Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Panasonic ErgoFit Wired Earbuds, In-Ear Headphones with Dynamic Crystal-Clear Sound and Ergonomic Custom-Fit Earpieces (S/M/L), 3.5mm Jack for Phones and Laptops, No Mic

Top positive review

Must be fitted properly to hear bass frequencies

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2012

If you've been wondering how such a highly-rated product like this can also have one-star reviews stating these earbuds have "absolutely no bass whatsoever" and sound "horribly tinny", I'd like to offer an explanation.

These Panasonics are not designed to be placed in the ears and worn like classic earbuds. If that's how you wear them, you'll get nothing but tinny sound at relatively low volume (think 1960's pocket transistor radio.) These earbuds are specifically designed to fit snugly into the ear, forming an airtight seal. If you choose too small of an earpad and/or don't push them in far enough, you won't hear any low-end frequencies. It's only when you get an airtight seal that the earbuds will instantly come alive with full-range sound and volume.

Here's a quick analogy: Tightly plug both ears with your fingers, close your mouth, and hum the lowest note you can. Now take your fingers away, and notice how almost all of the low end and volume drops out. That's the difference between a proper fit and an improper fit with these earbuds. Although the acoustic principles are different, these earbuds must literally plug your ears in order to give you the full frequency spectrum. Otherwise they'll sound horrendous.

Unfortunately, Panasonic wasn't very forthcoming on their product's packaging about how to wear the earbuds, and I'm certain some unwitting consumers are throwing away perfectly good pairs.

As an audio engineer, I can assure you these earbuds, when properly fitted, sound excellent for the price. They're not audiophile-quality earbuds with the sonic transparency of a $200 pair of studio-reference headphones, and they're not as ergonomic as a $150 pair of Westones, but for the price, they are an exceptionally fantastic bargain. Do they have a lot of bass? They're not deficient in any of the low frequencies, but they're not bass-enhanced earbuds, either, which some of you may be used to. They have a relatively nice, flat bass response as is, but if you want extra bottom end on your music, you'll want to boost the low end of your MP3 player's EQ. Fortunately, boosted lows, even the deepest of lows, are handled very well by these Panasonics.

As a result of how these earbuds are designed to be worn, they could be uncomfortable for some people to wear for extended periods of time. The earpads are very soft and pliable, though, and I personally don't experience any discomfort wearing them. Since these earbuds are designed to be wedged into your ear, there are two unique, negative issues to point out:

1. Be very careful not to drop your MP3 player, because having earbuds ripped out of your ear canal is not a pleasant experience.

2. These earbuds may amplify the sound of your heartbeat when it's racing during an intense workout. The incessant "tick tick tick" is loud enough that it becomes extremely annoying during quiet passages in the music you're listening to.

In summary, the audio quality of these earbuds, when properly fitted, will satisfy 99.9% of the general population. I would not recommend them for bike riding or street running since they block out ambient noise, and if you're an audio engineer, you may find them a touch brittle on the high end, but if you need some quality earbuds to tune out the world for a while, these Panasonics are an excellent choice and a phenomenal value.

4,426 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Stylist1206

Work well but Very short cord

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2024

I wanted these because they are wired and for what I do (I am on calls/video conferences for 8-9 hrs a day) the constant battery/charging/dripped connection issues with Bluetooth buds was driving me crazy. They work well and get the job done but be aware the cord is VERY short so if you work on a larger desk moving from one end to the other or turning in the chair to grab docs off a printer will be a challenge.

139,004 total ratings, 66,304 with reviews

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From the United States

EasyTiger

Must be fitted properly to hear bass frequencies

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2012

Color: OrangeStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

4,426 people found this helpful

Helpful

James M.

Good sound quality!

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2016

Color: BlackStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones that go beyond just getting the job done. If you are still considering, this is the best deal out of a lot of the products I found when searching. They are easily accessible, discreet, and they provide excellent comfort when inserting them into your ears. It makes the listener want to keep them in for the peacefulness. Like I said, I recommend this for earbud shoppers. Very good sound quality is what I focus on and it provides. These earbuds also have a small amount of sound canceling ability which improves the listening experience as well. Thank you Panasonic.These are a great pair of ear buds. I keep them with me whenever I have the opportunity to listen to music mobile because they keep great sound quality whenever they plug in and start playing. When using these, I do not need to turn my phone all the way up to hear them at a good volume which is a very good feature. I have had them for about a month now and my pockets have gotten wet but the ear buds still work so yes they are very reliable. This was a good price for some headphones t

77 people found this helpful

Helpful

Great Mazinga

Janitor stole my buds. Now I'm looking for a good replacement.

