5 comments about Panasonic RP-HT722 Monitor Headphones with Built-in Surround Control.

1. I recently moved into an apartment and needed to downgrade from a 5.1 speaker system to a pair of headphones. I was sorely disappointed with the performance of this pair.
   
   The surround sound effect is a joke. The best way to describe it is to take a regular pair of headphones and pull them about 1/2 inch away from you ears. That's it, it's a slightly more open sound, but hardly surround. Additionally, using the surround sound feature muffles the sound and lowers the maximum volume.
   
   The bass and maximum volume were also a major issue. First the bass, there is none. You get bass noise, but no bass effect. The maximum volume also turned out to be very disappointing, especially when gaming. I adjusted every windows setting, speaker setting, application setting to make sure I was get as much noise as possible, but it fell way short of what I was looking for.
   
   To sum it up, avoid these headphones. They ruin the immersion quality of games where sound is important - Half Life Series, Call of Duty series, etc. These headphones also lack any sort of power if that's what you're looking for. I literally could have cried at the lack of bass with this unit.



2. I was absolutely stunned by the sound of these bad boys! The surround sound works extremely well. I use them for gaming with the Xbox 360 and could not be happier with them.



3. The sound is great - much better than expected. The "surround sound" is a nice little feature, but it is not really a "wow" factor. The cord is WAY TOO LONG.



4. So I did what the wife wanted me to do and installed a Panasonic 50" plasma and ceiling speakers to clean up the family room. She always hated the Hitachi DLP and Polk Audio floor speaker setup. Needless to say, she didn't anticipate the bleed through from the ceiling speakers into our bedroom upstairs. Usually it's not too bad, but I like to watch movies late at night when the kids are sleeping and Saving Private Ryan or Cloverfield doesn't go over well at midnight.
   
   So I got the green light to pick up a pair of headphones for Father's Day. Off I went to the Sony store to check out the latest Dolby Digital 5.1 wireless h/p. Nice. Sounds great. $400. Better check out the internet and see what else is available.
   
   If your like me and did a search for "headphone"+"surround" you came across the Panasonic RP-whatever that I'm reviewing currently. $30. Tell me more. Most people seem to like them. Tell me more. Most of the people that didn't like the h/p thought that they should sound more like the $400 5.1.
   
   So what's the verdict? Bottom line - for $30 you can't go wrong. They sound really darn good. Better than any earbuds. I only wish that active noise cancelling was also added to the package. As for the "Surround" sound, it's more like Dolby 2.0. Opens up the mid-range a bit - but deep bass is still missing.
   
   You ask what I did with the $370 that I saved? Put it into the kid's college fund.



5. If you're looking to use these on your PC or as a portable solution for your DAP (iPod, etc) then keep looking. Seriously, do not buy these - you will be disappointed. The bass will be nonexistent, weak midrange, distorted highs and $25 bucks wasted.
   
   If you're like me and looking for an adequate pair of headphones to use with your receiver at night or any other time you don't feel like waking the neighbors, this set will serve you well.
   
   The truth is these headphones need a decently powered source to get the most out of them, and most portables/PCs just don't feed enough power to the headphone jack to supply these. Attached to a receiver or other amplifier is where these will shine, although if you have a dedicated headphone amp you're probably not looking at cheap headphones to begin with. The sound is pretty balanced and they can get quite loud before getting some nasty distortion. Considering you can buy these for couch change, they are rather impressive.
   
   I recommend putting the volume control on the headphones somewhere between 50-75% and cranking your receiver. With the headphone's own volume at 100% I find them to distort at comparable loudness to lowering the phone's volume and cranking the source power.
   
   The surround feature isn't much of a feature, as other reviews have noted. If you really want surround headphones you're going to want to get a pair with multiple drivers (like the LTBs which sound great). This surround implementation sounds like an incredibly simple DSP effect similar to the surround mode on many PC stereo solutions of the mid-nineties. Personally, I don't see myself getting much use out of it and I'm betting most people with these won't either.
   
