How to check if earpods are original. How to distinguish original Lightning and EarPods from fakes

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 AliExpress sellers: 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 a store has been caught selling counterfeits or reviews about it cannot be found, it is better to refuse the purchase.

2. Price

If the headphones you find are 70% cheaper than in the official store, most likely they are not real. 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 such headphones at a deep discount is simply not practical.

3. Packaging

Sometimes it is not at all difficult to distinguish an original from a fake. Counterfeit manufacturers rarely copy packaging designs, fonts and materials with 100% accuracy. Find a photo of the actual headphones in the box and compare them to what they sell you.

4. Appearance and quality of materials

Visible burrs and uneven seams, traces of hardened glue, cheap plastic and a flimsy cable indicate low quality of the product. Naturally, these signs cannot be found in genuine headphones from a reputable manufacturer.

On top the case is from original Audio-Technica headphones, on the bottom - from fake ones. The fake is given out by poor-quality printing and stitches / doctorhead.ru

5. Sound

They are even good in different ways: they differ in the emphasis on specific frequencies, nuances of detail and other characteristics. But if the sound is flat, the bass is unreadable, and the highs are too loud, most likely you are dealing with a fake.

6. Popularity of the model

The fact is that the production of copies of popular goods pays off much faster. There is no point in counterfeiting something that is not so popular. For example, you can be almost sure of the authenticity of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro or Grado SR80E.

Which headphones are most often counterfeited?

1. EarPods

Original EarPods / walmart.com

EarPods are headphones included in the basic package of iPhone and iPod. It is difficult for users to give up their usual headphones when they get lost or break. That’s 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 give themselves away through the cracks in the headphone mounts.

With the original EarPods, the gap between the plastic elements is almost invisible. A visible gap, like the model above, is a sign of a fake / macster.ru

The most reliable way to identify a fake is to compare the dubious product with the original EarPods.

2. AirPods

Original AirPods / apple.com

This is what sparked 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 quite a few types of such headphones. Some of them really turn out to be quite good, others are just 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 equipment for over 70 years. Over the past decades, it has released dozens of headphone models, many of which have become popular and spawned thousands of fakes.

A common feature of many counterfeits of German plugs is that the cable is insufficiently elastic and too thick. For the rest, you should rely on your feelings and comparison of the product with the original.

With full-size headphones, everything is less obvious, so try to follow the general rules.

Sennheiser is fighting counterfeits. The company's official website contains a list of models that are discontinued and cannot be sold in stores. The manufacturer also recommends that you pay attention to the presence of a QR code and a sticker on the packaging 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 criticize the frequency response of Beats Electronics for biased sound, others consider the headphones to be unreasonably expensive. High price and popularity are the main reasons why counterfeits are found on sale no less often than original headphones.

Many fakes copy the originals very faithfully. But you can still draw up basic rules when buying Beats.

Please note the serial number on the bottom of the package: it should be printed on a sticker, not on the box itself. Too many hieroglyphs are a sign of counterfeit. Inside the packaging of fake headphones there may be no tab that helps you pull the tray out of the box (this is important 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 you can already come across fakes of various models.

There is a hologram on the packaging of Bluedio headphones. For the original product it is blue with a noticeable iridescence, for fakes it is blue, the iridescence is barely noticeable.

Hologram on the packaging of the original Bluedio / expert-auto.com.ua

If we are talking about earbuds, pay attention to the ear pads: they should be elastic and retain their shape even after compression.

What to do if you bought a fake

And please, do not try to sell a fake you accidentally bought under the guise of an original. Better help others: spread information about an unscrupulous store, tell us in the comments about your bad experience.

The products of one of the most popular gadget manufacturers - the Apple brand - have long been shamelessly counterfeited by nameless Chinese companies. Users buy high-quality headphones of the Earods model so often that fake makers make good money from counterfeit goods.

The main rule when buying is to buy at a realistic price for the product from reliable sellers. If you want to save onEarPods - how to distinguish original from fake? – becomes the most important question.

Many unpleasant surprises await music lovers, so consider in detail all the details of the difference between the fake and the original.

