Nowadays, earbuds are everywhere, and it’s not only about sound anymore.  Features are a huge selling point, and the i2! AudioWear Lanyard Style EarBuds attempt to carve out their niche in the market by integrating a lanyard system.  I’m glad that companies are finally starting catch on to the problem that most earbuds face: slack.  Either the buds aren’t stable enough to rest comfortably in your ears, or the dangling cord gets caught on something, and rips the buds from your ears when you least expect it.  So do the i2! earbuds stand out from the crowd?  Read on to find out.

Features:

• Noise Isolation
• One size fits all ( 3 pairs of inserts )
• Wearable adjustable lanyard
• Extension cable

So how do they sound?  Good, but not great.  The first word that comes to my mind is “roomy.”  There is some extra unaccounted “air” going on in the mix that most people probably won’t notice, that I feel takes away from the quality of the listening experience.  They aren’t too bass or treble heavy, but nothing about the sound necessarily dazzles. That being said, the boasted noise isolation isn’t really apparent, but I am wearing the smallest inserts.  I am wearing them as I write this review and I can still hear the incoming mail sound on my Mac.

My other problem with these earbuds is that they don’t stay in my ear all that well.  I usually option for the larger inserts so I can get more bass out of the earbuds, but the ones included here pop out very easily, especially if I yawn or smile.

On to the positive.  The biggest selling point of these earbuds is the adjustable lanyard, and it is a great feature no doubt about it.  They work well in various active scenarios and I enjoyed the lanyard very much on a recent bike ride.  When you pull out the buds, you don’t have to search for where they went, because they dangle just within eye sight.  All you have to do is look straight down, and there they are.

The extension cord can also allow for some nice scenarios.  Take it off and you can dangle your iPod Shuffle or any other tiny little mp3 player, allowing the player to be that much more accessible.  Add the extension cord to any other set of headphones or earbuds and make the cord really long!

I give i2! credit for their valiant effort in trying to create something different, and if you are an active person who is not a tone snob like myself, they could very well be the ideal choice for you, or someone you know.

Pros:

• Lanyard is flawless
• Stylish aesthetic
• Extension cord

Cons:

• “Roomy” sound could use some tweaking
• Inserts should fit and feel better, withstanding facial movements
• Maybe pricey for those without discerning audio palette

Buy it for $44 here