Sennheiser HD 630VB Closed-back Headphones Introduction

The Sennheiser HD 630VB are something a little different from a headphone-maker that’s generally known for its relatively serious offerings. These £400 units want to come across as high-end, but also feature a giant bass dial on one ear cup to let you change the bass level with a quick gesture. This isn’t the first time Sennheiser has used a variable bass dial, having included one in the IE 80 earphones from years ago. However, the HD 630VBs have much more of a “streetwear” vibe.

These are decent-sounding headphones, but jacking up the bass doesn’t add the low-end quality I’d expect from the mighty Sennheiser. The Sennheiser HD 630VB are full-sized, closed-back headphones. Their style suggests these are portable, but in fact they’re far too large to wear out and about.

Sennheiser HD 630VB  Closed-back Headphones

I’ve been wearing them on the street for the past few weeks, and every time I catch myself in a car or shop window, I can’t help but think: “Christ, you look like an idiot.”  This isn’t a result of the diameter of the cups, or that they’re metal. The issue is that the ear cups seem to stick out about 3ft from the side of your head. In an at-home headphone, this would be a non-issue. But these are “street” headphones, so make sure you’re comfortable with their size.

Buttons on the side of the right ear cup confirm their portable intentions, designed to offer control via an iPhone or Android handset. Like some of Sennheiser’s portable wireless headphones, they’re rubbery and allow you to change tracks and adjust volume. Plus, there’s a switch to flick between compatibility with iOS and Android devices: a smart and considerate move.

Sennheiser HD 630VB  Closed-back Headphones

While the Sennheiser HD 630VB are somewhat “awkward” headphones then, there can be no doubt over the fact that they’re well made. The action of the aforementioned buttons feels far better than you’d usually get in headphones, and the ear cups are covered in aluminium, to a degree that you’d usually only find in smaller portable headphones.

As a result, they’re not particularly light. However, I’ve worn the Sennheiser HD 630VB for 4-5 hours at a time without experiencing any major discomfort, and while wearing glasses too. The pads use a generous amount of foam, and while the covering is synthetic leather, you’d only notice the difference between this and the genuine article in hot conditions.

The Sennheiser HD 630VB also offer decent noise isolation. I’ve used these headphones in crowded bars, and have been able to enjoy music perfectly well. They’ll take calls too, using a little mic housing on the cable; a quick press on the ear cup’s central button accepts a call.

Other than these integrated controls and the bass dial, these aren’t tech-heavy headphones; there’s no noise cancellation or wireless included. The Sennheiser HD 630VB are a bit of an experiment. Sennheiser is seeing what happens when it makes a high-end headphone designed for a crowd that might otherwise spend the money on a £200-250 pair of bassy street headphones.

Sennheiser HD 630VB  Closed-back Headphones

The results are mixed. On the positive side, the Sennheiser HD 630VB appear to be pretty well-tuned at the “neutral” end of the bass dial. Granted, at this setting they’re too bass-light to satisfy those looking for headphones that sell a bass boost as their key feature.

However, the sound is well balanced, has great scale to it and far greater mid-range detail than you get from the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0, which I often recommend to those after portable headphones. The sound here is more serious, with better separation and slightly less mid-bass thickness, making it appear as though there’s a little more space between instruments in busy arrangements.

This validates the Sennheiser HD 630VB’s premise. When you jack up the bass, it gets big, making kick-drum beats pump in a way that simply can’t be heard with the bass dial turned down. However, the quality of the bass isn’t all that impressive from a pure audio perspective. It isn’t a particularly fast or taut bass, a slightly slow decay making it seem to bloom out and pull focus away from other areas of the mix. The Sennheiser HD 630VB get a little too close in character to the “club style” bass, for which earlier generations of Beats headphones were so widely criticised.

For those after a little extra base, towards the middle of the bass dial the Sennheiser HD 630VB reaches something of a sweet spot – but there’s an issue here too. The dial turns smoothly, but there’s no way to lock its position and no way to determine where it currently sits when you’re wearing the headphones.

