First, a big thanks to Rocky (rockywu0204 on Head-Fi) at DUNU for the review sample! 

This is the DUNU DN-23 Landmine in-ear headphone. It's an incredible headphone.

Preferred tips - Stock narrow nozzle tips, Shure Orange foam, Monster Supertips Foam

Accessories - Hard case, Soft pouch, 3 sets of single flange tips in 3 sizes (Narrow nozzle, wide nozzle, and hybrid styles), 1 pair of bi-flange tips, 1/4' adapter, airplane adapter, shirt clip.

Packaging - DUNU uses similar packaging for all of its IEMs. If you're familiar with it, then this should be of no surprise. 
The outer box is a simple package. The image of the DN-23 is embossed slightly outward. On the back shows some information about the product, along with pictures of it and its accessories.
Upon removal of the outer box reveals...another box! This time, the 'D' and DUNU logo are embossed outwards. Nothing else is on the outside of this box. Inside the box is the headphone itself, the hard case, and the soft pouch. Underneath that is the warranty card. 

Build - DUNU has a reputation here for making incredibly well-built headphones. The DN-23 is no exception. The housing is probably the most well-built housing that I've seen yet on an IEM. It's made completely out of metal and has a chrome finish. The backside features a 'D' representing DUNU in a brushed aluminum finish. These two things alone make the DN-23 a regal-looking headphone. Left and right indicators are the blue and red stripes on the headphones. Similar to Monster, I suppose. The Y-split on the cable is made out of solid aluminum. Very, very good. Cable cinch is also made out of aluminum. The cable terminates to a 45 degree 3.5mm jack with good strain relieving.
On the downside, all the metal makes the DN-23 pretty heavy for an IEM. I feel like I have to be extra careful not to drop or let them fall out of my ears, in fear that they might just snap off of the cable. I realize that this is mostly me just being paranoid, but the DN-23 is pretty heavy. Also, strain reliefs are just average. I think they could/should be longer, but I'm just glad that they're there at all. The cable feels a bit plasticky. Cables like this have shown to be prone to memory effects.
An interesting feature of the DN-23 is the patented cable tie-like attachment on the cable. It is made of silicone and can keep the wires tidy when needed. 
 
 

Comfort - With the completely metal and weighty build of the DN-23, I've felt some strain on my ears just because of the weight. I have noticed this the most with the included hybrid-style tips. I much prefer foam tips over silicone for these in terms of fit, which is rare for me. Foam, especially the Shure Orange Foam tips remove most of that pressure on the ears from the weight. For sound, however, I prefer the stock narrow nozzle tips. Sound comparisons will come later in this review.

Isolation - DUNU advertises a 26db noise reduction with the DN-23. I would definitely say that's accurate. The isolation does, however, vary by tips, as usual. I'm quite impressed overall with the isolation due to the design. Since it is a bit wide in design, isolation would be assumed to be less than that of the DN-23. 

Sound - Bass, bass, such incredible bass..

Bass - Wow. Just, wow. The DN-23 has some of the best bass that I've heard in a sub-$100 IEM; the most, too. There is so much bass. But it is tight, controlled, and detailed. I mean, wow. Honestly, every time I put these in, I'm blown away by the bass. There is a lot of sub-bass, which I love. Mid-bass has less presence than the sub-bass, but still is very plentiful. There is a good amount of warmth, but it's not bloated or overpowering whatsoever. EDM has never sounded this good out of an IEM before. 

Mids - Mids are recessed. This is to be expected. I don't really have that much to comment on here. Perhaps "Just good" is a good term? They're cleanly presented and fit nicely into the rest of the spectrum. 

Treble - *Sparkle Sparkle*. The treble of the DN-23 is exactly how I like it- sparkly, but not to the point of being sibilant. It's detailed and well-presented. I just love it.

Soundstage - The DN-23 has a good amount of space to it. Depth and width are both good. Certain tips can improve or diminish that factor.


Which brings me to the tips..
 
 

Stock Narrow Nozzle - My preferred silicone tips. These tips really bring out the best in bass performance. 

Stock Wide Nozzle - I don't like these with the DN-23 whatsoever. The stems are a bit short for a good fit on the DN-23. They have a more shallow fit.

Stock Hybrid Style - Practically identical to the Sony hybrid tips. These are the most uncomfortable tips in my opinion. However, Sony hybrids are normally uncomfortable for me anyways. Soundstage seems more congested with these.

Stock Bi-flange - These don't really even fit the DN-23. I don't know why DUNU included them. The stem is too wide. 

Shure Orange Foam - These tips give a more balanced sound overall- less bass, less treble, more mids. The change is not really drastic, though. These are the most comfortable tips in my opinion. Soundstage seems to be slightly improved with them as well.

Monster Supertips Foam - The sound seems to be similar to the stock narrow nozzle tips. These, however are more comfortable in my opinion, and increase the amount of space in the presentation somewhat. 


Overall - I'm highly impressed with the performance of the DN-23. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to a bass-lover. At the price of $80, I don't know of an IEM that has the quality and quantity of bass that these do. Truly incredible headphones.


 

Thanks to NoiseHush for the review sample!!

Here we have the NoiseHush i7 Noise Cancelling headphones. 
 
These headphones have some high points, but fall a bit short in terms of sound.
 
Accessories - Carrying case, airplane adapter, 3.5mm to 3.5mm headphone cable (around 6' I would guess)
 
Build - The i7 is made almost entirely out of plastic. It doesn't feel too sturdy, but I don't think I would call it flimsy. It's pretty lightweight overall. On the left cup, the electroplated plastic (I'm not sure if that's actually what it is, or if it's just a term that NoiseHush uses) comes off to reveal two AAA battery slots for the Noise Cancelling function. There is also a basic 3.5mm jack for the cable. Non-locking. On the right side is the switch to turn on or off the Noise Cancellation. A blue LED light indicates it being on or off. There's also a volume wheel on the right cup. It doesn't control the output volume of the music player, but the headphones themselves. I'm guessing it's just a variable resistor in the circuit.  NoiseHush boasts the fact that the pads on their i7 are made of genuine leather. This is a very rare thing to have on headphones this cheap. NoiseHush definitely has the right to boast about it. It helps comfort as well. The upper portion of the headband is also leather. Bottom part is a different type of fabric.
 
