Ferrari by Logic3 P200
Price: $349.95
The term 'luxury' is bandied about far too often with headphones, but the P200's, bearing the Ferrari name, at least live up the standard.
Featuring floating earpieces, which pack a 50mm speaker driver, the overall fit is one of comfort, albeit feeling quite heavy on the head. There are carbon fibre elements to the design, and the whole aesthetic resembles F1 headsets quite closely.
Sonically, the P200's are excellent. Not too bass-heavy and offering very clear vocal tones, we really enjoyed using these - in the comfort of our own home.
The ostentatious design will put some of, as will the very tight fit on the head... you really get a sense of solid construction, but that can be quite restrictive with longer sessions.
Verdict
Sure, you pay extra for the Ferrari brand, but you get a very good set of cans for your money. They're slightly bulky and are leaky enough to annoy fellow commuters - but the design will probably put you off wearing them in public anyway.
PSB M4U2
Price: $399
Noise cancelling is big business these days, and a pair of headphones that can properly cut through the frustrating sound of the hissing tube or the roaring aircraft engines really are worth their weight in gold to the regular traveller.
The sound quality is, in a word, superb. Even at overly-loud volumes the balance is still more than acceptable, and even compared to the other headphones on offer here, their noise cancelling abilities are beyond impressive.
But we'll go back to it again: the sound quality is so immense that we want them in this category rather than pointing to their ability to remove annoying noises.
We've been on four long-haul trips recently and it's testament to the M4U2's ability to render both subtle melody and vocal tones means they're excellent for all manner of tasks.
The inline remote was one of the best we tested too - the solid click of the microphone makes it easy to skip through tracks, although it was a little low down to allow us to be heard in every environment, meaning on occasion we had to disconnect to speak to our loved ones.
Verdict
Obviously the expense will put a lot of people off, and there is a weight issue: the audio quality is offset by a slight pain in the neck through extended use.
For value, functionality and comfort travelling, we recommend the Sennheiser MM 550-X range, but as a general set of cans for all manner of tasks, we're in love with the PSB offering.
Sony MDR-1R
Price: $299.95
These headphone from Sony are pricey, but well worth it. While they don't offer much in the way of fancy features, they do one thing very well: sound great.
You might be expecting a little more for your money in the shape of noise cancelling capabilities, or some wireless connectivity (although the latter is available as the MDR-1BT) but they do just offer up decent quality audio and fit really well to boot.
You get two cables with these headphone included in the box, allowing for both smartphone and bog-standard connection, but the former will only fully work with iPhone and iPad devices. This is all the more confusing given Sony was giving away these headphones with its latest Android smartphone, the Xperia Z, and the volume button doesn't do anything.
Verdict
A great set of cans for the fact they reproduce sound so faithfully - and the inbuilt mic makes it easy to take and make calls too. Just don't expect full functionality if you've got an Android phone. Even a Sony one...
Philips Fidelio M1
Price: $299.95
We've already reviewed the Philips Fidelio M1, and we've added it to this collection because they feel wonderful to wear and sounds great. The bass can be a bit of a disappointment, but overall, there are not many other complaints to be had.
The headband is adjustable and soft, while the earcups are comfortable, even when sitting on top of you ears, rather than around. And they look good, too, though the Ferrari headphones are much shinier.
Unfortunately, for the asking price, you don't really get much else in the box. There is no remote for controlling sound, which is weird for headphones geared toward those on the move, but there is a small clicker and mic for phone calls. There's also no carry case, and we don't know how comfortable we feel lugging these around during our commute in just the included pouch considering the price tag.
Verdict
While the bass may not quite live up to the premium price for the Fidelio M1, they still manage to provide amazing sound with a premium feel for the mobile user.
