Nuforce NE-770X review (Ice)

Nuforce makes a variety of audio products, including a few different earphones that offer very good sound at affordable prices.

The company says the NE-770X, which comes in three different colors, features wide-range, non-metallic drivers that have been configured to produce a "natural, supremely musical sonic signature without sacrificing dynamic punch, soundstage dimension, holographic imaging, or wide-band frequency response."

That's the stuff you can't see, the stuff on the inside. The outside -- the shell, so to speak -- is what you'll react to first, and it may not be good. Here's why: the earphones' housing is made out of polycarbonate plastic, which makes them very lightweight (Nuforce describes the material as acoustically inert), but it also makes them look a little cheap.

The NE-770X comes in three colors.

(Credit: Nuforce)

Compare this with something like the $79.99 Nocs NS400 with its sleek titanium body, and you can't help but think the Nuforce NE-770X isn't in the same league. In terms of sonic performance, however, the two models feature similarly well-balanced, "natural" sound that exhibits good detail and bass without accentuating either too much. Also, the Nuforce earphones are arguably more comfortable to wear than the Nocs.

The earphones come with the usual three sizes of silicon eartips (small, medium, and large) as well as an inexpensive soft cloth pouch, which I appreciated. I also like how the right bud has a little red ring around the cord for quick reference, since it's very hard to distinguish the "L" and "R" markings.

Our model tries on the Sky color.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)