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2014

Color: BlackStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

The janitor recently stole the pair of Skullcandies I usually left at work. I wanted a good music listening pair to replace them. I recently bought several "cheapish" ear buds, one 20 dollar set, and a set of JVC flat headphones recently. I couldn't decide based on reviews alone, so tried several different options. I know it was silly. I should have just spent it all on one "nice" pair, but I thought it would be fun, and it actually was. Besides, why give the Janitor such a big target. ;p I also discovered different roles for the buds I bought. They nearly all have a place in my collection. :] Win win.

I'm no audiophile, or sound professional. Evenso, I bet I'm like a lot of you. I want nice sounding music to accompany my day while quieting the environment. I hope these comparisons will be helpful so you don't have to buy a bundle of buds, and can maybe zero in on a set or two that will serve your tastes best. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting, and actually noting quit a bit of difference.

The buds/phones I tried are

iLuv iEP322ORG [orange] in-ear Ultra Bass ~6 dollars
Panasonic RPHJE120K [black] in-ear ~6 dollars
Yamaha EPH-20Bu [supposedly blue but actually purple] in- ear ~20 dollars
JVC 10HAFC earphones ~3 dollars
JVC "Flats" on ear headphones black ~12
Skullycandy "Ink'd" in ear buds ~15 [already owned, but in for comparison]
Sentry Wind-Ups in-ear buds ~5 dollars

iLuv:
I chose the orange iLuv's because it was the cheapest color on Amazon. I enjoyed their sound overall. They are the most bass heavy of the group. However, they leave the highs and mids a little neglected. They also reduce ambient sound decently, so you can focus on what you are listening to. So while these are not the most balanced, your teen will probably love the sound. They are also on the "loud" side. Even at minimum device volume these came in the loudest. As such, I will probably put these in with one of my DS systems' carrying cases. It will be great for those, and be on hand so I won't have to scrounge around for a pair, when I want to hear the game and not my wife's TV programs. These also won't be my work or walking pair, because they don't look very adult [again, your teen will probably love them], and they produce the second most "cord noise" in the group from the cords rubbing on your shoulders or clothes while you are walking or exercising. If I had nothing else to compare to, I think I'd have been very happy with this set.

Panasonic:
The Panasonics were probably the quietest of the group. Sound is relatively balanced, with no real extremes. Bass seems light for an in ear bud. They are now my go to bed buds. I can put my device on minimum volume and easily go to sleep. The iLuvs and Skullcandy were too loud to be comfortable on both my phone media player and iPad mini's lowest setting for sleeping. The Panasonics are also small enough, that they weren't uncomfortable for side sleeping. These also produced the least cord noise from movement, so should be good to walk, exercise in. Noise reduction was decent and reduced my wife's snoring several decibels. This might not be so great for outdoor exercise, where you may want to hear your environment for safety. I may even get a second set or carry mine back and forth so I can walk at lunch break in these, since I have a protected area to walk [no cars, etc.]. The lack of cord noise really makes the difference here.

Yamaha:
I was curious about what I would get by going a little upmarket. Granted it's not much of a jump at "only" 20 dollars. The Yamahas were probably most similar in sound to the Panasonics or JVC flats. They had a good all around balance and were more full than the Panasonics. Bass is not prominent, nor is it missing. They sound best with Classical music in my experience. On the down side, they were advertised as "blue", but Yamaha's idea of blue is very clearly Purple. It's not a major issue, but be aware, if you choose this color. Cord noise seemed on the loud side, compared to the JVC buds and Panasonics. I probably would not want to do anything active in them. However, if I could "only" have one bud, this might be it.

JVC HAF10C earbuds:
For only around 3 dollars you shouldn't normally expect too much. Agree? Well, I already had a blue pair [ 4 dollars at retail] so knew what to expect. It's a testament I bought another. This pair was black, and I far prefer the gorgeous blue plastic set, but would not pay a couple extra dollars on Amazon for that choice. I know it shouldn't matter, but I REALLY like blues. Anyhow, the most unique feature of this set is the clamshell case you get. It allows you to wind your cord and protect the buds. I wish higher quality buds would do this. I'd pay a couple extra bucks for it. The case does not work well for most in-ear buds, I would guess. I am able to get the above Yamahas in one case [why I ordered an extra set], but it is not a perfect fit. Larger buds probably won't fit. The buds themsevles have a durable hard plastic casing and should be quite durable. Sound is actually nice, for non-in ear buds. For the price I doubt you'd find better sound. They are also on the quiet side, and not being directly in ear, you could probably give these to your kids without the threat of hearing damage you might get from louder and in ear buds. I use these to walk, talk radio, and some music. Unlike most in-ear, I can wear comfortably all day if I loosely cradle them on ear. While outdoors, they allow you to hear the environment, including wind, which is a downside. Fortunately, they do not generate the cord noise that is such a pet peeve of mine. Great all around value. I don't know that the value can be beat for the quality of plugs, and the very well designed case. Being so cheap, I also don't have to fret too much if the Janitor decides to steal this pair also.

