Posts Tagged headphones
DJ Sport Headphones by chicBuds
My kids like to listen to a pop radio station in the car — one that plays the same Ke$ha, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga songs over and over and over. Thankfully, our minivan has an audio system that allows me to listen to my music (or none at all) in the front seat, and they can listen to their radio station in the back. But it requires headphones. Unfortunately, my kids (not me!) have a problem with keeping track of headphones, or more specifically earbuds. They lose them, step on them or complain about them: “They keep falling out of my ears!” or “They’re too big!” or “They hurt!”
Enter DJ Sport Headphones by chicBuds. Since receiving a pair of the hot-pink style last week for review, they’ve become a staple in the car and no one’s complained about them. In fact, my kids – ages 9 and 11 – have fought over who gets to wear them vs. the white earbuds that came with their iPod touches. Even my son doesn’t have issues with wearing the girly pink color – though I’m sure if he got wind there’s a red-green-yellow (Rasta!) version, he’d prefer those.
My daughter reports the padded ear cups are very soft and comfortable; the adjustable headband sizes small enough to fit the kids’ tween-size heads. I’ve plugged in and put them on to listen to the sound quality, and I think it’s great.
I like that these headphones fold up to fit in a seat pocket in our minivan, but they’re travel-friendly for carry-on bags or purses, too. The stereo plug fits into our car’s audio system, as well as iPhones, iPods and other mp3 players,plus portable video-game players and video players.
Purchase the chicBuds DJ Sport Headphones on the chicBuds website for $34.99. The company chicBuds makes many other products, including these retractable earphones with Swarovski crystals $24.95 on Amazon.com.
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Posted by Kara in Kids and Family on November 1st, 2011
Nu-Force Bluetooth Headphones
I’m on my third pair of Sennheiser earbuds. I really like them, at least I want to like them, but they keep breaking at the mini-jack. The first pair gave out when they were so very new that I was convinced there was something wrong with my phone. The warranty has proven good, and this third pair seems to be less willing to fail. It’s the connection wire that’s failing so the clear solution? Try wireless.
The husband really likes the BT-860 headset that came from Nu-Force. His new laptop has built in Bluetooth, so the wireless headset (with a built in mic) is great for things like watching back episodes of Eureka or doing Skype calls with the far away in-laws. Pairing the headphones with your device is simple — I tried it with my phone and my iPad, no problems there. The range is pretty good, I left my phone on a chair in the backyard and wandered around on the lawn, the signal started to get a little muddy at about 20 feet away from the source, but it was still connected.
The controls for the headphones are on the ear piece — skip forward and back, the volume controls, and the call overrides. I didn’t find them particularly intuitive and I wish the little relief buttons were a bit more prominent, making it easier to know what’s what. This probably becomes second nature with more use. Don’t be trying these things for the first time while driving, okay, hands free or no.
As for comfort, I’d say they’re okay. The headband is adjustable for fit, the ear pads are your classic foam pads. Weirdly, they’re square, a design choice, but they do cover my ears. These aren’t isolation or noise blocking, they’re more for use at your hotel room desk than they are for making the noise of the airplane or bus go away. The sound quality was totally acceptable and I appreciate the fact that they’re rechargeable.
In fact, I’m not convinced that they’re for travel use. They don’t have a carrying case and they don’t collapse to a particularly small size. If I’m going to sacrifice luggage space, I want active noise cancellation. I’m going to pass on including these in my carry-on. though if you’re looking for day and/or office use, they’re totally fine.
I’m still on the hunt for those affordable, compact, active noise cancelling headphones, but if you’re looking for an affordable set to pair with your laptop, these aren’t a bad choice. Like I said, the husband rather likes them, but he’s using them on the couch.They’re 79.00 on Amazon.
More headphone reviews? Try these:
Posted by Pam in Business Gear, General Gear on September 9th, 2011
Urbanears Bagis Earbud Headphones
These sleek new Bagis earbuds from the Swedish company Urbanears will certainly turn heads. This compact device is designed to provide the most direct sound to the ear while creating efficient noise reduction simultaneously. Its most striking feature, however, are the 18 different color choices available setting them apart from any other headphone out there.
Unlike other headphones that can get their cords easily twisted whether in use or in storage, this pair features a fabric cord that reduces distortions from friction that can alter the sound quality. Others also can disappear into your jacket when running with them on, but this pair snaps together so they are always easy to find.
The stereo plug hooks up with most music players, iPhones, iPods, Blackberries, or even airplane jacks making them ideal for travel instead of using the cheap airline versions that cost a few dollars each.
The sound quality is crisp and constant, and the lightweight nature of the earbuds is not uncomfortable in the ear they way some headphones can be. It fits snugly in your ear canal with a feather-like snugness. The affordability of these headphones makes them perfect for frequent travel as they are both durable and easy to replace if lost.
Another great feature is that the cable has a microphone built into it so that it can be used for voice calls when plugged into a smart phone. The 3.5mm headphone plug and an inline remote also allow you to control tracks on your iPhone or other smart phone. It is the perfect way to make hands-free calls while driving on the highway or walking through an airport terminal.
There are even three different sleeve lengths so you can find the perfect one that meets your needs whether you need a long cord to reach your phone sitting in the passenger seat or just a short one to keep tucked into your jacket pocket while jogging.
