Review: Just Mobile HeadStand headphone stand

by Bill Palmer

Most high end headphones come with carrying cases. But if you sit down at your desk and take off your headphones, their most likely destination is to simply be sat down on the desk surface for the sake of convenience, which of course is neither elegant not particularly safe. So the HeadStand from Just Mobile aims to make it easy and efficient for you to place them on your desk. It sits about a foot tall, with a large circular base and a hanger perched simply atop a pair of thin poles.

The silver aluminum brushed metal design of the HeadStand is aimed to match that of today’s MacBook, iMac, and other computers which employ the same material. In my tests I found that the slab of rubber covering the bottom surface kept the unit steady even on my somewhat slippery glass desk. I tried a number of headphones large and small, and found that they all fit with room to spare, even when the headphones are fully extended for the largest of heads.

The base employs a pair of circular metal pieces one on top of the other, without about a quarter inch in between, which Just Mobile says can be used for wrapping your headphone cables to keep them from being cluttersome. I found that this wrapping mechanism worked better with some headphones than others, as some had three-button control panels that were too thick to be wrapped into the slot. But as this product is for those who don’t want the hassle of putting their headphones back into their storage case every time they’re taken off, I suspect that most users won’t take the time to wrap up the cables anyway. And setting that one concern aside, this is an ideal product.

The HeadStand is clearly only going to appeal to those users who have spent a pretty penny on headphones. If your total headphone budget is a mere $100, for instance, you’re better off buying $100 headphones than buying $50 headphones and this $49 stand. But if you’re the owner of headphones that cost $200 or $300, then the HeadStand makes a lot of sense – both because it’ll keep your expensive headphone investment from getting beaten up prematurely, and because in such case you can presumably afford it.

Price: $49.95 • Just-Mobile.com

About Bill Palmer

Bill Palmer is Editor in Chief of Beatweek Magazine. His editorial contributions include interviews with musicians and iPhone industry coverage.