Wicked Audio Tour Headphones, image provided by Wicked Audio
As a family of music lovers we are always checking out, rocking out, and wearing out pairs of headphones. I’m particular about fit and comfort and since I can make a pair last six months to a year I’m willing to spend a little extra, but I have yet to find a pair of headphones will last 2 months with my son. With that in mind I’m always open to reviewing headphones, and putting them through the Geeklet durability test.
Wicked Audio sent me a box of headphones, including a couple new models to put through the ringer, and that is exactly what we’ve done. The selection covered everything from over-the-ear full sized headphones to some compact durable earbuds. All of them were of similar build quality, and sound.
My son immediately latched onto the Solus. Large, bright, and with a cool fabric covered cord. The inline volume control was cool, and a stereo/mono switch though meant for DJs proved useful when gaming with one ear uncovered. We thought we had a winner until last week when the strain relief on the volume control broke and the cord pulled out. It was an easy fix to solder the wires back in place, but reassembling the plastic case required some super-glue.
I gave all of the headphones a test for fit, comfort, and sound quality, and while I think the retail price is a little high for the build quality, the street price (about half of MSRP) is definitely reasonable.
Wicked Audio Solus Headphones, image provided by Wicked Audio
The first tested, and the most comfortable of the headphones, were the wicked audio Solus. They are bright red and black with a red cloth covered cord. The Wicked Audio Solusheadphones had the best bass response with decent sound across the spectrum. Durability seemed good, but proved to be less than necessary to survive the geeklet endurance test. To be fair though, this pair lasted much longer than anything to date. I think with reasonable care they would last much longer. The suggested retail price of $100 would put these near the high end of my budget, and the street price of $50 is about twice what I’d usually spend for the geeklets.
The newest in their line-up are the Wicked Audio Evac headphones. A slick black on-ear set with a thin cloth cord. This one hasn’t seen a lot of use since they fit tight, but appear durable in every respect except the very thin cord. The geeklet is using these now, so time will tell. I’ll comment below when they break, or if they are still going strong in a month or two. MSRP on these is a whopping $60, but the street price of $20 puts them just within my budget, even if I think the geeklet will destroy them in 2 months.
My wife is using the Wicked Audio Tour headphones. The Tour is a pair of on-ear headphones with a few hinges in the headband that allow them to fold up. they fit nice in a travel bag or large purse. Her pair is bright blue with red details and sounds almost identical to the Evac. The Tour appear to have a durable cord, but the hinges and all plastic headband might prove to be the weak link. The street price of these is about $20.
Wicked Little Buds, image provided by Wicked Audio
They also sent along two pairs of earbuds. The Mojo earbuds are a vinyl rubber and did not appeal to anyone here. The other set are the Wicked Little Budswith a cloth covered cord and soft silicone ear rubbers. I’ve taken a liking to them. They’ve earned a spot in my Bag of Holding, and I’ve been using them when travelling. Sound on both the Mojo and the Little Buds was similar, with a preference for the latter. Bass response is lacking, but acceptable for casual listening, or just blocking out the sounds of the airport or plane. Both pairs sell for less than $20. I think the Wicked Little Buds are the best quality and comfort for the price.
Overall I would say that Wicked sounds good, but not great. The over-ear and on-ear headphones sounded better than the buds, but none of them were bad. I think they are priced a little high for the value, but most of them are available online for half price or less.
Wired: Cool looks with designs with models to appeal to most tastes.
Tired: A little expensive for the build and sound quality.
