Review on JVC Memory Earbud Marshmallow HAFX38B by Patrick Hilzer

I've been buying JVC Marshmallow headphones for a few years now. I have small ears, so most earphones start to hurt after wearing them for less than an hour, which is common when I work at my desk. These headphones were perfect because they are reasonably priced, have very acceptable sound quality for the price, and fit well without hurting my ears even after many hours of use. The biggest complaint I've had so far is their durability as I've bought about 5 pairs in the last 3 years since they opened; I'm pretty rough with the headphones though and use them hundreds and hundreds of hours a year so they cost less than $10 for a pair (before the upgrade) and I was pretty happy with the average 10 months of use I got . I recently bought a refurbished model after my last pair lost sound in the right earbud after around 14 months of heavy use and I'm quite disappointed in them compared to previous models. The first thing that caught my eye was that the price went up a few dollars (which is understandable, things change) and the prices varied greatly depending on the color of the items. When the package arrived I was pleasantly surprised to see that the headphones themselves were of better quality. The shape is easier on the eye, the plastic body of the earbuds has a slightly better feel, and the "L" and "R" markings are now engraved rather than embossed (the markings used to wear off after a few months of use, a another small annoyance that was never a big problem for me). considering the price). The next thing I noticed is that the cable appears to have a slightly lower quality rubber sleeve, a slight disappointment but disappointing considering I paid about 25% more for it than before. However, what worries me the most is the updated model. something that made me go through my normal routine to notice. While previous models (again at a lower price and with better cable housing) had a cable that was about 5 feet long, these new models are only 3 feet long. While that seems like enough for walking around with a phone in my pocket and headphones, I've already noticed that movement at my desk is severely limited with headphones on. I'm not sure yet if I'll ditch the Marshmallow line to look for an alternative, but I can say it's definitely possible for now. I'd happily pay up to $15 for a pair of new headphones with older (better quality and longer) cables, but halfway and seriously undermining the usability of these items to buffer gains seems like a very short sighted move by JVC.