Headphones Reviews

panasonic rules~!! you have GOT to try these clip-on phones for your cd player--it attaches comfortably with a good seal, the bass is responsive and accurate, there's a FULL range of mid AND high tones, and to top it all off, these are the sleekest you'll ever find! get them now; you WON'T be dissapointed. only one better is the VMMS activated brainshaker clip-ons, but that's a review in itself... GET THESE!

First of all, the timeliness on the shipping and receiving of this product was amazing! The way these headphones sound are quite impressive. They block out the majority of the outside sound. Also, they are comfortable to wear when jogging or working out. The volume control on the headphones is great feature. These are a must have!

This amplifier is awesome.Especialy the price.The amp is so cool you can do all kinds of stuff on it.If you want to spend your money on $600 amps go ahead but i choose this one.

Plantronics has been in the phone business a long time, and it shows in the M12 amplifier. The unit is fairly easy to install. You start by pluggin it into the handset jack on the phone (some digital phone systems like Toshiba Strata Dk will offer an optional headset card - use that as you'll get better phone operation).

You may need 2 AA batteries (or the optional AC adapter), depending on your phone system. Plug in your headset (make sure its compatiable with the quick disconnect plug on the amplifier), and adjust a slider on the side of the amp to select one of five settings (use the one that gives the best quality sound and operation, you won't harm the amp by experimenting). Now you are ready to dial.

What makes this a good product? It is easy to install and configure, sound quality is excellent, and plantronics build quality is exceptional. It should last a long time and endure heavy use, even in a professional call center.

One note, this amplifier will not work with dial in the handset phones. Not too many of those around these days, but its good to be aware of it.

I love these Sennheisers! They have great sound although I am less of an audiophile than most. I mainly care about comfort and these sure fit the bill! The main problem is that the cord is already getting weak after just a couple weeks of use and no rough handling. It's not a problem with the end that plugs into the sound source, it's the end that plugs into the headphone that I have to jiggle to get to work... and it's getting worse. I can still get sound, but one channel or the other will often cut out if I don't remain motionless. I have contacted Sennheiser and I sure hope they will replace my cord!

I'm a former radio DJ and *very* picky about my music and what I hear it through. I bought a set of HD270s to replace a pair of ancient Sony MDR-CD50s. I'm impressed - if I had known how much better the Sennheisers were, I would have bought them years ago.
I can hear things in MP3s now that I never noticed before.

Pros -

Fits nicely, if anyone complains that these headphones are uncomfortable they are freakin' moron. These things are a lot more comfortable than the many headphones I've borrowed, bought, or tried. I have a lot of hair, it doesn't get in the way either.

Another is the fact they stay on your head. From the pictures you might be curious if they really 'do' stay on your head. I do a lot of weight training and the few sessions so far with these / they have stayed put the entire time. Even when on exercises like incline bench when the head pushes back they budge a bit, but no serious problem. Also I ran around a good bit with them on for the hell of it, no problem.

They fold, very compact. Also the cord is kind of a ropey material: Very cool / needs the extension, but actually it's no problem.

Good noise canceling. It doesn't mention anything in the specs, but it blocks outside noise pretty damn well. Also, there is little noise escapage. Moments ago my brother asked me if I was even listening or if I was just wearing them / The volume was way up, so nobody is going to be annoyed or even know what you're listening to.

Great bass, plays almost all music well.

Cons -

The sound isn't perfect. It reproduces great bass, but sometimes it can sound like the musicians are playing behind walls or something. I listen to nothing but the metal genre, so maybe it's to do with the genre maybe? It's good, but slightly muffled sometimes. Can't quite grind the sounds out like I'd hope for certain bands. It's not the source either: I'm testing them on an Audigy 2 with front breakout port / a better source than any to test audio. Anyway, it's better than any other headphones I've tried. The conclusion:

Great fit, comfortable as hell, stays put, stylish, great bass, and mostly very nice sound. I'm pleased with my purchase.

EDIT: I'm not sure the validity (Or whatever) of the process of burning in headphones. But after 2+ hours of listening with them, they are sounding 100% better. These are wonderful!

I just got these headphones and there tight, THEY FOLD, THEY FOLD! Not to mention the sound is great and they look awsume. Another cool feature is the non-tangle cord which also comes with an extension cord that is non-tangle too! And they fold into mini speakers and they sound pretty good, especially if your player has some power to it. Theses are off the "shizznick" and I strongly reccomend them, espcialy if you are looking for some "over the ear" headphones that everyone doesnt have (at least not yet). I have too admit, they are a little pricey but they are worth it, i like them alot and they look cooler and I think they sound better than any headphone "in its class"

They are "neeto",
PS- Holler to my dog Reagan,
R.I.P

The first time I had seen these headphones was in Sam Goody. Recently I had been using the ear buds. I hated them. They constantly fell out and were never comfortable. I was off looking for the ideal headphones which meant comfortable, fantastic sound, great bass, would stay on no matter what, and would leak almost nothing (so my parents couldn't hear me). I purchased these and took about 15 minutes to realize that the "L" meant "Left" and I was putting them on backwards the whole time. I knew they were on correct instantly. They were comforatable and fit snug. I turned on the music and let it rip. My mom (who was next to me) had to tap me on the shoulder to ask when I was going to try them out with music. She never knew they were even on! These were turning out to be the greatest headphones of all time. The XBS was great through these small things, I could set them in my hand and turn the volume up and I would FEEL the beat. Well enough story here's the pros and cons...

