Thursday, August 30, 2012

Boomphones Phantom Headphones

The Boomphones Phantom Headphones are definitely not your average pair of headphones. They are the first headphones with a built in boom-box. The Phantoms, which are Boomphones' second-generation headphones, are a complete upgrade in every way.

First off, the packaging is excellent from top to bottom. From the hard stylish case to even the two enclosed Boomphones stickers, the packaging resembles a pair of headphones worthy of being twice the price. The logo, a bomb wearing headphones, is fun and stylish without being over the top.

The Phantoms have a black matte finish, meaning fingerprints are never a problem. The size of these headphones is about the same as Beats Studio's, however they have much more padding around the ear and especially in the headband. As with most CelebHeadphones, they are made of plastic, yet they feel extremely durable and can definitely take a beating.  Considering the size, I'm very impressed with how light they are. Comfort wise, they are much more comfortable than similarly priced headphones. 

Of course, no matter how great the packaging or construction is, the big selling point of the BoomPhones Phantom is its speaker capabilities. Your probably reading this answer to find out if the speaker works well, and the short answer is Yes. While these obviously aren't on par with a full speaker system, they definitely get the job done and are actually pretty loud. You can even hook up instruments to the headphones as a little amp whenever your ready for a jam session. The speaker's sound quality is average, but c'mon, they are Headphones! There is a small switch under the left ear-cup which is used to turn on the speaker feature. Once on, LED lights appear around the Boomphones logo. A white LED light indicates that they are in headphone mode, and a red lights indicates speaker mode. Switching between the 2 modes couldn't be easier. All you have to do is press the logo on the left ear-cup. The one thing to remember is that the Phantom's need to be charged for the speakers to work, and they come with a USB cord, which makes charging easy.

As for the headphones themselves, sound quality is pretty darn good. Though not at the level of say a V-Moda CrossFade, or a Beats by Dre Studio, you need to remember that not only double as a speaker but are also half the price. Genres such as house, hip-hop, pop and reggae sound much better than classical and jazz, but that's ok, since frankly, I don't think many jazz-heads are going to be lining up to get BoomPhones.

If you want to be the envy of all your friends, the Phantom's are sure to do it. Everything about the Phantom Boomphones is top quality, and for only $150, these are a steal. They are available in Matte Black & White. 


Price: $150

Available Now

Pros
  • LED Lighting
  • Comfortable/Lightweight
  • Speaker Works Well
Cons
  • Sound Quality Isn't Excellent
  • Large for Some

Overall Rating: 9/10






Friday, August 24, 2012

AudioFly AF33 In-Ear Headphones

AudioFly is an Australian Headphone company that currently sells 4 in-ear models. Today, I will be taking a look at their entry level headphones, the AF33's.

The overall style of the AF33's reminded me a lot of the House of Marley earbuds which I really like. However when compared to the design of the House of Marley earbuds, I prefer these due to their sleek  look and great options in color combinations. After taking a look at all the varieties available, I didn't find any I disliked (which is usually tough to do).

As with most earbuds these days, you have the option to either buy the AF33 without the inline mic or spend the extra $10 to include it.   The earbuds are much lighter than I expected and they fit comfortably in my ears. The plastic cord isn't a tangle free cord so you'll still have to spend time getting those knots out from time to time. Now onto sound quality.

The AF33's aren't going to win any sound competitions, but at only around $30, you shouldn't expect them to. I found the overall sound quality to be decent. If you compare them to the Apple earbuds, they are much better, but if you compare them to a higher priced model like the Sol Republic Amps or Velodyne vPulse Earbuds, there's no comparison.

If you're more interested in style over sound quality, and don't want to break the bank, the AudioFly AF33's are a good option.

Price: $30-$40
Available Now

Pros
  • Color Options
  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable
Cons
  • Mediocre Sound Quality
  • Hard to Find
  • Mic Costs Extra

Overall Rating: 7/10




Friday, August 17, 2012

Sol Republic X Deadmau5 Tracks HD Headphones

Sol Republic has released a limited edition deadmau5 headphone that can only be described as a "beautiful accident." If you follow CelebHeadphones on Twitter, then you already know that this limited edition headphone was actually released a few weeks ago, but not as you might expect. It was created to be the world's first headphones for cats. Yes, you read it right, cats. Only 5 were made, and each one was a mere $1000. Another place you might have seen these headphones was in the Olympics. Michael Phelps was seen wearing Sol Republic Headphones before each race,  but specifically prior to his gold medal 100M Butterfly race, he had on the Sol Republic x deadmau5 Headphones. Now, lucky for you and me, we no longer have to shell out a month's rent or be the best olympic athlete to get our very own deadmau5 headphone.

The design was the work of Joel Zimmerman aka deadmau5, and renowned digital artist Joshua Davis. It's unique look is definitely one of a kind, and I love it. Check out the video below to see the creative process behind the design. For a full review of the Tracks Headphones themselves, Click Here.

Price: $150
Available Now






Thursday, August 16, 2012

Michael Phelps Sporting SOL Republic Headphones

Here are a few shots of Michael Phelps at the London 2012 Olympics with SOL Republic Headphones. Full review of the Tracks Headphones Here.


