Headphones Reviews

I very much like the idea of allowing myself to do other things while talking on the phone, and so the idea of a headset is a good one. However, this one has a few problems for home use. I found the volume (for me to some degree, but moreso for my conversational partner) to be lower than would be optimal, a problem I don't have with the handset. Also, it makes an obnoxious noise when inserted during a call, but answering the phone with the headset slows you down unless you already have it on your head, so I usually end up not using when I'm called by someone else, or when I'm calling someone who has difficulty hearing or is quiet. It's still excellent for business-related calls (everything seems to be audible there, I don't know whether it's because of quieter surroundings or better phones or what, but volume never seems to be a problem), but the limitations on home use are disappointing--for so much money, I expected a near-perfect user experience, and it's dissapointing not to get it. I do like the styling, though, because it goes well with the Panasonic phone I have (the sadly discontinued KX-TG 200B), and it's much more comfortable for long wearing than using the handset of any phone, but the usability is a disappointment.

People routinely complain that I can't be heard when using this headset. The sound on the other end is fuzzy but primarily very faint. Also, the ear clip method doesn't work very well. You end up holding the device to your ear to hear well, so it doesn't fall off, and so the mic is close to your mouth. Certainly not up to Panasonic's usual quality.

I bought this headset with the Panasonic KX-TG2500B cordless phone and I am very happy with both. The headset is comfortable, looks good, and the clarity is very good, being equal to using the phone directly , both listening and speaking. People tell me that they can't tell the difference between the microphone in the phone itself. It's a little expensive but I have no complaints with its performance.

Purchased unit new (at least it was said to be ).
There were many features on the device that didn't work at all, worked improperly or functioned intermittently.
The unit also appeared to have used and returned by a previous customer. There were about 20 calls stored on the caller ID log; and the LCD plastic film protector had already been peeled off and was stuck to the side of the box.

I finally upgraded from the Hotcall 3000 to this new 4000 model and it's made a major difference in the way I can be online now. I was happy with the old unit but never knew if I should pick up the phone and lose my connection (especially if I was playing an online game, knowing it'd be over if I picked up).

Now I can see who's actually calling and decide if it's worth picking up, but more importantly I know who it was, so I can always call them back later. Very nice, as simple as hooking up an answering machine, and the loud ring is less annoying than the older units as well :)

I haven't had any problems at all with getting calls, missing calls, or anything else mentioned. As with any strange electronics device, I'd have to say half of the blame of malfuction (unless it's a defective unit) is going to be the fault of the user and the setup they've created for it. But hey, I've got TWO phones (with a jack splitter, in case you're wondering) and an answering machine hooked into mine, and it still works flawlessly. I don't know how to make it NOT work :)

The HC4000 is very easy to use. I received mine today and had it hooked up in just a few minutes. I have been using an Emerson Swithboard but found it very unreliable. It was missing too many calls. With the Hot Call, I know who is calling and can choose to take the call or ignore it. I have been testing it with my cell phone and so far it has not failed to recognize that I am receiving another call. You must have Call Waiting with Caller ID for the HC4000 to work. The first unit I received had a defective modem board and had to be returned, it is working great! If you have dial-up service with only one phone line, I would highly recommend the Hot Call 4000. You won't have to miss those important calls anymore!

I recently purchased this model after comparing to the Koss unit. What clinched the purchase for me was actually going to Panasonic's site and checking out the specifications. This is the headphone they sell with their portable DVD units. I bought this set of headphones to go with my new laptop, which also has a DVD player, and I thought they would be useful for that task.

The effect of the noise cancellation is very nice and something that isnt very easy to describe. The best term I can come up for it is "active silence." You can "hear" something in that the "something" you hear is different than the ambient noise, but its just dead quiet. Very useful when youre working around computers.

The sound quality and the construction of the unit are my two beefs.

First, the headphones do hiss a bit. There is an audible background hiss just having them plugged in. This does go away pretty well when the noise cancelling is turned on however.

I have had to create an equalizer setting for them because their range seems a little odd. The low range on them is about right, but the mids are weak and the highs are too strong. So its necessary to turn the highs down, turn the mids up, and the medium-low range down. This is easy enough if youre using a computer with an equalizer that supports presets. It might not be so easy with, say, a discman or something similar.

Second, somebody reviewed this unit and said that they "pinch" a little and that the ear muffle is shaped incorrectly for human ears. This is mostly correct. Because the unit folds in half, there is a constant tension against your ears, which the pads on the phones do not really protect you from. I noticed that taking my glasses off eased this pain in my ear. However, not having my glasses on makes using the computer futile. They get real uncomfortable after about two hours of use.

