Headphones

Jabra Reveals New Audio Offerings at CES 2013

Jabra has just announced a new suite of corded and wireless stereo headphones said to “elevate music and multimedia experiences to a new dimension of sound performance”. The headphones, new Jabra Revo Wireless, Jabra Revo corded and Jabra Vox in-ear earphones, are designed for “hard-wearing, every day use and portability”. Jabra’s headphones aren’t designed to be eye-candy. Rather, they are intended for real wear, real use and, in the process, real abuse. To achieve this, the Jabra Revo Wireless and Jabra Revo headphones are constructed using an aluminium frame, steel hinges and a shatter-proof, flexible headband. Similarly, the Jabra Vox…


iLuv ReF Deep Base On-Ear Headphones Review

Billy Crystal famously said “It’s better to look good than to feel good”, and it was a terrific SNL bit that still makes me smile. Of course the statement is simply wrong. Looks are important, but they are secondary to feeling and functioning well. As my grandmother famously NEVER said, “So long as you have your health, everything will be fine.” (She never said it because she was far too negative a person to have made such a positive comment. That, however is an entirely different story.) This also applies to such items as headphones, which have now become fashion statements…


Just Mobile HeadStand Review

So you’ve got a pair of big, beautiful, great sounding headphones like the SMS STREET by 50 DJ over-the-ear headphones I reviewed last month. Sure, you could store them in the included football-shaped case,heretofore referred to as the “fbcase”, but that quickly becomes pain if you use them on a regular basis. I mean, do you really want to have to unzip the “fbcase”, remove the headphones and attach the cord each and every time you want to listen to music without disturbing the other people in the house? And that doesn’t take into account having to disconnect the cord,…


Phiaton PS 300 NC Premium Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

I’m into a period of time that will see me on planes rather frequently, and while I’ve tried various noise canceling headphones over the years, I’ve never found a pair I loved to use. For example, I was impressed with the Sennhauser MM 450s when I reviewed them, but when I bought a pair on sale a few months ago I found myself disappointed with the buzz created by the noise cancellation system. It wasn’t bad, but it was noticeable, and I just couldn’t see myself using them longterm. Most recently I had purchased a pair of inexpensive Sony in-ear…


RHA MA450i Noise Isolating Aluminium Earphones with Remote and Microphone Review

Back in August, we took a look at $35 MA350 Noise Isolating Aluminium Earphones. I liked them, but I didn’t LOVE them. My conclusion read, What I Like: Good build-quality; Decent sounding; Fabric cord; Surprisingly low price for what they offer What Needs Improvement: Lacks in-line microphone and controls Recently the company was kind enough to send a pair of their RHA 450i Noise isolating aluminium earphones. Why are these different? Simple, they bring everything I liked about the MA350 and added in a remote and microphone. Even better, they managed to keep the price below $50. Let’s take a…


Phiaton MODERNA MS 200 Earphones Review

Back in July I put the Phiaton PS 20 BT Bluetooth Stereo Headset head to head with the Jabra Clipper Bluetooth Stereo Headset. (Read the pos, here.) I preferred the Phiaton PS 20 BTs to Jabra’s offering, and I have continued to use them on a fairly frequent basis since doing the review. Among the things that stood out at the time was the unusual design of the earbuds — they are angled in a manner that surprised me. On first appearance, the design looked awkward; I expected them to be uncomfortable, but I was wrong! The earbuds went into my…


iLuv’s Stylish ReF Line of Headphones Make Clear, Music Is Fashion

Headphones are fashion and are now music to your eyes, just as they are music to your ears. Recognizing this fact, iLuv has just introduced their ReF line of premium headphones. As Brian Kim, Global Product Marketing Manager of iLuv’s Premium Headphone Division notes Headphones are quickly becoming a part of the language of fashion, and we at iLuv recognize that consumers are searching for quality headphones that also feature a stylish design. That is why we are introducing Fashionology®, a combination of fashion and technology. Headphones traditionally appealed to a small group of audiophiles and technology enthusiasts, but that…


OrigAudio Designears Custom Noise-Reducing Headphones Review

Back in college, I had a part-time job at Best Buy. In addition to being awesome simply because I was a geek and it was an electronics store, they also offered a fantastic employee discount. I bought a pair of oversize noise-canceling headphones, and I used them until they fell to pieces. I had quite the soft spot for them, so when OrigAudio offered us the chance to review Designears, personalizable noise reducing headphones, I jumped at the chance! From OrigAudio: Designears support the notion that OrigAudio has always stood behind: Why be the same, when you can be different….


JBL Micro 2 Rechargeable Portable Speaker Review

Your iPhone’s speaker stinks, and so does your iPad’s; even the iPad mini’s stereo speakers, a first for an iOS device, are crappy. And your Android devices? They don’t really do much better. Yes, for a quick YouTube video or conversation the speaker on your mobile device is certainly adequate but it’s not going to win any audiophile prizes. And while you could keep a larger speaker such as the JawBone in your gear bag, that takes up space and adds weight. That’s where this diminutive speaker from JBL comes in. The JBL Micro 2 is small, light, and can…


SMS STREET by 50 DJ Over-the-Ear Headphones Review

Back in June we reviewed the SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired Headphones. (Read the review.) I was impressed by both the comfort and the sound. I summarized them with “What I Like: Well-made; Stay in the ear nicely; In-line controller; Flat, tangle-free cable; Sound great”. Since then SMS Audio has greatly expanded their offerings which now include their SMS STREET by 50 DJ over-the-ear headphones. They are big, bold and make a statement. I’ve been using a pair for the last few weeks, so let’s take a look. I’m usually a fan of in-ear or on-ear headphones more than…


