You can't put velvet in these earcups and call 'em nice headphones! As Mr. Chappelle would likely attest, there are no better headphones in which to drop the beat into than Dr. Dre's "highly anticipated" Beats. The master of chronic himself has slapped his all-but-forgotten name onto a set of cans (which we spotted originally at CES), and is now ready to introduce 'em to the world. Starting on July 25th, the crunk-inducing headphones will be available exclusively at Apple and Best Buy (both online and in-store), though the buying experience would likely be way more gangsta if checking out at BeatsByDre.com. Still, for $349.95, we'd recommend looking at more respected names in sound, but if your street cred is sitting at rock bottom, you may have no other choice. Thug life, fool.

Late last year, you dear readers chimed in with your opinions for best earbuds in the land. Now, however, Ask Engadget is comin' atcha from a slightly different angle. Take it away, Jose:

"I'm looking for some good headphones for around $150. I hate earbuds (so uncomfortable and the audio quality seems to depend on the angle that they're stuck in there,) so now I'm looking for full-on cans. I've been told both positive and negative things about Bose cans, but I'm looking for a few more opinions here. Help me and my ears!"

Just as a note, we got the impression that Jose would be willing to stretch that budget a bit if a real winner was available just north of two bills, so feel free to pass out suggestions even if they're a touch pricier than what was mentioned. If you're looking to have your question heard loud and clear, shoot it over to ask at engadget dawt com and wish upon your lucky star(s), alright?

Oh sure, we've seen gadgets used as motivational tools before, but Sega Toys is apparently banking on you not being a hothead. Otherwise, you just might fling its Body Trainer headset from your dome as soon as you hear "please exercise a little bit harder" over your incessant panting. Nevertheless, those with oodles of self-control may actually benefit from having a personal trainer (of sorts) in their ear while working out, and by monitoring the wearer's heartbeat via a sensor, it can blurt out messages at the appropriate time to help users through their session(s). Reportedly, this nifty exercise buddy is set to launch in Japan this April for ¥5,775 ($54), and while we've no idea if this thing is destined for US soil, we can definitely see it being used more so for its musical abilities and less for its steadfast encouragement.

[Via CNET]

It's not like we haven't seen MP3-playing headphones before -- heck, we've even seen 'em from SkullCandy itself -- but the latest pair from the aforementioned firm simplifies things quite a bit. Quietly showcased at CES, the Double Agent cans sport a built-in SD slot and the typical assortment of controls on one earcup in order to take the external DAP / PMP out of the equation entirely. 'Course, we wouldn't recommend this to those who aren't fond of just shuffling through their tracks, but if you're aiming to consolidate, you can get one step closer to doing just that when this ships in March / April for a currently undisclosed price.

[Via Gadgetell]

Granted, you've got some options out there when scouting a new set of Bluetooth earbuds, but you won't find us kvetching over a little competition in the totally unsaturated market. JayBird is stepping up to the plate with its stylish JB-100, which boasts a built-in microphone for handling handsfree calls, noise / echo suppression technology and 6.5-hours of talk time (5.5-hours when listening to jams). Additionally, the unit is said to be water resistant, and you'll even get a handy charging dock and mesh carrying case should you choose to pick one up. For those clamoring for iPod / DAP support, you can snag one of two adapters (shown after the jump) -- a Made for iPod version that plays nice with dock connector inputs and a vanilla iteration that plugs directly into any 3.5-millimeter audio jack. So, what's all this kit going to cost? Try $129.99 for the headset and $49.99 apiece for the BT adapters, all of which are available right now.

[Via CNET]

Got a third-generation iPod nano? Looking for a new set of earbuds, preferably with noise-canceling abilities? If so, look no further than Radius' new set, which plug right into the dock in order to extract all the juice they need to block out extraneous clamor. The radStrap canalphones are expected to ship in black, green and silver, and feature a neck strap, on / off switch for the noise-cancellation, an aluminum housing and frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz. Check 'em out next month for ¥8,980 ($82), but don't get your hopes up for a bonafide US release.

We're not exactly sure what makes the Euphonia headset better than all those other waterproof alternatives out there, but if you've found yourself immediately hooked by the photo above, here's the skinny. These wireless cans reportedly shun water like it's their job, though we wouldn't recommend plunging into a pool and expecting them to work unimpeded. Supposedly, they sync up with Bain Ultra's wall-mounted MP3 player, but there's not a whole lot of details beyond that. The Euphonia is set to land on December 1st, and while pricing information has yet to be disclosed, we've got a sneaking suspicion this won't be cheap.

