The white iPod earbuds have become the symbol of the iPod revolution. They tell the world that you possess the coolest MP3 player in the world. Griffin's EarJams let you keep on using your iPod's earbuds while giving you the quality that comes from in-ear style headphones. You won't believe how good your eabuds can sound until you try EarJams. EarJams easily snap onto your Apple earbuds. Each set of EarJams comes with three sizes of earpads to give you a snug and comfortable fit. In fact with the Earjams sitting comfortably in your ear, you hear more of your music and less outside noise than you ever did with your earbuds alone. Earpads are washable and removeable, and did we mention comfortable? Once you use EarJams, your earbuds will never be naked again. Griffin EarJams are compatible with the latest version of the Apple Earbuds. Earbuds that came with first and second generation iPods are not compatible.
The distinctive white ear buds that come with 3G and 4G iPods meet the audio needs of many listeners, but some don't like the fit, and still others think the buds' sound is too tinny and weak. Griffin addresses these concerns with its EarJams, a pair of snap-on plastic ear funnels designed to boost and improve the iPod's audio performance. The Jams attach directly to the ear buds and use their cone shape to focus the sound within the ear. The Jams also come with three pairs of soft rubber ear pads--large, medium, and small, depending on the size of your ear canal--and a protective carrying case. It's important to note that the EarJams don't fit the buds that came with 1G and 2G iPods.
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| EarJams come with included carrying case to protect your spare earpads and your Earbuds. |
Features and Performance Every music fan has a different opinion on what constitutes quality sound. To some, it's expressive, clear high ranges, while others prefer big, booming bass. If you consider yourself a bass believer, the EarJams are right up your alley. The funnels create much deeper tones, turning formerly bright-sounding songs into thumping affairs. The Jams also boost the volume by around 15 to 25 percent, pleasing listeners who think the traditional iPod ear buds are too slight.
The real question, though, is whether this bass monsoon actually improves the music. And the answer, again, is in the ear of the beholder. There's no question that the Jams sacrifice the high- and mid-range frequencies to improve the low-end performance. A once crisp-sounding acoustic guitar sounds a bit muddled through the Jams, while vocals that formerly soared end up stooping instead. On the other hand, the Jams can also take a flat-sounding hip-hop track and give it some serious punch. Listeners may be best served by using the EarJams on an album-by-album basis, as some songs are clearly improved by the added wallop, while others just create a thud.
One huge area of improvement is the way the EarJams fit within the ears. Once listeners determine which ear pads fit the best, the Jams nestle securely within the ear canals and won't come out until pulled. Contrast that with the default ear buds, which sit loosely in the ear and can easily tumble out while jogging or walking, or even during a quick turn of the head. The pads are also washable in case they get a bit waxy.
A final bonus comes in the form of the zippered carrying case, which holds the ear buds, EarJams, and all of the pads in its padded pouch. The main compartment opens to reveal two mesh pockets and a third zippered pocket. --Rivers Janssen
Pros
- Significantly boosts the bass performance of your iPod
- Increases volume output of ear buds
- Multiple sizes of ear pads ensure comfortable, secure fit
- Handy carrying case protects buds and EarJams
Cons
- High- and mid-range frequencies don't sound as good
What's in the Box
Two snap-on EarJams, two small ear pads, two medium-sized ear pads, two large ear pads, padded carrying case.
1 They stay in your ears!
I had a terrible time keeping the earbud in my ear until I got these. They also work well to direct the sound into your ear so that you don't need to use as much volume to get excellent sound. Griffin also supplies a nice little case to hold you ear jams and headset. If you don't like things in your ears, you should get a "muff" type headphone. I love these little guys!
