Best New Audio Favorites

Fun products from Altec Lansing, Tech N9ne,Kanto AV Systems and JayBird make sure that no matter where you are or what you're doing, you've got high-quality sound right there with you. From workouts to game time to tooling around the house, these products aren't messing around--serious audiophiles and newbies alike will appreciate the inner (and outer) beauty of these products.

Tech N9ne Ruffian Skull Earphones by Subjekt

It isn't often we get to try out 'phones created by long viewed rap artists, especially one like Tech N9ne. His Ruffian Skull earphones in black nickel are truly some of the most original we've ever seen...and we like 'em. Yes, they truly do have skulls on them, but we liken it to having an awesome coat lining; you know it's there but most poeple will miss it if they're not looking carefully.

They're shiny, they've got tons of style from the red and black braided cord to the highly reflective scary skulls sitting pretty in your ears, plus they sound good. There's a good range through the spectrum and the audio is rich and warm with enough treble to make you thankful for the bass. We listened to Jason Mraz with them, just to be funny. They still sounded clean and fresh and the in-ear buds (which come in three sizes for the best fit) isolated outside noise so we could focus on the music. Also, the jack connector is gold plated instead of silver, and we all know that cuts down on corrosion and makes your investment last. Our recommendation? Wear these at the gym to cut down on chatty kathys.

www.subjekt.com | Price: $59.99

Made for audiophiles on the go, these lightweight headphones deliver amazing sound quality without the bulk you might expect from such impressive components. Not only do the phones give you beautiful sound throughout the spectrum, they're customizable! c-JAYS were the first on the market with changeable foam cushions, and the three sizes each give you different sound, allowing you to pick the best fit for comfort, style and your listening preference. They're designed to travel well too, so when you're on your plane and the flight attendant starts to pry them away from your ears after telling you to take them off for the fifth time, you can fold them up and put them in the included traveling case while you shoot her the stink eye. Featuring Multi-Layer speakers, these guys have serious street cred: the flexible diaphragm moves with the light-weight voice coil, and the core is a powerful Neodymium magnet that's so hot a customized airflow system was created to cool the whole thing down. In plain terms, these headphones were scientifically engineered to make your music sound better than ever. You can get your c-JAYS fix in white or black, and in addition to the carrying case each set comes with three adaptors for splitting audio, listening to in flight entertainment options and plugging in to your home stereo as well as an extension cable with an iPhone compatible stereo mini plug.

www.jaysearphones.co.uk/ | Price: $129.95

Altec Lansing BackBeat Pro

Sure, your iPod came with free earphones, but does that mean they're any good? Anyone who's ever used them on a crowded train or noisy street can tell you that you really have to pump up the volume to hear your music clearly, and you know what that leads to...yeah, deafness. Altec Lansing wants to save your hearing--and doesn't a hundred bucks sound like a reasonable price? The Backbeat Pro earphones were designed to block out all ambient noise so you can listen at a safe, low volume, and it does it with an eight piece fit kit complete with dual flange technology to keep outside noise where it belongs. Underneath the two flanges are full range mini speakers with built in amps that give you balanced, low-distortion sound that won't bust your eardrums.

www.alteclansing.com | Price: $99.95

Handcrafted for the serious audiophile, Kanto AV System's SYD 5 iPod speakers offers a remarkable blend of style and sophistication. The wireless remote shipped with the unit controls everything from volume to sound mix to the click wheel, but that's not the only thing that will have you jumping for joy. Unlike many other iPod speaker units, the SYD 5 doesn't sound tinny or muffled or flat--you get real, full-range, sound complete with a bass reflex port that will have you pumping up the jams all around the house. You can even hook this bad boy up to your TV via the S-Video output to watch video or view photos from your iPod on your HDTV. Works with any dock-connecting iPod.

www.kantoav.com | Price: $359.00

Jaybird is a well known maker of high quality headphones, and we've given them love before...but now we're really excited. The Tiger Eyes headphones do double duty as iPhone headsets, have full remote controls for your iPhone or iPod, and are built for active people: they have a lifetime warranty against sweat! Titanium coated speaker diaphragms contribute to a crisp and clean sound and ensure a longer lasting product, while warm bass tones keep your workout moving. If the sound quality from these is any indication, they might be the last set of headphones you ever want to buy.

www.jaybirdgear.com | Price: $89.00

Often, we think the only things missing from our Rock Band nights are lights, amps and a fog machine. Altec Lansing's got us taken care of one one front with the Stage Gig floor amp, designed to pump up your gaming with realistic looks and killer specs...just plug your PlayStation, Wii or Xbox in and enjoy the bone shattering bass and clear treble this tour sized portable wonderbox brings. If you want to really wreck it, you can easily link two together...not that we're recommending that, as it may warrant police action. There's volume control, too, in case your neighbors don't fully appreciate the charms of The Clash at full blast.

www.alteclansing.com| Price: $99.95