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"Excellent sound, bad build quality." on by Bergentoph
Pros: Great sound!
Attractive design
Snug fitting ear buds
Easy to reach audio controlsCons: Small diameter cord
Cord jacket near headphones and female jack are easily torn
Occasional loss of button controlSummary: When I first received these headphones as a gift I was elated! The sound was great, they fit snug, and looked cool. About three months into use the jackets around the cord where it enters the buds and where it connects to the jack began to rip. I tried to only use these buds for light use and even switched them out for a sports pair when mowing or running. Still they ripped. Also when the cord gets moved around in your pocket the controls on the cord will sometimes stop working for a time, returning you to a previous headphone volume. It usually isn't a big deal but if your headphone volume is set high (because you are plugged into a car auxiliary jack) the volume will spike and usually physically hurt your ears. I believe this problem directly relates to the problem with the cord jacket. I will never buy another set of headphones without a thick cord and secure attachments!
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"Excellent Buds for the money." on by SebHurtado
Pros: -Crisp clear sound
-Extremely comfortable
-well balanced sound
-easy to use controls for phoneCons: -cord is a bit thin
-feel a bit flimsySummary: As an audio engineer I have used many different headphones. With that I can say that there is no one set of in ear headphones that will make everyone happy. Sound quality to an extent is very subjective.
I was very happy with these, particularly the bang for the buck. I prefer clear, punchy bass. There could be a bit more bass, but a part of that problem is the output from the iphone. Bass is deep and clear. One thing I like about these over the bose set, is that i can easily differentiate between low instruments. I can distinctively hear the difference between a bass guitar a kick drum. To me, the bose low end, is a bit boomy. Most low end frequencies just meld together to form one sound. This isnt a bad thing when listening to hip hop or dance music, but when listening to jazz or funk, I like to hear every instrument.
They don'tt quite measure up Shure ear phones, but for the money you cant beat the S4i's. Shure clarity does have its downfalls however. Because mp3's are so compressed, Shure's clarity and transparency makes the listening experience less enjoyable. When I am listening to music on my personal time, I do not want to be critiquing sound quality. The S4i's I feel have just the right amount of coloration creating a very pleasurable listening experience.
You also can't overlook the fact that these were designed specifically for the iphones. The controls are easy to use, and you don't need to worry about having to pull your phone out of your pocket to control what you are listening to.
If you have an iphone I highly recommend the Klipsch S4i. Extremely comfortable, easy controls, and great sound across all frequencies. -
"Terrific Value" on by peco412
Pros: Small and light, with terrific oval tips.
Cons: Too short, flimsy feeling cord.
Summary: I own Shure SE530 earbuds, but have been buying Klipsch S4 and S4i earbuds for family members. I have to admit that the Klipsch earbuds are more comfortable than the Shure earbuds. They're smaller, lighter and fit better in my ears. I've even borrowed a pair of the Klipsch silicone oval tips to use on my Shure earbuds. The only problem I have with the Klipsch earbuds is the too short and flimsy feeling cord. The part of the cord running from the Y-junction to each earbud is just too short for me; I feel like I'm wearing a chin strap when I have them on. For the money, the Klipsch earbuds sound terrific. It would have been hard to choose between my Shure earbuds and the Klipsch earbuds if they had been available when I bought them. However, having been able to sample both earbuds side-by-side, I prefer the superior clarity of the Shure earbuds to the Klipsch earbuds. But it's close enough that I would have to think hard before paying three times as much for the Shure earbuds.
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"People who rate this under 4* are stupid" on by AlexDena
Pros: Great sound and isolation
Cons: Materials and construction
Summary: Bottom-line is that these babies have a $400 sound quality on $10 dollar package, so the $100 price tag seems fair to me, you can find $100 better built ear buds (like Bose's) but they will not be nearly as great as the Klipsch S4i, the earbuds and its cord aren't meant to take them on outdoors sports because mainly because of 2 reasons 1. It will probably wear off really quick if it is constantly being in contact with rough surfaces like zippers or metals and 2.sound isolation is a security issue.
If you decide to take them to the gym they will probably wear out very soon..IF YOU DON'T AT LEAST WIPE THE SWEAT OFF... so don't be a pig and do it...
The way I see these earbuds, they are like buying a VW Passat, not cheap, not over the top expensive either, you get a good performance product that is as good as an audi but doesn't quite feel as finely built... but then again it is CHEAPER.
I hope I helped and if you didn't understand my analogy don't worry probably you are not alone.. -
"Best earbuds I have ever used and well worth the price." on by K.McRea
Pros: Great sound, fit, and thoughtful accessories. Quality build and are the most comfortable in ear phones I have used. Cord is the perfect length (longer that the stock iPod phones) and it is thin and flexible.
Cons: As with all in ear buds I have used, bumps and cord movement are heard, and the included cord clip must be used when worn while exercising.
Summary: I had tried a $100 pair of Shures, and have Sennheisers CX300s. Had to take the Shures back because they just didn't seem to have the bass or impact of the my Sennheisers. The S4is have great but not overpowering bass and have great presence. You almost forget that they are in ear phones. They came with several silicone tips and I ended up using the largest (had to do the same with the Sennheisers). Without the proper tips, there is no bass.
I have read complaints that the cord seem fragile. It is thin and flexible, but to me that is a plus; it seems much less intrusive than any other corded phones I have ever used and so far I don't see an issue with their durability. The buttons area better than the clicker on the stock phones. I am using the phones with an iPod Touch and the voice feature works just fine unless there is a tremendous amount of background noise. Can't vouch for their use on a phone call though. They come with a handy pouch that protects them and allows them to be carried unobtrusively in a pocket. I just love the earbuds!
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