Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506

Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506..

Grab Now Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506 By Logitech

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241 of 252 people found the following review helpful.
Perfect for the TV in your small bedroom! Updated with more info (1/31/11)
By Ryan
I usually don't write reviews for products on here, but I felt compelled to after receiving the Logitech Z506 surround sound system.
***UPDATE*** (at the bottom)

PROS:
~SUPER easy to set-up, everything matches up by color.
~Sound quality is superb compared to a lot of systems in this price range, especially for a 5.1 system.
~Base is FANTASTIC! I honestly can't get over how awesome the subwoofer is, and best of all -- NO DISTORTION!
~Since this is a tweeted system, you don't get distortion from the speakers like you would with a lot of other systems in this price range.
~RCA capable (meaning you can directly connect it to your Audio Out on the back of the TV).
~The ported down idea Logitech did for the subwoofer truely does make it fill the room (even at >50watts).
~Great bang for the buck.

CONS:
~Wires can be a bit short, even for a small room.
~No controller.

So if you're like me and are planning to use this in a small room, I highly recommend this system; you can't go wrong!

****UPDATE****
After having owned this system for a little over 4 months, I have decided that.....this system is still fantastic!

If you're hooking this bad-boy up to a TV, simply plug the RCA (red/black) cables into the back of the subwoofer, then the other end (3.5mm headphone) to the headphone jack on your TV. Easy peezy :)

If you're hooking it up to a computer, simply plug the PC wires (not sure on the technical term, but they're the green, yellow, and black cords/wires) into the back of the subwoofer, as well as your PC. To get the surround sound effect (5.1) you will need to make sure your sound software is up to date. From there right click on your "speakers" (located under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Right click on Speakers) and you can adjust your settings to 5.1.

I hope this has been helpful! Go buy this system today, it's fan-freakin'-tastic!

200 of 223 people found the following review helpful.
Very Good Sound for Price but sparse directions
By bunnyrabbit4
For $[...] bucks these speakers sound great, but I did have to figure out how to hook them up with no help from Logitech's directions. Since I bought these to use with a program that creates 5.1 surround music, I quickly noticed that simply plugging them into to the matching color recepticles on my new Windows 7 machine did not work. I got sound out of all the speaker but it was not 5.1 surround. When I began shifting the sound to different speakers it was clear that something wasn't right. I could isolate the rear speakers almost totally but nothing else. I tried every combination of jacks (my computer is capable of 7.1 and has several extra jacks) but had little success. Something was always missing!! I then started searching the control panel of my new Windows 7 machine for answers. I found that the first mistake I'd made was plugging all the jacks in at once and turning on the unit. They had to be assigned one by one..

Here is how I set up the system on a Windows 7 Ultimate, Desktop Dell machine with 7.1 surround. First....Do not plug any of the jacks into the computer yet.

Go to the control panel and open the Audio Manager. In the case of my Dell it was the Realtek HD Audio Manger. A picture of a living room with speakers appears. Plug the Orangish/Yellow jack from the Logitech into the matching recepticle on the Computer. A pop-up asks you which speakers you want to serve that jack. Click on Center/Subwoofer. Click on the picture of the center speaker and subwoofer. They should make a sound. Follow the same procedure for the GREEN Jack. Assign FRONT SPEAKERS out to that one. Lastly assign your BLACK to the REAR SPEAKERS. ALl of your speakers should now work independantly and sound great.

HDTV..., several of you have asked about using these with TV's. The first question to ask is, what does your TV have in terms of audio output jacks? Increasingly TV's are cutting way back on the types of output jacks offered. You can run two types of input here, stereo mini like your ipod headphones (does your TV have a headphone OUT jack??)or RCA OUT(normal stereo jacks). Some TV's may only output to HDMI. There is no HDMI input jack here. If you have HDMI OUT it should carry your sound and picture to an AV tuner. Check out this system Yamaha YHT-395BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System for an idea of what is available. I do not own this system but it gives you an idea of the connections. I haven't looked to see if other "speaker only" sets offer HDMI input. I use these only with my computer.

One work around for some of you might be if your cable box has RCA audio out. If you run your cable THROUGH your DVD player it should still have an RCA AUDIO OUT that you may be able to use. You can also use them just to play your DVD's if your player has RCA out, but mute the TV sound because your TV will process the sound slightly faster making it sound like there is an echo.

102 of 120 people found the following review helpful.
Best speakers you'll find in this price range -- by far!
By Derek G
I absolutely love, love, love these speakers! It's important your system is set up for six speakers but assuming it is I can say with confidence these will be the best speakers you will find in this price range. Check my reviews and you'll know I'm not gushy about products -- many people whine that I'm too harsh.

Here is an important consideration, make sure your system has the speaker jacks AND the drivers to enable six-speakers, even when you are playing a stereo recording. Otherwise you will find yourself disappointed that the sound is coming just from the left and right speakers and maybe the subwoofer. Just because you have connections for the separate components doesn't guarantee surround sound. Fortunately, most recently built computers have the technology built-in so this warning applies mostly to people with older systems. A quick and easy way to know for sure is to check to see if your computer has Dolby Home Theater built-in. It's not easy to find (Start Button\Control Panel\Sound\Playback\Speaker Properties in Windows 7) but enabling Dolby Pro Logic or Dolby Digital will allow you to enjoy immersive sound even when listening to stereo. If you don't have the speaker jacks, for example just a standard speaker and microphone jack, then you can purchase add-in cards like the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi.

