Griffin Technologies Stereo RCA Cable, 7"

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List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
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• 7-inch audio cable connects iPod or other portable media player to home stereo
• Dual RCA female adapters connect to component's audio output via RCA cables
• Mini-jack plug connects to iPod's headphone output
• Clear wire coating and white connectors match iPod design; gold-plated connector tips
• Universal accessory for all iPod models as well as all digital audio players compatible with 3.5mm mini-jack

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Used it to hook an iPod up to a stereo system, worked perfectly. Needed a quick, cheap solution that shipped on the same day and this was it. Not much else to say.

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I used it to convert old audio cassettes to digital. I used this cable to go from my stereo to the input jack in my computer. I got a great sound after using software to remove the tape's hiss.

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Line 6 Tone Port UX1

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List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
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• 16 classic and modern amp models based on PODxt, 24 speaker cabinet models based on PODxt, 5 must-have bass amp & cab models based on Bass PODxt, 24 studio and stompbox effects
• 1 Mic Input, 1 Guitar/Bass Input, Stereo Line Inputs for your line out level gear, Stereo Line Outputs via two 1/4-inch jacks, Stereo Monitor Input via stereo 1/4-inch jack
• Headphone Output, Pro Audio performance with over 100dB signal-to-noise & dynamic range, ToneDirect monitoring unique, full tone low latency monitoring regardless of recording software's buffer size
• 44.1 & 48KHz, 16 & 24 bit recording, 96KHz mode with built-in sample rate conversion for simultaneous input and output
• USB-powered, Rock-solid Drivers: ASIO, WDM, Mac OS X, Includes Ableton Live Lite - Line 6 Edition recording software, Mac OS X and PC compatible!
• 16 classic and modern amp models based on PODxt, 24 speaker cabinet models based on PODxt, 5 must-have bass amp
• 1 Mic Input, 1 Guitar/Bass Input, Stereo Line Inputs for your line out level gear, Stereo Line Outputs via two 1/4-inch jacks
• Headphone Output, Pro Audio performance with over 100dB signal-to-noise & dynamic range, ToneDirect monitoring unique
• USB-powered, Rock-solid Drivers: ASIO, WDM, Mac OS X, Includes Ableton Live Lite - Line 6 Edition recording software
• 24 studio and stompbox effects, full tone low latency monitoring regardless of recording software's buffer size
• Stereo Monitor Input via stereo 1/4-inch jack

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toneport works great! pretty easy to set up, cool tones, very useful. And it's pretty cheap. I see no reason to get anything more expensive than this, save renting a recording studio...

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Great product with near zero latency. For anyone else who needs info on Mac compatibility check here.

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Got it and returned it the same day. The control knobs were flimsy with very little headroom. Set up was okay, the sounds were good and it functioned well as a sound card. Had the knobs offered better control, I probably would have kept it.

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Excellent product, it's in fact an old piece of gear but it does help any starting musician to get a step forward on his/her rock n roll dream. Hard plastic construction but very resistant if you want to carry it all around the world. If you buy the interface only (as i did) the fast speed USB cable is easy to find in amazon for a very good price, and if you are a mac user forget about line 6 software. It has an excellent integration with Apple's garage band and logic software all you have to do is download the latest drivers

I am using this on a Linux machine for a few different things, and its a good piece of small gear. I had a much larger, much more expensive piece of equipment several years ago, and this does everything that I need it to, and doesn't require a rack mount.

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Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with NFC - Puresounds Foldable Wireless Head Phones (Black) with Buil

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List Price: $89.95
Sale Price: $39.95
Today's Bonus: 56% Off

What can I say, these are amazing headphones. The sound quality is incredible and they are so easy to set up and use. They are super lightweight and I hardly even know I'm wearing them. I also really liked the price...they are a great value. Highly recommend!

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These headphones are great for the price. Has a 32 ft radius leaving tons of room to walk around. The battery lasts for about 10 full cds and use a rechargeable led battery to power them. The usb charger is a little slow but convenient.

Sound qualityis great! No static, sound comes in clear with good base.

Bulkythese headphones weigh 1 pound. While it's not heavy enough to create any neck problems or cramps, it is heavy enough to be uncomfortable. While not huge the headphones are noticeable and you can definitely tell your wearing them.

RecommendedFor the price these headphones are amazing. I doubt you can find a better pair of wireless hd headphones for below $40. I recommend these headphones to anyone who wants cheap good quality mobile headphones.

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These headphones have FAR exceeded my expectations. I bought them with the KOKKIA A 10 bluetooth transmitter. I can go anywhere in my home and listen to music, news & movies are really fantastic. Sometimes I get on a roll and watch movies until the early hours these headphones deliver!!!!

I would HIGHLY recommend these.

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I gave it a four star because it kind of pinches me because I have a big head. The sound is great and what I like about it the most is I have my ipad in my bedroom, I go through the front room to the yard to pick fruits or to front yard to pick up mail and I can still hear what I am listiening to. I wish it were gentler on my ears.

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These headphones met all of my expectations. I really enjoy using them on my desktop. They make it easy to listen to music

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Line 6 POD Studio GX

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List Price: $139.99
Sale Price: $99.99
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

• GX provides the lowest noise for recording guitar with 12dB more dynamic range than similar interfaces
• ToneDirect monitoring virtually eliminates latency and allows you to record and monitor a fully processed tone
• POD Farm plug-in provides 18 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 5 bass amps and 5 bass cabs, 29 essential stompbox and studio effects and 6 mic preamps in Mac® AU/RTAS®/VST® and Windows® RTAS® /VST® formats
• Ableton® Live Lite 8-track recording software
• 1/4-inch guitar input; 1/8-inch guitar headphone/line output, 44.1/48 kHz 16-/24-bit recording (88.2/96 kHz with sample rate conversion), Compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0
• Ableton Live Lite 8-track recording software
• POD Farm plug-in provides 18 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 5 bass amps and 5 bass cabs, 29 essential stompbox and studio effects
• 1/4-inch guitar input; 1/8-inch guitar headphone/line output, 44.1/48 kHz 16-/24-bit recording, Compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0

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This is a good unit. But it is the same as the Gx that has red on the front with is the older model. The hardware is the same this just has updated software podfarm. The rub is podfarm is a free download from the line 6 site. and the older version is $49 not $99. So search the net and see if you can find the older version. It's the same hardware and download the software for free from the line 6 site. And save your self $50.

Hardware wise it's great it's great and works perfect with All the amplitube products and Guitar Rig 3. I have them installed and use them and it works fine with no latency.

on quirky think is you have to plug a cord form the unit's headphone out to your laptop or computer mic input to get speakers to get sound and i've only figured out that way of using external speakers. i've yet to figure out how to just use the actual speakers that are attached to my laptop instead which would be cool.

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I have owned this product for over six months now and I use it nearly every day. It has never given me a problem, and does indeed provide an very-low latency interface as described. The accompanying POD Farm software is easy to use, and provides high quality tones suitable for recording. Don't let the program's presets discourage you, most of them are lousy. But with a little tweaking and/or some research online, you will be quite satisfied.

