Conclusion:

The retail version of the Ineo Technology AlienVibes EP02 headphones changed very little since our prototype sample review in October 2012. Depending upon the color you want, the Alienvibes EP02 headphones are priced between $122 and $150 through Amazon.com. In particular, the white EP02WT model that was covered in this review sells for the most at about $150, while colors like blue and pink come in at the lower end of that scale. At these prices, the Alienvibes headphones are competing in a higher-end market where well known manufacturers are similarly priced.



Though the Alienvibes EP02 headphones sound great with their powerful bass I'm not going to recommend them to our gaming audience. I expect a lot out of $150 headphones - they should be wearable for hours without causing discomfort and the audio cable should be long enough (5-6 feet) to prevent it from interfering with the mouse and keyboard. Alienvibes won't sweat this information though, as they don't see these as being for PC gamers and intended them to be used with digital music devices. Whether you are playing games or listening to music, the fact that the inner diameter of the ear cups is less than the 2.5 inch size of the average ear causes me to wonder if something better could be done with the design.

Consumers intending to use these headphones for air travel need not worry about the 3.5mm cable length but they will still need to contend with the noticeable discomfort after a few hours of use. The active noise cancelling feature may become an issue if the batteries die because these headphones are wired such that noise cancelling must be active for audio to be passed through. If your batteries die on your flight - you will have no music, even if your iPod is fully charged.

Overall the Alienvibes EP02 headphones are a great product with a few shortcomings. Hopefully Ineo Technology can consider addressing our concerns in future product releases.

Pros:

» Fantastic sound
» Strong amplification
» Powerful bass
» Noise cancelling reduces reoccurring noises - such as fan and engine noise
» Bundled with useful accessories and a 'hard' shelled carrying case

Cons:

» Active noise cancelling is mandatory, if its off (or batteries die) no audio passes through
» On-the-ear design became uncomfortable after two hours
» Would prefer a longer audio cable
» LED identifies battery condition, would prefer an audio warning

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