JVC "Flats":
These are on ear headphones, so probably not fair to compare to ear buds. Still they were part of my purchase, so I am including for contrast. At only 12 dollars, I was very surprised how crisp and clean these sounded. They delivered a balanced spectrum, without sacrificing bass as I'd expected. They do not isolate noise as well as in-ear, but you do get some reduction without having to turn your music WAY up. For straight music listening or watching a video, I might choose these most of the time at home. They do not seem to generate cord noise due to movement, but are bulkier than what I want to walk in. They also fold "flat" making them a nice travel pair for people who don't like in-ear buds. I keep mine in an inexpensive ipad mini neoprene case, for example. Would be easy to take on a plane. I have a big head [really], despite their diminuitive size, they adjusted to fit very comfortably. I can wear for long sessions, without bother. Can't go wrong with these.

Skullcandy "Ink'd":
This may not be a fair comparison either. I think these had the greatest "retail" price when they were new, but I bought them on sale at Ross stores for about 15 dollars. These are a few years old, so might be an older make than what is available now. However, I am still surprised by how good these sound to me. Of all the ear buds in my collection these are probably my favorite for music. It figures, after buying several, the one I had still sounded best to me. It has plenty of bass, without sacrificing the overall quality like the iLuvs seem to. However, it is still one of the loudest of my collection, and is uncomfortable to sleep with on my devices. My radio is more sensitive and can tune more quietly, but I rarely use that to sleep to. This set also probably produces the most cord noise of any ear buds meaning they won't walk the beat with me. It also features metallic red and white buds, white cord, and the companies trade mark as a red skull. While I think they look "cool" the skull and colors all look a little childish. They are not as garish as the iLuvs, but they are certainly second in my comparison. That said, there are more sedate colorings available, however they all have the contrasting skull logo in some fashion or other. As such these will mostly be used privately.

Sentry Wind-ups:
These were my least favorite. I was drawn in by the promise of a nifty carry case again. I might have kept just for that, if they'd have worked. However, the cord winder was rather difficult to accuate, at least for my biggish hands. Also my pair of buds may have been defective. The right bud produced only half the volume of the left. I took back to Wal-mart asap. At only 5 dollars, I didn't expect much, but I did expect balance across left and right. I would presume that was a single item issue, but I did not want to get a second pair to find out. Sound was more hollow than most I tried, not even measuring up to the 3 dollar JVC's.

There it is. I hope you've these comments helpful in finding your pair.

145 people found this helpful

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J. Gaita

Unbelievable!!! But Not Centaur Proof.

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2013

Color: SilverStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

Before you read this review I can save you a lot of time. Buy these. However if you want more info than that you can read on, but keep in mind this is not an in depth review on how these buds are technically. I could get into frequency range before and after break in with pink noise and all kinds of other crazy crap, but I'm not going to bore you with that. You might be able to find that type of review in one of the other 1900 five star reviews. I'm just going to give you, what I hear, aside from the voices. But seriously, you can save yourself a lot of time by just buying them. C'MON THEY'RE ONLY $6. Okay, waste your time if you want. Read on if you must. But you'll probably be disappointed.

I normally don't write reviews because English is not my first language... bad English is, but on these I just had too. Let me start out by saying before these I had an awesome pair of Bose In Ear Headphones, the old ones. They cost about $100. I did not pay for them. Someone else who is dumb did, and then further proved their lack of intelligence by giving them to me. Actually, they were a, very generous, Christmas gift I got a few years back from the company I work for. Those ear buds were awesome, but like everything else I love, they died. I did manage to get several years of good use out of them, and I treated them like a red headed step child. The fact they lasted as long as they did only goes to show that Bose makes quality stuff. Well, now that I think about it, for $100 maybe they should have been impervious to damage by human means, or possibly even mythical means. I'm going to say it, they should have been Centaur proof.

