5 comments about Sennheiser HD 485 Explore New Sound Dimensions in Headphones.

1. Since these are Open, Circumaural headphones; which headphone purists consider the best form of headphones you can ever hear, I was expecting a lot out of these cans. And I must say, I wasn't disappointed a bit!
   
   Highs: A+
   Mids: A
   Bass: A+
   
   Music: A+ (esp. Electronic)
   Movies: A+
   
   Straight out of the box they will sound very different when you first try them out ... that is because not many people use open, circumaural headphones and in this budget these would probably be among your first set you own.
   
   They need to be broken in ... My favorite genre is Vocal Trance and I bought these as the HD515, HD215 had got poor reviews for electronic music. At first I was slightly disappointed with these as I already own a pair of v-moda bass freq earphones which have massive bass (which I was used too!) But then I realized that the bass from the HD485s is well rounded and not too heavy.
   
   The highs are crystal clear and in both the high & low frequency range these cans perform extremely well and I could hear sounds and notes in songs which I never heard this prominently before. At times you might feel that they lack some power in the mids but I guess it might be because of the way you setup the equalizer for electronic music. While seeing movies they sounded perfectly balanced throughout the spectrum.
   
   I tested them with the Dolby Digital Demo Disk II & THX Demo Disk II ... they were stunning. I also tested them using the THX 7 minute sound check (it was an experience!)
   
   I read some reviews which said that they found the bass overpowering for these cans ... Im sorry to say this but at first I found the bass slightly thin and as time progressed I got used to it and got comfortable with the bass level ... and to be honest ... it is just perfect ... any bass less than what these have and it will sound too thin.
   
   Structurally ... they have huge cups since they are open, circumaural and surprisingly they have a very acceptable volume level even from portable players for cans of their size (with the level of bass they produce)!
   
   The plastic construction is very light and you can wear them for prolonged periods of time without any discomfort as the cups are attached to the headband with a self adjusting ball and socket type arrangement.
   
   FYI: They come with a cool desk holder!
   
   Also: They come with a two ended 3.5mm stereo cable which can be replaced with any other commercially available cable for a shorter cable for portable use!!!



2. These headphones look good and deliver great sound quality. It would be a wonderful experience if there's no one around you. The sound leaks pretty bad. I used it on a bus with only mid volume, people around either sang along or gave me a dirty look.



3. I'm using the headphones with a high quality computer sound card. The headphones are a bit tight, but that is good, since they don't fall off when I look down!
   
   Comfortable enough to wear for hours and the sound quality is very good (although not superb, but for that you might have to spend $100s more).
   
   I am very happy with Sennheiser headphones and this is just another in a line of successes.



4. This is headphone is excellent. The sound is smooth, light and airy thanks to the open back design. The bass is warm and rich. This headphone is a non-noise cancelling design meaning that you can hear that going on around you, bad in noise environments. However, in a quiet room these headphones sweet.



5. I use headphones for dual purposes, listening to CD's etc, and then use in radio communications. The radio communications application requires long hours of use, and the non-circumaural type like the HD-485 are the best for this purpose. I also noticed, that unlike other open headphones, these seem to be more immune to outside noise leaking in.
   
   As far as fidelity goes, I can't tell the difference between these and much more expensive Sennheisers. However, one thing is for certain- these headphones are good enough so that you can really distinguish the difference between CD quality sound and mp3 sound. With mp3's you can hear the distortion that originates from the compression process.

5 comments about Panasonic RP-HJE300 Portable Earbud Headphones with Carrying Pouch (Black).

1. Didnt quite work with the Iphone-2G (as reviewed by another owner) but it was very easy to cut off the rubber sleeve. The soft rubber sleeve goes over a hard plastic. So you just take a razor blade, press it on the rubber and roll....easy.
   And the sound quality....fantastic. I think they sound better than the $40 sony MDR 71's that my wife has. Soft deep bass, sharp treble, good mids...wow!!!
   And very light, makes them very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. And way better than the $20 philips ones.
   Highly recommended, even if purchasing for something other than the iPhone.



