Lenntek Sonix Earbuds - 3 Braided Cord with Microphone for iPhone 3G/SmartPhones - Black

by Lenntek

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002AJL12U
• Item model number: 001-0028-004
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)

Product Description

Comfortable and lightweight, Sonix 3 sound isolating earphones deliver high definition acoustics to your ears. The built-in mic allows hands free talking for any iPhone, Apple MacBooks with VoIP application, and any other 3.5 mm stereo output device. Made of lightweight aluminum alloy, each earphone is individually milled and crafted to precise specifications. Metal alloys are used throughout to provide durability. Sonix 3 earbuds are designed with a tangle resistant nylon cable and a convenient 45 degree angle 3.5 mm jack.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best constructed earbuds out there, March 1, 2010

By 

Panglos "Panglos" (Cypress, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lenntek Sonix Earbuds - 3 Braided Cord with Microphone for iPhone 3G/SmartPhones - Black (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I'm amazed that for this and the model without microphone nobody has mentioned one of my favorite features: the construction of the cord. By that I don't mean the cloth braid, which is obvious even in the photographs and has been mentioned numerous times. Rather, I mean the way the plug/cord, split/cord and earbud/cord junctions are manufactured and reinforced with rubber. In the case of the plug, where it is needed most, the reinforcement is especially strong. As a bonus, the plug is angled at 45 degrees, which I find even better than the right-angle orientation that seems to be preferred by most people.

I have a son who routinely destroys earbuds because of the way he handles them. I doubt even he could get to these.

The most important thing about an earbud is its sonic quality, of course, and I rate these to be of acceptable quality. That means they're pretty darned good. They're probably closest to my Ultimate Ears MetroFi 200vs in sound. They're similar to Sennheiser CX500s (not to be confused with CX300s), except with less bass response; although extra bass oomph does come in handy for tracks that lack it, they really don't require it. The reason for the comparative lack of bass is undoubtedly that the Sonix have only a 9mm driver, which both limits the amount of bass one can expect and increases the possibility of detail. Because of the metal housing they're similar to V-Modas, except that due to their larger drivers the V-Moda gets more bass, of which it characteristically emphasizes the low end. Don't get me wrong: the Sonix have more bass capability than many, if not most, earbuds in their price range. Bottom line: I don't use mp3 players for my most serious listening, and I don't expect these to be the absolute best thing I've ever heard. They're not. With those expectations set, I'm elated with the Sonix when it comes to sonic quality for the purpose.

All I can say about the microphone is "nobody's said anything," and I've used these earbuds for several months now. Presumably it indicates transparency. What else can you ask for?

The braided-cloth cord, the metal construction, the synth-suede pouch, the gels (one reviewer characterized them as "thin" but I disagree, and I've got a bagful ) and of course the price (i.e.: value) all further contribute to this being my very favorite among several dozen pairs of earbuds.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointment. Not as good as the predecessor model (Sonix 1), June 10, 2010

By 

Eddie (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lenntek Sonix Earbuds - 3 Braided Cord with Microphone for iPhone 3G/SmartPhones - Black (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I'm a long time owner of a Sonix 1, and I believe they are probably the best set of earphones I've ever owned. However, after nearly two years of extreme wear and tear (airport security, backpacks, exercise, pockets, etc.), the part where the braided nylon cord meets the housing of the 3.5mm jack seems to have worn to the point where if I were to move the cord around that area while playing music, I hear static. No problem at all...that's longer than any headphones or earphones ever lasted. Anyhow, it was time for a new set.

I'm searching for this same set again as it served me well in the past couple years, and that's when I discovered the Sonix 3. Not only did the tech specs read the exact same as the Sonix 1, but had its improvements. This time the entire cord is made up with the braided nylon, making it almost completely tangle-free. And the part I described in the first paragraph was "reinforced"...the jack is now at a 45 degree angle, and rubberized and ruggedized to withstand wear and tear. Then there's an added bonus...it has a microphone, so I can use it on my BlackBerry! This was just too good to be true, so I immediately placed an order, confident this set of earphones would be a better experience.

When I got them, I had to test them right out of the box. My initial impressions: The cord is longer and completely braided...nice! The angled, reinforced 3.5mm jack...awesome! The attached earbud looked kind of small, but that was okay since it came with other sizes. So, I immediately went on to switch the earbuds, but that's when I noticed something a little strange...the rubber material (or whatever it's called) seemed to lack in quality than the one on the Sonix 1. They seemed thinner and more flimsy, but I gave the benefit of the doubt and thought to myself maybe this design improved the sound quality. Anyway, I put them on and connected to my BlackBerry to test out the "music to my ears". That's when the "What the...?" happened. The sound seemed quieter...the bass lacked (a lot!)...the treble seemed a bit snappy. Overall, it seemed I had a set of tweeters up against my ears. I could not believe what I was hearing! "This can't be!" I thought. It felt like a lie. I could not accept the truth, so I tried all kinds of experiments... I tried all sizes of earbuds it came with hoping it had to do with how they fit into my ears...failed. I even tried all the earbud sizes that came with my Sonix 1...again, failed. I double checked the tech specs of both earphone models...they're identical. Out of desperation, I played with the equalizer settings in hopes I can recreate the previous experience of the Sonix 1...nope, didn't work. Even turning up the volume... simply makes the treble snap harder, but did not increase the richness of the mids or bass. I got even crazier in the end...I actually thought this set was defective, so I had exchanged it for another set...(sigh) let's just say a lot of four-letter words followed.

I'm very disappointed. I had these returned. I ended up going back to the Sonix 1 (price & quality considered). Sure, I'll lose the microphone capability...no big deal (lived two years without it, anyway). To me, it's absolutely not worth the loss in sound quality. Who knows? Maybe the microphone had to do something with it. Bottom line is the Sonix 3 did not live up to the Sonix 1 in sound quality.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent value, January 12, 2010

By 

Robert P. Stewart "Bob Stewart" (Berryville, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lenntek Sonix Earbuds - 3 Braided Cord with Microphone for iPhone 3G/SmartPhones - Black (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I've been using these for several months now and highly recommend them. The braided cord is great...I can easily fold them up into a small pouch that I keep on my keychain. The cord is also longer than most that I've used. Many other cords are stretched to their limit and the buds pop out of my ears when the iPhone is in a front pants pocket (I'm 6'2"). I've only had one other pair of buds that have a microphone, Apple's, and that's a key feature as well. Sound quality is very good. For the price I don't think you can find a better value.