JVC HAFX1X Headphone Xtreme-Xplosivs

JVC HAFX1X Headphone Xtreme-Xplosivs..

Buy JVC HAFX1X Headphone Xtreme-Xplosivs By JVC

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571 of 609 people found the following review helpful.
Ear bud bake-off
By Peter
As my wife and 'tween-ager are virtual Bermuda Triangles for ear buds, they eventually lose/break all theirs and subsequently borrow mine with the same outcome. Thus I recently found I needed to buy three new sets of ear buds at once. I bought three different sets off Amazon, all having decent reviews: JVC HAFX67R, JVC Xtreme Xplosives, and JLab Audio JBuds J2. Today I sat down to compare them all side-by-side. In the interim, a fairly new set of Apple buds resurfaced, so I had four sets for the bake-off. Caveats: First I am 40-something, with a few too many years of loud music, so I decidedly do NOT have audiophile ears. Second, I tested these right out of the package. Many reviews discuss the need to break in a set of drivers, so this could skew the results. Third, all of them sounded pretty good. I would have been satisfied with any of the new ones, so any negative remarks are for comparison's sake. Note, I tested the buds with an Apple Nano gen4, with music I favor, specifically acoustic/folk and hard rock, in both cases somewhat "busy", having a wide range of frequencies going in the mix. I have a strong preference for drivers that provide good presence and clarity in mid-range, and producing clear overtones without being too bright or tinny.

Results: Fourth place, Apple buds. These sounded somewhat muffled vs. the clarity of the others, and they are really uncomfortable and fall out easily when positioned for best sound. Third place, JLab Audio JBuds J2. Very comfortable fit, with good sound isolation and solid bass, but still sounded somewhat muffled vs. the other two new sets. Close second place, JVC Xtreme Xplosives. Again great fit with good sound isolation. As advertised, these offer very pronounced bass, exaggerated even. Surprisingly, this is accomplished without any sense of booming/crashing, and they still provide very good presence and clarity. Also, to my surprise, the Xtreme Xplosives seemed substantially more sensitive (i.e. louder) than all the others for the same volume setting. In the end, I thought these sounded slightly muffled compared to the winner. However this subtle difference is likely an artifact of the specifics of my own ear and taste, and could change after the drivers are broken in. I originally picked the Xtreme Xplosives out for my wife, who favors urban and R&B music having heavier bass than my stuff, and I think these will be absolutely perfect. First place (for me): JVC HAFX67R. Bottom line, these just sounded significantly better than all the others to me, based on my preferences. Good bass, and very rich presence and clarity. They do a great job with intimate acoustic music and busy hard rock, and I couldn't detect much if any distortion with them turned up quite loud. So, this is the set I'm keeping for myself -- at least until the girls come along and swipe them again.

Final thought: So JVC wins on sound quality. However, I've owned several pair of the (cheaper) JVC Micro HD buds, and really enjoyed them right up to the moment when a channel stopped working -- far sooner than I expected. So I will be watching closely to see how long these JVC buds last, a possible Achilles heel for the JVC products...

164 of 179 people found the following review helpful.
Absolutely Stunning... But Highs are Loud!
By Justin W.
Analytical Review of Xtreme Xplosives In Ear (JVC HA-FX1X)

I bought this item for $20.46, plus $4.95 as shipping (making it a total of around 25 dollars). Shipping was two days late, but it was totally worth it! Let me clarify:

Comfort: 8/10
These headphones look very bulky in the picture--and truth is, they are. The large earpiece protrudes out of the ear a bit, and might look a bit weird. My main gripe is that you cannot sleep with these comfortably! The black earpiece that sticks out pushes against my pillow, which makes it come out of my ear. This does not matter THAT much to me, because I actually bought these to replace my old ones. For standard use, like sitting in a chair, these are phenomenal. They are extremely light and fit comfortably, without producing the strange ear pressure that other in-ears do. Overall, the comfort is very good and above average for in-ears.

Build Quality: 9.5/10
Admit it--in the picture, these headphones look bad *ss. They look extremely rugged, and from what I've felt they are. The cord is very thick for earphones. All of the black parts are rubber, and the "extreme bass port" is lined with metal (or silver plastic). The rubber strip that covers the bass port feels extremely rigid (not what I expect from rubber). So I am assuming that the rubber is similar to a car tire. Since the cable is relatively thick, these should tangle less than your standard iPod touch headphones. There is no slider at the Y-Joint, so you can't hold the ends together. I never used this anyways. Also, the cable seems to have relatively low memory: this means that if it is held in a small roll, it will not keep its bent shape.

Sound Quality: 8/10
Of course, everyone wants to read about the sound. The sound is actually very good for the price that it flaunts. Listening to the HAFX1X is quite a guilty pleasure--it spews gobs of bass, and that's pretty much what it's good for. The low end is definitely emphasized, so the separation of the instruments is not very clear. The mids pack a very solid punch, and sometimes end up being mixed with the lower end. The major problem with the FX1X is that the high notes are very shrill. It's not noticeable if you listen at low volume. With about 40 hours of burn-in, the highs no longer sound piercing, and the bass becomes smoother. Additionally, the volume is probably 3 times louder than normal headphones. The cabling is very good, and slight bumps and scratches towards the cable would not produce many microphonics.

CON: The headphone requires some burn in, maybe about 40 hours. The highs are a bit painful when out of the box, but they even out after a while using it. It's not that the highs are painful, but they are louder than the lows/mids. To remedy this, you lower your volume a bit.

Extra Carrying Case: 5/10
Though not that practical, the carrying case looks very cool. The plastic is a bit thin, but not too much. It's embedded with the XX logo, which is totally awesome. As for aesthetics, the case is sick. Apart from that, it's not very useful, except for carrying the spare earpieces. The case is very small--which means that in order to fit the headphones in, you have to curl them into a very small roll. Very cool though.

