In the world of computer audio, G-CUBE is not one of those names that comes up often. There's a valid reason for this: The company is still at the stage where it is trying to establish a place for itself amongst the crowd of contenders in this hotly-contested arena. Their new Luxy 500 Dynamic HiFi Headset (model number iHL-500BK) is the company's latest entry into the market of sub-$100.00 headsets.

The company's G-CUBE Audio line only came to being in 2010, a scant two years after the parent company itself started. G-CUBE themselves say that they exist to "(blend) fashion with technology." The Luxy 500 Dynamic HiFi Headset represents the ultimate expression of that stated raison d'etre. With its retro-inspired styling, hand-stitched leather on the soft ear pads and headband, and the "sport luxury" leatherette finish applied to the outsides of the ear cups, the Luxy 500 Dynamic HiFi Headset certainly looks very fashionable; moreover, its 40mm speakers, integratedmicrophone pickup, circumaural design, and astounding versatility speak to its capabilities as a hi-fidelity headset.

Benchmark Reviews will be testing and evaluating the G-CUBE Luxy 500 Dynamic HiFi Headset for its performance as stereo headphones for listening to music on both the PC and a portable music player such as the iPod. Additionally, we will also test its performance as a stereo headset with a modern cellphone as well as chat programs such as Skype. We will also be assessing its ergonomics and styling. Finally, we will give an opinion of just how well the Luxy 500 Dynamic HiFi Headset fits at its price point of $89.99 (Amazon/Newegg).

Closer Look: G-CUBE Luxy 500 Headset

G-CUBE's Luxy 500 headset is a multi-purpose product. On the one hand, it's a fairly standard pair of circumaural (closed-back) stereo headphones, one of hundreds in the marketplace. What separates the iHL-500BK, however, is its integrated microphone, allowing it to also function as a headset compatible with cellphones and PCs for telecommunication.

The G-CUBE Luxy 500 iHL-500BK has retro-inspired styling, looking like a headset that came from sometime in the middle of the previous century rather than a product of 2012-era technology. It certainly does not look like any other headset available in the market today, other than its sisters in the G-CUBE Audio Luxy 500 product line. Our review sample is the black-colored variant of the iHL-500 series, where "L" signifies that a leatherette material is used as a textured surface decorating the outside of the two earcups. Silver is the alternative color option. G-CUBE's Luxy 500s also come in "S" ("Silicon" textured covering) and "M" ("Modern," which looks to have no textured covering) variants. The textured covering is strictly a cosmetic detail on the earcups and confers absolutely no performance effects.

The G-CUBE Luxy 500 comes with a cable attached to the headset's left earcup that includes an inline switch that functions as a "answer/end call" or "play/pause" switch, depending on what device (or what mode, when plugged into a cellphone that also works as a media player) it is plugged into. The cable, which is rather thin and light, terminates in a combo headphone-microphone 3.5mm plug. The combo plug allows it to be used as a headset on devices like cellular phones using just a single connector. For use as a combined headphone+microphone headset on a PC, G-CUBE helpfully provides a 1-into-2 adapter cable; the single female connector splits off into separate male connectors that go intoyour computer's headphone-out and microphone-in jacks. The black end is for the headphone-out jack, while the red connects to the mic-in jack.

Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

Testing the G-CUBE Luxy 500 Headset was a straightforward matter of using it in a variety of scenarios. I plugged it into my laptop to test its effectiveness in Skype; I used it with my Samsung Galaxy S1 to see how it worked as a stereo headset on a cellphone; I also connected the iHL-500BK to my desktop to evaluate it for use on listening to music, movie soundtracks, and even gaming; finally, I used it with both my Samsung Galaxy S1 and my iPod Classic 160GB.

In all these testing scenarios, I principally paid attention to how the headphones sounded during playback. As used as a headset on Skype and with my cellphone, I asked my conversation partners to evaluate how its microphone worked, specifically in terms of how it picked up my voice and whether or not it also picked any ambient sounds.

Finally, I will comment on the G-CUBE Luxy 500's ergonomics, paying special attention to how it fits on my head and just how comfortable they are during extended usage periods.

Results

Functionality

G-CUBE intends the Luxy 500 to be a "jack-of-all-trades," capable of performing in almost any conceivable situation. Accordingly they equipped the iHL-500BK with a combo headphone+mic connector and included a 1-into-2 adapter cable to facilitate its use on voice chat on a PC.

I tested the iHL-500BK for its performance on Skype on my laptop. Sounds over the headphones were clear, while my conversation partners reported that the mic did a good job picking up my voice. They did report, however, that one had to be careful of accidentally banging the mic pick-up against objects since this produced unwanted noise.

Performance as a headset with a cellphone (G-CUBE specifies that the iHL-500BK is iPhone-compatible; I don't own an iPhone, so I tested it with my Samsung Galaxy S1) produced similar results. It was novel but very pleasant to hear my conversation partner through two ears rather than just one, as is typical with most other headsets used on cellphones.

Next I used the iHL-500BK on my desktop PC. Using an extender cable and a 6.3 mm adapter, I hooked it up to my ASUS Xonar Essence STX's headphone jack and listened to a specially-compiled playlist of FLAC and ALAC music files. After literally many hours of listening, I found that the iHL-500BK had very good stereo separation, good tight bass response that was never boomy despite its 40 mm speakers, and good tone overall. My biggest gripe is its harsh, cold sound; it displays a lack of fullness, especially towards the high end of the range.

iPod performance was fairly good as well, mirroring its performance on the Xonar Essence STX. The lack of the sound's overall fullness, though, is accentuated on the iPod.

