Phonic MK15 Keyboard Amp

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List Price: Price Unavailable
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Today's Bonus:

• Input 1 connector Input 2 connector
• Level 1 control Level 2 control, Low frequency control (bass)Lo mid frequency control (thickness)Hi mid frequency control (definition).
• High frequency control (treble)CD input (2 RCA jacks)Headphone jack On indicator
• Power switchAC power connector (rear panel)

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I purchased this amplifier to hook up to my church's digital piano and ran a wire across the church and placed the amplifier beside the organ I play. This allows me the opportunity to hear the instrument I am playing along with. This amplifier is very effective for its purpose. I only turn it up between 2-3. I was somewhat skeptical about this amplifier due to the low price, but it works well with no feedback. I would highly recommend this product if you are a musician or playing in a medium-sized room. Do not let the low Amazon price keep you from purchasing this great product.

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My son has a concert keyboard. Bought it for him and was concerned because of the lower price than similar items. It has worked very well for practice or performance. I'm not an expert. MAybe the much higher priced items do something that thia doesn't but I can't imagine what.

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Lalaloopsy 17310 Earbuds with Slider

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Sale Price: $9.99
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We received these earbuds as a birthday gift for our daughter who just turned 6 years old. However, we were quickly disappointed upon allowing our daughter to try them on. After opening the package, we noticed that there were two different sets of rubber tips that could be used (2 large ones and 2 small ones). The buds already come with the larger tips on them. When we noticed that the regular set didn't fit our daughter's ears we tried the smaller tips instead. However, these didn't fit the external part of her ear canal either which surprised us. We consider our daughter's ears to be normal in size for her age so our reaction was that surely these were meant for young children based on their animated character design. Upon further investigation of the package, we were completely surprised when we couldn't find any indication of an age range recommendation. Based on the lack of information provided, our best guess is that these earbuds are intended for children age 8 and up.

At this point, my wife has decided to use these until our daughter's ears grow a bit more in the next couple of years. If you're looking for Lalaloopsy headphones for your young child (under 8), look for the regular headsets instead which are available with this character design.

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My girls love everything Lalaloopsy and these are no different. They are the cutest things ever and my girls love using them with their MP3 player.

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YPT300 Portable Keyboard

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My 8 year old daughter wanted to take piano lessons but we didn't want to invest in a full sized piano. So we started looking for a keyboard to suit our needs. We chose this one because the keys are full-sized and touch sensitive. Her piano teacher told us this was essential so she won't have problems switching from playing keyboard to piano and back again. This one has all the features that we wanted and the price is reasonable. She's been taking lessons for 9 months and loves it. She also enjoys playing with all the features of the keyboard...choosing other instrument sounds, sound effects, drum kits, pre-programmed songs, and more. She and her younger brother and sister have a blast composing their own songs and playing with all the other features. It's very sturdy and forgiving of young players.

We bought the power adapter when we bought the keyboard. And we gave her a set of headphones so she could play to her heart's content without driving the rest of the family crazy. We will eventually have to get a real piano since this keyboard only has 61 keys. But for the forseeable future this suits our needs perfectly.

We are very happy with our purchase and would recommend this keyboard to others.

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The newer YPT-310 is functionally identical to this earlier model YPT-300. The newer model changes simply made the device more environmentally friendly ("greener"). You can therefore find additional reviews of this device at Yamaha YPT310 61 Full Size Touch Sensitive Keys with 500 tones and 32-note polyphony. The letters at the end of the model number, such as "AD", indicate bundled accessories, such as the power adapter.

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I have this keyboard, and it's good, but the newer model PSR295 is even better and also sold here on Amazon. It costs more money, but it comes with adapter and stand, whereas this one (PSR275) doesn't. By the time you pay for those, you are paying the same price as the PSR295 anyway, so why not just get the newer and better model?

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I bought this at Sam's club for $139 and it included power adaptor and stand. We wanted our kids to learn how to play music but didn't want to spend a lot of money on a full sized piano not to mention we didn't want to deal with the size and mobility issues. This was a great inexpensive keyboard for that purpose. We haven't tried out all it can do yet but we like the sound and the songs programmed into it.

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I bought this keyboard to mess around and maybe learn a few chords and I was amazed at how cool this keyboard is compared to most. They say Yamaha is one of the best keyboard brands out there and now I'm a believer. I've even recorded with this keyboard, nothing professional, but it works. Has a decent quality of features and the sound is pretty good for it's price range. A perfect keyboard for any starter. One word, delightful.

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Full Size 4/4 Electric Violin Set with Case and Accessories - Blue

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

• Full Size 4/4 Electric Silent Violin
• Ebony Pegs, chinrest, fingerboard & tailpiece
• Full Brazil wood Bows with unbleached horsehair
• Comes complete with padded gig bag, rosin, headphones and batteries
• Ideal for the beginning student

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I wanted to find the best quality, all around greatest value violin I could get for dirt cheap. I didn't want to lose an arm and a leg for something I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pick up! But I like a challenge to fix something and make it better, so it was a somewhat fun thing to do to get this going.