Best And Cool Running Headphones In 2016

Whether you’re a seasoned runner breaking marathon records or a nervous beginner pulling on your first ever running shoes, your favourite music can provide the extra motivation you need to push through the pain barrier. Hit the dropdown menu above to head straight to our short reviews or read on for more headphones buying advice.

 sports headphones 

The likes of Sennheiser, Pioneer, Monster and Jabra are among the many manufacturers vying for your head space, trying to create the best headphones for pounding the pavement or the treadmill.

 sports headphones

You could just stick with the Apple Earpods that come boxed with your new iPhone 6 but we’ve tried them, and it’s safe to say they simply don’t cut it. They’re just not made for running.

 sports headphones

Whatever your budget or your requirements we’ve been testing some of the leading sports headphones, from the affordable Sennheiser PMX 685i, to the more expensive Monster iSport Victory.

Review Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Open-Back Headphones

When we’re talking open-design headphones, you need to have a particular use in mind. As opposed to closed-back headphones being pretty suitable for most activities, open-back are here specifically for mixing and mastering music. However, you’re more than welcome to use them for everyday listening as well. You’ll just have to keep in mind that they’re open in order to allow some sound to escape the ear cups. If you’re on a bus, at the gym or merely anywhere else in public, the people around you will hear what you’re listening to unless the volume is lowered significantly. So if you’re playing that new Taylor Swift album and you want to be incognito, this isn’t the pair for you!

 ATH-R70x Open-Back Headphone

The reason open-back headphones are preferred for mixing and mastering is because it prevents sound build-up from accruing during your mixing endeavors. We learned this in Sound On Sound’s mixing with headphones article; you need an accurate, true sound, and closed-back headphones at times have sound build-up since they’re made to isolate sound and not allow any piece of noise to exit the headphones.  But that’s not our place to say what’s right or wrong and comes down to personal preference. Lastly, the cables are not only dual-sided but are interchangeable as well, and dual-sided at that. That’s never a bad thing in our opinion.

 ATH-R70x Open-Back Headphone

At first notice of the specs, the drivers are up there in terms of being the standard 45 mm. But what’s most impressive of the ATH-R70x is the extremely wide frequency range; from 5 Hz to nearly 40 kHz will give you clear lows, mids and highs for mixing effectively. When we tried them on and listened to a few songs, the quality was very clear and sounded great; no extra compression or bass boosts like a lot of other popular ‘studio headphones’ out there. Granted we had time constraints and the room was a bit noisy, if you’re an audiophile reading this with a skeptical attitude, “but what about the sound quality!”, our answer is that it is good. A pretty thick sound and no spikes really found in any of the frequencies for that matter. It’s always hard to portray sound quality in words for somebody who hasn’t put their ears to the test of the model yet, but we are quite happy with how they’re sounding. If you are indeed planning on using these to their fullest potential, you may have noticed the whopping impedance in the specs list. You’ll definitely need a headphone amp to power the pair of cans up, so keep that in mind when figuring out your budget and whether you still need one or not.

 ATH-R70x Open-Back Headphone

Apple EarPods With High Quality Audio Performance

It might be safe to say that 9 out of 10 people you know will have had, at some point in their lives, listened to music through a pair of Apple’s classic pair of white earbuds. It has been the iconic symbol of music-on-the go for over a decade. They come with every iPod and iPhone sold – which means that there are over 500 million pairs around the world, and that’s without counting replacements and individually sold pairs.

However, it is generally agreed by most audiophiles that the default Apple earbuds are hardly the best for sound quality, even the new-ish redesigned EarPods. Now a lot of this won’t matter to a lot of people who just want to listen to music to occupy their minds while doing mundane things like commuting, household chores etc. For those that DO care about sound quality, Apple has been selling an excellent pair of in-ear headphones since early 2013.

