Hands-on Review: Three iPhone Adapters

Can you believe I've had my iPhone for two months, and haven't used it to listen to music? I prefer to use my own headphones, as opposed to the iPod earbuds, which seem to be the only ones that work with the iPhone. But because Apple designed the iPhone with a recessed headphone jack, most of its customers don't have the liberty to use their own headphones without an iPhone adapter that costs $10. Without it, I'm afraid I can't use my own Skullcandy noise canceling headphones, which I prefer when traveling.

Those of you who have an iPhone understand my frustration. Nonetheless, Apple has decided to integrate a recessed headphone jack to "maintain the integrity of that design." That means sacrificing a simple thing like a regular headphone jack that would fit our own earphones in order to create a thinner, sexier iPhone. After all, the iPhone is a phone, and like other phones, it requires an adapter to make calls and listen to music.

There are a few earphones that will work, like the Etymotic ER6i, the Zune headphones, and of course, the iPod's white earbuds. I have a pair of Etymotic ER6i on hand, so I can tell you, you don't need an extra adapter to use your iPhone to make calls and listen to music. I guess for some reason, I figured the microphone wouldn't work once you plugged in the earbuds or iPhone adapter, but it works. I'm a little surprised and pleased that you can make phone calls without a special microphone headset. That being said, I had to buy an adapter anyway to use my Skullcandy headphones on a plane.

Since the Apple store is fully stocked with Belkin headphone adapters, I got one for my iPhone for an extra $10. Honestly, I hated it from the get-go. Like other iPhone adapters, this one sticks out about two inches from the recessed jack. I know Apple was worried about the design, but having a rigid adapter sticking straight out of your iPhone is just ridiculous. I'm too embarrassed to even use it in public, so I stick to my Etymotics. Although the Belkin adapter looks really stiff, it actually bends in the middle, so you have a little flexibility there.

I just got Monster's iCable Link and the iSoniTalk to try out. The iCableLink is a little better since it's way more flexible, but it sticks out about an inch more than the Belkin adapter. Still, since it's thinner than Belkin's adapter, it just looks like a thicker continuation of your headphone wire. I didn't notice a huge difference in sound quality between the two, but I will say the iCableLink did sound a tad better. You can still answer calls and talk to people when using either of these two adapters.

The third test came with Monster's iSoniTalk, which actually includes a microphone. Sound quality was 100 percent better when using the iSoniTalk, I just couldn't believe it. My music sounded crisp and in stereo, and the calls did too. The device has a button on the microphone, so you can use it to answer and end calls when your phone is in your purse, and I love the cord management system that keeps your wires organized. I tested calls for sound quality using all three adapters, and having that microphone does make a huge difference. So while you don't need one, you'll definitely want one if you're in a noisy place.

Honestly, I just want a headset that does it all and eliminates the need for messy adapters, but we'll just have to wait and see who'll be the first company to give us the true iPhone-ready mobile headset in the future. We're waiting.