I read a lot of reviews and pros and cons and I settled on this. I liked it because it had nearly everything in it all packaged together: decent sound, quiet or amplified playing, rosin, bow, strings, a bag, the works.

It's cheap. looks like the colors were spray painted on like the a cheap plastic toy. Unplayable out of the box. Nearly the whole thing is plastic, but good enough once fixed up.

What other reviewers said were true:

1) Get a new bridge. There are no grooves on the one it came with and it's rather thick. The Glaesel bridge recommended from others was fine, but according to my violin teacher, rather pricey. Might be able to get one for less than $10 (she told me she payed $7). Make sure that the bridge has the black line on the E string. (I had mine reversed for the first few weeks and it kind of messed me up and the sound).

2) Get peg drops. The plastic pegs need them to stay in place. Slipping and sliding pegs are not fun.

3) Get 4 fine tuners. It comes with one, but it's IMPOSSIBLE to tune this without them. I got 4 because I wanted them to match, but you can just go for 3. They are less than $10 shipped for the lot from ebay or something.

4) The battery clip inside snapped on me just as some people saw. I resoldered the broken piece and now it's fine, but you can pick up the replacement clip at Radio Shack.

5) The bow's hairs are a tag too long or something and to get them tight enough bends the bow in an improper way. I might upgrade if I stick with it.

6) Amazon might not offer the best price as I looked on Ebay on well and found they have the same picture and package for a good deal less. Something to keep in mind.

7) Pick up an extra set of strings off Ebay. For a newbie, I got brand new strings for less than $2. They aren't good quality, but they are good enough.

I'm pretty satisfied with this. Once amplified, it's honestly pretty nice.

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This violin works fine. However here are the faults, and not just of this silent electric but of most, even the ones in the $500-$600 range.

1. To heavy. This Violin is 10 times as heavy as a regular violin

2. Can't use a shoulder rest on this Violin.

3. Poorly constructed, gaps in the molding between pieces

4. Felt like it would break after a couple of months of use

I wanted to travel with this, but the case it comes with is just a bag. This Violin has strange deminsions and wouldn't fit in any case I could find. If you are thinking about purchasing an electric make certain it can use a shoulder rest (if you use those), can fit into a standard size case, and is well constructed.

I emailed the vendor for a refund and this was done promptly and courteously.

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Ok it is cheap so what did I expect. I was buying something fun, a toy of sorts. But the headphone jack gives no audio. You would think that would work. The violin works ok with a small amp I got. But try as we might it will not stay in tune. Plastic tuning pegs in a plastic body is not a design that is going to work when friction is needed. But then why are all violins made with such a crappy tuning system is beyond me. But then I am not stuck in the 16th century on design. I am certainly not a traditionalist. Given how cheap this is we will probably make our own personal changes to it in the shop and have fun doing so. Fun factor high. Quality low.

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My daughter opened up her violin Christmas morning only to find pieces missing. It was not in working order. A VERY disappointed little girl.

WHY didn't I get a full refund including shipping??

I have received the Barcelona Student 1/2 size violin I purchased from Austin Bazaar. I have tried to contact Austin Bazaar on the phone twice and left 2 messages. They didn't contact me back. I emailed Austin Bazaar and they replied with 3 links of their policy OF 30 DAY RETURN IF THE ITEM IS DEFECTIVE AND SETUP INSTRUCTIONS. I followed the 3 links they sent me to setup the violin AGAIN and had no sound. I tuned the strings with the Korg Chromatic Tuner TM-40 I bought from Amazon and matched the tunes of G, D, A & E. But, it doesn't have any sound when I pulled the bows. It came with 2 bows and both don't work. Austin Bazaar ignored my voice messages and emails by refusing to call me back and reply back with the Return Authorization Number. BUYERS, BEWARE OF THIS SHADY SELLER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Mix Vibes VFX Audio and Video DJ software

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List Price: $369.00
Sale Price: $275.37
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

• 2x stereo RCA outputs
• 1x headphones (6.3mm jack) output
• Sensitive jog wheels for precise scratch and pitch bend
• 58 push buttons + 7 rotary push knobs + 5 faders + 9 rotary knobs
• Inch Shift Inch button for second control functions of all buttons

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I received the item on time. All the peripherals were correctly shipped including the VFX software CD. One major issue though was that the software key listed on the software packaging was incorrect. This was reported to amazon via their help chat option with no quick solution, however an email to MixVibes promptly solved this. The software though buggy is packed with features...as advertised. There are tons of visuals and effects for any DJ who wants to be more creative with their mixes. I bought this particularly for the VFX software as I am switching to video and there is no better solution out there.In terms of product support MixVibes is great with a dedicated forum where experienced users can help new comers. They provide regular updates for the vfx software and thier other products. There is also a beta program available for testing future releases of the software.