Apple’s In-Ear Headphones

Apple’s In-Ear Headphones have not really been advertised or upsold since they were made available in 2013. If you walk into an Apple store, you most likely won’t see these earphones among all the other “premium” models like Beats and Bose. That said they are an excellent pair of headphones with high quality audio performance. Their soft silicone buds offer a great “seal” that blocks ambient noise so you get to listen to all of sounds and notes that are often muddled because of outside sound interference.

Apple’s In-Ear Headphones

One of the biggest pluses for the Apple In-Ear headphones is that it comes with dual drivers. This means that you have separate drivers to deliver high’s and lows, which means you get excellent range – crisp treble with deep bass. Dual drivers are usually seen in headphones that are closer to the $200 mark – therefore, the Apple In-Ear headphones, at $80, offers great value and bang for buck while not skimping on quality. It also comes with a mic and remote that works with iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

Review Optoma HD28DSE DLP Projector In -ear Headphones

The Westone UM Pro 10 are in-ear headphones that have been designed to fit comfortably. Each earphone has a removable braided cable that tucks neatly behind your ears. Replacing the cables is a little tricky, but that’s no bad thing, as it means that the cables are securely attached and shouldn’t come off accidentally. To remove a cable, you have to hold the base of the earphone with one hand then pull firmly on the top of the cable with your other hand.  The L-shaped 3.5 mm headphones jack is another nice feature.  It’s sturdy and robust, and should ensure greater resistance to wear and tear than a straight plug.

Build quality is good. The Westone UM Pro 10 are designed to withstand regular concert-going. They therefore resist heat, humidity and frequent transport, and they come with a compact hard plastic travel case. Eight pairs of earbuds are included, with four sets of silicone buds and four sets of memory foam buds. They come in a range of sizes and are all color coded so you can easily find a pair.

westoneum10allm
If you’re not used to wearing in-ears, then the Westone UM Pro 10 can feel strange and tricky to position at first. Still, you soon get used to getting them in place after a few attempts. And it’s well worth persevering, as the Westone UM Pro 10 are light and comfortable to wear.  With quality like this, there’s no doubt that these in-ears have been designed and built with professional use in mind.

The Westone UM Pro 10 headphones are primarily designed for use on stage, and for that they’ll be great. General audio precision is excellent and the frequency response is incredibly accurate. Bass frequencies are rendered with no blips, and with exemplary fidelity and excellent responsiveness. Mids are boosted a little compared to the rest of the spectrum, although they drop off after 2 kHz. High frequencies come in at 6 to 9 kHz, adding a touch of vibrancy and a hint of brilliance. With this kind of frequency response, voices find their place naturally in the output and are rendered with great clarity. Audio is crisp and smooth, but with a little more brilliance than the UM Pro 30.

Review Optoma HD28DSE DLP Projector In -ear Headphones

Power levels are excellent. The Westone UM Pro 10 can therefore be used with all types of audio source without volume levels sounding too weak. However, there is a certain level of distortion. In fact, this rears its head even before you reach moderate volume levels. This marked presence of distortion is a real problem when using these headphones in places with a lot of background noise, even if Westone’s passive sound isolation is excellent—particularly with the memory foam earbuds.

Audeze Sine Headphone Get Ready For iPhone 7

If you’re now wondering how the release of a new phone could change how headphones are made, it’s because the next iPhone is believed to lack a headphone jack. Wave bye-bye to your 3.5mm plug. Instead, headphones will plug into the iPhone 7’s Lightning port – and this is exactly how the Audeze Sine work. The company says that the Sine are the world’s first fully integrated Lightning port headphones. This is even though Philips made a pair, the Fidelio M2L, back in 2015.

I’ll leave the companies to argue out exactly who did what first. The important thing here is that all the additional circuitry is built into a housing that’s no bigger than some remote control adapters. In that little bit of rubbery plastic and metal you’ll find the usual remote control buttons plus a mic, DAC, DSP chip and an amp circuit.

