Why You Can Trust CNET Get Ausdom M06 Bluetooth headphones for $39.99
These comfy over-the-ear 'phones, which normally sell for $49.99, double as a headset for hands-free calls. Plus: free apps!
When it comes to headphones, everyone has their preferences. I like "drop-in" earbuds when I'm out for a run, noise-isolating earbuds when I fly, and over-the-ear headphones for around the house. (Never been a big fan of the on-ear variety.)
Ah, but do you really need to spend $200 to get a decent set of over-the-ear 'phones? Not today: For a limited time, Vantrue (via Amazon) has the Ausdom M06 Bluetooth headphones for $39.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code WWH46KR5 at checkout. Cheapskate exclusive, cheeps!
Update: Yikes, already sold out! I think the Cheapskate Brigade took them by surprise. I'm checking with the vendor to see if/when they'll have more stock. Stay tuned!
Update No. 2: Okay, more stock is on the way -- but it'll be about a week. The vendor has promised to offer the same discount, so be sure to watch next week's posts for an update on when the M06 is available again. They apologize profusely for having an insufficient supply.
Ausdom? Nope, I never heard of the brand, either. Luckily, I was able to test-drive the M06 before sharing the deal. Let's start with the good: These are attractive, very solid-feeling headphones, with a padded headband and earcups and a nice brushed-metal veneer on the earcups' outer side.
Those earcups can each rotate 90 degrees, thus allowing the M06 to lie "flat" for easier storage. The rechargeable battery, which charges via a standard Micro-USB cable, is good for an impressive 20 hours of listening (according to Ausdom).
I had no trouble pairing the M06 with my iPhone -- though there's an included stereo cable if you want a wired connection to, say, an MP3 player. Either way, you can use built-in buttons -- three on each earcup -- to control volume and playback.
Most important of all: to my ears, the headphones sounded great. My go-to test track is Parov Stelar's "All Night," which delivers a veritable kitchen sink of musical styles and ranges. Loved it. Same for the Adele station I streamed through Pandora.
The M06 includes a microphone for hands-free calls. My test call sounded fine, and the person at the other end reported the same. It's a little weird talking when both your ears are covered, but as long as you make an effort not to shout, it's all good.
Of course, like virtually all over-the-ear headphones, these get uncomfortable after a while. The control buttons are small and stiff, and it takes some time to memorize the layout. I also found that volume levels dropped off a bit when I tried a wired connection.
Those minor gripes aside, this is a really solid pair of headphones, especially at this price. Frankly, I didn't expect them to be this good.
Bonus deal: App time! Amazon is once again offering a big bundle of Kindle Fire apps absolutely free, including Plants Vs. Zombies, Wolfram|Alpha, Osmos HD and TouchDraw. Total value: $105! Don't own a Kindle Fire? No problem: You can install Amazon Appstore on just about any Android device.