Summary: If you're a DJ crossing over from audio into video or want exciting visual effects to spice up your mix, this is a great solution.

Pros: Great idea for for adding visuals to any DJ

: Midi controller is built sturdy and is very precise and responsive (customed built for VFX Software led backlit controls, great portability.

Cons: Frequent crashes of software version 1.2.2 [even when installed on a rig built for performance][will soon be a thing of the past with recent updates of the software version 1.3.0 in development and soon to be released

:Not version of the software available for Macintosh (at the time of this review)

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AKG Pro Audio K77 Channel Studio Headphones

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List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $46.98
Today's Bonus:

• Over-ear, semi-closed design for high comfort
• Large high-performance 40mm (1.6") speakers provide a powerful and convincing sound
• Extremely lightweight for excellent comfort

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I'll say upfront that I hate listening to music on headphones. Well, most headphones anyway. I just never do it but I need headphones for my home studio, so I have to put up with something. Heaadphones invariably sound artificial in some measure and I find that my ears fatigue very quickly. Not so with the two pairs of AKG 'phones that I have owned.

The guy at my local music store put me onto the K70s 10 years or more ago. He said, in atypical salesman style, that he could sell me a set of headphones for three times the price that wouldn't sound as good. After listening to them, I had to agree and I've used them whilst mixing and mastering three albums in the last few years, with mostly decent results. [Modesty prevents me from being too effusive as to the actual quality of the results. Suffice to say that I've been exceptionally pleased with them.] The K70s contributed to that in no small measure.

So when the foam ear-pads finally fell completely to pieces, I saw no reason to look for anything more upmarket than the K77s, although I did take the time to compare them to several other AKG models in higher price ranges. I actually think they are better than some of the more expensive units. I thought they sounded more well-rounded than the K 99s, which were a little brittle in the top end, and they stacked up well against the then brand-new K 121 Studio 'phones, which were incredibly uncomfortable by comparison, even though they did sound a little better.

At the end of the day, I knew these were the headphones I would actually want to listen to music on, and for me that is half the battle [at least]. It means that it's not a chore to make the effort to learn how they sound, to understand how their particular sound translates to other systems a car stereo, a home stereo or a good hi-fi. That is far more important in the long run than a flat response or anything else. As long as they are giving me the full picture, and they do, my brain can do the rest without any conscious effort from me. The bass is full and punchy, the mid-range is nicely defined without overpowering the sound and the high frequencies are clear without being harsh or brittle. They are the closest thing to a good speaker/monitor sound that you can get but, being headphones, they deliver the sound more intimately which allows you to dissect it more easily perfect for studio work.

I also have a pair of Sennheiser PX250s for using on aircraft [I fly a lot] and whilst they sound decent enough for watching films on a noisy plane, it would never occur to me to use them to listen to music. The AKGs eat them for breakfast. If I could fold up the K77s and put them in my laptop bag, I would never have wasted three times as much money on the Sennheisers, that's for sure.

I really can't recommend these headphones highly enough, both for studio work and especially for just listening to your favourite music. To suggest they are not good enough for professional work is absurd. It seems a shame that while comparatively bad Sennheisers get hundreds of high score reviews, these are being largely ignored.

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I was looking for a set of closed-back (so sound doesn't leak too much into the outside world), circumaural (covering the entire ear), passive noise-canceling headphones (since active NC compromises sound quality). I also didn't want to spend more than $80. I checked out the entire Amazon inventory, Google products searches, , plus Radio Shack and Best Buy (in-store and online).

I really wanted to buy Koss phones because of their excellent warranty, but their current product line doesn't quite match my needs. Sennheisers were also considered, but they consistently got low customer ratings in durability and comfort.They just came a few days ago, and I'm extremely impressed. They're light, but obviously well constructed. The feaux leather cups are of considerably higher quality than what Koss put on the UR20s; that's the main reason I decided to retire them after about five years. Don't get me wrong -the UR20s are a great value for a $25 pair of cans, but they're just not in the same class as these K77s.

When I opened these AKGs, the first thing I did was plug them into the stereo and then compare them to my old Koss 'phones. The first ting that stood out was the vastly superior volume range in the AKGs. Despite being just as closed and circumaural, I couldn't even use the UR20s to watch a DVD on an airplane. They just wouldn't get loud enough. The K77s pack plenty of punch. The pure audio quality was also noticeably better, with a fuller, more detailed sound. I noticed the same when comparing the two with DVDs, YouTube videos, and MP3s.

Obviously, the UR20s are not world-class, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise that these AKGs are better. However, considering the AKGs only cost only $10 more right now, I think it's a useful illustration.