PROS- Great sound, never slip, comfortable, barely leaks noise, easy to put on and off, durable and long-lasting (survived being rolled up in some wrestling matts), beats all other over-the-head headphones, easy to jog with.

CONS- After a looong (about 3-4 hours long) period of listening, your ears hurt,and even with the tangle-slip thing they still tangle easily.

That's really it. Great buy, go for it.

Just got mine this morning and already put them through the paces at the gym. Two hours of use later: they never slipped off once and my ears felt great. I used them with my iAUDIO CW300 listening to both MP3 files and FM radio. Sound quality was fantastic, especially considering I only paid $6.00 for them (green were on sale).

They get my strong recommendation!!!

I think these are very nice headpones and i enjoy the way they are small and not bulky, but a word to the wise: if you have these kind of "in ear" headphones, make sure you have another padded ear headphones becuase at times they can kind of irritate your ear and are not always comfortable if you are laying down with them on.

Whenever I buy a portable CD player, I immediately rip into the package, check out what all the new features I've acquired are, and then I give the headphones away. Why? Because newer style players have all gone the same way the old styles have, with the over-the-ear styles that look more like earmuffs than headphones. Perhaps they enclose the ear in a different manner than in the past, imprisoning it in a different method, but the results are always the same. They convolute the sound, pushing the volume onto the ear but muffling the symphonies that are made. Personally I like to listen to all the sounds within my music, wanting what I paid for, and this is bothersome. In fact, I'd go play records with my grandmother if I wanted to hear a slightly distorted sound. See, I want to hear every synth in the EBM and I want to taste every flavor in the voxing of those voices. So, I go and buy myself a pair of MDRW24V's and I'm set.

There are a few reasons I SWEAR by this design, and one of the more prominent ones (besides the in-the-ear design) is the volume control. The reason I like it is because it: (1) gives me an easy way to turn the player up when I'm too lazy to reach for the remote (2) gives me a back-up in case I break the remote or I accidentally get my player stuck on "hold" and I'm too busy to fish out the player or (3) because it allows me to override the sound restrictions that are there to safeguard my hearing on my discman and to make it louder. All of these work wonders, too, because I'm really not prone to listening to the noises that are manufactured by my fellow human beings. I'd rather drown out the Muzak when walking through the mall and I'd rather have an override switch that turns up the volume quickly if I'm approached by people I don't want to hear. Taking this and coupling it with an in-the-ear design works wonders, too.

Besides that, they are durable, they don't blow out all that often, and you should honestly replace your headphones AT LEAST once a month anyhow - and more if you use them like I do. During the time that you own them, you shouldn't have to worry about durability issues, about its ability to carry sound, and you also shouldn't have to worry about something newly designed that looks nice but that hurt when you wrap it around your ears. Here you have the answers to all your listening needs because Sony products last!

I just bought this Headphones and it's just great, excellent sound and a good style if you like the sports, also you can swim with them, so buy it.... it's a SONY

I used them in my cousins car on the way to a ski resort, and they sounded excellent. I was surprised at how clear they were and it felt like I was in a room with speakers around me. Definitely different than other kinds, the best I have used in terms of comfort and sound.

I bought Office XP about a year ago. I waited to buy a microphone to use the voice recognition software that is built into office XP. This mic performs very well with Office XP. The fact that it does not go through a sound card improves voice recognition accuracy; but it's a noise canceling features though are only adequate. The microphone often picks up the most minute background noise. Right now I'm using the microphone to dictate this very review and if it did not pick up so much back ground noise there would be fewer errors in the dictation.

A good mic but Telex needs to work on their noise canceling technology.

Most computer microphones are plugged into your existing sound card. Though the card can certainly improve reception, it can also cause signal degradation by picking up internal and external electronic noise. As a result, voice recognition software sometimes labors to understand precisely what you mean.

With this USB device, though, there's no sound card involved. It automatically records your voice in digital sound as you speak, rather than running your voice through a board where additional noise can be picked up. In fact, so good is the Telex M-560, that it actually tanks if you try to record in anything less than CD quality.

