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iPod I've discovered something about ipod earbuds.

a-m-k

a-m-k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
1,572
142
They're not pleasent sounding, when you use them to listen to your ipod. I would like to replace them. I don't know when. Though, I have two "particulars". I have very small ears and would like the ear phone to be able to fit into my ear and I would like the cable that allows them to work to be a few inches longer than the ear buds that came with the IPOD. Is this possible to have that kind of specification?

Thanks!
 
If you check out an electronics store, or a store with an electronics section, you should be able to find some that meet your needs. I've found many with a longer wire than the Apple ones. The ear buds themselves also are available in many sizes. If you're looking for in-ear ones, I know they usually come with removable buds as well as smaller ones and larger ones.
 
If you are not an "audiophile", then I will offer my suggestion:

Sony Earbuds

They are designed to be used with the iPod, have great sound, and the cord is longer than the original iPod earbuds. Not to mention they only cost $40. Expensive enough not to suck terribly, but still a good price.
 
RE: Ipod Earbud Issues

I too experience both issues you are encountering. Check out Skullcandy earbuds. I like the Ink'd or Smokin' Buds models. They are like $19.99-29.99 at ATT store, come with microphone built in for calling or talking or any app that may use a mic. The chord is longer (easier to keep in your pocket and reach ears or better for excercise), and the headphones are noise cancelling so you don't hear outside noise, just you and your music. GET A PAIR! check me out www.youtube.com/sk4prez2020 :D
 
sk4prez2020 said:
I too experience both issues you are encountering. Check out Skullcandy earbuds. I like the Ink'd or Smokin' Buds models. They are like $19.99-29.99 at ATT store, come with microphone built in for calling or talking or any app that may use a mic. The chord is longer (easier to keep in your pocket and reach ears or better for excercise), and the headphones are noise cancelling so you don't hear outside noise, just you and your music. GET A PAIR! check me out www.youtube.com/sk4prez2020 :D
Click to expand...
Additional note I didn't think was going to be revant to the topic.... Thanks for the posts this far everybody! I don't know if the additonal information will make suggestions change. Though, I would like to like to stay with the "earbud" model, and not convert to the "old school" walk man type head phones. It's for appearance and comfort sake.

Thanks guys!

PS.
The Scull Candy-type, are they available at stores or just online? I'll look right now (or when I have the time.)
 
a-m-k said:
They're not pleasent sounding, when you use them to listen to your ipod. I would like to replace them. I don't know when. Though, I have two "particulars". I have very small ears and would like the ear phone to be able to fit into my ear and I would like the cable that allows them to work to be a few inches longer than the ear buds that came with the IPOD. Is this possible to have that kind of specification?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I have tried several over the years, but my favorites for the past 2+ years are from v-moda. Very durable cable construction and they sound great. I've seen them in Costco for about $30.

Mine are the iPhone variety and have a microphone and stop/start clicker.
 
I think next to iPod/iPhone cases, headphones have the greatest number of options. It is almost overwhelming. I searched earbud headphones in Amazon, and I think there were over 11,000 results. I suppose knowing how much you are willing to spend would be the determinant. I have BOSE, they sound great.
 
rva1 said:
I have tried several over the years, but my favorites for the past 2+ years are from v-moda. Very durable cable construction and they sound great. I've seen them in Costco for about $30.

Mine are the iPhone variety and have a microphone and stop/start clicker.
Click to expand...

+1 for V-moda. I've been using V-Moda Vibes in Midnight Blue ever since my first iPod back in January 2007. The Vibes are about $60 nowadays, but look classy (the Midnight Blues match the 4th gen nano blue exactly and the 5th gen blues almost so, and there are other colors), have a rather durable cord that resists fraying at the junctures, and sound leagues better than the stock Apple earbuds. Three sizes of ear inserts are common, and V-Moda gives both clear and black in the package in all sizes for free.

Investing in a different set of earbuds acts as a type of security too, especially in a crowded public situation. In larger cities in the US, pickpockets have been known to target iPod users simply by recognizing the white of the Apple earbuds. Using a different set will make you a less obvious theft target. (Unless you insist on playing games on it out in the open on a crowded subway or bus in the bad part of town; in that case, you just might get taught a hard lesson.)
 
I am going to keep the suggestion for ear buds IF I still feel that it would be necessary to replace the earbuds. Though, I read something that all that had to be done was just make a new Itunes list. I don't really understand WHY making a new list was going to "cure" the problem with the audio, but I tested it out and it seems like it did.

Thanks again! :apple:
 
Skullcandy is all I use. I had one pair for almost two yeas until I slammed them in a car door. I had a pair of Smokin' Buds. I also had a pair of inked until I lost those. I didn't much care for the sound on the inked. I decided to spend a little more money and bought some 50/50 and I like those so far. You can get the Skullcandys pretty much anywhere or online. Over all I have been impressed in the longevity in the brand.
 