The other significant benefit of these headphones is their amazing comfort. They're extremely light overall, and they use a covered elastic band on top to provide the lightest possible pressure needed to secure the ear cups to your head. Although the two arching plastic tubes are stationary and rise over my dome an inch or two, I can barely feel the headphones while I'm wearing them.

Lastly, they're just more stylish than any other set I looked at (although I was impressed by the look of the Koss UR40s). Would I factor aesthetics into the purchase of headphones I plan to use for several years? Of course not. But now that I own them, the sleek professional build and cool blue color is definitely a plus.

As you can tell, I'm no audiophile. I do think, though, that there are plenty of people like me who prefer better sound and comfort than "earbud" headphones can deliver and don't want to spend a ton of money. I was willing to spend $50 more, but I'm happy I decided to go with the AKG 77s. If your needs are similar to mine, you'd be downright stupid to buy any other headphones. Take advantage of this $35 price while it lasts on Amazon.

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I bought this headphones a few days ago, and I hadn't the opportunity to try it before buying. I have to admit that I am so far pretty much satisfied. Being a musician I looked for something which is cheap but quality worthy, something I can work with for hours and maintain sound quality which I can work with. I wouldn't recommend this for professional usage, but it is not intended for such a high level. The sound is pretty good, not as clean but well enough to work with. Comfort is great here.

If you are looking for something low cost yet efficient this should be one of your considerations.

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I have a pair of AKG K240 headphones. The sound of the K240 is clearly better, more detailed and more transparent. The K240 has been a standard for studio use for decades. But I wanted another pair of headphones that would be better at shutting out or blocking external noise and I did not want to spend $200+. I use the K77 for practising electric guitar or keyboard. They are perfect for this use. They block external sound so I can play even when a TV set is blaring away in another room and the sound is very good. The K77 sound is accurate and neutral. Not as good as my studio quality higher priced AKGs but better matched to my intended usage. I think they are the best in this price range for closed back over the ear headphone.

You have to understand what these are, they are best used when you need a degree of sound isolation. If you do not want sound to "leak" from the headphone into an open mic or if you do not want ambient noise to distract you while listening. They fit _over_ the hears not on top of them so you can wear them for a long time but to do their job they have to be a tight fit so there is a little of the "head in a vice" feeling after an hour or so. Sound quality is NOT up to audiophile standards and I would not use these for critical tasks like mixing and mastering but they work well enough for monitoring what you are playing and casual music listening. I bought these because I like the sound of AKG products. There headphone have that AKG sound but don't compare them to AKG phones that cost eight times more.

When I first bought these phones, I wasn't impressed. They felt fragile, but so far (after 2 months) they have taken everyday wear and tear fine. Another reason why I wasn't initially impressed was because I was comparing them to my Senn PX 100's, which are amazing. At first, the bass on the AKG's was not impressive, however after they were broken in, it is truly like wearing a pair of heavy-bass DJ speakers on your ears. When they are on, you cannot hear a peep of outside noise, which is wonderful for tuning out background noise while working on reports. I primarily use my AKG's for home use; they are a bit bulky for traveling (although these would be perfect for a lengthy flight) and I use my Senns for the gym and public listening. One last thing I would like to point out is that from the user images, these phones appear to have a bluish hue, but in actuality, they are black. Also, I bought mine from and saved 14 dollars (shipping included) from the Amazon Price.

Bottom Line: an excellent pair of headphones for 35 dollars.

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Griffin Technology Auxiliary Audio Cable with Inline Remote Control

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I had bought this remote to use it to control my iPhone.

I need both to control the iPod and the iPhone (using double clicks, triple clicks, hold etc...).

This remote is of pretty good quality and very light. It feels a bit cheap on the button side, but the large buttons make it useable even with gloves.

The big minuses though are that there is no volume control, just play/pause, next and previous.

It's a total deal breaker for me.

And secondly, it is not compatible with double/triple clicks and hold. So you can't shuffle or fast forward in tracks and you can't trigger voice command. Another deal breaker for an iPhone.

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I'm a bit baffled by some of the negative reviews for this item that complain it doesn't have volume control. That's like buying a Honda Civic and then posting a negative review because it lacks a sports suspension. Maybe that would be a good thing, but the description doesn't say it has volume control. I do think, however, that the description posted on Amazon is a bit ambiguous because it just says that this item gives you "track control". What does THAT mean? If you want to be able to search within a song, you will be disappointed with this. But if you need a simple device that allows you to start/stop sound tracks and skip forward/backward, then this is what you're looking for. The device itself is pretty simple: it's shaped kinda like a flattened peanut shell, with the center button controlling stop/start and each of the ends in charge of forward and back (I used to have a similar device that only had one button which you had to press a different number of times to make it do different things....and if you didn't time the presses just right, it did something other than what you intended. So I really appreciate that the Griffin model has dedicated buttons). It produces a loud click when you press the buttons, which I think contributes to the somewhat cheap look and feel. But the bottom line is that it works, easily. I haven't used it much yet, so don't know how it will hold up over time. But for now, I'm a happy camper. Oh, and the service from SFPlanet was great...it arrived in about 3 days after I placed my order.

