Two iPod Shuffles 2G fried one after the other ...

Question

Bought an iPod Shuffle 2G last week. It didn't seem to charge completely (no green LED after 4 hours charging) but otherwise I could read/write tracks to and fro. However, on connecting Sony MDR NC11A headphones the charge rapidly went down, the red LED went on, the iPod became very warm and subsequently died.
Back to the shop for another one. This one charged up to the green LED but fried in the same way. This time I got my money back.
On contacting Apple support by webchat, they told me that it is possible to use other headphones with the iPod Shuffle 2G.
Before ordering a third one, I want to be sure that the iPod Shuffle 2G works with other standard headphones. Are there other occurrences of this weird behavior especially with Sony MDR NC11A headphones? Thanks a lot for letting me know. - Jos
G5 SP 1,8 G Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Answer 1

Apple's already released some article, I think,
saying that you sometimes have to wait for the second
charge cycle before charge indications will be
correct.
Sure, in any case the red LED was very correct indicating a low charge only this happened after a couple of minutes with the second pod. The first one lived for appr. an hour before the red LED went on..
As for frying two in a row? You obviously have to
suspect the headphones, which could have been checked
by first using the Shuffle with the standard ones
provided with it. The fact that it works okay with
other things doesn't prove much at all, in my view;
among other differences, those other things don't
have multi-purpose mini plugs.
Forgot to mention, I used the original headphones just to make sure the pods worked OK. You could be right about the multi purpose plug. Also, the impedance of the NC11 is higher but that's the case with so many headphones even among these of Apple themself: eg the ones with the Shufflepod are 32 Ohm each, the 'new' ones with the earbuds are 16 Ohm.
I'd be working with Apple on this one, perhaps taking
the Sonys into a Store and having them try it out.
I'm sure they'd like to know if there is something
going on here.
Sure thing but I think Apple has to find out, not me. But I'm sure they will, it's just a hassle to bother the local Store and I can't work with the Mediamarkt, the non Apple store where I bought these as they probably don't know the difference between an iPod and a UFO.
G5 SP 1,8 G Mac OS X (10.4.8) 300G and 250G HD, 3G RAM, ATI Radeon 9600, 2 Eizo displays