Monster and Beats have ended their long-standing headphone partnership.

After a five-year operation that has seen the profiles of both companies raised dramatically (in no small part thanks to the great popularity of the Beats by Dre range, pictured)cable and hi-fi manufacturers Monster will no longer be lending their expertise to the beats products.

Monster will continue in headphone manufacturing with 8 new lines, including this morning's Diesel-branded Vektr sets.

Beats are now expected to increasingly pursue moves into mobile platforms. HTC now owns a $300 million stake in Beats, while Hp also uses Beats Audio in its laptops.

There is also rumours of the Beats brand expanding into home-audio, TV technology and fitness gear too.

Monster a teaming up with clothing brand Diesel to release the Vektr headphones and earhpones range, offering "premium-quality listening solution that expertly blends the worlds of fashion and great sound."

While specs are thin on the ground, the duo are definitely delivering a "premium-quality" look to the over-ear Vektr headphones, using an angular, diamond-like plastic with a matte grey and black coating on the cans. "A trendsetting personal listening solution that dramatically breaks conventional headphone style," they wouldn't look out of place on Darth Vader's head.

Despite first-hand experience of Monster's great earphones, it's a shame they're not going into any detail on the tech inside the Vektr sets, though they do offer noise isolation to keep your tunes private from those around you.

There will also be an in-ear pair of Vektrs on the way, described as having a "jet black appearance with a single bold yellow accent and a prominent Diesel logo".

The over-ear Vektr headphones will cost around $250, with he earphones in stores for around $150.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Fitness freaks get another gadget to add to the growing pile of workout-monitoring tech at CES 2012 thanks to the new Iqua Beat headphones.

Pairing with an iPhone over a Bluetooth connection, and syncing with its own iPhone app, the Iqua Beat headphones can monitor heart-rate, calories burned, miles ran, steps taken and your speed.

A touch-sensitive controller unit also allows you to answer phone calls, and select new music tracks by swiping across the controller's surface.

Shipping with an iPhone arm-clip, the splash-proof headphones look a good new tool in the fight against the flab.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Parrot have used CES 2012 to launch their new Starck-designed Zik headphones, jammed full of cutting edge NFC features and audio processing technology.

Touch activated, the headphones have a touch panel that lets you swipe to control volume levels and skip tracks. Connecting wirelessly to you music player over Bluetooth, they feature noise-cancellation and DSP (Digital Signal Processing) tech that gives what the Parrot team are calling the "Parrot Concert Hall" effect, making your music seem as if it is being played in front of you. There's also noise-cancelling features in there too.

Hooking up to an NFC enabled phone is simple too thanks to the built-in tech. Merely let the headphone and NFC device touch each other and both gadgets will be paired, doing away with tiresome Bluetooth syncing if you have the means.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

They've unwrapped their iPods, they've activated their iTunes giftcards, they've downloaded the brand new Super Bang Bang Rude Boy Club album and they're ready to get groovy to that new TWeenwAVE sound!

Don't let this be the scene at your house this Christmas morning! Check out Tech Digest's guide to the best earphones and headphones on the market!

When you're done here, be sure to check out the rest of Tech Digest's 2011 Christmas wishlists too.

Klipsch have today revealed the Mode M40 headphones. A stylish pair of over-the-ear cans, it's the first time Klipsch have had noise-cancelling tech in their headphones.

The Mode M40's employ active noise cancelling tech, using a battery powered system to block out external noise. They'll run for 45 hours per battery, but can also be used without a battery, without the noise cancelling tech.

Being a premium set, the ear pieces are made of a durable material often used in fancy eye wear, with the cups themselves decked out in leather. The cabling is cloth covered, which should go some way towards preventing annoying cable tangles, with the headphones weighing 356 grams.

Getting down to the spec sheet numbers, you're looking at a pair of 40mm woofers with active crossover, and two 15 mm tweeters for high frequency across the two ear pieces.

Frequency response weighs in at 20Hz - 20kHz. Input impedance (@ 1kHz) is 32ohms, while sensitivity (@ 1mW, 15mm) is 97.5dB.

