DuneTunes Headphones by HandCandy

While other headphone companies say they blend fashion and technology, they aren't doing anything close to what HandCandy has done. HandCandy is a headphone company that has created a necklace headphone. Yes, you read correctly, a necklace headphone! They have two lines of products, DuneTones for guys and LadyBuds for chicks. The four styles in the DuneTones line have a casual surf look to them, while the six LadyBuds styles range from yoga comfort to cocktail dress cool. 

How do the DuneTones work?  At first, it definitely takes some getting used to because it's hard to tell what goes where and in what direction each piece is supposed to be. The DuneTones are made up of two equally long beaded cords that have earbuds at one end, are attached at the other and connect to a detachable cable for the MP3 player. Half way down the each cord, there is a magnetic clasp that holds the necklace together. Once the necklace is on, the earbuds can either rest on your back or chest. Whenever you want to use the headphones, you just pop each earbud in and your all set. My biggest problem with the design is that, when the earbuds are in use, it looks strange because the cord hangs because of the slack. 

The overall construction of the DuneTones is good, but the sound quality is very average. Because the headphones are on the heavy side, these wouldn't be good for running or the gym. Since these are more of a fashion accessory than anything else, don't expect these to replace your current earbuds.

Much like with most fashion accessories, the HandyCandy DuneTones' design isn't functional on a day-to-day level, which make it hard to endorse.

Price: $40
Available Now

Pros

• Quality Construction
• A Number of Designs
• Unique Look

Cons

• Heavy
• Sound Quality
• Design Not For Everyone

Overall Rating: 6/10

 

Tivoli Audio Radio Silenz Headphones

Tivoli Audio is a company known for their premium tabletop radios and portable powerradios. While I've never tried their products, I've heard their products are known for having excellent designs and great performance. The Radio Silenz Headphones are their first step into the crowded headphone market. The most unique aspect of the design is its incorporation of real wood. While all other headphone companies can only offer a choice of color, Tivoli gives you a choice of wood: walnut, cherry or black ash. Besides this nice design touch, the black plastic construction gives the headphones a cheap look. The overall size of the headphones are much smaller and lighter than I expected. In order to keep the headphones light and travel-friendly, the padding is minimal which doesn't help with comfort. Overall comfort is average at best.

The Radio Silenz Headphones are the first noise-canceling headphones with an on-ear design. Unfortunately, this extra feature does have its drawbacks. It requires a AAA battery which is located in a plastic housing hanging half way down the cable of the left ear-cup. The extra weight is a major annoyance. I've never been a huge fan of noise canceling in general due to it's tendency to cause sound distortion and create a slight hiss in the background. However, the noise-cancelling feature works surprisingly well for the headphones extremely small size.

Overall sound quality is dependent on whether the noise cancellation is turned on or off. With it off, sound quality is balanced and neutral compared to with it on, overall sound quality drops. Either way, there's not much bass, so those looking for thump should look elsewhere.

I had high hopes for the Radio Silenz Headphones, but it's extremely high price tag, and unspectacular features keep it from getting a high rating. Overall, the Radio Silenz Headphones are a good start for Tivoli Audio, but with today's vast options, they just don't cut it.

Price: $160
Available Now

Pros

• Lightweight
• Real Wood Finish
• Slim & Portable

Cons

• Requires AAA Battery
• Pricey
• Flimsy

Overall Rating: 6/10

iHome Soundesign SD63 Retro Headphones

In the last few years, iHome has become a well recognized company for their fantastic iPod accessories. Not surprisingly, iHome has joined the headphone market with their own headphones in collaboration with Soundesign. While iHome succeeded in giving the SD63's a retro feel, the headphones look and feel cheap due to their plastic construction and overall flimsy feel. However, there were two aspects of the design that I liked. First, the volume control can be adjusted using the circular piece on the outer portion of the right earcup. Secondly, the cord is spiral and thick which helped give it a classic 70's feel.