Comfort - The i7 are among some of the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. The abundance of padding inside the cup combined with the genuine leather pads and generously padded headband make for an extremely comfortable headphone. 
 
Noise Cancellation - As with all other Noise Cancellation headphones, there is some pressure on the ears during use. The Cancellation of the i7 is actually quite good. A lot of NC headphones that I see generally have 18 db of noise cancellation. The i7, however, goes up to 20 db, according to NoiseHush. Compared to my passive isolating cans, The cancellation of the i7 is about on par with my most isolating headphone, the DT770 Pro. NoiseHush designed the i7 so that it can be used without any batteries, which is good for many reasons. The obvious reason would be that the batteries died, but the desire to listen to music still lingered. However, the most important reason to me would be the differences in sound when NC is on or off...
 
Which leads me to the sound.
 
Sound - The sound is drastically changed when the NC function is switched on. However, I'll start with what it sounds like when it is off.
 
Bass - I would probably say that the i7 suits bassheads, especially ones who crave warmth, most. The bass is dominant while the NC feature is off. It's not the most controlled, but it isn't overly boomy. I would, however, call it muddy to an extent. I find the bass output to be relatively sloppy at best. Quantity > Quality for sure. 
Sub-bass is present for sure, but the mid and upper bass regions overpower the sub regions somewhat. Some may like this, but it doesn't suit my tastes. The abundance of mid and upper bass means a warm-sounding headphone. Too warm for my preference. 
 
Mids - I find it pretty hard to actually hear mids. I actually struggle to find them sometimes. In other words, the mids are quite recessed, especially in the lower midrange region. Normally, I like V-Shaped sound signatures. This just takes it to a new level of recession; at least in comparison to any other headphone that I've heard.
 
Treble - I personally find the treble to be somewhat confused here. It's laid back, but still has a sibilant nature to it sometimes. Perhaps it is just the lack of mids which makes the treble sound this way? I like treble that has presence and energy, but this is just annoying.

Soundstage - Pretty congested. Not the worst I've heard, but there isn't really any space in the presentation still.
 


Noise Cancelling ON - The sound becomes much different once the NC feature is on. Whether it is better or worse is solely your opinion. In my opinion, I don't like the sound as much as I do when NC is off.
I personally feel that it loses any sense of transparency that it may have had in the 'off' position. It gets significantly more grainy.
 
Bass - The headphone loses its basshead quality. There is still more midbass than subbass, which ultimately accumulates to a lack of subbass response as a whole. 

Mids - I can hear mids a little better when NC is on, but they don't sound any better. Only louder. 

Treble - There is a large spike in the 2-3KHz region that equates to the loss of transparency and increase in grain. Not to mention a loss of clarity as well. I don't really know what exactly NoiseHush was trying to do here, but it didn't work out too well, that's for sure.

Soundstage - Still congested. I would say there is even less space than there is when NC is off.


Overall - Perhaps the NoiseHush i7 would be good for general consumer use. It's obviously not aimed at audiophiles. For travelers looking for good NC and don't want to spend more for Bose's QC15 (which isn't too much better anyways, excluding the extent of the NC), the NoiseHush i7 would probably be a good choice. 
For a general use headphone, I would advise to stay away from NC in general. 

Before I begin, I must thank the great folks over at Audio Technica for sending me a pair of these headphones for review!

Audio Technica is a well-known brand here on Head-Fi, and rightfully so. 
The ATH-PRO500MK2 are easily one of the best headphones that I've heard at the street value of $100. No doubt about it.

Here we go!

Accessories - Pleather carrying pouch, 3.5mm to 6.3mm (1/8" to 1/4") adapter, 2 cables: One straight, one coiled

Build - On terms of build quality, my expectations were not only met, but they were exceeded. The ATH-PRO500MK2 is one of the most solid-feeling headphones that I've ever held. The headphone is made out of almost entirely plastic, however, the plastic is of the utmost quality. It feels very sturdy and would definitely be able to take a beating, or multiple beatings at that. The headband is thick and covered with pleather. Not the most cushioned, but I haven't noticed any problems pertaining to comfort due to that. Size adjusters are very, very smooth when used. The amount of force needed to extend or retract the adjusters is perfect; not too much force, but not too little that it slips around and changes length while in use. The adjusters themselves are made out of metal. The pads are quite good. They have a soft feel to them. There could be a little more cushioning inside the pads, but, like the headband, I've not had any discomfort due to the included cushioning. The headphones feature a screw-on 3.5mm headphone jack. Screw-on feature is very good for a locking mechanism, however I've had some troubles unscrewing it for removal. It gets quite tight. 
The ATH-PRO500MK2 features very useful swiveling of the ear cups. This is especially good for DJs that prefer to use only one side of the headphones for monitoring. 
The headphones can fold up easily to fit into the carrying pouch for transport if needed. 
The included cables are pretty thick. Durability seems very high.
 
 
 
 

Comfort - I find these headphones to be moderately comfortable. There is a lot of clamping force, but that is to be expected from a DJ headphone. Not the most comfortable overall, but I don't really see any major flaws.

Isolation - These isolate very well, probably due to the quality of the build. It's rare that I ever hear outside noise while playing music through these, even when I'm in crowded areas.
 

 
Sound Quality - I really like the sound that these headphones have. I'm very impressed with their overall performance.

Bass - As with most DJ headphones, the bass is emphasised in comparison to the rest of the spectrum. The bass is tight, punchy, and impactful. Very clean and dynamic. Bass frequencies really sound excellent out of these. My favorite instrument, the slap bass, has never sounded better. I wouldn't really call it warm, but I definitely wouldn't call it cold sounding. Sub-bass is well extended.

Mids - The midrange sounds exactly where it should, to my ears; not recessed but not emphasized. Great for a closed-back headphone. Female vocals, guitars, and other midrange instruments really sound pleasant from the ATH-PRO500MK2. 

Treble - My initial impression of the treble on these headphones was that it was dark. I now realize that that was incorrect. These have actually opened me up to darker-sounding treble, something I've never enjoyed before. While it is not as sparkly as other headphones that I own, it has great clarity and extension overall that really finishes off the whole sound very well.