I purchased the GX model because it was the simplest and cheapest model available. I have not been disappointed, nor have I wished it had additional features.

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I would have felt very ripped off had i paid more than $80 for this equipment. I feel that it is worth around $60 or possibly less.

Essentially all you are buying here is a device thru which you can record your guitar or bass directly into your computer. There are many many other (better) options for which you can do this, and I won't go into detail here but I will say RESEARCH OTHER OPTIONS for digital recording, such as Mackie and M-audio products. The one nice thing about the GX is the lagless factor, which at least for me seemed to hold true.

I hate to say this again but you get what you pay for and In my opinion, the GX is worth no more than the Amazon price. There are (literally) a few useful effects and tones which come with the GX/POD Farm 2.5. The spring reverb is nice enough to be useful, and sounds fairly organic and blends nicely into mixes especially with clean guitae. The 4 band EQ is useful but then again you can get these for free from almost any recording software. There is a cool modulator effect which sounds very digital, but could still be somewhat useful in very specific situations (may not come up in your music ever). There are a few amp models which are acceptable, but i wouldn't say good. All of the high gain amp models which come with POD Farm are horrible and grating to the ears. The tube screamer pedal is a better option and is also fairly useful, it can give a lot of gain without any distortion, which can sometimes be hard to get. The compression works well and is nice for recording lead guitar. These are the only useful tools from POD Farm which i have discovered after fiddling around with it extensively for about 4 months now. Be prepared to fiddle around for many many hours to find the few acceptable tones which you can use.

As you can tell from above, i mostly use the GX as a method of simply recording guitar directly in to the computer. I almost never use any special effects or tones from POD farm, and if i do that is going back in the VST after recording it perfectly clean and adding some compression or reverb.

I feel as though i paid $80 for an acceptable method of guitar DI, and a few acceptable pedals like the reverb, tube screamer, and compression (which again normally come free of charge with programs like Reaper or audacity). This is not a bad price for these items, but then again i didn't really need any of these things. Don't expect that you are getting any more than what i have described.

A better investment would be to SAVE your money and get A TUBE amp to start with. Fender now makes small tube amps which actually have a USB out which you can plug into your computer (super champ series, around $300 new). Also you will have that great tube tone which is impossible to mimic using digital techniques. Use effects like reverb, delay, and compression through whatever program you choose to use (they are probably just as good as Line 6's). Now you have a GREAT true tube amp tone both when practicing and when recording.

Now for the best tone, save up and get an SM57 mic, a mic stand, and some sort of M-audio or Mackie

Pre-amp (i recommend the mackie onyx blackjack) to connect to your computer. Both can be picked up on Amazon for cheap. This method has worked much better for me, although it does take some time to set up (and costs more money, and it quite loud, among other issues). However if you really want a good convincing tone for your demo, i would go this direction. You will get an excellent amp, pre amp, and mic along the way which can be used for more than just guitar.

In summary, the hi-gain "amps" which come with this gx absolutely suck, so don't think you can cut corners for that awesome guitar tone you hear. It does however, have a few useful effects and amps for clean guitar tones. It's price is fair, but is not a good deal for what you get.

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This little beast is so good I have'nt used my amp since. The presets are great you can play along to your favorite songs modeling the same amps and effects the original artists used.It comes with recording software(abelton live)and riffworks. The pod farm has all the amps and stomp boxes you need to have fun.

Musician's Friend had the best price plus I got another $30.00 off that by signing up for the Amazon.com credit card. This unit was worth every penny it cost.

I got this as a gift. I have had nothing but trouble from it. The software is a hassle to load. I managed to get it loaded and working at one point, and got to play around on it. It does have some cool features, all kinds of amp/cab/effects combos. But I went to plug it in a day or two later, and I had to uninstall and reinstall the program to get it to work. And then, there was no sound in the left ear of the headphones...and my headphones were good, I use them at work. I can't figure out what the fix is. Not to mention, this is not supported on Windows 7...it's for use with Vista or XP. Wierd.

If you are a computer engineer/nerd, this might work for you. If your an average joe who just wants some cool guitar tones to play around with, you'd probably be better off getting something else.

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Specialist Gaming Headset - Black

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $24.99
Today's Bonus: 69% Off

Worked great for 2 weeks then the Microphone quit working. Supposed to have a 2 year warranty but Nox does not answer emails and the phone numbers they give on the warranty card do not work. Buy something else.

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Have you read the other reviews for these headphones? Two of them (so far) seem like they were created by people from Nox or people hired by Nox to give their products positive review scores. That's a pretty shady business tactic.

Here's an unbiased review, based on actual experience with the headphones, which I wrote for SLUG Magazine:

I was pretty excited when these headphones showed up on my desk. I figured reviewing them would be at least more fun than listening to the glut of mediocre-to-crappy promo CDs that I usually encounter, but alas, I was wrong. These headphones aren't super flashy, featuring a simple black and silver design with some comfortably padded material around the earpieces and on top of the headband. A microphone can be deployed from the left headphone, and a dial on the right headphone allows you to control volume. Pretty cool so far, right? Well, not really. Nox didn't include the cable that allows the user to connect these to a video game console, which isn't a huge deal, but since they're marketing them as gaming headphones, it seems like a dumb oversight. If the headphones sounded good and worked properly, maybe I would've splurged and bought the $20 adapter, but the sound quality is nothing special, and the chord that connects the headset to your listening device of choice broke after one day of use. If you're gonna spend $80 on something that only lasts for a day, I can think of many things more deserving of your cash than these headphones.

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They are sold as a gaming headset and says its compatable for the Xbox 360. I bought them as a gift and was extremely embarrassed to find to find out that they do not function at all with the Xbox 360.

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The sound quality with them is amazing! I can listen to any music type, from classical to dubstep. Wearing these is no hassle because of how outstandingly cushioning they are! If you enjoy playing games and talking to friends on "skype" or any similar program, your friends can hear you perfectly. That is all the basics I can think of now but over-all these are the best head-set I have bought so far.

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I bought this headset two years ago and am finally buying another set after the piece that connects the earpiece to the headpiece gave way. When I bought them, I was looking for something that didn't break the budget (I had to spend that on a beastly video card!),lightweight but still able to deliver high quality sound, this set did both very well. I'm a hard-core wow head (Druids Rock!)so I wear my headset for hours on end with no problems. Other headsets I've tried were too bulky and heavy which made your ears hot,hurt and gave you a headache with extended wear. Cheaper brands would usually break within a few months and had poor sound quality. This headset caused none of those issues and like I've stated are over 2 years old. P.S.~For the Alliance!

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CCM® 3.5 MM (1/8") Stereo Audio Extension Cable Male to Male 6 Feet - Connects iPad, iPhone, iPod,

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List Price: $19.95
Sale Price: $7.95
Today's Bonus: 60% Off

The picture shows a very slim profile audio connector with gold contacts. The actual product has silver contacts and a very bulky connector. If the jack on your audio device is recessed at all, this will likely not fit all the way.