Unfortunately besides these two design touches, there weren't many positives to the SD63's. No matter how much adjusting I did, I could not find a natural fit. Comfort-wise, the headphones are below average, especially if you have a larger size head. The reasoning behind this is that the earcups are slightly angled which limits you from having a proper seal. As for sound quality, I expect much more for $50, especially now with the growing number of options at similar prices. Sound quality is just not very good, mainly because of the the design flaw I discussed earlier. While I can appreciate iHome's attempt to create a retro designed headphone, the SD63's have too many design execution errors to warrant a high rating.

Price: $50
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Pros

• Thick Coiled Cord
• Retro Feel
• Volume Knob

Cons

• Uncomfortable
• Sound Quality
• Look & Feel Cheap

Overall Rating: 6/10

 

Logitech Ultimate Ears 100 Headphones

Logitech has entered the headphone market with their line of earbuds, called the Ultimate Ears line. The series ranges from the most budget friendly price of $20 to the wallet braking price of $500. Today, I will be taking a look the the 100's, which are at the bottom of the totem pole.

The Ultimate Ears 100 Headphones are made entirely of plastic and have a cheap look and feel to them. The variety of colors and designs that Logitech has with these headphones are fun, but seemed more intended for children or young teens than adults. One aspect I did like was that they seemed extremely durable and resistant to everyday travel. Comfort with these earbuds wasn't bad, but they did fall out easily when performing any kind of physical activity like running, biking, etc.

With such a low price tag, I wasn't expecting much from the sound quality. Surprisingly, I was impressed by the amount of bass as they pack a punch that most young children and teens will enjoy. Sound quality is another story. While they surely sound better than the stock headphones you get with any MP3 player, it's not $30 better. If your gonna spend the extra money to get some in-ear headphones, you may as well spend the extra $20 and get yourself a better one.

Price: $20
Available Now

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Designed for Teens & Children
• Good Amount of Bass

Cons

• Sound Quality
• Fall Out Easily
• Cheap Look & Feel

Overall Rating: 6/10

RF3 LIVE Headphones by Joseph Vincent

Joseph Vincent is an up-and-coming artist known for his laid-back musical style, similar to Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz, and his RF3 LIVE In-Ear Headphones emulate that style with their minimalist and elegant style.  Overall, the LIVE's try to revolutionize earbuds with new technologies while still keeping a minimalist and elegant style.

Being designed and inspired by Joseph Vincent, they had to have that simple, yet elegant look to them. RF3 has done a nice job incorporating a real wood look and feel with the earbuds. This design gives it that elegant touch that I enjoy. Besides the wood, the headphones look completely different from any you will have ever seen because of the incorporation of RF3's "Aircom Technology."

RF3 Headset's patented Aircom Technology is designed to reproduce your music in the most naturally balanced way possible. RF3 promises it will not only soothe your ears, but your whole body. I'm not ready to say that, but they did sound pretty darn good. Although they don't provide much bass, every song I listened to sounded crisp and accurate.

Besides the patented Aircom Technology, the unique feature that separates these headphones is the science behind them. Keeping in line with the organic, healthy lifestyle, RF3 claims that all of its products block dangerous RF energy and EMF's-electromagnetic fields that may transmit to your brain. Since I'm not scientist, I can't attest to the the technology behind this, but it can't hurt, right? As of today, there is no sufficient proof that headphones can cause any type of cancer, so therefore I'm not sure how successful or useful RF3's "technology" will be, but kudos to them for trying.

If you are not the type of person fearful of the radio waves transmitted by cel phones and headsets, there are some drawbacks to the technology that may not be worth the trouble to you. Since the air tubes are thicker and heavier than your average cord, it makes them less mobile and harder to walk with. In addition, it can have the strange appearance of earrings hanging from your ears when worn. In regard to comfort, they took a while to find the right ear tip, but once I did, I felt no discomfort.

Although there are certainly some pros to the RF3 LIVE's like the natural look and natural sound, the design flaws associated with the new technologies can't be overlooked.

