JVC HA-S360 full size headphones

I've always been a fan of music, but ever since I got an iPod sometime around 2005 I have been using earbuds.  Just recently I have decided to take the plunge and get a good full sized set for better quality and some noise isolation on long trips and in the office cubicle environment.  I had a few basic requirements in mind:

- Under $50

- Single sided cord

- not flashy at all

- comfortable

- lightweight

- a mic for an iPhone would be really really nice

At my local Fry's there was one pair that met my requirements, the JVC HA-S360, for $40, so I snagged them up.

Design & Comfort

These headphones, in my opinion look great.  They are constructed of all matte black plastic, except for the endcaps of the cans, which are shiny and have JVC logo.  After just a few days, I find that these endcaps scratch easily.  The plastic construction sounds cheap but makes them quite light.  They fit my medium sized head perfectly, and my only real gripe is after awhile the vinyl ear cushions tend to heat up my ears, foam or cloth probably would have been a better choice here.  The cans also swivel and tilt making them fit your ears nicely or if you want to use them one sided DJ style.  The thin, one sided cord is a GREAT feature and really stays out of the way.  I do not understand why more headphones do not have this feature.

Sound Quality

As expected, these cans sound much better than any of the earbuds as I've tried.   They have the ability to play at VERY high volumes without distortion which I was impressed with.  While they do isolate a good bit of sound its not so much that you are going to unknowingly get run over by a car.  I listened to these while on a walk in the neighborhood and could still hear kids playing, people doing yard work, and that sort of thing, so I was not totally isolated from the environment which I thought was a good thing.  To my untrained ear, the quality seems to be very good, but not excellent as I felt like something was missing despite hearing things in some of my newer tracks that I did not know was there.  After listing to some techno and rap music I finally figured it out- the low end is somewhat lacking.  When listening to hard rock from the likes of Van Halen and AC/DC these headphones really tend to shine, as the midrange and topend are really nice.  It may just be my untrained ear, or that I'm expecting too much from headphones, but the more I listened the more I realized the sound was somewhat flat and lacking low end overall.

Conclusion

The JVC HA-S360 is a nice set of full size headphones for the price.  They have attractive styling without being anywhere near over the top, and are lightweight and comfortable.  The SQ is very good event at higher volumes as well, but low end is somewhat lacking which is most noticeable when playing electronic, rap, and other bass heavy music (or perhaps I expect too much).  They really shine when playing rock music.  Due to the shortcomings of these headphones and the varied styles of music I enjoy, I decided to order a set of UrbanEars Plattan, another model in my price range to see how they compare.