Headphones

"Justin...Justin...JUSTIN!!!"

This happens at least once a day...I'm at my desk, typing up a review or blog post on my computer, when all of a sudden someone sneaks up behind me and unintentionally make me jump 10 feet in the air with a simple tap on the back. How do I allow this to happen? Am I deaf? Well, not right now, but it's quite possible that I might be if I continue to constantly blast music out of my Princess Leia headphones.

A recent report out of Australia titled "Is Australia Listening?" … Read more

Although the headphone market continues to burgeon with new models, it can be surprisingly tough to find a decent, fitness-friendly pair. A few companies, such as Sennheiser, have stepped up to the plate with sport-branded earphones that feature design attributes meant to keep them secured on the head during activity. Now, we can add Sony to the list. The company has released an impressive array of Active Headphones, the $20 MDR-AS20J among them. These interestingly designed earphones are suitable for the gym, although not all users will be able to get a good fit, so runners should take heed. Also, … Read more

Yes, the name of this column is changing once again, but don't hate me because I'm fickle! Because, well...I'm not. In fact, CNET's all-encompassing Ask the Editors feature is moving to Crave, meaning we're standardizing the naming and format across categories. But don't worry: it's still MP3 Mailbox in my head. That means you can still expect to see this column every Monday (that I am in the office), and it will continue to be packed full of digital music tidbits. Also, the "MP3 Mailbox Monday" keyword linking at the … Read more

Rob Walker, the author of the just-released "Buying in," is a marketing connoisseur, an expert in reading the cultural underpinnings of commerce. In his Consumed column for the New York Times Magazine, he examines how technology shapes consumer culture and vice versa. In tomorrow's piece he elaborates on the history of headphones, and how their role evolved in modern society, from the first Bose set to the Sony Walkman to the iPod earbuds.

With the miniaturization of devices, the public exposure of personal space increased. I remember that when I was 14, I came home from school, … Read more

For traveling, the Klipsch Image earphones are still a Crave favorite, and we're not exactly short of earphones and headphones for every occasion. We're pretty thrilled to hear the American hi-fi audio company is bringing out a slightly more affordable variation of the original Images, the Image X5s.

Although they're 2 millimeters larger in diameter than the flagship model, the exclosures of the X5s are ludicrously small. The dual armature q-Jays from Jays are still tinier, but Klipsch have them beat in terms of build quality.

Inside the X5s are single full-range drivers (Klipsch refuses to give … Read more

Colorful earbuds have become increasingly popular with headphone manufacturers, possibly because of consumer demand for something a little more stylish than plain white or black. It's no wonder: Earphones are basically accessories that serve to pipe music to your ears, so they might as well be fashionable. Radius, a new Tennessee-based company pushing out Japanese-designed earbuds, is the latest entry into the burgeoning market of fashion-forward electronics. The company has three product lines, one of which is the $30 TruTune ultralight aluminum earphones. Read the review.

After enjoying a brief hiatus, MP3 Mailbox Monday is back--and back to basics. Perhaps one of the most confusing things about portable music devices is audio format compatibility, and yet this is an elemental feature of any player. So which format works best? It all depends on the user, but one of the answers below will help you sort it out. Also, learn how to burn MP3 CDs in iTunes and find out possible reasons for your MP3 player only playing tracks in alphabetical order.

Q: I'm sure that you've answered this question many times, but I'll … Read more

Last week we introduced you to Audio Technica's ATH-W5000s--a pair of closed-back headphones for serious audiophiles. They stepped up to Denon's AH-D5000s with not only a remarkably similar name, but also the intention of dethroning the Denon's from their status as "Favorite Crave headphones." The AT's will need some big cojones to make that challenge, so we decided to do an extensive investigation.

The W5000s offer wooden enclosures, a frequency response of 5Hz-45kHz, 102 dB/mW sensitivity, 40 ohms impedance, 53mm drivers and a neodymium magnet. In addition, 3-millimeter gold-tipped, oxygen-free cabling helps … Read more

Philips is no stranger to the headphone market, mostly turning out a line of inexpensive earbuds in the $5 to $25 range. Now, the company is stepping up its game with the SHE-9850 In-Ear Headphones, a $100 pair with a sleek and comfy design and good audio quality. We're hard-pressed to find anything not to like about these earphones; although bass response seems mushy for certain tracks, the SHE-9850 can certainly hold its own against other sets in its price range. Read the review.