2. Last week my VModa earbuds broke. Unfortunatly, I did not have the $80 to spend on another pair. So I set out with a $25 limit, and tried to find the best earbuds I could find. So when I found these, read the reviews and decided to give them a try. I've had them for about a day now, and they're pretty good! I listen to a decent variety of genres: rock, jazz and a bit of classical, and the sound is pretty good. Clear treble, with a good bass behind it. Compared to my old VModa ones, these would get about a 7 out of 10. But seriously, how many of us have $80 to spend on earbuds? So with the price of these, you really cant go wrong, unless you're an audophile who cannot stand nothing but crystal clear sound in every range. My only complaint is that I have rather large ear openings, and I had to put in the largest rubber things in, and its not quite as snug as I'd like, they still work.
   
   But overall, I like these earbuds. Definatly deserving of the 4/5 score.



3. I have gone through several pair of earbuds for my iPod and these are by far the best ones. I work out five to six times a week and it's important for the earbuds to stay put. The ones I had in the past would constantly fall out while I was in the middle of a work out. These panasonic earbuds stay in my ears throughout the entire workout and I never have to worry or think about them. Not only are they stay in, but the sound is very good. They block out a lot of the outside noise and are very clear. I would buy another pair in a heartbeat!



4. I got this for $20. The sole was solidly built with very elegant appearance. The design of extensible cord is very useful for use in different devices. Also the audio quality is surprisingly good for this grade of earphone.



5. Very good product stay in the ears when running. Better then the original Ipod earbud

5 comments about Philips SHE9500 Ultra Sound In Ear Headphones.

1. I have no complaints about the sound for the price but the wiring aggravates me. It's rubberized and, when you're moving around, it loves to grab onto clothing enough to pull one or 2 out of your ears. As long as you're not moving it's fine, but if you're doing anything physical you'll have problems.
   
   And if these get tangled at all have fun. The stickiness of those rubber wires make an already aggravating task of untangling even worse.
   
   I also don't understand the point of having the extra link in the middle. Completely useless and unnecessary.



2. The Philips SHE9500 plays loud booming sound when I'm sitting at my desk, but I bought them to jog with, and they fail at that purpose. The asymmetric-cable-behind-the-neck thing is a disaster for me when jogging. Any attempt to turn my head to the left causes the ear bud to pop out, since the cable sticks too easily to the back of my neck or shirt. Plus in my opinion, the extender cable is a pain--it's too short without it, but when connected, it causes a weight on the cable itself, which means any swing of the connector during movement will put tension of the earbuds. And surpise, they pop out. Still, the sound is very good, and songs recorded as lesser volume are easy to hear.



3. These are fantastic earphones. Beautiful sound, extremely comfortable in-ear seal, and overall excellent-quality construction. So why am I giving this three stars instead of five? Because some idiot at Phillips' R&D department came up with the idea of an asymmetrical cable system. In other words, the right hand cord is ten inches longer than the left hand cord. This is supposed to make the cables easier to manage (after all, your iPod is only on one side of your body), but it ends up making the left earbud slip out of your ear constantly. This is not a problem if you are sitting or lying down, but if you are jogging, walking, lifting weights, biking (basically moving at all), then you are reaching down to re-insert your earpiece every half minute.
   These are great earphones for the person who sits still 24-7, but for the active person (which applies to almost everyone), the asymmetrical cable design is a major design flaw and a huge annoyance. So here's your choice: superior sound and terrible cable design, or slightly inferior sound and the cable design that has worked perfectly for decades: symmetrical.



4. The product works great (sound, feel in ear, etc). I bought them for use at work and on the motorcycle. For the bike, the tension on the wire bothers my ear after about 30 minutes, but in the office they are outstanding.



5. Use my ear buds just about everyday at the gym. I wish they had a little clip or something to attach to clothing while working out...I use a paperclip.

5 comments about H2O Audio H3 Waterproof Headphones.

1. The sound quality is very tinny, just horrible; a huge disappointment after 10 seconds of use. What is the point of getting an expensive waterproof case, if the sound quality is so lousy? Don't buy these! Laird Hamilton, how can you let them use your photo to sell this junk? Sorry to say that my opinion of Laird just plummeted.



2. The H3 Waterproof Headphones have the best sound quality that you will find that can still handle the elements. Keep in mind that when any set of speakers are waterproofed, the sound won't be quite the same, but these were certainly a pleasant surprise. These headphones also sport some nice features, such as being able to use them a mere earbuds without having the piece around the neck. The optional earbud covers for underwater use also make them very versatile. I would highly recommend these to any friend, and after having some cheap pairs in the past, I can say that these are definitely worth the price.



