B&W P5 Series 2 Headphones

A couple years ago I had the pleasure of reviewing the Bowers & Wilkins P5 series 1 headphones.  Can they transfer that success into the all new P5 series 2 headphones?  Lets take a look at their brand new product right now.

Overall build quality and aesthetics are very similar.  The metallic back side to the ear cups are now matte black instead of brushed silver as the series 1 was.  With their leather wrapped ear pieces and the industrial looking metal on the outside of the ear pieces with Bowers & Wilkins engraved in, these are just plain sexy, even moreso than before.  

The P5 series 2 headphones are pretty comfortable to wear with their sheep leather ear pads.  After an extended period of wear, say an hour or more, I feel they get to be a little snug on my ears but that isn't uncommon.  

Sound Quality.  The series 2 differs from the original P5 with its all new 40mm drivers similar to what is used on the higher end P7 headphone.  The B&W P5 series 2, just like the originals are more true neutral and warm but they are no slacker in the bass department.  They prove to be a little light on the treble at regular volume levels but the treble begins to emerge at higher volumes (over 50%), giving an amazing well rounded profile.  In my opinion, I prefer a warmer headphone like this versus something that is so heavy on treble that it gives you a headache.  Warm headphones allow a much more pleasant and comfortable listening experience.  

Overall, I feel that the series 2 is a substantial improvement over the series 1 and merits the upgrade, no questions asked.  Like I mentioned previously, the more power you give them, the better they sound. 

In the packaging, you will find the P5 headphones with an attached 3 button remote cable, a replaceable headphone cable (with no 3 button iPod controls) and the same uber premium carrying bag for your precious new headphones.  Retail cost is $299.99, available with free shipping here.

Review: Lifeproof Frē for iPhone 5c

Hey guys, today i'm going to be reviewing the new Lifeproof Fre case for the iPhone 5c.  I had the opportunity to review the Lifeproof Frē case for the iPhone 5 here.

The Lifeproof Fre case is essentially the same case as was offered for the iPhone 5.  The ports and controls are covered in the same fashion and the lightning charging port has a small door just like previously.

The same thin film covers the entire front of the device providing outstanding protection. One improvement that Lifeproof has made for this 5c case has to do with the back cover.  The cover is now a frosted clear material as to proudly display the color of your iPhone 5c.

I have been testing this case for a few weeks now and have been nothing but satisfied, just like all of Lifeproof's products, they have another winner.  One thing worth noting is that the screen cover tends to accumulate a lot of oils from the users face as it does not have an oleophobic coating, but this is easily cleaned.  All in all, the case is holding up to all the abuse I can throw at it and the phone is totally pristine when I remove it (couldn't even find specs of dust inside).

Lifeproof offers this case in 2 colors; white/clear and black/clear.  Retail price is $79.99 and is readily available here.

Review: Incipio ATLAS ID for iPhone 5s

Incipio unveiled the original ATLAS case at CES 2013 which then followed up with the ATLAS ID in late 2013 to function with touch ID found on the iPhone 5s. Other than that, there aren't many differences between the ATLAS and ATLAS ID (iPhone 5 works just fine in the ATLAS ID case).  

The ATLAS line of cases are Incipio's take at a waterproof / dustproof / shockproof case that can handle almost everything you can possibly throw at it.  The case has similarities to competitors such as Lifeproof but one major benefit is the glass screen shield that is built in.  More on that later.

As you'd expect, all buttons and ports are covered by rubberized material.  The sleep/wake button, volume buttons and silent switch are covered and provide a decent tactile feel.  The bottom of the case has a flip out style "door" that reveals the lightning port and rubberized plug for the headphone jack. In order to use headphones, you simply remove this plug and attach the provided headphone extender.  

The major selling point on Incipio's ATLAS ID case (and ATLAS case) is the built in glass screen shield.  The user feel when using glass versus plastic on other cases is far superior.  The glass doesn't feel quite as slick as the bare glass but I feel safe to say this will break-in over time and will become more smooth.  Touch responsiveness is slightly muted but is expected when you add a material on top of the phone's surface.  The "ID" version of the case adds a thin membrane over the home button that allows touch ID to work.  I didn't find any issues using touch ID.  

Call quality is slightly degraded as well.  Incoming clarity seemed to be slightly muffled but not in-audible whatsoever.  Outgoing clarity was not affected.  

The warranty is linked to the iPhone 5s you register with, and is non-transferable. Registration is done using their free app.  The app also walks you through claims on the case or the phone. Incipio’s warranty is good for one incident of liquid or physical damage, and you have the option of extending the coverage to two years for an additional fee.

