# What a dumb way to design earbuds **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 19, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914 "2008-05-19T23:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/1 "2008-05-19T23:37:11Z")
Too mild for the Pit, so please consider there to be implied swearing throughout. So the earbuds for my iPod fell apart the other day. Like, literally fell to pieces. I pick up a pair of Panasonic (I think) earbuds. The left bud is on a wire that’s several inches shorter than the right. When I walk around with the buds in the shorter wire pulls and the bud gets dislodged and usually falls out. I take them back, thinking they’re defective and get another set of the same brand. Not defective, they’re actually designed like that. I take _those_ back (about three minutes after returning the first pair; I think the clerk thought I was up to something but hey, I had my second receipt) and go to a different store. I buy a pair of Sony buds and again the right bud wire is about three times longer than the left. For whatever reason, though, these sit better in my ear and don’t dislodge. What the hell is up with constructing earbuds like this? ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/2 "2008-05-19T23:41:11Z")
I’ve been told, though not by anyone who should know what they’re doing, that they’re designed that way so your Branded MP3 Player™ can sit in the inner breast pocket of your jacket on your left side, with the bud wire running straight up to your left ear and the right wire going behind your head. That still doesn’t make any sense, though, so I await an actual answer. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/3 "2008-05-19T23:42:00Z")
It’s a response to the fact that kids like to share their tunes. The longer cord is for the “friend” bud. I see this every day in my classroom. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/4 "2008-05-19T23:52:54Z")
I’ve never had an iPod, but both mp3 players I’ve bought have had both bud wires the same length, which was plenty long enough to reach both ears regardless of which breast pocket of my shirt (I like shirts with two pockets) I put it in. However, I’ve never had a set of earbuds which fit comfortably in my ears without popping out at random intervals. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/5 "2008-05-19T23:58:15Z")
I cannot find a pair that fit comfortably in my ears, either. I have a pair with a “hook” on each bud. I (naively) thought that this “hook” would aid my comfort. I was very, very wrong. Either I have freakishly small ear canals, or --well, I am not sure “or” what. I never noticed the discrepancy in lengths of sides. Yet another thing that will me make feel reactionary, perverse and annoyed. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/6 "2008-05-20T01:36:07Z")
I have no idea why they come like that but it annoys the fudge out of me too. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/7 "2008-05-20T01:46:53Z")
[QUOTE=Ace309] I’ve been told, though not by anyone who should know what they’re doing, that they’re designed that way so your Branded MP3 Player™ can sit in the inner breast pocket of your jacket on your left side, with the bud wire running straight up to your left ear and the right wire going behind your head. That still doesn’t make any sense, though, so I await an actual answer. [/QUOTE] Yes, the longer wire goes behind the neck. You can take off both buds and have them hang from the neck without having to hang on to them or put them away. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/8 "2008-05-20T02:12:20Z")
Did the earphone packaging not come with a diagram illustrating the correct method of usage (as explained in the post above)? It seems the headphones that come with ipods are peculiar in that they are NOT designed this way. The headphones that came in virtually all of my previous devices were configured thus. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/9 "2008-05-20T02:12:46Z")
I used to be plagued by earphone drop-out, but last year I found the [perfect earbuds](http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-EX71SL-WK-Fontopia-Headphones/dp/B00030CHRQ). True, they still have the dumb long/short cable set-up, but they have little flexible silicone doofers on the earpieces that not only hold snugly in your ear no matter how much you joggle around, they also do a wonderful job of keeping out outside noise. I sometimes put them in my ears on the train even when I’m not listening to music, purely for some peace and quiet. They come with three pairs of silicone bits, in sizes from mouse’s ear to Dumbo. I’ll never go back to any other type of headphone. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/10 "2008-05-20T02:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] I cannot find a pair that fit comfortably in my ears, either. I have a pair with a “hook” on each bud. I (naively) thought that this “hook” would aid my comfort. I was very, very wrong. Either I have freakishly small ear canals, or --well, I am not sure “or” what. I never noticed the discrepancy in lengths of sides. Yet another thing that will me make feel reactionary, perverse and annoyed. [/QUOTE] The “small ear canal” thing seems the most reasonable explanation for me, too. I have to try to wedge them in at an angle to get them to stay in place, which means that the sound doesn’t go straight into my ears. I’d seen the ones with the hooks and wondered if they would work any better, but it sounds like they wouldn’t. And replacing the earbuds with headset-type earphones rather defeats the “easily portable” feature of the mp3 player. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/11 "2008-05-20T02:46:19Z")
My current earbuds are painful in my left ear. I can only wear them for a short period of time–not that I’m wearing them for long periods of time, but still. I will have to look for those Sony ones. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/12 "2008-05-20T03:07:29Z")
