For no. Or if you must remain all white, deal with the pain and stick with the originnal earbuds - trust me they sound better. But whatever you do, don't buy these things.
Customer Review: Best iPod accessory I ever bought
Summary: 5 Stars
I like to shut out the world with my headphones. My preferred type of headphone is usually the pseudo-professional huge-cups-with-padded-edges type, but I wanted something more portable for my little iPod shuffle, so when my standard headphones gave out (I destroyed them by plugging them into my laptop with its volume cranked up) I tried these.
If worn properly, they're absolutely astounding. The bass is wonderful--better than the giant headphones I use with my computer--and unlike the standard iPod headphones, these ones don't have any metal touching my skin. (I have a nickel allergy, and the old iPod headphones would drive me mad after a while.) They allow you to hear the music clearly even at low volumes; turning it up just a little will envelop you with perfectly clear sound, accenting every subtlety of the music. In one song, I could suddenly tell the difference between the lead and rhythm guitars--on every other audio device I have, they sound like one instrument.
These headphones also do a great job at blocking out *everything* around you--I took several flights with them, and they blocked 80% of the engine noise and absolutely everything else in the cabin. At home, people sneak up on me all the time without even trying--and the blaring TV in the other room might as well be muted. They're that good.
These headphones come with extra rubber caps in several sizes and a case. Even the case shows signs of the careful attention to design so typical of Apple. It feels a little big in my pocket, but it's better than the cord tangle that I'd have to deal with by simply shoving the headphones in my pocket.
I accidentally damaged my first pair of these the same way I damaged the original headphones--plugging them into something that was far too loud--so when I bought one of the iPod nanos I also picked up another pair of these. I'll make sure to only use these with the nano, which doesn't have a high enough volume setting to break them. I really can't imagine using my iPod without these headphones.
My brother, who bought the shuffle from me when I got the nano, also bought a pair of these; from what I've heard, he's as happy with them as I am.
The main caveat of these headphones is that you have to put them in properly, which basically means shoving them into your ear. This is a little scary the first time, but it doesn't hurt, and if you make sure the volume is turned down (remember, these headphones don't need much volume) it's perfectly safe. I have only experienced looseness or thin sound with these headphones when they aren't sealed properly. I suspect that the people who complain of these problems haven't made them fit. Remember--the extra rubber caps are different sizes, not just extras!
Customer Review: The opposite of good headphones.
Summary: 1 Stars
My experience:
I wanted new earbud headphones so I sat down at the computer to do some research. I have always liked the look of these apple earbuds, and I read with some trepidation all the negative reviews. But then I read the few glowingly positive reviews, the ones with the expicit instructions about how to insert the earbuds, and I thought, "Sure, I can do that. I'm no dummy."
Fast forward to today. Walking home from school and listening to my I-Pod am everyday faced with this decision: do I (a) just sit back and go with the flow as the music from my Ipod gradually becomes tinnier and quieter as the apple earbuds inexorably slide out of my ear canals. Or do I (b) continuously readjust the earbuds in my ear, stopping every 2 minutes to "pull my left ear upwards with my right hand...etc. (see numerous other reviews)," cramming the earbuds as deeply as I can into my ear canals, hoping against hope that this might be the time that they remain in place. Often, in order for the earbuds to remain in place I must push them so far into my ear canals that my ears feel "pressurized" like on an airplane or underwater. And yes, in case you are wondering, I did try every different size of cover.
During the brief moments when the earbuds are correctly situated in my ears, the sound quality is great. Maybe, as other reviewers claim, the only reason I am having such problems with the earbuds is because I have "oddly shaped ear canals." Perhaps. Perhaps. If this is the case then you had better hope that you too don't have "oddly shaped ear canals" or these earbuds will be completely useless to you.
Another problems with these earbuds is that the cord is very stiff. This makes jogging and such very difficult because instead of the cord swinging side to side it jerks at the earbuds. Also, because of the stiffness of the cord it transmits sound. As I walk, the cord brushes against my jacket and a "wooosh-woosh" sound is transmitted directly to my eardrums. I have not had this problem with previous earbuds I have owned.
By far these are the worst earbuds I have ever purchased. Unfortunately they cannot be returned once you put them in your ear.
I do believe that some folks have a great experience with these earbuds, but believe me when I say that I have had a terrible one. I read the reviews and played the odds and lost big. Buying these earbuds is, at best, a gamble. Maybe you will be one of the lucky few with ear canals condusive to these things, or maybe you will be like the rest of us and have them slide, inexorably, out of your ears at least once per song. There is only one way to find out, unfortunately, and by then you will be out your forty bucks.
Stay away.