http://www.audioholics.comWhere audio and video equipment undergoes rigorous objective and subjective tests by our staff, ensuring that marketing slogans aren't the only guidelines for your home theater choices.Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:26:39 -0000http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/altec-lansing-backbeat-pro-earphonesAltec Lansing has been known as a manufacturer of both pro audio and consumer audio loudspeakers and equipment for many years. Purchased by Plantronics in 2005, Altec Lansing's pro line develops such products as powered speakers, ceiling speakers and full-range speakers. Their consumer line, under which fall their Backbeat line of earphones, includes comprehensive line of headphones, computer speakers and home audio products. We were interested to see that they extended their Backbeat line of earphones to include a new “Pro” line that promises musician-quality earphones that will satisfy professionals and consumers alike. I know a lot of musicians – many of whom aren't even deaf yet – so I set out at once to see if these earphones were a marked improvement and worth their $99 asking price.Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:26:39 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/altec-lansing-backbeat-pro-earphonesHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/psyko-audio-labs-5-1-gaming-headphonesThe other gadget we're into is the Psyko 5.1 gaming headphones, which 'won' the best design and engineering award for headphones. The headsets come with a 5.1 surround sound and promise to have zero latency, since they come without the crap digital processing that usually gets in the way of easy listening.According to the manufacturer, these also come with precision directional audio that realistically positions a player within the audio space of a game. This means it could allow a player to react faster to a nearby blown shell in a shooting game and hear it a moment before another player. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:30:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/psyko-audio-labs-5-1-gaming-headphonesHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/sleek-audio-sa6-custom-fitted-earphonesWant custom fitted earphones? Sleek Audio offered more than products this year at CES. Guests and members of the media had the opportunity to fill their ears with silicone as impressions were made for custom, wireless compatible earphones. Sleek Audio specialists demonstrated their SA6 acoustically customizable earphone at the show as well as took ear impressions for those interested in seeing what the combination of hearing aid science and loudspeaker technology sounds like with the Sleek Customs.Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:35:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/sleek-audio-sa6-custom-fitted-earphonesHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/monsters-the-beats-by-dr-dre-headphonesThe Beats by Dr. Dre headphones from Monster claim to be designed for today's digital music. And you know that product with Grammy Award- winning artist and producer Dr. Dre should handle Hip Hop and R&B with aplomb. These headphones make a statement with their styling, features, and Monster price tag. Are they worth it?Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:12:03 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/monsters-the-beats-by-dr-dre-headphonesHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/denon-ah-nc-732The Denon AH-NC732 noise canceling headphones join a crowded category of products that frequent flyers are finding they cannot live without. It seems that only a few years ago your only choice for active noise canceling headphones was from the four-letter marketing machine, and you were paying top dollar for a mediocre product and lots of advertising. Denon took it's time entering the fray, but they have delivered some strong competition with the introduction of the AH-NC732 headphones.Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:57:57 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/denon-ah-nc-732HeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/denon-ah-c551k-in-ear-headphones-reviewThe Denon AH-C551K represents the middle of the pack of Denon's recently introduced line of in-ear headphones. Denon brings their reputation for high fidelity to the table with these in-ears that feature an 11 mm Nedodymium magnet driver that provides fantastic bass response. While they sound great, the fit will depend on how well you tolerate earbud-type headphones. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:17:37 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/denon-ah-c551k-in-ear-headphones-reviewHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/creative-aurvana-live-headphones-reviewThe Creative Aurvana Live! headphones are designed for people who are looking for a comfortable and full ranged headphone that is priced right. They are lightweight and are equally suited for your two-channel rig at home or your iPod, as long as you don't mind a big set of traditional cans on your ears. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:40:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/creative-aurvana-live-headphones-reviewHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/klipsch-image-earphones-reviewThe Klipsch Image earphones are proported to be the "world's smallest high performance earphones," and there is no doubt that they are unlike anything I have seen. I remember seeing them at CEDIA last year and thinking that they would probably be yet another overpriced, mediocre sounding earbud for the iPod. Recently Klipsch sent me a pair and I have been using the Image earphones for a couple of months now, and I am pleased to tell you that I had it all wrong.Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:45:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/klipsch-image-earphones-reviewHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/creative-aurvana-x-fiCreative recently sent me their Aurvana X-Fi noise-canceling headphones to evaluate, and after a few flights and some time to listen to them, I can tell you that they worthy contenders if you are considering taking the plunge. The Aurvana X-Fi is a great product that accomplishes it's intended purpose. The noise-canceling technology works well, and the X-Fi processing improves most recordings. The Creative Aurvana X-Fi headphones are a huge sonic improvement over earbuds, even without the noise-canceling or X-Fi effects. But, you pay a price. These are heavy, full-sized headphones. Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:14:42 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/creative-aurvana-x-fiHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/d-jays-earphonesThe Jays line of earphones consists of the j-JAYS, an entry level model at $49.99 MSRP, the d-JAYS in the middle of the line, and the q-JAYS at $179 MSRP. The Jays line-up also offers the BlueStreamer stereo Bluetooth adapter and the m-Jays, which is designed to allow for use of aftermarket headphones with mp3-capable cell phone devices. Packaging is nice but not ostentatious. Fit-and-finish seems top rate.Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:06:25 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/d-jays-earphonesHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/tales-from-the-road-volume-iIn this column, on a more-or-less monthly basis, I’ll focus my attention on headphones, portable player accessories, and most importantly content. Each column will feature an in-depth, subjective review of a piece of gear, a “teaser” for the following month’s hardware, and an exploration of the various music, songs, words, pictures and podcasts available so readily (and often for free) from the great experiment known as the Internet. In this monthly dose of my tales from the Road, I review the Shure E4c earbuds, the Airhead headphone amplifier and Gigabag all courtesy of our friends at www.Headphone.com.Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/tales-from-the-road-volume-iHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/denon-ah-d1000-headphone-reviewNothing is worse than having an “epiphany” type moment with a particular song/album just to have your significant other ask you to turn it down. It is times like these that you simply MUST have a good set of cans. Denon is trying to break into this very competitive market with a new group of cans that range in price from $150 to $700. The AH-D1000’s are an “on ear” (supra-aural) model that is priced right for someone that wants quality but doesn’t have unlimited funds. At $150, they definitely are above the impulse buy price range and elevate the purchase to one of “bang for buck”. Tue, 24 Apr 2007 10:27:51 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/denon-ah-d1000-headphone-reviewHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/sennheiser-hd-600-headphone-reviewIt’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 argument about the sonic joys of a quality set of cans (headphones that is). I asked her to send me a reference performance headphone system that is also comfortable to wear. I found the Sennheiser HD 600’s to be a truly amazing set of cans. They sounded great with virtually anything I attached to them, but reached their full potential with the best electronics unlike any other headphones I have listened too. Their comfort was of equal measure to their sonic performance which in my experience is a rare balance to find in headphones. Sennheiser’s unprecedented reputation for headphone excellence is well warranted and secure. Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:57:08 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/sennheiser-hd-600-headphone-reviewHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/jabra-c820sThe name Jabra has become synonymous with Bluetooth earpieces for wireless phones. I have owned several and, in fact, I am currently using the BT250. I have come to expect quality products from Jabra, so I was very excited to find out about their new C820s corded stereo headphones. The C820s include Jabra's Active Noise Cancellation technology powered by a single AAA battery in an over-the-ear style stereo headphone. Over the years, I have traveled quite a bit, and have always been interested in noise canceling headphones, but price always kept me away. Spending upwards of $350 on a pair of headphones from you-know-who was something I could never bring myself to do.Sat, 27 Jan 2007 22:19:09 