Archive for the ‘Electronics’ Category

Best Buy Sony MDR-NC40 Noise Canceling Headphone Review : This Sony MDR-NC40 product just replaced my Philips headset which was working fine, but the size and portability of the Sony got my attention. I use it more for the noise-cancelling feature on planes than to listen to music, but when I have listened to audio the Philips always seemed a little weak in the bass range.

I was a little wary of the over-the-ear configuration leaking some background noise but this doesn’t seem to be the case. Also the music reproduction quality is quite good (I did listen to some music just to compare). The only thing I liked better about the Philips was that the battery was contained in the headset itself and the connector wire could be removed. The form factor of the sony makes that impractical. Both were purchased for less than $100 and neither caused any problems with comfort.

The philips unit replaced a Bose QC1 that I got several years ago, and which had started to develop a rattle in the right speaker when the Sony MDR-NC40 was dealing with low bass rumbles. The QC1 travel case was also about half the size of a shoebox so its portability was poor. In short, I think Bose products are overrated, and certainly overpriced. While they performed well (until they developed the problem) there is no way they are worth $300 when there are fine alternatives for $150 or less.
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Best Buy Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard Active Noise-Canceling Headphones Review : These are good comfortable quality noise cancellation headphones that I’ve used for over a year now. I have used them mostly at work. They are quite large. They cancel noise well, though I have not much compared them against others. I can still hear the voices of other people in them, but I understand that is normal. No hissing sound as far as I can tell. Sound quality is high (I generally use 320 kbps music mp3′s enhanced with iDFX technology… highly recommended). It takes one rechargeable battery, which probably lasts around 15-30 hours. I understand that these Sennheiser PXC 450 headphones can also be used without batteries (passively), but I haven’t really tried that much yet. Pass-through/bypass function works well, though I haven’t used it that often. Please note that if you cannot hear sound in these Sennheiser PXC 450 headphones, make sure you have the volume up since it has volume buttons, as sometimes/rarely the sound volume has fallen to zero between uses (maybe because the battery was out for an extended time). One thing I would like to change is that the power button currently needs to be held down for a couple of seconds before the unit turns off. I would like that to be instant, to help encourage me to turn them off instead of just quickly put them down intending to quickly put them back on again … perhaps in vain. Another feature that might be nice is that they would ‘optionally’ turn off if there is not an input signal to preserve battery life (I say optionally because there are times I have used them without sound to simply cut out external noises). The case is very great, and not too large (considering the headphone size) with great protection… its little elastic loops/straps hold 3(!) extra rechargeable batteries in addition to the other included connectors. High price, but recommended Sennheiser PXC 450.
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Best Buy Kidco Gate Review : We installed this Kidco Gate (used) when my son was just a couple of months old. He only just recently has been able to open it himself (he’s four now). It was on loan from a friend and I’ll have to be returning soon and purchasing myself one to keep (we have a second child now). I will definitely purchase this same Kidco Gate!! It’s been in use through two children (7 years total use) – installed, uninstalled and installed again and we haven’t had the slightest bit of problems with this Kidco Gate or the plastic bits. It is wonderful!.. We have 2 toddlers and have bought many gates. This is by far the most attractive and easy to use gate of all that we bought. It is very slim so it is not very distracting and easy to use. This is our third one and I couldnt be happier. I was actually able to get them to work on stairs without adaptor plates but it takes some creativity.
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Best Buy Denon AHD2000 High Performance Over-Ear Headphones Reviews : I bought Denon AHD2000 a year ago and have used them frequently since. So I’m confident that they’re burnt-in.

Of all the “serious” headphones that I own and have owned (Sennheiser 580 & HD555, Grado SR225i & 60, Audio Technica ATH AD700), these are currently my favorite and not by a small margin. First off, these won’t work very well with ipods and mp3 players without amplification (not enough gain). I primarily use it in home stereo with a Musical Fidelity headphone amp (X-can V8P) and, when set up thusly, the Denon AHD2000 sounds fabulous. It is full-bodied with a ripe bass but not overly so to my ears. It’s closed-back and as such perhaps not as transparent and airy as the open-backs like the Grados and the Audio Technica but also not nearly as bright-sounding. Denon AHD2000 works very well with acoustic music such as jazz and classical and more than ok on rock and pop. Another plus is that the Denon is extremely comfortable to wear and, even though it is full-sized, it feels light on my head. The other headphones mentioned above all have their strengths in one way or another but the Denon is, to me, the all-around winner – an extremely well-balanced headphone.

I am curious to hear how the big brothers of the Denon AHD2000 – the 5000 and the 7000 – sound but I suspect they may only be marginally better at significantly more money – diminishing return and all that. The Denon AHD2000 s themselves are not inexpensive at $250 or thereabouts on Amazon but, to me, worth the asking price and more. I highly recommend Denon AHD2000.
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