Overall:
+Great Bass
+Fun and Cool Case
+Loud
+Clear Sound Quality
+Rugged Design
+Very Comfortable
+Cool looking
-Can't use while sleeping
-A bit big
-Highs are a bit painful/piercing. Requires burn-in.

8/10! Great Buy!

200 of 231 people found the following review helpful.
Nothing can possibly sound better
By Richard Bidermanis
These things are... I don't think words can describe the clarity, sound, and the power these things are capable of.

First, let me start with design. Although it looks a bit too bulky, they actually are not. They are also very comfortable, and don't annoy your ears when they're in there for a long time. The cord itself is good; it feels tough and I don't think it will fall apart any time soon.

In terms of sound, these are definitely the "bassiest" headphones out there. I listen to trance, techno, pop, etc. The bass is absolutely overwhelming. Definitely sound like an explosion in your ears (but a pleasant one, at worst). Believe me when I say this (and other reviewers confirm it too), they can easily rival $100+ dollar headphones. Those Dr. Dre's, are nothing but a label for the price. These earphones prove that, in fact, companies like JVC can create equal quality.

Speaking of how well they capture sound, I would say it's all subjective. I personally love it. It hits all the right spots. They have a great frequency response. That's all you need to know. If they respond, that means you'll hear it. People who are audiophiles may say they drown out highs, or mix mids and lows... naah. Absolutely not true. Why do people like Bose if they suck? Well, it's because people like to follow band-wagons and all of that nonsense. Same goes for these.

Highly, highly, recommended. You won't regret buying these. Definitely will buy another pair if something happens to these ones. Absolutely marvelous.

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Iwoo Sports Wireless Bluetooth Headset Headphone Earphone for Cell Phone Iphone Laptop Pc(red)

Iwoo Sports Wireless Bluetooth Headset Headphone Earphone for Cell Phone Iphone Laptop Pc(red)..

Grab Now Iwoo Sports Wireless Bluetooth Headset Headphone Earphone for Cell Phone Iphone Laptop Pc(red) By Masione

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45 of 47 people found the following review helpful.
Great Value!!!
By Andrew Arnold
This is the first Bluetooth headset I've owned. It's a no name brand from China so I didn't expect much. The instructions included are fairly useless, but I really had no trouble with the set up. I'm no audiophile so I can't speak to the quality of the sound because I use it when I'm walking for audiobooks, plus I've got a little bit of a tin ear. But it sounds clean and clear to me- no interference at all. When I got it, I was on my way for a walk, so I figured I'd try it out right away- no charging first. It lasted through the whole half hour walk. When I got home I charged it, and within a half hour it completed the charge. (I don't know how long the charge will last, if need be I'll update the review). As the title suggests, it's a great value- you'll pay this much for a regular set of wired headphones (Which I hate like Wile E. Coyote hates the Road Runner). So I'm very happy with the purchase.

BATTERY CHARGE UPDATE- I use these headphones for about 30 minutes every day and the charge lasted about 2 weeks before it needed a recharge. When the battery is low, you'll begin hearing 4 quick beeps every 15 seconds and then after a few minutes, it will shut off. Also, I forgot to mention that I'm a 'big and tall' guy so the back of my neck looks like a package of hot dogs, and I would describe the fit of the headset as snug. It's not too tight but almost, so if you're not a Heavy Chevy like me, they will probably fit perfectly comfortably.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful.
First impression was disappointment, once I got it working, I am happy.
By msn yin yang
Received the headset and was eager to try it out. Looks sharp with the red and black styling. First fit was good for my small neck and ear buds sat comfortably in my ear. The red plastic covering the back of the neck was loose on one side. Tried to push it back but it did not stay. It wasn't a snap joi nt but it needed to be glued in place. No big deal. Will do that if I decide to keep it.

Unfortunately I will have to wait for some instructions before I can review the sound quality and pairing capabilities. I could not truth this unit on. There is one pin hole marked with on/off below it. Tried the usual paper clip method but can't feel any clicks and given the fragility of the product, I dare not pushed too hard. Waiting for others to comment on how to turn this unit on and off. If unable to do that, it is going back.

Update:
Vendor replied with options to return or replace it but I got it figured out and now testing the unit before final decision.

Do not stick anything into the pin hole. It is not a switch but the LED. What's mark as on/off is really the status led.

The instruction in the back of the packaging refers to a Bluetooth key, that's the play button or the center button. Hold that for about 5s to turn it on. This is also the talk and hang up button.

To pair, press the play button and hold it until it alternates between blue and red for paring, this can only be done from the off state.

To turn it off, Press the play button until you see it flash red. Let go of the play button.

To turn it on, press he play button until you see a blue light, let go of the button.

To answer or hang up, press the play button.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
affordable bluetooth headphones
By Michael
simple to use
works well
light wieght
last a few days off of a charge
fits fairly comfortably on most heads

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Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone - Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling

Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone - Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling..

Grab Now Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone - Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling By Kinivo

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545 of 562 people found the following review helpful.
Keeping it real review
By James Nicholas Harper
Okay for starters I was looking for a Bluetooth headset that I could use at the gym, and ehh basically whenever I needed one. I did quite a bit of research, and then saw the decent reviews on this set. I figured it would be a good entry level device to establish my wants for such a set, and if it totally sucked I'd only be out $30. I'll start this review with the goods, and then move to the bads.

GOODS:

Range: One of the most important things to me was reception. I didn't want something that would break up or act crazy if I was using this thing and put my phone in my pocket or otherwise. This guy is a beast at range. I am currently streaming Pandora on my PC, and to test the range I walked outside my second floor apartment, and went down to my truck in the parking lot (easily 60 feet away). I expected it to break up about half way, but it stayed crystal till I reached my vehicle. 60 ft. meets my needs fine.

