Review : iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds Review 

From HiTechLegion
February 25, 2009
http://www.hitechlegion.com/reviews/audio/314-iharmplat1
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Introduction

There are a few things in life that I thought I would never been able to forecast if I wanted to. First is that MTV, which stands for Music Television, would need three other channels to handle music because the original MTV has become just reality TV. Second would be the fact that VH1 plays heavy metal. VH1 used to be adult contemporary and easy listening and when they started playing Motorhead, Metallica, AC/DC, and more, I was astonished. Third would be the fact that Marky Mark became a good actor. Where did this come from? I did not know he could act and then overnight he is a decent leading man, weird. Fourth is the fact that Keith Richards and Ozzy are still alive - I was surprised that they made it past the mid 1990's but keep on rocking guys. By this point, you have noticed that these observations have to do with musicians or the broadcasting of music and one of the main ways we listen to music today is through headphones and ear buds.

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds are here to compete in this over crowded market. The Platinum i-Series Ear Buds by iharmonix not only compete but put most of the competition to shame. The Platinum i-Series come with very comfortable ear buds in three sizes and have solid stainless steel construction. The iharmonix i-Series also comes with an in-line mic to make phone calls hands free and a gold plated 3.5mm audio jack. And the Platinum i-Series is compatible with the iPhone and other phones that have a 3.5mm jack.

The Product

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds come in an easy open display case which showcases the Platinum i-Series Ear Buds by iharmonix. On the back is a list of the specifications and what the iharmonix Platinum i-Series can support. I hate it when things come in those plastic clam shell prisons where you need the jaws of life and a blow torch to get the product out

Product View

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds come in a nice display out of the package and you can see the Platinum i-Series Ear Buds come in a nice brushed steel style.

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds come with a built in mic and, a little lower, you can see a steel iharmonix medallion on the line.

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series comes with a gold plated 3.5mm jack and large, medium and small ear buds. The Platinum i-Series Ear Buds also have a felt carrying case. Nice touch.

Specifications and Features

Testing and Benchmarks

Audio preference is a very personal thing and can mean many things to many people. And while it is very subjective, we still want to look for the glaring problems with headphones and ear buds. So we took a step back, looked at what we wanted in a pair of ear buds or headphones, and came up with a good list of what we thought that most people want .

Audio Quality

The quality of the audio produced by the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds is great. Even at higher levels of volume, I could not detect any crackling or distortion. I listen to the Platinum i-Series Ear Buds playing video games such as World in Conflict, Crysis, Mass Effect, and Dead Space and it was crystal clear. I watched TV using my Diamond All in Wonder Card and the sound was perfect again. I had no problem hearing any voices or music that was played during my time watching the television. To test the audio quality of the in-line mic of the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds, I made some calls to a friend and neither of us had any problems hearing each other, minus a little cell phone static. To listen to music, I used my iPod and through my computer. The output was crisp and clear and there was no crackling or distortion even when listening to my favorite metal bands such as Metallica, AC/DC, Ill Nino, Soil, and others, at some of the highest volumes I could stand. And I will let you know I like my music loud, really loud. Put it this way, at my wedding the majority of the music was Metallica and the bride and groom's song was Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford and Ozzy. And though iharmonix does not mention it, the Platinum i-Series Ear Buds do a great job of blocking out external noise. I could not even hear my wife talking to me two feet away, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I could not even hear the outside noise while traveling in the car, which is awesome.

Comfort

The comfort of the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds is phenomenal. I hate it when manufacturers make ear buds out of that rigid plastic that does not conform well to the ears. After about a half hour of listening to those types of ear buds, my ears tend to hurt very badly. This was not the case with the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds - I was able to leave them in all day with out having any pain or discomfort, thanks to the ear gels in the different sizes that iharmonix had included. I sleep with headphones on because I like to listen to the television when I sleep but my wife can not stand it, so I compromise. And the reason I use headphones is, as I stated above, hard ear buds irritate me. I gave the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds a try at night, since I was able to listen to them all day with no problems, and I was very pleased. My ears did not hurt, they stayed in my ears even though I toss and turn often, and I was not strangled by that lack of not having enough cord.

Durability

To test durability, I left the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds in my pocket with my keys for a day during work and errands that I had to do and they came out fine. The sturdy steel casing kept them well protected and there was no splitting of the gel buds. Not to mention, I slept with them in my ears and they made it out fine.

Cable Length

The cable length was fine - I was able to keep my iPod in my pocket and in my back pack without feeling any pressure put on my ears from not having enough cable. Nor did the iPod ever become disconnected from not having enough cable. And again, I was able to sleep with them all night long without getting strangled in the cables.

Conclusion

Price Point

Price: $59.95

Class: High End

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds are competitively priced in the high end category and have no problem performing up to its standards. I have had many ear buds and these are a great deal for the price and functionality.

Performance

The iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds performed very well and actually have a feature that the manufacturer does not tout, which was noise dampening. The iharmonix Platinum i-Series was comfortable and had a great sound to them. They were also durable and are very stylish with a classy steel finish.

Reviewer's Opinion

I really enjoyed the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds to the point that I would recommend them to my friends and, as I am doing right now, my readers. They surpassed my expectations of comfort and I was even able to sleep with them in my ears with no pain or frustrations. The sound quality was excellent during my testing with them and I plan to continue using them with my iPod and while I sleep. The phone functionality was good as was the sound quality for phone calls on both ends.

I really enjoyed the fact that there was no distortion at higher levels of listening and they did not hurt my ears while using them. I have tried many ear buds over the years and I have had to make sacrifices while using all of them, whether it be comfort or sound quality. I did not have to make that sacrifice with the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds, they were perfect in their execution of sound and comfort. Not to mention they were durable and they suit my style. I really can't express my satisfaction with the iharmonix Platinum i-Series Ear Buds enough, they were excellent.

Pros

• Comfortable
• Sound Quality
• No Distortion At Higher Levels
• Stylish
• Durable
• Built In Mic

Cons

• None

Editors Choice

 

Christopher Greer
HiTechLegion
February 25, 2009