Calling all iphone users: SkullCandy earbuds

[EEE2]

Finally a some headphones for the Iphone that work without any adapter, the headphone jacked was designed to fit the iphone. I picked up my Skullcandy from the source on sale for $19.99 I am so happy with the sound, (amazing bass) and they work with iphone without the need of an adapter of any sort. Only thing I dislike is the inline volume control.
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Earbud+Headphones&product=3314000
Please make sure you pick up the ones with a bigger packaging and that got the works with Ipod/Iphone sticker on the box.
Thank you

[schmoey]

Does PM work for this? TSCC site doesn't give much product info unfortunately

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10073632&catid=11174

[harpoon]

check these badboys out...you can use the mic and attenuator a la the original iPhone headset:

http://www.heliumdigital.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=72&bc=no

...I'll be ordering that as soon as my jesusPhone is purchased.

[netrat]

I'm actually really interested in those Helium Digitals. Can't find any reviews though. My Creative isolated ones just gave way shortly after I got my iPhone so I'm hoping it maybe comparable in sound quality at least -- not super good but decent.

If anyone got a thorough review of the Helium Digitals please post or lmk through PM. Thanks!

[bigasif]

check these badboys out...you can use the mic and attenuator a la the original iPhone headset:

http://www.heliumdigital.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=72&bc=no

...I'll be ordering that as soon as my jesusPhone is purchased.

Those look sweeeet! May deserve a thread of their own. Although I just have toooo many pairs of earphones and just can't imagine buying another. Maybe once someone reviews these things and if they prove to be worth it, then I may pick up a pair. For now, I'll continue using my 160gb ipod instead of my iPhone for music.

[Gdog]

I'm actually really interested in those Helium Digitals. Can't find any reviews though. My Creative isolated ones just gave way shortly after I got my iPhone so I'm hoping it maybe comparable in sound quality at least -- not super good but decent.

If anyone got a thorough review of the Helium Digitals please post or lmk through PM. Thanks!

Hey guys, I am holding these buds from Helium Digital and will be writing the review ASAP! Hang on tight! :)

[mikomi2005]

Another option would be the sony earphones from the sony store. They work without the adapter. This is the one I'm using with my iphone. It is only 14.99.

http://www.sonystyle.ca/common/images/products/MDRE10LPH_lg.jpg

[ADRiiAN`]

I just bought them from the source.
The bass is really REALLY good for in-ear headphones, I really do enjoy these headphones.
For $20, you can't go wrong, honestly.

[legendofxix]

Not a bad deal.
I picked up some Creative EP630's a while back but I have the headphone adapter so I can use any headphones really.
I don't see why everyone wants to have ones that fit perfectly without an adapter.
If I had the money I'd buy the shure mic adapter so I can do totally hands free.

[TorontoEh]

check these badboys out...you can use the mic and attenuator a la the original iPhone headset:

http://www.heliumdigital.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=72&bc=no

...I'll be ordering that as soon as my jesusPhone is purchased.

oh wow....i wonder if these can be used to make voip calls from my iphone? as you need a seperate mic?

[triple-u]

Hey guys, I am holding these buds from Helium Digital and will be writing the review ASAP! Hang on tight! :)

I just ordered the Helium Digital headphones yesterday. Except I ordered the HD-330 model because I don't need the microphone. When I get them I'll let you guys know how the quality of them are.

BTW, I googled the Helium Digital company up and found a coupon code and tried it and saved $3. So the headphones were 19.xx after taxes. I think the coupon code was HD-PPC, if not then PPC-HD. Not sure how much of a discount it will give the iphone headphones.

For less than $20, worth a try.

EDIT: Just checked some other items, appears the coupon is 15% off.

[Dr_luv]

Helium digital confirmed by email that one can't double click the mic button to fast forward to the next track as one can with the V-moda vibe duo or the iphone headset itself.

Still a great deal.

