Movies, music and games oh my! Our Android devices have jumped leaps and bounds since the release of the iconic G1. Many of the same aspects still hold true, store music and ditch the Mp3 player, watch movies (if you could get it in the right format) and play some games. With all the hype based around Google Music Beta, Netflix and the soon to be available movies through the market, we need viable ways to hear it all. Lets face it, the speakers on our devices still need some work and those stock ear buds that come with your device just don’t do it.
That’s where audio accessory company’s can step up the game. I have had a good few weeks with a couple products from Wicked Audio. They have a wide variety of audio options available to choose from. I was graced with two versions, the REVERB and the Empire series of products. Lets take a look at both.
EMPIRE
These are your traditional in ear type of buds. They sport the custom fit rubberized cushions that are interchangeable with 3 sizes included. On the cord you will find a mic to be able to answer and place calls. All this is pretty standard in an in ear replacement headphone. What isn’t standard is the design and sound quality.
Unlike most in ear earbuds, these don’t go straight in. If you have ever stuck your finger in your ear, you know your ear canal isn’t straight, it curves. So do these bad boys. They have a slight angle to the ear piece which helps direct the audio where you need it most, in your ear. Now if you want to stand out a little more from the crowd and show your personal touch, they have you covered offering 4 variations of custom designs. You can choose from Ace, Bones, Knight and lucky. They are all constructed identically, the design difference is on the backside of the bud.
The image might be a little trick to see so I’ll describe them a bit. The Ace is silver with a black Spade in the center, Bones is obviously a Skull, knight is easy to see and Lucky is a 4 leaf clover.
Now I can’t forget to mention the noise isolation capability, frequency 20Hz 20kHz and a life time warranty. They also sport a gold plated headphone plug for optimal audio performance.
Now lets say you are an anti in your ear kinda person. That’s fine by me and by Wicked. They have a complete over the ear design available called the Reverb series.
REVERB
This series takes me back to when headphones really mattered. Before all the mini Bluetooth designs and in ear buds that never stay put. They took a classic and modern recording studio design and made it affordable. Still incorporating the noise isolation ability but enhancing the bass and delivering better all around sound. With these on, no one will wonder if you are listening to them talk or not. There is no chance of that.
As with all of their products, they make a design that will fit your personal style.
As you can see, they come in 3 colors. These are designed specifically for listening to audio. There is no mic for holding converations while wearing these. Although, I think that might be a great additional feature. Included with the already great headphones are a few key essentials to survival. An additional 6′ cord extender helps you gain a total of 10′ of length between you and your device. To make these even more universal, they also include an adapter that takes it from standard headphone to 1/4″  jack. Which helps on the older stero head units and even on guitar amps. Fully adjustable head band that is also padded gives you a great fit and a lot of comfort.
The only flaw I have experienced is with the Reverb series. It is very light and feels a little inexpensive. It is made primarily of plastic, which can lead to some issues. If you adjust the head phones on either side to the stopping point, you run the risk of the clip that holds them on breaking. Which I managed to do just moments ago by complete accident. Putting it back together was pretty simple, but if you were on the go and lost the clip, you would be in a world of hurt. For the price though, they do deliver better sound then you would expect. I know I have used them many times to drown out the sound of the kids.
You can pick up the Empire series on Amazon right now for $26 and if you are interested in the Reverb series, they are going for less then $20. You can check out all of Wicked Audios line up at wickedheadphones.
