Day 2 headphone week — Scosche's IDR655m review
Welcome to Shiny Shiny’s headphone week 2010. Everyday for the next fortnight I’ll be reviewing a different set of headphones eventually culminating in the definitive league of personal audio. Catchy right?
Day 2: Scosche IDR655m
Who knew buds could sound this good?
Design
Buds are buds are buds — right? There isn’t much scope for flashes of design given their relatively diminutive size. Having said that the Scosches are pleasantly simplistic and rounded, with an understated semi-mirrored surface on the back.
The wire is where you get the first real hint of the quality of these bad-lads. As opposed to the ubiquitous, generic, rubber wire we’ve all felt dangling from our ear holes, these buds come sporting a rather fetching nylon string-effect wire — which feels far more substantial than your average headphone cable.
The line remote and microphone are nice additions too, with clear responsive controls, giving these phones the edge over other iPhone competitors.
Build Quality
The build quality of these buds is pretty impressive. They’ve coupled intelligent materials with thoughtful design to allow for maximum stress resistance. Where the wire joins the bud for example, a prime spot for bud-breakage — as opposed to merely vanishing into the phone, through and uncompromising plastic tube (looking at you Apple buds) the Scosches have a flexible rubber tube.
The jack too feels incredibly sturdy and high quality as do the various sized silicone ear inserts bundled with the headphones. Even the little leatherette pouch provided feels expensive.
The only thing that doesn’t give off the faint whiff of quality is the packaging — which is of the anger-inducing, vacuum-packed plastic variety.
Sound Quality
There’s no need to beat about bush. These are the best sounding buds I’ve ever had the pleasure to shove in my ears.
The treble and mid performance is absolutely spectacular. The subtleties of your favourite songs shine through in a way that I thought only top-end cans could make possible.
The bass performance, though not comparable to quality on or over-ear phones, is still impressive and surprisingly powerful, though it can on-occasion sound a tad blunt, but this can be easily remedied with a bit of EQ fiddling.
Key to getting the best out of the Scosches is getting the right silicone insert on the phone. They come bundled with five pairs of silicone inserts, test each of them out, when you find the ones that work you’ll know.
Price: £79.99
Design: 4/5
Build Quality: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Overall: 16/20 — top of the leaderboard…
Day 1: The Trooper by Nixon
