I just got to have it when I saw it! It's been awhile since I bought any "sport" earphones. They usually do not last long and very expensive. I'd rather spend my hard earned dough on race registration. So, I usually buy some cheap earphones for my run and toss them away when they get faulty.
The last sports earphone I owned was a pair of Nike Vapor Flight in 2006. Read the review here -> http://runwitme.blogspot.com/2006/02/nike-vapor-flight-earphones-review.html. They served me good for about 7 months before the bar that holds one of the earpiece broke.
I decided to check out Sennheiser store when I heard about its opening at CapSquare Mall a few weeks back. I was quite impressed with the array of earphones and headphones available at the store. I mean, the whole store is filled with audio-phones! The experience is nothing compared to shopping for a pair of headphones at the tiny section in the electronic outlet. Yes, you can try them all out too.
These weirdly shaped neon bright yellow earphones were screaming at me from the shelves.
I tested the demo pair using my own Sony Walkman and blasted Run The World (Girls) in it. I fell in love it them instantly. The bass is clear and the treble is crisp. Beyonce sounds amazing throught it. I was sold! LOL!
The build of the earphones is sturdy yet lightweight. The cables are made of Kevlar reinforced material (stuff ballistic vests are made of). Very nice attention to little details like the logo of "Sennheiser" on the left earphone while "Adidas" on the other.
The powerful sweat-resistant drivers allow the user to enjoy great music without worrying about drowning them in bucketful of sweat. Yes, we runners sweat like crazy.
We love the innovative EarFin design, that shark fin like protrusion from the earpiece which keep the MX 680 firmly in place. No more dropping out of earphones during running!
The EarFins come in three sizes - S, M and L. So, no worries if you have Ah Long big ears....Heheh!
The cable is fitted with volume control, a great feature to prevent my sweaty fingers from fiddling with my mp3 player.
We like the fact that the cable is in two parts, enabling you to mount the mp3 player either to your arm or waist without much tangle.
How much? I must say that the Sennheiser Adidas MX 680 Sports Earphone cost more than my 2G Sony MP3 player. At RM189 I think these babies are still affordable. Probably you have to skip one oversea run trip or a few local races to save up for it. But, personally, we think they are worth buying especially if you enjoy music while running! It comes with a 2 year warranty and a rugged adidas storing pouch too.
We managed to take these babies for a 2km spin at our local lake, Tasik Taman Permaisuri. We enjoyed running with them! The EarFins secured the earpieces in the ears snugly while we pound the road and enjoyed Beyonce sweet sound all the way.
Who run the world? Sennheiser Adidas MX 680! :)
Note: For those who run with iPhone, you might wanna check out iPhone compatible MX680i which comes with a mic.
I myself have considered buying this earphone or it's relative the PMX 680. But the price is a key reason I didn't (I'm not willing to pay more than RM 200 for a pair of earphones).
ReplyDeleteHowever, for those who have the same dilemma as me, I would recommend the sports lineup from Philips. I've been using one for almost a year before it went dead recently, and I did not hesitate to get myself another one from Philips. You can have a look at it here: http://juinyi.blogspot.com/2012/06/of-pj-dawn-and-mickey-mouse.html
SHQ4000 (neckband) costs about RM 110, while SHQ3000 (ear hook) costs around RM 80. Personally I prefer my previous neckband earphone, as it doesn't slip out as my current SHQ3000 does.
p/s When running in Taman Tasik Permaisuri, do say hi to the guy running awkwardly slow, clad in an orange earphone! :)