By Odeisel

If there was ever anything that annoyed me about portable music, it’s cheap ass headphones. I know sometimes you get caught out there and you have to buy some on the run occasionally, but cheap headphones can totally ruin music for a two big reasons.You’re probably playing some “music” nobody else likes but thanks to your poorly made headphones, everyone can hear every single word of your crappy music, even on the loud subway, even though you’re at least 10 feet away from others. Second, you’re already listening to an mp3 and the quality of your music needs all the help it can get to stretch itself into the realm of CD quality sound. (Tough luck trying to get that big echo record sound. We’re out on that). A good pair of headphones can bring out the lows and treble highs without sounding like noise.

You may prefer ear buds with noise reduction or ear muff style, over-the-head phones that block out sound. If you’re at the gym, those may not be the most conducive to getting your workout on (and not breaking your headphones). This column is about introducing you to the latest in headphones of all varieties and brands.

This edition covers the Nuforce NE-700M earbuds. Don’t you love science? Headphones have come so far from the fuzzy padded earmuffs that let everyone else hear as much of your music as you did. Now we have all kinds of sexy additions that make you think this is 2010: A Space Odyssey. Wait, we’re a year past that. Nuforce knows this and have equipped the headphones with all kinds of goodies like titanium plated drivers encased in aluminum chassis to prevent bass from rattling your phone. Add repulsors and Tony Stark would be jealous. No lasers, but an omni-directional hands-free mic is included to switch from music to phone calls.

All that is well and good on paper, but how does it hold up in the field of battle? Aesthetically they feel substantial. There is a good weight to them abd they look powerful and sleek when you inspect them. They come witha nice, soft satchel for transport/storage.

I tested the buds on a Blackberry Tour, bumping The Roots’ latest masterpiece, undun. I didn’t find the lows to be that earth shattering. I was able to hear a nice range of sound but the bass was not that great. The midrange came through fairly strong and there wasn’t any hiss on the high.

The real star of these earbuds is the microphone. Not only was I able to carry conversations on a crowded bus without having to repeat myself (ugh) but I also recorded an episode of IllSide Radio on a laptop through a Y cable and my voice was crystal clear. There were no lulls in sound, background noise was minimal, and the cord was soft enough that the mic was always within range without twisting away.

In all the buds are solid. They can be handled without kid gloves, the sound is solid but unspectacular and the mic is outstanding.

• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Impedance 16Ω
• Mic: Unidirection electrotec
• Driver Size: 8MM
• MaxInput: 10mW
• Max Output: 20mW
• Pressure Sensitivity: 105dB+-3dB
• 3.5mm 4 pole stereo/iPhone compatible plug
• Mic Sensitivity: -38dB

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