Belkin F8Z177 Headphone Adapter for iPhone Reviews

• Don't buy this... you can trim your current headphone and it'll fit into iphone...

  
  By A1YZJIHBN3P0GI on 2007-07-12
  Don't buy this product...! Save yourself the $10 and the bulk ... use an exacto knife and slice off about 1/8" off the rubber ( go all around so it's flush with the metal base) and then it fits into the iphone hole perfectly. The rubber on most headphones are quite soft and easy to trim off.
  
  I did with my expensive Senheiser noise cancelling headphone and it didn't damage the headphone at all... it still look great and I save myself the $10 and not having to deal with adding another thing to the jack.
  
  Check out the image I submitted under "customer own images"; it has a diagram of how to do this.
  
  

• Ridiculous design

  
  By A29QWER5S9PNHU on 2007-07-11
  I have to echo another reviewer who asked if they were actually serious. Most Belkin accessory products are fairly well conceived, and it was based on that reputation that I took the risk even though it looks bad in the picture. If I were trying to come up with the worst plausible design for an iPhone headphone adapter, I don't think I could do better than this. It's absurdly large and stiff, and there is no benefit to it over just a simple short headphone extension cable. Please, don't waste your time on it like I did.
  
  Of course this begs the question why Apple made the inexplicable and utterly indefensible decision to ship the "best iPod we've ever made" that won't work with any headphones other than the unusable ones that come with it. Is the "best iPod we've ever made" not intended to be used for personal audio or something??? However, that said, I love my new cell phone. I was hoping I would love my new iPod too, but so far I'm disappointed.
  
  

• Thank MTLA

  
  By A11HES7JCAFSXS on 2007-07-31
  Mr. MTLA is spot on. I have a favorite Bang-Oluffsen lightweight headphone set that I used with my ipod. It was so frustrating that it didn't fit into the iphone speaker port. Just a quick 1/8 inch trim of the rubber off the male end (above the metal) narrowed it enough to fit snuggly into the iphone port. My only add-on: you don't need a fancy knife. My fine-sharp steak knife from the kitchen did just fine.
  
  Thanks again. MTLA Time for Apple to come clean.
  
  

• It works as advertised

  
  By A3SVAVG474GILO on 2007-09-12
  I'd like to say a word on behalf of the Belkin adapter. It works.
  
  I had no desire to mutilate the plug of my expensive Bose noise canceling headphones, so I figured spending an additional ten bucks for this adapter was a very small price to pay for the option of using them with my new iPhone.
  
  There's been a lot of moaning about Apple's changing the design of the plug for the new iPhone. Now I'm not an electronics expert, but I assume that given that the iPhone ear buds have extra functions (built-in microphone, answer/end call) there was a need to adapt the plug.
  
  Anyway, I'm happy that I spent a mere $10 on this adapter. And I'm really happy with my iPhone!!!
  
  

• Thank ya MTLA

  
  By A3GOEFCWETC23E on 2007-08-06
  First off, I do NOT own this Belkin adapter. The adapter is a really big joke, literally! Who would buy a sleek iPhone then plug this huge adapter into it? I mean, come on, look at the photo! Belkin makes an awesome slim carry case for the iPhone which I love, but they dropped the ball with this adapter. Special thanks to reviewer MTLA for his/her insightful, and simple, recommendation to just trim about 1/8" of the soft rubber on your existing headphone plug to adapt it for use with the iPhone. As you can read from other reviewers, this tip works well for many different brands of headphones. I followed the recommendation using an X-acto knife (from my old hobby toolkit) on my the earbud-style headphones from my old Creative Zen mp3 player, plugged the newly trimmed headphones right into my iPhone and, wallah, great sound! Creative's mp3 players have always had better sound than iPods, chiefly due to Creative's headphones, and now I can enjoy this awesome sound quality with my iPhone. No distortion at all throughout the full range of equalizer settings available through the iPod Settings menu on the iPhone. Also, my Creative earbuds seem to fit way better than my iPhone earbuds, the latter of which tend to fall out of my small ears quite often as they have no foam covers. Thanks again reviewer MTLA!
  
  
• Don't buy it. Trim it.
  By A23S8ZEIC26XYP on 2007-08-08
  The first reviewer has solved the most frustrating thing about my iphone. After triming the headphone jack everything is a okay. Great tip.
  
  
• Breakage waiting to happen
  By A23KLM42XM8SNX on 2007-08-09
  If this adapter is stiff, then it would be all too easy to put too much torque on the audio port. A moderate yank on your head phone cord could have disasterous results. I've seen it happen with audio plug adpaters - too long, too stiff, and generate a lot sidewise pressure (leverage) with little effort. Very risky.
  
