So I am on the platform waiting for the train when someone taps me and I promptly remove my headphones to hear them better. They of course were asking me where I got the headphones from. I should have known; it was the third time that week.
Sol Republic Tracks Design and Build
I was wearing the SOL (Soundtrack of Life) Republic Tracks HD headphones. I’m sure it was the unique design that was catching everyone’s attention. I had a nice royal blue headband and the “sound engines” (speakers) were silver (they’re made of aluminum) with the black SOL logo. The royal blue FlexTech headband is made of virtually indestructible plastic. It can bend nearly all the way backward without snapping in half. I don’t recommend you try it; but it’s good for me with the chaos that goes on in my purse. It has a cushion in the inside center which alleviates the weight of the headband.
The V10 sound engines actually move up and down the headband for comfortable fit. The SonicSoft cushion on them is very comfortable and soft against your ears. You can remove the sound engines completely (I’m assuming storage purposes.) The Cleartalk cable comes off completely as well. It splits and connects to the both sound engines.
When holding the headphones you feel like you have a good, solid product. They don’t feel cheap or fragile. I am not afraid to use these often and take them everywhere. I like the simplistic look they have; not overbearing like some other over the ear headphones. I am not a DJ; I don’t need to look like one.
Listening and Experience
I tested the headphones with the song Bass Can You Hear Me from Beat Dominator. I cranked the song up, and the Tracks HD handled the bass very well. I also listened to Michael Jackson’s “Who Is It” and “Dangerous”. I must say that pop music sounds great on these headphones. You can hear voices and percussion clearly. No one around me could hear the music with my iPod all the way up and the sound engines in place. When connected to my smartphone; I’d use the control button on the Cleartalk cable to answer/end calls. When pressing the control button (with no apps open or music playing) it would open my smartphones music player app.
I usually get tired quickly with over the ear headphones. These headphones are surprisingly comfortable given the good build. I thought they would weigh me down. Happy to see I was wrong.
These aren’t noise canceling headphones, but the sound does well enough to mask some very busy New York City streets. These headphones are good for the bass heavy/dependent genres, such as pop, trance, house, dubstep, etc. The bass doesn’t overpower the rest of the track.
Tracks HD for Your SOL (Soundtrack of Life)?
Just a little background the creator of SOL, Kevin Lee is the son of Monster founder Noah Lee. So I’m sure Kevin has a bit of an idea of what he’s doing. You will have the inevitable question of comparison between the Tracks HD and Beats by Dre come up. The Tracks HD price tag is $129.99. They are much more affordable and honestly; sound much better. I’ve seen a few people with these; they seem to be catching on. The price tag certainly helps. They are made of durable material so you feel confident about your investment. You can also get the headband in different color to suit your style. I think it’s a great option in addition to great quality.