Price: $70
Available Now

Pros

• Wood Earbuds
• Good Sound Quality
• Sustainable Packaging

Cons

• Air Tubes Look Strange
• No Backup to Claims About Blocking Dangerous Rays
• Price

Overall Rating: 6/10

Philips/O'Neill Covert Headphones

The Covert headphones are one of the two in-ear headphones in the Philips/O'Neill line. These earbuds have soft ear caps that are designed to fit directly in the ear, as apposed to the long earpieces which have to be forced deep into the ear. Like with all in-ear headphones, comfort depends on the individual. What could be extremely comfortable to one person, could cause major discomfort to another. With that said, most people would agree that this style of earbud is more comfortable than the extra long earpieces you find in some earbuds like the Tour Beats. One aspect I find strange is the fact that the Covert headphones are only offered in one color, a mint green with little white specks. Sound quality is good, but for $50, there are better and cheaper options. The tangle free cord features an in-line track, volume, and mic control designed for any Apple product. While the Philips/O'Neill Covert headphones offers a nice product in an eye-catching design, there a better options available for a similar price.

Price: $49.99
Available Now


Pros

• Small and discreet size
• Inline Controls
• Tangle Free Cord

Cons

• Average Sound Quality
• Pricey
• No Color Options

Overall Rating: 6/10

Miles Davis Monster Tribute Headphones

The Miles Davis Tribute Headphones were made by Monster to be a collector's item that could be appreciated by audiophiles and fans alike. Miles Davis was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His impact in jazz is like no other.  Monster wanted to immortalize Miles Davis by making a signature headphone that is highest in quality and construction.

Since these are Monster's top of line headphones, they don't come cheap. Monster has thrown in more accessories into the package than any other headphone I have ever seen. It includes 3 luxurious cases for protecting your earbuds. The package also includes a special 2-CD Legacy Edition of Miles Davis' classic 1959 recording, Kind of Blue. The style of the headphones is elegant and stylish.  One side features Monster's logo and the other has the Miles Davis logo. The earbuds themselves are heavy because they are plated in 24k gold. Fortunately, there is no discomfort from the weight because of the vast options of eartips that are customized for nearly any ear size. These earbuds feature Monster's patented Super Tips that were created to provide superior noise isolation, powerful bass, and precise sound reproduction. One feature that I really liked about these headphones is that they have a lifetime warranty. Monster will replace the headphones even if you break them yourself! The Miles Davis Monster Tribute Headphones are quite expensive, but well worth it, as they are some of the best headphones on the market.

Price: $399
Available Now

Pros

• Amount of Accessories
• Monster Super Tips
• Lifetime Warranty

Cons

• Expensive
• Earbuds are Heavy

Overall Rating: 6/10

Lady Gaga HeartBeats Monster Headphones

Lady Gaga is one of the most famous and recognizable musicians in the world today, so it should come as no surprise that she has her own headphones. She has partnered with Monster Audio to join Beats by Dre's Artist Series. With Lady Gaga being the fashionista that she is, her headphones had to be eye catching and over-the-top. The HeartBeats headphones succeed in this regard. Their unique design is unlike any headphone on the market today. The earpieces are large, shiny, and triangular. They feature the signature flat ribbon cord that the Beats line is known for. Unlike other Beats earphones, the HeartBeats headphones feature a Lady Gaga accent piece halfway up the cord.

Like with most fashionistas, Lady Gaga has designed her HeartBeats with her main objective being style over functionality. The large size of the earpieces makes it tough for people with small ears to fit inside. The triangle shape of the earpieces tend to cause some discomfort against the ear. In addition, the earpieces fall out of the ear with any sort of quick movement. The sound quality is also rather poor. There is an overpowering low-end response to most genres of music which causes songs to sound muddy. Unless you love the design or are infatuated with the biggest pop sensation in the world today, then you probably shouldn't buy these headphones. The Lady Gaga HeartBeats come in 3 colors: Black Chrome, Bright Chrome & Rose Red (pink)

Price: $99.95
Available Now


Pros

• Eye-Catching Design
• Flat Cord
• Carrying Case

Cons

• Uncomfortable
• Sound Quality
• Falls out of Ear Easily

Overall Rating: 6/10