By Katharine Czechowski…

If this is your first encounter with noise isolating headphones, listen up. The Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220vi earphones are a great option for first time users, multi-taskers and the more than casual music enthusiasts. Ultimate Ears by Logitech is well-known in the Music Industry as the “manufacturer of fine listening devices” which includes custom in-ear monitors and universal fit earphones for hundreds of artists, athletes and celebrities. In this case, if the TripleFi 10vi is the Rolls Royce, the MetroFi 220vi is the Honda Civic of the headphone world but in a good way.

As the promotional material suggests, users can “stay in touch with the world around…while hearing your music clearly.” Well, I’m here (pun intended) to put the MetroFi 220vi earphones to the test and to hopefully not embarrasses myself in the process.

After a painless un-boxing without the use of the Jaws of Life, the headphones come with three different sized silicone ear cushions in small, medium and large. Choosing a cushion too small for your ears may result in a reduced bass due to a poor seal and with the idiot-proof color coding (red for right), it makes it easier to designate which earphone goes with which ear at a glance.

Test #1: Sound Check

Having experienced the teeth chattering bass and window shattering treble courtesy of DIY stereo systems from other cars at stoplights, I decided that the best way to test the earphones range would be to create a playlist that included the deepest bass and the highest treble.

Result:

From Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Toccata et Fugue” (a.k.a. Phantom of the Opera) to Gunz and Roses’ “Sweet Child Oh Mine” and everything in between the MetroFi 220vi earphones did well to make the bass and treble come through more clearly compared to the standard issue earphones from Apple. Only issue would be the volume change when switching over to a phone call using the mini-high performance microphone. If the caller is a yeller, it’s best to adjust the volume before taking the call. This means you mom.

Test #2: Noise Isolation

The only way to test the effectiveness of Noise Isolation feature was to wear the headphones throughout an entire workday to listen to music, take phone calls and annoy my co-workers during meetings.

Result:

How you think you sound with headphones on is completely different than how you actually sound with headphones on. The internal sound from my music and phone calls came in loud and clear through the headphones but when someone one desk over has to throw paper at me to get my attention to stop me from singing “The Hills are Alive with Music” A Capella, there’s a minor issue on my end. The MetroFi 220vi headphones did a good job at muffling minor noises like typing and allowed me to get lost in my music, much to the dismay of anyone within a 50 ft radius.

Test #3: Obstacle Course

I am in no way physically capable of running through a military style obstacle course but I thought I’d give it a shot for the sake of technology and to test the design of the earphones under extreme conditions.

Result:

According to the packaging the MetroFi 220vi headphones are designed to “sit flush and secure” in your ears. After jumping over logs, running across balance beams and my sad attempt to rope climb, the MetroFi 220vi headphones came loose a few times but only under extreme circumstances. During a normal jog or ab workout these headphones stay put with minimal effort and can work with a range of devices with a 3.5mm jack except for the 3rd generation iPod shuffle.

Bottom line:

The MetroFi 22vi noise isolating headphones with voice capability at a MSRP of $89.99 is a viable option for those who want to upgrade from their standard headphones and for those who need a cheaper alternative to a dual use hands free set to make and receive phone calls. Sound quality, noise isolation and comfort scored well above average over standard headphones and fits the bill.