Q: Because the Hifiman HE400se headphones are open-back and let in external sounds, do you think they would be a good choice for jogging? I think I can deal with the wires.
A: I do not think it is a good idea. The HE400se — as well as other fine open-back headphones — are at their best when used for dedicated music listening, not as a sports accessory. The open-back design is more about letting the planar-magnetic drivers perform their best, not allowing in external sound. That is more of a side effect than a feature.
As for wires, the $329 Hifiman Deva-Pro headphones include a Bluetooth amplifier that attaches to the side of the headphones. If you want to use planar-magnetics for this purpose, ill-advised as it is, you would be better served with the Deva-Pro.
Distracted running and cycling leads to many injuries each year. Whenever I have discussed this topic in the past, I've gotten a flood of emails urging me to tell readers not to do any listening at all if running or cycling. I will continue to stay out of that argument, but I will suggest that if you want to listen to music or podcasts while engaging in sports, your best option is to use bone conduction headphones, which leave the ear canal completely uncovered.
Bone conduction headphones have come a long way in the past few years, and while not quite as satisfying as a great pair of earphones or headphones, they are good enough for the purpose. I have recommended the Mojawa MOJO2 in the past and they are a solid choice, especially if you like dynamic music. They are extremely light, have great bass and have racked up great reviews from users. The MOJO2 bone conduction headphones are $109 on Amazon.
Deer-proof planter
My recent column on electric lawn mowers drew strong reader response, so I decided to share my experience with another product for the home and garden, the Vegepod.
I started growing vegetables last year and ended up in a battle with deer, who ate almost every tomato and then started nibbling on my peppers. Everything was growing either in a planter or a raised bed built into the side of my porch, so fencing it off was not an option. Deer repellent, flashing lights and streamers did nothing to keep them away.
I learned of the Vegepod at a home show and realized it would solve my problem. It is a raised bed planter with water wells in the bottom, a cover and an integrated sprinkler system that connects to a hose. I bought the large Vegepod with stand for $749 from Home Depot. Assembling it was somewhat difficult and took several hours, but I finally got it put together.
My Vegepod is now filled with happy, healthy plants that are fully protected from the deer. The Vegepod comes in several sizes, and I have a more thorough review with pictures at soundadvicenews.com.
Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.