Thinksound’s ms01 headphones don’t make much of an impact – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Thinksound ms01 earbudsThe midprice headphones are intended to be low impact, as in eco-friendly. The headphones are made from renewable sources of wood with PVC-free cables and packaging made from recycled materials.
The ear buds are small, even for earbuds. The body is about the size of an almond, with soft in-ear rubber tips. I found them very easy to wear, and with its 3.5 mm plug, it will work with most portable devices.
The sound is much like the packaging – it doesn’t make a big impression – but that is only because the headphones are pretty well balanced, with no single attribute screaming for attention. But there is a bit of bass boost that can make an acoustic bass sound a bit boomy.
With extended listening, the most prominent feature is the degree of detail. Listening to symphonic music, I could hear the background clatter of musicians bumping about, which was indistinct on my regular headphones.
The second-most-prominent feature is the crazy amount of cord noise. Every time the cord touches any surface, a rumbling shoots right into the buds. Included ear hooks reduce the noise but take the minimalism out of the design.
The ms01 ear buds are $120 list, but $100 directly from Thinksound and elsewhere online.