Rhiannon Lives Here

The Safari to Chrome Switcheroo

Despite being perceived by others as a die-hard Mac fangirl (not confirming, not denying), I wasn't always a devoted Safari user. When I bought my first Mac in 2005, I used Firefox because I considered it the best cross-platform browser at the time. This was helpful since I also used Windows on a regular basis (hey, I like PC games, okay?!). It wasn't until February 2009 that I began to use Safari as my default browser. That was when the public beta of Safari 4 was released. It was fast, it was slick, and I made the decision to say goodbye to Firefox for good. Since then, I've had a completely monogamous relationship with Safari for all my serious web browsing needs.

Magnatune: The Future of Music? (They're not Evil)

Online music stores and music download services are steadily rising in popularity due to their unrivalled convenience and our obsession with everything digital. Magnatune is one such web-based music service, but with a twist; it's also a "next generation" record label for independent artists of the more obscure variety, and offers a very unique way for its customers to purchase music. Magnatune has been around since 2003, but I've only just recently discovered its existence. It started as a project created by John Buckman, Magnatune's founder and owner, to find a way to run a record label fairly in the digital age. This is a guy who understands how music on the internet works. Mr Buckman wanted to help the artists promote themselves in the big, bad world, all the while allowing them to make just as much money as they would with traditional labels and keeping them in control of their music. To do this, Magnatune offers a few different pricing models that allow you and I to purchase and listen to the music available on the label. These are:

1. Buy the albums individually for a fee and then download the music files or have a CD sent to you.
2. Subscribe to an "all-you-can-eat" plan to stream as much music as you want from the website.
3. Subscribe to an "all-you-can-eat" plan to download and keep as much music as you want.

What makes Magnatune different is that the amount you pay is up to you. For example, I can purchase an album and pay as little as US$5 which is the minimum amount, or as much as US$18 which is the maximum; whatever I think the album is worth. Member subscriptions work in much the same way. Subscription prices are calculated per month (though you pay for three months or one year at a time) and the amount you pay per month is up to you, with a minimum price of US$10. There is also a lifetime subscription, which is a one time payment that allows you to download or stream music from the website forever. Now, here's the juicy part... All of the music Magnatune offers is available to listen to via their streaming service before purchase, and all of it is completely DRM free. Magnatune understands the way we want to enjoy our music; listening to it wherever we are and sharing it with the people we care about. They also offer their music in a wide variety of formats, including high quality VBR MP3's, low quality MP3's, WAV, FLAC, AAC and OGG Vorbis. That's right. That wasn't a typo. They actually offer CD quality WAV and FLAC formats for download, which is almost unheard of and something I am especially appreciative of. The main reason I don't purchase from services such as the iTunes Store (well, other than the insane rip-off prices) is that they don't offer CD quality tracks. Sorry Apple, but 256kbps AAC just doesn't cut the mustard. Something else that I feel is important to mention is that Magnatune always gives 50% of what it makes to its artists. This is a company that truly cares about artists and their rights and well-being. It certainly makes a change in this climate where the music industry as a whole is in such a state of disarray. While several artists have adopted the "pay what you think the album is worth" approach, most of them have been big name artists such as Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails who have already permeated the mainstream masses. Everyone knows who those artists are. It's much, much harder for small independent artists to offer similar pricing models with their own albums - as much as many would like to - simply because they don't have the same amount of exposure. This is why I think services like Magnatune are so important right now. The music industry is on shaky ground with an uncertain future. Magnatune is helping to shape it into becoming something new, and I feel its doing it the right way. Do you buy or listen to music online? If so, what do you use and why?

Review: JVC Marshmallow Earphones

I'm passionate about music and audio. It's such a huge part of my life that I don't mind dropping a fair amount of money on a piece of audio gear that will improve the sound quality of the music I listen to. This hobby can get expensive though, and so I'm also keen to find cheaper audio gear that sounds great for the price that I can then recommend to others. Last time it was the Yuin PK3 earbuds at sub AU$60. This time it's the JVC Marshmallow earphones at sub AU$15!

