Customer Reviews

Woodees IESW100B Inner-ear Stereo Earphone with Microphone

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I own a number of higher end IEs and cans and have to admit this product (so far) is something I would consider a good value. I bought these because I was looking for a decent sound from an IE with a mic that I could keep in the car and use with my BB while running afternoon errands and such. Believe it or not, that was not an easy task. Most of your higher-end or even audiophile grade IEs do not have a mic. I happen to own both the UE Superfi.5 Pro and the Triplefi.10, but I will not compare these to those as they so cost considerably more and such a comparison will not be fair. The Triple.10 does have a version with a mic, but I was not willing to spend that kind cash on a second pair just for the mic and I would not want to keep such a high-end product in the car. I will keep this review limited to this product. Note: Although this product has four sizes of ear cushions in which to choose, I always use the Comply cushions with my IE because of their comfort and seal.

Good: The wood is a great looking detail that is attention grabbing if nothing else. These are full range 20-20 and the frequency response is very well balanced with all types of music (if you are a bass head, buy IEs with extended bass as these are not for you). They do a great job of blocking outside noise (see note above). At 105db and 16 ohms, they are plenty loud and do not require a lot of power. Others can typically run at 85db and 32 ohms and need more power to make them `shine.' Price wise; these are not particularly expensive, which makes them a good value. As some of you know, you can spend over $1,000 for a set of IEs.

Bad: The diameter of the earpiece is a little larger than others, which may cause discomfort for some users. Mids and highs along with vocals can sound a bit harsh at a higher volume level, but this will vary by source. At low to mid volume levels, music is very clean, balanced and dynamic.

First off let me say that I bought these headphones even though the previous reviews seemed a little too overwhelmingly positive-- almost infommercially so, in fact.

After a few hours of listening to them, they continue to improve over when I first removed them from the box-- call it "break-in" or whatever. How's the sound? Well, the highs are crisp, the mid's are solid, but I haven't found the bass response to be earth-shatteringly good. Ironic since the top tab of the product box proclaims in bold letters, "Deep Rich Bass". Perhaps my expectation for the bass-response was set a little high, but if you claim Deep Rich Bass, I'd think that it would be something that you deliver on.

I did try all of the included silicone buds to make sure that I had the right size. I landed on back on the medium's, after trying them all.

Summary: For $69.99, they're a decent value. The sound quality is unquestionably better than the standard Apple earbuds, and the additions of the cable slide and a shirt clip are nice as well. I'll be hanging onto the Woodees for now, but if I found another brand/model that has better low-frequency response (and I will keep looking) I'll probably end up kicking these to the curb.

These ear phones sound very nice and are very comfortable. However, I could tell from the start that they weren't going to last. The rubber that connects the cable to the earphone jack is not very sturdy. It looked like the rubber was going to snap if you bent the cord one way of the other. As time went by, it was getting weaker and weaker. In just two months of what I would consider not heavy use (i.e., once or twice weekly), the left headphone stopped working. Another thing about them is the button on the in-line mic felt weak. If the earphone didn't break, or the cable, I would put my money that this would be the next thing to break.

They sound good otherwise. I'm not an audiophile but I don't like tinny sounding earphones. These sounded full.

I wouldn't waste my money though, get some earphones that will last longer then 2 months.

Update: 30-Jan-2010
I got these earphones in June-2010 and as explained above, needed to be replaced in just 2 months. I called and got a RA# and returned them at MY COST. This left me with no earphones for 2 weeks.
In December 2009, the earphones had to be replaced AGAIN! This time, they had to be replaced because of exposed copper wire where the microphone is. This necessitated me having to send them back, at MY COST and be without earphones for 2 weeks.
When the warranty ends, I'm going to have to buy new earphones since I'm sure these will break soon thereafter.

I was quite excited when I picked up these earphones. I'm always on the lookout for a good pair of earphones because I haven't found the perfect set yet. I thought these might be it!

What excited me the most was the concept of the wood and how they pointed out that all the best musical instruments are made of wood. Okay, that made sense.

When you get the package, they come with four different sizes. I tried most of them but the ones they came with fit my ear the best. One thing I noticed, that I like a lot, is that it blocks a lot of the noise from the "outside" of your head because they just fill up your ears. Excellent when I'm trying to listen to something, but I am concerned about biking with something that turns me into a high-speed deaf guy.

I primarily listen to audio books on my iPod. For the spoken word these worked GREAT. The audiobook authors come in sounds great. For higher CD-quality recordings it sounds like they are standing in the same room as you. These are fantastic if that is your audio preference.

