Maxell HP 550

The Bottom Line: ?? A|

Review: For a while, I had been using earbuds. Anyone that's used those knows how uncomfortable they can be at first and how poor the sound quality is. I wanted some earphones that would cover my ears. I had owned pairs like that and they not only produce...

Pros: Very comfortable, cheap, decent sound

Cons: Ugly, cheap, not very loud

The Bottom Line: A much better choice than the Sony MDR-150/250, but especially suited for long use in a quiet locale.

Review: Why I Bought Them

My piece-of-crap Sony MDR-150's I had finally gave up the ghost recently, with one side of the headphones dying (this well after the other side broke and was repaired with superglue). So, I trashed them, and needed...

Pros: Great sound and comfort.

Cons: Poor quality in material for cushioning around ear.

Review: I've really enjoyed the quality of this headphones for awhile now. I've had them about a year and the plastic cushioning which goes around your ear has begun cracking and falling apart.

Pros: I like the fold-up concept; they fit nicely in my briefcase.

Cons: This slow degradation weakened the wire (about 14-18 months)and now is out of warranty.

Review: My HP-550 is dead in one ear. It took some time to troubleshoot the problem. I isolated it to a pinched wire that must be frayed inside the insulation. The left earpiece fold-up pinched the left wire, which feeds the right earpiece.

Pros: Folds up nicely, Inline-volume control, pretty comfortable

Cons: No bass, muffled sound, overall bad sound reproduction, 'gold' color is awful, short cord

Review: The Maxell HP550 headphones are terrible. They have absolutely no bass and the sound from them is slightly muffled. I would not recommend getting these for anyone concerned about sound. Even the fact that they are very cheap shouldn't persuade you...