1 place
If you're serious about headphones, buy them from manufacturers' official websites, authorized distributors, or reputable electronics stores.
Of course, the original product can also be found on bulletin boards, but the risk of running into a fake in this case increases. You should also be suspicious of sellers from AliExpress: some of them offer real headphones, but most are counterfeit.
Check the reputation of the store where you looked at the product. Deceived customers often share information about unsuccessful purchases. If the store was caught selling fakes or you can’t find reviews about it, it’s better to refuse the purchase.
2. Price
If the found headphones are 70% cheaper than in the official store, most likely they are fake. As a rule, the high price of the original is due not only to the popularity of the brand, but also to the use of high-quality components. Selling these headphones at a big discount is simply impractical.
3. Packing
Sometimes it is not difficult to distinguish the original from the fake. Counterfeiters rarely copy the design, fonts and packaging material with 100% accuracy. Find a photo of the real headphones in the box and compare with what they sell you.
4. Appearance and quality of materials
Visible burrs and uneven seams, traces of hardened glue, cheap plastic and flimsy cable signal a low quality product. Naturally, genuine headphones from a reputable manufacturer cannot have these signs.
Top cover from original Audio-Technica headphones, bottom - from fake ones. Fake issues low-quality printing and seams / doctorhead.ru
5. Sound
They are even good in different ways: they differ in the accentuation of specific frequencies, nuances of detail and other characteristics. But if the sound is flat, the bass is unreadable, and the high frequencies are too sonorous, most likely you are dealing with a fake.
6. Popularity of the model
As a rule, an abundance of fakes is the lot of prestigious headphones. If you buy EarPods or any Beats from non-official stores, you will most likely get a fake. But if you focus on less popular models, then the risk will be significantly reduced even when buying from hand.
The fact is that the production of copies of popular goods pays off much faster. What is not so popular, it makes no sense to fake. For example, you can be almost certain that the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro or Grado SR80E is genuine.
What headphones are most often counterfeited
1.EarPods
Original EarPods / walmart.com EarPods are headphones that come standard with the iPhone and iPod. It is difficult for users to give up their usual headphones when they are lost or broken. That is why EarPods are in constant demand.
There are dozens of fakes that copy Apple headphones with varying degrees of accuracy. Some manufacturers forget to put the company logo on the box, others pretend to be slots in the headphone mounts.
In the original EarPods, the gap between the plastic elements is almost invisible. A visible gap, like the model on top, is a sign of a fake / macster.ru The most reliable way to identify a fake is to compare the questionable product with the original EarPods.
2. AirPods
Original AirPods / apple.com AirPods are wireless headphones from Apple. Having appeared on sale at the end of last year, the plugs attracted the attention of users with their branded laconic design, compactness and convenience. But these headphones also have a significant drawback - the high price.
It was she who caused the demand for budget alternatives. As a rule, manufacturers do not try to sell pseudo-AirPods under the guise of the original, but openly call them replicas. There are many types of these headphones. Some of them really turn out to be quite good, others are an ordinary Chinese marriage.
The main factor when buying AirPods is the price: even a used original is unlikely to cost $50.
3. Sennheiser headphones
Original Sennheiser HD 650 / majorhifi.com Sennheiser is a German company that has been making quality appliances for over 70 years. Over the past decades, she has released dozens of models of headphones, many of which have become popular and have spawned thousands of fakes.
A common feature of many fake German plugs is that the cable is not flexible enough and too thick. For the rest, you should rely on your feelings and comparing the product with the original.
With full-size headphones, everything is less obvious, so try to follow the general rules.
Sennheiser fights counterfeits. The official website of the company posted a list of models that are out of production and cannot be sold in stores. The manufacturer also recommends paying attention to the presence of a QR code and a sticker on the package indicating that the importer is Sennheiser Audio LLC.
QR code on the packaging of original Sennheiser headphones / old.sennheiser.ru 4. Beats Electronics Headphones
Original Beats Solo 2 / apple.com Many scold the frequency response of Beats Electronics for biased sound, others consider the headphones to be unreasonably expensive. The high price and popularity are the main reasons why fakes are sold at least as often as original headphones.
Many fakes copy the originals very reliably. But the basic rules for buying Beats can still be drawn up.
Pay attention to the serial number on the bottom of the package: it should be printed on a sticker, not on the box itself. Too many hieroglyphs is a sign of counterfeit. Inside the packaging of fake headphones, there may be no tab with which the tray is pulled out of the box (relevant for Beats models with a removable tray). The tray itself should be made of textured material, not glossy plastic.
