Onkyo is typically known for their home theater receivers but (like so many others before them) are now venturing into the personal audio realm with their new ES FC300 Headphone ($150). The branding on the headphone seems deliberately more subtle than many of their (beats) competitors. The overall finish and build seem quite pleasant for $150 by this reviewer’s benchmarks. The flat-designed cable is detachable and supports the idea of less tangling. The headphone itself boasts what Onkyo is calling a “dual chamber” design intended to create a better low end response. They are a closed-back headphone and I did notice a sufficient amount of outside noise reduction when wearing them. Plugged directly into an iPod, the ES FC300 could be driven to loud levels.
I will leave my final observations regarding their sound until I have more time with them in a controlled environment and with components I am more familiar with. I will say this however, from my initial impressions the sound is very promising considering the $150 price point. The Onkyo ES FC300 should be ready to ship in about a month.
http://www.uk.onkyo.com/en/products/es-fc300-90837.html
