Denon AH-C351

Short-Term Use (7.00)

This score is entirely our opinion, based on an hour of wearing the headphones. As is our standard comfort section caveat, we highly recommend trying out the headphones yourself if at all possible. We wore the AH-C351s for an hour, and found them to be comfortable. We ended up taking them for a jog, using our oh-so-trendy arm holstered media player, and were quite pleased – the ear buds stayed in and the cord didn’t flap around. We didn’t like using the extension cord as much, just because the plug-to-jack connection made the cord bulky and just a tiny bit heavier than we’re used to. That being said, it’s nothing we didn’t get used to by the end of our first hour.

Extended Use (7.00)

We didn’t really notice much of a difference between the one-hour mark and the six-hour mark of wearing these headphones. This is impressive for in-ears, which can typically irritate your ears over periods of extended use. In this case, however, we think the comfort comes from the sleeves, which aren’t particularly rigid. If this theory is correct, it might account for the lack of isolation we found in testing: a loose fit could mean a poorer seal, or thinner material, which would allow more sound in. Our crackpot theories aside, the AH-C351s can definitely be worn for extended periods of time.

Cable Connectivity (3.71)

With the extension cable, these headphones are about 52.25 inches long, or a little over 4 feet, 4 inches. This is a typical length for portable headphones, as it can typically jog from your ears to your pocket, and into your concealed media player. Of course, this length is with the extension cord; the length without it is slightly more than 2 feet. You might recognize this length as being ridiculously short for a cord. The reason for the short stretch of cable is to aid joggers who have their media players strapped to their upper arm, as is the current fashion (also, no one wants their iPod smacking them in the thigh while they run).

All the jacks and plugs are 3.5mm, or 1/8 inch. This probably won’t be a problem, since we doubt you’ll be plugging these in to the1/4-inch-accepting stereo in your living room.

Customizability (3.50)

In terms of customizability, the AH-C351s don’t have as many options as other in-ear headphones. There’s only one type of sleeve (the rubbery bit that goes on the ear bud), which is a bit disappointing, but it does come in three different sizes.

The only other option is inherent in the extension cord. You can make these headphones a normal length, or shorten them if you prefer to wear your music on your sleeve.

Portability (9.25)

These headphones are very portable. First of all, they’re in-ear headphones, which means they don’t take up a lot of room to begin with. Second, they’re super short without the extension cord, allowing the perfect amount of room to reach that iPod strapped to your upper arm. We went on a few jogs with such a configuration, and we had no issues with a flapping cord or the buds slipping out.

Maintenance (2.00)

Just about the only way you can clean/maintain these headphones is by removing the sleeves and cleaning them via your own methods. There aren’t any cleaning tools, removable nozzle guards, or parts you can easily disassemble.

Other Features (5.00)

Battery

These headphones do not require batteries, which lets them pick up some easy points.