In the market for a bunch of earphones? Well, I bought a pair of Philips SBC HP195 Stereo Headphones more than two years ago. And even now, as I write this post, they still work, even if I’ve been less than kind to them. Consider this my unreserved recommendation.

There are many reasons why the SBC HP195 has been a great buy: Price, Form Factor, Cord Length, Comfort, Durability, and of course, Audio Quality.

Price

When I first bought the SBC HP195, I found the Php 695.00 price a bit steep. But, once I started listening to music through them, I knew I made a good buy. Especially since they’ve lasted this long.

Form Factor

As you can see, these pair of headphones are quite big. Personally, I don’t mind looking like Princess Leia (having big buns on the side of my head and all), but I would never walk around in public while wearing them, since I’d look like a total doofus.

Cord Length

I don’t the exact length (you can always Google for the specifics), but the cord of the SBC HP195 is more than a meter long. I bought the earphones before I had my own laptop, when I needed enough slack to reach the back of whatever desktop I used as a student.

Now that I primarily work on Matus, with the audio jack right in front of me the generous length is somewhat a liability, since I keep on tangling it up. Yet I’d rather have too much of something and not need it, rather than have too little and need more.

Comfort

Unlike earphones that make my ear canal ithcy, these headphones stay outside your ears. And the foam padding cushions everything, so no hard surface will ever touch your head. Better yet, the SBC HP195 actually doubles as earmuffs, which saved me from my extremely cold office A/C lots of times.

Durability

The markings on the SBC HP195 easily disappear under heavy use, especially when you consider how much I’ve used them. I can barely read the “left” and “right” markings, and the leatherette covering of the foam padding easily got worn off. But at no time did the headphones stop working properly. Even when I dropped the pair countless times and even accidentally stepped on them.

Audio Quality

By far the biggest plus of the SBC HP195 is the audio quality. The treble is not too tinny, and the bass is confidently powerful. While maxing up the volume of whatever device you’re using will definitely damage your hearing, the sound from the headphones was neer distorted, no matter how loud the audio was. Let’s put it this way: the SBC HP195 has set the standard for any future earphones or headphones I’ll use.

In short, the Philips SBC HP195 is a pair of headphones I’d easily recommend. It’s cheap, comfy, durable, and most of all, features superb audio quality. Careless users will quickly wear through the finish, and it’s not that portable. But who knows? If your favorite gadget still carries stock, you may be able to get a great pair of headphones at a really low price.