Soundstage - There's a good amount of space in the presentation. I was impressed at first listen, and I still am because of it. Width is average, but depth is exceptional. 


Overall - The ATH-PRO500MK2 is an impressive bass-heavy DJ headphone for portable or home use that's good for all genres. With a very solid build and great sound, these would be an excellent choice for people craving a little extra kick in their music, while staying otherwise true to how music should be. 

 

Thanks to iDance again for the review sample!

Now, you might be thinking to yourself right now, 'Why would a company name their headphones 'Kiss Me?"
Or possibly, "They look strange, and probably sound worse."

Surprisingly, the iDance Kiss Me is not bad. 
Unlike some other iDance headphones I have reviewed, these have proven to be surprisingly decent.

These come with a voucher for two softwares: PCDJ 3DEX LE (a DJ software) and Magix Mufin (a music player)

Build and Design - While the Kiss Me headphones look blatantly flashy and toy-ish, they actually feel quite well made- at least compared to the other iDance headphones I've tried. While they are completely made out of plastic, I don't believe that they are prone to any kind of build problems. Headband is pretty flexible, and features a decent amount of padding on the underside. The earpads on the cups have a good amount of foam inside of them, however, they are somewhat stiff.
The cable is of a flat variant, and features a unique headphone splitter on it with two extra jacks. Cable terminates to a standard 90 degree 3.5mm jack.

Comfort and isolation - The Kiss Me headphones are quite tight on the ears, so prolonged usage may become uncomfortable. I do have a somewhat large head, so the clamping force may vary. 
Isolation is somewhat sub-par for a closed back headphone. I can easily hear outside noises protruding into tracks. I would even consider the isolation to be around the same level of some semi-open headphones, like the V-Moda Crossfade series.

Sound - I certainly wasn't expecting too much from these, but I was pleasantly surprised when I plugged them in and started playing some of my favorite tunes. The sound is much more balanced than I expected. Sure, the bass is still somewhat emphasized, but certainly not as much as a lot of other fashion headphones in this price range. 

Bass - Like I said, the bass is still accentuated, but it is much more clean than a lot of other fashion headphones that I've tried. It's got some warmth to it as well. It's a little bloated, but not to the extent that I've commonly heard with other fashion headphones.

Mids - Like a lot of these headphones aimed at fashion, mids tend to be non-existent. That's somewhat true here, but I can easily hear more mids with the Kiss Me than something like the EarPollution Mogul, which is also in the fashion headphone realm.

Highs - I would consider the highs on the Kiss Me to be laid back for certain. There is a lot more treble presence on these than so many fashion headphones that I've tried. No, I wouldn't really call them something to write home about, but definitely worth mentioning.

Soundstage - Everything sounds so congested with these headphones. Practically no real width or depth to the sound.


Overall - I'm quite impressed with these, for sure. I wouldn't generally recommend them to the average consumer, nor Head-Fi'er (for obvious reasons). If there's something about the appearance that you might find appealing, these would possibly be 'okay'. 
One can certainly get better value for the price of $50, but, like I said, if the appearance is what you're after, then go for it.

Here, we have the new Revo Wireless on-ear headphones from Jabra, a company that's probably pretty obscure here on the lands of Head-Fi.

Now, before I begin, I have to give a big thanks to the people over at Jabra for sending me a pair of these to review. 

When I received the package, I noticed that the Revo Wireless box was very well made. The outer portion is made completely of hard plastic. It has a yellow silicone stripe on the front with an indent that reads "Revo Wireless'
Inside was a nice plethora of papers and such (Including the Jabra Sound App access code, which I will discuss later in this review), cables, a bag, and the headphones themselves; Not to mention a 'new electronic' scent that was from the gods themselves. Never before have I smelled something that good. Never before, and perhaps nothing will ever surpass it.
The 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable (for wired use of the headphones) is 1.2m in length. kevlar reinforced. Features a 90 degree termination for plugging into a source, and a straight termination for plugging into the headphones. Has a single-button smartphone control with mic.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Enough about the packaging. Onto the headphones themselves!

When I picked up the Revo Wireless, I found myself instantly smiling. Was it the striking appearance? The texture of them? Something else? I'm not sure.

Build - The cups are made out of a very sturdy-feeling plastic. The 'circle' of them have a smooth and elegant matte finish to them. The outer circle is an orange plastic that compliments the design very well, in my opinion. The pads are made out of extremely soft memory foam. Inside the pads is orange fabric to cover the plastic over the driver. They read 'left' and 'right', indicating the left and right sides. The headband is made out of a nice and well-built plastic. Doesn't seem prone to breaking or cracking. Good amount of squishy padding material for comfort on the underside.
Folding hinges are made out of steel (according to the product info provided by Jabra). The parts connecting the cups to the headphones are made entirely out of aluminum. All in all, it seems that the Revo Wireless is a very durable headphone.

Comfort - The Revo Wireless is definitely one of the most comfortable headphones that I've ever used. The memory foam pads are insanely soft. I love how they feel quite a bit. It's headphones like these that I sometimes put on, regardless if music is playing or not. The headband is so comfortable that it practically feels like there is nothing there. 
Sure, the Revo Wireless aren't the lightest headphones for an on-ear pair, but its weight doesn't even seem to make any difference whatsoever.
 
 

Bluetooth - The Revo Wireless has an impressive wireless range of 10m (according to Jabra product info). Battery life is also quite impressive, boasting an average life of 12 hours of straight audio playback. A lot of other Bluetooth headphones that I've seen have around an 8 hour battery life, so Jabra certainly has outdone themselves here. Plus, charging only takes around 2 hours max. It's all impressive here.

