The Phiaton Chord is a stylish and functional full-size on-ear headphone that features both Bluetooth connectivity and Active Noise Cancelling.



 
Build/Design - Phiaton has, for the most part, a great design team. The Chord is quite stylish and attractive in design. The headphones are made of a few different materials, including aluminum, plastic, and rubber.

The headband and cups are made out of plastic. This plastic feels pretty dense and not prone to breaking, cracking, nor spontaneously combusting. I don't advocate for dropping pieces of technology, but I think the Chord's plastics would be just fine if you were to let it fall.

Aluminum. Aluminium. 'Luminum. However you pronounce it where you live, some of the Chord's parts are made from it: the length adjusters, folding mechcanism, and part of the cups. On the adjusters, the Phiaton name is embossed, rather elegantly so. The aluminum on the cups holds the buttons, switches, covers, and other feature-engaging apparatuses.

Rubber is used as the headband cushion. It's pretty smooth, yet soft at the same time. There's a red stripe in the center that extends past the cushion itself into the actual headphone cable that leads into the cups. Clever, I'd say.

The shape of the Chord isn't anything outlandish like its sister headphone, the Bridge, but that's not to say it won't stand out. Literally. The adjusters have a peak at where they turn in to approach the headphone. The peak somewhat "juts out," making the headphone look a bit wider than it is, and, depending on your personal tastes (and head shape/size), may be either favorable or unfavorable.

The cups are a rounded rectangle in shape. The left cup holds the ANC on/off switch and the 3.5mm cable input for when Bluetooth isn't optimal/available for use. The right cup holds the call button, volume up/down switch which also doubles as a play/pause button, the Bluetooth on/off button, and the micro-usb charging port. 

Comfort - As far as comfort goes, these are incredibly nice. The large and soft earpads rest nicely on my ears with little to no clamping pressure. 

This headphone seems to be the definition of the fusion of form and function. It features both ANC and Bluetooth functionality; both of which can be used by themselves or at the same time. Bluetooth 4.0 is, as always, incredible in terms of quality and range. It is much more efficient on battery than previous Bluetooth models and has a range that more than doubles its predecessor. ANC works very well. I've used these on buses countless times, and the low-end rumble of said buses practically disappears when ANC is turned on. Same for my expereinces in noisy cafes. Less noise, more music.

Sound – Chord seems to follow suit in many of Phiaton's newer M-series headphones in terms of sonic signature: Flat with some mid-centric tendencies. However, I feel that it falls short in comparison to even Phiaton's Fusion model and even more compared to Phiaton's Bridge; especially when ANC is turned on.

The sound does change somewhat drastically when the noise cancellation feature is activated, but let's start with it being off, first.

The Chord is in no way a bass heavy headphone. To me, this is a plus. Too many portable headphones on the market today have the same tired signature of being bass-heavy. Of course they all have their differences, but the Chord takes it a bit farther.

The bass area is neutral and very in-tune with the other aspects of music played. This allows the headphone to be more versed in genres. It performs exceptionally well with anything I've played through it. It may be a bit underwhelming for hip-hop to some, but that wasn't the case with me.

The midrange is slightly forward in comparison to everything else. This, to me, gives music more body; especially rock and jazz. This equates to a more intimate listening experience as a whole as well. This area is very clear and pronounced with a lot of transparency to the sound.

Treble is well balanced , granted the forwardness of the midrange. No noticeable peaks or harshness. Details come out very easily as well.

Soundstage depth is quite good for a closed-back on-ear, even if it is a full-sized on-ear. Width isn't anything special, unfortunately, but it suffices.

But when we turn the noise cancellation feature on...

Bass at this point remains unchanged, for the most part. There seems to be a bit of an accentuation in the upper bass while ANC is on, but other than that, it's the same.

The midrange suffers most from the ANC feature being on. Almost all of the transparency noted before has dissapated and spread into a cloudy cover. The mids actually get a bit more pronounced as well, which only further exhonerates the cloudiness.

The treble becomes a bit more sparkly in the lower regions, but still no harshness detected. However there now seems to be a bit of a roll off in the upper treble that seems to mask some of the details that were more present before.

Soundstage has also taken a hit here. Depth seems to be nonexistent now, while width isn't altered.

Concluson – The Chord is a very versitile headphone that excels in multiple regions. Sonically, I feel it fails in comparison to two of Phiaton's lower end models. While it's packed with features, it's up to you to determine if those features are worth the money. If your answer is no, I'd advise you to take a look at Phiaton's other offerings instead.

The XS is the direct successor to V-Moda's famed Crossfade M80. This successor stays true to the root of the word, and is a massive success of both a headphone and a product. 
 

 
 
The build quality of the XS is beyond almost every other portable headphone that I've used, except for other V-Moda models, which it is on par with, naturally. XS is built using a lot of high quality stainless steel and some rock-solid plastics. The folding mechanism is extremely rugged as well, and should promise a very long lifespan. 

This durability doesn't just end with the headphone however. Like other V-Moda headphones, the cables that are supplied are reinforced with Kevlar, a bulletproof fabric. This combined with the 45° jack and impressive strain reliefs should dictate a long lifespan for the cable also. 

The headband is also metal, and covered with a variety of fabrics. The top is finished with a high quality pleather material, unlike M80's cloth-finished headband. 
XS also comes with a case. This case effectively utilizes the folding mechanism, and thus decreases the overall volume space taken up by the case by quite a lot. It's also a highly durable case, common to V-Moda standards. 
 
Sound - Yes, it does have a similar sound signature to the M80- warm, full-bodied, and impactful- however the XS is much more refined, for certain. 
 
The low end is very well done here. There is a great impact that the headphones have when reproducing heavy kick drums. Low bass notes are also incredibly defined, with very little distortion or bleed. The control of the XS is something it does much better than the M80. That's not to say that the M80 is bad, however; in no way is it bad. 
Also, the bass that the XS produces is not overbearing to the user. 
 
The midrange of the XS is astounding. It reproduces mids so perfectly with elegance like no headphone I've heard at this price before. And being portable makes it that much more amazing. Mid-centric? No. Any jazz tune I've played with these sounds extremely lifelike. Even electronic music sounds stunning. 
 
One of the major downfalls to me of the XS's predecessor, the M80, was the treble. It just didn't seem exciting. It was just "there." Thankfully, the XS has massively improved on this. The treble produced by these headphones is wildly enjoyable and immersive with any track. The detail is absolutely stunning to the point that it can put headphones twice its price to shame.
How V-Moda was able to get a sound this amazing into something so compact is truly beyond my knowledge. 
 
Sadly, the compact size does have one downfall, and that's the soundstage. With most on-ear headphones, the sound isn't very spacious. Separation is excellent, but there just isn't much "space." 
 
Overall - Basically, XS is the cream of the crop for anything super portable with a non-neutral sound signature. It truly doesn't get much better than this. With versatility that encompasses practically every genre on the planet and durability that rivals military standards, one really can't go wrong by purchasing these. 

The M80 is a famed headphone for being exceptionally good despite its very small stature. 
 
Well, it's true. 
 
The M80 follows V-Moda's classic styling, but smaller. 
 


V-Moda has a reputation for building extremely durable on-ear and over-ear headphones that utilize a variety of high quality and rugged materials. The M80 features a stainless steel frame that's sure to last. Some outer parts are made of a gloss-finished plastic that also feels solidly built. 
The headband also has a metal frame, and is covered with a soft fabric, on which the V-Moda logo is printed. 
The cable is a V-Moda tradition. Bulletproof Kevlar reinforced, 45° jack, and great strain reliefs. 
Everything about this headphone is built to last. 

Even the case it comes with is very sturdy. With V-Moda's hard clamshell finish, the headphones are sure to be protected extremely well while inside.
 
Sound - The M80 has a few sonic characteristics that truly make it amazing. It's bass heavy but retains a high amount of clarity and detail. Plus it's good at soundstaging. Basically, the M80 is an overall high-quality, refined sonic experience that I wasn't ready to expect in something in its size. 
 
