Skullcandy’s Crusher ears-on at CES: rumbling headphones that you’ll actually want

Posted on 10/01/2013 by Darren Murph

Over the years, our ears have been treated (or tormented, depending on perspective) to a variety of rumbles from a multitude of wub-wub headphones. Typically, it's the gaming headphone sector that gets first dibs, but Skullcandy's Crusher is aiming to hit a few more targets. We had a chance to listen to a production version of the impending cans -- slated to ship in March for $99 in black, white and red hues -- and we were pleasantly surprised with what we heard. Er, felt. Actually, both. It's battery powered, but it'll continue to deliver tunes even if the cell powering the thumps goes dead. Moreover, it automatically disables when the music stops, preventing you from blowing through too many extra batteries.

There's a slider on the rear that raises and lowers the sensitivity of the rumble, and we preferred it at about half-cranked. Amazingly, the sensation was actually enjoyable -- and moreover, accurate. We probably wouldn't listen to an entire album with the vibration on, but for movies and games? Yeah, that's clearly the sweet spot. Better still, the conventional 3.5mm headphone jack means that it's as universal as these things get, and the overall audio quality was very much on par with what we'd expect for a Benjamin. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: Skullcandy's Crusher headphones (ears-on at CES 2013)

Filed under: Home Entertainment

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Refined Audio

Posted on 20/12/2012 by Troy Turner

Paris-based audio startup Aedle introduces its first model of high-end headphones with the stunning VK-1. The design is a far cry from the current trend of massive cans, combining aluminum and genuine leather in more sophisticated, minimal style that’s perfected by hand. With transducers in titanium and neodymium, these phones also deliver the high-performance audio the luxurious aesthetic suggests. You can pre-order yours here!

Designer: Aedle

AEDLE VK-1 Headphones – Story from Aëdle on Vimeo.

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(Refined Audio was originally posted on Yanko Design)

RHA MA-450i Earphones Review: Good Price, Great Sound

Posted on 18/12/2012 by Range

The cords on headphones and earbuds tend to break, especially if you use yours everyday – so I’ve become accustomed to buying new ones pretty frequently. These from RHA are a welcome surprise, as they have a durable cord design and I wasn’t expecting this kind of sound quality for such a modestly-priced pair.

rha ma450i earphones

Build from machined aluminum, the RHA MA-450i earphones have 10mm drivers with a frequency response of 16 Hz to 22,000 Hz. The earbuds are sound insulating, but without any active noise-cancellation technology. This isn’t really necessary because the earbuds hold in your ears well enough to isolate you from most external noise. They come with a mic and a remote, which will allow you to control music and take calls on an iPhone.

rha ma450i earphones black

The reinforced braided fabric cord is also a nice surprise, because if you’re careful enough, you can keep your cords tangle-free. The cord is quite long, at 5′ (150cm). It’s long enough to go from my ears to the iPhone in my pocket, and still be able to use the iPhone without opening my coat, as I usually pass headphone cords under my jacket. I found this convenient, but if you prefer shorter cords, then these earphones won’t fit the bill. The earphones also include a set of seven different silicone ear-tips to ensure a snug fit in your ears.

ma 450i rha ear tips

The one thing that I was missed was a hard case for the earphones. They come with a soft carrying pouch, but I would have liked something sturdier.

My setup with a salvaged case from a pair of defunct Shure earphones

The MA-450i earphones are a worthwhile consideration for anyone needing a decent pair of earbuds. The sound quality is quite surprising. I compared them with the Beats Tour, which retail for $149.95, and I preferred the RHAs.

The RHA MA-450i earphones are available in black or white for $49.95 from the Apple Store.

An Evil Audiophile Headphone Amplifier

Posted on 10/12/2012 by Troy Turner

The latest addition to the Erzetich family of high-quality amplifiers, Perfidus is the ultimate class-A headphone amplifier. Like any good studio-monitoring device, Perfidus is all about speed and precision. With a strong, robust chassis and devilish insignia, it also has a fresh and timeless look. Now you can put those big, bulky, studio-style headphones to real use!

