Headphones

In the realm of sub-$100 headphones, audio quality can vary significantly from model to model. It can be a challenge to find a pair that's music to your ears, though there are quite a few in the price range that offer good-to-excellent sound.

One such set is the Audio-Technica ATH-CKM50A In-Ear Headphones, an $80 model that comes in a choice of three colors: black, white, or red. The name may not be catchy, and the plastic design leaves something to be desired, but if you can get a good fit, you'll be rewarded with exceptionally rich and … Read more

Flying the friendly skies has sure gotten a lot more enjoyable with the advent of portable media players, but frequent fliers realize it takes more than a decent MP3 player to deal with nuisance-ridden travel. A good pair of sound-isolating earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones can do wonders when it comes to escaping into your own world of personal entertainment.

Of course, active noise-canceling sets can cost a pretty penny, which is where the Able Planet Clear Harmony NC200 headphones come in. The pair is sold on Amazon.com for around $60--a palatable price if we ever saw one. You'll … Read more

Earbuds. You either love them or hate them. Or you just tolerate them. Anyone who's worn a pair--which is likely 100 percent of those who own an iPod or other MP3 player--knows that comfort and fit isn't always the greatest when it comes to these tiniest of headphones. Maybe you have a pair that is reasonably comfortable, but slips ever-so-gradually out of your ears as you move. Or the opposite: they really stick in there, but dole out a pain-causing pressure to the inside of your ear after extended wear. So maybe you give up, and pair … Read more

When it comes to portable devices, audio quality depends just as much on the headphones as it does on the audio specs of the player. So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that many people spend more on their headphones than they do on their MP3 players. In fact, a good pair of earphones could carry you through several rounds of devices, which is why we're so enamored with the super sleek Klipsch Image X5 earphones, despite their $250 price tag.

This ultraportable pair offers solid sound and an exceptional fit, though we're a bit … Read more

It was easy to miss, but during last Tuesday's flurry of iPod announcements Apple also introduced two new sets of headphones. The first headphones unveiled were a modest pair of $29 earbuds that include an in-line set of playback controls on the cable (play/pause/skip) along with a tiny microphone. Nothing particularly exciting about these except that they may be the cheapest way to activate the voice-recording feature included on the new iPod Nano, Touch, and Classic. When I asked the nearby Apple rep if these earbuds offered any sound improvement over the standard bundled pair, he shook … Read more

In a gadget world dominated by black, white, and silver, it's always refreshing to come across colorful tech. Earbud manufacturers already offer every color of the rainbow, but finding funky full-size models is more challenging. Skullcandy is a notable exception, and now more companies are joining the fray. Hot on the heels of the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are the slightly similar Phiaton MS 400 Moderna Series headphones, another cushy red and black pair that retails for $249. They may not be as fashion-forward as Dr. Dre's, but that doesn't mean they won't garner … Read more

It's not always easy to get excited about a pair of headphones on first glance. Generally, the listening experience, which is gathered only after putting a set on and sitting down with some favorite music, is what draws people in. Not so with the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, a sweet-looking set that will relieve you of $350. While their sound quality is nothing to scoff at, their appeal as eye candy is undeniable. For audio enthusiasts who are tired of the same old look, the Beats are a must.

Read the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones review.… Read more

Of almost all gadgets, earbuds have the least surface area to work with, which means external design innovations are often incremental and minute. Color and style are the most noticeable physical characteristics that manufacturers tweak, but neither has an effect on the performance of an earphone. So, what's a new company to do in order to stand out? Make an earbud with an innovative design that influences sound quality.

That's precisely what Amazing Tech Products has done with the Purebuds earphones, a $50 product with uniquely shaped eartips that affect audio output. Add to that some internal technology … Read more

If you've ever shopped around for a pair of headphones, you've probably noticed a trend: there is a seemingly endless array of choices in the ultracheap, sub-$50 range; plenty of options in the $80 to $110 range; and quite a few luxury selections that run for $200 or more. There are surprisingly few models that list around $150, which might just be the sweet spot between "nice" and "ultra high-end." Etymotic seems to have recognized this deficiency and answered it with the hf5 High-Fidelity Noise-Isolating Earphones. These sleekly stylish in-ear 'phones strike an … Read more