So after what I refer to as the "Great Loss of 2010." I then went on a search for a decent pair of replacement buds, in the $20 range; because as is proof by how I treated the Bose ear buds, I shouldn't be allowed to have nice things. I tried many different types of replacement buds from different manufacturers. I'm not going to list them all because I don't have that kind of time. I will say through all my testing that 50% were just okay, and the other 50%... well I would rather have listened to the final death rattle of a puppy. A really cute and sweet looking puppy. You know, the ones you see on the TV that make you feel guilty for not donating to the ASPCA.

Well, after losing yet another pair of the okay ones, how I had those Bose for so long I have no idea, I needed a replacement and decided to try a different brand. I went again to the internet and performed the search, "good cheap headphones for someone who should not have good things." I hit enter, the search results came up, and clicked on a link that appeared to be a tech review site and let me tell you... they are really good at disguising porn sites to look like normal sites in search results these days. So after seeing something that I will never be able to unsee, I came across the Panasonic RPHJE120S and figured for $6 on Amazon I'll give them a shot. I've wasted $6 on far worse.

They arrived the day before I ordered them, as Amazon has awesome shipping, especially if you are a Prime Member. I grabbed my Zune, no I don't have an IPOD because I believe Apple, and the late Bea Arthur, are trying to kill me. I put in the buds and selected a track to play, expecting either okay sound or sound so bad that I would black out and wake up naked in a quarry with a dead rodent in my mouth. The latter has only ever happened to me twice in my life... three times tops... four at the most... possibly every Friday. Once my selected track started playing I was just amazed, to find my neighbor on his roof trying to fix his satellite dish in a t-shirt, pair of boxers, rubber rain boots, and a tool belt, with no tools in it, unless you count him. The sound out of the ear buds was awesome too! Clear highs, nice bass, just great frigging sound. It sounded like the puppy was right in the room with me. Then I turned on some music and was further impressed. Initially the highs in certain songs seemed a bit, too high, but over time the buds broke in to be just pure awesome. A $6 dollar pair of headphones that competed with those $100 Bose buds I had. Don't get me wrong, Bose is Bose, but to even approach sound quality on par with those Bose buds in a $6 pair of Panasonic's is damned amazing. But be warned, these buds ARE NOT Centaur proof. I checked. They are fairy resistant though.

I have also found them pretty comfortable, and they stay in my ears pretty well. I have fallen asleep with these things in. I did an experiment in which I tried to give myself night terrors using audio. It worked, I have never felt the same since. I may have also released something that can only be described as pure evil into the world. But like I said they were real comfortable and stayed in my ears even when I woke up screaming and thrashing about.

Maybe if you are insane, or a complete audiophile, or both, because they usually go hand in hand, you can pick apart these headphones. I have friends who are audiophiles/insane/schizophrenic and they can find issues with even the best audio gear. If you are looking for a good set of buds to use in everyday use that have great sound you really can't beat these. My first pair of these I had for about year, and then I lost them. I actually think I know where I left them but promised I would never go back... DAMN YOU NEBRASKA! I just bought 2 more pairs and just got done making sure the they worked and thought to myself; "I have to review these, they deserve it. Also, I need to teach Amazon a lesson for giving me an outlet to share my opinions." I believe this is the first product I have ever reviewed on Amazon and if you have read this far you can probably see why. I'm an idiot.

If you need ear buds... get these. If you don't need ear buds get them. Hell, if you don't like them you are only out $6. With almost two-thousand 5 star reviews, including this one, it's a pretty good sign that these are in fact good buds. If you don't buy these it's a pretty good sign that you are in fact an idiot. I would know, we can spot our own.

Yes, I have read the bad reviews, that's what I do. I research a product to death and then look only at the bad reviews to see if the complaints really seem valid or sane. This may sometimes scare me away from perfectly good products like the Nokia N-Gage, HD-DVD, and reusable toilet paper. But sometimes, especially with bigger purchases, I really want to feel sure after ordering the product, that I have made a huge disastrous mistake. However, that being said, I have no idea what happened to some of the people that left bad reviews for these. Maybe they got defective buds, or they are really picky audiophiles, but having heard them myself I can't agree with those reviews. I also don't agree with the law of gravity or that 9/10 of the law involves possession.

I have also beat the hell out of my first pair of these buds. I used them for everything, airplane, car rides, while I was cleaning around the house, and in the gym. Occasionally I have used these as a leash for my dog, and in two instances these saved my life from demons, that live in my head. Apparently head demons hate death metal, but absolutely love smooth jazz. Strange, I know. Seriously though, in the gym these things got ripped out of my ears a whole lot of times and they still kept working. Like I said, in the end I lost the first pair, but they still worked great when I lost them.