Audeze Sine Headphone

If, as rumours suggest, the iPhone 7 does miss off the headphone jack, you’re going to need a cable such as this to use your favourite headphones. And this will work only if the cable is removable. The alternative is a clunky DAC adapter. Audeze isn’t making these cables for just anyone to use, though. While the Audeze Sine’s Lightning cable ends in regular mono 3.5mm jacks, the angle of it is super-awkward, ensuring it won’t fit into anything else. Smart move.

In the more expensive Audeze EL-8, the company uses a flat-out proprietary audio connector that looks a little like a Lightning plug itself.  Audeze calls this the Cipher cable, and it uses an integrated piece of silicone that crams together all the components required. I get the feeling the company might have been working on this one for a while. The DAC is 24-bit, of course, making it Hi-Res ready. We’ll be seeing far more of Cipher’s ilk this year. Non-iPhone users will be pleased to hear that the Sine headphones are also available in a version with an ordinary 3.5mm cable.  A blessing if you don’t want to stump up £50 for the Cipher cable.

Audeze Sine Headphone

Planar magnetic drivers use flat micron-thin diaphragms, letting them produce low-distortion sound more easily than dynamic driver pairs. Of course, at £400, the driver setup is far more rudimentary than it is in the £3,500 Audeze LCD-4; it doesn’t use the new magnet style developed for that pair and it’s a single-sided design.
Audeze Sine Headphone

Are they better than the Oppo PM-3? Of that I’m not sure just yet. A brief listen points to a soundstage that appears wider and a little livelier, but whether they offer the same mid-range quality isn’t yet apparent. The Audeze Sine are certainly more stylish than the still-okay-looking Oppos, though. They’ve been designed by DesignworksUSA, the company that Sennheiser teamed up with in 2011 to make the Sennheiser CX 980i and a few other pairs.

Why JayBird Bluebuds X Is So Expensive And Popular ?

The JabyBird Bluebuds X are Bluetooth earphones with a dual-fit, sweat-resistant design that makes them ideal for runners and gym goers looking for some audio motivation minus the flailing cables. At £120, these running headphones don’t come cheap and while they are some of the best sounding wireless earphones we’ve had the pleasure of using, the unreliable fit makes them very difficult to recommend.

JayBird Bluebuds X

JayBird Bluebuds X – Design and Comfort

The first thing you’ll notice about the Bluebuds is that they don’t look like your regular pair of earphones. Like the Plantronics BackBeat Go Bluetooth earphones, the earbuds are connected by a single cord that rests behind the neck. There’s a built-in remote control close up to the left side of the earphones with three raised buttons giving you a variety of control over music playback and handling those calls interrupting your workout. One button push controls volume, a longer one second push skips tracks and a four second push turns it off. Unsurprisingly, mid run it’s far too fiddly to quickly distinguish between the different lengths of presses despite the buttons being easily accessible.

The microUSB charging port is cleverly concealed behind one of the earphones inside the plastic casing and helps maintain a relatively slender profile. JayBird also uses Liquipel nano coating to make them sweat and water resistant so they are primed for a run in the rain.

JayBird Bluebuds X

In the box, you’ll find a small hard case box, a microUSB charging cable, three sets of honeycomb-style ear tips and ear cushions in small, medium and large sizes to try and find the perfect fit. One of the more interesting and unique aspects is the ability to wear them with the cable hanging low or above the ear to keep the cord from tangling or irritating. It’s definitely the first pair of earphones we’ve had to refer to the instructions to put in place and realise that they also come with 2 fit management clips to tighten the cord.

Getting the right combination of buds and tips can be a process of trial and error. Wearing them with the cable underneath the ears on our first run and the earbuds fell out within minutes. On the second attempt in more windy and rainy conditions they fared much better and remained in place securely with the lying cable causing little nuisance when tucked inside of a jacket.

Taking them into the gym and onto the treadmill and it was another frustrating experience as it didn’t take long for the sweat to take effect and have us constantly rejigging the earbuds to keep them put. The cord is definitely more secure above the ear but it’s still to get in place. It’s clear you have to persevere to get the best fit and there is definitely a good chance of misplacing the two small clips. For those who just want to get out and run, it’s not the most enjoyable experience.