I discovered these on the Head-Fi forums where they are a community favourite for their price vs performance. Their official model names/numbers are the HA-FX33 and HA-FX34. The 33's are the older model whereas the 34's are newer, but other than a few minor differences (which I'll get to later) they're both pretty much the same.

Sound Quality

So, just how good can a 15 dollar pair of earphones actually be? Well, surprisingly, the sound is quite good and definitely rivals that of other earphones in the sub AU$50 range.

Their major weakness is the noticeable roll-off in the upper high frequencies and lack of mid-range clarity, which I think is to be expected in an earphone this cheap. Due to this, they have much more of a dark sound than a bright sound, which I'm actually thankful for as I can't stand overly bright earphones. These little fellas output a great deal of bass, but it's of the boomy kind, rather than the punchy, controlled kind. It's not totally overpowering though, but definitely more of a 'fun' sound than anywhere near transparent. Some bass-heads amongst us will be happy. The Marshmallows also output a high amount of volume without distorting, which is always a plus.

The amount of sound isolation from the Marshmallows is what I would describe as moderate. They're not fully isolating like many high end canalphones, but enough to block out most of the annoying outside noise.

Overall, I'm amazed at the sound coming out of these things. The fact that I'm comparing the JVC Marshmallows to earphones that cost four times the price is truly a testament to their sound quality and how highly I think of them. They're definitely not rubbish, and are probably better than quite a few overpriced consumer-grade earphones that cost at least twice as much.

Build Quality

I've got two pairs of Marshmallows and I've owned them for less than a day, so I can't comment on build quality over the long term, but from what I can tell they seem solid and sturdy enough. There's not much weight to them, so they could probably survive being thrown around a bit, or constantly floating around in a bag or a pocket. The main cable that connects to the stereo jack is thick enough to feel protected. The cables that join the left and right ear pieces are a bit on the thin side, but not to the point of concern. The driver housing is made of glossy plastic, and looks a bit cheap but not nasty. The 3.5mm stereo jack is gold plated, which is always good and not something I would generally expect for the price. The earphone tips that fit inside the ear canal are removable, and interchangeable with certain other tips from different canalphone brands. I'm perfectly happy with the included tips, however. They're made of a firm type of foam which is temporarily mouldable before it slowly expands back into place. Yes, just like a marshmallow. The foam tips come off pretty easily though, so losing them could be a problem.

Compared to the older 33's, the 34's have a few more colour options, a slightly more rigid plastic for the cable compared to the smooth rubbery feel on the 33's, and shorter tips to go in the ear. They also have a slightly shorter cable at about 107cm compared to the 33's at 128cm. None of these are necessarily improvements, they're just differences for whatever reasons JVC thought was necessary. They both sound pretty much the same. If anything, there's a smidgen more boominess to the bass in the 33's, probably due to the longer tips. That could just be my imagination, though.

Comfort and Fit

I'm a big fan of large circum-aural headphones; that is, I like headphones that sit over the top of my ears and surround them completely. On the contrary, I'm much less welcoming of earphones that go inside my ears. That includes earbuds and canalphones. It's one of those personal preference things, and not everyone feels the same way I do about them. Despite all that, I can honestly say the JVC Marshmallows are very comfortable indeed. It can often be a problem to get a good seal with canalphones. If you don't, it can drastically reduce the amount of bass. I didn't find that to be a problem at all with the Marshmallows. Both the 33's and 34's fit nice and snug without causing any pain to the ear, and I can move them around a bit without breaking the seal too much. As with all earphones, and especially canalphones, constantly putting them in and pulling them out can be a little taxing on the ears, but I found this to me less so with the Marshmallows than most other canalphones with silicon or foam tips.

