JVC HAFX67B Air Cushion Headphone (Black)
Product Description
Air Cushion Headphone
Product Details
- Product Dimensions: 1.4 x 3.4 x 7.5 inches ; 2.6 ounces
- Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
- ASIN: B003AIL2F6
- Item model number: HAFX67B
You Save : $3.87 (19%)
Technical Details
- Soft Silicon Rubber Air Cushions
- 8.5 mm Neodymium driver
- Friction Noise Reduction Cord
- iphone / ipod compatible slim plug
- Cord Clip included
- 3.94-Ft Friction Noise-Reduction Cord
- Comfortable and Secure-Fitting Air-Cushioned Silicone Body
- Gold-Plated iPod/Iphone-Compatible Plug
- Sensitivity: 101 Db/1Mw
Costumer Reviews
My wife and I both use HAFX66 buds with our mp3 players/laptop computing.
They are a serious upgrade to the junk headphones Apple ships with their players. The comfort is out of this world.
I have written an extensive review of the 66 already on this site, and I said in that review that JVC has a winning design with the air cushion concept, and that the next step is to build a higher-fidelity version with the same fit design.
The 67 is a step in that direction. It has a slightly larger driver diaphragm than my beloved 66, providing slightly more bass response. I quickly ponied up my 16 bucks to try a pair. They are now at the top of my list of COMFORTABLE sub $20 headsets.
I usually lean toward SQ in headsets, and I own a couple pairs of Etymotics, including the super-isolating hf5s with the mushroom tips. Those are good sounding headphones, better sounding than these JVCs, but they'd better be for a hundred bucks. I don't use them when I'm mowing the lawn--they're too expensive.
These JVCs (and their worthy predecessors) make excellent lawnmowing headphones. They reduce engine noise wonderfully and make music or talk radio pleasant to hear in place of the drone of outdoor power equipment. With so much concern over hearing loss in people using canal phones, you should know that better isolation allows you to listen at lower volumes, and these (when you use the foam tips) do a good job at isolation. I find at the volumes I like to listen, these actually protect my hearing when I'm mowing.
As they've broken in, the sound has improved. You have to let these little drivers loosen up before they sound right, and that takes a while with any set of earbuds. Just keep listening. They are really quite good--and excellent when you consider their bargain basement price. These are not crap headphones. They sound quite good, and given their outstanding comfort, they represent a compelling mix of sound, comfort and value.
Bottom line: These are better than their predecessor, the HAFX66. Still the same awesome comfort, slightly better sound, same CHEAP price. JVC needs to commit to this design with a hi-fi driver in a $30-$45 set of buds. For all those iPod owners out there that can't afford the Ultimate Ears product, the increased comfort of these phones really offsets their less-expensive sound, but leaves me wishing for a step up product with the same ear cushion fit.
JVC: I bought this product the very day I saw it was available.
The day I see an "ear cushion" headphone from you with a hi-fi mission as well as your excellent ear cushion design, I'll buy that too.
I've finally updated my original FX67 review to reflect on my current feelings and standings about it.
Throughout the review, you will notice three main sections. A brief description of them are as follows:
Modern Edit: My updated and present review of the FX67 involving my 2nd pair.
Newest Update: This is where my most recent thoughts are about the FX67.
Original Review: My very first unedited and original review of my 1st FX67.
Stress Tests: Tests conducted on the 1st FX67 long after my original review.
I decided to keep the original review for nostalgia sake. And it's also a great contrast to the new one.
And do realize, there is stuff I would change about my original review, but then it wouldn't be original.
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~2nd Pair~
Modern Edit:
Let's get this front and center right now. I prefer these over the DBA-02, Pro Golds, PS200, PS210, A151, S4, 9850, FXC80, UHP326, M6, M9, and Vibe. So in a sense, these are the best IEMs I have ever used. Regardless of price or sonic capabilities, everything I've tried against these haven't come close. How is that possible? I'll give you a hint, don't look at the price tag to judge a headphone. Price will most likely determine it's "refinement and superiority in sound", but it says absolutely zero about the presentation or overall sound signature of a headphone. Case in point, this fabulous gem of a headphone by JVC. This IEM is living proof for me that I don't always need extra money to gain the edge.
That said, my quest for the perfect IEM began long ago. And I'll admit right now, my perfect IEM was more in "fitting perfect" than "sounding perfect". Luckily for me, I killed two birds with one stone. But in the past, I tried many different kinds of IEMs. Every time I bought one, something just wouldn't click with me. I would like "this" aspect, but didn't like "that" aspect. Whether it was sound, design, or fit; each IEM I've bought seemed to disappoint me in one way or another. This made IEM shopping a pain for me, and I really didn't look forward to it, even though I really wanted to find the right IEM. And that is the exact reason I am more of a full sized user, besides me liking full sized headphones better. Turns out, my first pair of these impressed me quite a bit. It had excellent comfort, plenty of isolation, solid design and durability, great sound, and it was dirt cheap. Sounds like a winner. But of course, what's budget is budget, and I was on the search again for something better. Too caught up in upgrading to something "better" to smell the roses that just so happened to be right under my nose.