Original Beats Studio. The serial number is located on the sticker / snapguide.com 5. Bluedio headphones
Original Bluedio T2 / megaelectronics.com Bluedio appeared on the Bluetooth headphone market recently, but now you can stumble upon fakes of various models.
There is a hologram on the packaging of Bluedio headphones. For the original product, it is blue with a noticeable overflow, for fakes it is blue, the overflow is barely noticeable.
Hologram on the packaging of the original Bluedio / expert-auto.com.ua When it comes to earplugs, pay attention to the ear cushions: they should be elastic and retain their shape even after compression.
What to do if you bought a fake
If you find that you bought a fake from your hands, contact the seller. Perhaps he did not know that he was selling a fake, and would agree to return the money. If you purchased the product in a store, contact its management. The chances of resolving the situation in your favor are small, but perhaps the sale of counterfeit goods occurred due to a misunderstanding.
And please, do not try to sell a fake bought by chance under the guise of the original. It’s better to help others: spread the word about an unscrupulous store, tell us in the comments about your bad experience.
Have you thought about the question that fake earpods can be found in the modern headset market, and indeed in the entire market. In this article, we will look at how to distinguish original EarPods from fakes.
Most fakes come from everyone's beloved China. These people fake even what they have not yet managed to produce, often a fake is practically no different from Apple EarPods, but that's all at a glance.
Manufacturers of top products are a tidbit for scammers in this industry. This fate did not pass by apple earpods. With the release of this product, a huge mass of pages appeared on the Internet, selling the product for "ridiculous" (compared to the original earpods) money.
Once we conducted a kind of experiment and counted 827 different fakes from China.
Most often, the decisive sign of a fake apple earpods is its price, this device has an official defined price range, find out about it before ordering a "super promotion". If the price differs by two or three times ... you understand.
There are times when the expensive price of headphones does not allow you to buy them in a store, but you have enough money for a product that was in use. You go to the next "Avito", or another similar site where you can buy goods that were already in use and start choosing your headphones ...
So, how can you tell an original EarPods from a fake?!
The first thing you should do is to carefully look at the original earpods on the official website. View the entire package, in general, examine the goods "from and to."
After you have studied the product in detail, you can already proceed to inspect the headphone box. Packaging is not always similar to the original, and most often it is completely different. Very often, the "Chinese" remove the apple logo from the front of the package. Ideally, if you already have a box of Apple EarPods, then you can see how the packaging differs. Pay close attention to the color of the headphones and the color of the package, in the original case, the color of your headset should be the same as the color of the package. With fake headphones, everything is problematic with this, the color of the headset rarely matches the color of the box, as they pack and assemble it all in "handicraft" conditions.
Poor-quality plastic can also be used, the Chinese do not really bother about this and in many cases the plastic will differ from the real one. Boxing should be given special attention, competitors have a lot of problems when opening the box. The box closes very tightly, or does not close at all.
How is plastic different? In the original packaging, plastic has a bluish tinge of color, while Chinese has more yellow color schemes.
Pay attention when buying a wire, the original wire is very elastic and does not get tangled like its Chinese competitor. If you have dealt with Chinese headphones, then you have probably come across a knotted coil of wires more than once and spent a lot of time unraveling them. Apple saved us from such a thankless task and their wire is made of very high quality material, all this needs to be touched by touch.
You will probably find it funny! Our elastic wire must be marked "Made in China". Yes guys, not everything made in China is bad. This is explained by the fact that manufacturers do not want to spend extra money and build factories in China, although the product is made in China, its quality leaves ordinary Chinese goods unrivaled.
A very important point, on each of your headphones are drawn the letters "R" and "L", which means "Right" and "Left" (Right and Left). Forgers do not bother much with these letters and either forget or simply do not want to write them.
If the headphones were used very often and the letters were erased during the period of operation, this does not mean at all that the headphones are fake. The wires of the headphones must be the same length, the right earphone must be the same length as the left one and nothing else! Chinese manufacturers often make one earpiece longer than the second.
On each of the headphones, you probably noticed a hole that was closed in the original cases with a mesh. This mesh must be made very high quality, our "brothers" in this matter use either non-symmetrical meshes, or even some kind of rag material that will not last long.
All buttons on the control panel should switch "like clockwork", pressing is done with a very slight movement of the finger, on Chinese fakes in this regard, the toggle switch clicks. And on some copies, these buttons are made generally for beauty.
There should be no gaps between the two halves of the remote control, if there is one, then it should be very small, and not the size of a match head. Sometimes the creators of fakes forget to draw a microphone icon on the remote control.
