JVC HA-M5X

JVC HA-M5X

JVC's new Xtreme Xplosives line has a name that conjures all sorts of imagery, but excellent headphones aren't the first thing that comes to mind. When the highest-priced offering in the line, the HA-M5X, costs $49.95 list, however, expectations aren't very high. The headphones just need to be better than the standard-issue iPod earbuds, for which a replacement pair somehow costs $29 despite offering an audio experience worth about 99 cents. In this regard, the HA-M5X succeeds wildly. A $50 headphone won't likely sound sublime, but the HA-M5X handles deep bass at high volumes without distorting and blows just about any pair of bundled earbuds out of the water. One look at these headphones is either going to elicit "oohs" or "ewws" - there is no in-between here. The HA-M5X is primarily black plastic, bulky in design, but not terribly heavy. Over long listening periods, the headband, which has a modern camouflage pattern on the cushion, can start to feel a bit uncomfortable. The circumaural, memory-foam-padded cups fully enclose the ear and remain comfortable for the duration of most listening sessions, but after a long period can get a little uncomfortable as well.