   Also I think it's worth noting the foam padding on these is covered by fabric. I initially thought it was the soft fake leather, which I would have preferred. They are very comfortable (very soft headband as well) but the drawback here is my beard. Unless treated carefully I can foresee my beard tearing up the fabric covering fairly quickly. YMMV!
   
   The cord is fairly thick, and covered by that nice tough rubbery plastic which leads me to believe it will be fairly durable. It's also quite long so it should be good for even medium size rooms. I haven't measured it myself but the box says 5m (16.4ft) and at a quick glance I'm inclined to believe it.
   
   So bottom line these are an amazing deal at <$30 for those times when you are unable to blast your speakers. My star score reflects my opinion of these based on the price range of about $0-$50.

4 comments about Scosche Blulife Home Kit.

1. This thing works like a charm. I own a Apple 60 GB Black iPod Video AAC/MP3 Player (5th Generation) and the Motorola Krzr K1m Sprint phone, which sadly does not feature stereo bluetooth and I was looking for a solution for this unnecessary issue (Motorola should've built in stereo bluetooth along with it's mp3 player). The Scosche Blulife Home Kit was the answer to my prayer. Not only could I use the transmitter with my phone to send stereo audio to my bluetooth headset, the reciever can be used for sound in the home or vehicle. A beautiful thing.
   
   For my video Ipod, I can connect the standard 3.5" jack and send the signal to either the receiver, which connects via any RCA connection, or to my Sony Ericsson Bluetooth Headset HBH-DS970. One important thing to point out is to know what you want to do with your devices, then, read the manuals for all your devices thoroughly. I admit I did have trouble the first time around with the HBH-DS970 pairing to the transmitter and the phone simultaneously, but once I spent time with the manual, I followed the clear instructions and was able to achieve my goal of being able to switch back and forth between music and phone calls. It s all about the single/multiple switch button on the headset. The only gripe I have if any, is the size of the transmitter, which could get bulky if you intend to connect it to your portable devices on the go. Otherwise indoor use not a problem whatsoever.
   
   Here's The Breakdown:
   
   Pros: Fast automatic pairing
   No compatibility issues
   User Friendly
   Durable
   Comes with various size holsters for the different Ipod types
   Price - very affordable and appropriate
   Battery Life
   Make your non bluetooth phone (or other device) into a bluetooth phone (or other device)
   
   
   Cons: Transmitter a bit bulky for use with phone adds bulk to Ipod
   
   Highly recommended!



2. The product came in defective--when it is connected, it seems to work beautifully--however, I keep getting disconnected intermittently every 10 minutes or so. I caled Scosche and I was directed to my merchant to get a replacement. I am still waiting for a replacement to get mailed to me.



3. Plugged into any device other that iPod: Works for 5-10 minutes then loses the connection with no apparent cause.
   
   With iPod: Keeps the connection open, but sound randomly drops for a fraction of a second, several times a minute, if the transmitter is > 6 feet from the base station. (Note: I have no problems with any other BlueTooth item I own within my house) This is VERY obnoxious, and means it the device effectively has just a 6 foot range.



4. I bought this because I wanted a BT speakerphone that turned on and off with my car. I previously used a Motorola T305 that had to be manually turned on when entering the car, and wanted something automatic.
   
   The Scosche unit turns on automatically, but takes a long time to turn on after power is applied (even with the AC adaptor in-home) and does not reconnect automatically to my Blackberry 8100. I must navigate to the Blackberry's Bluetooth menu, select "SCOSCHE" and re-connect manually. Every other Bluetooth device I've used with my Blackberry (several models of ear-headsets, the aforementioned T305 speaker-phone, and a Parrot speaker-phone, all re-pair automatically within SECONDS of being powered up.
   
   What a disappointment.

No comments about Deluxe Stereo Headphones with Mono Volume Control, Aqua.

4 comments about SENDSTATION earBuddy earpod case ( Silver & Orange ).

