Razer Pro | Solutions
http://www.razerpro.com
pro | tone m100 in-ear headphones
$40
http://www.razerpro.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=47
pro | tone m250 clip-on over-ear headphones
$50
http://www.razerpro.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=48
Both models are available in either black or white.
MyMac.com suggests you order black, for security and physical wear, but the choice is yours.
These new earphones from Razer Pro | Solutions are replacement ‘phones if you don’t like the ones that are packed with your iPod or other portable music player, or if you lose them, or if you need another set for whatever reason. They are not premium audiophile headphones, which we reviewed previously here, here, and here.
It took me longer to extract each set from the plastic and cardboard packaging than to form an initial opinion on their sound and comfort. It was:
m100 — “Hey, these are comfy and sound really good.”
m250 — “Peculiar over-ear design. Not sure if I’m getting the best sound or fit.”
Audio response is similar from both products, emphasizing a bright, frontal sound that accentuates the in-your-face aspect of today’s popular music and action games. Bass is surprisingly powerful, but you’ll have to obtain a closer fit with m250’s than I did.
Comfort is tops, especially for in-ear ‘phones. Razer’s engineering team concentrated on audio clarity and ear contentment, and succeeded in both areas. Ear tips on m100 are soft, round blobs, which are my personal favorites. Cushioned pads on m250 touch your ears, held in place with spring-clips that rest behind the ear — not easy to describe, but simple to put into place.
No user’s manual is provided for either model, but none is needed, except for a missing diagram of optimal positioning of m250’s clip/pads. Ample soft cases contain earphones and extra tips, for the m100 (three sizes are included). Pricing in the $40-50 range is excellent value, especially for m100, with its powerful bass and brilliant presence throughout the audio spectrum.
Sound quality is not deep, rich, and sumptuous, if that’s your concern for classical music, jazz, or some popular tunes. Pro | Solutions’ upfront approach to audio impact will not appeal to the geezer crowd who yearns for the lost era of Kingston Trio or Glenn Miller, not to mention Leonard Bernstein or John Coltrane. If you are young or youthful, m100 will send music piercing into your psyche, and m250 (with appropriate snug over-ear fit) will leave you mostly satisfied.
In-ear headphones are not for everyone. Roughly one-fourth of all iPodders, from anecdotal observation, much prefer some variation of over-ear contraption, which is where m250 fills a niche. Unless I achieve closer contact with m250’s comfortable over-ear pads, I’m not able to rate them in the same league as all the other models reviewed previously. Our provisional rating is 3 out of 5, to be updated when appropriate.
Razer Pro’s affordable, hot-sounding m100’s are indeed “tiny, but mighty,” with “interchangeable ear plugs in 3 sizes for comfortable fit,” and are “lightweight for listeners on the move,” all as promised in the company’s PR. MyMac.com awards them 4 out of 5 for their audio presence, comfort, and price, if your listening tastes match their sonic design.
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