Mac|Life Headphones RSS Feed

Shure SRH240 & SRH440

Ray Aguilera — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:27:23 -0600

Shure’s been building pro audio equipment for forever. Chances are, if you’ve seen a band perform in the last 75 years, you’ve seen some Shure gear at work. While the company is well known for its microphones, it has recently begun expanding into the headphone market. Shure has brought its considerable audio know-how to bear on the SRH240 (not shown) and the SRH440 (pictured) headphones, both of which offer studio-level sound at prices that make them attractive for home use as well.

Both the 240s and 440s are over-the-ear headphones, meaning that the ear cups surround your entire ear. This offers increased noise isolation, both for the listener who wants to mute outside noise and for everyone around you who isn’t interested in your Ace of Base dance remixes. The headphones feature stereo miniplugs, which will work with your iPod, as well as screw-on adapters for full-size headphone jacks like those on home stereos.

Shure's new headphones deliver for a wide range of listeners.

The sound quality on both models is excellent. The lower-priced 240s have a slightly narrower frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz) than the 440’s (10Hz to 22kHz), but both feature a fairly flat audio profile--meaning you hear the music as it was recorded, with natural reproduction across the audio spectrum. Bass response is good, and highs are crisp without being fatiguing. Both headphones are comfortable for extended wear.

The 440s feature a fuller sound, largely due to increased padding around the earcup and better outside noise isolation overall. Unlike the 240s, they also fold up for travel and can be stashed in the included drawstring bag. The 440s are also 5.7 ounces heavier than the 9-ounce 240s, making the latter better for use on the go. The earcups on the 440 have a wider swivel range, making them more comfortable, and we appreciate the heavier replaceable coiled cable, which ultimately makes the 440s more durable in the long run.

Ultimate Ears 700

Ray Aguilera — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:15:19 -0500

Ultimate Ears has been making in-ear monitors for professional musicians for nearly 15 years. The company was founded by Alex Van Halen and Jerry Harvey, a sound engineer for the band--a couple of dudes who know what they’re talking about when it comes to audio. Musicians rely on UE’s monitors during performances, and now you can bring that pro-level tech home in the form of earbuds. Even if you’re just listening to “Panama” while you’re walking the dog, rather than pounding it out on the skins in a packed arena, Ultimate Ears can make your iPod rock that much harder.

Rock out with your Ultimate Ears out.

UE’s 700 earbuds are exceptionally light. Tipping the scales at a barely noticeable 11.6 grams, these ’buds are comfortable for extended wear by commuters and dedicated music fans alike. Inside the box, Ultimate Ears includes a plastic hard case (though we were hoping for the crush-proof metal case included with some other UE models), silicone eartips in three sizes, and two sizes of foam eartips. While the foam models offered a more complete seal of our ear canals (and consequently better noise isolation and acoustics), for ease of use we ended up favoring the silicone version.

The earbuds feature a dual armature design. Essentially, each channel contains two tiny speakers for more accurate sound reproduction. We listened to everything from podcasts to classic house tracks with the 700s and were impressed with their range. Acoustic music was smooth and clear, while straight-ahead rock tunes (“Panama” included) provided a pleasing punch. Sound quality was clean at different volume levels--without muddiness when cranked up or loss of bass response when playing quietly--and we like the included attenuator, an optional dongle that can lower volume spikes in your audio. Overall, we were pleased with the sound quality of the 700s, but we did feel that the sound was a bit on the bright side--a little too much treble that can fatigue your ears with extended use.

iPhone and late-model iPod users should note that the 700s do not include button controls or a mic, although they work fine for listening to music. You’ll just have to navigate your tunes the old-fashioned way.

iLuv iEP311 and i203

Ray Aguilera — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:40:02 -0500

Affordable earbuds come in 9 candy colors.

Earphones are a personal thing. Everyone has different criteria for what makes a good set. Some might be looking for bass, others might be more interested in noise reduction. Certain people might only be interested in ’phones that come in standard-issue “iPod white,” while someone else is looking for something a bit more interesting, color-wise.

