Friday: Insignia Earpods for $10, Corsair VOID, Sirius XM, Onkyo, Jabra Active Elite, Etc

Audio continues to be a theme and for the Friday 4/10/20 Best Buy daily deals with the following participating products:

+ Insignia (house brand) wired earpod-style earphones for $10
+ 4.3 out of 5 based on 820+ customer reviews

+ Corsair VOID PRO RGB SE Wireless Dolby 7.1 gaming headset in Yellowjackets color scheme for $55

+ ION Audio Sport XL 8″ 2-Way Tailgate Portable PA Speaker for $120

+ Sirius XM Onyx EZR Satellite Radio Receiver with Vehicle Kit for $25

UPDATE: but that’s not all. Audio is also the name of the game for the Friday Newegg daily deals as follows:

+ Jabra Elite Active 75t Navy Voice Assistant truly-wireless with $20 promotional gift card for $200

+ 128GB Samsung Endurance PRO microSDXC for $28

+ Onkyo HT-S7800 5.1.2 Channel Network Dolby Atmos Home Theater System for $550

HE 150PRO Earbuds for $22 [MD]

Massdrop is furiously adding more and more new brands/products to its inventory and one of them is on the budget side of things, a $22 pair of [actual] earbuds, the new condition HE 150PRO Earbuds going for $22 with free US shipping and $5~ international shipping (YMMV depending on location).

These are “HE” not “VE” (Venture Electronics). At least they didn’t name them Monks 🙂

These will ship from Massdrop in mid-May 2019. There’s no mention of warranty in the listing which will run for the next four days and change from blog-posting time…

PS: “lush” is one of the audiophile words that can raise red flags for those who are mayhaps tired of the flowery borderline-meaningless audiophoolia language used in quite a few corporate and forum reviews 🙂

PS2: I prefer to use weather-y descriptions. For example [general example, not related to these earbuds ~ I haven’t seen or heard them], “these headphones are cloudy with a chance of rain in the high plains”

Moondrop VX Classic Earbuds for $50 [MD]

The good old VE Monks have made actual earbuds great again,so the resurgent onslaught continues with a new earbud arrival at Massdrop, it is the new condition Moondrop VX Classic Earbuds going for $50 with free US shipping or around $5 international shipping [I can’t test all countries though].

These dynamic driver earbuds come with four pairs of eartips and nothing more. There’s no mention of warranty in the listing. They will ship from Massdrop in early May 2019. They are so new at MD they have just one comment under “Discussions”.

PS: Moondrop is part of what MD calls their Spring Remix, the arrival of new-to-MD brands which includes Moza, Metal.ch, Mohu, Hario [hooray-io!] and more…

Thursday: Bose SoundSport wired earphones for $50

Two days in a row now with a headphone-related daily deal at the Best Buy website, this time, for the last day in February 2019 [yep, two months are already gone from 2019, that’s 1/6th of the year gone BYE-BYE], it is the new condition Bose Soundsport wired earphones going for $50 with free shipping or free store pickup when that’s possible/available…

This is an older Bose style, they are neither earbuds, nor in-ears in the true sense of the word. There is a speaker-ish protrusion that breaks the plane of the ear canal, however, they don’t have the squishy eartip that forms a seal. The plus side is that they are more comfortable for people who have issues traditional in-ears, but on the other hand, you can’t get a seal, so say goodbye to isolation with these.

I don’t want to create a separate website category just for these, so I either put them under earbuds or in-ears 🙂

I have a different older model of these, they have their uses, and those “Stay Hear” things do indeed help them stay on your ear.

Speaking of Thursday’s daily deals, at the German Amazon Gold Bawx there’s a couple of truly-wireless bluetooths from Arbily [that’s the brand name] ranging from 40 to 48 euros…

VE Monks Plus earbuds for $5 + S&H [options w/mic-remote for more]

They are baaaack! VE Monk fans, unite and take over! Good for the next four days and change, Massdrop has brought back the Venture Electronics Monk Plus earbuds. Yes, for those not familiar, these are actual earbuds, not in-ears. This time it is the “exclusive blue” color scheme.

