Customer Reviews

Maximo iP-HS2 iMetal Isolation Headset

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(29)

 

 

I'll start by saying I'm not an audiophile and therefore my judgment on sound quality will not be nearly as technical. I did read some sites and did a bit of break-in. I'm not sure I noticed much difference.

My Apple iPhone buds didn't last long in a soft case in my pockets all day. After the second pair where the speaker detached from the earbud, I gave up on the Apple iPhone buds.

I purchased the Maximo HS1 (earbud). Inside my Maximo HS1 box from Amazon was a pair of these HS2s (sound isolating). The box was sealed, so I don't think Amazon could have known. After my initial disappointment, I scoured the web for information. iLounge had the best information on both the HS1 and HS2 and is worth checking out. The conclusion: the HS2 is a better product. I got lucky!

Pros:
* Solid feel
* Fit comfortably
* Microphone works as well or better than iPhone microphone
* Sounds quality is better than iPhone earbuds
* Sound isolation works great. I keep the volume at the 1st or 2nd level from the bottom even on the train.

Cons:
* The "button" for answering a call or pausing works just fine, but is a bit bulky and takes a bit more force to press. Not as simple and elegant as the iPhone earbuds.
* Headphone jack looks flimsy. I worry that eventually with enough abuse the jack wires will fray.
* Wire is a bit stiffer than the iPhone earbuds and doesn't roll up as easily.

General observations:
* They fit very naturally, but it is worth trying the included larger and smaller rubber isolators. I've found the sound quality is best when positioned properly in the ear. Not too tight and not so loose that background noise comes in.
* The sound quality is definitely better than the iPhone earbuds. I don't feel like they produce a great clear bass sound, but it isn't bad and I'm not sure having deep base pounding millimeters from my eardrum is what I want anyways.
* Classical sounds great. The guitar strain in Simon and Garfunkel's America stands out beautifully.

Overall I'm extremely pleased with my purchase. At >$60 I consider them a little expensive still. If they were ~$40 I would send them as gifts to all my iPhone-using friends.

[Update after 3 months of use]

These headphones are still going strong. I really like the sound isolation. The microphone is great. I'm very happy with how durable they are. I even accidentally ran them through the wash, which I wouldn't risk doing again, but the sound quality returned to normal after they dried out.

I've read a jillion reviews on Amazon and I've never written one, but I felt compelled after seeing a few negative reviews on this product. I researched every iPhone compatible earphone available out there, this included offerings from V-Moda, Skullcandy, Shure, et al. After a lot of back-and-forth, I decided on these; the price was right, the sound-isolating style attracted me, and the reviews were mostly positive.

I'm not a sound engineer, but I am a musician and a serious music aficionado of everything from classical to hip-hop. I feel that I made the right decision with this set. Since I've only had them a week, I cannot speak about their long-term reliability, so I will only say that they feel very robust in their build quality. As for sound, I think they're wonderful. The sound isolation is excellent, they're very comfortable in my ears for long periods, and with my iPhone's EQ setting on "treble booster" I believe they make most of music sound brilliant. Are they the absolute best earphones in the world? No, of course not. But at their price point, it doesn't get any better and I would certainly rather have these than various models that cost twice as much if not more.

A final note, the soft control button on the iP-HS2 is brilliant. It's easy to press, feels good, and reliably does what you need it to. I couldn't say that for the included iPhone ones which would often skip the track when I intended to pause the music. I listen to music all day and this is one of the things I love about the iPhone, so having this function improved by these headphones was an enormous positive.

Please consider these very seriously, it's a great product and a solid value. I'm a happy iPhone user.

These are perfectly fine headphones for an iPhone. I normally like to get Sony earbuds, but for my iPhone I needed something with a microphone that fit Apple's idiotic recessed headphone plug. I am morally opposed to spending $100 bucks for headphones, so I picked these up. They sound fine (I'm no golden ear and I listen to industrial, techno & dance) but not as good as the Sonys that I like (MDR-EX71's).

I tried a pair of V-Moda Vibe Duos and thought the sound sucked, so if you like those then you'll hate these (and the Sony's). I had a set of Rivet headphones and they sounded fine but the cord was like 6 feet long and was forever getting tangled, and the mic position was bad (so when I lost those I decided to try these).

Others have complained of hiss on an iPhone with these, and yes they do hiss; but only because they are the most sensitive headphones I have ever used. On my iPhone even at very low volume settings these are LOUD! At the highest volume settings they will damage your ears (Which I guess could be a bonus for some).

