JVCHAFX5V Gumy Plus Inner Ear Headphones (Grape Violet)

Ever since my dog ate my $350 Ultimate Ears Super.fi5 Pros 5 years ago and I wept, then swearing to never pay more than $100 for in-ear headphones and buying a set of Klipsch S4s that got sucked up in the vacuum cleaner, then swearing to never pay more than 30 bucks for in-ear headphones and going through 2 sets of MEElectronics that both burned out in the right ear, I swore off in-ear headphones.For the past year I have just worn Audio Technica ATH-M50s cans everywhere, and whereas they produce beautiful sound, they are also huge and terrible for running or mowing the lawn (I can only assume they are terrible for running because there is no way I will be running unless chased by something that likes to stop and maul running things, in which case wearing headphones wouldn't be a smart choice).I decided to once again lower my standards, as is part of the ongoing process of being an adult, and made a deal with myself to try in-ear headphones again, but swore to never pay more than $10. I found 2 pairs that met this criterion and also had decent reviews - the JVC HAFX5B Gumy and the Panasonic RPHJE120A. Both products had such attractive names attached that I ordered a set of each.The short of it: The JVC HAFX5B Gumies are better.The medium of it: The JVC HAFX5B Gumies produce deeper and richer bass and the high end is cleaner and more present. I don't experience any distortion using them with my iPhone at max volume listening to Infected Mushroom, and at a more sane volume I can hear every string pluck, fingernail tap, and golpe de mano en la guitarra with Rodrigo y Gabriela (blame Google translate if you speak actual spanish and that last part doesn't make sense.) The Panasonics are still excellent headphones for being under ten bucks, but they worked some kind of black magic into the JVC HAFX5B Gumy, which is reflected in both their performance and the excellent name their marketing department gave them.Are the JVCs as good as the Ultimate Ears Super.fi5 Pros? No, but the JVCs are not in stuck in the intestines of a dog right now.Are the JVCs as good as the Klipsch S4s? This is hard to answer because my major gripe with the S4s was the soft silicone eartips, which would lose their seal in my ears after a few minutes, and, at the recommendation of another reviewer, I purchased memory foam eartips for the JVCs and have never listened to them without. I also put the memory foam tips on the Panasonics, and they were still inferior.Are the JVCs as good as the MEElectronics headphones? The JVCs are superior to the MEElectronics to an unreasonable degree. Remember that the JVCs are filled with black magic turned up to turkish döner box level. The MEElectonics headphones are apparently filled with toothpaste in the right ear.Are the JVCs as good as Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones? The answer is NO, but you will look less conspicuous choosing the JVCs for the morning stand-up meeting at your mid-level office job and you will seem more devout during Sunday school because you won't be wearing large over-the-ear studio monitor headphones.Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose Gumy.EDIT 8/25/15 - Turns out my Klipsch S4 earphones did NOT get sucked into the vacuum cleaner as I had previously been informed. My wife saw them sitting on the kitchen counter earlier in the year, thought they were "extras just laying around", took them and started using them, discovered they were phenomenal, and "conveniently" didn't realize that they were the "lost headphones" I repeatedly asked her to keep an eye out for that were white and said "Klipsch" on them. She came clean this past weekend when I generously offered her my spare pair of Panasonic RPHJE120As prior to a workout. Surprised at the sudden reappearance of my prodigal earphones I asked for her to give them back to me. We had an honest-to-god fight about her giving them back, which she eventually did ("throwing" moreso then "giving"). So now I can tell you that I replaced the silicone tips with memory foam tips on the S4s and they blow the Gumies out of the water. Yes, the Klipsch S4s are vastly superior to the bargain headphones for which this review is written... BUUUUUUTTTT... JVC HAFX5B Gumy Plus Inner Ear Headphones are still a phenomenal cheapo simulacrum and I will continue to sport them during times of political upheaval and in epicenters of urban decay to dissuade brigands from unscrupulous acts of petty banditry. The S4s will be relegated to the good times - the milk and honey times - the times my wife does not have them.

These are NICE cheap 3.5mm WIRED earbuds. The changeable ear piece (sizes) are FAR more comfortable compared to others I have used in the past. I have not used them to listen music yet, but the sound has been fine for watching Rumble & YouTube videos ... clear & crisp.

This is probably my 6th pair of these in 3 years. I'm really, really hard on ear buds. I listen to music and audiobooks constantly and if a pair of earbuds lasts longer than 3 months, it's a momentous occassion. These average 3 to 4 months. I had a pair of Senheisers that lasted a year, but can't bring myself to pay$70 for headphones that won't last over a year. At about $7 shipped, I can get 10 pair of these and always have a comfortable fit and decent sound. (These aren't those Sennheisers, but they're great for audiobooks which aren't exactly hi-fidelity to begin with.)How do a I break so many pairs of earbuds? I work with dogs. I own a dog boarding, training and daycare facility in Marysville WA. Dogs constantly want my attention and use their bodies and paws to get it... this ends up in a few tangles, snags and disasters... not to mention the cell phones and MP3 players that get chewed up, peed/pooped on and dropped in water bowls... these are great quality, budget earbuds but do they sound like earbuds costing 10X as much, NO... but will they take a beating and work for 4 months around a bunch of dogs, Hell Yes. A good compromise IMHO

They are real good earbuds they're very loud and they last a long time

JVC is a really reliable brand. I got a pair of white JVC gumy back around 2013 I have been using them as my go to wired ear buds all the way until a few months ago in 2024 when the right speaker stopped working. I ended up ordering a couple more because I enjoyed my experience so much. Before I mostly used those generic iPod head phones and had some skull candies that died in a matter of months. These are very comfortable and sound great. (I used them for videos, audio books, and plugging into my portable gaming systems). If they still make them like they used I don't think anything compares in this price range and category. As long as they stay the same, when it comes to wired ear buds I will keep ordering these as long as I possibly can. Thanks JVC for making a quality product I have been using for years.

They are cheap, and they work, but they only last a year or less. See attached screenshot. I've been buying these for years...