When I first heard the name: Fanny Wang Headphone Co. I couldn’t help but snicker–a little bit. “Franny Wang? — really?!” But then I tried the headphones, and the snickering immediately stopped. Anyone who cares about the sound that comes from their ipod, iphone or tablet knows that it’s the headphones that make all the difference. And you want to look good while you’re listening to your music or you’re on the phone.
The choices for good quality head phones can be overwhelming, and the prices vary quite a bit. But if you’re seeking a set of trendy, head phones that will give you years of good quality sound and enjoyment – for under $300, you need to know about Fanny Wang. I am not a tech person, but I’ve had years of experience listening through higher end head phones including Bose, Clear Harmony, and the very popular, Dre Beats. In my opinion, Fanny Wang’s 2000 Series On the Ear Wangs — DJ with Bass Boost gives them all a run for the money.
Head phones are not all the same. And the first noticeable difference with the Franny Wang 2000 On the Ear Wangs is the size. While the Clear Harmony, Beats and Bose are much sleeker. the Fanny Wang headphones still deliver a lot of “cool” factor. The larger headphone band, and thicker head cup pads are actually very comfortable. Depending upon how you view it, the size of the phones and the ear cups are a plus, or a deal breaker if you’re looking for head phones that travel in a briefcase. The semi-rigid, zippered case is also bulkier than the other brands, making it more challenging to tote them around. But most people will be wearing the head phones or draping them around their necks, so it’s not that much of a big deal on a daily basis.
The Fanny Wang head phones do fold down flatter, thanks to two metal folding hinges on the head band. The Franny Wang logo is featured on the sides of the head cups so everyone knows you have the real thing. Another thing that you might find beneficial (or not, depending upon your view), is that the switch for the “off/on/bass” on the side of the right ear cup lights up green or blue, depending upon what mode it’s in. That means you draw down the (two AA) battery faster, but on the plus side, it lets you immediately know what mode you are in and it looks cool. Another innovative “plus” with these headphones is that even if the batteries do die mid-use, you can still use the head hone, even though the bass booster won’t work.
As to the sound, it’s pretty awesome. The on/off/bass booster switch is on the right ear cup and is easy to access, delivering 6dB of assisted Bass Boost. Fanny Wang calls it “bone shaking” which it isn’t quite accurate, but it’s still very good. Custom-paired titanium-plate 50mm drivers, magnetically shielded cables and circuitry, deliver mids and highs that compliment nearly every music genre. Most music sounds fine without the bass boost, but you really need to turn it on to feel the music as you’d really like to.
When you purchase the 2000 series Fanny Wangs you don’t just get the earphones and the remote/cord/splitter, you also get a 1/8” and airplane headphone plug adapters, a starter set of twin AAA batteries, and a semi-hard zippered carrying case with a round, carabiner hook. The large, color coordinated cable with remote and and a built-in splitter, is a nice touch. It lets you share your sound with someone else. While, as I mentioned earlier, you can use the head phones with any kind of “i” (iPod/iPad/iPhone) and can hear your phone or other devices even if the head phones are turned off (or if the batteries die), but the remote and mic only work with the latest generation iPod/iPhone/iPad. While the remote is easily accessible from the cord, the 4th generation Nano I tried with the head phones didn’t respond to any commands from the remote — a disappointment. It could just be a communication glitch with the particular iPod I used, but you might want to check to be sure your devices are compatible.
One very note-able thing about the Fanny Wang 2000 Series Over the Ear Wangs (besides the sound quality) which no one seems to mention, is the fact that these are while these are not billed as noise cancelling (there is a 3000 series for $300 that feature this), the 2000 series Fanny Wangs still do a credible job of dulling noise. When the Fanny Wangs are on, even with full base at high volume, outsiders can’t hear your music, and the ambient noise around you from outsiders, is also diminished. That’s a plus when you’re using the headphones in crowded or quiet places, such as an airplane or at the office. Those sitting near you, will silently thank you!
While the 2000 Over the Ear series Fanny Wangs are not quite as sleek as some of the other, comparable brands, they’re still stylish. The pink ones I tried were all pink with grey foam ear padding — totally girly and fun. They turned heads everywhere, and are bound to drive girls wild with envy. However, they are also available in red or black. The Fanny Wang 2012 line also includes a “freshly squeezed” Duo Color 1000 Series (starting at just $169.95) in black, white, orange, green and blue. Any of these would make a great Mother’s or Father’s Day gift, or a special gift for a new graduate.
The bottom line: At $250 the Fanny Wang 2000 Over the Ear Head Phones are not bargain basement priced, but they’re cheaper than a number of comparable brands. They perform well, and deliver the kind of sound you’d expect from a high quality head phone.It’s easy to quickly form an attachment to them. If you asked me to trade in the Fanny Wangs for another type, I’d say: “No way!”
About Fanny Wang Headphone Company: Named one of Mashable’s “5 Favorite Gadgets” in 2011, Fanny Wang is a premium headphone line featuring competitively-priced On Ear, Over Ear and Noise Cancelation products. Fanny Wang headphones are sold at www.Fannywang.com and on Amazon, as well as select stores around the world. Follow Fanny Wang on Twitter @FannyWang and “like” them on Facebook – keyword: “Fanny Wang Headphone Co.”