Due to the way canalphones isolate sound, they tend to have issues with microphonics; that amplified internal noise usually from having the cable bumped around. The Marshmallows are no exception to this. But, interestingly enough, the Marshmallows respond well to being worn upside down with the cable being looped over the ear, similar to how you would wear many high end canalphones such as the Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5's. So, if the microphonics really bother you, give this a try as it reduces them a fair amount when you accidently bump the cable.

Price vs Performance

The JVC Marshmallows are way down the bottom of the price ladder at a cheap as chips AU$15 (and sub AU$10 if you shop smart or buy on eBay), but they're definitely not at the bottom of the ladder for sound quality. I've heard headphones with much worse sound than the Marshmallows, most of them costing at least double the price. The Marshmallows are possibly the best value for money I've seen in a budget consumer portable earphone.

Final Thoughts

Just to make it clear, the Marshallows aren't a fantastic sounding earphone. They're a fantastic sounding earphone for the price. There's plenty of better sounding canalphones out there, and if you're an audio enthusiast, you'll have no problem spending more for the sound improvements. If, however, you're looking for a cheap upgrade from your iPod earbuds, or you want a second pair for travel, or you're looking for a cheap pair of canalphones for the isolation they provide, then I can heartily recommend the JVC Marshmallows. If you want even more bang for your buck, you can also mod them.

Review: Nintendo DSi and DS Lite Comparison

After a full day's worth of contemplating, I bought the new Nintendo DSi. Okay, maybe a single day counts as an impulse purchase. Either way, it was an upgrade from the DS Lite that I bought in 2007 after selling an original DS Phat. Reviews of the newest version of Nintendo's famous Dual Screen hand-held gaming console are aplenty, but what I really wanted was a comparison of the new DSi to the DS Lite so that I could decide whether it would be a worthwhile purchase or not. I had trouble finding the information I wanted, so I thought I'd write my own comparison for anyone thinking about 'upgrading'.

The New and the Old

First of all, here's the specifications of each console for a more technical comparison:

DSi Size: Width 137mm, Length 74.9mm, Thickness 18.9mm Weight: 214g LCD: 3.25 inches, 260,000 colours Charging time: Approx 2.5 hours Battery Life: 9-14 hrs (lowest brightness), 8-12 hours (low brightness), 6-9 hours (medium brightness), 4-6 hours (high brightness), 3-4 hours (highest brightness) Software compatibility: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi Input-Output: DS cartridge slot, SD/SDHC card slot, AC adapter connection, headphone/mic connection

DS Lite Size: Width 133mm, Length 73.9mm, Thickness 21.5mm Weight: 218g LCD: 3 inches, 260,000 colours Charging time: Approx. 3 hours Battery Life: 15-19 hours (lowest brightness), 10-15 hours (low brightness), 7-11 hours (high brightness), 5-8 hours (highest brightness) Software compatibility: Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance Input-Output: DS cartridge slot, Game Boy Advance cartridge slot, AC adapter connection, headphone/mic connection

The improvements on the DSi over the DS Lite include a 0.3 megapixel camera, bigger screens, SD/SDHC card support, improved sound quality and volume, digital volume buttons, slightly thinner casing, inbuilt software for photo and sound editing, ability to play AAC audio files, and the included DSi Shop to purchase and download games on the internet. The DSi has also been upgraded on the inside, with double the amount of processing power at 133MHz, and quadruple the amount of RAM at 16MB.

The obvious disadvantages include the significantly worse battery life and the lack of Game Boy Advance slot.

DSi Aesthetics and Build Quality

Based solely on photos and marketing images, I came to the conclusion that the DSi was much less attractive (is that a strange way to describe technology?) than the DS Lite. That was until I saw it in person and actually held it in my hands. The minimalism of the DSi won me over. Other than the camera on the top outer case, there really isn't much to its looks. For the record, I have the black one but I've also played with the white version. I don't think either one looks better than the other; they both look fantastic, and while I would have loved to see more colour options for the console's release in Australia, classic black and white are always winners as far as I'm concerned.