I couldn’t get a pair of earbuds to be comfy in my ears to save my life, so I ended up getting pads with hooks (pads like traditional “Walkman” headphones). They work really well but…they also have the shorter/longer setup. Kinda goofy. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/13 "2008-05-20T03:21:15Z")
Hmm. I always thought the unequal length was so the cord hangs down one side of my body. If my music player (Walkman, iPod, etc) is in my shirt pocket, or on my belt on one side (usually left side), I’d rather have the cord down my left side rather than the middle of my chest/belly. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/14 "2008-05-20T04:06:08Z")
[QUOTE=Ace309] I’ve been told, though not by anyone who should know what they’re doing, that they’re designed that way so your Branded MP3 Player™ can sit in the inner breast pocket of your jacket on your left side, with the bud wire running straight up to your left ear and the right wire going behind your head. That still doesn’t make any sense, though, so I await an actual answer. [/QUOTE] Heh. A couple of years ago I bought myself a new pair of earbuds, for exactly the same reason \*\*Otto \*\*mentions (Sony). And when I started using them, I had exactly the same reaction as he did. These earbuds, however, have two separate chords: a short one (like the one \*\*Otto \*\*described) and a long extension chord. I wondered why anyone would separate the two cables. After a while I realized the best way to use them was similar to the one **Ace309** describes: 1. I leave the long chord connected to my computer 2. Whenever I take my IPod along (for lunch, for instance), I put the Ipod in my breast pocket and connect the short chord to it This reduces the flexing of the chord which, in turn, prolongs the life of my earbuds. Previous to this I usually had to replace my earbuds about twice a year, because the normal wear and tear caused the connecting cables to produce intermittent interruptions to one ear or the other. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/15 "2008-05-20T04:33:02Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I used to be plagued by earphone drop-out, but last year I found the [perfect earbuds](http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-EX71SL-WK-Fontopia-Headphones/dp/B00030CHRQ). True, they still have the dumb long/short cable set-up, but they have little flexible silicone doofers on the earpieces that not only hold snugly in your ear no matter how much you joggle around, they also do a wonderful job of keeping out outside noise. I sometimes put them in my ears on the train even when I’m not listening to music, purely for some peace and quiet. They come with three pairs of silicone bits, in sizes from mouse’s ear to Dumbo. I’ll never go back to any other type of headphone. [/QUOTE] And, of course, I had to find someone who had already posted the earbuds I’d bought. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/16 "2008-05-20T13:51:15Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I used to be plagued by earphone drop-out, but last year I found the [perfect earbuds](http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-EX71SL-WK-Fontopia-Headphones/dp/B00030CHRQ). [/QUOTE] These are very similar to the ones I bought, but I only have two sets of “doofers.” > [@DiggitCamera](#): > > After a while I realized the best way to use them was similar to the one **Ace309** describes: > > 1. I leave the long chord connected to my computer > 2. Whenever I take my IPod along (for lunch, for instance), I put the Ipod in my breast pocket and connect the short chord to it I almost never wear shirts with breast pockets at work (I hate the double breast pocket look and single-pocket shirts are few and far between). I carry my iPod in my pants pocket or in-hand, so I have to use the extension cord. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/17 "2008-05-20T14:01:28Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I used to be plagued by earphone drop-out, but last year I found the [perfect earbuds](http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-EX71SL-WK-Fontopia-Headphones/dp/B00030CHRQ) [/QUOTE] Curse you, Colophon! I just bought new earbuds that someone recommended in a different thread (the ones that came with my ipod blow and hurt my delicate shell-like ears) but I like yours better. They have a better carrying case. Drat! But my new ones are pink which go with my ipod frogz case… In a related question, why do ear buds/phones have “left” and “right” on them? What the heck difference does it make? ---
**Author:** ![MovingTarget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@MovingTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovingTarget)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/18 "2008-05-20T14:10:40Z")
**Colophon** , those look a lot like mine, which are the [Smokin’ Buds](http://www.amazon.com/Skullcandy-SC-SBB3-5-Smokin-Earbud-Black/dp/B000CMTZO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1211292373&sr=1-1), and I love them to death. They fit comfortably for everyone I’ve let use them, with the three sets of doofers, as **Otto** put it. And the sound is amazing. I like the look of the others though, and will probably get them when these give out on me. Good luck, good earbuds are few and far between, but when you find some that work for you, it makes all the difference in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/19 "2008-05-20T14:17:04Z")
[QUOTE=scr4] Hmm. I always thought the unequal length was so the cord hangs down one side of my body. If my music player (Walkman, iPod, etc) is in my shirt pocket, or on my belt on one side (usually left side), I’d rather have the cord down my left side rather than the middle of my chest/belly. [/QUOTE] Ditto. I think it’s good design. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914/20 "2008-05-20T15:41:03Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] In a related question, why do ear buds/phones have “left” and “right” on them? What the heck difference does it make? [/QUOTE] Some of us prefer to hear the bass guitar on the left and the lead guitar on the right. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-a-dumb-way-to-design-earbuds/449914.md?page=2)