Features - There are so many features that the Revo Wireless have, that I had to make a whole section on them.
On the right cup, the outer matte circle has capacitive touch sensors. Making a circular motion in a clockwise direction turns the volume up. Making a circular motion in a counter-clockwise motion turns it down. Double tapping on the left area of that circle goes back a song. Double tapping on the right area of the circle skips a song. There is a middle button on the right side also. It's not capacitive; instead, it's a regular button. Single pressing it pauses/plays. Double pressing it redials the last number called. Nothing happens if the button is held. Note that all of those features are available in Bluetooth mode only, and will NOT work when connected via a standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable.
    I can't express just how useful all of these features are. While in bed, before going to sleep, I like to have headphones on to listen to some calming tracks. But I also like to keep my phone connected to the charger while I'm asleep. Unfortunately, my charger is all the way across my room. With the wireless features that these headphones have, I'm able to keep my phone on charge while listening to music, without having to get up and plug my phone in after I take my headphones off. It may sound like a simple case of laziness to you, but it's very useful to me.
    Now, one of the major features is Jabra's Sound App for iOS and Android devices. It features a music player, Dolby processing, Dolby Mobile Surround sound processing, and a graphic EQ (which is only usable while Dolby processing is on). (I recommend an app like EQu for an equalizer, as I feel it's much better than the Jabra EQ. Plus, it doesn't require the Dolby processing). The Dolby processing, in my opinion, adds an artificial 'soundstage' that I think is both unnecessary and lacks usefulness overall. The Mobile Surround feature only makes it sound even more artificial. I honestly can't stand it. I think it doesn't give the 'true' experience of either the headphone or the music itself. The Jabra Sound App is available in both Bluetooth and wired mode. The only way to get the app to function is to use the code found inside of the packaging. The Revo Wireless can actually open the app with the press of the center button on the left cup. A preprogrammed melody plays through the headphones if the button is pressed, whether it is able to open the app at the time or not. (The button will not open the app if another app is already in use).  
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
Now, onto the sound..

Sound - Here is where I feel the headphones fall behind. I find it lacking in generally every area. 

Bass - The Revo Wireless are certainly bass-heavy headphones. It's got more warmth than sub-bass by a significant amount. Sub-bass is still present and definitely isn't overshadowed by the abundance of warmth. It's quite impactful, but lacks dynamic qualities. A good thing about the bass with the Revo Wireless is that it doesn't overpower the rest of the spectrum.

Mids - I'm actually pretty satisfied with the midrange presence of these. It's not too recessed, in my opinion. While it doesn't give vocals too much life, it produces them quite well in regards to balance with the rest of the sound. 

Highs - Being the lover of brighter treble that I am, the Revo Wireless didn't suit me too well in regards to my tastes. However, just because I don't like the signature, doesn't mean it doesn't produce highs well. It very much does. While it lacks sparkle overall, it's got a good amount of clarity. There is absolutely no sibilance present, thankfully. I don't think I would really call it dark. I would call it laid back though. 

Soundstage - On-ear headphones are generally known to be inferior to over-ear headphones in terms of soundstage. So I wasn't expecting a lot of space here. The soundstage is quite bland, though, even for an on-ear, if there really is any soundstage at all.



Overall - The Jabra Revo Wireless is a decent portable headphone that is packed with great features. While the signature may not be for everyone, I feel that the people that do like a warm sound will generally enjoy the Revo Wireless. 
If sound is the main priority here, though, I wouldn't recommend them, especially considering that the asking price is $250. But, if overall versatility and functionality are more of a priority, then I would definitely recommend these.

     
 

Thanks to iDance for the headphone sample to review!

I'm just going to get right to the review

Build - Other than the thin cable, it doesn't feel too bad. The cups have a nice matte finish. Headband also has a nice material on it. The hinges are a bit stiff though. Like I said though, the cable is pretty thin. It does, however, have an in-line mic, so that's a plus for smartphone users. 
As for durability, the Disco feels pretty sturdy overall, except for the cable. 

Comfort - The gold-covered pads can get really warm pretty quickly. I don't know what they're inherently made of, but they breathe even less than normal pleather pads. There isn't much clamping force, so the Disco isn't too tight. 
The pads though.. They're just quite bad.

Sound - Alas, another headphone that looks nice but sounds dreadful. Listening to my own tracks with them tells me just how colored the sound is. In short, it's bad.

Bass - Obviously the focus point of the sound. The bass is muddy, bleedy, and, of course, overpowering. It's somewhat of how I expected them to sound, but worse. Lots of mid bass and bloat. Subbass is surprisingly good.

Mids - Mids are basically nonexistent. Bass overpowers what might be classified as a midrange frequency. Due to this, vocals sound distant and lifeless. It's a common problem I find in fashion-oriented headphones.

Treble - It's so laid back.. So, so laid back. One of the darkest headphones that I've ever used. I don't really understand the appeal of that. Details are just not there. Obviously, there is no sparkle to the treble.

Soundstage - There is very little space to the presentation. It all sounds very congested.


Overall - I don't recommend the Disco under any circumstance. One of the worst headphones that I've ever heard, easily. The only positives I can think of are the appearance and in-line mic. It's just bad other than that.

Thanks again to iDance for the review sample!

These are another victim of the 'fashion-over-performance' trend

Build and Design - Sure, they look flashy and attractive, but they don't feel it. Right away, I could tell that these were very poorly built. Very cheap feeling cups, skimpy and flimsy cup sliders, thin cable, stiff pads. Yeah, a lot of fashion headphones are similar to that, but how do they feel when worn?
They're atrocious. The cup sliders are at an angle that doesn't accommodate the human head. When extended, the bottom parts of the pads aren't even touching my ears. I have to be very careful about the adjustments here. 
What's a bit peculiar about the iDance Funky is that it features a dual-driver design. One 40mm and one 15mm. I don't know the purpose of this, but it sure doesn't seem to attribute to the sound in my opinion.
Speaking of sound..

Sound - I've heard a lot of headphones that sound like this. Very overpowering bass and very laid back treble. It sounds muffled, muddy, and just all-around sloppy. 

Bass - It's a boomy, muddy mess. 80% of this headphone's sound is bass.

Mids - I can't really hear any mids with the Funky. They're all overshadowed by bass. Strangely, vocals don't sound distant, like I thought they would, so that's a plus.

Highs - Dark, bland, and overshadowed by bass. There is very little clarity at all.

Overall - Unless you don't plan on listening to music with these, I wouldn't recommend them whatsoever. 

Note - By the time I was finished writing this review, the Funky were already beginning to malfunction and break. Says a lot about the durability..

