50 Cent’s new line of headphones are stylish, sleek, and bassy. Their professionally tuned sound hits hard, and 50 would have it no other way. SMS Audio also announced a deal with “Jersey Shore’s” Pauly D for his own line, coming out sometime later this year.

Sync by 50 and Street by 50 have an MSRP of $399.95 and $299.95, respectively.

Features

The two new models are essentially the same, except that the OE2i comes with an in-line microphone for cell phone calls. They both have an in-line remote for volume control and they both boast that valued “Made for iPhone” stamp. And true to Apple-friendly form, the headphones do come in white, though you can opt for standard black too.

It’s not really fair to say that these are “over the air” DJ-style cans, because the ear cups are going to be a little smaller. That’s why they refer to the OE2 and OE2i as “on-ear headphones.” This helps to keep them lighter, while still offering Bose level audio quality. There is no active noise cancellation, but the on-ear design should help to muffle the outside the world.

The OE2 is priced at $149.95 and the OE2i comes in at a $30 premium. They should work with non-iProducts too, but the volume control could be troublesome for Android phones.

Marshall Headphones is set to launch on November 15th, they’ll be putting out their own line of headphones with no doubt the same kickass quality we’ve come to know with Marshall amplifiers. With a retro style this set is coining the name Major, and from what I can see from the sneak peak shot they have a standard 3.5mm plug with 1/4” gold adapter on the end of a coiled cable.

SOURCE: Marshall Headphones

Panasonic RP-HJE 130 Earphones

Amidst a symphony of competitors, the Panasonic RP-HJE 130 Earphones stand out not because of their design, or specifications, but because of the package design that was created by Scholz And Friends agency in Berlin, Germany – it shows the earphones shaped as eighth-notes with the in-line remote as the connecting bar.  In addition to receiving positive reactions from retailers and clients, Panasonic won a Cannes Lions award for the design.  Although there is not much information about the earphones’ sound quality, their musical appearance alone may dazzle consumers enough to dance on over. Yes, they outdid Apple in package design.

[Coloribus]

Sleek Audio SA7 Carbon Fiber Headphones

For a few years, I really got caught up in the “tuner” culture. I hung out with a couple of car clubs and we would talk about the different upgrades that we had done to our cars and any future plans we had for more modifications. Carbon fiber always made its way into the conversation.

While getting a carbon fiber hood can reduce some weight and potentially improve your performance, it won’t mean much when you’re weighed down by a couple of giant subwoofers. Then again, the carbon fiber and aluminum used for the Sleek Audio SA7 earphones could indeed make you go faster. Or not.

In all seriousness, these are some super premium headphones for your mobile music enjoyment. The SA7 pair are made from military-grade solid aluminum and carbon fiber, giving them not only a unique look but also a unique performance dynamic.  Carbon fiber would provide a tight fighting sealed enclosure, giving you a very sweet tuned sound. The two drivers are protected by shock-absorbent silicone too.

According to Sleek Audio, these brain-rattlers should withstand up to 14,000 Gs of force and the aluminum design actually heightens the audio quality, providing an extra octave of sound to boot.

Expect the Sleek Audio SA7 premium earphones to go on sale soon in the $350 to $400 range. The wireless version chimes in at a $100 premium above that.

Ever had one of those jumbo water-pumped strawberries that really have no flavor at all and were just designed to weigh in large on the scale and look good on the shelf? Then had those little small fraggly looking ones at your local farmers market that exploded with taste, smelled like it was from the earth and actually made you smile?

Well, that’s how you could compare the Ultimate Ears 18 Pro Custom Monitors by Logitech to your every-day headphones. At $1350 a pop these little buds have six-speakers inside and are not even considered headphones, they call them monitors because they are so acoustically tight and reduce ambient noise by 26 dBs.

The target market is performing artists and audiofiles alike, the sound is so tailored and precise that four-way crossovers and electrical tuning with triple-sound channels and a low-distortion cable will make your ears humm.

“The new Ultimate Ears UE 18 Pro custom monitors are simply the best I’ve used on stage – a new benchmark has been set,” said Jon Lewis, professional sound engineer for AC/DC. “The low end and levels that can be achieved are outstanding. It’s like wearing a pair of reference studio headphones on stage.”

“These Ultimate Ears 18 Pros are unbelievable – very crisp, detailed and more pronounced,” exclaimed a very excited Natalie Cole. “I have more control over what I hear and therefore more control of my vocals through my microphone.”

The Ultimate Ears 18 Pros have to be custom fit by an audiologist and are packaged in a rugged, personalized aluminum roadie box for your travels.

Ultrasone has released their latest special edition headphones, the Edition 8 Palladium. These luxurious black and silver headphones come equipped with Ultrasone’s S-Logic Plus technology, what this does for your ears is basically give you the utmost spacious tonal perception available. Audiophiles will enjoy the crispness of the sound, the palladium outer earcups are also pretty stylish and will increase its durability, limit tarnishing, and enhance the overall feel of the headphones when they sit on your head. Street price is $1699 in the USA.

