Hello Head-Fi!
ROCK JAW audio was kind enough to ask me to review their
Alfa Genus IEM, so here is my honest opinion of the product that they provided. I'll be touching on several different aspects of the IEMs, including the build quality, packaging, included accessories, and last but not least, the sound quality of the earphones.
Video Review
This video sums up my review pretty well. If you'd prefer a written review, well, read on!
Preface
I've been using the Alfa Genus for several weeks now, and have accumulated around 80 hours of listening and burn-in time. I don't feel that burn-in is necessary in most cases, but I figured it couldn't hurt to add on a few hours when I wasn't actively listening. All songs that I've based this review off of are 320Kbps Spotify streamed, sometimes though an ALO Rx Mk.3 B+ amp. I didn't use the amp at all times, because it's my opinion that a pair of mid-fi earphones should perform well out of anything... especially considering that a large number of users will be running straight out of their phones. Honestly these are ~$50 earphones, and you really shouldn't need an amp for them.
Basically, if you couldn't tell from the above paragraph, I'm not an audiophile. I just like my music, and it's as simple as that.
If you'd like to see the playlist that I used for the most part,
click here to check it out. I keep it updated with all of the tracks that I use for critical listening.
With all of that out of the way, let's jump into my review of the ROCK JAW Alfa Genus.
Packaging, Accessories, Build Quality, and Other Stuff
Packaging
The Alfa Genus is packaged well. When it comes down to it, a product's packaging is simply designed to transport and display it well. If it ticks off just those two marks, it works. A practical example of this would be Mr. Speakers' Mad Dogs, which sacrificed fancy packaging in order to provide stronger sound.
That being said, premium packaging certainly won't hurt a product’s chances, and it seems that RockJaw took that to mind.
The package holds the filters securely and in a premium way
The soft foam held within a hard cardboard outer shell is a great combination, and it works well to store everything safely. In fact, I have very little to complain about when it comes to the way that the Alfa Genus is packaged. The only issue that I had is that the filters can be difficult to remove from the foam if they get pushed in too deep.
Accessories
The first included item is the "case" for the earphones, which is simply a fabric pouch emblazoned with the RockJaw logo. The drawstrings on the top serve well in holding the IEMs within the pouch, and while it's not the most glamorous solution, it gets the job done. I do wish that it was just a bit more premium feeling though... there's nothing wrong with the pouch, it's just nothing special.
The only other included accessories (not counting the filters, which I'll talk about in the Sound section) are 4 different sets of tips and a small shirt clip.
All of the included accessories, not counting the filters
Accessories are one of the areas in which the Alfa Genus could use some work. The included ones are fine, but they could be better. However, when you bring the price point back into consideration (hovering around $50 USD on Amazon right now), I feel that it's fair to cut RockJaw some slack.
Build Quality
As it says right on RockJaw's website: these bad boys are made from a combination of Ebony and Aluminum. Yeah, they're $50. I'm actually impressed by how nice the Alfa Genus really feels. My pair has different designs and wood grains on each side, which is a really nice touch.
The wood grain on my pair of Alfa Genus
The cable is thicker than a typical one, and adds a level of confidence that I like. There is a short(er than I'd like) section of flexible plastic right where the cable meets the driver housing that feels like it'll do a decent job of protecting against any strain. The cable terminates into a 90° jack that seems to be engineered to fit into any phone case - it's thin and light, but also has a decent amount of strain relief. The Y-connector is simple, but light.
I have exactly two complaints about the build quality of the Alfa Genus: the left/right markings are nigh impossible to find, and there is no cable cinch to be seen. The lack of a cable cinch means that when you're sitting down (or in some other situation where the cable wouldn't be taut) the cables have a tendency to move outwards - a minor inconvenience. As the built in microphone will always be on the left side, the simple solution that I used to solve the L/R problem is just to use the mic to find the left side.
For the price, these earphones look awesome, and have a build quality to match.
Other Stuff
Microphonics aren't great. Sounds are pretty easy to get if you disturb any part of the cable above the Y-connector, and it can get annoying. It helps to wear them over the ear, but with this type of earphone that's not much of a solution.
The other side of that negative is that the earphones are compact and lightweight. Their design makes them really comfortable to wear once you find the right tips, and it's simply pleasant to use them.
On the note of tips, the included ones aren't very sound isolating... at all. They
are constructed well, but they simply let in some sound. If music is playing it isn't too bad, but don't expect CIEM levels of isolation.
