The drummer sets the volume

Razer Kraken E-Panda Hooligan Headphones are a limited edition set providing very powerful bass for those who love music that highlights the drums, bass and rhythm.

The E-Panda Hooligans are truly special because they’re tailor-made to the musical tastes of Eric “E-Panda” Hernandez. If you’re a fan of Bruno Mars, whose Bangkok concert next Thursday is sold out, you should know E-Panda. He’s Bruno Mars’ brother as well as his drummer.

The headphones will let you really enjoy what drummers do because Hernandez is a master of percussion, having started when he was just four years old and turning professional at 10.

E-Panda also plays for Taio Cruz and has shared the stage with Rihanna, Sting, Cee-Lo Green, Janelle Monae, Carmit Bachar of the Pussy Cat Dolls, Tre Hardson of the Pharcyde, Kim Hill from the Black Eyed Peas, Travie Mc Coy of Gym Class Heroes and Jeff Bhaskar of Kanye West’s band.

His Hooligans are sleek in sophisticated gold that contrasts nicely with the black ear-cups and headband. 

The headband bears the word “hooligan” and the ear-cups – foldable for ease of carrying – have a cartoon panda wearing sunglasses.

The phones are comfortable to wear with soft ear cushions and a weight of just 280 grams. The headband is adjustable. The cable is 1.3 metres long and you get a two-metre extension.

The phones use large (40mm) neodymium magnet drivers that E-Panda himself tuned to pack the deepest possible bass while at the same time retaining the clarity of the high and middle ranges. The treble and medium levels are great, but it’s the bass that’s set a little bit higher so that you feel your actually attending a concert.

I tested the headphones with my PC and the foobar2000 player with ASIO output for high-resolution, and on a Sony Walkman NWZ-F880 player, a Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray smartphone and an iPad first edition.

I spent hours enjoying myself without the slightest discomfort from the ear shields, thoroughly impressed throughout by the tremendous bass. 

The highs – the guitars and cymbals and vocals and such – were crystal clear as well, but, just like E-Panda intended, the bass was truly outstanding.

The bass drum on most tracks hammered away with head-shaking power. 

These phones are built for rock and any other genre that puts the bass and drums up front, and certainly any dance music that celebrates the rhythm section.

Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” sounded sensational on my Sony F880, the driving beat of the bass guitar and bass drum forming a wonderful contrast to the high-range percussion and Mars’ beautiful voice.

Hearing Sting’s album “Live in Berlin” album through the phones from my Sony Ericsson Xperia phone felt like new experience. The lower-range vocals and bass guitar were stunning and, again, displayed in sharp counterpoint to the guitar leads and high-hats. On the track “Englishman in New York”, the saxophone riffs hit harder thanks to the thundering bass.

AC-DC’s CD “Black Ice” could have been recorded with the E-Panda Hooligans in mind. The drums and bass soared alongside the guitar leads, everything coming through loud and clear. And the Eagles’ “Hotel California”, with all its maracas and tambourine, was magnificent through the phones from an iPad.

The Razer Kraken E-Panda Hooligan Edition headphones are available for Bt3,190.

 

Key specs

_ Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz

_ Impedance: 32 ohms at 1 kHz

_ Sensitivity (@1 kHz, 1 V/Pa): 110 ? 4 dB at 1 kHz

_ Max Input Power: 50 mW 

_ Drivers: 40 mm, with Neodymium Magnets

_ Inner Ear Cup Diameter: 50 mm

_ Cable Length: 1.3 m plus 2 m

_ Extension Cable Approximate Weight: 280 g

_ Connector: Analog 3.5 mm headphone jack

 

 

 

 

Nation contest

 

Razer Inc greets Bruno Mars for his concert next week by offering Nation readers two sets of Razer Kraken E-Panda Hooligan Headphones. Just answer this question: At what age did E-Panda start performing as a professional?

Email your answer with full mailing address to [email protected] by Tuesday. The two winners’ names will be published here a week from today, on March 22, and Razer’s public-relations people in Thailand will mail them the headphones directly.