BassBuds Review

Music, like for many of us, is pretty important. I can't imagine going a day without listening to music, so when I was contacted about some new headphones I was intrigued. For someone who likes music quite a lot, I've never actually invested in a proper set. I use my headphones with my ipod, and recently I've been plugging them into my speakers now my boyfriend and I's workspaces are in the same room.

I've compared three pairs of headphones for this review. SteelSeries Siberia V2, Sennheiser PX-100 II and Bassbuds. I used the SteelSeries headphones as a benchmark, as they are a high quality home theatre set and I wanted to see how closely the other two would compare. The SteelSeries retail for £80, while the Sennheisers retail for £29.99.

BassBuds retail for £35 at the moment as they are on special offer, but normal retail price is £49.95, which is more than I would usually pay for portable headphones. The website claim they are high performance in-ear phones with advanced crystaltronics sound technology.

I hadn't heard about them before, but they're a UK company that strive to create high performance in-ear earphones at a great price. They're designed to be noise-isolating and have a multi function button, which the other two headphones don't have.

I've found the wire to be tangle free and every set comes with replacement silicone and luxury memory foam ear-buds. They're compatible with all smart phones with an integrated microphone and the packaging certainly makes it feel high end. As for the swarovski crystal, to be honest that doesn't sell it to me. I'm not completely sure how I feel about having an encrusted crystal in the back of the earphones and personally, I don't think it makes my earphones look more expensive or high end. I've never been in to sparkly 'bling', but that's personal preference. Something I do like though is that they come in a huge range of colours. I was sent the pink 'candy' pair, but there are a huge range of colours suitable for both genders, in collections such as 'Fashion' and 'Classic.'

If you're looking for headphones that are more fashion based and that look good, then BassBuds are definitely for you. But if you really listen to music, and by that I mean take note of tone and warmth etc, then these aren't. They lack depth certainly, and something just seems to be missing. I don't claim to be a music expert, I am far from it, but even I noticed a difference between the sets of headphones. The other two pairs really got me 'lost' in the music. I wanted to close my eyes and I could hear each instrument and sound. Bassbuds didn't give me that feeling that I got with the other two, I didn't feel the music and I'm not sure why. Considering they are call Bassbuds, I heard less bass than the other two which I was surprised at, and they weren't as sharp.

The Sennheisers are over ear phones which is good for bass, but that shouldn't make a major difference. In ear phones, like the Bassbuds, have smaller drivers but the apparent bass in your ear can be just as good. They could certainly match the Sennheisers performance, so I was disappointed when they didn't come close. Considering the BassBuds cost around £20 more at the normal retail price, I would expect more. It does make me ask the question, are you paying more for the Swarovski element and 'hype' of this project, rather than actual sound quality? 

Pros:  Wide range of colours.
          Compatible with all Smart Phones
          Anti tangle cable
          Integrated microphone

Cons: Price
          Sound quality

There are more pros in this list, but sound quality is the biggest thing when buying headphones, and these just don't cut it for me. As I said before, if you're into fashion over sound, then BassBuds hit the mark. But if you are a real music lover, you'll be disappointed.

Seeing as this is a music based post, I thought I'd a little playlist of songs I've been enjoying lately
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks, Lucy Rose - Lines, Julia Stone - By The Horns SK Session, Daughter - Medicine, Finger Eleven - One Thing.