If you can hold the headphones in your hands, then by all means do it. If you have held any of the Apple products before, then you will immediately feel it. If not, then just remember how "Chinese junk" behaves in the hands,
By sound, if you heard these headphones in the original, then you can immediately identify a fake. Usually, Chinese headphones creak and crackle with good bass, earpods should not have this, if such a problem is found, it happens that the speaker sits on the earpiece itself.
Also on Chinese fakes, songs are often interrupted or slowed down, since the speed of the music being played does not match the quality of the cable.
You should also check the quality of the microphone recording, the original version has a function for noise reduction, and if you record something on the microphone, then your quality will be excellent, unlike a competitor from the red country.
1 place
If you're serious about headphones, buy them from manufacturers' official websites, authorized distributors, or reputable electronics stores.
Of course, the original product can also be found on bulletin boards, but the risk of running into a fake in this case increases. You should also be suspicious of sellers from AliExpress: some of them offer real headphones, but most are counterfeit.
Check the reputation of the store where you looked at the product. Deceived customers often share information about unsuccessful purchases. If the store was caught selling fakes or you can’t find reviews about it, it’s better to refuse the purchase.
2. Price
If the found headphones are 70% cheaper than in the official store, most likely they are fake. As a rule, the high price of the original is due not only to the popularity of the brand, but also to the use of high-quality components. Selling these headphones at a big discount is simply impractical.
3. Packing
Sometimes it is not difficult to distinguish the original from the fake. Counterfeiters rarely copy the design, fonts and packaging material with 100% accuracy. Find a photo of the real headphones in the box and compare with what they sell you.
4. Appearance and quality of materials
Visible burrs and uneven seams, traces of hardened glue, cheap plastic and flimsy cable signal a low quality product. Naturally, genuine headphones from a reputable manufacturer cannot have these signs.
Top cover from original Audio-Technica headphones, bottom - from fake ones. Fake issues low-quality printing and seams / doctorhead.ru
5. Sound
They are even good in different ways: they differ in the accentuation of specific frequencies, nuances of detail and other characteristics. But if the sound is flat, the bass is unreadable, and the high frequencies are too sonorous, most likely you are dealing with a fake.
6. Popularity of the model
As a rule, an abundance of fakes is the lot of prestigious headphones. If you buy EarPods or any Beats from non-official stores, you will most likely get a fake. But if you focus on less popular models, then the risk will be significantly reduced even when buying from hand.
The fact is that the production of copies of popular goods pays off much faster. What is not so popular, it makes no sense to fake. For example, you can be almost certain that the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro or Grado SR80E is genuine.
What headphones are most often counterfeited
1.EarPods
Original EarPods / walmart.com EarPods are headphones that come standard with the iPhone and iPod. It is difficult for users to give up their usual headphones when they are lost or broken. That is why EarPods are in constant demand.
There are dozens of fakes that copy Apple headphones with varying degrees of accuracy. Some manufacturers forget to put the company logo on the box, others pretend to be slots in the headphone mounts.
In the original EarPods, the gap between the plastic elements is almost invisible. A visible gap, like the model on top, is a sign of a fake / macster.ru The most reliable way to identify a fake is to compare the questionable product with the original EarPods.
2. AirPods
Original AirPods / apple.com AirPods are wireless headphones from Apple. Having appeared on sale at the end of last year, the plugs attracted the attention of users with their branded laconic design, compactness and convenience. But these headphones also have a significant drawback - the high price.
It was she who caused the demand for budget alternatives. As a rule, manufacturers do not try to sell pseudo-AirPods under the guise of the original, but openly call them replicas. There are many types of these headphones. Some of them really turn out to be quite good, others are an ordinary Chinese marriage.
The main factor when buying AirPods is the price: even a used original is unlikely to cost $50.
3. Sennheiser headphones
Original Sennheiser HD 650 / majorhifi.com Sennheiser is a German company that has been making quality appliances for over 70 years. Over the past decades, she has released dozens of models of headphones, many of which have become popular and have spawned thousands of fakes.
A common feature of many fake German plugs is that the cable is not flexible enough and too thick. For the rest, you should rely on your feelings and comparing the product with the original.
With full-size headphones, everything is less obvious, so try to follow the general rules.
Sennheiser fights counterfeits. The official website of the company posted a list of models that are out of production and cannot be sold in stores. The manufacturer also recommends paying attention to the presence of a QR code and a sticker on the package indicating that the importer is Sennheiser Audio LLC.
QR code on the packaging of original Sennheiser headphones / old.sennheiser.ru 4. Beats Electronics Headphones
Original Beats Solo 2 / apple.com Many scold the frequency response of Beats Electronics for biased sound, others consider the headphones to be unreasonably expensive. The high price and popularity are the main reasons why fakes are sold at least as often as original headphones.
