One of the novelties, released by JVC company at the beginning of year, are on ears headphones HA-SR225 with 30 mm membranes, microphone and ability to reproduce 10 Hz – 24 kHz sound. Membranes are moved by neodymium magnets, their sensitivity is 103 dB/mW, impedance 32 Ohms and maximal input power is 500 mW. To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector, in its volume control module with microphone remote answer button is built in, compatible with Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad, Android and BlackBerry. Headphones mass without cable accounting is 128 g, they are supplied in 4 colors variants : blue, black, maroon-pink and white; device is 2-ways foldable : compact mode and flat one. Package contains : JVC HA-SR225 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, headphones are good, with wide frequencies range, neodymium magnets and built-in microphone, their price is 20 – 30 USD and it is adequate to their functions; however for approximately the same amount of money there is ability to buy larger 40 and 50 mm headphones of other manufacturers, so here is the choice between compactness and lightness from one side, and better basses reproduction from the other.
Company JVC at the beginning of year released whole line of new headphones, among them there are JVC HA-SR50X – over ears headphones with 40 mm membranes, microphone and ability to reproduce sounds in 8 Hz – 23 kHz frequencies range. Membranes are moved by neodymium magnets; sensitivity of headphones is 107 dB/mW, impedance 16 Ohms and maximal power input 1000 mW. To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector, compatible with Apple iPhone, and volume control module with built-in microphone and smartphones control buttons; cable mount is additionally reinforced for increased durability. Package contains : JVC HA-SR50X headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Their price is around 40 USD, which is adequate to their functions ( some manufacturers would ask 5 – 10 times more for similar devices ); however there is need to note, that similar headphones can be bought for smaller sum and for approximately the same price 50 mm headphones can be bought.
Among over ears headphones there is novelty : JVC HA-S520 – headphones with 36 mm membranes and support of 10 Hz – 25 kHz frequencies sounds reproduction. Their sensitivity is 112 dB, impedance is 32 Ohms, maximal input power 500 mW, membranes are moved by neodymium magnets. To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector, compatible with Apple iPhone; headphones are foldable and their mass is 132 g; they are supplied in 3 color variants : black, maroon and white. Package contains : JVC HA-S520 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Their price is around 30 USD, which is quite good for such device; however, there is need to note, that similar headphones can be bought for smaller sum and for approximately the same sum there is ability to buy 50 mm headphones of other manufacturers.
Company Yamaha released new monitor headphones HPH-100 with closed-back architecture. They can reproduce sounds in 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequencies range, their membranes have 40 mm size, impedance is 46 Ohms, sensitivity is 103 dB and maximal power input is 1000 mW; manufacturer does not tell which magnets are used, but, most probably, neodymium. To one of the cups 2 m cable with 1/8″ mini-jack plug is connected ( there is 1/4″ jack adapter in the package ). Device’s mass is 148 g ( they are very light for monitor headphones with such membranes ). Package contains : Yamaha HPH-100 headphones themselves, 1/8″ mini-jack – 1/4″ jack adapter, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all headphones have no some very notable technical characteristics, but they are produced by very long well-known manufacturer, which produces high-quality devices without some kind of overbranded with marketing stuff, and quite interesting price : 40 – 50 USD.
Company Audio-Technica is one of the manufacturers, creating high-quality devices with adequate prices, recently it released new closed-back dynamic monitor headphones ATH-AVC500 with 53 mm membrane and 10 Hz – 25 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range. Their sensitivity is 106 dB/mW, impedance is 40 Ohms and maximal input power is 1800 mW; manufacturer does not tell which magnets are used, but probably, they are neodymium. To one of the cups 3 m not detachable cable is connected with 1/8″ mini-jack connector ( in package adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack is included ) with gold-plated contacts for connection to sound source, cups themselves are made from aluminum to reduce vibration, headband automatically adjusts for comfortable wearing.
Ears-pads of Audio-Technica ATH-AVC500 are made from soft material for convenient carrying during long-time listening. In cups there are bass ports for high quality and loud low-frequencies reproduction, which allows to made frequency response more even. Headphones are released only in black color variant; they are not foldable, have no microphone and smartphones and volume control buttons, as well as active noise-cancellation function, however they have good noise isolation.
Device’s mass is 270 g without cable accounting; package contains : Audio-Technica ATH-AVC500 monitor headphones themselves, 1/8″ mini-jack – TRS 1/4″ jack adapter, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all device is very good and has great characteristics; yes, it costs around 80 – 90 USD, but for such headphones this is an adequate price; many other manufacturers would ask 2 – 4 times more for such devices. However, there is ability to find headphones with similar characteristics and smaller price, for example, Superlux HD-681 B.
There is also need to note, that Audio-Technica – is a Japanese company, established in Tokyo in 1962 year, as phonographs cartridges producer. Then it started to develop and introduced among its products microphones and headphones, among which now there are wired and wireless models. At current moment it is one of the leading foreign consumer sound electronics and government organizations devices supplier in USA. And in the country of a rising Sun audio devices are usually made with high quality of components and assembling.
Among dynamic monitor headphones with great value/price ratio there is need to note Superlux HD-681 B device with semi-open acoustic architecture, 50 mm membranes and 30 USD cost ( many other overbranded manufacturers would ask 10 times more for devices with simillar characteristics ). Their membranes are moved by neodymium magnets, they can reproduce sounds in 10 Hz – 30 kHz frequencies range, sensitivity is 98 dB, impedance is 32 Ohms and maximal power input is 300 mW. To one of the cups 2.5 m not detachable cable is mounted with 1/8″ mini-jack gold-plated plug for connection to sound source; device’s mass is 276 g; earcups are covered with leather.