[Gdog]

Here's the review...these headphones work exactly like Apple's headphones...great deal for 24.99.

http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/iphone-accessories/helium-digital-hd-340-boombuds-for-mobile-review/

[victoriaboy]

Finally a some headphones for the Iphone that work without any adapter, the headphone jacked was designed to fit the iphone. I picked up my Skullcandy from the source on sale for $19.99 I am so happy with the sound, (amazing bass) and they work with iphone without the need of an adapter of any sort. Only thing I dislike is the inline volume control.
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Earbud+Headphones&product=3314000
Please make sure you pick up the ones with a bigger packaging and that got the works with Ipod/Iphone sticker on the box.
Thank you

I am sure I saw this today at Bestbuys for 9.99! Alot of colors too. I remember seeing the ipod/iphone sticker on it.
***never mind, its a lower version of the skullcandy ones****

[Ch28]

Here's the review...these headphones work exactly like Apple's headphones...great deal for 24.99.

http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/iphone-accessories/helium-digital-hd-340-boombuds-for-mobile-review/

How is the bass on these earbuds? The original ones with the iPhone suck so badly with bass.

[Gdog]

How is the bass on these earbuds? The original ones with the iPhone suck so badly with bass.

Bass is way better than the apple headphones...you can actually "feel" it...however, I had to play around with EQ settings to find the perfect match. :razz:

[multpda]

Hey guys,

I don't know if what size the jack is for the iPhone (3.5 or 2.5 mm) but Best Buy currently has the Skullcandy Ink'd headphones in a variety of colours for 9.99 and the plug around it has no knob around it and is the smallest profile headphone plug I have ever owned.

Not owning an iPhone but just from pictures the plug looks very similar to the apple headphones.

Might want to pick up a set to try or just to keep as they are pretty decent earbuds...!!! I got the cool metallic blue ones

[bigasif]

Bass is way better than the apple headphones...you can actually "feel" it...however, I had to play around with EQ settings to find the perfect match. :razz:

Have you used the Creative EP-630's before? How does the bass compare to those? I love my bass, and the creatives are just great for that. Just wondering if these would be a suitable replacement. Thanks!

[Magoomba]

I'm looking to go the wireless route.

Does anyone have experience with the Motorola MOTOROKR S9?
eCost has it for $39 + shipping.
http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=37138071&source=K3736
(I have Amerifriends).

Are there any other lightweight BT headphones w/ mic out there to consider?

On another note, how much faster does the iPhone battery die if you have Bluetooth turned on?

[airstream]

Just ordered a set of the Helium Digital ones. Used coupon code HD-PPC + right now they have a promo of free shipping...so grand total came to 23.98 tax in.

[Ch28]

Bass is way better than the apple headphones...you can actually "feel" it...however, I had to play around with EQ settings to find the perfect match. :razz:

Just placed an order.

Thanks :D

[superfigz]

I'm looking to go the wireless route.

Does anyone have experience with the Motorola MOTOROKR S9?
eCost has it for $39 + shipping.
http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=37138071&source=K3736
(I have Amerifriends).

Are there any other lightweight BT headphones w/ mic out there to consider?

On another note, how much faster does the iPhone battery die if you have Bluetooth turned on?

Those headphones are actually really good. They are very light and don't bug my ears after using them for a while and the sound quality is pretty good. The controls are nice too since you can just press the buttons on the side to control volume/tracks. The neckband is made of plastic, and though i havent broken it, it doesnt look like it can take much punishment

I also used the logitech FreePulse headphones which are also great, but i had to bend the neck band a bit before i got the right fit. Also note that the freepulse has volume control but does not have track control. The freepulse also feels much more rugged since it has this rubber coated, flexible metal neckband that can take abuse

If you like more bass, go for the logitech feepulse (headphones).

If you prefer the earbud-style headphones, require less bass and want track control, go for the S9

[ashgotti]

I'm looking to go the wireless route.

Does anyone have experience with the Motorola MOTOROKR S9?
eCost has it for $39 + shipping.
http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=37138071&source=K3736
(I have Amerifriends).

Are there any other lightweight BT headphones w/ mic out there to consider?

On another note, how much faster does the iPhone battery die if you have Bluetooth turned on?

iPhone does not support A2DP so no Stereo Bluetooth.