The DSi feels much more sturdy and solid in my hands than the DS Lite, which feels quite 'plasticy' in comparison. The DSi is slightly thinner and is a little more comfortable to hold (for reference, my hands are kind of small).

The outer matte finish felt a little strange at first, akin to worn-down sandpaper compared to the smooth plastic of the DS Lite, but now I much prefer it over the DS Lite's glossy finish. Grip is greatly improved and there are no greasy fingerprints to speak of. It does come with a catch, though; dirt and dust are more attracted to the DSi's casing. It sure was a pain in the butt to get it looking nice in the photos.

The tactile response of the buttons has been improved, too. All of the buttons now sit more flush with the console's inside case (with the exception of the L and R shoulder buttons which actually stick out more on the DSi) and are more 'clicky' and responsive than those on the DS Lite. This is a good thing as the overall feel is that the buttons are faster to press.

The only issue I've noticed on the DSi is with the plastic frame around the bottom screen. The edges of the frame and the plastic body don't quite meet which caused a bit of a backlight leak at the very edge of the frame on the DSi that I own. It was only noticeable in the dark, but it was distracting. A gentle push of the frame closed the gap though, so now it's almost non existent. Whether that's solved the problem or is just a temporary fix remains to be seen, but so far the frame hasn't moved back again. I've seen this problem in quite a few plastic devices with screens. Despite some discussion on the issue, I don't think it's a massively widespread problem. Nevertheless, it's something to look out for when buying one.

Cameras, Sound, and the Editing Software

The DSi comes with a forward and backward facing camera and inbuilt software to take funny photos of your friends and play around with their voices to make them sound like a Japanese school girl or Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Before buying the DSi, these inclusions seemed like a gimmick to increase sales and cater to younger kids who may not have a computer or a mobile phone with similar functionality.

Although the camera and software didn't influence my buying decision at all (and nor do I think they should for those looking to upgrade from a DS Lite, but more on that later), I found that their inclusion is actually a really cool bonus. The sound editing software is fun and simple, and not to mention absolutely hilarious because I can tease my dog with it by calling her name and altering the pitch of my voice to confuse her. And while most of us have probably used photo warping software before in some form or another, the DSi's version is pure concentrated fun.

However, the cameras are pretty lousy, worse than most cameras on mobile phones these days, and perform terribly in low light, which is why I wouldn't recommend buying the DSi for the camera functionality alone.

New and Useful Features

Let's admit it; the DS's user interface was getting a bit long in the tooth. The DSi's new UI definitely draws its influence from the Wii; the little screens or blocks are visual representations for games and software on the DSi. They look and act very similar to the 'channels' you can select on the Wii. You can cycle through them in a similar way, and activate the one you want with a button or the stylus.

The switch-over from an analogue volume slider on the DS Lite to the digital volume buttons on the DSi is a major improvement. The slider lacked fine control, so often you were stuck with either loud, mute, or somewhere in the middle. The buttons on the DSi increase or decrease the volume in increments. Much, much better.

My favourite new feature, however, is the ability to press the power button to reset the console without having to turn it off and on again. You can also hot-swap game carts while the system is on, which is good for the indecisive gamer.

DSi Shop

As I mentioned, the DSi now has inbuilt software to access the DSi Shop; a virtual store on the internet to purchase DSiWare (the DSi equivalent to WiiWare on the Nintendo Wii). It works in the same way as the Wii where you can spend real money to buy Nintendo points which are used to purchase games and software on the DSi Shop.

Nintendo clearly made the DSi to bring their hand-held console in line with the Wii as far as internet connectivity and the virtual store is concerned. This is definitely a good thing, but right now there's not much to show on the DSi Shop (except the web browser, which is currently free), and definitely nothing appealing enough for me to spend my free 1,000 points on yet.

This will soon change, though. If I were to guess, Nintendo will probably release virtual console titles like on the Wii, a great way to re-sell us the Game Boy games from yesteryear that we've already purchased before. I say this with much endearment though as there are plenty of older titles I'd love to play once again, or missed out on the first time around.

