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It’s not often that I review headphones as most of the models I’ve heard aren’t much to write home about. However, upon speaking with Ivy Scull of HeadRoom, she sold me with a pretty convincing…
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Themed products aren't typically my thing, but the new True Blood-branded headphones from V-Moda just... well, they caught my eye. They have a great look, good feel, and even better sound. Rock on.
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Recently Reviewed
The Pioneer SE-MJ591 Stereo Headphones are, hands down, the best sounding earphones I've ever had the pleasure of testing. The imaging is phenomenal and rivals my experiences with $20k a pair electrostatic speakers. The sound quality is rich and vibrant and, if you are anything like me, you'll start rediscovering your music collection. They are designed for both critical listening and portability, making them perfect for multiple applications. While they'll reveal all the flaws in your poorly recorded/encoded music, they'll also reveal all the beauty in the high-quality recordings. I didn't find them very comfortable to wear, though you may feel differently. At $300, these aren't inexpensive headphones but, if you care about sound quality, you'll likely feel it is money well spent.
Are the Sonomax PSC-250 Sculpted eers the best ear-buds I've tested? Yes. By far. Of course, that's a short list right now. But even when comparing them with my full sized Denon AH-D1000 and Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones, the Sonomax come out on top. They may not have the flattest frequency response, but they have a very full and rich sound and is a joy to experience. The molded earpieces means that you've got a set of earbuds that are tailored just for you and, paired with the earhooks, will take an act of extreme violence to get them off your head. If you are looking for high-end audio even when working out, check out the Sonomax PSC-250 Sculpted eers. You won't be disappointed.
The thing to remember about the Sony XBA-1iP in-ear headphones is that they are half the price of either of the reference models. Their comfort level was good, though I never forgot I was wearing them. The bass response was more than adequate and the midrange, while not as rich as the reference models, was still very good. Sitting at my desk, I'd prefer one of my other headphones. But outside, or when I might be expecting a call, the Sony XBA-1iP in-ear headphones are a fine choice. At $100 MSRP (likely less in the store), they are almost an impulse buy. At this price, they are a very nice second pair at a reasonable price. Recommended!
Bose Bluetooth headset Series 2 Preview
Mark Johnson
— last modified March 29, 2012 06:19
I know you've been waiting for it. For years you've been sitting on your couch, at the office desk, and in your vehicle waiting... hoping... possibly even begging for Bose to come out with a new Bluetooth headset. From the company who brought you the cubed speaker... and then cut the size in half, comes the most impressively ambiguously impressive (did I say that twice?) Bluetooth earphone, the aptly-named Bose Bluetooth headset Series 2. It's so impressive that Bose capitalized every letter in the product release headline except "headset". That's because it is so wonderful, so marvelous, you'll forget it's a headset. You'll think it's the way God should have invented your ears.
Sonomax Technologies came out with an incredibly compelling product last year - the Sculpted eer line of in-ear headphones. What made them unique was that they came with a system to let you get a custom-formed earphone made to fit your ears perfectly. The system literally injected silicone into the earbuds, filling them so that they conformed to your ear canal and made a perfect fit for comfort and best frequency response. We tried out their PCS-200 Premium Dual-Driver earphones and used the included SonoFit system to conform them to our test subject's ears.
You know what's fun? Going to an intimate live outdoor concert and then listening to the live CD afterwards. It was fresh in my mind - and putting on the ms01's I was quickly impressed by how accurately the sound closely resembled what I had heard. This was especially made possible since the artist, Tom Conlon, uses the same RE20 mic for recording as well as his live performances. The ms01's were voiced by Aaron Fournier, who is the CEO of thinksound, but also an audio engineer. And he involved several Grammy winning musicians and producers in the process, which is pretty cool. The goal was to design a truly full-range studio in-ear monitor. After listening to a variety of music, we'd have to say they really pulled it off, and without the hassle of some of the more finicky in-ear phones that require precised placement. The ms01's were easy to throw in and you immediately got crisp clear highs and percussive bass that felt, at times, as if I had a tiny kick drum in my ears.
Of course, the thing that caught your attention was the "wooden" part of the title. We were hoping for petrified-wood cone drivers but alas, it is only the outer coverings. For the ATH-W3000ANV, Audio-Technica has decided that their commemorative 50th anniversary logo could only placed on strikingly beautiful, traditional Japanese Echizen lacquer-finished Hokkaido Asada cherry heartwood. The Audio-Technica ATH-W3000ANV employ large 53 mm aperture drivers featuring specially built 2-part magnetic circuits that produce high speed magnetic streams plus "numerous additional refinements" which were not specified.
Klipsch Group, Inc. (KGI), the parent company behind Klipsch, Energy, Mirage and Jamo declared war today, in the form of legal action, against 23 Chinese manufacturers selling counterfeit Klipsch Image S4 and Klipsch Image S4i headphones under the Klipsch brand name. On December 16, 2011, the company received an order from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York allowing the suspension of service to domains and sellers on trade boards selling counterfeit Klipsch headphones. In addition, the order allows for restraint on funds in the payment processing and bank accounts of those selling the counterfeit products.
Moshi Audio Clarus Premium Earphones Review
Andrew Gash
— last modified February 03, 2012 20:44
Moshi Audio's Clarus earphones were rather different than anything we'd seen before, even the company's other products, like their Moonrock and Vortex earphones. Even the packaging is premium. If you ask us, packaging doesn't matter - I'm not going to "listen" to the box. But it does speak, hopefully, to the attention to detail Moshi puts into its products. Even the included leathery case has a hard foam liner and integrated rubber cord wrap - of course, if it would just fit in my pocket it'd be perfect. You gotta wonder, though, if they take that much time on the box, what are they putting into the headphone tech?
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