Choose between the i203's in-ear clips (bottom) or the iEP311's flanged-tip design (center).

iLuv’s i203 and iEP311 earphones are both in-ear models that help dampen outside noise—and they come in a rainbow of nine different shades. Both models ship with three pairs of soft rubber tips in small, medium, and large. In terms of noise reduction, we found that the iEP311’s flanged ear tips provided slightly more sound isolation than the ones on the i203. Both models also feature a (somewhat bulky) rotary volume dial, a handy feature for people who usually listen with their iPod stashed in a coat pocket, purse, or man-bag. The volume controls feature a clip on the back for easy access, but in both cases, the control is located about halfway up the earphone cord. Using the ’phones while we were sitting was fine, but in use with our iPod while commuting to work, the placement of the volume knob was less convenient—we wished it was much closer to the earbuds themselves. And while the volume control is nice, neither model offers track controls.

In terms of sound quality, there isn’t much to complain about, given the modest price point. Audiophile gear these are not, but as an upgrade to the standard Apple earbuds, they add a nice bass punch. The i203s feature ear clips to keep them in place, great for people looking for something that works well while running or working out. iEP311, on the other hand, are much more compact, and they sounded a bit clearer, with brighter treble than the other pair. The 311s also come with a “wire reel” for taming unruly cables, but with the volume knob in the middle of the cable, wrapping the cable to shorten it is awkward at best.

Sennheiser MM 50-IP

Ray Aguilera — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:39:10 -0500

Bass-heads, take note.

Headphones are knotty beasts. On the one hand, most people don’t really think about them. On the other hand, they wield the single most important influence over how much enjoyment you get out of your iPod--besides a well-chosen playlist, of course. And if you’re using an iPhone, a decent headset is doubly important. Not only are you listening to audio with it, but an inline mic that allows you to take calls certainly beats holding the phone up to your ear, particularly if you’re the multitasking type. Sennheiser’s MM 50-IP is a wired iPhone headset that offers good sound quality, along with a remote for playing, pausing, or skipping iPod tracks.

The interchangeable silicone “ear sleeves” come in three sizes. Unlike other in-ear models, the MM 50-IPs are inserted relatively shallowly into the ear canal, which is a trade-off. While this makes them easy to insert and remove, they don’t offer as much noise isolation as ’phones that seal the ear. They were fine for general use, but in noisy environments, outside sound drowned out the MM 50-IPs. Fans of bass-heavy rock, electronica, and hip-hop will probably love them, although users interested in more delicate music or accurate sound reproduction may be frustrated by the booming bass and muffled highs.

Calls sounded good on the headset, and in that case, we appreciated these ’phones’ emphasis on the lower tones. We found that caller’s voices were easier to hear, particularly on busy city streets. The inline remote functioned without problems, but we do wish the button itself were easier to locate by touch--it’s mounted flush, and we often found ourselves fumbling to find the button. Callers reported our voice was picked up clearly by the mic and couldn’t easily tell the difference when we switched between the headset and just holding the iPhone up to our ear during conversations.

Dictate 1.0.1

Zack Stern — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:23:56 -0500

Dictate comes with a USB headset.

Dictation programs act as your personal typist, transcribing words as quickly as you speak—theoretically, anyway. Initially, Dictate did an excellent job transcribing our spoken phrases into onscreen text. And it even let us control menus, edit text, and access other functionality in the open app, so we kept our hands off the keyboard with great success. Dictate impressed us with its quick, accurate performance. However, we hit a wall almost immediately. In its initial release, Dictate can’t improve its accuracy when listening to your corrections. If it thinks you mean “racket” when you say “wrecked,” it always will until MacSpeech releases an update.

Dictate comes with a headset microphone and USB adapter, so it can listen accurately to your voice. After a confusing installation where the software seemed like it might have crashed for about two-and-a-half minutes, we began talking. Dictate guides you through its calibration process, prompting you to read onscreen text. The software learns your individual voice, although other users can run the same process themselves if they share one Mac. After only about five minutes of reading, the app let us begin dictating in any application.

We were even more impressed with the speed of the initial setup considering how well the program interpreted our speech. Dictate instantly transcribed our even, clear talking pattern. We had to enunciate a little more than we would in normal conversation, but otherwise spoke at a standard clip. Menu commands and application interaction generally worked well, although there’s a lot for users to learn, such as specific voice commands to activate various functions. Still, if you can’t (or don’t want to) use a keyboard-and-mouse, those deep options offer an excellent alternative.

