Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic

Design

Since Apple fears change, this new generation of in-ear headphones looks a lot like the last in a lot of ways. Sure, the strange sleeve shape of the previous model has given way to a more traditional look, but the horrible plug has somehow survived, flying in the face of Charles Darwin. The titular remote and mic have also made an appearance, along with the uncredited volume switch. We’d say the new in-ears look better than the old ones, if only for the new in-line gadgetry.

Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic	Apple iPod In-ear Headphones

Frequency Response

These graphs are almost mirrored over a horizontal line. The new one has a strong bass response that slowly falls off towards the high end. The old one had a horrible bass response that gradually increased as it got towards the high end (before eventually falling off). We’d say the new headphones are better, because they have a slightly less erratic response.

Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic	Apple iPod In-ear Headphones

Distortion

The in-ear headphones have evolved a long way in terms of distortion. While the old headphones stockpiled distortion on the low-end, the new ones have a small cache towards the high-end. The new onew are definitely an improvement.

Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic	Apple iPod In-ear Headphones

Tracking

The new Apples have a much more even tracking than the old ones. The old headphones’ performance looks like a polygraph test.

Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic	Apple iPod In-ear Headphones

Isolation

The new Apple in-ear headphones do a slightly better job at isolating.

Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic	Apple iPod In-ear Headphones

Comfort

There’s no real difference in comfort between the two generations. They both fall out with the same frequency and are about as comfortable the rest of the time.

Wear
Apple In-ear Headphones with Remote & Mic	Apple iPod In-ear Headphones

Verdict

The initial Apple in-ears weren’t great, but they were inexpensive. These headphones are better in many ways but cost about $50 more. We prefer the new model for its improved feature set (we hear it has a REMOTE and MIC) as well as its better isolation and sound quality. The extra money is worth it.