Would I buy them again? Well, maybe, if the price was dropped $20, and I had a chance to try out the Koss unit. Otherwise, I think the only real reason to purchase them is so you can wow your friends and tell them they have noise cancelling. Hardly worth $110 for that.

I picked these up as possible replacements for the Panasonic RP-HT850's, which apparently have been dropped from the line. Like the 850's they're true "foldaway" headphones--light, compact, comfortable, convenient to carry and wear. Unlike the 850's they use a two-sided, rather than a single-sided, cord connection, and they require insertion of a battery (which makes them marginally heavier). The sound is efficient, or responsive, and bright if not brilliant. But in side-by-side comparisons with my other headphones, including Panasonic RP-HT710's and Sennheiser PX-100's, the Panasonic 100's are definitely wanting in terms of balance, spaciousness, and fullness. If you don't mind the cumbersome size and 16-foot cord, the Panasonic RP-HT 710's are hard to beat for the price. Otherwise, the Sennheiser PX-100's are the inescapable choice--little overachievers that not only make the ride but hold their own against the more costly and conspicuous competition.

UPDATE: the plastic broke while travelling, so they no longer stay on my head. Consider a product like Koss' "The Plug" instead.

I bought a pair of these about 18 months ago and use them regularly on airplanes. They are a substantial improvement over the usual cheap headphones provided by the airline, because of the noise reduction, the "around the ear" instead of "on the ear" construction which itself seals against outside noise, and the sound quality.

The sound quality is quite acceptable for airplane listening. They don't stand up to good quality headphones that don't have NC and don't fold up, but their convenience makes up for it.

They don't sound as good as the Bose headphones that are sometimes handed out on business class, but they are substantially cheaper.

Two minor downsides. First, they can get uncomfortable after a few hours of listening. Second, there is a little plastic cover for the battery which recently came off and got lost, and now the battery sometimes falls out and gets lost.

Overall they are a substantial improvement over what the airplane gives you. You can actually understand the spoken parts of a movie. They are compact, light, and easy to carry around so they are always in my carryon bag, and I use them a lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the newer units in the same or slightly higher price range would be better, as this is an older unit.

I loved the older model, without the caller ID feature. The only problem I had after 3 years of use (had an extra battery)is the mouth peice over the years began to break away from the headset and you couldn't hear very well at times. You might say the family wore it out! Loved the design, great to be hands free while talking and walking in the house as well as outside the house in the yard! The reception was great! I am on the way to buy the new model and put it to the test!

I am a huge fan of the old GE headset phones. I've used them for years. Unfortunately, I guess they weren't that popular and before long they were discontinued.

So, I was thrilled when this new, sleek version was released recently. This is a slick, lightweight phone. And now you can replace the headset if you break it (a fatal flaw in the old design).

I have done side by side comparisons with the older model and I'm told the old model's sound is a little clearer. The new model seems to have superior range. No extra battery with the new version, so you have to be sure to keep it charged.

This model has some odd things I'd like to see fixed. For one, I can't seem to dial in the volume very well. When I've set the headset volume for voice, the dial tone is far too loud, as are the key tones. This is a minor annoyance, but the old model was much better in this area.

All in all, I'm happy with it though. I still think this form factor is the best one for headset users. Not too small, not too big...just right.

Excellent versatility. I use this phone constantly - while I am working online, doing laundry or washing dishes. I just ordered another two.

Well, these headphones look good online. They are comfortable and easy to put on and feel like you're not wearing them. That's about all that's good about them; the sound is very poor - it cannot support a large amount of bass. At high volumes the sound is intrusive and scratchy. Also, they extrude far out on your head, so you don't really want to wear them in public. Anyway, if you're looking for some good headphones for about the same price, go with the silver Sony MDR-G72LP Street Style Headphones. They look great, sound great, and are built well.

I purchased these to replace the cheesy earbuds that came with my Dell Digital Jukebox. I, foolishly, assumed that "Sony" earphones would be a great improvement. Let's see...

They are uncomfortable, they're tinny-sounding, and the cord is ackward. Other than than that, they're fine.

In other words, I want my money back! Crap.

This headphones is a more expensive unit compared with other comparable products. Is this worth it? It depends.

