They are my favorite budget-friendly, bullet-styled “IEM” that you could just grab at any store, but they their build quality is crap with their noodley cable and I feel like I can never make them last for more than like 4 months. Has anyone else had better luck (or just better habits and attentiveness when it comes to care) making these last a good amount of time? I’d like to atleast hold onto mine for a year.
These ultra cheap earbuds generally don’t last. I used to get those $20 Sennheiser earbuds when I was a kid and they barely lasted 3 months.
I had the MDR-E9LP (flathead instead of IEM) a couple times instead. They do just randomly die, once it was the cable which was repairable, but eventually the actual drivers just follow. My TE Holas already lasted more than them and are still going, even after going through the washer once.
Eh, TE Holas don’t seem like a good alternative to me. Over ear IEMs are uncomfortable to me and the Sound signature isn’t anything like the EX15s (bassy V).
I’ve used this method of wrapping my Sony earbuds for years and they have the same thin fragile wires but had lasted several years since it doesn’t stress the connecting points at the buds or the connector:
https://youtu.be/9D_oV14dGmM?si=F82fvuTD_Sby035S
And once it’s wrapped, it goes into a small pouch like this from another older pair of buds before putting in my pocket or bag:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/uJkAAOSwXhJjqlOP/s-l1200.jpg
Just recently I had a pair of MDR-EX100iP’s finally give out after 10+ years and now they’re long since discontinued, so if you’re really into these buds I’d suggest grabbing an extra pair of the EX15s, or the slightly higher quality EX110s w/mic if you can still find any.
