Ratings: 4/5
Price: $82.5
Bass
is deep and even, vocals are well projected and treble is nicely sparkly
Laying eyes on the new CitiScape headphones for the first time, we were guessing
their price to be around $150, such is the classiness of their styling. And
while they don’t feel quite as luxurious as they look, they’re mighty comfy,
and grippy enough to stay attached during a brisk amble.
All of which means, surely, that to hit the
extremely attractive $82.5, Philips must have cut corners in the sound
department, right?
Well, no. The Downtowns might not be
perfect, but they are a genuine joy to listen to on an everyday basis.
The key to that listening pleasure is a
smooth and even delivery that ensures nothing in the musical spectrum stands
out uncomfortably.
That’s not to say the sound is half-baked.
Bass is deep and even, vocals well-projected and treble nicely sparkly, but no
part of the frequency range steps beyond its bounds, and a degree of
rounding-off the edges of notes means there’s never a hint of harshness even
when playing from a streaming service.
That wee bit of rounding-off does obviously
mean you lose a touch of punch, and detail levels certainly won’t set many jaws
dropping, but these headphones are never less than a pleasure to listen to or
to wear – and given the affordable price tag and lovely styling, that means we
still like them rather a lot.
Best for affordable solitude – Blackbox M10-RB
Ratings: 4/5
Price: $135
You’ll
be treated to a delivery with clear vocals, natural highs and punchy bass
Doing noise-cancelling well at any price is tough. Doing it for less than $150 is tougher
still.
Blackbox has managed to pull off the trick,
though, with these fine M10-RB headphones. The company itself claims an active
noise cancellation figure of 89 per cent, and while we’ve got no interest in
being quite so specific, we can confirm that they do a great job of reducing
the chatter and background engine drone on a flight.
In fact, the use of the noise-cancelling
facility is to be recommended at all times. These headphones actually sound
their best when the technology is switched on. They can suffer a little from a
bit of muffling when it’s deactivated.
You’ll need to make sure you keep a supply
of AAA batteries available to get the best out of these cans, then – although
each fresh batch will keep the headphones powered for a decent 40 hours. Then
you’ll be treated to a delivery with clear vocals, natural highs and punchy
bass, all conveyed in a wide stereo image.
It’s true that there’s a touch of
heavy-handedness to the bass and a comparative lack of transparency holds the
M10-RBs back from the full five stars, but given the price, comfy design and
effective noise-cancelling they’re still an easy pair of headphones to
recommend to the frequent flyer on a budget.
Traditional brilliance – Grado SR80i
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $172.5
For
private listening, you’ll struggle to better these Grados for the money
As we’ve already discovered with the iGrado portable headphones, Grado doesn’t
really do closed-back designs. At least this pair is intended for use at home
rather than on the bus, where they would be the bane of every other unfortunate
passenger.
For the user, the benefits of going
open-backed are numerous: you reduce internal reflections, enclosure vibrations
and standing waves, and theoretically get better sound as a result.
The theory certainly proves true here: the
SR80is produce a crisp sound that’s awesomely detailed and natural. They have
that traditional Grado neutrality, so whether you’re a fan of Beethoven,
Battles or Bon Jovi you can rest assured that the SR80is are delivering the
music as it was recorded.
What you have to be careful with is the
quality of the recording: there’s no hiding for low bit-rates here. Put the
good stuff in, though, and good stuff you will get out.
In-ears for those who hate in-ears – Bose MIE2i
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $180
The
MIE2i earphones are designed to sit just outside the ear canal, and are held in
place by a grippy but pliable fin
As popular as in-ears headphones are, there are still plenty of people who hate
them. For some it’s the fact that they tend to block out all the sound around
you, which is especially dangerous for the jogging crowd. For others it’s the
need to push them right into the ear canal to achieve a sound-enhancing seal.
Bose has come up with a pair of in-ears
that solve both problems. The MIE2i earphones are designed to sit just outside
the ear canal, and are held in place by a grippy but pliable fin.
So effective and comfortable is the fit
that these make excellent ‘phones for running, and by not blocking the ear
canal they also ensure you can still hear the outside world, including that car
that’s about to run you over.
Bose isn’t the only company to adopt such a
design, but it is the only company to do it quite this effectively, and to
manage to combine the design with seriously good sound quality.
Where others sound thin and washed out, the
MIE2is are chunky and full-bodied, but with punch and pace, too. With a mic and
three-button remote sealing the deal, there’s really nothing to complain about
here.
Best for customisers – V-Moda Crossfade M-80
Ratings: 4/5
Price: $240
If
the standard looks don’t appeal, you can customize these with your very own
designs
With headphones becoming such a fashion wonder that there’s an appetite for people to want
to express themselves through custom designs, yet it’s something that very few
companies currently offer – not if you want to pay sensible money, anyway.
V-Moda is here to plug that gap, however,
with its M-8 headphones, which feature changeable ‘shields’ on each ear-cup.
True, you get only a single, black, brushed metal pair in the box, but an
outlay of $25 allows you to select from seven alternative colours and even upload
your own artwork, which the company will then engrave for you before sending
the shields out.
Fancy. And more thought has been applied
elsewhere in the box too, in the form of two bundled cables – one with a
three-button remote and mic for iPhone users and another with the single-button
remote and mic that most other smartphones and portable players are compatible
with. Even the moulded ‘exoskeleton’ case is a neat touch.
Not just a pretty fascia
Of course, all that aesthetic finery would
be for nought if they sounded rubbish, but in use these compact on-ears are
actually very likeable.
There’s lots of bass, but it’s of the
punchy, powerful kind that so many people love, and it doesn’t drown out the
mid-range or treble. And while the overall performance lacks the attack and
dynamism of a rival such as the Adidias Originals Sennheisers, they’re also a
bit smoother and more forgiving of weaker recordings.
Not for purists, then, but for bass-lovers
with a penchant for self-expression the V-Modas will be perfect.