In each cup of Superlux HD-681 B there is only 1 audio emitter, device’s mass without wire accounting is 235 g; headband automatically adjusts to listeners with different heads sizes and forms, it and cushions have soft structure for comfortable wearing during long-time listening of sounds and music. Headphones have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones have, they are not foldable and are supplied only in black color variant. Their cable has no clip and slider for tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects prevention.
Package contains : Superlux HD-681 B headphones themselves, carrying and storage case, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great and with such price they have no analogues among monitor headphones with 50 mm membranes, so when one search for such device, these ones are the first to look on. They ‘ll fit very good to professional work in studios and on concerts, as well as high-quality every day sounds and music listening.
Superlux – is a company, which main office is located in Taiwan development and testing laboratories and facilities in Hong Kong and other China cities. This name is a brand of company Goang-Fann Co. Ltd., which in 1997 year acquired Tenlux – company-producer of microphones and started to release headphones, microphones and other audio equipment under this name. Company is known for production of very functional devices with very attractive prices; so, when according sound devices are being choosen, it is useful to look on products of Superlux.
Company Pioneer in the beginning of year released whole series of headphones of different types, among them there are in-ears SE-CL541i with 10 Hz – 24 kHz frequencies range. Their sensitivity is 108 dB, impedance 16 Ohms and maximal imput power is 100 mW. Membrane diameter is 10.5 mm, cable length is 1.2 m with microphone and smartphones control buttons, compatible with Apple devices, in volume control module; to signal source they are connected via 1/8″ mini-jack with gold-plated contacts; cable is reinforced with polymer for better toughness and entanglement prevention, it also has clip for comfortable connection to clothes. Device mass is 7 g; package contains : Pioneer SE-CL541i headphones themselves, 2 sets of 4 interchangeable heads, carrying and storage case, warranty card and user’s guide. Device is quite good for in-ears headphones, but its price is quite big at launch time : around 40 USD, probably, after some time it will go down and they’ll become more acceptable; in the meantime there is ability to look on other headphones of different types of this one and other manufacturers.
Company Pioneer released new monitor headphones SE-MJ751i, able to reproduce sounds in 8 Hz – 28 kHz frequencies range and having 2 drivers in each cup : 30 mm for high frequencies and 40 mm for middle and low frequencies. They have 104 dB sensitivity, 16 Ohms impedance and 1000 mW max power input; manufacturer does not tell which magnets are used for membranes movement, but the most probable neodymium. 1.2 m wire is detachable and connects only to one cup; in its volume control module microphone and phone control buttons, supported by Apple iPhone devices, are built; cable connects to sound source via 1/8″ mini-jack connector. Device’s mass is 200 g; package contains : Pioneer SE-MJ751i headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are very good and there is need to look on their price, at launch time they will cost 129 USD – this is big price for headphones and for smaller sum there is ability to buy high-quality devices; so, probably, they will be worth buying after some time after release, when their price will go down.
Company Pioneer recently released new dynamic over ears headphones SE-MJ503, with 10 Hz – 24 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range and closed back acoustic architecture. 30 mm membranes, moved by neodymium magnets, are built into them, their impedance is 32 Ohms, sensitivity is 100 dB and maximal input power is 500 mW. To both cups detachable 1.2 m cable with volume control module and 1/8″ mini-jack gold-plated plug is mounted for connection to sound source. Mass of headphones is 126 g ( without cable accounting ), they are supplied in 5 color variants : black, white, green, red and blue, and can be folded for more compact storing and carrying.
Headband and cushions of Pioneer SE-MJ503 are covered with soft material for comfortable long-time wearing; each cup has only 1 audio emitter; they have no active noise-cancellation function, as some monitor headphones have, wherein they have quite good noise isolation. Device has no built-in microphone and smartphones control button.
Package contains : Pioneer SE-MJ503 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. They cost around 18 Euros : for 10 Hz – 24 kHz and neodymium magnets – this is a great price; there is ability to find cheaper headphones, but their reproducible sounds frequencies range is narrower and they have ferrite magnets; so, these ones – are one of the best variants for high-quality sound playback.
There is also need to note, that for the close price there is ability to buy 40 mm monitor headphones, providing higher quality of basses reproduction. Adding acceptable amount of money, there is ability to buy 50 mm monitor headphones, providing even better basses playback quality and loudness. If from device compactness and small mass are needed, then there is ability to buy in-ears headphones, which do not provide the same quality of audio playback, as monitor ones do, especially in basses area, but they cost much cheaper, have small sizes, are light and comfortably place inside of ears. Which is especially important during sportive exercises and trainings; cable of such headphones often has slider and clip for prevention of tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.
Pioneer Corporation – is a Japanese manufacturer of electronics, company was founded in 1938 year in Tokyo as service center for repair of radio and speakers. Currently this is one of the largest world wide corporations – producers of electronic devices; it participated in development of many electronics novelties, among them there are : cable TV, optical disks, DVD, plasma displays, Organic LED ( OLED ) displays and other devices. There is also need to note, that in the country of the rising Sun audio technics and electronics overall usually is developed and manufactured with high components and production quality.
Lets review today compact on ears headphones Sven AP-010V, which cost around 5 USD. 27 mm membranes are built into them and they can reproduce sounds in 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequencies range, have 32 Ohms impedance, 105 dB sensitivity and 2 m cable with 1/8″ mini-jack connector and built-in volume control module. They are designed in black and silver colors, have light construction with adjustable headband and soft ears cups for comfortable long time wearing. Package contains : Sven AP-010V headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are good and make their job, wherein their price is very adequate to their functionality and in value/price ratio terms they are better, than many other similar devices.
