TDK NC150 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones - Review

Even before we’d put the TDK NC150 headphones on we knew we were going to like them. With their calm practical design the NC150 won’t be blinding anybody with its looks; they come in one very traditional colour, Black. But when you’ve got a product that excels in so many other areas, spoiling the simplicity of it with a gaudy design would just be silly.

TDK NC150 Noise Cancelling Headphones

You might think with their frame work headband that the TDK NC150 might be a bit uncomfortable. But that’s far from true; they’re so lightweight you’ll hardly know that you’ve got a headband across your head. And that just the first example of how well-crafted the NC150 are. The earcups sit comfortably and effortlessly around your ears and the foldable design is perfect for those who want to take these Active Noise Cancelling headphones travelling.


Now being Active Noise Cancelling they do require a power source, but nothing too excessive. All you need, to get full functioning active noise cancellation is one tiny AAA battery, and then it just you and your music floating along in a bubble of crystal highs and deep lows. The battery compartment is conveniently located on the left ear cup and the battery is easy to change, which means you can get back to your own musical world with minimal fuss if you run out of juice. Not that’s going to happen often, the TDK NC150 has a stunning 32 hour battery life.


Even without the Noise Cancelling on the sound quality is good, flick that switch and you’ve got supreme sound quality at an extremely reasonable price. We all love a bit of good quality bass in our headphones but that usually means compromising on sound quality. Not in this case, on the high end of things you can hear the singer not just singing but articulating. Unlike with other headphones where the sound leans to the left, the TDK NC150 is particularly balanced; your music will feel equidistant.


There’s even some well throughout feature to the TDK NC150 headphone cable. For a start it’s thicker than most other headphone cables, which means you end up with less tangles and it’s a bit sturdier. The second nice feature is the inline volume control, which is just so much more convenient than rooting around in your pocket for your smartphone or iPod controls.


The included accessories show that the TDK NC150 Active Noise Cancelling headphones are a well put together and truly round product. The soft leather pouch that the NC150s easily fold into and the included aeroplane adaptor go all the way towards emphasising that these are the perfect pair of travel headphones. 
Lastly the TDK NC150 also come with a 6.3mm stereo jack meaning that whether you’re a professional or an amateur these are the ideal pair of headphones if your serious about sound but don’t want to have to pay a serious price tag.


  Visit Audio Out for more information and your chance to buy!

The Revolutionary Ozaki IC502 Slim-Y+ Case for the Remarkable New Apple iPad.

If you love your iPad a much as me you’ll want to give it the very best case, to keep it in it’s very best sleek and shiny apple-y condition.

This will be the third case to grace my iPad since I’ve had it, but the Ozaki Slim-Y+ adds an air of playfulness that my other cases never did. Don’t get me wrong I love the amazing protection that my iFrogz Summit case gives me and the stylish understated-ness of my Macally Bookstand, but there really is no beating the Ozaki Slim-Y+ for fun, functionality and a fashionable look.

Before we go on I feel I should say that I’ve got an iPad 2, and while the Ozaki Slim-Y+ is designed for the New iPad, it fits my older model just a snugly as if it were made for it; which is somewhat of an achievement. The New iPad may only be a few millimetres thicker than the iPad 2, but in the precision fit world of smartphone and tablet cases a few millimetres might as well be a few meters, for the difference it makes to a cases ability to be useable on multiple devices. So Ozaki have really pulled something out of the bag by producing a snap on back case that’ll fit both the New iPad and her older sister the iPad 2.

It’s a flip case which means that both the front and back are protected at the same time, no need for a screen protector; although if you’re as clumsy as me you’ll have one anyway just for the piece of mind. It’s a smart case, which is a must for the lazy among us. And it’s got cut outs for all the important ports and button.

I’ll agree there’s nothing really remarkable in that list that justifies the price tag, but the Ozaki Slim-Y+ didn’t win a Red Dot design award for nothing.

