Recent Headphone Reviews

The Heir Audio IEM 8.0 in-ear headphones, the latest concoction in Heir’s universal series, has aroused the interests of many audiophiles across the globe. There is no doubt that with a colossal 8 drivers per earpiece and an affinity for a strikingly beautiful design, these IEMs truly combine the best of audio reproduction and aesthetics alike. So with a price tag of $999 is this release a justified one? Read on to find out.

The Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphones are the first foray into the headphone market from the company that has already taken the DVD and Blu-ray market by storm. The PM-1s surprised us in their ability to play cleanly and clearly with any device or source material. They were light enough for long listening sessions and forgiving of poorly recorded or encoded material. For $1,100, they aren't cheap but they are very, very good. These are reference level headphones. Check out our recently added YouTube video review and comparison of the Oppo PM-1 and PM-2s.

The Alpine Headphones come from the company that brought you all the head units you coveted for your car back in your high school days. They have an interesting design which is notable in their lack of branding (or Left/Right labels). Alpine's tag line is "Feel your music," one that seems to better fit a subwoofer rather than a set of cans. So what are they talking about? Their "TKR3 Full Frequency Immersion Technology" of course. Still not sure? Well, check out the review to find out more about it and how these headphones surprised us in more than one way.

The XTZ Headphone Divine wireless headphones look to be an interesting offering. While we are always a bit wary of Kickstarters, this one has already more than doubled its initial goal. With Dirac DSP onboard, we expect that these headphones will sound as good as possible. The hassle of having to use the dedicated app might turn some people off, but if the sound is good enough for the $100 asking price, it might be worth it to others. Read on to find out the full feature set of the XTZ Headphone Divine.

At a glance, RBH's EP-SB wireless in-ear headphones have a lot going for them. Priced at $179, they bring Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, NFC pairing, and up to six hours of continuous talk / listening time. More importantly, if they share any DNA with RBH's EP1s, they'll bring excellent sound quality to the table as well. The EP-SBs will come with a two year warranty, and should be available for purchase this November.

The DD Audio DXB-03 on-ear headphones represent a very good value at their $150/pair sold direct from their website. Their construction quality is excellent and the wood grain dressing really adds a touch of class to the product. Bass is the forte of the DXB-03’s which is no surprise from a company that specializes in car audio boom. The DXB-03’s will play at ungodly loud listening levels with very little input power and they will do it cleanly with plenty of bottom end and top end sizzle. If you’re looking for a rugged, beautifully crafted affordable set of headphones with integrated microphone capability, then the DXB-03’s should be on your shortlist.

The HiFiMAN HE-560 planar magnetic headphones promise all the performance of the other HiFiMAN headphones in a package that is a fraction of the weight of the other offerings. At just under 14 ounces, it is less than a third the weight of the other HiFiMAN headphones. The HE-560s have newly designed singled ended planar magnetic drivers, a new headband with beveled earcups, and an easy to drive design. We're sure these will be just as popular as the other HiFiMAN offerings.

If you like V-Moda headphones but you wanted something more compact and formfitting, the on-ear XS headphones should excite you. With design features such as customizable back plates on the earcups and a dedication to eliminating plastic and circles, the XS headphones fit right in with the other offerings in the V-Moda line. At just over $200, the V-Moda XS headphones aren't cheap, but they are certainly more affordable than some other V-Moda offerings.

The Denon AH-C50 and AH-C120 in-ear headphones may tick all the right boxes for in-ear monitors, but they are much more than that. Yes, they have in-line controls and mics. Yes, they sport quality materials and workmanship. And yes, they are certainly affordable ($49 and $99 respectively). But what got our attention is that they are part of the Music Maniac line of headphones. Focused on audio quality over boom and sizzle, the Music Mania line speaks to what we love about music - hearing it the way it was recorded. We can't wait to see how these new headphones are received by the public.

OPPO's new PM-1 headphones seem to be the natural follow on to their recently announced HA-1 headphone amplifier. Priced at $1099, these aren't exactly low budget cans. However, the PM-1 isn't exactly your average headphone, boasting a high tech planar magnetic driver, not to mention high end materials. Suffice it to say, given OPPO's history, we have high expectations. Curious to know what else OPPO has up their sleeves? Click to keep reading.

Feenix has promised a studio quality headphone for gamers with their Aria headphones. While they've ticked all the right boxes as far as components are concerned, quality components don't necessarily mean that a pair of headphones will sound great. From a feature standpoint, they seem well rounded, though there is no mention of the cable length. For those that game at their PC, or for standard listening duties, a normal cable is fine. But for those that game in their living room, a longer cable is a must. You can pre-order the Aria headphones from Feenix for $349. We're curious to see how these are received when they ship.

MuseMini UberBuds are Bluetooth in-ear monitors sporting the newest Bluetooth 4.0 spec. This new Low Power Bluetooth allows them to operate for up to 8 hours on a 2 hour charge. The UberBuds were not without their problems, but, in the end, they sounded pretty good. With a lack of bass bloat and a generally flat frequency response, they may not be reference headphones, but they certainly may be reference Bluetooth headphones. With a rubber fin for stabilization in your ear, three different tips, a short cable to hook behind your neck, and in-line controls, the UberBuds help you cut the cord. It can pair with up to 8 devices and 2 simultaneously. Definitely worth a listen if you are on the market for Bluetooth in-ear monitors.

In the world of on-ear headphones, few can actually be called comfortable. The KEF M500 headphones are the only ones I've ever encountered that were as comfortable, and in some cases more comfortable, than over-ear headphones. For some, that would be enough to justify taking a closer look at these little beauties. Add the fantastic build quality, superior performance to other headphones in the same price bracket, and great noise isolation, and KEF has a winning package with the M500s. I won't say these are some of the best sounding and most comfortable headphones in the on-ear category, I'll say they are some of the best and most comfortable in any category! Highly recommended!

JBL's new Bluetooth headphones have everything you'd expect from wireless headphone plus a little more. The relatively low $99 price point of the in-ear JBL J46BT will attract more than a few consumers. The external lights, capacitive control, NFC pairing, long battery life, and wired and wireless functionality of the Synchros S400BT will attract some buyers while, perhaps, causing more than a few to look elsewhere. Honestly, it is all about how the external lights work. If they are tastefully done, they could be pretty cool. If they are gaudy, you can bet a lot of people with $300 to spend will look elsewhere.