Brian's Brain

My beloved Etymotic Research in-ear headphones recently lost their left-channel playback capability, the result of an open-circuit failure at the plug-to-cord junction. The company sent me a replacement set at no charge; kudos to their excellent customer support! Apparently my problem wasn't unique, as the ER-6is now have a redesigned plug which supposedly provides better strain relief. Unfortunately, the black version of the ER-6i (which I received as replacement for my original white set) has a right-angle plug which is incompatible with Apple's iPhone, whose recessed headphone jack is one of the more commonly-cited complaints about the device. The white version of the ER-6i has an iPhone-cognizant straight plug.

Belkin makes a headphone adapter which broadens the iPhone's headphone compatibility, but its stiff design is a bit too cumbersome for my tastes. Alternatively, thanks to Macworld, I'll pass along another suggestion that's particularly appealing to owners of first-generation iPod shuffles. Apple's Sport Case, part number M9758G/A, includes a flexible headphone extension cable which works equally well for the iPhone. The Sport Case is $29 at the Apple Store, but I found one for $9.99 on Overstock.com.