TDK WR700

Wireless headphones most often take the Bluetooth route these days, but a handful of models still use RF-based technology with separate transmitters sending high quality audio streams?to receivers inside the headphones. TDK's WR700 uses Kleer technology, a wireless protocol intended mostly for home use. It delivers booming bass and bright, sculpted highs?but there's a bit of distortion at top volumes, as well. The WR700's list price is $249, but it's sold online for much less. If you're looking for a budget, non-Bluetooth wireless headphone option, keep reading.

Design
Visually, the WR700 is simple and classy. Black rubberized surfaces match with metallic tones and a black leather head band. The earpads and headband are well-cushioned and quite comfortable, and the supra-aural (on-ear) earcups swivel and fold inward for flat storage. A Power/Pairing switch, as well as volume controls, are located on the outside panel of the right earpiece, with raised indicators for sight-free operation.

The design of any Kleer-based wireless system is inherently going to be a bit too clunky to be considered ideal for portable use. Typically, headphone pairs that incorporate the technology use charging docks, so it's interesting to see The TDK WR700 go with four AAA batteries rather than a rechargeable option. It's conceivable that the WR700 could be used on the go?the transmitter isn't so massive that this would be a major issue, but it's still better suited for home use.

The transmitter itself uses a 3.5mm connection, and an optional mini cable extension is also included for jacks that may be recessed due to protective cases. The transmitter can also stream from stereo equipment and pro gear via an included ?-inch adapter for larger headphone jacks.

The left ear and the transmitter each have battery compartments, and four AAA batteries are included in the box. The WR700 also ships with a black felt drawstring carrying pouch.?TDK estimates battery life at roughly 30-40 hours of wireless playback, but your experience can vary drastically based on battery type and playback volume levels.

Pairing is a simple process?you hold down the pairing button on the headphones and the transmitter for a few seconds and you're set. Much like Bluetooth, the wireless range is approximately 33 feet.?

Performance
The TDK WR700 delivers gobs of deep bass response, so it does well with low-end-heavy mixes like the Knife's "Silent Shout" or Kendrick Lamar's "Compton." It does well at moderate-to-high volumes, that is, but at top volumes, when using an iPhone 4S as the source, both of the aforementioned tracks distorted. The WR700 gets loud enough that this shouldn't be a deal-breaker, though. At safe listening levels, which can still be fairly loud, the WR700 doesn't distort at all, and it sounds like it's packing a subwoofer.

On Bill Callahan's "Drover," his vocals are delivered with enough treble edge to help them stay in the spotlight, while the constant drumming pattern in the background gets a bit of extra thunder from the WR700's significantly boosted deep bass response. Something about the sound signature sounds a bit overly sculpted in the high-mids and highs?there's occasionally some added sibilance, and at times guitars sound a bit too bright, but this is all more or less necessary to counterbalance the deep bass the WR700 brings to the table. Generally speaking, the balance sounds both bass-heavy and bright. We've heard far more balanced sound signatures that have more mid-range presence, but the WR700 is still a powerful, quite listenable system.

On classical tracks, like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances," the higher register strings are front and center, with a bit of added brightness, but the lower register strings soon swoop in and steal your attention, as they are delivered with some added low-end resonance. This lends a film score-like feel to the mix?exciting, if not natural. The large drum hits at the end of the piece have a particularly intense presence, more like a heavily-EQ'ed rock kick drum than a piece of classical percussion.

The range in quality for at-home wireless headphones is wide. At the lower end of the spectrum, you have options like the overpriced, underperforming Koss JR900 Wireless Headphones and toward the top, mind-blowing headphones like the $600 Editors' Choice Sennheiser RS 220, which uses DSSS, an uncompressed advancement over Kleer technologies. Somewhere in between, the TDK WR700 offers solid wireless audio for a price far below the inferior Koss JR900. If what you really want is a wireless pair you can use outside of the house with greater ease, Bluetooth audio has improved drastically over the years. The wireless quality can't rival Kleer or DSSS, but then, you don't need to carry a transmitter around with you, either. In this price range, the Logitech UE 9000 offers solid Bluetooth audio, and for far less, the Outdoor Technology DJ Slims may not be a masterpiece, but it works well for an under-$100 pair. For at-home wireless scenarios, however, it's hard to argue with the TDK WR700's price (even at full list price, it's a deal) and overall performance. It's an imperfect bargain with plenty of positives.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/mEek92xjzA0/0,2817,2418359,00.asp

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