Sony MDR-J11G h.ear Sports Headphones
See it at Amazon.com for $7.69Average Customer Rating
(3.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
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(2 out of 5)Decent sound, terrible as sports headphones
The sound is decent. But the phones are terrible for sports, especially for running. They won't stay in. They are constantly falling off, pulling away so that you only hear through one ear, and the clip only worsens the problem. So I'm still on the hunt for headphones that won't fall off during a workout. These aren't them.
(4 out of 5)Works well with iPod, perfect for RUNNING and working out
I honestly don't understand some of the negative reviews for this product. They certainly don't just fall off if worn while running, let alone while walking. Because they are very light and supported by over-the-ear clips, the earbud tends to "float" in your ear and may not feel snug to some people. The speaker face of the earbud actually points forward, and not directly into the ear. They are not designed to be a snug fit in the ear canal, like the "closed type" designs of Shure Sound Isolating or Sony Fontopia headphones. Because of this, you are able to hear outside noises while running (which is a good thing), and also don't get the stethoscope effect when the wire rubs up against your shirt/body.
Sound quality is pretty good. Far from perfect, but certainly not bad. Great range and clarity for this price and purpose. Obviously there are headphones on the market that offer higher sound quality (see Shure), but for listening to mp3's, podcasts, or audiobooks while running or working out, these headphones sound just fine.
Sound volume is good as well. I use mine with an iPod mini. At the lowest volume level right before it cuts out the sound completely, it's still fairly audible. When running I usually set the volume on my iPod to about one-third the max. One-half the max is about as loud as I can get before outside noises are washed out. Anything louder would probably cause long-term hearing damage.
I have not experienced the crackles or distortions mentioned by other reviewers. Keep in mind that it may not be the headphones causing this. The quality of the digital audio player plays a big part in the overall sound quality. I have also not experienced any shortouts due to sweat or loss of sound in either earbud.
One bonus characteristic of these headphones is that the ear clips don't get in the way of sunglasses. Because the earclips are thin and angle out toward the top part of your ear instead of against your head, your sunglasses won't have to sit on top of the earclips.
My one piece of advice is to always attach the shirt-clip to your shirt if possible. That's why it's there! Otherwise, it's just extra weight dangling and putting pressure on your earbuds.
Overall, for $10 these headphones are a great value and work well while running or working out.
(5 out of 5)These work like a charm
(3/18/06) I read lots of reviews in which people say their earphones fall off and are not worth anything. I guess it all comes down to the shape/size of people's ears. These fit my ears like a glove. I don't even realize I am wearing them. I'm currently traing to run a marathon; I run a lot. So far, the farthest I've ran with them was twelve miles and I had not problems at all. I only paid $10.00 for them; if they break, that's fine; the usage I've gotten out of them so far has been worth every penny (and I'm confident I will get many more miles out of them before I need to get new ones.)
ADDENDUM (8/18/06): Well now I have trained and run two marathons and the earphones are still holding up. I am currently training for a third marathon (which is in two months) and these earphones have not given me any problems. I am confident these earphones will be operating just fine in two months while I run the third marathon. If/when they break, I will definitely gotten my $10-worth out of them.
ADDENDUM (10/15/06): I just ran the third marathon and these earphones are still good. I wouldn't be surprised if these hold up for a couple more marathons.
ADDENDUM (04/21/07): Well now I have trained for and have run four (4) marathons using these earphones (that's too much mileage to even try to count). They have not failed me yet. Granted, ever since I've had these headphones, I ALWAYS wipe them clean with a damp cloth to remove the residual salt from my sweat. IMHO, that's the reason they have lasted so long.
ADDENDUM (04/09/08): I've been running and training for yet another marathon which is just a couple weeks from now. But I finally trashed my original set of earphones; they were still working, the left speaker was starting to breakdown (slightly less volume than it should be.) Apparently two years of sweat ran its toll. However, I'm sure a non-audiophile wouldn't even have noticed. Anyway, $10 later, I have a brand-new set for the upcoming marathon. I'm sure they'll last me just as long as my old ones.
(1 out of 5)Horrible pieces of junk
These DO NOT securely stay on your ear. When I run with them they constantly are coming away from my ear so I can't hear them (so much for that "Non-Slip Design for a Secure Fit"). Addtionally, if any sweat drips down onto one of the ear phones, it effectively mutes that side. I usually have to pull them out and try and blow any moisture out of them with little to no success. I am definately in the market for a new pair of head phones to run and work out in.
I originally bought these as I've had much success with Sony Sport headphones, but Sony should be ashamed of itself for these.
(3 out of 5)Fell apart
Decent headphones for the gym, but it fell apart after about 2 months. The clip busted and white cover on the earpiece fell off.