SOL Republic Tracks HD Review | 93 Data compared

Sol Republic Tracks HD Review Summary The Sol Republic Tracks HD on-ear headphones feature a modular, highly customizable, and nearly indestructible plastic design. Users can fully detach and swap out individual components, including the flexible headband, ear cups, and the Y-shaped cable, making replacements easy if a part breaks. The cable includes a plastic inline remote control designed to change songs, answer calls, and adjust volume, though full remote functionality is limited to Apple devices and does not work properly on Android. While a carrying case is provided, the stiff headband cannot fold or collapse, making the unit somewhat inconvenient to pack for travel. Despite their sleek, durable look, these $130 headphones deliver sub-par audio performance and poor user comfort. Audio testing reveals a heavily distorted, overemphasized bass that masks critical mid-range and high frequencies, causing vocals, strings, and percussion to sound severely diminished. Sound output is also poorly balanced, with sub-bass and high frequencies measuring significantly louder in the right ear than the left. Additionally, the ear cups sit flat and fail to accommodate the natural angle of human...

The Sol Republic Tracks HD V10 review on T3 highlights a pair of bass-heavy, on-ear headphones released in April 2013 for £99.99. Targeted at a young, hip demographic like skaters, these modular headphones require users to slide the earpieces onto the headband and plug in the thick, detachable cord themselves. This unique design serves as a major structural pro: the flexible polymer headband is highly durable and can be tossed across a room without breaking, while the interchangeable parts allow users to easily swap headbands (£25) and cables (£16) across eight different color options. Performance-wise, the core advantage is the impressive sound quality, which delivers deep, full bass that rivals Beats by Dre Solo without overpowering the decent midrange and high tones. The addition of integrated inline cord controls and hands-free microphone functionality further increases its value. However, the review outlines several key comfort and isolation flaws. A primary con is the lack of any dedicated active noise-cancelling technology. Compounding this issue, the leather earpads are relatively small compared to competitors like the Beats Executive, resulting in noticeable environmental sound...

The Sol Republic Tracks HD headphones offer exceptional comfort and audio performance at a reasonable retail price of £99.95. The reviewer notes that the "SonicSoft" leather-cushioned ear cups make them comfortable for long-term wear. A major highlight is the highly durable, flexible headband that can be bent or twisted without breaking. Furthermore, the innovative interchangeable design allows users to swap out headbands easily using a tight friction-fit slot. The headphones also include a functional three-button inline remote and a ClearTalk microphone that delivers excellent voice clarity during mobile calls. In terms of audio quality, the headphones excel with a well-rounded sound reproduction powered by their V10 sound engine. Pros include a strong, meaty bass response with rich earthy tones, paired with a crisp treble that provides impressive vocal clarity rarely found in sub-£100 audio gear. The reviewer considers them a much better value alternative to pricier competitors like Beats. While the review is overwhelmingly positive, potential cons inferred from the design include the added long-term cost if users decide to collect multiple individual headbands. Overall, their stellar performance across movies,...

The SOL Republic Tracks HD headphones are noted for their durable, modular design featuring a flexible, near-indestructible headband and easily swappable parts. Proponents highlight the V10 sound engines for delivering a fun, punchy audio experience with powerful sub-bass and clear vocals, making them ideal for genres like EDM and hip-hop. YouTube· Conversely, user feedback indicates significant drawbacks regarding comfort, with the headband applying high clamping pressure that can cause ear pain after short listening sessions, exacerbated by non-pivoting ear cups. While the bass is strong, the midrange and treble are described as muddy or muffled, leading to limited instrumental separation and a constrained soundstage that may not appeal to critical listeners. Read more on the Head-Fi showcase page at Head-Fi.

The Sound & Vision review highlights the modular Sol Republic Tracks lineup for its durable, interchangeable, and highly flexible headband design, alongside a high-efficiency engine that allows for easy driving by portable devices. However, the design suffers from limited comfort due to non-pivoting ear cups causing a "caliper effect," as well as poor passive noise isolation. Sonically, the lineup scales from the bass-heavy, dark sound of the entry-level Tracks to the more detailed, balanced V12 engine in the Tracks Ultra, with the HD model offering a middle-ground aimed at rock listeners. A consistent drawback noted across all three models is a compressed, two-dimensional soundstage.