I was tempted to knock off a star for two reasons. One, I've become used to a separate "control pod" which handles things like the volume, bass and power control without having to reach for the speakers. Unfortunately, this is not included so you'll have to get used to using those multimedia buttons on your keyboard if your right speaker is out of reach and you'll have to go digging under your desk to adjust the bass level. I figure this was a tradeoff made to keep the price low. My other gripe is that, common to most surround speakers for computers, the length of the cable to the rear speakers is going to be too short to be of any benefit unless you want cables in the way. Fortunately, the connectors are standard RCA so a male-to-female extension cable will get the extra length you need if you're trying to run them in a manner that will allow you to hide the cable.

In spite of these gripes, I still think they are five-star speakers, again with the caveat that Dolby Home Theater is enabled. I say this because it really makes a huge difference and Dolby changes the sound from "decent" to "fantastic". I have not heard any of the buzzing others have mentioned, no speaker noise whatsoever, the bass sounds great - not muddy, and the highs are crisp without being shrill. I know it sounds like I'm shilling for Dolby more than the speakers but it's important that people know that once you get beyond stereo, decent sounding speakers are only half the equation; a good sound processor is equally important. It's why audiophiles obsess over their receiver just as much as their speakers.

This 75W system is plenty of power for a gaming computer, office, or bedroom but I wouldn't use it in a living room. Inputs are standard red/white RCA or the preferred green/yellow/black 3.5mm computers use. They're best used as computer speakers since you don't have a remote. Obviously these won't compare to high end THX speakers but they also don't have the high end price. If you're a gamer on a budget, I think you'll like these a lot.

Hope the review helped.

To answer other reviewers:
M. Churchill - You are right, the description is incorrect and this system uses a 5.25" ported subwoofer.
NYC reviewer - Most surround speakers do very little other than the ambient effects you described, especially during live broadcasts. Try to see if your TV has a 5 speaker stereo setting and it may give you the sound you were expecting. Try turning the built-in TV speakers off and the TV volume up to ~66% to eliminate the low volume issue. Also make sure there isn't an audio setting for TV or audio out - with some TV's it's either/or. Ultimately, I do think these are better suited as computer speakers than home theater speakers.
Ryan and others - Regarding buzzing, while it's certainly possible you got bad speakers, buzzing is almost always caused by electrical interference. Try moving the speaker wires around, especially away from power strips or electric wall-warts and see if the buzzing changes in any way. There may be an unshielded culprit causing the noise. As I write this I have my speakers maxed with zero noise.

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Panasonic KX-TG6592T DECT 6.0 Amplified Sound Cordless Phone with Answering System, Metallic Black, 2 Handsets

Panasonic KX-TG6592T DECT 6.0 Amplified Sound Cordless Phone with Answering System, Metallic Black, 2 Handsets..

Buy Panasonic KX-TG6592T DECT 6.0 Amplified Sound Cordless Phone with Answering System, Metallic Black, 2 Handsets By Panasonic

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271 of 278 people found the following review helpful.
Highly Recommended!
By Wandrwoman
This Panasonic single line cordless phone system is by far the best I've owned. A surprising number of thoughtful, easy to use features are packed into a relatively small (5 3/4" x 5 1/4") footprint.

Created perhaps with aging Baby Boomers in mind, emphasis has been given to clarity of sound, legibility, and ease of use. This is not an old person's phone, nor a phone for the hearing impared; it's a product that anyone would appreciate. After all, what is the point of caller ID if the LCD screen is impossible to read? Or what is the point of advanced cordless technology if the sound quality is poor? Or what is the point of multiple advanced features if they require 10 easily forgotten steps to be accessed?

Things you should know about this system:
1) It is Dect 6.0 Plus which is new technology.
2) It is expandable with up to 5 more optional (ie. you have to purchase) handsets, or 6 total
3) It comes with a wall mounting adapter.
4) It requires 2 AAA NiMH rechargeable batteries (included)
5) There are speaker phones on the handset and on the base.
6) There is an 18 minute digital answering system that is accessible from both the handset and the base
7) There is "Talking Caller ID" which recites out loud the number and sometimes the name of the caller. This is a useful feature if you are eating dinner or not near the phone when a call comes in. It can be turned off if desired.
8) A 50 number phone book is shared between the handset and the base. Numbers are easily added (with the "1") via caller ID.
9) The phone can be programmed to block unwanted calls.
10) The handset has a dedicated volume key as well as an equalizer button which allows for a customized sound range.
11) Panasonic offers an optional range extender (KX-TGA405) which claims to double the transmission range of this phone.

This is a phone system that is easy to use, has excellent range, excellent sound clarity, useful features and is perfect in size to sit on a bed side table or hang on a kitchen wall.

94 of 95 people found the following review helpful.
Can you hear me now?
By Sam Silver
I don't have vision or hearing problems nor does anyone in my household. We just sometimes keep a lot of noise so we needed a LOUD cordless speaker phone for conference calls @ work and with relatives. This phone takes things back to where they were in the late 90s when you could actually turn the volume up and notice the difference on speaker. Prior to this purchase early this year, I bought the corded/cordless panasonic DECT cousin with no talking caller id announcement and I am prepared to either donate or trash it. Decided to give Panasonic one l more try and found what I needed. LOUD speaker and caller id announcement.

