InnerFidelity

The Handsome Philips Fidelio L1

Tyll Hertsens May 01, 2012 First Published: May 01, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

Headphones have changed a lot over the last 20 years. First they were accessories; then they were legit listening devices but as ugly as an outhouse; then they were bright plastic necklaces and a rapper's gravy train; but of late, they're becoming a very human interface to our tunes, designed to sound good, look good, and feel good.

The Philips Fidelio L1 is a perfect example of such a headphone.

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

The Luscious Denon AH-D2000, AH-D5000, and AH-D7000

Tyll Hertsens Apr 21, 2012 First Published: Apr 21, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

Boy, do I love it when a manufacturer builds a great product and then sticks with it. I've been listening to, and recommending the Denon AH-D2000, AH-D5000, and AH-D7000 headphones for years. I welcomed the chance to get some fresh samples of these fine cans from Denon, and I was double happy to find they've gotten even better over the years.

Even better? Yes! It does appear they've made some improvements over time. Let's have a look...

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

Comply Foam Tips and the Effects of Tip Selection

Tyll Hertsens Apr 12, 2012 First Published: Apr 12, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

I've seen numerous comments about tip selection affecting the frequency response of in-ear monitors. I've seen lavish words of praise for Comply tips ... and rants about how they muffled the sound.

I figured we should get to the bottom of this, eh?

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

DIY Headphone Measurement Contest Winners!

Tyll Hertsens Apr 07, 2012 First Published: Apr 07, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

Having printed out the measurements for all 41 Do-It-Yourself modified headphones sent to me over the past year, I spread them out over my kitchen table and set to work picking the best and worst measuring of the bunch. I also picked what I thought were the coolest looking headphones. And I scrounged around my lab looking for all the headphones I might give away as prizes.

Let's see who got what ...

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

AfterShokz and TEAC Filltune HP-F100 Bone Conduction Headphones

Tyll Hertsens Mar 15, 2012 First Published: Mar 15, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

Tap your cheek bones, and you'll hear it plain as day. The sound's not coming through your ear canals ... it's just rattling the bones in your ear, and you can hear it. But is this a good way to get your tunes?

Let's find out ...

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

The Wonderfully Competent AKG K550 Sealed Headphone

Tyll Hertsens Mar 14, 2012 First Published: Mar 14, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

Full-sized, sealed headphones are a bugaboo. They're either too woolly or boomy sounding, or they're too uneven, or they don't seal well enough. Sealed headphones are just plain hard to make sound good. Darn few that jump through those hoops and work well enough to be worth the money.

Wanna watch the K550 make the leap?

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

The Most Excellent Sennheiser Amperior and HD 25-1 II

Tyll Hertsens Mar 09, 2012 First Published: Mar 09, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

The latest in a long, long line of HD 25 variants, Sennheiser puts new clothes on the Amperior with milled aluminum cups and a new cable. Is it just bluff and bluster, or are these new cans worth nearly double the price of the HD 25-1 II?

I'm thinking so.

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

Last Call for DIY Cans! Here's the Latest

Tyll Hertsens Mar 01, 2012 First Published: Mar 01, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

The DIY headphone contest will be over on April 1st! If you want your cans measured and in the running, you'll need to get them in quickly as there's only a month left.

Want a look at the latest batch?

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

The Brilliant Sennheiser HD 800

Tyll Hertsens Feb 17, 2012 First Published: Feb 17, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

One look at the Sennheiser HD 800 and it's quite obvious that this headphone is in a class of one. Seemingly as much architecture and structural engineering as it is audio, this headphone is a technological marvel and delivers incredibly accurate audio fidelity.

It's nearly perfect ... nearly.

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

Philips Citiscape Downtown

Tyll Hertsens Feb 13, 2012 First Published: Feb 13, 2012

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

Generally speaking, my teenage daughter couldn't care less about headphones. But when I brought home a pair of purple Philips Citiscape Downtown headphones, she was almost breathless as she said, "Oh dad! Purple is my favorite color. Those are so cool!" Later, I peeked into her room; she was laying on her bed, knees up with legs crossed, one foot happily tapping the air.

It was with both pleasure and dismay that I realized I had just more fully enabled her connection to Justin Bieber.