My Go-to Earbuds
Ever since my brother got me these one Christmas, they have become my favorite. I've just bought my fourth pair, and each has lasted 12-14 months of daily use.
Sound quality is excellent, and I notice the difference right away whenever I get stuck with a cheaper pair: I'm playing exactly the same audio files, and frequencies especially in the bass range that crackle a great deal with cheap earbuds, are perfectly clear with these.
Sound isolation is great: the in-ear design allows a lower volume from the device to sound louder to you, without annoying everyone around you by making them listen to your music.
Among other in-ear buds I have tried, these have the best sound cancellation. I always use the largest earbud caps. Even playing at very low volumes (like 5-10% on my ipod), or pieces of music with prolonged quiet sections, or that include silence (classical, early electronic, krautrock, for example), I can't hear anyone trying to talk to me. It's not just that I can't understand them. I won't even realize that they've said anything.
Finally, the asymmetrical cords: I didn't get it at first, but now I can't go without it. The long side goes behind your head. I have to keep my device on the same side as the long bud, but I think that's because I'm so short. So the device is in my right pocket, the cord crosses over so that the shorter bud is in my left ear, and the long bud goes from behind to my right ear. The purpose of this design is that it reduces how much cord is in front of you. But I love the feature because it makes it easy to take out one or more bud, and they stay where they belong, instead of hanging down and falling all over the place. I use my music a lot for walking around on my errands—keep both in most of the time, take the long one out when I get in to a more crowded area like the grocery store where I want to pay more attention to what's around me, but blocking out some of that sound and replacing it with music is still calming. And then take out the left one as well when I'm talking directly with someone, and the cord stays put looped behind my neck.
There are so many aspects in which these buds surpass everything else I've tried. There is simply no reason to spend $10, 15, or 20 at CVS or Walmart or the uni bookstore for cheap, annoying buds that die out in six months. But do be thorough in looking for the best price on these, they are widely available and prices fluctuate frequently. When I have bought them, I paid 25-32$, but have seen them sold up to $60, even from the same seller of web site that I had gotten a deal from before.
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