Skullcandy Full Metal Jacket (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

These are good looking, metal ear buds from Skull Candy, a company that's fairly well known for it's ear buds and head phones. They're not the most expensive things on the market but they cost well over what your average set of ear buds goes for.The sound reproduction is nice once you adjust the EQ on the iPhone. These ear buds are ridiculously heavy on the base side of things. Apparently Skull Candy has never heard of mid tones in music. I found either the Spoken Word or the Flat setting to be pretty good. But for $[...] when a set of ear buds can be purchased for $[...] I expect MORE than pretty good. Pretty good is a $[...] set of ear buds.They feel nice. They fit my ears well although unlike the regular FMJ, the iPhone version doesn't come with different sized ear pieces. They come with one silicon set and two foam sets. The regular FMJ comes with 3 of each and they're all different sizes to make sure you get a good fit. Not a big deal but if I'm paying more for the iPhone FMJ I'd expect to get the same thing as the FMJ but with a mic.The mic works well and unlike the original iPhone mic, this one doesn't tend to get caught on your collar. It's round and well designed. The button is firm and you certainly can tell when you've pressed it.Fit and finish is miserable. The first set I got wasn't even the right set. You see, Skull Candy's design and model numbers are so similar that even the factory sometimes puts the wrong model in the box. I got regular FMJs, not the iPhone FMJ ear buds. The second set I got just didn't work. The THIRD set I got works but the jack isn't straight.Yeah, that's right, after three tries I finally gave up and settled on a set of headphones with a crocked jack. It's not a big deal but you know those $[...] ear buds I mentioned earlier? I'd be willing they've got jacks that are straight and fit better into the port on your media player of choice.After 4 weeks my $[...] ear buds are falling apart. I'm not overly hard on them, when I'm not using them I set them on a table or counter. I don't twist the cable and I use them mostly when I'm on the bus or at work. I don't throw them, expose them to water, microwave them, run them over, step on them or even dip them in the toilet. They go in my ear or on a nice flat surface. And yet they're falling apart.They came with a warranty! That's good news. Of course Skull Candy hasn't replied to a single message I've left, nor do they appear to honor their warranty.So really, what we have here is an $[...] set of ear buds that works about as well as a $[...] set. They're comfy enough, and work well enough, just be prepared to have to baby the hell out of them if you plan on using them for any length of time. I wish I could recommend a different brand as an alternative to this junk but so far these are all I've tried.

For general use, which in my opinion involves casually listening to music and being able to answer your iPhone easily, they work very well. Versus the stock white-cabled iPhone ear buds, they are much more comfortable, the mic/switch is more streamlined and doesn't catch on your collar, and the cables are higher quality and don't transmit "stethoscope" noises when you brush up against the cable.As I said, the ear buds are very comfortable and stay in my ear well without too much pressure, however the one nitpick I have about the overall design is that the mic/switch could be even more streamlined. Any way in which that component could be lightened or made less intrusive should be key in the design for iPhone-compatible ear buds. It is much better than stock ear buds, but why not make it as smooth as possible to prevent catching on things? Also if you are buying these to run or work out, sometimes the weight of the mic/switch can get annoying as it bounces around.Finally, if you're an audiophile to any degree, you'd have to describe the sound quality as "acceptable" at best. The response is very mid-heavy. As you increase the volume, it just gets "louder"--the sound doesn't envelop you or increase the presence of the music. It just feels like it gets loud. They do the job while I'm working and need some background noise, but if you want to actually _listen_ to music, grab a high-quality headset. I think ultimately it comes down to what you're buying them for.

I bought the v-moda duo's and although the sound was great, Iwas disappointed in the execution of their product. They were heavy (so the cord swung out because of the heavy metal inline button) and the button kept getting caught on my collar and they constantly tangled (badly) and had a stethoscope sound when the cord or the button rubbed up against your shirt as you walked.These are SO much better. The bass response is awesome and they are louder then the V-Moda's. The sound at the highest level is pristine clear with no distortion, even with bass heavy music. The cord is the perfect length, just long enough to fit in you pant pocket. The button to pause/fast forward/take a call is much easier to find then the V-Moda's although the stock Apple headset is the best in that department. They look cool, and the anti-tangle coating (which is absent from the V-Moda) is very effective. They work perfectly with my iPhone 3G. All this and $30 less then the V-Moda's - I think it's a no brainer.My only negative comments is that they didn't include a large silicone ear pieces like the V-Moda's and they should have included a cord extender since it's literally the exact size to go from head to pocket (in case you need the extra length when throwing in a bag etc).These rock. I highly suggest them.

1. They fit my ears snug and just right... it's like they were custom made.2. The sound is absolutely AMAZING! I could leave my zune's volume on 11 (max is 20 and I'm used to having it on 16 or 17) and STILL block out everything at A HOOKAH BAR. Does this mean anything to you? Or am I just crazy? I don't know about your experiences with bars, but it gets LOOOOUUUUD. These headphones obviously cancel out excessive background sound like they're supposed to. I was truly shocked when I turned the volume to 20 and still had the same quality.3. I made my boyfriend and two of our friends jealous over a pair of earphones that night. I had to tell my boyfriend, "Sorry, but I have to keep bragging and letting others hear them... They're f****** amazing..."4. If your headphones stop working properly, there IS a lifetime warranty! You just have to read up on it.You absolutely CANNOT find a better deal.GET THESE!

These were the first pair of relatively expensive headphones ive ever bought, so was a bit wary as to weather the extra cost would be worth it. I wanted ones that would control my new iPhone, and they work a dream. The sound is excellent, with plenty of bass, and they isolate the sound amazingly - none of my friends even know I'm listening!Make sure you try all the different sizes of bud, as i was content with the standard ones, but after trying the small ones i would never go back. You get 3 sizes of rubber buds, and 2 of foam buds.Very much recommended...

Worst headphones I've ever bought.