Urbanears makes some great products, and these stylish headphones are no different. It seems the whole world is filled with zombies walking through the airport these days with headphones in their ears or talking on a hands-free call. Add some pizzazz with these fun colors and stand out from the pack!
Get the Urbanears Bagis earbuds at Amazon.
See other earbuds reviews on Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on June 27th, 2011
Able Planet True Fidelity NC200B Noise-Canceling Headsets
Able Planet NC200B Noise-Canceling Headphones
Open the briefcase of any seasoned road warrior, and you are guaranteed to find a few things: a smart phone, laptop or iPad, and noise-reducing headphones. As a frequent traveler myself, I have always resisted the urge to carry bulky headphones that do not completely mask sound and take up significant room in my carry-on.
My curiosity finally got the best of me after watching person after person don large headphones on flights. My concern is that headphones rarely cancel out noise such as loud talkers, gum smackers, or newspaper rustlers. We have all been seated around these people before, those frustrating travelers who take little concern for those seated around them. But, there is no eliminating them so I sought out the next best solution.
Able Planet offers a line of affordable headphones making them the perfect entry-level product for someone wanting to try them out. The True Fidelity NC200B headphones come in a convenient carrying case with a strap to secure them. They fold up easily and feature numerous jacks to plug them into any device or airplane audio system.
The first time I wore them, I did not know what to expect. As I had predicted, the noise was not eliminated rather reduced. But, even the most expensive Bose headphones do not eliminate noise. They simply muffle it. My assumption that noise would be completely gone was unfounded, but I slowly began to appreciate the white noise bubble that the Able Planet headphones create.
To make a fair comparison, I tested out a friend’s Bose headphones. They offered little uptick in sound reduction making me excited about the affordability, durability, and sound quality of the Able Planet pair.
Once I got over my misunderstanding that every single sound would be eliminated, I quickly fell in love with the peace and quiet that has befallen me on my flights. It makes it ten times easier to fall and stay asleep with these on, and I appreciate that I can connect them to the audio jack on the plane (there’s a two-prong converter as well since aircraft jacks vary) to listen to music or watch a movie as I doze off.
It requires only one AAA battery (comes with the headphones), and the headphones themselves are lightweight. They wrap around my ear sealing off loud noises without being uncomfortable. I now understand why people love their noise-canceling headphones, but this impressive pair of Able Planet equipment does a remarkable job of creating a calm oasis in a noisy atmosphere performing just as well as many Bose products but at half the price.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, Travel Light on May 30th, 2011
5 Things I Always Pack: Pam Mandel
Pam Mandel is a freelance writer stricken with wanderlust and a bizarre affection for the ukulele. She’s written stories for World Hum, National Geographic’s Intelligent Traveler, MSN, WGBH Boston (an NPR affiliate), Perceptive Travel, and lots of online travel publications. She’s a recovering guidebook author (British Columbia and Hawaii for Thomas Cook). Next up on her travels is Antarctica, as a blogger for TravelWild.
The really cool part? She’s about to start regularly blogging for us here at Practical Travel Gear. We had her give us our picks before that went down though, so here’s what she packs for her worldwide adventures:
1. Noise-canceling headphones
Good news, everyone! The price on these things has come way down since that fancy brand hit the market with their luxury headphones. I’ve got a pair from Able Planet, and while I’ve never compared them with the pricier brands, I can tell you my set really does cut down on noise, big time. They’re on the must have list for long-haul flights; I rarely travel without them. Bonus? They come in plaid.
2. Pashmina shawl
I am not a fancy person, not by a long shot. But that does not mean I can’t appreciate a soft, cuddly, and elegant even, wrap. I have a few of these, they take up almost no space in my luggage. I use them for extra warmth on the plane, as an evening wrap in the tropics, wrapped around my head when I’m somewhere windy and feeling a little bit wacky… they’re versatile and not as expensive as you’d think.
3. Pepto Bismol
Oh so unglamorous. But what’s worse than having to sit through a long bus trip or flight when you need to leg it for the loo every 23 minutes? It’s also good for settling general travel nausea, and hey, it’s pink and comes in TSA-friendly chewable tablets.
4. Merino wool long underwear
Lightweight, warm, washable, not too heavy if the weather goes sunny on you… I don’t leave home without it. I wear the bottoms as leggings under a skirt sometimes, or the whole set as jammies. I pack ‘em even for the tropics, you never know when it’s going to get chilly — sometimes I just wear them as a base layer on a long flight — planes are often too cold. Lots of folks make them, SmartWool (pictured at right) and Ibex are my favorites.
5. A plastic bag
Yeah, yeah, I know, plastic is evil, use something recyclable. Thing is, sometimes there are dirty shoes or a wet swimsuit or a leaky bottle of sunscreen or who knows what oddball item you have to wrap up and keep isolated from the other stuff in your bag? If it’s any consolation, I have started to throw in a reusable shopping bag too. Confession: Sometimes I poach the laundry bags from hotel closets because they’re slightly heavier weight and have those drawstring closures on them.
Pam blogs about Hawaii at Holoholo Wale and Nerd’s Eye View. If asked to list a sixth item, she’d have included her ukulele.
Posted by Kara in General Gear on January 25th, 2011
