The one problem with having headphones that stands out the most has to be actually storing them when you are finished using them. We had the opportunity to review the Satechi USB 3.0 Headphone Stand, and they are certainly one of the best stands for any on- or over-ear headphones currently on the market.
Since Apple has all but eliminated the headphone jack, over the course of the last few months I’ve been pretty much going the ways of Bluetooth ever since September. But like all things Bluetooth, even headphones need to be charged or else they’ll die, and nobody wants that. Rather than sitting them on a nightstand where they could potentially fall and break, there’s Satechi’s Headphone Stand with USB 3.0 Hub ($39.99). Made to fit various brands of headphones, regardless if you paid hundreds of dollars or not, chances are you might want to show them off a bit, and what better way than to sit them on your desktop or stand at work or home.
While searching for a standing desk, and looking through numerous YouTube clips of desktop setups, one thing that I noticed many users having was a stand to place their headphones when they were not in use. The issue, though, is not many of the headphones stand brands gave users the ability to physically charge not just the headphones, but anything else at all. That’s where Satechi changed the game a bit. Not only does their headphone stand charge the headphones that sit wherever you place it, but two other devices as well which I think is pretty awesome.
Physically, the all brushed aluminum stand looks nice and comes in two pieces, the first featuring a round base which sports the three individual hubs along the front of it. The stand itself is pretty lightweight which I thought was interesting because most headphones do have some weight to them so I was scared if I placed one or possibly two headphones on a single stand it might tip over but that has yet to be the case. There is an indicator light at the top of the rounded dock that when connected to a source of power turns a solid color.
At the top where you actually set the headphones, the dock slides into the round base with a click, so you’ll know that it’s been inserted properly.
On the back of the headphone stand, there is cable management so you can wrap your headphone cable or microUSB cable if you’re going Bluetooth around it to make sure cords are not just frolicking about your desktop. While this is a great idea, I did think that the prongs should’ve been just a tad bit wider to house larger, or even flat-ish cables, especially those that come with 3.5mm jacks that tend to be a bit longer in length.
Next to that, however, is the USB connection that allows for the Satechi Headphone Stand to actually charge all of your other devices. I do like the fact they set this in the rear of the stand, which is great for all setups, and easily distinguishes where you charge the stand from where you charge your other devices. Satechi even added a 3.5mm headphone jack INTO the headphone stand itself which I think is excellent in the event that you plugged the stand into one of the USB ports of your computer, now you can play your audio directly from the stand as it’s plugged into that. Now you don’t have to worry about ever having your headphones in your ear while you’re on your desktop or laptop, accidentally getting up and having an expensive device come crashing to the floor. (guilty of doing this myself).
The highlight to the Satechi USB 3.0 Headphone for me is its ability to not only charge my headphones but two other devices. There’s something to be said about the ability to charge your iPhone and iPad at your desk without having numerous cables just lying around. I have two of Satechi’s stand and I use one to house not just one, but two of my Bluetooth headphones for charging, and I even sit my Jabra Sport Elites on top of the dock to charge as well.
At only $39.99, the Satechi Stand is one of the more affordable headphone stands on the market, but served not just one, but several purposes. No longer do I have to worry about just sitting my headphones on a stand to charge, but they elegantly sit upright and charge. If you have longer or coiled cables for your headphones, I will say that the wire management may be hit or miss for you, but despite that, I currently have two more Satechi USB 3.0 Headphone stands in my checkout cart, and they will sit nicely on my new desk when it arrives.
If you’d like to check out Satechi’s USB 3.0 Headphone Stand, be sure to head over to Satechi’s website today for more information.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Feels super sturdy, and charges two extra devices outside of the headphones themselves; ability to get audio while plugged into laptop/desktop
What Needs Improvement: Wire management dock could be a bit side