159 of 166 people found the following review helpful.
cordless phone review
By Amazon Customer
I don't normally write reviews but I use them ALL the time for purchases. So here is my pennies worth. I was looking for a cordless phone for my mom (she is 70). This phone was easy to program and set up. The display and buttons are easily seen and phone is easy to use. My mom is technology challenged so ease of use is important. She has had the phone for 2 months now and battery is great and she says it's easy to use. The only thing I have to say is the phone started to get a film on the screen (maybe from make up or lotion) so I had to clean it. I used car wax to help protect it and it made it easier to clean. Overall the phone is great so far. Hope this helped happy shopping.

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Bose® Solo TV Sound System

Bose® Solo TV Sound System..

GET Bose® Solo TV Sound System By Bose

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2264 of 2363 people found the following review helpful.
Read this for insights into the product and Bose customer service
By Kristin
I am a Vine reviewer, and often receive products before their release to the public. This Bose Solo TV Sound System is one of these products.

I received this sound system with no knowledge of what it really is. No expectations, except that it a Bose product, so I had an expectation that it'd be quality.

Upon receipt, the unit did not work properly. I contacted Bose directly and they were AMAZING. They immediately sent me out a new one, and explained that the product is still in beta-testing. (They were surprised that I received the product so early before its release.) I sent back the old one, and they told me that it had old software on it (pre-release). No worries on it being in the official-product. The second one had the same problem (since they sent out the second before they got the first back, they didn't realize that the stock was of old software). No problem--Bose sent out another. The rep that I worked with (they assign you one person to talk to--a real, live person who emails you back immediately if you have a question) was GREAT. He checked on me to be sure it was working properly, and answered all questions I had promptly.

So, for customer service, Bose ROCKS! I would have no problem doing business with them in the future, knowing that they care this much about making things right.

(This is as opposed to a review I did for LG, where they couldn't care less when their product had failures--they were going to charge me to even check it out...even when I told them that I am a Vine reviewer and their customer service would be on my review...some companies couldn't care less.)

So, to the details of my system:

I have an LG 3D HDTV (http://www.amazon.com/LG-55LM7600-55-Inch-LED-LCD-Glasses/dp/B006ZH0M9Q/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1345651587&sr=8-4&keywords=lg+55+inch+hdtv) and run a Sony Blue Ray Player (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S590-Blue-ray-Player-Built/dp/B0081SJP7W/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1345651686&sr=1-7&keywords=3d+blu+ray+player+sony). I use low-loss optical audio cables (http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Digital-Optical-Audio-Toslink/dp/B001TH7GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345651814&sr=8-1&keywords=optical+audio+cable+amazon).

The set up was simple. Plug it into the wall outlet, plug it into the tv (use the optical audio!)...well, lah. It's ready. If your tv needs a manual change to the external audio, be sure you know where that is. My tv had an automatic switch to any external audio outlet. I had to do nothing to switch it.

I have run this speaker through all sorts of testing. News programs, Movies, Music stations, using all sorts of sound bands.

Here's what I found:

Speech: (This is my favorite part of the speaker, and deserves lots of attention.) I have a hearing problem in that I have trouble understanding speech coming from television speakers. My television has an option that amps up the voice, which I thought helped a lot...until I plugged in this Bose speaker. Suddenly, the voices were crisp and clear! It was clearer than "life", in my opinion. I believe that this is the best feature of this speaker...When I compared it to the sound from the tv (with the voice-feature turned on) it was night and day. (And here I thought that it was so good with the voice feature from the tv...not so much, now.)

Comedy (with canned-laughter): As I said earlier, the speech is clear, and the balance is such that the canned-laughter is not overpowering. Great quality, especially when you compare it to the tv's internal speaker.

Movies (with lots of bass--bombs, car chases, etc): The speech is great (have I mentioned that before? haha) but the lower end seems to be lacking a bit. Not in comparison with the tv. The tv didn't get it, either...but compared to the separate receiver and subwoofer, it does lack in the bass range. I didn't notice this as much as the people watching with me...yeah, it was the guys--they like that bomb-stuff :)

Music: Same issue as the movies. Music channels, like XM or Sirius, have a great lack in bass. The music crispness and treble are great--but the bass is lacking. Obviously, you don't want to make your tv the primary outsource for your music enjoyment, but this deserves to be noted. Again, comparing it side-by-side with the tv, the sound is spectacular (but both lack the bass of the receiver).

Pros: Voice, clarity, real-life feel to all sounds. Simplicity of set up and use. Simple remote control (has only 3 buttons--Power, Volume Up, Volume Down). Looks nice on the table...but this is also a "con".
Cons: Lack of ability to change settings on bass/treble. Big box on the table instead of a wall mount.

So--the bottom line is this: If you are using this speaker as it is intended, which is to replace your tv's internal speaker, then it's AMAZING. If you think it will be a replacement for all of your outlets, including music listening, you might be disappointed.

