Polk Audio Buckle is a unique headphone designed by renowned American maker Polk Audio, the product is so-called for belt-imitating design. Polk Audio brand is best known for its speakers for home speakers and car stereos. It also manufactures a broad spectrum of other audio products, such as amplifiers and FM tuners.
Polk Audio Buckle has many favorable qualities such as a distinctive design, a snug fit, rugged parts, and satisfactory audio quality. However, there are some imperfections that are very disconcerting as they come at a premium price.
Although it cannot be considered the best headphone in this price range, certain elements work in its favor.
Keeping the price and performance aside for a while, the design itself is something to talk about. The majority of the over-ear headphones today come with a basic design using basic materials and black color.
Although you might not appreciate the belt buckle look, there’s no denying that they have come up with a unique design. It particularly stands out in the market as there are no headphones like it.
Polk Audio Buckle Design:
The Polk Audio Buckle is an ergonomically designed headphone that features pivoting ear cups that ensures that the Buckle conforms to the shape of your head for a snug and secure fit.
The overhead brown band is nicely stitched and there’s a silver belt buckle on the earcups. The belt buckle is a matte-finished metal that is cool to the touch.
The outer part of ear cups is made out of plastic which is painted brown and it has soft cushion pads that rest on your ears.
This makes the headphone hefty which can be credited to the sturdy materials used and the belt buckle design. In spite of this, the headphones are comfortable to wear even for long durations.
But you will never forget that you are wearing them which is not in the case of many lighter headphones by other brands.
The belt buckle has a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows you to connect a detachable brown cable that is made out of heavy-duty rubber. The points where cables often break are well protected. It ensures sturdiness and durability.
The controller of this headphone is also unique and requires some getting used to. The box also includes a 3.5mm to a quarter-inch adapter and a carrying pouch finished in a cream color with a leather pull cord.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions measure 3.33 x 6.9 x 7.32 inches. The total item weight is 1.8 pounds. Manufactured by the known brand Polk Audio. Its item model number is AM5118-A and comes with
Batteries are made out of Lithium Ion.
Available since September 20, 2013, and it is still being manufactured meaning the product is not discontinued.
The customers have rated it as 3.7 stars out of 5 stars.
Price and Availability:
The Polk Audio Buckle sells for around $89.85 for the original brown variant and the black variant is priced at $59.90. They are available on Amazon.com and a bunch of other websites to purchase. Although they don’t offer the best sound quality that can match their design and sturdiness, they are justly close.
A little bit of distortion can be felt in the sub-bass range but it is not a deal breaker, the Buckles delivers a clean audio experience with little distortions and fading in mid-range frequencies.
Sound Quality:
The headphones have impressive audio but it’s not perfect. It’s pleasing to the ear with subtle stress on treble and bass. They offer a good amount of clarity and you can distinguish between the high, mid, and low frequencies. However, it struggles in the upper mid-range, and it is under-emphasized. This drawback is the only real flaw in the sound quality of what otherwise is a balanced headphone.
A slight audio distortion can be felt when listening to heavy bass music as the bass-boosted parts are not the cleanest. Although this is a minor issue, its competition still manages to avoid this problem at the same price range.
But for over-ear headphones, the audio leakage is almost non-existent. You can blast songs from any genre and artists but the people around you would not be able to hear any noise coming out of the headphones when you are wearing them.
It does not have an active noise cancellation feature or an in-ear design and you will be able to hear the world around you when not listening to music at higher volumes.
All in all, the headphone is a good performer, if you are not looking for a very high-end audio experience.
Pros:
- Its unique design is unlike anything in the market
- It has compelling sound quality
- It is highly durable because of the sturdy material used for its manufacturing.
- It has a good amount of bass on offer.
- It comes with integrated controls for Ios devices
- It has a balanced experience no matter what genre of music you listen to.
- It provides great value for money.
Cons:
- The mid-range frequencies are invisible to the ear in this headphone
- A minor distortion can be noticed when listening to the bass-boosted songs.
Polk Audio Buckle Reviews:
The Polk Audio Buckle eccentric design is a welcome deviation from the mainstream, and the company has certainly employed its years of knowledge in manufacturing unique-looking speakers which can be seen in this product as well.
The sound quality here is not exactly a high-end experience, but it’s not something to complain about either. A good amount of bass and flat mid-tone stress grant a great balance between musical frequencies. If only they paid a little attention to the mid-section, this could be the champion of the mid-range
On the design front, everything’s good across the board. The Buckles make it heavier than your average over the ears headphones. Still, they make up for it with the build quality, durable materials, and a quirky look that’s distinguishable from anything else on the market.
In the end, as we mentioned in the title itself that it cannot be considered as another notch in the belt. However, they are a good choice if you like the design, have fixed a budget where it sits perfectly, and do not expect perfectly balanced audio.
FAQs:
1. Why its called an audio buckle?
Its called an audio buckle as it is designed in a similar way to resemble a belt buckle.
2. Who manufactures these audio buckles?
It is manufactured by Polk Audio Inc which was founded in 1950 and has its headquarters in San Diego, California.
3. What other products do they manufacture?
Polk Audio is best known for making unique designed speakers for the home. They also make car stereo systems, amplifiers, and Fm tuners.
4. What is unique about the Polk Audio Buckle?
The most unique aspect of the Polk Audio Buckle without a doubt is the unconventional design. It resembles a belt buckle that is wrapped around your head.
5. When was it launched?
It was available to purchase since September 2013.
6. What comes in the box?
The box contains the headphone itself, a detachable long wire, some documentation, and a pouch to carry it everywhere.
7. How does it sound?
It has a balanced sound system with a good amount of bass on offer. The audio quality is nothing to complain about.
8. What are its cons?
Some audio distortions can be felt while listening to bass-boosted songs at higher volumes. Its controller also does not support the android platform.
9. Is the Polk Audio Buckle worth it?
If you are looking for uniquely designed headphones and not going for a very high audio experience. Then it is definitely worth it.
