[size=9pt]The PA2V2 was my very first experience with any headphone amplifier. I was not expecting it to make any difference, because the concept of an amp sounded silly to me. My ATH-M50s sounded fine running right out of my laptop, or my iPhone! After just a few minutes, the PA2V2 showed me just how wonderful amplifiers are. I have been rocking the PA2V2 for two months now, and I never leave my house without it.[/size]
 
[size=9.0pt]BUILD & DESIGN: To start off, the build is fantastic. The plastic feels incredibly tough, and can definitely handle months of abuse. The only part I was worried about was the power switch on the top. It doesn’t feel weak or loose, but it’s much thinner than any part on the body, and sticks out very far. The PA2V2 is small enough to put into any backpack or laptop bag, and it’s so light that you’ll never feel it. Unfortunately, it’s too thick to slip in your back pocket. The design of the PA2V2 is exceptionally boring. It’s just a black box. I’m not saying it’s ugly, but it’s definitely not something that takes your breath away from the first sight.[/size]
 
[size=9.0pt]SOUND: The first thing I noticed in the PA2V2 was the colorful bass and lows. It eliminated the muddy “womp womp womp” sound of the iPhone’s headphone jack, and allowed the bass to open up and really shine. Bass drums were punchy, synthesizers tickled your eardrums, and bass guitars were incredibly clear. The bass was punchy and fun to listen to, but never overpowering. The mids were very impressive, and brought out clarity in my music that my laptop could never do. I could hear fingers sliding down strings, loud slams coming from floor toms, and very rich vocals coming from almost any song. The highs were slightly disappointing. They still sounded great, but sounded as if they were coming directly from the iPhone jack. The soundstage was improved, but it would have been great to see the sound opening up a little more. [/size]
 
[size=9.0pt]FINAL THOUGHTS: I could go on-and-on about every small detail about the PA2V2 and scrutinizing every aspect as carefully as possible, but I see no reason to. The PA2V2 a fantastic amp for the price, it’s that simple. I highly recommend the PA2V2 to anyone who owns headphones that cost over $100, you’ll never regret purchasing it.[/size]
 
 

If you're looking into buying some Bose IE2s, save your money. 
 
BUILD AND DESIGN: 
The build on the IE2 is less-than-fantastic. They're all plastic, very light, and they feel fragile. I did, however, enjoy the design. The striped cables turned a few heads, and the chrome Bose logo tells everyone that they were expensive. The strange tips are a little hard to get into your ears, but they fit perfectly, and never fall out. Unfortunately, they do not block any noise whatsoever. The only place you can enjoy them is in the middle of a silent room. 
 
SOUND: 
The sound is exactly what you would expect from Bose. It's lacking in almost every way possible, and is not enjoyable to audio enthusiasts. There lows in the IE2 were nonexistent. You will never get any bass rumble out of them, even when connected to an amplifier. The mids are okay, if you were listening in a quiet area. If you're sitting on a bus or in an airplane, the mids will be gone. The highs are best part ofthe IE2, and they still do not sound as good as most $30 IEMs.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS: 
Do not buy the IE2. They honestly sound worse than the white earbuds that come with every iPod. I was very disappointed with almost every aspect of the IE2, and I will not be purchasing a Bose product ever again. 

The Turbines are so-so IEMs with muddy sound that left me fairly disappointed.
 
BUILD: 
The build on the Turbines is stellar. I purchased these before I began taking-care of my belongings, and they survived even the heaviest abuse. They've been crammed in pockets, run through the washing machine, and dropped countless times, and they still look brand new. The metal buds are extremely durable, fairly heavy, and just feel expensive. They're also very beautiful, and fun to touch. 
 
SOUND: 
This is where the Turbine falls short. The sound is not bad, but it is beat by many cheaper IEMs. The bass is very heavy, and is almost always out-of-control. The mids are the best part of the Turbine's sound, but they are often destroyed by the overpowering bass. The highs are very disappointing, to say the least. Crash cymbals, screams, and synthesizers sound as if they're being muffled by a pillow. Even though the sound quality is nothing remarkable, the noise isolation is phenomenal. Even the noisiest buses are made nearly silent by the incredible Monster Super Tips. I often stick these in my ears while I'm drumming, because they isolate noise better than ear-plugs do. 
 
FINAL THOUGHTS: 
The Monster Turbines look and feel expensive, but they do not sound the same way. To the average listener who is often in noisy places, the Turbine is a fairly decent pair of IEMs. Unfortunately, with so many other IEM options (most of which are much cheaper), I cannot recommend these to anyone.

[size=9pt]After using the ATH-M50s (also known as the M50's) for about two months, I have only one way to describe them. The M50s are the Swiss Army Knife of headphones. They are extremely portable, and will do absolutely everything that you need them to do.[/size][size=9pt][/size]

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[size=9pt]DESIGN AND BUILD:[/size][size=9pt][/size]

[size=9pt]The design of the M50s screams “expensive!” People are often shocked to find out that they don’t cost more than $200. Everything from the chrome rings on the ear cups to the large white Audio Technica logo on the top of the headband is gorgeous. It was designed to fold in every way you could want it to, and that makes them very easy to fit in the smallest of laptop bags. Unfortunately, this does mean the cups rotate, and they’re slightly difficult to put on. The beautiful design of the M50 is not reflected in the build quality, however. The design is all plastic, and the plastic is fairly cheap feeling. The pleather on the band and cups feel like they could tear easily, if I wanted to pull on them. If your laptop bag or backpack is over 15 pounds (34 Kilograms), you may want to wear them around your neck.[/size][size=9pt][/size]

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[size=9pt]SOUND:[/size][size=9pt][/size]

[size=9pt]The first characteristic I noticed in the M50s were the incredible highs. Vocals, crash cymbals, hi-hats, and guitar screams were all remarkably clear. The highs coming from the M50s were never painful, and rarely out-of-control.[/size][size=9pt][/size]

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[size=9pt]The bass and lows in the M50s were very strong, and had a lot of oomph. In jazz and classical, the lows were very calm, much like a cello. If you love hard rock or dubstep, the bass will never disappoint. It will hide behind the highs most of the time, but the bass will come out in to the light and shake your eardrums when it needs to.[/size][size=9pt][/size]

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[size=9pt]The mids are the only disappointing part of the M50s’ sound. While you’ll still hear the guitarist’s fingers sliding down the strings and every beautiful chord from the orchestra, the midrange will always be hiding behind the lows and the highs.[/size][size=9pt][/size]

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[size=9pt]The M50s have a very fun listening experience that audio enthusiasts and audio novices can respect and appreciate. They can be driven directly out of an iPod, but a small amp will bring out the full power of those huge drivers. I use mine on a PA2V2 (thanks to my friend over at Audio Excursions), and it powers them perfectly.[/size][size=9pt][/size]

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[size=9pt]FINAL THOUGHTS:[/size][size=9pt][/size]

[size=9pt]The M50s are a beautiful pair of headphones that are durable, but not indestructible. The highs and lows are incredible, but the mids are a little lacking. For $150, these headphones are a must-buy.[/size][size=9pt][/size]