sdc100 wrote:

Ouch.

sdc100 wrote:Although I joked previously about this, here's some serious advice. If you feel a current wearing these, discontinue using them immediately. There are two places you don't want any external current going through: the heart and the brain, both of which depend on internal currents to operate. I don't know the nature of these shocks but if the two buds complete a circuit, you risk current going through your brain (although it would more likely go across the outer skin).

What mean you? Me brain work good. ;-)

I bought these a while back. they are good for the price, Im still using mine now. The wire looks like it could be pulled out of the ear bud but that hasnt been a problem for me. The only thing is that they are not ideal for running, at least if you sweat a lot. Sweat on the metal makes it slip out.

bought these a month or so back, and they do work great. they have clean all-around sound, but some may find them lacking in the mid-range. they have to be fully plugged in your ear to get good sound (any bass). Their main downfall is their weight, which can cause them to fall out of your ear. I only use them while sitting still, because, usually, any jerky movement will make them come loose.

Bought 2 last time . . . they are great, especially for the price.

I love these little guys, got them in a previous woot-off. Great sound and very comfortable for the price. They have helped make many a flight bearable.

Also, my kids who normally hate ear buds because they hurt actually like these ones.

I bought a set of these the last time around.

Pros:
- They fit my ears well and stay in place fairly well.
- Really good noise isolation.
- Reasonably priced.

Cons:
- Bass response is just OK.
- Noticeable high-freq. roll-off. The highs are there, but soft, not clear & transparent.

Overall, they're comfortable and decent sounding, but aren't likely to satisfy an audiophile.

What a coincidence! I bought these last time and they JUST BROKE! Literally 15 minutes ago on my way home. The left earbud has no more sound. A good 6 months of use.

But to be fair, all my earphones somehow loses sound on one of the earbuds. Skullcandy, iMaximo, Philips, etc. All died on me the same way. Probably cause I leave them in my pocket and get jammed up.

swizzle777 wrote:How well are these at canceling out noise? Like on an airplane or on a bus?

It isolates noise pretty well if you use the proper silicone insert. Please note that these don't cancel noise. Cancellation is a process where "anti-noise" is generated by an electronic circuit to literally negate the noise. Imagine a sine wave. Now apply another sine wave that is exactly opposite of the original wave. The net result is a straight line at 0, or silence.

These merely block out noise, not cancel it. I actually prefer noise isolation to noise cancellation because the latter adds artifacts and a hum in quiet passages.

Got them on a previous woot. Awesome for the price. Very pleased with them.

Anyone know how these compare to the Razer m100 that was on Woot during the last Woot-off?

followerz9 wrote:I really liked these, bought 3 to stash in the closet and collect dust with the 3 Sansa Clips from a week ago. I use them in the gym and have already ripped the wires on a couple pairs and shorted out a sansa slip in the past so I'm a fan of them as cheap but effective!

These come with a lifetime guarantee, I got these 6/2009, they stopped working 11/2009, cost me $1.34 to send them in for repair & I got a brand new pair back.

These are absolutely the best earbuds you can get for under $30 imo. I bought these last time around on here, I use them daily and they sound excellent. For reference, I usually use JBuds, Skullcandy, or Ink'd (sub $20 earbuds). They give pretty damn good noise-cancellation too.

I'm buying a couple more just in case I lose or break my current ones.

New prices range from $25 to $35
http://alatest.com/redirect/partners/50536/-1/?i=1232466758&p=price_prod

Reviews are mixed, some great some bad.

PRODUCT INFO:
Maximo iM-490 iMetal Isolation Earphones work with the iPod, Mp3 players or other portable media players, and all smartphones who come packed with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Maximo iM-490 iMetal Isolation Stereo Earphones are made of lightweight alloy metal which looks very cool. Many people think that the design is not important on a pair of stereo earphones, but that’s just wrong because that’s very important and Maximo’s earbuds passed the test with ease.

In the box you will find the Maximo iM-490 Stereo Earphones with Medium Sized Ear Tips, a 2 ft. extension cable, 2 x small and large eartips, a very stylish carrying pouch and the user’s guide. While the medium-sized eartips fit most people, you might wanna impress a chick with big ears(ok, this was a bad joke).

The Maximo iM-490 iMetal Isolation Earphones feature a 4 feet long cable, a 3.5mm stereo plug, 9mm Neodymium drivers, a maximum SPL output bigger than 120dB, more than 100dB sensitivity, 18Hz-22Hz frequency response, and a superior audio fidelity. These earphones are definitely great, and I have to say that it improves the sound very much. The sound on my Storm is unimpressive, but the deep, powerful bass on these earphones have improved audio playback by much.

Woot should send a pair of these to everyone who bought those goddamn Blockade Earbuds last month. I'm still bitter about that, Woot! That was really messed up to sell those to us!

hotrod40rl wrote:If you've never had quality headphones... Try these... Not BOSE quality, but great for the cost! I love them! Good for rock music.

It just kills me how many people still think Bose is high quality. Educate yourselves people. Go listen to some real speakers and/or headphones to hear what you're missing. Honestly...Bose has some of the worst sounding equipment available.

