Symphonized Wraith Premium Genuine Wood On-Ear Headphones with in-Line Microphone, Tangle-Free Noise-Isolating Wired Stereo Earphones with Spare Replacement Cable Included (Cherry Finish)

These are great entry / mid level cans! I've owned my pair for about a year and a half now, after purchasing and enjoying their NRG buds. My comparison headphones are Audio Technica's ATH-40, a flat EQed pair of studio headphones.Sound:The Wraiths are EQed somewhat bassy, but not notably compared to other headphones many users are accustomed to. Lows and kicks are great for this reason, but some detail can be lost if you're listening to music played on, say, an electric bass. Synths at all ranges handle very well on these cans, but mids and highs can get washed out, and highs are somewhat flat. They don't sound tinny, but sometimes snares and high hats lack their pop. Because of the way the headphones fit (the ear cups are very small, but I have small ears so they act as over ear headphones for me) the room of the sound can feel somewhat closed. Overall, good sound for the price though!Build Quality:These have been my daily drivers for a year and a half, they go in and out of a backpack constantly, and the finish on the wood and metal band is still perfect. The adhesive attaching the foam band liner to the metal has worn off a little, but nothing significant, and probably my fault from poking it. The wood looks a little fake (or is?) because of how it's lacquered, but still looks great and distinctive. The headphones are very lightweight and comfortable, I've worn them for hours while coding and never gotten pain. My Y-Cable broke in the left channel just a couple weeks ago, but the nylon cord is good, and this brings me to my final point.Customer Service:I contacted Symphonized about the broken Y cable, and also mentioned that one of the channels in my NRG buds had gone out (I'm hard on headphones...). Within a day, they had gotten back to me, and no questions asked replaced the cable and the buds with no charge for shipping or requiring me to send in the faulty product. Shipping was standard, arrived 4 business days after ticket was resolved; pretty good for this sort of thing! I was not asked to write this review or anything, but this is what pushed me to do so. This replacement occurred after my warranty had expired, so major kudos there!Overall:I know I've mentioned a few negatives in this review, but I'm just creating perspective and attempting to develop a comparison to more expensive headphones. When I bought the Wraiths they were $49, and at the time of writing they are $60. I have not tried other headphones in this price point, but if you are somewhat of an audiophile I would recommend stepping up your purchase to a more premium pair. Otherwise, I don't know if these go on sale, but they are definitely worth $50, and still worth $60.

I bought these on a lightning deal for $38.00 with free shipping.CONSTRUCTION: They are more comfortable than my all-plastic Sony MDRZX300 headphones. The Wraiths look and feel great. There is a lot of chromed metal on these headphones. To me they look sort of "steampunk classy". I like that the cord is detachable and can be replaced if damaged. (less planned obsolescence). The frame and construction look and feel durable.THE SOUND: Initial impressions on sound quality: They are more bass heavy - I notice electric bass strings in particular more - not so much kick drum. The high frequencies are a bit distant. Treble is not "crisp" or standout (headphones are not fully broken in, this may improve a bit, we'll see). I think that those that enjoy delicate jazz cymbal work may find these lacking. My Sony MDRZX300 would not produce the bass these Symphonized Wraith's produce but the highs on the Sony are much more "there" and transparent and the bass is more clinically honest. (NOTE: The MDRZX300's are half the price of these Wraith's and they are a good value for what they are.) Don't get me wrong, the Wraith's sound good. The bass is a tilt to more bass and lower mids, not some overwhelming overkill. I just found myself going through a short period of adjustment to the different tonality.PHYSICAL and AUDITORY "COMFORT": Saving grace, the good news: If I play the Wraiths at moderate volume, I DO NOT EXPERIENCE EAR FATIGUE, not physically or perceptually over long periods of time. I find I can literally "wear these for hours". I have large ears and these fit on, and slightly over, my ears without discomfort. Very cushy padding yet the band pressure doesn't feel like it's squeezing my head or suffocating my ears or making them sweat.SUMMARY: I CAN RECOMMEND THESE. For headphones under a certain point, it's pick the immediate design compromise you can live with. I certainly can live with the design decisions made here: the compromises are not a big deal. (I'm too busy listening to and enjoying the comfort and music.) At $49.00 they are a decent buy, I can recommend these. For the $38.00 I paid they are a steal.If you are not a fanatic but you want warm sounding comfortable headphones that look good, these are your ticket.________________________________________________________________ADDENDUM: I solved the "cord too short" complaint some have mentioned with this: https://www.amazon.com/Super-Extension-Connectors-Conductor-Black-2Feet-2Pack/dp/B017SEHZZI/ref=cm_cr-mr-title works great.