Monster Inspiration Active Noise-Canceling Headphones Review

What would it take to get you to spend $350 on a set of headphones? I’ve been asking myself that very question over the last two weeks, and I think I may finally have an answer. The question wouldn’t have even come up if I hadn’t been sent Monster’s newest Inspiration headphones, which — as you may have guessed — retail for that exact amount. all photos by Kevin Stanford I approached the package unwrapping with some trepidation … what if I liked them? Granted, these were sent to me as a review sample that I would be allowed to…


New iPhone? It Deserves a Bodyguardz

If you got a new iPhone today you know it is Apple’s best iPhone ever. you also know you are going to take it with you everywhere you go. That means it needs, and deserves, good protection. One of our favorite ways to protect iPhone (and laptops. iPads and Kindles and… you get the idea) come from Bodyguardz. Judie and I love their Armor series, and their screen protectors are pretty great too. Better still, starting in October they will be offering tempered glass protectors. The company is already shipping a number of options for iPhone 5 protection. You can…


Digital Innovations Nest Earbud Protector Review

Unless you are a fan of stereo bluetooth headphones, you have earbuds.  With the iPhone, Android Phones, Mp3 Players and other personal audio items usually shipping with a pair of these, we all end up with at least one favorite pair.  They are the bane of our existence, and  there have been many attempts at taming these cords.  Just take a look below at the mess I usually pull out of my bag. Once I pull these out of my bag, I usually spend the next few minutes untangling them so I can use them.  Well now I, and you — if you…


Monster and Viacom Announce Monster DNA Audio

As we have discussed numerous time recently, headphones have become fashion statements as much as they are audio. But that is the point- for headphones to stand out they need to have both the sound and the style. Too often it seems style becomes the focus and thee audio is almost an afterthought. That surely won’t be the case with the new headphones coming out of a joint venture between Monster, “the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance headphones and electronic accessories”, and Viacom, “home to the world’s premier entertainment brands”. Yes, these headphones promise to offer great audio quality on…


I-Mego Throne Gold Headphones Review

For anyone who reads any of my posts, you know I love me some headphones. Music and podcasts play a huge part in my life and I usually do not like to burden others with what I am listening to. I am probably not an audiophile, but I prefer my audio to be high quality. I have bought and reviewed many earbuds in the past few years and loved many of them, but for some reason I have never owned a pair of over the ear headphones. Many of my athletes have gone to this style of headphones in the…


The RHA MA350 Noise Isolating Aluminium Earphones Review

We’ve looked at numerous headphones over the past months; many are priced rather high. In fact, with headphones now serving as a fashion statement as often as they are a music accessory, it is not uncommon for them to run $150, $200 or more. So when RHA reached out and offered us a pair of their $35 MA350 Noise Isolating Aluminium Earphones we figured we would take them for a spin. After all, with students now returning to school, inexpensive headphones that won’t break the bank, let alone bring you to tears when they get lost, just might be in…


Harman Kardon Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones Review

Harman Kardon recently released their first line of headphones. The company has a long history of offering quality audio components and has now taken their experience and applied it to the burgeoning headphone market. As we recently brought word, their headphone line runs from in-ear to on-ear to over-ear styles. They were kind enough to send a pair of their BT Bluetooth over-ear headphones for review. Let’s take a look. As we note in the video review, the packaging is impressive. The company clearly gave a great deal of thought to the entire experience when someone purchases the headphones and…


I-MEGO’s Signature Headphones Bring Powerful Audio and Artistic Edge to Modern Music Lovers

For many of us, headphones have become such a huge part of our everyday experience. They are now far more than simply a way to listen to media. On top of listening to music and podcasts on the go (or when your spouse is asleep next to you), headphones have become a way to express our personal style. My students and athletes sport headphones in many colors and styles; each of them truly reflecting that individual’s personality. In fact, I often think the appearance, not the audio quality, of the headphones is the reason they choose one pair over another….


New Line of Harman Kardon Headphones “Bring Superior Sound, Comfort and Audio Innovation”

In Harman Kardon’s new line of headphones “modern design meets sophisticated acoustic performance”. And while we cannot vouch for the sound (yet!), the look and specs of the lineup are impressive. The collection includes a pair of in-ear headphones that cost under $100 and a soon-to-be-released pair of  noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones at the top of the pricing structure. Here’s a rundown of the collection. At the low-end of the pricing structure are the in-ear NI headphones. At just $99.95 these headphones feature 9mm drivers. Ultra-light for comfort, the headphones have a rectangular black housing that is “shaped like the back…


Able Planet PS400B Stereo Headphones Review

I tend to prefer in-ear buds over on-ear or over-the-ear headphones. To me they just seem more… comfortable, at least when I am wearing them for an extended time. Still, there are times when I do like the on-ear or over-ear style, especially when the headphones sound good and are comfortable to wear. Most of the time, though, the headphones that have those qualities are rather pricey. Not so with Abel Planet’s new PS400B headphones. These over-the-ear cans have a detachable cable, come with a decent carry bag, are quite comfortable and, best of all, they sound good. Surprisingly, they…


Coming Soon from Able Planet, the PS400B Over-the-Ear Headphones

Able Planet will have a new pair of headphones on the market shortly. The PS400B may not look all that impressive… but they are. The sound is excellent, the degree of comfort they offer is quite high and the price… well let’s just say that the MSRP on these will surprise you. They have made quality, over-the-ear cans accessible to just about everyone. Here’s what the company has to say about them, Able Planet’s first stereo headphone, the PS400B is a premium stereo headphone that comes with Able Planet’s patented LINX Audio, an in-wire volume control for easy adjustment to…