Overall I really like this case.  It is outstanding for somebody who wants to take their phone everywhere and never have to worry about it.  ATLAS ID is available in 4 colors; Black, Dark Gray, Pink & White for $89.99 here.

Lifeproof Nüüd case for the iPhone 5

Today I am reviewing the all new Lifeproof Nüüd case for the iPhone 5.  I was very anxious to see what this case was all about after getting the chance to review the Nüüd case for the iPad.  Lifeproof has become a household name when it comes to waterproof, let alone "anything proof" phone cases.  The Nüüd line of cases they have released separate themselves from anything else they have released due to the "screenless" technology i.e. there is nothing separating the bare screen from your fingers while still remaining waterproof.

Lifeproof has truly revolutionized the market with the release of the Nüüd line in my opinion.  Releasing a very rugged phone case, adding the fact that it is waterproof PLUS you don't lose touch sensitivity?  What else could anybody ask for?  The case claims that it can protect against drops up to 6.6 feet, submersion in water up to 6.6 feet as well as protection against dust, sand and snow.

The Lifeproof Nüüd case has remarkable build quality and is undoubtably one of the best i've seen.  The front face of the case is a matte polycarbonate that feels and looks outstanding, we will come back to this later in the review.

The back half of the case is a new design that varies quite a bit from Lifeproof's Frē case.  Instead of the back window that would only display the apple logo on the Frē, the Nüüd is one large clear window so you can see the majority of the iPhone which I really like.  There was a lot of attention to detail with this design as the perimeter of the back panel is a frosted material so it does not pick up scuffs and scratches when set down screen side up.  The clear portion of the back panel is recessed below the frosted rim so it shouldn't get scuffed.

The camera is covered by anti-reflective glass and does not degrade photos at all.

The sides of the case are comprised of a hard rubber material that provides plenty of grip.  On the left side, the volume buttons are covered by this material as well as the slider for the silent switch.  On top we have a simple rubberized button for the sleep/wake button, feedback is not bad.  Around the bottom, we have the Lifeproof typical "screw-in" jack for the headphone jack that now has a tether attached to it so it does not get lost.  The lightning port is covered by a hinged door with a seal that works perfect, I wouldn't expect anything different.

Getting back to the front faceplate.  There is a lot going on here but it all works perfectly.  You are probably wondering how the case can be waterproof while still allowing the bare screen to be used.  Underneath the faceplate, there is a gasket around the perimeter which squishes against the phone screen providing a waterproof seal.  The bezel comes right up against the touch screen that can sometimes cause issues using the controls in iOS7 but it's just a minor complaint as they are still usable.

One of the new features in the Nüüd is that the home button is a separate piece now that makes use feel like you are actually pressing the home button.  It is somewhat loose fitting and I think that can be corrected but it is not an issue.

Sound quality is another thing i'd like to touch on.  As you would probably expect, sound quality is skewed while using a waterproof case.  Sound travels into the back plate of the case and resonates there to help elevate the volume while still coming out of the bottom port making it sound tinny.  I feel it is improved over the Frē case though.  Call quality is not degraded with the Nüüd.

This case is offered for $89.99 available in 2 colors, black and white at this time.

Mophie Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5

The product that i'll be reviewing for you guys today is from Mophie and it is the Juice Pack Air case for the iPhone 5. Mophie has been a household name when it comes to battery cases for your iPhone and is top dog as far as i'm concerned.  Mophie products are targeted to the user whose work day goes beyond 9-5 and having extra battery power is paramount.  

Lets start with my first impression of the Juice Pack Air.  Holding the case in hand, you will immediately notice the premium soft touch finish of the case; it is REALLY nice.  The next thing I noticed is that they have finally moved the status LED's to the back of the case versus having them on the bottom.  In addition to that, when the case is being charged, the lights will illuminate for 30 seconds but will turn off after that as to avoid being bothersome when you have this charging on your nightstand at night.  The last major thing I noticed is that the charging port has moved to the bottom instead of the side which should help out a lot with broken ports like the prior cases.  Speaking of the charging port at the bottom, it looks like there are gold contact patches - could this mean some sort of Mophie dock?

The case itself is surprisingly lightweight (2.68oz) so it doesn't feel like a brick when installed.  The headphone jack is recessed by a large amount and Mophie has included a headphone extender to offset that issue.  There is nothing more that Mophie can do about that since Apple moved the headphone port to the bottom.  The left side of the case features covered buttons for the volume up/down as well as a built in slider for the vibrate switch.  The top of the case is similar and has a built in button for the sleep/wake function.  Like I mentioned above, the back side of the case contains the status LED's, a button that illuminates those LED's to check charge status and a switch to trigger the battery on and off.  The opening for the camera and flash is black lined so it does not cause any flash back.  

