Z.buds by Zagg

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Manufacturer: Zagg

Manufacturer URL: www.zagg.com

Manufacturer phone: 1.800.700.ZAGG (9244)

Price: $79.99

I live with earphones on. I’m an audiobook freak and when I’m home alone I multitask in the kitchen and around the house while listening to podcasts, books, and music. It is imperative that I have a set of earphones that are durable, comfortable for hours, and decent sounding. Now that I have an iPhone, a set with a microphone and mute would be a bonus.

My leading brand ($300) over the ear headphones fit that description, minus the microphone. My lower end sport earbuds ($40) work quite well, but I sacrifice a bit of sound quality and comfort for portability. The stock Apple headphones are tolerable, but I need to have a third party adapter on the buds ($25) to make them comfortable. Besides, they live in my car.

Zagg has come to the rescue with a set of third party earbuds for the iPhone which are priced reasonably, have decent sound, and an innovative design. I can answer my phone while using it as an iPod, and have limited navigation features in my library.

The Zagg Z.buds headset comes packaging as unique as the product. The triangular box is not really a good design for in-store marketing, and the mail order option to Alaska costs quite a bit. Shame on Zagg for using the plastic clamshell internal packaging. You have to be the Wolverine with Adamantium talons to get into the stuff, and it’s not the most friendly to our landfills. Inside that packaging, there is a vast array of tips for the earbud speakers. I have opted for one of the 3 sizes of silicone tips, there are memory foam ones for noise canceling as well. I was stymied by the strange Devo hat rubber tips, and was unable to successfully install them on my earbuds.

The innovative nature of Zagg comes out in the design of the cords. My first thought as I took them out of the packaging was of a primary IV set, with all the junctions and branches, even creepier was the fact that my set is red. The material of the cording resembles an anorexic bungee cord, with a stiff pliability similar to the Apple earphones while stored in the ashtray of my car in January. This is the mechanism by which Zagg can claim the “no tangles.” The cords don’t tangle as much as standard ones. There are 3 silver bb type beads that slide along the 2 cords of the set. They are designed to delineate the sections which allow for the set to be worn securely around the neck. There is also a junction that has a removable button hook to retain the cord so it doesn’t get caught. It’s just a thread loop, but I think the Kachemacs would be better served by a snap to attach to Carhartts of a mini carabiner. Who in Homer wears a button down shirt with their iPod?

I compared the set with my current earphones and also with my husband’s expensive set of in ear headphones. My over the ear set won hands down, but I paid dearly for them. My low end ones lose sound in the bass range a little more than the Z.buds. In my husband’s $300 earbuds, there is definitely more definition and bass. The Z.buds had surprisingly good sound for the price, albeit a bit tinny at times. There is no comparison with the stock Apple set, Z.buds are much better.

The design of the Z.buds was quite well thought out. All the complaints I have with regular earbuds have been addressed. The mute button on the microphone will pause, skip, and reverse the music. There is an in line volume control. The constant problem of the cord getting caught in the refrigerator was addressed, as was the fact that the buds themselves never stay in my control when I remove them.

As with any version 1.0 product there are some design flaws. That removable button hook is pretty useless to me. Besides, it is too removable. I lost it quite quickly, as the loose screw threads allowed it to wiggle free. The plastic volume control wheel appears rather cheap, and it seems like an afterthought. It also is very easy to bump and move, resulting in either an insult of decibels or of a loss of volume leading me to believe my battery died. The cord does not tangle easily, and the cord behind the head is a novel way to keep the buds in place. And did I mention, they’re red? Or they can be black. Either way, they’re snazzy.

I have faith that the design flaws inherent in the design of the Z.buds can be quite easily worked out. The sound and overall design are quite good for the price. My husband even bought a pair after trying mine.

Value: 5
Functionality: 4
Presentation: 4
Performance: 4
Utility: 5

Zagg has broken into a new market with the Z.buds, having made a name for themselves with the InvisibleSHIELD device protectors. For this new innovation, Zagg gets a 4.5.