Package

The box with the gadget is very neat with exact sockets for parts of the headphones and is copied quite well; copyists now even place the logo on the back of the package. But there are subtleties that will tell youhow to distinguish “Iarpods” from a fake:

In the original design, the plastic of the box is absolutely smooth and slightly bluish. The Chinese copy has a tint of yellow in the color of the packaging, and the surface is slightly rough, with burrs noticeable to the touch.
The color of the original capsule exactly matches the shade of the plastic of the headset. This almost never occurs with a counterfeit version - the packaging is made separately from the product, and the low cost of assembly materials does not allow an exact match to be achieved. The polished back of the real packaging has a slight shine, while the fake version has a matte finish.
On the bottom of the original box, the embossed logo is clearer, with a sharply defined edge. The image depth of a fake is not precisely maintained, and the edges of the print are usually blurred - this is noticeable upon visual inspection and by touch.
The lid of the original packaging can be easily removed, while on the replica it falls off or is difficult to open.
When pressed, the fake plastic bends noticeably.

Case build quality

How to distinguish original EarPods from fakesis always clear upon careful inspection of the main parts of the headset. The molded plastic headphone housing should not have any gaps, dents or cracks. The quality of the stamping of the Chinese copy does not exclude defects: they are clearly visible on the bend and at the base of the case. At the connection points with the cord, the elastic plug of the original fits more tightly, while the fake one noticeably moves away.

Chinese replicas do not have left-right markings on the headphones L/R (Left/Right) . This is a significant note - the sound quality changes with a change in position.

The diffuser holes on the replica are covered with textured fabric; the original uses a thin perforated metal mesh. This can often be observed on the microphone. Expensive materials and equipment are not available to manufacturers of cheap fakes. This is clearly visible upon careful visual inspection. The diffuser holes themselves on the headphones are absolutely symmetrical, but on the copy they are offset.

If it is possible to compare a genuine earphone with an alleged copy, then you need to pay attention to the difference in shape: the counterfeit version is slightly narrowed towards the microphone and slightly elongated - this is noticeable.

Wires

In authentic headphones, the wires are elastic and flexible, very smooth to the touch - the high-quality rubber shell has no defects. They are also thicker and more rigid than fake ones, properties that reduce curling, tangling and breakage. Both original headphones have exactly the same length.

The wire must be marked - at a distance of 20 cm from the plug there is an inscription: Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China. The serial number is indicated next to it. The font of the inscription is clear and even, there should be no errors.

The fact that the assembly was carried out at a factory located in China should not be confusing: a significant part of the brand’s production is located in Asia.

Remote Control

The body and connection of the remote control parts is the weak point of the most diligent copyists. There should be no gaps between the parts - they fit well on a genuine gadget and have a completely smooth shape. The remote control has an image of a microphone - very clear in the original. If counterfeit manufacturers do not forget to make this sign, it will be pale and blurry compared to the original.

Functional control buttons - an important point in inspectionEarPods. How to spot a fake becomes clear when turned on and configured. The buttons are easy to press with a noticeable but barely audible click. The copy adjustments are tight, require effort when pressed, and there is a loud sound when switching. Very cheap fakes sometimes manage to be produced with an imitation remote control - no buttons at all or with decorative toggle switches that do not switch anything.

Sound quality

The main purpose of purchasing original EarPods is to listen to music tracks in good quality. A counterfeit version can only give poor sound, at best it will be unimportant, and the headphones will not last long. If you have the slightest doubt about the authenticity of the device, you should ask for the opportunity to listen before paying even a small amount.

If you already had real EarPods, then it’s easy to distinguish a fake by its sound. The best replica conveys a weak sound with blurry upper and especially lower registers. The noise reduction system is simply missing. The sound strength most likely will not be adjusted. You can’t even dream about the volume – and all this will immediately become apparent during a short test.

Price issue

If the Internet or store offers to buy EarPods at half price, this is definitely a Chinese copy. Used ones on an online platform can be much cheaper; you can buy them with full confidence that determining authenticity is not a problem.