I'll finish on a serious note and stop joking around for just a bit by saying this, at the end of the day everyone's hearing and preferences are different. You can hate something that I love and vice versa. That's just how it is. So in the end there is no guarantee, but if you do the math and you even count the 3 star reviews as bad, only 19% of everyone that bought these did not like them. The other 81% like me... nothing but love baby. These things sound great, fit in my ear comfortably, they stay in my ear pretty good, even when I am at the gym, and seem pretty durable.

See, I told you could have saved a whole lot time if you would have just bought them, but you needed to keep reading.

866 people found this helpful

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Frances

Unexpectedly good!

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2013

Color: SilverStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

I am 18 years old and a bit of an audiophile. I have been searching for a while to find a good quality, cheap, and amazing sound quality ear buds. Recently I bought three pairs from different brands to compare, this pair as one, and this is how they played out:

1) Panasonic RPHJE120S In-Ear Headphone, Silver

Bass: 9/10
Very clear and strong, yet not overpowering. Personally I like my bass very loud and powerful, but these are actually amazing despite not having ear-shattering bass.
Test the bass of your earbuds with these two songs that have very powerful bass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyWQDhF4suo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqnSP0tUhIg

Other sounds clarity: 10/10
I was very, very impressed by the clear, gentle yet crisp sound of the highs, treble, and vocals from these earbuds.
Test the sound quality of your earbuds with these two songs that have clear and crisp vocals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0aLE0nIuAo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l-yjKdWpj8

Comfort: 10/10
Again, I was impressed by these earbuds again for their comfort. They come with two other sizes of softgel covers, and I would recommend trying out each size before discarding them in frustration! I wear mine for long periods at a time, 3 - 4 hours, and these did not give me a headache or make my ears itch at all.

Durability: 9/10
So far, these have held up very very well (I've had them for about a week). I am very impressed. I will keep this review updated about their durability as time goes on.

2) iLuv iEP322GRN City Lights In-Ear Earphones - Ultra Bass - Green

Bass: 10/10
By far the best bass I have ever experienced. Absolutely earth-shattering. Though again I would recommend trying each of the three sizes of softgel covers before getting upset. I tried the smaller and medium sized and could barely hear the sound. After putting on the largest size, I was blown away by the power of the bass. Again, test the bass with the two songs I linked to up above!

Other sounds clarity: 9/10
Again, very impressive. The sounds are clear and powerful, and the bass does not drown them out. Test with the songs linked above!

Comfort: 7/10
Here is where these earbuds fail. Upon first putting these in, they felt very large and bulky. I got used to it quickly, but after about an hours' wear, my ears and head began to ache. After about two hours use, my ears began to itch, and it only got worse. The sound of these are AMAZING, the best I have ever experienced in an earbud, but if you are going to wear them for more than an hour, it might go well to choose something else.

Durability: 9/10
These are very well-made, and so far have given me no issues with wear and tear (I've had them for about a week). Again, I will keep this review updated of their condition.

3) Skullcandy INK'D Ear Buds with In-Line Microphone and Control Switch S2INDY-101 (Blue/Black)

Bass: 8/10
I was excited to try these Skullcandy earbuds after hearing so much about the brand. However, after trying these out with both softgel cover sizes, I was not incredibly impressed with the bass. It didn't blow me away. I felt it could have been more powerful. The other sounds overpowered it, and it lacked that boom boom and rich deep sound that most people like. Test with the songs above to see the difference; it surprised me! Though again, I would definitely suggest trying both sizes of softgel covers. The bass was much more pronounced with the larger covers than with the softer ones.

Other sounds clarity: 8/10
I was impressed by the clear sounds of the music through these earbuds, though as I mentioned above, the bass was slightly drowned out by the other sounds. Test with the songs above if you wish.

Comfort: 9/10
These earbuds were very comfortable after long hours of wear, and I have no complaints about that aspect.

Durability: 9/10
No complaints yet, and I will keep this review updated.