3. I dont know what some of these people are talking about. The first time I used these headphones they worked great. Yeah, I had to make a couple of
   adjustments at the end of the lane, but thats okay. All in all, I am thrilled that I can now swim and listen to music...something I was not able to do before and made myself stay in the water just to get it done, but now ITS FUN!
   
   It is important to note that these headphones are supposed be fitted below your neck and not around the base of your head, so there is plenty of movement allowed this way, or just remove the fixed part of them and use them as earbuds and they work, too...but can fall out.



4. They work okay underwater but the connection from the headset to the base unit is rather inconsistent. I have to twist the cable and base to get to work correctly. It the connection stays put underwater you still have to deal with the muffled sound pretty often. The thing is there aren't many underwater ipod nano 3rd gen units out there so I am happy that I own this one. One more thing.. Make sure to double check the seal before you close the unit and make sure water didn't get in after your first daily soak because I did have it leak on the once during the first few weeks. Thankfully after a quick dying and praying it worked again.



5. This is the third set of waterproof headphones I have used for my exercise lap swimming. I thought these were the ones that would work. They were much improved over the H2 earphones I had used earlier. The H3 earphones fit, I could hear the music while swimming, the coiled cord reached my iPod on my waistband but did not move around while swimming. However, after about six months of use the left ear began cutting out, a few weeks later the right ear also failed. The warranty is 3 months. This was the same type of failure I have with a set of H2O audio h2 headphones a year ago.
   
   Being curious I dissected the headphones. The wires are very thin and have lacquer type insulation. The motion of my head while swimming wore through the insulation shorting out the earphone. This was the same failure as I had with the H2 earphones.
   
   One other item, when the H2 earphones failed I sent emails to H20 Audio to tell about the insulation problem. I never received a reply from H20 Audio.
   
   Based on two failed products the next set of swimming earphone I purchase will not be from H20 audio.

5 comments about Zune Premium Earphones.

1. these earbuds suck. they come in a real nice case and the sound quality was good but they broke in a week. i like the ones that came with my zune. i thought these would have lasted longer but i was wrong. the cord is plastic not like the ones that came with my zune.



2. These headphones are great. The base and sound quality are excellent, and are a must have for any Zune-owner. I WAS going to get the V2 version of these earphones but have found 3 reasons to get these earphones. 1. they have amazing bass while still retaining its sound quality. 2. Unlike most in-ear headphones, these do not make any noise while moving around. And 3. they do NOT fall out whenever I have to do housework or when i' playing sports. Bottom line: Consider getting these ear phones. They are excellent. if you HAVE a Zune, get them. Now.



3. My wife has her IPod with the factory earbuds.....great sound. A friend has the Sony's........equally as good. I have the Zunes.....I win! The frequency response is incredible. I really like the way these babies fit in my ears. They came with three different size earpieces. If you put them in your ears like they are meant to fit, you hear nothing but music, and they don't fall out. They are way more comfortable than the IPod style and they just stick. If I put them in loosely, they still stick and they still sound pretty good. The only negative is the cord. I can't get it to straighten out. The sound and comfort totally outweighs the one negative. It also came in a very nice case that now is the home for my camera's USB cable. Get the Zunes...just do it!



4. The sound is incredible! Much better sound than the ones that come with the zune. Very good at noise cancelling! Had a small child on a flight could not really hear the child at all!



5. What more can I say? It doesn't matter much how good they sound or how long they last if they can't stay put in your ear. The smallest size will stay in for about 20 seconds before falling out, and that is without any movement from myself. The medium and large sizes almost instantly fall out. Try them on first, otherwise avoid like the plague.

5 comments about Sony DRBT50 Stereo Bluetooth® Headset.

1. This headphone is the first bluetooth device that convinced me that bluetooth can be truly useful. Wireless keyboard and mice did not really change the way I use the keyboard and mouse. This headphone did change the way I use headphones at home, office, coffeeshops and everywhere. I have many headphones, including Bose Quiet Comfort and some canal type earphones. I do appreciate the advantage of each product I bought, but this headphone is the one that I use the most often, and the one I take with me in my bag the most often.
   
   If you are looking for a headphone with good sound quality but also with the convenience of wireless connection, this headphone is probably the best available product at this point. The sound conveys sensitive details as well as dynamic bass and rich vocals. It tends to be a bit bass heavy depending on the source, but it can be adjusted if your music player has an equalizer. I usually listen to music encoded in AAC or MP3 192 kbps or 256 kbps, but for these sources, I can use this headphone without noticing "degradation" compared to wired headphones. (This headphone is good enough to tell if the source file is 128 kbps with fairly high confidence.)
   
