How many times have you purchased a new set of headphones, only to get them home and allow them to assault your ears? The problem is this, the in-ear kind are the hardest to see how well they perform, as most stores do not allow you to try them for health and hygiene reasons. With this in mind we hope to guide you through the process of choosing the right ones, depending on your budget of course.

The first set that we have for you are the Klipsch Image S5i Rugged In-Ear Headphones. These range in price, but you are looking to pay just over the $100 region. These headphones are for all weathers, so it will not matter if you are out jogging and it suddenly starts to rain. Also with noise-isolating technology, you will still hear a certain amount of road noise, but not enough to spoil your music. More details here

If you are on a smaller budget, how about these Pioneer Sports SE-CL331 in-ear headphones? What we like about these sports headphones is that you can wash them entirely after a heavy session, and they will not damage the product in any way. These are not going to give you the same sound reproduction as those above, but what would you expect for around half the price? Visit Pioneer for more details.

Jays A-Jays Four earphones is also another great choice for those on a smaller budget, and even though they are almost the same price as those above, we cannot help but feel that they have a better quality look and feel. The design is durable, but they do lack bass, but what do you expect. Visit their official website for more information.

The final set of in-ear headphones that would make an ideal Christmas gift is for those with a much lager budget. The Klipsch Image X10 Headphones scores vey highly on many reviews, and it’s not hard to see why. You could have them in for hours and you wouldn’t feel a thing, also the fact that the bass is superb, as is the overall sound quality. However, the downside is the price, as you will have to pay around $350. You can get all the details by visiting their official website.

These are just a taste of what is out there, but these are four that stand out for us. Visit our complete holiday gift guide for 2011 here.

If you are looking for headphones that offer a cool yet discreet look, then you need look no further. We are told that the CX 310 will offer a powerful, bass-driven stereo sound, which we find amazing, as in most cases you can pick these up for less than £30. Just because these bear the Adidas Originals logo that they would be sports headphones, but you would be wrong.

If you want a pair for sport then you need to stick with the CX 680, as the 310s do not have any over-the-ear clips or neck band to stop them from falling out while jogging. No, these are for everyday use, which is to be expected considering the price. First impressions were a little mixed; we loved the style and the colours, but were a little put off with just how light they were. More often than not light headphones do not offer much in the way of sound quality.

The headphones are a mix of metal and plastic, the Sennheiser logo appears on the metallic strip, while Adidas appears on the back plastic part. The quality of the rubber tips leave a lot to be desired, as they are a little on the thin side, so will struggle to form a perfect seal when in the ear. There are three sets in all, small, medium and large.

There is no separate volume control, but is not much of an issue. However, what disappointed us the most is the little carry bag for the headphones. Although it is light and durable, the quality of the Sennheiser and Adidas names leaves a lot to be desired, as they are a little on the blurry side. So now let’s see how well these perform.

Even though those rubber tips are thin we are told that they are sound-isolating, just try not to push them in too far. The feel while in the ears did not seem as comfortable as the CX 680 Sports, but why would they? The sound quality from the headphones was a bit disappointing considering who makes them and the dynamic speaker systems. The sound range is limited and the bass levels seems to overpower everything else – even though they do not go as deep as some other headphones on the market.

Trying to listen to detailed sound can be a bit of a struggle, but they do offer a decent overall sound. We do not want any of this to put you off, as we have to keep reminding you off the price. Having said that, we do feel that you are paying about £10 over the top, as you are paying a premium for the Adidas branding. If you loved the CX 300 model, then the CX 310 is certainly a worthy upgrade.

For more details visit Sennheiser UK.

Main features include:

• 2-year warranty
• Convenient carrying pouch included
• Excellent fit in the ear canals and high attenuation of ambient noise (ear adapters in different sizes included)
• High-quality dynamic speaker systems for powerful, bass-driven stereo sound
• Optimised for MP3, iPod, iPhone, CD players and portable gaming systems (iPod and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries)
• Symmetrical cable

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First impressions were a little mixed, as when you first take them out of the beautifully packaged box we were surprised at just how light they were. Now in our experience light in-ear headphones like these means that they will not be able to hold their own against the likes of those Denon ones that we reviewed. However, we should not always read a book by its covers, as they could be hiding something, and if know Sennheiser then we can expect something very special here.

