iPod Headphone Issues
So apparently the 5th gen iPod can't record voice memos. You can load them from you computer and listen to them on the iPod but not actually record them. The 6th gen and up allow you to use any inline mic on your headphones to record audio. No, you can't just swap out the phone jack on it either because this functionality is on the main board. WOMP WOMP.
Luckily for me I have a second iPod. It's a 2016 iPhone SE, not a real iPod but it is the last iPhone created that included a phone jack. I did a few tests with a small lav mic and the inline mic on my cheap Sony earbuds. It sounds like a phone call recording which is my goal here.
I want to take audio notes while driving.
Yes my current 16 pro maxxXXL can record voice memos. I do have the dingus dongle that lets me plug in a real pair of headphones or lav mic. What it doesn't have is space. My real phone is maxed out with pics of my kids and school emails and apps and all that. The SE has nothing, and is gloriously offline. I like dedicated mp3 players because they don't get interrupted by spam calls and notifications.
Now, the headphone issue. I have a tiny head. Over ear headphones on their smallest setting slump down to my jaw. I have to wear a hat or beanie to get them aligned to my ears. No Senny Hur Dur 600's or Audio Technica's or AKG's for me. If I want deep bass I use my Porta Pro's. They are plenty good for literally anything, but after about an hour the constant pressure on my ears digs into my glasses and hurts.
That leaves me with the wonderful world of earbuds and IEM's. But it also doesn't, because guess who has tiny monkey ears. Me. The hard apple earbuds or VE MONK Plus, etc physically won't fit in my ear. No problem, the rubber nubbin in-ear style earbuds easily work. Sometimes. The oval shaped nozzles like the Airpod Pro's hurt and won't seal.
I have a set of Sony Linkbuds for my real phone which have that dreaded noise cancelling stuff. Look, I know 99% of people love noise cancelling but it drives me crazy. It constantly feels like someone is sneaking up behind me when it's on. Also, I can't hear myself properly, I sound like an adult in a Charlie Brown cartoon. Can't deal. All I can hear is my own breathing while going mildly crazy.
Long ago I bought a pair of pretty purple KZ IEM's that worked wonderfully for me. But, after about 4 years they bit the dust. I let my youngest son use them for gaming and they went out on him. I replaced those with some 7hz Crinnacle Zero II's. Those are a workhorse and have worked great for him for over two years now. I tried them on and they fit my ears as well but I wanted something a little better.
Last week I ordered a pair of Blon Bl03 II's. I set them up and put them in and to my horror they wouldn't go all the way in. The pair everyone suggests for small eared folks has too short of a nozzle and too shallow of a bud piece to push in further. Like, they sounded amazing when I pushed in on them. So I sent them back. I don't like doing that but I needed to be able to you know, wear them. Changing the tips and extending the tips and new cables would bump the whole thing up to $60 and at that point I could get better IEM's.
So now I'm back to looking at getting myself my own pair of Zero II's. I'm also looking at the Wan'er SG's and Kiwi Ears Cadenza. I don't want to order one and end up in the same "these won't go in" issue.
Anyway, until I figure that out I'm going to stick to my Porta Pro's and Sony's.