Headphones

Are you looking for a stereo Bluetooth headset that works as well for music as it does for calls? After spending a week with Altec Lansing's $99 BackBeat 903, I think I've finally hit on a Bluetooth headset that can successfully juggle both tasks without breaking the bank or making me cringe.

It's hard not to be picky when it comes to technology you wear on your head. Some people can't stand headsets that pinch their ears or rub against the neck, or they hate designs that make them look like blinking Bluetooth cyborgs. There's … Read more

Extreme sports and music go hand in hand, so it's not surprising that companies such as Skullcandy and Nixon take advantage of this relationship to market headphones to teens and young adults with an interest in such activities. Now you can add Roxy to the list. The female-centric surf-wear maker has teamed up with JBL to offer a line of stylish earphones aimed at young women. At the bottom end of the spectrum are the superaffordable Reference 230 earphones, a standard earbud model that lists for $20. While they hit the Roxy style on the head, these earphones probably … Read more

Extreme sports and music go hand-in-hand, so it's not surprising that companies such as Skullcandy and Nixon take advantage of this relationship to market headphones to teens and young adults with an interest in such activities. Now you can add Roxy to the list.

The female-centric surfwear maker has teamed up with JBL to offer a line of stylish earphones aimed at young women. At the top end of the spectrum are the still-affordable Reference 430 headphones, an on-ear set that lists for $70. They're not particularly comfortable, and the bass may not be thumping enough for many, … Read more

When you've just dropped a wad of your hard-earned cash on a new MP3 player, purchasing an accessory to help make the most of it may seem counterintuitive, but that's exactly what you should do: upgrade those headphones. You needn't spend a lot to get a pair that's undeniably better than the stock set that came with your device. Case in point: the Sony MDR-EX55LP Stereo Headphones. These earphones will set you back about $30 only, and they offer a noticeable improvement in sound quality and comfort.

Read the Sony MDR-EX55LP review.

Shure has earned a well-deserved reputation for its high-quality line of in-ear headphones, but curiously, the company has never seen fit to create a line of full-size headphones. That is, until now.

The U.K. arm of Shure is showing off its 2009 product line, which aside from the usual assortment of pro-audio microphones and adapters, includes three pairs of glossy, black, over-ear headphones. The models include the SRH240, SRH440, and SRH840, with prices starting at $114 for the SRH240 up to $229 for the SRH840 (presumably, the SRH440 falls somewhere in between).

No details yet on frequency response, or … Read more

Shure has been a well-known brand among audio professionals for decades; heck, the company's SM57-LC microphone has even been used during presidential inaugurations. These days, Shure's consumer-friendly line of sound-isolating earphones get the most attention in mainstream tech press. Models range from the entry-level SE110s for $110 to the audiophile-worthy $500 SE530s. Over the past five years since the introduction of its first consumer line, Shure has remained loyal to a neutral color scheme for its earphones. However, that has changed with the introduction of the SE115, a $120 set that comes in a choice of four colors. … Read more

Fashion-forward audio accessories are nothing new. In the past couple of years, we've seen quite the parade of chic headphones from the likes of Phiaton and Monster Cable. Nixon, a company best known for its board-sport-inspired line of watches and other accessories, has decided to dip its toe in these waters, too, and it should come as no surprise that the company's Nomadic On Ear Headphones are among the most stylish we've come across. However, these $100 cans suffer from muted, mid-heavy audio that's hard to overlook.

Read the Nixon Nomadic review.

Ultimate Ears has been a familiar name to musicians and other audio professionals for a decade, but the company has gained quite a following with its consumer line as well. Earphones in its various lines range in affordability and scale nicely, from those geared toward casual but discerning listeners to sets for audiophiles. At the bottom end, you have the MetroFi line, which has recently enjoyed a refresh in the form of the 220 and 170 earphones, the former being the subject of this review.

The MetroFi 220 Noise Isolating Earphones are a step up from the bottom of the … Read more

There are two major reasons to swap out the headphones that came packaged with your MP3 player. The first is sound quality, and the second is fit. The two are not mutually exclusive, but you may place emphasis on one over the other depending on your device usage. If you mainly use your MP3 player at the gym, getting a pair of headphones that both fit securely and offer some sweat resistance is key. The $40 Nike Aero Sport Headphones certainly fit the bill there, and although music doesn't sound great through this set, the sleek and sweatproof design … Read more