Bluetooth Pairing: It is cake. I don't know what else to say. If you can figure out how to order this headset online, you can figure out how to pair it. So far I've only paired it with my Droid phone, and PC (Windows 7), but it pairs like anything else. There is a multifunction button that you hold down while the host device is searching, and Bam, it pairs. One thing to note is that it will only pair with one device at a time, but really? Big deal.

Volume and Sound Quality: I had to put this in the Pros category. This set gets as loud as I would want 90% of the time. Matter of fact, I've had to turn it down a few times. One thing that helps it out is the fact that it blocks out quite a bit of outside noise... I mean really. Now for actual sound quality. The quality I have found has been at the least pleasing. Don't expect these guys to sound like a $300 cord headset because they don't, but if your just a regular person that wants to jam while they work out, these are more than enough. I was gonna make a separate category for call quality but I'll mention it here. During calls I was afraid that either I wouldn't be able to hear, or the other person wouldn't be able to hear me. Nope, phone calls are actually quite good. During my first call, I asked the other person, "Can you hear me ok?," they replied "Yes Sir, I can hear you perfectly." Nuff said.

Comfort: This set is comfortable enough. To be honest I feel like I could likely wear them all day and feel no discomfort. The portion that goes around the back of your neck will grab a high collar jacket and such, but its no big deal. While laying down to bench press or crunch, it is no issue whatsoever. There is really no pinching, or discomfort otherwise, so yeah, good. Oh yeah, on a side note, I generally run quite a ways after my workout and I cant imagine sweat ever being an issue with these.

Now the Bad:

Appearance: I will not lie. These things protrude quite a ways from the sides of your ears. I mean yeah, a ways. If you are looking for a set that will make you look supercool, these won't. Personally, I don't care what I look like while 'getting my swole on' so whatever.

A Strange Rattle: I was running the other day and noticed between songs a strange rattle sound (only audible between songs). I couldn't wait till the run was over to investigate. After I had finished running I found that the rattle was from the Navigation controls that have Skip, Volume, etc. Honestly now that I know where the rattle comes from, I don't much mind it. It is only noticeable while between music selections so... whatever.

Summary: If you are looking for a Bluetooth headset that will deliver the goods without breaking the bank, I would start here. Thanks for reading.

409 of 430 people found the following review helpful.
Pretty solid, great value
By Andrew Craig
What I like:
- Affordable
- Easy to pair
- Decent sound quality
- Folding makes them less likely to break while transporting them
- Nice on the ear cushioning

What I don't like:
- They don't quite fit flush with my ears. The gap tends to leak all of the bass out. If these fit tighter, the sound would be much better
- The volume and track controls rattle a little when moving your head
- Cannot turn off the blinking blue light
- Sometimes the sound quality will be really bad and I'll have to disconnect and reconnect. This does fix the issue though
- A little bit of skipping when I'm at work, but I do work in a room full of servers and electronics and such and there is probably a ton of interference
- Charging cord is only like 18 inches long and doesn't come with a plug in adapter

Overall, a good value.

444 of 480 people found the following review helpful.
I never leave home without them!
By Derek Rowe
First of all Ive owned several pair of headphones in the past. Starting with the 2 pairs of Motorola HT820, 2 of the Motorola 305, and before this pair, the Arctic Sound p311. Ill tell you right now the Arctic Sound is the exact same pair as these Kinivo. Just different colors. Thats not a bad thing at all because I loved the Arctic Sound, except they died before a year was up after heavy usage. Just saying if you are trying to decide between these and the Arctic, Id choose whatever was cheaper. I got these for $19.99 when the Arctic were $30. Again the Arctic lasted about 10 months, but I wore them daily on my mail route which is 4 or 5 hrs easily, plus to the gym. They sound great and the best thing about them is the battery life. It claims 8 hours, but I guarantee you will get 12 hours per charge easy. Maybe more. The Motorola 305 will get 6 hours battery life. I had to charge them every night. The Kinivo I can skip a day or 2. The only thing I wish they would fix, and this covers all manufactures of Bluetooth headphones, is the warning tone when the battery is low. I ran these down on purpose and it gives off 3 tones every 30 seconds when the battery gets low. Problem with that is the warning tones lasted for almost an hour. Thats another hour I could have enjoyed my headphones without being interrupted with tones every 30 seconds. Its so annoying and I dont know why companies dont make a warning when there's 10 or 15 minutes left, or spread them 10 or 15 minutes a part at least. Its like playing Zelda when Links heart level goes below 3 and beeps constantly. That should have been fixed on Zelda 2 for the NES. Other than that the only small gripe I have is I cant fast forward or rewind with these on an iPhone, only skip to the next or previous track. I could with the Motorola 305. Its not a big deal, just a minor thing. The ear pads are comfy and didnt come off like my Motorola 305s did. I ended up super gluing them back on and making a mess using too much glue. The range is great. 30 feet. All in all I gave these phones a 5. They arent perfect, but a pair this great for $20.00 should not be passed up. $30.00 is a steal also if the price jumps back up.

UPDATE!!!! Great news, which pertains more to the Arctic Sound earphones i purchased 10 months ago, and said were no longer working. I plugged them up yesterday to test the charge once more before I tossed them out. They charged for an hour, and Ive been using them since with no problem. My only guess is maybe I got them wet with my sweat or out in the rain on my mail route. Either way now i have two great pair of head phones now. So again just buy which ever is cheaper at the moment and you wont be disappointing. I also recommend the Monster Clarity HD Portable Bluetooth speakers. I just purchased those on sale for $63.00. They are amazing!!