It’s the Slim-Y+ multi-angle stand that’s really something. Now don’t get me wrong when I say multi-angle, I don’t just mean you can chose between a fixed-angle horizontal or vertical position. Not only does the Slim-Y+ front cover fold back like all traditional integrated stand folio cases but it also fold triangularly. Which is by far more fun to use and better looking than a traditional stand, but there’s no point having a stand case because it fun and looks good you have it because its practical. I’m guessing I’m not the only one that’s ever been frustrated by the flimsiness of the stand functions of some iPad smart covers out there. You put the slightest pressure on them and the stand slides completely out and your left with your iPad lying flat on the table and an angle that is completely un-conducive to typing or watching video. Well the Slim-Y+’s revolutionary triangular stand function gets rid of that frustration. Currently I’ve got my iPad stood up with the Ozaki Slim-Y+ case folded up in a triangle behind it on a Dave laptop table that I bought from Ikea, pushing my palm against my iPad2  in a gesture that could hardly be called timid, the Slim-Y+ more that stands up to the stain, it’s the table that nearly went over.

The sturdy stand that’ll put up with a lot of rough treatment is not the only thing that I love about this case. The aesthetics are pretty funky too. My absolute favourite colour is bright green and you’ve guessed it, I’ve got the lime green one, but if that’s not your colour then are a six other colours to choose from. Each colour has it own unique embossed pattern, which looks great and provides the case with a high level of tactile grip. There’s something very luxurious about the feel of this case in your hands that really does give you a sense of quality and money well spent. The Slim-Y+’s rubberised coating is smooth and silky to the touch, while the embossed pattern let you know that this level of comfort doesn’t come at the price of the case and your precious iPad just slipping out of your hand.

I admit it, I’m a bit of a Draw Something addict, and the included stylus is just what I need to feed my addiction. It slides into the back on the case so that it’s always on hand whenever I get any artist urges. It’s easy to use and the iPad 2’s screen responds well to it, adding even more to the fun element that the Ozaki Slim-Y+ provides.

All I can say is that the Ozaki Slim-Y+ New iPad case is one well thought through and executed piece of kit. Don’t just take my word for it, try the Ozaki Slim-Y+ case for yourself and find out just how great it is.

Feed your Draw Something Addiction: 60% off Ozaki Stylus offer: One Day Only

Draw Something with the Ozaki Stylus range - now up to 60 percent off!

Shop Now Facebook  Twitter Blog Are you suffering from a Draw Something addiction? Step in the eloquent Ozaki iStroke stylus. Available in three different sizes, the delicate tip will allow you to smoothly smudge and swirl your way to a modern day Starry Night masterpiece. A new absolute must for any serious Draw Something addict and even better till 5pm Friday we’re giving you 60% off!!! Order before 2pm Friday and we'll dispatch it before the weekend! Ozaki iStroke Large Available in Black and White Also doubles up as a ballpoint pen. RRP:£22.99 Only £8.99 Ozaki iStroke Medium Includes strap to keep the iStroke to hand. RRP: £15.99 Only £6.99 Ozaki iStroke Small Attaches to your iDevice connection dock RRP: £9.99 Only £4.99 Yes I did just say 60% off, order yours now and let those creative juices paint the internet red (blue, green, pink, yellow and all the other colours you need to create your digital pièce de résistance)!

Urbanears Plattan Headphones with Mic Only £49.99

SoundMagic E10M Earphones with Mic Only £49.99

Ozaki Slim iPhone 4/4S Cases Only £14.99

Viewquest Retro DAB Radio and iPhone Dock RRP:£99.99 Only £84.99

In Celebration of Bob: the House of Marley Earphones Make Headlines

Long dead but not forgotten, Bob Marley lives on... at least in the minds of today's rehashing, retagging, retweeting entrepreneurs.  

In celebration of 'Marley', the new Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald's documentary on the life of the Legend that opens today, I bring you the House of Marley, with the Jammin' Collection's People Get Ready Earphones.

To be completely truthful, I am already part-way in love with the House of Marley package.  I appreciate the brand image, the website, the 'Movement' and the rest.  In case you haven't heard of them, the brand is marketed as eco-friendly: with quality muted cardboard packaging, and socially conscious: donating a certain percentage of profit to charity.   

The products are stylish and well-made, with some great polished wood involved, and obviously, a prerequisite emphasis on bass.

However, I haven't really got my hands on them yet, so am quite pleased to be allowed to play with some. 

On opening the package, I am struck by the lightness of the earphones: the wood looks as though it will lend weight to the buds, but they are light enough to wear without noticing them.  And the wood is 'FSC certified sapele wood', whatever that may be.  Recycled, I think is the point.  As everything is on this product, down to the little plastic cord retainer.