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I ordered 6 of these from ACC Stop, and received a cable that was completely different from what is pictured. I needed a cable with a slim casing above the metal that would fit through my iPhone case. The casing was very large and bulky, and wouldn't fit any of the 3 cases I own.

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It is very durable! Any others I've purchased, for a lot more money, break to one channel in a short time..."Walmart's $15 cables."

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Better than the Dynex I spent $29 dollars on at Best Buy connects with true stereo stays connected and fits great through the Griffin protector case

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This cable is great for short distance applications. Just what I needed for my stereo to connect my MP3. And you can't beat the price.

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Reloop Digital Jockey 2 Interface Edition DJ Mixer

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List Price: $519.99
Sale Price: $269.99
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

• Professional DJ USB/MIDI controller with integrated audio interface
• 42 buttons, 5 faders, 9 encoders, 6 push encoders, 9 knobs, 2 touch-sensitive jog wheels
• Stereo RCA inputs (with phono pre-amp) plus 1/4" microphone jack. Stereo RCA outputs 1/4" headphones jack for direct monitoring
• ASIO drivers with minimum latency and best audio characteristics. Core Audio compatible.
• Optimized for the world's leading mixing software Traktor PRO (clearly arranged shift double assignment, control of up to 4 decks). Comes with Native Instruments Traktor LE

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DO NOT PURCHASE!!!!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!

Buttons broke within about 3 months. Paint flacks off the jog wheels. This item is a piece of crap and good luck with support, an exchange or a refund. HA!!!!

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This is my first Mixing Controller and I love it. I've been using it for a week and it responds well, it's laid out great, and the Traktor Software is a step up from other DJ software that I've used. Just make sure the first thing you do before connecting your Digital Jockey 2 is update the Traktor software to the latest version. If you don't you will only be able to get audio out of either the headphones or the mixer output, but not both. It's an excellent introduction to the world of digital mixing. Out of the box, it's ready to go, just install (and update!!!) the software and your on your way!

***This device connects through your USB port so there is no AC adapter needed***

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Hello! the product is ok! it is working very good but i don't find the adapter in the box , and as you know i can't use it without an adapter because i use more buttons stops! so please send me the adapter!

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Blue Microphones Yeti Pro Multipattern Condenser Microphone with Studio Headphones and Pop Mic Filt

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List Price: $286.00
Sale Price: $259.95
Today's Bonus: 9% Off

• Blue Microphones Yeti Pro Multipattern Condenser Microphone
• Noise Canceling Studio Headphones with Earbud Headphones
• Pop Mic Filter

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Got this microphone after doing some research online with different USB mic's. This blue yeti microphone is amazing! I do a weekly broadcast of a band concert, and interview. This does great sitting in the middle of the venue on the cardioid setting, gain halfway up, picks up the band with clear sound, and I think it is great you can slightly hear the audience too. For the interview portion, I don't have to change a thing! Just put it close to the intervewers, and you can hear them perfectly over the house music, and the chit chat of the audience.

Cons: plasticky knobs are a bit cheap. One knob that tightens the mic to hold in position has stripped, causing it to not be able to stay at an angle.

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But everything else in the set does not really need prosto.Naushniki deshevye.a pop filter for the front only.Mic-great)In Russia not sale this mic,thnx amaazon)

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An amazing microphone, top quality for a usb microphone! Folks who do intrernet shows a must have for great high quality sound!

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i like,no i love my new microphone is very great and it was very safe in the box, i recommend 100% thois product the headphone are very good,and the pop it super good i like all the package so i give 5 stars

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iRig HD Digital Guitar Interface for iPad & Mac

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List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $99.99
Today's Bonus:

• Irig Hd Guitar Adaptor

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iRig-HD exceeds your expectation, I recommend. Even with the free software, you are impressed with the quality of sound produced.

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Like irig HD a lot.I'm using it with my mic and harmonica. After testing it with the band on stage it showed great results. No delay, great sound.

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I was a little hesitant to pay $100 for this product, never having used one before, but as it turns out, the thing is completely great. I've been using this with an iPad and my solid-body electric harp (which works the same as an electric guitar) with excellent results. It's perfect for practicing late-night with headphones, and I've had great results recording via Garage Band. The free Ampli Tube app associated with the iRig is decent, too, but I prefer the output from Garage Band.

One of the concerns I had before purchasing this thing was that it might not be possible on the iPad to have the device running while switching between different applications. However, it is indeed possible to keep Ampli Tube or Garage Band running while you switch to other apps (i.e. forScore for sheet music, etc.).

If you're between this and the older, less expensive version that connects to your device via the headphone port, I'd definitely go with this one, as it would not be possible to use the old version simultaneously with headphones.

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Mackie Onyx Blackbird Premium 16x16 FireWire Recording Interface with Tracktion 3 Music Production

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $629.99
Sale Price: $499.99
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

• Eight boutique-quality Onyx mic preamps with class-leading fidelity and dynamic range
• High-headroom design with ultra-low noise and distortion
• High-end Cirrus Logic® AD/DA converters with 114dB dynamic range (A-weighted)
• Includes Tracktion 3(TM) Music Production Software
• Includes powerful Blackbird Control DSP Matrix Mixer o Route any input to any output o Zero-latency tracking of all inputs o Quickly set up independent mixes for headphones and more
• High-end Cirrus Logic AD/DA converters with 114dB dynamic range (A-weighted)
• Includes powerful Blackbird Control DSP Matrix Mixer o Route any input to any output

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I purchased a used one of these on ebay for just over $200 and it was in perfect condition. Been running strong on my Dell studio XPS for several months now. Use it with Protools and as the computer's sound card. NO issues. I did however have to spend another $20 to get a firewire PCI card because some of the firewire stuff that Dell uses is cheap and useless. Just make sure you get the updated drivers from Mackie. This blackbird interface use to not work well in Win7. Mackie took their sweet time to fix it but they finally did and this interface packs a serious punch. Super flexible and significantly better than a Digi 003. I'd have a hard time paying full price for this unit though because it's old firewire tech. But for the price you wont find anything else that compares to the quality and functionality of this hardware when combined with the included matrix mixing software the lets you set up special routings.

Pros:

8 pretty good mic pre's with line in's

almost NO LATENCY!!

2 headphone mixes in the front

optical IN's and OUT's

Word clock IN and OUT

2 Firewire ports for chaining

Included software allows you to create customs routings with no limits

Cons:

Might have to upgrade your firewire card( cheap and easy)

old firewire tech (still functional and not a limiting factor for the hardware but might be for your computer)

Protools is VERY picky when interfaces change sample rates. So if your using the Blackbird as the computer interface make sure the computer's sample rate is set to what you usually use in Protools sessions. Otherwise when you launch Protools the Blackbird tries to switch to the Protools sample rate but if it doesn't do it fast enough or at the wrong time Prottols throws a fit and has to close. A trick is if you know what sample rate your planning on using in a protools session right before you open it, change the sample rate in the mackie mixing software that way it doesn't change while Protools is loading.

Any questions and I'd be happy to answer.