Some people seem to swear by the regular earbuds, but personally I prefer on-ear or over-ear headphones rather than earbuds, because often they fall out in my ears or just don't fit properly so they get really annoying. I have a pair of Sennheiser PX 100-IIs.
 
Whatever you do don't go to head-fi for getting advices, You will get hooked and you will blow you wallet like I did.
The only thing I know about the included earbuds is that they suck real hard:D
 
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I just bought a few pairs of v-modas. I got the crossfades for myself when im at home and the vibratos when I'm just wanting something smaller. Listened to all of them in the store and they sound great. I picked up a couple extra pairs of them for my parents too.

I actually had the beats tours, and they got stolen out of my bookbag at school. I liked them, sounded good. The only problem is that you kinda have to get lucky about your ear size to get those tours to fit
 
kaielement said:
Skullcandy is all I use. I had one pair for almost two yeas until I slammed them in a car door. I had a pair of Smokin' Buds. I also had a pair of inked until I lost those. I didn't much care for the sound on the inked. I decided to spend a little more money and bought some 50/50 and I like those so far. You can get the Skullcandys pretty much anywhere or online. Over all I have been impressed in the longevity in the brand.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Skullcandy is all I use as well. I currently have a pair of smokin' buds, and a pair of lowrider headphones. My favorite pair I've owned so far were Titan's. They were kinda expensive, but they were hella worth it :) Unfortunately, the cord design connecting the headphone jack to the wire was poor, and so they broke after like 8 months. But what a grand 8 months it was :)
 
I had a pair of Full Metal Jacket skullcandy earbuds, and they costs $80 and I STILL like my apple iPod headphones better. I'm somewhat of an "audiophile" and I do record music in studio, so I would never recommend earbuds anyways, but I like the apple ones
 
Sorry to be "M-I-A", I didn't think anyone else posted after the fact that suggestions were made. However, I have found a solution and it was a cheap solution. I just took all of my songs from my "purchased" list and moved them to a list titled with my initials, worked like a charm. (I forgot how I found this out.) The sound is perfect.

Thanks, everybody!
 
R94N said:
Some people seem to swear by the regular earbuds, but personally I prefer on-ear or over-ear headphones rather than earbuds, because often they fall out in my ears or just don't fit properly so they get really annoying. I have a pair of Sennheiser PX 100-IIs.
Click to expand...

I have a Sennheiser pair as well and have found them very good, but in general, I, too prefer over ear, or on ear headphones as I find them to be more comfortable than the buds. I have also used Bose ear-buds (good), and had a pair of Bang & Olufsen buds which were also very good. These tended to be quite expensive, though. However, I never liked the ear-buds that came with the iPods; despite their "cool" appearance, I found that they were extremely uncomfortable to wear.

Cheers
 
(Insert generic response comparing Sennheiser PX-100II's to Koss PortaPro's at half the price, further driving the thread off-topic)

That said, I'm left feeling rather dazed and confused at the OP's supposed 'solution'. How on Earth did moving purchased music into a different playlist suddenly improve the playback quality on the iPod (since it seemed the 'iBuds' were only lacking when used with the iPod as per the OP)?
 
When I open my new iPods, the one thing that never comes out of the box are the headphones. They are worthless, only good as a last resort. I have two headphones I use while out and about (and several more types at home), one is the Nike headphones by Sienhieser and the others are Skullcandy buds that block out exterior noise. The Nike's cost almost as much as my Nano but are totally worth it.
 
blackburn said:
Whatever you do don't go to head-fi for getting advices, You will get hooked and you will blow you wallet like I did.
The only thing I know about the included earbuds is that they suck real hard:D
Click to expand...

This, I used to love my Klipsch S4i's (very highly rated) started looking at head-fi and now after buying some B&W P5's I can't even listen to music with my Klipsch's anymore
 
I forget where I saw these recommended (may have been a podcast), but I bought some in-ear earbuds from MEElectronics. I got the M9 which are the cheapest ones they sell ($20) and used them for a cross-country train trip back in September over Labor Day. Sound is excellent and the in-ear style cuts out background noise better than any other type of headphones short of active noise-cancelling ones.

Earphone-M9-MEE-2T.jpg
 
My son is an audiophile and can't say enough about his Thinksound Rain headphones, which are carved of wood.

http://www.thinksound.com/index.php

We had an issue with his first pair right after they came out, and the service we got from Thinksound was nothing short of spectacular. Instant, generous and beyond the call. They're in New Hampshire, so you're not dealing with some evanescent storefront in Bangalore, but with folks who might be your neighbors. (The kind of neighbors who're really helpful and there-when-you-need them!)

Recommended, both from an audio standpoint and from a customer-satisfaction standpoint. Plus, their headsets are freakin' gorgeous.
 
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