As stated, this is a bass heavy headphone. It's punchy, heavy, and just plain powerful. No bleed whatsoever, though. This contributes to the overall clarity of the sound. With rock music, the bass is warm and full. Hip hop, rap, and electronic, it's very impactful. This is because of the m80's small size. There is, however, a slight boomy property to the headphone because of its much accentuated upper bass. 
 
The M80's warm and excellent mids are a significant reason as to its popularity. Every song sounds full and enjoyable due to this. Rock and electronic are most benefited by this, in my opinion. 
 
The M80's treble isn't something that's a standout feature. Both literally and figuratively. Treble is laid back and smooth. I had originally thought that this wouldn't be too enjoyable for me, as I like bright-ish treble, but I was (more than thankfully) wrong. The treble is extremely detailed, complimentary, and just plain nice to listen to. This goes for all genres. 
 
Soundstage - Despite the small cups of the headphone and its on-ear wear style, the M80 is, surprisingly, not congested. I've heard better from small headphones like this when it comes to spacious sound, however. Example would be the Phiaton Fusion MS400. That's not to say that the M80 does a bad job in this realm, though, because it doesn't. 
 
Overall - The M80 is a great choice for the portable anything. Audiophile, consumer, teen, adult, you name it. Now at a pretty low price due to the release of the XS, it can be had on a budget. And with its extremely capable and durable build, even reckless people (like myself) can use them without worry of breakage. You can't go wrong with this. 

The M100 is V-Moda's top of the line over ear headphone for just about everyone, from DJs, to audiophiles, to casual listeners.
 
Accessories - Clamshell case, 6.3mm adapter, V-Moda Crossfade advertisement, owner's manual, extra headphone jack cover, and 2 cables- one orange with mic and single-button, one black with a headphone splitter for shared music listening. Both sleeved in Kevlar. 
 
One thing I must say, though. V-Moda has made the best cases that I've seen so far that come with a headphone. Not only do they look absolutely fantastic in style, but they're extremely rugged. This is no different here. While it is shaped differently than V-Moda's other cases, like the one for the Crossfade LP, it sacrifices nothing in doing so. 
 
Packaging - when the headphone arrived, I was ecstatic. Of course, that's both due to my true want for this headphone, and the package that it came in. Many headphones come in a rectangular box; not these. The M100 comes in a more of a shape that's true to V-Moda's excellent styling. 
The handle to the package is made of an excellent and soft pleather. Before opening, one must cut off a small ribbon that holds the top shut. Then the user can "un-button" the top, and open the case into the world of V-Moda. 
 
 
Build/design - Like all of V-Moda's headphones, these are built like a tank. Industrial. 
The cups are high density plastic, and the shields are stainless steel, as is the adjusting frame and folding hinge. It's almost impossible to break these from normal use. 
 
The outer headband is made of a smooth pleather with the standard V-Moda name branded onto it. The inner headband that rests on the head is made of a cloth that is decently cushioning. 
 
The pads are very soft to the touch, but lack a good amount of space. My ears are relatively small and they get cramped pretty easily inside the cups. V-Moda does have their XL memory foam pads, and I plan to try those out sooner or later. 
 
Comfort - I have no issues with comfort. My left ear gets a bit sore after around an hour, but it's hardly noticeable. The headband feels nonexistent, which is surprising, considering the headphone's weight and the headband's lack of good much cushioning. 
 
 
Sound - The V-Moda M100 didn't have the initial sound signature that I expected, but nonetheless, it is excellent. It has a V-Shaped frequency response and sound, so bass and treble are boosted. 
 
Bass - Starting with bass, the M100 boasts some of the most excellent bass that I've heard. Of course, it is boosted, but that's beyond the point. The bass gives the headphone a more heavy sound without giving any detriment to the sound in general. Too often, I find a headphone that sounds amazing on some tracks, but when a bass heavy track comes on, they become a muddy tragedy. That's not anything like the M100 whatsoever. The bass is flawless no matter what. When listening to some of my more recent favorite music (Bossa nova, oddly enough), the bass stays where it
needs to, while adding some extra energy to the bass notes as they play. With EDM, most preferably DnB and house, the bass is really energetic and powerful, making many songs much more engaging. 
 
Midrange - I can tell that the M100 was aimed more at consumers than the faithful M80. The midrange is recessed to about the same level that the M50's mids are recessed. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on the user's preference. I don't like it much, personally. To me, it's more noticeable with electronic music over rock and jazz, which is a bit counterintuitive to what I expected. 
 
Treble - Bright and well extended. It's not anything I would call harsh, since it's done very well. Cymbals are highly detailed and energetic. These do make electronic music really fun to listen to. Most notably for me anything from "Furries in a Blender," which is already fun to listen to to begin with. 
 
Soundstage - This region is a bit odd. It's not spacey, nor is it congested. It's immersive to an extent with accurate positioning. It's pretty wide, to say the least. 
 
Overall - The M100 combines tank-like durability, style, portability, and a bass lover's heaven into one package. For DJ applications, I would probably look around before buying this on impulse. Otherwise, take up your impulse and buy it. 

The Bridge is a headphone that combines the epitome of elegant design, comfort of kings, and an exquisite sound that you can get by just plugging into a smartphone. It is a pure audiophile headphone. 
 
Accessories - Soft leather pouch, 6.3mm adapter, two cables (one with single button remote and mic). 
The cables are covered with fabric, and are pretty thick. They're both teriminated with a 90 degree 3.5 jack.
 
Packaging - The Bridge comes in the largest box that I've ever seen for a headphone package. It's got Phiaton's trademark color scheme- black and red, however there is white to the box as well. 
Build/Design - What can I say.. So many things.. I think the Bridge is the best-looking headphone that I've ever seen, hands down. There are a select few that I also love in terms of design, but the Bridge really is at a level that I might call perfection. 
 
 
 
The cup shape, the adjusting frame, the headband.. I can't get enough. I just can't. 
 
The adjusting frame is made entirely out of a smooth metal. Its design brings forth an elegant yet simple stature unprecedented by any other headphone that I know of. 
 
The jacks on both sides of the headphone on the adjusting frame allow for asymmetrical use. The jacks are 2.5mm, so most cables won't fit the headphone. Thankfully, Phiaton has provided two cables. 
 
The headband is made of genuine perforated leather. It's soft, stylish, and pleasant all at once. Subtle red accents give it a modern look. To me, it kind of makes the headphones have a "sports car" like appearance. 
 
The pads are made of plush leather. Plush is right. These are the most comfortable pads I've felt, both on my hands and on my ears. 
 
The cups are originally shaped. An upside-down smoothened triangle can give a general idea, but not do it justice. The cups are made out of a pretty sturdy plastic.
 
Comfort - I can wear these headphones for about 3-4 hours (intense gaming sessions!) before getting any discomfort around the lower portion of my ears. The headband feels nonexistent on my head. 
 
 
Sound - In addition to an amazing design is an amazing sound. With electronic, the immense amount of detail and immersive sound turns synths into living instruments that I find myself addicted to. 
 
Bass - The bass is slightly accentuated, but I only really notice it with kick drums. They've got a great amount of impact without showing any signs of a booming nature. Bass notes are extremely detailed and clean. Netsky's "Rise and Shine" is a great example to show this headphone's bass response. Extended, controlled, detailed. It's got it all. 
 
Mids - The mids aren't exactly what I would call forward, but I don't think I would go as far as to call them recessed. They sound just about where they should in anything I throw at it. The lower end of the midrange is actually fairly cold, which I feel accents the treble, bass, and rest of the midrange extremely well. It gives a better sense of immersion, clarity, and control. 
 
Highs - The treble is a bit bright. This may deter some people, but it may attract others. For me, it's a huge plus. I love brighter treble, and these have the best treble that I've heard. It really shines in electronic music. It's so lively and energetic. It's simply amazing to my ears. Extension is excellent to boot, and there's no sibilance either. 
 
Soundstage - "Incredible" is all that comes to mind. It's spacious all around. Depth and width. Everything is presented with stunning special realism. This makes these headphones very good for gaming purposes. I've found this to be true. 
 
