The good:
One thing I immediately noticed with these headphones is the exceptional sound quality which was a little surprising to find in this price range. Getting them paired up with my iPod Touch was dirt simple, everything worked the first time with no issues. Also paired them up to my BB because you can use these to take phone calls also.
The not-so-good:
My biggest complaint with these is the neckband could be a little longer. If you are going to be mostly stationary while using them then it's fine. However if you will be exercising with them or doing something where you're turning your head a lot then you will have problems with them slipping off your ears. The only other complaint I have, and this will sound stupid, but they smell funny...especially the case. I guess it is something to do with a material used in making them. It's not unbearable and I don't notice it all the time though. ARCTIC Sound ORACO-ERM28-GBA01 Headphones P311 (Black)
I like that these fold and store in a case for travel. Pairing to my ipad wasn't a problem and the controls worked for volume and skip/reverse/pause. Not only did they control my music but they also controlled my videos too! Another reviewer made the interesting comment that the case smelled funny and I have to second that opinion -- the case smells like the packing oil associated with cheap tools. Also, it charges via mini USB vs micro USB so I need to carry an extra adapter. However, those are minor complaints in the overall scheme of things and I give these headphones high marks for value.
I just got these head phones in the mail and the min I open them up and out of the box I wasn't getting my hopes up about the sounds quality. But I connected it my iPod 3gen very easily and with no issues at all and played a song and I could not believe how clear the music came through the head phones. let just say I was blown out of the water. the stop/play, volume control works very well and the next and back button do to. for the price I spent on them I'm very happy with them. other than connecting to my iPod just fine. they connected up to my PS3, android phone, and computer just fine too. Again the sound is outstanding.
the only issue I'm going to come across and I no this is going to happen but there is nothing to do about it bc I've have worn a lot of head phones in my life is that over a few hours or so it's going to kill behind the ears. but do keep in mind if you do wear them these are not Bose head phones so they are not going to be comfortable but hey for the price who cares. they work great and I'm very happy that I bought these.
Intro
I've had these for about a week now, and I like them. I can't comment on long-term durability yet, but I will update this review if a problem arises.
Battery life
I haven't had a problem getting through a whole day using them on and off. No problem with battery life so far.
Comfort
These cannot be worn comfortably all day. Pain on the top of the ears develops after 20 to 30 minutes. A 2 minute break usually makes it go away.
Controls
The controls work well and are conveniently located.
Connectivity
I haven't had any connectivity problems during normal use. I have been able to walk around my apartment and haven't lost my connection.
Sound quality
I am not an audiophile. The sound quality is adequate for my needs.
Portability
They fold up nicely. Kind of large for a pocket, but they will fit if necessary.
Usefulness for running
I experienced major connectivity problems while running. The sound skipped on average every 10 seconds or so. Additionally, there is an annoying rattling sound in the right earpiece while running. I will not attempt to use them again for this purpose.
Included accessories
They come with a mini-USB (not micro-USB) cable and a rigid zipper case.
Other
There is a rubber piece on the right earpiece that covers the mini-USB port while it is not in use. It can be difficult to get this to stay in place to actually cover the port correctly.
Bottom line
A steal for only around $30, but not comfortable for long-term wear and not useful for running.
Before this headset, I had the Motorola S9, which I exclusively used for gym purposes. I got a solid 2 years out of the S9's. here's a quick comparison of the 2 products.
Motorola S9
-cool design, feels rugged. lasted me 2.5 years before the buttons crapped out on me. The earpieces didn't quite fit in my ear canal. The battery life wasn't the greatest - toward the end of its life, I would use it for about 3 gym sessions before I would have to recharge it.
-signal was so-so. The headphones would cut out intermittently for no apparent reason. Frustrating.
-sound quality: definitely content with it, didn't blow me away but was perfect for the gym. Sometimes heard a little distortion at higher volumes.
Arctic Sound P311
-initial impression: boy these felt cheap! I opened them up and immediately commented on the fact that the case felt higher quality than the phones. The phones were light, the buttons felt of a cheap plastic build. BUT the padding that goes against the ears did seem well made, and make them really comfortable to wear.
-after 2 weeks of use, I truly fell in love with them. I realized that although they felt like cheap plastic, I could actually picture them holding up to quite some abuse. Maybe this is attributable to the simple design of the buttons. I've been using them exclusively at the gym and they stay on the head very well.
-sound quality: pretty good. Didn't blow me away, but the more I used them the more I thought the sound improved. Absolutely content with the sound for the gym and for casual listening.
-battery life: WOAH. Blows my old motorola S9's away. I still haven't charged them yet, and I have probably 12+ hours of use on them. This was one of the main reasons why I chose these phones over the Motorola S305's.
-bluetooth connection: PHENOMENAL. The only time the music has cut out on me (I pair them to an Ipod Touch) was when I ventured about 25-30 feet away. Extremely satisfied with the reliability here.
Overall:
I think the P311s are a smart choice. Great for travel (headphones fold up to fit into the hard travel case), exercise, and long periods of listening. Super comfortable, great sound. Overall I'm VERY HAPPY to own these. You'll quickly look past the cheap plastic shell to realize that these headphones may actually last you quite a long time. The battery life alone makes the P311s kick ass. Just note before you buy them, that they're not exactly "low profile". They stick out a good inch from the ear surface (but a lot of that is because of the comfortable foam padding :)).
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