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Powerbeats by Dr. Dre In-Ear Headphone (Black)

Powerbeats by Dr. Dre In-Ear Headphone (Black)..

Grab Now Powerbeats by Dr. Dre In-Ear Headphone (Black) By Beats

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481 of 511 people found the following review helpful.
Please read before you buy!
By Chris Ace
I received these back in 10/26 so it's been almost 2 months. I watched many reviews on YouTube before making this purchase and I was lucky to be one of the first people to pick these up.

Packaging: 5 stars
Can't go wrong here, Monster does a great job on packaging (and I'm a sucker for good packaging). I love the box, and plastic zipper case.

Sound: 3.5 stars
It's good, not great. I expected more. I owned my fair share of head phones. From the Bang and Olufson A8, the V-Moda Vibe, Klipsch S4, and the Apple In-Ear headphones. I'd say it hits all levels at a decent range. There wasn't as much bass as I'd hoped (and I tried all 3 fittings). There is bass if you jam it up in your ear, but it will slip out with some running. Even at it's best, the bass still isn't that great. Does it sound as crisp as the Bang and Olufsen? No, does it have better bass than the V-Moda Vibe, No. Does it have a good mid range like the Klipsch S4? No. Does it suck? No. it's a fairly okay headphones that should be prices at about $100, not $150.

Application: 3 stars
It definitely stays on once its on. I've been running with these and they don't come off. They are fairly comfortable but it can strain your ears after about 2-3 hours. (everyone's ears are different)
I really, really wanted to like these headphones (this is my first pair of Dr. Dre anything). The cord is nice, it doesn't tangle that much and the extension cord is a plus. So here's the bad, I ride a motorcycle and I usually wear headphones and listen to music. Over the ear headphones just don't work with helmets (at least mine didn't) It was easy to put on the helmet but removing it was the problem. Another thing I noticed while working out at the gym, the buttons on the control talk are so easy to press. They are a little too sensitive. You can be jogging moderately and all of a sudden, your music stops. The distance from the left ear phone to the control talk is about 6 inches. So this means the control talk rests somewhere around your neck area. While doing heavy weight lifting, like squats or decline press, your neck caves in and presses the control talk button on accident. It would be nice if the control talk was a little lower (maybe 2 more inches). It would be nice if the head jack had an elbow application, I can already foresee that the wires will stretch and bend-- and it will be only a matter of time before it rips. So...Awesome that it stays on, but crappy that the control talk buttons get pressed so easily.

Build Quality: 1 star
It's been about 2 months and I use these about 4 times a week at the gym and just today, the control talk just broke. It completely split into 3 pieces while walking to the gym! You'd think after spending $150 you'd have a pretty good build quality, I guess not. Like I said, I REALLY wanted to like these things, and for the most part, I did. It's just til now that it broke.

Customer Service: 0 stars
I will follow up with this review once I contact customer service later on today. They better replace my headphones-- this is ridiculous.

Update** 12/14/10 11:20AM PST
I've attempted to contact customer service for the 5th time only to be hung up on or placed on hold again. Monster has the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE. I've already filed a complaint with BBB. Hope that your headphones don't break or are defective so you don't have to deal with what I just did. Everytime I call, I am placed on hold for half an hour when someone picks up, doesn't say anything and either hangs up, or places me back on hold. What kind of business is this??! Who does that?!? I lowered my rating of the product from 3 stars to 1 stars because of this horrible customer service.

Either hire qualified CSR or terminate the existing ones who don't want to work!

Update*** 1/4/11
Finally received a replacement from Monster after formally submitting a complaint through BBB. Hopefully these headphones won't fall apart again.

101 of 111 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent option for active people.
By L. Mastrangelo
If you want the typical "sound isolation" ear seal you get with the other Beats Buds- these are not for you. These will not seal in your ear; they're not supposed to. Anyone who does high to medium impact athletics knows that a sealed ear bud is going to thump in your ear with every step. I never hear anyone talk about that but that drives me crazy.

So that is one reason I really like these. You still get a great sound but they rest on your ear canals, not in them. If you are running you can still hear something coming up behind you or a horn honk but otherwise you can get lost in your music. For running, these are replacing my Bose ear buds with microphone for my iPhone. The overall sound is a bit better from the perspective that I get a clearer distinction between highs and lows. On the Bose I get a lot of bass but a muffled effect on everything else. These Beats are much crisper to me. They remind me of the Bang and Olufsen earphones.

The earhooks have a bendable wire in them so they can be adjusted for comfort and fit. There are three sets of rubber "buds" that come with them (S, M, L). I think this is far less important as like I said, they rest "on" your ear canal. The medium rubber buds came on them and I've tried these and the larger ones. The larger ones cover more of the entrance to your ear canal so they let in less ambient noise. I have the noise isolating "Beats Tour" as well and there is one thing on them I wish these had: the flat rubber wires. They don't tangle at all. These come with standard wires or cables but with a slightly thicker casing than normal wires so they are stronger than normal for accidental yanks or pulls during workouts. There is also a common clip you can affix on the wire/cable to attach it to your clothing to keep it from pulling on your ears. They seem to hold up well during sweaty workouts and stay well placed in my ears.

These also have what Dr. Dre and Monster call "Control Talk". I believe this was specifically designed for iPhone as it has a microphone for voice calls, and a controller off the left side for up and down volume, start and stop, and song advancement. It works well. I have heard some hiss during voice calls but I'm not 100% sure that it is tied to this headset.

It comes with a really nice case molded specifically for these earphones that zip around a protective shell. (See the pictures I uploaded) There is also a cable extension for when you need more room.