Designed for use with Apple products, the headphones have a 3-button in-line mic, working with iPad, iPod Touch (second gen onwards), iPod Nano (4th gen onwards, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 devices. Though not officially listed as compatible with iPhone 4S handsets, the Mode M40s are said to work fully with the new Apple smartphones, answering calls rather than annoyingly switching on Siri features, which some similar headsets are known to do.

Available now from www.klipsch.com, you can pick them up for £299.99.

Klipsch, one of the best known headphone and speaker manufacturers, have released a headset exclusively for Android, giving you complete control of your phone from your headphones.

The headset comes complete with controls for music and call control, both from a one button remote. The button controls everything, pausing and skipping music tracks, answer and end calls and even carry out a voice search on your phone.

All the features work for any Android phone on the 2.2 operating system or above, which in this day and age of android is a large percentage. The earphones themselves have patented oval ear tips to fit the natural shape of your ear. With the inclusion of noise cancelling technology, which is almost essential in any set of headphones, blocking out all those annoying noises, like other people, leaving you immersed in the world of your music.

To use many of the features all you have to do is download the free Klipsch Control App to your device and you are set with your all in one control for android devices. Retailing at £89.99, they are not for your average music goer, if you want to be in control these are essential. They are available now in the UK from Klipsch.co.uk

Do you remember being a kid and walking past a toy-shop, pressing your nose against the glass and staring longingly at the most expensive LEGO set in the window?

That's the memory and feeling that AKG's K3003 earphones inspire in grown adults. Totally out of reach of Mr or Mrs Average thanks to a whopping £1,000 price tag, you can't help but fantasize over what delights some extra cash would bring to your eardrums.

The justification for the steep asking price? A luxurious hand-crafted finish for starters, and some ridiculously precise audio engineering. They're the first in-ear earphones to feature a three-way driver system, utilising a combination of one dynamic and two balanced armature drivers. In other words, there is a dedicated driver for low-to-mid ranges, a driver specifically for the wider mid ranges, and one for higher, sharper frequencies too. Each pair is numbered, adding to that smug feeling of exclusivity, with a stainless steel housing on the buds themselves, a tangle-free cable, in-line iOS remote and a smart leather case rounding off the package.

Well, almost rounding it off. The AKG K3003's also allow for a little sound customisation in the shape of three interchangeable pairs of mechanical filters which screw into the headphones. The first is a standard reference pair, and the most natural sounding, the second a bass boosting set, and the last a pair that push treble frequencies.

We tried the AKG K3003's last night at an exclusive launch event, trying out both the reference filters and the bass filters, but sadly not the treble filter. The results were impressive to say the least.

Though our testing session was brief, we managed to put the earphones through their paces with a number of musical styles and artists. From the soul of Amy Winehouse to the recent headline-hogging indie legends The Stone Roses, to the brass/bass funk of Curtis Mayfield to the icy-electro sounds of Crystal Castles and 80s sheen of The Human League, the K3003's didn't disappoint.

Using the reference filters, the balance of tones was remarkable. Winehouse's "Love is a Losing Game" saw her voice smoulder at the mid levels, while the sting of the staccato guitars cut cleanly through the warm, sustained bass. Jumping to something completely different like the Human League's "Open Your Heart" and the results were arguably even more impressive. After the first few bars of arpeggiated bass synths, the song positively exploded as the shimmering keys flew around the earphones with the vocal sitting at the fore. Listening to The Stone Roses brooding "I Wanna Be Adored", and we were certain we were hearing guitar lines we never even knew were there before.

We then popped in the bass filters. We had been expecting an overwhelming, soggy jump in the low frequencies, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the filter instead softened and warmed the tone of the classical piece we were listening to (excuse our inability to name the score) and a few tracks from Daft Punk's "Homework" album. The range of tones retained a comfortable balance, tastefully and subtly shifting the lower frequencies ever-so-slightly to the front.

So, are they worth £1,000? That's not really the right question; are any headphones worth £1,000? Almost certainly not; come the inevitable nuclear zombie apocalypse it's a good fallout shelter and 20 years worth of tinned food that will seem like a good investment, not reference-grade, audiophile ear-pieces.

