Surging ratings indeed ... I'm cruel happy with my A-Jays. Normally I find that plug-lurking is rubbish. They are bad, sounds bad, tangling and have themselves. But these I find it hard to put down me.
In the past, I used almost exclusively Koss Porta Pro, which also sounds really good, but now they are retired.
Yes, I've tried with several different sound sources. Among other Scottish Linn who is known for making "fairly good" stuff, but even with such a relatively simple product like an iPhone.