But then came my first review, and it landed here. I praised them greatly and suggested that I liked them better than the Golds, slightly doubting at what I said, because how could I? None the less, I found out these had more positive aspects to them than any IEM I've tried. Sadly one day, I decided to mod them because I was bored, which resulted in the test you'll find at the bottom of this review. And I'll admit, I didn't buy a second pair right away. I thought, "Well those did quite well, but I guarantee I can find something better. If not, well, I will probably get another pair of these". Turns out, that's when I hit the Phiaton PS200 and PS210 and also the acclaimed Fischer Audio DBA-02. I also had bought a second pair of Pro Golds, as my first pair had a slight disadvantage due to a faulty driver. Now, the fireworks would fly, as I knew I just had to order my second pair of these, just to see how they would stack up against the giants. I'm sorry, but it wasn't even a fight.
DBA-02 was sold. Pro Golds were sold. PS200 was sold. PS210 came the closest, but was also sold. After this incident, I was quite sure that I would never buy another IEM again. Why would I when my satisfaction for this one is through the roof? My point exactly. But even though I knew I would reside with these pretty much forever, curiosity got the best of me, and I knew I had to experiment a bit with eartips. Turns out, I have Sony Hybrids. So I tested those with the FX67 and it proved staggering results. These were meant for them. The already ease of insertion becomes even easier, due to the inner part of the Hybrids being of a different material than the outside. Not only that, but the isolation takes a turn of improvement as well. Now, these are up to the standards of most other IEMs, yet still retain their insane comfort. They flat out just fit absolutely perfect. I have never had an IEM before than was this easy to get the perfect fit, the first time, every time, very quickly. I'm satisfied beyond belief now.
But I did want to touch up on the sound, after all this glitzy praise. I'll say this now for all those who seriously cannot wrap your head around this review; these aren't going to put full sized reference headphones to shame. Well, technically they won't. But "technically" is only half of the sound; the other half being the presentation it gives you. And baby, these nail it in that area! So much to a fact, that I honestly think I prefer listening to these more than half of the full sized headphones I've tried. No, I'm not kidding. That said, the FX67's sound is simply incredible, not to mention responds extremely well to EQ in case you need more from the midrange. There is something about the sound signature that I simply love, and cannot get enough of. And while it's not as technically advanced or as capable as most, if not all of those headphones I've listed, it still holds it's own perfectly fine regardless of it's price, audience intentions, or driver capabilities. I'm not going to go into detail on each aspect of the sound, because these deserve to be left alone. You really have to listen to it as a whole, rather than pick it to pieces claiming it has no good technical qualities, because it does. But I'll give a sneak peek. Just saying, these have the best bass I have ever heard out of an IEM, and even surpass the Pro Golds. And while the Pro Golds bass is fatiguing and intrusive, these aren't. I'm not sure how that's possible, but then again, I'm not sure how this review is possible...
Overall, I really cannot recommend or praise these enough. I have had and listened to too many headphones to be considered inexperienced and I have never been this satisfied with a single pair for a very, very long time; regardless of whether an IEM or full sized. They sound phenomenal, they look wonderful, they fit and feel spectacular, and as a bonus even come in various colors. It's really hard to believe you get all of this for only $20. I simply cannot think of a better way to spend my money. And as I mentioned before, due to the sheer amount of positive things I love about the FX67, I can guarantee you I will never buy another pair of IEMs again; unless of course JVC upgrades this model. But until then, my IEM journey is finished. It's done. Yes, there may be an IEM out there that I might like even more, but I have no intentions of finding it. Even if I did, it's value wouldn't even come close to the FX67. At least now I can focus more on my home rig; something I value much more than my portable one. None the less, at least I have found pure satisfaction with my portable rig, which I am overjoyed to have. And with that, I leave you this lengthy and very opinionated review on a severely unappreciated budget IEM; in hopes more casual listeners and even audiophiles can catch onto this spectacular offer. Hands down the best money spend for a headphone. Period.
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~2nd Pair~
Newest Update:
Okay. If there is one section of this entire review you should read, it's probably be this one.
Alright, I just recently discovered the insane importance of using an EQ with these. While they still sound quite amazingly good for the money using no EQ, I cannot stress enough that with a clever EQ applied, these will improve significantly. Cowon owners, you especially need to experiment, because I know how capable Cowon's EQ is. Regardless, whether or not you like the stock sound, you still need to try multiple EQ's, because I can nearly guarantee you'll find a way to make these sound better. For me, I've literally spent hours in my EQ, saving multiple presets and switching back and forth rapidly between them to see which I found superior. I actually do this with most of my headphones, especially my IEMs. Anyway, by doing this, I was able to contrast new EQ's to just the standard stock sound with no EQ. Let me say, the difference is easily noticeable, and is without a doubt and improvement to my ears. Stock will sound a bit murky, dark, and unclear compared to an EQ that focuses on slightly less bass and a bump in the midrange. For some users and music, a flat EQ is completely acceptable, and even great by itself, but again, I absolutely encourage everyone to have some patience and experiment. I promise, you'll like what you discover.
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~1st Pair~
Original Review:
While I can't say I'm the biggest IEM fan, I will say I am very picky when selecting one. We all have that special checklist we go through when trying to compare or review something and my list happens to be a very long one when it comes to IEMs. I've tried some serious contenders like the Monster Turbine Pro Gold and the Klipsch Image S4. I've tried some budget champions like the Philips 9850 and the MEE M6. And with those have experienced Balance Armature Driver, Dynamic Driver, Angled Nozzles, Straight Nozzles, Gel Tips, Foam Tips, Flange Tips, and all sorts of features and technologies. But unfortunately, as good of a sound or as good of a value as some of those are, they really can't compete with the combination of "good... Read more›
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