I’ve said it before: there are a lot of headphone companies at CES. I’ll say it again: there are a lot of headphone companies at CES. In fact, a wise man once told me that all it took to push headphones at CES was “a booth and some babes.”
Subjekt is a headphone company that caters to a unique crowd. According to their site, Subjekt aims to provide “good looking headphones” for “serious audiophiles.”
We picked up two pairs of Subjekt headphones – TNT on-ear models, and Rave earbuds. Are these fashionable headphones really for true audiophiles, or do they fall a bit flat? For full review and contest details, click through.
First things first. Both the TNT and the Rave have a great look to them. We picked up a pair of the White Rogue TNTs and the white Rave earbuds, and they both have that white “iPod chic” aesthetic.
iPod chic. You know, the kind of headphones you just know would look great on you if you were a black silhouette dancing to indie rock against a brightly colored neon background
In-ear, the Rave headphones aren’t the most comfortable buds I’ve ever worn, but they’re certainly wearable. Some users aren’t huge fans of the new angled-style earbuds on the market today, so steer clear if that’s not something you’re into.
Rave earbuds by Subjekt have a powerful, bassy sound, but not all users will enjoy their angled style
The TNT sit well on the ears, but likely won’t stay put during vigorous exercise. I’ve never been a huge fan of on-ear headphones, but Subjekt’s TNT are an alright pair.
I also found the TNTs to feel a bit cheap-feeling in construction. Having tried out the headphones for just a few weeks, I can’t say anything about the true longevity of the product, but the product has a hollow, almost chintzy feel. However, the fabric wiring on the headphones is a really nice touch, and help against tangling.
The Rave, on the other hand, are pretty weighty, feel solid and definitely won’t fall out of your head while you’re jamming or jogging. However, the cord is a bit prone to tangling.
Well, looking good and feeling good are only two minor aspects of headphones. The true test? How they sound.
Sound-quality wise, neither headphone quite makes it to true audiophile status. Both headphones sound alright, but neither are truly balanced.
"White Rogue" TNT on-ear headphones from Subjekt look great, but falls short of "serious audiophile" sound quality
In particular, the on-ear TNTs are a bit tinny. On the other hand, the Rave earbuds are very bassy. While the buds are marketed toward the electronic music crowd – who stereotypically prefer music with a lot of bass – the Raves are almost a little too much bass.
Overall, the sound quality is pretty much on par with other competing “fashion headphone” producers. There may be a little too much focus on looks and not quite enough on “audiophile” sound quality, but they’re both very usable pairs of headphones which will easily find a market.
Price-wise, headphone purchasers will get an alright deal with Subjekt’s Rave earbuds. They’ve got the kind of quality one might expect from any other $50 pair of buds. As for on-ear headphones, user may want to search a bit further than Subjekt’s $50 TNT.
For more information on Subjekt, check out their website here.
(And look for a contest post to win your own pair of Subjekt headphones soon!)