Many fakes copy the originals very reliably. But the basic rules for buying Beats can still be drawn up.
Pay attention to the serial number on the bottom of the package: it should be printed on a sticker, not on the box itself. Too many hieroglyphs is a sign of counterfeit. Inside the packaging of fake headphones, there may be no tab with which the tray is pulled out of the box (relevant for Beats models with a removable tray). The tray itself should be made of textured material, not glossy plastic.
Original Beats Studio. The serial number is located on the sticker / snapguide.com 5. Bluedio headphones
Original Bluedio T2 / megaelectronics.com Bluedio appeared on the Bluetooth headphone market recently, but now you can stumble upon fakes of various models.
There is a hologram on the packaging of Bluedio headphones. For the original product, it is blue with a noticeable overflow, for fakes it is blue, the overflow is barely noticeable.
Hologram on the packaging of the original Bluedio / expert-auto.com.ua When it comes to earplugs, pay attention to the ear cushions: they should be elastic and retain their shape even after compression.
What to do if you bought a fake
If you find that you bought a fake from your hands, contact the seller. Perhaps he did not know that he was selling a fake, and would agree to return the money. If you purchased the product in a store, contact its management. The chances of resolving the situation in your favor are small, but perhaps the sale of counterfeit goods occurred due to a misunderstanding.
And please, do not try to sell a fake bought by chance under the guise of the original. It’s better to help others: spread the word about an unscrupulous store, tell us in the comments about your bad experience.
Chinese craftsmen know how to fake almost any gadget. A copy is quite difficult to distinguish from the original. How to do this, using the example of Apple EarPods, presented a year ago, we will demonstrate in our publication. Let's learn how to distinguish from a fake.
Headphone packaging
Pay attention to the quality of the box, its color. The color of the fake is lighter than the color of the headphones. In the original, they are identical. In the first copies, there was no Apple logo on the box.
Earpods wire
The wire of the original is more elastic and thicker, therefore stronger. Near the headphones and the 3.5 mm mini jack connector there are soft rubber tubes - casings. In fakes, sometimes there are no casings at all. Headphone wires must be of equal length and labeled "Made in China".
Headphone shape
There are differences in the shape of the headphones. The shape of the fake is slightly elongated, the seam is more noticeable. The mesh in the original is metal, in the fake it is made of fabric.
Remote Control
In the original model, there are practically no gaps, the buttons are easily pressed, in the copy, the buttons sometimes do not work at all.
Sound of Apple Earpods
Sound is the defining quality of headphones. The sound of a Chinese fake is devoid of volume and bass; when communicating through a headset, it will sound hoarse.
What can be the conclusion?
Having summarized all the characteristics, we want to draw a conclusion. The quality of fake headphones is significantly inferior to the quality of the original Apple EarPods. And if outwardly, they are similar, then you will not get pleasure from listening to music. However, you can listen to audio books. Beware of fakes, and do not pay attention to low prices.
Schedule an appointment with an Apple Authorized Service Technician. You'll need a serial number, so be sure to bring a charging case or AirPods in their original box. The serial number of the case is located on the back of the cover. If your AirPods are connected to an iOS device, you can also view the serial number in Settings > General > About This Device > AirPods.
How much does it cost to repair or replace AirPods?
If service is required for your AirPods or charging case, then there is no charge if the issue is covered by Apple's one year limited warranty or consumer law.
The Apple Limited Warranty covers battery failure but does not cover wear and tear from normal use. If the battery has a manufacturing defect and is covered by our warranty or consumer law, service will be provided free of charge. If battery service is not provided free of charge, it can be replaced for a fee.
If your AirPods or charging case is accidentally damaged, the damaged product may be replaced for a fee as part of a non-warranty service. If you lose one of your AirPods or your charging case, it can be replaced for a fee. If we need to replace your AirPods or Charging Case, you will receive a replacement product that is new or equivalent to new in performance and reliability.
Apple Limited Warranty and proof of purchase
Apple's limited warranty covers repairs to AirPods and included accessories if found to be defective in workmanship within one year from the date of purchase. You may also be entitled to rights under consumer protection law.
Our warranty does not cover accidental damage or damage resulting from unauthorized modifications. You can check your warranty status on the Apple Service Eligibility Check page. If you notice an error in our data, please update the information online.
Our After Service Guarantee
We warrant service, including replacement parts, for 90 days or the remainder of Apple's warranty, whichever is longer. This warranty is provided after service by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. This warranty is in addition to the rights provided by consumer protection law.