600 of 626 people found the following review helpful.
Perfect for people who want improved TV sound without installing a complex system
By Penumbra
Although I have a nice Sony Bravia TV, the sound can be a little...disappointing. This is especially noticeable when we watch BluRay versions of movies like "A Bridge Too Far" or "The Battle of Britan" - the TV begins to vibrate and buzz when the planes fly over. However, not being an overall audiophile, I had no desire to install a surround sound system with five speakers. I was looking into getting a sound bar when I discovered the Bose Solo TV Sound System.

The Bose Solo is a single box, roughly the size of a standard DVD / BluRay player; the dimensions are 10.25" x 20"; the TV is placed on top of the Bose Solo. Not having to find additional shelf or floor space for the speaker is definitely a plus! According to the package, this is designed for TVs up to 32" and in some cases up to 42". The base of the TV must not overhang the Bose Solo, or else the TV may be unstable and fall. However, the base of my 46" TV fits on top of the speaker box with room to spare.

There is a very small, thin, flat remote control that comes with the Bose Solo - ON, UP, DOWN, PAUSE/OFF. According to the Operating Guide the unit can be operated with a Universal Remote as well. But since I don't have a Universal Remote, I will have to add another remote to the growing collection on the coffee table.

Hooking up the Bose Solo was simple once I located the corresponding jack on the back of the TV. There are only two connections to make - 1) the power cord, and 2) either the analog (red and white jacks) or optical digital audio cable. The optical digital cable is recommended for best sound quality, so I wanted to use that - but had no previous experience with this type of cable. The ends of the optical digital cables have protective plastic shields which must be removed before installation, and they are fairly small. It took me some time to find the optical digital cable jack on the back of my TV. I was finally able to locate it when I turned off some of the lights in the room, and then I saw the red light coming from the optical jack! The connections on the back of the Bose Solo are well labeled and easy to find.

Once the TV and the Bose Solo were connected, I turned on the new box and heard some kind of distorted sound echo. A quick trip to the troubleshooting FAQ in the operating guide informed me that the TV sound should either be disabled or the volume turned all the way down. Once I disabled the TV sound, the sound coming from the Bose Solo took over.

My personal testing included turning the Bose up to full volume. The sound filled the room and in fact could be heard quite nicely from other rooms, too. I put in my go to BluRay, "The Battle of Britan" - no distortion, no vibration, no hum. (The lack of vibration is even more impressive when you consider this rather large TV is balanced on the speaker itself!) I also listened to music from classical to metal and everything sounded beautiful! I then went back and forth between the sound from the Bose Solo and the sound from the Sony Bravia only - the Bose definitely has a richer sound with more bass; the TV now sounds a bit tinny by comparison. The TV volume can be cranked up higher, but the higher it goes the more distortion and vibration come through - the Bose certainly cranks up high enough to fill a room (and possibly the entire house) and there is no distortion. Although the Bose instructions explicitly state that the TV volume should be OFF, I also experimented with the Bose Solo and bringing up the TV volume to just under the point where echo kicks in, and thought that sounded great, too!

The bottom line is that while the Bose Solo won't take the place of Surround Sound, it greatly improves the experience of watching TV and movies with a richer sound quality than the TV alone and no distortion or vibration. Since it's a single box that fits under the TV base, it doesn't take up additional space on the shelf or floor. It's very easy to install - add the power cable to the wall and the audio cable to the TV, and you're done!

Highly recommended!

380 of 400 people found the following review helpful.
Read the product description before you buy this unit !
By Amazon Customer
I purchased the Bose Solo three weeks ago and could not be happier. As described, it makes the dialogue easier to hear. I am replacing my Sony surround sound system with the Solo. The surround sound system involved wires running under the carpet and loud noises during movies that would completely drown out the dailogue. Setting it up was very easy. My 46" Sony Bravia TV sits nicely and solidly on top of the Solo. The TV weighs 40 lbs. so the weight is also just right. This is a much cleaner look than the multiple speakers the surround sound system used. That being said, I purchased this for the sound, and I am very pleased with that. It actually does make the spoken word easier to hear. I am in my sixties, and just beginning to lose the ability to hear all the words on television. I was tired of missing every fifth word or so and the "clear voice" feature on my Sony television did not remedy that. With the Bose Solo, after I got used to it, about three days, I can now hear almost every single word that is spoken and never have to adjust the volume up or down depending on background noise in the show. It does seem to me like the Solo makes those adjustments automatically.

Hookup was a breeze. Place the unit where you want your TV to sit, plug in the power cord, connect the optical digital audio cable to the back of your television and the back of the Solo unit. For those unfamiliar, there is a slight resistance when you push the end of the cable into the hole, just push until it clicks into place and don't forget to remove the plastic caps on the ends of the cable prior to insertion. Place the TV on top of the unit and adjust the TV speaker settings to OFF. Program your remote control for the Bose system, there did not seem to be any codes listed in the instruction booklet, so I called comcast and got the code and programmed the Xfinity remote. If you use Comcast, and your remote is newer, with a red power button, the code you would want is 31229 or 31933.The small remote that came with the Solo is very nice, but I don't need it. The Solo unit now turns on and off with my television , and the volume up/down and mute buttons on the Xfinity remote control the Solo. If you have a different provider, call them. They keep a list of codes and will walk you through programming your remote if you need that.

Any peripheral you connect to your TV, like a DVD or Blu Ray, cable box, Kindle Fire HD, computer etc. will all play very nicely through your Bose Solo. The TV acts as the switching center and whatever you are watching on the screen will play automatically from the Solo. You don't need to change anything manually.

