Subjekt Tempo Amplifier, Pulse Headphone, and Herphones Review

By Michael Blain

I must begin by saying Subjekt’s logo/name is very cool despite being a continuance of the battered tradition of misspelling names in accordance with hipness. The Tempo amplifier is basically a rubber version of the technology that mirrors the original phonograph. I had previously seen this product marketed as the iHorn, and it indeed does amplify the sound of the standard iPhone speakers which I’m guessing are intentionally weak due to Apple’s eternal desire to get as much money out of their customers as possible through purchasing peripherals. It does make the sound on the iPhone significantly louder, not to the level of a stereo, but makes it more listenable than the joke decibel level that comes standard. It is definitely worth buying if you are constantly playing music for other people by merely placing your iPhone on a table and then hoping no one talks too loud and drowns out the sound.

Next were the Herphones ear buds, which I was both impressed with and disappointed in simultaneously. I was impressed by how clean the audio was and the lack of pressure the sound wave release puts on your ear drums. You can use these ear buds for an extended period of time and, at least in my experience, withstand no discomfort whatsoever afterwards. That being said, my disappoint may directly correlate to this idea, because they are not at all loud enough. To truly feel the music like I am used to, full blast on the volume is not even enough. For rock and more lyrical based music these ear buds would be a perfect fit, but if you lean more towards the electronic beat driven side of things these ear buds are simply not kicking out enough low end frequency for my liking. If you are looking for clean audio though that also cuts out damaging frequencies, than these ear buds are a remarkable accomplishment in that respect.

Finally we come to the Pulse Headphone, which is a wireless Bluetooth headset. It felt very comfortable to wear and was true to everything described in the manual in regards to range, battery life, etc. The microphone accuracy was decent, not quite up to the high level of Plantronics microphones I have used, but if the price point is decent upon release it should serve its purpose nicely. Overall, if you are in the market for a Bluetooth headset I honestly can’t say that I have used a better one so Subjekt obviously seems to know what they are doing in that department. I look forward to anything else they have to unveil down the road and wish them a lot of luck during CES Season this year. To view all currently available products visit www.subjekt.com