But that's not meant to undermine the luxurious allure of the AKG K3003 buds. They're for people who buy £1,000 items like they're buying a packet of crisps. And, to stretch the metaphor beyond its dubious limits, they're the best sounding packet of crisps that money can buy.

If you demand the very, very best from your earphones, and have a catalogue of lossless music files to fawn over, the AKG K3003s make the perfect companion. Just make sure you really think it over before you re-mortgage your house to get them.

If you've got the cash, you can pick up the AKG K3003 earphones from Harrods and select John Lewis stores.

Scroll down for some more images.

RELATED | VIDEO: £1,000 AKG K3003 in-ear headphones

How much would you pay for a pair of in-ear headphones? £50? £150?

How about £1,000?

That's the asking price for the latest luxury pair from AKG, the K3003 in-ear headphones. They were on show at IFA 2011, and while they were hidden away behind glass meaning we couldn't get a chance to hear them in action, we did get a chance to catch them on camera and grab those all-important specs.

What constitues the £1,000 price tag then? For a start, AKG are claiming that these are the first truly 3-way buds, with separate high, mid and low units, giving a full-bodied sound that AKG claim will match the detail of a high-end Hi-Fi system.

You're also able to customise the out-of-the-box sound by attaching one of three packaged noise filters, letting you boost bass, high frequencies, or opt for the reference levels AKG tailor. Likewise, numerous interchangeable silicone earbuds are included to ensure maximum in-ear comfort.

Hit the video above for more info.

Quality audio hardware manufacturers Klipsch have revealed their Klipsch Mode headphones, an over-ear pair of cans that offer 45 hours of noise cancellation from a single charge.

Padded out with "high-grade leather", the Klipsch Modes switch to a regular pair of stereo headphones once the battery has died, meaning you'll never miss a track just because of a lack of juice.

With a detachable cable, you'll be able to easily replace the audio lead should it become damaged, meaning the cans themselves will still be worth something even if the cabling gives up the ghost. Foldable, the headphones will also prove nice and portable, collapsing down for transportation.

In terms of audio tech, 40mm woofers should lead to strong bass and midranges, supported with active crossover, while 15mm tweeters give clear and detailed highs.

No word on pricing yet (expect it to be relatively high, we'd say), but the Klipsch Mode headphones are due in stores by the Autumn.

High end audio specialists Bowers & Wilkins today reveal their first pair of in-ear earphones, the C5 noise isolating buds. And as you'd expect from the premium brand, they come with a premium price tag too.

Designed specifically for Apple devices, the C5's weigh in at £149.95 a pair.

So what's the best part of 150 smackers get you? As well as noise-isolation, the C5's are built from top-notch aluminium in a "cushion-looped" design.

A micro-porous filter is employed to limit noise bleed and acts as a diffuser, adding to the rich sonic quality and delivers "pristine, natural audio, while also providing a more spacious performance than previously possible from in-ear headphones", according to B&W.

An in-line remote with microphone finishes the package.

Click here for more info.

Name: in40i wEAR earphones (Jamo)

Type: In-ear earphones

Specs: Click here for full specs

Price: £90

Jamo may be best known for creating top-end home audio speakers and home cinema sets, but this summer sees them branching out into earphone manufacturing too. Made up of three sets including the In20m and In30, we took a look at their wEAR range's premium pair, the wEAR In40i earphones. Can they match the quality that Jamo owners Klipsch's earphones regularly present? Read on to find out.

Jamo's knack for a good looking set of speakers continues here, albeit scaled down, with the Jamo In40i earphones. Available in black or white, we had a look at a white pair, finding the earphone's grey accents to be unassumingly pleasing. Comfort isn't something that really factors often into home speaker design, but Jamo have made a really snug pair here for their first earphone attempt, where comfort really matters. Nice and light, with 4 different sized oval tips to better match all ear shapes, they seal out external sound magnificently, hooking into the ear in a way that lets you almost forget that they are there.

Packaged with a small and functional nylon carry case, you've got about 132cm of white cabling to play around with, with a 3 button in-line mic/remote combo sitting a quarter of the way down from the ear buds. Designed specifically for Apple iPod players and iPhones, it'll let you skip tracks, answer calls, pause music and adjust volume without reaching into your pocket for your iDevice, and is positioned sensibly enough to be able to see the buttons should you forget which one controls what. It'll also work in a more limited way with other phone brands, letting you pause tracks and answer and end calls. The mic itself performed well, keeping voice intelligible and picking up only marginal ambient sound, making it a viable headset for handsfree callers.

