Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler For Mac OS X is Now Shipping! Download The Free Fully Functional 60 Day Tryout at www.typestyler.com

Poker Mac Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker application such as Full Tilt Poker Mac.

Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.

Compare products like desktop computers, apple laptops, apple macs, and LCD Monitors side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for new mobile phones, sat nav systems, or MP3 players. The Ciao online shopping community makes searching products easy for you.

The Review Vault

Griffin TuneBuds 'a Vast Improvement' Over Apple's Earbuds

- 2007.03.23

Rating: 3 out of 4

del.icio.us Bookmark in del.icio.us

Last time in The Review Vault, I reviewed the Griffin disko nano, a polycarbonate case for the iPod nano.

The iPod has fast become a big part of the Macintosh experience, and as such, I feel it should be covered. I'm starting a new series called The iPod Files that will focus on reviews on iPod gear.

This time, we're looking at Griffin's TuneBuds (formerly known as EarThumps), in-the-ear sound buds that come in your choice of white or black. To be honest, I'm not crazy about in-the-ear earphones at all - I'd much rather have regular headphones. But there are times when in-the-ear 'phones have their place.

The only pair of in-the-ear 'phones I had prior to receiving the EarThumps were the white Apple earbuds that ship with every iPod. I think the Apple-supplied earphones just barely do the job. They lack one thing: adequate bass response. While I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, I do appreciate good sound.

TuneBuds packagingSo how do the Griffin TuneBuds stand up?

The first thing you will notice is the packaging - very elegantly packaged. Everything clearly and neatly laid out, as you'll notice in these pictures.

There are three sets of silicone fittings included to fit the shape of your ear. A nice touch is the enclosed zipper casing. Think about it: how many times have you lost track of your earphones? This zipper case is a handy addition.

TuneBuds packagingThe cord is of adequate length, perhaps a little longer than the Apple earphones. As for the meat in the sandwich - which in this case is the sound - the TuneBuds do a better job than Apple's earphones. It has a pleasing bass response. However, I found it lacking some treble response. I felt there should have been more of a balance.

While I would've liked to see more of a balance between bass and treble response, I have to say that the TuneBuds are a vast improvement over the Apple earphones. For the $29.99, I'd wholeheartedly recommend the TuneBuds if you want something better than the standard Apple issued earphones.

I give them a 3 out of 4 rating. Another great product Griffin! LEM

Go to the iPod Files index.

Recent articles in The Review Vault

Links for the Day

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Recent Deals

About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts

This article copyright ©2007 by Tommy Thomas. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2009 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
  LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
  Access our RSS news feed at http://lowendmac.com/feed.xml.
  Email may be published at our discretion; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. If you prefer your message not be published, mark it "not for publication." Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
  PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.
  Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iBook, iMac, eMac, iPod, iPhone, PowerBook, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.

Custom Search

Amazon.com

Navigation

Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Video Cards
Email Lists

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
   Museum
DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
   Mac FAQ
Abandonware
   Petition
Mac vs. PC Info

Affiliates

The Apple Store
Mac Connection
B&H
MacMall
TechRestore
ExperCom
Crucial Memory
batteries.com

Advertise

All of our advertising is handled by BackBeat Media. For price quotes and advertising information, please contact at BackBeat Media (646-546-5194). This number is for advertising only.

Open Link

Problems viewing this page with Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6? It works fine in other browsers, including IE 7. We recommend Firefox for those using Windows, as it is standards based and more secure than IE 6 (and earlier). More LEM visitors use Firefox than any other browser.