There are several choices in the world of mid-priced headphones but one that has been a recent stand-out for the ToT staffers is the Phillips Citiscape Downtown. They are an over the ear model that have great comfort and good sound in a stylish package for an affordable cost.
The Downtown headset has been designed to provide a balanced sound experience for mobile phones and devices. The 40-millimeter drivers produce relatively clear highs and mids and a good level of bass without distortion when you crank the volume up. The closed-back design ensures good bass response and keeps you absorbed in the music.
Philips’ headphones also feature MusicSeal technology which allows you to keep your music all to yourself. This design includes double-layer walls inside the ear shells and a seal between the edge of the ear cushion and ear cup housing to seal in beats and prevent ambient noise from disrupting your sound.
The Downtown’s noise-isolating ear cushions are made of memory foam, which molds itself to the shape of your ear for hours of comfortable wear. The foam also forms a seal that preserves bass response while blocking out external noise. The Downtown features lightweight spring-steel construction in the ear shell frame and headband, which is covered with soft, heat-sealed fabric. The headphones also have a flat, anti-tangle cable that is 1.2 m (3.92ft)
The Downtowns have volume control and an in-line mic for use with your mobile phone so you can switch seamlessly from listening to talking. The in-line mic is compatible with iPhone, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Palm, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson mobile phones. They carry a 1 year limited warranty.
On our sound tests, there was accurate reproduction of highs and lows with good isolation and passive noise cancelling from the memory foam. The foam is actually so soft that some folks may find it encloses their ears too much, giving a bit of a claustrophobic feeling. They also performed well with phones calls providing clear voice quality from the cans and the inline mic.
Pros
- Comfort – memory foam is cushy for longer wear times
- Sound – Good quality highs and lows with no leakage
- Price – Stylish and sound quality equals good value
Cons
- Foam can be too squishy for some listeners
- Conservative styling with only 3 color choices
We like the style of the Downtowns, but the choice of only 3 colors (black,purple,grey) might be limiting to the true fashionista. What you get for less than one hundred dollars is a nicely styled, light weight over ear headset that is comfortable for all day wear and performs equally well for music and voice calls. Overall, a really great value.
