Customer Reviews

Philips HP170 Full-Size Headphones

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I found these babies at Target for about fifteen bucks on sale. I thought I was buying a so-so pair of headphones for my portable CD player, but I've been using them exclusively ever since. First, they're extremely large, which is a good thing by my standards. I hate those itty-bitty headphones that press against your ears, and don't get me started on those little Q-tip things that you're supposed to stick INSIDE the ear. The Philips HP170s cover the entire ear, so you only feel them on your head as opposed to the ear itself. It's not unlike wearing a snug hat.
Also of note is the generously long cord. I like to listen to headphones at night to help me fall asleep, and they allow a greater range of movement. I'll sometimes fall asleep with them on, only to wake up in the middle of the night, rip them from my head, and hurl them across the room. I've done this an embarassing number of times, yet the HP170 takes it in stride. These are by far the most durable phones I've ever used.
The sound, the most important factor, is extremely good. Obviously, if you spend a little more you're going to get a better sound, but my HP170 sounds a lot better than the seventy-nine dollar pair I got from RadioShack. The bass is deep and rich, and each ear has it's own seperate volume control, which is nice if a little useless.
Overall, I was very happy with my purchase, and I'm still using these headphones seven months later. Highly recommended.

I purchased and used these headphones at work to drown out annoying sounds of other co-workers. For the most part these headphones are very good. I found the clarity in these to be very good and the big ear pieces allow you whole ear to be covered so they do a very good job in drowning out outside noises. I also like the volume control on each ear which allowed me to hear things that are going on around me without having to take the headphones off. The extra long cord also allowed me a lot of freedom to move around while having these on and I was not limited to just facing my computer all day.

The only problem I have with these headphones is that they do not last very long. The first ones I purchased lasted around six months before the wire started developing a short in the causing sound to only come out one side of the headphones. I had to wiggle to cord while it was in the jack to squeeze out a little more life out of them before they finally just gave up. I purchased another set a month later and these headphones did the EXACT same thing in about five months. I will never purchase these headphones again, because it is unacceptable that these headphones only last six months or so. At $20 a pop, they are relatively inexpensive however, I refuse to spend any kind of money on something that only lasts a few months to begin with.

Although some may complain that the music can damage the ear, it would take someone rather stupid to turn up the volume to such an extreme level. Similarly, the warning placed on there is not there because the risk is higher on these headphones but because it is a precaution to prevent lawsuits; I am sure it is difficult for twenty dollar headphones to do such damage. Moreover, they complain that the two knob control is a hassle; if you are so worried about that, then turn them both up to max and use the volume control on your audio device such as MP3 player or CD player. The padding on the headphones is not bulky making the headphones fit very snuggly on the ear. Furthermore, the sound quality is very good, especially for headphones of that price. All in all, this is a very good purchase for any person who loves music but may be on a budget.

The first thing I noticed about these headphones is that they fit my head properly. I have a slightly larger head than some, and it has a weird shape as well. The inner band, and the styrofoam on the speakers themselves are so comfortable I often forget that I'm wearing them. It's a good thing they have a 7 foot cord, or I probably would've pulled my computer off the table it's on more than a couple times.
The sound quality is superb. Even at the higest volume my soundcard can output, there's no buzzing that many headphones make at high volumes. The individual-ear volume controll is the single best idea I've ever seen on headphones; my right ear is slightly stronger than my left, and it's hard to set the volume right with Windows volume balance.
The Stereo-Mono switch is quite nice as well. I have a mono TV in this room, with mono headphone output. plugging any pair of stereo headphones into it will result in my hearing stuff in only my left ear. Very annoying. By switching to mono, I can at least listen to TV in both ears. The only downside of this is the first time I forgot to switch it back to stereo. When I started listening to my music again, I thought I had either damaged the headphones or my hearing, because the stereo music just sounded weird with mono output.
The ONLY possible downside I can see is that they aren't the Bass Cannons some people seem to like having pointed at their heads. The Bass they give is comparable to any properly configured stereo system; not a car with subwoofers larger than its engine.

I bought these headphones looking for comfortable, full-size headphones that fit a poor college kid's budget. I wasn't disappointed.

The headphones sound good -- far better than most smaller headphones under $30. Rich bass and discernable treble mark the good sound range, though I've had a little breakup at higher volumes (may not be the headphones' fault).

Unless you really need them, I wouldn't let the switch and volume controls kid you -- they really don't affect much on the positive or negative side. On occasion I've had them slip, but probably because I've dropped them so much (have I mentioned that this thing is durable?).

The fit is quite comfortable -- they may feel a little tight at first, but after a few minutes of use they became almost as good as Bose (well, maybe not...but they cost 10-20 times less). The only complaint on the padding is that if I move around too much, sometimes it'll emit squeaking noises, fixable only by adjusting the fit a little bit.

Still, for their price, the annoyances don't happen enough to outweigh the sound and comfort of these headphones.

First I'll say I have a Bass Booster on my stereo which I had to turn off because these have enough bass on their own. Plus too I do not have a equalizer on my stereo. I did not have the need to adjust anything if I had a equalizer.
They do not block out surrounding noise which for me is fine incase I have to hear the phone or the kids. No one can hear anything comming from the headphone either. Good for someone sleeping.
Comfortable on the ears too,not too tight. Weight not heavy on my head.

I myself like the volume controls so i can adjust the eveness of the music. I tried the headphones listening to the radio and it was fine; I listened to my cassette tapes, could not tell the difference between CD's or tapes. With the stereo switch turned to Mono the music sounded pretty good too! I turned the volume up a little also. For price per quality I would mention these to a friend. Oh and I LIKE the 8 ft cord considering the distance between my couch and stereo. Yes, I did step on the cord but no big deal. Between 1 and 10, I give these headphones a "9" !!

I purchased these headphones while I was relocated for 3 months on business. I only had my laptop with me, and could not stand the poor sound quality I was getting from my laptop speakers (which is a Sony and relatively good by laptop speaker standards.)

I still have them over a year later, and the sound quality remains excellent. Deep, rich bass, excellent treble, and a fair amount of noise cancellation. They even have individual volume controls for each ear. Not that I've ever found this feature useful, but I'm sure someone might.

If you're looking for a top of the line pair of headphones, you're looking in the wrong place. This pair is ideal for anyone looking for a pair of affordable, high-quality headphones.

Not bad for the price. The padding is made out of synthetic leather, which does not dissipate body heat well. You'd be surprised how warm and weird it makes your ears feel after an hour of use. otherwise, it's comfortable.

Sound quality is acceptable, although i didn't hear much bass.

I especially like how there's only a single cord coming from the left earcup.

Conclusion: if it's comfort you're after, make sure the padding is especially design to facilitate heat dissipation.

I bought these before I went on an 18 day excursion in Europe and they worked wonderfully. They are comfortable enough to sleep in and they project the music is such a way that it actually sounds like you are live at the concert! Very nice headphones for an amazing price! I'd buy them again and again.

i really like it. You can easly set [the right/left volume] right, and most things have a master volume on them, so you can adjust it from there. The sound on these are amazing, for the price this is such a bargen. These are big, but its really awesome, I highly suggest you get these, ... I promise you will be happy with these