So anyway, yes, this is not a cheap sound bar, but it does seem to be a quality product that is very helpful if you have trouble hearing the dialogue. Also, I noticed the sound fills my large living room, with 18 foot ceilings, with no problem. I would not want anything louder than this. This review is of course my own opinion and I am not biased for or against Bose as this is the first product of theirs I have owned. Hope you find it helpful.

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Dynamat 10455 18" x 32" x 0.067" Thick Self-Adhesive Sound Deadener with Xtreme Bulk Pack, (Set of 9)

Dynamat 10455 18" x 32" x 0.067" Thick Self-Adhesive Sound Deadener with Xtreme Bulk Pack, (Set of 9)..

Grab Now Dynamat 10455 18" x 32" x 0.067" Thick Self-Adhesive Sound Deadener with Xtreme Bulk Pack, (Set of 9) By Dynamat

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140 of 150 people found the following review helpful.
Tin-can to almost Mercedes feeling, no joke!
By Carl Kriesant
I've had the dynamat installed in my '04 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport for about a month now and it was well worth the effort. When I say effort, I tore out my entire interior to install this stuff. Inner and outer door skins, entire floor (doubled up in places), trunk (doubled up again), rear hatch, and under my hood. It took a total of about 17 hours to install and trashed my hands, cuts and sore for several days. I used the dynamat heavy-duty roller for most of the installation and the handle of the roller to push the material into tight crevacises. My entire car, exluding the roof, took 2 3/4 bulk packs. I still have some left over and trying to figure out what to do with it...

The results: You could say I was skeptical like other users, mostly because I hadn't known anyone who used it or what dynamat was even made of really. It's basically sheets of tar (butyl rubber) backed with thick aluminum foil. This stuff is heavy, but pretty thin and tucks into tight places pretty easily. While at first I noticed an increase in my cars weight, it seems to be less noticable the more I drive. What's more noticable is the quiet ride and solid-feeling the car now has. The doors really do close with a thud and not that reverberating tin-can sound like before. The entire chassis feels much more rigid and stiff, like a higher priced, luxury car. My roommate, who drives a Benz C-class, said the stiffness was immediately apparent and the road noises was significantly reduced. This girl loves to drive and she was pretty impressed with the results.

The amount of road noise from freeways was almost difficult to carry on conversations or listen to music clearly before. Much more quiet now. If you've ridden in a subaru impreza, you know how loud they are! While it's not Lexus quiet, it's much, MUCH better than a stock subaru. There's still some noise, but I wasn't able to cover the firewall as much as I would have liked and my tires are lousy. When new tires are needed, I'm going back to a quality set and that should help a lot more. (BTW, Bridgestone-made Fuzion HR's suck a$$, but they are cheap.) I'm going with Bridgestone Turanza's next time.

My intention was purely to block out road noise and make a more comfortable environment for myself and passangers. A bonus to killing the road noise was the improvement in my cars audio quality. I had previously installed an Alpine h.u., Alpine speakers and Audiobahn d-class amp w/ a 10" sub and it really brought my system to life. I never knew what mid-bass was till after the dynamat was installed. I'm amazed to get that much thump, out of 6 1/2" door speakers!! I had to go back into the headunit and re-adjust my equalizer because the entire soundstage totally changed. It really allows me to enjoy my music to it's fullest without an amp for the door speakers, which is nice! My music consists mostly of hardcore, metal-core, metal and punk. The dynamat really brought out crisp, clean sound that wasn't distorted at higher volumes like before. It's also allowed me to tune in really precise and crisp bass hits from my single 10", enough to make my rearview mirror droop with each hit. I love hearing and feeling the kick drums in heavy music.

All-in-all, I am extremely pleased with the results. At first I was tired and my hands and back ached from two straight days of installation, all the while thinking "what the hell am I doing!?". But now, I can sit back on a drive, carry on conversations without raising our voices, listen to my music with better definition and clearity, or enjoy a nice peaceful interior alone. It's been well worth the effort.

Would I do it all over again??

In a heartbeat on this car. Hopefully the next car will be more quiet from the factory... if not, I'll probably dyanmat that one too!

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Luxury and comfort in a box
By doc
I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, but I am now a believer.

To begin with, if you look at the trend of reviews on Dynamat, it tends to show that people are either completely satisfied (5 stars) or unsatisfied (1 star). I suspect that those who are giving one star ratings either don't know how to properly install the product or they just expect miracles.

I have a '07 Camry which I love but roadnoise has been getting to my sensitive hearing lately. *NOTE: I have a leather interior which lends to a louder interior when compared to an upholstered interior. My biggest problem was music listening when driving on long hauls over roads that are rough. I would have to crank up the radio to hear it, and it was not even intelligible at that. With this bulk kit, I was able to line nearly my entire trunk, the rear speaker decklid, and the floorboard beneath the rear seat where the gastank sits. The results are phenomenal!

I am not prepared to tear out my entire interior to do the ceiling and floorboards and firewall, but beware it is a lot of work. With having prior knowledge of how to tear down my car, it took me 8 hours to completion for the rear of my car. Seriously consider taking your time to install it, and do it the right way.