  
• Hilarious
  By ABNMPQ10JOJ9Z on 2007-08-12
  Protrudes inches from the iPhone and looks generally ridiculous. Also apparently has no competition, unless you want to mutilate your headphone's jack to make it fit sans adapter.
  
  
• Good workaround
  By AGJ4RZ9Y5Z171 on 2007-08-27
  Trimming the plastic on my B&O headphones jack did the trick, just like you guys said.
  I even tried to use the telephone with the headphones. Works great! Caller heard me
  just fine!
  
  
• Garbage
  By A1R22497W4KHJ4 on 2007-08-29
  Bulky, stiff, and ugly. I cannot believe this unit went into production. This is what happens when a company is in a hurry to make a buck on the coattails of a successful product. Heads should roll.
  
  
• Piece of junk
  By A10Z2KZF69WCKZ on 2007-09-17
  I bought this so I could use my Sennheisers with my iPhone. These headphones have a metal ring on the plug, so I was not able to trim them down to fit.
  
  
  This Belkin thing is a piece of junk. Not only does it stick straight up about 3 inches above the phone, but it doesn't really work either. I only get sound on the right side unless I physically push/bend the thing.
  
  
• Why take advice from someone who hasn't used the product?
  By A1A933QYBE60AH on 2007-09-22
  It does what is should. "Extra" length to reduce that horrible high-pitched electric whine. I use this to adapt my audio line-in to my car and even as loud as that gets, no degradation of sound.
  
  
• Works well, looks utilitarian
  By A3MMGC8KSW5ID8 on 2007-09-25
  This adapter does exactly what it is designed to do, and viewed purely from a functionality standpoint it deserves at least 4 stars. The audio quality is not degraded in any way, but that's what you'd expect for a simple connector like this. Any headphone you have that works with an iPod will work with an iPhone when you use this adapter.
  
  I don't know why Belkin made this adapter 2.5 inches long, but having a dark grey, dull finish, plastic adapter sticking out of the top of an iPhone could hardly be described as stylish. The iPhone is stylish, sleek, and shiny. Viewed from a style standpoint this Belkin adapter deserves at most 2 stars. It is not a good style match for the iPhone.
  
  I am happy with my adapter because I personally care much more about its functionality than its style. If style is very important to you then you may not like this product.
  
  
• Does exactly what its supposed to do.
  By A2AT5SPR07WKLC on 2007-09-26
  I bought this adapter to use with my iPhone while I'm in the car. My original cable was too large to fit into the small opening on the phone. The adapter is fairly small (only about 2.5-3 inches long) and works great. Sound quality doesn't seem to be lost, although I am only using it on my car's factory installed system. I'm glad that I spent the $6 for the adapter rather than slicing up a cable.
  
  
• Works Exactly as Expected
  By A4R2EBJ6NUXCO on 2007-12-13
  I use this to plug my iPhone into a pair of computer speakers at work. Sure it may not be a work of art, but it does the job without flaw.
  
  I don't think I'd order another because now you can find cables (like this one: Belkin F8Z181-06-GLD Mini-Stereo Cable for iPhone) that fit the iPhone, but for preexisting hardware, this is fine.
  
  
• Horrible Product
  By A1LS4P670E54CC on 2007-08-29
  Absurd, clumsy design. Total waste of money. If you already have a 3.5mm plug then trim the plastic/rubber off the end with a sharp knife until it fits into the IPhone hole. A much cheaper solution and you don't have this ridiculous telephone pole sticking out of the top of your IPhone.
  
  
• It really works well
  By A1J8DE3N4IIITS on 2007-11-12
  I use this adapter in order to listen to music and audio books on my iPhone through my car's audio system. It works perfectly, with amazingly good sound quality. I love it!
  
  
• Overzised, Overpriced, Ugly and low lifetime
  By A2LEE4MEJM8O9A on 2007-12-21
  It's ugly, almost half the size of the iPhone, and expensive, last but not least, after a while (like 3 weeks) of using it, something inside the 'flexible' body of the product broke and developed an ugly noise when you flex it.
  
  
• Horrendous design
  By A1PBNGSOG6OD6D on 2007-12-28
  This adapter works, yes. However, it is stiff, ugly, and the most horrendously designed product I've seen in a while. Buy a flexible cable instead, they sell for a tenth of the price.
  
