Home > Consumer Reviews > Monster iFreePlay Cordless Headphones for iPod shuffle 2G (Silver/Black)

I gave this product two stars to acknowledge my appreciation for a great idea. After all, any product that eliminates a dangling cord at the gym has something going for it. Unfortunately, the execution didn't live up to the promise.

First, the sound is among the worst I've ever experienced from a set of headphones (even from the cheapest ones). The highs are muted. The mid-range is muddy. The bass is flaccid -- that is, I can sometimes tell it's flaccid when the right speaker doesn't happen to be buzzing loudly due to distortion. All in all, an abysmal listening experience.

Second, the product is simply cheaply made and feels incredibly flimsy in your hand. While my little orange Shuffle clicked into place with certainty, everything else about the phones feels like the company spared every expense. Am I nitpicking? I don't think so. When you pay 50 bucks for a set of headphones, you expect a level of quality commensurate with that price. But if you didn't know how much they cost, the iFreePlay phones feel and sound like headphones in the 12-dollar range.

Finally, I again want to say how much I like the idea behind these headphones. It was a pleasure to click my Shuffle into the little dock on the left earphone and go through a gym workout without a dangling cord catching on any of the equipment. And if the sonic quality these headphones produce was even merely competent, I'd be satisfied. But the sound is just unacceptable.

I feel bad because I know how even one negative review on Amazon can have a profound effect on the future of a product. And my review may severely retard sales of the iFreePlay. But Monster should have spent far more time in focus groups and quality control before releasing this product. They should also cut the price in half.

The bottom line: I'll wait for another company with higher standards to make a similar product. Or I'll wait for Monster to get its act together.

Let's face it. Until Apple starts manufacturing an Ipod with bluetooth capability, wires are just a necessary evil...until now. Monster has blended great sound with true wireless portability. I am normally not one to write a product review, but I just can't let such a great produt hang out there with such an awful review. The other guy must have gotten a bad pair, which is a shame because these things are great! Of course they are not on par with my Etymotic high ends, but they defnitely hold their own with other wired headphones I have owned within the same price range, and they are are far better than anything Sony has in the $50 price range. I read a number of reviews on Apple's store site which praised these things,so I figured I would take a chance despite their first review on Amazon being anything but positive. Man am I ever glad I did. They blew me away as soon as I put them on, tight bass and clear highs. And there's no cord to get tangled in my gym equipment. If it weren't for the geek factor (They look kind of silly, and I wouldn't wear them in public.) I would have given them 5 stars easily.

I got tired of the earbuds that come with the iPod shuffle falling out of my ears all the time, and the cords getting tangled up.... so when I saw these cordless phones I thought they'd be perfect. I read all the reviews, and decided to take a chance. I'm really glad I didn't pay full price for them, as I do have problems with them. Some negative reviews mentioned them being too small, but my problem is that they're too big..... I have a small head and they simply do not stay put. Fortunately, I have long hair and put it up in a ponytail when I go to the gym to work out. I hook the back of the headphones over the top of the ponytail, and this is the only way they will stay in place. Even then, they slip around and I am frequently having to reach up and adjust them. I don't know what I'll do if I get tired of long hair and cut my ponytail off!! I simply won't be able to use this at all. Also, I find the weight difference between the two sides annoying. The designers should have done a better job compensating for the weight of the iPod. The sound quality is fine with me; I don't expect great sound from inexpensive little earphones. If they would only stay put, I'd love them.

I love, love, love these headphones! They are exactly what I wanted--no cords, no earbuds, and the sound quality is great to me. The only thing I would suggest to the manufacturer if they make an updated version is to find a way to adjust the headband size. These are a tiny bit big for me, so a little adjustability would be nice, but they still don't move around or slip when I'm wearing them. Plus, I have longer hair, so unless my hair's back in a ponytail, the headphones aren't really visible at all when I'm wearing them, so I don't worry about the "geek" factor. (-: I also didn't have a problem with any of the Shuffle's controls (specifically the "+" volume button) being blocked by the docking earpiece, as at least one reviewer mentioned. All the controls are visible and easily "findable" while I'm wearing the headphones.

All in all, EXACTLY what I was looking for!

Love the idea of the wireless shuffle headphones! Earbuds don't stay in my ears, and other headphone cords tend to be too long for easy portability. These cordless headphones were great for walking/running/lawn mowing activities for about a month, but then the center hinge broke, rendering them useless. As others have commented, they felt too big for my (female) head and there was no way to adjust the size--they never fell off, but felt like they could.

Wait for a sturdier, cheaper, adjustable model.