Monster Debuts Sound Machine Headphones

Grammy Award-winner Emilio Estefan is the latest celebrity with their own headphone line. Monster Audio has teamed up with the Estefan's over their brand new Sound Machine Headphone line. The line is composed of 2 models: on-ear and over-ear models. The Sound Machine line is the first headphone line which is designed especially for Latin music. With the new inclusion of a latin specific headphone, there is now a celebrity-endorsed headphone dedicated to whichever genre of music you prefer including country music, rap and hip-hop, house or jazz. Target will sell the headphones exclusively for the first 60 days (debuts April 14), and national retailers will thus begin after. Stay tuned for a full review.

Price: On-Ear - $149, Over-Ear - $249
Available: April 14 in Target Stores, June 14 elsewhere

$25 Beets Headphones

Yes, these are Beets Headphones, but no, they are not by Dr. Dre. The Beets Headphones by OrigAudio were first launched as a April Fool's parody, but now are available for purchase. With each Beets Headphone sold, OrigAudio promises to donate a can of beets to the Second Harvest Food Back of Orange County. Since the headphones only cost $25, go ahead and buy 6 of your closest friends a pair of Beets Headphones and it will still cost you less than just one pair of Beats Headphone. Given Beats by Dre's history with trademark lawsuits, its got to be only a matter of time till OrigAudio gets a not so friendly letter in their mailbox from the headphone giant.

Price: $25

Available Now

Beats by Dre Executive Headphones

With the introduction of the Executives, Beats by Dre is finally trying to compete with Bose's control of the business professional crowd. Up to this point, I have never been a huge Beats by Dre fan due to the lack of quality products, however, the new Executive's are a definite step in the right direction.

In general, Beats products are known for their lack of sturdiness and poor construction. That has changed with the Executives, as they are made with a different material with a harder finish. The Studio's and Solo's feel flimsy and cheap, but the Executive's feel hefty in the best possible way. The finger-print prone glossy finish has thankfully been replaced with a scratch-proof metal surface. The Executives have a double hinge, which allows you to fold them flat and up for maximum portability. Comfort-wise, the padding on the headband and earcups is excellent. I felt no ear fatigue after hours of use.

The noise-canceling feature works well, but not at the same quality as a Bose Noise Cancelling Headphone. When the noise-cancelling feature is on, it produces a very slight hiss, which isn't noticeable when listening to music. So, if you are the type of person who likes to use noise-cancelling headphones for silence on airplanes or trains, these are not for you.

Overall sound quality is also much better than other Beats models. Since these are intended for a more upscale clientele, the headphones have a much more balance sound level, with less emphasis on bass. Anyone who enjoys rap, house, pop, rock music will surely be satisfied with the sound quality of the Executives.

Going in, I didn't think I was going to like the Executives, but I was wrong. The difference between these and the Studio's is night and day. Beats by Dre has done a great job updating their product with much better quality all around.

Price: $299
Available Now

Pros

• New Design
• Carrying Case
• Hefty and Sturdy

Cons

• Slight Hiss with Noise-Cancelling
• Expensive

Overall Rating: 8/10

 

Munitio SV Mobile Performance Earphones

With every Munitio product I review, I'm more and more pleased with the results.  I started off with the BILLETS which I thought provided great value. Then, I reviewed the NINES which had great sound quality and a stylish look. Now, I'm pleased to report that the trend has continued with the SV Earbuds.

Design-wise, the SV's have a more traditional style versus the bullet design of the NINES and Billets. Personally, I like all three designs equally but conservative people will prefer these. The SV's have a flat cord which helps limit tangles. I only wish the cord's diameter was a little thinner because it felt a little large.

Munitio has always done a great job with sound quality, and these are no exception. I would put the SV’s more on par with the more expensive Nines than the Billets. Although the company doesn't describe them as noise-cancelling, I couldn't hear anything when using them, so these earbuds are probably best for the subway, gym or airplanes, and not so much for walking around a busy city. 

The big question now becomes: Which are the best Munitio earbuds: the Nines, Billets or the new SV's? Although you can't go wrong with any Munitio product, the SV's are my personal favorite, the reason being the SV's comfort. The earbuds felt great in my ears, more so than the Billets and Nines.  The SV earbuds are lighter than the other two, and this helps immensely with comfort. One of my biggest pet peeves with earbuds is getting ear fatigue from heavy buds, and while each of the Munitio's give minimal ear fatigue, the SV's felt the most comfortable after a prolonged period.

The SV Mobile Performance Earphones are another great product by Munitio, which is slowly becoming one of my favorite audio companies due to its consistent stylish look, good sound quality and best of all, affordability.

Price: $129

Available: Coming Soon

Pros

• Lightweight
• Sound Quality
• Noise Isolating

Cons

• Thick Flat Cord
• Carrying Case
• Not Available in Stores

Overall Rating: 8.5/10