The microphone could be better, and the inline controls don't work on any of my android devices.
Sound Quality and Filters
Filter Impressions
Allow me to preface this section by confessing that I have no idea how RockJaw got the filters to change the sound so much. As I compared the build of the black (reference) and silver (enhanced bass?) filters I was unable to find a single difference physically between the two - they looked fully identical except for the colors. With that in mind, when I tried both sets, they were very different. I... don't know how. The black filters made the bass back away and give the stage to the mids and highs, while the silver filters presented an enjoyable (more bassy) performance. I'm baffled.
I tested myself by using one black and one silver at the same time - there is a very audible difference. That's pretty cool to me. I can understand how the gold (neutral) filter changes the sound, as when you look through it you can see a foam of some sort. The black and the silver? Not so much. Magic!
Anyways, my preferred filter overall was the silver one, so I used it for most of my listening. I know that RockJaw released the gold filters in response to the reviews that they got over the years, but I found that the silver filter created the blend of sound that I enjoyed the most. My impressions veer away from what the box would have you believe, as my thoughts were that the gold (neutral) filters had more bass than the silver (enhanced bass) filters. I think that's why I like the silver filters so much - it's a good blend between the two others.
On a less positive note, this impression has me questioning the quality control in place to ensure that all of the filters produce the same sound. Other (
more notable) reviews have concluded that the gold filter is the middle ground, while I found that it was on the end of the spectrum in my case. By far. The gold filter also reduces the sound level, probably because of the foam inside of it.
In any case, the two most noteworthy filters in my book are the silver and black. I'll now go a bit more in-depth into these two options.
Silver Filter
RockJaw promotes the silver filter as having enhanced bass, which it most definitely does if you compare it to the black filter. I love this filter, and it turns the Alfa Genus into an awesome IEM for the price; one that I'd be willing to pay a lot more than $50 for. This filter is roughly V-shaped, and has more emphasis on the treble and bass than the mids. However, this isn't to say that the mids are drowned out, as the deep bass compliments the mids more than overpower them. I seriously I love this filter. The bass in the opening of "Windows" by AWOLNATION with this filter was so enjoyable that I decided I needed to make a note of it.
That being said, if you want the best clarity you can get from this IEM then the silver filter isn't for you. To be honest though, it wasn't designed to be the most clear. The silver filter presents an enjoyable sound that is reasonably clear, and the thumpy bass makes up for the drop in clarity (at least in my book).
Black Filter
The black filter would be my second choice if I could only choose one pair of filters. The beauty of the Alfa Genus is that you don't need to choose, but still. The black filter severely gimps the bass, but the rest of the spectrum is nicely clear and bright. So bright in fact that it can get fatiguing if you listen to the wrong (right?) genres of music for too long.
This filter is clarity, and it's awesome for some genres.
Other Sound and Filter Notes
One thing that I really like about the Alfa Genus is just how big the difference is between filters. Another IEM that I reviewed also had a filtering system, but I realize now just how little the effect was compared to RockJaw's offering. Instead of slight changes that you actually have to listen for, the Alfa Genus is almost three IEMs in one, and honestly I'd be surprised if it didn't make somebody happy.
Final Thoughts
RockJaw has done something special with the Alfa Genus. It's extremely impressive for the price, and the filtering system is so effective that it's one of the most versatile IEMs that I've used to date. In normal folk terms,
it's awesome. I've loved my time with the Alfa Genus, and it gets my full recommendation.
Oh, and I can't forget to praise the company itelf. Free next-day shipping in the U.K. and free shipping to the rest of the world is pretty unique. My experience talking to Joe from RockJaw was very pleasant. Seriously, no complaints. I'm always happy to recommend a company who actually cares about their customers, and my experience has been that RockJaw genuinely does.
I can see the Alfa Genus going a long way from here, and it has been my genuine pleasure to work with both it and RockJaw.
Thanks for reading the review guys, hope you enjoyed! To see some more shots of the Alfa Genus be sure to check out the video review above, and thanks for being so awesome!
1) You incorrectly listed this product as the Alfa Genus V1: Scroll down further when adding the product and you will find the listing for the V2 version.
2) When reviewing I find it's easier to read when you use all capital letters sparingly.
3) I'm sorry about your cousin, but I think that personal issues such as that are more appropriately placed in a different kind of forum.