-Ryan

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The preamps are very clean and true tRue to the original signal. I got this to be able to record drums at my home studio and the first session was very successful. The sound quality was really good! I used it in combination with some out board gear and it interfaced great. I have experienced some pops during playback due to a lack of DSP on my computer but only when running a lot of VST UGINS. There is also a little bit of latency while tracking but not too bad. This is a great piece to use in combination with outboard preamps but not recomended for a beginner who wants to record at home.

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Mackie is great with making quality products. I have used several different types of audio interfaces through my many years in the music industry. It surprises me how many times companies will let big issues slip through the cracks. Mackie took the time to make sure these did not happen with this latest interface. It rocks the house with crystal clear recordings you can bank your money on! I hope you guys get this mixer while it is still available, it will last you for decades!!

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No cons, professional sounding with Neumann, Rode, AKG and AT mics. While no midi, my maudio connects to Logic through firewire, and I don't feel like I'm missing out with no midi through the Blackbird. Strong in the chain.

The box said it works with Windows 7 32/64 so I bought it. My computer would not see the device, after trolling the user forum (and finding many complaints about the box in Win 7 environment) it was suggested a different firewire card using TI or VIA chipsets be used. 40 dollars later, the Blackbird worked. For 60 seconds. BSod (Blue Screen of Death). Computer crashed repeatedlytook out the card, the software, the rackmount, computer is trashed. New drive arrives today from Amazon, reinstalling Windows and starting over with a Saffire pro 40. If that doesn't work, I'll leave a review as well. So disappointed in Mackie. And no, 5 days later still no response from tech support.

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Yamaha EZ-200 61 Full-Sized Touch Sensitive Lighted Keyboard Bundle

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $379.88
Sale Price: $189.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

• 61 Full Size Keys
• 32 Notes of Polyphony
• 367 high-quality tones
• Learn to play the "EZ" way instructional method
• Stereo Speakers

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Now, I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about buying a keyboard via the Internet, as I have never owned one beforehand. However, I wanted to learn how to play the piano and had heard that this was a good one to start with from several different piano teachers. Wow, this is quite the bargain. The keyboard comes with a stand, headphones (in case you don't want to run off all of your family and friends as you're learning to play), and also a power adapter. I was surprised to find out that the keyboard does not normally come with these features, (as they are traditionally sold separately), but this package comes with all of these features!

The keyboard comes with about 100 built-in songs, (a part of the Yamaha Educational Suite), which you can learn to play along with. (Personally, I have found it easier to buy the Bastien learning series books, as the songs that are included with this keyboard are in small print. This is just my experience, but since I am teaching myself to play, I have found these starter books to be a wonderful guide for an absolute beginner. I am already starting to play songs that I never dreamed possible! Wow, so cool...)

One thing that I really like about this keyboard is that it's piano voice sounds just like a high-quality grand piano. Best of all, the keyboard is very simple to use -and not complicated.

One thing that I am disappointed in is that it does not come with a USB connection. Instead, I had to buy a MIDI-connector for $40 dollars, so I could connect it to my Mac. I wanted to record my playing, but quickly discovered that Apple's Garageband couldn't seem to work with it. Yes, I have read the instruction manual and followed its directions step-by-step, but still no results. Garageband claims that its connected, but no results.

Overall, this is a great keyboard for getting started. If you are hoping to record your music, you might want to check into a more expensive Yamaha model with a USB connector.

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I read many reviews of this keyboard before I purchased it, both good and bad, and I agree with a number of the comments others have made -I love the keyboard, hate the stand.

First, I love this keyboard and the teaching system. I have found the multiple teaching methods to be very handy and clever. You have the option of learning by following along with a demonstration while the keys light up, or you can just sit and watch and learn, or you can practice tapping out the rhythm on any key just to get the pacing right, or you can use the "wait" method, where the keys light up and the song plays along with you, but if you stop or get the wrong key, the system waits for you, holds the song at that point, lights up the correct key(s) to hit, and does not proceed until you get it right, then continues. I like that you can turn off the demonstration at any point, and you can turn off the lighted keys if you like and just play the instrument like a regular piano.

You can also learn by following the diagram of the two hands in a window just above the keys, which shows which fingers on both hands are used to play each note. If you are a slower learner and prefer to learn one hand at a time, you can program the instruction to mute the left or right hand so you can concentrate on just one.

You can also learn by looking at the staves that picture each note and where it appears on the lines or spaces, which is great if you do not read music yet and have no idea how the black and white piano keys relate to the notes on the page.

I love the feature that allows you to set the tempo, and I have learned many a difficult passage by slowing down that particular section, then using the repeat feature to automatically run through that part over and over until I tell it to stop, then returning to the next section, at either the normal tempo or continuing in a slower tempo. I love the feature that allows you to have chords automatically accompany you using just one finger of the left hand while you focus on learning the right hand melody, OR, if you want to play the keyboard like a regular piano, you can turn off the auto-accompaniment and play the full chords yourself.

There are hundreds of voices and styles and tunes to choose from, and the instruction booklet that comes with the keyboard teaches you how to use all those features. One of the most amazing aspects is how the voice called "Grand Piano" makes your electric keyboard sound like just that -like having a baby grand in the living room. Or you can make yourself sound like a church organ or violins or brass or woodwinds and on and on. You can add drumbeats and other backgrounds in absolutely any musical style you can think of. A legend printed above the keys offers numerous short-cut suggestions for choosing the style and voice you want. A keypad lets you choose which song you would like to learn, and those numbers correspond to the songs in the songbook that comes with the keyboard, and these songs are programmed into the listen-and-learn built-in songs. My only complaint with the song book is the notes are printed so tiny I have to squint. I guess they did that to squeeze in the songs on the fewest pages to save printing costs and to keep beginners from having to turn so many pages.

I've had my keyboard a little over a month, and I am already sight-reading and playing Chopin and Beethoven pieces, but I must admit I already had some musical background on a different instrument, and that helped some. But if you want a system where you can be playing a tune the very next day after your package arrives, this is the keyboard for you.

All in all, I love this keyboard.

Now for the downer: all the bad things that other reviewers said about the stand that comes with this keyboard are true -this stand simply DOES NOT fit this keyboard. If you put your keyboard on top of this stand, your keyboard will slide off and crash to the floor. I knew this before buying and decided I wanted the keyboard anyway. I have to set my keyboard on a separate table, but it is not really the right height for proper keyboard hand position so I have to put pillows in the chair to bring me up to the right height. That's rather pesky.

If it weren't for this ridiculously wrong stand, I would have given this product five stars. What could Yamaha be thinking when they packaged this stand with this keyboard when it CLEARLY does not fit it? I'm amazed a company with as good a reputation in the musical instruments world as Yamaha has would risk their reputation this way. Shame on them for not fixing the problem, now that they know about it. (Numerous buyers have alerted them.)

