Bringing a bit of the Rastafari way of life to Hong Kong is the new locally launched line of Marley headphones that is certain to bring out the Jamaican spirit in everyone.

In Hong Kong to help launch the House of Marley line of headphones was Bob Marley’s son Rohan Marley. At a rocking bash held at the Hard Rock Café in Lan Kwai Fong; guests were treated to live Reggae music and an impromptu drum performance by Rohan.

The Marley headphones use reggae music as the baseline for all of their product tests; and they pay particular attention to bass quality to ensure that it delivers it without distortion no matter how low the music goes.

One thing that makes this product range really standout for Neonpunch is one of the principle company goals which are to create high-quality products in the most ethical and environmentally positive way. That means not cutting corners and doing what’s right, not what’s easy. Marley products are made from the highest standard for wood and forest products, and also use recyclable aluminum and plastics.

The company’s commitment to eco-friendliness doesn’t stop at their products. Each of the products is packaged in recycled and recyclable material so it avoids the waste stream and can manifest into something useful again. In addition, each headphones and ear buds come with organically made bags that you can use to store your headphones in.

Neonpunch were given a pair of Midnight Ravers ear buds with a 3-button mic control for review and we have to say we “lov ‘em Brother!” The bass is excellent; while the mid to high ranges have amazing tonal quality and great timbre. The 3-button mic also performed very well, with calls easily being heard through the ear buds and callers on the other end of the line not having much difficulty in hearing what we were saying.

We were also really impressed by the slightly “no frills” packaging that was made out of re-cycled cardboard; that might sound strange but the crew here at Neonpunch are staunch supporters of re-cycling and being environmentally friendly, it’s one of the reason you’re reading us online and not in print.

The Marley range of headphones are being distributed local by Thinking Group Ltd., and can be found at Broadway, Fortress, HMV, HK Records to name a few. For a full list of retailers Click Here

Jammin’ In-Ear Headphones

• Smile Jamaica (earphone) – HK$299
• Smile Jamaica (1-Button earphone) – HK$349
• Smile Jamaica (3-Button earphone) – HK$399

• Midnight Ravers (earphone) - HK$299
• Midnight Ravers (1-Button earphone) - HK$349 (only available in Sun)
• Midnight Ravers (3-Button earphone) - HK$399

Jammin’ On-Ear Headphones

• Soul Rebel (Headphones) – HK$599

• Revolution (Headphone) – HK$799
• Revolution (3-Button earphone) – HK$899

Freedom In-Ear Headphone

• Redemption Song IE (Headphone) - HK$699
• Redemption Song IE (3-Button earphone) - HK$899

• Zion (3-Button earphone) - HK$899

Freedom On-Ear Headphone

• Stir It Up (3-Button earphone) - HK$1,699

• Redemption Song OE (3-Button earphone) - HK$1,699

• Destiny TTR (1-Button earphone) - HK$2,399

Bose’s OE2 and OE2i headphones deliver demonstrably better audio performance than their predecessors, and feature an updated look and design. Music is reproduced with improved depth and clarity, and the new contoured styling creates a closer, more comfortable fit.

The OE2i headphones come with an inline remote and microphone that lets owners interact with select Apple products, including the latest iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook and MacBook Pro models. Users can easily control volume, tracks, and voice applications — and switch between music and calls on an iPhone. The OE2 headphones come with a standard audio cable.

The OE2 and OE2i headphones were built-to-last, and built-to-go. Both were tested to meet Bose standards for durability and reliability, and both fold flat for easy storage and protection. With a simple swivel of the earcups, they collapse neatly for carrying in their included case.

The Bose OE2 and OE2i audio headphones (which are not noise canceling) can be used with nearly any audio source. They are available from Bose for HK$1,300 and HK$1,500, respectively. They replace the current Bose on-ear headphones, and are now available in a choice of black or white.

Bose headphones are sold at Bose retail stores. More information can be found at www.bose.com.hk or by calling the Bose hotline at 2123-9000.

Peter Buffet came to town to play his very first Apple Store! The son of the famous investor Warren Buffet, he put on an interesting music concert mixed with interactive talk piece in Hong Kong this past Tuesday.

Buffet spoke to us about how Apple helps him create music digitally (on a Mac Pro tower with Qbase) and how he uses his iPhone (3GS!) to jot down notes and use as a scratchpad. His book Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment has been translated into 14 languages and is available in Traditional and Simplified Chinese.