[TorontoEh]

can someone advise on a nice pair of headset with mic to be used with iphone/ipod touch? :confused:

[TriggerHappy]

can someone advise on a nice pair of headset with mic to be used with iphone/ipod touch? :confused:

Seems those helium digital headphones are quite a bargain. I ordered a pair myself yesterday so I'm assuming it will come in tomorrow. If they're actually decent then I think the headphones may warrant a thread of their own since right now they're hiding behind another set of headphones.

[triple-u]

My Helium Digital headphones came in today. I bought the version without the mic though. First thing I noticed was that they are the J-cord style, I'm used to the Y-cord so it's going to take some getting used to. Like Gdog said, the bass is pretty good, but does take some tweaking the EQ, in my case, a lot of tweaking.

The buds are pretty heavy, made of metal or whatever, weigh more than any other earbuds I've tried. I can't decide whether thats good or bad, again, going to take some getting used to.

They also weren't very noise isolating, didn't block out noise, like the website advertises. The plastic that connects the wire to the earbud is kinda hard and scratches my earlobe if not put on correctly.

All in all, quality is great for the price, but could be better. Since I didn't get the Iphone version, I can't comment on the microphone quality. They definitely appear tougher than the Skullcandy headphones, which as I've heard are quite easy to break.

...also, for some reason, these Helium Digital headphones don't work properly on one of my mp3 players, but works fine on everything else...

[prettyha8]

Just placed my order on the iPhone ones. Will let you know my take on them once they arrive. I wish I could do local pickup. But free shipping will do.
Coupon code worked great!

[Kero_1116]

Does the microphone work for the Blackberry Pearl?

[salsa77]

My Helium Digital headphones came in today. I bought the version without the mic though.

Did anyone get a chance to try out the the iPhone version?

[cy]

Thank you so much! Going to pick up a pair today, and co-incidencely I forgot to bring my headphones for my iphone too lol!

[TriggerHappy]

Got a chance to play with my new headphones and have a few reviewesque comments.

Pros:
1) Sound is definitely superior to the stock iPhone headphones.
2) The mic works perfectly, and also works for iPod controls (double-tap to skip, tap to play/pause).
3) They are very solid and I have no doubt they could take a beating. (PURELY a subjective comment, not tested in any way :D)

Cons:
1) Like the above poster said, they are pretty heavy.
2) Due to the size of the metal back, they actually hurt my ears to keep them in for any extended amount of time, and also limit the depth that they can go into the ear. Don't stay in as well as I hoped.
3) This is a minor one. When using them with my laptop at work, if I plug them in all the way into the headphone jack, i only get mono sound. I have to pull them out a bit to get full stereo.

That's my mini-review.

Hope it helps any potential buyers

[TorontoEh]

Got a chance to play with my new headphones and have a few reviewesque comments.

Pros:
1) Sound is definitely superior to the stock iPhone headphones.
2) The mic works perfectly, and also works for iPod controls (double-tap to skip, tap to play/pause).
3) They are very solid and I have no doubt they could take a beating. (PURELY a subjective comment, not tested in any way :D)

Cons:
1) Like the above poster said, they are pretty heavy.
2) Due to the size of the metal back, they actually hurt my ears to keep them in for any extended amount of time, and also limit the depth that they can go into the ear. Don't stay in as well as I hoped.
3) This is a minor one. When using them with my laptop at work, if I plug them in all the way into the headphone jack, i only get mono sound. I have to pull them out a bit to get full stereo.

That's my mini-review.

Hope it helps any potential buyers

Can someone please try using these with MIC on their Iphone/Ipod Touch with the SIP/VOIP app from touchmods and see if it actually recognizes the mic?

Or even a V-Notes application in Ipod touch if anyone has tried that one yet.

