Rating Brand-Name Consumer Level Headphones

Make and model
Sound
Feel
Design & look
Features
Uses
Overall

JVC HA-D20


Sound: 8
Good unit, with strong, pummelling bass countered by a chirpy tweeter. All worked
out with the oversize driver running the show. Unfortunately it is unsettlingly
tinny at times, and lends itself to "user understanding": erego, getting used to
the unit's shortcomings in favor of its advantages.

Feel: 7
Its large size and VERY comfy dugout earpieces are counter-attacked by the
"compression" phenomenon--it simply is not very comfortable to wear for
extended periods. Gortex earpads prevent it from getting too hot inside though--
a great benefit.


Design and look: 9
Superbly made, strong but light, and doesn't feel over-weighted anywhere. Good
looking set to a point, but seems a bit larger than it is from the outside.
Don't try to wear this one in public, though, as it is in fact a monitor head-
phone in disguise and outside noises are simply not audible from within the
enclosure.

Features: 8
Huge oversize 40mm driver unit made me adapt this into the Home Listening Hall
Of Fame, but its lack of unicord is a sad frivolity. The cord does distinguish
itself by going on FOREVER--no extensions here (10').

Uses: 7
Perfect for home, decidedly not so for on the road, but then you wouldn't buy
it for that. Computer output is as to be expected from a unit of this size.

Price: 8
Nothing special. The $60 tag is actually a little less than it should be--call
it a "discount SD unit" if you will.

Overall: 8
Good for home use, after its shortcomings are ignored.

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