Labor Day Hours

Yes, that’s right: headphones by Adidas. Recently “**Adidas**”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas joined “**Sennheiser**”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sennheiser in a collaborative effort to create sport-specific headphones. They are in no way the first to take this on, but in my eyes, they’re the first to get it right.

It makes sense as these are two of the best known companies in their field: Adidas — as a long standing name when it comes to sports, and Sennheiser — as a manufacturer with a great reputation for superior sound quality. Put the two together and you get a sweat proof, stay-in-your-ear, great-sounding sport headphone.

The line covers many different models, from in-ear, to behind the neck, and all come equipped with a sweat proof headphone and kevlar cabling to ensure they don’t tear under the stress of playing hard. Check out the complete line of “**Sennheiser**”:http://www.smalldog.com/mfg/?MfrName=Sennheiser+Electronic products here.

Now all of the above looks great on paper, but what about the real world? What about mountain biking, running, hitting the gym, and all the other fun sports we partake in (except swimming — unfortunately, they’re not fully waterproof)? How do they work in these environments?

Recently I got the “**Sennheiser CX680i**”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/80403/sennheiser-cx680i-adidas-ear-canal-sports-headphones-w-volume-control to see how they worked while mountain biking. They’re better than advertised and I was blown away by one feature in particular: fins.

Two versions include a new fin system that holds the headphone in your ear. I’ve used countless headphones while biking from $25 Skullcandy units to $200 Shure units and haven’t ever had something as comfortable as these. Bombing down the hill over roots, rock gardens, and off jumps they never came out. One thing I will add is that it’s worth taking the time to try the different size fins and ear pieces they include to get the right fit.

If you’re a discouraged athlete who has never found the right headphone, I believe you’ll be as impressed as I am.

__Questions? Click “**here**”:mailto:will@smalldog.com or on my name at the beginning of the article.__

As a longtime fan of “**Urbanears**”:http://www.smalldog.com/mfg/?MfrName=Urbanears, I was excessively excited when we got the first “**Zinken**”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?x=0&y=0&search=zinken over-ear models in.

New Urbanears?! Yes, please! At $149.99, these professional-style headphones are ready to leap off the shelves and into the club. As is standard with Urbanears, they come in a vast variety of colors.

So what makes the Zinken so fancy? Well, for one thing, the headphones are equipped with a versatile set of inputs. Need to plug in to an amp? Zinken has a 6.3mm (1/4 inch) output cable. Need to make a dash for the bus to the soundtrack of your iPhone? Zinken has a 3.5mm (1/8 inch) output cable, too.

The Zinken model is particularly solid, with two metal hinges of fair bulk that allow the speakers themselves to swivel and turn freely. The headphones are very well-made, with no ragged seams or jutting plastic. The fit over the ears is tight, so people with glasses and earrings, beware!

They sound good, like you’d expect from a pair of headphones in that price range. Urbanears have a particularly well-developed balance of treble and bass, and the Zinkens are no exception. It’s hard not to dance with these guys on!

Style, color, and sound. Come demo our floor model in “**South Burlington!**”:http://www.smalldog.com/burlington

__Questions? Click “**here**”:mailto:vanessa@smalldog.com or on my name at the beginning of the article.__

*Audioengine*

Super Savings in-store on Audioengine “*A5+*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?x=0&y=0&search=audioengine+a5%2B and “*A2*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?x=0&y=0&search=audioengine+a2 speaker systems.

*Chill Pill BOGO*

Buy any “*Chill Pill Mobile Speaker*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?x=0&y=0&search=chill+pill+mobile+speaker and receive a FREE pair of “*Black Chill Pill mobile speakers.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/72867/at_bis

*A Hearty Hello From SB*

What’s up, Best in Showroom readers! It’s so great to be back in the saddle and writing for you once again. We have a fantastic lineup this month for all of you audiophiles — so much so that I’ve dubbed this month “Sick Sounds September!” We have reviews on audio solutions from Small Dog veterans, as well as some new faces, but perhaps the biggest news is that we’re now carrying the super-popular Beats by Dr. Dre line of headphones!

We’re also excited to announce that our S. Burlington Service department has gotten a bit of a makeover. Due to an overwhelming increase in repairs over the last two months (about 45%!), we have decided to expand our Service check-in counter. We have more than doubled the space, and we hope that this will help to alleviate backup and serve our customers better. There are more changes in store, but it’s a start! The best part is that we’ll have no downtime — by the time you read this, it will all be finished.

So, after you’ve given these reviews the once-over, come into any of our retail locations to test out some amazing headphones for yourself! **Both our S. Burlington and Manchester locations will be open on Labor Day, Monday, September 3rd.**

Mike
“**michaelb@smalldog.com**”:mailto: michaelb@smalldog.com

The 6th Annual Apple to iPods Event kicks off September 5!

Find a wooden apple in any of the participating Vermont apple orchards, and you may win an iPod touch, classic, nano or even an iPad!

See “*VT’s Tourism and Marketing website*”:http://www.vermontvacation.com/ for more details!

Have you recently purchased a new Mac and not sure what to do?

Give us a call or stop in to schedule a one-on-one lesson to get up-to-speed with your new machine.

“*Small Dog South Burlington*”:http://www.smalldog.com/burlington
802.862.1316