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Monster's original Miles Davis Tribute Jazz in-ear headphones cost a rather daunting $400 but generally received rave reviews from buyers.
This newer model, the Miles Davis Trumpet earphones, sells for a somewhat more reasonable $299 and is much more stylized than the original, with a unique trumpet-like design. While the price is a step in the right direction, I'm not entirely sure the design is. However, these headphones sure are eye-catching and offer excellent, highly detailed sound.
Design and features
There are both pluses and minuses to the earphones' unique design. First, the positives: they look cool and like other Monster earphones, feature a flat cord that's tangle-resistant with a flexible, flat L-shaped plug that should hold up well over time. It hugs the top of your device better and is more discreet, so there's no awkward plug sticking out of the top of your smartphone.
Although they're made of metal, the earphones feel a little dainty and their edges feel like well, edges (by that I mean they're not sharp, but they're just not your typical earphones that have a rounded, more bulbous design like the original Monster Mile Davis Tribute earphones). It's also worth mentioning that when I went to adjust the earphones in my ears, it felt a little weird to touch what's essentially a mini trumpet mouthpiece.
I also had some trouble finding the perfect fit among the five different style tips Monster provides, which vary a little in size and firmness. I'm used to really jamming the tips in my ears and getting a tight seal. I eventually settled on one of the five and it ended up working pretty well, though not as perfectly I would have liked. That said, there should be enough selection here to satisfy most users, but I do wish Monster included a softer foam type like the ones you get with Shure and Etymotic earphones.
After using these for these for several says, I came to like them best when stationary, sitting at my desk, or in a comfortable chair. They work fine for walking around on the street, but there are better earphones out there for daily use walking around (the Bowers & Wilkins C5 in-ear headphones come to mind).