Now back to the keyboard: I also wish to point out that once I got the hang of the Yamaha lighted keyboard system, which only took a day or two, I also ordered two more things separately. I bought the book offered on Amazon called "How to Play Keyboards" by Roger Evans, and I really learned a lot from this little book (under ten dollars). I'm glad I bought it because he offers some techniques that are a bit more advanced, and he has some great tunes in his instruction book. The book is a paperback and tightly bound so it does not lie flat on the music book stand that comes with your Yamaha, but I use two bean bags to hold my pages down.

The other thing I purchased (from ) was Will Barrow's "Learn and Master Piano" instructional package of 14 DVDs, 5 play-along CDs, and a 100-plus page lesson book, This is one amazing instructional method. It's much more advanced than the lighted-key method, but if you want to learn piano in a more complete way, this is one fantastic system. It isn't cheap, but you get a lot for your money. Note that there are one or two spots where your 61-key keyboard will leave you a bit in the lurch, since this system assumes you will be seated in front of 88 keys, but I did not find this to be too pesky, and it did not come up that often. He doesn't start with childish tunes like so many teaching methods do; he gives you Lennon-McCartney tunes, well-known rock piano segments (Lean on Me, Louie Louie, and so on), as well as classical pieces. The video instructor, Will Barrow, comes across as pleasant, knowledgeable, highly professional, and patient (not to mention that he is painfully good-looking, but I digress).

You don't have to buy that extra system to learn to play electronic keyboard; the Yamaha book will give you enough to teach you what you need to know and have you playing tunes in no time. You DO have to practice, though, to become proficient so set aside time to work on your techniques. You can plug in the headphones that come with your Yamaha so you won't disturb other family members while you are learning.

I hope you found my review helpful, and if you get one of these keyboards, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I am enjoying mine.

Read Best Reviews of Yamaha EZ-200 61 Full-Sized Touch Sensitive Lighted Keyboard Bundle Here

This is my first real keyboard and I got it to learn to play piano. I've only had it a few days but I'm really impressed by it so far. The keyboard seems to be really good with teaching songs, not only do the keys light up but it tells you which fingers to use and it can teach one hand at a time which is nice for a beginner. I really wasn't expecting much but this thing sounds like a real piano and even the stand and headphones are pretty good quality.

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For someone looking for instant gratification, this keyboard offers just that. Open the box, read the simple instructions and begin playing even classical pieces because the keyboard will tell you where to put your fingers exactly! From there you can memorize the piece yourself so you can play without needing the assistance. Great Idea

--This was purchased for my daughter to have something to practice on while taking piano lessons, and I have been teaching myself as well. Granted, this is an "electric" piano so it does not have the sound of a real piano, but neither does a $2000 Yamaha. If you want a real piano just buy one, if your testing the water or if you need something small and easy to practice on this will certainly do.

--Mine worked right out of the box and has had no problems. It comes with a song book and a detailed but easy to read instruction manual. The power supply is stamped Yamaha and contrary to other reviewers experiences I have had no problems. The stand also has worked fine for me. We have 2 large energetic dogs and they have not knocked it over yet. True, the keyboard does not snap or screw into the stand but so far it has been fine for us.

--The touch sensitivity works really well considering the price, I can count about six degrees of loudness depending on how firmly the key is played. The keys are about the right size and they play well but again they are not "weighted" and they don't feel like a real piano but they don't feel cheap or poorly made either. There are 2 Grand Piano voices and a couple others and they sound authentic at first but the more you play the more acutely you become aware of the subtle "electric" sound, especially with any sustain.

I'll update this if any major defects surface.

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HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC Digital to Analog Audio Converter 96khz/24bit ES9023+SA9023 + USB to Optica

Customer Ratings:
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $51.99
Today's Bonus:

• Sabre DAC Technology
• 96khz/24bit USB input
• Small, lightweight design
• Output on 3.5mm headphone jack
• Volume level is adjust with computer hardware keys

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I purchased the HiFiMeDIY DAC more out of curiosity rather than an actual need. Simply put I wanted to compare the performance of a DAC using one of the famed ESS Sabre D/A chips with the other audio gear at my disposal without having to spend hundreds or even thousands on higher end gear from Peachtree Audio, Oppo, JDS-Labs, McIntosh, etc. The HiFiMeDIY DAC fit the bill and this review details my (subjective) conclusions.

The HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC is an external USB D/A audio converter designed by the DIY community and based on the entry level ESS Sabre ES9023 D/A chip and the ubiquitous USB 2.0, full-speed compliant Tenor TE-7022L audio streaming controller from the Galaxy Far East Corp. (GFEC). The HiFiMeDIY DAC is a device of remarkable simplicity but in the same time a model of efficient circuit design. Power is supplied by the USB to a Linear Technology LT1763 low-noise, low drop-out (LDO) micro-power regulator while all other functions: USB control, data retrieval, pin-addressing, clocking, oversampling, D/A conversion, low-pass filtering, etc., are split between the Tenor and the Sabre chips. This arrangement eliminates the necessity for any other processor (dedicated to some of these functions) on the circuit board. The data transfer in the HiFiMeDIY DAC is synchronous (the USB data link is controlled by the computer rather than the DAC). This is, arguably, not the best arrangement for audio purposes due to jitter issues (this jitter issue depends greatly on the other duties of the computer's processor.) Nevertheless, the Tenor chip features integrated phase-locked loop (PLL) to support single crystal operation (12MHz) and has some buffering capability, which helps mitigate jitter to some degree. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, the Sabre chip has its own jitter elimination capability the famed (if still somewhat cloaked in mystery) ESS Hyperstream with Time Domain Jitter Elimination technology. Performance-wise the HiFiMeDIY DAC is capable of 8 96kHz at 16/24bit decoding (except 88.2kHz, which is not supported by the Tenor chip) and has a listed dynamic range (S/N) of 112dB. The technology packed in this little (2in x 1.5in x 0.5in) device is basically the same (with minor differences) as that in the Peachtree DAC-iT (the Dac-iT uses the ES9022 chip, which is essentially the same as the ES9023), the NwAvGuy's Objective DAC (ODAC), the Audio-Quest DragonFly, the NuForce uDAC-2, and others like these that are selling for five to ten times more than the HiFiMeDIY. Since the Sabre ES9023 chip features integrated low-pass filtering and a direct coupled 2Vrms line driver, all these DACs produce "sound" of a similar quality the differences in implementation, for instance different power supplies (e.g. Peachtree DAC-iT features a separate switching power supply), different USB transceivers (such as the now phased-out Texas-Instruments TAS1020 found on the DragonFly), different clocking schemes, etc., could provide subtle differences in the sound signature but are, as far as the line output is concerned, little more than window dressings.

On to the computer/audio gear used during my initial listening tests:

MacBook w/ Mac OS X 10.4.11

MacBook-Pro w/ Mac OS X 10.6.8

Dell Optiplex GX620-MT w/ Windows XP/SP3 and Linux Ubuntu 12.0.4/LTS (dual boot)

XMOS USB 2.0 Audio Reference Design Asynchronous DAC,

Matrix M-Stage Headphone Amp,

Audio-Technica ATH-A900 closed-back headphones (40ohm),

Superlux HD-681 semi-open headphones (32 ohm), and

Sennheiser HD598 open headphones (50ohm).