If you do a rush job, you will have a rushed-job results and you won't be happy. You have to prep the surface which is just fine with a can of Denatured Alcohol and a white rag. It is imperative that you roll this substance on real good. The performance of this product depends on how you tack it to the surface. The more contact it has with the surface (ribs and creases and all) the better it will perform. I highly recommend the rubber hand tool as it conforms easier to bends in the metal making it easier to form. I suspect the wooden tool would do just fine, but it may be harder since it doesn't have any "give" to it for forming those tough spots.

I am very happy with my results. Without doing the whole car, I have cut my road noise in half literally. I notice no roadnoise from the rear now, it's all from the doors and front, etc. but I am not prepared to tear out my interior. The stock speakers in the car perform 200% better, although they still suck. Before the application I wasnt able to turn up the volume without losing the bass completely. Now I have decent full-range sound and I no longer have to turn up the radio to hear it. I used to turn up the volume to 26-30 just to hear it (which I still couldn't understand because of the noise). Now, I leave it at around 15 and never have to turn it up to hear it or even understand the music! No joke.

One last note on installation: if you aren't worried about the look of the install (because it is going to be covered with carpet, etc.) don't be afraid to cut it up. You will more than likely use every piece. It is much easier to work with in strips. Large curves are a son-of-a-gun. The product is very thin, but very tough. AVOID AIR POCKETS!

62 of 69 people found the following review helpful.
My doors go "kfump" now, instead of "klang"
By Dane Shepherd
I agree with the others; anyone who doesn't like this product must have installed it wrong.

I have a 2000 Honda CR-V SE. I lined the underside of the hood, the entire roof, all four doors (inside the doors and the surface), much of the floor, the spare tire well, the rear quarters (inside, behind the rear speakers) and lots of the tailgate with two (2x) Bulk Packs (9 sheets each.) I had not planned to line the roof, but after gutting the seats, all trim panels, and all the carpeting it seemed worthwhile. I cannot explain how differently the vehicle sounds now. EVERYONE compliments it (including my wife, who could not understand why I was spending the time and money on the project in the first place, but now wants me to Dynamat her Solara!) The doors go "kfump". Knocking on the hood, roof, or doors sounds like hitting a solid wood desk. There are NO vibrations or rattles in the car whatsoever (I also got some cheap self-adhesive felt sheets from a hobby store and lined the ashtray, glove box, and little change compartments. Now it's like driving around with ear muffs on. There is still some road noise, because I have pretty knobby tires, but the incredible thing is that I can no longer hear my exhaust from the rear of the car, and sometimes I'll look sideways and notice an 18 wheeler beside me that I did not even hear. When I pass vehicles going the opposite direction I am used to the "whee-owwww" as they go by, but now it is a "whiff", or just silent.

Lining the roof made a huge difference when driving in the rain, but since the windshield is so noisy in a downpour the cabin is still pretty loud, but there is no "ratta-tat-tat" from the metal anymore at all.

I bought a heat gun and the rubber Dynamat roller specifically for this project (though I'm sure I'll get plenty more use out of the heat gun). I agree with many of the other reviewers that if you do not press this stuff down in FIRM contact with your vehicle that you will not get the best results. I've done MUCH (much, much, much, much...) research on this and the bottom line is that this product is so effective because of "vibration damping", NOT sound blocking. If you hold a sheet up in midair between you and a speaker it will have no effect. If you glue it to the speaker you will virtually stop the sound.

I can also go on about how AMAZINGLY different that my stereo sounds, but I think everyone else covered that. Yes; more mid-bass. Yes; you will hear things in your music that you never heard before. Something that surprised me though was how much quieter your music is OUTSIDE your car. I am not a loud person, and I always turn the volume down at stop lights, and in residential neighborhoods, but one time I stepped out of my car and left the stereo on at a pretty comfortable level. When I closed the door I could not hear it at all. Nothing. Nada. That was a nice bonus.

This stuff is incredible when installed right. Amazon had the best prices in all my searches. You will ache, you will probably bleed, but a weekend or two of hard work should reward you for years. Enjoy!

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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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Logitech G430 Surround Sound Gaming Headset with Dolby 7.1 Technology

Logitech G430 Surround Sound Gaming Headset with Dolby 7.1 Technology..

Grab Now Logitech G430 Surround Sound Gaming Headset with Dolby 7.1 Technology By Logitech

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39 of 49 people found the following review helpful.
Logitech "G430" A Critical Review.
By Andre Lawrence
Update: 11-20-13

A professional gamer wrote to clarify what the benefit of a headset that's not completely sealed. Here's his comment and my original review follows below.

CS wrote:

"Just wanted to comment that the foam padding that leaks sound is intentional. As someone who uses completely sealed headphones (Ultrasone 780) I can tell you, the last thing you want for gaming is an airtight seal on your ears. You wanna let them breathe if you're going to use the headset a long time. This makes it very comfortable over time and reduces fatigue."

*** original review ***

I'm not a professional gamer but I do like playing games occasionally. This headset is a very, very nice compliment to online gaming.

First, the set comes large, over-the-head, headphone. Large foam cups on the left and right can drop down or swivel to the side at your convenience.

The input jacks--one for the mic and one for the headphone speakers are connected to a usb interface.

Then you have to go to Logitect's site and download the drivers from their support section. We have Windows 8 Pro but the site gives you option going back to XP.