Despite the weightlessness, they feel like a quality set of buds, and arrive with a little drawstring rasta pouch to keep them in, and various sized earbuds for a perfect fit.  

The cabling is a thin rasta coloured friendship-band cording, which gives them a unique, textured sort of feeling, but also adds a little cord noise to the equation.  Then again, it does seem tangle-free, and there's nothing worse than missing bus-music time due to tangled buds.

The cord is lengthy- easily long enough to tuck your iPod safely away from the rain, and the jack is a great 90 degree shaped recycled rubber nobble, with the Marley insignia on it.  It feels sturdy, and like it will remain attached even when you have to swing your iPhone up from that fatal death-plummet using just the cabling.

Mine are the 'Royal' set, which are the purple ones.  They have muted purple earbuds, and hot pink metal detailing on the wooden body of the buds, which works well colourwise, and certainly makes them stand out from your standard Apple iPod earphones. 

They fit comfily and snugly into the ear, and don't feel like they are going to budge.  I will test them on 'Redemption Song' and 'Satisfy My Soul', as befits the day.  

If you are a fan of Bob, or indeed a fan of drum & bass, dubstep, dub or reggae, the People Get Ready offering should suit your ear tastes.  If you want top end clarity and balance across all channels, these little buds probably aren't for you.  They are bass HEAVY.  Perfect for me, basically.


The top end is not really focused on, mainly in order to really thump you with the bass, but the likelihood is that you will be choosing these because of their style and the bass anyway.  I can feel my ears physically vibrating.  The snare hits well too, creating little pools of aural interest in my collar-bone in between the pounding of the bass.  But I'm guessing thats just me, so don't buy them for collarbone scintillation... 

Buy them because at £29.99 they are a lot more stylish than any other offering out there, and the bass is a serious thing.  And because, whilst the noise-isolation may just be physical, it manages to create a little Bob Marley bubble of love to float away in for a while.

So all in all, as a fitting tribute to the Legend, the People Get Ready earphones stand up to scrutiny.

Get the House of Marley People Get Ready earphone range now for just £29.99 at www.audioout.co.uk

How to save your hearing from earphone damage: the dB Logic EP-100

If you are a parent, you will know all too well the overwhelming need you have to keep your youngsters safe from harm.  Even when they try to turn into vicious moshing teenagers with horrendous taste in music you’ll still want to protect them from all that is evil in the world, futile though it may be.

For just such occasions, we have been sent the dB Logic EP-100 earphones in Barracuda Blue to test.  They are uniquely endorsed with the National Parenting Centre’s seal of approval. (No, seriously, they are. What do you mean you haven't heard of the NPC.  What kind of a parent are you..)  

Anyway, these stylish electric blue earbuds will pack a pleasant punch, but without the pain.  The SRL2 Technology patented by the folks at dB Logic limits the sound pressure without distorting the music.  They don’t go into the science of it too much, but it means that your kids are safe, their ears are safe, and we are all safe because for a change they are not subjecting the whole neighbourhood to Lady Gaga on repeat.  

Here, approximately, is the difference between dB Logic earphones and normal sound-limiting earphones:

Happily dB Logic have not sacrificed design for the sake of safety either: the earphones are really tiny and very lightweight, which means they are very comfortable for long hours of listening.  They sit deep in the ear, and the ear-tips are angled for comfort.  There are various colours available, but being a colour-freak I definitely like the bright blue of these.  

Sound-wise, they are surprisingly very clear for the price bracket and the fact that the unique selling point is damage-limitation.  They have thought hard about how to limit the sound without any quality loss, so the bass is clear but not over-whelming, and the treble are decent without being overbearing.

They also arrive packaged with a sturdy round carrying pod, as well as various ear-tips to suit all ear types.

Get your kids kitted out for September early: dB Logic EP-100 are available to buy now for £29.99 at www.audioout.co.uk.

Also available at Audio Out now, the HP-100: the on-ear version of the damage-limitation earphones from dB Logic for only £44.99

Love, Sweet Love. Audio Out is all about sharing it this week.

