Headphones are kind of like TV tuner cards to me. At one time I could see no need for them, but now I can't imagine being without them. The change in thinking regarding headphones all came about for me back in October of 2004 when I reviewed the Ezonics Esound 5.1 6-Channel USB Headphones. I have to admit that at the time the idea of 5.1 surround sound from a set of headphones seemed ridiculous to me, but that review definitely changed my thinking.


Today we will be taking a look at another set of surround sound headphones, the "6-Speaker Surround Sound Headphone System" from CyberHome. I will be comparing them to the Ezonics set reviewed back in October of 2004 to see how they match up, especially considering the sizable price difference. It could be a fairly slanted comparison as the Ezonics set sold for over $80 when new, while Geeks.com is now offering the CyberHome set for only $17.99.

Before taking a look at the sample provided for review, let's take a look at a summary of the published information on the CyberHome 6-Speaker Surround Sound Headphone System (as taken from the Geeks.com website):

Features:

» True 5.1 Audio With Headphones
» Comfortable cushioned Ear Cups and Band
» Six Speakers Total (Three in Each Ear Cup)
» 5.1 Channel Digital Decoder
» 20 - 20,000 Hz frequency response
» Two Headphone Decoder Output
» S/PDIF Optical or Coaxial Input
» Compatible with any Digital Audio Source
» Works with PS3 / XBOX 360 / Wii / PC / Car DVD Players / Home DVD Players
» Includes Battery for the Decoder so you can Listen On-The-Go
» Headphones have a long 8-Foot Cord
» Includes 3-Foot Extension Cable
» Comes with Cotton Bag for Safe Headphone Storage
» Model: CH-SRD 600R
» UPC: 6 31351 85197 5

Packaging:

The CyberHome headphones come well protected in a plastic clam shell type package. Once you get the packaging opened up you will be surprised at just how much they have stuffed into this relatively small package.