The price is $5 for the base model without a mic/remote. The option with a standard mic/remote is $7, or if you prefer the Android mic/remote you pay $10. For cable fans, they offer the braided cable for +$15. Yes, the cable costs 3X the price of the base earbud 🙂 However, this option also includes a VE-branded carrying case. The earfoams vary depending on the cable package chosen.

Shipping is extra regardless. US shipping is under $5, and international under $10, but I can’t check every zipcode and every country and situation, so YMMV ~ the only way you can be sure is to enter your addresses of choice and see the estimate…

I bought the red variant many moons ago, here’s my text and pictures unboxing [including the legendary (???) Massdrop-branded envelope]. There’s also an experimental and incomplete review diary.

Sunday: 2pk Sennheiser PMX-684i for $20 [also Sony TW]

There are two headphone-related daily deals for Sunday February 17 in 2019. First up, B&H Photo is offering a new condition 2-pack of Sennheiser PMX-684i neckband exercise earbuds for $20 with free US shipping. That’s $10 per pair. They come with a mic/remote. Yes, they terminate in a plasticky earbud type thing, they do not go inside the ear canal. They have a 3-button remote/mic as well.

Next up we go to the land of Woot where they are offering for Sony in “Used – Like New” condition the Sony WF1000X truly wireless for $60 in your choice of black or gold color-scheme. They come with a 90-day Woot warranty..

VE Monks Plus Earbuds for $10 w/Prime shipping

Are you curious about the Venture Electronics Monk Plus earbuds [actual earbuds], but don’t want to deal with Massdrop or wait for a long time for them to arrive from sellers on Alibaba and such. Well, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can get a brand new pair delivered to your front door in around two days as the official VE store is selling them fulfilled by Amazon for $10 in the “smoke” color scheme. This is a model without a mic/remote, just good old earbuds…

We have an unboxing and review diary of a different color scheme. To cut a long story short, these are a pretty good value for the price [or a much higher price] ~ assuming you want actual earbuds and not in-ears.

PS: they also selling for $10 the VE Monk Lite but I haven’t seen or heard the “Lite” model…

Wedn: Sennheiser PX684i neckband earbuds for $20 w/FS; LG V30S ThinQ for $600

There are two headphone-related offers at the B&H Daily Deals running until Wednesday at 11:59pm eastern (or earlier if any of them happens to sellout ahead of time).

We start with the earphones, they are earbuds, of the neckband type. IT is the new condition Sennheiser PMX 684i In-Ear Neckband Sports earbuds with iOS remote control buttons for $20 with free shipping.

Next up, on the PADs front (Phones as DAPs), the new condition factory unlocked LG V30S ThinQ Smartphone (128GB onboard) is offered for $600 with free shipping with two different color options to pick from. This was among the last Snapdragon 835 smartphones with a headphone jack [the latest models have the 845], with 128GB of on-board storage plus microSD slot for even more FLACs and WAVs and such, Android 8.0, 6″ screen, a solid 6GB RAM which should be more than enough for all your music streaming and equalizing and visualizing needs, Bluetooth 5.0, apt-X HD, FM radio, USB Type C version 3.1, and so forth. And of course the famous V-series DAC technology.

Refurb Bose SoundSport Wireless w/1-yr warranty for $80 w/FS

The official Bose eBay store is offering the manufacturer refurbished Bose Soundsport Wireless earphones for $80 with free shipping and a 1-year warranty, just like what the new condition models get. They are available in the black color scheme.

Google PixelBuds for $129 w/free S&H

The new condition Google Pixel Buds are currently on sale for $129 with free shipping at the Best Buy eBAY store with up to three pairs per color per customer. They are available in the Kinda Blue and the Just Black color schemes…

Philips SHE2105WT/28 Earbuds for $2.34

UPDATE 4/13/18: we now have our customary text and pictures unboxing of these earbuds 🙂

Earbuds with a mic/remote and you only pay $2? And it’s a name-brand manufacturer? Yes to all that! The new condition Philips SHE2105WT/28 earbuds (actual earbuds) in the white color scheme are on sale for $2.34 per pair by Amazon actual. You can buy as many as you want at this price. They average 3.6 out of 5 based on 19 customer reviews. They are an add-on item, so you need a $25+ order to buy them.