…If you will be ours. There's just no escaping it, Valentine's Day is on its way, and you know you'll never hear the end of it if you forget it this year! And those dodgy service station discount flowers you've got your eyes on just aren't going to cut it either… put them down. So, either brave the freezing cold and crowds, or just sit back, relax, and follow our easy steps to a great Valentine's Day: Go to Audio Out Find some of our perfect headphones, maybe some Urbanears Plattans in Cerise. Buy them and take advantage of our special Valentine's offer of FREE next day delivery if you spend over £ 50. While you are waiting for them to arrive, make that lovely girl/boy/alien a good old fashioned Mix Tape. Like the ones you taped off the radio during the Top 40, but without that hideous Barbie Girl song. Save it as their very own iPod playlist, and present them with it, so they can relive your romantic trysts in the back of that old Nissan Micra. Present them with the warm, snug Kitsound Earmuffs so they can listen to their Mix Tape in the cold. Or maybe their own White Marshall headphones, those funky matching ones to your trusted black pair. Or maybe some HedKandi Discotheques to relive those happy Friday Night House nights. Hey presto- one happy Valentine's Day for all, and probably some action for you. You can thank us later ;) Win an Ozaki iMini! Join us on Facebook to share the love and win a Ozaki iMini. Just like our page and share our Valentine's Day competition post, and we'll enter you into the draw. After every 50 shares we'll add another iMini to be won, so share the love today! All the best, The Audio Out Team xox

follow us on Twitter! | Love us on Facebook! Copyright © 2012 - Pocket Media (Uk) Ltd, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: info@pocket-media.co.uk

ClarityOne Earbuds, our first review: Result: A Ludicrously Cosy Aural Vacuum to Float In.

ClarityOne Earbuds

If you have ever wanted to be tucked inside a microphone, this is the closest you are going to get.  Every tiny hiss, swish and whoosh, every pluck and ping, and some bits you aren't sure the artists knew about in the first place.

And really, absolutely no other noise in your head.  

I can't hear the phone ringing on my desk. (That probably isn't the best for me, as I am actually supposed to be answering it...)  

This means no more listening to the squealing of mobiles playing Justin Bieber at the back of the bus.  No more trying to ignore the four-year old singing about trains on the commute.  No more anything.  I can actually hear the alarming sound of my own head turning.  (And I was just offered a cup of tea, allegedly rather loudly, and now I'm missing out.  There are downsides to this noise cancellation.)  

There are various technical details to explain this phenomenon, and the wizards at ClarityOne do well with their explanations: they talk of 6 patents for their 'PureSound Processor', which 'delivers the pure sound frequency from your Smartphone and iPod to your ClarityOne earbuds in perfect phase unity.' 

Now I am no techno-geek or audiophile but I can tell a good sound when I hear one.  Put very basically the sound-waves do not get translated in the same way as usual, which allows for less distortion and a purer sound.  They are certainly very, very clear. 

The bass is great.  I have heard rumours that it distorts at maximum volume, though haven't experienced it myself.  It is clear and fairly deep, but has no overpowering impact on the treble or highs.  

The highs are strong- I have read reviews stating that the highs are too agressive, but again have not found this myself.  They are sharp though, and again always completely clear.


The trebles are not as sharp as the highs, but again, incredibly precise and engaging.  

The end result is a sound like crystal, sharp as a knife, with all the perfect noise the artist intended, the top hiss of vinyl, the reverberation beautiful and the drops almost painful. And that's with the volume at 70%.  I haven't actually managed to listen to them for any prolonged time at full volume, and frankly there is just no need, with this much noise cancellation you might as well be floating in a cosy aural vacuum.

They say its the little things, and the developers have put a lot of thought into the cabling, which are covered in some kind of clear 'tangle-free' magic spell.  This is really quite useful for me, as I have a tendency to use my earphones to hook various items out of my bag throughout the day, thereby pretty much wrecking them.

Little things continued:

The buds have a nice weighty feel to them, with a sleek cylindrical design so nothing gets hooked on them.

The three sizes of earbud included in the box mean that you can seal the earphones against your ear canals no matter how oddly-sized your ears are.

There's a funky round solid storage-pod with a carabiner hook for when you are rock-climbing to Cher Lloyd...

So all in all, a truly fabled newcomer to the Audio Out earphones range, with unheard-of universal praise in the office for them.  They are now in stock at Audio Out at £119.99.