This whole thing wasn’t very promising. When I got the Cresyn C750E $99.99 earbuds they came in a bland, non-descript package. The package contained the headphones, a carry bag, and 3 different size ear tips. Once the headphones were out, I noticed how well designed they were.

The cord is thick, durable feeling, and relatively short (just less than 4 feet). You may think, “Short? That’s not good!” but I would have to disagree, after relying on a pair of Bose Around-Ears as my primary headphones, I have grown to hate 5+ foot cords. They are great for plugging into the back of your computer, but god help you if wander near a doorknob. The Cresyns, on the other hand, are a perfect length. They plug into the MP3 player in my pocket with enough cord left over that I don’t have to worry about pulling them out of my ears, but not enough that I snag on any protrusion threatening my personal space. The jack seems equally durable, its slightly less than 90-degree angle made out of a semi-rigid plastic will spread the bending stress headphone jacks experience in your pocket.

Although these earbuds are very comfortable to wear (even for extended periods), they aren’t any more so than most others in their price range. The aggressive forward placement of the buds let you push them deep in your ear, especially with the smallest ear-tip. If you wear them like this, they stay in extremely well despite physical activity or even chewing gum.
The most important part of headphones is their sound. The Cresyns were a mixed bag in that regard. Although they sound very crisp and precise, their bass leaves a lot to be desired. Although you can hear the bass perfectly, it seems to have no power. It feels like I am hearing a good simulation of bass. I found that using the smallest buds and pushing them in firmly helped alleviate this to some extent. That said, if you don’t need a lot of base in your music, or you are listening to voice, these earbuds are perfect. Their treble is well balanced with their mid-range. Watching a movie with these really brings out the dialog and sound details. I definitely noticed more subtle sounds while using these. They seem to excel in detailed, layered sound. As well as providing detailed sound, they do a good job of isolating it. This is achieved without any electronic noise cancelling, and I was surprised how much clarity they maintained with background noise. Using these on the subway everyday I found that they are very usable in noisy environments. Their max volume is painfully loud, so you shouldn’t run into any issues with quietness.

Over all these headphones are excellent, with the exception of their bass quality. When you consider that they are mid-range compact earbuds even this can be excused, it seems unlikely that you could get much better sound quality in the same price bracket. When you factor in the excellent comfort and construction quality the C750E’s are an excellent choice for anyone who wants a good pair of portable headphones.

By Berkeley Beyers