1. These work great to keep your iPhone earbuds safe, they fit in the case perfectly! The only gripe I had about the product is it's quite pricey for this size of accessory but it is in a class of it's own.



2. -Shabby construction & disappointing fit. Maybe its a manufacturing issue but all in all does not measure up to the price!! Biggest gripe to me are the looks.
   +useful key-ring to store your handsfree for the iphone.



3. I've had this for about 3 weeks and love it! The case is very durable, keeps my headphones safe and always keeps my earbuds with me! Yes it is a little bulky and perhaps a bit expensive, but that's the price I'm willing to pay to have my headphones with me where ever I go.
   
   I definitely recommend this product.



4. i bought this from the manufacturer and had it for almost a year when the zipper teeth started bending and breaking. eventually the zipper head came right off its tracks and i couldn't securely close it anymore.
   
   that said, i still have it on my wishlist for another one because it's so compact.

5 comments about V-MODA Vibe Earbuds - Red Roxx.

1. I just received these V-Moda Red Roxx today 1-30-2008, and they ROCK !.
   Very comfortable in ear with a great sound stage along with excellent noise cancellation !.
   Not to mention that you don't even notice them in your ear because of their very light weight.
   I am using these Red Roxx with my Apple Touch 16gb iPod.



2. These are the best headphones I've ever had! They were well worth the price as well! They sound just as good (if not, then better) then the great big over the ear headphones! They are very small, and they look great! Also very, very duribal! I've worn mine 24/7 for like the past two or three months, and they are still in perfect condition! They are also the most confortalble headphones I've ever worn. As soon as I can, I will buy myself another pair, just in case I lose these or something! What else can I say? I just Love em!!!



3. While the sound on these was decent, the durability was poor. Within a short time of normal use, the wires came loose from the earpiece. The set was ruined. I had to throw them away. I will not purchase V-MODA products again.



4. These earbuds sound SOOOO good that I have trouble listening to any other source of music!!! since getting them, I have had to update the system in my truck to remotely sound even close to how good these sound! So, be ready to get spoiled and then get ready to upgrade everything else!



5. I just got them today, plugged them into my laptop to play an orchestral piece. It was a bit bass heavy for my taste. The Shure E2 was a lot clearer for my taste when listening to classical. Now, I'm sure if I used them on my iPod and change the EQ settings I probably can get the sound I want. But the box did say that it's bass heavy, so maybe not.
   
   Aside from my own preference these earbuds are great. I'm sure listening to other styles would be awesome. I'll write a review again when I use it on the train listening to jazz, hiphop, rock and bluegrass.
   
   I just a review that it needs time to break in, so the sound may be different after 2 days.

No comments about Sony Mdr-Ed12Lp/Red Budstyle Headphones (Red).

5 comments about Sony MDR-J20 h.ear Stereo Headphones (White).

1. THE WORST PAIR OF HEADPHONES EVER CREATED. So bad in fact that I was forced to stomp them to pieces after attempting to run with them for the FIRST time. Never have I used a product so completely useless in all of my life. This might sound like a bit of an overreaction but I assure you it is not. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy these headphones. I've owned many pairs of Sony headphones in the past and never before have I been driven to such random acts of violence only 35 minutes after opening the packaging. Bad, bad, bad and bad. Don't do it. Any other pair of headphones will suit you better. Please trust me.



2. While I like these headphones, they did not stay in my ear, and thus were not very useful for excercising, etc. The sound was good.



3. I got these from my wife when I hijacked her Shuffle. Of the four different headphones she had available, these are the most comfortable and best sounding. I like the fact that they are not earbuds, which I find uncomfortable and which hurt my ears if I use them for several hours. I use these in the office, where I want to hear what is going on around me, and occasionally on the train, where again, I don't want sound isolation. Frequently, I only put one phone in so I can still talk to people and interact.
   
   For running, I agree with the other reviewers. They do not stay in place very well, but being able to hear the cars around you probably makes them safer than many of the headphones that go in the ear.



