iPod Ear buds!?!?!?!?

[alexanderpinder]

Ok, I have just got my brand new 40GB iPod (even though I only use 2GB :(), are the ear buds taht come with it any good? Should I consider getting a new set and if so would I just get ear phones and connect them to the remote or a new remote and all together? Thanks for looking, ALex

[Bob]

Yes the Apple earbuds are fine - if you find them comfortable then why spend more money? Many people find the earbuds just uncomfortable to wear for any length of time. Only you can tell...

[lopper]

I think they're plenty comfortable, but they sound like ###. Put a little volume or bass through them and they crackle a lot - at least mine do. I've got a $25 pair of earbuds that I picked up a Best Buy that sound much better than the ones that come with the iPods.

But, if you like them there really is no reason to buy more.

[lindrone]

Originally posted by alexanderpinder
Should I consider getting a new set and if so would I just get ear phones and connect them to the remote or a new remote and all together?

The remote is simply a standard 3.5mm jack, so any headphone will fit... you do not have to get a new remote.

I think this question all depends on how much money you're willing to spend for a pair of headphone. Even the Sennheiser MX400/500 earbuds are often preferred over the sound quality of the "iBuds".

You can go way up there though... like the $80 Shure E2c, $150 Shure E3c, $220 Etymotics ER-4, or $370 Shure E5c... so on.. so forth... and those are just earbuds (actually, those are canalphones, but let's not get too technical, just yet ;) ). There's plenty of choice on the side of headphones as well.

[earful]

i suspect quality control is an issue with the apple earbuds, because i've read wildly varying opinions of them. it may be both the luck of the draw as to the pair you get and a question of how they sound to you. mine don't sound bad at all, though they are not in the same league as the e5s. they don't have the clarity or range of some other earbuds, but they are fine when i'm out doing errands and things and want to be able to hear more than the music as well as not have to worry about refitting something like the e5 into my ear.

[lindrone]

I don't think it has much to do with quality control issues. It's more about consumer expectation. Apple's earbud isn't all that bad compared to Sony earbuds that's even more expensive, but that's because most people's direct comparison is the crappy, low-end products from Sony.

First there's the comfort issue, those with large enough of ears to hold the circular earbud in their ears without discomfort are okay with it... most people find them irritating after more than a few minutes (I can't stand them for more than 30 minutes).

Then the sound quality is tuned to accentuate bass and treble to make it sound like a "better quality" headphone, meanwhile missing a ton of detail. If you didn't know any better, you would think they sound great.

[earful]

comfort. yes, that is a serious issue. i can only wear the e5s for so long because of their weight and the fact that they don't fit that well to the area ouside my ear canal. their quality overcomes a lot of that. on the other hand, i have some audio technica earbuds that are heavy enough that their weight alone causes discomfort in a short time - with the result that their weaknesses have become unforgivable. the apple earbuds fall in the middle for me. ears are more diverse and individualistic than one thinks - and that's even before one gets to the issue of what one actually hears.

[grizel]

I bought a pair of SlikSound ear bud gels
http://www.slicsound.com/

They come with three sizes, each a little diff. they work great on my apple buds and my koss "the plug" buds which have a rubber tube that points into your ear canal to deliver sound, no problem with the gels fitting on either in any size. And they really cover the sides of the bud so pulling them out by the wires they don't come free of the gel, no way.

BTW, I couldn't wear earbuds EVER till these. the apple buds would not fit no matter what I did and hurt like hell to try to make them. So if you can't wear buds, and want to, try these!

[PodRock]

they're uncomfortable and they suck. so yeah get some good headphones.

[BillClinton]

Go with what YOU like. If they are comfortable to you and they sound good to you, then stick with them, but if they don't feel good and they don't sound good, then check out something else - go to a GOOD stereo store and listen to your iPod with their headphones/earphones and see what you're missing.

[ipodm]

I just don't know what to buy. I will keep shopping.

[thedodgyguy]

The iPod earphones may be susceptible to QC issues and they are one of the larger earphones around which can cause fit problems as many have remarked. Apart from sounding generally muddy, I find them to be quite agreeable earphones for long-term non-critical listening. The Sennheiser MX series have the detail edge over the iPod buds, but IMO they don't provide enough of a functional or sonic advantage to purchase on top of the iPod buds.


If your earphones are crackling, there is either the aforesaid QC issues (invoke your warranty), there is foreign matter on the diaphragm (look), you're listening too loud (turn it down) or you have the bass boost on and you're experiencing the iPod-caused crackle (use the more subtle EQ settings which have less of the lower frequencies at similar levels of boost... you can preview the curves in iTunes).


I think the first real sonic/functional upgrade over the Apple earbuds is the Sony EX71 or the Sennheiser PX100, depending on your preferences and requirements. The second-level upgrade is the E2 or a decent closed folding/compact phone, once again depending on your specific circumstances. After that, you're getting into the realm of us crazy audiophile geeks.

[BarracksSi]

Of the few earbuds I've heard, Apple's compare really well. I need to stop being lazy and add the foam pads to keep foreign matter from going through the screen. Plus, if I could add my iTunes custom EQ curve for these earbuds (with which I cut out the resonance at about 4-8 kHz), they'd sound even better. The iPod's Treble Reducer EQ setting is the closest, and gives the effect of more bass without overdriving the amp.

Just because they're included with the product doesn't mean that they'll automatically suck ###.

[xlyrikalx]

Originally posted by BarracksSi
Of the few earbuds I've heard, Apple's compare really well. I need to stop being lazy and add the foam pads to keep foreign matter from going through the screen. Plus, if I could add my iTunes custom EQ curve for these earbuds (with which I cut out the resonance at about 4-8 kHz), they'd sound even better. The iPod's Treble Reducer EQ setting is the closest, and gives the effect of more bass without overdriving the amp.

Just because they're included with the product doesn't mean that they'll automatically suck ###.



You should add the foams on. They add a lot more bass. You'd be surprised at how much bass is added when you put on the foams.

[rextrade]

Do yourself a favor and spend $30 and get a pair of Koss KSC 35s, they'll blow the ipod earbuds away. That being said, the apple buds are the best sounding stock headphones I've heard, but you can do much better for not much money.

[adam12]

Well, Apple could have included headphones that people wouldn't have complained about....but they would've had to charge $100 more for the entire package. The fact is that the included heaphones are better than most (I won't make a blanket statement on something like this...subjective) other headphones that come packaged with other DAPs. They don't suck......they're not great.....they work for 99% of the population..the people without Superhuman hearing.....was that a cotton ball landing on a piece of felt?

[gvarela]

For $20 bucks you can't beat the Sennheiser MX500s. They are way more comfortable and sound better than the stock buds.

[BadMojo]

As a recent 3G iPod owner, I'd have to say the Apple ear buds are mediocre at best, but (for me) very uncomfortable. Considering the price of the iPod itself and the fairly high quality of the MP3's I encode, I'm going to be upgrading the ear buds soon. Did I mention they were uncomfortable?

[midicun]

I bought these silicon earphone replacemement pads and they work great. My ipod earphones don't keep falling off and I do not lose the pads anymore.

Its a bit uncomfortable for the first couple of days and then no pain. Your ear gets used to the larger size of the earphones.

RADIO SHACK -- Part# 33-1994

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