Thanks all

[shaolinmonk]

i had a pair of vmodas.... they broke... sending them in for warranty.. (nice headphoens crap build quality

bought a pair of these the other day waiting for them to come in...
http://www.radtech.us/Products/ProCableiPhoneHeadset.aspx

[GeeCee]

heads up on the more expensive skull candy headphones.. they are absolutely terrible. do not touch them. :|

[blahraptors]

picked up a couple of ink'd earbuds from best buy for 9.99. i was also able to get the lowrider headphones for 22.50 after PM from futureshop. what's funny was when i asked the CSR at FS for a pricematch, she literally matched the price. i asked her about the 10% difference, and she said "OHH, so you want to price BEAT, not price MATCH..?" :lol: and i was thinking, DUH why would i bother buying from you instead if TSCC is just a couple a few minutes walk away? or better yet, i can just stay at home and get them shipped free to my door?

i never knew about FS's new PriceBeat policy haha

[b33f]

i had a pair of vmodas.... they broke... sending them in for warranty.. (nice headphoens crap build quality

bought a pair of these the other day waiting for them to come in...
http://www.radtech.us/Products/ProCableiPhoneHeadset.aspx

Hmm... those buds look good.
I would have bought those if I haven't ordered the vmodas already :|

[rookie_cdn]

I bought skullcandy in-ear headphones for 9.99 they are on sale in best buy...great sound. i use it with ipod and they are equal or better than the real apple ones....anyhow you can't go wrong with 10 bucks, try those guys.

[DynomiteHunter]

picked up a couple of ink'd earbuds from best buy for 9.99. i was also able to get the lowrider headphones for 22.50 after PM from futureshop. what's funny was when i asked the CSR at FS for a pricematch, she literally matched the price. i asked her about the 10% difference, and she said "OHH, so you want to price BEAT, not price MATCH..?" :lol: and i was thinking, DUH why would i bother buying from you instead if TSCC is just a couple a few minutes walk away? or better yet, i can just stay at home and get them shipped free to my door?

i never knew about FS's new PriceBeat policy haha

heyy i was wondering, were you able to "pricebeat" hahaz. for another colour at futureshoP? or did you just get the silver and black ones as advertised?

Because i want the red and white ones but i dont know if futureshop will pricematch it since it says "baclk and white"ones in tscc website >.<

[Kyle_87]

hey guys i picked up the helium digital earbuds for my iphone. The microfone is good quality and the button controls the music (skip/pause) like the stock earbuds. I bought these assuming they are sound isolating but they aren't so i'll be selling this pair in BST. I guess the only option for me would be to pickup a pair of v-moda's when I head to the states. :S

[EEE2]

With the skullcandy headphones, when I get a phone call I just keep the headphones in, and put the phone closer to my mouth and speak through the buildin mike. Please laugh, but it works like a charm. Just turn down the headphone volume so you dont have to shout.
Thanks

[EEE2]

picked up a couple of ink'd earbuds from best buy for 9.99. i was also able to get the lowrider headphones for 22.50 after PM from futureshop. what's funny was when i asked the CSR at FS for a pricematch, she literally matched the price. i asked her about the 10% difference, and she said "OHH, so you want to price BEAT, not price MATCH..?" :lol: and i was thinking, DUH why would i bother buying from you instead if TSCC is just a couple a few minutes walk away? or better yet, i can just stay at home and get them shipped free to my door?

i never knew about FS's new PriceBeat policy haha
Maybe she just try to flirting with you. Because they pricematch and price guarantee includes the 110% pricematch.
thanks

[billccwu]

BTW, BB has new Skullcandy for promotional price of $9.99, I think regular is $24.99. Bought a pair for my girlfriend, they seem pretty decent. I heard somewhere that they are made by Panasonic, not sure if that is true.

[blahraptors]

heyy i was wondering, were you able to "pricebeat" hahaz. for another colour at futureshoP? or did you just get the silver and black ones as advertised?

Because i want the red and white ones but i dont know if futureshop will pricematch it since it says "baclk and white"ones in tscc website >.<
i got the silver/black ones. i don't think they will PM the red/white ones as that would make them different items, however, it wouldn't hurt to try (unless it is a long drive). and yea, i was able to "pricebeat" it lol. when i first asked for a PM the manager came, checked off a few things on the print out, and approved the "pricematch". at that point i thought "wow, this is the easiest PM ever!" :D but a moment later, i found out the only reason why i didn't run into any problems was because they just matched the price. then when the total came up to 28.xx i told the CSR i wanted to PM it, and it was like:

"but i wanted to pricematch it"
"yes, i just did"
"where's the 10% difference?"
"you asked for a pricematch, so i matched the price"
"im supposed to get the 10% difference too"
"you mean you don't want to pricematch, you want to price BEAT it?"
":confused:..uhh, yes?"

lol then she attempted to call the manager but i don't think anyone answered so she went ahead and took the 10% off

[blahraptors]

BTW, BB has new Skullcandy for promotional price of $9.99, I think regular is $24.99. Bought a pair for my girlfriend, they seem pretty decent. I heard somewhere that they are made by Panasonic, not sure if that is true.
+1
they are indeed quite impressive earbuds. they isolate sound pretty well. in fact i find them dangerous to use when crossing roads since i can't hear the cars :cheesygri make sure you look left and right three times before you attempt to jaywalk!

[User Name]

For those that picked up the Heliums... did yours also come in a ziplock bag and only one extra set of silicon tips? From their site, I was expecting the earphones + 2 extra sets of tips, as well as better packaging.:confused:

[Gdog]

For those that picked up the Heliums... did yours also come in a ziplock bag and only one extra set of silicon tips? From their site, I was expecting the earphones + 2 extra sets of tips, as well as better packaging.:confused:

Mine came in the exact way you described them. The "2 sets" includes the ones you put on the earbuds...I was expecting some sort of package. But whatever, it saves packaging that I would throw away anyways! :o

[cy]

I picked up the $12 one from CC, very good sound quality indeed. I am very happy.

[GateGuardian]

I'm looking to go the wireless route.

Does anyone have experience with the Motorola MOTOROKR S9?
eCost has it for $39 + shipping.
http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=37138071&source=K3736
(I have Amerifriends).

Are there any other lightweight BT headphones w/ mic out there to consider?

On another note, how much faster does the iPhone battery die if you have Bluetooth turned on?

I thought the iPhone BT doesn't have A2DP? Wouldn't that make this useless for music

[shaolinmonk]

just picked up a pair of the skull candies and yuck... don't like the sound at all.. guess my vmodas were pretty good.. hope the radtech's are a bit better..

[Ch28]

For those that picked up the Heliums... did yours also come in a ziplock bag and only one extra set of silicon tips? From their site, I was expecting the earphones + 2 extra sets of tips, as well as better packaging.:confused:

I received mine in the same way. I'm actually not that impressed with the Heliums because they don't seem like they fit in that well. I really have to push them in to get them in there. The buds themselves have an outer shell thats made out of metal so it always feels as if they're going to fall off.

[Ch28]

i had a pair of vmodas.... they broke... sending them in for warranty.. (nice headphoens crap build quality

bought a pair of these the other day waiting for them to come in...
http://www.radtech.us/Products/ProCableiPhoneHeadset.aspx

These Radtech ones look nice. Please post a review when you receive them :)

[dre145]

Here are my sort of mini review of ones found on ebay
They do infact have real CX300 drivers and a mic/button

Got them a few days ago and they are pretty good recommended if u want something simular to the iphone buds but want some quality
http://i5.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/c9/11/a1a1_1.JPG

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6564430&postcount=2


Edit, heres the ebay link http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-earphones-handsfree-REAL-Sennheiser-CX300-driver_W0QQitemZ330225555966QQihZ014QQcategoryZ111 693QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
its possible to offer him $22 and get them...

[Kyle_87]

Hmm i'm interested in those dre, how are they in isolating sound, have u tried them on the subway? Also, How is the quality on the mic ?