Designer: Erzetich

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(An Evil Audiophile Headphone Amplifier was originally posted on Yanko Design)

Tritton Kunai headset ships to chatty PS3 and PS Vita gamers

Posted on 10/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

There are plenty of gaming headsets, but only so many specifically tuned to the PlayStation audience that aren't made by Sony itself. Mad Catz' Tritton label has just shipped a version of its Kunai wired headset optimized for both the PS3 and the PS Vita that might redress that (admittedly minor) deficit. About the only real customization for Vita owners is the option for a shorter 3-foot cord, but PS3 owners can plug in through USB and adjust voice volume independently from the gunshots and explosions. Regardless of which game console the Kunai links to, there's a modest 25Hz to 20KHz headphone frequency range and few frills aside from a detachable boom microphone. Tritton is mostly counting on the price to lure us in, which just might work -- at $60, berating players in-game with a Kunai will cost as much as one of the games themselves.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Tritton Kunai headset ships to chatty PS3 and PS Vita gamers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlashGear | source

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Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game

Posted on 05/10/2012 by Brian Heater

As 3D printers become more and more accessible to a consumer audience, one question lingers above the rest: why? Granted, they're incredibly cool, but what, if any, are the practical implication of such a technology? For the most part, the great ambassadors of 3D printing have largely been printable toys -- cool, but not particularly useful. The question, as posed by John Mabry reads as follows,

What if printed prototypes could become actual products? Meaning, once off the print bed an object could be assembled without any tools and be made functional by readily attainable components.

An attempt at the answer comes in the form of the 13:30 printable headphones, which can by created on a MakerBot Replicator and coupled with some off-the-shelf components, making for a pair of slick-looking, functional headphones that, at the very least, will help you stand out from the rest of the Beats By Dre enthusiasts on a crowded subway train.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Alt

Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teague Labs | source

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Luchador Plugs Put Empty Headphone Jacks in a Head Lock

Posted on 23/09/2012 by Technabob

For some reason, in Japan it’s become a popular pastime to stick odd little doo-dads into the empty headphone jack on smartphones and media players. While the utility of these things is somewhat questionable, there’s no argument that they’re fun little embellishments for your gadgets. But up until now, most of them have been too cutesy for my taste. That has now changed.

luchador headphone plugs 1

You see, these headphone jack plugs are designed to look like tiny Luchadors. Just snap them into your empty headphone jack, and a tiny wrestler will protect your phone from all who dare to take him on. While the’ll look pretty cool on most phones, the wrestler will look like he’s doing a headstand in my iPhone 5′s oddly-placed new headphone jack.

luchador headphone plugs 2

You can choose from five colored masks, including red, pink, yellow, blue and black. The Luchador headphone jack plugs sell for ¥630 (~$8 USD) over at Strapya World.

In And Outta The Ear

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Radhika Seth

Like everything Apple, the iHead Headphone concept looks at unifying the process into functionality. It marries the music player with the headphone and gives you the option of listening to it out loud. So speakers, headphones and player all rolled into one! Say let’s get a tasty bite out of this juicy fruit.

iHead Headphone is a 2012 iF Design Talents entry.

Designer: Sungak Kim

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(In And Outta The Ear was originally posted on Yanko Design)

Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600

Posted on 01/09/2012 by Alexis Santos

Along with a few IFA 2012 announcements, Sennheiser peeled back the wraps from its HDVA 600 headphone amp, an analog flavor of the previously unveiled HDVD 800. Like its sibling, the freshly revealed hardware sports a glass panel for peeking at its innards and an anodized aluminum exterior, but leaves the digital inputs behind. While the 800 carries a hefty $2,000 price tag, the 600 will set customers back a smaller -- but still substantial -- sum of $1,600. Both units are tailored for the likes of Senn's flagship HD 800 headphones, so they should easily be able to drive cans that require up to 300-ohms. The pair won't be available in the US until later this fall, but in the meantime, you can breeze past the break for specs and more details in the press release.

Continue reading Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Wearables

Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video)

Posted on 31/08/2012 by Sharif Sakr

We'd be lying if we told you that we fully expected to be hanging out with 50 Cent when we traveled around the world to Berlin, but earlier today we grabbed a moment with the Queens-based emcee to discuss his venture into the world of high-end headphones. In particular, we wanted to ask how his products, including the new Street On-Ears and Street DJ Pros, stack against some better known rapper-endorsed audio technology -- namely Dr. Dre's gimmicky Beats and his tie-in with HTC.

For starters, 50 was keen to stress that this is no plain endorsement: Studio Master Sound (SMS) Audio is his company and he's invested in it. Regarding the products themselves, he reassured us that they have nothing in common with the Beats / HTC marketing about bringing hardware and software together to create some kind of eardrum wizardry. Instead, he just wants to bring together all-round qualities like durability, comfort, and "professionally tuned" 40mm drivers, alongside fresher styling than you'd get from companies like Bose or Sennheiser.

The booth at IFA was too hectic for us to give the new 'phones a fair run-through, and in fact 50 Cent didn't have a great deal to say about them at this point either. As you'll see in the video after the break, he preferred to hold up his slightly older flagship wireless set, called SYNC, as evidence that SMS Audio has audiophile credentials to justify its high price points. Speaking of which, we're not sure how much the latest models will cost or when they'll become available, but for guidance the SYNC headphones cost $400 while regular Street wired headphones will set you back around $250.

Continue reading 50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video

50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.