Overall - The Phiaton Bridge is a headphone that you won't want to miss. If you like bass, it's for you. If you like flat, it's for you. How can that be? The bass appears as much as the song wants, and when it does, it's got impact. Style, sound, build, comfort. It's got it all. 

The ZTONE from I-Mego is an interesting headphone that attempts to combine the style of custom in-ears with the fit of pre-made silicone. 
It was an incredibly valiant effort, but it just doesn't seem to work well. 
 
Build/Design - Well, probably the best part of the ZTONE is its build. It's got an excellent braided silver-plated copper cable that I've not seen on anything this cheap before. 
Also, the memory wire near the shells is also quite nice, as is the strain relief that comes from the shell. 
 
The housings themselves have a gunmetal black coloring on the outer half and a clear plastic on the inner half. 
 
The jack is also well made. It's got a very soft strain relief that feels pretty high quality. While it is a straight plug, I don't have any concerns. 
 
Now comes the design, which is horridly flawed.. 
 
I will give credit to I-Mego for attempting to innovate, but it just doesn't work. 
 
The "custom molded" tips aren't custom molded whatsoever. They come in four sizes. 
When used, they essentially take away any acoustic seal, thus leaving the headphone without any real bass response, and making them sound next-to horrendous. 
The issue here is the design of the tips. They don't really go "in" the user's ear, but rather rest outside of the ear canal. No matter how many times I attempted to get them to go in, the nozzle of the tips is just too flimsy to effectively stay in shape and allow sound to pass through. 
They just don't work. 
 
Thankfully, I-Mego has supplied three pairs of regular eartips for standard use, which work fine. The tips themselves are honestly some of the best-feeling wide-nozzle tips that I've encountered. 
However, I notice that most normal silicone tips will easily fall off of the nozzle due to its short size. I would probably recommend a more solid foam tip for use with these. My preference are some wide-nozzle Shure Orange Foams.
 
Sound - The ZTONE is, without a doubt, the bassiest in-ear that I've heard to date. Sadly, it isn't very good. 
 
Bass - Everything, and I mean everything sounds boomy and messy. There is SO much accentuation. Some songs, it works, but most, it just doesn't. Plus, if the volume is too high, the bass distorts everything. It needs to be pretty loud, though, so that's not too much of an issue. 
Sub bass is well extended, as expected. Mid and upper bass are highly sloppy and overdone
 
Mids - Very warm. Not recessed. There's an occasional bloat here and there, but the mids otherwise are quite good. I would call it a bit musical. The problem is that the bass will often overshadow the mids, so it's hard to truly enjoy them without a good EQ to tone down the bass. 
 
Treble - Dark could be an understatement with these. There is absolutely no sparkle. Cymbals are legitimately hard to hear in many tracks where I can hear them clear as day with other headphones. The only time I can say the treble sounds good is with some classical. 
 
Soundstage - Only average. There seems to be a bit more width than depth, which sounds pretty good. 
 
Overall - Unless you are a basshead of the utmost proportions, I would simply stay away from these. If you're after the style and/or build, you better have a good EQ ready.

The MS430 Fusion is part of Phiaton's new line of headphones, sporting an impressive build, style, and sound, like many other models from the company. 
 
 
Accessories - 3.5mm cable, carrying pouch
The cable features an in-line microphone with universal remote and volume control. I personally would prefer a version that has this and a separate version just for Apple devices, but that's just me. 
The cable is terminated with a 90° angle jack 
 
The carrying pouch is pretty rugged on the outside, with a very soft red faux-velvet inner lining, which seems to compliment the Fusion's design perfectly. 
 
Build/Design - The Fusion has a mostly plastic outside with an aluminum frame. The headphones have that "incredibly well built" feeling to them without seeming "industrial" and/or sacrificing design/style. 
 
The cups are a size that offer an in-between on-ear and over-ear feeling that's going to differ based on the user's ear size. Often, I find myself struggling to get a good fit while not losing the acoustic seal (which is surprisingly more difficult to do than one might think). 
 
It would be unthinkable not to include the fact that Phiaton used carbon fiber in the outer circle of the cups. This reduces weight and even more adds to the uniqueness of Phiaton's styling. Of course, the carbon fiber is covered by a type of plastic to prevent damaging. So, no, you can't directly touch it, as alluring as it may be. 
 
Both cups feature a 3.5mm jack, so the user can have the cable coming from either side if he/she chooses. 
Also, this allows for daisy chaining of headphones, so multiple people can listen to the same song with multiple headphones.
 
The headphones can fold into a small variety of relatively compact shapes, which can all fit into the supplied pouch. 
The headband is covered with a very soft rubber. While it doesn't offer much cushioning, it's hardly noticeable. 
The earpads are extremely soft and plush, however with the cup size, comfort can occasionally be an issue. 
 
Comfort - While the pads do lightly rest on or over the ears, the slight pressure and/or rubbing from the inner pads that only touches the outermost portions of my ears can prove to be a bit uncomfortable. I constantly feel the need to adjust the headphones, even though nothing is truly wrong. I'm hoping that this will become less noticeable as time goes on. 
 
 
Sound - The Fusion is a very immersive headphone. Music seems to encompass me if I'm not thinking about much else. I would guess this is because of the Fusion's excellent soundstage and instrumental positioning. Nothing ever gets drowned out, either. 
The Fusion has a sound signature that's a bit mid-centric, but flat otherwise. 
 
Bass - Extremely detailed and accurate bass. I somewhat consider the bass to be a bit light on the Fusion. Impact is very scarce, to say the least. Sometimes, this benefits the sound. Others, it subtracts from it. However, this will most definitely vary by person, because sound preference is very subjective. I often find that the only time the light-ish bass subtracts from a listening existence is when I'm listening to a bass-heavy track while in a noisy situation (like a bus). 
The bass seems to effortlessly work well with all genres, however. 
 
Mids - The Fusion presents mids in an extremely pleasant way. While the mids on one of my other favorite mid-centric headphones, the Philips Downtown, are good, they sound artificial. The Fusion has none of it. It will take any midrange frequency and turn it into natural bliss. 
 
Highs - The Fusion has very slightly laid back highs. Detail isn't sacrificed though. It's well extended, extremely clear, and, certainly versatile as ever. The treble breathes new life into some of my most-listened to music- especially DnB. 
 
Soundstage - The package claims that the Fusion has a large soundstage. Well, the package does not lie. How Phiaton managed to get a soundstage like this in such a small package at this price is beyond my knowledge. There is a large amount of depth and width to the presentation that can't be missed. My first impression when I put the headphones on in the beginning was the soundstage. Excellent may not even be good enough a word to describe it. 
 
Overall - The Fusion is currently one of the best headphones that I've heard at its price. It's versatile, albeit not very bassy for some genres. Excellent immersion and soundstage bring a highly intimate musical experience that should be experienced by everyone. I can see myself recommending these- easily. 

The WS-99 are Audio-Technica's top of the line headphones in the Solid Bass line- and rightfully so. 
These headphones are among the best that I've heard.
 
 
 
 
 
Build - The WS-99 shares a lot of its overall design with the the mid-level WS-77. However, the parts and quality of the WS-99's build are much, much above that of the 77's. 
The outer circles of the cups are much more high-quality. The ridges are more deep and give the headphones an even better look when hit by light at any angle. The ridges are actually quite sharp. They're able to cut through a shirt if rubbed on it. Learned that the hard way. They're made out of a high quality what I believe to be aluminum. You can easily see Audio-Technica's Dual Chamber technology with the way that these are designed. Really impressive to me. 
 
Under the pads is mostly aluminum, contrary to the WS-77's plastic. 
 
The headband is almost identical to the WS-77 in terms of shape. It feels a little more sturdy, though. The padding on it is very soft and plush. 
The pads are a bit more soft than the pads on the WS77, which contributes to both comfort, and, for me, a higher feeling of elegance. 
 
Comfort - Simply excellent. The WS99 is easily one of those headphones that you can sometimes forget that you're wearing. 
 