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Great product works exactly as advertised on my IPOD touch. I have it mounted to my motorcycle so i can change track without taking my hands off the bars. Havent not had a single issure with it in rain or shine. Sound quality is just as good with it in place as with out it. large buttons make no look track switching simple. Product seems a little fragile but has held up fine for me and I have been using it everyday for the past 3 months.

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I plug this into my iPhone when I go on long drives (plugged into auxiliary plug in center console). This device allows me to start/stop playback and move up/down a track in my library without having to take my eyes off the road. This is a two piece item. You receive a standard auxiliary cable and the remote cable. You plug a male end of the aux cable into the female end of the remote and then the male end of remote into your device. Bonus....you can use the remote with your headphones! I use the remote with my nano when using my treadmill. The 4 star review is given for the lack of volume control. But for the price..... this item is great. I have three of these and have not had any issues with reliability. All work great.

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Works great does its job should be compatible with most androids it is for my galaxy note 2 the buttons are easy to push amd sound quality is not impaired

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1/4" Stereo Male to 1/4" stereo Male, 10 ft

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List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
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I have a wannabe home studio based around my Boss BR-800 and an Alesis ADAT with a Mackie recording mixer which still works, got those in 1996...Well, a friend of mine from back in hi school who also dabbles in drums/guitar is rooming with us now, and I decided to get a Behringer headphone amplifier. This 2-way stereo cable can be used for feeding the headphone amp's input from the multitrack's headphone output, then the headphone amp gives you 4 headphone jacks. That way we both can have headphones while tracking.

Useful and convenient.

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The price is right. The patch cord works fine. The cord is thick (not flimsy as with some cheap cables). I am happy with this purchase.

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These are amazing for the price! I couldn't believe how perfect they are! These were worth the money, I recommend it to anyone.

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I use them to direct my keyboard to my amp. They're not very expensive, and are bult pretty well. Clear signal.

I haven't had them long, so look elsewhere for details on extended use.

I'd recommend them.

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I needed two cables. each with a 1/4" stereo plug and the other end as bare wire. So, I cut the cable I ordered in half, soldered the cut ends to two Ham Radio "Morse Code Keys" (a Bencher Key and a Straight Navy Key) and I was in business with two 5 foot cables.

For my usage; The cable cut "clean", stripped down to bare wire fairly easily and was robust enough to endure a soldering attachment to the CW Keys. The cable is thin, supple and lays out pretty unobtrusively on my radio bench. It looks professional!

It was much easier than buying the wire and connector and I consider the purchase a good choice.

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Skullcandy S6HSFZ-319 Hesh 2 Headphones, Gray/Black/Lime

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $49.95
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

EDIT 8/5/2012: Removed extensive comparisons with other models considered to limit the length of my already somewhat long-winded review. If you care to read my in-depth thoughts on the other models, though, I plan to post a full review of each model in the next week or so.

I came fairly to choosing these while looking for a pair of over-the-ear headphones primarily for on-the-go usage with a portable media player. I've got a pair of Skullcandy 50/50 earbuds that are overall pretty good and have served me well, but I've realized after about a year that I just prefer the feel of over-the-ear headphones over in-ear for a variety of reasons including overall comfort, how easy it is to accidentally pull earbuds out of your ears, or lose the rubber tips, and so on. From the other side of the spectrum, I've got a pair of Sennheiser HD280 over-the-ear headphones that I use as my primary "at home" listening medium. Those are freakin' amazing and I love them, but their overall size and extra-long coiled cord would make them a bit unwieldy for portable use. So essentially what I got these for was to use as a good pair of over-ear headphones for listening to music on-the-go, typically for 1-2 hours at a time with a break here and there for various reasons.

Other headphones considered (in order of preference, descending):

V-Moda Crossfade LP2*

Soul by Ludacris SL150*

Sony MDR-XB500

Sony DR-ZX701IP

Skullcandy HESH 2

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo*

Skullcandy Lowrider

Skullcandy Skullcrushers

*see update(s) at the end of the review

Anyway, on the the review:

:::: Sound ::::

Overall better than average balance of sounds for the price range. I listen to a fairly wide range of music including most types of EDM (electronic dance music), classical, jazz, rock/metal and so on. My main staples of late are drum 'n' bass and dubstep, although a lot of what have become my long-term favorite artists tend to mix the "new" (rock/EDM) with more traditional musical styles and instrumentation... look up Korpiklaani, Amon Tobin, Banco de Gaia and/or Gogol Bordello for a few examples. I'm not a hardcore audiophile (or at last doesn't consider myself to be), but I am big music fan and want my music to sound good when I listen to it. For the most part, this model has proven to be no slouch in the headphone arena, especially given the price point. In fact, these cans have done surprisingly well across the board of my musical tastes.

