Creative EP-630 headphones - review by Mark Woods.

After many years of using my Sony headphones I've finally had to admit it. My ears are weird. The things keep falling out. The headphones that is - not my ears.

Having recently taken up occasional running again - and I do mean occasional - I found that the movement caused by jogging caused the earpieces to constantly fall out. I'd heard about in-ear headphones with changeable sizes of earbuds and decided to give them a go.

I ordered my pair of Creative EP-630s from eBay for the princely sum of four pounds including delivery. First impressions were that they looked well built as I would expect from Creative. I immediately tried them with my Sony mp3 player and was surprised to hear what appeared to be an underwater concert. After experimenting with the earbud sizes (four are supplied) and the method of inserting them into the ear I got much better results,

The sound is a lot more bassy than I'm used to. I adjusted the graphic equaliser on my mp3 player and got very good results in the low, middle and high frequency ranges. Sounding good.

The problem of them falling out was only partially cured. The earpieces do stay in better than my previous set but they still fall out during running sessions. I now run without them. Listening while walking was improved though. They stay in place all the way into town and back. No more constant readjusting.

My major complaint is that the wires are coated in a thick rubberised material. I'm sure this makes them more durable but it is so thick that you have the feeling that you are being constantly accosted by the frenetic flailing tentacles of some deranged audio-squid. They wave around your face and are very distracting no matter how you try and arrange them The best I've managed so far is to slip them between two layers if you're wearing them. They stay in place a little more then.

The connection at the player is always the weak point on cheap headphones I've found and these have gone already. The copper wire is exposed as the rubber has broken after only a couple of uses. The unit still works but I doubt it will for long.

For the money I paid I'm happy but I wouldn't buy another pair because of the thick wires and poor connections.

7/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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