Among the headphones that I have tried so far, this one definitely sounds different. The frequency response is rather flat, meaning the bass and the treble do not get boosted as much. I think over the years my ears got so used to bass/treble boost that I first felt strange listening music thru this headphone; music sounded airier. Also, the sounds get dispersed across the left and right better than the other cheaper headphones. This makes possible to hear the details of each sound element better. I was actually amazed how much detail I was missing with other headphones. With a bit of boost, the bass sounds and subtle detail of sound can blow you away. I would think those are pros depending on your tastes.

Now, the cons. Sometimes I feel the bass and vocal sounds do not get "centered" correctly; I tend to hear them a bit toward the right than usual. I don't know why this happens, but I can assure it's not my ears! Also, the vocal doesn't come out very clearly with this headphones. If you listen to a lot of vocal music, you might be dissapointed. For instrumental music, it works just fine. Another thing is that the ear clips are not as comfortable as a set of Sony headphones that I used to own prior to getting this one.

Also, by construction, this one isn't suitable for listening in a very noisy environment. You can hear too much noise from outside.

Overall, I have a reservation about recommending this headphones for casual listeners. If you know what you are getting, this may be an interesting headphones to try.

I ordered a pair of Phillips surroud sound headphones at the Target website. The first thing that dissapointed me was the shipping price. Seven dollars for a light package package that would fit in my mail box. Once I opened them I was very dissapointed. The ear buds that came with my mp3 (which probbably costed five dollars) had deeper richer sound. They are not even comftorable. It's like when the doctor looks in your ears. They might have "surround sound" but they are not special, not worth the price.

After receiving an unexpected MP3 player for the holidays, I had to go about replacing the horrid earbuds, and these were one of the items tried.<br /> <br /> These buds are really a case of missed potential. As might be noticed by the other postings, the fit is hit or miss. If the work, great, if not, it is going to feel like someone has stuck coke cans into your ears. A pretty good approximation, is the negative terminal end of a AAA battery. Find a dead cell, and very carefully insert it into the ear canal about 1/4", no further. That is pretty much the size and shape of the end of these Philips earbuds. Note: when properly inserted, they will point towards your nose, not the center of your head. If the battery trial holds promise, the HE591/HE595's might be worth considering.<br /> <br /> As to sound, in comparison to my reference headphones (an old pair of Grado SR80's), the HE591's aren't even close. They have no real bass response below 35Hz, and there is a serious peak around 500Hz. The peak can be taken care of with a bit of equalizer diddling, but there is nothing to help the deep bass output. The Grado's sound perfect with the equalizer off, the HE591's need help.<br /> <br /> As others have mentioned, the asymmetrical cord layout is silly; would have preferred a bit of extra length for the left bud. The simple case is a nice piece of work though. In addition, these are vented buds, which means you can hear a bit of what is going on around you. Good if you jog and an want to keep a sense of your surroundings. Despite the venting, they don't really leak much sound.<br /> <br /> A quick tip if you try them. Lightly moisten the soft silicone tip before gently "screwing" them into your ears, again, with the axis pointing towards your nose. Do not try to point them towards the center of your head, it won't work. I like the cable exit pointed to the top and foward, with the cords looped over my ears. You may like a different orientation.<br /> <br /> I think they are going to work fine for jogging and exercise, but they won't replace my Grado's for serious listening. BTW, if you have never heard of Grado, their SR60 and slightly more refined SR80 represent two true values in high fidelity. Despite their dowdy retro look, they sound gorgeous, and are made right here in the US. If you ever have an issue, they will support you. I just bought some new foam surrounds for my 15 year old pair, and they sent me some replacement gimbal yokes, to replace my cracked ones, free of charge. <br /> <br /> If Philips had simply included a couple of sizes of soft tips, like Sony or Shure, and knocked down that low mid-tone peak, they could have had a real winner. As currently sold, they are simply OK if they fit, and dreadful if they don't.<br /> <br /> Hope that helps.

First, let me say that I don't understand how the other reviewers could find these little gems uncomfortable. They are amazing! They fit snuggly in the ear and DO NOT fall out. On top of that, the sound is just amazing. After looking for replacement earbud style headphones to replace the horribly uncomfortable Sony ear clips and the earbuds that just fall out during exercize, I was delighted to find these Philips wonders. My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that the little rubber cushions can can come off after months of use. Like one other reviewer mentioned, they are too uncomfortable to use without the cushion, but these are so wonderful that I've re-purchased them several times. It would be wonderful if they would package these units with extra cushions. I definitely recommend these.

worked great for about 2 months then the sound got all distorted making it worthless. Do not buy, it is a waste of your money

Well: I didn't experience so terrible product functionality issues as unfortunately other reviewers did. I've been using this headset for a year with good results. Not any system crash, the headset is working properly since I ever installed. I use this product mainly for voice-chat applications, and works fine.

