Dirt Cheap Headphones: Sakar iConcepts Headphones with Comfort Cushions

As I write this, I'm listening to music on some seriously cheap headphones.  I bought some Sakar iConcepts Headphones with Comfort Cushions from the dollar bins by the front doors of our local Target store.  They cost all of $5.

iConcepts Headphones by Sakar

Here's an important secret:  They actually sound pretty good!

Sound. I've just got them plugged into my laptop and I'm listening to an eclectic selection of free music that I downloaded from Amazon.com over the years.  The little headphones have played everything from "F*** you! I'm famous!" by Dead on TV to the guitar world beat of  "I Ka Barra" of Habib Koite and Bamada.  Sound seemed to be reproduced accurately.  When the volume was cranked up, these headphones got pretty loud.  However, they didn't seem to be deafening. Are these headphones as good as Beats or Bose or Sennheiser headphones?  Absolutely not.  But, they sound pretty good to me.

Cable Length. These inexpensive headphones have a short fabric-wrapped cable.  It is about four feet long, but that is sufficient for listening to personal devices.

Plug Compatibility. These headphones have a standard 3.5mm mail plug that fits standard earphone jacks on devices such as personal computers, MP3 players, and phones.  You would need a cable extension and conversion plug to fit a standard 1/4-inch stereo headphone jack on a component stereo.


Comfort.  The Sakar headphones are on-the-ear headphones with well-padded ear cups.  They are fairly comfortable once adjusted on the ear properly. 

Construction.  Obviously construction quality is the weakest point in a set of $5 headphones.  The wires connecting the speakers are quite thin and you wonder if the fabric-clad wire that connects the headphones to your device will hold up.  While the headphones fold up like more expensive models, the frame is also of wire that is thinner than a coat hanger.  These headphone would likely be deformed if they were dropped, sat on, or subjected to any abuse.  In addition, the synthetic leather on the ear cups is rather thin.  After a couple of days of light use, I noticed that one of the cups will rattle when you shake it.

Wire Construction on iConcepts Headphones

Nevertheless, I'm confident that these Sakar iConcepts Headphones will last for a few months and will be sufficient for light duty use at work.  I can leave them in my desk without worrying that they will be stolen and they will sound better than cheap ear buds from a transistor radio.  For only $5, these earphones are certainly well within the dirt cheap audio price range and they work.

[As I return to this review years later, I'd note that we no longer have these headphones.  They lasted a few months and we discarded them.  A basic pair of Sony headphones would probably be a wiser purchase.]