After being absent from the consumer audio race for a while, earlier this year TDK unveiled one of 2011's most striking audio designs, the TDK 3 Speaker Boombox ($499.95, 3 stars), a massive homage to the boomboxes of the '80s. The problem was: It looked excellent, but didn't quite offer audio performance in line with its hefty price. So the recently released TDK ST700 High Fidelity On-Ear Headphones, at $149.99 (list), come as a pleasant surprise in terms of both price and performance. These on-ear, stylish headphones offer bright highs and plenty of bass response without overpowering the listener, and they lack distortion issues, even at high volumes. Alas, like the recent SOL Republic Tracks ($99.99, 4 stars), they have one glaring issue that'll be a dealbreaker for some: They become uncomfortable after a short period of time.

Design
The ST700 sports a simple design, with a black, matte-rubber surface covering the top of the adjustable headband and encircling the earcups. In the middle of the earcups, a metallic rotary piece with the TDK logo splashed across the center is reminiscent of old '70s and '80s hi-fi stereo knobs. A thick cable, also black, extends from each ear and terminates far shorter than most headphone cables do—but this is because it connects to an included 30-inch extension cable. The cable is quite stiff, which makes it harder to tangle up into a knotted mess (a positive) but also makes it less easy to manipulate. No matter how you shift the cable when plugged into a sound source, it will likely shift back into its original position within seconds (an annoyance). A ¼-inch headphone jack adapter and plush, black cloth carrying pouch are also included. The ST70's earcups easily fold down flat to fit inside the pouch.

Unfortunately, there's no getting around the aforementioned fact that the ST700 puts a lot of pressure on the top of the head, under the headband, and on the ears—especially for those of us who wear glasses. With or without glasses, however, the pressure amounts to some noticeable discomfort after minimal use, and I-need-to-remove-these-from-my-head-level discomfort during longer listening sessions. Another caveat: The circumaural (on-ear) design of the ST700 leaks audio at moderate-to-high volumes. Such is the nature of a non-sealed pair, so beware if you plan on blasting these loudly at work.

If you're looking for an iPhone or mobile device headphone pair with built-in controls for call-answering and track navigation, you'll want to look else where. In this price range, the Klipsch Image ONE ($149.99, 4 stars) on-ear headphones are a great place to start, and if you can handle earphones rather than headphones, check out the Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones ($179.95, 4.5 stars), a recent Editors' Choice.

Performance

At maximum volume on an iPhone or laptop, the ST700 does not distort, even on deep bass tracks like the Knife's "Silent Shout" and Thom Yorke's "Cymbal Rush." There's no guarantee, however, that at high volumes from a more powerful home stereo amplifier, the ST700 won't begin to distort. Regardless, at reasonable (and higher-than-reasonable) listening levels, the ST700 stays clean and delivers laudable response over the deep bass frequencies. Laudable, however, doesn't mean powerful. For bass fiends looking for booming low-end, the ST700 is a bit more subtle and refined than a serious thumping pair of headphones like the SOL Republic Tracks.

Subtle and refined bass is a good thing, however. Coupled with the crystal clear high frequency response from the ST700's 40mm drivers, the overall audio performance is articulate and vibrant—bright without sacrificing the lows. This is especially apparent on instrumental tracks like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances." The lower-register stringed instruments pulse throughout the piece with a soft resonance and the deeper percussion hits convey the size of the drums and the room dramatically—but never by overpowering the brightness of higher-register orchestral instruments. The headphones provide a bit more low-end push than a flat response pair, but nothing so intense that purists will be appalled or bass fiends will be satisfied. Those of you right in the middle will be perfectly pleased.

This is a crowded field, however. The on-ear headphone market has many recent strong entries, with the budget SOL Republic Tracks and the Klipsch Image ONE standing out for different reasons. The Tracks manage to bring a powerful bass response—far more intense than the ST700's—to the budget realm, at a full $50 less. Unfortunately, both the Tracks and the ST700 are uncomfortable after long sessions. Meanwhile, Klipsch's comfortable Image ONE, while identically priced, offers slightly brighter highs and slightly deeper bass, distortion-free performance, and also comes with built-in iPhone controls. Ultimately, TDK's ST700 High Fidelity On-Ear Headphones sound great, so they get a high rating, but the lack of comfort is hard to get past.

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