iFrogz Earpollution CS40 headpho This review is written by our Audio Specialist Charlie Marraffa

Here’s another chance I get to enjoy something that I like doing, reviewing more cans. This time it’s the iFrogz Earpollution CS40s headphones that arrived today. I would like to extend an apology to the T.N.T courier driver that was chased by my dog when they were attempting delivery of the headphones. He was finally coaxed out of the truck when I held up my dog and confirmed that it was about the size of a coke can with legs.

The Visuals
Looking at the headphones, they’re not very large and have a very urban, contemporary look that won’t look out of place on any suburban train as you commute. The first thing that stands out is the graphics on each ear cup that are reminiscent of radioactive symbols. However without a Geiger counter, I could not confirm how many rems in radiation were being emitted.
 
Design and Construction
While in the packaging, what’s immediately evident is the hard rubber padded steel headband. Steel is more expensive than plastic and as can be guessed, it’s also more durable and stronger. Including steel in this area eliminates any substantial flexing concerns when used on larger heads.

Removing them from the box reveals a double insulated cable instead of the usual single insulated sheaths commonly found at this price point. The headphones also incorporate a 3.5mm jack so they can be utilised with just about any portable music player. The headphone lead is about one metre in length so these are intended for portable use unless you get an extension lead.

The ear cushions are made from a padded, very soft synthetic material called AeroFoam and the ear cups are closed so they will isolate any extraneous outside noise. Overall, the iFrogz Earpollution CS40s headphones appear to be robust and well constructed where even the cable entry points on the ear cups swivel to minimise wiring connection fatigue and the dreaded intermittent or full loss of sound from one or both channels.

Below are the features and specifications

Features:
•    Sound
Made with 40 mm speaker drivers, CS40’s deliver super-deep bass, smooth, undistorted highs, and clear vocals.
•    Comfort
Ergonomically designed, CS40’s are lightweight and extremely comfortable.
•    Compatibility
Compatible with iPhone™, iPod™, BlackBerry®, and any other media device with a 3.5 mm jack.
•    Construction
Designed with our famously comfortable AeroFoam ear cushions.
•    Foldable Design
CS40’s fold up for convenient travel use.

Specifications:
•    Driver Unit:40 mm
•    Impedance:32 ohms
•    Sensitivity:116 dB +/- 3 dB at 1kHz
•    Frequency Response:20 Hz to 20 kHz
•    Cord Length:1.2 m
•    Plug:3.5 mm
 
CS40 stereo headphones
Auditioning, feel and fit
At this point, I have established that on the aesthetic and construction front, the – iFrogz Earpollution CS40s headphones pass the test, but how they feel and most importantly sound?.

I don’t have a big head either anatomically or metaphorically. The headphones were   comfortable for something in this price range. I thought the AeroFoam ear cushions were superb. My only criticism relates to the headband that was made from hard rubber where I was constantly made aware of, well the hard rubber pressing against the top of my head. This area should have been padded in something like the AeroFoam used on the ear cushions.

The arms on the headband were extended to get an idea of the clearance for other potential users with larger heads and to eliminate the sensation of hard rubber on my head. I can confidently say that these headphones will accommodate substantially larger heads.

The Sound
I fired up the flac music collection on my phone, plugged in the headphones, put the volume up and allowed the music to play in party mode. I then left them on the kitchen table for several hours to free up the speaker drivers before listening to them.

My first listening impression is that the iFrogz Earpollution CS40s headphones are certainly not bass shy. These headphones will definitely appeal to those who appreciate the lower octaves. They were extremely easy to drive at 32 ohms and had the corresponding volume levels to satisfy those that like LOUD. I felt that the bass was slightly muddy and the mids and treble slightly recessed. In saying this, if you compared these headphones to something at similar price point three years ago, they are leaps and bounds ahead in both construction and sound quality.

Being closed headphones, they also isolate external noises in conjunction with minimising the irritation factor from noise leaking out if you are sitting in close proximity with your fellow train passenger. 

Conclusion
The iFrogz Earpollution CS40s headphones are certainly great value at $49.95 for use as gaming or music headphones and are not going to break anyone’s budget at this price. They’re relatively comfortable with the exception of the headband, but this issue can be resolved by slightly extending the headband it if you are listening to them in a upright position.

For me, this issue was further negated by the fact that I do most of my music listening lying down on a pillow while getting to sleep. The sound quality and construction is quite good at this price where I rate them as an overall 8/10.

For more information on the iFrogz Earpollution CS40s headphones that are available in a range of colours, check out the Audion website.  shop for sony smart tv with Argos

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