Does the price justify the sound?

It has to be said from the outset that Bose has only "just" stepped into this market segment of headphones (2002) without having previous experience in it but it must be said that the TriPort headphones are a good, although not perfect attempt. (Other Bose Headphones include their consumer based QuietComfort 1 and 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones and the Professional Headset X.)

Having been on holidays just recently, I took the opportunity to go to a Bose Store to try out some of the Bose products that were there. One of the products was the TriPort headphones which is what I will be reviewing here.

The TriPort Headphones are so named due to the three holes (or ports) on each earcup. These are said to vent the ear cups at certain frequencies to improve the lower frequency responses (bass) and creating a seemingly larger air capacity for the sound to be produced in and thus able to do that.

The ports work well but not astonishingly in 'enlarging' the earcup air capacity and giving bass response but the sound was clear (although this is due to the insulation pad around the ear cup). I still think the ports are a bit gimmicky though.

I found the TriPorts to be one of the most comfortable headphones I tried on for a long time. Not only did I not have to worry about them slipping off but the just fit so comfortably around the ears due to the soft material which has just enough support, and also acts as insulation to background noise.

In terms of portability, the TriPorts are a bit bulky compared to the earbud headphones, but the TriPorts definitely have superior sound to most if not all of them. The Headphones also come with a soft drawstring carry bag which it can be stowed and carried around in, while keeping it clean which is very useful.

Durability of the TriPorts are a alright as long as you treat them with care. I spoke with the manager of the Bose Store about this point and he informed me about many people complaining about the lack of durability of the headphones headband as they have snapped. In most of the cases, they were broken by careless treatment rather than the build quality of the headphones. The headphones do look a bit flimsy but don't let that deter you from considering it.

In the end, if you are looking for decent pair of headphones at a relatively 'decent' price which has good sound quality and comfort then the TriPorts are for you otherwise keep looking. But it must be said that you will be quite hard put to find a pair of headphones that are as good as the TriPorts.