"Headphones music to your ears"

Headphones review - Monster Gratitude, Sennheiser HD 439, a-Jays Four and more

The Sennheiser HD 439 headphones.

OLD music can sound new again with the right headphones, writes Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson.

MONSTER GRATITUDE

Convoy International, $249.95, e-hifi.com.au

Four and a half stars

Monster Cable has cut ties with rapper Dr Dre but it is now befriending other acts, including Grammy-winning band Earth, Wind & Fire.

The resulting Gratitude earbuds, named after the band's 1975 double album, are finished in a rose gold hue, feature a flat cable for fewer tangles, and an in-line remote control for adjusting volume and answering calls when connected to a mobile phone.

Monster has included 24 tips to fit these sound machines into your ear canal snugly, blocking outside noise. The best part of these earbuds is they're tuned to deliver band harmonies and soundscapes and do that in spades, delivering a crisp, slightly metallic sound and loud vocals without distortion.

SONY BALANCED ARMATURE XBA-NC85D

Sony, $549.95, sony.com.au

Four stars

These earbuds are far from ordinary. Most noise-cancelling headphones are battery powered, creating an awkward situation where a metal tube hangs from your ear.

Sony has created a solution in the XBA-NC85D earbuds by packing small rechargeable batteries into the earpieces to cancel out external noise for up to 20 hours on a single charge.

Simply plug the earbuds into a USB adapter and computer whenever a boost is needed (they don't work without batteries).

The $500-plus price tag of these earbuds also buys you crisp music delivery with minimal distortion, a frequency response from five to 20,000Hz, and three types of noise cancellation, aimed at silencing aircraft, bus and general office noise.

SENNHEISER HD 439

Sennheiser, $119.95, sennheiser.com.au

Four stars

The latest headphones from Sennheiser have a lot of technology behind them. These over-head models feature a frequency range from 17 to 22,500Hz for extra detail in high and low frequencies. They also feature neodymium magnets for added bass that shines during R&B tracks.

The HD 439 headphones have a unique look with external mesh on the earcups and chrome accents, and two headphone cables of different lengths to suit your circumstances.

But in spite of all this technology, and the clear, bass-heavy sound that they deliver, the biggest positive is how comfortable they feel. The heavily padded earcups are extra long and the headband rests easily, even on large heads, letting you wear these cans for an extended period without pause.

A-JAYS FOUR

Jays, $99.95, jays.se

Three stars

Redesigned for use with the iPhone, or any other Apple audio gadget, Jays' latest headphones now feature an in-line remote control and thicker cords for more comfortable travelling.

The white, ribbon-style cords are tough to tangle, while not too heavy, and the remote control is well placed and easy to use, featuring just three buttons. Users can answer calls, adjust the volume and switch between tracks by pressing the middle key a few times.

The a-Jays Four look a lot like their a-Jays One counterparts, though they're packed with better audio technology, including an 8.6mm dynamic driver and 20-21000Hz frequency response. Low-frequency sounds were well handled by this budget set, though audiophiles will want to hear more.