Articles by Tim Gideon

Often, the headphone brands that try to reproduce deep bass frequencies faithfully (say, Grado or Sennheiser) are overshadowed by those that tend to boost them a bit too much (say, Beats). And then you have the Jabra Revo ($199 list). I’m not sure I’ve heard a headphone pair in the last five years that boosted…

JH Audio makes custom-fit in-canal earphones and monitors for audiophiles, sound engineers, and musicians. The JH13 Pro is the company’s six-driver model, and is slightly less expensive than the previously reviewed 8-driver JH16 Pro. It still costs $1,099 (direct) plus a $50-$75 visit to the audiologist for your ear canal impressions. As you’d expect for…

The Jabra Vox is a well-designed subwoofer disguised as a pair of earphones. That’s hyperbole, but only by a little; these lightweight, secure-fitting earphones are some of the bass-heaviest we’ve ever tested. It’s not that other pairs can’t match the low frequency output of the Vox, it’s that the Vox doesn’t match the low frequencies…

First things first: This review is for a pair of $999 (direct) custom-molded earphones aimed squarely at musicians. Unlike most custom pairs in this pricing stratosphere, the Logitech Ultimate Ears Vocal Reference Monitors, as the name suggest, are designed with vocalists in mind. The lowest and highest frequencies are decreased drastically, so that the focus…

Velodyne is more known for its subwoofers than it is for making headphones, but the Velodyne vTrue takes the company’s expertise in deep bass in a new direction. Velodyne refers to the $399.00 (direct) vTrue as a pair of “studio headphones,” although we found them to be far too leaky to be considered for serious…

Polk’s UltraFit line of earphones and headphones is, as the name suggests, designed with exercise enthusiasts in mind. The UltraFit 1000, at $69.95 (list), represents the mid-level option in this affordable range that tops out around $100. Joggers will like the 1000′s secure-fitting design, which allows outside sounds in for increased situational awareness. However, gym-goers…

Klipsch’s earphone line has had some gems in the past, so it’s nice to see the consistency upheld. At $199.99 (direct), the Klipsch Image X7i is an investment, but it’s a winner, boasting an excellent sound signature aimed at audiophiles who want flat response without sacrificing bass. Armed with a wide array of ear tips to…

For the uninitiated, Jays is a no-frills, stylish Swedish brand that makes affordable earphones—usually in all-white or all-black. The Jays a-Jays One+ is an update to one of its entry-level models—the plus sign stands for the addition of the inline single button remote and microphone that works with most mobile devices, not just iPhones. Generally…

If I were reviewing Motörhead’s video for “Killed by Death,” it would probably get five stars, an Editors’ Choice, and a Lifetime Achievement Award for its embodiment of everything that is righteous and good about loud guitar rock, tight pants, motorcycles, and sticking it to your boring parents. Alas, we’re here to talk about headphones….

There’s no shortage of noise-canceling headphones on the market currently, but there’s a definite lack of quality, inexpensive options. At $139.99 (direct), I-Mego’s Walker Junior (no association with the musician Junior Walker intended, it seems) is inexpensive and its noise canceling circuitry is decent. However, while it does an admirable job blocking out ambient noise,…