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Bang & Olufsen A8 Earphones | 
 enlarge | Brand: Bang & Olufsen
Category: CE
List Price: $219.99
Buy New: $144.99
You Save: $75.00 (34%)
New (2) from $144.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Color: Silver and Black
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Model: A-8
UPC: 071435182920
EAN: 0071435182920
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Brand new, never used, still in box, ships First Class the following day.
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| Features:
| • | Outstanding sound quality | | • | Can be adjusted to fit the contours and curves of the individual ear | | • | Crafted in anodised aluminum and hard rubber | | • | For Ipod and other portable players | | • | Includes Carrying case and a 3 years Warranty |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Designed for durability, the A8's can be adjusted to fit the contours and curves of the individual ear. This ensures that regardless of whether you're relaxing, walking or jogging, they always sit comfortably, and firmly, in place
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| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
 Great for jogging!! May 27, 2007
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
I bought these after struggling to find earphones that fit snugly while exercising. (A pet peeve of mine!!)
I tried the Sony MDR-W25G S2 Sports Headphones with Moisture Guard Mechanism. They were good, but bounced around too much.
I also have the Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia Headphones, which are great for noise cancelling and sound but not durable enough or comfortable for working out. (The little rubber things fall off easily and the cord is weird - the two sides leading up to the earpieces aren't even lengths and aren't adjustable.)
I have to say that the B&O are awesome. I don't even know I have them on, they have great sound and, most important to me, don't move around while exercising. I was just in a 5 mile race with them and they stayed put the whole time.
They aren't noise cancelling, which is actually good when you are running outside. But the sound quality is excellent.
 I really *wanted* to like these, but they kept having problems. March 2, 2007
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I base my review on more than one year of everyday use in a work (cubicle) environment. My music player is an iPod nano (first generation).
The mechanical aspect of these headphones is certainly unique, but starts qualifying for the "contraption" label rather quickly. Yes, the curved parts are infinitely adjustable, but that means it takes about 10-15 seconds to put on the headphones. If you work in an environment with frequent interruptions (as I do) then you'll spend more time taking the headphones off and putting them on, than listening to your music.
Yes, you can probably put these headphones on more quickly, but since the drivers are so sensitive to position, you need to arrange them *just right* to get the optimal sound. For some reason, my ears didn't have the right shape for the driver to be placed completely in position (as recommended by the manual), so in order to get the full amount of musical detail, I had to frequently press and hold the drivers against my ear canals. This was uncomfortable and distracting.
While we're on the subject of comfort, I would like to have a few words with the B&O designer who thought it was an acceptable idea to use hard-edged aluminum rims on the parts of the earbuds which were supposed to be flush against the ear. These things hurt unless you use the flimsy foam pads!
The headphones sounded okay in a perfectly quiet environment, but they don't block out any outside sounds at all. If you work around quiet people, it's no problem. If anyone starts up a conversation, you're pretty much guaranteed to hear it clearly, unless you turn up the music to deafening levels. And if you happen to step into a noisy datacenter or computer room, you can kiss goodbye the somewhat sweet midrange that these drivers can put out.
I've since upgraded to Shure noise-isolating headphones, and the difference is remarkable.
Unfortunately, the real killer for me was the fact that the right side earbud ended up dying after several months of use. I couldn't figure out why, but one day the right earbud got dramatically quieter than the left earbud. It lost most of the midrange and bass definition. I opened it up to see if there were anything obvious (i.e. earwax) causing the problem, but could not figure out. Swapping sides made no difference - the right earphone was definitely problematic. I finally took the earphones in to the local B&O shop about six months ago, and got a free replacement under warranty.
Earlier this week, the replacement headphones developed the same problem, on the right side.
Terribly sorry, Messrs. Bang and Olufsen. Your product looks really nice, but the combination of poor design, discomfort and flaky sound means that it can't stand up to normal usage. I'm sure there are some who would enjoy this product, but I've found a better solution.
Finally! A pair of earphones that stay put and sound wonderful! July 30, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I have been searching for MONTHS to find a pair of headphones that wouldn't fall off my ears during exercise. The few pairs that I have found that did stay put, would just sound awful and make my music sound as if it were playing inside a tin can. Although the price tag on this pair was a bit high for my liking, after adding up the prices of all the other headphones I have tried over the past six months, these are still a bargain by comparison.
They have a really unique adjustment that allows the user to manipulate the fit behind the ears. Although this takes a few seconds longer than adjusting a traditional pair of headphones, the big difference is that once these are in place, they won't budge!
