[cvince]

I know many of you are also annoyed with asymmetrical buds, but have you ever stopped to consider you may have worn them incorrectly?

Based on my observations of strangers on the bus, plain, train, ship, (or wherever people feel the urge to put on those asymmetrical IEMs and listen to some nice music) I'd say at least 70% of the people are putting them on wrong.

Head-fi, I am about to share with you possibly the best modification you can perform on your precious CX300s that will save you a lot of grief and headache and a lot of "why the hell did they do that?". Many friends and strangers I have seen fuddling around with their new asymmetrical buds have thanked me for providing the answer, and I can't help but think how much grief, anxiety, and frustration I will save you people by offering this advice:

The long cable (usually the right ear) goes behind the neck. NOT in front.

Try that, and you'll wonder why you once preferred the cumbersome y-cabled buds that in fact are even more prone to catching onto things because they just jump and hop around in front of you. You put on asymmetrically cabled buds faster than Y-shaped buds because you never have to look at which bud belongs on the right, and which belongs on the left. They are easier to hang on your neck when you suddenly need to stop listening to music for a while. You can turn your neck more freely with them. Not to mention, asymmetrically cabled buds look more tidy after you put them on.

I personally can't stand Y-shaped buds for the life of me. In fact, I would prefer if grado made asymmetrically cabled headphones.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

I prefer Y-cables and would be sad if my SR-60s didn't have one.

 

[cvince]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek I prefer Y-cables and would be sad if my SR-60s didn't have one.

don't you feel that the cable hanging in front of you gets in the way sometimes?

 

[PiccoloNamek]

No, never.

What you described, however, sounds very awkward.

Also, I never have to look (much) at which ER4 is the left or right, because the left one is blue, and the right one is red.

 

[feh1325]

i think it would look really weird if grados had an asymmetrical cable. the design really wouldn't be practical.

but a one sided cable makes more sense, just impossible with the grado design

 

[PiccoloNamek]

I hate one sided cables too. My MDR-V600s have a one sided cable and it always bothered me how when I moved away from the computer and pulled on the cable, it would lift the left cup off of my ear. A Y cable would have simply pulled the headband down onto my head. I could also feel the cable pulling down on the left cup when I sat down.

 

[MD1032]

I'm famliar with the fact that it is designed to go behind the head, but still, almost always, the right cord is still too long and it pulls on your left ear. Can't stand it. Y-split all the way.

 

[kramer5150]

My comments, based on the MDR EX90, which has a left sided asymmetrical cord.

asymmetric cords are terrible... nearly useless!! I always feel like the weight of the cord is tugging at the left earpiece, regardless of whether I hang the wire in front of or behind my neck. This a terrible scenario for the EX90, because it requires a good seal.

If I run the smaller wire behind my neck and walk around... it just doesn't hang right. All the slack is taken out from the right earpiece, so when I rotate my head to the left, my neck becomes a cable pully and it pulls the right earpiece out of my ear.

PISSES - me - off.

I usually prefer to run the cord under my T-shirt, and stowe my player in my cargo shorts pocket. That way the cord doesn't get snagged on stuff as I am commuting in a hurry. It works with the asymetric cord, but its not as clean as a Y cord.

With the asymmetrical cord you pretty much HAVE to stowe your player on ONE side of your body. At least with my sony, its not long enough to reach diagonally across my body if I want to stowe my player in my right pocket. AAARGH!!!

It has rendered my MDR EX90 useless, as a commuter phone. I much prefer to commute with my KSC75 or Koss plugs. This is an inexcuseable design flaw with the EX90, a $100 headphone should not falter in such a simple way.

I normally LOVE sony ergonomics, but they F'ed up big time on this one.

symmetric Y cords for me every time.

Thank GOD Grados are not asymetric in any way. Every asymmetric headphone I have owned (HD280, V6, DT770) felt like the wire was tugging at the left earcup. My MDRV6 would fall off all the time from that god-awful cord. Didn't help any that it ws coiled on top of that. I can't imagine wearing a bowl padded Grado with enough clamp force to hold a 1-sided cord firmly in place. thats GOTTA HURT.

There... Have I left any doubt on this one?

 

[cerbie]

In front: annoyingly swings around, gets caught on collar and stuff, when pulled, more pull from the side with with both cables attached.
In back: gets caught on the back of most chairs, or a wall if leaning against one.

With a Y cable, it won't get snagged and be annoying, possible painful, to turn my head. Single-sided would be fine, but not asymmentrical external cabling.

 

[Mercuttio]

I despise that J style headphone cable. Frankly, I think it's terrible design. Hell, nobody even knows how to use it properly. I see people every day on the Subway that have lopsided cables. It's clearly based on the left handed single-sided entry that all single-sided headphones have though... but why bother transferring that to earbuds?

Here's the main problem. I hate having things rub up against the back of my neck. A girlfriend is one thing, but anything else gives me the creeps and sends shivers up my spine. Grado cables (particularly the RS1 etc) are heavy, and having that rub up against the back of my neck would drive me absolutely insane.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Oh, BAH, you know what I mean. I don't have to look, just a split second quick glance while picking them up.

Edit: Whoa, magic time travelling posts...

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek Also, I never have to look at which ER4 is the left or right, because the left one is blue, and the right one is red.

I wish I could discern colour without looking.

Best,

-Jason

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha I wish I could discern colour without looking. Best, -Jason

What, you can't? Lame.

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek Edit: Whoa, magic time travelling posts...

Dang, with powers like that, no wonder you can sense red and blue!

Best,

-Jason