   The wireless connection via bluetooth is pretty reliable as long as you are not too far and also there is no wall in between. The actual range seems to vary depending on the host device. However, there are some very occasional sound drops. The sound may drop or become choppy for a brief while but it comes back. It gives you blank silence without unpleasant noise.
   
   The background noise level is pretty good. I can enjoy very quiet piano like Chopin Nocturne or Satie in good digital recording. The noise floor is certainly low enough to tell analog recording sources immediately.
   
   The headphone is easy to use, but you probably need to open the booklet to see how to pair it with the device (push the power button for 7 seconds or longer). The pairing and setup with MacOS Leopard was very easy.
   
   I think the strength of this headphone is the sound quality and convenience, and the "headset" function for telephony is inferior to some other headsets that are designed for that purpose alone. This is because the microphone is located right in the headphone, not by the mouth. Also, different modes of the bluetooth connection are used depending on whether "headphone" or "headset" function is used. For this reason, when you pair this device with a computer for "headphone" use, I recommend to ignore the headset use and pair the device just for the "headphone" function alone. This simplifies and reduces the confusion every time you use this headphone on the computer. Otherwise, when you choose the output audio device, the options for headset use keep coming up and this can be confusing and annoying.
   
   This headphone frees me up. I can listen to music or podcast late at night and still clean up my room, fold laundry, lay on couch and read magazines, etc. Wired headphones, no matter how long the cord is, annoyed me enough to keep me at the desk. This is great for home, office and many other situations. I work in a photographic darkroom, where I have to walk around in a small, dark room with monotonous labor and lots of thinking in between. Music and podcast are essential material, but loudspeakers don't work very well because I walk around all the time, and there are noise sources like ventilation fans, an air conditioner, and running water. This headphone is great for darkroom work. I tried to put an iPod in my pocket and use wired earbuds but they were terrible. This headphone uses a head band that's tight enough for the headphone not to slide down while walking or light labor.
   
   Another nice thing about this headphone is when working with a laptop computer in a library or a coffeeshop. The headphone cable between my head and the laptop is not a big deal but surprisingly annoying. Also, when the computer operates without a wire, it is so nice to use a headphone without a wire.
   
   I also have several critical comments.
   
   The headphone has controls for fast forward, rewind, folder/playlist, volume and power. In my view, the most important control is pause, but this is not easy to use without inadvertently touching other functions. The usability engineering is also not there--these control buttons are small and located very nearby, and they are very easy to hit by error. Ideally, volume, pause/play, ff/rew and folder controls should be located on different sides of the headphone so that blind operation can be done error-free.
   
   The shape of the ear cups is too narrow oval and pinnae are pressed a bit. Bose Quiet Comfort is a bit more comfortable for long hours of use... (only if Bose QC were wireless...)
   
   The charger is a proprietary one that comes with the headphone. Why not mini USB? Also, why doesn't the headphone function while the charger is plugged in? The headphone is completely turned off, not even in the standby mode, while the charger is plugged in. You'll have to turn it on and establish the connection with the device again when you take the charger off.
   
   The headset functionality (with the microphone, but with a lower audio quality mode of the bluetooth connection) is probably a useless marketing gimmick. If I were to use this as a headset, I would need an external microphone that plugs into this headset. The internal microphone does a very lousy job.
   
   I want this headphone with an active noise cancellation. This headphone blocks external sound a bit, but not as good as canal type earphones, and also not as good as active noise cancellation. This headphone would be a lot more useful with active noise cancellation, especially when using in subways/trains/busses, darkroom, and noisy offices.
   
   Now, the next generation iPod touch and iPod Classic had better come with bluetooth.



2. I've had very poor performance when it's being used as a headset rather than as just headphones. Many times the person on the other end of the conversation will state that they can't understand what I'm saying.
   
   When used to listen though, they're excellent. Comfortable padding, good audio response, etc.
   
   Sony really should do something about the audio; something like the voice tube on the Plantronics could help a lot.



3. 
   
   I hemmed and hawed for months trying to decide on a pair of Bluetooth Headphones. I listen to Rhapsody all day at work and wanted to stream audio from my laptop to the headphones. I had been using corded headphones and got tired of dragging the cord around. I only wish that I had bought these headphones sooner. I opted for the Sony's and not the el-cheapos because I wanted them to sound great and work well. These headphones certainly do that and I am not disappointed. My biggest complaint about these headphones is that you cannot use them while they are charging.
   