Thanks to iDance for sending these to me to review!

We all know that headphones can be fashionable and sound good at the same time, right? A few companies combine those two things into a headphone and you get a great product!

But these.. Appearance to functionality ratio is so lopsided towards appearance, that I can't even begin to explain it without giving a good planning ahead of time.

Now, let's begin.

Build - Right away, as I opened the box to these, I could feel that they were pretty poorly built. The plastic cups are very fragile feeling. In fact, I dropped these ONCE and the plastic on the cups actually cracked. The headband appears to be made out of some sort of smooth plastic, and is surprisingly feels pretty durable. The cable is very thin for an over-ear headphone. It appears prone to connection problems in the future. Has in-line mic, so that's a plus. The pads actually seem to be pretty well made too.

Comfort - Not too bad- at least for my head. Not too much clamping force. Cups seem to be in the size range that makes them on-ear or over-ear depending on ear size.

Sound - Oh dear. I understand compensating sound quality for appearance, but this is just unreal. The entire spectrum sounds like it was covered with blankets.

Bass - Bleedy, muddy, overpowering bass is how I can describe it. It muffles everything else.

Mids - Muffled due to the bass. Vocals sound distant and lifeless

Highs - Still muffled by the bass. Other than that, it is laid back, has no sparkle, and is generally bland. A treble boost can make it a lot better, but definitely doesn't make up for much.

Overall - Unless this is your last resort, I would completely advise against purchasing these headphones under any circumstance. The Koss UR-10 sounds better and is only $10. 


 

Thanks to RHA for sending me a pair of these to review!

What we have here is a headphone that I can only describe as incredible. Very impressive

Accessories - 3 sizes of round silicone tips and soft carrying pouch.

Build and Design- The MA-350 has a very nice aluminum housing that holds the driver. Simple, yet shows some elegance. Long strain reliefs show increased durability. Cloth-sheathed cord appears very durable. Doesn't appear to be prone to memory effects. With the cable being covered in cloth, microphonics can be quite bothersome if worn down. They become relatively nonexistent with over-ear wear, though. Cable cinch is useful and well built.
Stock tips don't work too well with my ears. I seem to lose the seal pretty easily no matter what size tip I use. I prefer to use the Sony Hybrid with the MA-350, which is strange, as I don't normally like the Sony Hybrids too much.

Comfort - Keep in mind that comfort is very subjective. With my ears, the MA-350 is mainly comfortable, but the large housing design allows for quite shallow insertion, and I seem to subconsciously try to push them in deeper than they can go. It's a slight problem that I have. Other than that, the comfort of these is quite good. 

Isolation is a bit above average for dynamic driver IEMs with large housings. Lack of venting is probably the reason for that.

Sound - The sound is pure bliss for me.

Bass - These IEMs deliver some of the best sub-bass response I've ever heard from an IEM, especially in this price range. It's punchy, detailed, and very controlled. Quite a lot of sub-bass too. 
Mid-bass and upper-bass are neutral when compared to the rest of the spectrum. I wouldn't consider it warm sounding at all, but I don't think I would go as far as to call it cold. 

Mids - The midrange is a tiny bit recessed to my ears. Definitely not enough to be considered a v-shaped signature, but enough to notice. It's pretty clean sounding overall.

Highs - I don't know whether to consider the highs or the bass as the main focus of these. The highs on these are very nice. Detailed, bright, sparkly. I love it.

Soundstage - Slightly above average for a dynamic IEM. Depth is good. Width is average.


Overall -  The RHA MA-350 is a great contender in the $40 price range. With incredible sub-bass and sparkly highs, these IEMs can really make any kind of music sound great, but I think they work best with electronic music, like DnB, dubstep, and electro house. Build is fantastic, and a 3-year warranty shows that these can be working for you for a long time. 
Highly recommended.






 

First, I would like to thank Rockit Sounds for giving me a 50% discount on these for this review.
 
The Rockit Sounds R-50 is unreal.
 
The moment the R-50 arrived at my house, I was ecstatic and literally jumping for joy. I had heard so much about these, I just had to have the experience of actually hearing them. 
I took them out of their container and gazed upon what would become my favorite IEM. Dual balanced armatures, braided cables; it was perfect.
I put them in, and began to have a sonic experience that I'd not ever heard from an IEM before. I put on some of my favorite tracks and was immediately overtaken by the incredible quality of the R-50. 
 
This IEM is so incredible.
 
Build - Sturdy plastic housings with soft silicone cover. It feels excellently crafted. Memory wire is very soft. The joint between the wire and housing worries me ever so slightly.

Comfort - I've never used any IEM that was this comfortable. The silicone casing around it really takes away any discomfort that I've had with other IEMs.
 
Isolation - Pretty average. Greatly improves with tri-flange tips.

Sound - I can't believe how good these are. The overall presentation is so clear; so detailed. I was extremely impressed with my first listen, and I'm still impressed every time I put them in my ears. 
 
The lows are well extended, detailed, and most definitely not overwhelming or bloated. However, they don't really add any warmth to the sound. With the stock tips, the lows can be underwhelming. 
 
The midrange here is perfectly reproduced. I find it to excel at whatever genre I play. Both female and male vocals sound lifelike. The R-50 has such clear and balanced mids. They're some of the best I've heard. Definitely better than a good amount of over-ears I've used around the price.
 
Treble frequencies are what I find these do best. I've not heard any kind of clarity like this before. It was the first thing that I noticed with these. Snares, cymbals, everything sounds so crisp. It can get sibilant, however, especially with the stock tips. 
 
The soundstage of the R-50 is pure bliss. There is so much space in the presentation. It's absolutely incredible, and, without a doubt, I like it more than almost every over-ear I've tried.
 
Accessories - 3 sizes of silicone tips, clamshell carrying case, and airline adapter. The tips are pretty bad, if you didn't notice. I wouldn't dare use them for casual listening. The sound greatly improves with aftermarket tips.

Tips and sound changes

Stock - Like I said, these are pretty bad. The bass is very underwhelming, and the treble is very sibilant, even for me, as I like bright treble.
 
Shure Gray Flex - Much, much better than the stock tips. Sibilance is reduced, while bass comes out to what I would consider to be a natural/balanced level. 
 
