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Comment by stochastic_monk | Hacker News Reader

When I used plug-in headphones, they’d all break within weeks and start automatically skipping and enabling Voice Control, when I have all voice command options disabled.

Bluetooth headphones come with a headache, but mine haven’t broken in a month. I call it a clear improvement.

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What plug-in headphones were you using? Honest question because I've never had any trouble.

A variety of brands. Sony, UiiSii, SoundPEETS, for the ones I bought online. (I bought more pairs elsewhere.)

Yeah, I have the same problem. Cords on my headphone are always the first to go. But it's not really an issue, my cheap pairs are cheap enough that I don't care, and higher quality headphones have detachable cords that can be replaced.

That's because you buy shitty headphones. My Stax SR-3 headphones are 50 years old.

I was buying earphones in the 20-30 dollar range. Yes, they were cheaper (though not the cheapest), but I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on headphones on my grad student budget.

How much should I expect to pay for quality headphones with the jack that last?

The Sony xbs can be had around $40-50 online, sound much better than cheapies, and cables last over a year. I usually grab a pair or two every xmas when they go on sale. My current pair has made it two years and been through the wash.

I buy Etymotic in-ear monitors, pretty damn expensive.

Despite thorough personal grooming and only having them at a studio desk, the part of the cable that wraps around the top of the ear will still get eaten through to the copper by the oil on my ears after about two years.

Shitty or not, headphones—at least the ones that see thorough use—are consumables.

A good headphone design makes the parts that wear out replaceable. Bose does this with some of their stuff, as do others, I would guess. It should be considered an important part of the design.

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