Coby CV-890 Headphones

Good value

By Jay  Sep 27, 2008 | 2 out of 3 found this Coby CV-890 review helpful

Pros: Affordable. Clear sound. Impressive range.

Cons: Occasional signal interference. Awkward fit.

I paid about $40 USD for these headphones. My intention was to use them while practicing on my electric guitar. I unpacked the headphones and figured out pretty quickly where to put the batteries and how to plug all the cords in. After very briefly l...etting the included batteries build up a charge, I decided to test the headphones with my guitar. Initially I was disappointed with this product and I thought I had a defective unit. I was hearing a lot of static and background hiss, and one ear seemed to be cutting in and out. I tried moving the transmitter further from my amplifier but that didn't seem to help much. I decided to let the batteries charge longer before experimenting any further. About half an hour later, I plugged the transmitter into my notebook computer instead. I also discovered that the Channel button is used to fine-tune the signal. The sound coming into the headphones became much cleaner and clearer. I played a video game and then some music MP3s, and to my ears the sound quality wasn't much different than through wired headphones. Next, I plugged my guitar effects pedal directly into the headphone's transmitter and played electric guitar that way. This worked acceptably as a practice kit but the overall tone sounded mushy and clipped at the highs and lows. If you like to walk around while playing your guitar but you don't want to annoy the neighbors or wake the baby with noisy amplifiers, this is a good alternative. I then hooked the headphones up to my television and tested a Playstation 2 game. The sound came through very clear and in stereo. I put a music CD in the PS2 and walked out of the room to test the range; I was able to leave the house and even cross the street before the reception became too poor to comfortably listen to the music. I wonder how far I could go if I put the transmitter on a window sill? Soundwise, I hear a few pops now and then. This is probably caused by RF interference and not necessarily an internal defect. As I type this, I've listened to two full CDs and I just put in a third. The first was a live blues album and I could very clearly hear voices out in the audience. I followed that with the Beatles "Let It Be...Naked" and that sounded good and clear also. Right now I'm listening to Pearl Jam's "Pearl Jam" and the faster punk songs sound somewhat compressed. All things considered, my criticism is not with the product's sound fidelity but with the overall build quality. First, while the headphones aren't very heavy they don't feel snug on my head; when I nod my head forward the earphones want to slide off of my ears. Second, there is a strong chemical odor much like plastic model cement inside the ear cups. Read more Less