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These headphones sound better than any other headphones I have ever listened to, including a couple of super-fi models selling for $1,000 or more.
 technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

T e c h n o f i l e
Able Planet headphones don't need wires and sound fantastic


August 17, 2008


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2008, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2008, The Post-Standard

   I've been listening to music through headphones for decades. I've tried more than 100 different models over the years -- yes, I've counted -- and in nearly every case they pretty much sound the same. Some do better than others in one way or another, but that's usually about it.
   But that's not what I found when I slipped on a pair of Able Planet's dual-channel "Sound Clarity" wireless headphones. I have never heard anything sound so incredible.
   Words cannot convey my elation. These headphones, which list for $179.95 but discount for less than $100, sound better than any other headphones I have ever listened to -- including a couple of super-fi models selling for $1,000 or more. You can order them from the company's Web site at www.ableplanet.com, but you'll find better prices elsewhere. I found them listed at Sam's Club for $94.86.
   Able Planet, a Denver-area technology company, says it came up with a new way to reduce unwanted sonic distortion in headphones. I'm always wary of such claims, but I'm convinced that the company's assertions of enhanced sound quality are right on target. These headphones have three advantages over all the other 'phones I've used:
      They sound natural at all volume levels. If you're a hi-fi buff like I am, this is likely to be the first thing you'll notice.
      Midrange and high-pitched sounds are silky and pure. Violins sound exquisite, and vocals can only be described as gorgeous.
      Bass sounds range up and down the scale without any boominess or false vibrations. These headphones are just as well suited to Bach's pedal-rich organ music as they are to the pounding of the Beach Boys. I had tears in my eyes after listening to a portion of a famous organ symphony.
   They're also light and comfortable, despite the addition of a built-in battery and signal-reception circuitry. The ear pads allow most outside sounds to come through, so you're not cut off from reality (or from the door bell). Able Planet makes sound-isolating headphones, too, but I haven't tried them.
   Infrared beams send the music from a small base station to the headphones, but you don't have to be within sight of the base unit as long as you're in the same room. There was no interference with our cell phone, cordless home phones, microwave oven or other electronic devices, and I quickly came to dislike the connecting cords on my other headphones.
   Battery life was good. The AAA cells aren't rechargeable within the headphones, but you could use a separate recharger and AAA NiMH cells to cut down on the cost of replacement batteries.