Damage Reviews (Quickly): JVC Marshmallow

The JVC Marshmallows.

Or the best $20 investment you can make for your DAP. If you need or want a professional level IEMS, these ain’t it. You need to invest at least $100 for those, and SHURE or Super-Fi would gladly assist in making your wallet that much lighter.

But, for replacing that sad, pack in buds from Timbuktu (which cost Sony or Sandisk about $0.03, adjusted for inflation), these will to the job. Take the EX90s, add a bit more isolation and bass, take away about 25% of the soundstage and make the sound duller, especially in trebles. And you got the Marshmallows.

Wait, wouldn’t it make the sound very ugly? Not really. These have synergy up the wazoo, though not necessarily with iPods and iPod Shuffles. It rather disappoints with Apple gears a bit. However, mate these with more bright and flavored DAPS, say the Sony Walkmens in your life, and the synergy between the two will make you glad you’ve invest a bit extra in these.

These are also your gateway drugs into the world of IEMS. Using the foamies (reminiscent of Shure’s Black Olives) you get the experience of what wearing IEMs are like. From there, well, if you follow the road of wallet lightening… Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

These are not professional IEMs, they are fun pack in replacement buds meant to be used as a daily war unit (aka beaters). For that purpose, they more than fill the role. Just not so well with Apple Gears.

Grade: A-/B (iPod gears)