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Zagg (link) is currently running a 20% off promo on their InvisibleShield skins with code USA20 (expires July 6) at checkout. This is the biggest discount we have seen for these protectors in 4-5 months so the price is very good.
US Orders ship for free and international are done at a small fee.
This protectors are available for every gadget available under the sun (almost) including: iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy S5, Google Nexus 5, Kindles, Watches, etc.
Over the last 15 years, I've spent a considerable amount of time living in airports and airplanes. Because of this, I am always searching for the next gadget or technology that will make my trip easier or more enjoyable. The first gadget that most travelers buy is a quality pair of noise canceling headphones.
My first active noise canceling headphones were to Sennheiser PCX-250 then I graduated to one of the first Bose Quiet Comfort's . Although these devices performed extremely well, they had some negative factors that motivated me to look elsewhere.
I've been using passive noise isolating headphones for about four years now, and own some of the best models currently available in the market (brands like Shure, Westone, Ultimate Ears and Etymotic.) Imagine my excitement when I was able to get my hands on the new Etymotic HF-3.
this is an extremely well-designed smart phone compatible headset that includes all of the features we've come to expect at an extremely competitive price (sub $200).
The enclosed three button remote, allows you to perform all the standard tasks: play/pause, skipping or rewinding a track, answering the call, disconnecting from a call and of course volume control.
Since I'm an audiophile and we're talking about headphones, I wanted to jump straight into audio quality. The HF3 (hf-3) offers honest and uncompromising sound reproduction (even compared to my other headphones that cost 3 to 4 times more).
In order to test the sound reproduction quality, I use the following setup:
The songs I used were:
I quickly discovered that the device is tuned in such a way, that you do not need to use a headphone amplifier. This is a plus for portability.
I love my Ultimate Ear Triple-Fi 10 but too often they sound overly"bright". The HF-3 deliver's a clear, detailed and unbiased reproduction of your content. Regardless of how complex the music was, the HF-3 performed like a champ and never sounded muddied or clouded.
Mids and highs were crystal clear. Lows were well balanced (as long as the earphone’s had a proper seal in the ear canal).In order to achieve maximum sound reproduction (especially for the lows), you need to ensure the headphones have made a nice tight seal in the ear canal. Users that have just moved to these may not realize how "deep" the headphones need to be inserted.
I was able to hear instruments and nuances that are lost with most earphones in this price range. Sound stage was wide and open. The Etymotic HF3 is closer to reference headphones than my Ultimate Ear Triple-Fi 10 or Shure headphones.
I compared the HF3 to its more expensive sibling (the ER-4s) and was amazed at how the HF3 could provide very similar sound reproduction at this price range.
Some of the most popular headphones sold today are specifically built to provide enhanced bass (sacrificing the quality of the mids and highs). If this is the type of headphone you are looking for then the HF3 is not for you. The HF3 is not a boom boom style headphone.
At high volume (not recommended) the headphones performed without disortion or audio artifacts. When playing some of the lower quality MP3s (128 kbit/s) I could hear compression artifacts which really impressed me.
Unlike the cheaper feeling remote on the ZAGGsmartbuds, the remote on the Etymotic HF3 feels solid and well made. They have used a nice high quality cable that minimizes bumps and scratches introduced by the cable rubs against your clothes (a complaint I have with many other earbuds).
As soon as you touch the product, you can feel the care that went into it. You know this is a quality product that will last for many years.
I read other reviews and have to acknowledge that many complain that sound level of the microphone is low but this isnt a problem I encountered. I tested the microphones by making standard cell phone calls on an iPhone 4s and a Google Nexus and callers said my end of the conversation was clear. I also tested calls via Voice Over IP applications (Skype, Dell Voice and Nettalk) and again callers said I sounded clean and clear.
Even calls overseas to Europe and Asia worked beautifully.
The kit comes with various earphone tips and it is important to take the time to test the different ones and find the best one for your specific ear shape. Finding the right one means you will get better sound and better noice isolation. As soon as you find that best fit tip, you will be dumbfounded at how much sound this little device keeps out.
Etymotic claims
"Documented highest noise isolation of any earphones or headphones on the market today"
and I believe them. The loud road of a jet engine is quieted to a gentle lull. The screaming baby 3 rows down is easily drowned out by your music.
Noise isolation was better on the HF3 than on any of my other In Ear Monitors including the Triple-Fi 10.
I have not gone through the process yet but Etymotic has a program where you can have custom molded eartips produced for your HF3 by a certified audiologist. The cost is about $150 and I will update my review if I ever get around to having a custom pair done.
