Good Folks Buy Polk

Last time we offered Polk Nue Era Headphones, we sold over one thousand units! That’s enough to fill over two thousand ears! But there’s one order that’s unquestionably more important than the rest: mine.

I know I’ve said this a million times already, but I’m a strong believer in the principal that there’s no such thing as too many earbuds. You never know when you’re going to lose some, or lend some to someone, or drop some in a puddle. Therefore, I buy pretty much every pair we sell, including these ones. And so, rather than devote this space to a weird ironic joke, I’m going to give you some real actual thoughts on the thing we’re selling. I know, a novel concept, but please, bear with me. I’m not used to this either…

*Style: In some ways, it feels weird to discuss how earbuds look. After all, you shove them way up into your ears. There’s something inherently a little gross about them as a product category. Like, when someone gets a nosebleed, do we discuss how their choice of plug matches their outfit? Do we comment on the sleek design of the newest eye drop applicator, or the sexy shape of contact lenses? And yet, I have to say, my Polk Nue Era buds look really cool… and they’re not even have the tortoiseshell design of these ones, which I would argue are cooler (and $10 cheaper).

Sound: This is obviously the most important part, and also the most complicated aspect to discuss. Because, on the one hand, I would say that the bedazzled Maroo Ice earphones we offered a few times are actually louder, but that volume comes at the expense of clarity. The Polks, meanwhile, are loud enough for most circumstances (including, I can confirm, when you’re running a snow-blower) and much clearer. This is likely due to the next point…

Comfort: My ears reject the Apple EarPods. They refuse to harbor them in any way. Most other adjustable-tipped buds are better, but they too shift a lot. Every jog I take, I’m constantly having to give my earbuds a gentle tap to get them back into place, or a slight tug when they go too far in and it starts to sound like everything’s underwater. These, though, are perfect. They’ve got just enough weight to stay in place without feeling too bulky.

Winter Hat Compatibility: What’s the back part of an earbud called, the part that doesn’t go into an ear? The butt? Sure, let’s go with that. Anyway, point is, these buds got a real flat butt. And that’s excellent! Because, without anything sticking out, the slight bit of pressure your winter hat applies won’t shift them around in your ear while you’re out walking your dog. Really, it seems to add an extra layer of sound insulation, which maybe even improves quality. And it’s important to find these little things that make you happy while suffering through the hellscape of another long, dreary winter.

De-evolution of Musical Taste: In the past several months, I have gone from enjoying some great new music to revisiting some stuff I liked immediately after graduating college to now listening to nothing but power-pop/punk that, while released within the past few years, definitely captures the angst of early college and high school. Not sure if this is due to something with my Polk earbuds, but really do wish they would answer my emails about it.

Final Thoughts: I know that part of my job is to say stuff to get you to buy things, but I’m also supposed to be honest. So, if we’re selling something pretty dumb, I’ll say, “okay, you should know: this is pretty dumb.” Conversely, when I say, “these earbuds are pretty great, and for $14, they’re a steal,” you should know that I actually mean that.

And for real, I’m probably going to buy another pair to have as a backup…