Headphones

Hublot and Monster Announce Inspiration Hublot, a Luxury Headphones Collaboration

As if the Monster Inspiration headphones I reviewed last fall (and still use regularly) weren’t already something special, the new collaboration between Hublot and Monster promises to blow them out of the water. Hublot, the luxury watchmaker, has teamed with Monster to “combine the very best in high fidelity audio with the finest watchmaking craftsmanship and materials” to create Inspiration Hublot — a luxury noise cancelling headphone that offers an “unprecedented music listening and lifestyle experience.” The new Inspiration Hublot over-ear headphones will have a brushed aluminum finish, a premium rubber headband, a leather headband, and carbon fiber earcups with leather…

Reviews

Phiaton PS 210 BTNC Noise Canceling Headphones Review

I had the opportunity to look at a number of different headphones from Phiaton in recent months. The first pair of Phiaton headphones I reviewed were the Phiaton’s PS 20 BT Stereo Headset. (Read the review.) These wireless bluetooth headphones were incredibly comfortable and sounded great. I found the control module to be a bit awkward. It’s round and the buttons were rather difficult to access times. I also didn’t love the fact that you couldn’t use your own earbuds but, thankfully, the earbuds that came with the PS 20 BT Stereo Headset were comfortable and sounded great. Here’s what I…

News & Features

White Tuxedo Monster DNA Headphones Review

In the realm of headphones the quip, “It’s better to look good than to feel good” might well be rendered as “It’s better to look good than to sound good.”. In both cases, the statement is obviously nonsense. Just ask anyone with chronic inflammatory arthritis… it doesn’t matter a bit what you look like if you feel awful. Similarly if headphones looks great but don’t sound good, then they really aren’t worth a thing. That was, honestly, my concern when we were asked to review and then give away a pair of the White Tuxedo Monster DNA headphones that…

Reviews

AKG K391 NC Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

In an ever-more crowded market filled with noise cancelling headphones, it can be a challenge to find the right balance of noise cancellation, comfort and audio quality. I was so impressed with the sound and comfort of the AKG K551 over-the-Ear headphones I reviewed recently (read the review), that I wanted to check out a pair of their noise cancelling offerings. They were kind enough to send a pair of the AKG K391 Noise Cancelling Headphones for review, and my first impressions are excellent. The AKG K391 NC Noise Cancelling Headphones have an MSRP of $249.99, but they are widely…

Reviews

RHA SA950i Wired Headphones Review

Hey everyone, listen up! See what I did there? Anyway, corny jokes aside, these headphones pump some serious tunes. The $60 RHA SA950i is a set of wired on-ear headphones that also include an in-line remote and microphone on the fabric braided cable. The Glasgow-based company has found a great balance between price point and sound quality with this set. The RHA SA950i wired headphones boast professional grade 40mm titanium coated mylar drivers, adjustable headband with padding, along with a detachable cable with in-line remote and microphone. These headphones deliver excellent sound quality through the 40mm titanium coated mylar speakers. …

News & Features

Jabra Revo Wired Headphones Review

Jabra has finally released their Jabra Music line of headphones. As the company explains, the headphones combine “state-of-the-art design with excellence in sound quality and ultimate durability”. I am loving the $249.99 Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones, and they have been going everywhere with me. The sound, durability, comfort and overall execution of the wireless headphones is a home run. Now, however, the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones have some competition in the form of the Jabra Revo Wired Headphones. The Jabra Revo Wired Headphones are the corded version of the line, and they come in at $50 less. Is the savings of…

Reviews

Jabra Vox Earbuds Review

Last week we reviewed Jabra’s new Revo Wireless Headphones. (Read the review.) These on-the-ear headphones are comfortable, durable and sound terrific. Jabra is also releasing a corded version of the Revo headphones as well as the upcoming Jabra Vox in-ear corded earphones. For those who prefer headphones that sit in your ear rather than on or around them, the Jabra Vox earbuds may be a terrific option. Let’s take a closer look. The Jabra Vox earbuds come in a yellow and black box, which presents the Jabra Vox earbuds in a nice, albeit not terribly high-end, manner. Inside the box…

Reviews

Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones Review

I offered a first look at the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones last week. We now have a firm price and shipping date- they will be available starting March 25th and will cost $249- so I wanted to offer up a more complete look at these rather pricey headphones. I covered a good bit of the initial ground in my ‘First Look’ post (read it) so I’ll try not to be redundant. As I noted, the headphones are being positioned, in part, as wireless headphones designed for use in the real world. As such Jabra tested them to make sure the…