Anyway... These are great headphones for the money. It's really unlikely that you will find any that sound better for the money. But the in-ear style is not for everyone. I personally like them, but they don't work for my wife at all.

I also got these a few months back. I absolutely loved them and still do. The only problem I found it that once I had (very) gradually burned them in the left speaker slowly started to fade away (volume wise) and is now barely audible. I don't know if it just got too much earwax (or water perhaps, although I've accidentally submerged them and it made no immediate difference at all) in it, but you may want to consider cleaning the protection filters more often than you would other earphones.

Dont think these work for the iPhone since iPhones 3.5mm jack is recessed. Anyone have a definite answer?

Anyone know how these compare with the ones Costco is selling for $20.00 which includes shipping.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11492966&cm_mmc=BCEmail_476-_-BANNER-_-4-_-LenntekEarphones

xquishi wrote:Is this compatible with a Sandisk Clip 2GB MP3 Player or Bushnell ONIX 400 GPS with XM NEXRAD Weather?

Yes these are perfect for Sansas. In fact, when they were first marketed, the company sold a model labeled Maximo iM-490S, with the S meaning "made for Sansa." The company later admitted that the iM-490 and iM-490S are identical.

thericochet wrote:I bought these the last time they were offered and loved them for the first month. Then the right earbud's audio would start cutting out when the relatively weak, thin cable at the base, near the jack, would move. I emailed Maximo and they were nice enough to RMA it (had to send it back in my own padded envelope and pay the postage).

I received a replacement, however I could tell they were refurbs and the right earbud on the replacement would cause this weird, uncomfortable suction effect when inserted in the ear that the left one didn't (the previous pair didn't do it either). I chalked it up to some sort of blockage in the air flow hole on the other end of the metal bud. I considered contacting Maximo again and RMAing, but I didn't want to have to go through the trouble of going to the post office and going through it all over again.

Ended up buying the Blockade earbuds Woot had a couple weeks ago as a two-fer and am really happy with them. I liked the sound the Maximo provided for the first month, but the build is very dainty and not rugged at all. The only saving grace is the lifetime warranty...but after 3 or 4 RMAs or so you'd be spending more in postage, gas and time than buying a more rugged replacement pair.

Edit: I want to add that I'm careful with my electronics and audio equipment, so the cable problems weren't due to any jostling of the earbud cables. I generally used it while stationary at home and use/used cheaper headphones at the gym.

Similar problems and now on my 4th RMA; only saving grace is customer service has allowed me to "return" last two sets by just sending a picture of the defective set with buds cutoff.

I wonder if these are actually the iM-490S instead of iM-490? From the manufacturer's website, the cables and ear tips are shown as white for the iM-490.

http://www.maximoproducts.com/imetal/iM-490s.php
http://www.maximoproducts.com/imetal/iM-490.php

Anyway, other than the color and the earbud metal alloy, there doesn't seem to be any significant difference between the two models.

My current earbuds have been dying a slow death, so I'll give these a try!

EDIT: just saw sdc100's post that the two are identical

MAKE SURE TO BURN THESE IN!!!

Guys, make sure to burn these earbuds in for optimum response. In fact, you should burn in all new earbuds, earphones, headphones and speakers. The procedure is simple. Simply plug these into your preferred sound source and play your typical type of music for 12-24 hrs at high volume. This flexes the earbud's diaphragm so that it can more easily and nimbly respond to sound(electrical) signals from your sound source. It's similar to flexing the soles of new shoes to make them more comfortable to wear. By choosing your favorite type of music, you can train it to "favor" your most-listened frequencies.

In for one

The lifetime warranty is great!

Hopefully these work great while im workin out, seein as thats mainly when I use ear buds lol

these are glorious. that is all.

sdc100 wrote:Guys, make sure to burn these earbuds in for optimum response. In fact, you should burn in all new earbuds, earphones, headphones and speakers. The procedure is simple. Simply plug these into your preferred sound source and play your typical type of music for 12-24 hrs at high volume. This flexes the earbud's diaphragm so that it can more easily and quickly respond to sound(electrical) signals from your sound source. It's similar to flexing the soles of new shoes to make them more comfortable to wear. By choosing your favorite type of music, you can train it to "favor" your most-listened frequencies.

high volume for 12-24 hours? turn my house into a freakin concert? lol when do i get to sleep!?

And I also bought a couple of these last time they were up. I love them and am getting 3 more for personal use and gifts.

willindeed wrote:Great phones. I even use them when riding a motorcycle and they block out the engine noise. Very good fidelity and excellent noise cancellation.

what about the wind noise?

waacodemon wrote:high volume for 12-24 hours? turn my house into a freakin concert? lol when do i get to sleep!?

Well, that's true for speakers but c'mon, you can't hear these earbuds behind a closed door, even at high volume! Maybe I should have made clear that the buds should NOT be in your ears when you burn them in.

These things are awesome at this price!

I got one set a few weeks back and love em.

In for three this time!

jezuzfreek wrote:what about the wind noise?