Shure Gray Flex substitutes from eBay seller 'lostearbuds' - My favorite single-flange tip for the R-50 for sure. Has the same sonic changes as the real Gray Flex tips. The fit is amazing too. These are the most grippy tips I've ever used. I actually think I prefer these over the real Shure Gray Flex. Plus, they're much lower in price.
 
Shure Black Soft Flex - These were what I used before the Gray Flex and substitutes arrived. Still a good improvement over the stock tips. Compared to the Gray Flex/subs, these still have some of sibilance and bass is a little underwhelming, but nowhere near the level of the stock tips.
 
Shure Tri-flange - Sibilance is 98% removed, and the entire frequency spectrum comes into harmony.
 
Etymotic Tri-flange - Sibilance is completely removed. Other than that and possibly the fit (which I found these to be much more comfortable), these tips sound identical to the Shure tri-flanges. The Etymotic tri-flange tips are my most recommended tri-flange tips, and tips in general for the R-50. I recommend these most.

Monster/Generic tri-flange - I kind of just took a shot with these. These are about on-par with the Shure Black Soft Flex, but with a tiny bit more control on the sibilance. 

Hopefully to come sometime in the future...

Westone STAR tips
Westone True Fit tips
Etymotic Glider tips
Etymotic Foam tips
Shure Black Foam tips (Olives)
Shure Yellow Foam tips
Assorted Comply tips

The Rockit Sounds R-50 is probably the best IEM you can get with this kind of signature (balanced/articulate) at this price ($120).
I absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for this kind of sound. The R-50 is a true winner.

Big thanks to the people at Yurbuds for sending me these for review!

Now, before I begin, I feel the need to point out a few things first about these headphones:
The Yurbuds Duro, or even the entire Yurbuds lineup as a whole, is definitely not created with our audience (audio enthusiasts) in mind. These headphones are aimed at athletes, and that's who they work best for.


Onto the review!

The Yurbuds Ironman Inspire Duro are a unique set of headphones. They offer athletes a fit that will not only be very comfortable, but will never fall out, due to the included silicone covers.

Included accessories are a carrying pouch that is quite large, made of decently rugged materials, and two sets of silicone covers in different sizes. 
The pouch seems to be made for carrying on a backpack or sports bag. Definitely a good function of the pouch for athletes.

Yurbuds advertises a lot about the fit of their headphones, and they definitely live up to those advertisements. The silicone covers are great for keeping the headphones in place, even if a tug or snag may occur. I've never had them fall out during my usage. The silicone covers are very comfortable to use. They're durable, washable, and sweat resistant. Very good design on the covers. This is definitely the selling point of these headphones, and it rightfully holds that position, in my opinion. 

Unfortunately, most of the rest of the build on the Yurbuds Duro is somewhat poor. The housings are made of a cheap-feeling plastic. There are no strain reliefs on these. There's not even a cable cinch. The lack of strain reliefs let the cord brush up the sides of the housing where they enter, which creates some microphonics. Wearing the Yurbuds in an over-the-ear fashion will greatly reduce microphonics. The only real positive about the build is the cable, which is kevlar reinforced. Long-term durability is questionable with these, which is ironic, seeing how this model was named 'Duro' due to its supposed durability.

When it comes to sound, the Yurbuds Duro falls short of other earbuds in certain aspects, but performs better in others. Compared to an IEM, it loses in every area sonically.

When I first put them in my ear, I was disappointed, but surprised at the same time. The silicone covers, when worn properly, actually create an acoustic seal that regular earbuds do not. This seal is crucial for decent bass response. Without it, the bass will have next-to-no impact, and may not even be present at all. Yurbuds overcomes this with the silicone covers. IEMs do not have this problem, however, and almost make the presence of an acoustic seal presented by the Yurbuds seem like nothing special.

The disappointed feeling I was given was due to the sound of the Yurbuds Duro in general. When compared to other earbuds and/or IEMs at similar prices (~$50 USD), the Duro tends to fall short quite easily. Overall, the sound reminds me of cheaper earbuds and IEMs.

The bass is probably the best part of the Yurbuds Duro. It's got good impact, while not being too bleedy. It's not anything to really write home about, but definitely not something to overlook. However, there is little sub-bass impact, which can make some songs sound thinner than they should.

Mids are well balanced into the spectrum. They've got good presence, but don't sound any better than 'okay',

Highs are what I was most disappointed in. They're rolled off, lack clarity, and ultimately fail to make music shine. 

Soundstage is average for an earbud. Didn't really expect much in this area.
 

Overall, the Yurbuds Duro are a good earphone for active people. I would greatly hesitate to recommend the Yurbuds Duro to anyone except athletes. The fit is exceptional, but the sound is below par. I can easily see these being a good choice for someone with an active lifestyle, but not for anyone else. 

First, let me thank the people over at Audio-Technica for sending me a sample of these for review. You rock!

I was a bit skeptical at first about how these would sound, but when I put them on and started listening, I was instantly blown away. These headphones really make electronic music shine, especially with more atmospheric songs. DnB, electro and dubstep are perfectly reproduced.
However, these don't just make electronic music sound incredible, but everything I tried with them sounded incredible; from Mozart, to Styx, all the way to Skrillex, Rchetype and back. 

The Audio-Technica Solid Bass WS55 stands up to its name. These have some of the most controlled and detailed bass that I've heard, especially for a bass-heavy headphone. It is deep, impactful, and extends quite well. Even with a major bass boost from an EQ or an amplifier, the bass stays controlled. 


Build is a bit iffy. Overall, it feels a bit fragile, like it might crack if I were to accidentally drop it onto a hard floor.
The back of the cups are made of a nice aluminum with the Audio-Technica logo standing out.
These are excellent for portable use. The swiveling cups allow someone to simply turn the cup and listen to someone talk on either side of them. I find it very useful.
 
Comfort may depend on the person's head, but I found these to be a bit uncomfortable at first. The clamping force is really strong until you stretch it out a bit.Only took me a couple minutes of stretching to make them more comfortable for me.