On bass-heavy EDM tracks like the appropriately-named "Shudder" by Black Sun Empire/Crushington, these headphones deliver a visceral bass that you can definitely feel, while lighter songs like "Bedtime Stories" by Amon Tobin don't suffer from weak treble/highs. I haven't listened to a lot of rock/metal/punk in some time, but I pulled up a few of my favorite songs and they all sounded at least as good as I remember them. This style of music tends not to produce the same levels of visceral bass response that EDM does, but this is true on my significantly higher-end HD280s as well, so the cause is not a fault in these headphones. Because the mids/treble in a lot of EDM can accurately be described as a "whine" or "siren-like" sound, I also made sure to test these with music consisting almost exclusively of "organic" instrumentation... classical, jazz, choral and the like... with positive results. Potentially a superficial test, since I doubt the electronics in the headphones can differentiate between them, but I feel like it'd be easier to notice flaws in the sound reproduction of a poor-quality pair of headphones using this type of music than the heavily-synthesized sounds of EDM. Call it a hunch.

Overall, these headphones are a solid contender given the asking price for them. The Sony models were a bit better in terms of pure sound quality, but had other issues that made them less than ideal for me. The other Skullcandy headphones were substantially weaker, in my opinion, and these are the clear winners within the brand.

:::: Comfort ::::

These headphones fit tightly, which I like overall, but combined with the on-ear design makes them somewhat uncomfortable for extended listening. For the first hour, hour and a half or even two hours in some cases, these headphones feel perfectly fine. Strong bass seems like it might exacerbate the issue for bespectacled folk like myself, though, since having the side parts of the frames pressed between one's ear and one's head does get uncomfortable after a bit, even while listening to tunes on the "lighter" side of things/without heavy bass vibrations, although I admit to not having tested this while I had the headphones. I've also seen some complaints in other reviews about the lack of padding on the arch of the headphones, although with the way they fit (on my head, at least) this is a non-issue since the arch only slightly rests on the top of my head. For my uses, however, these issues don't become unbearable, since I'm taking off the headphones before they would start to set in 90% of the time.

Once again, at the price point these headphones are sold at, they offer a solid value in the comfort department even with the shortcomings noted above, especially given the "total package" in comparison to other similarly-priced headphones. I would say honestly speaking, though, that I would have to rate these headphones lower than all the other models tried in terms of pure comfort (although the Lowriders were only comfortable because they were so loose fitting that they fell off fairly easily, so I'm not sure how much that counts).

:::: Style ::::

These headphones are overall pretty decent looking. The 3/4 angle found in most stock photos is certainly the most favorable angle to view these from, with a straight-ahead view being the worst (the cups are almost perfect half-spheres, resulting in a "Princess Leia buns" appearance). One of the irritating things about over-ear headphones in general, of course, is that the better ones do have a tendency to be huge monstrosities that look awkward as heck when you wear them, so it requires some creative design in general to produce an aesthetically pleasing pair. In the end, these have enough style to them and sound good enough that the "buns" effect, while still somewhat irritating, is something I can live with.

Compared to other models I considered, the overall appearance of the Skullcrushers and Sony DR-ZX701IPs are much more to my liking. The lower profile of the DR-ZX701IPs also help to make them more aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion. If it weren't for the other issues, the articulating ear cups and collapsible/stashable design of the Skullcrushers/Lowriders would have been a major selling point for me, as well. The Lowriders I would rate lower due to being /too/ lightweight looking to the point of simply looking cheap, and the Sony MDR-XB500s just look ridiculous, and don't even have the articulation/stashable design of the Skullcrushers and Lowriders.

:::: Durability ::::

Gotta say that these feel like a rather solid pair of headphones, despite being almost 100% plastic aside from the wiring, driver magnets and ear cushions. As far as practical real-world durability, that's something I can't tell after only having owned these for a week or two. I'm fairly easy on my electronics, but being a computer technician and working with laptops, the casings of which are usually thin plastic pieces, has given me a rather precise sense for how much strain plastics can safely handle, and these headphones seem like they would require a fairly severe incident to break accidentally, and can handle normal wear and tear admirably.

The MDR-XB500s are more-or-less on par with these and, compared to the Lowriders or even the Skullcrushers (although to a far lesser degree), these feel like a veritable brick house of solid design. One advantage of these and the other Skullcandy options, though, is that they carry a lifetime warranty that gets you 50% off a replacement pair even if they break (most companies would just shrug this off as abuse and not do anything for you).