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

KickStarter Project Makes Your Beats/Bose Headphones Wireless

I came across this KickStarter project that lets you convert your Beats Solo, Studio or Bose Headphones into wireless headphones.  The device is created by a company called EarTop Technologies. The company was created by two college students whose aim is to "become the international market leader in the production and sales of wireless solutions for business professionals and average consumers." Their first product is called "Flow." It is a headphone accessory that lets you eliminate the need for cords. Some of the "Flow" features include a 12 hour battery, 2 noise canceling microphones, Blue tooth technologies, APTX high quality wireless audio codec, and a 30 foot wireless range. At this point, the upstart company is looking to expand to other models of headphones and possibly, develop their own headphones altogether. From first glance, some positives include the incorporation of LED lights, 30 foot wireless range and a long 12 hour battery.

While I admire the idea, I just don't think it's going to be a hit for many reasons. First off, the adaptor only works for a very limited amount of headphones. Beats by Dre already sells a wireless Solo model and I'm sure at some point in the near future they will unveil a wireless Studio one as well. Even if they were to develop a Flow adaptor for each of the most popular headphones, I think that companies are going to start making all of their headphone wireless which will eliminate the need for the adaptor. Because their target market is too small, I would have to say at this point their current business model is slightly flawed, but that doesn't mean they can't succeed.

In my opinion, the company's best next step would be to either try and sell the technology to an established audio company which can incorporate it into their current headphones, or to develop their own line of headphones. With all this said, I wish all the best to EarTop Technologies and hope they find tremendous success.

If you would like to back the project, or just learn more information about the device, Click Here.



                                   

Monday, August 13, 2012

Bob Sinclar Signs Deal With Sennheiser

Bib Sinclar is a French producer and house music DJ who is known worldwide. Bob Sinclar isn't someone who is new to the growing house music phenomena, he's been around since the beginning.  Even if your not into house music, you have definitely heard some of his popular hits including "World, Hold On", and "Love Generation." Sennheiser has announced that the famous French DJ would be their first celebrity endorser. With the deal, Bob Sinclar will endorse Sennheiser's new range of Amperior headphones, which are their range of DJ quality headphones with street-inspired designs.

Many of the world's biggest DJ's have now signed endorsement deals with headphone companies. Steve Aoki has SOL Republic, David Guetta has Beats by Dre and now, Bob Sinclar has Sennheiser. Which DJ do you think is next?




Wednesday, August 8, 2012

"Soul of Greatness" Ambassadors Vs. SkullCandy NBA Crew & Supermodel

In the past few years headphones have become big business, and with this, we've seen a great number of new brands and competitors. Whether its SMS Audio, Beats by Dre, SkullCandy, Soul Electronics, or Sol Republic, all of these companies have one thing in common, their emphasis on celebrity endorsement deals. Like it or not, assembling a celebrity "crew" is now a part of the business of headphones. Most likely if you are a superstar athletes or major celebrity, you can easily get signed to a headphone company. Today let's take a look at the celebrities and athletes who SkullCandy and Soul Electronics have deals with.

Who has the better celebrity crew: Soul Electronics or SkullCandy?



"SOUL of Greatness" Ambassadors

Cesc Fabregas: Star Soccer Player for FC Barcelona & the Spanish National Team
Usain Bolt: World's Fastest Man, 5 Time Gold Medalist
Tim Tebow: 2 Time BCS National Championship Winner, Heisman Trophy Winner & NY Jets QB
Ludacris: Rapper/Producer with over 20 Million Records Sold Worldwide & 6 Grammy Awards

                                                                  VS.



SkullCandy NBA Crew & Supermodel
Kevin Durant: 2 Time NBA All-Star & Already One of the Best Players in the NBA
Derrick Rose: #1 Overall NBA Draft Pick & 2011 NBA MVP
Kyrie Irving: 2012 Rookie of the Year,  Averaged over 17 PPG in Rookie Year
Kate Upton: 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover model, Appeared in Countless Magazines

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Will.i.am Collaborates with Beats by Dre for EKOCYCLE Recycled Headphones

A few days ago, it was announced that Will.i.am, of the Black-Eyed Peas, teamed up with Coca-Cola to form EKOCYCLE. This new initiative encourages recycling through products made in part from recycled materials. Beats by Dre will be one of the many brands that will join the Ekocycle brand campaign. This fall, Beats will begin selling an Ekocycle model of its signature Studio Headphones, which will be made partially from recycled materials.  More more information about the initiative, Click Here.




Friday, August 3, 2012

SOUL Announces New Partnership with Tim Tebow

Tebow-Mania continues! SOUL Electronics has signed New York Jets Quarterback, Tim Tebow, to an endorsement deal. With the deal, Tebow will be a development partner for his own specialty branded SOUL products. He will also be featured in their "SOUL of Greatness" video series as well as represent the SOUL Brand throughout the year during various events.

SOUL is assembling quite the lineup of today's biggest stars!  Tebow joins Olympic Track Star Usain Bolt, Spanish Soccer star Cesc Fabregas and NBA All-Star Dwight Howard. Since it seems like ESPN can't get enough Tebow, I expect SOUL products to get a lot of exposure to its target demographic.