The signature on these is more or less a V-shaped signature, but there's more upper-mid presence than I normally find with V-shaped headphones, so vocals don't really sound distant.
Separation is overall average with these. It's limited by the smaller cups.
Soundstage is also average. I wouldn't describe it as too congested, but it's not to spacey. I find there to be a bit more depth than width.

Bass - As stated earlier, the bass is very controlled and tight. It is really magnificent. Some of the best bass I've heard yet. Subbass extension is excellent.

Mids - Mids aren't too prevalent on these, but they're clean, clear, and overall a good presentation from them.

Treble - My favorite part of these headphones is the treble. It is energetic, lively, and sparkly, while not being sibilant or harsh. It can get a bit splashy with certain cymbals, though, but not too much. There's a good amount of detail provided here, but nothing to write home about.


Overall - I would recommend these headphones to anyone looking for something bass-heavy and clean-sounding to use on the go; especially someone that listens to a lot of electronic music. Build could be a bit better. Truly outstanding sounding headphones.

How can I start this review.. There are so many incredible things that I can say about the VSonic VC02. So, so many.

I came across the VC02 thread one day, and I felt compelled to buy a pair within minutes of reading. From what others were saying, it seemed the VC02 was outstanding. 

When my VC02 arrived, I was extremely excited. Never had I been so excited about a pair of headphones before. The box was similar to other VSonic boxes- it showcased the VC02 and its very large selection of colorful hybrid tips.

When I opened the box, I was graced with the sweet smell of a new electronic that I was so familiar with. I was elated.

I took the VC02 out of its cavity in the foam and reveled in its grace. 
Inside the box, behind the foam presentation, was a small baggie of even more tips, but these were silicone tips, and not hybrid tips. There were a total of 11 pairs of tips in the included package, and being the tip-hoarder that I am, I was in heaven.
Inside was also a soft pouch and a shirt clip for the VC02.
I, personally, would have preferred a clamshell case, but the pouch works just as well. 

The VC02 is a deep insertion IEM, which some may find uncomfortable, but I like deep insertion more than shallow insertion for both isolation and comfort. 

I plugged them into my device, and was given an experience that I could only explain as pure bliss. I knew then, that these would be my new favorite IEMs.

As for how I can describe the sound..

Highs - My favorite part of these IEMs. The highs are well-extended, detailed, sparkly, and non-fatiguing. These made DnB sound incredible. Snares and cymbals were reproduced with high amounts of clarity and detail.

Mids - I was really impressed here as well. The mids are very clean and neutral sounding. I wouldn't call them cold, but I wouldn't call them warm. Neutral is a perfect word for it.

Lows - Perfectly balanced into the rest of the spectrum. These may be neutral, but they extend into the low-end very well. Lows are controlled so well with the VC02. No bleed whatsoever, and no overpowering. Obviously, for a neutral IEM, the lows aren't too prevalent, but they can be toned up somewhat with an EQ if needed, but not too much, since these use a 3mm micro-driver. 

Tips can make quite a difference in the way these IEMs sound. The stock tips give the most neutral presentation in my opinion. Tri-flange tips appear to increase bass quantity and treble resolution, while giving it a more smooth signature. Foam tips seem to reduce the bass amount, while adding some warmth and smoothness to the spectrum. 

Overall - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these for a second. These fit me so perfectly. For $41, these are just incredible. Neutral, clean IEMs with intense isolation capabilities and detachable cables. What else could one ask for at this price? 

 

 

What can I say about these? I saw a lot of people going for the Awei branded items on eBay, so I got one myself. They were surprisingly good and surprisingly bad at the same time. I will explain.

Pros

Housing build - For $2, an aluminum housing is quite exceptional.

Accessories - While the Awei K80 only comes with one pair of tips, they are surprisingly pretty high quality. Somewhat thick silicone and a sturdy center hole.
Another wow-factor was that these come with a carrying pouch! It feels made out of pleather or even actual leather, but I can't say for sure. The inside is lined with a soft fabric. 

Cons 

The cable is absolutely horrifying. It is a J-cord, but that's not the problem. I've never encountered a cable that was this stiff and plastic-feeling before. It creates so much microphonics during use.

Nozzle length is pathetic. It barely reaches 3mm into the tip. Tips don't/won't stay on.

Sound - This is a rather 'medium' area. While the sound honestly isn't bad for $2, the problem consists with the drivers- they aren't matched at all. They don't even sound like they're the same driver on both sides. Even when I try to 'match' them with some L-R adjustments, they still sound very different. 


I wouldn't say that these are 'bad'. Sound-wise, they leave a lot to be desired because of the drivers, but with the included accessories, I would say $2 is a steal.

I purchased these IEMs after reading about them in ljokerl's Multi IEM review thread. Needless to say, the sound was different than what I expected. 

Build - These are very, very well built IEMs. Iron housing, good stress relievers, and a cable that flexes with ease. Build was absolutely stunning. 

Isolation -  These isolated very well, at least for me. Never had better isolation from an IEM in this price range before.

Comfort - The comfort on these were absolutely atrocious. I literally got a headache within minutes of use. They really did cause me pain. I couldn't stand it. I had to take them out only after around 15 minutes, because I had a pretty large headache just from these, and it lasted hours after removal. 

Sound

Highs -  As expected, these are Über clear. Very, very revealing IEMs. I loved what I heard from these. I didn't find them to be too bright or sparkly, though, but I definitely wouldn't call them dark or anything. 

Mids - I was very disappointed by the midrange I heard from these. It was flat, dull, and non-lively. Sure, as an IEM, mids aren't going to be as great as an over-ear pair for the same cost, but the mids on these were very underwhelming. I've heard better mids from a pair of $10 Sony IEMs. 

Lows - The lows produced by these sound very natural. Very controlled, as well. I would say they have the perfect amount of bass-response from a neutral-sounding IEM. Much, much better than something like the Monoprice 8320/9927, which are also neutral.

Soundstage - I never have heard anything sound so condensed in my life. The soundstage that was produced from these IEMs was just non-existent. Even less than your generic 'Hi-Fi earbud' from Sentry. I was extremely disappointed by these in this aspect.   

Conclusion - After trying these, I felt that they didn't live up to the rating that ljokerl gave them at all. I wouldn't really recommend these to anyone, truthfully, unless you're a masochist or something. 