  
• DOA
  By A1A3VNDQV29FRZ on 2008-01-04
  Mine was DOA when I bought it -- sounds drops out when the adaptor bends the slightest. I know that Belkin has a "lifetime warranty" and will replace it, but this thing is an overpriced piece of junk. It's way to stiff and way too tall. I'm not even going to bother getting it replace because even if it did work, I wouldn't use it.
  
  Do yourself a favor and search amazon for the Eforcity iPhone adapter.
  
  
• Horrible design
  By ASSW08MJ9WI4N on 2008-01-12
  This adapter constantly does not connect correctly with the iphone. Sound will come out of only one speaker because of the connection problems. In order to get it to work right, you have to fiddle with it for fifteen min bending the adapter till it works only to have it mess up again 30 sec later. I would not recommend this adapter, choose another one.
  
  
• Ugly Grey Mass; Failed After 1 Month of Use
  By A2FPRPUDXOB30H on 2008-01-25
  1. Its horribly ugly; I almost always found myself trying to hide it with my hand when I took my sleek iPhone out of my pocket.
  
  2. It's like a 2 inch thick grey antenna from a 1980s cellphone.
  
  3. After less than 1 month of use, I began only hearing sound out of one headphone anytime the adapter was flexed or bent even slightly. Of course, it is also flimsy and impossible to keep perfectly straight.
  
  4. Did I mention this is the ugliest, most worthless adapter I've ever had? Thanks for the speed of release Belkin, but you guys really face-planted on this one.
  
  
• It works, sort of.
  By A3SK9MS5TXIVPD on 2008-03-01
  This adapter does work. However, notice that it only has 3 contacts instead of 4 like the iphone headset has. After you use this adapter, when you unplug it, the microphone on your iphone will be disabled. You will not be able to talk to people on the phone. If you reboot the iphone, everything will be fine - until you use the adapter again. Buy an adapter with 4 contacts. Walmart sells an adapter set (with 5 different pieces) by Schosche for about $10. It is much better.
  
  
• WOW, THANK YOU BEN FOR THE USER UPLOADED PICTURES
  By A1WQOE4ONFWV6Z on 2008-05-29
  The first thing I did was laugh, that was just too funny.
  
  I was about to buy an item on eBay, but before doing so I headed to my trusty Amazon to check for reviews, as I always do.
  
  Anyway, thanks to Ben's uploaded pic... I am STAYING AWAY.
  
  Just look at that thing! It's like attaching a pen to your iPhone, and it's retro motorola cellphone gray colored, to top it off!
  
  Thanks again Amazon peeps for uploading pics, and helping me run away from this purchase.
  
  I was trying to purchase a branded adapter, but I guess I have no choice but to buy the black iphone adapters from ebay for $3.00
  =]
  
  
• Are they serious ?
  By A1Y64OWZ9ZQ4AW on 2007-07-11
  Does Belkin seriously think people would want this 2" long thing sticking out of the top of their iPhone ? Why could this adapter not simply be made with a short 3" or so cord between the male and female plugs ? Also, they seem to have forgotten that the connector needs 4 conductive surfaces, not 3, seeing as this phone has stereo sound and a microphone in that jack. This adapter will only allow you to use headphones on it, not a headset with a mic. I honestly can't believe this product made it to production in it's current form.
  
  
• Same here
  By A1RJIZ22440M4P on 2007-09-18
  I used a pair of scissors to trim a retractable headset from Brookstone. Worked like a charm.
  
  
• 10 bucks for this? It doesn't even match
  By A3UP8E5QJIWJKX on 2007-10-05
  Ok, this should be black to match the iPhone or white to Match the headphones. It's big and unweildy. It works, but it should be 2 bucks at most. So far this is the only option I have found if you want to use your own decent headphones with the iPhone.
  
  
• V-Moda Vibe solution
  By A2KEJPKWRJPX6K on 2007-10-15
  I bought this adapter and then realized I didn't need it for my V-Moda Vibe sound isolating earbuds. The connector on them is thin enough that it fits in just as it is.
  
  For Christmas I hope to get their iPhone version of the headphones with the Mic and switch. Gotta love V-Moda. Very high quality for the money.
  
  
• It is as advertised
  By AYT5T9WMCDT7N on 2007-11-13
  One end fits into my iPhone. The other end accepts a standard stereo headphone jack. That's pretty much what I wanted. Only criticisim is it coulda been shorter. Hence 4 instead of 5 stars.
  
  
• Don't buy this!
  By A1N95XIWIFLS4Z on 2007-11-26
  This adapter is horrible! Don't buy it... the adapter is very flexible, so if you slightly nudge it, you music becomes distorted. I can't imagine how this company put out such a bad product.. its very very poor. Don't Buy!
  
  

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