Headphones

MP3 Mailbox Monday

Welcome to MP3 Mailbox Monday, a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Each week, my in-box is flooded with questions from around the world, and while a handful of them are very particular to the individual asking, most apply more generally to a certain use or scenario to which many people can relate. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, … Read more

Ears-on with Sony's weird PFR-V1 headphones

Japan is rightly feted for its wonderfully peculiar innovations, but we've got hold of the most unusual in the mainstream audio market since Rolly. Sony's new PFR-V1s aren't headphones if Sony has its way--they're "Personal Field Speakers." Whatever you call them, they look bloody weird, but they sound hella sexy.

Kudos to the bloke who designed these, because he thought a little outside the box and attacked the headphone market at an unusual angle. True, the result makes you look like you forgot to take that morning's brain medicine, but audio connoisseurs will … Read more

Ask the editor-Live!

Today, at 11:00 a.m. PST, you can harass me with all of your burning headphone and MP3 player accessories questions in CNET's ATE Live forum. It's like MP3 Mailbox Monday, only live! So go ahead: hit me with your best shot.

JVC goes slim with new headphones

You remember those fold-up Sony headphones that you used to take with you to the gym? Well, JVC's added a new "high-end" version of that type of headphone to its Bi-Metal line of in-ear canal headphones. JVC's HA-SX500 will be out this month with a list price of $79.99. Oh, and it's iPhone-compatible.

Here's the news release if you want the details:

"The new JVC HA-SX500 achieves high quality sound by employing JVC's original Bi-Metal structure and a new large 16mm neodymium driver unit, offering greater power handling and sensitivity.

JVC's Bi-Metal structure is designed to enhance performance across the frequency range by housing the drive unit in a steel base wrapped in a high-specific-gravity brass ring to eliminate vibration and energy loss. The HA-SX500 also offers a vast reduction in friction noise. The headphones feature flexible rubber joints, reducing friction noise while increasing comfort, and use OFC (oxygen-free copper) to minimize transmission loss in the 0.8 meter friction noise reduction cord.

The lightweight HA-SX500 headphones are designed to provide a comfortable and secure fit while delivering superior isolation from external sounds and minimizing sound leakage. The ergonomic silicon rubber earpieces come in three sizes to provide snug, customized sizing, supported by a cushioned metallic foldable headband for a secure fit and hours of comfort. … Read more

My headphones are better than yours

Koss has a bad reputation for manufacturing terrible audio products, but it struck gold back in 1984 with one set of headphones, the PORTAPROS. They're still being produced with continued success after 23 years and are, in my opinion, the most underrated headphones on the market, and here's why:

Price: $35 with free shipping on Amazon. Maybe less on eBay. Sound quality: Best sound I've heard out of sub-$200 cans. Instead of telling you how awesome these are, I'll let these 249 people do the work for me:

CNET Review (Review on its way, but … Read more

MP3 Mailbox Monday

Welcome to MP3 Mailbox Monday, a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Each week, my in-box is flooded with questions from around the world, and while a handful of them are very particular to the individual asking, most apply more generally to a certain use or scenario to which many people can relate. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, … Read more

Gadgettes 83: The Cool Concept Episode

Let us quit beating around the bush and accept that sometimes a cool concept is good enough. So expect these concepts to become reality sometime in the flying-car future. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 83

Good concept: Footlume runs lights up your steps http://dvice.com/archives/2008/03/footlume_run_li.php

Toilet-mounted washing machine for less water wastage http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2008/03/toiletmounted_w.html

ApriPoko: a robotic universal remote that has a question http://dvice.com/archives/2008/03/apripoko_a_robo.php

ASCII curtains let you get geeky with home decor http://www.popgadget.net/2008/03/get_geeky_with.php… Read more

Pinktastic Panasonic headphones

Want to see some suspiciously decent headphones for about $60? You'll have to be prepared to accept that you'll look like a right nerd wearing them. These pink new ladycans are from Panasonic, and they're called the RP-HTX7s.

We must admit we were skeptical when we opened the (frankly awful) packaging--they're bright pink, sport a fake leather headband, and look like miniature kettles from World War II. Yet they're pretty comfy and--seriously, now--they sound pretty good for the price. They have a response range from 7Hz-22KHz, resulting in clear highs, powerful mids, and acceptable bass. … Read more

Ode to a headphone cable

Not too long ago, at the end of the inaugural post for my reoccurring Q&A feature, MP3 Mailbox Monday, I threw in a little tip about how to store your headphones while not using them with your MP3 player. To reiterate: you should avoid wrapping your earphones around your device while leaving the plug in the jack, because it puts stress on the cable and can cause damage to the wires inside. Perhaps it seemed that this tip was just some good advice from someone who has your best interests at heart (me, of course), or maybe it … Read more