Three decades of making audiophile
loudspeakers and now PSB wants us to believe that it can bring its magic touch
to personal audio? Let’s see then...
They might be full-sized but the PSBs never
feel heavy on the ears thanks to the gyro suspended ear cups and
adjustable headband giving you a perfect fit every time you claim it back from
that friend who suddenly seems to have developed a taste for the finer things
in life. And of course, good music.
PSB
M4U 2 Headphones
Finely finished ear cup hides the battery
compartment which accepts 2xAAA batteries that will last up to 55 hours of use.
Don't sweat it if the batteries run out half-way through the BOM- JFK journey
though. The PSB has three modes of operation - passive, active and active noise
cancelling. Even if you're out of power, the cans will keep working in passive
mode, something no other noise-killing head cans do yet!
The polished aluminum ear cup covers not
only look good but also help dissipate heat for the internal headphone
amplifier. Both cans have their individual cord inputs so you can plug it in to
the one that is closer to the source player. The cord also holds a unique
monitor button that allows you to hear announcements without taking off the
cans!
The
cord also holds a unique monitor button that allows you to hear announcements.
Build quality is not sacrificed even with
the folding design. A giant semi-hard case holds all the contents in place,
which includes an airline adaptor, spare ear cups, cleaning cloth and another
cord with in-line iPhone controls! If you don't like features, don't look here!
PSB uses ‘Room Feel’ technology to create a
more floor-standing speaker sound than a boxed-in headphone sound and it really
works wonders! The active mode uses the built-in amplifier to add punch to the
proceedings without making it sound inaccurate while the active
noise-cancelling mode works mildly, avoiding the usual ‘underwater" effect
common to such headphone designs.
Alternatively: Bowers & Wilkins P5
Price: $469
Website: www.bowers-wilkins.net
Bowers
& Wilkins P5
Probably the first loudspeaker specialist
to venture into the headspace of commuters, the P5 is a shining example of
classic British build quality, craftsmanship and, of course, the legendary
B&W sound.
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PSB M4U 2
Headphones
§ Price:
$488
§ Website:
www.psbspeakers.com
§ Type:
Closed-back, over the ear
§ Noice
cancellation: Active (switchable)
§ Batteries
2 x AAA
§ Battery
life: 55 hours
§ Cord
length: 59in
§ Cord
control: iPhone/iPod in-line with built-in monitor and microphone
§ Weight:
362g
Verdict
§ One
of the best-sounding closed-back headphones with all the right features
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