HARMAN/KARDON CL
Price: Rs 9,990
There are very few headphones that are drastically different in design from the rest of the pack. The Harman/Kardon CL is among the ones with rare squarish ear cups and a full aluminum headband.
But the design while being modern is very practical too. The leather band under the metal is elastic and holds the entire thing in place - actually, everything sort of strives for the perfect fit. Since the metal band is also tight on your ears, it is able to keep out most external noises. The ear cups can also fold flat, which is good for people who carry their music wherever they go. There is an extra pair of metal headbands in case this one doesn't fit you. We feared the tight on-ear cups will have you sweating and fuming near the ears in a few minutes, but the soft retention foam used in the cups increases your comfort level substantially. Within minutes you feel as if the headphone is no longer there, and this we think is the measure of a good device. Then, the CL does not have wires hanging down from both sides, there is just a single cord and that is much more convenient than a Y-type design.
The sound quality is really good and robust, and we think that is due to the large 40mm drivers. The bass is really good, better than most other units in this range. The voice clarity also comes out well. The audio range on the device is good enough to satisfy most users. There are some goodies for those who would yoke this to Apple products as there is a remote with microphone. And, because of the mic, the remote on the cord is position almost at the level of your mouth, which is an awkward position if you want to adjust the volume. This gives you great volume precision.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? Great music, portable
