Gamer headphones have been taking off like nobody’s business. We’ve seen everything from your average old, stock Xbox Headset to your top-of the line, Star Wars: Old Republic-endorsed signature cans. And at the front of this has been Turtle Beach, one of the few headphone manufacturers to focus almost entirely on the gamer-oriented headphone crowd. And by all indications, it’s been taking off: At least according to the NPD Group, a sales analyst and quite reputable firm. you see, the firm recently added “gamer headphones” as a sales category, distinguishing it from any other variety we tend to talk about. Is this really that big of news? You bet your sweet cans it is! Let’s look at some of the numbers.

Turtle Beach Headphones

First of all, in 2011 alone, Turtle Beach ranked as the highest selling third-party distributor of video game accessories. Any accessories. This means they outranked the people making controllers, cases, peripheries, all of it. That’s quite an impressive feat when you stop to think about it, but considering Turtle Beach produced 12 of the top 25 leading gamer headphone models in the previous year, we aren’t totally blown away. All of this innovation has added up to some pretty serious spank, though. According to the NPD, Turtle Beach owned a whopping 50% of the total headphone gaming market last year. That’s around $351 million, and as the company gobbled up another 8% in December, we’re expecting even larger returns int he coming year.

But why would anyone want a pair of gamer headphones? What, for that matter, even are gamer headphones? It may seem far-fetched, but when you stop to think about it, the market production really makes a lot of sense. Let’s skew it this way:

Think of video games as one giant, interactive movie. Players become part of the virtual world in a way that’s simply not attainable with a two-dimensional, plot-oriented piece of film. However, the same level of sound quality is being used, and without an high-quality pair of headphones, a lot of this is lost to the breeze. With us so far? Great.

But gamers also like to chat. They talk with friends online while playing, an aspect that’s at the heart of online competition. As such, any so-called “gamer headphone” must bring the pain where sound quality and performance is concerned, but equally as much proficiency where over-the-air conversation is involved. In other words, gamer headphones as a category do in fact make sense, as the headphones must perfectly combine in-cap mics while also providing an unbeatable listening experience. Surround sound plays a large part in this as well, though that’s a topic for another day.

All in all, what you should take away is this: Gamer headphones are serious business now, and in the coming year, we’re expecting massive innovations.

For the astute readers amongst us, you may be aware of our absolute adoration of V-Moda.  However, we were still a bit put-off by today’s review, which covers the True Blood MAKER headphones by V-Moda. Yes, you read that right. Forget celebrity-endorsed cans, as the company has gone one further by endorsing a pair of in-ears tied to a tele program. That being said, their design is pretty fantastic (we tend to expect that from V-Moda) the price is decent, and the sound quality spot-on. For our full review of these headphones, check out our headphone review!

Design and Comfort

True Blood Maker

What can we say about the headphones that you haven’t already guessed? Yes, they come dripping in black and white, and there’s also a pretty ostentatious True Blood logo stamped right on the side of the buds. Like a lot of other V-Moda in-ears the headphones sport a more barrel-shaped approach than we tend to see from other companies. Overall, though, we were more overwhelmed by the in-ears’ packaging than we were the actual headphones. Sure, they’re classy and well-built, but all of the blood splatters are left on the box. If you weren’t aware the person was wearing a signature set of in-ears, you might think the True Blood MAKERs were just a snazzy set of red and black headphones. To us, this is hardly a bad thing, especially as the fit is exactly what we’ve come to love from the company. All in all, it’s another solid design with a little less tele-tie-in than we had been expecting.

Sound Quality and Performance

With such a subdued design, we’re guessing you’re sucking at the bit to know how they sound. We won’t keep you waiting: If we had to label the True Blood MAKERs as anything, we’d call them unencumbered. What we mean is this. We noticed no real intonation at any frequency, though we did notice a nearly overwhelming clarity. It’s really quite impressive. There’s a slight bit of mid-range boost, but not enough to be a deal breaker. Overall, this makes the True Blood MAKERs great for just about any genre of music, though don’t expect the sort of low-end hike we’ve seen so much of in celebrity-endorsed models. All in all, it’s a great sounding set of in-ears, though not a particularly overbearing one.