What I'd like this product could be featuring is a little bit longer mic extension.

Of course this is not an "state-of-the-art" gadget, but if you're looking for a headset to use on voice-chat applications, I recommended it.

I've had this set for about 2 weeks now. Sound is nice, crisp and clear, audio through the mic is excellent - no background noise at all when talking. Game squad members have asked numerous times why do I sound so good using our TeamSpeak program, loud and cristal clear without a hint of distortion or background noise. Highly recommend for anyone into voice chat, team gaming, etc.
My only complaint is that it completely blocks out your normal speakers, you have to go into your sound control and switch to your main speakers when not using the headphones, a real pain in a** as I don't always want to use the headphones.
I've also started experiencing intermitent sound cutout in the right speaker, have to wiggle the cord to get the sound back in that earpiece. Shouldn't be a problem getting this warrantied and definately does not change my opinion of this product, just got a bad connection, it can happen to the best of companies.

Good sound but very bad quality on the wire - wire broken from one of the headphones after 1 month. Dont buy it.

I have gone thru 3 pairs in 2 years.The only reason i have bought so many is the sound quality is great but the wires on these headphones are cheap.All three pair failed because of wiring problems but i have not found a pair of headphones that sound as good as these.I am sure if i spend more money i could but i just us them for the gym.Philips just needs to work on the wiring problem.

These headphones should be industry standard-no specification
changes,these are designed flawlessly, from form-fit to sound
quality.I bought these phones 1.3 years ago locally and I was that
impressed with them and they almost rival my BOSE TRI-PORT
headphones!The plug,however,should be a little more thicker
so these can last longer.Overall,these sound perfect w/ my M.D.
MP3and my standard disc.These are very light on my head and
never a nusance to wear,and this is from someone who is picky about headphones!All props goes to PHILIPS.

I bought this product to be able to watch tv without disturbing my wife who doesn't like background noise when she's reading. For that purpose the Sennheiser RS-45 is great. I can sit wherever and move freely without being constrained by a cord.

But don't expect too much. If you move around, there will be few disturbances in reception, just as there would be if you are moving around with a portable radio. Next room the reception is not too great, so you can forget about going to the basement with the headphones if the transmitter is somewhere else.

In short: if you're looking for perfect sound quality, get regular headphones with a cord. If it's more important for you that you can move around a bit, the Sennheiser RS-45 is a good option.

I was given this headset as a gift and I was really excited. I connected it to my computer immediately, and used it to listen to MP3s while doing other stuff around the house or even washing the car outside (I am only on the 1st floor however). I also used it for listening to TV and watching DVDs without disturbing the rest of the family.

The sound quality was great when the headphone had an unobstracted (direct) line of sight with the transmitter, but I got some static while moving around behind walls etc. Overall, I am very satisfied with both the quality of the sound and the reception distance.

On the other hand, I am not particularly satisfied with the overall manufacturing quality, namely the plastics used and the feel on my ears. I prefer the leather-like headphones because they are easier to clean after use. Wearing the headphones was also a bit ackward at first, as they pressed a little too hard against my head (got used to it in the process however).

One word of caution however. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT IN GREECE. It broke down and then hell broke loose. There is no Sennheiser in this country and the service center of the seller (Nakas) is located hours away from me. Since I am in the capital rather than a rural area, I dread to think what would have happened to a guy from a small town in a similar case. Also, Avitech (another service center I was referred to), received my money beforehand only to inform me the device can't be fixed. I had to through it away and go for a Sony instead.

I have used amazon reviews to determine what type of headphones to buy for the price range I wanted - I considered the mixed reviews and gave Senn RS-45 a chance. I am happy to report I am 100% happy with the quality of the sound, the range, and the ease of set up (even my iPOD works with it!)

Thomson Electronics purchased Jensen. Thomson no longer will honor lifetime warranties on items purchased prior to July 2003. I hope they will honor their employees' pensions but given there casual attitude towards consumers I am doubtful.

Terrible. Picture is misleading. The casing structure is actually attached to the entire unit and they expect you to carry it around with your headphones.

Don't buy this! First the autowinder dose not work at all--I had to leave the wire under the cap; Second, the wires do not work--I could only hear sound from one ear, sometimes none; And third, the earphones are huge--they hurt my ears so much, I could not wear it for more than ten minutes.

I give it two star only because when I first bought it, it worked well, and porvided pleasureable sound. But then, everything down hill. Bad quality!

I will have to throw it away, buy a real headphone!!