74 of 83 people found the following review helpful.
The Perfect Workout Headphones
By LilMommy227
I have no idea why there are low ratings for this product. If you are looking for an in-ear bud that will stay put while you run, lift, do jumping jacks, etc these are perfect. If you are also looking for a pair that plays your music at high musical quality (as Beats is known for) these are perfect. In addition, if you are looking for a control switch that allows you to adjust volume and change or pause the track on your playlist without having to stop your workout and pull out your MP3 player, these are perfect. The cord is durable, the ear cuffs are adjustable and in my opinion, they're the best pair of workout headphones I've ever had. It confuses me why someone would want such noise-canceling sound while working out. These do a great job for that to a degree, but when I am at the gym or alone in the house, I'd rather be able to be aware of my surroundings; so I think Powerbeats is a great medium. These are my workout headphones, and that is their only purpose. I invested in a pair of Beats Studio headphones which give the professional studio quality, noise-canceling sound that people are searching for. In my opinion, you will not find a 'one pair-fits all situation' type headphones in any brand or design. I wouldn't want to wear my sweaty workout pair when i'm just relaxing to music anyway. I've had these since December 2012 and I workout 5-7times a week and have had no issues thus far. Hope this helps someone, because I almost didn't buy these because of the things others were saying, but I'm glad I did!

UPDATE: It is now nearing the end of February 2014 and I still use the same exact pair of Powerbeats as workout headphones that I spoke of in this review. To this day, I have still experienced no issues and am honestly completely satisfied with my purchase. As an athlete, in the past I just became accustomed to replacing headphones every 6-8months for their lack of quality & longevity. I still maintain a 5-7 day/week workout regimen, that includes 3-mile high intensity interval sprints which can really jar around any electronic devices hanging off your body, but my headphones stay put. I also didn't realize back then that I like the mic feature on these headphones. Unfortunately, my iPod has died and I am currently using my iPhone as my MP3 player, so I do get the occasional interruption during my workout. But the positive is, that I don't have to pull out my phone to answer or talk to my caller, I can just hit the control switch to answer and hang up when I'm finished, and the music will resume afterward. On the other hand, I still have to pull out my phone if I am screening calls and would rather ignore someone than stop my workout. But, c'mon, can we really ask a pair of headphones to screen our calls for us too? Hope this review has helped at least one person.

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Beats Solo HD On-Ear Headphone (Drenched in Black)

Beats Solo HD On-Ear Headphone (Drenched in Black)..

Grab Now Beats Solo HD On-Ear Headphone (Drenched in Black) By Beats

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90 of 111 people found the following review helpful.
Are they really worth the money?
By cheese
Now i have to say they do look very cool. They are very stylish. But to be honest the sound and quality is not very good. They are made of plastic. It looks like they would they wouldn't last very long unless you took very good care of them. Ill give them that they are actually pretty comfortable. Now when you put them on you'll hear that it has some great bass. But the bass doesn't sound like its supposed to, it muds out the mids and highs. Dr dre intended these earphones to be used for rap and hip hop. Now i suppose if you don't care for sound quality and all you care is for the swag then go ahead and buy them. But they really aren't worth that much money.
I have some vmodas, and to be honest they have way better bass and more bass than beats. They are the all around the best bass head headphones you can get. They have way better highs and mids and are practically indestructible. They are better in every way (except for looks, but they do look pretty cool tho). They are even better than beats studios and are only about 150 dollars.
Now i know you want to get the beats because all your friends have them, but the truth is that you can get a lot more quality for your money. If you do decide to buy them tho i suggest you get the beats pros instead and that you buy them from craiglist so you can pay what they are actually worth.

33 of 42 people found the following review helpful.
It's...okay.
By M. Nguyen
I didn't purchase this. My father won it in a drawing and then gave it to me. So I'll try to stay relative as much as possible as if someone I know paid money for it.

Style: Looks rather sleek and simple. Color scheme is well done in my opinion.

Feel: Confusing experience. Band itself has a bit of a rubber/plastic/polymer composite feel. Cushions on the ears looks like cheap leather on close inspection, but actually feels pretty good even after several hours of usage. Head padding at the peak of the band feels like it'll wear out sooner rather than later.

Build: Cable is detachable with an inline mic with volume control. Three feet in length, which is fine since its mostly for MP3 players/phones. If you have a large head, you'll have to extend the headphones. When you do, there will be WIRES EXPOSED on the inside part of the metal. Very sad considering the retail price of this thing. The headphones overall will collapse for portability, but it's metal pins latching onto plastic bezels, so folding it on a regular basis seems like a bad idea in the long run.

Sound: Have $40 Sennheisers that has similar sound qualities to these, but with better lows on the bass. This thing also has a problem leaking sound to everyone in the same room on decent leveled volume.

Overall: Despite receiving this as a gift, I still would not recommend at current prices. These goes on sale for ~$100 every now and then from retailers, but even that would be too much for me.

Basically comes down to form vs function. If you have the money to spend on just a name, by all means. If you want your money's worth with the sound quality, then find something else.

They're like Monster cables (Monster manufactured most of these) or Bose. So basically sub-par equipment being popular mainly on mass marketing and appealing looks.

23 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
Good, not Great. Marketing can really hype a product.
By chinee
My brother got a pair of these for my daughter a little while ago, an upgrade from the Soul by Ludacris SL100 set she has. Of course she was happy, she had the headphones that all teens want and these sounded pretty good. Nice bass, smooth sound and of course the look and brand recognition.

Here comes the surprise... 2 weeks later I saw her wearing the Soul headphones, my reaction: Oh No, the Beats got damaged! "Nope." Huh? Nonchalantly she stated "These sound better..." Huh? But the Beats are the cool headphones right? "Yeah... but... I like these better."