4. Individual fit must be a large part of people's reaction to these MDR-J20's. Otherwise I don't understand the tepid reviews here.
   
   In my case, both the in-ear speaker and the ear hook work without giving the feeling of needing to adjust them. The bud-size is just right, and the ear hook actually works to counteract cord-tugging. I wear glasses, and the ear hooks fit right in there without cramping or pinching.
   
   By contrast, my most recent prior headphone purchase, (the Shure E3c-N in-ear phones for 179.00 here at Amazon) has been a total loss, because I tried to make them fit/sound good for several days, and never was successful. I might as well have used the money I spent on the Shures as packaging material or as fire-starter. They sit, unused, in their case.
   So, are the 17.00-ish Sony MDR-J20's ten times worse than the 179.00 Shures? Not hardly! In fact I am sure they sound lots better than the E3c-N's in my ears. The Sonys also resist being tugged out by cord tension and aren't as critical in regard to placement in order to get good sound and some semblance of bass.
   
   For reference, my home system consists of a Denon 2807 receiver running a pair of Vienna Acoustics Baby Grands, a Maestro center channel and four Waltz's for surrounds, and a REL B3 200-watt sub.(This is over eight thousand dollars worth of speakers, if you're not familiar with the line) so that's my reference for what constitutes 'very good sound'. And these little Sonys do sound good. They do not sound nearly as good as the Vienna Acoustics driven by the 770-watt Denon, but how could they be expected to, for about 17 bucks? They outshine the 10x more expensive Shures, and in my book that makes them a bargain.
   
   As to the short-cord on one side issue, wear your iPod on the left side and string the right channel cord around the back of your neck, and you're set to go.
   
   I am not using these for sports, but at work these stayed in place, no problem.
   
   I'm stocking up on a couple extra pair of these before Sony discontinues them for something that costs more and doesn't work as well. For the price these are a steal!



5. I love these earhooks/headphone !!!! My family totally feels different then me about them. I guess it's the shape of your head/ears. They fit ME like a glove. I am female the two other family memebers are male. I don't know if there is a connection. I am buying my second pair not because they broke, but because they are white and are filthy from working in the garden. The ear part is very flexible and fit comfortable for my ears. Maybe I have bigger ears???? The other ones are too tight on my ears & hurt. My family find others to fit better, again it may be the size of the ears? However, I am not Dumbo but they do feel better & stay in place comfortably on me. Patrice

5 comments about Panasonic RP-HC150 Noise-Canceling Headphones.

1. I got these at a nice discount on Amazon. However, I only use them in the gym. They do not cancel noise that well on the plane. You still hear quite a bit of engine noise when the noise reduction switch is turned on and the batteries only lasted for about 4 hours. I usually must turn the volume on the mp3 player I use at the maximum setting. Great stereo sound quality, however.



2. Here is my review on these inexpensive headphones after one 3 hour flight:
   
   ADVANTAGES:
   - Quality build and good materials
   - Very comfortable over the ear design with large earcups. I'm sure you can use them for 10+ hours without pain, since there is no pressure on the ears.
   - Lightweight
   - Folds to a compact size and stores in an included leatherette bag
   - Sound quality seems good although I'm not an audiophile to make a good judgement on this
   - Only little hissing when noise cancellation is on (the Bose don't have any hissing by the way)
   - Headphones even work without noise cancellation in passive mode (some other brands don't)
   
   DISADVANTAGES:
   - Noise cancellation is not very good. It does drown out very low frequencies on the airplane but you can still hear the jet engines and everything else. I tried the Bose QC2 and QC3 on a trip and their noise cancellation works much better. When you activate the Bose noise cancellation you get this numbing sensation and everything is calm and quiet. With these there is only a slight change in the noise, but enough of a change to make the engine noise less annoying.
   - Since the noise cancellation isn't very good and they hiss, they're not something to use in the office to drown out background noise (again, the Bose are very good for that).
   
