Q: A few months ago I saw your column about the $39.99 Riot Audio headphones and thought about buying them. Since then, I saw an ad for the JLab Flex headphones, which look the same and sell for $69.99 including a case. Have you tried the Flex headphones, and are they worth the extra $30?

A: When I was at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, I saw a large newspaper ad featuring the JLab Flex headphones. I also noticed the similarities and purchased a pair so I could compare them.

The JLab Flex headphones include a soft case, a removable universal microphone cable with volume control, a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and a lifetime warranty. The Riot Audio headphones include the same universal microphone cable, but no case. There is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, but the warranty is only for 24 months.

Looking at the headphones next to each other, they are exactly the same except for the logos and branding. The materials and workmanship are of high quality, and it is easy to imagine that they sell for more than $100. The sound quality is competitive for a $69.99 headphone and exceptional at $39.99. Though the bass is slightly exaggerated, the crispness and resolution are excellent, and they are extremely comfortable to wear.

For only $39.99 with free return shipping if you are not satisfied, the Riot headphones are an easy recommendation, and I am confident you won't find better construction or sound under $50. At $69.99 for the Flex, you get the same product with a case and lifetime warranty. The Flex is a good value, although there are headphones I prefer for about the same price. For example, for $79 you can buy Grado's wonderful SR60e open-back headphones. They are not nearly as solidly constructed as the Flex, and they do not isolate you from the outside world, but the Grado's sound is definitely superior.

Summing it up, I think that both the Riot and Flex headphones are worth the money they are asking. You just have to decide if the longer warranty and case merit paying more. See them at jlabaudio.com and riotaudio.com.

JLab, left, and Riot Audio headphones.

New product update

A positive trend I saw at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show was the continuing development of OLED TV from many manufacturers. Though LED-LCD technology has come a long way, even the best 4K sets still have not matched the beautiful, natural picture quality of now-discontinued plasma. OLED is the only flat-panel television technology that can match or exceed plasma's picture quality, and I hope we will soon see more affordable OLED TVs, as well as screen sizes bigger than 70 inches. I will be a buyer once they crack the 70-inch barrier.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.