The sun is well and truly out (some say he has a hat on – we couldn’t verify this) which means it’s probably about time you saw to that lovely garden of yours. After all – there will probably be parties and BBQs and all sorts of outdoor-fun to be had! But what will you do about suitable hi-fi headwear while you trim the petunias and weed the borders?
Normal headphones are great – but they come with trailing wires which don’t half get in the way (and if you’re wielding something sharp it could get a little… shocking!) so the answer is really quite simple…
Wireless headphones! The type that have a stationary receiver that sits in the homestead while you mow and hoe to your hearts content – entirely wire-free! The perfect gardening accessory. Other than the necessary tools to get the gardening done, of course.
Here are our five favourites – tried and tested in-and-around the store. Some of these are our most popular gifts ever – so it’s worth a look in if you’re stuck for a gift for a family member who likes going outside… but not too far. And loves their music – naturally.
Let’s start with the cheapest and work our way up.
1.
Lets kick off with something nice and affordable. The Sennheiser RS120s at £89.99 are a very good place to start. These are the cordless variety, which means they come with a base station which transmits to the headphone. This offers complete freedom of movement and is particularly convenient for home use. Their range of up to 100 metres and reception through walls, ceilings and even outside in the garden – perfect for a spot of housework, gardening, or just wireless lounging about. Sound-wise, these comfortable and reliable headphones offer an open and accessible bass and a well-rounded, balanced sound. They come with the base station transmitter as standard, which acts as a stand and a recharger for the cans, which come with rechardable AAA batteries already included.
2.
Turning it up a notch, we now have the RS170s for a very reasonable £149. These are also a cordless offering, perfect for use in (and around) the home. Including the garden! Complete with a very stylish multi-purpose cradle which acts as a charger, a stand and a transmitter, the RS170s are designed to take the hassle out of in-out-home audio. These beautiful ‘phones offer detail and natural sound reproduction, coupled with a number of nifty features expected from a hi-grade headphone: automatic level control and fully adjustable balance control. Everything about these lovely headphone is fully ergonomic and adjustable, with a specially designed closed back to both combat sound leakage and block external noise. Perfect if you want to get lost in your own little world.
3.
Next we have the RS165s for £179. These beautiful, ergonomically designed ‘phone offer an amazing detailed and vibrant soundstage – and they’re extremely comfy too! The receiver can be hooked straight up to your homes current entertainment system, so it’s all very easy to use. Just plug in and play (and don’t forget the shears!). As a little bonus, these phones feature a bass boost. That’ll keep you motivated while trimming the hedges if nothing else will!
4.
If you’re willing to take it higher – we can go higher. The Gorgeous RS180s are quite the thing to behold – and at £199 they’re still well within the realms of affordability. They deliver an excellent sound along with a high quality (uncompressed) digital wireless system that lets you listen upto 100m away. The headphones feature an open, circumaural design that lets them breathe from both sides, offering an excellent sound image. They are easy to use and come with level controls built in. They can support up to four headsets at a time too – great for group gardening (is there such a thing? I’m sure there must be.)
And last, but by absolutely no means least, we have the challenger in the heavyweight category (that’s some serious gardening!)
5.
The RS220s (currently priced at an extremely decent £295!) are a cordless headphone with the base station which doubles as a cradle for placing and charging. If top notch sound performance is your top priority (on top of maintaining that lovely border of shubbery!), then these are the cordless wonders for you. They bring wireless sound to a new level, delivering a completely uncompressed sound performance equal to a high-end wired headphone. You can’t ask for much better than that, can you? A true audiophile’s headphone, the RS220 are constructed out of the finest materials and only the highest-grade components, and are durable enough to withstand daily use by any family member. Even in the garden.
So, that’s your lot on this particular high-fidelity niche. But believe us when we say, it’s a niche that could make a pretty big difference to your life (in the house and outside of it). Garden-fun aside, these can be used for pretty much anything – providing you stick within the radius. Music, cinema, the lot.
Interested? Give us a shout to give them a try. But hurry, while the weather is still worth it!