Tag: Audio

Among stylish monitor headphones there is a novelty appeared – 40 mm AKG K92 – device with 16 Hz – 22 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, 113 dB/mW sensitivity, professional Amplitude Frequency Characteristic ( with high equalization of volumes of different sounds frequencies ) and closed back architecture. Their impedance is 32 Ohms, maximal input power 200 mW; cable with 3 m length is attached to only one of the cups and is not detachable, it is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts. Earspads are made from leatherette and can be replaced, if needed.

AKG K92 have automatic adjustments mechanism for different sizes of heads of different users and are released only in matte black color variant. Headphones mass is 200 g, they are not foldable. Package with AKG K92 contains : screw-on adapter to 1/4″ jack plug also with gold-plated contacts, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, headphones are professional : they have wide audio frequencies playback support, as manufacturer tells, high equality of AFC, high sensitivity and stylish look. Their price is around 80 USD – it is not high for their functions; however, there is need to note, that for much smaller sum there is ability to buy 40 mm monitor headphones with similar characteristics or for the same amount of money – 50 mm monitor headphones, providing better basses reproduction support.

One of the novelties among dynamic monitor headphones is a 40 mm Superlux HD-685 with microphone, 10 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, neodymium magnets, closed acoustic architecture, dynamic audio emitters and price around 85 USD. Their impedance is 68 Ohms, sensitivity is 102 dB/mW and mass is 285 g without wire accounting ( 310 g with it ); it has 1.2 m length, attached only to 1 cup, can be disconnected and is plugged to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts. With headphones 2 cables are supplied, one of them contains volume control module with microphone and mobile devices remote control button.

Superlux HD-685 are foldable for compact carrying and storage, earspads are made from leatherette for comfortable sounds and music listening over long time. In each cup there is only 1 sound emitter, they have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones do, but they have good isolation from external sounds. In place of entering into cup wire is additionally reinforced with resin tube for increased wear resistance and durability during bending and tear-off forces application. It is equipped with clip, for tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects prevention, it has no slider for this purpose.

Package contains : Superlux HD-685 headphones themselves, 2 cables, carrying and storage pouch, cable clip, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, headphones are good : with large membranes, wide reproducible sounds frequencies range, neodymium magnets and microphone, their price is not high for their functions. However, there is need to note, that there is ability to buy cheaper 40 mm monitor headphones, or for the same amount of money – 50 mm monitor headphones, providing better basses reproduction quality. There is also ability to say that, if from device compactness and lightness are needed, then there is ability to buy much cheaper in-ears headphones, oriented for use during sportive trainings and exercises and everyday compact use. Their cable is also often equipped with clip and slider.

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 JVC released new sportive in-ears headphones HA-EBR25 with 13.5 mm membranes, 16 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, microphone and neodymium magnets. Their maximal input power is 200 mW, mass is 13 g, without wire accounting; manufacturer does not tell anything about their impedance and sensitivity; cable with 1.2 m length is mounted to both cups, it is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts, compatible with Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad, as well as with Android and BlackBerry mobile devices.

JVC HA-EBR25 have ears band with adjustable size, protected from sweat and moisture, which is useful for sports exercises, and have microphone and mobile devices control button, built into volume control module. They are released in 4 colors variants : white, blue, black and red; package with JVC HA-EBR25 contains : warranty card and user’s guide. Their price is around 26 USD, which is adequate to their functions; but, in the same time, there is ability to buy similar in-ears headphones cheaper and, by adding small sum, there is ability to buy 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones, providing better sound quality, if compactness is not needed.

Lets look on top-level class of professional studio monitor dynamic headphones and meet with 53 mm Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z, having 5 Hz – 45 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, titanium cups, 2000 mW maximal power input and closed acoustic architecture. Their sensitivity is 101 dB/mW, impedance is 44 Ohms, mass is 294 g; speakers baffle is made from magnesium alloy for resonance reduction, cable with 3 m length is mounted to both cups, is not detachable and is connected to sound source via TRS 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts, left and right channels have separate grounds, which many other headphones do not have.

Inside of Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z there is a magnetic system German Permendur, coils are wound with use of OFC-7N wire for mass reduction and better signal transmittance, magnets’ yoke is made of pure iron, PCB of headphones is located in their top part for better air circulation inside them – all this together allows to much better and loudly reproduce all sounds frequencies. In each cup there is only 1 audio emitter; headphones are produced with use of Double Air Damping System ( D.A.D.S ) technology, increasing quality and loudness of basses reproduction due to their resonance inside cups; they are released only in silver-black color variant. Device has no active noise-cancellation function, like some other monitor headphones do, however they have very good external sounds isolation. Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z have no smartphones and volume control buttons and microphone.

Headband of Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z has auto-adjustment system to different sizes of heads of different users, earpads are made from soft material for comfortable listening over long time. Manufacturer also tells about implementation of different other techniques for increased amplitude-frequency characteristic uniformity. Package with Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z contains : screw on adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack connector, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great and aimed for professional studio use, they have according characteristics and will have according price at time of appearance in shops : > 680 USD. For high quality sounds and music playback such characteristics are not needed and there is ability to buy much cheaper consumer level or studio entry-level 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with good characteristics.

If from headphones compactness and small mass are needed in the first place, then there is ability to look on in-ears headphones, which do not reproduce audio frequencies as good, as monitor ones do, but they cost much less and have small sizes, are light and comfortably place inside ears. Which is especially important during sportive exercises and trainings, also wire of such headphones often has slider and clip, to prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.

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.

Company Audio-Technica released new very professional 53 mm dynamic monitor headphones ATH-A1000Z with 5 Hz – 43 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, 2000 mW max input power, 101 dB/mW sensitivity and closed acoustic architecture. Impedance of headphones is equal to 44 Ohms, mass is 265 g; cable with 3 m length is attached to both cups, in it left and right channels have separate grounds, in contrast to many other headphones, it is connected to sound source via TRS 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts and is not detachable. Manufacturer tells, that there are additional techniques implemented to make amplitude frequency characteristic more even; cups bodies are made from aluminum for reduced chatter during audio playback.

Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z are not foldable and have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones do, but they have good isolation from external sounds; each cup has only 1 audio emitter. Coils of drivers are wound with use OFC-7N wire for mass reduction and better signal transmittance, yoke of magnet is made from pure iron, which allows to reproduce sounds with higher quality. PCB of Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z is located in their top part, which allows air to move more freely in cups and also increases quality of reproduction of audio frequencies. Device uses technology Double Air Damping System ( D.A.D.S ), increasing quality and loudness of basses reproduction due to their resonance inside of headphones. Headband and cups are covered with soft material for comfortable wearing during long-time listening; they have no built-in microphone and smartphones and volume control buttons.

Headband of Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z has auto fit mechanism for comfortable use by users with different head sizes; headphones are supplied only in crimson color variant. Package with Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z contains : screw-on adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack plug also with gold-plated contacts, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are very professional : they have large membranes, very wide reproducible sound frequencies range, very high max input power and good sensitivity, their price is according : goes up to 680 USD. For their characteristics, they are not overpriced, because headphones are oriented for very professional studio application; but they are not needed for simple high quality audio and music reproduction : for this purpose there is ability to buy much cheaper consumer level or professional studio entry level 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with good characteristics. If compactness and small mass of device is needed the most, then there is ability to buy much cheaper in-ears headphones, which do not provide the same quality of sounds frequencies reproduction, as monitor headphones, but they are very light, comfortable and have small sizes. Which is very important during sportive exercises and trainings; also cable of such headphones often has slider and clip, which prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.

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.