Great Sound Balance Across All Genres

The Good + Attractive design + Innovative cable design means wires do not tangle + Comes with convenient hard carrying case + Great sound balance across a variety of genres

The Bad - In-line remote features limited functionality with non-Apple devices - Mediocre call quality - Expensive 

The Soul by Ludacris SL49 is the latest in a line of in-ear headphones which are enshrined in a dash of celebrity charm. The endorsement extends little beyond the sartorially nuanced aesthetics but the SL49 easily captivates listeners with a balanced audio performance. If you are in the market for a chic pair of headphones which sound stellar across a variety of genres, we wouldn’t feel guilty for readily recommending the SL49.

Much like the other headphones in its price category, a portion of the premium paid for the SL49 is channelled into the handful of useful features. One such increasingly popular feature among modern audio devices is the in-line remote which allows you to adjust the volume, play, pause, fast forward and rewind music and videos without ever having to touch your media player. The remote also functions as a microphone, allowing you to answer calls. The SL49 features the ‘Made for iPod, iPhone & iPad’ mark, meaning the remote will work well with all iDevices with limited functionality in Android smartphones and other media players. In my tests, the remote worked with the iPhone 4 but inputs failed to register on a Sony Ericsson Android handset. Call quality is also mediocre at best with multiple distortions that make voices barely audible.

Peel the limited functionality and the questionable call quality on the in-line remote away and you have other much welcomed design innovations. The flat sided cables, aided with what the manufacturer calls a cord manager, mean the wires do not tangle. The SL49 comes with 2 other ear buds of different sizes aside from the default medium sized one and while 3 may not be that large of a number to work with, there is bound to be one that would fit your ear nicely. Soul by Ludacris also includes a convenient hard carrying case with the SL49 but I am sure the headphones aren’t fragile.

Fortunately, despite the bonus features and accessories being something of a curate’s egg, the SL49 fires on all cylinders in the sound department. On all instances, the SL49 delivers rich, detailed and clear audio with an enhanced bass that does not compromise other beats. I tested the SL49 on a few tracks and the headphones did not disappoint. The bass on ‘Late Night Tip’ by Three 6 Mafia stood out well but I was still able to coherently pick the rap out in the background. And even though instruments are played contiguously in ‘6:00’ by Dream Theatre, the drum and guitar beats were well defined and distinct. The deep piano tones in Christina Perri’s ‘Jar of Hearts’ were underscored finely without overwhelming the sweet lows and mids of the vocals as well.

The SL49 may be the most affordable in the Soul by Ludacris range of headphones but at $169, they remain expensive for the average consumer who wants a no-frills set. But pick this up and you will be handsomely rewarded with an impressive audio performance that offers great sound balance across all genres. The in-line remote falters but the great audio is more than enough to justify its price.

The Soul by Ludacris SL49 In-ear Headphones is now available at EpiCentre and Stereo Electronics (both various outlets).

Review by Loh Yong Jian