The Verdict

So, is the DSi a worthwhile upgrade from the DS Lite? Yes and no, depending on your preferences. If you've got a stack of Game Boy Advance games, then the choice is an easy one since there's no GBA slot on the DSi. But for those who don't care about GBA games, there's a bit more to consider.

The larger screen is a mixed bag. For me, it was one of the reasons I upgraded as I'm a stickler for screen size. But it's only a slight increase of 0.25 inches, and while it's definitely noticeable, it's probably not worth the AU$300 price tag unless that's pocket change to you or your DS Lite is on its last legs. The screen resolution is exactly the same, so all the extra screen size is doing is stretching the frames out to make them larger. That said, the bigger screen is good for games like Pokemon where there are lots of intricate little details and everything is quite small.

As mentioned, the camera and sound editing functionality is also not worth the upgrade. It's a fun little bonus to be sure, but what you can do with it is limited and you're better off using a cheapo point-and-shoot for your photos, and a computer for your editing.

The way I see it, purchasing the DSi right now is a sort of future investment. No, you probably won't get your money's worth right away if you're upgrading from a DS Lite, but there's a lot of potential for the DSi Shop and DSi Enhanced games in the future.

If you're looking for the cheapest possible route to take as a DS gamer, the DSi is probably the version to skip. It doesn't add a heck of a lot to the gaming experience, and until there are DSi-only games (if there ever are), there really isn't any compelling reason to ditch the DS Lite for one. That said, I love the DSi to bits, and its release has encouraged me to get back into DS gaming in a huge way. I'd forgotten how much fun this tiny console is.

For more photos comparing the DSi to the DS Lite, visit my Flickr photo set.

So, what are your thoughts on Nintendo's new DSi?

Review: Audioengine 2 Speakers

Over several weeks, I searched for the perfect speakers to compliment my current iMac + headphones setup. I had a set maximum budget of AU$400. I also had a few requirements including excellent sound quality (as neutral as possible) small in size and able to be used in a near-field position on my desk, and as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Good sounding speakers on the cheap, did such a thing exist?

As it turned out, the answer is a definite yes. I discovered the Audioengine 2 active speakers, the little brothers of the Audioengine 5's. Both of these speakers have great reputations for their fantastic value for money, leaving a trail of favourable reviews across the web. Naturally, I was curious about just how good they sounded. The Audioengine 2's were within my price range, so I promptly bought some and hoped all the good things I'd read were true.

Head over to Tech Wired Australia to read the full review.

Review: SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel for the iPhone 3G

Some people like to use a case to protect their expensive digital devices. Others prefer to keep their devices completely naked, either because they want to keep the aesthetics and form-factor, or they simply just don't care whether they drop or scratch it all that much. I fall into the former category when it comes to the iPhone 3G; as much as I like the aesthetics, the plastic back makes it really slippery with absolutely no grip, and I just couldn't live with myself if I dropped and broke it. Afterall, I'm stuck with my iPhone for the next 24 months on a contract.

Finding a case that I liked was a bit of a pain. Not many cases were available at launch, and only a small percentage of those were any good. The one that stood out to me was the Capsule Rebel, made by SwitchEasy. It has a unique visual style and plenty of colour options, and the website claims that it uses a "special new material called ADSP (Adaptive Dynamic Soft Polymer)" as well as a hard plastic shell to protect the iPhone. It retails at about AU$29.95 which is somewhat average for an iPhone 3G case at the current time.

What also attracted me to this particular case was the sheer amount of accessories that are included. Bundled with the case comes an adapter for Apple's Universal Dock, 2x static screen protectors, a squeegee to use with the screen protectors, a little plastic stand for viewing your iPhone in landscape mode while it's on your desk, a 'connector protector' which covers the port where you connect your iPhone to the USB cable, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. Phew! That's a lot of added extras. When was the last time you saw a case that came with that many extras, even the expensive ones?

