Headphone News

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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Following on from earlier positive reviews, CNET have rated the Able Planet Clear Harmony headphones a very good 7.6 out of 10 in a recent test.

Again, it’s the noise canceling capabilities of these headphones that receive the most praise although CNET also approve of the sound quality.

However, Able Planet appear unable to solve some common noise canceling problems like interference although this appears to be a minor niggle in a very positive review.

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I first mentioned the Anycom BSH-100 way back in September last year, and I’ve finally found a review of it, courtesy of MobilitySite. It’s quite a positive review, with the headset being rated as a 4 out of 5.

The main plus points noted are the sound quality and ease of pairing. For much more details, check out the full review.

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That’s right, waterproof headphones. No matter how pointless they seem to me, iLounge seem to like them enough to give them a B rating in their recent review.

Apparently they actually sound quite good, both above and below water. They also come with a buoy which, I have to admit, almost makes me want to buy a pair.

Much more info at the Aquapac site.

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With the Travel-Ease headphones, Targus have continued the trend towards cheaper noise-canceling headphones. However, noise-canceling can be a very hard technology for manufacturers to get right but according to a review in Notebook Review it looks like Targus have succeeded.

Coming in for the most praise is the effective noise-canceling system. According to the review it performed well during a flight, probably the environment where the technology will be most useful. The comfort of these cans is also noted although the reviewer did find them a bit bulky for travel use.

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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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PC Magazine have the third review of the JVC HA-NC80 noise-canceling headphones that I’ve seen and it’s got more in common with the modest CNET review than the gushing blog critics review.

Again, it’s the discomfort that is the main problem found with these headphones. However, there is praise for the audio quality and price. For $40, there’s not much too lose if you fancy trying them out.

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The last time I saw a review for the Sennheiser PXC 300 noise canceling headphones was way back in October and it was far from flatering. Gautam at Tablet PC Review has done a more recent review of these ‘phones and although it’s more positive, the write up still finds some problems.

Starting with the negative, Gautam has some problems with the design, particularly the in-line battery and noise-canceling circuitry. It’s also noted that the bass is very weak on these headphones which wasn’t something that Pocket Lint picked up on in the previous review. Despite these problems, Gautam does like these headphones with the mids and highs being praised in particular. Sounds like this is a definite try-before-you-buy, if possible.

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Shiny Shiny reviewed the Plantronics Pulsar Bluetooth Headphones way back in July and were quite impressed with them and now TreoCentral have reiterated that opinion in a recent review.

Awarding the headphones 4 out of 5, TreoCentral praise the sound and comfort of these ‘phones but do have some reservations over the design. For much more details, check out the full review.

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I have to admit to having never really understood the point of wireless headphones (maybe it’s because I don’t live with my parents anymore?) but The Tech Lounge’s review of the Sennheiser RS130 Wireless Headphones has started to change my mind.

The reviewer is left particularly impressed with the sound quality of these headphones, although you should expect that for a $150 set of cans. They also appear to have little problems with interference, a common problem with wireless audio. Overall, they sound like a good buy.

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