Flips Audio Headphones Review by Dj RyB

I was recently asked to review the new Flips Audio Headphones which I was really excited about because I loved the concept and I was hoping the product lived up to the hype. I'll get into my performance review in a moment but first, here is a quick breakdown of how they work.

The concept is simple. They look and act like premium over the ear headphones but they have a special feature that you won't find on any other headphone. Once you flip the earphones out and away from your ears, they become powerful speakers that can be worn over your neck to quickly share a song with friends or be placed anywhere to act like a pair of portable speakers. It's an incredible idea that works even better than expected. I'm surprised it hasn't been done before because it's seems so obvious once you do it for the first time. Headphones should have always been built like this!

The Flips come in two colors currently: Black with Electric Green or White with Red and Black.  Although I think I would have preferred the black if I was buying them myself, I was given a pair of the White, Red and Black joints and I ended up liking them more than expected.  They might get dirtier quicker but I have enough black headphones so it was nice to get a different color to add to the collection.

They look very similar in style to the Beats by Dre headphones and are also similar in quality. The plastic seems fairly sturdy and durable and the earphone padding is thick and comfortable. Although there was some pressure after prolonged use, they were comfortable to wear for a long time.

The sound quality was solid, although I felt like the volume was limited a little too much in it's regular use as over the ear headphones. They can obviously get much louder as proven by the powered speaker function but I think they went a little too safe with the limiter. Even at full levels, I felt like I wanted a little more because I could still hear some background noise. I don't usually listen to headphones at high levels but it's always nice to know you can turn them up louder if/when needed. I really wish I could have cranked them up a little more when I was on a plane last week. That is always a good test of volume and I felt like it was just missing a little extra punch. It's one of my only small complaints. They still sounded solid though.

The overall audio quality is good. I would probably give them a 7.5 out of 10. The bass wasn't too overwhelming so if you like a balanced sound, these would be a good match for you. I prefer a little more bass, so I think that is why I lowered my ranking a little bit but I felt like the quality was still decent when compared to many other headphones I have tested in this price range or even higher. Flips sell for $120 so they are a good value as a regular set of headphones and they are a steal once you consider the powered speaker function.

Speaking of that, let's get into the best feature of the Flips, the speakers. I first tested the speaker function when I got to the hotel for a wedding after a long plane ride and using them as regular headphones. I think I was expecting underwhelming sound because of what I experienced with the volume as regular headphones but I was pleasantly surprised when I "flipped" them around. They CRANK as a portable speaker and sounded better than many of the smaller portable speaker systems you find at Best Buy or the Apple Store for about the same price or more.

I actually had to turn them down because it was just too loud, at least for the room I was in. I was trying to find the distortion level but there really wasn't one. They were clear and filled the room well. You have to make sure you charge the powered speakers with the included USB chord but they seem to last a long time in between charges. I used them for a few hours and haven't had to recharge yet.

There really isn't any reason to bring a pair of headphones and a separate set of portable speakers on the road anymore. These will get the job done and then some. Flips would be perfect for the road warrior traveling for work, going to the beach with your friends or really anywhere that you might want to share your music with other people. The options are endless.   I can see myself using these as my primary headphones AND speakers for a long time to come.

Here are some more details provided by Flips Audio:

HD HEADPHONES
HI DEF SOUND Patent pending technology provides crisp, clear high definition sound experience.
ON THE GO Light and compact design, folds neatly into a protective case, take them anywhere, anytime. COMFORT FIT Custom vented ear cups and plush memory foam padding on every contact surface.  

POWERFUL SPEAKERS
AMP'D SOUND Intense amplified, powerful sound delivered by proprietary technology.
SAFETY FLIP Safely amplify into powerful speakers only when pointed away from your ears.
 STAY CHARGED Supercharged sound provided by a powerful lithium ion battery, USB rechargeable, for hours of extraordinary playtime.  

DISCOUNT
Get $10 Off on Flips Headphones Plus Rush Shipping Upgrade FREE Enter Code: FA0010INT

This Offer is exclusive to purchases made online at www.flipsaudio.com and valid from June 12, 2013 through July 16, 2013. Each unit purchased will receive $10.00 Off the online retail price plus we’ll “upgrade” your shipping from ground to Rush 3-Day at no additional cost to you.

This Offer is unlimited in quantity and cannot be combined with any other offers.