First we would like to note that we were impressed that in the box there was:

• 2 sets of extra earbud sizes
• 2 sets of extra earhooks
• Alligator clip for securing cable.
• Cable extension for the earbuds, with included volume control.
• Carrying case
• Cleaning tool
• Instruction manual
• The earbuds themselves

Surprisingly there was also an instructions manual, which is a little rare for headphones. This shows you how you should remove the earbuds and use the cleaning tool to remove the diaphragm guards. Before we get on to see how well they perform we would just like to point out one or two other features that we were impressed with.

The first is that you can either go with a short lead configuration, or use the extension, which means that you also gain a volume control. This comes with a handy clip, so ideal if you wish to go out jogging. The carry case is the icing on the cake here, because we have seen just how tangled the wires can get when left in a drawer somewhere.

Knowing which was left and right was a little difficult, as there are no signs on each headphone, but thanks to the instructions manual we know that the earbud with S on it is the left and the Adidas logo is the right. Normally I have to change the earbuds to one that fits more tightly, but the set that was already on the device was perfect – it’s as if they were molded just for my ears.

You can instantly tell that sitting with them in your ears for hours at a time will not hurt your ears in any way. Having them in you can still hear outside noise, which we feel is important if you plan to jog in the street – just hope that this does not affect the sound quality.

The moment that we selected a song we knew that both Sennheiser and Adidas have produced something very special, this is thanks to the High-output ear-canal drivers and also being Acoustically closed. We only had the volume halfway and there was no hissing like there is in cheaper products. Bass levels were very good, so no fear of getting a headache due to a tinny sound. We were very surprised that turning the volume up to full did not distort in any way, however, they do not go as loud as some other headphones out there, but is that really a bad thing?

Overall we loved the waterproof finish of these CX 680 headphones, as you never know what weather you will run into while out jogging. If you are only a casual listener then these headphones are certainly worth the purchase. The one issue is the cost, as they are far more expensive than other mid-range headphones, but then again we believe that these do have the edge in sound and build quality.

For more details visit Sennheiser UK.

Main features include:

• 2-year warranty
• Acoustically closed – blocks outside noise effectively hence more recommended for indoor use
• Cable clip and storage pouch included
• Dupont™ Kevlar® reinforced cable: superior strength and reliability
• EarFin holding system: secure and comfort fit during workouts
• High-output ear-canal drivers for energizing sound and high noise insulation
• Short cable; option of using extension cable with volume control
• Sweat- and water-resistant: ideal for sports
• Variety of ear-adapters (S/M/L) included

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My holiday was on the Nile in Egypt, so I already knew that after I have seen the temples I would be sitting on the top deck next to the pool. This was going to be the ideal testing ground, as there will be some noise from people in the pool, as well as other ships passing along the Nile – what better way to try out the Noise Isolation Feature.

It is said that Logitech Ultimate Ears are used by some of the top musicians, but as the 200vi come with a cheap price tag, these will be more for the average consumer. Having said that, £34.99 is still more than most consumers would pay for a set of in-ear headphones.

The first thing you will notice when you take the headphones out of the packaging is just how light they are, this is because of the plastic design. Other headphones like this we have reviewed in the past has some metal parts around the speakers, and it is this that adds to the weight.

Once you have unpacked everything you will see that there are five different size ear cushions to choose from – so you can no longer say that headphones like these will not fit you. The other bonus is that they have been made with a material that will not make you sweat.

So now that everything was unpacked, they had to be put away in my hand luggage – only to see the light of day again in Egypt. Oh, forget to mention that they came in a handy case, which is great to help protect them from getting damaged.