Overall Value 

Have $150 to spend on these headphones? Great! You’ll easily get your money’s worth. They’re solidly constructed, sound great, and come with all the chic, vampire lust you could want. That being said, $150 does go a long way with other brands, and if you’re looking for heaps of low-end, you might be better off elsewhere.

We’ve taken a look at a veritable mountain of headphones. And during all of this reviewing, we haven’t quite found a company we’re as hopeful about as we are about Sol Republic. Their models are consistently pleasurable, decently priced, and high-end enough to compete directly with the Beats muck we’re constantly dipping our fingers into. We’ve already taken a look at the Sol Republic Tracks, and today, we have the luxury of perusing the Sol Republic Tracks HD, the souped up and ready to roll edition of the cheaper brothers. So without further ado, jump on down below the break to see our whole headphone review on this killer pair of cans!

Design and Comfort

Sol Republic Tracks HD

First and foremost, if you’ve never played around with a pair of Sol Republic headphones, let us be the first to tell you just how cool it is. Each model from the company features a starkly minimalistic look that makes us think George Jetson as much as it does Beats by Dre. However, the real trick here is the headband, which is made of a nearly unbreakable polymer. You can flip, twist, and shred these babies as much as you like: They just don’t break. It’s really quite impressive, and added to the already comfortable padding on the on-ear caps, as well as the headband, you’re looking at one killer pair of headphones. These are on-ear headphones, though, so if you’re less than a fan of the style, you might be better off elsewhere. Overall, we love the design, the comfort is top-notch, and the innovative headband is the icing on the cake.

Sound Quality and Performance 

As with another of our favorite brands, V-Moda, Sol Republic headphones tends to offer a slightly different sound than most. With the Sol Republic Tracks HD headphones, the best way we can describe the tone is “middle of the concert.” There’s a lot of bass, a la the Beats, but not in an overbearing way—a fact we absolutely love. Likewise, punchy is the name of the game all over, as the highs are crisp, and the mids are ever-present and pounding. Thankfully, all of this punchiness doesn’t detract from the overall tone, as with the Beats. All in all, if you’re looking for a set of cans that make you feel like you’re there live, the Tracks HD headphones are a solid bet. They are, however, perhaps a bit too bass heavy for softer genres like jazz or folk.

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Sol Republic Tracks HD Headphones
		$128.99
SOL REPUBLIC Tracks HD On-Ear Headphones (Grey)
		$129.99
SOL REPUBLIC Tracks HD On-Ear Headphones - White

Overall Value

For the $130 these bad boys cost, they’re really quite the staggering bargain. For your money, you’ll get top-notch and high quality sound reproduction, a killer design, and incredibly comfortable headphones. The sound may not be for everyone, but the price certainly is. All in all, if you’re looking for a Beats Solo alternative, you could do a lot worse than to stick with a pair of Sol Republic Tracks HD headphones. They’re fully recommended from us.

If you hadn’t noticed recently, Beats and their ilk have been tearing up a storm within the realm of headphones. Where before we saw nothing but high-quality, black and steel headphones aimed at the industry professional, now we’re seeing multi-colored air streamed models with an ultra-chic appeal. In fact, the industry is almost completely different than it was just about ten years ago. As such, imagine how much it’s changed in fifty years. Why do we bring it up? Because long-time audio veteran Harman is going into—as best as we can figure—a crisis mode because of the changes.

Harman Sends Out the Troops

If you’re unaware of who Harman is, we’re tempted to say shame on you. Harman International Industries has long bee producing an impressive heritage of recording equipment. And we’re not just talking about headphones or microphones here. No, we’re talking about the sort of tape decks that were used at Abbey Road to record Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. And if you’ve got no idea what Abbey Road or that famous record are, we’re just going to go ahead and say it—you’re reading the wrong blog.

