E.D.G.E. Acoustics GX400 Enhanced Definition Gaming Earphones - Ruby

I'm going to start off by making it clear that I do not consider myself an audiophile, though I do have experience working with a professional sound system and as such have been trained to listen to the finer details of music and vocals, and have also used a decent array of audio products, so I can easily recognize a great product when I hear it. In case you don't know, E.D.G.E. Acoustics is a branch of Etymotic Research that focuses on delivering audiophile quality sound to gamers, and they've done a great job of it in my opinion. Etymotic Research is widely recognized as being one of the top makers of audiophile quality headphones, and probably the best single driver headphones currently on the market. They also have passive noise cancellation better than most active noise cancelling headsets. These headphones have taken all of these qualities and have given them to gamers, which is a rare treat in headphones since the majority or gaming audio products are either full sized headsets or the occasional set of speakers by Razer. I do acknowledge that other companies have made "gaming" headphones, but all of the ones that I have seen have typically been the company's regular product with a microphone. This isn't the case the GX400's. There are several features that are distinctly geared towards gamers. The first and most obvious of these is the cable length being increased to seven feet, something I haven't seen in any other in ear headphone, and with reason. Cable lengths in excess of five feet are typically reserved to full sized gaming headsets designed to be used with a PC and to not impede freedom of movement while gaming. The separate 3.5mm jacks for audio out and mic in is also designed for use on a PC that typically wouldn't have a dual audio out/mic in port, and isn't designed for mobile use since a 2 in - 1 out Y adapter cable would be needed to use the mic, and would add to the already great length of the cable, making it very inconvenient for listening on the go. The in line mic and rotary volume control is also a typical feature amongst gaming grade headsets, especially when paired with a shirt clip by default. This allows for a greater control over the audio volume, as well as prevents pressure on the ear buds in case of movement. Another great feature for gaming, though not a specifically gaming oriented one, is the noise isolation. Merely placing the headphones at 50% volume is usually enough to silence a noisy family in the same room, and maximum volume seems to silence just about everything, including the siren of a fire truck as it passes by (and my ears are fairly sensitive; both genetically and from always trying to avoid extreme levels of sound) A major thing that must be pointed out at this point is the ear buds themselves. Most people, myself included, will find these to be a bit uncomfortable the first couple times of using them due to how deep they sit in the ear canal. This takes getting used to, and is well worth it since this is the primary reason for the high levels of noise isolation, and is actually quite comfortable once you're used to it. This also helps to keep them from falling out without the use of an over the ear cable design. The audio quality impressed me from the moment I first plugged them in. I should point out that all of my music files are at 320kb/s, which is very important since a simple music file with a low bit rate simply wouldn't be able to show the full quality that these headphones can reproduce (iTunes and Pandora 1 both offer good bit rates, but anything else I can't confirm to be of good quality). The higher bit rate is also used to show the differences between the sound quality produced by these and the many other audio devices I have used. The list of products I have compared these to includes (my rating in audio performance);(my rating in build quality);(my rating in comfort);;(my average rating): Razer Carcharias Gaming Headset (Black) (7.5);(9);(8);;(8.2) Razer Moray In-Ear Noise Isolating Gaming Headphones--Black (5.5);(8);(8);;((7.2) ASTRO Gaming A40 Wireless System (Black) (7);(9);(8);;(8) ASTRO Gaming A*Star in ear Bud Headset - Black (6.5);(9);(7.5);;(7.7) Beats by Dre Studio Blk Over Ear Headphone from Monster (6);(8);(7.5);;(7.2) Earphone Headset With Remote Mic for Apple iPhone 4S 4 4G 3GS 3G (not even worth comparing due to pitiful performance and cormfort) Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 Noise Isolating Earphones (7);(8.5);(8);;(7.7) Shure SE SE215-K - Single Dynamic MicroDriver Sound Isolating In Ear Earphones, Black (7);(9);(8.5);;(8.2) Logitech Surround Sound Speaker System Z906 (980-000467) (8);(N/A);(N/A);;(8) As well as the various basic laptop speakers I've had access to. E.D.G.E. Acoustics GX400 Enhanced Definition Gaming Earphones - Ruby (8.75);(9);(8.5);;(8.8) As shown above, I personally rate these as the best that I have tried. Though that doesn't mean they're perfect. As is the case with just about every other ear bud headphone, you have to be careful with too much movement against the upper portion of the wires as you will clearly hear it, even over some music. Though do not let this deter you from getting them as it is unnoticeable while sitting down during a hardcore gaming session. I have loved every minute spent listening to them, especially the in game performance boost that comes with being able to hear everything before it happens. I recommend these to anyone looking for a new set of gaming audio.

The is sound barely audible. I tested my sound system against 2 other earphones and everything was good to go. These earphones I received are either defective or of incredibly low quality-- based on the price and the previous reviews I guessing it is the former than the latter. Nonetheless, for this amount of $$$, I'm putting in for a refund, not replacement.

Construction is better than most earbuds and headsets I have used. Volume and mute controls are easy to access, cord length is good, and the wire clip is durable and in a good location. Only issue I have with them is none of the changeable ear tips fit MY ears just right (my wife has no problem with them) and they are uncomfortable after more than 1 or 2 hours of use, the only reason I don't give it 5 stars. The sound quality is excellent (when the ear tips are inserted correctly) and voice pick up is excellent. If these last for more than 1 year I say they are worth the money (my wife has had a set for 6 months now and they still work fine). One other note, I tried the volume and mic connections on the front of my case and had static/interference with the sound and voice quality. I moved the connections to the back and it cleared up.

First I must say I was rather underwhelmed by the looks of the ear buds. I have other high end around the ear head phones and in comparison, the ear buds are tiny and make you wonder about the quality. With First impressions aside... Okay on to the good stuff. These ear buds are simply the best head phones I've ever used in a game or music. EVER. The improvement in FPS and MMORPGs is simply amazing. You know exactly what direction you are getting shot from, about how far away they are, and you can hear them above all the other sounds in the environment. The clarity and level of detail is high and the noise isolation is superb. There is no need to crank up the volume to dangerous levels in an attempt to get that next gaming edge. On to some of the bad. Because the ear buds go into deep into your ear canal, you will hear every bump, scrape the headphone cord makes. It is a little distracting but mostly unnoticeable considering the high level of immersion these earphones give you. 2nd, the volume adjustment, mic mute on the cord feels a little heavy. There is of course the clip to make sure you don't create to much stress on the ear buds. Just don't get to excited and jump out of your seat as you might damage your ear buds. I can not tell you how comfortable these ear buds are for me. After hours of playing I'm use to having a little ring in my ears or a slight headache due to my head phones causing pressure on my temples. No such problems with these. The noise cancelation is suprising at times. These headphones do not actively cancel background noise but with the strong seal, seems to do it better. I highly recommend these headphones. As they are the best headphones I've ever used and for those who are willing to spend a little more for quality will not be let down. With a price drop down to $135, I see no reason not to get these headphones. They may not be have as much name recognition as Razer or Logitech for quality gaming products but these head phones come Eytomic Research, the makers of audiophile headphones for over quite some time. If you are considering getting other ear buds from Eytomic instead of the GX400, I ask that you reconsider. My wife has the 4 series for her iPod and although the sound quality is still superb, the cabling seems weaker and more likely to break. During an emtional gaming session, your headphones may become another casualty if you are considering the Eytomic Products.