:::: Miscellaneous Thoughts ::::

Another reviewer, whom I don't remember if he posted his review on Amazon or elsewhere, unfortunately, brought up an interesting point he noticed about these headphones. According to him, an audiophile with a much more refined ear than mine if his self-description is at all accurate, it sounded like these headphones were emphasize the bass and bottom-end mids to give them the "awesome bass" that they have, which he felt to be a fairly strong negative point against this model. If I remember correctly his reasoning had to do with causing listening fatigue more easily than headphones where this technique is not used. So far this has not seemed to be an issue for me, though.

:::: Conclusion ::::

Despite the comfort factor being in favor of the Sony MDR-XB500 headphones and other factors for the most part being equal or slightly better, I do intend to use these headphones primarily in public, and the aesthetics of those are absolutely awful, so I had to pass. The DR-ZX701IPs are nice and low-profile/lightweight, but have volume issues (they just didn't seem *loud*, even at full volume on my music player). That said, these headphones are no disappointment in any category, even if they also aren't the best of the models I've tried in some areas, either. Another benefit of going with a Skullcandy model, since it's worth repeating is that they offer a lifetime warranty that even provides partial coverage against physical damage/abuse, so if the durability ends up being cruddy one would likely get their next pair for free or drastically discounted even if they didn't fail until 2-3 or years after the date of purchase.

**** UPDATED 7/27/2012 ****

Ultimately, I've ended up returning these and am now checking out some higher-end headphones. I guess I'm a pickier listener and/or more of an audiophile than I thought. The models I'm considering now are the Soul SL150 on-ear headphones (we have a live display of them where I work, and they sound pretty awesome) and a pair from a company called V-MODA (Crossfade LP2), which I've admittedly never heard of before, but was favorably mentioned in reviews of the SL150s. Part of the reason for this is that as I broke in the HESHes, they seemed to lose some of their "punch" across the sound spectrum. I found myself being able to listen to music with them on my phone at full volume for most music and still desiring it to be ever-so-slightly louder, whereas before they were loud enough that I had to turn them down 1-2 notches, depending on what I was listening too.

I'm not changing the main review, though, to include comparisons to these models, since they are in an entirely different price bracket. After all, for over 100% more $$$, the models I'm considering now had better sound significantly better. Despite my personal choice as a borderline-but-not-quite-audiophile to fork over a bit more cash to get a pair of headphones I'm truly excited about, I stand by my original assertion that the Hesh headphones from Skullcandy are a very respectable choice given the price range, and would serve plenty of people just fine.

**** Updated 8/4/2012 ****

Ended up absolutely falling in love with the V-MODA Crossfade LP2s. The Soul SL150s proved to be above and beyond any of the Sony or Skullcandy models and all-around extremely good, but the V-MODAs were another monumental step up even from there in my opinion. They are also the best constructed and best looking of all of the on-ear and over-ear headphones I've checked out by far, on top of being the best sounding. The warranty even offers a level of guarantee similar to Skullcandy's (100% coverage against normal use for 2 years, 50% off replacements for the life of the product if the failure is not a defect/normal wear issue or the product is older than 2 years).

As far as the Skullcandy HESH model is concerned, I still stick by my assertion that they are an overall solid product for the price point and a great choice for people who want something better than $10 earbuds, but still don't consider headphones an "investment" (especially bass-heads), but urge others that have better quality sound as their primary consideration to take a serious look at the V-MODA Crossfade LP2s, despite the significant price jump. I personally feel they will prove to be worth every penny.

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Pros:

nice solid build

detachable cord

the cups cover my ears

blocks out 86% of noise

great lows and punchy bass

really cool look

great performance for $50-60

Cons:

Mids and Highs are muddy and condensed

does not fold

no protection cases included

feels heavy after extended use

Conclusion:

Obviously its not gonna out perform Dre Beats or Bose quiet comforts ($300)

but for the price its destroys most in ear headphones out there...

Buy Skullcandy S6HSFZ-319 Hesh 2 Headphones, Gray/Black/Lime Now

If you are looking for great looking headphones that also produce great sound quality at an affordable price, then these are for you. I also own a set of Bose headphones and although I like the Bose better, the Hesh 2 headphones have high quality craftsmanship and cost a fraction of the Bose. I can honestly say that these headphones are the best in their class and worth every penny.

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the first thing I noticed when I un-boxed these was the HUGE improvement in quality over the original hesh, they just felt much better in the hands and I was pumped to test them out. Plugged them into my iPod, put bassbooster on, and played "We run the night" First I thought wow these are much crisper sounding then my original hesh, which was a good thing, but then the bass hit and it was like "meh" it produced it just fine but just not very loud, then I looked down at my iPod and saw I was one level below max volume! My fave part about the original Hesh was the efficiency, they were quite loud at half volume. Not so with these headphones.

Next I plugged these into my headphone amp, and HOLY SHIT these cans came alive! bass was rock solid, highs were crisp and clear, loudness was perfect! These sound way better then the original hesh, skullcrushers and agent when amped.