My conclusion is the best overall earbud is this Panasonic. It won out in all the categories, and I am very happy with them :)

5 people found this helpful

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isamonkey

Quality product at budget price

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2024

Color: BlackStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

I bought these on a whim in 2018 to use with my iPad, and promptly forget that I had them! Found them recently and decided to give them a whirl when I was dealing with an exceptionally noisy neighbor, which made watching TV all but impossible. These worked perfectly. On their own they did a decent job of muffling the noise (my Loop Quiets are probably the better option in that regard) but when used to hear dialogue on my iPad? Perfect! I'm not going to pretend like I'm an expert in AV tech but for $10, these ear buds did the trick. My only complaint is that the cord is SUPER long and prone to tangling if you're not careful, but that's a minor thing. Plus it's helpful if I want to listen to something as I drift off to sleep as I can turn in bed without dragging the iPad with me LOL Moving forward, I will definitely consider ear buds or headphones by Panasonic. ETA — tried these with my iPhone 6 and am having an issue with static. I presume that has more to do with the fact that I’m working on year 9 with my iPhone. No issues at all with the iPad, which I’ve had just as long.

One person found this helpful

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One of the best products I've purchased on Amazon.

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2014

Color: BlackStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

These are, without question, the best headphones/earbuds I've ever owned. I'll keep this review short, but here are the highlights.

Pros:
* Affordable: You can buy 10 pairs of these for the price of a single pair of their competitors. After trying out my first pair, I've since bought a pair for my bedroom, home office, and office at work to complement the pair that I bring with me everywhere when out-and-about. So now I always have a pair of headphones right where I need them, and this was achieved for under $40. In fact, I just checked, and when I purchased them in October 2013, these were on sale for $7.50 apiece. So while I'd still HIGHLY recommend them at the current $10-$11 price range, you can probably save a few bucks by waiting to buy them (and, say, using a price tracking website like CamelCamelCamel).
* Surprisingly high-quality audio: these little earbuds reliably output beautiful, crisp audio with shockingly deep bass that I can feel in my toes. I honestly was shocked to hear so much more in some of my favorite songs with these than my previous, more expensive headphones.
* Comfort: This is of course very personal and what works for me may not work for you, but I have had no issue comfortably wearing these through long plane flights, while running on a treadmill/outdoors (connected to my beloved Sansa Clip), gaming, and listening to podcasts/youtube videos at home. I've worn them for 5+ hours before without my ears getting sore.
* Noise-cancellation: I forget if they're even billed as doing this, but the earbuds fit snugly enough to REALLY drown out sound. I've been watching a movie on my laptop before when my roommate and several of his friends arrived at home, greeted me, sat down behind me, and scared me half to death after realizing I'd heard none of the above. They're phenomenal for when you need to drown out your surroundings to relax or just get some things done.
* Durability: I've been wearing the hell out of the pair that I take with me everywhere, averaging at least an hour of wearing them per day since I purchased them back in October 2013 (I'm writing this review in mid-August 2014), and they still sound just as good as the day they arrived. This includes not only walking around town with them on but also biking and 3 - 4 days at the gym per week. These little guys just don't seem to quit.

Cons:
None. Seriously these are among my all time most satisfying purchases, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for earbuds.

The only thing that has been a slight inconvenient for me a few times is cord length. These are about 3.6 feet long according to the listing (I was going to guess 3 or 4 feet), which means, for example, they're not going to stretch behind your desk and to the backside of a PC tower sitting on the floor. While there are easy ways to solve these problems (like buying a male-to-female 3.5mm cord (for about $5 or less) and keep the female end on your desk), it is something to keep in mind if you're not intending to use them with a nearby MP3 player or phone.

At the same time, the relatively short cord length makes these headphones *ideal* for using while active. I can use these with my Sansa Clip attached to my running shorts when exercising very comfortably. While there is inevitably still some give in the cord (and the cord does sway a bit while I jog), I don't have to worry about it flailing wildly and or having to bundle up the slack cord before I get to exercising. For reference, I'm about 6'2". So if you're in the 7' range you should probably look to use them with an MP3 player/phone on an armband!

I'll update this review if and when one of my 4 pairs finally gives out, but at this point you can rest assured that I'll be replacing them with a new pair of these same earbuds!

One person found this helpful

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Nerfbomb

Nice basic earbuds

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2023

Color: OrangeStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

These are good basic earbuds. They do not have an inline button thing. They seem to be pretty good quality construction. The sound quality is also pretty good, not mind blowing, but very good. They seem to be a excellent value for their price. I got them because they are Panasonic brand & under $8. I got the kind without an inline button, because I hate inline buttons. I'm glad that Panasonic is still making earbuds without inline buttons. I hope that these will live up to the quality I expect from Panasonic & last a long time. One thing I noticed about the "ergo" design is that the speaker part on the earpieces are oval shaped instead of circular. I've never had any other "ergo" earbuds, so I don't know if that's unique or not. It doesn't seem to make a much difference in fit, but it can make changing the silicon pad parts slightly trickier than on a round one. The rest of the "ergo" design doesn't seem to be a big deal either. They don't seem to fit any better or worse than regular "non ergo" earbuds, but with the "ergo" design the ends don't stick out as much. They do seem to stay in place in the ear better than "non ergo" ones tho.
They cost less than most regular "non ergo" earbuds, so I have no complaints about the ergo design.

