There are a few things as a runner that we go through pretty fast besides running shoes. One of those items is a set of ear buds or ear phones. Trying to find a good quality pair that will last a while and stay in your ears is like finding a needle in a hay stack. I couldn’t tell you how many times I have purchased a set and had to return them at the store for one reason or another until I found a set that I was semi happy with. If I was lucky, I would find a pair that would last a few months. But, when I would go back to buy them again, the store no longer carried them or the company discontinued making them.
I feared making a purchase like this online because it takes a week to receive the package in the mail. If I don’t like what I’ve bought, I have to go through the whole shenanigans of mailing it back exactly the way it was packaged with everything it came with. Then wait several more weeks to get my money refunded or to get another pair. I get a headache just thinking about it. Even with all the grand reviews of how great a product is, there is always the fear of “What if?” Needless to say, the ear buds that I had for the past year, I hated. But, they were the best ones I could find at our local high tech store that fit in my price range. When the left speaker wire finally started to give me trouble last week, I celebrated.
I started with checking past posts from my running mamas at http://www.cafemom.com/group/247/forums/?group_id=247& for some advice on which brand to buy. I knew from past experience that if I bought cheap, I was going to get cheap. But, I couldn’t spend a fortune either. Bose is good and I have a set for in home use. But I didn’t want anything bulky or anything that is going to reduce outside noise. I run and bike on the roads so I need to be aware of cars coming up from behind. At the same time, I didn’t want to sacrifice good sound. There’s nothing like hearing those songs that give you the extra energy to keep moving with deep base and clear, crisp highs. I was looking for ear buds that are known to stay in the ear while running hard, have good sound, last a long time for sports wear. That’s a tall order. After reading many pages, I narrowed it down to the Sennheiser brand. There are all kinds of models and to be honest, I was confused as to which to get. I didn’t need one that had volume control. I had control of that already. I had behind the ears before and didn’t like them, due to sound quality. By the time I was done I was left with the MX 85 twist to fit. It looks like it has two speakers on each ear bud. But, one is orange. Maybe it’s a suction cup. I could only guess how this contraption was going to stay in my ear canal.
I found a pair on Amazon.com at a reasonable price and bought them. I have paid the same price for a pair of ear phones at our local store before so I didn’t feel bad about my purchase. Plus, I know I can trust Amazon.com. I’ve made many purchases there over the years. So I have to wait a few days. It was like a kid waiting for Christmas. Two whole days later, the package came in. It took me about two minutes to figure out how to put them in, but I have to say, I am totally happy with the quality of the product and the sound it produces. They seem to really stay in the ear well. The test of time will tell if they last more than a few months. I hope so because as for right now, I’m a big fan.
The buds have one side that is longer that the other. I remember reading someone complaining about this. It was instantly clear to me why it was this way. They are for athletes. They assume you are going to wear your iPod or music device on your body. The shorter end is the side that is to be worn closest to the device and ear so there isn’t extra wire to get in your way. Many people also couldn’t figure out how to put the buds in their ears and returned the buds, complaining that it came without instructions. All of this worried me before I ordered mine, but at the same time, I told myself that it really couldn’t be that hard to put an ear piece in your ear. I sat at the kitchen table and looked at the ear bud and all the things it came with.
I did the obvious first. I put the spongy thing over the speakers. Then I noticed that the orange round piece was rather large and there were bigger and smaller orange pieces. I replaced the piece with the smallest orange piece. I then tried to put the buds in my ear by twisting one way, then the other. Neither way worked. I read the paper it came with and it didn’t say anything about how to insert it into your ear. Hmm. I tried it again with no success. It has to work because there were people out there that say it does. I got up and went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. I grabbed my ear and stuck that godnabbit thing in my ear.
Guess what? When I did that, I accidently stuck the whole dang thing in my ear. Both speaker and suction cup piece. It fit just right too. So, that is how it goes in?!?!? That orange round piece is like a hook that snaps into the upper part of your inner ear. All you have to do is mash the bud in your ear canal like it is a marsh mellow and twist. Now, don’t go hurtin’ yourself! Don’t jam the thing up in there! Go easy. It’s not supposed to hurt at all. When it can’t go in any further, let it go. It should stay in by itself. If it doesn’t, try again. You’ll get it in a minute.
P.S.
Took the buds for a bike ride, loved them!!! Even with the wind, the sound was AWESOME!!! I didn’t have to mess with them once. I had a blast and was bouncing in my seat to ‘It takes two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, screaming ‘WHOA, YEAH, WHOA, YEAH, WHOA, YEAH”. I’m going to guess the construction crew at the end of the road thought I was making cat calls at them when I seen their heads put up from the ditch. The look of confusion on their faces was priceless and sent me into a delirium. They laughed and waved as I passed and went back to work.