Callers complain that I sound quiet when I am using them for phone calls.

The cord is rubbery and kind of wired feeling. It tends to tangle. I like that the cord is short but comes with an extender. The short cord is perfect if I have my iPhone in my shirt pocket, and the extender works great for when I want it in my pants pocket.

So for cheaper iPhone headphones they are not bad.

After reading reviews I thought this product would be a good alternative to the Moda plugs I had already spent $100.00 on. The Modas had failed as told in the reviews, unfortnately I read reviews here after I purchased them at the Apple Store. The Maximao product was touted as the perfect replacement, but that is not the case from my viewpoint. They have lasted two weeks, and the earpiece with the mic no longer works. I know this is only one persons review, but I have never written a review on a product before so give that some thought before buying. In my opinion no durable option exists for the Iphone at present.

This is my first pair of in-ear headphones that I have purchased. It took a little bit to get used to them. At first they were a little uncomfortable but then I changed to a smaller size ear bud and they were better. After about two weeks though, the left side of these stopped working. Really disappointed with the build quality.

in terms of shape & design, this earphone is great. sound is just fine. however, when I walk I hear some noise. also, buzz sound when I do not listen anything. I am kind of disppointed. I am not really happy with the BUZZ sound.

From the second I put these headphones in my ears I was impressed. They are crystal clear, have a nice smooth base response that isn't exaggerated and are actually very comfortable in my ears.

I own a pair of Shure ear buds, Sennheiser over the ear and of course the Apple ear buds. These are honestly the best sounding out of the bunch, and win the comfort war between them as well.

I wear them with the largest fittings and find that I get the best sound when they are just barely in my ears and not jammed in.

The mic seems to be just OK, I haven't used it much yet but it does work and people can hear me OK. The control button is an awkward placement if you wear your chord inside your shirt, but otherwise works as expected.

These headphones are very good replacements for the original Iphone headphones.

You don't hear any scratches when the equalizer is turned on, a very good indication that these headphones are of better quality than Apple's.

The receiver button does what it's advertised to do, pause music, select the next song, and answer calls. One button controls all three actions and is very easy to press.

Conversations I held with the receiver were normal and the other side had no problems hearing me.

These headphones come with multiple ear piece sizes so fitting shouldn't be a problem.

The part that I like the most is that it comes with an extension cable, even though the length by default is more than adequate.

My only gripe is that the button for the receiver sits in the middle of your chest as opposed to apple's receiver button that sits around the neck area. That, however, isn't such a big deal.

Also, I don't know how durable it is because I just got it. The rubber insole that protects the inner wiring seem to be durable even though its thinner than the Iphone's.

If you are on a budget and are unwilling to spring for the $100+ headphones, then these are the ones for you. If you were going to buy the $100+ headphones anyway, then I suggest reconsidering that.

They sounded pretty good when I first got them.
I liked the extension cord.
After a month and a half they are dead, no sound.

Just sent an RMA to Maximo, we'll see what happens from here.

My first pair had a sudden left earbud failure. Just received the replacement headset, lets see how they go.

Let me say that to my ears these headphones sound great. Punchy and crisp. I have no complaints in that regard. However, there is a noticeable "crinkle" sound when i gently wiggle the earbud in my ear. Has anyone else noticed this? It's not really a big issue or happens with standard use, but still it's a bit annoying. (Note: both pairs have behaved this way.)

I give it 5 stars for the sound and -2 for the failure of my first pair and the strange crinkle sound.

EDIT: I contacted Maximo support about the crinkle sound issue and got a very prompt response (below). From my experience i would have to say that their customer service is extremely good.

Hello Darren,

I'm sorry that you had to return one headset, but I'm glad to hear that
you are satisfied with the sound quality. I will answer your questions
about the crinkle issue:

1. The crinkle issue is normal. We are aware of this issue, and most
people do not have too much trouble with it, however, we are constantly
trying improve this issue moving forward
2. It should not get worse, and probably won't disappear.
3. It is not damaging the headset in any way that we are aware of.
4. You may want to experiment with the other eartips, just for comfort,
but it may not make the crinkle sound go away.

If this does become a long term issue, let us know, and we can take the
headset back for testing. It is covered under your warranty.

Let me know if you have any other concerns.

Sincerely,

Josh
Maximo Support