Recent Headphone Reviews

If you are constantly boosting the bass on your music and you tend to listen at moderately loud volumes, you might not need to look any further than the I-MEGO Throne Gold headphones. With up to 15dB of bass boost built in to the headphone design, these are phones custom-tailored for those that can't get enough bass. With an in-line mic and control, the I-MEGO Throne Gold have nearly all the bells and whistles. They are some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever tested and they have a unique style that is certain to turn heads.

It's hard to fault a $30 pair of headphones on much of anything. If they work, they are pretty much worth the money. The id America Metropolitan headphones come in a wide variety of colors to suit just about any style or mood. They have an in-line control and mic for use with your smartphone. They have decent bass extension and are very light and comfortable. Will more money get you better sound? Of course. But isn't that always the case? We think these would make great headphones for active people or kids that don't want to put out a lot of money but want a fully featured headphone.

Sonically, the Phiaton PS 210 BTNC stands up to many headphones of the same price that don't have noise cancelling and Bluetooth 3.0. The half in-ear design is very unique and should help keep the headphones in place for most people. The noise cancelling works nearly as well as the others I've tested and the wireless connection doesn't depreciate audio quality significantly. With the ability to bypass the wireless if the battery dies, the Phiaton PS 210 BTNC are easily the most flexible earphones I've tested. With very good audio quality, a full suite of features, and a unique design, the Phiaton PS 210 BTNC headphones definitely get my recommendation.

The RHA MA350 headphones have, for me, redefined the $40 price point. With an all aluminum construction, 10mm driver, braided fabric-covered cable, and a compact and light-weight design, RHA thought about everything. While I found them too bass-heavy for my liking, they really don't have any downsides sonically. If you are on the market for a $40 earbud, these should definitely be on your list.

The proof is in the pudding, so to speak, and while the Mikros 90s look great on paper, we're still unsure how they sound. At $300, they are in a very popular "entry-level high-end" bracket. At this price point, the MartinLogan name will certainly turn heads but those heads will have discerning ears. If MartinLogan wants the Mikros 90 reference on-ear headphones to be successful, they really will have to live up to the famous MartinLogan sound. They certainly can't promise that the Mikros 90s are like "having your own private MartinLogan listening room wherever you go" and not deliver at this price point.

The California Headphones Silverado headphones definitely have a style we like. The retro styling, die-cast metal and leather construction, titanium driver, and removable cable and folding design all are ticks in the plus column. But we are always wary of products that are tuned for a specific type of music. It is an easy way for manufacturers to blame your content instead of their product if you find you don't like their offering. At $225.95 a pair, we don't think it is too much to ask that a set of cans be appropriate for all types of music and not just rock, country, and alternative. For our money, the $99.95 Laredo headphones with a similar (if less high-end) design and musical focus might be a better bet.

We don't know what they sound like, we're not exactly sure of the pricing, but we are sure of one thing - the new Monster DNA headphones are going to be a hit. With a partnership with Viacom for placement at the MTV Video Music Awards plus a commitment for much more, these headphones are designed to encourage music sharing, music community, and social awareness. All we care about is how they sound. Hopefully, when these headphones are done saving music and the world, they'll still have time to sound good. We'll let you know when (if) we get a pair in for review.

It's not hard to see the appeal of the Arctic P402 On-Ear Headphones. For $40, you are getting a very impressive sonic performance. While you won't be taking these to the gym anytime soon (at least, not if you want them to stay on), they're perfect for listening to music while working or commuting. They are comfortable if a bit loose on the head which may, over time, become problematic. Chances are, however, for $40, you aren't going to care. If you are looking for accurate sound at an incredible price, the Arctic P402 Headphones should be on your list. At this price, why not give them a shot?

When you've got something good, don't mess with it seems to be how Klipsch is approaching their Image ONE headphones. While the drivers and performance haven't changed from the previous model, the Image ONE II offering is easier to transport and overall it looks better. Add to that a Bluetooth version for wireless or wired connection, and you've got everything a consumer might need in a headphone.

We are really into headphones lately. Perhaps it's because Tom Andry (our resident fiction author and AV Rant guru) has been reviewing headphones like a madman of late. Or maybe it's because we do a lot of headphone listening - particularly when we travel. Klipsch just announced the launch of the Image X7i, the company’s first-ever ceramic headphone. Ceramic is an unusual material for a headphone, but there is a lot here that makes sense. Aside from the uniqueness of the design, the Image X7i's ceramic composition is durable and lightweight. durability. The X7i headphone also uses Klipsch's new flat cabling that is both strong and, possibly more important to consumers, tangle-resistant. The Image X7i also includes a three-button remote that is inline with the cable and houses a directional mic. For Apple users, this means you can make and receive calls with the on-board mic, and then transition to controlling your music.

The RBH EP1 noise reducing in-ear headphones are about the best sounding I’ve heard from this category of product. Their oversized 13mm drivers produced excellent bass response and were able to play cleanly at much louder than safe listening levels. Their overall tonal characteristics seemed to be pretty well balanced though the midrange was a tad thin at times depending on source material. Anyone looking for respectably good performance from a pair of portable earphones would be remiss not to check these babies out. Portability, good fidelity, comfortable to wear; all backed by the legendary RBH name shipped to your door direct for $149. Recommended is about all I have left to say.

If you are a frequent traveler, noise canceling headphones are either a thing you own or a thing you covet. Fanny Wang Headphone Co. has recently come on the scene with high end headphones that are targeted at the discerning consumer. The Fanny Wang Series 3000 headphones are a very nice sounding set of cans that feature not only a Pass Through mode for use when the batteries die but also Noise Canceling and Noise Canceling with Bass Boost. Part of that $300 you are spending on them went into the noise canceling but not all of it. While it didn't hold up to dedicated headphones in the same price bracket, it did well against some highly regarded, but cheaper, sets. When you add in that you'd likely be using them in noisy environments, that they are comfortable enough to wear all day, and that they included everything you'll need to enjoy these at home or on the road (including 1/4" and airline adapters), and you can see the value.

Koss wants to revolutionize how we listen to music with its new STRIVA wi-fi headphones. The STRIVA Pro headphones connect directly to the Internet, no mediating devices or boxes to limit your range. It's the ultimate cordless freedom, tens of thousands of Internet radio stations are waiting to be explored through STRIVA's elegant and easy-to-use (but not so easy to setup) interface. You can also opt to listen to your own music collection using the wireless Content Access Point (CAP) device that connects you to any source with an analog output. Koss promises headphones that aren't just about new high-tech features, these sealed headphones are custom tuned with that familiar Koss-headphone sound.

The Moshi Audio Vortex Pro earbuds aren't without their issues, but in the end, they are a serious upgrade in sound quality from any of the stock earbuds and are certainly worth the asking price. They have a ton of bass, a forgiving top end, and don't care what bitrate you used when encoding your music. If you are wondering what you get when you spend $150 on a pair of earbuds, you get the sort of sound quality that makes you wonder why everything else you own sounds so bad. With a standout design and a "look at me" aesthetic, people will definitely notice your earbuds. And if you just spent that sort of money on a pair of in-ear headphones, that's definitely what you want.