 
 
Sound - The WS99 has a bass heavy (obviously) sound signature with a slightly sparkly lower treble. The WS-99 shows to be a headphone that can be used with whatever genre the user throws at it; from electronic, to jazz, to classical and beyond. 
 
Bass - As with all of the Solid Bass headphones from Audio-Technica, the WS99 delivers controlled, impactful, and punchy bass. While it does not have as emphasised of bass as the V-Moda M100, the WS-99 is still a good bass-heavy headphone that I think anyone can enjoy. I prefer to use these headphones with EDM and jazz due to their excellent bass response. 
 
Mids - There's a little bit of recession going on here. It kind of reminds me of the midrange recession in the M50, but just not as severe. Much less recession than the M100 also. Vocals do sound quite natural still. Female vocals seem to have a little more energy when compared to male vocals with these. 
 
Treble - The WS99 has a well-extended, detailed treble response. Lower treble is much more sparkly than the WS-77, which gives it a more natural and powerful sound in comparison. 
 
Soundstage - As with the WS-77, the soundstage is very good for a portable headphone. Positioning and space is excellent for a portable. In comparison to larger headphones, like the DT770, though, it obviously won't compare well. 
 
Overall - The WS-99 has style, build, and a powerful sound. While it has a less warm sound than the WS-77, both consumers and audiophiles alike should find these headphones to perform exceptionally well. 

The R-DJ is part of Rock-It's new lineup of headphones, complete with the signature Rock-It styling excellence.
 
Accessories - Straight cable, coiled cable
 
Simplicity aside, these cables are, without a doubt, the sturdiest and thickest detachables that I've ever felt. Not to mention, they literally "fit"
perfectly with the headphone's design. 
 
Build/Design - As always, Rock-It a Sounds has nailed the styling of yet another headphone. The R-DJ features a matte black finish with some glossy orange parts that make it truly unique. The Rock-It logo on the cups is featured on a diamond-shaped piece of metal. 

The headband has it's own pieces of gloss orange as well, and with a comfortable cushion on top with the Rock-It name, these headphones are sure to make a statement. 
Build is good, or even great in its own right, but I've found some major issues with it. However these issues do not subtract from the quality of the headphone. I shall explain. 
Normally, headphones have cups that swivel forward in some way to appropriate for the natural curvature of the human head. This is not how the R-DJ works. The cups do not swivel forward one bit. They swivel backwards, though. 

As odd as it might sound, for comfort reasons, I honestly recommend breaking the internal stopper (which I've done twice now on accident on two different pairs of these headphones) to allow the cups to swivel forward. I do not recommend twisting them farther than you need them to go, though. They will swivel a full 360° then and keep going, and I'm not sure if there could be any detrimental properties to doing that. 
 
So, if you have some comfort issues, push the cups so they can swivel forward a bit. 

Other than that, the build is excellent. These headphones feel built like a tank. The headband is reinforced with metal, and the plastics used feel extremely rugged.
 
Sound - Alas, I expected something near the quality of Rock-It's R-Studio. Unfortunately, that's not what I got. 
The R-DJ, to my ears, has an extremely bloated midrange that drowns out any sense of clarity and detail. However, I've noticed that a pad swap will remedy this situation a good amount, to the level that the headphone sounds nothing alike. But I will be basing this review on the original stock version using the pads that came with the headphone. 
 
Bass - The bass on the R-DJ surprisingly doesn't live up to its claim by Rock-It Sounds. The bass is probably the best part of these headphones, nonetheless. Rock-It claimed these headphones have a "thumping sound", and these headphones certainly do not have that kind of bass. The bass is slightly accentuated but quite clean. Sure, there's some kick as expected, but these have less bass than Rock-It's R-Studio. 
 
Mids - This is no doubt a mid-centric headphone. Every song I listened to sounded extremely mid-heavy, in a bad way. It was bloated, overbearing, and even painful at times. I have mid-centric headphones that I love, but these just take it much, much farther than necessary. 
 
Treble - The treble is laid back. I might even go as far to call it slightly dark. After taming the midrange with some EQ, it's clear that the treble on these is far under neutral. That's not a bad thing though. Some songs it works, some it just doesn't seem to. Most notably speaking with EDM. 
 
Soundstage - Very large, given the stock pads are so big and spacey. It's about on-par with the stage on the R-Studio. 
 
Overall - The R-DJ has some serious issues to me, but it can be made better with a pad change (I used spare M50 pads). While build and design are top-notch, this headphone just doesn't seem to live up to its price tag, or its brother, the R-Studio. 

The Skullcandy Crusher is a consumer-oriented headphone that has highly impressed me with both its sound and features.
 
 
 
Accessories - Carrying pouch, 1x AA Battery

The carrying pouch is a bit thin, in my opinion. It is quite stretchy due to that, and I'm a bit scared that it might rip after a decent amount of use.
On the front of the pouch is the Skullcandy logo.

Build/Design - The Crusher is all plastic, but it doesn't feel flimsy. The cups are made of a gloss-finished plastic, while the headband and adjusting frame is made out of a more bendable type of plastic.
 
Both cups have some vents on the bottom portion, probably for bass control. The left cup has a 3.5mm jack for the cable, positioned a bit further forward than most other headphones. Also on the left cup is the slider for the built-in amp.

The cable itself is a bit thin for a 3.5mm detachable. I don't see myself having any issues with it any time soon, though. Even if it did have a problem, one could easily buy another cable for the headphones. The side that goes into the headphones has a red accent on the jack. A bit farther down is the single-button in-line mic. 

Slightly above where the headband meets the cups, is the Skullcandy logo, also made of plastic, but this plastic is quite reflective, and gives the appearance of metal. 

Above this are the folding hinges. Their design is quite unique actually. Much more smooth than the common folding method used in headphones like Beats or Noontec. I wouldn't doubt their durability, either. 

The top of the headband has the Skullcandy name branded onto it, however it isn't highly noticable. 

The headband padding is also interesting. Rather than it being a form of pleather, it feels like it's some sort of rubber material. The padding itself has a distinct shape that will keep its form, however, of course, it is squishy, which is good.

The pads on the cups are made out of a somewhat plasticy material on the outer part, and a more smooth and soft material on the inner parts, including the part that makes contact with one's head.
The pad on the right cup can actually come off to reveal a slot where a battery fits for the built-in amplifier.
 
 
 
Comfort - I had thought that these headphones would be a bit more comfortable than they actually are. It could just be my head, though. The pads themselves are soft and plush, but that doesn't really curve my issue. For me, when I'm wearing them, the back and bottom sides of the pads don't seem to be outward enough, making the front sections of the pads put a lot more pressure on my head. The headband has to be precisely adjusted for me to really get the headphones into a comfortable position. 
 
The headband padding is quite comfortable, even though it has a rigid shape structure.
 
Sound - Skullcandy has really outdone themselves here. The Crusher is a bass-heavy headphone that doesn't disappoint. 
 
(Note that my comments on the sound are for when the built-in amplifier is OFF)
 
Bass - Incredible impact. Simply incredible. I'm not sure what it is, but the amount of bass-impact these have, even when the amplifier is off, is just insane. Maybe it's due to the fact that the headphones were built to vibrate, that the bass has that quality. Subbass extension is quite good. Mid and upper bass plentiful, obviously. On top of all this, the bass is still mostly controlled. 
 
Mids - No recession here. Very impressive indeed. Any music with vocals brings a lively experience to the song. I can't get enough of it. I especially enjoy listening to alternative rock on these for that reason. 
 
Treble - For the most part, it's laid back. That's not to say that it lacks detail or anything, though. For sure it doesn't. It is extended well, actually. From what I can hear, there's a dip in the lower treble, which is one of the most fatiguing areas for many. I can listen to these for hours without any fatigue, granted the comfort lets me. 
Soundstage - For real, these sound really spacey. I'm not sure what it is. Neither depth nor width seems to be that large, but I get a sense of openness when I listen with these headphones. The drivers are positioned a bit more towards the back due to the need for space for the battery and the bass-amplified driver, so that could be the cause. Either way, I really like it. 
 
