Re:Hands-On with the $159 Google Pixel Buds
by nvarsj on Monday October 09, 2017 @01:06PM
(#15435574)
They can be a safety hazard. Pedestrians wearing them don’t pay attention to their surroundings at all. The fact they are in ear means it’s hard to notice when someone is wearing them. I view non isolating as a necessary feature for earphones generally used on the go. I know people swear by them for long train and subway commutes but I think it’s pretty stupid wearing them for walking about, just like wearing headphones while cycling.
Re:Hands-On with the $159 Google Pixel Buds
by potatolicious on Monday October 09, 2017 @01:48PM
(#15435904)
Agreed - I'm into these earbuds specifically because they don't seal. I have nice headphones at home for "actual" listening.
When I'm out and about I have to balance sound quality with not getting hit by a bus. For me anything I wear outside needs to let in outside noise.
Re:Hands-On with the $159 Google Pixel Buds
by cptskippy on Monday October 09, 2017 @07:41PM
(#15438284)
I have a pair of Sony's noise cancelling headphones and they seem to only cancel out constant or piercing loud noise like HVAC or a power saw. They let voices through clearly without muffling it like you would expect a regular pair of headphones to do.
I haven't tried them outside, the sound of an approaching car seems like something they would filter out but they might have some smarts to them.
Re:Hands-On with the $159 Google Pixel Buds
by wpietri on Monday October 09, 2017 @02:02PM
(#15436031)
Sure. Personally, I have both. Sound-isolating earbuds for uses in cafes, trains, etc. And non-isolating ones for running. Alas, given that Google has removed the headphone jack, that solution works less well here.
Re:Hands-On with the $159 Google Pixel Buds
by hammock on Monday October 09, 2017 @12:45PM
(#15435381)
To help you in your future shopping: EarBUDS are hard plastic on-ear. EarPHONES are in-ear :)
One important difference besides the fit, is that earphones are more sound-isolating as well, allowing you to listen at lower volumes and save some of your hearing.
Re:Hands-On with the $159 Google Pixel Buds
by axaxs on Monday October 09, 2017 @02:01PM
(#15436025)
you got that backwards...
I can tell from the design that I will never wear those ear buds. There is no way to create a decent seal in the ear using just hard plastic, so the sound will suffer for music, and that's the main reason I buy earbuds.
I'm not a snob about music stuff, but for around 100 USD I get a decent pair of earbuds that create a proper seal and gives me good music quality. I'd love the features, but I'm not going to sacrifice the main reason I use in-ear headphones in the first place - the ability to relatively cheaply have good quality sound.