The last pair of earbuds I had were "fake brand" earbuds from a local store that cost $15 ("on sale") & stopped working after about a month. I don't beat up my earbuds, I just use them on my PC, I don't tie the wires in knots or pull on the plugs or stomp on the earpieces or anything like that. Yet it seemed like every time I got new earbuds they would cost more & break faster.

I am sick of earbuds that have an inline button thing. I never use the button things. I don't even know why they are there, they don't seem to do anything. Yet it seems like every pair of earbuds simply must have them now. Some claim to have a microphone built in. I have no use for that, I use these to listen to my PC, not talk on my phone & my phone has its own mic anyway, why would I need one on an earbud? Some claim to have volume controls. I have never gotten any of these so called volume controls so do anything useful, I press the button, it does nothing; even if they worked I have better volume controls on my PC.

My only experiences with inline buttons are negative. The last few pair of earbuds I had owned all stopped working because the tenuously soldered wires in the button parts broke. And the wires are too thin & the PCB is too tiny & fragile to try repairing. (I did intend to re-solder the broken wire, but two others - there were four in total- broke off just from me handling the PCB, the wires all looked the same & with no way to tell which wire went to which corner, I gave it up. It was not worth the hassle of dealing with a tiny part, seemingly designed to break at the slightest provocation)
My conclusion is that the button things are built in as deliberate weak points of failure. Inline buttons are a blight to earbuds.

17 people found this helpful

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Kenneth Dean

Still going strong after 8 years!

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024

Color: BlueStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

I bought these earbuds in 2016, and over the past eight years I have used the hell out of them. I've used them while on the bus, on the train, and on planes. I've used them at the gym, while hiking, and while traveling internationally. I've fallen asleep with them in my ears multiple times, and I'm constantly wadding them up and shoving them in my bag or pockets. I've listened to hundreds upon hundreds of songs on these earbuds, ranging from bass heavy to treble heavy and everything in between.

And yet, despite all this abuse, they sound just as good as they did the first time I used them eight years ago. The only real damage to them are the little debris screens falling out when I was cleaning them a few years ago. The wire sheathing hasn't degraded over the years, and the 3.5mm jack shows no signs of wear apart from a single scratch in the rubber.

Recently, I bought a pair of cheap IEMs that had superior sound quality to these earbuds, but when they failed after a week of use, guess which product I could reliably fall back on and use while I'm writing this very review?

I'd say I'd buy these again, but I don't think there's going to be a point where I'll need to.

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Samuel

Panasonic RPHJE120 vs. Sony MDREX10 earphones

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2012

Color: RedStyle: No MicVerified Purchase

In just the past several years the difference between the least expensive IEM headphones (in-ear-monitor, or "earbud") and the "high-end," premium-priced models (some costing as much as $1000.00 and requiring special fitting by an audiologist) has been reduced to a degree sufficient to "fool" the most discerning listeners in a blind-fold test. Of course, any failure to differentiate the "cheap" from the ultra-high end brand would immediately be blamed on numerous variables, which are likely to affect a listener's judgments about an "earbud"-sized phone more than is the case with full-sized headphones. With IEM phones there are always questions about the size and materials of the ear-tips, and the particular "seal" that is achieved while listening. Moreover, the judgment is always necessarily highly "subjective" and relative to listeners' personal tastes. If it's not a blindfold test, the preference may come down to listeners' susceptibility to makers' promotional material, the added "designer-quality" features (including packaging), and lots of elitist hype supported by technological jargon based on physics and acoustic principles.

Oddly, listeners tend to disregard the source material and its limitations, regardless of the technology of the transducers (i.e. phones or speakers) used to reproduce the frequencies of the source material. Yet, more often than not, the source material is compressed to the size of an mp3 file with a bit rate of 128 kbps as compared to a non-compressed WAV or AIFF file of 1411 kbps. So unlike the high fidelity systems of the 1970s--AR3 vs. KLH "sealed" speakers vs. McIntosh and JBL combinations of woofers, mid-range drivers, and tweeters in a single gigantic cabinet--all designed to transmit the "non-compressed" signal embedded in the grooves of a long-playing record--the "stakes" in today's audio comparison/shoot-outs are far lower and less significant. Instead of "which system can reproduce the full frequency spectrum?", the question has been reduced, merely, to which system sounds best while translating the limited information of an MP3 file into sound that is most pleasing to the perception of the listener?