This is a dynamic 7.1 stereo headphone w/ speaker. But, you can adjust the volume, stereo/ surround and EQ settings in the app that's installed.

*** Testing ***

After having a couple of weeks, the padding doesn't feel as secure as when I first tried them on. I only wear them for up to 2 hours at a time, but my guess is, if you're one of these gamers that doesn't leave her/his chair for hours and hours then you may notice that the sound bleeds through the gaps between the beautiful, but relatively thin foam padding and your ears.

If you enjoy the occasional gaming experience, you probably won't notice the difference between this model and a more expensive model.

*** Pro's and Con's ***

+ Lightweight headphone that you hardly notice.
+ Microphone is very strong.
+ Multiple Sound/ EQ settings
+ Price--In the range for what it offers.
+ Buttons are large and easy to access

4 stars!

24 of 32 people found the following review helpful.
Great sound
By Fishing Fool
First of all let me state that this headset does not have true discrete 7.1 surround sound hardware built-in. What I mean is it is the Dolby Headphone algorithm integrated into the software that simulates the surround sound experience when using stereo headphones. The headset is your average 2ch stereo headset with mic. It does not have multiple individual drivers in them like some of the very high-end surround sound headsets. The headset is analog but the package comes with a USB adapter which allows you to use a USB port instead of a mini headphone jack. The adapter is just a basic digital to analog converter.

With that said, the surround sound simulation sounds really good and the headphones do not hold back the sound quality at all. In fact the sound quality is quite good especially when using the customizable EQ to tailor the sound to your liking. One minor issue I've discovered is that the drivers in the headset are not powerful enough to produce the LFE channel without distortion at higher volume levels. On the other hand I did like the fact the settings for the headphones do not affect your speaker settings. For example your EQ settings only apply to the headphones which means when listening through your standalone surround sound receiver and speakers the headphone EQ is completely bypassed.

The headset itself is fairly basic...it's very lightweight which is good but it's mostly plastic so it feels cheap even though the build quality is very good. I'm not a fan of the color scheme myself, would've preferred all black ear cushions. The boom mic swivels up out of the way when you don't need it and the inline volume controller has a on/off switch for the mic. What's great is if you have a favorite pair of highend headphones/headset you could use it with the included adaptor and enjoy the same surround sound experience. Oh btw the software works in WindowsXP even though it's not listed in the description as an officially supported OS.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Great headset
By Bill M
I bought this as the deal of the day, and it was a great decision. The headset works on both windows and mac through the usb adapter, which is nice, but you only get stereo sound on the mac os (not complaining, still a great headset). The logitech 7.1 software works quite well. you get good sound form the simulated 7.1 channels. The mic works great as well. The noise cancelling works like a charm, so no stray noises. One of the best headsets I own.

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Shure SE215-CL Sound Isolating Earphones

Shure SE215-CL Sound Isolating Earphones..

Special Price Shure SE215-CL Sound Isolating Earphones By Shure

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177 of 210 people found the following review helpful.
The Good and Bad of SE215-CL
By Balaji Devarajan
Great with few minor complaints.

I just got my Shure SE215 Clear earphones. I immediately tried them and road-tested them. Overall they are awesome except few complaints. I hope this doesn't damper your dream of owning one.

Good: Sound Quality and noise reduction:

Excellent and Awesome. I could hear even the weakest background note clear. Sound is well balanced. The Bass is perfect, not artificially amp'd to give you headache.
These earphones block most of the outside noise. I swear. On the LIRR train ride between my place and Penn station in NYC, I couldn't hear a decibel of outside noise. I couldn't hear the loud station announcement, not the loud chatter of girls sitting next to you, not the train sound. Nada. This was not possible with my old earphones. These are perfect for outdoor listening but watch where you use it (read on)

Bad: Noise reduction:
It blocks way too much noise to be used where you shouldn't be using an earphone - like biking, walking on the street or crossing roads.
Your ears tend to get heavy after an hour of listening. Probably because this earphone blocks most of the noise and all you listen is just music. It just isn't healthy for ears. Take breaks every half an hour to relieve your ear pressure.

Bad: Style & looks:

It takes a little effort to get used to wearing these but they fit perfectly firm. I bought the clear model as I was attracted by the shiny new silver like finsh in the photo. I thought they are a perfect show off but I'm disappointed. The SE215-CL looks much dull than in real-life than in picture. You can't see it unless you open the package. Since these fit in a certain weird way - like around your ear, I have people staring at me in public. Not sure if it is good or bad.

If style and look matters to you, checkout a real life picture of CLEAR and BLACK before purchasing.
Note: B&H photo store in NYC has SE215-CL for $89 ($10 less than black). Don't know why.

Good: Cord:
Cord quality is awesome. It has kevlar coating and unlike rubber I don't think it will break or tear. It is one of the reasons I chose this over Etymotic or Klipsch. And the most convenient thing is that the cord is behind your ears when you wear them and they don't fall in front of your face when you bend down.

Bad: Cord:
It just won't bend as much as the rubber cord does. A really really minor concern.

Overall: Sound quality matters to me more than looks. I just wish they had made the CLEAR ones like shown in the picture. Just saying.

145 of 179 people found the following review helpful.
Finally Found the Ones!!!
By Noe
I would just like to say that when it comes to music sound quality, I'm spoiled. I have a sound system in my car that cost me a few K's, and as unfair as it may be, I compare all sound sources to it.