I got these because they were cheap. No other reason. I wasn't expecting much at all, but I was expecting them to be better than $1 buds by Vibe Sound. They weren't.
 
Sound - No earbud/IEM/whatever has ever sounded this bad to me. 
 
Highs - What highs?
 
Mids - I've never heard an earphone that has overpowering mids before these. Overpowering and sound like a piece of mud inside of a cotton ball wrapped in masking tape, placed 20 feet to one's sides.
 
Bass - Sounds distant, if it even shows up at all.
 
Design - I like the appearance of these, I won't lie. Other than that, in terms of design; they don't fit well at all, very uncomfortable, extremely cheap build. Transducers move very easily.
 
Overall - If there is some reason you need to buy headphones for $1-$3, I would NOT recommend these. As I stated above, the Vibe Sound Color Tunes are a much better option, and only $1 at Dollar General.
 

I honestly don't even know why I got these. But I did.
 
For $7, these are very nice, closed, on-ear headphones. I haven't really seen a pair this cheap that has anything other than cheap foam earpads. It still surprises me.
Frequency Response - 60Hz - 20KHz
Isolation - These isolate pretty well, astonishingly. Of course they fail in comparison to more expensive on-ear and over-ear headphones, but for what they are, they isolate well.
 
Comfort - Eh. Earpads are nice, but the headband is pretty uncomfortable. Hurts my head after about 15-30 minutes. 
 
Sound - Most of what these produce is generally muffled, but sound much better than some other headphones I've heard in this price.
 
Highs - Just 'there'. Nothing too special, but much better sounding than some other cheap headphones like these.
 
Mids - Recessed, but not really that bad.
 
Bass - Decent. There's a good bass impact from these, even though the lowest frequency these produce is 60Hz,
 
Soundstage - Nonexistent.
 
Overall - These are overall good cans for the extreme-budget users. Good for portable use. Durability seems top-notch for the price. Sound is decent as a whole. Padding for the headband should be considered for extra comfort. Would recommend.

For a pair of headphones that are only $30, I was blown away by these. They are the best headphones I've heard out of all headphones at this price.
 
Compared these to some headphones in a similar price range
 
Auvio HF202 ($40)
Koss UR/20 ($25)
EarPollution Mogul ($36)
 
Note- Yes, I realize that the Mogul headphones are terrible, but they fit the price range.
 
Highs - Highs are clean, crisp, and definitely not fatiguing whatsoever. Better than all of the ones I compared it to.
 
Mids - Surprisingly good sounding. Like most closed cans, they are recessed, but better than any other can I've heard in this price with mids. Much better than the HF202.
 
Bass - This is their highest area of excellence. Bass is incredible with these. Powerful and very clean, but they don't overpower the mids or highs whatsoever. These really have a great potential for bass.
 
Comfort -  Very nice to wear. Can be worn for long periods of time without discomfort. Only downfall is the material of the earpads makes your ears sweat. You don't normally feel it until you take them off.
 
Overall - I cannot recommend these enough. These are basically perfect for the price, unless you are looking for soundstage. With their amazing build quality, detachable cable, and price, these cannot be beat.

I've heard the XB500 many times before actually being able to give a good review on it. Each time I put it on, I'm always very disappointed.

Back before I was into higher quality audio like I am now, I had always judged a headphone on how clean sounding it was. Mid bass bloat was what I tried to stay away from most.
I am SO glad I didn't purchase these before then. I would have been upset with how they sound.
When the term 'bass' comes to mind, I think of earth-shaking lows at or under 80Hz. To my ears, these are warm bloat cans that don't have those resonating lows.

To be blunt, I can't stand the XB500's signature.

At the low end, we have a very very warm presentation. The bass is not punchy or tight, but instead, it's more sloppy. Sub-bass is only average, in my opinion. What I hear is basically everything I was initially trying to AVOID in a headphone.

Mids are quite recessed in the spectrum. As a result, vocals sound a bit distant. The mids are just overall unnatural sounding.

Normally, I like treble, even harsh treble, but the treble of the XB500 is just purely annoying to my ears. I can't stand it. It's got pretty good clarity, honestly, but has a peak that makes some music less-than-enjoyable. I also find it to be pretty grainy and non-transparent.

Soundstage is bland. Width and depth are just 'okay'


As for everything other than sound, these are a nice pair of headphones.

The build on the XB500 is quite good. It's lightweight and durable. The headband is made out of plastic, but doesn't feel like it would easily break.
Cable can be a bit iffy. It's got that 'tangle-free' cord that makes me question just how much protection the cable really has.

Comfort of the XB500 is just incredible. The pads are thick, soft, and squishy. It really feels like I'm wearing a pillow on my head. Absolutely incredible comfort.


Overall, if you're into the sound signature given by the XB500, by all means, I would recommend these. They would be a very good pair for someone that enjoys this kind of sound.
They're just not for me.

I purchased these headphones back when I didn't know that much about headphones, but, now that I know a lot more (thanks to you guys), I can see that these headphones were definitely a good purchase.
 
Highs - The highs produced with these headphones are extremely crisp sounding and clear. Little distortion. They are not harsh whatsoever either.
 
Mids - Mids are present and not generally recessed. Clean and clear.
 
Lows/Bass - These headphones have clear bass that doesn't overpower any other range of frequencies 
 
Soundstage - Not much depth. Very wide, though. These do fairly well when playing music with a lot of soundstage in the recording.
 
Comfort - These are some of the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. After a bit of time having them on, you almost feel like you're not wearing any headphones at all. I can wear these for hours and hours without any discomfort. Comfort is amazing with these. They don't get hot either.
 
Design - These are pretty similar to other studio monitor headphones like the Sony MDR-V6, but these don't fold up, unfortunately. This is not really an issue, due to the fact that these are not very portable in the first place with an 11.5' cord. The cups can turn only a few degrees left and right, but they swivel downwards when needed.
 
Value - At the price, I have yet to hear a pair of headphones that have the same amount of clarity as these. Definitely worth it.
 
Overall - A pair of high-quality headphones that are great for producing, recording, and listening in general. Very flat sounding.