Rating: 
Summary: Not a good trade off
Review: I was hoping they would sound better than the ear buds that came with the iPod but they are the worst sounding headphones I have ever used. They are so tinny I can't stand using them. Sure they are way more comfortable than the buds that came with the ipod but I think I would rather have slightly sore ears than goose bumps from such horrible sound. They do sound better if you cram them deep in your ears but they wont stay there with any of the 3 sizes of rubber pads.
Rating:
Summary: soooooo annoying
Review: These headphones represent the apitomy of terrible fitting ear buds. I've tried everything, including opening up my ear canal with my free hand. The bud would stay in for maybe 30 seconds, then just squeeze itself out. I don't know how the sound quality is, because I got so frustrated with them that I swung them against the wall......as i requested, they broke promptly.
Rating: 
Summary: Great sound, good fit
Review: I read the (mostly) poor reviews, but decided to buy anyway on the strength of the few good reviews. I am pleased with my decision. I have experienced no problems with the fit or sound of these earphones. They are actually much more comfortable than the original iPOD 'phones. Maybe those other owners got bad merchandise or something, these are great!
Rating:
Summary: Great Style, ZERO performance
Review: I bought these w/o checking reviews first. Wish I checked. I love my Ipod, and the original earbuds did not stay in my ears. I had a pair of AIWA swoops, and those were the BEST headphones I have ever owned, until they stopped making them (and my dog ate my last pair! Bad dog!). THE APPLE NEW EARPHONES s--k. The bass response is zero until you press the buds into deep into your ears with your forefingers. Let go, and they pop back out and sound worse than my old AM clock radio. I have a pair of the KOSS behind the neck phones, and will continue with those. DO NOT BUY THESE HEADPHONES. SAVE YOUR $$$. Ugh, they are very stylish but who cares if they don't sound good, right?? Hey Steve Jobs over at APPLE, get on the ball and make a pair of headphones that are equal to the greatness of the IPod!!!!!
--chris in Brooklyn, NY
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I just got these and opened them about 10 minutes ago. I was a bit unsure about getting them, what with the 1 star reviews, but I thought what the hell and took a chance. I have to say I am glad - 1 star reviewers must have strange ears as as well as being comfortable, they have a great sound. I am on pretty low volume and I can't hear the keys as I type. The design is great - they fit fine, and they are almost unnoticable.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't keep them in my ears, too bad.
Review: I thought the sound from these headphones was great. But I have an hour-long commute each way every day, and anytime I move (i.e. walk down the block) the headphones begin to fall out of my ears and I have to jam them back in. I tried all the different 'fits' for the headphones and for me the smallest was the closest to the best fit, and the large and medium ones simply pushed themselves out of my ears. I wish there was a different design for the in-ear-insert, and then these headphones would still be in my ears today.
Rating:
Summary: Good headphones__if you can stand to have them in your ears
Review: I was going to just return these headphones, but then read the positive reviews here on Amazon, and thought I'd give it a try and follow the directions posted by the gentleman that said I wasn't wearing them correctly. And I have to admit, when I had them crammed into my ears far enough, the sound was amazing. Crystal clear highs and midtones, clear, but not overpowering bass. That being said, they would not stay in my ears. I guess I must have "abnormal" ear canals, because I couldn't get them to stay in my ears, even with the smallest earpiece attachments. So my questions is, what good are the best headphones on the planet if you can't get them to stay where they need to be? If you have larger ear canals than me, they might be fine, but for this tightly-ear canaled guy, they just aren't workable.
Rating:
Summary: Just do what Steven in New Jersey says...
Review: I was ready to BLAST these in a review here, but - the 5-star reviews are right. These things - when properly inserted and used with the correct size 'sleeves' for your ears and they are *amazing*. I thought the ear-phones the iPod came with were amazing - but these have an even *better* range. It's like I'm in the room with the artists when I listen using these. I'm hearing the thump from the bass in the middle of my head... it's astounding...! They're worth every penny you'll spend on them.
Rating:
Summary: Fall in love with your iPod all over again
Review: First off... let's address those one-star reviews: you folks either haven't inserted them properly, have irregularly shaped ear canals, or got a faulty product. Let me be clear: THESE HEADPHONES ARE AMAZING. My old pair had been damaged and I needed a replacement set. After reading through the reviews, I was compelled to give these new headphones a try. Especially helpful was Steve from NJ's description of how to fit them correctly. So I took his advice and gently tugged up on the top of my ear with one hand while inserting the phone with the other (very much like putting in earplugs) and... was blown away. The sound quality just doesn't compare. They're better than the originals that came with the iPod. They're better than the Grundigs I was using as a temporary replacement. They're as good or better than over-the-ear models I've used. I fell in love with my iPod all over again. Reasons to buy:
1. The sound quality (when worn correctly) is fantastic. I'm noticing bass and subtle highs that I missed with the old phones.
2. The headphones are very comfortable. The soft plastic is really easy on the ears and I've worn mine for over an hour so far. (One caveat: if you don't like wearing earplugs, DON'T BUY THEM. But why are you even reading this review if you don't want an in-ear product?) Which leads me to...
3. They act as great sound reduction. They're basically earplugs, so they significantly cut down on ambient noise. They help cut down the racket on the train when I'm commuting to and from work. Adds to the quality of music as well as peace of mind.
4. They (might) protect your ears. Because there isn't as much noise to compete with, you can turn down the volume and still get better sound quality. That means you're exposing your ear to less volume over the long run.
5. They (might) save battery time. Less volume = less energy output. These last two items I say "might" because I have no way of proving them, but they seem so common sense, I'm including them anyway. Reasons not to buy:
1. You don't like earplugs/in-ear headphones. 'Nuff said.
2. You have irregularly shaped ear canals. Not sure what percentage of the population you're in, but try a friend's pair if you're wondering.
3. You don't like the price tag. Can't help you there... the modest investment was totally worth every penny to me. So there's my $.02. If you're still undecided, go ahead and buy them. Be sure to wear them properly. Aside from a bit of cash, what have you got to lose? If you hate them, well... at least you can write a review here on Amazon and share your opinion with the rest of us. And if you don't hate them, come on back and post a 5-star review like this one to even the odds!!
Rating: 
Summary: It's all about the fit
Review: I've read the reviews here and at other sites and there are all conflicting. I think the nature of these type of headphones is that they vary from ear to ear and position is EVERYTHING. I think these headphones sound great for me and the part where Apple went wrong is in their manual. They have no diagrams, instructions, etc. for how to fit these into your ear. I will try to explain what I do below:
If you are trying to insert the RIGHT headphone, use your LEFT arm and put it over your shoulder, behind your head, and grab the top of your right ear. Pull your ear upward so as to "straighten" out your ear canal. Then insert the headphone and swivel it in a circular motion to slide it into your ear. The orientation of the chord from the ear plug should be downward just like with the ear-buds. Once they are in you should be able to pull lightly on them and they will not move. If when you pull on them they move, then you either have not put them far enough in your ear or you should try a different size cup. I would recommend trying all three sized cups and use the one that fits the best. Do the similar thing for the other headphone and you should be good to go.
As a note, if you buy a pair of earplugs, they have a similar (albeit better then mine) instruction on how to insert them into your ear. You will see that you get a much snugger fit and better seal if you lift your ear as described here. I hope this helps and gets those one-star reviewers to change their mind!
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