Apple In Ear Headphones of Poor Quality
I don't normally do this, but I thought it was important enough to share.
In the last year Apple began shipping In Ear buds for $79 US + tax. Sounds like a great value purchase compared to Sennhesiers right? Nope.
My motivation for the purchase was as follows:
About 2 months after purchasing my iPhone 3GS, my included Apple ear buds began crackling and eventually became utterly useless.
I brought them to Apple hoping maybe they felt that the Ear Buds should last longer than 2 months. They did not feel this way. I was not about to spend $20 on a new set that would likely break in just as short a time. Mind you, in the past I've owned probably a dozen pairs of these ear buds from iPhones and iPods and gifts, and all of which lasted until I lost them or washed them.
Instead, I opt to spend $80 on the in ear buds that I had been drooling over for months. I was not happy with the sound quality or the fit in my ears with any of the size plugs.
related
About 30 days later, one side lost a lot of volume and eventually became unusable. A few more days, the other ear bud followed suit.
Went back to Apple, showed them the result, and they shrugged. Was told they simply can't cover speakers since a user can destroy them with improper usage. Mind you, I'm a career DJ, who knows a thing or two about "speakers"
After a month, the In Ear Headphones failed and would not be replaced by Apple. Considering I've walked in and out of Apple with replacement iPods and iPhones with no question, this was a staggering surprise to me.
Then a month ago I went to a Big Lots outlet near me (like a dollar store, but more like a $5 store) and picked up a set of cheapo cheap, $5 in ear headphones made by Sentry.
$5. And a month later, they sound better than the first day with Apple ear buds. Fit in my ears perfectly. Completely noise cancelling.
$5..... Thanks a lot Apple.
In the last year Apple began shipping In Ear buds for $79 US + tax. Sounds like a great value purchase compared to Sennhesiers right? Nope.
My motivation for the purchase was as follows:
About 2 months after purchasing my iPhone 3GS, my included Apple ear buds began crackling and eventually became utterly useless.
I brought them to Apple hoping maybe they felt that the Ear Buds should last longer than 2 months. They did not feel this way. I was not about to spend $20 on a new set that would likely break in just as short a time. Mind you, in the past I've owned probably a dozen pairs of these ear buds from iPhones and iPods and gifts, and all of which lasted until I lost them or washed them.
Instead, I opt to spend $80 on the in ear buds that I had been drooling over for months. I was not happy with the sound quality or the fit in my ears with any of the size plugs.
related
About 30 days later, one side lost a lot of volume and eventually became unusable. A few more days, the other ear bud followed suit.
Went back to Apple, showed them the result, and they shrugged. Was told they simply can't cover speakers since a user can destroy them with improper usage. Mind you, I'm a career DJ, who knows a thing or two about "speakers"
After a month, the In Ear Headphones failed and would not be replaced by Apple. Considering I've walked in and out of Apple with replacement iPods and iPhones with no question, this was a staggering surprise to me.
Then a month ago I went to a Big Lots outlet near me (like a dollar store, but more like a $5 store) and picked up a set of cheapo cheap, $5 in ear headphones made by Sentry.
$5. And a month later, they sound better than the first day with Apple ear buds. Fit in my ears perfectly. Completely noise cancelling.
$5..... Thanks a lot Apple.
Comments
http://www.jhaudio.com/store/index.p...products_id=34
Actually, I feel your pain. I do, however, wonder what one should expect from headphones of that nature. I consider myself pretty much of an audiophile, but I've never been tempted to buy anything better than the earbuds that came with my iPods and iPhone. Am I curious? Heck yeah... but for the prices that some of these products are commanding, I think that I can find a way to be happy with what I've got.
Does anyone here have any experience with any higher-end earbuds/canal buds? If so, can you seriously say that there is a huge difference? The fact that most of us are listening to compressed music on our devices makes me think that better speakers are a waste of money...
I don't normally do this, but I thought it was important enough to share.
In the last year Apple began shipping In Ear buds for $79 US + tax. Sounds like a great value purchase compared to Sennhesiers right? Nope.
My motivation for the purchase was as follows:
About 2 months after purchasing my iPhone 3GS, my included Apple ear buds began crackling and eventually became utterly useless.
I brought them to Apple hoping maybe they felt that the Ear Buds should last longer than 2 months. They did not feel this way. I was not about to spend $20 on a new set that would likely break in just as short a time. Mind you, in the past I've owned probably a dozen pairs of these ear buds from iPhones and iPods and gifts, and all of which lasted until I lost them or washed them.
Instead, I opt to spend $80 on the in ear buds that I had been drooling over for months. I was not happy with the sound quality or the fit in my ears with any of the size plugs.
related
About 30 days later, one side lost a lot of volume and eventually became unusable. A few more days, the other ear bud followed suit.
Went back to Apple, showed them the result, and they shrugged. Was told they simply can't cover speakers since a user can destroy them with improper usage. Mind you, I'm a career DJ, who knows a thing or two about "speakers"
After a month, the In Ear Headphones failed and would not be replaced by Apple. Considering I've walked in and out of Apple with replacement iPods and iPhones with no question, this was a staggering surprise to me.
Then a month ago I went to a Big Lots outlet near me (like a dollar store, but more like a $5 store) and picked up a set of cheapo cheap, $5 in ear headphones made by Sentry.
$5. And a month later, they sound better than the first day with Apple ear buds. Fit in my ears perfectly. Completely noise cancelling.
$5..... Thanks a lot Apple.
That's a bad experience and you have a right to be bummed. I wonder if problems with these earbuds are widespread, or you just got a bad example?
As far as fit goes, that's a real crap shoot-- really depends on your ear. That you got a good fit and sound to your liking from $5 buds is great for you, but other's mileage may vary.
Apple doesn't see to be that good at making durable, good sounding ear buds, thought, just in general. It's a real shame, too, because the ear buds are a more significant part of the iPod experience than the screen. Maybe Apple just figures the stock buds are fine for people who really don't care that much, and if they want more they'll go elsewhere. But it really behooves them to get $80 in ear models right, so I hope your experience isn't widespread.
I don't know where you'd find them in the US though.