Ultrasone HFI-450

The tiny in-ear headphones included with portable music players might suffice for listening on the bus, but if you want to get the best from music then a proper set of over-ear headphones is the best answer.

Ultrasone has been around for a while but its headphones, of which the HFI-450 is one of the cheapest sets, have just arrived in the UK.

The HFI-450 set is fairly lightweight, with earcups that sit around the ear and a headband that isn’t too tight. They have a closed back design, so unlike the excellent Grado SR60 set your music shouldn’t disturb others.

We were impressed by the sound quality: bass was focused and precise rather than boomy, and higher frequencies were pleasantly clear, revealing details we’d missed using other headphones.

The headphones fold, reducing their size for transport, and use a one-sided cable. This makes use on the move possible, but the very long, thick cable can get in the way, and we wished its cable could be easily detached and replaced.

Nonetheless, this is an excellent pair of headphones at a fair price.