Jaybird-Bluebuds-X-11

JayBird Bluebuds X – Sound Quality

Most sports headphones tend to be at one of two ends of the sound spectrum. They are either bass-heavy to accommodate more up tempo music or lack the power or clarity to make them any different from a cheap pair of earphones.

The Bluebuds X are definitely near the bassier end of the scale, but it doesn’t overpower what is essentially a pair of fantastic sounding earphones. Overall bass response really impresses, there’s crisp, clean treble with warm mids to produce the rich audio where distortion is barely noticeable.

If you prefer listening to an audiobook than a thumping playlist, there’s plenty of detail as well and in terms of noise isolation they keep leaking din to a minimum, ensuring the excellent sound stays in place.

They are some of the best earphones (not just sports headphones) we’ve tested in terms of sound quality, and even if you don’t take them to the gym they are great to use as an everyday pair of earphones.

JayBird Bluebuds X – Bluetooth performance

JayBird uses Bluetooth 2.1 HDR so it’s not quite Bluetooth 4.0 which offers better battery efficiency. It also uses something it calls ‘Shift Premium Bluetooth Audio’. This is essentially a proprietary SBC Bluetooth codec which compresses audio to maintain the high quality. ‘PureSound’ technology apparently also filters out and eliminates white noise to increase the clarity, although we aren’t convinced that this is something that’s really noticeable.

Setting up is straightforward. Hit the central button on the control and Jenna, the voice prompt, will tell you when the power is on. Holding down the button will let you know when you are connected. Jenna won’t motivate you to work harder, but will tell you 20 minutes before the battery is going to die. When used with an iPhone, there’s a battery status to let you know how much juice you have left so you can keep a closer eye on it.

Trying them out with the iPhone 5 and HTC One Mini we experienced no drop outs in our use outside and indoors in the gym. Even in blustery, rainy conditions the Bluetooth held up excellently with little cause of concern or interruption. Even the Signal Plus technology which extends the range you can be away from the music source works well. Leaving our phone two rooms away, the connection still kept true and clean.

JayBird Bluebuds X – Battery life

JayBird claims an 8 hour battery life which is far more impressive than the 4.5 hours the Plantronics Back Beat Go manage. In real world testing they made it through the week with the Bluetooth headphones switched on and using them an hour a day. If you are more sensible and actually turn them off you’ll get even longer. The damage to smartphone battery life is minimal too. Running for an hour synced up to the iPhone 5 with Nike Running app there’s was a drop of less than 5%.

As wireless earphones, these are some of the best sounding ones we’ve tried out. It musters great battery life as well, it’s just disappointing that the fit is so fiddly and temperamental. You really have to work too hard to get them to stay put all the time. You feel like you cracked it one day and then the next they keep moving about.

At £120 they are very expensive too. Not quite as pricey as the Monster iSport Victory (£130) but at least the Victory earphones have the sound quality and the secure, comfortable fit to go some way to justifying the price. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative and can live without the Bluetooth support, the Pioneer SE-E721 cost a fraction of the price at £40 and offer a secure fit and a sound that’s bassy without overdoing it.

The Best Headphones For Android Phones

If you have an iPhone, there are a million headphones and earphones on the market with mics and volume/play controls on the cord. If you own an Android phone, not so much. Control compatibility is hit or miss and you can’t count on the mic working all the time. It’s super annoying because hands-free talking is great and you don’t want to have to unlock your screen just to pause music, adjust the volume or answer a call. There is hope for Android lovers in the form of headphones designed to work with a wide range of popular handsets. The number is small, but growing. Whether you’re looking for over-ear cans or earphones, wired or wireless, there’s a pair that will fit your needs.