The moment that they went in my ears most of the outside noise was cancelled out, this is all thanks to Logitech’s Noise-isolating design. However, the annoying aspect of this is you can hear the slightest noise when you touch the headphone lead. It is certainly strange and took some time to get used too, although I have to admit that it is a small price to pay for not hearing most of the outside noise.

I can still remember the first song I listened too, as it is the one that I always use when reviewing headphones, this makes it much easier to know just how good they are. Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas is good, as it gives you the chance to see how well the Ultimate Ears 200vi perform when introduced to a lot of bass.

I mostly listen to my music at halfway on my iPhone 4, and things certainly sounded great, with the bass level sounding nice and at a comfortable level. However, things went a little downhill when the volume was turned up louder. The first increase was setting the volume at three quarters, and you can tell that the headset was struggling a little. Having said that, most of us would never go up that loud, as these Ultimate Ears 200vi are much louder at that level than those supplied to you by Apple.

My next song had to be something smooth with no loud baselines, so opted for a Craig David song. People might be laughing about now, but he has such a smooth voice and was ideal for this next test. The song was Just My Imagination and only has a guitar and drums, as well as his voice. This makes it ideal to test Logitech’s Sweet Sound feature, which they say has been “Engineered for faithful audio reproduction”.

The moment the song came on I was surprised with the clarity, as the sound was certainly sweet. Even turning the volume up to three-quarters did not distort anything, but it was just too loud to enjoy – I am shocked at high loud these little things can go.

Over the course of my two-week holiday I had used the headset a number of times, and they never ached once. Another added feature that I got to try out was when I received a few phones calls. The quality of the call was just like you get when listening to music, and much better than most Bluetooth headsets, as the noise cancellation feature came in handy.

You will notice from our images that there are controls on the cord; these allow you to adjust the volume, as well as change or pause a track and answers calls as well – making life much-easier.

The Logitech Ultimate Ears 200vi come in a choice of three colours, black, pink and blue, and as we mentioned, cost just £34.99. If you are not bothered with heavy baselines and that strange stethoscope like sensation then you cannot go wrong with these headphones, they are not that expensive, and much louder than most others in that price range.

Main specs include:

• Cable length: 115 cm
• Frequency response (mic): 200 Hz–10 kHz
• Frequency response: 20 Hz–20 kHz
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Noise isolation: 26 dB
• Product weight: 12 g
• Sensitivity (mic): -58 dBV/Pa
• Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW (1 kHz)

For more details visit http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=124943 Music lovers out there rejoice as we bring you news that is sure to get you excited or at least relieve some stress issues. If you use headphones or earbuds you’ll know what I mean when I mention tangles. Having spent hours myself untangling before I can relate, which is why this news is so exciting.

The earbuds themselves are magnetic so as you zip up they come together to act like a clasp for your zipper. As the article by Rue Liu at Slashgear explains, this doesn’t solve the problem of zipping up too quickly and catching something so be careful.

Read the full article by clicking the link. What do you think of this design? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

I can still remember being sent a pair of Z Buds by Zagg a couple of years ago now to review; I can recall being pretty impressed – even if they were a little uncomfortable. The first thing that you need to do even before you get started is to select a set of the four soft ear pads; I found that the medium black pair worked best for me.

I can still remember having these in my ears for just two minutes and they already started to aggravate my ears – hence why I much prefer the over-ear headphones as mentioned in that previous hands-on review. These Denon AH-C560R headphones have the same finish quality as the Denon Ah-D510R model, but are very different to those Z Buds; those were heavier and the wire was very stiff, which did become a nuisance over time.

Before we even go ahead we thought we would just look at what technology Denon has packed into these headphones to help what they believe is a truly remarkable sound.

Proprietary Sound Technologies Provide Superb Playback: This helps to give the headphones smooth highs as well as dynamic lows, that’s not all the same technology even helps to give the sound more detail and fullness.

