I've tried a variety of in-ear 'phones and the SA6 is more comfortable and sounds more natural than any of them.

Consumer Technology: We tried some dreamy new gadgets for you

By SCOTT TAVES

Headphone addiction

I have a headphone fetish. A great set of 'phones are more important to me than any media player, and an average pair completely ruins any listening experience for me. I've had an ongoing love affair with V-Moda's mighty Vibe headphones ($100) for about a year now, but I try to keep an open mind.

Sleek Audio is an upstart boutique company with roots in hearing-aid design. Their debut product is the ingenious SA6 in-ear headphone system ($250). Crafty innovations include a completely tunable audio experience and modular design. Included are three sets of swappable treble filters and bass ports; I left the installed trebles and plugged in the extended bass ports and was instantly wowed by the precise, rich sound.

I've tried a variety of Shure and Etymotic in-ear 'phones and the SA6 is more comfortable and sounds more natural than any of them.

Because my cable always dies before the headphones, I appreciated the detachable cord that plugs into each ear bud. Replacements go for $25, infinitely easier to swallow than a new set of cans. Sleek also is looking to ditch cables altogether with an upcoming Bluetooth adapter.