Customer Reviews

Philips HS430 Lightweight Clip-On Headphones

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

These are terrific headphones. Strong bass, generally excellent sound quality. For the past year and a half I've been disappointed in the volume/bass level of my iPod Nano, never realizing that the problem was actually my old headphones (same style, different brand). I picked these up, and suddenly I'm turning DOWN the volume on my Nano instead of maxing it out just to reach an adequate level. Part of the difference is that these phones hug the ear very tightly, which might be why some reviewers find them uncomfortable. I, for one, don't find them uncomfortable--they're certainly preferable to the ones that sit inside the ear (ouch!). I strongly recommend these.

I was looking for clip headphones because I wanted something portable I could take to class that don't allow CD players (not that I was going to use it...just that I didn't want bulk. I thought the Philips Clip Headphones would be a great deal. Small headphones, good comfort, good sound.

Ugh...bad idea.

The reason is that it's almost the exact opposite of what is advertised.

1) They're not clip headphones. They just have a plastic thing that goes around your ear, that is extremely painful unless you have very small ears. There is also no way to adjust the plastic piece. Only by pulling on it really hard to accomodate your ear, and then they are painful. The headphones are hard to put on.

2) What bass boost? I also own the HL150 from Philips, and that has louder, more bassed, clearer sound than these. And these are designed for good sound. Huh? I don't know about you, but all I'm getting is a small-bassed, unclear, tinny sound.

3) These things are not cheap! At my Target, I paid a lot for these! $15 may not sound like a lot to an audiophile, but everyone should agree that's a lot of money down the drain.

OVERALL - If your getting these for sound, go for the HL150. I was extremely pleased with those. Or, if you really want clip, try the Panasonics. They have an adjustable clip, and sound a bit better too.

I work in software by day and keep my Pod on for most of the night, so I probably spend 16 hours a day with earphones on. I need mine to be extra-stable for dancing and running around an operations center; I've tried pretty much every earbud/clip/behind-the-head/around-the-ear set that Target and Best Buy sell, and this pair remains my favorite after two years*. They don't look sexy, but they sound amazing and they stay put.

I'm a female with fairly average ears with non-connected lobes. Maybe that's the problem? You see, the backs of these reach down lower than the front.

* Yes, you read that correctly: two years. Normally a cheap pair lasts a few months on me, but these babies are still going. You can remove and wash the foam (gently-- allow to dry completely before replacing).

I think the reason for the mixed reviews of these headphones comes down to this: it can be tricky to figure out how to put them on your ear properly. The first couple of times I put them on, I was a bit disappointed that they did not hug my ear very well, resulting in a lot of outside noise leaking in. While fiddling with the headphones, I figured out how to rotate them around so that the clip fully hugs the ear, bringing the headphones much closer to the ear.

Basically, if you can figure out how to put them on properly, the sound is great. The hooks also feel very secure once everything is in place. When putting them on, you'll have to retrain yourself a bit if you're used to other styles of headphones -- these aren't QUITE as simple as "throw 'em on your head and go", (especially if you wear glasses as I do, which can interfere with the ear hooks a bit). However, these headphones aren't rocket science either.

I'm pretty picky about bass, and the Philips HS430's offer good sound and solid bass for a really good price. Just make sure you get them on your ears right. :)

These are really great. You should be aware that there are slightly different versions of this model. I used to own the blue ones shown in the picture, but when I ordered another pair they were silver with a slightly different look. But they feel the same. These are great for long-haired girls who don't want to get "wrap-around-headphone hair" or people with tiny ears who find ear buds painful to wear.

The sound on these is pretty good, but they get very uncomfortable after only a short time. The clip is not adjustable, and it is difficult to even get them on your ear in a semi-comfortable position without fiddling with them for a minute. I highly recommend looking elsewhere for a set of headphones.

managed to break these in a few weeks. need to find soethinig that can take a beatinig

comfortable though. good sound

The sound isn't incredible, and they are a little hard to get over the ear, but they are cheap, compact (for those of us who can't or won't use earbuds), and get the job done. They are comfortable once on, and the sound is clear and loud, just a bit "tinny."

The ones I bought look more like the Philips SHS3701/27 Earclip Headphones, but have the SBC HS430 labeling. I got these earphones for my Creative Zen Stone MP3 Player so I could have some secure earphones while working out. Like my review title says, the left earphone gave out after six months and now I use the remaining earphone to listen to music and videos on my PC while my work headset is positioned for my left ear. This presents a minor problem if I have to listen to audio that changes the balance from left to right or the audio designated for the left speaker doesn't come in at all which in turn doesn't allow the full stereo effect. I might work around this if I could change the balance on my WMP. They do serve a purpose and have lasted this long. I just might as well throw them away if the right one goes out.

I bought a pair of these like four years ago, and they just recently died, so I'm hunting for a new pair. I will say, during those four years they worked wonderfully. I have small ear canals, so earbuds really don't work for me. I prefer them to the bar style because they're less of a hassle too. The sound was pretty good- much better than earbuds, but not the best pair I ever had (I can't find the best pair I tried, some sort of Emerson clip ons). I'm gonna try my chances with another pair though.