Having gone to Stanford with Apple’s former VP of Retail, Ron Johnson, Peter was invited to perform here at the Hong Kong Apple store much to the delight of journalists and the evening shoppers at the IFC Mall.

He told us his father encouraged him to do what he loves and not necessarily follow him into finance and to do what his passion was. And it seems in those terms, father and son are in the exact same line of business.

For the latest Hong Kong Apple Store events stay tuned to this page at the official Apple site. More on Peter Buffet at his site here.

Hi-end audio experts Bowers & Wilkins have announced the release of their new C5 noise isolating in-ear headphones.

The C5 headphones are the most affordable product in the Bowers & Wilkins consumer audio line but truth be told, provide a sound quality that would justify a much heftier price tag.  The C5 combines an array of new sound technologies to deliver its superior audio quality.

The new micro porous filter and outwardly projecting audio, rarely seen in in-ear headphones, creates a wide-open, natural sound.  Bass lovers will be more than satisfied, while audiophiles looking for a more holistic listening experience will be more pleased than with the notoriously bass-centric Beats by Dr. Dre.

The greatest innovation in the C5, and what is perhaps most responsible for the superior audio quality, is the revolutionary secure loop design in which a an easily adjustable loops fits to the contours of the ridge inside each user’s ear.  The secure loop provides what is perhaps the most comfortable fit of any headphones outside of enormously expensive custom fitted earphones.  The C5 is compatible with the iPhone and certainly provides one the best listening experiences in their price range.

Check them out on the web or check them out live tomorrow night at our VIP event which you can still register for here.

Hong Kong will be the first and currently only place outside of Japan that will be officially allowed to sell the new JVC HA-MX10 headphones.

The headphones are the product of many years of collaboration with Victor Studios and the HA-MX10 is the culmination of both companies combined efforts. The new HA-MX10 studio quality headphones adopts JVC’s latest drive unit technology which will give you the best sound reproduction for both musical instruments and voice while you are recording in studio.

Neonpunch was invited by JVC HK to the exclusive launch of the HA-MX10 headphones at famed audiophile store Mingo Headphone (located on the 12/F, Mongkok Metro, No. 594-596 Nathan Road, Mongkok). On hand to introduce the new studio quality headphones all the way from Japan was Mr. Wataru Ikebe (Picture below), Senior Manager, AVC Department of International Sales Operation, Victor Company of Japan, Limited.

We got to try out HA-MX10 and although we don’t have highly attuned ears like most audiophiles we did notice that the sound produced by the headphones were much richer both in tonal quality and clarity.

We tested the headphones out listening to a ありがとう あなた (Arigatou Anata, 感謝你) from the greatest hits album of 70’s Japanese singer/actress Momoe Yamaguichi and Mars, the Bringer of War, from Gustav Holst’s The Planets. These two tracks that represent two completely different genres and can be considered from the opposite ends of the musical spectrum both sound incredible through HA-MX10.

The strong vocals of Momoe were bright and clear with the accompanying trumpet deep and rich. The track Mars by Holst was also an incredible listen that made it seem that you were surrounded by an army of orchestral sound.

The HA-MX10 is definitely worth picking up if you are looking for a pair of high quality headphones that will let you enjoy your music in heartwarming high fidelity while leaving the rest of the world in cold silence.

The JVC HA-MX10 Studio headphone features a 56-Ohm of impedance, a 108dB/1mW sound pressure level, and playback frequency of 10Hz-28,000Hz. When you purchase this product it will come with a plug adapter 35mm jack equipped audio devices. For those of you interested in try them out before purchase JVC has a showroom in address and showroom hours HERE

Specifications:

• 2.5 meter cord
• Stereo mini plug
• Weights 260 grams
• Output: 108dB/mW
• Playback Frequency: 10 – 28,000Hz
• Max input allowance: 1500mW
• Impedance: 56Ω

Package contains:

• Headphones
• 6.3 mm stereo plug adapter for 3.5 mm or 6.3 mm interface

Pricing and availability

Suggested retail price: HK$2,280
Available at JVC showroom; Mingo Headphone, Kingsound Headphone Shop, dma and Jaben Hong Kong.

For those of you have gotten over your New Year’s Day hangovers and are back to blasting the music, Logitech would like you to do it Hi-Tech style with their new range of studio quality Ultimate Ears headphones.