As for the technical specs, it packs a 1700 mAh battery which is touted to provide up to a 100% charge of your device.  This will vary of course based on your usage while it is charging along with your phones settings i.e. email push etc.  This amount of power should suffice for most users without a doubt.  One thing to note is that you cannot sync your phone over the provided wire.  You will have to sync wirelessly to iTunes.  This should be a non issue for most people especially since most users sync to iCloud over night anyways.

So, with all that being said, I love the Juice Pack Air case and certainly recommend it.  You simply cannot go wrong with a Mophie product.  The Juice Pack Air case retails for $99.95 and is available in 3 colors - Black, White and Red.

AIAIAI TMA-1 Headphones

AIAIAI is a little known company that produces great headphones.  I will be going hands on with their TMA-1 on-ear studio headphones for my followers today.

You know what they say about first impressions.  Upon unboxing the TMA-1's, you'll see your headphone nestled in a tray of (what looks like) studio noise isolating panel.  In the box, you will get a detachable coiled headphone cable (1.6 m length), 1/4" screw on headphone jack, a pair of pleather covered replacement ear cups and a TMA-1 branded carrying pouch for all of this.  Like I said about first impressions, everything is matte jet black, totally sick in my humble opinion.

Build Quality - these cans are constructed of all nylon soft touch material (no metal).  They are fairly light weight in hand and will not feel heavy during listening sessions.  I am a big fan of the ear cups that seem to be made of a type of pliable foam; they are very comfortable and don't exert much force against the sides of your head.  The upper band is lined with this same foam making them very comfortable.  The cord is a heavy gauge wire unlike a lot of other headphones i've reviewed.  This cord will definitely hold up to heavy usage especially in a DJ environment like these are designed for.

Sound Quality - The TMA-1 headphones have a warm and not overly bright sound signature.  The sound stage is large, extremely life like almost like you're hearing music being performed live right in front of you.  Treble and mids are ungodly crystal clear, in perfect balance and make vocals sound accurate.  Lows are well balanced (yet a litle light), not overpowering allowing all channels of sound to hit your ears instead of drowning in bass like Beats by Dre models.  In my opinion, I think the bass could be a little more tight and a tad more heavy but of course, this is an opinion and varies by listener.

I truly like these headphones.  They are hands down, the most comfortable set of on-ear headphones i've ever worn.  I have had them on for a long time testing them as I am writing this and there is absolutely no discomfort from squeezing on any part of my head.

Retail price for this gem is $250 but they're currently going for $204.95 with free shipping on Amazon here.  

B&W P5 Headphones

Bowers & Wilkins has been a huge leader in home theater equipment for years - can they transfer that success into a pair of headphones?  Lets take a look into their P5 headphones right now.

The first thing you'll notice with these headphones is their build quality and their aesthetics.  They ooze premium quality like the interior of a BMW or Mercedes Benz.  With their leather wrapped ear pieces and the industrial looking metal on the outside of the ear pieces with Bowers & Wilkins engraved in, these are just plain sexy.  

Moving on to noise isolation, B&W boasts the fact that the P5 are closed back with sealed earpads.  With that being said, during my testing, I agree they surely do seal out almost all exterior sound.  What is mention worthy though is that there IS some sound that will leak out. I'm not saying it matters for the listener (:D) but it may be a concern for those around you, especially if you listen to these in an office environment. 

By design, the P5 headphones are pretty comfortable to wear and won't squeeze your cranium too much to the point of discomfort.  After an extended period of wear, say an hour or more, I feel they get to be a little snug on my ears.  It's not a deal squasher, but it helps to take a break from listening for a bit.  Other than that, they are very pleasant to wear not to mention the plush pad on the top band that rests on top of the listeners head.  

Sound Quality - this is what you guys truly care about, right?  The B&W P5 are more true neutral and warm but they are no slacker in the bass department.  Listening to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, you can definitely hear the warm sound of the P5's.  They prove to be a little light on the treble at regular volume levels but the treble begins to emerge at higher volumes.  In my opinion, I prefer a warmer headphone like this versus something that is so heavy on treble that it gives you a headache.  Warm headphones allow a much more pleasant and comfortable listening experience.  

In the packaging, you will find the P5 along with a replaceable headphone cable (with no 3 button iPod controls), a 1/4" headphong plug and an uber premium carrying bag for your precious new headphones.  Retail cost is $299.99, available with free shipping on Amazon here.