Apple In-Ear headphones
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: M9394G/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Apple In-Ears are definitely a step up from the 'buds that come with the iPod, but we wish they fit more snugly.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Apple In-Ear headphones price range: $60.99
- Reviewed by: Steve Guttenberg
- Reviewed on: 03/04/2004
- Released on: 01/07/2004
The good: Affordable in-ear headphones; above-average clarity and detail; iPod-style travel case.
The bad: They don't fit as well as they should.
The bottom line: The Apple In-Ears are definitely a step up from the 'buds that come with the iPod, but we wish they fit more snugly.
It's no wonder Apple's iPod is a huge hit. It's beautifully designed, and it sounds great--as long as you steer clear of the lackluster earbuds that ship with it. The company now has a better idea: the $39 Apple In-Ear headphones. Though they have the same iPod-friendly, all-white color scheme as their predecessors, the In-Ears, with their rubberized earpieces, are not only intended to be more comfortable but to offer superior sound.
After comparing the two models, we much prefer the Apple In-Ears to the 'buds that came with our iPod. The In-Ears put out richer sound, play louder, and offer greater isolation from outside ambient noise. At 42 inches long, the Apple In-Ear's cable is nice and short, offering ample but not excessive length when connected to the iPod's in-line remote cable; you could, of course, use them with anything that has a standard 1/8-inch minijack plug. You get a selection of three pairs (small, medium, and large) of interchangeable rubbery earpieces; try 'em all to see which is the most comfortable. One minor design snafu: The headphone's teensy "left" and "right" labels will be illegible in broad daylight to many owners and worthless to everyone in low-light conditions. But on the bright side, Apple includes a cool-looking, plastic storage case.
The skimpy owner's manual doesn't offer any advice about proper insertion techniques; the only way we could achieve the required 'bud-to-ear seal was to fit the In-Ears upside down, with the wires facing forward so that they looped up and over our ears. We had used that strategy with our Shure E2c ($99) in-ear 'phones with great success. A contest between these two models gave the nod to the Shures for their bigger, more bass-driven sound and their superior ambient noise isolation on the NYC subway. But that's to be expected, with the Shures (and our current favorite earbuds, the $130 Etymotic ER-6 Isolators) costing two and a half times the price of the Apple headphones. Then again, Sony's MDR-EX71SL also offers good sound and a snug fit for a mere $50.
Our main problem with these headphones was that we had trouble keeping them in our ears. Joggers, take note: While we were walking, the In-Ears lasted five minutes before flopping out (though the fit will likely vary from person to person). That's too bad, considering everything else that's good about them.
User reviews
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HORRIBLE Fit!!! Beware!!!
by T-Borb on May 4, 2005
Pros: Great sound, POOR FIT!!!
Cons: POOR FIT!!! POOR FIT!!! POOR FIT!!!
Summary: I read all of the CNet reviews, and still purchased a pair... Ouch. The sound is GREAT if you can get them to stay in your ears. I can not. ...
Summary: I read all of the CNet reviews, and still purchased a pair... Ouch. The sound is GREAT if you can get them to stay in your ears. I can not. I tried all three of the ear-plug sizes many many many times under a variety of wearing conditions. They never stayed in. This is an absolute shame, as the improved (over the standard-issue iPod "buds") sound is worth the $40 if they would fit me properly. Obviously, from other posts, I realize that some have this fit issue, some don't. Unfortunately, you just have to try. Consider spending the extra $40 for a pair of Shure e2's. I did, and they fit PERFECTLY, with none of the falling out issues. They come with S, M, L earpieces in two different materials...the chances of a perfect fit are much greater AND they do sound $40 better! Check them out first.
6 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Judge for yourself, don't listen to impatient children's reviews
by wxgreg on June 23, 2006
Pros: Bass and ability to block outer noise
Cons: The fit takes a little getting used to , and here's the kicker... OMG you have to have patience to get them to fit properly!
Summary: After reading these p-iss poor reviews I had to sign up to voice my opinion. Patience and the ability to use one's BRAIN seems to be far from the ...
Summary: After reading these p-iss poor reviews I had to sign up to voice my opinion. Patience and the ability to use one's BRAIN seems to be far from the norm these days. If you take your time, and try all the sizes of the rubber inserts, then fit them way in your ear the sound is fantastic. I use a large bud in one ear and a medium in the other. (see I took my time!)It blocks out alot of wind noise when I am cruising down the interstate in my half helmet. If you snug the headphone's little strap just below your neck it helps them stay in your ear. Again, this is one man's opinion. But, this is one man's opinion that actually took the time to fit these inserts in the proper way, instead of like some spoiled kid who tried them on once and started to whine to mommy that the headphones she bought are poopy bad. Bottom line, they may or may not be for you, but you should give them a shot before spending double the price on others. Oh, and the crap about turning the inserts 180 degrees (I can't believe I actually tried it) is probably some kid screwing with you. Oh, one more thing, did you know if you put your battery in upside down that the music plays backwards? REALLY! I swear!!!!