Executives at Harman have vehemently denied they’re looking to compete directly with Beats and other celebrity-endorsed headphones like Soul by Ludacris. However, the numbers are in, and they’re a bit hard to bend. Beats Electronics has, in the last three years even, taken over about half of the US Market for high-end headphones. No small feat, considering brands like Harman and Bose have long had their stiff thumbs on that corner of the manufacturing world.

In response (or not if you believe the company) Harman has increased its marketing budget by about 50% to an estimated $50 million—no chump change, even if you did play a critical part in producing Abbey Road masterpieces. Most of this money is being pumped into advertisements featuring music industry A-listers promoting the glory days of the Harman era. In particular, the manufacturer has enlisted McCartney himself to pitch JBL, an Harman brand of studio and concert-ready gear the Knight’s been using since the ye olden Fab Four days. The ad first appeared during the Grammys, but if you missed it, we’re sure it’s on YouTube somewhere.

Other adverts feature such artists as Jennifer Lopez, Maroon 5, and Tim McGraw, pitching any number of products ranging from headphones, to iPod Docks, to stereo systems. All in all, it appears that Harman is really quite desperately looking for a new motif to pin its name to. And with such a veteran history behind them, we can only hope they’ll be able to weather the ever-changing tide that is the headphones market. Though we suppose a better question would be: When will the next Beatles-level masterpiece be recorded, anyway?

Over the years, we’ve grown sort of attached to Beyerdynamic headphones. After all, they’re one of the top headphone manufacturers in the game at the moment, and though we already respected them for it, we just can’t help but to like their simplistic style in the face of so many celebrity-branded monstrosities. As such, we’re absolutely gobsmacked to looking at the Beyerdynamic DT 990, a $200 set of open-ear headphones by the company with a particularly high amount of promise. They come stock with the plush but not luxurious design we’ve come to expect from the company, and a full volley of nearly unprecedented sound. In other words, they’re a knockout pair of cans. For our full thoughts on this killer set of headphones by Beyerdynamic, check below beyond the break!

Design and Comfort

Beyerdynamic DT 990

As mentioned, the DT 990s are indeed a set of open-ear headphones, which we tend to get mixed reviews of. In our eyes, the style of design is perfect for the sort of airy, live-sounding performances we dig in our music. However, for others it may be too large a distraction, as ambient noise tends to bleed through quite heavily. That being said, I think we all can agree the headphones kick ass in terms of sheer design. There’s the signature gun metal gray and black we like from Beyer, as well as a thick and stylish grill on the outside of the earcaps. We had no problem keeping the headphones on our head, and the thickly padded headband made the experience all the better. At the end of the day, you can say what you want about the open-ear aspect, but we totally dig the subdued and professional look and comfort of the DT 990s.

Sound Quality and Performance

But enough about the looks of the thing! What we all really want a bite of is the sound quality. So here it is: First and foremost, don’t expect the DT 990s to boost or otherwise modify your sound too much. In fact, expect quite the opposite. The DT 990s are more directly focused on delivering a consistent and accurate frequency reproduction across all spectrums. The end result is a pair of cans thats unbelievably crisp, with thumping bass, warm mids, and snappy highs. The distortion levels here are nonexistent, too, even at high levels. However, they’re largely restricted to indoor use, as the open-back design does tend to let in the animals as far as ambience goes.

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Beyerdynamic DT 990 Headphones
		$175.95
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO HeadPhone - Stereo - Mini-phone - Wired - 5 Hz 35 kHz - Over-the-head - Binaural - Ear-cup - 10 Cable
		$185.00
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Open Studio Headphones 250 Ohms
		$299.00
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium Open-Back Headphones (250 Ohms)
		$329.00
Beyerdynamic DT 990 - 600 Ohm

Overall Value

At the end of the day, we were absolutely impressed with the DT 990s. The design is supremely comfortable, while the sound quality is unrivaled. For the $200 asking price, it’s hard to do much better, even with a comparable brand of Bose headphones. In other words, buying a set of these cans will hardly be a regrettable mistake, and we have a feeling you’ll never think a negative thought about it once the money’s been handed over.

