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Philips HP550 Full Size Foldable Headphones

Philips HP550 Full Size Foldable Headphones

List Price: $49.99
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: 3.75 Stars - Worth Amazon's Price
Review: Comfort (4.5/5)
For a set of headphones under $25, these headphones are much more comfortable than the closed-ear Sony or Jenson offerings in this price range. I have a smallish head and tend to have difficult finding headphones that fit snugly and don't slide off. These are the perfect sized headphones for my head - but if you know you have a large noggin I don't know if the fit will appease massive craniums. When first worn the headphones are very comfortable and roomy. Over the course of 2 hours or so, the headphones become less comfortable. However, they never reach the painful status that the sony mdr-v300 headphones, which are in the same price range. Overall, the fit of these headphones is the best I've found in the numerous headphones under $100 that I've purchased.

Sound (3/5)
** I do not have the sophisticated sonic discernment of an audiophile**
The comfortable fit of these headphones makes it feel as if there is a lot of room between your ear and the phone. From this you hear a more developed sound that you couldn't get with the headphone pressed right up against your ear.
There is very little bass in these headphones, though. Adjusting the bass from your sound source, improves the bass, but not massively. This issue is usually found in most cheaper headphones. If fantastic bass is a requirement for your headphone experience, you should opt for a different set, and shell out more cash.

Style and Practical Use (3.75/5)
These two qualities are where I find most headphones get their variations, and it also one that is not usually paid much attention to in reviews. But when you make a set of headphones part of your daily life, an extra foot of cord can be the difference between headphone hassles and headphone heaven. Style is being paid increasing attention to by headphone designers, most notably those who design the unintentionally akward sony-style designs. Yet, reviews usually do not provide an in depth description of what the headphones look on your head. Actual pictures of the headphones being worn by people would be helpful in chosing headphones you won't be fun of for wearing.
These headphones meet the style requirement. The picture on the product description initially turned me off because the bridge of phones looked too futuristic for my post-modern tastes. However, the headphones looks very different on your head than they do off. The odd design which combines sparse amounts of silver, blue, plastic and metal looks natural on your head. The bridge is minimalistic and stands out less than more bulky bridges of only one material and color. I realize now that this design was more for the technical reason of making the headphones lightweight than for stylistic reasons.
The cups of the headphones are the most bulky and obvious part of the design. They lie flat and angled towards the back of your head, though, so they look more like earmuffs than tea cups. Overall, the style is subtle and less imposing than most headphone designs.
The practical use of the headphones is hindered by a couple of flaws in the design. The headphone cord is *too* sort for home use. At 3 feet it is suitable for completely stationary use when your stereo is close- such as plugging into your laptop or computer. I have found it a hassle to plug the headphones into my stereo on a neighboring table while I read, because the slightest movement is hindered by the cord. This is a clear case where an extra foot of cord would have aided the headphones. If the headphones are for mobile use, the shortened cord may be welcome.
Another design inconveinence is the puzzle it can be to get the headphones onto your head. The cups automatically fold together and upward and this can make for a stuggle to open them for wear, as they often will collapse back while you open them. This collapsing makes compact and ideal for mobile use, but struggling to get them open while you are darting between destinations can also be a hassle. They are not impossible to get the hang of though, and after regular use most will get the hang of it.

Overall these are good headphones when compared to those in their price range. If you trouble finding headphones because you have a small head, I definitely recommend these headphones!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: 3.75 Stars - Worth Amazon's Price
Review: Comfort (4.5/5)
For a set of headphones under $25, these headphones are much more comfortable than the closed-ear Sony or Jenson offerings in this price range. I have a smallish head and tend to have difficult finding headphones that fit snugly and don't slide off. These are the perfect sized headphones for my head - but if you know you have a large noggin I don't know if the fit will appease massive craniums. When first worn the headphones are very comfortable and roomy. Over the course of 2 hours or so, the headphones become less comfortable. However, they never reach the painful status that the sony mdr-v300 headphones, which are in the same price range. Overall, the fit of these headphones is the best I've found in the numerous headphones under $100 that I've purchased.

Sound (3/5)
** I do not have the sophisticated sonic discernment of an audiophile**
The comfortable fit of these headphones makes it feel as if there is a lot of room between your ear and the phone. From this you hear a more developed sound that you couldn't get with the headphone pressed right up against your ear.
There is very little bass in these headphones, though. Adjusting the bass from your sound source, improves the bass, but not massively. This issue is usually found in most cheaper headphones. If fantastic bass is a requirement for your headphone experience, you should opt for a different set, and shell out more cash.

