Fuse InTune earphones tune in to taste

LAS VEGAS--Anyone who has cycled through a variety of earbuds has probably noticed that the cheaper models tend to sound better for some genres than others, yet this fact is rarely proclaimed on the packaging. Electronics accessories maker Fonegear is changing that with its new InTune earphones, announced today at CES 2011.

The line consists of four models specially tuned for four different listening experiences: Pop/Easy Listening, Jazz/Classical, Rock/Blues/Country, and Rap/Hip Hop. Each set features a different driver that is designed to provide a specific sound. The hip-hop model offers deeper bass and the pop version more pronounced mids and highs, while there are more treble and clear bottom tones for rock, and a full response curve for classical. To make the choice even easier for the consumer, the packaging for each type of InTune earphones displays a graph of the sound curve for the set contained within.

While it's true that this approach won't appeal to those with eclectic listening tastes, the InTune earphones do offer an interesting option for consumers who have some idea what type of audio response they tend to like, especially given the fact that it's almost impossible to "try before you buy" when it comes to in-ear 'buds. The $24.95 price tag doesn't hurt either.