[robskot]

Finally a some headphones for the Iphone that work without any adapter, the headphone jacked was designed to fit the iphone. I picked up my Skullcandy from the source on sale for $19.99 I am so happy with the sound, (amazing bass) and they work with iphone without the need of an adapter of any sort. Only thing I dislike is the inline volume control.
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Earbud+Headphones&product=3314000
Please make sure you pick up the ones with a bigger packaging and that got the works with Ipod/Iphone sticker on the box.
Thank you


I actually posted these (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=537097&highlight=wal-mart+ear) at the beginning of the year. They fit iPhone and I am still loving them! And are only $19 (or some colours are still on clearance for $10)

[dre145]

Hmm i'm interested in those dre, how are they in isolating sound, have u tried them on the subway? Also, How is the quality on the mic ?

they are exactly the same as Sennheiser CX 300 and creative Ep630
Check reviews on those phones... they are really good for their price. I have 4 pairs of them (cx300's and ep630's) use them all the time, they do a good job isolating sound on the subway

the mic is average, it gets the job done but its nothing to brag about.
dont expect a 200 dollar product for $20 and u wont be disappointed

Personally i think these are the best in thier price range

[Magoomba]

I bought skullcandy in-ear headphones for 9.99 they are on sale in best buy...great sound. i use it with ipod and they are equal or better than the real apple ones....anyhow you can't go wrong with 10 bucks, try those guys.

I bought a pair as well, in black.
While they sounded fine at my desk in the office, when I walked home with them, the wires make noises that ripple up to the earbuds as I walk.
Seems the sounds from the wire hitting my jacket is verborating upwards!

[dre145]

I bought a pair as well, in black.
While they sounded fine at my desk in the office, when I walked home with them, the wires make noises that ripple up to the earbuds as I walk.
Seems the sounds from the wire hitting my jacket is verborating upwards!

this is a problem with all in ear phones

[bigasif]

they are exactly the same as Sennheiser CX 300 and creative Ep630
Check reviews on those phones... they are really good for their price. I have 4 pairs of them (cx300's and ep630's) use them all the time, they do a good job isolating sound on the subway

the mic is average, it gets the job done but its nothing to brag about.
dont expect a 200 dollar product for $20 and u wont be disappointed

Personally i think these are the best in thier price range

Sweet! So they actually DO sound like the CX300's? I thought that was just a gimmick on the guy's page. I've owned 3 pairs of CX-300's, and have a pair of CX-400's as well, and I love them to death. For my everyday ipod use, I now use my creative EP-630's, but will be going back to the cx400's or 300's soon. If you say you own cx300's (genuine, or did you buy them off ebay?), and they are definitely genuine...hopefully store bought....and you do indeed say that these sound just as good, I'll pick up a pair.

I bought a few pairs of iphone in-ear headphones from dealextreme, and was thinking of trying out those radtech's, but I really want something like my cx300's/ep630's.

Thanks and let me know! Cheers dre!
BiGaSiF

[dre145]

Sweet! So they actually DO sound like the CX300's? I thought that was just a gimmick on the guy's page. I've owned 3 pairs of CX-300's, and have a pair of CX-400's as well, and I love them to death. For my everyday ipod use, I now use my creative EP-630's, but will be going back to the cx400's or 300's soon. If you say you own cx300's (genuine, or did you buy them off ebay?), and they are definitely genuine...hopefully store bought....and you do indeed say that these sound just as good, I'll pick up a pair.

I bought a few pairs of iphone in-ear headphones from dealextreme, and was thinking of trying out those radtech's, but I really want something like my cx300's/ep630's.

Thanks and let me know! Cheers dre!
BiGaSiF

Yes they do sound like genuine cx 300's the seller says they get the drivers from the same factory.
Anyways I have 2 pairs of store bought EP 630s and 2 pairs of Cx300's that i buy from a trusted seller on ebay. (compared to my ep 630's and my friends store bought cx300's and they are real) Being ebay and everything i first passed up this headset because i thought the exact thing then the guys over a macrumours http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=424576 changed my mind and i gave them a try.

Now im not sure where the seller gets the drivers or w/e. The casing has no creative or Sennheiser logo its blank. But they sound just as good as my other phones.

Also ill mention this, Some people have reported that their button stoped working after a few months. Dont know if this is an isolated case or not.

[prettyha8]

Mine came in the exact way you described them. The "2 sets" includes the ones you put on the earbuds...I was expecting some sort of package. But whatever, it saves packaging that I would throw away anyways! :o


I too only received 2 sets total. I was expecting a Small, Medium and Large.

