Customer Reviews

XtremeMac IPD-FSE-10 FS1 Earphones (Black)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was prepared for the worst; I've been on a mission for good-sounding earphones for my portables for a long time. I've spend a wide range of cash for them ($20 for the abysmal Koss Plug/etymotic cushion combo, $200 for a pair of etymotic er-4s). Nothing has ever made me very happy. I finally settled for an okay pair of Sonys (the MDR-EX70s) but build problems (miniscule cord shorts out, cushions don't stay on and they get lost almost instantly) made using them a bit of a drag. Plus, the replacement model, the MDR-EX71, has inexplicably harsh midrange. Despite these tribulations, I think I've finally found THE pair of phones for my ipod: the FS1s.

I took them out of the box and was instantly impressed by the cord thickness and the well-thought out cord adjustment. Another nice touch is the rigid, curved plug handle. It should help put off the inevitable shorting-out that occurs at that high-stress point. I was also impressed by the range of cushions: different shapes, including tubes like the Plug's, and etymotic-style ergo cushions (all variants of which feel terrible in my ear canals, but that's just me). I'm a big guy and have fairly roomy ear canals, I guess, and the larger of the recommended foam cushions are the single most confortable inside-the-ear cushions I've come across. Easy to use, too: I just put them in, twisted each phone a bit until the seal felt good and plugged the unit in.

The sound- oh yes, the SOUND. The midrange had a unique texture through these phones that sounded familiar but I didn't recognize at first. I laughed out loud when I realized what it was- accuracy! These phones have a midrange neutrality that may not match the upper-end etymotics, but they are light years closer than any other portable phone I've auditioned. The high end is well-represented, too, full-ranged but not harsh in any way; it's silky smooth. The advantage the FS1 has over any Etymotic I've auditioned is bass. Bass! Thank you jesus! It isn't excessive bass, mind you; but when called for (I'm listening to the thunderous grooves of Peter Gabriel's "Growing Up" at the moment) they thump with authority. It feels great when a pair of phones can represent the deep bass found in some moderm music just as accurately as the lowest notes on a piano or bassoon.

Wide range of response, relatively neutral, amazingly comfortable (for me at least), I plan to buy another pair to make sure I have them when I need them. What better review could there be than that?

I commute daily -- hours daily. The bus is loud. The train is loud. The car is loud. These earphones (with the squishy foam earplugs) are a dream come true. If I could I would hug mine everytime I use them on a 2hr very loud bus ride. The engine cacophony just goes away and the sound quality is excellent. I have to actually turn down my music player (from where I have it for other headphones), the sound comes through that clearly and loudly.

if you use the foam cushions included with the buds. I have not purchased these because I currently own a set of futuresonic "Ears" but I have done a lot of online digging to see reviews. The bass issue (for those complaining) should be solved by using the foam cushion inserts and not the other stuff included. All reviews I have seen have giving underwhelming scores to the other flange inserts but the foam cushions always produce the heavy bass effect that people seem to crave. The only problem with the foam cushions is that if they are the same as the futursonic "Ears" foams (which I would believe they are) they will have to be replaced over time. Even if you douse your ears in alcohol qtips and keep them sparkly clean the foam cushions will pick up dirt and matter and become less elastic over time. Eventually they will lose the thumping bass power. If you go to the Futuresonics website they sell replacement foam packs that should work. I don't know if XtremeMac sells them as well but check.

After reading several positive reviews about these earbuds, I took the plunge and have not been disappointed. Using the provided foam sleeves to create a positive seal in the ear canal (by rolling the sleeves first and inserting them like foam earplugs), these little wonders do a good job of blocking out ambient noise and providing excellent bass response. With tone controls or equalization properly set, the FS1s produce very natural highs and warm midrange. I've also found them very comfortable to wear, even for extended periods. The sound produced often seems like it's coming from open-backed headphones, not tiny little earbuds! The FS1's drivers are very efficient, meaning audio content can be heard in all its detail, even at low volumes. XtremeMac and Future Sonics have teamed up to produce a winner.