The one "downside" of extreme noise isolation is that you may be too disconnected from the world (i.e. not hearing a warning horn or an announcement that you have arrived at your destination). Etymotic has made available an IOS app called Awareness that uses the HF3's microphone to alert you of sounds louder than a certain threshold. When triggered, the app can pause your music. reduce the music volume or leave the music volume as is but add the external sound to your music.
Etymotic explains the app as "preserving the listening experience while adding awareness of outside sounds for safety's sake". Etymotic customers get the app for free, but others can buy it from the app store $6.99
Verdict
I can't recommmend the Etymotic HF3 enough. I absolutely love it and it is now my Everyday Carry headphones. The sound quality and noise isolation are unbeatable. They outperformed many competitors that cost 4-5 times as much.
Some Pictures
Click on the thumbnail below to see the full size one.
The packaging
Nice visual box
properly protected box
The zippered pouch, the different eartips and the earwax filter + replacement tool
The 3 button remote
The angled connector (nice touch and well designed)
Comparing the tips of 3 earphones (the ZAGGsmartbuds, the Etymotic HF3 and the Etymotic ER-6)
The Zagg and ER-6 have Comply Foam tips while the HF3 has the original stock tip.
My last review of Zagg was for their InvisibleShield screen protector here. I loved the product but hated the hyper inflated cost of shipping on the replacements. Today I will be reviewing their ZAGGsmarbud earphones.
I have been testing these for the last 6 months and wanted to share my opinion. For the record, I purchased these myself for this opinion is completely unbiased.
The earphones come in a triangular easy to open box. Within this pyramid, you find the earphones, a small zippered carry pouch and 5 eartips.
Audio QualityI have 2 types of headphones:
The ZAGGsmartbuds are of the second category. For about $50, they are much better than the gargabe headphones Apple (or other manufacturers) provides but they arent $500 audiophile earphones either. Over the last 6 months, I tested these with all kinds of songs from soca to rock to heavy metal and they handled it all excessively well.
Comparing them to my high end Etymotic or Ultimate Ear earphones, I noticed that some of the more subtle nuances were lost or washed out with the ZAGGsmartbuds. Same issue with some very high notes. This is to be expected from $50 earphones but overall I found their sound reproduction very pleasing and satisfying enough to use as my everyday earphones.
I have standard ears and most standard manufacturer provided ear tips work well for me. The Zagg provided tips where no exception. They were comfortable and blocks external sounds well. Halfway through my testing, I installed Comply Foam tips and this made the experience so much better. I liked the Zagg tips but the Comply tips were that much more comfortable and they blocked out even more external sound. A worthwhile investment.
The ZAGGsmartbuds have a volume control slider and this worked as advertised. Moving the slider did not introduce and static or audio artifacts. This is an analog controller so exact control is out of the question. I found that turning my devices volume to 80% then using this slider control yielded the best results.
The control button works fairly well with my iphone to hang-up on a call, start/stop my music, change to the next song, change to the previous song or initiate SIRI. I wish they adopted a 3 button model instead but this isn’t half bad. I could easily perform the above functions when running or working out at the gym. The nest/previous song functionality even works with apps like Pandora, Slacker Radio and Stitcher Radio. This button functionality (or a part of it) worked on many other Android and Windows Phone 7.5 devices I tested it with.
Since this was my everyday earphones so I sometimes used these to make calls. I usually hear the caller fairly well in moderated noisy environments but callers regularly asked me to repeat or said I sounded muffled. If you will be making a lot of calls then this may not be the product for you. For casual calling use, it isn’t terrible.
The promise of a tangle free cord was very intriguing. There is nothing worse than spending 10 minutes trying to untangle your earphone cable and here the ZAGGsmartbuds performed as advertised. The cost did get into a mess but untangling it usually took 30 seconds or less. Zagg says this is because the cord “features a tough polyurethane coating”.
At first I thought this was a gimmick I would never used and took a while for me to figure out but once I started using this feature properly, I wanted this on all my earphones. By following the enclosed instructions and using it with their hangin tight feature, the buds are always accessible on your sides and never fall to the ground.
Overall I like this product and it performed well enough to become my everyday earphones. I can through it in my back, pocket and gym bag and not worry about it breaking. It has proven to be extremely durable. Sound quality was good for a product of this category but I wish the microphone performed a little better.
Shop around because you can find this product for around $30 at various large online resellers (so don’t buy it directly from Zagg).