Installation of the Capsule Rebel took about two minutes. It's actually two separate pieces; the soft ADSP skin that you have to pull over your iPhone first and get a snug fit, and the plastic shell part that looks a bit like a skeleton, which fits along the back and corners of the soft part of the case. You clip the hard shell's edges onto the recessed parts of the soft case to get a really snug fit. And I really do mean snug - the iPhone is pretty secure in there. You can pull at the edges to expose the iPhone's chrome bezel when the case is on, but it's not loose in any way and won't be coming off by itself. The soft part of the case covers the ringer volume up/down buttons as well as the sleep button, but doesn't affect the buttons usage at all. This is good as it minimizes the amount of dust and dirt that gets in there. The silent switch is still exposed, as is the camera lens, speaker, microphone, dock connector and headphone jack.

Regarding the headphone jack, they seem to have left enough room to be able to use headphones that have a thick connector, but I haven't tried any (my headphones have only thin plastic around the connector) so you might want to check that out before you buy, just in case.

I also haven't tried the static screen protectors that came with the case since I've already got a Power Support Anti-Glare film on my iPhone (which does a superb job by the way), but they seem quite decent and will likely be fine for most people. Whether a screen protector is even necessary for the iPhone's optical-grade glass screen is up for debate, anyway.

The Capsule Rebel makes the iPhone slightly bulkier and heavier; not by much but its definitely noticeable. Whether this bothers you or not is a personal thing. For me, I don't mind one bit as it actually makes the iPhone more comfortable to hold, gives it a fair bit more grip, and above all, makes it feel VERY protected.

Overall, I think this case is exceptionally high quality, very protective and visually unique. A lot of thought has obviously gone into the design and materials used. If you're looking for an always-on hardshell style case (well, technically it's a hardshell/softshell hybrid), then I definitely recommend this one. It gets a well-deserved score of 9/10 from me.

You can see more photos of the Capsule Rebel in my Flickr set.

Review: Yuin PK3 Earbuds

I recently purchased the Yuin PK3 earbuds after searching long and hard for some portable headphones for my iPod Touch and MacBook. I came across the Yuin PK3 after scrolling through Head-Fi and my local headphone store's website, Headphonic. The PK3 has received a lot of good feedback from a lot of people and they're even better than I expected them to be.

Firstly, I will say I'm a bit of a closet audiophile, so some decent headphones for my portable rig were important to me. However, I only rip music to a compressed format (128kbps AAC) for my portable gear, and I don't use a separate headphone amp or external DAC with them, so there comes a point where the headphones will be too good for the gear they're used with. I wanted to find that sweet spot in the price vs performance ratio, and have something that suited my simple setup without breaking the bank.

The PK3 is the entry level model in Yuin's line of earbuds, its big brothers being the PK2 and PK1. I've tested the PK3 through a few different sources, including the iPod Touch's internal DAC and headphone amp, the same on the MacBook, and through an external DAC and headphone amp combo.

Just to be specific, the Yuin PK3 is an earbud, the same style of headphones that come packaged with a new iPod, only they're black and sound much, MUCH better. Being earbuds, they won't suit everyone, however. Earbuds generally have an open design which means you'll still be able to hear what's going on around you, and a fraction of the sound that you're listening to in the earbuds will leak out, though it is minimal. Another popular headphone style is the canalphone/in-ear monitor, which generally offer some level of sound isolation because they fit right inside the ear canal. Everyone's ears and listening environments are different, so you should buy the headphone style that suits you. I chose earbuds because I like to hear what's going on around me at all times, and prefer their comfort over canalphones.

I definitely found what I was looking for in the Yuin PK3. Here's why...

Sound Quality

The first thing I noticed when listening to them for the first time was the amount of bass that is present. The bass is easily heard while not being overpowering. But don't interpret this the wrong way. They're not the most bassy headphones I have ever heard. The difference is that the bass is more punchy and controlled with the PK3 than any other earbud I have heard.