Wow! I was spellbound when I plugged these bad boys into my way-dated Rio MP3 player. Comfortable fit, incredible BASS and clear crisp sound without the harsh, tinny highs. They bring out the warmth in otherwise brittle digital music and come with a variety of earpads for a custom fit. I used to have Koss ear buds, which were pretty good, but wore out after a couple of years. I took a chance with iPod In-Ear Headphones and ended up with a truly awful product. Buying these was the best option possible, thanks to a slew of good feedback and from a company that has a clear understanding behind the necessary dynamics of high-end sound. A must buy and well worth the price! Amazing!

These headphones really live up to their advertisement as "high-definition" earphones. The highs are crisp, yet not harsh, the mids very well-rounded and balanced, and the bass, yes, the BASS, is the best I've ever heard in a pair of buds. I've had a pair of Sony MDR-EX51LP buds, which have way too much bass, harsh highs, and lackluster mid-range. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I actually made sure to have a good seal. Like most other reviewers, I found the foam earbuds far above the silicone tips in ability to seal. Every style of music, from bass-heavy reggae, hip-hop, rap and drum-n-bass, to acoustic bluegrass, folk and country, to driving rock and blues, sounds phenomenal. I'm also using the FS1's as monitors while editing films in Final Cut Pro and composing soundtracks in Apple's Garageband. The build quality is also top-notch, including the semi-rigid case. And the $59.99 deal from J&R makes these a must-have.

I've been looking for a quality pair of earphones for a while. I ride a bike and it has been very difficult to find a good pair. I tried Sony, Sennheiser, Phillips, and a few others, but they all lacked good sound, good bass, and whenever I'm riding I can always hear the wind whistling. These are fantastic, they create a great seal in your ear and the sound is amazing. Very clear highs and mids and very good bass. I prefer the bass with the foam tips but even with the neoprene sleeves the bass is better than any other earphones I've tried, even those with "bass boost" in their description. For the money I don't think that you can beat these earphones, comfortable, great sound and great value.

This headphones exceeded my expectations, fantastic for the price, better than Altec Lansing, and several others that I have tried that cost twice as much. I use them on my ipod and i thought that ipod sound was convienient but poor, until I used these, I have experienced nuances in music that I have heard a million times. Great! Not loud but they do isolate outside sound. Worth every penny.

I upgraded the stock iPod buds to Sony Fontopia MDR-EX71SL, which were just OK, then to Etymotics ER6i, which were better, but lacked bass.


After reading great reviews on the Future Sonics EARS, I saw that they had created new "iPod specific" earphones, so I gave them a try.

First thing, dump all of the silicone plugs that come with these and go straight for the foam inserts. With the foam inserts, sound is amazing. I heard parts of songs I didn't know existed before I got these. Forget the more poplar sellers. I've tried most of them, including Shures.

Read the reviews at the Future Sonics site. These sound fantastic.

Edited to add: ExtremeMac has recently changed the silicone tips from the cone-shaped ones in the product picture. They are now a 2 flange shape similar to the Etymotics tips. They create a very good seal and are quite comfortable. Sound isn't QUITE as good as with the foam tips, but they are much easier to insert and are easy to clean.

In addition, Future Sonics' customer service is absolutely outstanding.

Bought these to replace my Ultimate Ears super.fi 3 Studio earphones, which I hated. It was a two-handed struggle just to get the things in my ears, and I could NEVER achieve a decent fit. The foam inserts that came with them lasted all of about a day, after which I couldn't get them to hold their shape (not to mention I couldn't get them to seat in my ears well at all). And, once they were inserted, they were always falling back out.

Much to my great satisfaction, these FS1 earphones are PURE DELIGHT! They are a breeze to insert into my ears, offer a snug fit and have not once come loose on their own. I'm no audiophile, but I'm quite happy with the sound they produce. They seem to offer plenty of range and a good sound stage. Although they don't isolate as much noise as I would prefer, for the money, I've found nothing better.