Features:
- Folding, closed-ear headphone for home or portable use
- Ergonomically shaped cushions ensure minimum sound leakage and maximum comfort
- Sturdy hinges for frequent use and long life
- Lightweight design
- Uses linear-crystal oxygen-free-copper cable; 0.25-inch adapter included
Description:
Think you have to shell out big bucks for quality headphones? Think again. This set from Philips offers comfort for long listening sessions, a closed-ear design that keeps unwanted noise from interfering with your music, pivoting earcups that help the headset fold to coat-pocket size, and--happiest of all--clear, well-balanced sound with surprisingly good bass. Sure, you'll get better sound with more expensive headphones: cleaner bass, more refined treble, less fatiguing midrange. But to get that, you'd have to pay several times what these puppies will run you; we dare say they're the best headphones out there for under $100. And the fact is, even headphones that give you some of the more "expensive" qualities mentioned above don't do so with the same innate sense of rightness imparted by the HP550s. With this set, the spirit of the music came across from every disc we played, from the nuanced Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon soundtrack to Oregon's delicate acoustic textures and U2's hard-hitting All That You Can't Leave Behind. The padded earcups are comfortable and well suited for either home or portable listening. They don't block all noise, so you may still want to consider a noise-canceling headphone for airplane travel. But the HP550's combination of comfort, convenience, sound quality, and affordability is unrivaled in our experience. Personally cherished and highly recommended. --Michael Mikesell Pros:
- Amazingly good sound for the price
- Clear, tight bass response
- Closed-ear design superb for portable use
- Comfortable ear cushions
- Compact size
- Lightweight
- Fluorescent, high-tech sheen
Cons:
- Limited high-frequency extension (despite a strong HF measurement)
- They make you look like one of the Jetsons
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