Unsurprisingly, recordings are therefore crystal clear for multimedia work, and voice recognition software obviously responds better to it than non-USB mikes. Like a boom on a movie sound set, it can be put well out of the way and still pick up brilliant sound. Because of its unique directional technology which cancels background noise, you can use it at a distance of up to two feet and still have superb results with voice recognition software. I've got mine on top of my monitor and I never have to readjust its position. And, because it's USB, I can easily share it between Mac and Wintel machines.

The only problem I can think of with this thing is that it doesn't work under Windows 95. Telex hasn't made drivers to support that legacy platform, and they don't appear to have an interest in doing so. Their primary target audience is quite clearly people with newer machines, and Telex makes no apologies for it. After all, most voice recognition software requires faster processors to run effectively, and those machines would typically be running at least Windows 98, anyway.

That proviso aside, I love this microphone. No, it's not quite as good as the results you'll get from inside a recording studio. But for the money, it's close enough for me.

Kudos to Sony.These earphones offer the best combination of isolation, sound quality, comfort, and easy on-and-off design. I am a commuter in NYC, and twice a day I walk a few blocks, take a bus for about 15 minutes and a subway for another 20 minutes. I used to use Koss KSC-35's, but their open-air design had me constantly changing volumes to deal with the various noise levels. I also needed to put the volume on very high to deal with the subway, and I was afraid that I was harming my hearing. I tried the Sennheiser PX-200's and while real comfy, the isolation wasn't enough. Then I tried the Shure E2C's, but the only insert that would fit my small ear canals was the small foam pair. Since you need to take the time to roll these foam inserts up real small before inserting, then hold them in your ears till they expand, that made them very inconvenient for everyday on-and-off use. These Sony's are also a little more comfortable than the Shure E2C's. I have even tried the Koss Plugs, but they do not fit in my small ear canals at all and constantly came out. Thanks to these Sony earphones, I can now travel in comfort and musical bliss for my whole commute without the need to constantly change volumes. As with the Shure earphones, only the smaller inserts fit me on these Sony's. At first, it takes awhile to get used to these, and my ears did get a little sore, but after a few weeks I got used to them. The material that goes into the ear is pretty smooth for easy insertion, and is fairly easy to keep clean. A word of advice: do clean the removable inserts once in awhile in soap and water and keep your ears clean! The sound on these is very good with solid bass. Perhaps not the best you will hear, but better than your average moderately priced headphones of any design and brand. Another word of caution: if you need to operate a bicycle or vehicle these are dangerous as outside sounds are really muffled or cut off. So don't use these in environments where you need to hear sounds clearly.

I recently bought a Rio Chiba 256 cheap off of Ebay and after reading all the glowing reviews decided to buy these from Amazon for a reasonable 34 bucks to replace the 10 dollar Sonys I got from Wal Mart.
While impressed with the Chiba I thought it could stand to be a little louder because I do like loud music on occasion.
Thats where I'm a little disappointed with the 71's.
In my Chiba the $10 Sony's actually sound a little louder than the more expensive 71's.
The 71's have zero distortion and sound better however so they are worth using.
Sitting here typing on the computer on the other hand shows just how great these headphones are.
With the extra power soundwise the computer has vs the Chiba you can really see what the 71's can do.
With some power to them they are truly unbelievable!
I just wish my Chiba could sound like that!
Oh well its probably better for my ears that the Chiba is on the quiet side.
BTW I don't listen to anything less than 128kbps which to real audio snobs I know is garbage but I'll bet more people are using 128 than are using higher scan rates or newer formats.

In closing if you have a high powered portable like I heard the Karma is or you plan on listening to them on a computer then buy them you'll be amazed.
If you plan on using them only in a Chiba or similar MP3 player that is on the quiet side you won't be disappointed but you won't be blown away either.

BTW I really debated getting the 51's without the extention but I'm glad I opted for the flexibility of the 71's. I don't use a armband but the short cord is just perfect for a jacket I own.

Overall an amazing piece of technology. 10/10

After realizing that my current pair of Sony Street-style had reached the end of their lifespan, I began searching for a replacement pair. They had served me well, so I decided to see what Sony had to offer again.

They didn't disappoint me. I decided to look for an earbud type this time for convience and work-related reasons. What I found were the MDR-EX71SL's.

These little babies are a godsend. They fit snugly and comfortably inside your ear...you won't know how comfortably until you try them. The best part is, they sound absolutely amazing! I've never heard bass from earbuds like this before! The treble seems a little dark, but that may just be because I prefer bright treble. And, the closed-type design does a good job of blocking out outside noises, which was an unexpected bonus, I must say.

The cord quite short, but that's so you can connect it to the in-line remote of your CD or Mp3 player without having too much slack. Sony threw in a metre long extension for those of you that don't have a remote, but the combined length is a bit long for use with a portable player. This problem can be fixed with the nifty case that comes with the pair. Normally, it holds just the earbuds, but it also doubles as a cord winder, which is very useful. In the package you also get a cloth carrying case, which is totally useless IMO, unless you have a MiniDisc player, which it might fit, I don't know.