If no wind is hitting your eardrums, then there would be no wind noise. The silicone earpieces should seal your ear canal from the wind.

roxannez wrote:I love Woot and buy all the time from this site, and am 99 percent of the time completely satisfied with my products, but I must warn you that these headphones SUCK. One side blew out within a couple of days. Got a replacement pair from Maximo (they have a lifetime warranty) and within a few days, the new pair had the exact same problem. The sound was only coming out of one side.

Yes, I could have sent the second pair back for a replacement third pair, but how much time do you devote to something?

The most disappointing thing was that for the few days they worked, these were some fantastic headphones, just about the best outside noise-isolating set of headphones I've ever owned. So you may buy these and be thrilled for a day or two or even a week, until they f--- up. Seriously. Save your money.

My exact experience. I'm thinking Maximo just made too many of these and are liquidating them so they can update the line with cables that aren't so fragile.

avrcguy wrote:It just kills me how many people still think Bose is high quality. Educate yourselves people. Go listen to some real speakers and/or headphones to hear what you're missing. Honestly...Bose has some of the worst sounding equipment available.

Anyway... These are great headphones for the money. It's really unlikely that you will find any that sound better for the money. But the in-ear style is not for everyone. I personally like them, but they don't work for my wife at all.

Although I agree that Bose headphones are not audiophile-level quality, I disagree about their equipment sounding terrible.

Bose is underrated by audiophiles and overrated by the general public.

I've owned:

- Sennheiser 202
- Sennheiser 238
- Bose In-Ear
- Bose On-Ear
- Bose Around-Ear
- $30 Sony earbuds

I've tried out:
- A large amount of Sony headphones and earbuds

I have to say that all 3 of the Bose headphones and all of the Sennheiser headphones KILL similar-priced Sony headphones.

The Sennheiser 238s are similar to the Around-Ears from Bose, but the Bose headphones have much more bass, while retaining good mids and crisp highs. The 238's provide a very neutral sound, though, which I prefer for some content (particularly softer music).

The Sennheiser 202s are grainy in the high end but a REALLY NICE pair of headphones for $20. Amazing quality for the price. However, when it comes down to it, out of all I've tried, Sony seems to be the absolute worst, while Sennheiser and Bose sound great to my ears. Of course, I haven't tried the higher-end Sennheisers in the 4xx, 5xx, and 6xx range. I'm convinced they're much better than my Bose headphones.

Overall, Bose sounds best for *my* ears. It may very well be different for my ears, though, knowing that my left ear is slightly damaged (highs roll off a bit, mids are very attenuated).

Sorry, started rambling there. I haven't tried these buds out. They look interesting, and seem like they will probably sound better and isolate better than my $30 Sony earbuds I use for mowing the yard (very good isolation).

I bought these during a woot in late August, and just now ordered two pairs as Christmas gifts for friends. I LOVE them and I think the sound quality is amazing for the price. I only keep the volume on them anywhere from 1-7 out of 20, and the isolation is unbelievable. I've worn them for hours at a time without any discomfort at all.

Also, they've taken quite a beating considering they get twisted up every hour or so in between classes and squeezed into small spaces. They occasionally act as suspension cables when my Zune falls off the treadmill.

For breaking these babies in, I suggest just hooking them up to the computer, cranking up the volume, and throwing the headphones in a drawer before you go to bed.

I'd like to suggest a different way of wearing these buds, if you can't get them to fit.

Now, I have a pair of Q-Jays, which are also buds, but also very damn small. So this way may not work with these Maximo buds, but it's worth a try.

Take the left bud and wrap it around your right ear, bringing it up, down and over and basically slip it into your canal upside down. Take the right and wrap it around your left, the same way. You're essentially using the curve of your ear to anchor it, hooking the wire from the lobe, behind the ear, and over into the canal.

Doing it this way, I've kept my Q-Jays in snug, and it works perfectly.

would these be good enough to wear while working out?

I just want to make sure that they don't fall/slip out while i'm sweatin' my butt off at the gym.

I picked these up the last time they were sold. I wasnt to fond of them.

The overall sound of them were just ok. As far as the fit, i found them to be very uncomfortable. maybe if the little pole sticking out of the body were at the edge of the earphone, theu would feel much more comfortable. its the little part that stick out that hurt my ears. also they would have probably would have sounded better too because i would have been able to push them in my ears just a wee bit more.

4/10 for sound. 2/10 for comfort.

i like my apple in ear headphones much better! (the old model)

Warning:

I had to send mine in twice for replacement because the left channel either didn't work, or sometimes didn't work after physical readjustment.

HOWEVER:

The company that sells these (Maximo) is really good with making sure you get a working pair. The pair I bought came with a lifetime warranty, which means if they ever stop working again, I get a replacement.

Edit: another note, Maximo will replace these with a different model, the iM-390 I think, if they're out of the ones on Woot!

willindeed wrote:Great phones. I even use them when riding a motorcycle and they block out the engine noise. Very good fidelity and excellent noise cancellation.

Do you use a full face helmet or what? I have the ER6i and need to replace them.

Last time I bought 3 pairs of these. The big problem is they fall out of your ears! I like to walk around and listen to my music and with these I cannot!