The PK3 has nice balance along the frequency spectrum which I very much appreciate, with perhaps a slight lean towards the lower frequencies, but not by much. The highs are very present and clear for a headphone in their category, and the mids sit just right (which is also very much appreciated, unlike the iPod earbuds which are very heavy in the midrange).

Most important of all, for me at least, is the fact that I can listen to the PK3 for long periods of time without being fatigued. Their sound signature is very pleasant to the ears. There's nothing worse than listening to music through headphones that give you ear fatigue or a headache after a while.

Just to note, using an externally amplified source for the PK3 won't make much difference to their sound. I only noticed slight improvements in bass and stereo soundstage, and I really do mean slight. So, for those with external amps in their portable rigs, I'd look at the PK2, or the PK1 which is harder to drive and designed to be used with an amp. Both of these offer improvements in sound quality over the PK3, but I can't vouch for them personally as I've never listened to them.

Design and Build Quality

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of how robust the Yuin PK3 would be. I mean, how much can you expect from a pair of AU $50 headphones that are made in China? But I was pleasantly surprised. The connectors are all gold plated, the plastic driver housing seems durable, and the cord is thin but not particularly flimsy (at least not the worse I've seen, and a thicker cord often means it's more rigid and less flexible, which can be annoying as it stops the cord from 'sitting' right). A weak point on any earbuds is where the cord joins into the driver housing. The PK3 has a thick stem which helps to prevent any weakness there.

They're also very ergonomic and fit into my ear reasonably well. I say reasonably because earbuds usually don't fit my ears extremely well, either constantly falling out or hurting them from too much pressure on the edge of the ear canal. Everyone's ears are different, but it's pretty safe to say that if you've used earbuds before and like them, you won't have a problem with the PK3.

The Yuin PK3 comes in two different flavours, the J-cord and the Y-cord. For those who don't know, the J-cord (A.K.A asymmetrical) has the cord on either the left or right side longer than the other, and the longer side is designed to be worn around the neck. The Y-cord style (symmetrical) has the cables from both ears the same length, and is usually worn in front, under the chin (the iPod earbuds are an example of this). Personally, I'm a fan of the J-cord, so that is what I purchased. There are differences in the material used for the cord with each design (I'm not sure if this is the case with all Yuin PK3 earbuds, but it is what I've experienced first hand). The J style has more of a smooth plastic feel to it, whereas the Y style is more rubbery and possibly less prone to tangling as it seems to bounce back into shape more easily. Whichever style is 'better' is a matter of personal taste.

The cord is 120cm long, which is on the short side. I'm about 5'3" tall, and it's just long enough for me to use them comfortably connected to the iPod Touch in my pocket. There's only about 5cm of excess cord. So, for those who are taller than me (which is pretty much everyone), you may need an extension cord. Just remember to get a good quality cord with gold plated connectors, or you'll reduce the sound quality.

(Above: The package contents of the Yuin PK3 including earbuds, foamies, 1/4" adapter, instruction manual, wooden box, box sleeve, and plastic storage container.)

Price vs Performance

In a nutshell, you can't beat the performance of these earbuds for their price, at least not anywhere I've seen. There's a huge market for portable headphones, and unfortunately it's populated with a lot of sub-par products that are way more expensive than they're worth. The PK3 outshines the rest in their class, and at AU $50, they're a steal. Easily the best earbuds I have heard, and I can't wait to try the PK2 and PK1 one day.

They also come with some nice accessories including a quality gold plated 1/4" adapter (click-on not screw-on), included foamies and a cute little wooden box and plastic container to store them in, which just makes the price look even better.

Conclusion

The PK3 is a great sounding earbud with a price tag that's easy to swallow. They're bassy without being overpowering, and have clear highs and the right amount of midrange. They're also durable and come with all the accessories you need. I recommend the PK3 to anyone looking to upgrade their portable headphones, especially if you're looking to replace the standard white iPod earbuds. I've yet to find an earbud that even touches them for the price. I'll definitely be using the PK3 with my portable rig for a long time yet.