[ad_1]
Opinion posted by
C. Scott Brown
If you want a pair of Bluetooth headphones, it seems like you have almost unlimited options. For example, a set of these Mpow earphones costs less than $ 25 and offers almost perfect reviews on Amazon. Meanwhile, Marshall's ears cost about $ 100 and also have good reviews.
There are many other brands offering Bluetooth headsets in every possible style, color and price, many of which also offer an excellent listening experience.
If that's the case, why would he spend $ 350 on a pair of expensive headphones like the Sony WH1000XM3 or the Bose QuietComfort 35 II? Looks like you are paying too much for something you could get for less without the brand name attached.
I thought that spending a lot of money on expensive headphones was not worth it for a long time. However, I recently bought a pair of Sony Earphones WH1000XM3 and I must say that I sing a different tune.
Before talking about my experience, I want to emphasize that this is not a message that explains why you should specifically buy the earphones I bought. This is more the reason why it is worthwhile to spend more money on headphones, whatever their brand or style. This message is by no means sponsored by a company, including Sony.
I did not buy in the hype
On our sister site Good guysChris Thomas (pictured above) called the Sony WH1000XM3 Headphones "The best earmuffs" you can buy today. I read this review before shopping for a new set of phones, but I thought, "I do not need the best, I just need something good. "
My current headphones – the AKG N60NC noise canceling headphones – sounded great (at least I thought), but made me feel uncomfortable. Since there is not much padding on the headband, after an hour or two of listening, the top of my head began to hurt (problems of bald people).
In addition, when I listened to music with my glasses, the AKG earphones sank my ears over the stems, which was also uncomfortable.
I thought jerry-rigging some padding on the headband, but that would not solve the problem with my glasses. I then thought that it would probably be better to get a new pair, knowing that I only paid $ 100 to use them. To be honest, the headphones I owned before the AKG cost me $ 50 and their sound was pretty much the same.
I paid $ 100 for headphones and I thought they were worth as much as a previous $ 50 pair. Why should I spend more?
Basically, I knew I had to replace my current headphones, but the audio quality was not a problem I was trying to solve and so I was not trying to spend a lot.
Still, I was curious about the different types of expensive headphones, like the Sony and Bose phones. Why do people pay $ 350 for these? The reviews on Amazon are all pretty brilliant, and Chris Thomas' opinion on these issues is certainly the one I trust, but $ 350? It's way too much money.
It is the age of the Internet, so what do I have to lose? I decided that it would not hurt to buy a pair of WH1000XM3s and give them a shot. Amazon's return policy is pretty lenient, so the worst thing is that I try them, I do not think they are worth it, and I return them at a lower price and just as good.
In hindsight, this decision cost me $ 350.
This premium sensation, this premium comfort
When the The XM3 have arrived. I was immediately struck by their appearance. My AKG headphones were nice, do not get me wrong, but the XM3s are really nice. If you hold a pair, you can immediately say that these things are not cheap.
With my glasses, I jumped the XM3 on my head to see what they were feeling. Honestly, it was like putting my head on a pillow. The padding of the headband was soft and light and the foam cups covering my ears were neither constraining nor heavy. I'm not sure whether it's design ergonomics or just top-quality building materials, but the XM3 seemed to get brighter when I put them on the head than I did stood in my hands.
I tried to shake my head to see how stable the phones were, and I was happy to see that there was very little movement. I'm not the type to talk with my headphones (OK, maybe a little head), but I get the impression that I could make a slight beat and that the XM3 will remain firm.
From the start, the XM3s were much more comfortable than the AKGs, which alone would have been worth the extra money.
Finally, I pressed the power button to start and check the noise cancellation. Not surprisingly, noise cancellation worked much better on XM3 than on AKG. This is due in large part to the fact that the Sony headphones completely covered my ears, unlike the AKG, I'm not sure. Whatever it is, the XM3 were much, much better.
Since everything was perfect until now, I have connected the XM3 to my smartphone (as simple as pressing my phone on the built-in NFC chip located on the left ear) and I'm I lifted my Plex library for listening to music. The first thing I played was "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve.
I was just not prepared for what I heard.
It was like listening to music for the first time
At the beginning of the orchestral debut of "Bitter Sweet Symphony," I thought, "Hey, these very expensive headphones sound pretty good." But hey, I did not expect them to sound wrongso it was not too surprising. As the track picked up steam and the staccato violin parts came in, I began to smile: "OK, that sounds really good.
Then the whole band came on stage with that bass drum and that big bass guitar, and I sat in my chair, as if someone had pushed me. Honestly, at that moment, I felt like I was hearing this song for the first time, despite the fact that I've been listening to it regularly for literally 22 years.
What has impressed me the most is the immersion in the sound. I have so much of the habit of hearing music in headphones that everything happens as if everything was happening within a two inch radius of my head (I am not a technical audiophile, so 39 is the best way to describe it). With the XM3 however, it seemed like the music was going around me, as if I were surrounded by the band that was giving a concert.
I was listening to pieces of these songs that I just had not heard before.
After the conclusion of "Bitter Sweet Symphony", I decided to put the XM3 in the wiper. First, I shot Slayer's "Payback" to test how the "phones deal with very loud songs with most of the sounds in the midrange.Indeed, the song seemed amazing, without digital distortion and with a moderate bass sound." Then I read Doves' "M62 Song" to understand how the XM3 were behaving with very quiet acoustic guitar-based music, and that's how Andy Williams was in my living room playing the song just for me.
Honestly, no matter what I threw on the XM3, it was like listening to music for the first time. I sat there for about an hour going through different tracks to see what I had missed in all those years. I can not remember the last time I sat in a chair and listened to music without working, playing on the phone, hanging out with friends or anything else – just sitting and listening.
If you are on the fence, take it from me: buy them
I do not want this article to sound like I'm looking for the Sony WH1000XM3 earphones. I chose them because they received good reviews and Chris Thomas said it was the best, but I probably could have bought the Bose QuietComfort 35 II headset and have a similar experience. I would probably have also written this same article if I had also invested in super premium headphones, like those Focal Stellia headphones that cost $ 3,000.
And, to be honest, the XM3 are not perfect. The right ear touchpad allows you to start / pause tracks, increase volume, skip tracks, etc., by dragging or tapping. However, it really did not work for me at all; it usually takes a few tries for the expected action to occur. The headphones are also quite large. As a result, fashion-conscious listeners may not understand what they look like while wearing them.
What I mean is that there is a reason people pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a headset: it's just better than the cheapest. I did not even mention all the other amazing features of the XM3, such as the companion app with so many awesome customization features, battery life, USB-C charging and much more. Other features that you will not find in many cheaper headsets.
I will be the first to admit that the old adage of "You get what you pay for" does not apply to everything. You do not have to have a MacBook Pro at $ 2,400, for example, when there are a lot of computers for half the cost that will work just as well, if not better. Generic drugs, unbranded grocery products and, yes, even mid-range smartphones can provide you with everything you need for a lot less money.
However, it does not seem that headphones fall into this category. From my experience – and the related experiences of people like Chris Thomas and the Good guys team – you have to spend a little money if you really want to know what your music has to offer. In this case, you really get what you pay for.
So, if music is important to you, but you're still about to spend a lot of money to get a great headphone, whatever the make or model, listen to my advice: do it. It will be worth the money.
NEXT: Best helmet with Google Assistant integration
[ad_2]
Source link