Etymotic Research HF2 Hands-Free Earphones / Headset (iPhone Compatible) | List Price: $49.00
Discount Price: Too low to display
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Brand: Etymotic Research
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 2 years warranty
Features: - Headset and earphones for iPod, iPhone and other mobile phones
- For music phones and music players that take 3.5 mm/4-contact phone plus stereo plug
- Highest noise isolation of all competing headsets
- Exceptional sound quality
- 20Hz-16kHz frequency response accuracy, 16 Ohms impedance
Works Great Sounds Great [Posted on 2008-06-27]
What a great product this is!!! Perfect clarity, small package, sweet all around, I can find nothing bad to say about 'Etymotic Research HF2 Hands-Free Earphones / Headset'. If you are looking for a compact solution for listening to MP3s from your iPod or phone this is a wonderful product. Pricey? Yes but you get what you pay for
Headphones come with lots of other replacement ear buds as well, this is sonic marvel that will blow you away!
***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Yes, but ... [Posted on 2008-06-30]
It is hard to refute the technical superiority of these earphones/headset. Much has already been written by others that supports this. However, I really have to question whether Etymotic Research tried them in different settings. These high end earphones, as another reviewer pointed out, are extremely distracting because of the sounds they don't filter out: the least amount of movement on the part of the user.
Despite the great attention to packaging, assortment of earpieces, and audio fidelity of these earphones/headset, I found them to be disappointingly impractical for general use.
Fantastic [Posted on 2008-06-30]
I've been listening to my iPod for years with my old headphones. I've always been happy with them.
When I got the these Etymotic Hf2's, I was a little dubious. I already had the iPhone bluetooth for phone calls, and I was curious to how this would work both for phone calls and listening to music.
Well, I'm sold. What an amazing hearing experience. When I finally got the ear piece in correctly (and more about that in a minute) I couldn't hear anything around me. I put on the music on my iPod, and WOW. What amazing clarity. I know some people have had problems with the bass, but I wonder if this may have been because they didn't have the ear pieces in correctly.
These earphones are terrific, because if you are listening to music on your cell phone, and you get a phone call, the music automatically stops, and the phone call comes in - clear as a bell.
Two things to note -
First, is that because this earphone blocks all outside noise, you really only want to put one ear piece in your ear while driving.
Two, be very careful about putting in the ear piece - it's tricky! At first, I didn't look at the directions and just stuck the gray rubber ear piece end as far as it would go. Yow - that hurt. I thought to myself, "Oh great, now you've done it, you've perforated your eardrum!"
But I didn't, and when I switched to the blue tip, and held my ear out as demonstrated, it went in perfectly.
Highly recommended.
Great sound! Fantastic Isolation! [Posted on 2008-07-01]
The first challenge you will have with this product is.... getting it out of the packaging. Very clever - someone spent a LOT of time figuring out how to make that a challenge! Don't give in and rip and tear the package apart - you might just damage the product... :)
After utilizing my advanced degree in package opening, I took out the earphones and looked them over. Black is nice - it does not stand out as much as white. They include a whole package of different sizes of ear thingies in case you have "big ears" or "small ears" but the standard size seemed to work for me just fine. They are quite different in design to the normal type - three separate sections that each reduce the sound as it travels into your ear.
Of course no "in ear" earphone is likely to give me the bass I really want (for one thing, it will not make my tummy vibrate... ). But the sound quality of these is just excellent! I have purchased a number of earhpones for my iPhone because I was not satisfied with the sound quality of the standard Apple earphones. These are clearly the best sound I have heard so far - very natural sound as compared to mostly tinny sounds from others I have in my "failed product" collection.
So, on sound quality... I give it a 4 star (note that 5 stars requires that I feel the bass in my gut). It is not as goos as my very expensive pair of over the ear large phones I use when I really want to hear the bass, but they are much larger and have no sound isolation.
Speaking of sound isolation, I just missed a phone call because I am listening to my iPhone on a fairly low setting and the phone rang right next to me. YIKES! I didn't even here it! Missed the call. If you want sound isolation, this is the only earphone I have tried (other than the very large Bose type with acitve sound suppression, or very very large sound studio-type sound isolating headphones) that actually does what it promises.
This is a good thing IF you wnat sound isolation. Such as taking a walk downtown while listening to your music. BUT, if a car is about to run you over, you might not hear the screech of the tires. So you decide. If you use these in your office, you will never hear your boss come up behind you. When he touches you on the shoulder... you will jump a mile!
These phones also do not seem to have the problem I have had with other in-ear phones. The sound conducted by the wires into your ears - every time you move, you can hear the sound. While there is some of that, it seems to be less than usual. Don't understand why.
The phones are confortable - I usually can't stand in-ear for very long, but I think the shape of the isolator pads must also make them more confortable. At least for my ears. They also seem to stay put better. Perhaps the 3-tier approach to the isolator also makes them stay put 3 times better.
Next, I tried using the phone. I called my answering machine to test voice quality. Sound was very clear - excellent clarity. I have had some complaints when I use the Apple earphones when making telephone calls. The mic and control button is higher up nearer to my mouth - this is probably why it works better.
However, since you are wearing sound isolating headphones, your own voice is really muffled. All you can hear is the sound coming through your head. This could be a problem for some - I found it distracting. Maybe I will get used to it. Actually, if I talk to myself (not on a phone call) it does not bother me. It is probably the contrast between how clear the other person sounds and how muffled I sound that bothers me.
Anyway, overall, an excellent product. Very good, natural sound, excellent isolation. Excellent sound for outgoing voice on telephone calls. Could be a problem hearing yourself talk. And watch out for someone coming up behind you...
Great Headphones!!! [Posted on 2008-07-01]
My first set of Ety's were the Er-6i. I had to change to another set because of the lack of bass in them. Fast forward to the HF-2...whoah!
Tons of clarity and enough bass even for the naysayers. Don't get me wrong though; Ety's are known for treble and clarity, no bass. I don't have an iPhone, so I can't say too much on that piece.
The packaging is excellent...you can give as a gift without wrapping! It comes in a very elegant paper box that has magnets for closing. The earphones also come with enough accessories so you don't have to go shopping for more: Eartips, carrying case, volume control.
Although the cord might be a little too short, I guess it's personal preference. I'd rather got an extension cord versus all the extra eartips...but they make sure you're satisfied!
Click here for more details and discount information...
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