Maybe it ‘s just the model I received for review, but these Wicked Little Buds really don ‘t seem all that wicked ” not in the traditional sense, anyway. No, what we have here are a nice set of $30 earbuds (though they’re cheaper on Amazon) that are a good alternative to the fragile nonsense Apple calls their $29 wired stereo headset.
Wicked?
The Wicked Little Packaging is painted over with what looks like a flaming skull, but none of that heavy (or is it death?) metal influence really makes it to the earbuds themselves. Instead of being shaped like little skulls, the Wicked Little Buds are shaped and are shaped like most other in-ear buds, and come in four different colours (I got silver) . The silicone tips come in three sizes (S/M/L), although I recommend you be very careful when opening the packaging, since the tips are are not stowed away securely, and are easy to lose during an unboxing.
Wire
Although the styling on the earbuds themselves is nothing to write home about (dear mom: err, nevermind), it is worth noting that the cord on these Wicked Little Buds is made of fabric, instead of the usual rubber. This makes them a little less prone to tangling, and, in my experience with my Vibe II ‘s, a little more durable than the rubber counterparts.
The Y-split on the wire is also the only place you can find out which bud is left and which is right. This information is usually imprinted on the earbuds themselves, and it took me a full week to find this out on my own. It’s that well hidden.
Sound
The box says that these earphones feature ‘killer sound and compact design ‘, but I ‘d really only agree with the latter. I ‘ve had the buds for about two weeks now, and while the sound quality hasn ‘t astounded me, I haven ‘t felt disappointed either, given the $30 price tag.
The bass on these buds isn ‘t exaggerated like on most Sony earbuds I ‘ve used, and the seal from the buds isn ‘t quite as secure as the one on my V-Moda Vibe II ‘s (probably due to how thin the Wicked Little Tips are), but I ‘m satisfied with the listening experience the Little Buds provide. They block just enough sound that they ‘re better than regular tip-less earphones, and I ‘d say the sound quality is comparable, if not better, than the stock Apple earphones.
No Mic or in-line controls
The only major downside of the Wicked Little Buds is the absence of any in-line microphone or set of playback controls. These are strictly a pair of earbuds.
Life Warranty, iPhone 2G Compatibility
Two little extras I didn ‘t expect from the Wickled Little Buds:
- The back of the box says that ” as long as you keep the receipt ” you ‘re eligible for a lifetime warranty. I checked the website and the warranty covers the US, Canada, and Singapore at the very least. It wasn ‘t clear about how other countries could inquire about repairs or replacements.
- If you ‘re still using a 2G, you ‘ll know that it ‘s pain in the ass to find earphones that fit that tiny 3.5mm slot properly. I was surprised to find that the Wicked Little Buds do.
Conclusion
I won’t be swapping my V-Moda’s out for this pair, but I would definitely recommend these over the default Apple headphones. I haven’t yet had the time to test long-term durability, but the fabric cable does look and feel pretty tough, and the lifetime warranty may come in handy, as long as you keep the receipt.
So if you ‘re looking for a new pair of affordable earphones that should last longer than the default Apple headphones, you might want give the Wicked Little Buds a shot.
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The Wicked Little Buds are available for $30 from EmpireBrands Inc, though you can get them for much less on Amazon.com.
The earphones were provided by the Max Borges Agency for review on Just Another iPhone Blog. For further information regarding our site’s review policies, please see the “About” page.
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