[dragoonf144]

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Wow, that's really cool. Can you comment on the bass comparison between the EarPods and etymotics?

 
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Etymotic is said to usually lack subbass? I have the hf5 but now my friend is keeping it...

 
I just did a 10 min comparison trying to pick up the differences, and basically the earpods have a bit more mid bass. As far as I can tell, sub-bass seems to be better on the Etymotics, but it's hardly noticeable (or maybe my mind is playing games on me!) when you're into the music.
 
Also, from those ten minutes, I found it really hard to find any differences between the etys and Earpods apart from mid-bass. When I added my P-S cable, I could tell some differences. I believe apple has made a winner here. The mid-bass slightly clouds the vocals (but from my experience, any headphones that have more bass than the etys has this effect like my previous IE8s and triplefis) 
 
The only problem with the earpods is that they don't isolate so it wont sound as good if you're in a noisy environment.

 

[Fox2twenty]

I just did a 10 min comparison trying to pick up the differences, and basically the earpods have a bit more mid bass. As far as I can tell, sub-bass seems to be better on the Etymotics, but it's hardly noticeable (or maybe my mind is playing games on me!) when you're into the music.

Also, from those ten minutes, I found it really hard to find any differences between the etys and Earpods apart from mid-bass. When I added my P-S cable, I could tell some differences. I believe apple has made a winner here. The mid-bass slightly clouds the vocals (but from my experience, any headphones that have more bass than the etys has this effect like my previous IE8s and triplefis) 

The only problem with the earpods is that they don't isolate so it wont sound as good if you're in a noisy environment.

Cool, thank you. The mid bass is probably my favorite part.

 

[Fox2twenty]

These EarPods keep getting better!  I am listening to What If I Stumble - by DC Talk, it's a song I have heard many times before.  However, I am hearing the song for the first time!  The vocal harmonies are much more detailed and layered than I thought.  The soundstage and clarity of the Apple EarPods are still impressing me.
 
I'm listening with foam earbud covers over the EarPods; un-modified.  For me this provides the best fit and the best bass response.

 

[dBz-]

I thinking of buying a pair to use as I sleep as I don't like IEM's for sleep. Would people recommend buying them for $20?

 

[Fox2twenty]

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I'm on board with most.
 
These puppies rock. I own a set of Westone UM3X's, used to have UM2's, and have a few lower end MEElectronics... and to be honest, I prefer the these $30 headphones over all of them except the UM3X's (which are $350 headphones).
 
IMO, I prefer them over my old UM2's which are $200 headphones.
 
They're just awesome.

 

1. ^^

Yes, you should buy them for $20.00.  Where can you get them for $20.00 right now?
And remember to try earbud covers when you get a pair.

 

[Lourdes]

I noticed a lot of "pre-order" listings on eBay with lower prices, due mid-November. So I'm assuming this is when the fakes begin to appear.

 

[Fox2twenty]

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I noticed a lot of "pre-order" listings on eBay with lower prices, due mid-November. So I'm assuming this is when the fakes begin to appear.

Ahhh, got it.

 

[devgru]

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And remember to try earbud covers when you get a pair.

 
 
Que? LINK!

 

[Fox2twenty]

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Que? LINK!

Okay:
http://www.amazon.com/Earbud-Earpad-Replacement-Sponge-Headsets/dp/B0025KXUS2/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1352317511&sr=1-10&keywords=earbud+covers
 
These are way more expensive, but I bought them in person:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2036280&retainProdsInSession=1

 

[dBz-]

Thanks for the reply, I'm going to get them from a friend who has two pairs.

 

[Fox2twenty]

Cool, no prob! Just a heads up: the foam in front of the main opening diminishes the high end- a lot of guys cut a small (really small) hole for the main opening.

 

[softrally]

I was enjoying these for a few days after I got them but then I accidentally broke the plug when I smashed the it against the wall as I was trying to move my laptop. I got a chance to bring these to the Apple Store today and I lied that they started cracking and then broke afterwards. The employee told me that he will give me a one-time exception, and then proceeded to look for a bulk package of the EarPods. However, he couldn't find one, and then suddenly he pulled out an ADDIEM. He gave them to me and told me to enjoy-I thanked him greatly and walked out of the store with a smile and a pair of the dual driver IEMs. Yes, the ADDIEMs are still better than the EarPods, no matter how good the EarPods are compared to the old iBuds. I'm an Apple fanboy from now on 

 Time to buy the MBP 13, which I got to see today at the store...Yes, it's a beauty.

 

[RickH9]

I tried these out earlier this week. They sound pretty good, but the lack of isolation is the ultimate deal breaker for me.

 

[luisdent]

I love the earpods that came with my new ipod touch.  I have compared them to the sony xba-1 and mdr-ex85lp.  I'm not into the xba-1 as it falls short in terms of a flat response, however the ex85lp have been my favorite IE phones for about 3 years.  They have truly enhanced my listening enjoyment and there the first thing I go to when I really want to enjoy music.  That being said, they aren't perfect, and the earpods have a similar effect on me.
 
The ex85lp phones have a very warm sound.  I find the bass very capable and fairly well balanced.  They aren't perfectly flat response, but they are great for the price.  The depth and instrument separation are great.  The main issue I've grown to notice more and more is that they like that little extra airy-ness.  The high treble details are there, but they are soft and not reference flat.  The earpods switch things up a bit.  They don't sound as warm.  The bass is pretty similar being a little bit more prominent in the mid-bass area.  The main difference is that the earpods have more open high frequencies.  The problem is that they almost have a fatiguing aspect to them.  it isn't bad, but I find I can more easily listen to the sonys longer and louder.
 
They also have a little less mid-high frequencies than the ex85lp.  The sonys have a more u shaped frequency curve leaning towards a flat sound but with a little bass boost and treble boost but the very highest treble rolled off.  The earpods have more of a camel shaped curve with the mid-lows boosted a bit and then the mid-highs boosted, but no rolloff at the very high end.  I find lately i've been using the earpods over the sonys primarily because they offer the "impression" of more detail in a lot of the music I listen to.  Violins and cymbals and such have a more realistic sharpness to them than the sonys.  That isn't to say they are easier to hear or sound better really.  The sonys have incredible separation and detail.  They midrange even brings out instruments you don't hear in the earpods as well, but the earpods almost bring back some of the airyness the sonys lack.
 
So, I'm in search of a new pair right now to replace both and give me a good balanced response.  Flat and reference is what i'm looking for.  But after using (probably still will for a while) the earpods, I can honestly say I believe them to be an incredible value for the $30 price tag.  And if you got them with a new device, even better.  I think if you fit them properly in your ear you will get a lot of music enjoyment from them.  I think I've just caught the sound quality bug.

 

[Fox2twenty]

So, I'm in search of a new pair right now to replace both and give me a good balanced response.  Flat and reference is what i'm looking for.  But after using (probably still will for a while) the earpods, I can honestly say I believe them to be an incredible value for the $30 price tag.  And if you got them with a new device, even better.  I think if you fit them properly in your ear you will get a lot of music enjoyment from them.  I think I've just caught the sound quality bug.

I agree, for me the EarPods sound so much better than the Meelectronics I was listening to and it makes me want to buy more headphones! Anyway, if the highs are too fatiguing then putting earbud covers on will definitely roll off the highs.