6 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Worst Headphones I've Owned
by jeffhansen on March 24, 2005
Pros: Looks cool before you use them
Cons: Price, Sound
Summary: These headphones are over-priced, and have poor sound quality because they don't stay in your ear. As cool as these look, they function worse than your $10 Sony Earbuds......
Summary: These headphones are over-priced, and have poor sound quality because they don't stay in your ear. As cool as these look, they function worse than your $10 Sony Earbuds...which are MUCH better IMHO. Save your money, Apple has enough.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I fixed them! Much better!!
Pros: Okay folks, here's the trick - forget wearing them upside down - they fall out easily and look ridiculous. Instead, SIMPLY ROTATE THE REMOVABLE RUBBER CUPS 180-DEGREES (so the tab goes on the bottom) I don't know why this works, but I swear to God it ma
Cons: Can't think of any now.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Impossible to use.
by oli-h-c on December 22, 2008
Pros: They don't hurt as much as regular headphones (I have a small ear cavity; that is why I bought them).
Cons: These headphones only emphasize the more acute tones, as they are kind of fliying inside your ear. You would have to push them in or cover your ears with your hands. They dont fit snugly, but rather come loose and fall at the slightest movement.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Doesn't Fit
by robertsmj on October 21, 2008
Pros: good sound quality if I manually hold the buds in my ear
Cons: I can't get them to stay in. They don't fit and I tried all the different-size buds it came with. Disappointing.
Summary: Look for an alternative.
Summary: Look for an alternative.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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HORRIBLE headphones
by bearzfan509 on November 25, 2007
Pros: Good bass and sound quality, ONLY WHEN THEY ARE PUSHED IN COMPLETELY.
Cons: CANNOT stay in ear for more than 5 seconds
Summary: The quality on these headphones are good...but only for the 5 seconds that they stay in your ear. I would NOT recommend for anyone to buy these overpriced headphones.
Summary: The quality on these headphones are good...but only for the 5 seconds that they stay in your ear. I would NOT recommend for anyone to buy these overpriced headphones.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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DON"T FIT IN YOUR EAR
by djwudy on April 27, 2007
Pros: very good sound
Cons: DON"T FIT IN YOUR EAR FALL OUT EVERY COUPLE OF SECONDS
Summary: do not by these unless you have some spare end caps from another pair of earphones that fin on the end!!! I tried to fit them properly - i tried ...
Summary: do not by these unless you have some spare end caps from another pair of earphones that fin on the end!!! I tried to fit them properly - i tried every end cap in each ear but 1...2...3..and oops thyve poppede out again - IT WILL DRIVE YOU MAD. very good sound if you can get them 2 stay in your ear lol hope this was helpful
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Like the scale says Abysmal
by 330Andy on January 18, 2007
Pros: .....What pros?
Cons: Shape and fit
Summary: If you hold them in your ears, they have good sound, but to get them to stay there is impossible.
Updated...
I got a different pair of in ear headphones,Summary: If you hold them in your ears, they have good sound, but to get them to stay there is impossible.
Updated
I got a different pair of in ear headphones, and I used the little plastic case that came with these pieces of worthlessness to store the new ones in.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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WARNING! Excellent product! Ignore the 1's!
by tomitus on October 14, 2006
Pros: Great sound, carrying case, price
Cons: Don't quite form an ear-plug-like seal, no instructions of use
Summary: I just can't believe some of these kids complaining about tinny sound, and saying how the sound is good only when you push the plugs way into your ears. ...
Summary: I just can't believe some of these kids complaining about tinny sound, and saying how the sound is good only when you push the plugs way into your ears. Newsflash: That's where they're supposed to be, hence the name "IN-EAR"! Once you get it right, the sound is very good. Maybe not as good as some of the competition, but definitely miles above the crap Apple supplied with your iPod. You might need to play around with the three sizes of rubber sleeves to make them fit, though. And even when they do fit, they don't really provide much in the way of noise-cancelling. At least when thrust into my ear canals, they just woudn't form the perfect seal that you need to fully enjoy the sound. The seal is there, but it's just not air-tight, and the sleeve design sort of caused the wind to howl inside the 'buds when I was biking. Also, Apple would be wise to provide some sort of instructions of use. That way, retards wouldn't have to comlain on CNET. What is provided, on the other hand, is a stylish carrying case, which is a great addition, considering the very lucrative price point.
So, to sum it all up, these are excellent ear-phones - for the price. The sound is fantastic, once you know where to shove the buds. No, the design isn't perfect, and they won't fit every pair of ears in the world. In fact, I'd probably consider getting the Sennheisers, if you're looking for affordable, quality earbuds. But the CNET score and the average from the user reviews just don't represent reality. These ear-phones are definitely worth a strong 8.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: M9394G/A
- Description: The iPod In-Ear Headphones have great sound quality and bass response, and come with three different sized caps to ensure the headphones fit comfortably and securely in your ear.
General
- Product Type Headphones
- Recommended Use PC multimedia,
Portable audio system Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor Ear-bud
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Headphones Ear Pads Included
Remote Control
- Type None
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Ear cushion
Power
- Power Device None
- Battery None
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Apple
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010
