On Monday I reviewed the Nuforce NE-7M headphones and was mightily impressed by the sound quality and overall build quality. The voice quality was particularly impressive and since receiving them I have used nothing else.

Today is the turn of the NE-8 headphones which do not offer a built-in microphone. They are also a little more expensive than the 7M’s and here I will attempt to see if the extra cost and seeming loss of functionality are justified. The 7M’s were specifically designed for use with phones and MP3 players and the 8’s are not so that explains the microphone omission. Don’t take the ‘not’ in that sentence too seriously though because they work exceptionally well with mobile music players despite their more general market appeal.

The specifications of the NE-8’s and NE-7M’s are almost identical, but there is a reason for the price difference; the components in the NE-8’s are better quality and the sensitivity rating is lower which bizarrely means they are more sensitive. They also require less power to drive the sound and so less volume is needed, which in turn means that the sound should be clearer with a more rounded tone and slightly less harsh bass reproduction.

The first thing I noticed with these headphones was the understated plastic look which belies their price-point. There are mouldable stalks coming out of the ear pieces which initially seem to do little besides make you look like an alien from Star Trek. Once I realised what they were designed for I was impressed by the way they worked; you put the ear pieces in your ears and mould the stalks around your ears for a perfect fit. It is a simple solution to a common problem and one that works better than any others I have used in the past.

Like the NE-7M’s, there are a selection of inserts to ensure that you get the right individual fit and in my tests I would put the 8’s as slightly ahead in terms of sound quality. The stalks do help with the positioning and make for a tighter fit, which in turn ensures a consistent sound no matter what you are doing.

There is little more I can add to this review except to say that the sound quality alone is reason enough to consider these seriously. Everything works as it should and the build quality should ensure that they will be with you for a long time to come.

Available from Audiologica for £78.95