Sol Republic Tracks HD

Sol Republic Tracks HD

The Tracks HD line of headphones should be at the top of every music lover’s list due to the great sound they produce, but they have some added benefits. The first is the ability to remix every element from the headband to the cable. Add one of Sol Republic’s $20 omnidirectional Cleartalk cables to the bag to make any pair of  Tracks HD Android-friendly. The mic delivers clear sound for phone calls, even when there’s a bit of noise in the background. The control cord has just one button for play/pause or answer/end call. There are dozens of Tracks HD styles and colors, but my favorites are the metallic blue Tracks Ultra. They’re beautiful and work for both men and women.

Samsung EHS70 Massive Sound Earbuds

Samsung EHS70 Massive Sound Earbuds

If earphones are more your thing, this pair truly lives up to the Massive Sound name. I was impressed with the balanced, rounded audio they delivered while listening to music given how relatively inexpensive they are. They block a good deal of noise, thanks to a snug fit, so you can take calls in noisy areas. The mic picked up my voice even when I spoke softly and people I spoke too said I came through clearly. However, it’s not the best at blocking background noise. The control cord has just one button for play/pause or answer/end call.

Plantronics BackBeat GO

Plantronics BackBeat GO

For more control or fewer wires, take a look at the BackBeat GO earphones. They connect to Android phones and media players via Bluetooth, so compatibility isn’t an issue. The controller will not only answer or end calls but also play, pause, and skip tracks as well as control volume. Beyond that, it can activate voice controls on your phone (if it has them) so you can speak commands.

When you don’t need the BackBeats you can just drape them around your neck, so your look doesn’t scream I’M WEARING A BLUETOOTH HEADSET. The only downside is that the audio quality, while fine for calls, isn’t so great for music. However, if your main concern is having a headset for calls, these are just fine. The mic picks up even soft voices and does a decent job filtering background noise.

Parrot Zik Bluetooth Headphones

Parrot Zik Bluetooth Headphones

For those of you who want it all–no wires, full control, great audio quality, and great call quality–these Zik headphones designed by Starck are the best. Though they’re Bluetooth, even audiophiles will find satisfaction in the rich and well-rounded tones the Zik produces. Yes, the cans are rather large, but they’re not too heavy and cover the ears well, blocking sound. Add active noise cancellation and you can wrap yourself in music.

But I promised you full control, so check this: the Zik cans are touch-enabled. Swipe up or down to raise or lower volume, swipe forward or back to skip or repeat tracks. There’s an NFC radio in there as well, so to pair all you have to do is tap your phone to the speaker and you’re set. There are also sensors inside that detect head movement and whether the ‘phones are on your ears or not. Finally, a mic array ensures that your voice comes through clearly on calls, even when you’re in a noisy environment. In other words, they’re more than worth the price.

Sony SBH70 Bluetooth Headset Flash With Water Resistant Stereo Review

The Sony SBH70 is an IP57-certified Bluetooth headset that uses a tried behind-the-neck form factor with in-ear headphones with vented acoustical design. It is super light (50g) and extremely flexible and overall, a joy to carry and use.  The headset is compatible with Android and iOS and I went through this review using it connected to an Apple iPhone 6. As far as I know there are no features exclusive to Sony smartphones to speak of.  That doesn’t mean to say the Sony SBH70 is lacking in features, just on the contrary. 

Sony SBH70

All about it

The Sony SBH70 is a flexible and lightweight Bluetooth headset with a behind-the-neck form factor. It uses a vented acoustical design much like the EarPods, which come with several of the past Apple iPhone generations. Sony’s earbuds however have a more premium feel than Apple’s as they are made out of metal. And of course, they’re wireless.

Probably the biggest selling feature of the Sony SBH70 however is its IP57 certification, which means the headset is practically waterproof. It’s not rated for use under water, but using it in the rain, or even dropping it in a puddle of water, should pose no threat for the Sony SBH70.

The retail box only offers a short micro USB charger cable and a quick user guide. Of course, you can always use any microUSB phone charger, so you will always have other options for topping up some juice.