These headphones are much more accurate then the original hesh, I've found that poorly compressed songs and low bit rate songs are much more noticeable on these headphones then my first hesh. These headphones replicate the recorded songs perfectly and you can hear every nuance.

They are also incredible for EDM, all my hardcore techno songs are getting a second life on these headphones and I think this is due to the high accuracy of the bass and highs on these headphones. Because they are more accurate it also means less listening fatigue, I can listen to these for hours with little to no listening fatigue.

These aren't as good for post-hardcore/screamo/metal etc. because they seem to be lacking a little in the mid-high bass, but they still sound great.

For rap and hip hop these sound pretty beast mainly due to the amazingly accurate low-end bass and crisp highs which can be prevalent in rap songs.

Dubstep is insanely good on these headphones, every subtle vibration is blasted into your brain with awesomeness xD

Because mainstream stuff takes elements from EDM, hip-hop, rap and even dubstep sometimes, all the top 40 songs will likely sound amazing on these cans.

EDIT: after blasting these with my amp for about an hour, the efficiency improved DRAMATICALLY, tested with iPod again and bass is now much better then the original hesh and the volume at half is about the same as original hesh at half. THESE HEADPHONES ROCK! BUY THEM! skullcandy just keeps getting better:)

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A lot of people have written long winded reviews about these... so i'll be extremely brief.

Went to (big box store) to try out headphones.

First priority was comfort, second was blocking out external noise.

Primary purpose is to listen to powerpoint and videos for my online class, usually in a noisy environment.

Of all the headphones I tried, two worked really well.

The first was a $400 pair of Bose... way out of my budget.

The second were these.

Almost bought them in store, but I wanted black, and the store only had white.

Also, the store had them for $60.

Ordered them here for almost $20 less. Got them quickly.

Tried them out with all sorts of music on multiple devices, and they exceeded my expectations.

Went to a loud diner, logged into my homework, watched a presentation with all the exterior noise blocked out.

Perfect.

Came home, lay on the couch for a few hours listening to more music.

Surprisingly comfortable.

These arent as trendy as the $200 headphones everyone has.

However, they work. Really really well.

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Pyle-Pro PPG460A 150-WATT Portable Guitar Amplifier

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $184.99
Sale Price: $71.33
Today's Bonus: 61% Off

• Heavy Duty Wood Construction - 30 Watt RMS/150 Watt Peak - 8'' High Definition Speaker
• Volume, Bass, Mid and Treble Controls - 1/4'' Phone Jack Input - 1/4'' Headphone Jack
• 1/4'' Line Out - Carrying Handle
• Bass Expander Circuit - Power On/Off Switch with LED Indicator
• AC110/220 Voltage Switchable - Dimensions: 13''(W) x 16''(H) x 9.75''(D)

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the speaker is very weak though it claims to have 150 watts.

had to return it but seller won't respond since I tried

to return it.

Buy Pyle-Pro PPG460A 150-WATT Portable Guitar Amplifier Now

I do not recomend buying from V.I.P. Group Corporation. I recieved my amp, the box was in PERFECT condition. The inner box was perfect. Open it up, a mess!!! The amp top was ripped off in an attempt to do a shotty quik repair to the speaker. They couldn't take the 4 screws out, too much work, they just ripped the top off to try to fix something. When they couldn't fix it, they packaged it broken. The top was ripped off in the box along with the speaker out. They couldn't even take the time to screw in the screws that hold the speaker in. They done what looks to be a hammer job on the screws. I mean by that, they hit the SCREWS in with a hammer to save time. (((???))) I am confused on how this company is still around. Maybe this will get someones attention and I will get a amp that works now!!!Oh and before you go and think I don't know what I am talking about, I work for the quality assurance department for a major shipping company. I know the shipper didn't do this, I study this kind of thing daily.

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This is a amp for a bass guitar. I used it for my Brownsville bass and then tried it for my girlfriend's fender guitar, it would not push the sound. Perfect for the amplified sound I wanted, and I am very pleased with this product. I hope anyone looking for a bass amp would find this portable sound for there own.

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When I bought this, I was just hopeing for a loud sound, and thats what I got plus more. I play a variety of music, and this captured every song I played, distorion, or clean, this was a great buy.

Purchased this amplifier for my husband for Christmas. He has bought 3-4 different cables for this product and it still has not worked. When he took it out the box and plugged in the cable it didn't work. He checked to make sure the adapters were the right size and they were and it still won't work. He bought other cables and try them and this amplifier still wouldn't work. I lost my money on this gift for my husband and I was very disappointed because I felt like I was buying him the best gift ever. Boy was I wrong. I just gave away $89 on a piece of junk that has never worked at all. Don't purchase this product it is a waste of your money. I got got.

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