Design and features:These headphones have medium-high sensitivity so they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and even lower-powered portable audio devices. The Riff has an integrated microphone and player function controls that are compatible with Apple and Android mobile devices. The call connect/disconnect button can be used with Apple and Android smartphones. These headphones may not operate properly with some non-Apple/non-Android mobile devices or other audio equipment. Additional features include claimed support for digital voice assistants (types unspecified) when used with devices that have those capabilities, and earcups that fold and swivel for ease of carrying and storage.
Sound quality:We found the Riff delivers sound quality that falls in the Good range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound. The overall sound can best be summarized as somewhat bassy, but otherwise a bit thin and bright. The bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes fairly deep, but is somewhat prominent. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a somewhat thin, grainy, a bit hazy and congested (think sonic traffic jam), and has a slight plastic resonance (something like what you would hear if you talked into a semi-rigid plastic cup) and a slight staticky sound. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is fairly extended, but a bit prominent and sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). The sound has a good sense of liveliness and is somewhat open (sound-wise it almost seems like you don't have anything covering your ears), but it doesn't do a good job of recovering the room ambience of a recording (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded).
Comfort and Fit:We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure on the ears.
As typical of on-ear models the pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use.
Some users might find that the headphones feel unstable and shift forward a bit when they lean far forward.
Large
Users with larger heads might feel that the headband doesn't provide enough extension and that the headband puts pressure on the top of their heads.
Small
Users with smaller heads may find they can't get a good earpad seal because the earpads gap at the top and that the bass becomes a bit subdued.
When wearing this model while walking the vibrations from each foot step can be heard through the headphones, and the sound of the audio cable rubbing on clothing may also be heard faintly through the headphones.
