Headphones are not just about audio, it’s also about design and looks that’s why they come in different styles to fit the wearer’s personality and preferences. Some are simple and subtle while others are expressive and asks for attention. The Sol Republic TKDK Tracks HD V10 fits the latter description. Find out what we think of these cans by reading our review.
Design and Construction
Like what was mentioned earlier, the Sol Republic TKDK (Tokidoki – Japanese for “Sometimes”) is graphic and expressive, that’s why the first thing you’ll notice about it is its looks. It sports a purple and black theme and features a Japanese-inspired graffiti artwork on the headband which would appeal more to the feminine audience.
Being a stylish headphone, one of the Sol Republic TKDK’s main feature is the interchangeable headband. Sol Republic has been releasing Limited Edition headbands which lets users purchase a new design to give their old pair a fresh look every now and then.
The headband is made of tough but flexible transparent plastic with soft leatherette padding underneath. It attaches to the cups through a couple of slots which then holds the band firmly in place yet still allows the user to adjust the headband to his/her liking.
The cups feature what Sol Republic calls the SonicSoft Speaker Pads which are firm but comfortable on the ears. The middle part is made of plastic with matte finish while the exterior is metallic and is cool to the touch. Both cups have headphone jacks underneath to accommodate the left and right 2.5mm connectors.
When worn, the headphones feels comfortable and light. The cups clasps firmly on the ears which makes it effective in blocking external noise while the padding under the band doesn’t exert too much pressure on the head.
It feels wide on the head though and wobbles if you move around too much. So if you’re planning to bang your head or jump around in tune to the beats, it’s not going to stay in place for too long.
Sound Quality
The Sol Republic TKDK boasts what it calls a V10 HD Sound Engine and we’ll tell you straight away that it is biased towards lows. Its capable of producing powerful bass that is punchy and full which is very evident when you’re playing club and hip hop music. So if your playlist is dominated by those types of tracks, then you’re in good hands. However, we cannot say the same thing when it comes to delivering the upper parts of the spectrum. Mids are good but the highs are weak and short on dynamics.
When playing rock music like ones from AC/DC and Kings of Leon, we noticed that it lacks brilliance and edginess. Vocals are not as articulate as we want them to be and there are also moments when tracks feel blanketed. Stay away from the TKDK if you’re very critical about the quality of your rock or acoustic music.
The TKDK also comes with an inline mic with controls which is optimized for Apple devices. It works with Android too but we noticed that only the play/pause/skip button works on my device. We also used the TKDK for receiving calls and so far it works well. Call quality is good and the person on the other line had no problems hearing us.
Conclusion
The Sol Republic TKDK is one of the most eye-catching headphones we’ve come across. It has an energetic design which should appeal mostly to young people. The interchangeable headbands is also great feature as you can swap it if you want to sport a new look. It’s pricey though at almost Php10k given its sound performance. Sound-wise, it falls short when it comes to rock music or anything that needs emphasis on highs. On the bright side, it’s optimized for bassy music like club, party, or hip hop music and the TKDK delivers those tracks well.
The Sol Republic TKDK has a price tag of Php9,500 and is available at the following Astroplus, Astrovision stores: SM Aura Premier, SM Mall of Asia, VMall Greenhills, Glorietta 2, Greenbelt 5. Landmark Department Store Makati, Pismo Digital Lifestyle store in Shangri-la Mall.
What we liked about it:
* Artistic design
* Flexible and interchangeable headband
* Light and comfortable
* Good bass production
* Features in-line mic with controls
* Comes with carrying pouch
What we didn’t like:
* Too wide when worn
* Weak highs
* Pricey
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