Honestly, you won’t need to look for an outlet that often as the Sony SBH70 offers pretty good battery life. Sony claims that the 125mAh battery inside the headset will deliver up to 6h of music streaming or up to 8.5 hours of talk time. That doesn’t sound like an awful lot but it easily got me through a week’s worth of commutes.

LG HBS-800 Tone Ultra Bluetooth headset has a 195mAh battery and provides up to 10h of music streaming and up to 10h of talk time, which, proportionally, comes to about same power efficiency. Of course, the LG headset is also heavier and it doesn’t have any enhanced water resistance.

The headset notifies you of various events with mild vibrations – that includes turning it on and off, connecting to a phone, incoming calls and of course, battery low warnings. Some of these are also joined by a subtle tone playing in your ear and you quickly learn to recognize the reason for the alert.

Sony SBH70

Using it

The Sony SBH70 is a joy to use, and to even just touch really. The soft touch rubberized surface feels amazing. Its matte surface tends to pick dust and miniscule clothing threads more easily than glossy plastic, but it’s nothing major and I would still take this sort of finish over anything else.

For listening to music

Of course, bass levels can never match those provided by headsets which seal the ear channel like LG HBS-800. Of course, the sealed ear channel design comes with its own set of drawbacks – decreased situational awareness, uneasy under-vacuum feeling, hearing your own breath unnaturally – which may not be to everyone’s taste. Sealed ear channel designs are a love it or hate it affair, so if you don’t like it, but you still prefer using earbuds rather than over the head headphones, the Sony SBH70 is one great choice.

One thing to note is that the Sony SBH70 not as loud as either my LG HBS-800 or my Apple EarPods. I measured a maximum loudness of 96dB with my loudness meter, while the LG HBS-800 packed 105dB, which is noticeably louder. Not that it’s recommended to use music at this loudness level for prolonged times, but it’s nice to have that sort of power if you use it responsibly. Also listening to music at the maximum loudness level on the Sony SBH70 with less-than-top-quality sound tracks is not pleasing as you can hear the occasional clipping in the low section when the bass overwhelms the drivers.

Wrapping up

The Sony SBH70 is an excellent headset and moreover for a price of €60/£45.59,  it certainly deserves your consideration. And that’s without even mentioning ih has extra weather and water-proofing. For my commutes, I still prefer an earbud design that seals the ear channel better thus providing a much better bass perception but this sort of thing is strictly a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong design; there are just different user needs. If you are after a Bluetooth headset that doesn’t seal the sound from the outside world, the Sony SBH70 is one seriously impressive product even if you are not using any other product by the brand.

 

High quality and premium Bang and Olufsen Beoplay H3 earphone

If you’re a follower of high quality and premium audio brand then Bang & Olufsen won’t be an alien name for you. Since we’re talking about best in ear headphones under $200, you’re bound to find premium brand like B&O.

Earlier there used to be notion that; don’t even think of buying a Bang & Olufsen product, you can’t afford it. However under its BeoPlay series we see a series of audio products that are affordable in reference to the brand and targeted at much younger audience that cries out for excellently built and superior sounding audio products; but for lesser price. Since the brand is offering supreme audio quality product, they had to cut corners somewhere, hence the wires you get doesn’t tends to be of high quality and is thin. It however tends to retain the brand’s minimalist design.

 Bang and Olufsen Beoplay H3 earphone

The earbud housing is made up of 3 different materials, with the outer one being made of metal; while the driver unit covering is made up of plastic that does happens to be slight disappointment. Headphone jack has straight cable rather than angled one, and is prone to internal cable damage while removing and inserting your smartphone from pocket with the earphones plugged in.

Personally I’m not a fan of angled earbud design and B&O H3 happens to be one as the major part of earbuds rests on the outer ears and may not be a comfortable fit for all ear sizes. While the H3 lacks in the build quality department, it definitely makes it up with its sound. You have a balanced sound which is a nice mixture of punchy bass without overpowering other frequencies.