Where to buy

Only in specialized electronics stores that provide a guarantee when selling branded goods.

When purchasing an iPhone accessory, the first question that arises is whether to buy the original one or not? But if you decide to spend more money, it is not a fact that the seller will be conscientious and you will not receive a fake. Even in large stores you can find counterfeit goods. Therefore, it is better to always immediately check the authenticity of the contents of the box, and do not hesitate to ask the seller to open it and show the product.

If it turns out to be defective and you come back the next day, the store employees will be in a very awkward position. To avoid conflict situations, you must always know where the original is and where the fake is. Certified third-party accessories display the MFi program logo on the packaging (Made for iPhone). These products are not made by Apple, but their quality is subject to the company's...

Headphones

The first thing you need to look at is the quality of production. Apple pays special attention to this and the products have no visual defects. This is what basically distinguishes original headphones from fake ones, since few people can tell this by ear. But in the end, the original will last you a long time.

Please note this is for a headphone box. It should be made of high-quality plastic, which has a slightly bluish tint. While the fake gives off a yellowish tint. Also, it should not have any burrs, and the Apple logo must be present on it.

The headphones themselves must be made very carefully. There should be no gaps in them in the area where they are connected to the wire, and the “droplets” themselves feel like they are made of a single piece of plastic, with a barely noticeable seam. In fakes, this seam is often not done carefully and is very noticeable.

If there is no L/R designation on the headphones, it is a fake. Although EarPods have a specific shape, some users, when purchasing such headphones for the first time, confuse the sides.

Now about the grille. For the original headphones it is made of metal mesh, while for the copy it is made of fabric.

Cable

The original Lighting cable is expensive. Its price varies in the range of 1500 rubles. These cables break often, and paying that amount of money every time is inappropriate for many. Therefore, there is a temptation to buy non-original cords. The main disadvantage is that the device may not accept the accessory because it is not certified. Also, counterfeits can damage the device (overheat the connector, for example). But if you decide not to take risks and pay money for a real Lighting cable, then it won’t hurt you to find out its main differences from the copy.

The Apple Lightning to USB cable must display “Designed by Apple in California” and “Assembled in China”, “Assembed in Vietnam” or “Indústria Brasileira” » (Made in Brazil) approximately 18 cm from the USB connector. Next to these inscriptions is a 12-digit serial number.

Certified third-party Lightning to USB cables usually have a manufacturer's marking near the Lightning connector.

The original Lighting connector is made from solid wood and has a gray metallic finish. The connector dimensions are always the same - 7.7 x 12 mm.

The USB connector is made of smooth, gray metal, and has trapezoidal USB pin housing connections and gold-colored contacts. There must be a solid and flat insulation surface inside.

Choosing the perfect headphones is not an easy task, requiring time, numerous sound checks and frequency response comparisons. It is complicated by the abundance of fakes on the mobile audio equipment market.

What to look for when buying headphones

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 AliExpress sellers: 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 a store has been caught selling counterfeits or reviews about it cannot be found, it is better to refuse the purchase.

2. Price

3. Packaging

4. Appearance and quality of materials

On top the case is from original Audio-Technica headphones, on the bottom - from fake ones. The fake is given out by poor-quality printing and seams.

Sound

Even high-quality headphones are good in different ways: they differ in the emphasis on specific frequencies, nuances of detail and other characteristics. But if the sound is flat, the bass is unreadable, and the highs are too loud, 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 other than official stores, most likely you will get a fake. But if you focus on less popular models, the risk will be significantly reduced, even when buying second-hand.
The fact is that the production of copies of popular goods pays off much faster. There is no point in counterfeiting something that is not so popular. For example, you can be almost sure of the authenticity of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro or Grado SR80E.

Which headphones are most often counterfeited?

1. EarPods

The product name on AliExpress includes the words Apple, EarPods and iPhone. But even with a quick glance it becomes obvious that this is a fake.

\
Original EarPods in the Apple store.

With the original EarPods, the gap between the plastic elements is almost invisible. A visible gap, like the model above, is a sign of a fake / macster.ru The most reliable way to identify a fake is to compare the dubious product with the original EarPods.

