Apple Earbuds (White with Gray Earbuds)

by Apple

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.8 inches ; 3.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001AP8CE
• Item model number: M9394G/B
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (398 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Apple M9394G/A iPod Earbud Headphones have great sound quality and bass response, and come with three different sized caps to ensure the headphones fit comfortably and securely in your ear. The earbud-style headphones are powered up by Neodymium transducers, made of a rare earth magnet that significantly enhances frequency response and overall sound quality for a performance five times as powerful as headphones with aluminum, cobalt or ceramic drivers. The headphones block out outside noise well and are compatible with all iPod models.

iPod Compatibility
iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Clickwheel), iPod Color, iPod 5G/5.5G Video, iPod Shuffle 1G, iPod Shuffle 2G

Product Description

Universal accessory for all iPod models as well as all digital audio players compatible with 3.5mm mini-jack

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

459 of 489 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fall in love with your iPod all over again, March 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Apple Earbuds (White with Gray Earbuds) (Electronics)

(EDIT: While I stand by my five-star rating of these headphones and still love them, they are NOT good for use while exercising. Energetic jostling like that will probably dislodge them, and if not, the subtle feedback from the cable bouncing around will affect the quality of the sound. If your intent is to find something for the gym or running, I'd advise you to look elsewhere. I use the standard earbuds that came with the iPod for exercise.)

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.
(EDIT: 4. You need headphones for when you exercise. I don't think any in-ear design will stand up to vigorous motion but your mileage may vary.)

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!!

260 of 276 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's all about the fit, March 11, 2004

By 

Stephen (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apple Earbuds (White with Gray Earbuds) (Electronics)

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!

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Give up Just Yet!, August 23, 2004

By 

J. Stevens (Irvine, Cali) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple Earbuds (White with Gray Earbuds) (Electronics)

As many of you see, the reviews for these buds are either really good or really bad. The really good ones come from the people who have found out the correct way to place the earbuds in the ear. The really bad ones are the people who either gave up trying or have a serious earwax problem.

Before throwing these away (I know that line has been said 50 times in other reviews), look at the reviews and take the advice of the people who know how to put these in the ear (using the opposite hand to pull the top of the ear up and out, etc etc). All of a sudden, that "tiny" sound and lack of bass will transform into an audio experience on par or sometimes surpassing anything costing 150 bucks or more.

The reason some people get tiny sound is that these drivers are meant to ONLY move the small amount of air in your ear canal, nothing more. If you don't get a good seal with your ear canal, the drivers suddenly become underpowered as they now have to move 100 times more air to get the same effect. So before you give up, try the advice given by these reviews. Try scrubbing your ears with a q-tip, try the different sizes, try pushing this as far as possible into your ear (you won't damage your eardrum, its much further in). Your few minutes spent experimenting will pay off with hours and hours of enjoyment. Most of you will then see that this is by far the single most important investment for your iPod. Period.