All in all, the MDR-EX71SL earbuds are best you're going to find without splurging on a pair from Shure or another high-end manufacturer. And one more thing, be sure to push them in all the way to get that deep bass, as previously mentioned by other reviewers.

Kudos to Sony.These earphones offer the best combination of isolation, sound quality, comfort, and easy on-and-off design. I am a commuter in NYC, and twice a day I walk a few blocks, take a bus for about 15 minutes and a subway for another 20 minutes. I used to use Koss KSC-35's, but their open-air design had me constantly changing volumes to deal with the various noise levels. I also needed to put the volume on very high to deal with the subway, and I was afraid that I was harming my hearing. I tried the Sennheiser PX-200's and while real comfy, the isolation wasn't enough. Then I tried the Shure E2C's, but the only insert that would fit my small ear canals was the small foam pair. Since you need to take the time to roll these foam inserts up real small before inserting, then hold them in your ears till they expand, that made them very inconvenient for everyday on-and-off use. These Sony's are also a little more comfortable than the Shure E2C's. I have even tried the Koss Plugs, but they do not fit in my small ear canals at all and constantly came out. Thanks to these Sony earphones, I can now travel in comfort and musical bliss for my whole commute without the need to constantly change volumes. As with the Shure earphones, only the smaller inserts fit me on these Sony's. At first, it takes awhile to get used to these, and my ears did get a little sore, but after a few weeks I got used to them. The material that goes into the ear is pretty smooth for easy insertion, and is fairly easy to keep clean. A word of advice: do clean the removable inserts once in awhile in soap and water and keep your ears clean! The sound on these is very good with solid bass. Perhaps not the best you will hear, but better than your average moderately priced headphones of any design and brand. Another word of caution: if you need to operate a bicycle or vehicle these are dangerous as outside sounds are really muffled or cut off. So don't use these in environments where you need to hear sounds clearly.

I recently bought a Rio Chiba 256 cheap off of Ebay and after reading all the glowing reviews decided to buy these from Amazon for a reasonable 34 bucks to replace the 10 dollar Sonys I got from Wal Mart.
While impressed with the Chiba I thought it could stand to be a little louder because I do like loud music on occasion.
Thats where I'm a little disappointed with the 71's.
In my Chiba the $10 Sony's actually sound a little louder than the more expensive 71's.
The 71's have zero distortion and sound better however so they are worth using.
Sitting here typing on the computer on the other hand shows just how great these headphones are.
With the extra power soundwise the computer has vs the Chiba you can really see what the 71's can do.
With some power to them they are truly unbelievable!
I just wish my Chiba could sound like that!
Oh well its probably better for my ears that the Chiba is on the quiet side.
BTW I don't listen to anything less than 128kbps which to real audio snobs I know is garbage but I'll bet more people are using 128 than are using higher scan rates or newer formats.

In closing if you have a high powered portable like I heard the Karma is or you plan on listening to them on a computer then buy them you'll be amazed.
If you plan on using them only in a Chiba or similar MP3 player that is on the quiet side you won't be disappointed but you won't be blown away either.

BTW I really debated getting the 51's without the extention but I'm glad I opted for the flexibility of the 71's. I don't use a armband but the short cord is just perfect for a jacket I own.

Overall an amazing piece of technology. 10/10

After realizing that my current pair of Sony Street-style had reached the end of their lifespan, I began searching for a replacement pair. They had served me well, so I decided to see what Sony had to offer again.

They didn't disappoint me. I decided to look for an earbud type this time for convience and work-related reasons. What I found were the MDR-EX71SL's.

These little babies are a godsend. They fit snugly and comfortably inside your ear...you won't know how comfortably until you try them. The best part is, they sound absolutely amazing! I've never heard bass from earbuds like this before! The treble seems a little dark, but that may just be because I prefer bright treble. And, the closed-type design does a good job of blocking out outside noises, which was an unexpected bonus, I must say.

The cord quite short, but that's so you can connect it to the in-line remote of your CD or Mp3 player without having too much slack. Sony threw in a metre long extension for those of you that don't have a remote, but the combined length is a bit long for use with a portable player. This problem can be fixed with the nifty case that comes with the pair. Normally, it holds just the earbuds, but it also doubles as a cord winder, which is very useful. In the package you also get a cloth carrying case, which is totally useless IMO, unless you have a MiniDisc player, which it might fit, I don't know.

All in all, the MDR-EX71SL earbuds are best you're going to find without splurging on a pair from Shure or another high-end manufacturer. And one more thing, be sure to push them in all the way to get that deep bass, as previously mentioned by other reviewers.