Ergonomics and Comfort

In terms of ergonomics, the G-CUBE Luxy 500 is probably the single most comfortable set of headphones I've ever worn. The headband doesn't squeeze my ears; I can keep these on my head for hours on end. I actually worked through several hours of my work shift wearing the iHL-500BK. Except for lunch and restroom breaks (and the inevitable office chatter and telephone calls), I never felt the need to take the Luxy 500s off. I've been able to sleep with the G-CUBEs on. Beyond the comfort, they're also excellent at keeping most ambient noise out. The ear cups, though on the smallish side, do a great job in sealing your ears, and the sound, in. Most people's ears should fit comfortably within the cups.

Dynamic HiFi Headset Final Thoughts

I have to say that I didn't know what to expect from G-CUBE's iHL-500BK. The company is virtually unknown, and the Luxy 500 headset defies many conventional expectations upon first inspection. Its small size suggests that it's not a substantial product; it is certainly dainty compared to most headsets in its price range that I've sampled. Its retro-inspired styling, too, is very different compared to its competitors. Plus, perhaps uniquely, it's trying to hit several targets all at once. There's a very real danger when you're trying to be a jack-of-all-trades: In a world where specialization is highly-valued, versatility can sometimes be a curse, if only it encourages the impression you're favoring versatility at the expense of excellence at any one thing.

Having said that, I was very pleasantly surprised with the Luxy 500's performance in its various roles, especially given its price point. Its versatility is not a weakness; it is definitely a strength.

G-CUBE Luxy 500 iHL-500BK Conclusion

IMPORTANT: This section summarizes my thoughts and opinions on the G-CUBE iHL-500BK, broken down into five broad categories: Performance; Appearance; Construction; Functionality; and Value. Be mindful that reviewing and evaluating any piece of audio equipment will always be composed of both objective and subjective observations. Speaking purely for myself, the subjective criteria will always carry more weight, since the use of any piece of audio equipment is, in my opinion, a largely subjective experience in the first place. Having said that, I would strongly suggest you read the entire review for a nuanced, detailed description of the generalizations I write here. In conclusion, this review is composed of purely just my own thoughts on the product being reviewed; someone else with an entirely different experience and context might very well have different things to say about the G-CUBE Luxy 500 Dynamic HiFi Headset.

The G-CUBE iHL-500BK performs very well as a pair of stereo headphones. Stereo separation is very good, and bass response is surprisingly tight and full. Tonal quality is also mostly good and clear. The Luxy 500, however, sounds a bit cold and a little thin. The microphone's performance garners no complaints, but do be mindful that it is a free-standing mic pickup dangling on a cable; unintended collisions may disturb whoever is listening on the other end of the connection.

In terms of appearance, I must say I quite like the iHL-500BK a lot. The old-school styling is distinctive. The use of leather on the headband and the earcups' padding may be standard features on many headphones, but the look is pleasing to the eye. The leatherette accent is also an eye-catching visual touch. But believe it or not, the headband's stitching is quite possibly my favorite visual detail. It gives the impression that the iHL-500BK is a handcrafted piece of kit, just like the seats on an Italian supercar. That's probably an exaggeration of reality, but it's the small details like that I really, really love.

The iHL-500BK is very lightweight, which is directly related to the quality of its construction. If there's one aspect of the G-CUBE Luxy 500 that I very much worry about, it's this. While the leather on the headband looks to be of more than adequate quality, the padding on the headband and in the earcups is thin. The metal portion of the headband looks like I can easily bend and warp it if I tried (I didn't), and all of the cables are also on the thin side. The mic pickup is inside a plastic housing that looks like it could be crushed by someone with adequately strong fingers. Unless you're using specialized exotic materials, light weight usually means a degree of fragility. This is definitely a product you cannot physically abuse and expect to survive. It's a shame, too, since the overriding impression you get in terms of quality of construction is that G-CUBE went the cheap route on materials.

Functionality is the iHL-500BK's strongest suit. It's a multi-role product, and it works in every single scenario I tested it in. Personally I cannot think of another product on the market that hits all of the same targets as the Luxy 500 does, and do so with such aplomb. The only negative in terms of functionality: This headset's cable is far too short at 1.2m. This restricts its use on a desktop PC if you don't use the appropriate cable extenders (you'd need two, of course: One for the mic jack, and one for the headphones).

Opining on the value of the G-CUBE Luxy 500 iHL-500BK Dynamic HiFi Headset is probably the most difficult assessment. Its qualities as a pair of headphones makes me think and feel that its $89.99 (Amazon / Newegg) is fair: It's not a hardcore audiophile's choice of headphone, but headphones that are are far more expensive. That's not G-CUBE's target market, anyway. For someone looking for a good audio experience without breaking the bank, the iHL-500BK is a very good choice. The Luxy 500's versatility only adds to the product's value. On the other hand, I do have concerns about its long-term durability. It's impossible to be definitive about how well the iHL-500BK would stand up to hard use, much less abuse, but my feeling is that the product is too lightweight to stand up to a sustained beating. The lack of physical substance, therefore, pulls the value assessment down a bit. However, I must disclose that Newegg, in particular, has had the G-CUBE Luxy 500 on sale for up to $20.00 off; $69.99 for this product is excellent, in my opinion.

The G-CUBE Luxy 500 iHL-500BK Dynamic HiFi Headset is an interesting product, if only because it fulfills so many roles and does so well. A jack-of-all-trades is sometimes not valued as highly as the specialist, but in this case the iHL-500BK's versatility is its single strongest attribute. Other than the short cable, which is an issue that can be worked around with little real trouble, the only big shortcoming is my concern about how well the Luxy 500 can stand up to the stress of use, never mind outright abuse. Conveniently forgetting that big concern, though, and just judging the iHL-500BK's merits on their own, I'd be willing to shell money out to get one.