I bought one of them the last time they were on sale. I am using them as bed time earphones for podcast and audiobook listening. Because they are flat earbuds, I’m using them as mini speakers. I don’t actually use them conventionally by covering the ear canal (poor ears need to do so breathing at night). Instead I put them near or around the upper or lower ear.

PS: I will create an unboxing post for them soon 🙂

Sony NW-WS625B Bluetooth Earphones w/built-in Walkman DAP for $115

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s both! It’s none! The new condition Sony NW-WS625B is an exercise priority device. It is a bluetooth exercise hard-wire earphone and also an mp3 player. It has 16GB of built-in storage that can play FLAC, mp3, linear PCM, WMA and AAC (the non-DRM kinds). It also has bluetooth, can connect via NFC, and has an Ambient mode. It’s a small device, so everything eats power (eg Bluetooth playback only gives you four hours). It has a quick charge mode, minutes give you 60 minutes, handy if you are going for a run or a workout [you can charge it in the car before arriving at the gym].

And this critter is on sale for a limited time for $115 with free shipping at Focus Camera’s eBay store with a maximum of three per customer.

It has no customer ratings on eBay, but it averages 3.7 out of 5 based on 210+ customer reviews at amazon.com. This critter promises a lot but check the reviews to see what it delivers – 18% of the customer reviews are 1-stars, a sign that you must needs read up on it before buying! [I know nothing about it]

Philips SHE2105WT/28 Earbuds for $2.18 [limit 3]

Earbuds with a mic/remote and you only pay $2? And it’s a name-brand manufacturer? Yes to all that! The new condition Philips SHE2105WT/28 earbuds (actual earbuds) in the white color scheme are on sale for $2.18 per pair by Amazon actual with up to three pairs per customer at the sale price. They average 3.3 out of 5 based on 18 customer reviews. I bought one of them at the sale price, but have not opened it yet. They are an add-on item, so you need a $25+ order to buy them.

[DEAD] Sennheiser PMX 684i Neckband Earbuds for $25 w/FS

This daily deal expired… Good until 11:59pm eastern tonight, you can get the new condition Sennheiser PMX 684i neckband earbuds for $25 with free shipping in the green/gray/black color scheme.

Apple AirPods with $30 Kohls Cash for $159

These typically don’t last long in-stock, so if interested, jump in! The Kohls website is offering the new condition Apple AirPods for $159 with free shipping or store pickup and $30 Kohls cash. You cannot use coupons towards the AirPods, but you can pay for your purchase partially or fully with Kohls rewards (YES2YOU Rewards).

Kohls Cash is a limited shelf life store credit/reward you can spend in future purchases at Kohls. This particular $30 store credit must be spent between February 9-14 in 2018.

Anker ZOLO Liberty Truly Wireless for $80 after coupon

Anker revealed at CES 2018 their new ZOLO Liberty+ Truly Wireless Earbuds with Bluetooth 5.0. And as it is often the case, the previous model gets some discount. Their ZOLO Liberty (no +) model drops from $100 to $80 thanks to coupon code 9AAR5XQ4, sold by Anker Direct with the order fulfilled by Amazon.

There is certainly a level of convenience with the “Truly Wireless” genre, as long as they can stay in your ears [depending on what you are doing]. We have here a text and pictures unboxing of a different model, the Jaybird Run. It’s the only one I tried so far.

Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless drop to $199

The Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless came out at $249, but now they have dropped to $199 in new condition at various authorized Bose dealers including Amazon actual and Adorama (with $10 rewards) and also at B&H Photo

[DEAD] Open-box Apple Airpods for $135 + S&H after coupon

These coupons expired…

[Read more…]

Apple Original Earpods for $9.49 with free S&H

Clearance specialist Tanga.com is offering for a limited time the new condition Apple Original Earpods, model MD827LL/A, for $9.49 with free shipping and free returns. They also have them in a 2-pack for $18 with free shipping, so if you need more than one, it’s cheaper to buy them in 2-packs. They offer 15 day returns, with over 3700 units sold. These are wired 3.5mm, not lightning earpods.

VE Monks Plus (Exclusive Blue) for $5 + S&H [MD]

They are baaaack! If you want to jump on the VE Monks bandwagon and don’t mind waiting, Massdrop has them back on, with the offer fully unlocked going for $5 plus shipping. They are the new condition onk Plus Earbuds (Exclusive Blue)! There are two blue variations in the shopping cart, midnight-blue or transparent-blue.

Also in the shopping cart, you can models with mic/remotes for +$2 to +$5 on the regular price, making them $7 or $10 plus shipping. You can also get a braided cable option for +$15, and an expansion pack (various little earbud accessories) for +$5. All these are optional though, you can just get the earbuds for $5 if you don’t want/need anything else. Check the listing over there for pictures of the various variations.

These are expected to ship in early March 2018 from Massdrop, with all sales final. There is no mention of warranty in the listing, but then again, one cannot expect a warranty for a $5 item 🙂 Not that it’s stopping Koss from offering limited lifetime warranty on everything they sell 🙂

I don’t have the blue mode, but I bought the red color scheme a few months ago from Massdrop. We have a text and pictures unboxing and a review diary of the red one. Red for Melisandre and R’hllor 😉

PS: if you haven’t heard of these before, they are actual earbuds, not in-ear canal.

[DEAD] Thursday Rowkin Lightning Deals: Bits, Mini+, and Surge

These daily deals expired…

[Read more…]

VE Monks Plus Earbuds for $10

If you want to jump in the curiosity that is the VE Monk plus actual earbuds, but don’t want to wait for Massdrop or get slow no-tracking free shipping from China, there is an alternative. If you are a Prime member, you can get these in about two days for $10 from the Venture Electronics Amazon store, with the orders fulfilled by Amazon. Non-Prime members get free shipping with a $25+ order. They average 4.1 out of 5 based on 48 customer reviews there.

The one above is the “Smoke/Clear” color scheme. I have a different model, the red color scheme and for that we have a review diary and a text and pictures unboxing too.

Samsung Level Active Bluetooth Exercise Earphones for $20 with free shipping

Tech Rabbit is offering the Samsung Level Active Bluetooth Exercise Earphones for $20 with free shipping and a 1-year warranty in your choice of purple, black or white, in “New Hassle-Free” condition. This means they are new condition but they don’t ship in retail packaging.

Philips SHE2105WT/28 Earbud for $3.31

Happy New Year, with more music for your ears! 🙂 We start on the budget side of things, $3.31 is the current price for the new condition Philips SHE2105WT/28 Earbud. You can buy as many as you like! It is however an Add-ON item, so you must needs place a $25+ order, otherwise the shopping cart will not let you buy it. It averages 3.3 out of 5 based on 18 customer reviews.

PS: this is an actual earbud, not an in-ear. It has a 1-button remote/mic even.

Philips SHE2105 WT/28 Earbuds for $3 to $3.73

The VE Monks may have gotten some “rotation”, but they are not the only (actual earbud) earbuds out there. The new condition Philips SHE2105 WT/28 in the White color scheme are currently down to $3.73 at Amazon by Amazon actual. You can buy as many as you want. This is not a lightning deal, so expiration date is unknown.

There is a catch however, the price is low enough that they are currently an ADD-ON item, so you must place a $25+ order, otherwise the shopping cart won’t let you buy them. You can append them to an existing order, or you can get to $25 by getting seven or more of them.

They average 3.3 out of 5 based on 18 customer reviews.

BUT WAIT, there’s …less! If you are a Prime member, the price of these will automatically drop by 20% in the shopping cart. Based on the current price of $3.73, these will drop down to $3~ each instead.

