First off, for those giving this item poor reviews for quality: you know these are $5 headphones right?I think it's a great brand name product for $5, which is hard to find in stores such as Target and even Walmart. (Unless you want brands you never heard of) Anyway, the sound and bass is good, I heard things I didn't hear with my old headphones. Also the fit is great, it comes with 3 different sizes for comfort which comes in handy when going to the gym. I went through my normal routine with no problem, although haven't tested it on the treadmill yet.One minor, minor complaint: even on low volume, it's hard to hear what's going on in the background because of the shape of the headphones in your ears. (Basically ear plugs) It's great if you ONLY want to listen to music, but if you still want to listen to the background, it's very difficult.I'd still give these headphones 5/5 if it were $10.Update: After about 3 months, the sound sometimes cuts in and out when the wire changes position. 

Question: Is a brittle plastic?
Answer: shape