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Product summary
The good: The Purebuds earphones offer an innovative "reverse-sound" feature that causes less stress on the ear, and they come with uniquely designed eartips that allow you to tweak the audio profile. They also deliver clear, open sound.
The bad: The Purebuds earphones only include one size of each sleeve, so some users may not achieve a good fit. These may not be the best choice for active users, as they don't appear to be moisture resistant. The earbuds don't offer noise isolation, and the bass-boost tips tend to muddy the low-end.
The bottom line: If you like to attune your listening experience to your mood and have a vested interest in protecting your ears, the Purebuds earphones are an excellent option--but active types and bass-addicts should steer clear.
Specifications: Product type: Headphones; Design: Ear-bud; Sound output mode: Stereo; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 08/26/2008
- Released on: 07/21/2008
Of almost all gadgets, earbuds have the least surface area to work with, which means external design innovations are often incremental and minute. Color and style are the most noticeable physical characteristics that manufacturers tweak, but neither has an effect on the performance of an earphone. So, what's a new company to do in order to stand out? Make an earbud with an innovative design that influences sound quality. That's precisely what Amazing Tech Products has done with the Purebuds earphones, a $50 product with uniquely shaped eartips that affect audio output. Add to that some internal technology that purports to protect your hearing, and you've got a pretty intriguing set of earphones.
On first glance, the Purebuds earphones don't look that different from your standard iPod earbuds. Two round, white discs contain each miniature speaker, and a 45-inch white cable descends to a 3.5mm L-plug. Unlike most stock earbuds, these 'phones feature an uneven Y cable meant to be worn behind the neck, which may or may not appeal to you. Also, rather than chintzy foam sleeves, the Purebuds include three sets of silicone tips, each in a different shape. The varied design is meant to offer diverse sound profiles. There's a flat, donut-shaped sleeve to simulate surround sound; a double-flange-style tip for bass boosting; and a narrowing, contoured fitting that offers more general or full-range sound.
Each eartips only come in one size, meaning not everyone will be able to achieve a comfortable, secure fit. During testing, we found the Purebuds to be reasonably comfortable, but not necessarily secure--particularly with the surround-sound sleeve attached. The earphones are probably not the best choice for active users, but then again, that's not necessarily what they're made for. They're certainly not sweat-resistant; slits in the earbuds reveal the inner speaker in a couple of spots, which no doubt contributes to their open sound, but also ensures that moisture will find its way to the speaker. It also means there's a little bit of sound leakage, though no more so than with stock earbuds.
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