The Harajuku Lovers Wicked Style earphones are perfect for those who are into cutesy things.
By GABEY GOH
bytz@thestar.com.my
It was obvious a girl had to review this particular flavour of headphones. Say hello to the Harajuku Lovers In-Ear Headphones from Monster and Gwen Stefani, available in three variants, namely Wicked Style, Super Kawaii and Space Age.
This reviewer got her hands on the Wicked Style pair, which retails for RM320 and features interchangeable faces.
Depending on one's mood or outfit, there's a choice between five clip-on girls, or more specifically, Gwen and the four Harajuku Girls (Love, Angel, Music and Baby).
In case you were wondering, Gwen's the blonde one.
It also comes with a heart-shaped compact case with carabiner for easy transport and to ensure you don't accidentally lose one of the girls when out and about.
Clipping all five girls to the tangle-free rubber cable is an option, but not advisable, as it does make for a slightly heavy user experience.
NOT ADVISABLE: Clipping all five girls to the cable weighs down the earphones.
Hollaback sound
Looks aside, how does it fare as a piece of audio hardware? Very well as a matter of fact, considering the same Monster division responsible for the Beats by Dr Dre line, had a hand in its creation.
Audiophiles would already be familiar with Monster as a company that makes expensive high-end interconnects for audio equipment.
This pair of earphones comes with three different sizes of rubber ear tips, which allow for a customised fit and does a pretty good job at noise reduction.
The sound quality was solid, with a great range which one might not expect from this fashion-focused audio accessory. Drum & Bass fans will have no complaints with its impressive bass reproduction while crisp notes were delivered for the middle ranges.
The strings from Franz Shubert's Ave Maria came through beautifully, however listening to a live rendition of Jessie J's Do It Like A Dude had me cringing during the extreme high notes.
Studio albums and dance or pop fare works well for this piece of gear, but it would not be the recommended set for any live or acoustic tracks you may have in your collection.
NEAT: Keep the clip-on girls secure in the heart-shaped compact case.
End word
The Harajuku Lovers earphones are certainly not for everyone - remaining a must-have only for hardcore Gwen Stefani fans or lovers of the Harajuku sub-culture and anyone who can't resist "kawaii" (cute) things.
And for those who think Gwen should never be without her Harajuku crew, the clip-on faces can also double as hairclips. Yes, we tried.
Pros: Cute design; tangle-free cable; handy carrying case.
Cons: Not very suitable for live tracks; with only three size options for earbuds some may not get the perfect fit; expensive.
HARAJUKU LOVERS WICKED STYLE
(Monster)
In-ear headphones
PORTS: Analogue stereo 3.5mm mini jack
OTHER FEATURES: Rubber ear tips (three sizes), compact carry case with carabiner, interchangeable faces (five).
WEBSITE: www.monstercable.com
PRICE: RM320
RATING: 3.5/5stars
Review unit courtesy of Hwee Seng (Electronics) Sdn Bhd, (03) 7875-4840