They say you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, but is it possible to force a mediocre pair of earbuds to produce higher quality sound by modifying them so they extend into the ear canal? Griffin Technology believes you can, and sets out to prove it with its $15 EarJams.
Why Didn’t I Think of That?
The EarJams are yet another clever concept from Griffin. Each consists of a white piece of plastic that snaps around the outside of an Apple earbud. From each EarJam projects a post for mounting one of the included rubbery earpads (three sizes of earpads are included). This post/earpad design essentially turns the earbuds from in-ear headphones to inner-ear headphones. Griffin claims this design provides a massive increase in bass, a more comfortable fit, and increased volume by up to 10dB.
I can attest to the first and last claims, but take issue with the second.
Big Sound
With EarJams in place, I did hear significantly more bass from my earbuds. Regrettably, it was far more bass than I cared for. I was able to roll off some of it by using the iPod’s Bass Reducer EQ setting, but even with EQ settings that either reduced the bass or accentuated the treble, the low-end was too prominent for my taste. However, as compared to a set of Apple earbuds without Griffin’s earbud enhancers, the EarJammed earbuds were definitely louder.
I didn’t find the headphones much more comfortable though. The edge of the EarJams is a little sharp and I found that they dug slightly into the meat just north of my earlobes. It’s not a painful sensation, but one that grows irritating over time. Because your ears are likely shaped differently than mine, in this regard your mileage is sure to vary.
The Lowdown
If you’re one of those people who can’t get enough bass and enjoys the admiring looks earned while wearing Apple’s telltale white earbuds, the EarJams may be for you. If, however, you’re unhappy with the sound offered by Apple’s earbuds and seek a more balanced sound from your headphones, you’d be wise to put that $15 toward a better set of headphones.