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Call of Duty MW3 Special Edition 9mm Earphones
Score: 87%
Developer: Munitio
Device Type: Audio


Function:

Call of Duty: MW3 Billets are earbuds that look like 9mm shells stuck in your ears, themed and licensed for Call of Duty: MW3. Mind you, these aren't for console play; they're for use with mobile devices and cellphones, so you can rock MW3 when your not kickin' ass and takin' names.

I thought the idea of looking like I had bullets in my ears could be a bit of a mixed signal: on one hand, it's frickin' bullets, so I must be cool, right? But, on the other hand, it appears as if I have live ammunition pointing at my brain...

Well, as it turns out, soldiers and policemen would sometimes use spent shells as earplugs, when there was loud shooting to do and they found themselves without hearing protection. As "0311 USMC" on the Firearm Blog put it, "I just pop off two rounds at the target and voila! Two ear plugs appear." Well, ammunition casings aren't great hearing protection, as it turns out, but evidently, having a pair of shell casings stuck in your ears is not unheard of.


Performance:

The sound quality of the Call of Duty: MW3 Billets is quite good, with a full range sound, doing a good job of recreating highs, mids and lows. The "SiliconeHollowPoint" ear inserts feature a translucent rubber with internal spiral reinforcing ridges, but otherwise, look fairly typical. They are quite comfortable and are surprisingly good at blocking ambient noise. Even at fairly low volume, I found that if I wanted to talk with someone, I would take them out of my ears.

The MW3 Billets fit nicely and stayed put with or without the use of the included ear hooks, but I suppose that during more lively activities than sitting at a computer, the ear hooks might add a bit of needed stability.

The one sticking point I see would be the price. Not everyone looking for a set of earbuds is looking to buy something just shy of $70 USD, when earbuds can be bought for a great deal less than that. However, the old adage, "You get what you pay for," has some credence. And, being of the Billets line (made of machined aluminum), rather than the SITi (that would be the titanium line), the price is actually rather cheap for Munitio's products. On Munitio's website, the SITi earbuds range from $159.99 - $179.99, while all of the other Billets are priced at $89.99. That means you're not actually paying anything additional for the Call of Duty MW3 licensing - in fact, you're saving $20 USD off of the normal price of Billets. How sweet is that?!


Features:
  • Call of Duty: MW3 Themed and Branded
  • Earbuds with 9mm Ammo Design
  • Single Piece Aircraft-Grade Aluminum Earbud Body
  • Kevlar-Reinforced Rubber Cables
  • In-Line Mic with One Button Functionality
  • Supports Hands Free Calling
  • Includes Tactical Carrying Case
  • Includes Six Sets of Noise-Isolating SiliconeHollowPoint Ear Inserts (2x each: S, M, L)
  • Includes Two Earhooks
  • Two-Year Limited Warranty

Drawbacks & Problems::

I know that Modern Warfare 3 is a big hit this year, so the various licensed products simply make sense, but it seems strange that these ear buds are MW3 licensed, but not usable with the game. I fear that a lot of people who purchase these will miss that and assume that the Special Edition Call of Duty: MW3 Billets can be used for playing the game - especially if it's purchased as a gift by someone who's not familiar with gaming, anyway.

I may be taller than average, but I found that the cord wasn't as long as I would have liked. In addition to using the Billets with my Motorola Backflip (Android-based) phone, I also tried these out on my gaming computer and my work computer. At one point at home, I had to take one ear bud out to turn my head and lean a little behind me when reaching for something and, at work, I couldn't move much at all, as my computer case is mounted under my desk. If you plan to use these with a computer, think about the distance between your phono jack and your head. You may need an extension cable.

As long as you understand what the Billets are for (and what they're not for), the main hurdle here is probably the price. At just shy of $70 USD, it's at the beginning of the high-end arena. The sound quality is there and the two-year limited warranty help to offset the cost, but the lack of a volume control might make some balk. If you're a fan of MW3, you're in the market for some high quality ear buds and the cord length and lack of volume control isn't a deal breaker for you, you should check out the Call of Duty: MW3 Billets - they really are some sweet ear buds.


-Geck0, GameVortex Communications
AKA Robert Perkins
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