[Owenpri]

 

[lwien]

I too am curious as to what others have to say about this, especially the comparison of the PK2's to the old Apple Ear Buds in which he basically says that the PK2's are junk as compared to the Apples.  
 
This is the very first time that I've heard anyone say this and apparently, he has the analytical graphs and test equipment to back this up.   Could it be that the PK2's needed some burn in first?    Thoughts?
 
All I've heard on these boards is that the old stye Apple Earbuds are trash and that the PK's are a big improvement.  So....???

 

[DaveUpton]

It's an interesting revelation and proves how wrong our perceptions can sometimes be - but at the end of the day, I have to come back to the really big question: Why the hell would you  use earbuds in the first place when IEM's are so much better if you can get a decent seal?

 

[lwien]

Quote:

It's an interesting revelation and proves how wrong our perceptions can sometimes be - but at the end of the day, I have to come back to the really big question: Why the hell would you  use earbuds in the first place when IEM's are so much better if you can get a decent seal?

 
For me, because of two reasons.   One, is that I use earbuds when I'm out walking a few miles a day and I want to hear what is going on in my surroundings...........just in case.   Two, is that I am one of those individuals who is plagued with a lot of ear wax.  As it is, I have to go in twice a year to get my ears cleaned out.   IEM's would just exacerbate that problem.

 

[famas48]

apple earbuds are actually quite ok excluding bass which is total crap.

 

[lwien]

Quote:

apple earbuds are actually quite ok excluding bass which is total crap.

I got foam pads at Radio Shack for the Apple Buds and not only did they help to keep them in my ears, it improved the bass response a LOT. 
 
I got some PK3's on the way, but after reading this review, I'm not sure I made the right decision.

 

[lwien]

Ok, just got the PK3 and doing some A/B'ing, so to anyone that may be interested in this.
 
There ARE certain things regarding music reproduction that testing equipment cannot measure, and while I realize that much of this is subjective, my observations are as follows:
 
The MAIN difference between these two earbuds is that the PK3's take the veil off that are there with the Apple buds.   Listening to the Apples, it's as if a blanket was thrown over loudspeakers and when switching to the PK3, that blanket was lifted off.   With the PK's, I was able to pick up soft harmonics as well as decay sounds coming off of strings that the Apple buds just couldn't reproduce.   The PK's are bit on the bright side, but I heard that things settle down with some usage.  
 
The Apple buds have been demoted to back-ups.

 

[Owenpri]

Guess it's agreed that he went a LITTLE too far calling the Apple Buds best in the world.

 

[lwien]

Quote:

Guess it's agreed that he went a LITTLE too far calling the Apple Buds best in the world.

 
It's all subjective I guess.   I really hated the Apples when I first got them but when I went to Radio Shack and got the foamies, it helped a LOT, but again, I didn't realize how much I was missing until I got the PK's.   They really just open everything up even with classical music.   It picks up the decay echo off of the strings of a cello that the Apples just fail to reproduce.

 

[Phenony]

Usually past products are somehow exaggerated over time.
 
Glad that you have your PK3, and PK1 is worth trying as well.

 

[AzN1337c0d3r]

Read the text review here: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/lauding-jobs-least-loved-product-basic-apple-ear-bud

Considering that apple made what must be hundreds of millions of them, it makes a pretty convincing point.

 

[penmarker]

I had the old earbuds that came with the first gen iPod nano, and the newer one that came with the 5th gen Nano. No contest the newer one sounds better obviously. Increased dynamics, better extensions, and clarity. Though, both can't compare to the more expensive ones out there in the market, I'm just comparing them between themselves.