With practice and with certain types of music that has been recorded by certain engineers, I'm now able to distinguish between Apple Lossless compression (files of 768 kbps) and common MP3 files (128 Kbps), but the perceived difference is neither habit-forming nor behavior- changing. I'm still inclined to go with whatever "sounds best" to my ears. Invariably, I'm impressed by the phones or speakers that, to my sensibilities, best represent the "sounds in nature," ie., the actual, pure and non-distorted, non-altered sounds of instruments recorded individually and in ensemble contexts as well as the complete range of the male and female human singing voice. But when listening to an engineer like Rudy Van Gelder, who distorts the sound of the piano and enhances the sound of horns to offer the listener clearest access to all of the instruments being recorded, the headphones or speakers can do little to rectify the imbalances found in the source material. It's when listening to the engineers who recorded "Kind of Blue" at Columbia Records or to the recordings of Roy Dunann for Contemporary Records that my ears perceive the truest, most "natural," deepest and most complex sound of an instrument, or instruments, or the human voice--IN SPACE. Without regard to "context" (or what some listeners refer to as "ambiance") there is no longer a standard of reference, or a "sound in nature," which necessarily will have 3-dimensional realism, or depth. Instead, the sound is manufactured and altered long before being picked up by various amplifying speakers in earphones, headphones, or elaborate speaker systems.

In the case of these Panasonic phones (costing $5) and the Sony phones (costing $10--though there are times when the prices are reversed, depending upon matters such as color and supply-demand), the consumer can be prepared to hear full-fidelity music, with clear reproduction of textures and pitches, from the double bass through the piano (and its overtones) through a percussion kit (including bass drum, snares, crash and ride cymbals, and the hi-hat's "chic chic" sound on the off-beats), to the human voice itself (in this instance, Roberta Gambarini's).

I compared the two phones with each other as well as with phones in the $50-$100 area (Sony MDR-EX300LP, Altec Titanium Backbeat UHP326) and phones in the $200 area (Sony MDR-EX700LP). I suspect that the latter phones not only "wear longer" (due to better construction, thicker cords, etc.) but "wear better" (I can listen to music for several hours without any sense of discomfort or mounting pressure in the ear). But as far as initial impressions go, the sonic differences are too small (and subjective) to be worthy of mention. The Sony phones are very slightly smaller and more lightweight, which may account for my sense that the music I was hearing from the Panasonics had fuller textures and more body, especially in the mid-range. To put it differently: with the Sony phones I was hearing music played with stunning, pristine clarity while standing at the BACK of the music room; with the Pansonic phones, I was down front, practically a hostage to the crack of the drummer's sticks, the pedaled overtones of the piano, the bassist's articulation of the strings (not merely the bass's tones). Very likely, the same effect could be achieved with the Sony phones by using smaller ear tips (for a tighter seal) and turning up the gain (the Panasonic earphones are a trifle more "efficient"--i.e. sensitive--than the Sony phones, which require turning up the volume to reproduce the same resonating textures. The Panasonics use a special, "ergonomic" angle along with an "angular" tip that ensures deeper insertion of the tip into the ear canal, thus accounting for some of the added "body" I was hearing in the sounds of the instruments and vocals. Some listeners many prefer the more conventional ear tips of the Sony phones. (Both phones provide two additional sets of tips, which are, in both cases, constructed with a stiff center, along the lines of Sony's acclaimed "hybrid silicone ear-tips").

I'd recommend ordering these Panasonic phones for $5-6. If you like them, order another set before they wear out and the price goes up. If you don't, order the Sony phones and keep the Panasonics on hand for the inevitable day that they fail (providing you don't accidentally step on them first).

[Ignore the aficionados' advice to "burn in" the phones, even before wearing them. Even with high-end, costly phones, that's merely reducing the average lifetime of the phones for listening. Moreover, either of these ultra low-priced Panasonic or Sony phones is ready to go into action from the moment you extract a pair from the box. (Feel free to ignore the crumpled up instructions and warranty.)]

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Panasonic ErgoFit Wired Earbuds, In-Ear Headphones with Dynamic Crystal-Clear Sound and Ergonomic Custom-Fit Earpieces (S/M/L), 3.5mm Jack for Phones and Laptops, No Mic - RP-HJE120-A (Blue)

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