Can we just face facts folks, the ear buds that Apple includes with our iPhones and iPods (funnily enough not with the iPad—you don’t get ear buds at all) are okay as back up ear buds, but if you really want to enjoy your music you need to step up your game.
Today we have BodyGuardz Tonic Earbuds for a steal at $20. Great looking ear buds that should make any audiophile happy. Yes, you can check out Beats headphones. Oh yes, they are amazing. I’ve used them and was blown away. They also cost a fortune. Let’s not break the bank just to have music that sounds good shall we?
Here are my top 5 things I look for in ear buds (I’m assuming great sound, btw):
- Construction. Ear buds take a beating. Toss them in your bag, put them in a pocket, close them in drawers (yeah I did that). You need something with oomph.
- Plug. Way, way too many times I’ve had plugs that don’t play nice with cases and such. It’s gotta be a small plug.
- Comfort. I like in-ear buds, but I also need to be able to get the right size and feel. If I can’t fit them correctly, I’m always fussing with them.
- Cleaning. Yes, it’s icky but you have to be able to easily clean the tips.
- Extras. In line volume? Mic? Extra long cable so you can stash your device in your bag and not feel like the cord is going to pull away? When push comes to show it’s the extras that often make the final decision for me.
One last thing about ear buds: safety. One of the downsides to great ear buds is often you can’t hear what’s around you. Not a problem sitting on the couch or your desk, but when you’re jogging or biking this is an issue. I bought Awareness some time ago so that if sounds around me are greater than a certain level, the outside sound comes through over the music. It’s a little thing that could let you know that a car is behind you or someone is trying to get your attention.
Regardless, check out the Tonics I like the style and the construction and frankly $20 is hard to beat.
Shipping to Continental U.S. addresses only