Over the years, we’ve noticed a lot of trends in the realm of headphone design. Some of them we like—the higher quality seals on the in-ear headphones is certainly in the ballpark—and some of them we hate: Yes, we’re looking at you, Snooki-branded headphones. However, one trend that’s undeniable is the increase in pricing over the last few market periods.

Blinged-Out and High-Dollar

Beyond a doubt, headphones have been shooting up and up at the store, costing more at the register than ever before. Sure, there was a time when one could easily shell out more than $1000 on a brilliant pair of Bose over-ears (amplifier not included) but that was an experience kept best with the dedicated audiophile. Now, we’re seeing the average consumer—the teenager on the bus to work, or the regional manager at Walmart—spending upwards of $500 on a pair of high-dollar headphones. In fact, a truly decent set of cans these days will cost you at least $200, especially with all the celebrity-branded options running amok. And though the plethora certainly keeps us in business, we’re left with one overwhelming thought: What in the heck happened to headphones?

When we stop to think about it, though, the answer is relatively simple. You see, it’s not just headphones that have progressed in the last ten years, it’s technology itself. Think about it. How many MP3 players, tablets, and smartphones do you see on the streets now, as compared to several years ago? If you’re like us, we’re guessing about ten times more than previously spotted. The near ubiquitousness nature of these devices has, over the years, driven a mass exodus back to music. More people are listening to tunes on the go, and with higher and higher expectation.

Furthermore, with services like Spotify and Pandora driving the train too, we’re seeing even more music consumption now than was previously ever heard of. Where once a Napster binge was a risky and illegal affair, a Spotify rampage is completely free—and won’t get the Feds knocking at the door.

All of this is great, but really, what does it mean for the headphone industry? In our humble opinion, it means this: Headphones are experiencing a truly validating resurgence, and in a few more quarters, you can expect to be living in the Golden Years of headphone listening.

Our reasons are straightforward: As more companies like Beats, Monster, and V-Moda step forward, offering consumer-oriented and high-quality cans, the market will only expand. The demand for low-powered and superior sounding headphones is already massive, and as smartphones, tablets, and music players grow over the next few years, it will only continue to blossom. Expect to see a features war, in which headphone manufacturers compete for the title of chicest and voguest. Expect prices to sky rocket, and designs to get sharper. In other words, hang on tight—it’s going to be one wild ride from here on out.

During the time that we’ve been crafting reviews and news articles for Stereo Headphones—as well as when we’re off the clock, for that matter—we’ve noticed a real trend in the production and design of headphones. At times, it’s a trend we’ve adored, and at others, we’ve really quite hated it. Yes, if you hadn’t guessed by the title yet, we’re talking about the boosted low-end in modern headphones: We’re talking about big, fat bass. 

Headphone Bass

With all—and we do mean all—of the brand name and celebrity-endorsed headphones we’ve seen in the last few months, we have notice done overbearing trend in their construction. They’ve all got a rather stout low-end that completely overbalances the texture of the tracks piped through them. Sure, some are better than others (Ludacris’ Soul is particularly balanced) but ever since the Beats line took off about five years ago, we’ve been listening to nothing but bass. We’ve also noticed that, over the years, this problem has only been getting worse. What gives? you might be asking. We’ve got a few thoughts on it, and in our eyes, it’s the popularly high-end headphones that are killing the sound of our tunes. Stick with us, and we’ll explain:

Truly great bass can really only be produced through a set of high-quality speakers. That is to say, sub-woofers and woofers are really the only genuine way to produce bass that’s both boomy, and clear at the same time. There’s a size-to-vibration ration involved that absolutely demands this sort of volume. However, most people tend to prefer a little more bass in their recordings. As such, headphone manufacturers have always attempted to add just a little more bass than is “proper” to their cans. But in the last few years, something changed: Bass become cool.

Hip-hop drove an entire revolution in which thumping bass—especially outside our window at night—was the only way to be chic. Everyone and their grandmother started to purchase high-end audio set-ups for their cars. The more people became used to this listening experience, the more they started to demand it in their headphones and in their music. It wasn’t long before companies like Beats figured out they could sell a lot of product by marketing their cans as some of the most bass-intensive on the market. The consumers lapped it up, and the rest is mostly history.

