saintmagician
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
- Posts
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I need recommendations for a decent pair of headsets. I'll just describe the problem I'm currently having:
I've used two cheap headsets, HTC stock headset and a $20 maximo one from ebay. I dunno if I've just been unlucky, or if this is a problem with cheap headsets in general. I use them for 1-2 hours a day, either for listening to music or for talking on the phone. Normally my phone stays in my jeans pocket, and the headsets are plugged in.
After a few weeks of use, the headsets break - sound will come out of just one ear. If i wiggle the wire around a bit (red circled area in pic), sound will come out of both ears for a while. Then it'll come out of just one ear again.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JXuC-w7ijNA/Tj3v49sPpyI/AAAAAAAAAKo/53fIbQRYK_A/IMAG0004.jpg
I'm pretty sure I know what causes it. As my phone sit in my jeans pocket, and I walk around... that circled bit of wire gets 'bent' against my jeans pocket, damaging the wire connections inside. Now, short of putting my phone into a case and holster (which I don't like, as it makes the phone very bulky), I don't know how to avoid this (i.e. avoid the wire bending). So I'm hoping this is really a problem with cheap headsets, and that more expensive headsets are resilient enough that this kind of bending is not going to break the wires inside.
What do people think? Does this sound like a problem with cheap headsets? Or a problem with the way I'm using them?
If it's a problem with cheap headsets, can anyone recommend a good one?
- I'm thinking around $100. Although more is okay I guess. Mostly the emphasis is on quality of make and durability, and less so on quality of sound. My phone in my pocket IS going to move around a little when I walk, the headset needs to survive this for 1-2 hours a day.
- Lightweight is preferred, headsets that fold up nicely or with retractable cabling is prefered, otherwise headsets that have a decent carry case is preferred.
- I really want something with a single button for answering calls and play/stop. If it has 3 buttons, that's okay, but I don't really prefer 3 button ones over 1 button ones.
- I prefer ones with in-ear buds.
- Preferably something with good warrenty, or that I can buy from an online store with a good warrenty / service reputation.
- Headsets with a clip are preferred, but not essential.
As for compatibility, I'm using an android htc phone. Personally I've found that any headset using a 3.5mm which is NOT an iphone/ipod/etc. headset will work. I can research this myself (normally I'd just email the manufacturer and ask). But yeah, so feel free to recommend generic headsets, headsets for blackberry, etc.
I've used two cheap headsets, HTC stock headset and a $20 maximo one from ebay. I dunno if I've just been unlucky, or if this is a problem with cheap headsets in general. I use them for 1-2 hours a day, either for listening to music or for talking on the phone. Normally my phone stays in my jeans pocket, and the headsets are plugged in.
After a few weeks of use, the headsets break - sound will come out of just one ear. If i wiggle the wire around a bit (red circled area in pic), sound will come out of both ears for a while. Then it'll come out of just one ear again.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JXuC-w7ijNA/Tj3v49sPpyI/AAAAAAAAAKo/53fIbQRYK_A/IMAG0004.jpg
I'm pretty sure I know what causes it. As my phone sit in my jeans pocket, and I walk around... that circled bit of wire gets 'bent' against my jeans pocket, damaging the wire connections inside. Now, short of putting my phone into a case and holster (which I don't like, as it makes the phone very bulky), I don't know how to avoid this (i.e. avoid the wire bending). So I'm hoping this is really a problem with cheap headsets, and that more expensive headsets are resilient enough that this kind of bending is not going to break the wires inside.
What do people think? Does this sound like a problem with cheap headsets? Or a problem with the way I'm using them?
If it's a problem with cheap headsets, can anyone recommend a good one?
- I'm thinking around $100. Although more is okay I guess. Mostly the emphasis is on quality of make and durability, and less so on quality of sound. My phone in my pocket IS going to move around a little when I walk, the headset needs to survive this for 1-2 hours a day.
- Lightweight is preferred, headsets that fold up nicely or with retractable cabling is prefered, otherwise headsets that have a decent carry case is preferred.
- I really want something with a single button for answering calls and play/stop. If it has 3 buttons, that's okay, but I don't really prefer 3 button ones over 1 button ones.
- I prefer ones with in-ear buds.
- Preferably something with good warrenty, or that I can buy from an online store with a good warrenty / service reputation.
- Headsets with a clip are preferred, but not essential.
As for compatibility, I'm using an android htc phone. Personally I've found that any headset using a 3.5mm which is NOT an iphone/ipod/etc. headset will work. I can research this myself (normally I'd just email the manufacturer and ask). But yeah, so feel free to recommend generic headsets, headsets for blackberry, etc.
Regarding the Fiio cable, it looks great. There's a lot of options for iPhone headsets. Also I was thinking of using a 3.5mm cable extension, so if it gets squashed and damaged in my pocket, then I can just replace the extension cable and not end up with a damaged headset. Unfortunately 3.5mm extension cables seem to start at 1.5mm That fiio cable would be just long enough to reach out of my pocket. Only thing is... where to buy it? The fiio website lists a lot of places to buy fiio products, and a lot of those places have online stores. But none of them have even a whisper of a mention of the LU1 cable >.<