In terms of sound, we were initially a little disappointed with the In40i earphones. They seemed flat and flabby, lacking the detail necessary to command a £90 price tag. However, given a few hours longer than usual to warm up the wEAR In40i earphones began to flourish.

Though hardly lacking in bass, the earphones sit a little further towards the brighter end of the sound scale, leading to a crisp and defined sound, particularly well suited to classical tracks and getting clear dialogue on top of film soundtracks. Cranking them up for the scuzzy sounds of garage rockers The Von Bondies' Pawn Shoppe Heart album, the earphones proved just as well balanced, with the wiry guitars blending well with the bass tracks and slap of the drums. Heading over to the 8-bit electro beats of the second Crystal Castles album and again the clear detailed tones shined through, handling the sharp, sparse production with distortion-free high frequencies, sounding just as great as the blues-y rock that proceeded it. The dual magnet driver design is certainly put to good use here, once given the chance to settle in a little.

Verdict:

A stellar first effort from the Klipsch subsidiary, the Jamo In40i earphones are very nearly a match for the superb Image X10i set from Klipsch themselves, despite costing less than half the price. Comfortable and light, with a warm, balanced sound if you're patient enough to wait out an initially rough couple of hours, they'll please all but the most anal of audiophiles.

Sony have today revealed their new MDR-DS6500 headphones, designed to give you wire-free psuedo-7.1 channel surround sound playback.

Supporting both analogue and optical digital inputs, the headphones use Sony's Virtualphones Technology (VPT) to recreate a 7-channel soundscape, giving the illusion of having a personal surround sound sytem.

The MDR-DS6500 can decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS and DTS ES formats, with preset equalisers optimised for cinema, gaming and voice (AKA stereo) listening situations.

As they're wireless to a range of 100 metres, they'll be great for giving an extra bit of oomph to Blu-ray playback or gaming without the fuss of another lead, with a single 3 hour charge from the supplied cradle giving 20 hours of playback.

As ever, Sony have yet to reveal pricing, but have said to expect the headset in stores by May.

Name: Q350 Quincy Jones Signature Line (AKG)

Type: In-ear earphones

Specs: Click here for full specs

Price: £59.99 direct from AKG

When it comes to pop music royalty, names don't come much bigger than that of Quincy Jones. From humble beginnings as a travelling jazz musician to the stratospheric success he garnered working with the late Michael Jackson, there are few more respected producers in modern music than Mr Jones. He's recently put his name to a new AKG audio line, and we've got our hands on a pair of Q350 in-ear earphones. Do they live up to their namesake's legendary reputation?

At a penny shy of £60, you can happily place the Q350s in the middle-range price bracket for in-ear buds. It's nice then to see a level detail in their design that would easily serve products twice the price. White with lime-green detailing and cabling, the Q350s look rather eye-catching. They're also very comfortable too, with the buds themselves weighing just 3 grams. As a result, once you've slipped on the correct set of three different sized tips to match your ears, you can happily wear the Q350s for many an hour without even noticing they're there.

At the extreme end of the 1 metre green cabling you'll find a standard 3.5mm jack. Around 10cm from the right ear bud you'll find a 3 button in-line remote control for volume and pause/play functions, compatible with the majority of Apple iPod, iPhone and iPad models. To be honest, it's pretty ridiculously placed; far too high to be able to see which button you're pressing, you'll have to feel around for the raised control symbols to figure out which button you want to press, or take the right bud out entirely and have a look. A little further down the cable and this problem could easily have been averted.

Though we've had no problems with the actual cable itself so far, we're a little concerned to see that the cabling remains in two stuck-together leads beyond the main split halfway up. We'd hate to see the join between the two wires come loose, so you'd best take good care of the earphones when in transit. Thankfully, AKG supply a little carry case in the box for free, meaning you've only got yourself to blame if you cant keep them in good nick.