2. AirPods

AirPods are wireless headphones from Apple. Having gone on sale at the end of last year, the plugs attracted the attention of users with their signature laconic design, compactness and convenience. But these headphones also have a significant drawback - their high price.
This is what sparked 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 quite a few types of such headphones. Some of them really turn out to be quite good, others are just an ordinary Chinese marriage.

Replica AirPods on AliExpress.

Original AirPods in the Apple store.

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.comSennheiser is a German company that has been making quality equipment for over 70 years. Over the past decades, it has released dozens of headphone models, many of which have become popular and spawned thousands of fakes.
A common feature of many counterfeits of German plugs is that the cable is insufficiently elastic and too thick. For the rest, you should rely on your feelings and comparison of the product with the original.
With full-size headphones, everything is less obvious, so try to follow the general rules.

These headphones are sold on one of the VKontakte pages for a couple of hundred rubles

The headphones from which the copy was made were produced by Sennheiser until October 2012 / ebay.com

QR code on the packaging of original Sennheiser headphones / old.sennheiser.ru
4. Beats Electronics headphones

Original Beats Solo 2 / apple.com Many criticize the frequency response of Beats Electronics for biased sound, others consider the headphones to be unreasonably expensive. High price and popularity are the main reasons why counterfeits are found on sale no less often than original headphones.

Announcement about the sale of fake headphones on the VKontakte page.

Original Beats Solo HD in M.Video (the store is the official distributor of Beats Electronics).

Many fakes copy the originals very faithfully. But you can still draw up basic rules when buying Beats.
Please note the serial number on the bottom of the package: it should be printed on a sticker, not on the box itself. Too many hieroglyphs are a sign of counterfeit. Inside the packaging of fake headphones there may be no tab that helps you pull the tray out of the box (this is important 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

The original Bluedio T2 / megaelectronics.comBluedio appeared on the Bluetooth headphone market recently, but now you can come across fakes of various models.
There is a hologram on the packaging of Bluedio headphones. For the original product it is blue with a noticeable iridescence, for fakes it is blue, the iridescence is barely noticeable.

If we are talking about earbuds, pay attention to the ear pads: they should be elastic and retain their shape even after compression.

What to do if you bought a fake

If you discover that you bought a counterfeit secondhand, 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 you accidentally bought under the guise of an original. Better help others: spread information about an unscrupulous store, tell us in the comments about your bad experience.

Apple has released AirPods wireless headphones as an app for iPhone. They look very cool and stylish. The most ideal option for iPhones!

And it’s not at all surprising that copy manufacturers also want to make money from the sale of such cool related products. After all, on the same Aliexpress there are a dime a dozen offers of wireless headphones for iPhones. And the prices are very attractive. But the headphones will almost certainly be fake. How to avoid falling for scammers’ tricks and distinguish an original from a copy – this is discussed in this article.

For a comparative experiment, two pairs of fake headphones and one pair of original ones were taken. At first glance, they are no different from each other, but if you look closely, you can still find differences.

What is the difference between the packaging of copies and original Apple AirPods

If you have never seen the original Apple AirPods box, you can easily buy a fake, since the boxes are very similar. But there are some nuances:

The original box is made of high quality cardboard. It is not puffy on the sides. The fold lines are straight.
There should be a barcode on the sides of the box and information about the country of origin. Counterfeits are most often pure white or with Chinese marks.

The image of the headphones on the front of the box is placed on top of the box rather than printed on it. By running your fingers over it, you can feel the relief.
There should be no “ears” for magazine hooks on the box.
The bottom of the box shows a case with headphones and a charging cable. There is also information about the manufacturer. Please note: on one fake box there are no inscriptions at all, and on the other they are not completely written, and in different fonts and brightness.

How to buy the original cheaper than the store

If you still want buy the original, the most profitable way to do this is on Tmall - at the time of writing, 12,599 rubles. When purchasing, you will receive an official guarantee from Apple in Russia and fast delivery - in Moscow it is possible even on the day of order!