HI-FI HEADPHONES

Creative Aurvana live

If you're after a pair that sounds good enough for late-night home listening and are cheap and robust enough to wear outdoors with your iPod, you could do a lot worse than these. Creative has dropped all the X-Fi sonic processing and virtual surround nonsense here, to concentrate on winningly warm, bassy sound.

Love - Very good sound quality and value for money
Hate - Unpleasant, shiny looks. Can get sweaty
We say - Canned goods from Creative with exceptional sonics at a giveaway price
Rs 9,999

Sennheiser HD650

A more German-looking pair of headphones would be hard to imagine, and these do indeed very efficiently deliver sound that brooks no argument. Once 'run in' like a new car for a number of hours, they are smooth, sweet sounding and accurate with CD, high bit-rate digital music and analogue sources, especially.

Love - A comfy, superb-sounding pair
Hate - Sound decidedly muffled out of the box
We say - Once run in, these Sennheisers more than justify their price tag, giving hours of pleasure
Rs 27,990

Grado GS1000

Looking like they came from the radio of a Lancaster bomber, these pricey numbers are a sonic cut above everything else here except the Denons. Much lighter than they look, they can be worn for endless hours in comfort. They fill in sonic detail superbly at lower volume and blow your head off at higher levels. Astonishing.

Love - Transcendently wonderful sound once plugged into a decent source.
Light, very comfortable build
Hate - The price is a wee bit mad, isn't it?
We say - If you can afford them, get a pair
Rs 62,000

Audio-Technica ATH-AD700

A design mish-mash, these DJ-ish headphones do good things with MP3 player sound, but their open-backed design bellows out sound, which fellow bus passengers may find just a teensy tad annoying. Similarly, the weirdly cantilevered headband makes them very comfy, but also makes them feel like they'll fall off at any moment.

Love - Solid sonics. Look pretty fly. Decent value
Hate - Don't sit very well on your head
We say - Good audio let down by idiosyncratic design
Rs 5,700

Denon AH-D7000

A symphony in polished hardwood, these Denons scream quality before you put them on, then whisper it in honeyed tones once they're within striking range of your ears. Fed a decent source, they serve up a low end that extends down to earth's core and treble that floats up to heaven, whether you rock Wagner or Wu Tang.

Love - Sonics and build quality match the Grados...
Hate - But not as comfortable for long-term wear
We say - Pure manna from heaven for your ears, these are worth the cost... but who can afford it?
Rs 57,000


Note:The picture of each headphone is given.You have to go according to them.