As we all know, audio quality is only as good as your weakest component. Whether it's my newest CD, my
Tablet PC, or my
Roland Keyboard, it matters that I have headphones that will present the sound in the cleanest and richest possible tones. Unfortunately, I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on a top of the line set of headphones.
When I bought my
Keyboard, I decided it was time to buy a decent pair of headphones. Before this, I used whatever came with my personal CD player. These, of course, were of remarkably low quality, both in the structure and in the sound. I read some reviews and did some research. Without being able to try them in a store, I took the plunge and ordered a pair of these earphones.
What You Get for the Money -
The package contains the earphones, an adapter to get you from 1/8" stereo to 1/4" stereo (a must for most instrument outputs), a carrying/protecting bag, and a parts diagram. The adapter screws onto your 1/8" end, providing a solid mechanical connection as well as great contact for the sound.
The Sound-
When I plugged these in for the first time, I was absolutely blown away. I listened to song after song of my music, hearing things I had never heard before. The headphones bring out such a richness of sound. With a large frequency response and evenly balanced and separated sounds, I was awestruck with what I had been missing. Suddenly, good songs were great, bad songs were better, and Roy Orbison didn't make me want to put something sharp in my ears... almost.
The difference this made with
keyboard playback was unmistakable. The first time my wife heard me play my
keyboard, I insisted she listen on the headphones while I listened on the muddy bass amp I have. If I had never heard my
keyboard on decent headphones, I never would have appreciated its amazing sound. Like I said, sound is only as good as its weakest link. Without high quality headphones, much of the quality of the devices and songs I was hearing was lost.
The same has been true with CD players, iPods, and my
tablet. On my old earphones, I couldn't even tell a difference between an MP3 and an uncompressed format. With these earphones, I miss the fullness of uncompressed music. The same is true of games - the realism of FPS's is enhanced by the crisp sounds.
The Lack of Sound -
One of my major complaints about headphones is that I could never listen to music on airplanes. At the time, I made several airplane trips a year, and missed being able to listen to my tunes. The problem? The roar of the engines always overpowered what I was trying to listen to. Even at full volume (ear-splitting in most situations), I could barely hear it well enough to know what key the music was in, much less appreciate the sound! The headphones are much better. They do not have active noise cancellation like some more expensive models, but they are ear-encompassing, and the foam does a great job of isolating the listener from ambient noise. And it works both ways! You can listen to music at a reasonable volume without your neighbors being able to hum along. You'll both appreciate it! I have started bringing these headphones to work every day. Sometimes I listen to music. Other times, I just wear them to dull the nearby chatter. This brings me to the next point...
Comfort -
Comfort is always going to be unique to the wearer, but for my shape and sensitivity, the comfort of these headphones is superb. The size adjusts easily, with slight grooves to help hold the set in place once adjusted. The head strap is wide and well-padded and the ear chamber is generous. I can wear these for hours without pain, whereas most earphones tend to make my ears ache after a while.
Quality and Craftsmanship -
I've had these headphones for nearly 4 years now. What I have been most impressed with is the fact that the spiral cable has completely maintained its spiral! I was sure I'd have it stretched out and ridiculously long within a couple weeks, but it's as springy as day one! Also, the wiring has maintained its integrity, and I get no buzz or popping in the signal. The only part that is starting to wear is the cover on the foam. The black foam cover began to peel away from the speaker cover after about 2 years. By now, both sides have completely come free. However, this is ONLY on the inside, which seemed to be pressed or glued. The outside is stitched and is still in place. The foam is still in perfect shape, so the black cover still stretches around and completely covers the outer and side faces. There's just a gap between the end of the foam cover and the actual speaker. At first, I was worried the foam would get dirty, disintegrate, or come loose, but I haven't had that happen at all! You can't even see the problem while wearing them. I don't even notice anymore. What matters about the headphones (that is, the sound quality) is as spectacular as the day the set arrived.
Portability -
The headphones fold up to take up as little space as possible. They end up just larger than two normal fists. I could never fit them inside a carrying case for a Portable CD player, but they slid easily into backpacks or laptop bags. Each person has their own requirements for portability, but I'd never trade away this quality for something I could stick in my pocket.
Alternate Styles -
As a note, I much prefer this style of headphones to the alternatives. For one, I like the feeling more than the on-ear, ear bud, or in-ear phones. In-ear is capable of providing the same (or better) passive noise cancellation, but I find it more difficult to get a balanced sound and comfortable fit, especially for extended periods. I've always had trouble with ear buds falling out or hurting, and on-ear phones provide very little passive ambient noise protection.
Overall -
I am SO pleased with these headphones. If I stepped on them tomorrow and destroyed them, I'd go right out and... wait... I'd beg my wife to let me go right out and buy another pair.
Sam Ash