Reviews

Zagg ZR-SIX Earbuds Review – Promising Awesome Sound for Under $60

If they’re not the best sounding earbuds you’ve experienced… we’ll give you your money back. That’s what Zagg says on the product page for theIR ZR-SIX earbuds. It is a bold claim to make under any conditions, but considering the ZR-SIX earbuds are under $60 it is actually a remarkable claim; I am left wondering if the claim can hold up in real-world use. Are Zagg’s new ZR-SIX earbuds “the best sounding earbuds I’ve experienced? Read on to find out. Inside the box you’ll find the ZR-SIX earbuds, two additional sets of ear cups, and a nice zippered protective case. I…

Reviews

Munitio Nines Earphones Review

Earphones, headphones, buds…it seems like I am in a constant search to find a great audio option to be used with my devices. I love trying them all out and experiencing the slight detail differences in the bass, highs and mids. Earphones come in all different shapes and colors, but rarely would I call them truly unique. I recently had the opportunity to try out some Nines by Munitio, and can now say I have some unique earphones. Will the sound quality match the cool design? Let’s take a look. Munitio Nines are definitely unique in that they look like…

Reviews

AKG K551 Over-the-Ear Headphone Review

Last summer I had the opportunity to review a pair of over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones from Harman Kardon. (Read the review.) I came away incredibly impressed by the sound, the build quality and the comfort. Judie read my review and was also impressed. She asked if she could try them out; I sent them to Texas, and they haven’t been seen since. 🙂 We were both impressed by just about every aspect of Harman Kardon’s Bluetooth (BT) over-ear stereo headphones. It turns out that Harmon Kardon is just one of the brands under which Harman offers headphones and other audio accessories….

Events, Reviews

Munitio SV Mobile Performance Earphones Review

If earphones don’t sound good, I’m not interested. If earphones sound good but aren’t comfortable, I’m not interested. And if earphones sound good and are comfortable but don’t offer any style, I’m not interested either. Yes, my time here at Gear Diary has turned me into a bit of an earphone and headphone snob. I want it all and, thanks to the exploding headphone market, I can have it. When Judie and I passed by the Munitio table during CES their current and upcoming earphone and headphone offerings caught our eye. The Munitio Nines look like 9mm shells. They really…

Editorials, Events

Attack of the CES Booth Bimbos

My apologies for the rather sexist title of this post. I tried to find something more “PC” but could not come up with anything that was even close in its accuracy when trying to describe the situation we ran into time and time again during CES 2013. As is so often the case at trade shows, there were numerous attractive women in scantily clad outfits showing off the latest gear. In fact, in some cases, referring to them as “scantily clad” would be an overstatement. For example, on the first morning the show floor was open, I happened to pass…

Reviews

Plantronics Blackwire C720 Headset Review

I’m always impressed by Plantronics headphone offerings. Time and again they are able to combine excellent functionality with comfort; they even mix in a bit of style in the process. The Plantronics Voyager Legend is an amazing headset, and you can read our review here. We have a review of the UC (Unified Communications) version coming soon. Plantronics doesn’t just do Bluetooth headsets of course. They have a long history of offering wired headsets for use with phone systems and computers. Their new Blackwire C720 headset falls into that category but takes things to an entirely new level by combining…

Events, News & Features, Outdoors

yurbuds Focus Limited Edition Earbuds Look Great, Sound Great and Stay in Place

We’ve been fans of yurbuds earbuds since first seeing them at CES 2011. The earbuds have a special design that lets you wear them comfortably for extended periods and, thanks to their unusual design, the earbuds stay in place even when you are doing flips off the wall. Case in point… The company has once again upped their game. The Focus Limited Edition ($99.99) and Inspire Limited Edition ($99.99) step up the fashion aspect of the earbuds by switching to a sharp black/red color. The result is a line that looks sleeker than ever. Yes, sport earphones can now be…

News & Features

Griffin Expands Their Audio Lineup at CES

It is always exciting to see what new gear is on the horizon during CES. One of my favorite categories is audio accessories. Whether it is new ways to create audio and music or new ways to consume it, there is always something fun and interesting being released. Griffin always has a fresh lineup of interesting devices that promise to spice up anyone’s audio gear bag. Their latest releases include a way to create music on the go and some awesome new headphones. With StudioConnect the audio in and out is simple: Audio In – Plug instrument in through a mono…

Events, News & Features

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…

Reviews

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…

Reviews

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,…

Reviews, Travel

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…

Reviews

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…

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