Bass-activated amplifer - Skullcandy has basically hit a home-run with this feature. The amplified bass and vibration are really something. 

I had expected it to be less accurate than it is. But no. The vibration matches that of the bass from the music perfectly. When a kick comes up, the headphones vibrate with the intensity that's given by the kick, and decays right along with it. 

The slider on the left cup adjusts the amount of bass in the music that needs to be present for the amp to turn on. This feature is pretty volume-dependant, though. If the music isn't loud enough, then it simply won't turn on, even if the slider is completely at the top. I'm not sure if this would really be an issue for many. I do listen to my music at relatively low volumes when I'm at home. I only turn them up when I'm, say, in public, like on a noisy street, hallway, or subway. When I'm in public, I don't have an issue. 

Needless to say though, a higher volume will give you more control on how much vibration you want. 
 
A really good thing about the amplifier is that it will automatically turn off within 10 seconds if it isn't used. I don't expect myself to go through batteries very often with these whatsoever.
 
Overall - Skullcandy's Crusher is not only a great-sounding headphone, but it gives you the bass that bass lovers crave, and makes you look good while doing it. I've already recommended these headphones to multiple people, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Anyone who wants to feel their heads shaken by bass, look no further. These are for you. 

The VOXOA V33X HD Wireless headphones are VOXOA's first foray into the audio world.
These portable headphones feature Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, which brings about oodles of features.  

Package - The V33X comes in a nice box. Inside, are the headphones, which are between a few pieces of plastic to keep them in place, and a smaller box that contains the pouch and cables. The presentation is rather simplistic, but it maintains a hint of elegance to it, with its black and white color scheme. 
 
 
Accessories - Carrying pouch, USB to Mini USB charging cable, 3.5mm cable for wired use
 
 
Design / Build - The V33X has a relatively simple design. It's made almost entirely out of plastic, except for the rectangles on the backs of the two cups. The plastic feels well-made. Not tank-like durability, but not flimsy in the slightest. The lightweight nature of the headphones also promise that cracks in the plastic are not likely to happen, if the user were to drop the headphones. 

On the left aluminum rectangle is the VOXOA name. On the right is a multi-functional button. This button turns the headphones on and off, and also is the control for device pairing. On the side of the rectangle are buttons that control music and volume. On the front are a pause/play button, a skip track button, and a previous track button. On the back are volume up and down buttons (Note that these buttons actually don't control the phone's volume, but rather the headphone's volume). Also on the right are the ports for charging and for wired use. Yes, the cable goes on the right side. 

Above the rectangle on the right side are the letters 'nfc', for near-field communications.
Above that are the folding hinges. These headphones fold into a very compact form for easy transportation. 
The headband is well-padded and soft. Combined with the lightweightness of the headphoens themselves, there is very little pressure on the head from the headband. 
The earpads are very soft as well. There's only padding around the edges of the cups, actually. The center of the pads is just covered with the pleather.

The 3.5mm cable is thin and a bit too short for me. It just seems like a cheap cable. The strain reliefs on the jacks are stiff, which also says something about the cable's build. Thankfully, though, the cable can easily be replaced. However, considering the fact that the headphones are Bluetooth, I'm not sure how much one might actually be using a cable.
The pouch that comes with the headphones is one of the better pouches that I've felt. It's got a unique texture to it. It feels durable, too.
 

Comfort - As I said, there is little pressure on the head. The earpads are very soft to the touch. The headphones can be worn for hours at a time easily.

Bluetooth Features - The V33X are among the first headphones to utilize Bluetooth 4.0. What does this mean, though? 

The V33X have the best wireless range that I've ever encountered in a Bluetooth headphone so far. I had my friend wear them around an entire cafeteria (which is pretty large), and he was able to keep a connection the entire time. 

These headphones have a 16-hour battery life, which is pretty long, compared to other Bluetooth headphones, like the Jabra Revo Wireless, which only have a 12-hour battery life.
The V33X also utilizes AptX for streaming high-quality audio codecs via Bluetooth.
  
Sound - The V33X headphones have a very V-Shaped sound to my ears. I find that it works best with electronic music, like DnB and dubstep. 

Bass - These have a lot of bass. Both midbass and subbass. Impact is huge. It's extended quite well. Subbass is incredible for EDM. Upper bass doesn't seem to be too emphasised. While the bass itself is relatively controlled, the lack of mids make the bass seem to muddy up the sound a bit in more classic genres like rock and jazz.

Mids - The mids are a huge downfall with these, in my opinion. They are so very much recessed. Much less than the M50, that's for sure. Vocals are far behind in rock. I need to turn up the headphones quite a bit in order for me to get the vocals to a volume that I want them to be, but then the bass and treble are much higher. I'm not sure if this is a good thing for some, that they get a lot of bass and treble while essentially keeping the "music" at a stable level. I don't like it.

Treble - BrightBrightBright. These are easily some of the brightest headphones that I've ever used. Surprisingly, they're not sibilant in the slightest. Treble extension is well done too. Due to the V-shaped nature of the headphones, the detail does show itself easily. 

Soundstage - For closed-back on-ear headphones, the soundstage is astounding. There's a bunch of space in the presentation; especially depth. Of course, while they won't compare to a fully circumaural or open headphone, they don't sound congested whatsoever.

Summary / Overall - The V33X headphones from VOXOA deliver a reliable Bluetooth experience with hard-hitting bass and accentuated highs. While they're not the most versatile in terms of music genres, fans of more modern genres of music should definitely consider these headphones.

The BA100 from HiSoundAudio is a single balanced armature in-ear headphone that has ups and downs.
 
Big thanks to Jack at HiSoundAudio for the review unit!
 
Accessories - Hard carrying case, 3 pairs of tips (S,M,L), and 'fish' cable winder. 
To be honest, I never found a use for the fish. It doesn't fit into the case, and I always keep the headphones in their case when not in use. The best use I got from it was showing it to a friend and telling them that I have a dead fish. 
 
 
Build - The BA100 has an interesting design. Unlike most balanced armature in-ear headphones, the BA100 utilizes a wider nozzle, that turns into the standard narrow nozzle that is common with BA IEMs. I believe that the nozzle is purely for fitting purposes. It allows for a wider variety of tips to be effectively fitted and used on the headphones. 

The tips are unique. They're similar to the standard wide-nozzle tips that you would find on some in ears (IE. Skullcandy Ink'd), but these tips are slightly longer. I also believe that this is for fitting and comfort purposes. I do like the tips, for sure, but I don't think they allow for the BA100 to sound its best. More narrow nozzle tips and foam tips seem to be better suited for the BA100. I just wish HiSound would have included some in the package.

The housing is made out of what I believe is actually brass (peering down the nozzle reveals a metal that has a striking resemblance to brass). The strain reliefs don't feel particularly relieving. And with the cable that the BA100 uses, I would honestly worry about cable issues. 

The cable is very squishy. I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but it's squishy. If you were to place two fingers around one of the cables that leads to the headphones, the cable would squish to being almost perfectly flat. I'm not sure if this is a strain relief in itself, or a cable issue waiting to happen. 

The Y-Split feels decent. No strain reliefs, and the cable often does squish around when I examine the Y-Split. Once again; not sure if that's good or bad. 
The cable is terminated with a 45° 3.5mm jack with the letters 'hi' on it, representing HiSoundAudio. The jack itself is good. Good strain reliefs and thickness. 
 
On the cable is an in-line microphone/multifunction button that is useful for taking calls and operating music. 
 
Microphonics - I would have expected a bit more microphonics that what is present with these. Thankfully, I was wrong. Cable noise isn't too present nor is it bothersome. Over ear wear eliminates it completely. 
 
Sound - Similar to many BA in-ear headphones, the BA100 has an overall bright and unforgiving signature. 

Bass - The BA100 is somewhat bass light in my opinion. No, I would not call it anemic. It definitely has more bass than, say, the Rock-It R-50 (in stock tips). The bass is detailed and extends deep. If you're looking for a bassy in-ear headphone, you can just stop reading (and I would also tell you to look at dynamic in ears instead of balanced armature in ears)

Mids - The mids are excellent, especially with female vocals. Female vocals are forward and lively. The vocals in "Blue Skies" from Ace Combat 4's soundtrack sounds magnificent. 

