Tag Archives: Beats by Dre

Klipsch Mode Noise Canceling Headphones

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To say I got excited when I read the news today that Klipsch was releasing a new, on-ear headphone with noise cancelation is an understatement. Klipsch has long been one of my favorite audio companies starting with their perfect Klipsch ProMedia v2-400 speakers which I got around 8th grade.

When Klipsch first started making headphones a few years ago, I got an early listen at their headquarters in Indianapolis. I was excited then to learn of their cutting-edge engineering and design. They were about to conquer in a whole new world of audio. And they did.

The Klipsch Image S4i is the headphone that first really got the attention of the masses. I reviewed it on this site as you will remember. There were of course other headphones that were superb but these had the all important iPhone features that made them stick out from the rest of the pack.

Then came the Klipsch Image X10i, my pride and joy. These headphones are more like an implant into my body than something I put on (in) to enjoy music. The world’s smallest headphones, so small that most people hardly even notice I am listening to music.

After that, the third Klipsch headphone for me to review and fall in love with was the Klipsch Image One. Their first, on-ear headphone which I praised for responsible audio reproduction, comfort, great remote control and for finally showing the rest of the high-end consumer headphone companies that you don’t have to out bass and out price Beats by Dre to make a great headphone (actually, please no one ever do that).

Finally, yesterday Klipsch announced their latest headphone. The Klipsch Mode.

Klipsch Mode Noise-canceling Headphones

Klipsch Mode Noise Canceling Headphones

This is their second on-ear headphone and their first noise-canceling headphone. In so many ways this headphone is truly unique from it’s super sexy design to its use of four total drivers, to best present high and low frequencies simultaneously. That’s not easy task. One 40mm driver for the lows and a 15mm driver for the highs.

Klipsch Mode Noise-canceling Headphones - Top View

Unlike most noise-canceling headphones, these will run as regular headphones even without battery power, which lasts 45 hours by the way. They have removable cables and a three-button, Apple remote control.

Klipsch Mode Noise-canceling Headphones - Side ProfileYou can be sure that I will get my hands on a pair of these as soon as I can for a review. These headphones are tied with the Klipsch Image X10i as their most expensive headphones, at $350. That $350 is buying you quite a bit of technology and design savvy.

I haven’t been this excited about a headphone since the S4i was released.

SPECIFICATIONS:

  • BUILT FROM: 2011
  • DESIGN: Over-ear, Active Noise-Canceling
  • DIMENSIONS: Driver diameters: 40 mm/15 mm
  • DRIVE COMPONENTS: Dual-drivers: Dynamic Moving Coil 40 mm and 15 mm speakers
  • FEATURES: Passive Cross-over Network, Active Noise Reduction, Mic+3-button remote
  • FINISH: Copper/black
  • FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
  • INPUT CONNECTIONS: 3.5mm
  • INPUT IMPEDANCE: (@ 1kHz): 32 ohms
  • SENSITIVITY: (@ 1 mW, 15 mm): 97.5 dB
  • WEIGHT: .78 lbs (356 grams)

Klipsch Image One Review

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I cannot believe it has taken me this long to write a review of the Klipsch Image One headphones. It was last November that I first posted about these over ear headphones, the first on-ear headphones made by Klipsch. And yes, one of these days, I will write a review that doesn’t take an hour to read. Brevity is not my strength.

I’ve decided to edit the introduction to this review with a summary of my thoughts. The full review is posted below, but if you’re in a rush, digest the following. Continue reading →

You Don’t Always Get What You Paid For

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I have never seen a set of MonsterCable Beats by Dre at a store, Apple, Best Buy or otherwise that weren’t broken.  Often times there is a short in the cable or one of the ear-pieces is falling apart or, as in this case, falling off.

Today I witnessed two sets of Beats by Dre, completely obliterated, sitting next to each other as if all is well, while, just across the aisle, two sets of the competing Bose headphones (Quite Comfort 2 and 3) looked and performed perfectly.

Clearly a sign of the Monster Cable quality, or lack there of.  Their build is like their performance. Immediately pleasing before succumbing to the flaws of sacrifice.  Form over function. Volume and extended bass over balance and fidelity.  The competition, namely Bose, might make horrendously overpriced home theater equipment, just like Monster Cable.  They might make products that fall apart and aren’t worth the cardboard boxes they come in.  But at least their headphones stand up to normal wear-and-tear, as well as display model wear-and-tear.

Oh, and while we’re on the subject.  How is it that all of these headphones get such prime placement and are all the Best Buy people will really try to sell you, along with the Sennheiser HD 238 Precision, when the absolute BEST over-the-ear headphone they sell, the set with the absolute highest performance/price ratio is left in the corner behind the Monster Cable display?  They have the new and improved (wow was that even possible) Koss PortaPro.

No, the PortaPros aren’t sound isolating, much less sound canceling like the Bose and Monster Cable headphones.  It’s not even lined with luxurious faux-leather or encased in some kevlar and chrome chasis.  It’s simply the best sounding over-the-ear headphone for under $100.  If I had to choose any over-the-ear headphone to buy with a budget, this would be the one.  They are incredibly light, incredibly comfortable and the performance is astounding.  I’d even go to say that they over-perform headphones costing upwards of $200 like the Bose, Sennheiser, Grado, AKG…

How much? I got mine for $30 on Amazon.com and did I mention they come with an international, lifetime warranty.  They are known to replace or repair your broken headphones even if you don’t have your receipt.

Anyways, I’m going to quit this rant.  It just annoys the hell out of me that an incredible headphone like this, which is actually selling for $30 off retail for this limited edition model at Best Buy right now, is overlooked by customers and employees of consumer electronics stores because they have no real knowledge.

Don’t even get me started on their home theater or photography departments.  Holy shit.

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