Still, Dictate’s exciting initial performance leads to some disappointment, since this version can’t improve its accuracy over time the way other voice-activation software can. We let the software skim some of our documents, where it imported new words that weren’t in its default dictionary. But there’s no way to train it to the way you speak a specific word or phrase that it regularly misinterprets. Even if it scores an impressive 98 percent accuracy with your voice from the initial calibration, that means that it’s going to make a mistake every 50 words. That’s a lot of after-the-fact editing. At press time, MacSpeech told us they’re working on a free update that will help the app learn as you make corrections, so help is on the way.

The bottom line. As is, Dictate is an exciting, usually accurate way to transcribe speech to text and control your Mac. While its present inability to improve over time is a bit frustrating, it still seems magical and should only get better with future updates.

COMPANY: MacSpeech

CONTACT: www.macspeech.com

PRICE: $199

REQUIREMENTS: Intel processor, Mac OS 10.4.11 or later

Impressive, immediate transcription accuracy. Isolates speech in somewhat-noisy environments. Controls Finder functions and in range of applications.

Can’t learn from your corrections over time. Confusing installation process looks like the program has frozen. Occasional bugs.

iSkin Cerulean F1: First Look

Roman Loyola — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:49:21 -0500

As I write this, I'm listening to 311's "Large in the Margin" using iSkin's Cerulean F1 Bluetooth earphones. The Cerulean F1 uses Bluetooth to wirelessly connect between the (whoa, track change - now I'm listening to The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's "Bellbottoms." Yup, shuffle's on) earphones and your audio device, which in this case, is an iPod. Since the iPod doesn't have Bluetooth, you need to connect a Bluetooth transmitter. I'm using iSkin's Cerulean TX, part of the Cerulean TX+RX package.

(Track change: Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir." Hey Apple, how 'bout getting Led Zeppelin in iTunes?)

Insert your own Lt. Uhura reference here.

If you think that people who wear single-ear Bluetooth headsets look silly, wait until you put on the Cerulean F1. You'll have a protuberance for each ear. The right earphone has a mini USB port and all the controls: power, volume, track forward and back, and a multifunction button. (track change: a mashup by Aggro1 called "Roxanned to Death." Yeah, I'm a slow typist.) The left earphone has the battery, which recharges via USB. There's a cord that connects the two earphones.

In case you haven't figured it out: the cord goes behind your head.

The Cerulean F1 easily paired with the Cerulean TX. The sound is clear, but lacks warmth and richness. And as the track changes (Elliott Smith's "A Distorted Reality Is Now a Necessity to Be Free"), one things for certain: my ears are starting to hurt. Not really painful, but enough to make my ears feel warm. Perhaps some adjustments need to be made. I'm already using the larger pair of the two earclips that iSkin includes with the Cerulean F1.

The Cerulean F1 have been out for a few weeks, but there's a reason why we've held off on doing a full review. The earphones also have headset functionality, so they could work with the iPhone. We'll have an in-depth review of the Cerulean F1 including testing with the iPhone, in the October issue of Mac|Life, and on maclife.com in the coming weeks.

(Final track change: "Danse Med Meg" from Hurra Torpedo.)

iMuffs

Susie Ochs — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:48:26 -0500

The newest version of Wi-Gear’s iMuffs, model MB210, include an adapter that connects to your iPod’s dock port and lets you listen to your tunes wirelessly. The iMuffs resemble street-style headphones, with a curved piece of plastic that goes around the back of your head. The plastic is flexible, but those with large heads may find that the headband twists when you stretch it to fit around your melon. If that happens, it’s hard to get the earphones to lie flush against your ears, leading to lots of sound leaking out and annoying your fellow commuters. The headphones are light and easy to wear, though, if they fit your head right. It would have been nice to be able to adjust the headband.

The sound is respectable, but may not seem full and crisp enough if you’re used to in-ear canalphones. These are more like the old-school headphones that are basically just small speakers held up against your ears. The right earphone sports buttons for Play/Pause, Forward, and Back, and a small switch for Volume. Even though you can’t see them, the controls are laid out well and generally easy to find and use. The iPod’s clickwheel can still control the playback, but not the volume - for that, you must use the switch on the iMuffs. We got great range with the Bluetooth adapter, up to 25 feet.