Playback software: Audacity, iTunes, VLC, Windows Media Player

Audio interconnects: RCA-to-RCA and 3.5mm to RCA adapter, both Auvio brand sourced from Radio-Shack (these Auvio cables are not cheap, as far as RS stuff goes, but they are actually pretty decent). Also used were two generic USB-hubs/multi-card reader combo devices (from Sabrent and Inland) and generic USB cables sourced locally from Micro-Center. Also to note, the 3.5mm analog jack of the HiFiMeDIY DAC doubles as optical S/PDIF out. I have not tested the S/PDIF output due to a lack of a 3.5mm optical adapter, however, the red LED light is clearly visible through the output jack when the DAC is plugged into a USB port. A brief setup note: The HiFiMeDIY DAC is plug-and-play on all three computers used and did not require downloading of any kind of drivers in Mac OS, Windows or Ubuntu. However, using the default drivers, I haven't been able to select the sampling frequency or the bit depth on Windows and Ubuntu. I suspect that the generic drivers on those systems default to either 44.1kHz or 48kHz and 16bit. The DAC seemed to work equally well when connected directly to a computer USB port or to a port on one of the USB-hubs. For most of the listening session I have used the MacBook-Pro as the source, the other two computers being used mainly to check the compatibility of the DAC with those older operating systems.

Before moving on to sound quality, I must mention that although the HiFiMeDIY DAC is marketed as a DAC with some direct headphones driving capability, personally I would not recommend it being used in such a fashion. While the device can indeed drive low impedance headphones directly, the sound quality obtained that way is rather poor (simply because the Sabre chip output line-driver is just that a line driver, IT IS NOT a headphone amp! Moreover, the whole thing is powered by the USB and because of the way things were implemented here direct drive of some low impedance loads, e.g. 30-60ohm headphones puts a very large strain on the LT1763 voltage regulator and the pump-charge circuits inside the Sabre chip.) Personally I use it with a dedicated headphone amp (the Matrix M-Stage mentioned above). Since all my headphones are low impedance (32-50ohm) and the open-circuit output of the Sabre chip is actually just above 2Vrms, I set the Matrix M-Stage gain to 0dB (no voltage gain thus, in effect, using the headphone amp as a current buffer). For the purpose of my initial listening tests I also connected the XMOS DAC to the second line input of the M-Stage. (The M-Stage has two line inputs, 47kohm, and a face-plate mounted switch which allows one to toggle between the two inputs and thus compare two input sources.) Note: the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC does require 2-3hr of break-in time.

I will spend little to no time here comparing this DAC with the sound-cards in the computers. Of the three computers I have here the MacBook-Pro has the "best" sound, but by comparison with either the HiFiMeDIY DAC or the XMOS Reference DAC, listening to it is, more or less, a waste of time. So, the comparisons will be drawn here solely between the HiFiMeDIY DAC and the XMOS. (Note: The XMOS USB 2.0 Audio Reference ADC/DAC is actually an evaluation board from XMOS available at Digi-Key at about three times the price of the HiFiMEDIY DAC featuring the 24bit/192kHz Cirrus Logic CS4270 audio codec (differential multi-bit sigma-delta conversion, switched capacitor) and the 32bit, 500MIPS/8threads, XMOS XS1-L1 event driven processor. It supports all sample rates from 44.1kHz to 192kHz and uses two dedicated on-board clocks (for 44.1kHz and 48kHz and their multiples). In addition, the XMOS DAC uses the SMSC USB-3318 high-speed USB 2.0 transceiver, clocked separately by a 13MHz reference crystal and the NCP699SN18T1G low quiescent current LDO voltage regulator from ON Semiconductor. The XMOS solution is largely considered one of the best implementations of the "asynchronous" USB Audio currently available although a pricey one, see for instance the 6moons review of the April Music Stello-U3.)

The Sound (overall conclusion): Dynamic, detailed, well staged and layered, airy, clean, clear, well balanced and noise-free.

More specifically, the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC is performing, essentially, at the same level as the XMOS with a few differences owed mainly to the particular implementations of the low-pass filters in the two devices and their inherent noise levels. Thus, while I would rate the level of detail retrieval in the Sabre to be similar to that of the Cirrus Logic in the XMOS, the higher gain digital filter in the Sabre (versus the digital (-50dB)/analog (-40dB) combo low-pass filtering in the XMOS) rends a better, more airy stereo image, albeit at a price: slightly increased graininess (especially in the upper registers) and more pronounced sibilance (at times). By comparison the XMOS sounds a bit more laid back with a slightly veiled, smoother presentation but very musical and somewhat more forgiving, particularly with some of the more compressed (i.e. loud) material (which is, unfortunately, found on most of the new music CD nowadays). The only other notable difference is a slightly emphasized low-end with the Sabre: the bass has a tad more impact than with the XMOS though not enough to require EQ changes with any of the headphones. The Sabre also has the upper hand in the S/N arena, presenting a truly black background (better than -95dB/the M-Stage level) when compared to the -87dB THD+N of the Cirrus Logic codec used in the XMOS DAC. However, the XMOS has the advantage of a full sample frequency range (including 88.2kHz, 176.4kHz, and 192kHz) and has better soft mute and pause controls (and is also an A/D converter). On the timing/jitter front, the HiFiMeDIY DAC seems (at least to my ears) capable to match the asynchronous solution in the XMOS, since I couldn't detect any rhythm/pace issues even when the DAC was connected to an USB-hub and the hub was simultaneously used to transfer some large files to a USB memory stick. Jitter performance may, however, vary depending on the computer used, the quality of its usb connections and any other devices used (USB hubs, cables, etc.) As a rule of thumb I'd recommend plugging the DAC directly into the computer rather than a USB hub (whenever possible).

To conclude, the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC is a remarkable piece of audio gear with outstanding sound quality (especially when used with a headphone amplifier) and which features the same ESS Sabre DAC technology found in higher end/higher priced audio gear. The closest (in terms of sound signature) would be the Objective DAC (sold by JDS-Labs for roughly 2.5x the price), the uDAC-2 (at 2x the price note that this DAC also features an integrated headphone drive stage. The uDAC-2 may be a good buy for someone who doesn't have a separated headphone amp, though some reviewers have pointed to the fact that its headphone amp, which is based on a Maxim op-amp, it's rather lackluster,) the AudioQuest Dragonfly (at 4x the price the Dragonfly features asynchronous USB transfer and it also includes a headphone driver stage) and perhaps the Peachtree DAC-iT (at about 8x the price). For me the evaluation of the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC started as a low-expectations, guilt free indulgence of curiosity for the price of a tank of gas. Nevertheless this little USB DAC is now a permanent staple in my desktop setup. Without reservations 5 star.

