Customer Reviews

Griffin Technology 4039-EJAM EarJam Earbud Sound Enhancing Covers

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(22)
1 star:		(65)

 

 

I find that the ipod earbuds are particularly unstable during a long walk/run or other workout. The griffin earjam earbuds make the ipod phones much more comfortable and less likely to fall out. I can even walk while talking on my cell with one ear phone hanging and the other will remain snuggly in place. The enhanced volume also helps when walking outside in a noisy area. You can still hear enough outside noise to be safe but it no longer overpowers the ipod sound. Is there some sacrifice of quality? Perhaps, but I haven't noticed a big difference and the advantages more than make up for any minimal quality loss. The price also makes it easy to give it a try.

These may be worth the Amazon sale price of about $7.00 at the time of this review, but they are certainly not worth the full $14.00 or higher elsewhere.

The Amazon review is quite accurate:

+ The bass was most definitely increased.
+ The volume was increased to the point where I only had to play songs at 1/2 or less the volume to match my normal listening levels.
+ The ear buds stay in ears much more securely than the headphones without them, when you have the right-sized inserts installed.
+ The little case is very convenient. Though tight, I was able to fit my USB cable and my original ear buds in it. I may throw out the EarJams but keep the little case.

- I found that the high and mid-range frequencies not only didn't sound as good, they were dulled out. To me, they didn't sound good at all: to the point where I do not plan to use the EarJams.

However, after trying the ear buds with and without the EarJams repeatedly, I'm now convinced that a higher quality set of headphones would be a great improvement over both.

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.

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.

I'm not a fan of Griffin's products. As a general rule, they suck. See my other reviews of Griffin products and I'll tell you why. I don't buy their stuff anymore, but sometimes I receive their junk as gifts. This one struck a nerve because I'm a sensory scientist and I know something about the dangers of poor quality audio equipment.

This has got to be one of the dumbest products ever created by Griffin. Maybe you'll be happy with the sound quality and the comfort level. The fact that many people are not happy with these things is well documented in other reviews.

The key issue is hearing loss. If you aren't concerned about this, then you qualify for a Darwin award. Earbuds by themselves are high-risk items. They are MUCH more dangerous than normal headphones because they provide high amplitude sound and they block the ear canal. Even without this stupid EarJam product, earbuds boost the signal as much as six to nine decibels (about the sound of a vaccum cleaner and a motorcycle). Often, the listener is not aware of the damage that is being caused. Normally, we hear distortion at high volumes, so we don't crank it up. With earbuds, you can crank up the volume and you don't perceive it as being all that loud... which is a recipe for disaster. Hearing doesn't have very sensitive pain receptors. By the time you feel pain, it is too late--you are already doing damage. The hearing loss is gradual, so you aren't aware of it until it is too late.

If covering the ear canal with an earbud isn't wise, then jamming it closed with the EarJam is the height of stupidity. Trapping sound pressure waves in the ear adds to the risk.

Don't believe me? Do an internet search for "earbuds" and "Dean Garstecki" of Northwestern University, or Robert Sweetow of UCSF.

I'd love to hear from an audiologist, sensory scientist, or medical person who disputes what I've just said. Lawyers and marketing people don't count. Can Griffin find a hack to say otherwise? Probably not. They'd be crushed by facts. The amazing thing is that Earbud manufacturers are quite aware of the issues, and the warnings they offer are more and more geared toward limiting liability.

Well maybe you don't like what you are hearing from me, but I hope that you don't damage your ears further. Truly dense people may want to consider learning sign language.

If you want to play it as safe as possible while listening to headphones, get noise canceling headphones that reduce the ambient noise and thus reduce the need to crank up the music. They offer better sound quality anyway. But all headphones carry risks. Pete Townshend of the Who (a band that your grandparents listened to) blames headphones on his hearing loss, and the science tends to back him up.

Griffin generally makes very high quality items for the iPod. This is not one of those items. On the plus side, they do stay in my ears much better than the Apple iPod earbuds. That is the ONLY plus side. They sound AWFUL! Volume and bass is indeed increased -- it turns all sounds into a loud, muddy mush. I threw them away after about ten minutes of painful testing. Now that they've dropped the price to practically nothing, that might be a clue about what they're worth. Just go buy a better pair of earbuds and don't waste your money on these.

Yes, they increase the bass, but in the process completely cuts out all high frequency detail, sacrificing any semblance of clarity.

If you are interested in real in-ear plugs, there are plenty out there to choose from. I thought I'd try the cheap route, but I just wasted money, as these are going right in the trash.

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.

They transform Apple's earbuds into sounding much fuller, are very comfortable, are thrifty, and have never fallen out of my ears, even when exercising. And I pride myself on the averageness of my ear size.

They perform exactly as I had hoped... they help keep the iPod earbuds securely in my ear. Speaking as one who isn't really into the acoustics end of it (I just want to listen to my music without static), these earjams offered a noticeable improvement in sound quality over the included iPod earbuds.

I just wish that after the initial purchase, there was an option to purchase additional ear pads only, in specific sizes (as I use the small set and have lost one of those already). I guess I'll just have to spring for a new set.