By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM
Okay, okay, I can almost predict what you will be thinking: it’s not the most expensive piece of gear in your listening kit. But for me, headphones or earbuds that pipe the audio from my SW receiver or scanner directly into my ears is one of my most valued pieces of equipment.
Why? First, because I have a hearing deficit that headphones or earbuds help to overcome. Second, to preserve domestic tranquility, so my wife doesn’t have to endure the squeaks, squawks, and static crashes that are often part of the listening experience. (We Armchair Adventurers have to keep our priorities straight.) And third, to help me concentrate on teasing out faint signals.
So I am a fan of headphones and earbuds, but I have had a difficult relationship with them because the wires break. That’s right; until recently, all of the headphones or earbuds that I employed eventually failed because the wire/cable connecting the headphones or earbuds to the radio failed, either losing any signal entirely or becoming intermittent.
Two years ago, the folks at CCrane teased me with a marketing email that offered CC Buds Solo In-Ear Single Earbud with a cable that was Kevlar reinforced for “maximum durability.” Intrigued, I purchased the “buy two, get one free” deal because I knew, just knew, Kevlar-reinforced or not, the cable would eventually fail.
Well, guess what? The cable did not fail, not even a little bit, despite my treating it badly. (Once, while walking, the cable caught on a doorknob, yanking the earbud out of my ear and a small digital recorder out of my pocket. And that’s not the only time I have inadvertently done my best to render it inoperable.) Two years into the mission, I am still using the original CCrane solo earbud that I first unpacked. The second one is deployed upstairs for my horizontal DXing exploits in the middle of the night, and the third I gave to a friend. CCrane says the audio is “tuned for superior voice quality,” which works just fine for my purposes.
So the upshot, if you hadn’t guessed, is that I can heartily recommend the CCrane Solo Earbud. If you consult the original post, found here — https://swling.com/blog/2023/12/checking-out-ccranes-solo-earbud/ — you can discover some additional details and some of the reasons why I find listening with one earbud to be an advantage.
Another option is the vintage Sony MDRWO8L grey headsets used on earlier Walkmans .they are very minimalist and you can still hear some surrounding noise. They fold up into nothing and have good quality sound. I have 3 with different radios in different locations. Got them off eBay.
One way I have added life to my USB & Headphone cables is to add a rubber collar at the cable to connector interface. I have attached a link showing a kit by Niteize. These items come with a stretching/plier tool to aid installation.
https://niteize.com/cordcollar-cord-id-protection
Jock, I’ve used mine for years, both for around-the-house podcast listening and for QRP field operating. They really do seem optimized for voice – spoken words come through noticeably more crisply, while most music sounds muddy. I especially like mine in the field, both to spare others from my HF noises, and for the extra voice boost they give. Finally, having one ear open when I’m out alone operating in Tate’s Hell Swamp is a must. There are things out there that are best to hear and steer clear of.
” Finally, having one ear open when I’m out alone operating in Tate’s Hell Swamp is a must. There are things out there that are best to hear and steer clear of.”
Jeez, Rob, that is the single best reason I’ve ever heard for using a solo earbud . . . yikes!
Cheers, Jock
Bears, panthers, banjos…
Hi Jock,
While not as active with earbuds as you, I also have found CCrane earbuds to be good quality and producing good audio. And they are reasonable priced to boot!
I have also moved to Kevlar USB cables, particularly for my wife, who went through USB cables quite often previous to finding the Kevlar style. Cheers!
Robert,
Kevlar USB cables?!! I didn’t know they existed . . . they will definitely save me money in the future.
Cheers, Jock
“Kevlar USB cables?!! I didn’t know they existed . . . ”
Kevlar-reinforced music earbuds cables are a thing, on the higher-quality ones, anyways.
Brands like Etymotic Research feature them :
https://etymotic.com/
Good stuff, recommended…