   So overall I'm pleased, mainly because of the comfort and low price (you can get 10 of these for one Bose!). I tried several other brands and returned them because they were either uncomfortable, had ineffective noise cancellation or were too expensive.



3. I didn't notice a difference between puting them on and putting my hands over my ears.
   Want one for cutting out/down the background noise of the TV so I can concentrate on reading. Don't want to listen to music, want to hear nothing/little so I can concentrate on what I'm doing, so I never tried listening to music through them.
   Returned them.



4. These headphones are lightweight and comfortable, and the cord is long enough, and they came with an airplane adapter included. These are the good things I can say.
   
   Unfortunately, the bad outweighs the good.
   
   The cord is very thin and flimsy, and I'm afraid it would not last very long. I bought these at a store and they are going back. The noise cancellation does not work well. When you turn it on, a hissing noise starts, and the outside noise is not perceptibly diminished. In addition to normal household noise, I tested them with a violin playing in the same room, and they failed that test spectacularly.



5. I bought this product that it would have good quality, but no. There is a lot of background noise, which probably means poor materials. Also the noise canceling is weak. I can still hear a lot of noise in the background. I should have shelled out for a more expensive one.

5 comments about Shure Universal Fit 20 Pack Replacement Foams for E1c, E3c and E5c Earphones.

1. I tried all the rubber vinyl plugs that came with the E3C's, but they all had the shortcoming of not effectively sealing the ear canal making bass very poor, and they were uncomfortable. The yellow foam plugs are easy to use and work just like the ear foams many people use in industrial applications. They effectively seal the ear canal and are very comfortable. Although they seem a bit expensive I've found that once they get dirty you can use water and a bit of dish detergent to clean them. Just soak, squeeze, rinse and let them air dry and they are as good as new. You can do this three or four times, then just toss them away.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. Thanks. These are the best earphone foams for Shure earphones. Perfect fit.



3. I wish they sold them by the case. They stay in pretty well in the gym, and I love the ability to change them when I want, I hate skeevy.



4. I've ordered 3 of these replacement packs for a couple of pair of Shure earphones over the last couple of years.
   
   The sound isolation from the foam is excellent, they are fairly easy to use, and fall out less easily than any other option I've tried. Probably only custom-fit molding works much better.
   
   The passive sound isolation is better than active noise cancellation by manufacturers such as Bose, as numerous studies have shown. I'm always amused by the Bose-users on airplanes who don't realize they would get better sound from tiny earphones like Shure or Etymotic than their 5lb monsters with batteries.
   
   Only two minor caveats, one of which should be temporary - (1) There are no Shure earphones with the button for an iPhone yet, only an adaptor, this must be fixed soon. (2) It takes a bit of force and finesse to put the new foams on the earpieces, I haven't had trouble but some might.
   
   [added 1/13/08 - just tried the new black foams, see my review, not quite as secure, same sonics, better looks, more expensive]



5. This foams are very good, they fit perfectly in your ears and the sound does not change a bit!

3 comments about Ear Bud with Play/Stop Controller and Microphone for Apple iPhone (Black).

1. At first I did not like the sound from these earbuds, but then my husband told me to make sure they were in correctly (he did the same thing with his), which they were not! Great sound, especially for the money, very comfortable and would still like a bit more base, but I can change my play selection on my ipod to suit the song or genre.



2. I broke the headphones that came with my iPhone, and since the sound from them was only average I was more than happy to purchase a new set. After these arriving in the mail I was excited....... until I heard them. The sound is harsh with no midrange, midbass, or bass whatsoever. I could not actually listen to them for more than 15 minutes without getting a headache. They feel like the cheap headsets you get from the wireless stores in the mall. I would give 0 stars if I could. This product will be returned hastily.



3. The sound on these is definitely well below average -- but come on, what do you expect from a $20 set of headphones? I gave this two stars simply because the earbud on mine fell off -- literally -- after about 2 months. That's just not acceptable.
   
   If you're looking for cheap, quicky headphones... these are fine. But no more than just that -- fine.