However, the problem is this: As the public attention on the low-end grows, the more records are produced with an emphasis on it. In other words, audio engineers are already adding more bass to their music. The headphone manufacturer does the same, and two plus two equals a ton of bass. Sadly, this cycle is likely to keep going, at least until the public attention on the low-end dwindles, and record producers go back to making more balanced music. That’s not to say what exists now is bad—Have you heard the new Drake mix yet?—but at the least, our reviewing ears would like a break.

Think about it: There’s easily about a million different iPhones, iPods, Zunes, Creatives, etc. out there roaming the planet. And considering each of these devices come stock with a pretty terrible set of in-ear headphones, there’s at least as much room for expansion—in a market sense, anyway. We have a feeling its this ginormous pie that caught Denon’s eye. Denon is regularly known for creating high-quality in-home theater equipment recently released two in-ear headphone models, the first costing about $50, and the second—that’s the one we’re reviewing here—clocking in at around $200. All in all, the AH-C700 headphones is likely worth the cost of investment, offering stupendous sound, a quality build, and enough name-brand recognition to last a lifetime. In other words, jump on below to find out what we did (and totally didn’t) like about these in-ear headphones via our in-depth headphone review.

Design and Comfort

Denon AH-C700

Any manufacturer that’s willing to make an all-metal pair of in-ears is a friend of ours, and Denon looks to be our new best mate. The AH-C700 headphones are spot-in where build quality is concerned, offering a wonderfully solid construction without any sense of being fragile or likely to wear out anytime soon. The eartips are canalphone-designed, meaning you’ll have to jam them directly into your ear canal to obtain the necessary seal. However, we had no problem fitting the in-ears to our head, and the three included tips should help those with slightly smaller or slightly larger ears than ours. In terms of comfort, we hardly noticed the AH-C700’s presence after an extended period of listening, which is a tremendous notch in the headphone’s favor. Typically, we tire of these in-ears after just a short period of time: The Denon AH-C700 headphones, though, we could wear all day.

Sound Quality and Performance

All in all, the AH-C700s sounded exactly like a pair of $200 headphones should sound: The bass was pleasantly plump, though still rife with detail, while the upper end offered a nice amount of clarity. The mids were smooth and butter, and though the low-end might be a tad too reinforced for the audiophile listener, we found it quite engaging. For all the fuss about the headphones’ seal, the noise-isolation is somewhat lackluster. Our morning commute was hardly quieted, leading us to think the AH-C700s aren’t quite as robust in terms of noise-canceling as we might have hoped.

Overall Value

At the end of the day, $200 is a lot to ask for a pair of in-ears. Still, the sound quality matches the price, and though you won’t find any accessories here (No travel pouch, Denon?) the build quality is also on-par with the price. In other words, if you’re willing to spend two bills on a pair of in-ears, you won’t be disappointed with either the design or sound of the AH-C700 headphones.

If you’ve followed us long, you know we typically don’t like to cover the lower-end model of in-ear headphones. As stated elsewhere, the chief reason behind this is simple: They usually suck! However, when one of our favorite manufacturers puts out a set of buds for under one hundred bucks, we feel like we should at least (somewhat) pay attention. As such, we’ll be taking a look below at the new Denon AH-C351 model in-ear headphones. Overall, the provide for an impressive level of performance and design, and though they aren’t yet our go-to set of in-ears the $50 price tag is hard to argue with. So without further ado, skip on down below the break for our headphone review and in-depth look at these low-priced buds from Denon!

