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Review

Review - EarJams Turn Apple Earphones into In-Ear Headphones

Monday, July 11th, 2005 at 6:00 AM - by

The earphones Apple includes with its iPods aren't bad, but they aren't exactly good, either. Griffin Technology's EarJams are a surprisingly ingenious way to change that, however, and they do so inexpensively.

The problem with Apple's earphones are twofold: Fidelity is low, and the darned things won't stay in your ears very well (good luck trying to get them to stay after you lose the foam covers Apple includes). EarJams address both issues by clipping onto the business end of your Apple earphones and converting them into in-ear headphones. The result is much greater low-end response, higher over-all sound quality, and a snug fit that will resist falling out of your ears!

EarJams will not magically turn your earphones into the equivalent of substantially more expensive in-ear headphones, but for US$14.99 ($7.12 - Amazon), you simply cannot get more audio bang for the buck. Better yet, that price includes a carrying case that holds both the EarJams and your earphones.

Just The Facts

EarJams from Griffin Technology

MSRP $14.99 / Street Price: $7.12.

Pros: Provides a much greater audio response, especially at the low end, with Apple's earphones, while also offering a snugger fit.

Cons: Not intended for hardcore audiophiles.

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rezonate said:

member since 04 Feb 2005 with 741 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:43 am

Got my wife the EarJams with her U2 iPod. She called them uncomfortable and proceeded to get some closed cup headphones. So I inherited the EarJams and you know what? She was right. They're fine for about 30 minutes but then start to get irritating. In contrast, I can wear the Koss "The Plug" in-ear phones all the way from Atlanta to Honolulu without a problem. They were only $15 from Kmart. The review is correct that the EarJams enhance the bass response, but the stock iPod phones have pass through holes that let in outside noise. Good for use in and around people, traffic, etc but bad for blocking out the world. The best thing about the EarJams is the little case they come in. I keep my airplane seat adapter and the Koss phones in the case and the iPod/EarJam combo stays at home. If you want the case or to keep the all-white aesthetic, the EarJams are for you.

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Billy K said:

member since 06 May 2004 with 297 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:20 am

They work. I like the sound, but I can't wear them. They are really, really uncomfortable, which is a real shame. I paid $5 for mine, and I wouldn't suggest paying any more.

(And like commenter above, I too thought the case was awesome. I suppose it was worth the $5)

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:31 pm

If you like Bass you'll like 'em. I mean lot's of Bass, waaaay too much. Not a big deal if you have an iPod with an eq, however, iPod Shuffle owners beware! From an audiophile point of view this product mangles the sound.

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Bryan said:

member since 11 Jun 2001 with 7340 posts, TMO Staff, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:43 pm

Thanks for the feedback, folks. It's great for people to see some contrary opinions!

I actually find them very comfortable. This could be an issue with them fitting better in my ears, or something to that effect, but I wanted to make sure folks understood that I use these things all the time.

Also, note that there are different sized gaskets included with the EarJams. If you find them uncomfortable, try the other sizes. That note is intended mainly for people who haven't tried them yet, as I imagine that the above posters already tried that.

Bryan

Editor

iPO

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zmacman said:

member since 11 Jul 2005 with 1 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:49 pm

I thought these were a great idea when Griffin released them, but after ordering 3 sets for myself , my wife and a friend... we all returned them. The sound quality of these adapters are horrible. It all but removes the high frequencies from the headphone. Also... I agree... they are uncomfortable. It took me 5 minutes to package them back up and call the store for a return authorization. The guy who did this review obviously can't hear... because the sound quality sucks. Yes... greater bass response, but at the expense of high frequency. Look at the design... all they are doing is funneling the sound. I like Griffin products overall, but not this one.

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:23 pm

zmacman wrote:
The sound quality of these adapters are horrible. It all but removes the high frequencies from the headphone.

I completely agree. I'm no "hardcore audiophile," but I like to hear the whole sound, not just the bass. With the EarJams, bass is all you hear. Everything else is muddy. I was instantly disappointed.

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Billy K said:

member since 06 May 2004 with 297 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:32 pm

I found the sound quality OK (certainly not great). Yeah, they muffle the highs, but a little EQ fixes that pretty easily. I've never had a hard time getting enough highs out of my iPod. It's a thick, consistent bass I've always found lacking.

Anyway, to the fella who mentioned the three earplug sizes...I had no problem with the Earjams actually fitting - in fact they fit my ear better than Apple's horrible $40 in-ear headphones. It was the way the outer rim of the Earjam seemed to rub my outer ear wrong.

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:04 pm

In contrast to the majority of comments in this thread I have to say that I love the EarJams. I found the trick to comfort was trying all three of the rubber gasket sizes - it makes a big difference not only in comfort but also in getting the things to stop falling out of my ear! This is a low cost, simple and effective solution to the standard earphones that come with the iPod; now there's something uncomfortable! Kudos to Griffin.

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