iPad/iPhone > All Reviews > Hardware > Audio > Headphones > JVC HA-S650 review

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 JVC HA-S650 review

Street-smart headphones that look cool and sound fine

Andy Penfold

Manufacturer: JVC
Pros: Really comfortable, neutral and clear sound quality, smart design
Cons: Sound could do with a bit more punch, fragile build
Price: £79.99
We rate this 4 out of 5.Star rating:

JVC is homing in on street-smart audio lovers with its new lightweight headphones. Most headphones for use out and about are in-ear models, but the HA-S650s offer an over-ear headband design.

And while you may prefer the inconspicuousness of in-ear pluggers, the HA-S650s don’t make you look like a total tool. The earpieces are a glossy black, but other than that they’re quite understated and a good fit. They’re also comfortable, helped by the memory foam pads and earpieces that rotate 45 degrees.

All this comfort comes with a caveat, though - the HA-S650s are fragile. You can’t go chucking them around or yanking them too hard.

The £80 price tag makes them a serious audio purchase so how do they sound? The headphones are part of JVC’s Carbon Black series, and the carbon housing is designed to limit resonance. The tone of the headphones is certainly crisp - balanced with good detail, and bass is strong without giving you a headache.

The overall sound quality is pleasing, but sometimes lacks the kind of punch that lets you really hear the peaks and troughs in your music. Overall though, the sound is good, and worth spending a bit more for.

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Thu, 31 Dec 2009 JVC HA-S650 review

Street-smart headphones that look cool and sound fine

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