Also, I can't say enough about the quality of the sound in these headphones! Since I am a vocalist, I can be a bit snobby when it comes to sound and these really exceeded my expectations. Finally it is a joy to listen to my music with headphones!
The only caution I have for people considering this purchase is to know who you are buying from. A friend of mine claimed to have purchased this same pair on Ebay and realized later they were fakes and not near the quality of mine. If you aren't paying around $100 for these, then there is a very big chance that they are not really Bang & Olufsen. Although B&O is really proud of their headphones, the quality of the product proves once again that you get what you pay for!!
Amazing combination of sound and comfort December 9, 2006
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Although not inexpensive, the A8's sound is the best I've heard amongst Etymotic, Shure and Bose, and when comfort is brought into consideration, there is no competition whatsoever. You'll hear music you've never heard before. As with all of these brands, they do require fitting, but are extremely flexible and can be adjusted to any ear. And unlike the others, they do not lose their position when worn for extended periods, such as on airplanes. Design and workmanship are--well, they're works of art. And the leather case is a nice finishing touch. They're incredible!
 For clarity, detail, and accuracy of mids and highs. Tight, controlled high notes. November 12, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
If you have decided headphones are too large, in-ear phones too intrusive, more than 200$ too much, and hearing the crickets chirping in a open field concert not essential, then this is a good place to start. Or maybe you just want to know more about this earphone with such a weird-fangled name.
In either case, read on.
The world Bang & Olufsen is quite an elite one. These people take their audio seriously. Their speakers sell for the price of brand new cars. The A8 earphones, by comparison to their other products, is within much closer reach. Not widely distributed, its price is quite varied, but tends to range from 100-160$ (watch out for lower-priced imitations).
The A8 earphones are a sight to behold, being of fine craftsmanship and quality components. It was one of the first earbuds to address proper fitting and placement retention with its multi adjustment points (I got mine October 2004). It can be shifted vertically for ear height, horizontally for depth, and held in place with a flip-down loop adjustable to your preference. Its body frame is constructed of rigid brushed aluminum, with hard glossy rubber lining the ear loops. The ear-loop and the swing arm holding the phones move with a smooth gliding motion that have held up well over the years. The cords leading from the phones are reinforced with a rubber housing to protect from the potential pull and snag. Mine have survived quite a few. Though in no way am I suggesting you can yank on them, they will last if subjected to frequent light stressing. Of particular note in the design, the cord length is shorter than normal at about 3ft. which is perfect for the portable player close at hand. It comes with a low-profile 6ft. extension cord if longer lengths are desired. I also like the straight-line plug (as opposed to the right-angle ones), nice for audio-players housed in a pouch or bag. Due to its unique design, proper protection is provided in a carry case of hard black leather, shaped to conform to the dual semi-circle ear loops. But enough of its design. What of the sound?
I have to be up front about the weak points, because this is the deciding factor for most. The bass response on these phones is underwhelming. Which is not the same as saying weak/tinny bass, the lack of, or distorted bass. In the quest for high quality, the emphasis was on other aspects of sound quality. Something had to be compromised, that being bass response. When bass is exhibited though, it is clear, distinct, and free of distortion. But you will never feel punch or power to the bass. Which was never the intention of the A8's. One other gripe, a minor one, is that for people who wear corrective lenses, the ear loops on the A8's can get in the way of the lens frame, causing some degree of discomfort to the ears.
If you are still with me, then the bass issue didn't scare you off. Its high points are more important to me, which is why I recommend it. The A8 emphasizes sound detail, clarity, and accuracy (lack of distortion). Sound output is tight and controlled in the high ranges, great for orchestral music, for soprano singers. Instruments, vocals, acoustic resonances, twangs, rings, chimes, are clear and true. Distinction can be made of the parts of the whole, yet there is proper balance so that the different sounds can still meld as one. I hear layers of audio I never knew existed because on low quality phones they had been drowned out or distorted by inaccurate sound reproduction. You get to hear more of what was recorded in the original that can get lost in low quality outputs. [This audio clarity is a bit of a double edge. The flaws of low quality audio sources (like low-bit rates) tend to be more pronounced with high quality headsets.] On a lesser note of benefit, the ear loops hold the ear piece securely from slipping out if you need to engage in some kind of major head movement.
If you spend more money, you can certainly get better. If you go with in-ear buds, you can retain clarity and gain some bass.
But if bass isn't the forte, you believe ear buds gotta stay out of the canals, and clarity is important, the Bang & Olufsen A8's fit the bill.
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