Treble - The treble is harsh. It's obviously sparkly and bright. Due to this, overall clarity is stunning. Orchestral music really sounds detailed. However, it seems to lack some extension that is most noticeable in more modern genres like electronic and pop.

Soundstage - There's a good amount of space to the presentation. It really does do orchestral and jazz justice. 
 
Overall - The BA100 is a decent offering from HiSoundAudio. I might recommend it to someone that listened to more classic genres, like rock, jazz, orchestral, etc. If clarity is a high priority, you can't really go wrong with these.

The Radical headphones from PopClik have never been spoken of before on Head-Fi, to my knowledge. These headphones are a consumer-oriented pair of headphones that I was honestly impressed by.

 
 
Accessories- Hard carrying case
 
The carrying case is pretty good for a stock headphone accessory. It feels much more well made than some of the cases I've come across (I.E. Klipsch). It's no V-Moda case, that's for sure, but, overall, I would say it is better than average in terms of build. It's also got a clip that allows for easy attachment to a bag or pack.
Design - The Radical are among the nicest looking headphones that I've ever seen. A large amount of that goes to the frame, which resembles that of the Parrot Zik. Also, the colors are very appealing to me. While the 'black and red' scheme is getting old and common, I think these do it very, very well. The Radical, to me, is an elegant-looking headphone that should impress whomever you might come in contact with.
 
 
Design/Build - The PopClik Radical is an interesting headphone overall. Build quality feels quite good in general. The cups are made out of plastic with a matte finish. The red parts of the cup are made from plastic also, but these have a gloss finish. There is also a metal strip on each of the cups.

The headband is covered with a smooth, soft, squishy rubber-like material. It's very comfortable to me and feels well put together. I can honestly say that sometimes I just like feeling it, because it is so smooth and squishy. Good experiences. 

The adjusting frame is made out of metal as well. It feels very well built as well. There are numbers on the metal that show as you lengthen them, ranging from 1 to 3, depending on how far you lengthen it. There is a swiveling joint slightly above the cups that swivel around 140°, which make it easy for portable storage in its included case, or just more comfortable when wearing around one's neck.
The pads are incredibly soft and comfortable. Some of the best pads I've encountered for an on-ear headphone. Soft to the touch, plush and relatively thick.

The cable that comes with the headphone is covered with Kevlar. I've had a few Kevlar-sleeved cables before, and they all have been quite durable. The jacks are both straight-plugs, with one end being close to the in-line microphone, making it easy to discern which end goes where; not like that truly matters in the end anyways. 

The jacks do have a lack of strain reliefs, so the durability in that regard may be iffy, even with the Kevlar sleeving. The jacks and in-line microphone are made of metal-looking plastic. It does fit the design well, that's for sure. 
 
 
Comfort - With the headband and pads, the comfort of the Radical is very good. There is little clamping force to go along with that, too. The Radical is also a quite lightweight headphone. These factors combined make a very comfortable headphone. I let a few of my friends try them on, and they all commented on how comfortable they were; pads especially. 
Isolation - Isolation is pretty average for an on-ear headphone. Perhaps slighly under-average. Thankfully, the sound signature allows for the volume to be turned up to a good amount without it becoming fatiguing. I only had to do that when I was on public transportaion, though.
 
 
Sound - I can finally say that I have found a headphone that both looks incredible and sounds good.
The sound is definitely warm. Warm and relatively dark. 
 
Bass - The Radical has consumer-oriented bass. It's definitely emphasised a significant amount. It's not as emphasised as, say, the XB500 or HA-S500, which are two very bassy headphones, but it's much above neutral. The bass is controlled and extended well. I've not had any bass bleed on whatever music I had listened to with them (rock, dubstep, DnB, jazz, hip-hop, orchestral, chiptune).
 
Mids - Interestingly enough, for a consumer oriented headphone, the mids aren't recessed at all. Vocals sound very good and forward. Detailed, too. The mids made rock and jazz really sound great. 
 
Treble - The treble is dark in the lower and upper regions. There is a significant roll-off in the upper treble. I don't find it too noticeable in non-electronic genres, but for things like dubstep and DnB, the roll-off is very noticeable. I personally really dislike the roll-off when listening to electronic music. 
 
Soundstage - Little to no soundstage. Things do sound quite congested.
 
 
Overall - The Radical is a headphone that I would recommend to people who prefer to listen to more classic genres, like rock, jazz, hip-hop, etc. that value appearance highly. There are definitely better choices out there if sound is top priority, like the JVC HA-S500. Design-wise, these take the cake for design in a sub-$100 headphone ($75 MSRP). With an excellent build, a case, and all of the other factors mixed in, these headphones are a good portable set for those who are willing to sacrifice a little sound for appearance. Of course, that's not to say that they sound bad, because they don't. 
 
Thanks to PopClik for the review sample!

The Rockit R-Studio headphones are among the best headphones that I've used under $100. I see an extremely high amount of potential in these headphones.

The R-Studio is made of mostly plastic with a matte finish. The sides that hold the cups are made out of aluminum alloy, which does feel very sturdy. The 'back' of the cups, where the Rockit Logo is, is covered with pleather. The headband is quite plush. Very nice to the touch. The R-Studio features a standard 3.5 to 3.5 detachable cable.
The earspace is immense. Easily the second largest amount of space my ears have ever had while wearing a headphone, seconded only to the DT770. This equates to a high amount of comfort.

 

Sound is overall warm, lush, bassy, and spacey. Why Rockit decided to call it 'Studio', I'm not sure. These are definitely NOT reference headphones. 

Bass - Bass lovers rejoice! The bass on these headphone is sure to satisfy. There's a lot of warmth to the overall signature. It can get boomy on some tracks, though. I only really notice it on orchestral music, though. With rock, electronic, jazz, or anything else other than orchestral, the bass is controlled and not boomy. I personally find these headphones' bass to work best with rock and jazz.

Mids - The mids are simply incredible. Without a doubt, the best sounding midrange in a sub-$100 headphone that I've ever heard. The mids are sweet and full. I'm not sure if I can truly express how much I love the mids on these using words. 

Treble - The treble is my only real complaint with these headphones. The treble itself isn't bad, but compared to the other parts of the headphone's sound, it falls short. I'm not sure if that's really worthy of a complaint, honestly. The treble is still very good considering the cost. It's decently extended, detailed, and accurate. It's a bit dark though, and can be overpowered by the bass and mids on occasion. Once again, though, I mainly notice that happening on orchestral music only. 

Soundstage - For a closed-back headphone, the soundstage on these is HUGE. I'm sure that's attributed to the large cups, though. Depth and width are incredible! Everything sounds perfectly positioned and lively. 

Overall - The R-Studio is a big winner here. I would highly recommend these headphones to anyone that enjoys some warmth in their music. Excellent value. Excellent headphones.

The Jabra Vox is Jabra's current flagship IEM. It has impressed me in many ways, but has its shortcomings. But for being only $100 MSRP, these are a definite competitor on the current market. 
 

Package - The Vox comes in a hard-plastic container with a yellow silicone stripe down the middle, with the word, 'Vox' written on it. It feels well made, and is aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.
 
 
Accessories - Carrying pouch, 3 pairs of tips, two sets of single flange tips (M, L), and one pair of bi-flange tips, SnagIt magnets.

For a simple carrying pouch, the one that came with the Vox is by far my favorite pouch as of yet. Unlike the pouches that I've come across, Jabra's pouch features two hinges that keep the pouch closed. This also means for me an easier way to open the pouch. Not to mention, it prevents the pouch from opening at unwanted times. 
The tips are a bit plasticky to me, but I believe they are dual-density near the top. The bi-flange has its dual-density at the top of the lower flange.
An interesting and unique feature to the Vox are the in-line SnagIt Magnets that are positioned a few inches below the housings. These magnets are incredibly useful to me. While they do prevent tangling to a degree, my favorite thing about them is that they keep both of the housings together in most cases, preventing one to slip off of, say, a table, when one would set them down. To me, that's a big plus. I tend to keep my IEMs well cared for, and if something like that were to happen, where one of the housings fell off of the table and dangle for dear life, that would upset me. 
 