I had to try them again myself. She was right. Although the Beats do sound pretty good (to me), the Soul has a nicer sound to it. The Bass seems fuller and the Mids and Highs seem clearer. By themselves, the Beats sound solid, but comparing it directly with another headphone set, the Beats just don't stand up to scrutiny. For kicks and giggles I picked up and compared an old set of Sonys that I had lying around, probably paid $40-$50 for them 3-4 years ago. The Beats definitely gave me better Bass but the Mids and Highs on the Sonys sounded better. That surprised me!

So now my doughter is continuing to wear her one year old Soul headphones (that cost half the price of the Beats) and the Beats are her "back-up set". I may yet convince her to sell it on eBay and put some $$$ in the bank.

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Sennheiser RS 170 Digital Wireless Headphone with Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound

Sennheiser RS 170 Digital Wireless Headphone with Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound..

Buy Sennheiser RS 170 Digital Wireless Headphone with Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound By Sennheiser

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786 of 829 people found the following review helpful.
Pity about the echo ...
By Paul Bishop
I've only had the RS 170 phones for a few days. I had expected to rate them 10 stars because of the excellent crystal-clear sound; but I believe they have a flaw that may render them unacceptable for some people (see CONS, below). I'm giving them 4 stars because they are so good - I should probably rate them either excellent or "not acceptable".
Here is my take - you may not have the same experience or have the same needs or expectations.

TYPES OF WIRELESS HEADPHONES: For those that don't know, there are broadly 3 ways by which wireless headphones receive their signal:

IR (infrared) -- these use a line-of-sight signal and avoid radio interference. They have the disadvantages of short range and reduced mobility (you have to remain within sight of the base station), but they usually do produce a clean sound.

900 MHz -- these are analogue radio headphones. The main disadvantage is susceptibility to hiss and other noise, especially when you move your head or move to another room.

2.4 GHz -- these are digital radio headphones, like the RS 170, and are more likely to be free from hiss and noise.

I bought the RS 170 phones to replace cheap ones I've been using for late-night TV, and which operate on 900 MHz, providing constant hiss, much worse when I move about.
The RS 170 sound brilliant. I've used them for late night TV and movies, and for music (radio and CDs) allowing me to move to other rooms in the house. They're comfortable to wear and I'm sure they'd be great for use on a treadmill or working out. All over my home, and in most of the garden, the sound is crystal clear with no hiss or extraneous noise. Except, that is, for the echo ...

CONS: Having read scores of reviews of wireless headphones, it seems that some people buy them to listen to movies/ music without disturbing other people. For that these phones are brilliant.
But some people buy wireless headphones because they have hearing loss (or just want the clarity that headphones provide) and use them to watch TV while their spouse listens through the TV speakers. The RS 170 phones seem to operate with a slight time shift (delay). If the loudspeakers are also on, albeit at low volume, the effect of the time shift is to produce an ECHO - this is very noticeable with dialogue, and is really annoying.

It might mean that if you listen to movies/ TV, and have the sound coming through the TV speakers as well, the RS 170 phones may not be acceptable.
If you turn the TV speakers down (or "mute") you won't notice the effect, but then no-one else in the room will be able to hear anything unless they have headphones as well.

The RS 170 are of a "closed" design, which means that sound is not supposed to leak out, and in combination with the comfortable ear-pads, they greatly attenuate ambient noise - but they don't eliminate ambient noise completely (they are not "noise-cancelling"). I wrote to SennheiserUSA yesterday morning, and received this prompt response:

"The RS 170 should block out the sound of the TV speakers. Check to
see that you have them on correctly so that there is a nice seal to
block out ambient noise.
Let me know if you have any additional questions."
Eric Palonen
Sennheiser Headphones + Headsets
1 Enterprise Drive
Old Lyme, CT 06371"

It's true that the ear-pad seal does greatly attenuate ambient sound, but it does not eliminate it. The problem is so serious that I cannot use the phones to watch TV if my girlfriend is watching also.
The more expensive model RS 180 is an "open" design - the echo problem is likely to be even worse. The more I think about this, the more I am torn -- if you have hearing loss, you might not notice, or care about, the echo.

OTHER FEATURES:

-- sound: The quality of the sound is better than I'd expected.
Listening to movies, I hear subtle sounds that I can't hear with loudspeakers. I can only describe the sound as crisp and clean with adequate, but not booming, bass.
I listened to some classical music CDs (Elgar) with delicate sounds as well as a full orchestra and timpani. The detail is excellent; even when I walk up my driveway the sound eventually cuts out, but there is no hiss as far as I can tell. My previous headphones were all hiss and crackle as I moved away from the base.

-- price. These are expensive, and may not be discounted for quite some time.

-- buttons. Lots of people criticised the prior design (RS 130/ 140) because the rotating volume control could catch on a pillow and move. The RS 170 has buttons for volume, mode, plus bass and [faux] surround sound. The disadvantage of buttons is that they're hard to find by touch alone. I think a lot of people will wind up taking the phones off to press the buttons. One advantage of the design is that the volume-up button is closest to the front and it doesn't take much practice to find it with your right thumb or finger. The BASS and SURROUND controls can be activated from the base unit.

-- bass. The bass is not intrusive, even with the "bass boost" engaged. Fine for me, but some people like exaggerated bass for rock-N-roll, and they may find the bass to be light.

-- surround sound. It's simlated surround sound, and I haven't used it enough to have an opinion. I think I shall wind up not using it (just like the CNET reviewers who tested the prior model RS 130).

-- charging batteries - yes they need 16 hours for first charge, but it only takes a moment to slip in standard alkaline batteries (just don't leave them in when you put the headset on the charger).

-- connecting - connecting is very easy - I took the time to route the wires through the coiled conduit. Some people will want to connect to a TV set. I connected to an AV receiver (I used "tape monitor out") so I can quickly switch between TV, radio and CD player. I also connected them to my iPod, but somehow that seems like a tautology.