Edition 8 Technical Specifications

* Principle: Dynamic / Closed
* Impedance: 30 Ohm
* Driver size: 40mm Titanium plated
* Magnet: NdFeB
* Frequency range: 6 – 42.000 Hz
* SPL: 96 dB
* Weight (excl. cord): 260g
* USC Cord length: 1,2m (OFC Cable)
* USC Extension cable 4m (OFC Cable)
* 3,5mm gold plated plugs
* Adapter 3,5/6,3mm gold plated
* ULE technology

The mc-series consists of the hf2, hf3, and hf5, and uses the moving-coil sound tech instead of more expensive balanced armiture hardware.  The mc3 features a 3-button inline remote control that works with the iPhone.  They’re available in a variety of colors: red, green, blue and black, whatever you need to match your iPod or iPod nano.  The real treat of these is how well they fit – with a variety of tips you are ensured a snug and comfy fit.   The mc3 will retail for around $100 — a small price to pay to get that classic Etymotic sound.

Source: dvice.com

Walking through the hallowed halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre, it’s easy to get bombarded by oversized televisions and other gadget goodness. Not necessarily at the iWave booth, though, because they’ll be showing off the Grass Roots Collection of accessories.

This eco-friendly collection is meant to provide functionality, sustainability and aesthetic appeal, all at the same time. These accessory options are made from reusable, environmentally friendly and fully recyclable materials like plastic, wood, and bamboo.

The Grass Roots Collection from iWave will consist of a variety of headphones, earbuds, and cases for the iPhone and iPod. Expect prices to range from $9.99 to $39.99 when these launch in the second quarter of this year.

If you have been a regular reader of Mobile Magazine for some time, then you’ll know that I’ve had the opportunity to try out more than my fair share of premium earbuds. I liked the V-Moda Vibe Modaphones and I appreciated the more affordable price point of the Radius Atomic Bass. These are all great for listening to music on the road, but what if you want a more quality experience at home. What if you want deejay-style “cans” rather than the in-ear style earphones?

Well, you’re in luck. Today, I’m taking a look at the Ultrasone DJ1 S-Logic Headphones. As its name implies, the DJ1 is meant to be a DJ-quality set of headphones that will work with just about any genre of music. The heavy padding and over-the-ear style should ensure a more comfortable fit, right?

In terms of features, you get a foldable, closed-back style design with S-Logic Natural Surround Sound technology and MU Metal shielding. The S-Logic technology is meant to provide you with an “out of your head” experience. With most headphones, you feel as if the music is “in your head” rather than coming from an outside source.

The frequency range is 10Hz-22kHz, the impedance is 32 Ohm, and the sound pressure level is 104 dB. You get a pair of 50mm Mylar drivers, a 3-meter coiled cable length, and a 6.3mm screwable gold-plated plug that fits over the standard 3.5mm stereo mini plug. Also included in the box are an instruction manual, velvet-like carrying bag, and a demo CD.

My initial impressions are quite positive. You can tell that Ultrasone has paid a lot of attention in creating a well-built product. There is a lot of padding on the headband and the ear muffs are large enough to fully encompass my ears. The plentiful padding on the ear muffs make for a comfortable experience as well. The simple black and silver color scheme makes for a more professional look too.

Since these do completely block your ears from the outside the world, they are great for providing passive noise isolation. When I had them on with music playing at a reasonable volume, I really couldn’t hear anything else. With utter isolation does lead to sweaty ears syndrome after even a short period of use. It would have been nice to see some sort of venting to alleviate this concern.

For ease of transport, the Ultrasone DJ1 headphones can be folded up as depicted here. I found it a little awkward to do this, however, since the ear muffs have to flipped to face the other direction after you fold them in. I’ll probably grow more accustomed to this over time.

Regarding sound quality, I have to say that these headphones are incredibly balanced and they seem to be “intelligent” in determining what aspects of the song to enhance and which to minimize. When I was listening to bass-heavy hip hop music, the lower tones were played up to great effect, but switching to rock where bass is less important, the mid-tones were enhanced accordingly. It doesn’t matter what you throw at these headphones; it’ll cater to your tastes.

I’m not completely convinced about the S-Logic Natural Surround Sound Plus technology, however. While not quite as pronounced as some other headphones, the music still sounded like it was “inside my head” rather than being played from an exterior source. It’s an improvement, but it’s not quite as obvious as I had expected.

Retailing for close to $200, the Ultrasone DJ1 S-Logic Headphones are not going to be the cheapest offering on the shelf, but this product is of substantially higher quality than the sub-$100 headphones that you may be able to find at your local retailer. I’d place them on a higher level than the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Solo (also about $200), but I’m not sure if they outperform the “real” Monster Beats by Dr. Dre (about $320).

The range of response was truly impressive, as I was able to really enjoy any kind of music played through these headphones. From the subtle notes of classical music to the fast-paced electronica of the Prodigy, the DJ1 took it all in stride and accommodated them accordingly. The construction is great and there is more than enough padding to keep you comfortable.

If I had just one complaint, it’s that the ear muff isolation does lead to “sweaty ear” syndrome, so brace yourself for that scenario. I’m also guessing that prolonged and repeated use of the folding mechanism could lead to some significant wear and tear (and possible breakage) over time, but I can’t say for sure.

Overall Rating: 9.0/10