CarbonStated

When Jobsey announced Apple’s upcoming In-Ear Headphones back in September it seemed like the stars had aligned. After months and months of dealing with adapters for my 1^st gen iPhone’s headphone jack, I was ready to part ways with the 3-inch chord adapter thorn in my side.  There had already been several options available such as V-Moda’s Vibes and Ultimate Ears 4vi’s which came with a mic and a button to answer/end calls, but none seemed to tickle my fancy. Apple had attempted once to make in-ears, but failed miserably. They couldn’t screw up twice could they? After all, they aren’t Microsoft…

These babies were supposed to ship at the end of October ’08 and actually not suck (paraphrasing).  Long story short, they were delayed until December and I finally picked them up in January. I’ve had some time to listen to varying genres of music with them…here are my thoughts...

Fit – I can’t get these damn things to stay snug! A tight seal is the key to good in-ears, it helps round out the low end response and blocks outside noise. After messing with them for about 5 minutes I got the best fit I could…as long as I didn’t turn my head. One review I read for these asked if Apple designed thm for motionless use.

Sound – they actually sound pretty good. Low end is of course a bit weak but mids are smooth and highs are crisp (not shrill). If you listen to hip-hop, rap, etc. you will be very disappointed.

Design – The chord is made out of a different material than traditional iPod headphones. The result is a tangle free wearing (or pocket) experience.  One big plus - the chord isn’t a mile long. For whatever reason, other in-ear makers must think people want to listen to music in one room and leave their iPod in the other.

Overall – an in-ear that doesn’t fit is no friend of mine. For $80 I don’t expect the world but I do expect a good fit and decent low end. These didn’t have either. Three days after purchasing I returned them to the Apple Store.

Maybe I will get the Grados after all…