New Products

If you've been keeping up with our headphone coverage, you know that the S+V team can come down a little hard on celebrity-branded models - too often, the name attached means nothing more than price-inflating licensing fees paid for showing up at a few press appearances. Sure, there are a few exceptions, but we've run into one at least one popular artist who actually does seem knowlegeable about, concerned with, and involved in the sound quality of his product - and that's Curtis Jackson, a.k.a 50 Cent. That showed in the wireless Sync by 50 we looked at late last year, and we're hoping that the trend continues with 50's latest, the on-ear Street by 50 ($179.95), announced today.

The folding portable comes with a hardshell case; earpads are real leather (backed by memory foam), and the 40 mm driver-sporting 'phones are tuned, says the company, to deliver a sound that should appeal across genres. We're looking forward to getting our ears on a pair ASAP.