Headphone News

V-MODA have added a microphone to their popular Vibe series of headphones and created the new Vibe Duo, a set of earphones aimed squarely at the new iPhone market.

By including the same well received sound technology as the original Vibe earphones the Vibe Duo should sound great. The in-line microphone allows the headphones to be used as a hands-free kit with an iPhone when not listening to music.

Included in the package is a leather carry pouch and 8 pairs of silicon ear tips in a variety of sizes.

The Vibe Duo are available now priced at $101.

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HeadphonesRock have a in-depth review of JVC’s bargain basement Marshmallow earphones (aka the HA-FX33) and have rated them as amongst the best in their price band.

Comparing them mainly against the standard iPod earbuds, HeadphonesRock have lots of praise for the sound produced by the noise-isolating earphones. They also love the comfort of the “marshmallow” ear pieces which they rate as “extremely comfortable to wear for extended use”.

If you’re looking for a replacement set of earbuds for your iPod or just a cheap set of back-up earphones then it appears you could do worse than to spend your $15 on the JVC Marshmallows.

Full review.

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CrunchGear have posed a detailed hands on of the Etymotic ety.8 Bluetooth earphones and the verdict is the same as previous reviews - good earphones but hella ugly.

The sound quality is noted as a positive in the review, with the caveat that this quality can sometimes expose limitations in the Bluetooth signal bandwidth. In addition, the comfort and ease of use also come in for praise.

Shame they’re so completely hideous.

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If like me you can’t wait for the Transformers Movie, then you’ll love these pictures of the forthcoming headphones based on the characters of Frenzy & Rumble. They even transform from headphones to desktop speakers. I’m sure they’ll sound rubbish, but that’s not the point, is it?

Available in July, priced $37.

[Found via Gizmodo]

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If you were interested in the highly-rated V-Moda Vibe earphones but found the standard colors a bit dull then you’ll love the new red and mocha colors.

The Red Roxx version has obviously been styled on the (PRODUCT) RED range designed to help fight AIDS in Africa and will perfectly match the (RED) iPod.

The Mocha version is, to put it bluntly, brown.

[Found via TechDigest]

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Andrea Electronics have decided what the world really needs is a pair of flashing headphones so have introduced the new Blinx headphones which flash in time to your music.

This isn’t the first pair of headphones to do this (e.g. the Evergreen !tude) and once again I have to question the point of it all.

Available now for around $30 (batteries included).

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Most of the headphones I see at Headphone News are variations on the same basic theme (the current themes being noise-reduction and Bluetooth) but Sleek Audio have introduced something truly different. The Sleek Audio SA6 is a modular design that will allow you to mix and match components to create the sound you want.

The SA6 comes with 3 interchangeable Bass Ports and 3 Treble Tips that you can switch out to match the music you are listening to. If it works as billed, this would allow you to increase the bass for your favorite dance tunes and then whack up the highs for rock music.

In addition, the cables are also modular allowing you to choose your cable length. There are even plans for a Bluetooth attachment in the future. Assuming the implementation is as good as the concept, these headphones could be an audiophiles dream.

The SA6 will be available to preorder from March with the shipping date set for the second quarter of 2007. Early orderers will get them for $230 while those who wait for release can expect to pay $20 more.

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Shure have added to their ear-canal earphone range by introducing four new earphones in the SE series at this years Consumer Electronics Show. These earphones are aimed as a more consumer oriented version of Shure’s successful E-series and will hopefully fix some of the niggles users had with the sleeves of the E-series.

First up is the $150 SE210 which feature a single Hi-Definition MicroSpeaker. Next up is $250 SE310 which adds a “Tuned BassPort” for a better range of bass. Third in the range is the SE420 which features a dedicated tweeter and woofer for your $350. Finally, the top of the range SE530 has a tweeter plus dual woofers and an internal crossover which claims to aid in the separation of the highs and lows. As I’m sure you’ve guessed it’s an extra $100 for these features making it a rather expensive $450.

The entire range will be available in February.

[Found via Engadget]

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iLounge have reviewed the JBL Reference 220 earphones and awarded them a creditable B+ rating.

The $80 in-ear iPod replacement ‘phones are fairly standard apart from the inclusion of clip-on accessories that allow the earbuds to also be worn in clip-on and under the chin configurations. This is a feature that iLounge appreciate though they do feel the execution slightly lets the earphones down.

However, iLounge were impressed by the sound quality of the JBL earphones, especially considering their price band.

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CNET have become the latest to review the Etymotic ety.8 Bluetooth earphones and have awarded them an excellent 8 out of 10.

Praising them for their excellent sound quality and noise-isolation, CNET certainly rate these headphones. However, in common with earlier reviews, CNET have problems with the looks of these distinctive headphones. It’s a shame that it keeps coming down the cosmetic nature of the ‘phones but considering these earbuds are most likely to be worn in public, it’s certainly a complaint I can appreciate.

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