Sound Isolation for Immersive Listening: This is ideal if you tend to use these while jogging; they will also block out all the noise that you get from the outside world.

I thought it only fair that I should choose the same music as I did the previous pair of Denon headphones – so back to Mr. Bublé. One thing I would pick up on first, the jack plug is a much better design on this pair, as they are at a 90 degree angle, making it better when the iPhone or other such device is in your pocket.

You will notice right away that you seem much closer to the music, as well as the fact that you no longer need to have the volume set so high. However, this never seems to stop me turning it up just that little bit more. I found that even three-quarters of the way up is just loud enough, but I do still find that the bass levels are never as good on headphones such as these.

Having said that, I was more than impressed, but if you do go for a song that does not have those high base levels, then it will not be long before you need to give your ears a rest. Please do not think that I am putting these headphones down, as they are certainly the best of what I have tried before of this type. However, if I had to make the choice between the two then I would have to go for the Denon Ah-D510R Headphones.

The price for these Denon AH-C560R In-Ear Headphones is around £70 – £90 depending where you buy them from but for this you not only get the hardware but also a handy case to keep them in. For more details visit the official UK Denon website.

Other Features Include:

• Supplied with four sizes of soft ear pads for optimum fit and
• Acoustic Optimizer technology delivers balanced, natural sound
• Comfortable in-ear design helps block out external ambient noise
• 3 button inline remote control and microphone – compatible with select iPhone and iPod models
• Hybrid Metal Housing material improves detail and balance

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Let us take a look at the AH-D510R headphones first. From the moment that you start opening the package you know that you are in for something special. The headphones themselves do not feel heavy, but they are solid thanks to its hard plastic and hybrid metal design. We do know that these are by no means the best or most expensive in Denon’s range; but they will certainly be better than a number of other brands on the market.

Before making a decision about what headphones you want, you need to know what you will be using them for. So if you will be using them for over an hour, then you would most probably want to go for the over-ear type, as they will not ache your ears – that’s my little tip out of the way.

You will know from the moment that you place the AH-D510R Over-Ear Headphones on that you are in for a treat, as they seem to shut-out a certain amount of noise even without the use of noise-cancelation technology. We have since learned that this is because of the way that Denon has designed how the headphones sit on your head, as they leave no gaps. Even before I got started with listening to how they perform I sat with them on my head for a little while, just to see if they would become uncomfortable – they were not.

You can see in the images that I have an Apple iPhone 4, so this will be the device that I will be testing them on – then again they do say that they are made for this device, as well as the iPod Touch and the iPad.

Let us look at just what Denon has done with these headphones to make them so special. The first thing that we would like to mention is their Acoustic Optimizer system; this means that either side of these headphones will have the same amount of pressure. The end result is a perfect balance with sound, which is something that we do not see in some other branded devices like this.

As the AH-D510R headphones only weigh 153 grams you could often forget that they are on, which is something that makes these much better than in-ear versions.

There is always a tough choice to make when deciding what song you wish to try out first- I opted for a bit of Michael Bublé. The song is Cry me a River, as I just love the start of that band. Whenever trying out the sound quality you have to start off low and then get higher, but I can still remember that I took these up almost full – you really need to hear that band playing at the beginning of the song.

I have had many headphones over the years, and almost all of them have struggled when reaching the high levels – not for all songs, only some. It was an obvious choice to go with the Bublé, as he has such a smooth voice, and the AH-D510R headphones really bring that out.

You cannot get a true idea of how good headphones are with just trying out one song, so another choice was needed. The song had to be Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas, as this can really test the quality of headphones due to higher bass levels. This is a very comfortable level, and the clarity was very good to say the least. Once the song got to the middle part more beats come in, so that was the time when the volume had to be turned up – ouch – that’s all I could say.

I was amazed that they never distorted once, which must have something to do with ‘Denon’s Acoustic Optimizer system.’ You will not be surprised that these headphones come with an inline remote, but you will be with the fact that they have a microphone for answering calls on your iPhone. To sum up, we would certainly recommend these headphones; yes they are cheap compared to other Denon headphones, but still more expensive than other brands out there – but is certainly worth paying that little extra.

