Cygnett GroovePlatinum

The GroovePlatinum earphones fall in the middle of a new range of affordable iPod in-ear headphones from Cygnett. Priced around $20, the GroovePlatinum earphones represents value for money, particularly if you break or lose the earphones that came with your iPod. They’re affordable, they don’t look like they came from your nearest dollar store, and they feel solid. The GroovePlatinum earphones are stylish without overdoing the bling and they perform well enough, but lack the clear benefits of more expensive choices and traditional over the ear headphones.

The GroovePlatinum earphones come with a selection of ear tips in three sizes that cup the bits that go in your ears. You may not find a perfect fit, but it’ll be close. The ear tips also help block out some extraneous noise that might spoil your listening pleasure. Over time the earphones proved a comfortable fit.

Sound wise, reproduction is bright and clear and fairly detailed, bass is a little lacking and occasionally unfocused. I’ve heard worse.

The GroovePlatinum earphones are available in a choice of white or black.

Macworld’s buying advice

A stylish and above all affordable alternative to Apple’s own iconic earphones, Cygnett’s GroovePlatinum earphones are a worthy option, particularly for the budget-minded. Sound reproduction is good to fair, which probably reflects the competitive pricing, and for everyday use prove just fine.

[Nick Spence is the online news editor for Macworld UK.]