Solid and reliable Philips SHS800/00 Headphones (Philips SHS8000)

Member Name: RevMan80

Product:	Philips SHS8000
Date:	13/03/09 (269 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good build quality, lightweight, comfortable

Disadvantages: A little bit light on the bass!

I cannot exercise without music and used to find it particularly annoying when my previous pair of headphones would keep slipping out of my ears whilst running. So in a way I was pleased when I accidentally trod on them (it was an accident, honest!) and decided that I was going to put a little more thought into the next pair that I bought. As I was simply looking for some headphones for exercise I was only really interested in something affordable, solid and with good sound quality - preferably with a decent bass sound. So after a little fishing about I decided to buy a pair of Philips SHS800/00 headphones.

The first thing to mention about these headphones is the build quality; the loop style fits very well and stays in place when I am running, and I like the fact that they offer flexibility and comfort whilst still feeling sturdy enough to take a few knocks.

In addition to build quality and comfort I think that the sound quality is pretty good as well. I have a much more expensive pair of headphones which I do not use for running and the difference in quality is evident: however, I do feel that these headphones provide a clear, crisp sound and also have the added bonus of passive noise reduction which makes a noticeable difference. I would say, however, that the bass end is a little bit mild for my liking especially seeing as I listen to hip-hop when training. I have tried to combat this problem by simply turning up the volume although the sound quality does start to distort slightly at higher volumes (plus this is not particularly great for the old ears!).

Another thing that I noticed about this product was the absence of volume controller on the headphones themselves; I am probably being a bit picky with this point as it is not essential; although I do think that this definitely adds to the convenience when running. But that aside, I do think that overall these headphones provide good sound quality which is nothing special but suitable for the purpose it serves, bar the bass sound which could be a little better. In short, if you are looking for a good, reliable pair of headphones then these will suffice, but I do think that you should consider paying a little bit more for Sony or Sennheiser both of which may offer better all-round performance and value.

Summary: A good pair of headphones offering decent performance and affordability

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