SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 40mm dynamic
Frequency Response: 20.0 ~ 20.0 kHz
Sensitivity: 100mV @ 1kHz = 101dB SPL
Impedance: 32 Ohms
Microphone: Unidirectional electret
Plug: 3.5mm stereo mini-plug
Weight: 132g
WHAT’S HOT
- Available color scheme
- Inline mic and remote
- Pliable plug and flat, tangle-free cable
- Can operate at full volume with minimal distortion
WHAT’S NOT
- Close-fitted construction
- Lacks bass
- Mids and highs are overpowering
BOTTOMLINE
Even though Coloud’s Boom Transitions lacks some kick in low frequencies, it makes up for it by being able to crank out music in full volume with minimal distortion. On top of that, you get the benefit of a highly functional inline remote.
REVIEW
I’ll just say it: What I like best about the Boom is its color scheme. Coloud’s Boom headphones comes in two series: Block and Transitions. The former features combinations of two contrasting colors, like red and black, orange and gray, and black and blue. The Transitions series, on the other hand, features two di fferent shades of the same color—forest green and lime, for instance.
The pair I had was (what I considered as) a combination of regular blue and navy blue, with a slight touch of cyan. It is also available in shades of green, orange and purple.
The headphones are surprisingly light for its size, although it’s nothing to complain about. Perhaps the only downside to this is that it feels a bit flimsy, especially when you try to stretch it. It is, however, interesting to note that when stretched, the headphones snap back to its original triangular shape when released.
The headband is wide but slim, with stu ffed leather on its underside to cushion the top of the head. Earcups are rather small for the typical ear size, and they’re made of plastic so they feel very hollow. The pads, however, are nice and cushy in spite of being thin.
Fitting is secure, but I wouldn’t exactly call it comfortable. Even if it’s easier to wear than the other headphones in its class because of its lightness, the earcups are clasped too tightly against the ear, making it di cult to endure an hour-long listening session. Its close- fittingness is also what makes it uncomfortable to wear around the neck when not in use.
Another neat feature of the Boom is its inline microphone that doubles as a remote. The peculiar thing about the mini-remote is that it only has one button. The number of times you press it determines the action it’s going to execute. Pressing it once plays a track or pauses it. It also answers and hangs up a call when the Boom is plugged into your smartphone. Two clicks will have your device skip to the next track, while three makes it go back to the previous track.
Its 1.2m cable—branded as Zound Lasso—has a flat design, which, in theory, makes it tangle-free. At the end of the cable is what Coloud calls a “pliable plug” and it was termed as such because you can bend it 180 degrees to t through a small hole in a protruding fragment of rubber attached to the cable. Doing so forms a small loop where you can coil the cable for storage.
Though it’s not exclusive to the iPhone, it seems that the Boom doesn’t work on all mobile phones. It failed to work properly on a Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0 and a Nokia E63, but it worked fine on all other devices I tried, including a MacBook.
Though the sound quality it is capable of producing is more than enough for casual music listeners, the Boom might seem underperforming to hardcore audiophiles because it lacks in balance. Mids and highs are pronounced, but a bit overpowering, which is why if you’re a bass junkie, you most probably won’t be so pleased with the sound of the Boom. However, while it’s true that bass comes out a bit thin, this is compensated by the Boom’s capacity to blast audio at full volume with minimal distortion. Additionally, the Boom does a good job at capturing clear, high-quality sound with the inline mic, at sound isolation and at eliminating sound leakage.
At PHP 1,850, Coloud’s Boom Transitions is pretty expensive for its overall value, but it really depends on what kind of user you are. If you’re not too picky when it comes to quality and bass power, then its exterior qualities will su ffice to make it worth the price paid.
Words by Racine Anne Castro
First published in Gadgets Magazine, September 2013