Paired with your Bluetooth phone, the iMuffs can work as a handsfree headset. The music from your iPod pauses when the phone rings and restarts when you hang up. You can even pair the iMuffs with your Mac and use them as a Skype headset. The integrated, nearly invisible mic uses Clear Voice Capture technology to cancel noise and echoes, and we were incredibly pleased with the results. You can also stream music from a Bluetooth cell phone if it supports Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for stereo sound. Mac OS 10.4 doesn’t have support for A2DP, so you can only stream mono sound from your Mac (as in, the music still comes in both earphones, but it's mono, so you hear the same sound in both ears), although Leopard should have A2DP. Intel Macs can already support A2DP with a hack found here.

The iMuffs’ lithium polymer battery can be charged via USB or an AC adapter. The headphone battery can get about 16 hours of playtime when fully charged, but the iPod adapter is powered by the iPod’s battery, so expect a hit in your ‘Pod’s life. Our 3-year-old 4G iPod lasted just 3.9 hours with the iMuffs before the ’Pod’s battery pooped out (it normally goes for 6.6), but our newer 2G iPod nano kept chugging for 8.7 hours (it normally gets nearly 16).

The bottom line. If there’s a way to try them before you buy them, do it. Because they work great, especially for hands-free calling and Skype, but if the nonadjustable headband has to twist to get around your noggin, you probably won’t be pleased with the resulting fit, or the leaky sound.

COMPANY: Wi-Gear
CONTACT: www.imuffs.com
PRICE: $179.99
REQUIREMENTS: iPod with dock connector and/or Bluetooth-capable cell phone and/or Bluetooth-equipped Mac with Skype
Pauses your music when your Bluetooth phone rings. Built-in microphone has echo and noise cancellation. Works with Skype.
Can’t adjust headband. Can’t use volume controls on the iPod. Adapter saps iPod battery life.

Pro|Tone m100 earbuds and Pro|Tone m250 headphones

Eugene Robinson — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:54:07 -0500

The m100 earbuds are good for music. We like the m250 over-ear clip-ons for games.

Music producers routinely sit around and bemoan the fact that as a result of the 44.1kHz sampling rate of CDs—and the rise of iPods and earbuds—a producer's efforts are wasted on sonically inept listeners. While this is not nearly as true as they'd like to believe, there are complicating factors: The places where we listen, and how and what we listen to, change almost from song to song, leaving manufacturers scrambling to be as many things to as many people as possible. Which brings us to the Pro|Tone m100 earbuds and the Pro|Tone m250 headphones, Razer's two lower-end offerings.

The m100 earbuds are a stylish addition to any in-pocket music player. And "in-pocket" it's going to have to be, since the likelihood of you being able to use the m100s with an audio source that sits more than an arm's length away from you is nil. But if the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, listening to these tiny dealies was a pretty solid experience. Even though there are lots of street claims about near-canalphones like these having a flat low-frequency response, we listened to lots of different types of music comfortably and without the eventual fatigue that creeps in with too-loud tunes too close to the ear. And price-performance for the $40 m100s is right on the money. For gaming, however, we recommend the m250s, which also come in a brushed chrome finish.

Razer's tattoo-like logo etched onto the outside surface of the m250s screams gaming on the go. At $49.99, and with a higher frequency response than the m100s, these 'phones are solid, even if they did sound a little high-endy and hyped at times. (Translation: It sounds as though the drivers are working really hard to push out the sound, which ends up sounding too heavy on the treble side.) The m250s worked well with an iPod during a workout at the gym, some quiet-time music listening, and a heart-wrenching 30 minutes of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

The bottom line. While nothing's going to approach the sheer in-ear luxury of listening that comes with high-end buds, these two offerings are much more than pleasing - as long as you sit very close to your sound source.

COMPANY: Razer
CONTACT: www.razerpro.com
PRICE: $39.99 (m100), $49.99 (m250)
REQUIREMENTS: Headphone jack
They fit. They really fit.
Short cords.