In today’s market, there is definitely no shortage of headphones for consumers to choose from. You can rely on a pair that may have come packaged with a recently purchased smart phone or personal media player, or purchase a set from your local electronic store that may give you some kind of increased bass and a remote control feature for an inexpensive amount. For the majority of individuals seeking to not only get the most of their music, but also make a fashion statement at the same time though, they will have to spend a bit more. While most might gravitate towards the increasingly popular Beats Audio Headphones, there are some legitimate and perhaps significantly better alternatives now available, and the Fanny Wang 3000 line is definitely on that list.
Style
Silicon Valley based Fanny Wang Headphone Company is currently not a household name yet, but that is not necessarily a negative. In an ocean of more of the same marked by similar designs, Fanny Wang headphones are sure to make their owner stand apart visually and they offer the ability to customize almost aspect of your pair from the cord, to the sound chambers, to the ear muffs, to the band and more. This is a great feature that generally will increase the cost of your pair by about $50.00 on top of the $300.00 price tag, yet it will guarantee that your pair will remain unique. It also serves to bolster the design of the ear muffs as they will fully cover your ears.
What this means is that the Fanny Wang 3000 series is definitely not as small as some of the competition however, whether around your neck or on your head, the matte plastic and soft leather ear muffs remain comfortable and light. You will never forget you have them on though and neither will others since they standout on design alone, but you may not want to move around too much if they are on your neck as once the removable ear muff in ours began to slide out of place during some running. This was only our experience during heavy movement and on only one occasion however it was easily remedied. Overall though, we really like the design of the headphones and since looks are the first thing that you and others will notice, we can confidently say that these headphones won’t cramp your style.
Features
The company prides itself in offering headphones that, while are best suited for the heavy percussion of hip hop music, are also well equipped to handle the varying highs and lows found in other genres. In the Fanny Wang 3000 series the company has included two stand out features to provide listeners with what they feel is a crystal clear sound. The first is the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) which is now a feature being found in all consumer headphones at this price range. Headphones from Polk, Beats Audio, Bose, and others offer a similar feature but what helps Fanny Wang stand out is tied back to the design aesthetic. With the ear muffs completely engulfing your ears, a seal is formed without applying pressure to them since the headphones are essentially around them and not on them. A switch on the right will trigger the Active Noise Cancelling and engage a small blue light to indicate that the feature is active. Once on, we were hard pressed to hear noise from outside the headphones while our favorite music was playing, and this was tested walking the busy streets of Union Square in New York City. In fact, the ANC is so good we recommend being cautious about using the feature when you actually do need to hear the outside world, such as walking the bust streets of Union Square in New York City.
Flip the switch up a second time and the indicator turns green as the bass boost becomes active. Bass boost has been around for a long time in headphones and has become a mainstay feature expected to deliver without distorting the sound, especially at this price point. We can happily report that the Fanny Wang 3000’s do not disappoint in this regard either, boosting the bass 6db. The ANC continues to function so that you are now receiving both features at the same time and the experience is very enjoyable, especially when you want to really bring out the bump in some 808’s, some heavy kicks in some electronic, or the bass line in some dub step. It is important to know that both features come at the expense of 2 AAA batteries that are fairly easily inserted into the left headphone. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on your use of these features, though you can still listen to music just fine should you run out juice.
Not content with just this though, Fanny Wang also included an in-line headphone splitter built into the wire so that a friend can plug right in and listen with you. We found this to be an awesome feature when we wanted someone to hear a song without sacrificing our own listening time, when we or someone else ran out of power on their music device and could just share one other device, or when we just wanted to show off. This is one feature that we wish to see in all headphones that any company puts out. Additionally, a built in remote control supported out iOS device of choice from the iPhone 3GS up, and a built in microphone provided clear sound to our listeners when taking phone calls through the unit. In the box is an included carrying case as well as a 6mm adapter great for use on a flight, or plugging into an external sound card or audio receiver.
Sound
We listened to a variety of music on the Fanny Wang 3000’s and we were very pleased with the results. Music was clear with highs, mids, and lows clearly discernible, and even without the ANC or bass boost active, the sound was still very good. Overall, we were happy to use them on a daily basis when traveling as the sound provided was very pleasant and when the ANC was active, we could just zone away into out song of choice. However, we have to admit that the V-MODA Crossfade M-80’s which are roughly $100.00 less provided slightly clearer sound when listening in a a quiet environment. However, lacking the additional features included in the Fanny Wang’s makes them less favorable in a busy area or during a daily commute where we would have to favor the Fanny Wang 3000’s.
Wrap Up
So where do we stand in the end? We have to completely recommend the Fanny Wang 3000’s as great investments for audiophiles and general music lovers wholeheartedly. The amount of included features, the style and level of customization, and the excellent sound quality ensure a great experience for any listener and will make them stand out as unique in a market with many options and not enough individuality. If you are in the market for headphones and are looking to invest in some of the best and most stylish headphones available, pick up some customized Fanny Wang 3000’s and your ears will thank you later.