2 Exceeded expectations!
When I got my iPod for my birthday, I was a little put off when I noticed that the earbuds included were the wrong shape for my ears; I walk home from school down a hill through the woods, so they would fall out every few seconds. :-( I needed a solution that wouldn't cost more than my allowance and birthday money could handle, so I decided to try these out. After reading a lot of other reviews, I was worried that they would make my music horrible and mucky, but when I fitted the EarJams into my ears and played some of my music I was very impressed. They don't alter the treble quality enough for me to notice or care, and the bass gets a really enjoyable boost. It also amplifies the earbuds so that 50% volume is about the loudest I would be able to listen to comfortably--VERY good for me, considering how embarrassing it is to be sitting in English class when you realize everyone else can hear your music blasting!
These are a purchase you really shouldn't pass up, especially if your ears are messed-up like mine and can't handle earbuds. Even if you were blessed with normal ears, heh heh, I would still recommend this product because of the great improvement in sound quality and volume.
3 Not comfortable
The whole idea seems good, but the earjams just don't fit well in my ears (even with the smallest ones in). In fact, they even start to hurt after a while and they leave my ears sore. They are not worth the money at all.
They do give more of a closed-sound atmosphere, but they aren't worth the pain and the hassle.
4 Maybe They Will Work For You
The idea is great, they sound okay, but they just wouldn't stay in my ears!
5 Depend on the music
This review is for the Grifin inear adaptor for ipod earbuds. First off, I have to say this is a very clever designed product. The principle is simple, it basically covers the orginal ipod earbud and form an internal spectrum to move more air out of a tiny hole. The result? sarcrified sound quality for a strong base boost. People say it's too muddy and can't hear any real music, some say it's the most wonderful product you can get. My opinion? It really depends on the music you are listening to. For instance, if you are listening to Rap or hip hop which the lows really matter and the original ipod really lacks, this would be a good option; on the other hand, if you are into some acustic rock or live concert, where the midrange and highs are very important, the earjams probably wouldn't fit you well. As for comfort and noise cancelling, this is a pretty good alternative to some higher end noise cancelling earbud/phones. I think most of you would agree with me that after a long time the hard ipod orginal earbud will start to hurt the ears, the earjam instead of using your ear as a holder, it plugs into your ear canal, so sometimes it will slip out. And the earjam comes in three sized forms so it will fit most of the ear shapes out there. and the case is awesome! I put my ipod earbud in it while travilling and i dont' want it to get tangled up.
The bottom line? Simple! Since this is only an addon, take it off when you need to, and put it back on when you are in the mood for some bass pumping action. It claps on and off as easy as you put the earbud in your ear. So if you do have a deeper pocket, go for higher end earbuds. But if you are like me who spend most of the lifesavings on the ipod, this would be an ideal upgrade for different styles of music. For less than 10 bux, even the case is worth it.
6 I love them!
I purchased a set for myself and my son. We use them while skiing and don't experience the pain that the ear buds cause after a few minutes of use. We can ski all day without them falling out or hurting. I had to drop the volume down to about half of what it was set at before I had them. I can pick up all of the words and background sounds clearly. I just had a dental implant and used them to filter out the sound of the drill. I just bought my wife an iPod Shuffle and now have to buy another set as she won't let me have mine back.
7 Dont bother with these-Just buy better headphones
I already have several Griffin products and love the quality and thought that went into their design so this is no slam on the company itself. However, I was surprised by how bad the sound became was when I added these to Apple's stock headphones. Yes, you get more base, but the mid and high end are sacrificed, and the sound you do get is muddy and indistinct. They are not comfortable either, I had to take them off after a few minutes-Ouch!. They are a waste of money, and now sit with a pile of several other Ipod accessories that did not work as promised. Read all Amazon review's before you buy, if I had, I wouldn't have bought these.
8 Not worth it...just made me buy different headphones...
I got these thinking it would be more comfortable for the ear buds that come with iPod. They fit comfotably in the ear, but the snap cover over the iPod ear buds rubs up against the outside of your ear. It doesn't solve the comfort problem with Apple's ear buds. It shifts the uncomfortability to the outer part of the ear. The sound is really not an improvement either...it is about the same without but just a little louder as it focuses the sound in one direction. If you don't like the headphones that come with iPod, then buy ones that you like and don't waste money on these...
