Timbre Gitara Headphones Review

Timbre is a local Filipino brand of headphones that’s gearing up to launch this December. Their first flagship product is called the “Gitara”. The cans are made in China but the product design is made here (art by Team Manila). One look at the cans and you know immediately that it was designed by Filipinos. I was able to use the Timbre Gitara Headphones extensively since it was the only cans I brought with me during my trip to Jakarta, Indonesia.

Design and Build

The Gitara comes in either Black or White. It has a flat, cloth covered detachable cable that has an in-line mic remote control. It has leather ear pads as well as a leather cushion at the headband for comfort. The ear cups are can be retracted. You can also fold it up for better portability.

Materials used for the cans is a mixture of rubber and plastic. This is probably one of my biggest concerns. The headphones don’t feel durable to me. I’ve handled a lot of headphones and I feel like this breaks easily. Hopefully I’m wrong though.

With regards to the design I have no complaints whatsoever. Team Manila did a fantastic job with the Gitara and I would be proud to wear these cans anywhere I go. In fact it felt good having these on while I was walking around Jakarta, Indonesia. 🙂

If you want to read more about the packaging, click here for our unboxing article.

Sound Quality

So it looks great but does it sound good? Yes… and no. The cans are definitely made for people who like bass since it’s a closed can and all. If you like listening to mids-driven tracks like rock, acoustic, and jazz then you might find the sound a bit lacking. However if you’re into hip-hop, pop, and other bass-heavy songs that you’ll find the Timbre Gitara nice. The sound signature is actually like a Junior AKG K518 LE.

I heard that our friends from Headfonics have a unit as well for review. I’m waiting for them to do a more technical teardown on these cans. Will post the link when they have the article up.

Verdict

If the manufacturers improve the materials used (especially the leather pads) then we have a winner with the Timbre Gitara. The Php2,500 price tag isn’t too bad since it’s just a little above the ATH-SJ11 and at par with the Koss Porta Pros. The Porta Pros definitely sound better but then again this looks more fashionable, haha. ^^;

The Timbre Gitara Headphones is going to be available in select stores this December 15. Expect to see them on the shelves of A Shop, Team Manila, Sole Project, and more by then. 🙂