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/jabra-c820sHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/bang-olufsen-earset-2Bang & Olufsen has been synonymous with high design and contemporary aesthetics for years. It seems the minute they come out with a new product; it shows up in a movie or TV show (I think they use a Bang & Olufsen phone on the show Deal or No Deal). Their products seem to have that je ne sais quoi that just oozes style. But you pay for that style. Visiting a B1 store can be an eye opening and wallet empting experience. My visit to the B&O headquarters in Denmark showed that they do put a lot of thought and engineering into each of their products. Bluetooth headsets are becoming more and more popular. Most of them look remarkably similar – like half a tongue depressor sticking out of your ear. The EarSet 2 looks completely different. While I am a believer that looking different is a good thing, performance is what really matters.Fri, 15 Dec 2006 05:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/bang-olufsen-earset-2HeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/bluetooth-headphones-anycom-bsh-100If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time on the computer while also being anchored to a nearby cell phone. With the advent of 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, wires and PCs are now officially mutual enemies. So what’s the typical office worker to do when trying to “decouple” oneself from all the cabling which tethers you to your desk? Well, for one, get a pair of wireless headphones… and a Bluetooth phone. Now make sure the headphones work on both at the same time. What? That’s right, just like the new automobile Bluetooth systems can interrupt audio playback for incoming cell phone calls, the ANYCOM BSH-100 headset can suspend audio from the PC for an incoming phone call.Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/bluetooth-headphones-anycom-bsh-100HeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/logitech-wireless-headphones-for-pcWe made a commitment some time back to introduce a series of reviews on various headphones and accessories. While we haven’t yet opened up “Headphonaholics” we have started down the road of evaluating basic headphone designs and listening to a number of units to determine what it is that makes a pair of headphones – in this case wireless headphones – effective and good performers. The Logitech Wireless Headphones for PC (kind of like calling your dog “Dog” isn’t it?) appeared to be exactly the sort of item we wanted to evaluate for those looking for a convenient way to listen to music, unencumbered, while at their PC. MP3 listening and gaming have exploded in the past several years and I haven’t met too many people who like to be encumbered by wires – at least not at their PCs. The question on my mind, of course, was whether the wireless systems would perform in a manner that would make them a good value in comparison to their wired counterparts. Possibly more important, however (and more appropriate) is how they fare against other wireless options in the marketplace.Thu, 18 May 2006 00:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/logitech-wireless-headphones-for-pcHeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/ltb-audio-ac3amp5-1While I was taking a little sabbatical from the monotony of full scale home theater equipment reviews and waiting for construction completion of the new Audioholics Showcase Home, I figured it was time to review more practical down to earth devices. I’m talking about devices that can provide you with the experience of surround sound without filling the room with equipment or thinning your wallet. Enter LTB Audio’s AC3Amp5.1 headphone kit. This portable device comes with a full fledged 5.1 speaker array integrated into what appears to be a conventional headphone system connected to an outboard preamp with Dolby Digital decoding built in. Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/ltb-audio-ac3amp5-1HeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/ultrasone-proline-750It was high time Audioholics picked up the ball and did some headphone reviews, so we contacted a few manufacturers and selected some products based on price and specifications that we thought would represent a more mainstream target for price-to-performance. Ultrasone’s $399 PROline 750 headphones seemed to fit the bill and we quickly arranged for a pair to be sent to us.Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/ultrasone-proline-750HeadphonesSpeakershttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/headphones/bluetake-i-phono-bt420exWhen I think of wireless headphones several words come to mind: Convenience. Comfort. Hands-free (and care-free) operation. These are the things a wireless set of headphones must achieve to satisfy those who would consider replacing their hard-wired counterparts. Let's face it, wires work, so to replace a traditional format with a wireless one means that the new technology has to integrate in a way that results in a step up - a greater user experience. Then again, we are talking no wires, and that alone might be cool enough to make anyone consider jumping ship to the world of cordless musical goodness.Thu, 03 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0000/reviews/speakers/headphones/bluetake-i-phono-bt420exHeadphonesSpeakers