The $25+ Add-On limit is in place regardless of Prime member status. In fact it was created specifically so Prime members wouldn’t buy $1 items and get free 2-day shipping on them 🙂

Friday: Rockwin Truly Wireless Surge for $60, Micro for $65

Friday is FriYAY if you are a fan of Rockin “truly wireless” earphones as two of them are featured in the Amazonian Gold Box deals of the day:

+ Rowkin Surge: True Wireless with earhooks for $60 after $10 clip-on coupon; two colors available

+ Rowkin Micro: True Wireless Earbuds w/ Charging Case for $65 after $10 clip-on coupon; two colors available

+ sale ends Saturday at 3am eastern or earlier if sold out

Apple Earpods (MD827LLA) for $13

The new condition Apple Earpods, model MD827LLA, are on sale for $13 at Walmart by Walmart actual. Free store pickup at a nearby store, or free shipping with a $35+ order. Limit up to five per customer. These are sold by Walmart proper, not marketplace sellers, so you are not going to get fakes ~ other things equal.

Samsung Gear IconX (2018 Edition) for $150 [updated]

On the truly wireless front, the all new Samsung Gear IconX (2018 Edition) [they are so new they time-traveled from the future in 2018!] are on sale for $150 in all three color schemes at Amazon by Amazon actual with up to two per color per customer. They average 3.5 out of 5 based on 100+ customer reviews.

UPDATE 12/11/17: the price of the white increased from $140 to $150.

Needless to say, the truly wireless earphones are a matter of convenience and of utilitarian use, they are not a replacement for audiophile level headphones and earphones 🙂

UPDATE: meanwhile the previous generation model, the Samsung Gear Icon X are going for $60 with free shipping in refurbished condition as the All 4 Cellular deal of the day running until Monday 12/11/17 at 11:59pm ET. They come with a 90-day warranty from A4C.

[DEAD] Lightning Deals Check-Up: Denon DA-10 DAC/amp, Rowkin, Etc

These lightning deals expired…

[Read more…]

Apple Airpods for $140 [Costco Members Only]

Costco is offering for its members only the new condition Apple Airpods for $140 with free shipping. You have to login with a Costco account that has an active paying Costco membership.

For a number of items, Costco allows non-members to purchase them with a 5% surcharge. However, some of the best deals (or limited quantity deals) have a “Members Only Item” tag, and this Airpods deal is indeed restricted to members only.

Bohm S10 Truly Wireless for $25 w/free S&H

UPDATE: This sale continues after being a daily deal. It is a “truly wireless” without breaking the bank, at A4C, you can get the new condition Bohm S10 “Truly Wireless” offered for $25 with free shipping and handling. They come with a charging cradle (microUSB powered). The earphones, as it is often the case with “truly wireless” cannot be charged on their own directly with a microUSB cable.

[DEAD] Sat: Anker SoundBuds Curve BT Sport Earphones for $19.49

This daily deal expired…

[Read more…]

[DEAD] 2-pack Sony MDR-AS400EX Active Series Sport Earphones for $18 w/FS [also: Senn Esfera 5.1 CSS for $3000]

These daily deals expired as the day is over and time keeps on moving forward 🙂

[Read more…]

Refurbished Yurbuds Focus 400 Exercise Earbuds for $3 w/FS

Another one of the Tech Rabbit Cyber Monday doorbusters are the refurbished JBL Yurbuds Focus 400 offered for $3 with free shipping and warranty too. That’s right, you don’t have to buy anything else – you still get free shipping!

SMS Audio BioSport Smart Earbuds for $10 w/FS

Among the Cyber Monday doorbuster at Tech Rabbit they are selling the new condition SMS Audio BioSport Smart Earbuds with integrated heart rate monitor for $10 with free shipping and a 1-year warranty in retail packaging. This is model SMS-EB-BIOSPORT-GR-A1. This is affordable way to experiment with wearables and such without breaking the bank or risking a significant amount on being a beta tester 🙂