Build - I've got both compliments and complaints pertaining to the build quality of these IEMs. But, descriptions first. The Vox's housings are made mostly out of plastic with a smooth matte finish. Near the nozzle, the words 'right' and 'left' are written in a rather interesting font that actually reminds me of the font that Rock-It Sounds uses. There's a medium-sized streak of aluminum on the housings, of which the Jabra name is written. Orange accents on the strain reliefs give a nice visual presentation as well. The cable also has a 3-button in-line mic on the right side.

Onto the positive aspects that I noticed. One thing that immediately struck me as good was the cable. Most notably, the cable before the Y-split. For an IEM, this cable is among the thickest and most durable-feeling cables that I've come across. Strangely enough, the cable is rectangular in shape. I'm not sure what this could change in terms of durability, if anything. I can say that it isn't as flexible, but it definitely feels more strong than others.
Another thing that I do like is the 90 degree angle of the jack.

There are a number of things that I find worrisome about the build of the Vox as well, though. The strain reliefs on the housings are a major concern of mine. They're stiff, and I doubt they really help whatsoever. Another thing is the complete lack of strain reliefs on the jack itself. It's already a small jack, when compared to other common 90 degree jacks. With the lack of strain reliefs, durability is something that I would be concerned about. Lastly, the cable after the y-split. I actually don't know for sure if this is truly a 'bad' thing, but the cable is literally squishy. To me, it feels like it could easily come apart. Time will tell on that one. 
 

Comfort - The Vox is advertised as being comfortable, and that it is. To me, the only IEMs that have been more comfortable have been my Klipsch Image E1 (which has the same general design as the Image S3 and S4). I normally do forget that I'm wearing them. 

Microphonics - Cable noise is average. Wearing them over-ear eliminates them completely, but the in-line mic makes that difficult to do.

Jabra Sound App - Something that comes with the Vox is the Jabra Sound App. It features a music player, Dolby processing, Dolby Mobile Surround sound processing, and a graphic EQ (which is only usable while Dolby processing is on). I personally recommend an app like EQu for an equalizer, as I feel it's much better than the Jabra EQ. The Dolby processing, in my opinion, is poor, unnecessary, and lacks usefulness overall. It adds an artificial soundstage, which is actually just an added reverb effect. The Mobile Surround feature only makes it sound even more artificial. I honestly can't stand it. It doesn't give the 'true' experience of the headphone nor the music itself. I don't think it could contribute to any audiophile or audiophile-esque experience.

Sound - The Vox has an overall bass-heavy signature that I really, really like.

Bass - People often ask me if a headphone has 'good bass'. Whether they mean bass that is emphasized, or bass that is just overall quality, I will never know. However, the Vox fits both of those categories. The bass that the Vox provides is among my favorites. There's a good amount of mid and upper-bass emphasis, with the upper bass being slightly less emphasized over the mid-bass. Subbass is well extended, potent, and detailed. All of this, and the bass still does not intrude into the mids or highs. Simply put, the Jabra Vox does bass incredibly.

Mids - Common with consumer-oriented headphones, the midrange is recessed. The Vox does have a bit of a recession in the upper midrange area, but the other sections of the midrange do not have this issue. Whether or not to even call it an 'issue', I'm not sure. I find the recession to actually be quite fitting with music. It eliminates fatigue, to an extent, to my ears. 

Treble - The treble on the Vox is very well done. There is a nice sparkle to it, but it's never fatigued my ears. The detail is very good. I've recently been listening to a lot of orchestral pieces, and the Vox reproduces details with ease. 

Soundstage - Something I really love is a large soundstage. The Vox has it. With those orchestral pieces, everything just sounds so life-like in terms of positioning and space. Both the depth and width are excellent to me, but there's a bit more depth than width in the overall presentation.

Overall - The Vox has proven to be one of my favorite in-ear headphones. The Jabra Sound App is a bust, build quality has its ups and downs, and the amount of accessories is just average, but in terms of sonic performance, these IEMs don't disappoint. Anyone looking for a bassy in-ear headphone and is in this price range (~ $100) should definitely consider these. 

The iFi iDAC provides a flawless sonic experience that is truly high-end.

Big thanks to Avatar Acoustics for the review sample!

The iDAC comes with a very nice USB cable and RCA cable for line-out. 
 








 
 

This DAC has, by far, surpassed my expectations. It provides the finest of audio experiences.

Everything sounds super-transparent and life-like, like most ESS Sabre DACs. What is truly impressive about this DAC is the full 24/192 support.  

Headphones that I tested with the iDAC

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro
Takstar Hi2050
Audio Technica ATH-M50
Audio Technica ATH-A700x
Philips Downtown
Rockit Sounds R50

From what I can hear, the iDAC performs and powers extremely well, especially considering it is directly from USB power. Sure, iFi has a separate USB power supply product for sale, but unless you truly want to get the very maximum out of the iDAC, I wouldn't see a reason to get it. iDAC is completely clean as it is.

Gain - I can only detect a slight amount of hissing when the DAC is turned up to around 12 o'clock or more on low-impedance headphones. IEM users need not worry! I don't truly see the need to include a gain switch like others have said they want. It'd just seem redundant to me.

Soundstage - Soundstage is rather impressive to me. I've heard a few people saying that it didn't impress, but that's not what I got from the iDAC. I can hear where instruments are supposed to be, what they sound like in terms of the venue they were placed in, and so on. It just sounds 'right' to me. 

In conclusion, I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a good semi-budget DAC. It is a real competitor in this price range, and has no significant flaws that I can see.


 

These headphones are a tremendous value for lovers of full range sound with a neutral signature.
 
Big thanks to Frank Doris at Audio Technica for the review sample! Great guy
 
 
 

The ATH-A700x is an efficient headphone that I've found to be great with practically every genre. However, these do rock incredibly well for me. I can honestly say that I can fully immerse myself in rock music with these headphones. I even prefer them over my DT770 Pro to an extent for rock. 
These headphones don't need an amplifier in my opinion. I can easily drive them from my iPhone and iPod without any noticeable sonic differences when compared with plugging them into an amp.

Build - For a headphone that costs around $150 new, these feel really cheap. The entire headphone is made out of plastic. No, not 'good' plastic, like on some headphones, like AT's own M50, but poorly crafted plastic. I'd be afraid to drop these just a few feet onto a hard floor. The 'Wings' feel pretty flimsy as well. I'm not sure how much abuse this headphone can take. The cable is actually very nice in my opinion. It's pretty thick and is protected with a layer of Kevlar. The jack is also very nice. I find it better than the jacks used in the M50, but that is just my opinion, obviously.

Comfort - It's a mixed bag here. I've heard a lot of people say that the Audiophile Series headphones from AT (A700x, AD700, W1000, AD900x, whatever has 'wings') are only for people with large heads. I can say that I kinda do have an above-average sized head, but it's not giant or anything. The pads are very plush and soft on my head, but the wings do feel a bit strange. On occasion, I can feel a slight 'tugging' sensation on my face by the pads downward. The wings are just too sensitive to pressure.

Sound - The very redeeming factor of the A700x is definitely its sound reproduction. Overall, I would describe it as a neutral headphone with a touch of warmth.

Bass - People have told me that the A700x is bass-light to an extent. I just don't hear that. I hear a neutral bass that's controlled and detailed. You'll probably end up hearing the bass more than you do feel it, though. With these headphones, bass is just truly done terrifically to me. Bass guitars sound lively and clean. Kicks have some punchiness to them, while still retaining a somewhat softer timbre.

Mids - The mids have a slight amount of added warmth to them that I find to be truly magnificent when listening to music. The midrange is right where it should be. Not forward, but not recessed. Vocals sound simply fantastic. It's like I'm actually listening to them at a concert.

