Headphones
01
PIONEER S E-MX9-T
US$225, AMAZON.COM, TESTED AUGUST 2014
LOVE Based on the acclaimed HDJ2000 DJ cans. Suitably luxe looks and superior sound quality
HATE Could be comfier, if we’re whinging T3 SAYS Grown-up, luxury headphones for serious clubbers and fans of DJ-quality audio SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE 32 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 640,000Hz CORD LENGTH 1.2m
02
AKG K67
$149, AKG.COM, TESTED AUGUST 2014
LOVE Approved by Tiësto, but cost less than entry to some club nights. Dance music is, unsurprisingly, realised well
HATE No inline remote. Very snug fit T3 SAYS Club-quality sound for a reduced entrance fee. These over-ears are a quite ridiculous bargain SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE 32 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 1824,000Hz
CORD LENGTH 1.8m
03
B&W P 3
$269, BOWERS-WILKINS.COM, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012
LOVE Looks better than the P5, and is cheaper, more compact and lighter. Comes in huge colour range: black or white
HATE Head grippage could be overly firm for some T3 SAYS Highly refined headphones with stunning sound quality. The sign of a true audio gent… SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE 34 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 1020,000Hz
CORD LENGTH 1.2m
04
PARROT ZIK DESIGN BY STARCK
$449, PARROT.COM/AU, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012 LOVE Great audio. Swift, reliable Bluetooth pairing and active noisecancelling. Excellent onear touch controls HATE Battery life not brilliant. On the heavy/expensive side T3 SAYS With innovative controls and excellent sound these wireless cans are a bit of a tech design classic SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE 32 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 1020,000Hz CORD LENGTH Wireless
05
SENNHEISER MOMENTUM
$299, SENNHEISER.COM.AU, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2013
LOVE Great sound. Excellent build quality. Very comfortable indeed with minimal sound leakage HATE Monster carry case. Hefty size and price T3 SAYS Robust build, lightweight design and comfy earcups make these great for music lovers on the move SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE 18 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 1622,000KHz CORD LENGTH 1.4m
06
BEATS S TUDIO WIRELESS
$479, AU.BEATSBYDRE.COM, TESTED JULY 2014 LOVE Beats’ most sophisticated design. Comfortable fit. Wellrounded sound quality. Good noise cancelling HATE Pricey. Noise cancelling audible at low volumes T3 SAYS The best Beats yet, though its niggles make that price tag a bit hard to swallow SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE Not quoted FREQUENCY RANGE Not quoted CORD LENGTH Not applicable
07
MONSTER D NA P RO
$399, MONSTERPRODUCTS.COM, TESTED JULY 2014 LOVE Sturdy build. Excellent sound quality. Can daisy chain another pair of headphones for shared listening HATE No noisecancelling tech. Quite a tight fit T3 SAYS Chunky and reliable on-ear cans, but you can get better sound quality elsewhere for a similar price SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE Not quoted FREQUENCY RANGE Not quoted CORD LENGTH Not quoted
08
BEATS BY DR DRE EXECUTIVE
$400, STORE.APPLE.COM/AU, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013
LOVE Loud but precise sound quality, ideal for pop and rock. Extremely effective noise cancelling. Foldable design
HATE Noise cancelling requires AAA batteries T3 SAYS Exceptional sound quality, but when the batteries run out the music dies SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE Not quoted FREQUENCY RANGE Not quoted
CORD LENGTH 1.36m
09
BOSE 20i HEADPHONES
$399, BOSE.COM.AU, TESTED OCTOBER 2013 LOVE Very good sound quality. Effective noise cancelling. Extremely comfortable HATE Very pricey. Inline module can be annoying T3 SAYS Excellent sounding and surprisingly comfortable, great if you’ve got the cash SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE Not quoted FREQUENCY RANGE Not quoted CORD LENGTH 1.3m
10
PHILIPS F IDELIO L 1
$399, PHILIPS.COM,AU, TESTED JUNE 2012
LOVE Clear, transparent audio with meaty bass and nicely retro stylings. An antitangle cord adds further niceness
HATE Luxury, as ever, doesn’t come particularly cheap T3 SAYS Super comfort and the highest audio quality justify the higher price tag. A muso’s delight SPECIFICATIONS IMPEDANCE 26 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 1025 000Hz
CORD LENGTH 1.1m