[Via ShinyShiny]

Those scouting a fancy new set of earbuds will be delighted to hear that M-Audio's latest are shipping now, and on paper, they certainly look swell. The IE-40s sport a triple-armature driver design for separate high-, mid- and low-frequency reproduction, an integrated passive crossover network, 26dB isolation from outside noise, a dark chrome motif and a dual-bore design that reportedly "delivers highs and lows via separate canals." You'll also get a swank carrying case, an extension cable, a full set of tips and a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch adapter. 'Course, you'll be laying down a cool $499.95 to take these home, but we never said quality came cheap.

[Via DigitalMediaThoughts]

For those out there who still believe that 5.1-channels of audio can be wrapped around your two ears in a single set of cans, say hello to Panasonic's RP-WF5500. These 'phones feature 40-millimeter drivers, around six hours of playback on a full charge, a range of about 30-meters and weigh in at 0.56-pounds. Additionally, you'll find a pair of optical digital audio inputs, a single analog audio input, one optical audio output and a bass boost function for crankin' up the low-lows. No sign of a price just yet, but word on the street has 'em going on sale in Japan late next month.

[Via I4U News]

Joining all those other guys who have unveiled new earbuds recently is Pioneer, which has introduced two new sets that actually rely on different nozzles to adjust the sound. Granted, you could just use that built-in equalizer on your DAP to accomplish the same goal, but nevertheless, the SE-CLX9 and SE-CLX7 -- which look to differ only in the material they're constructed from -- both come bundled with five different tips that can be used for different genres of music. According to Pioneer, you'll find attachments (shown after the break) for High Tune 1, High Tune2, Standard, Bass Tune 1 and Bass Tune 2, and each pair also arrives with an extension cable and a carrying case. The duo is set to land next month, and while the aluminum-clad SE-CLX9 will cost ¥22,000 ($190), the less snazzy SE-CLX7 will demand just ¥12,500 ($108).

[Via AkihabaraNews]

We've witnessed quite a few DIY journeys involving wireless speakers / headphones, but there's no better way to make lemonade from lemons than to take Sarah Lemarié's advice when your favorite Bluetooth 'phones snap in half. Apparently, the DIY'er figured there was still life left in her Logitech headphones even after the headband broke, so she gathered up a cheap pair of comfortable cans along with a set from Sony (for the drivers) and got to work. As you may imagine, she transplanted the speakers from the Sony pair and the Bluetooth module from the now-defunct Logitech set into the large, comfy Tesco cans, and after a bit of tinkering, the music was flowing (sans wires) once more. If you're looking to do something similar, head on down to the read link to hear how it's done.

[Via MAKE]

Just as V-MODA's Vibe Duo earbuds got revamped with a new iPhone-friendly music controller, an unnamed set of copycats have surfaced on the web. This painfully bad ripoff manages to ditch the newly acquired music control and it opts for a lovely gold / black color scheme -- you know, so folks are absolutely certain you're rockin' the fakes. Notably, they're said to provide "massive bass" and fit in a "wide range of ears," and while we can't imagine the sound quality being up to snuff, this $3.99 set looks to be the perfect compliment to whatever knockoff DAP you'd surely pair them with.

[Thanks, Brian]

Anyone who's been repeatedly reaching for a iPod remote control clipped to their wardrobe while using their iPhone -- only to discover that it doesn't exist -- will be delighted to hear that V-MODA has revamped its Vibe Duo headset to add integrated music control. The control button, which seems to be positioned and operated the same way as the one on the iPhone's bundled headset, can be used to fiddle with calls as well as tunes. It's not quite the four or five button set we'd like to be able to track forward, back, play, pause, and change volume, but considering that the iPhone lacks a control socket beside its jack, we'll take what we can get. Get the updated 'phones now for the same $99 as the original.

Audio Technica's no stranger to high-end cans, and we must say, its flagship set for 2007 (its words, not ours) looks mighty sexy. The ATH-ESW9 Sovereign Wood Headphones are crafted from "Japan's finest Hokkaido cherry tree," feature 42-millimeter neodymium magnet drivers with fiberglass housing support, and come bundled with a carrying case to keep these beauties clean when not in use. You can pick these up to listen to (or just look at) come October 19th for ¥37,800 (or about $330).

[Via AudioJunkies]

Not satisfied with simply unveiling a single set of new earbuds today, Sennheiser decided to roll out four new flavors for your ears' enjoyment. Up first is the CX 400 ($99.95), which touts a short cord ideal for arm-worn MP3 players, but does include a three-foot extension cable for other applications. Upping the ante is the CX 500 ($129.95), which enters as the flagship unit in the Classic lineup and arrives in a trio of colors. The CX 55 Street ($79.95) boasts a bit more bass than the other guys, and the CX 95 Style ($139.95) places its emphasis on lookin' good whilst parked in your ear. The whole lot is slated to be available starting this month, and you can take a peek at photos of the rest after the break.