UPDATE 03/19/2013: Did a bit of digging on the net and found the drivers for Windows 32/64bit on the HiFiMeDIY website (just type HiFiMeDIY in Google search and it is the first thing it pops up). Search for the HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DaC and on that page you will find links for the driver download. The driver is called TeraDAK TeraLink-X2 (something like that). The 32bit driver works on my XP machine but either version of this driver should be good for Vista and Windows 7 as well. In fact there is an express recommendation there to use this driver for Windows 7 due to some noise issues with the default windows driver. The Windows installer will complain about the authenticity of the software when you try to install (not a Microsoft approved program, all that... but I did it anyway and it seems to work quite well). In the new USB Audio Control Center that pops up you can select the sampling rate, bit depth, etc. It also seems to have ASIO support. Also, there is a controller for the similar HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC with optical to USB recording capability (this device looks identical to the USB DAC reviewed here, except that the S/PDIF is an input not an output). Note that you'll need the device connected to the computer when installing the driver. As an added bonus (aside from being able to play high resolution files) with the new driver, selecting 24bit processing allows for use of computer/digital volume control without loss of signal resolution. I've tested it with Audacity, VLC and Windows Media Player and they all work just fine.

Buy HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC Digital to Analog Audio Converter 96khz/24bit ES9023+SA9023 + USB to Optica Now

Make no mistake, this is not your fancypants DAC from Fiio, Schiit, or elsewhere. It's designed to get maximum performance for the least buck. This means a simple enclosure which consists of nothing more than a USB connector and an SPDIF/3.5mm jack. Plug in your headphones if they are efficient, or get an interconnect cable to interface with your amplifier. It gets the job done for only $50. As is well known it contains the same components found in the monumentally more expensive ODAC. Only issue that some people raise is that the signal is not isolated from the USB port which is supposed to introduce some noise. I did not notice much of a problem at all, so I can't really support that notion.

You will be hard pressed to find a better DAC for $50 and there are probably marginal differences in performance between it and most DACs under $200. When you pay more you really are only paying for something that looks nicer and perhaps has more ports or settings, not necessarily more functional. There is one other DAC at this price point that is comparable and that is the UD100 but that doesn't even come with an enclosure, you have to DIY (do it yourself). So at least this thing has some sort of plastic shell. Plus, it weighs almost nothing and would be very suitable for some sort of portable setup.

Read Best Reviews of HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC Digital to Analog Audio Converter 96khz/24bit ES9023+SA9023 + USB to Optica Here

This DAC is a great upgrade over the built-in audio of my laptop and even the Asus Xonar DX in my desktop. It's a night and day improvement over built-in soundcards in my opinion. I currently use it at work with my laptop and Grado SR-80i's as a DAC/Headphone amp, using the ASIO drivers supplied by the manufacturer and Foobar. I'll probably buy another one for my desktop at home. I'm also considering buying the version with optical in and coax in to use with my main stereo.

UPDATE 3/31/13

I've been using this dac for a couple months now and I'm continually impressed with it. Bass and treble extension is much improved over the built in soundcards of my computers, and the separation of instruments is very noticeable. I always look forward to re-listening to my music with this dac.

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As I've accumulated more and more music as strictly digital files over the last few years, it became increasingly apparent to my ears that, despite a modestly good desktop sound system, the output from the soundcards in my various PC's was lacking the fidelity and definition I would have liked. Eventually I began sending the PC audio output to my home stereo and, at that point, it was even more evident a better solution was needed. I conferred with a few friends who inhabit the audiophile world about a resolution to the sound issues and all of them unequivocally recommended an outboard DAC. Of course, there was no consensus as to manufacturer and cost but the best advice suggested that above a certain price-point, the rule of diminishing return for every dollar spent took hold.

So, before spending beaucoups $$$ on any of the more esoteric or renowned DAC units that had gotten good recommendations, the cheapskate in me took a chance with the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC. Being so inexpensive, even if it didn't offer any great improvement, I wasn't tossing out a lot of cash. Well, I definitely have no remorse about purchasing this HiFiMeDIY DAC. This unit is not only a great bargain, but it truly delivers the goods. Its sound quality now brings my digital music to a level that comes a lot closer to rivaling my other music sources (note: I said closer to, but not equal).

Yes, it's cheaply made, but it plugged in and it worked right out the box with both Windows XP and 7. It has a few quirks which are probably related more to one of the computers I use than the DAC. Anyway, I immediately noticed a distinguishable enhancement over the standard output, although not a huge 'night and day' difference in sound, but a pleasantly noticeable improvement. It took some of the "murky goo" out of the middle frequencies, tamed some of the sibilance on high stuff and vocals, tightened up and better defined the low frequencies and presented a little broader soundstage all around. And after about 30-40 hours of break-in time it got even better. For this price, who'd have thought? It won't overcome the limitations of low bit-rate MP3's but with good-to-better quality digital files in any format, it clearly has advantages. The HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC = Great little gizmo!

I purchased my HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC to provide audio output from a Raspberry Pi computer with Squeezeplug installed. Squeezeplug basically turns your Pi into a product very similar to the now discontinued Logitech Squeezebox line.

I was initially using on board sound (headphone out) on the Raspberry Pi to drive my tube preamplifier and tube mono block amps. The sound quality was lacking. Having installed the HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC the sound quality rivals any music source in my home, and I have many as i have been chasing the audiophile dream for years.

Raspberry Pi + Squeezeplug + HIFiMeDIY DAC = High Quality Sound at budget price. The DAC is EASILY the equivalent or better than many other high priced audiophile DAC's.

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AKG Q460 Mini On Ear Headphones, Quincy Jones Signature Line

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $229.00
Sale Price: $94.91
Today's Bonus: 59% Off

I am not what you would consider a professional musician by any means. However, I have spent my fair share of time in the studio and have a degree in electronic media. After 2 weeks with these, my memory cannot recollect having heard headphones this good in...well, ever.

I was in the market for new headphones and when I heard that Quincy Jones was releasing a pair, I had to check em out. Then when I heard they were better than the Dre Beats, I definitely knew I had to get a pair. The only thing is that I was debating whether to purchase the Q460's or the 701's. Having purchased the 460's, I dont know if I will go forward with the 701's or not. These are that good. And as was mentioned in an earlier review, the sound quality seems to be getting better the more I listen to them. I went back and listened to some Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, and whatever else I could find from that timeframe. Man, I heard things I've never noticed in those recordings before, both good and bad. It felt like the music was being played to me live from my ipod, and that is about the best compliment I can give. I dont know how the Q701's can possibly be better than these, but I intend to purchase them as well, although they may not be needed. The base thumps, but doesnt pound (although I havent run any old-school Miami bass through them yet). The snares are crisp, high hats ping and resonate accurately. Just a fantastic soundstage. I plan to watch a movie on my iMac soon through these to see how the surround sound plays out. They are really comfortable to wear and shut out most outside sound. I couldnt hear myself singing and I only had my volume up halfway. I actually had to pull one headphone away from my ear to make sure I wasnt just lip-syncing!!

The unique foldup design and the case are well designed. My only gripe is that the chord is really short. The default chord is like 2 feet and the iPhone-specific chord is maybe 4 feet. Coming out the back of my computer, I cant even lean back in the chair without running out of cable. I dont know if they make an extender specifically for these or if a regular extender will compromise the sound quality is some way, but its definitely something to think about if your sound is computer-based. These headphones I think are obviously made for use with portable devices but would not be frowned on in any studio in the world.