However, when it came to music, I was not impressed at all. The treble sounds fine but the bass was really lacking and the music itself sounded kind of empty and hollow. At first I thought it was an iPod setting but this was consistent across several audio devices.

I'm still on the lookout for the right earphone but it looks like I'll need to spend some really decent money to do that. At $70 the price was about right but I think you should have gotten a lot more for that price.

I might have received a defective pair because these ones will sometimes short out at unexplained times. I hope that isn't a consistent "feature" of this product... One other minor complaint: the "Woodees" name. I get smiles every time I tell people about them. My wife has forbidden me from using the brand name, especially around our teenager.

I despise the earbuds that are available from Apple, they don't fit well in my ears, are very uncomfortable and have a lot of sound leakage. I had to buy snap-on attachments to make them work for me, but thought I was stuck with them because I needed the mic for my iPhone. I was very happy to find these, as they had everything I needed.

Overall, I am happy with them. The fit is great, the sound quality is good and the in-line mic does everything I need it to do (including a double-squeeze to advance iPod tracks, which I discovered by accident). My only complaint is with the durability of the cord. Obviously, they are going to be plugged and unplugged regularly, but the insulating rubber around the jack has already separated, exposing the wires. I did a quick fix with some electrical tape and they still work fine, but it bugs me that such a basic element doesn't appear to have been made to last.

I have an iPhone and travel often (for business) - and I need to take advantage of every little chance I get to relax with some quality sounding music. Since I am constantly getting in and out of taxi's, trains, subways, airports, etc... - I want some quality-sounding ear phones that are light weight but won't pop out of my ear everytime I wave my arms or fling my computer bag around my shoulder. And I really need the sound quality to give me the best relaxation in those little 10 or 15 minute intervals that arise during the day.

So I spent a lot of time looking around - and I am pleased to have discovered Woodees. The sound quality can't be matched - especially in this price-range. And the offering of mulitple sized inserts not only makes them more comfortable for me but also assures a snug fit - so they stay in my ear even when I'm doing the OJ in the airport (the Hertz commercial / not the white bronco).

Another thing I really like is that I don't have to lug around my noise-cancelling headphones anymore. I do some international travel - which often means trying to get my nights' sleep on an airplane. With the noise-cancelling headphones, they were too clunky to use while sleeping - or at least they woke me up. The snug fit of the Woodees provides a similar result to block-out the noise but I have found that I can fall asleep and sleep for hours with some nice soft background music.

I understand the manufacturer recently addressed some earlier issues with durability of the plugs - so they seem to be in tune to their customers. I hope so - because I really feel like I have found something unique and want to see it continue - certainly makes my hectic travel schedule more comfortable and tolerable.

I bought two pairs for myself and one for my wife. I put one pair in my computer bag so that I always have one with me on the road. And my wife uses them to run on the tread mill and to talk on the phone (which she does tirelessly) - and she seems to like them too...

Initially I found the idea of using wood for earphones to be a gimmick; however I decided to try the Woodees IESW100B earphones anyway. Typically I use inexpensive options like the Sony S2 sport headphones at work or to work out so I don't bother others. The idea of using earphones for my own listening pleasure was a foreign concept to me.

According to manufacturer, these lightweight noise-isolating earphones are designed to provide "deep bass, rich range of sound and inherent low resonance" for about half the price of high end alternatives. Additionally, the in-line mic is designed to work with BlackBerrys and iPhones to answer incoming calls or to pause/play audio. A carrying pouch, various sized ear buds for a custom fit, and a shirt clip, and an instructions are included in the tasteful but simple package with the earphones.

When I received my earphones, I tried them out as quickly as I could. The difference in sound quality compared to what I am used to was shockingly clear, the opening of Macy Gray's Sexual Revolution never sounded this good on my other earphones. I didn't need a side by side comparison to immediately realize the sound quality of the earphones I've been using can't compare. The custom sized silicone ear buds block out noise just like earplugs. Blocking the noise permits listening at a comfortable sound level. I have noticed I turn the volume much lower than I have in the past. Others have mentioned needing to crank the volume to find distortion. That may be so, but if you are listening to audio at that level, the distortion is probably the least of your worries. The sound is rich and vibrant, plus the inline mic works well. I've used it on several calls and the other person has no problem hearing me.