[Random_Hero]

These Radtech ones look nice. Please post a review when you receive them :)

I just received my pair from Radtech and I must say I expected a little more. While it was nice to find a replacement pair of headphones for such a low price, the design and function leaves a lot to be desired. While the housings for the 1/8" jack, mic/button and earbuds themselves are all made from aluminum the cord connecting them is extremely flimsy as are the plastic components of the mic/button housing. The control button is not the entire surface of the housing as it was in the Apple branded headset, but instead is a small plastic protrusion from it. Where the housing is round and the button is so small, it will often roll around causing you to skip songs inadvertently.

The placement of the mic/button housing is extremely close to the left earbud, and as a result it rests either on your shoulder or base of your neck at all times making it a little awkward to access. The rubber inserts on the buds are far to small and thin to keep either a proper seal (for better overall acoustics) or to simply keep them in your ear. Replacing them with some Shure branded ones I had on hand appeared to be the only fix.

The sound quality of the headset itself leaves a lot to be desired when compared directly with Apple's offering. In a brief sampling of music, I found the mid-range to be weak and the bass to be entirely absent. While the Apple headset is far from the best, it does a far better job in creating a warm full-ranged sound.

It was offered by RadTech on the Unoffical Apple Weblog (http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/26/radtech-procable-iphone-headset/3#c11511244) that better sound can be had with a proper seal in the ear canal, however, even using the Shure inserts the sound fell well short of the advertised "audiophile grade". Again, it is not fair to compare this headset to anything approaching "audiophile", such as the Shure E2C's, but there is no reason it should sound worse than the Apple headset.

Although the cost of the RadTech product is low, I was hoping for a better product than what was received. For the time being, I will keep using both my Apple headset as well as my E2C's with a bulky iPhone adapter. Given my positive experiences with RadTech's service and products in the past, I hope they can either correct the problems with this product going forward or discontinue it.

[chlorine]

...I was hoping for a better product than what was received. For the time being, I will keep using both my Apple headset as well as my E2C's with a bulky iPhone adapter. Given my positive experiences with RadTech's service and products in the past, I hope they can either correct the problems with this product going forward or discontinue it.


thanks for the review... I was just able to pull the trigger too... it looks really nice in the pictures and I am really sick of my apple headset. while the V-modas look good, they aren't cheap and I've heard all the problems they have...

wonder if I should try the Helium ones...

[shaolinmonk]

i got my radtech's and i think they are alright for the price.. i like them more then the skull candies..

the build quality is decent, the packaging is nice.. the sound is as expected.. i didn't like the rubbers it comes with cause they seem to thin... i put another set that i had and they feel nicer.. the mic placement could be better cause it's a little high but overall i'm pretty happy with these and hope they'll last till i get my warrantied modas back

the button on mine is very stiff so i'm not sure how it could be accidently pressed... the base on mine is also pretty decent.. but sometimes i find these headphones lack clarity.. (that was my biggest issue with the skull candies)

[salsa77]

wonder if I should try the Helium ones...

I ended up picking up the Helium ones, and really like them. Good upgrade over the stock iphone headphones at a decent price.

[Stupy76]

Personal opinion of the Helium headsets. Bought a pair after reading reviews here. Here's what I can say about them...

Looks: Subjective, but they look alright, shiny blackish finish. No complaints really.

Build: Build quality is not that good. I've used them for about 2 weeks, only in the car mind you, and the wire to from the jack to the mic has already pulled away. I can put pics up if someone is really interested.

Sound: Emphasis on the low end, very bassy which might suit some people. I found the bass very muddy and the sound not crisp at all when listening to music. On voice calls, they performed ok.

Comfort: Not comfortable at all for extended use. The headphones come with three sizes of ear plugs. I'm usually a medium fit, but for these headphones, I had to use the small plugs. Even then, these headphones actually hurt my ears after a while (30 mins max).

Conclusion: Price is decent for this set of headphones. I see other people have had positive things to say, so some might find good use for them. I have stopped using them and gone back to holding my iPhone manually until I get another pair of the stock Apple headsets. I wouldn't use these headsets unless I'm in a bind and really needed a handsfree. (Stock headsets are much better IMO, but harder to get here in Canada - i.e. can't get them at the Apple stores here).