This is the first review I've ever written on Amazon, but these headphones spoke to me. Its awesome getting lost in music again like I havent really been able to do since I was a teenager.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I love these headphones.

I'm not an expert on high-end audio/headphones, but I think I know good sound when I hear it, and these seem to be really good phones. Within the first 24 hours I had them, I was running around plugging them into anything that had a headphone jack -I tried them with my iPod Shuffle, my stereo, my computer, my portable DVD player, and I gave them over to a friend who had a smartphone (and yes, the volume and play/pause functions worked) and the sound they put out was great to his ears (and he's a working musician). I tried them with 70's soul, 80's new wave, current hits, old classic rock etc and for the most part, the sound was sharp and in some cases, nearly revelatory -I was hearing nice detail in songs I'd heard a million times, and very good bass. One thing I did notice was that these headphones seemed to pull back the curtain on whether a track was even well-produced/mixed or not in the first place some old stuff sounded a bit flat/muddy and unbalanced, and I suspect it's the production and not the headphones. I tested these with various test-songs/discs I usually use to check speakers, etc: Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms" (full digital, well engineered), the Cars' "Since You're Gone" (for the left-right clicking and drum track), some Gamble & Huff Philly stuff (great percussion, strings & warmth), Garbage and Lady Gaga (which are all very well produced). And Dio's "Holy Diver" and "Rainbow in the Dark" (heavy, man) kicked both sounded really, really good. Actually, everything i've mentioned here sounded great. If bass/low-end is what you want, these might very well be your headphones; if not, and you have an equalizer, don't let that stop you: you can tweak your sound to your liking.

As far as style, these are very well designed nice cushion on the top piece (which rests on your head); the phones themselves are cushioned and feel quite comfortable on the ears while I wouldn't say they're noise-cancelling, they fit so snugly that you won't have to worry about too much outside noise (I plan to take these on my next plane ride); the phones fold-flat and fit into a nice small rigid case (which can accommodate the extra cables & jack adaptors that come with the headphones). My iPod touch even fit in the same case. My only complaint: I wish the cables were a bit longer, as I needed an extension cable to plug into my home stereo, but that's a minor complaint: these phones are likely geared toward the iPod/smartphone/computer user (there are a lot of specs/suggestions on the packaging as to their use, but they'll work with computers/dvd, etc too), in which case, the cables that are included will be more than adequate to the task. You'll never go back to your earbuds after using these phones. Great product, very impressive.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I love the portability of these headphones! They come with a nice little pouch that is easy to tote aroundmaybe not as easy to carry around as earbuds but frankly I can't stand the tiny earbuds. The portability does mean that the actual ear piece is smaller than the larger headphones and thus both less comfortable and not as well equipped to block out other sounds (but again, FAR superior to earbuds!).

The wire connecting the earphones to whatever device you are using is rather short unless you use the one designed primarily for the iphone. While the longer wire does contain controls for volume control, play, and pause, sadly only the play and pause work when connecting to my Droid phone.

Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising aspect of the AKG Q460s is the actual quality of the sound. The sound quality is exceptional for such small headphones. We have a Sennheiser HD280 and the AKG Q460s compare quite nicely. The bass is better than in my Sennheiser headphones although the sound is more open on the Sennheisers. I actually didn't expect to enjoy using the AKG Q460s as much as I do but intend to use these for when I'm on the go and need something portable but with a nice sound (again, unlike those dreadful earbuds).

Edited to add: I have now tried these earphones with an ipod Touch and I have to say the sound is even more awesome when used with the ipod Touch. All of the controls work when using an ipod Touch. I still prefer headphones that block out other sounds (like my Sennheisers) but these little headphones could almost convince me to change my mind about that!

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program These little headphones deliver powerful sound, plenty of volume and a good strong bass in a compact package. I played a variety of music from rock to classical and while I was pleased with their initial performance, I had some minor reservations. The notes were not quite as clear and distinct as I would have liked and I detected some muddiness. Believing that the headphones would benefit from an extended break-in period, I began the process. They're several hours into it at this point and already the balance has improved and the sound is cleaner than before. I have no doubt that they will only continue to get better.

Although the sound is of paramount consideration, another reason to love these AKG mini headphones is their comfort. Because they're small and light (4.2 oz.), you barely know you're wearing them and unlike earbuds, even after hours of wear, they never become annoying.

They're presented in an attractive molded case designed to keep everything in one place and protect the headphones from damage when not in use. They come with two detachable cords of different lengths, nice because they're easily replaceable if they should fray or break.

I'm very happy with these headphones and am officially retiring my earbuds.

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If you are someone that doesn't sweat the small stuff then you will love this headphone. The overall look and quality of the materials seem very good. They come with a nice case and choice of cabling as well as a few adapters for phones and larger amplifiers. The sound is very "consumer" and bass friendly... but i will talk about that in a bit.

My biggest problem OUT OF THE BOX is that one of the circular Q symbols is misaligned, off-center, and peeling off!!! As i said, the rest of the build is great but this one piece really annoys, concerns, and angers me. So much so that I will be retuning this set :( I really don't want to though. Another small gripe is that the cable is stiff to pull out but locks fairly well... I don't have to discuss how awesome the lime green cable looks and feels so that is all good. Strain reliefs are well made but the hole to insert the cable is a bit too small or oddly shaped. The cable issue i can look past though.

Finally on to the consumer sound... I have owned many a pair of headphones in the past and currently own the (excellent) AKG k240 and Shure se215. Both are great sounding products. I have also tried many sennhieser and akg products, as well as the Vmoda M80 and phiaton ms400. Overall, i would say the sound is very similar to the Phiatons and Sennheiser HD 239. It has a heavy emphasis on bass to the point that it mess up the vocals considerably. However it performs great with hip hop, some dubstep, and house music, It fails considerably with any rock or alternative (a large part of my library). Granted, much of "todays" music will play fine on this set but expect no sparkle in the highs at all. I can, however, live with the sound signature as I tend to opt for rap or electronic music while on the go. Not very recommended for home use at all. Furthermore, the headphones play LOUD and distort with an amp so it is better straight out of an iPod or laptop rather than my FiiO E7.

This may all sound negative but there are many positives to this set of headphones. The bass heavy sound appeals to many people (me included) and makes music a bit more engaging. Soundstage is less than average for this type of headphone but i will let that slide as they do not leak terribly. They are very portable and the case included is simply amazing. The look and overall portability may convince me to keep this set but i cannot look past the broken panel OUT OF THE BOX! Another great last benefit is that they clamp the perfect amount. Great for staying on the head while walking or working out. The pads are comfortable and fit decently well for the size of the headphone itself. They are a headphone I'd be proud to own... that little defect makes me very mad though. I would like to note that the broken panel does not in any way affect the sound of the cans.

All things considered, I would recommend this headphone for any type of portable application. if you are going for neutral or Hi-Fi, steer clear, but if you want a fun sounding and cool headphone, you got your match here.

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