There comes a time in every man and woman’s life when their deeply beloved earbuds collapse. For me, this happened. Twice. Skullcandy Full Metal Jackets have always been my number one choice in headphones, as they have always been loyal and reliable for me; that is, until I came across the Klipsch Image S4 earbud. I’m a very picky person, and I always decipher what I want based on reviews (tech wise). After searching through many pages of the key phrase ‘best earbuds’ on Google, I’d been convinced. The Klipsch Image S4 earbuds really were the best choice.
Some things that I look for in earbuds are noise cancellation, frequency response, bass, and durability. My Skullcandy Full Metal Jackets met 2/4 of those requirements; frequency and bass. I have already gone through two sets of Full Metal Jackets that only lasted me a year each (and boy, those aren’t cheap for what they are.) The problem with the Full Metal Jackets was that after about 8 months of aggressive use, the jack of the earbuds would start to deteriorate and sound would only come through one ear, which is definitely not something I (or anybody, I assume) especially likes.

The packaging was very classy, to start off with. It was plain but convincing, and in Best Buy was wrapped with a bunch of wires, assuring no one would steal them. Unpackaged, the earbuds come with a tin case that has various sized earbud gels (I don’t quite know the name) and a little toothpick-esque item for cleaning earwax. How dainty.

Now, for $87 (after tax) I was extremely anxious of what the sound quality was like, because no matter how many reviews and videos one goes through, you can never really know something until you experience it. The sound quality is wonderful! I didn’t have to explode the volume to the very top to get a booming, clear sound. The earbuds are not like most earbuds which are shaped like cylinders; these are shaped to fit like a glove into the ear.

Although, the frequency response was not as low and high as I hoped, and the bass could have been a bit stronger, but after a day or so of using the headphones, I had adjusted and now hear a superb, clear tone. I assume that I was used hearing a loud bass and none of the other instruments, but now I can hear an even amount of everything. I’ve even started hearing parts of intros and bridges that I didn’t know existed (such as, soft vocals in the background or light drumming.)

The cord is rather long, but with the help of a crazy Japanese gadget I have that wind up cords, I’m good to go. I approve of the jack-shape, however. The jack turns to the side rather than straight up, as my Skullcandy earbuds had been, which I assume helps preserve them so they do not break like my Skullcandies always had! The Klipsch Image S4 is a wonderful alternative if you are a Skullcandy lover, or just want nice earbuds for under $100.

This post was written by Sara, an irrelevant elephant from San Francisco. You can find her on lookbook, youtube & deviantart.