Moving on to sound quality and the Q350s deliver a crisp, clear experience. Specs wise, you're looking at an Impedence of 16ohms, sensitivity of 121 dB spl and a max input power of 20mW. Though initially a little harsh, a few hours of warming up the buds saw them deliver a solid audio experience from the top and middle ranges, with good detail throughout.

We listened to a range of music with the Q350s and found that classical styles fared best, as the buds themselves were not really up to bass-intensive tracks. Popping on the dance-like "Swim" album from Caribou and girl-fronted gothic-indie from Warpaint's "The Fool" album, we struggled to hear any real definition from bass frequencies, which struggled to make themselves heard over the dominant high frequencies. A little bit of EQ twiddling improved this slightly, but its worth noting that you wont get much bass kick if you're using the Q350s with a device that doesn't let you tinker with equaliser settings.

Verdict:

Though comfortable and stylish, the Q350s feel like a missed opportunity. The placement of the in-line remote is frankly bizarre, making it a chore to use rather than useful. And while the sound quality is likely clear and detailed enough for most musical tastes, the distinct lack of bass left them feeling more than a little cold. Not quite as thrilling then as you'd expect from a product bearing the "Thriller" maestro's name.

Jamo, the Danish speaker specialists, are branching out this month by introducing their first range of headphones. Three models make up the collection (the wEAR In20m, wEAR In30 and wEAR In40i) with pricing options to fit most budgets.

First up are the entry level Jamo wEAR In20m. With an in-line microphone for handsfree calls when in use with a mobile, a moving coil micro-speaker design with controlled damping also allows for a warm, full-bodied sound.They've got a RRP of £69.99.

Next up are the £79.99 wEAR In30. They drop the microphone but up the audio quality. Employing a dual magnet moving coil micro-speaker design with controlled damping, a dual neodymium magnet motor structure in each of the 8.5 mm drivers ups the range's game over the single-driver equipped earphones.

Lastly is the £89.99 wEAR In40i. Sonically the same as the In30, the In40i offer a three-button control set up for iPhone, iPads and iPod Touch devices, making them compatible with VOIP services.

Expect to see the Jamo range in stores from March.

Sony have launched two new sets of headphones today in the shape of the MDR-RF865RK wireless over-ears and noise-cancelling MDR-NC13 in-ears.

Wireless up to a range of 100 metres, the MDR-RF865RK headphones work over a 3-channel FM stereo signal. 3.5 hours of charging will give you 25 hours of playtime, while the headphones switch themselves off when docked with the charging cradle.

The MDR-NC13 in-ears claim to cut out 85% of ambient noise, using active noise-cancellation. A single AAA battery will offer 100 hours worth of noise-pollution-free playback.

Both headsets are due out next month, with pricing yet to be announced.

Name: ProMedia In-Ear (Klipsch)

Type: Gaming earphones

Specs: Click here for full specs

Price: £78.52 from Amazon

Image Gallery: Click here

While gaming headsets are normally of the bulky over-ear kind, the increasingly portable nature of gaming laptops would surely benefit from a pocketable pair of in-ear gaming buds to accompany them too. Enter the Klipsch ProMedia In-Ear gaming earphones, as adept at blaring out the sounds of exploding zombie guts as they are Mozart on your iPod.

Despite costing just around £80, you're getting a very solid pair of noise-makers here, in both build and sound quality. With a fiery red-and-black design, the small buds fit comfortable in the ear, with a cable long enough to reach even the most well-hidden soundcard or deeply-pocketed MP3 player. A small remote and microphone sits about a third of the way down the lead, with a single button embedded. A clip for attaching the cable to a jacket lapel is also included, alongside a splitter for a laptop's separate microphone and headphone inputs.

Bobbing along to a range of music, we were pleased with the earphone's noise-isolating design. While not quite silent, the passive noise cancellation worked very well at blocking out ambient noise; even better if you pick the right size from the three included ear gels (med, large, small/med dual flange).

Sonically they were a treat for music too. The harsh mix of sounds on At The Drive-In's Relationship of Command album were deftly separated, with crystal clear vocals, crunching guitars in the mid-to-high range and sharp snare and hi-hat sounds in the top-end. Bass had a decent kick, but was a little lacking compared to other gaming headsets. Listening to Radiohead's fairly bass-heavy latest album King Of Limbs felt a tad weaker than we'd grown used to with our standard Astro A40 gaming headset for example.