   The Good-
   
   Comfort:
   I prefer over-the-ear headphones because the sound is superior to over-the-ear. The headphones are very lightweight and comfortable. I wear them everyday for several hours.
   
   Sound:
   The sound from these headphones is amazingly good. I am very, very picky about audio quality and at least when the headphones are in high quality transmit mode the quality will be hard to discern from wired headphones. I think this is because the quality of most laptop headphone jacks is the limitation. I do occasionally get skipping when I work in the lab (lots of high frequency RF around). And the range in high quality mode is good but not great.
   
   Microphone:
   You can use these with your cell phone and the mic is ok. My voice sounds a bit processed and computerized.
   
   Pairing:
   Pairing is easy and supports multiple devices. I have my headphones paired to my cell phone, my PS3, and my laptop.
   
   The Bad-
   
   Windows support sucks as usual:
   The biggest bad is not really a Sony issue but a Microsoft issue
   (surprise!). If you want to stream audio to these headphones from your PC, you will have problems. It turns out the the Windows (XP or Vista) driver does not support streaming audio via Bluetooth (how typical for MS). You need a driver that has A2DP support(Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). So if you want to stream audio you need to pay for a 3rd party driver (19Euros ~$30). I bought mine from BlueSoleil and it works ok. I had to pay for the driver in Euros which sucked. So if you are on a budget and want to stream from your PC, you'll need to factor in the driver cost to ANY Bluetooth headphones you buy. Sure would be nice if Sony provided a driver with the headphones.
   
   Buttons:
   The buttons are a bit clunky to use. I haven't yet gotten the hang of the volume button. I don't use the file buttons and the file buttons are too close to the volume button. It's a bit annoying if something is too loud. It can take a while to turn down while you fumble with the volume button.
   
   Other:
   As I said at the top of the review, you can't use these headphones while they are charging. This is probably my biggest complaint. While battery life is decent, if you use them a lot, you will forget to charge them. It would be nice to plug them in and use them while they charge.
   
   Overall-
   Overall these headphones are great and I highly recommend them. The sound quality is good. They are easy to use and the battery life is decent.



4. I really wanted to like these but ended up returning them. First, they cauliflowered my ears....ouch!! But the real deal killer was the sound...normally I would say, "Hey, not bad". But I also have a pair of Plantronics 590Es that I bought 2 years ago. Yikes!! The Plantronics utterly destroy these Sonys...the Sony equalization is a disaster that ruins your music...I think they are doing high frequency filtering like Dolby B noise reduction. Nevermind that the Plantronics are also almost 1/3 the cost. So I ended up ordering another pair of Plantronics. Funny, I have had bad luck with Sony headphones over the years....they want too much for this kind of junk.



5. I use the product as headphones only for use with my laptop. The quality of the sound at times is perfect, but occasionally, the music program or movie needs to be paused and then continued in order to remove distortion that builds up.
   The battery life is unbelievable. I use them at least 3 hours a day and have only charged them fully maybe 3x's. A USB charging cable would have been nice, but the battery life is so long, I am surprising myself not to mind the dedicated charger.
   As for comfort, they are pretty good. After a few hours of wear, the bottoms of my earlobes do feel a pinch, but it is not significant.

3 comments about Califone Kids Animal Design Headphones 2810 (Tiger) 2810-ti.

1. Bought this product for Christmas for my 4 yo son to use with his cd player. It has saved our sanity!! He can plug it in himself and listen to his cds. The cord to the headphones has a volume slide. The tiger design is super cute and easy for him to put on. It is well padded and comfortable. I highly recommend.



2. These rock. My 3 year old daughter wears them comfortably and we no longer have to listen to her shows from the back seat.
   
   In addition, she can hear her shows better over the hum of the SUV.
   
   And she loves the tiger design. Excellent product.
   
   Can't comment on the audio quality other than to say my daughter's not complaining!



3. Got two sets - Tiger & Panda - for our nearly 4 and 6 1/2 year old. They fit great, are comfortable & quiet and the individual volumn control is great. We use them w/the portable DVD player in the car. Nice and quiet! Cute too.

5 comments about V-Moda Vibe Duo Earbuds / Headset (iPhone Compatible) - Chrome.

