Hello!
In today's article, the first of a series, we understand how fakes differ from the original and why they are cheaper.
We'll start with the topic of portable audio that is close to me.
As always, various unpleasant situations occur at the most inopportune moment. It happened this time too – my girlfriend's headphones were out of order. As is often the case, the cable broke at the plug, and one ear went deaf. When asked 'what kind of headphones do you want?' The answer was expected – the same (turned out to be very comfortable for her ear shape).
In the process of searching, I remembered that not so long ago I came across exactly the same headphones at a price more than three times less than the market average. I decided to go in and check again if I was mistaken. I was not mistaken.
As a result, curiosity prevailed – I purchased them to find out what caused such a low price, despite the fact that the appearance at first glance did not allow to recognize a fake on the fly.
Packaging
The only thing that confused me right away was the box.
For the original ones sold in Russia, it looks different.
But the box may be different due to the fact that this particular sample was intended for sale on the market of another country.
In fact, the fact that this is a fake became clear when I decided to listen to headphones – a flat, expressionless sound of very low quality.
Well, let's find out what the Chinese saved on. To do this, the headset will have to be disassembled, but this is later. Before disassembling, let's examine the outside of the headset.
Appearance
At first glance, everything is pretty decent. Not having the original at hand, to understand that this is a fake is unlikely to succeed.
However, in direct comparison, if you look at the inscription, it becomes noticeable that on the fake (it is on the right) the font is not so clear and bright.
If you remove the ear pads, another nuance becomes noticeable – the surface of the case is not as smooth as that of the original. There are nodules, similar to marriage (unfortunately, this is almost invisible in the photo, but it is felt well to the touch). But perhaps this is nit-picking.
Now let's look at the ear pads.
It is striking that the original does not have such a bright color, but this can be attributed to the fact that the original is not new and the silicone could fade and get dirty. However, if you turn them over and take a closer look, it becomes clear that this is not a matter of wear and tear (now a fake on the left).
The edges of the counterfeit are not so neatly processed. This is a trifle, but it betrays a less thorough approach to the manufacturing process. Well, one more point in the piggy bank of quality differences.
Go ahead and disassemble the remote control.
Remote controller
At first glance, the remotes are the same. However, if you take a closer look, you can see the difference in the markings on the board. By the way, in the process of disassembly, the fake wires very easily came off the board.
Note that the buttons are also different.
On the original, there are high-quality membranes in a reliable case, with a clear pusher in the middle, and on a fake, they are flimsy, covered with a yellow film and sliding sideways from light pressure. And the click is different – on the original it is clearer and at the same time not so loud.
But what if this is just nitpicking and the reason is that the headsets are simply made in different factories?
We look further. Next in line is the wire.
Wires
So, everything is clear here. Pay attention to the wire in the original and the wire in the fake.
I think there is no need to explain anything here, you yourself understood everything. The original has thick wires that sit securely in the sheath, each in its own groove. In this case, the third wire is a braid for the other two and goes in both cores. In a fake, three thin wires dangle inside the shell and pop out of it very easily if pulled.
A direct comparison makes it immediately clear which wires will last longer.
Pay attention to how the veins exit from the shell are processed. In the original, this is a neat sleeve, flush with which the shell is cut, and the wires themselves are tied into a knot, which prevents the wire from slipping into the shell.
In a fake, this is the untidy, disheveled end of the shell, from which thin wires stick out.
With this approach, it is not surprising that cheap fakes fail much more often. If those who counterfeit headphones did everything efficiently, then the price of such fakes would not be very different from the original.
Now let's take a look at the main detail in these headphones – the speakers.
Speaker
To do this, let's open both copies.
And here are the culprits of a different sound. Please note that the original speaker occupies the entire area of the case and completely covers the sound guide channel. The quality of the speaker housing itself is also striking. Neat pads, clear markings, insulation and overall build quality.
Now let's look at the fake. Firstly, the small body, which looks awkward in such headphones. This speaker diameter is simply out of place in such a headphone case. The workmanship also leaves much to be desired. No signs, no isolation. And this speaker is held inside the case with glue.
And again these thin, unsecured wires at the fake are striking. Unlike the original, in which the end of the braid is crimped with a metal brace so that it does not slip inward and does not pull the wires on the contacts, the fake wires are not held in place and are kept inside by the speaker contacts. I am afraid that with such a design they will not last long. But the original stands out for its reliable design and thoughtful placement of elements.
We take out the speakers from the enclosures to view them from the other side.
Yes, the difference, as they say, is obvious. I wonder what the manufacturer was guided by when they placed such small speakers in such a case? Although it is clear what – maximum savings.
Unsurprisingly, fake sounds disgusting. There is no reason to expect a good sound with such a filling.
Conclusion
The most annoying thing in this situation is that a less experienced and less meticulous user is unlikely to notice the difference when viewed from the outside. Especially when you consider that our sellers rarely allow you to open the box of headphones before buying.
And I also got the feeling that in this case we are dealing with a fake based on original components that simply did not pass quality control and were written off as substandard, and then used by enterprising Chinese in the manufacture of fakes. In particular, the headphone case raises big doubts – the differences that I was able to identify during an external examination seem very far-fetched. Most likely the cases are original, but the rest is an obvious counterfeit.
So be careful when purchasing. If sound quality is important to you, it is best to buy such things in branded, well, or in trusted stores.
Given the size of the market for counterfeit gadgets, I plan to regularly inform you, dear readers, about the difference between fake and original devices, from the appearance to the most important thing – the filling. Write in the comments which gadgets you would like to know the most about the stuffing, and I, in turn, will try to find the original and counterfeit, dissect and compare them.