Skatter Tech

Aside from a wide range of unique iPod accessories, speakers, and apparel, iFrogz also has a large selection of headphones. These are appropriately named EarPollution and are available in countless styles sure to compliment any personality. This review pertains to the DJ Style series with the Billionaire theme. Although it’s great to have options when finding a style that artistically represents you, I was pressed to figure out whether the DJ Style focused too much on looks and not enough on quality.

DJ Style Billionaire Specs

• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Speaker Driver: 50mm
• Cable Length: 1.2m
• Plug Size: 3.5mm
• Sensitivity: 105dB +/- 3dB
• Impedance: 32 ohms +/- 15%
• MSRP: $50 (Available for $35)

Comfort ★★★★★
After picking up the DJ Style, my initial impression led me to believe that these massive headphones would be uncomfortable to wear. After a few hours of use, I was pleasantly surprised. The padding around the speakers surround your ears in a way that it is not too tight or too loose. This assures they won’t slip off your head with rapid movements. A soft texture and mesh surround the headband, ensuring hours of listening with little pressure around your head. One of the best reasons to get these headphones has to be just how comfortable they are for long-term use. This type of comfort is ideal for its targeted market, for those in the DJ profession. Plus, it’s not bad for casual users either. As someone with long hair, I found that the massive size leaves an imprint after long hours of use. With such a bulky appearance, you wouldn’t really expect such comfort from this device, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised with its nearly perfect fit.

Body ★★★★✩
The DJ Style is surprisingly compact despite the bulk and cartoonish size. The device’s compactness comes from the earpieces degrees of rotation. They can swivel in almost a complete circle. The altarpiece’s freedom allows that entire part to fold into the band. With this ability, the headphones can be carried in one hand and stored in almost any bag. Although with larger headphones, it’s expected to have limited portability. Despite that, it’s quite compact compared to other bulkier headphones. The cable was also another feature of the body that’s important to comment on. The cable is an excellent length and can reach any device without getting tangling. The cable is fairly strong and thick compared to other headphone cables. Wrapping it around the headphones when folded up leaves no worry of destruction. The only real complaint I have about the body is that, being advertised to DJ’s, they don’t exactly sit that well if only one earpiece is on. It will fall off easily if worn that way. It’s something to keep in mind, but absolutely no problem for casual users.

Subtlety ★✩✩✩✩
I know, I know… when you buy larger headphones it’s expected that you will be getting a lot more attention, but when spending money for higher-end headphones, it’s probably important not to look like a fool while using them. In terms of size, these are a bit ridiculous. Even though their size does relate directly with comfort, it’s still something to consider since everyone will be staring and probably judging you when you’re out in public. Depending on the style you chose, the color scheme will add to just how much you stand out in a crowd. The Billionaire, for example, will assure that everyone stares at you and that you will get the maximum amount of attention from a crowd as possible. If this is what you’re going for, by all means get this style. But hey, I’m just saying… The reason this category is getting some credential, is because when these headphones are on, barely any sound gets out. So, although your neighbor on the bus can enjoy the bright colors, they won’t be able to enjoy your music.

Style ✩✩✩✩✩ or ★★★★★
The reason this category has either zero stars or five stars is simply because it’s just your choice. In other words, the themes are completely up to you to pick and depends on what you like. iFrogz is big on artistic variety, assuring you can find one that expresses you best. For example, I could not despise the Billionaire style more. I’m not going to even try lying here, I hate the color scheme. I think the design could represent me any less and the only graphic I like is on the speaker portion. With that little rant done, iFrogz has plenty other themes that I find appealing and just awesome in general. I’d gladly get in line for the Silver Spider DJ Style theme since the price is the same for any of the styles. So in terms of style, it’s completely up to you. Even though I think the Billionaire only looks good if you dress like a pumpkin, I’m sure others can appreciate it with their own style and personality.

Sound ★★★★✩
Now to get down to what truly matters for headphones, the sound quality. As one of iFrogz’s more expensive sets, the DJ Style is advertised as having excellent style and sound to match. This is expected since the device is even targeted towards the DJ profession who value sound quality. I have to say, the Billionaire’s sound was decent for the price range, but nothing special. The speakers emulate decent middles, good lows, but fair poorly on highs. DJ’s usually want headphones with good bass. While the DJ Style has plenty of bass to offer, it sounds a bit garbled. The treble on the other hand could have been more distinguished. This doesn’t hold back the product too much, but the overall tone isn’t perfect. With that said, the quality is definitely on par with other headphones in this price range. Plus, these headphones managed to isolate external sounds fairly well. Although it wasn’t impossible to not hear what was happening around me, it was definitely not distracting. There wasn’t much external noise being leaked either. Wearing the DJ Style headphones won’t bother  those around you.

Conclusion
Overall, the EarPollution DJ Style was a pleasant surprise. I’ll be honest here, when I looked at these things I wanted to hate them from the get-go. I started out with a bias eating at me from being a fan of earphones over headphones, then hating the design, and just being naturally afraid of its robot-like bulk. After using them and giving iFrogz a chance, these headphones found a place in my heart. The comfort is great for long-term use and it alone can make purchasing these headphones worth it. iFrogz also offers different themes of the DJ Style, assuring that everyone will be able to appreciate at least one. iFrogz is still a fairly new contender in the headphones business. The audio these produce aren’t going to be as good as the quality of the Sennheiser HD201 earphones that cost nearly the same price. These headphones are great for casual listening. The workmanship is fairly decent for the price range. If you can deal with the size and find a style that fits your personality, then you should definitely consider these. The headphones retail for a MSRP of $49 but are available for about $30 if you shop around.

Buy EarPollution DJ Style: Billionaire | Hustle | Union | Munich | Silver Spider
Links: iFrogz.com EarPollution DJ Style