9 save your money for better headphones
The Earjams work exactly as described in the featured review, and are, I suppose, worth the $11 I spent on them. But I'd strongly recommend that you use the money towards Apple's in-ear phones. The Earjams increase bass at the cost of everyting but volume. All the nuances and detail of of my music are diminished, and that's not very pleasant There's just more bang for your buck buying better buds. For 3 times the cost of earjams you can get Apple's earbuds and 10 times the sound quality of the earjams. If you only have $10 to spend, get the Earjams. But if you only have $10 to spend, how the heck did you get your hands on an iPod??
I do use my jams every now and then, notably biking on city streets - they up the volume without silencing car horns and attack dogs. But for quality listening, they're unacceptable.
10 help for sore ears
The ipod earbuds really hurt my ears after just a few minutes-they are just too big for me. The EarJams make a huge difference and I'm happy with them. They stay snug in my ears and the soft silicone is much more comfortable than the hard plastic ipod earbuds. Once in a while, one may fall out if I am trail running, but I can usually get it back in snugly and continue on. I recommend these to anyone with small ears. I'm no audiophile, but the sound quality seems fine to me.
11 Earjams are not a replacement for Ear Buds
For those of you who are quick on the "1-click" like I am, be aware that that these are snap-ons for your current pair of iPod Ear Buds. I bought them thinking that they came with as a replacement. That's definitely my fault and not the manufacturers, but it is disappointing when they arrive and you find that you still need to buy a replacement for your broken Ear Buds.
After snapping them on to a working pair, I found that they do increase the bass and volume. However, this appears to be at the cost of the other frequencies. I tried several EQ settings on the iPod to find one that provided some high frequency treble, but it's definitely not as good as a full range of sound. I'm also not impressed with the design since you could easily lose one of the snap-ons in the bottom of your backpack. Hence, the cool carrying case?
All in all, not bad for $15, but still disappointing.
12 Poor Sound Quality - Very Disappointing
I had high hopes for the Griffin EarJams for my iPod. If you're like me, those little foam earbud covers that come with the iPod keep falling off and getting lost. So with high hopes, I layed out the cash for the EarJams thinking these will be comfortable, washable, and increase the bass and volume. Cool! Oh yes, they increase the bass to the point that after about 10 minutes your ears can't take it anymore. And I'm a bass player, so I really like bass. The EarJams don't just increase the bass though, they make the music sound like it's coming out of a cave, which means that the highs are buried and the whole mix is very boomy; painfully boomy. Also, the ear pieces are not more comfortable. There are three sizes and none of them feel good in my ears. The only really cool thing is the carrying case which is a nice size for storing the earbuds. The EarJams, however, are awful. Don't waste your money.
13 EarJams are a solid purchase
Looking for noise canceling headphones for my iPod, I purchased the $100 Shure E2 set from the Apple Store. While they did cancel exterior noise to some extent, they were almost too effective.
They blocked sound so well that when in motion-outdoors specifically-I could hear the movement of my body which was very distracting. I also didn't appreciate the "over the ear" design that wrapped around to the back of the neck. These are obviously designed for in studio use.
I suppose that I felt a tinge of guilt purchasing $100 headphones as well!
So, I returned them and got the $15 EarJams. And, surprisingly, the EarJams work just as well in the "noise canceling" department. They are also comfortable and retain the cool Apple white look. A good balance of price and functionality. Recommended.
14 not too shabby ...
These snap-on earbud enhancers do an ok job. They do boost the bass response if thats what your into soundwise. They also do a good job of boosting overall sound. They do not isolate you from outside noise too well. But to get that sort of affect you would need to buy high end headphones anyway. They are worth the 15 bucks, and its a simple way to improve your apple earbuds.