Style and Practical Use (3.75/5)
These two qualities are where I find most headphones get their variations, and it also one that is not usually paid much attention to in reviews. But when you make a set of headphones part of your daily life, an extra foot of cord can be the difference between headphone hassles and headphone heaven. Style is being paid increasing attention to by headphone designers, most notably those who design the unintentionally akward sony-style designs. Yet, reviews usually do not provide an in depth description of what the headphones look on your head. Actual pictures of the headphones being worn by people would be helpful in chosing headphones you won't be fun of for wearing.
These headphones meet the style requirement. The picture on the product description initially turned me off because the bridge of phones looked too futuristic for my post-modern tastes. However, the headphones looks very different on your head than they do off. The odd design which combines sparse amounts of silver, blue, plastic and metal looks natural on your head. The bridge is minimalistic and stands out less than more bulky bridges of only one material and color. I realize now that this design was more for the technical reason of making the headphones lightweight than for stylistic reasons.
The cups of the headphones are the most bulky and obvious part of the design. They lie flat and angled towards the back of your head, though, so they look more like earmuffs than tea cups. Overall, the style is subtle and less imposing than most headphone designs.
The practical use of the headphones is hindered by a couple of flaws in the design. The headphone cord is *too* sort for home use. At 3 feet it is suitable for completely stationary use when your stereo is close- such as plugging into your laptop or computer. I have found it a hassle to plug the headphones into my stereo on a neighboring table while I read, because the slightest movement is hindered by the cord. This is a clear case where an extra foot of cord would have aided the headphones. If the headphones are for mobile use, the shortened cord may be welcome.
Another design inconveinence is the puzzle it can be to get the headphones onto your head. The cups automatically fold together and upward and this can make for a stuggle to open them for wear, as they often will collapse back while you open them. This collapsing makes compact and ideal for mobile use, but struggling to get them open while you are darting between destinations can also be a hassle. They are not impossible to get the hang of though, and after regular use most will get the hang of it.

Overall these are good headphones when compared to those in their price range. If you trouble finding headphones because you have a small head, I definitely recommend these headphones!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: right on the money
Review: Forget sony...these headphones are where its at. Seriously, for 30$, these headphones are amazing. My ears were given quite the treat when I put on the latest sigur ros album with these headphones on. Ive yet to hear much that compairs to them.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great set of headphones, but...
Review: I am a big fan of Philips products. I have never ever ever had any problems with their products, and the HP550 reinforces my confidence in the company. I was looking for a good, yet moderately priced set of headphones to listen to mp3s from my laptop and from my mp3-CD player. Granted, Im not an expert in headphones, but I wanted good quality. I took this on a 17 hour flight and was VERY pleased with the sound. It really blocked out the noisiness of the aircraft, and the music sounded very clear and crisp. I was very attracted to the design, and they fold over very easily. The cord is wrapped around the blue prongs, which is a very smart idea. Storage is easy once you have the headphones collapsed and the cord wrapped up.

The one complaint that I have abt the HP550 is that it isn't very comfortable after many hours of continual use. I usually use the headphones everyday when Im working at my laptop, and I will wear them for hours at a time. I know that this may sound odd, but I could feel my face and jaw tense up all the time as a result of constant use. So, I think that I may shop around for another pair of headphones that I can wear comfortably for long durations.

Overall, this is a very good set of headphones for plane rides and only maybe short periods of use. But if you're a power-user stuck to a computer at work all the time, and intend to use them for hours on end everyday, you may want to consider something more comfortable or lighter.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Tawdry headphone
Review: I bought it based on the reviews, but this headphone is a not good. It's very uncomfortable (unless you plan to use it occasionally for a couple of minutes) and the quality of the sound is inferior to most of the ... headphones. In conclusion, this is a tawdry headphone, ... and showy.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Don't expect Sonys.
Review: I bought these as a secondary set for my CD player, and I was dissapoitned. First of all, I got laughed at by everyone at my school because of the foolish way these things look - they look like you are from the planet Klingon or whatever - you will look like a GEEK if you wear these. Those into styles SHOULD NOT get these. Secondly, even for the price these don't deliver the quality I'd expect. I bought Labtec headphones for the same price and the bass response was MUCH greater and the exagerated tone is perfect for anyone's tastes. I am bringing these back and spending the extra money to get a Sennheiser set - but even those don't beat my 170 dollar sony's :)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent headphones
Review: I bought these to replace the ... earbuds that came with my mp3 player. Needless to say I was used to poor sound quality and interference from outside noise. After first using these I knew that I would never go back to my earbuds for listening. The sound quality is awesome and Linkin Park was a good test of their bass capabilities.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: So-so
Review: I got these a few weeks ago. I didn't feel that they were as great as the other reviewers thought. In certain environments, they even seem to enhance outside noise! I've had less expensive earphones with better sound quality. But perhaps it is as one reviewer said...it depends on the device it is used with. I use mine with the Creative Nomad II MP3 player and haven't tried them with anything else. However, the earphones that originally came with the player were much better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful Headphones for Your Money
Review: I just bought these headphones and I am extremely happy with them, especially for the money. While I am not an audiophile, I can tell you these produce excellent sound. The review by the Amazon editor is very true, and for [the money] you can't go wrong with these. Also, comfort was a big priority for me, and these feel better than any full-size headphones I have tried. I highly reccomend this product!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Simply incredible!
Review: I picked up a pair of these headphones at Sears simply because they were the only ones there that had a halfway decent range and I needed something cheap for my portable MD. I was blown away when I plugged them in and put them on. Never have I had a pair of headphones this comfortable. They're so light and well fitting that I sometimes forget that I'm wearing them. But in the end it's all about the sound, and these babies put up like no other in their price range. Clean, clear, crisp bass like I've never heard in a pair of headphones. The clarity extends through the entire range. Simply put, buy them! they're the best deal available.


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