1. I bought these for 59 bucks at BuyCheap here on Amazon! Lowest price anywhere and they soung great.My biggest complaint with other iPhone earbuds was the lack of bass.These have just enough without being overpowering.Supports iPhone forward.back,and pause functions as well as a mic for the phone. I would highly recomend for anyone with a 1st or 2nd generation iPhone.



2. I bought the V-MODA Vibe Duo Earphones/Headset for my new 3G iPhone on 8/8 and on 10/4 I lost volume to the right ear. I had to wiggle with the cord right at the base to hear something, which is not cool when you've spent $299 on a phone that you paid $399 for 9 months earlier (another story) and another $100 for headphones!!! So I took them back today and the sales associate told me, "You know we don't normally do this since its past the 14 days, but as a courtesy..." Yeah ok I should not have to replace $100 headphones every 60 days!!!! Especially when I'm unemployed.
   
   Something to be said for a product, when customers continually buy a product that will break in a few months. ( see reviews where people are on their 3rd of 4th pair!!!) They are really that damn good, if only for 2-3 months :-(
   
   (FYI - This review is posted on Apple and CNET as well)



3. Like many other reviews, a word of caution, one earbud stopped working after about year. For the price, I find this unacceptable. I will not buy V-MODA products again.



4. I got these about 3-4 months ago. I read the reviews about the reliability problems, but decided to go for it anyways. I was careful with them and made sure I was not bending the cables, etc. When not using them, I stored them in the small pouch that comes with them. You get the picture.
   
   I loved them...until now. Yesterday, the left ear started shorting out. Today, it's worse. Tomorrow, I'll be getting a new set of different headphones.
   
   For the price, this is really not acceptable. I'm really disappointed.



5. I bought these earbuds based on reviews on the quality of the sound. They do sound good, and the design looks rugged. But, the connector to the iPhone is poorly designed and the wires inside become disconnected within a relatively short time. VModa will replace the earbuds, but the design hasn't changed, and the connector fails consistently. The second time these earbuds failed, I got curious and took apart the connector. The problem is obvious: there is no strain relief between the wire and the solder joint. If you get your earbud wire caught on something while you are walking (everybody does), all the strain is taken at the solder joint, and it eventually fails.
   
   You'd think these folks would figure it out and use a redesigned connector. For this price you should expect better component quality.

5 comments about Skullcandy Ti Stereo Headphones - White (Fur Earpads).

1. I'd been dying to get this headphones after all the reviews I read about it. And I finally did. The sound is really awesome, i can adjust the bass from EQ so that's not a big deal...however, the comfort level is definitely a factor.
   
   I'm a petite women (coxswain) and my head is pretty small...and after wearing this headphones for an hour it my ears and side of my head starts to hurt which leads to headache. I can't wear this headphones for more then an hour at a time which sucks cause I work in my cubical 8+ hours a day.
   
   The pink does grab a lot of attention and the sound is pretty good however, you can't turn up the volume too much or your neighbor will be able to hear all the lyrics.
   
   If you want a headphones for short time listening with coolness written all over it then this is the headphones for you. But if you're looking for comfort level..you might have to seek else where for it.



2. I bought these headphones after reading some other reviews and overall i'm satisfied with my purchase. I thought it was funny that the same headphones in black were $25.00 to $30.00 dollars more than the white counterpart, more $$$ in my pocket I guess. Anyway the only problem I had with these were the 2 part cord for the headphones. It has a single wire coming from one side of the ear muff about 18 inches long or so and then splits off with another cord. I hate this design because anytime in the past when I've bought headphones with a dual connection like this it ultimately is where the product will fail first. Time will tell if this pair will fail like the others.



3. I had these for about 2 months now. They get kind of sweaty if you wear them in the gym... LUCKILY they come with extra ear pads that are white leather instead of fuzzy pink. You cannot change the headband though.
   
   I was really happy to find them here for less than what Skullcandy.com was offering.
   
   The bass in tihs isn't that loud and even though the speakers can play music really loud they are not sound blocking. Occasionally i can get some breakthrough sounds or background music. Usually not.
   
   And When I have them up loud I always feel like the people around me can hear my music too... so that makes me kind of self conscious.
   
   All in all these are super cute and they work far better than I did expect. Do expect TONS of attention rocking these bad boys.... great conversation starter for sure!