-- range - Sennheiser claim 260 feet range. My house was built to defeat cell phone signals and may not be a good test. They work all over the house and in some of the garden and the driveway, but they do cut out at much less than 260 feet. That may just be a feature of my house. I didn't buy them for extreme range and I'm very satisfied.

In summary I think these phones are great - they so enhance the experience of watching a movie that I'm not sure I want to forgo them when watching movies with my girlfriend. The echo problem may be a deal breaker for some.

129 of 134 people found the following review helpful.
Amazing sound
By Robt W. Eggerichs
First off let me say that I thought long and hard before deciding to spend $280 on headphones. I can't hear as clearly as I once could. Even with the sound turned up, I sometimes have trouble understanding what is being said. My wife has no trouble hearing the TV so we are constantly at odds on how loud to keep the volume. If she is reading a book in another room she is always asking me to turn the TV down. So I decided headphones were more practical and less expensive than a surround sound system that would have provided a speaker close to me. I figured good set of headphones should make the sound more understandable. I plan to use these for TV, DVDs and CDs played through my DVD player.

I did a lot of comparison of brands and models before deciding. Ultimately the key deciding points to my choosing the Sennheiser RS170 were (in order of importance to me): 4-1/2 star rating by consumers, digital audio transmission, closed back on earphones, charging/storage stand, reported performance, number of years this model has been sold, well rated high & mid-range sound, frequency response 18Hz - 21,000 Hz, simulated Surround Sound, ability to add on another headphone set if my wife ever needs a set, quality appearance, battery life up to 24 hours.

Quality: The 4-1/2 star rating on the RS170 on Amazon was the highest rating of all the brands and models of headphones that Amazon sold during March 2012.

Price: I paid $279.95 on Amazon mid March 2012. I looked up the price history of RS170 by googling "price history of RS170" then I clicked on the link to "Sennheiser RS 170 Prices (headphones) - CNET Marketplace" then clicked on "Price History" and found if I would be willing to wait until October - December I could probably buy them for considerable less but I wanted to use them during spring / summer of 2012 so I paid "through the nose" .

Brand: I choose Sennheiser because they seemed like the best value and selection for the money. They also make studio-quality headphones so I figured the wireless models might be engineered well. Most reviewers gave the brand high marks for performance, appearance, durability and use.

Features: I compared the RS170 ($279.95) to the RS160 ($199.95) and the RS180 ($329.95) on Amazon plus I looked at the specs on the Sennheiser website at [...] All three models use 2.4 GHz digital 'Kleer' wireless technology which is reportedly superior to the brands and models that use 900 MHz analog RF technology which is more susceptible to hiss, noise, and interference. I preferred the convenience of having a charging /storage stand that comes with the RS170 and RS180 over the plug-in charging on the RS160. I preferred the closed-back earphone design of the RS160 and RS170 over the open-back design of the RS180 because the open-back design would allow an 'echo effect' from the 'lag-time' sound if my wife had the TV speakers turned up. The RS170 was the only model of the three with selectable simulated Surround Sound and Bass Boost. So the $80 up-charge from the RS160 to the RS170 got me the 'easy charge' cradle and docking station with function indicator LEDs, 1/4 inch and RCA adapters in case I would ever need them in lieu of the 3.5mm jack, up to 200 feet more transmitting distance, 4 dB more Sound Pressure Level (perceived loudness), simulated Surround Sound and Bass Boost controlled at the transmitter or at the headset.

Shipping: Yesterday I received my headphones (only took 4 days using Amazon Super Saver Shipping - yeah!). Both the shipping carton and the headphone box inside were in pristine condition. Like a kid with a new toy, I had to try them out right away. Since the rechargeable batteries take up to 16 hours to for initial charge (mine only took 8), I put in 2 AAA Alkaline batteries (one per headphone). Connecting the transmitter up was easy - I have a "line-out" 3.5mm jack on the TV so I just used the jumper that came in the package that had the 3.5mm jack on both ends. The transmitter/charging stand has 4 LEDs - orange shows when headphones are charging, blue to choose surround sound on/off, another blue one to choose Bass Boost on/off, and green to choose transmitter on/off. The headset right earphone has buttons for headphone on/off, volume up/down, bass boost on/off and surround sound on/off. I am sure that with practice that I'll be able to "feel" where these buttons are so I won't have to take the headset off to adjust these controls. The headset is well padded and comfortable although as some others have pointed out I can see where these "earmuffs" might be a little warm with extended wear.

Performance: Now comes the really cool part...the sound quality is amazing. I have never been so impressed with any product I have purchased. The stereo separation is noticeable distinct and really enhances the enjoyment of listening. I can't hear any hiss, background noise or cut-out. The voices are clear and seem to be louder than the background sounds so the words are easy to understand. My acid test for how well these headphones performed was to try a DVD called "The Devil's Own" where Brad Pit plays a character with a heavy Irish brogue. The first time I watched it using the TV speakers I had to strain to understand his dialog but when I watched it again using the headphones he was easy to understand. The engineering that has gone into these headphones is really impressive with the way they handle voices, background sound and separation.

Surround Sound: The simulated surround sound isn't that impressive. It does add a bit more depth to the sound but nothing like having real surround sound. I'm sure it is limited by only having one speaker per earphone. True surround sound would need two sound sources per earphone plus some fancy separation engineering. I'll probably use this feature for some of our 5.1 DTS stereo DVDs and music CDs.

Bass Boost: This works pretty well. It isn't overwhelming but adds richer bass to the sound without taking away from the clarity of the spoken words. I'll probably use this feature for some TV show, 5.1 DTS stereo DVDs and music CDs.