Testing out the Klipsch ProMedia In-Ear's gaming guts, we tore through a few missions of Bioware's original Dragon Age title on the PC and came away very impressed. From the clashing of swords to the crisp voice-over work, the buds nicely enveloped us in the game's world, with strong separation across the stereo channels giving a decent feeling of movement. Again, bass response in the booming Lord of the Rings style soundtrack was a little weak, but not so bad as to feel tinny by any means.

A quick game of Left 4 Dead 2 over Steam, notorious for its voice-chat compression, received a thumbs-up from our online pals, with the Klipsch ProMedia In-Ear again doing well to avoid hiss or interference in its microphone. However, while the mic worked well for gaming and VoIP PC programs, it's worth noting that it's function is limited only to VoIP apps like Skype for iPhone, and not for regular call taking.

They may not pack the bass-y punch of other in-ear headphones, nor the pseudo 5.1 effects that now come as standard in many over-ear gaming headsets, but in terms of versatility, clarity and portability, the Klipsch ProMedia In-Ear are the travelling gamer's new best friend.

4/5

V-Moda are letting their customers update their popular Cossfade LP over-ear headphones range, letting owners put their own individual stamp on the cans by offering mix-n-match designs and platings.

Each pair can be personalised using six plate colour options (Gold, Black, Gunmetal, Pink, Purple and Red) as well as four engravings (a numbered jersey, crown, skull snake, and vinyl immortal angel logo).

"Our company vision derives from the Italian word, moda, meaning style," says Val Kolton, Chief Visionary Officer of V-MODA and professional DJ. "Crossfade Customs lets you endorse yourself with individual style while enjoying the best sound, comfort and build quality of the highly-acclaimed Crossfade LP. As a testament to the Crossfade's sound and durability, in only a few months of availability it quickly became the headphone of choice for hundreds of the world's top musicians, athletes and stars."

Beyond the customisation options, the Crossfade LP headphones also boast patented 50mm dual-diaphragm drivers, BLISS noise isolation technology for blocking out unwanted external sound, memory foam ear-cushions, a metal memory headband and signature "V-ANGLE" design.

Pick up a custom set of Crossfade LP headphones from V-Moda by clicking here, priced approximately at £145.

Though you wouldn't normally associate gaming headsets with the in-ear form factor, if there was one brand who'd get it right you'd put money on it being Klipsch. Their Image X10i earphones were the best we tested last year, andnow the company are readying the ProMedia InEar set to woo the hardcore gaming crowd with.

Featuring a hands-free mic and VOIP/Gaming adaptor, the headphones "keep gamers fully immersed in their cyber worlds by employing a powerful custom transducer in each ear piece, using an 8.5 mm driver and moving coil technology with a dual-magnet motor structure." In normal person speak, you're getting the sort of sound quality usually reserved for gaming headphones twice the price of the ProMedia InEar ones.

The headphones will also do a bit of passive noise-cancellation thanks to the patented oval tips employed to snugly fit your ears, which also result in far better bass levels.

Priced at £89.99, you can pick them up from Amazon or direct from Klipsch.

Today the audiophile's favourite, Shure, unveiled the SE215 Sound Isolating Earphone, as well as the expansion of its headphone line with two new models - the SRH550DJ and SRH940.

The SE215 Sound Isolating Earphone, featuring a newly developed Dynamic MicroDriver and a detachable cable. According to Shure, the new model offers detailed sound with enhanced bass, and its design blocks out up to 90% of outside sound. Apparently they are also ideal for performing on stage featuring an in ear monitoring system. This latest edition to Shure's range will be available for £99.99.

The introduction of these latest headphones aims to bring Shure's earphone heritage to studio engineers, home recordists, performers, DJs, and of course audio enthusiasts. The SRH550DJ is said to be ideal for both DJ and general listening use, while the SRH940 is optimised for studio monitoring and mastering. The SRH550DJ will be available for £99.99, and the SRH940 will be available for £249.00.