Philips SHE9620

Released at the same time as Philips' SHE9550, the Philips SHE9620 headphones offer a slightly different listening experience. While the SHE9550s were incredibly bass heavy, these IEMs (in-ear monitors) focus more on providing a clear, neutral listening experience; and they do a good job of it. If you want a slightly more accurate listening experience they are a good option, particularly if you're on a budget.

The bass is much less booming on these headphones. They still present a slightly warm tone, but the bass isn't as slow and doesn't extend as deeply. It was reasonably detailed and was balanced well with the other ranges.

The mid-range was detailed and crisp. We'd have preferred a little more separation between the individual parts of the sound but the laid back, smooth presentation will definitely suit some users.

We found the treble notes had a similar texture: smooth and liquid but never verging on bright or harsh. They were reasonably rich and sweet but were slightly recessed compared to the mid-range.

The soundstage was about what we expect from headphones in this price range: immersive enough but nothing spectacular. The overall presentation is suitable for a huge variety of music, making these a great pair of headphones for day-to-day use.

As they're IEMs, they slide into your ear canal rather than just resting in the outer ear. This has the effect of isolating you from external sound to some degree. They don't do as good of a job as some other units we've tested, but this is because they're fairly small. On the plus side, this makes them comfortable to wear, even for long listening sessions.

The other interesting thing about these headphones is the design. They look a little different from the standard black or gunmetal-coloured earbuds we normally look at. Their crystal colour scheme certainly stands out.