134 of 141 people found the following review helpful.
much better then expected
By busy dad
Let me say that the main reason I bought these headphones was for watching movies with out hearing lip for having my home theater too loud.

I enjoy using the surround feature and the Bass boost for movies. I have a high end home theater and I do not miss it as much as I thought I would. Does the Bass feel like my two 1,000 watt powered subs. Of course not, but the bass is very good.

The main time I would use the headphones is times when I have my system very low so the headphones sound much better then my system when it is played at a low decibel level. While I have a movie in I can walk all over my house and it never breaks up. The sound is crystal clear all over the house.

The closed headphones are a nice feature so you can shut out most noise but you can still hear someone calling you if needed.

The only problem I have so far is an occasional sound dropout. I moved the transmitter and manually paired the headphones. Since then I have had no problems but it is too soon to be sure if it worked.

I highly recommend these headphones for watching movies. I am not a music guy so I could not comment on that.

7/14/10 I would like to give a quick update. The sound from the headphones for movies is still great. I do not get any sound dropout when I am close to the unit. I do tend to agree with a previous post that the range is not great. My house is decent size and when I go to some rooms the sound does drop out.

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Sennheiser RS 180 Digital Wireless Headphone System

Sennheiser RS 180 Digital Wireless Headphone System..

Buy Sennheiser RS 180 Digital Wireless Headphone System By Sennheiser

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230 of 238 people found the following review helpful.
Finally Audiophile Wireless Headphones
By HA Hacky
Wow, I have been waiting literally years for a quality set of wireless headphones. I listened to many including the previous generation of Sennheiser's. All of them had some low level of hiss and less than audiophile sound quality. The wait is over. These cans utilize Kleer technology and an open design. I always preferred open headphones for the more natural bass response and to my 50 year old ears these sound great. The headphones are comfortable though I would like a bit more padding spanning the entire headband. The buttons on the headphones that control power, volume and balance (handy if you have asymmetrical hearing deficits) are too small and flat but I can now control the volume without removing the headphones. The range is listed as being up to 100 meters and practically speaking, as I can walk on either floor of my house and even outside in my yard without any noticeable effect. Every 30-40 minutes I may get a brief 1 second or so loss of sound but it is infrequent enough to not bother me. Expensive and surely not equivalent sound to an equally or more expensive pair of cans but they are very close in terms of sound and the wireless performance makes them the real deal, totally worth it.

117 of 123 people found the following review helpful.
Simply excellent
By N. Shahid
I bought and returned two other pairs of wireless headphones in the sub-$200 price range before springing for these, and simply put they are worth the extra money. There's no interference, the sound quality is excellent throughout the range (bass, mids, highs) and the hiss that plagues most other wireless headphones doesn't exist. Range is also excellent. The only thing to note is that the base station does not have optical audio input, only a standard 1/8th jack.

159 of 170 people found the following review helpful.
WORTH THE MONEY!
By KARAOKEJUNKIE
I have used the Sennheiser RS-130 for the past 4 years, and the surround sound was incredible and delicious, but I was looking for an upgrade, the next generation from a high quality manufacturer. My main uses are for blu-ray movies and late night TV viewing as to not disturb any neighbors, plus it's an intimate experience without any street noise. When I decided on the RS-180 I bought it from J & R because their customer service is outstanding. The DVD product guide estimated an initial charge of up to 16 hours, but mine was ready for blastoff in about 7. I was immediately blown away, swept into a cinematic oasis, a sound panorama that disintegrated any assumptions about how a movie should leave a lasting impression! They are exceptionally comfortable and well worth the price, and you will not be disappointed!!! Without a sound system hooked up to my Samsung 1920 X 1080 HD-LCD TV, I realize now I haven't totally appreciated the blu-ray player and movies until this wireless headphone purchase. Thanks to Kleer's uncompressed audio transmission technology another journey began via listening to some of my favorite blu-rays like Oliver Stones "The Doors". WOW!!! The bass sounds are outstanding and precise. You will venture forth into a new world of audio pleasure. If the Sennheiser RS-180 was a painting it would be a masterpiece by Kandinsky or Dali; a sculpture, La Pieta via Michelangelo, a song, something by Lennon & McCartney. Remember this: escape is not a luxury, it is a necessity if you want to get an advanced degree in sound and mind travel. Now get out and buy these phones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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3 Pack Premium Stereo Headset Headphone Earphone w/ Microphone for Apple iPhone 4 4S 3G 3GS (White)

3 Pack Premium Stereo Headset Headphone Earphone w/ Microphone for Apple iPhone 4 4S 3G 3GS (White)..

Buy 3 Pack Premium Stereo Headset Headphone Earphone w/ Microphone for Apple iPhone 4 4S 3G 3GS (White) By XTD

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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
Low quality, Low Price
By Ryan J
3 sets of headphones for $6 is a great deal, but these headphones aren't Apple headphones, which is what they look like. These have much lower quality of sound, there is no volume control on the headphones (only a play/pause button), and the button is on the left side instead of the right (like headphones normally are). If you're looking for headphones to use while exercising or just want super cheap headphones, these are what you want. If you want any sort of quality, stay away.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
1/3 Broke within the first 5 minutes of use
By Kyle
Opened the package and listened to music for less than 5 minutes, and the left speaker broke,
I guess you get what you pay for

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Inexpensive alternative to OEM Version.
By Mr. David M. Marciniszyn
I was surprised at the sound and voice quality of the unit. The manufacturing is not up to OEM standards but the price more than makes up for a little lower quality. It works exactly as described and was pleased with my purchase since My headset continues to walk off or gets lost and purchasing a replacement at OEM prices is just not a practical option.

Update:
After a few weeks the microphone loses quality and it is difficult to pick up your voice. So at this time I do not recommend purchasing this item.

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