headphones

Have a peek at AKG's two new pairs of noise-canceling headphones, the $349.95 K 495 NC and $249.95 K 490 NC.

AKG is highlighting that these both are on-ear models that fold flat and have built-in rechargeable batteries that charge via USB. Unlike a lot of noise-canceling models, including those from Bose, these can play sound when the battery dies or if you simply want to turn off the active noise cancellation.

The marketing line on the higher-end K 495 NCs is that they "deliver high-quality audio defined by a clarity of sound across all ranges, from crisp highs to deep lows." They feature brushed-metal parts, leather earcups, and an adjustable leather headband, and ship with a small carrying case, two audio cables, a USB charging adapter, and a flight adapter.… Read more

Everyone knows Bose, in large part because it's the most heavily advertised audio brand in the world.

Then again, I can't think of any other audio brand that advertises on the radio, national magazines, or in newspapers. So unless you're an audiophile, or a regular reader of this blog, I doubt you could name another audio brand, if you're under 40. Older people might remember a few names from the days when audio was more mainstream.

Sure, a lot of folks would probably cite Sony or Apple, but those companies make all sorts of products. Bose just makes speakers and audio electronics; I might have to also include Monster's headphones or JBL as brands people know. That's it, I've run out of names that almost everyone would recognize.… Read more

Thinksound's awesome little ts02 in-ear headphones($100) knocked me out in March, so I was eager to hear the company's new model, the ms01.

It doesn't look a whole lot different than the ts02, but that's not a bad thing. Both models are smaller and more comfortable than most in-ears, and both block a good amount of external noise. Almost as much as a noise-canceling headphone, and unlike NC models, the ms01 doesn't run on batteries.

The ms01 in-ear monitor ($100) features an 8 mm high-definition driver, PVC-free cables, and hand-crafted, sustainable, wood ear-pieces. The … Read more

Princess Leia's famous head buns are joining forces with your favorite headphones through the power of Etsy.

Since George Lucas has an Imperial Army of lawyers at his disposal, however, the official name of these headphone covers on JacquieLongLegs' Etsy page is "Galactic Princess Headphone Covers."

The $24 covers are made from synthetic hair. That's not surprising. Headphone covers made from real Carrie Fisher hair would probably fetch about $500,000 on eBay.… Read more

The Shure SRH550DJ headphone's folding earcups, extra-long wire, and deep bass push are a boon for DJs who prefer tough cans that emphasize the lower end of the sound spectrum.

These are Shure's $100 budget DJ headphones, but you wouldn't know it by their robust sound and build quality. Their price point puts them in tough competition with the classic Sony MDR-V700DJ, a favorite among traveling DJs and musicians for the past decade.… Read more

CNET Audiophiliac and general audio diva Steve "Sphere" Guttenberg is back on The 404 Podcast for his last appearance this year, and as usual he brings a list of talking points, like a kooky theory on how to curb population control, and when the iPad will eventually overtake the big screen TV.

Jeff and the official 404 graphic designer Blake Stevenson have also partnered together for Crave's first weekly comic strip "Low Latency,"and a big congratulations goes out to our video voice mail contest winners! Check out the videos below:… Read more

Hacking your own touch-screen gloves will certainly keep your hands warm this winter, but what about your ears? Well, Instructables user Grissini shares a clever trick to mod your existing earphones into a cozy set of earmuffs. He calls them Muff-Fones.

Here's what you'll need:… Read more

NuForce is a high-end company that makes an unusually wide range of products, from the tiny uDAC-2 portable headphone amp ($129) all the way up to the Reference 18 power amplifiers ($6,600 for a stereo pair). NuForce is based in Milpitas, Calif.

Today we'll be looking at the Icon iDo, a dedicated USB digital-to-analog converter/headphone amplifier designed to work with iPods, iPhones, and iPads, which cannot be used as a USB/DAC with computers. The iDo is awfully little, it's just 6 by 4.5 by 1 inches, and it shares its all-metal chassis with NuForce'… Read more

The Monoprice 8323 Premium Hi-Fi DJ Style Over-the-Ear Pro Headphones are, hands-down, the best full-size, over-the-ear headphones you can buy on the cheap.

I've written about Monoprice's high-value, low-price cables, and more recently raved about some of its superaffordable speakers and subwoofers, so it seemed like a good time to check out Monoprice's headphones.

Monoprice has quantity pricing for nearly everything it sells, so if you buy two pairs of 8323 headphones it knocks the price down from $21.59 to $21.23. In any case, Monoprice sells the 8323 model with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

I … Read more