The shirt clip doesn't come attached, if desired choose to spend a little time doing so. The wire didn't just slip on easily for me; it took a little time and effort to get the wire in place. I would have preferred to skip this step altogether, fortunately it only needs to be done once. Additionally the instructions are limited to a brief paragraph on inserting the earphones into your ear, and two short paragraphs regarding the selection of properly sized ear buds followed by some recommendations. There is no mention of how to use the inline mic system. These earphones are not a difficult product to learn, but the instructions could have been more complete.

It didn't take long to convince me the Woodees earphones are not just a gimmick. From Metallica's The Unforgiven, Cold Play's Viva La Vida, to Sarah Brightman's Time to Say Goodbye with Andrea Bocelli the Woodees earphones are a joy to listen to. Eventually I did a side by side comparison, although it wasn't necessary. Not only was my initial assessment correct, it made me realize it was worse than I thought. However the real proof comes from the fact I no longer use my old pair. Instead I take my Woodees earphones with me to work and back home daily, and I want to wear them. The price may be a bit steep for someone like me, but for the quality of the sound you may be hard pressed to find an alternative for less. If you are ready to take a step up from cheap earphones, purchase the Woodees IESW100B earphones.

PROS:
Rich and vibrant sound
Comfortable noise-isolating design
In-line mic for caller control as well as play/pause control for audio
Various ear bud sizes for a custom fit

CONS:
Incomplete instructions
Unattached shirt clip

For the money, I'd say I made a fantastic choice in these earbuds. I upgraded from the stock iphone earbuds to these. They are WAY better. I must have weird ears or something because I've never been able to get earbuds to stay in, and at least with these only the left one pops out on me. The other rubber tips might solve this, I guess I'm too lazy to try. I gave comfort only 3 stars because I don't think there is such a thing as a comfortable earbud. The sound quality is actually quite good once you get them adjusted in your ear right. Surprising bass for an earbud. The microphone works GREAT with my iPhone. No one even notices when I'm using them vs. the built in iPhone mic. And for noise isolation... I can't hear crap with these things in! I kinda think they are too quiet, because it makes me lose a sense for what's going on around me.
I definitely think I made a good buy.

I normally use a couple different sets of Sony in-ear headphones. The wood aspect of the headphones intrigued me and I needed a set of earphones with a mic so I figured I'd tried the Woodees. I was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in sound quality that I immediately noticed when I tried the Woodees. I was immediately able to hear more lows and clearer highs compared to my Sony in-ear headphones. There was just more clarity across the board.

The Woodees are also much more comfortable than my Sony's. After about an a hour or so, my Sony's got uncomfortable. In comparison, the Woodees somehow feel "lighter" in my ear and certainly feel way more comfortable. They are a joy to use and I think the better fit may be the reason why the bass is so much better with these headphones.

All in all, for the price, they are a great value. You get excellent sound quality and great fit. For me, there's not much more I would ask for.

These inner-ear phones are awesome! They work great with iPhones and iPods, and the sound is GREAT! They sound so much better than earbuds. I have compared them to the Sennheiser MX500's and the original iPod Nano earbuds. I think the inner-ear design is key, and the silicone buds really keep the outside sounds out, and enable the full robustness of the sound to really come out.

The bass and sound is actually on par with my Sennheiser DJs (HD202). That, and the silicone buds perform about on par with the headphone cups for noise cancellation. However, having a small earbud in lieu of a large set of headphones is really awesome for portability! I used to lug around my full headphones to work, but now I can just bring the little pouch with my Woodees, and enjoy the same rich sound, without the bulk!

So, the sound is great, and the bass is actually better than expected, but are indeed some drawbacks that many will find. First off, to get enjoyable, rich bass - you will have to make sure you find the right sized silicone buds to use, and they have to be properly seated in your ear. I found this out when I Was trying other sizes, and realized that the bass is very lacking if the silicone buds were not properly snug in my ear. As soon as they snug up, the sound is great!

Another issue is using these with other players. They work GREAT in the iPhone, iPod Nano, and many other items. However, some things do not work so great even though the box claims it should work with most any MP3 player. My work computer for instance does not work well, making it sound like the Woodees are not plugged into the audio jack all the way. Ny Nokia N96 sounds the same way if you put it into heaphone or headset mode, otherwise it sometimes jumps to TV-Out mode and you get a nice TV screeching (no, it is not really nice at all). So, only use this mic edition if you have an iPhone, or a product that would have a similar jack (Apple brand with Mic support). If not, get the IESW101B model, which does not have the microphone.

So, if you have an iPhone, these guys are great! Set the buds properly in your ear, and enjoy the excellent sound!