I liked these the moment I saw them. Like miniature Marshall stacks for your ears. Such an obvious product for Marshall to make but surprisingly one that took them a long time to get around to. I guess Dr Jim is such a busy guy keeping the rock gods of the world amplified that a sideline into headphones was always just pushed to the back of the desk. Well, whatever finally allowed him to get to it, I’m glad he did.
They’re not fancy but that’s part of the appeal. A simple, folding design for easy and damage-free transport. A decent, soft-touch lead with a spring-coil section to prevent sudden jerks to ones cranium. A proper, metal plug with a spring protector for the lead. That wonderfully minimalist Marshall logo in cursive script, just like their amplifiers. Quality sound with depth, clarity and power.
Possibly not the absolute ultimate headphones for the fanatical audiophile and there are no claims of noise reduction either. Nevertheless, I’m not arguing. After all, plug in and you’re listening to your music through Marshalls. Other companies can make all the claims they like but when all is said and done, they’re not Marshalls. Sometimes, I think its ok to be a bit cool.
Footnote: This is not a review. It’s purely a personal opinion and offered without any connection to, or provision from Marshall. I bought these headphones with my own cash and have been using them happily since December 2011.
UPDATE: There is some Veloster news from Australia today, both good and bad. The good news for Hyundai is that they’re essentially sold out of Velosters at the moment. New buyers will have to wait three months for the 2+1 coupes, which according to Hyundai is a very pleasant surprise.
The bad news is that whilst the Veloster Turbo will be coming here mid-year, it’s predicted to sell for around $35K. It wasn’t so long ago that Hyundai got a foothold in the Aussie market selling cheap and cheerful hatchbacks for $13,000 on the road. Even if they can tune the chassis adequately (it takes more than just a turbo engine to make a decent driver) $35K seems like a bit too much, too soon, for a Hyundai hatch.
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I never, ever thought I’d use the words “like” and “Hyundai” in the same sentence (not without including the words “to mock”, at least).
I remember a reader back in the SU days, a guy from Ireland called “J-Fan”, who trumpeted Hyundai’s virtues and was dismissed as quite possibly being mentally deficient by many at the time, me included (he’s still around, too – hello J-Fan). I drove an i30 for a week around 18 months ago and I thought it was absolute rubbish.
But I have to admit, I like the Hyundai Veloster. J-Fan’s revenge, perhaps?
I like what I see as a pretty funky design choice, with one door on the driver’s side and two doors on the passenger side. It’s perfect for someone who prefers coupes but sometimes has to carry someone in the back. I like the way they’ve executed the door designs, too. What I admire even more, however, is the courage and commitment Hyundai have shown to actually build this vehicle, and especially the fact that they’re building it in both right- and left-hand drive.
Have a look over the following video. Get past the hipster stuff and weigh up the offering objectively. If you find the design interesting, then it’s a very curious proposition.
The additional costs associated with making this 2-1 door configuration into a global vehicle must be huge, but given that Hyundai (and child brand, Kia) have been kicking goals all over the world in the last three years, they can obviously afford to make a statement like the Veloster.
Pros: The styling is cool, the practicality looks great and the equipment list is modern and generous.
Reservations: modest power (when’s that turbo model coming?), driveability, interior materials (horrible in the i30 I drove) and storage space.
I guess the evaluation of those would need a test drive. Hopefully Hyundai might be listening/reading – let’s see how good their media monitors are.
