Product round-up It’s time for another headphone roundup and considering we’ve already covered the bulkier over-ear and on-ear models, it was inevitable that in-ears would follow. After all, not everyone likes walking the streets, turning heads with a pair of oversized Mickey Mousers on.
The market is inundated with hundreds of in-ear monitors (IEMs) to choose from ranging from near-giveaway throwaways to audiophile grade headsets at eye-watering prices. We reached out for a broad range and, from what we received, narrowed it down to the following ten.
Unless you have hearing like Superman, the difference between many of these high-end sets is minor – some have more bass oomph, some have a flatter response – however, all significantly improve the listening experience beyond free buds that come with a new MP3 player and if you haven’t upgraded from such, what are you waiting for? Read the rest of this entry »
Review Gaming headset outfit Tritton may not be a household name, but you can expect its profile to grow in the UK now that Mad Catz is handling the brand. The peripherals giant picked up the specialist headphone maker a year ago, pledging to bring this distinctive marque to a wider audience.
As a consequence, it’s giving a fresh push to Tritton’s range-topping £150 AX Pro, one of the few genuine Dolby Digital 5.1 headsets available for console gamers.
What makes the AX Pro interesting, both from gaming and home entertainment perspectives, is that each earcup conceals four separate drivers. One is assigned to the centre channel, another to the front channel and a third to the surrounds. Low-frequency effects are delivered by a larger, fourth speaker. The idea is basically to cram a downsized sub/sat system into each ear. Read the rest of this entry »
Round-up When we organized a round-up of noise-isolating headphones recently, we were able to get hold of a couple of models that cost as little as £10. However, noise-cancelling headphones are a different kettle of fish. Rather than simply plugging up your ear canal to prevent external noise from getting through, noise-cancelling headphones are packed with sophisticated electronics – including microphones that allow them to analyse background noise and then generate their own sound waves that are designed to counter and nullify that background noise.
Noise-cancelling headphones – ideal for the frequent flyer
This approach works particularly well with regular, consistent noises such as the drone of an aircraft engine, or the trundling wheels of a train. However, it also means that noise-cancelling headphones are a lot more expensive than conventional headphones. No great surprise that many of these headphones are aimed at well-heeled business users who travel a lot and can afford to pay a price that the average iPod owner would probably baulk at. The best models reviewed here all cost close to £300, although more modestly priced noise-cancelling headphones can be found for £100 or less, if you shop around. Read the rest of this entry »