Logitech has unleashed a whole new line of earphones from affordable and stylish entry level earphones to hi-tech and sophisticated earphones for audiophiles and professional musicians. Available now are UE100, UE200vi, UE300vi, UE400vi, UE600vi, UE700 and the Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors.

Ultimate Ears also introduced three headsets that are compatible with the iPhone, Blackberry and other phones with a 3.5 mm headphone jack; the 400vi, 300vi and the 200vi.

Suggested Retail Price

• Ultimate Ears 700 Noise-Isolating Earphones     HK$1,199
• Ultimate Ears 600vi Noise-Isolating Earphones HK$879
• Ultimate Ears 600 Noise-Isolating Earphones     HK$799
• Ultimate Ears 400vi Noise-Isolating Earphones HK$699
• Ultimate Ears 400 Noise-Isolating Earphones     HK$629
• Ultimate Ears 300vi Noise-Isolating Earphones HK$479
• Ultimate Ears 300 Noise-Isolating Earphones     HK$399
• Ultimate Ears 200vi Noise-Isolating Earphones HK$299
• Ultimate Ears 200 Noise-Isolating Earphones     HK$229

Find the Ultimate Ears range of earphones at any place that sells headphones and earphones.

The Portable Digital Music Player from firstSTREET looks just like the boom-boxes from the eighties and is a functional music player.

This retro 80′s beaut brings back the flash, and fits any iPod device to supply the tunes. It also has an auxiliary in so your options aren’t limited, as well as an FM tuner. It can record anything off of its built in FM radio tuner onto a USB drive or an SD card without having to go through a computer. The 21st century version of the boom-box can also hold your iPod and play music through its speakers.  Now you can walk the streets with this boom-box on your shoulder, blasting funky tunes, just like you did back in 1980! And while it includes a power cord, it’s made to run off those “D” batteries, old school baby!

All this awesomeness can be had for a low price of HK$1,200/US$149.95 available here.

You never know what kind of neat stuff you’ll find at Etsy.com.

These PVC Pipe Speakers ($200) are handmade by Chicago-based ikymagoo, and feature 3-inch magnesium/aluminum alloy full range drivers, a bass port on the end of the pipe/stand, three-way binding posts on the back, and a hand-painted high gloss lacquer finish.

The name itself is more than a little flaky considering the materials used, but you can just call them PVC speakers to your buddies.  It might be worth it to actually have a set of speakers that aren’t quite as mass produced as the others out there on the market.

The frequency response is 80-20,000m but unfortunately, they aren’t powered, so you’re going to need your own amp if you want to do more than just look at them. According to their creator the PVC pipe speakers are ideal for mp3 players and provide a very good sound with lots of low end bass for a small speaker. They are available in black, white, red or yellow.

If all you know is Guitar Hero or Rock Band, you’re in for a rock-and-roll shock to your iSystem!

So say you’re the new Eddie Van Halen or Angus Young – and you need an amp that you can take wherever, but all you have is your iPhone: then you’ll dig the new AmpliTube iRig. Guitarists can purchase the new AmpliTube iRig system for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad for US $39.99/HK$320.

The system includes a hardware adapter that lets you plug your electric guitar into the headphone port, along with a port on the iRig for headphones for keeping your wailing to yourself, basically neighbor-approved. The free app that comes with it allows you to tweak your music with a variety of customizable amps and stombox effects, making your guitar or bass sound like just about whatever you want.

Order it online here.

The World Cup fever has overtaken Hong Kong and now you can show your team colours on the street or in the gym with JVC’s stylish HA-FX20 earphones. If your favorite team loses you can head to the gym, strap on some boxing gloves with them and listen to vuvuzela music while beating the crap out of the team that beat yours.

See how we tied the earphones with the photos of this lovely model? JVC went on a tangent with their event so it’s up to us to bring it back together.

There are five color options available:

• Blue / White (AW)
• Black / Red (BR)
• Red / Blue (RA)
• Red / White (RW)
• Yellow / Green (YG)

The general specifications for the HA-FX67 with

• 3.5mm stereo mini plug (compatible with iPhone)
• 8.5mm diameter driver unit
• Frequency response range of 10 ~ 20,000 Hz
• sound sensitivity 107dB/1mW,
• impedance 16ohms
• maximum input power of 200mW
• Cable length 1 m

Suggested Retail Price: HK$118