The hand-built JH 13 Pro in-ear headphone.
(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)If you have ears, prepare to open them now.
I've just reviewed a bunch of contenders for the world's best full-size, over-the-ear headphone: Audio Technica ATH-W5000, Denon AH-D7000, Grado PS-1000, Sennheiser HD 800, Stax SR-007Mk2, and Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones--and all boast higher MSRPs than the JH Audio JH 13 Pro in-ear headphone.
Sure, full-size headphones can be used with iPods and MP3 players with varying degrees of success, but they're a lot more of a hassle to lug around than the JH 13 Pro. Honestly, I prefer the sound and comfort of over-the-ear models compared with in-ear headphones. Then again, the JH 13 Pro is a very different type of in-ear design, it uses six drivers--two woofers, two midranges, and two tweeters--to lower distortion compared with other in-ear designs. It's a difference I can hear.
The JH 13 Pro's resolution of fine detail is extraordinary, drums sound more realistic than I've heard from any other type of headphone. The JH 13 Pro is "fast," cymbals' shimmer and sparkle the way they do in real life, and when a drummer whacks his sticks against the drums' metal rims, the sound is more realistic. Dynamic oomph and slam are the best I've heard from an in-ear headphone.
The JH 13 Pro's bass goes deeper than any in-ear headphone to date, but it's the way these headphones decode palpable bass textures that's highly addictive. Electric, acoustic, and keyboard basses sound more different from each other with the JH 13 Pro. Switching over to Monster's excellent new Turbine Pro Gold in-ear headphone ($299) is startling, the Turbines sound mushy and muddled by comparison. The Monster has more mid-bass fullness, which some listeners may prefer. I do not.
The JH 13 Pro's midrange clarity is radically better than any in-ear 'phones I've used to date. Its bass, midrange, and treble are better balanced and accurate than what I'm used to from in-ear designs.
... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
The original Turbine. The new Pro looks similar, but with more gold.
(Credit: Monster)On Thursday night in Manhattan, Mr. Monster himself, Noel Lee, introduced a handful of journalists to his new top-on-the-line in-ear headphones, the Turbine Pro.
I'm a huge fan of Monster's original Turbine at $150. It's easily my pick for the best bang-for-the-buck in-ear. But the new Turbine Pro at $250, due out next month, is better. The Turbine remains in the line.
I was listening to a hand-built prototype Turbine Pro (the builder must have really tiny hands) and I have to say, the new baby has even greater clarity, more accurate bass, and sweeter treble. It's a more refined sound. Not that the standard Turbine is a slouch in those departments, but the Pro is just better in every area.
Lee also demonstrated his newly designed ear tips, which were extremely comfortable and provided improved isolation from external noise.
The headphone's technical details weren't disclosed. So for now I can't really say why the new ones are better. More to come on that.
I love in-ear headphones--the ones that fit inside your ear canals, as opposed to ear buds that rest on the outer ear. I'm a big fan because in-ear headphones' ultraclose proximity to eardrums offers the potential for the highest-resolution sound quality.
The better in-ear headphones also do a great job of sealing out external environmental noise so you can listen at a lower (safer) volume and still hear all of that amazing detail. The problem is, unless both earpieces are sealed tight, you're not going to get the sound you paid for.
Everybody's ears are different, so achieving a perfect fit can be a tricky exercise. Most in-ear headphones come with a selection of differently sized and shaped eartips. Try them all; the goal is to produce a the best possible "seal," which reduces the amount of outside noise you hear and delivers the headphone's fullest-possible bass response.
The difference in sound quality between a good seal and an iffy one isn't subtle. It's definitely worth a little extra effort to maximize each tip's seal. Remember, too, that poor sealing makes for a less secure fit, so the earpiece is more likely to fall out of your ear.
Tip: Your left and right ear canals may not be exactly the same size; you might need, for example, the smallest eartip for your right ear and a medium tip for the left ear.
I've included a gallery of images to help perfect your in-ear insertion techniques. First, try rotating/twisting the tip slightly as you push the headphone inside the canal.
... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog- prev
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