Audio quality
My experience is very different from the other review for this earbuds. The reviewer says that these headphones have no bass at all, and I notice a very good amount of bass, not too extended but with very good impact probably due to the bass port.
However, to feel some bass, it needs to be EQd (I am not against EQing, on the contrary, I think it's OK to EQ headphones except when testing them), and they need to be adjusted to achieve at least a minimal seal. Due to the earhook, once adjusted they stay in place. Otherwise, indeed there is almost no bass, just as it happens with almost any earbud. One thing that can be done to improve sealing is use them with a foam.
Presentation is more forward than Sennheiser signature (tested against MX80, MX400, MX680 and OMX 90 VC Style). All Sennheiser earbuds have a somewhat dark and veiled sound signature (as in the PX 80, previously known as PX 100), and they differ in detail in mids and high, and rolloff quality. These Philips earbuds have a more forward presentation. Bass is less extended but with a little more impact.
While I'd say that Sennheiser signature is more leaned towards bass and gentle highs, Philips SHS3200 have a more V shaped signature. Highs can be a little harsh if not EQd. I find them superior to MX80, little better than MX400 and MX680, and almost on par with OMX 90 VC Style.
Compared against my AKG K311, the AKG is better with some kinds of music, but for the music I tend to listen when riding my bike or commuting, the SHS3200 do very well (I tend to listen to metal and EQ towards a strong bass since I need to listen environment and usually at low volumes bass is the first thing lost).
Design and construction quality
Nothing to say here. I use them mountain biking (dirt/street/all mountain) and they havent failed. Although the cable is thin and simple, cable and connectors have been pushed beyond design limits and survived.
However, there is one thing that could be better: the cable does not follow the hook, but hangs directly from the earbuds. If the cable would be routed through the earhooks, the earhooks would be a much stronger stress relief. It's not difficult to fix it by simply hanging the cable over the ear, but that cuts some length of the cable. Depending on where you wear your audio rig (in my case, iPod Mini), cable could be a little shorter if weared this way.
They can be used for hours and hardly notice them. Very, very light and unobstrusive on the ear. Due to the extremely low weight and the earhook, is very difficult that they come out of place once adjusted.
Overall value
Excellent, for the price they are awesome. They compare very well to more expensive earbuds, and the added value of being extremely comfortable and not suffering from the usual issues with earbuds -that is, holding its position on the ear- make them an excellent value.
My experience is very different from the other review for this earbuds. The reviewer says that these headphones have no bass at all, and I notice a very good amount of bass, not too extended but with very good impact probably due to the bass port.
However, to feel some bass, it needs to be EQd (I am not against EQing, on the contrary, I think it's OK to EQ headphones except when testing them), and they need to be adjusted to achieve at least a minimal seal. Due to the earhook, once adjusted they stay in place. Otherwise, indeed there is almost no bass, just as it happens with almost any earbud. One thing that can be done to improve sealing is use them with a foam.
Presentation is more forward than Sennheiser signature (tested against MX80, MX400, MX680 and OMX 90 VC Style). All Sennheiser earbuds have a somewhat dark and veiled sound signature (as in the PX 80, previously known as PX 100), and they differ in detail in mids and high, and rolloff quality. These Philips earbuds have a more forward presentation. Bass is less extended but with a little more impact.
While I'd say that Sennheiser signature is more leaned towards bass and gentle highs, Philips SHS3200 have a more V shaped signature. Highs can be a little harsh if not EQd. I find them superior to MX80, little better than MX400 and MX680, and almost on par with OMX 90 VC Style.
Compared against my AKG K311, the AKG is better with some kinds of music, but for the music I tend to listen when riding my bike or commuting, the SHS3200 do very well (I tend to listen to metal and EQ towards a strong bass since I need to listen environment and usually at low volumes bass is the first thing lost).
Design and construction quality
Nothing to say here. I use them mountain biking (dirt/street/all mountain) and they havent failed. Although the cable is thin and simple, cable and connectors have been pushed beyond design limits and survived.
However, there is one thing that could be better: the cable does not follow the hook, but hangs directly from the earbuds. If the cable would be routed through the earhooks, the earhooks would be a much stronger stress relief. It's not difficult to fix it by simply hanging the cable over the ear, but that cuts some length of the cable. Depending on where you wear your audio rig (in my case, iPod Mini), cable could be a little shorter if weared this way.
They can be used for hours and hardly notice them. Very, very light and unobstrusive on the ear. Due to the extremely low weight and the earhook, is very difficult that they come out of place once adjusted.
Overall value
Excellent, for the price they are awesome. They compare very well to more expensive earbuds, and the added value of being extremely comfortable and not suffering from the usual issues with earbuds -that is, holding its position on the ear- make them an excellent value.