The price for these AH-D510R headphones is £60 – £70, for more details visit the official UK Denon website.

Some of the main features include:

• 3 button inline remote control and microphone – compatible with select iPhone and iPod models
• Acoustic Optimizer technology delivers balanced, natural sound
• Comfortable, soft pads and ergonomically designed headband
• Hybrid Metal Housing (machined Aluminum Alloy and resin material) suppress unwanted vibration to deliver clean sound
• Lightweight, comfortable design for hours of listening without fatigue.
• Over ear design helps mute ambient noises

All the new models are based on models currently available from the company and first up are the $90 PX 100 IIi, and the $110 PX200 IIi. Both models conveniently fold up to fit into a case for traveling, and are based on the popular PX 100 II and PX 200 II models. They are a lightweight on ear type headphones with the PX200’s being of the closed back design.

The $80 HD 218i and the $130 HD 238i are headphones which are bigger than the PX range, and have a sturdier build with cushioning on the earpieces and headband. They still have earpieces that fold flat for storage. Having a closed back design the HD218i has a more bass heavy sound, while the HD238i are open backed for a more balanced sound.

The high-end IE 8i which will set you back $450 are in-ear-canal type headphones. These let you adjust the bass by using the tuning control on each earpiece, and come with replaceable cables. With the $100 MM 70i and the $140 CX 880i you have earphones that instead of fitting deep inside the ear canal sit just inside.

The new headphones are available immediately from Apple online and retail stores, and Sennheiser dealers.

Source: Macworld.com

The study showed that mild hearing loss within teens has increased by 30 percent over the past 15 years. However, more worryingly is the 77 percent increase in teenagers with a mild or worse hearing loss. Hearing loss can cause many of issues, such as learning and speech problems.

A recent Australian study has put the blame onto headphones, saying that by using these devices can increase the risk of hearing loss by 70 percent. So if you see your teenage child with an iPod or other portable music device such as an iPod Touch, make certain that they keep the volume down.

We cannot see how this trend will change anytime soon, surly it will only get worse with the range of new smartphones on the market – all with music capabilities? Hoe do you think we will be able to reverse this current trend? For more details visit LA Times.

To allow for your comfort the headsets have a nice amount of foam around them, as well as foam around the head part. The headphones can be adjusted to the size of your choosing. These Able Planet NC200 headphones can be folded, allowing for easy storage if you are limited on space or you are going away.

These headphones come with an inline volume control, allowing you to have more control of the sound. These headphones come with one AAA battery, which is placed inside the right earphone; we will get to that reason in a moment.

When placing the headphones on my head they fit nice over my ears and feel comfortable on my head. They already feel as if they are cancelling out about 50% of the sound, now comes the sound test.

The great thing about these headphones are the fact that you can use them without the power on, when my iPod is half way on the volume they are a bit low, turning the volume up to full sounds better, but not fantastic. We have to remember that other headphones like this do not give you the option of working without power.

Now comes the true test, turning them on to see how the really perform. I have made certain that the volume is down to a quarter, I have turned the noise canceling on and I do not notice much difference with the sound level of the music but I have noticed that I can no longer hear the TV as much as I did.

I have now turned the volume up halfway and things certainly sound better with a nice amount of bass level. I have now turned them up to three quarters, and I am surprised at how good they sound, much better than wearing those ear buds, which are just earwax removers.

As I do not detect any distortion it is about time I turned them up louder. Turning them up to full was not a good idea as they started to distort, but that is because I am playing a song with a lot of bass, backing the volume of slightly stopped the distortion.

So now for the pros and cons, these headphones are reasonable priced and offer better sound than ear buds of the same price. The only downside with these Able Planet NC200 Foldable Noise Canceling Headphone is when listing to soft songs, there is a lot of background hissing.

For more information visit: www.ableplanet.com