Of course, one cannot expect in-ear headphones to sound exactly like a car's sound system, but one can expect for them sound a little like it. At the $150 and below price range, these are the ones!

I've tried many, many in-ear headphones. Klipsch S4's, Monster Turbines, Audio Technica ATH-CKS70's and the Sony MDR-EX300's just to name a few. Let me say that each of the in-ear's just mentioned perform admirably, but, the SE215's do what all the others do well, in one package. The high's of the S4's? Check. The bass of the Turbine's and CKS70's? Check. The balanced sound of the EX300's? Check. Add to these features the replaceable cable, the perfect seal foam tips, durable construction, great looking transparent enclosure and what can I say? Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have found a keeper.

Buy these. It will be the best $100 you will ever spend. For those of you still using the stock earbuds that come with portable music players, listen to the SE215's and you will never go back!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Full, Rich Beyond-Excellent Sound!
By Cassia Beltran
SOUND
I bought these ear-buds along with one of the Dr. Dre Beats headsets to compare the sound. They were both exactly the same price but the Shure earbuds busted a righteous cap in Dr. Dre's pretentious creation.
The rich, creamy sound coming out of these Shure puppies is amazing. It allows for the correct balance between the bass, the mids, and the highs without any distortion at various volume levels. I couldn't believe it! The Beats earbuds had an ounce of more bass to them but the mids and high's had that cheap tin-can sound. People's voices came off flat and isolated in relation to the other sounds and it didn't take long for the off-pitch ringing to hurt my ears. Even when I tested the prescribed bass-heavy Hip-Hop/Rap songs on both earbuds, the Shure's stomped-stomped-stomped the Beats out of the competition. Shure's bass, which is a fraction less than the Beats, was still excellent and provided for the sound that felt truly SURROUND.

After I found that Shure's were the one for me, I submitted the Shure earbuds to other tests.

NOISE-CANCELLATION
Technically, these are "sound isolating" earphones and I don't know how that's different from "noise cancellation" but the one thing is true: these earbuds keep the outside noise out and music in. I drove over to my half-deaf grandmother's house just to test this. She likes to get up close and shout all holy-hell about if you'd like to eat. Cue Shure earbuds and stand in shock as grandmother is transformed into David Bowie singing "Ziggy Stardust" and holding a spatula. Crazy. I could only hear the music. But it needed more rigorous testing.
I then went to a friends house who keeps a mini-zoo, including guinea pigs. If you've ever heard a guinea pig squeal, you'll remember it forever. "Wheee! Whee! Wheeeee!" I looked those noisy suckers right in the face, holding a carrot and daring them to defy the Shures. A tiny bit of the squeal came though - not even enough to notice unless you were, as I was, looking at them. But that might not be Shure's fault; guinea pigs are hyper-sonic furballs from another planet.

FIT-DESIGN
Yes, the design is initially awkward. Yes, there was a moment when I felt like a lab-monkey, given triangle pegs to put in round holes. Yes, I initiated a contest in my family for who could figure it out the quickest. The current record is 2.75 minutes and one person still can't figure it out; it goes to show there's variation as far as personal adjustment to the design. I was right at 4 minutes the first time I put them in, but after 2 days of use, I can whip these puppies in and out of my ears single-handed and almost as fast as any conventional earbud set. It just takes some getting use to, but if you get frustrated, remember: THE SOUND IS WORTH IT.
They do very well at staying put. After my 4 minutes of wrangling, I immediately started bouncing around and trying to dislodge them. In sum: running and jumping will not dislodge them; however, vigorous head-banging and a solid head-blow by a pillow, will.

FEATURES
No features except extra-ordinary sound. There is no control function on the earbuds. This was a little off-putting for me. I like being able to answer calls, adjust the volume, skip tracks, etc., directly from the earbuds. Such features are very convenient if you listen to your smartphone. If you listen to a single-function device like a MP3 player, then it might not be a big deal for you. Still, its not that bad. I mean, heaven-on-earth, I have to actually push the buttons on my iphone!

YES, GOOD-LOOKS COUNT BUT...
The Beats won the Beauty Contest. The Shure's didn't even get an honorable mention. The Shure's are not as clear as they appear in the picture. While the actual ear-piece is clear, the rest is like dull-silver. And the cable is thick; not thick enough to connect you directly to the energy grid, but thick enough to notice. I showed the thing to a person who knows way more about these things and he was knocked off his chair (in a good way). He said, "Look at these. It's clear plastic over BRAIDED STEEL. Look! Look how much steal there is!" and he went on how the steal made some sort of difference in the quality of the sound, limiting frequencies or some such thing (I'm pretty sure I got it all wrong). I looked at them and sure enough, I could see the braided steel. It certainly makes the earbuds durable. And while I'm not sure if walking around with these things makes you more susceptible to lightning-strikes, it certainly will not break when it does. Imagine: crispy critter with intact earbuds and a smile on face because he/she never heard the lightning storm in the first place.

I'm just kidding. I'm sure these are perfectly safe.

SUMMARY: In the end, I didn't hesitate to keep the Shure's, even in the face of lack-of-features and beauty-contest-rejection. For me, the sound outweighs everything and I will dwell is musical BLISS even as I push actual buttons on my Iphone and defend my Cool on the street. Sound is everything.

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