Treble - The treble is neutral. It's quite extended to my ears. Detail just pours out of everything I listen to with these. Violins, guitars, synths, drums- everything. 

Soundstage - The soundstage is incredible with these headphones. There's a ton of depth and width. It rivals my DT770 Pro, which has excellent soundstage. There's just so much space to the sound.

Overall - If you can get past the build and possible comfort issues, and you're a fan of neutral sound, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these headphones. I think these headphones are an excellent value.



 

The WS77 is a bassy headphone that does practically everything well.

Before I begin, big thanks to Audio-Technica for the review sample!
   

 
Build - The WS77 honestly feels a bit flimsy to the touch. I don't personally think that reflects on the durability though. Most of the build is plastic, but the adjusting frame and the back of the ear cups are aluminum. The back of the cups are also made of aluminum. The aluminum has a circular pattern which gives it a cool effect when light hits it. Reminds me of the volume knob on many amps that I've come across.
 
Comfort - The pads on these headphones are excellent. Some of the best that I've used. Many headphones that I've used at this price normally have some stiffer and more 'generic' pleather, like the kind used on the M50's pads. These, however, are much, much softer, smoother, and ultimately just more comfortable. While there is a good amount of clamping force, the softness and plushness of the pads make the clamp an insignificant factor.  
 
Bass - the bass is the main selling point in these headphones, but when it comes to the sound, it's not the only thing that you get. The bass is warm, very controlled, and has some added impact. Many bass-oriented headphones that I've come across have far too much impact and annoy me, but that's not the case with the WS77. The bass is very well refined. I would say that these have the best bass that I've heard from a bass-oriented headphone under $200. Truly amazing. 
 
Mids - The mids are warm and oh so sweet. For a basshead headphone, the mids are some of the best that I've heard. Vocals sound right where they should, to my ears. No significant recession.
 
Treble - The treble is very smooth, but detailed. While it is a bit laid back, the details just pour out of everything I throw at these headphones. Normally I'm not too big a fan of darker treble, but it's just done so well with the WS77.

Soundstage - I am VERY impressed with the amount of space that these headphones have. Normally this amount of space is reserved for headphones with larger cups and/or open-backed headphones. Depth is rivaled by headphones like Audio Technica's own A700x, and almost as much as my trusty DT770 Pro. Width is slightly above average. 

I find these headphones to work well with basically all music, but my preferred genres to use it with are electronic, rock, and metal.

Overall - I highly recommend these headphones to anyone looking for a versatile, bassy headphone. Incredible headphones. 

 

Here we have the MEElectronics NS63, a headphone in MEElec's new lineup of products.

At first glance of these headphones, they look pretty similar to some other 'fashion' headphones on the market, but rest assured, these sound much better.

The NS63 is a good sounding headphone that has good passive isolation, but was designed to provide noise cancellation when needed most.

MEElectronics, as always, supplied a good amount of accessories with this product, which includes a clamshell case and two different cables- one standard cable with straight termination, and one flat cable with an inline mic and volume control that terminates at 90 degrees.

Build - As far as build goes, I'm a little skeptical due to the design. This design, while popular, normally has problems with headband and hinge durability. I haven't had any problems, though. The NS63 folds up quite nicely. The headphones themselves are made almost entirely out of glossy plastic. Extenders are made of aluminum. There's a standard 3.5mm jack on the left cup. There's also a mute button, which I feel is pretty interesting. ANC on/off switch is also on the left cup. Batteries go in the right cup.
These headphones have good pads on the cups and on the headband. They feel solid in terms of durability. They're also lightweight. These factors lead to a pretty comfortable headphone.

Comfort - Very comfortable indeed. There's not much clamping force, but enough that the headphones don't fall off of my head. The headband has a generous amount of padding and is very comfortable. The only problem I have is that the pads seem to get hot rather quickly. But that could just be me.
 
 
 

Sound - The NH63 has a signature that I would describe as warm but neutral. However there is a slight dip in the treble that really makes it easy to listen to and non-fatiguing. I really enjoy listening to jazz, classical, rock, and basically anything laid back with these. With harder electronic and dance music, which I tend to listen to a lot, I feel that the snares get somewhat boomy.  

Bass - The bass region is honestly very flat. There's still some kick, but not as much compared to bassier headphones. It's not a simple 'one-note' bass either. I love how these can make the bass instruments in some of my favorite jazz and rock tunes sound. The bass is all around good in quality. 

Mids - I was somewhat disappointed with the performance of the midrange of these headphones at first. They seem to have burned in nicely though. However, there's a hump in the lower midrange region around 180-300 Hz that gives snares the warm and sometimes boomy property that I mentioned. Otherwise, the midrange is pretty flat.

Treble - Some might call this headphone 'veiled'. There's a slight dip around the 2-3KHz region that gives this headphone its laid back, non-fatiguing property. It took some time to adjust to, but I find myself really enjoying the treble. The treble is neutral otherwise. Not sparkly, but not dark.

Soundstage - I was actually pretty impressed by the amount of space that I feel these headphones have. I've heard a good amount of headphones around this price, and these are one of the best in terms of soundstage. I feel there's more depth than width overall, but these have a very nice amount of breathing space for instruments.

Noise Cancellation - MEElectronics designed the NC of these headphones to be different than most ANC headphones. The NC in these headphones focuses on cancelling out constant low-frequency noise, such as fans, air conditioners, passerby vehicles, airplane cabins, etc. The circuitry takes two AAA batteries and has a battery life of around 36 hours, according to MEElec. MEELectronics also mentioned to me that a main goal of theirs was to keep the sound very similar regardless of them being in active or passive mode, as they felt that ANC that changes the sound signature is not constructive to any audiophile experience. I felt that that was an excellent idea and very respectable. As for how well the cancellation works, I think it does a very good job.

Overall - MEElec has a reputation of having great bang-for-buck headphones. The NS63 is no different. These headphones are very portable and versatile, and I would recommend them to people looking for some good portable headphones with noise cancelling functionality. However, I wouldn't really recommend to bassheads, as these headphones are pretty neutral.

Sometimes, we as audio enthusiasts want new gear to power our favorite headphones, but can't afford to spend too much.

Enter Bravo Ocean 

This hybrid tube amplifier is a gem for anyone on a budget that wants the renowned sound that a tube can bring. At $130, the Bravo Ocean is truly spectacular.

I normally find myself using this amp to power my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro and Takstar Hi2050. Usually, I find the Hi2050 to be a bit cold and boring, but with the Bravo Ocean amp powering it, the sweet tube sound gives them the warmth that I feel they need. 
Now, with an already warm-ish headphone like the DT770, the Bravo Ocean does not make the sound become boomy or anything, however it does still add a bit of warmth, which I personally find beneficial.

Build - The Bravo Ocean is a stunning piece of gear, be it in terms of anything, including looks and build. The Ocean is very well made in my opinion. 
The body consists of smooth brushed aluminum colored in a cyan hue with a couple stripes near the middle that extend to both ends. The front and back panels are of the same kind of aluminum, except colored black. There's a metal bar that loops around the tube itself. I find the whole presentation to be gorgeous. 
The front has both a 1/4" and 1/8" headphone out. I assume the small jack is for IEMs, but it can also be used with anything that has a 1/8" termination. The volume knob, also in aluminum, and the on/off switch are on the front as well.
The back has the power supply port, a 1/8" line-in, an RCA line-in, and an RCA line-out. I normally use the RCA over the 1/8" jack for whatever reason.
 
 
 

The Bravo Ocean has a 500mW output power, so it can power just about anything, including low-impedance dynamics. My Hi2050 is 64 Ohm, and it powers it perfectly. With the 16 Ohm dynamic IEMs that I tested, they seemed to be a little sloppy, but I still loved how they sounded.

Sound - As mentioned earlier, the Bravo Ocean has a warm sound signature. This is to be expected, as the Ocean uses a vacuum tube. I think that anything plugged into this amp sounds better.

Overall, I would give this amp a full 10/10 in performance and value. I don't think you could go wrong with it.