Design and Comfort 

Denon AH-C351

In terms of raw design, not much can be said about the AH-C351s. Their barrel-shaped ear plugs are roughly par for the course, though we did appreciate the noticeably sturdy construction. Likewise, the rubberized in-ear tips are pleasantly secure, and we had no trouble at all establishing a seal. That being said, there’s little to no noise-isolation occuring with the AH-C351s, which is strange for a set of in-ears, particularly ones with such a nice fit. Also, the stock cord is a bit shorter than usual, as its intended for use with an arm-parked MP3 device. However, if you’d like to extend the cable out to an iPhone or iPod stored in your pocket, there’s an additional cable included for your convenience. All in all, the AH-C351s take a somewhat basic approach to headphone building, and though it’s not likely to turn heads on the subway, it’s at least solid enough to keep our interest.

Audio Performance and Quality

Sadly, the audio quality offered here is not quite as high-dollar as we might like. Overall, the headphones’ solid seal provided for a tight sound, though almost everything else about the AH-C351s did not. The lows and mids are mostly underemphasized, lending the earbuds towards a more mid-range sound that we didn’t much favor. Additionally, we experienced a fair amount of distortion along every range of the headphone’s frequency output. Typically, we couldn’t get the volume too high before the buds started to overproduce, which quite drastically irritated our nerves. All in all, the AH-C351s are adequate for the price range, but won’t be winning any awards soon.

Overall Value

Even with the super-cheap $50 price tag, the AH-C351s are a rough sell. The design is perfectly great, though not particularly flashy. In an opposite direction, the sound is somewhat terrible, though not so drastic as to make the headphones unusable. All in all, if you’re just a fan of Denon, and want to spend your $50 on an okay set of in-ears, this is your best bet. Otherwise, spend just a bit more on another brand, and you’ll get a lot more for your money.

In a world without Beats by Dre , Monster is really having to search and explore to find new ventures with other famous, product-moving names. Thankfully for us, they haven’t yet had a problem doing so. We’ve seen any number of celebrity-endorsed releases emerging from the former Hi-Fi cable manufacturer, but none had us quite as excited as the Monster Earth, Wind and Fire Gratitude in-ear headphones. We’ve been huge fans of the band for a while, and though the latest tour left us wanting, we still had high expectations for the in-ear headphones. To find out whether or not they disappointed, head on down below for our headphone review.

Design and Comfort

Monster Earth Wind and Fire Gratitude

The first thing we noticed about the Gratitude in-ear headphones is their subdued yet chic design. Monster hasn’t been known for keeping the barres held on its designs, and though the Gratitude line can hardly be called blasé, we dug the somewhat subtler approach to bling. Sure, the excessive gold on the ear caps is a bit much, but all in all, we dug the accented and angled design of the buds. The tips felt comfortable in-ear, but if you’re worried about fit, Monster has included a number of customized earbud tips. Overall, we had no trouble establishing a seal with the headphones, and were pleasantly surprised by a decent amount of noise-isolation. It’s not enough to block out some of the louder moments in our commute, but it’s certainly an added bonus.

Sound Quality and Performance

As a model by Monster, we expected a ton of bass out of the Earth Wind and Fire Gratitude. We weren’t exactly disappointed, but what surprised us is what truly makes the headphones an incredible bargain. You see, the bass is just as boomy as we’d expect from a model by the manufacturer, but the clarity offered here is unbelievably more advanced than we’ve previously seen out of Monster. The bass tended not to overpower the rest of the mix—a pleasant change for once—leaving more room for the crisp highs and buttery mids. Not only that, but this attention to detail lasted through every genre we tried. Strings sounded crisp, while the vocal timbers of a pop singer’s voice came through like lightning. All in all, for a pair of headphones we hardly expected to be blown away by, the Earth Wind and Fire Gratitude came as a satisfactory slap in the face.

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Earth Wind and Fire Gratitude Headphones
		$199.00
Monster Gratitude In-Ear Headphones

Overall Value

We’re somewhat hesitant to say it, but the Earth Wind and Fire Gratitude may just be the best in-ears we’ve ever heard from Monster. That being said, the $230 asking price is certainly high for a pair of in-ears. But if you’re willing to fork over two bills and a bit for a pair of in-ears by the company, you’ll actually be getting your money’s worth: A phrase we don’t often get to say where the Hi-Fi cable maker is concerned. All in all, the Gratitude headphones come recommended.