4. Wow, Skullcandy, what a cool brand name. I own a pair of Smokin' Buds and I have to say that I didn't even know earbuds had the possibility of sounding so good. The bass in those things are unbelievable! So, no need to say how high my expectations were for their $80 headphones. The Ti set is very comfortable and has an inline volume control, an extention for your cord, and a home stereo adapter (all gold plated for less signal loss). I could wear 'em all day long and not suffer from 'headphone head'. At this point, I couldn't wait to pump some tunes through them. I have to be honest here, I was extremely dissapointed. The mids, highs, and clarity are great. That's where it ends. I'm still wondering if mine are broken, cuz the bass is practically non-existant. The overall sound is a bit flat and tingy also. I have a pair of Koss that I paid $20 for at Walmart, and their bass annihilates the Ti's low range. In fact, they have a more, full and robust sound quality all the way around. The only thing the Ti set has over the Koss is the clarity and separation of details. I've heard the Skullcandy Hesh have a richer bass than the Ti, but I haven't heard them. So, I'm not sure what happened with the Ti set or why they would be $80. Just a fair warning, but listen for yourself and come to your own conclusion as everyone has their own opinion. This was mine. Happy shopping!



5. Wow, I really wanted to love these. I'd seen them last winter (right before Xmas) but everyone was sold out, and then I kinda forgot about them. So when I stumbled upon them last month I ordered them from Amazon (the pink fur).
   
   They are so cool to look at - and over three songs I did not notice any lack of bass; they sounded just fine to me, just as good as my Eggos and PX100s and Super.fi 5 Pro...well, maybe not as good as that last one. But they are SO heavy! Before those three songs were even over, I could feel the pain on top of my head and dragging down my ears. After 5-6 songs my ears were painfully squashed, too.
   
   I'm going to play around with the fit for a while and see if that helps, but if not, I will sadly have to return them. Too bad, because the price, looks and sound are all quite decent. I could even understand some of REM's lyrics that I'd never been able to make out before!

5 comments about JVC HANC80 Folding Noise Cancelling Headphone.

1. As another reviewer has commented, these reduce noise, they don't eliminate it. If you need something portable when commuting, they fit the bill. They aren't particularly heavy, and the sound is better than the average set of earbuds. One minor gripe about them. You need a AAA battery to use the noise reduction feature, and you MUST remember to turn off the power switch for the noise reduction when you aren't using the headphones. The headphones appear to draw battery power even when you aren't listening to music.



2. I just purchased these headphones and based on its price range they are great. They do a good job of noise reduction. They will not cancel out all the sounds around you. However, I was riding on the bus this morning and was able to listen to my iPod without blasting the music.
   
   I also noticed that they were good when walking on the noisy streets of New York City. Except for extremely loud areas where construction was occurring they blocked out enough of the sound for me to enjoy the music.
   
   The headphones have two modes, low and wide, as noted in the production description. I find the wide setting to block out the most noise.
   
   The headphones are very portable. Besides folding up they come with a carrying pouch and an adapter to insert them into a two prong plug such as those found in airline seating.
   
   My only issue is that the headphones appear to grip my ears too tightly and I have a small head. They are padded and comfortable, but I can see where they might become uncomfortable after many hours (6-8 hours?) of use. This is why I give it four stars.
   
   In conclusion if I lost this pair of headphones today I would have no issue purchasing the same ones again. It works well for its price range, does a good job at reducing noise, and Amazon is offering them at a good price. They retail for $59.99 and Amazon has them at $31 the last time I checked.



3. A $5 earbud piece from Taiwan does a better job at noise cancelling than this JVC piece. Just how bad is it? I listen to music using the noise cancelling feature while standing next to a 6" table fan. I can hear the drone of the whisper-quiet fan through the JVC headphone! Steer clear of this worthles piece of equipment.



4. I've had these headphones for a few weeks. I bought them b/c of the combination of price, foldability, noise-cancellation, good reviews, and a comment that they were good for small head sizes. For me, these are really good. The battery and control for the noise-cancelling feature are in the headset, which I like. They cancel noise better and are more comfortable than some low-end Sony headphones I had previously. I like the foldability. So far, no problems with them. I gave them 4 instead of 5 stars because I am fairly inexperienced in judging head-set quality, so I didn't want to go misleadingly overboard.



5. I purchased these and am very pleased with the noise reduction technology however they snapped apart within 2 weeks of purchase as I was adjusting the slide to fit. I had thought about Bose over the ear headphones but decided to go with the lower cost alternative first.