I would like to start with saying thank you to Havi for giving me the chance to check out the new Havi B3Pro1.
The Havi B3Pro1 is available from Penon Audio:
http://penonaudio.com/HAVI-B3-PRO
I’m not in any way affiliated with Havi or Penon Audio.
About me:
I’m a 43 year old music and sound lover that changed my focus from speakers to headphones and IEM’s about five years ago. At that time I realized that it wasn’t realistic for me to have all the different setups that I wanted and still house a family of four children and a wife so my interest turned first to full sized headphones and later also IEM’s.
My preferences are towards full sized open headphones and I believe that also says something about what kind of sound signature I prefer (large soundstage in all directions, balanced and organic sound).
My music preferences are pretty much all over the place (only excluding classical music, jazz and really heavy metal). My all-time favorite band is Depeche Mode although I also listen to a lot of grunge/indie, singer/songwriter/acoustical stuff as well as the typical top 40 music.
I do not use EQ, ever.
I’m a sucker for value for money on most things in life Head-Fi related stuff is no exception.
Built and accessories:
The Havi B3Pro1’s is a dual dynamic driver in ear monitor.
The cable has a 90 degree angled 3.5 mm connector and seems very well built and should hold up for a long time. The chin slider is also in place just the way I like it.
The cable is flat from the 3.5mm connector to the Y-split and round from the Y-split to the housings. The cable does feel both sturdy and flexible and I’ve got no problem with it and I’ve used the B3’s a lot. The over ear fit makes microphonics pretty much non-existing.
The build in general is very solid. The housings are all plastic with gorilla glass back plates and strain relief is in place on all the crucial points. The Y-split is also solid and slightly on the large side.
The original B3’s are most likely the IEM I’ve used most of all the ones I own and they’ve hold up without any hint of problem.
Left/Right marking are fairly easy to spot but could still have been even better.
The retail package and is very nice for a product at this price point.
The accessories pack is also very good for the price and includes the following:
3 pairs black medium bore silicon tips (S,M,L)
3 pairs white medium bore silicon tips (S,M,L) own design)
3 pairs of wide bore double flange tips
1 pair of the best foam tips I’ve ever come across (Havi’s own design)
1 pair of bi-flange tips
1 pair of ear hooks
1 velcro strip for cable management
1 pouch to store them in when not in use
1 zippered case to store them in when not in use
1 cloth to keep the Gorilla glass nice and clean
The B3Pro1’s are significantly harder than average to drive and don’t work very well with my weak (in power) Sony Z3 Compact phone.
The specs:
Fit and ergonomics:
I find the B3Pro1’s to be average in terms of comfort. The housings are quite large and the fit is pretty shallow but despite of that I’ve got no problems with having them stay in my ears. I’ve got narrow ear canals so sometimes I’ve got to work a lot to get a secure fit but it’s not a big problem with the Havi’s.
Isolation is less than average due to the shallow fit. By using the included foam tips isolation will become average.
Sound:
I’ve used my old pair heavily for the last two years and I’ve used the new pair with the fuller tuning as my main IEM for the last couple of weeks and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
I’ve used them with my Sony Xperia Z3 Compact phone paired with the Elecom LBT-PAR500 as well as the the CEntrance DACport Slim and the FiiO X3 and they’ve worked very well with all of them. As already mentioned the Z3Compact is not able to drive them well on its own. Although volume gets close to acceptable listening levels the dynamics and bass is far away from what the B3’s can deliver when getting sufficient power.
I enjoy the Havi B3Pro1’s the most with wide bore tips. They’re very tip dependent so I’d suggest to anyone new to the Havi’s to be patient and play around with the included assortment, and maybe even more, until you find the right pair for your preference.
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
The overall sound signature on the B3Pro1 is very well balanced with great soundstage width and 3D presentation
I’ve owned my first pair of the Havi B3Pro1’s for more than two years and it’s been my favorite value for money IEM and also one of my absolute favorites at any price. When I got the possibility to hear and review the improved version with a slightly fuller tuning I never hesitated.
The bass is very well controlled and sub-bass extension is good but not great. Mid-bass presence is enough to avoid the presentation feeling thin but it’s never even close to become boomy or dominating. This is not an IEM for bass-heads but it should be enough to satisfy most others. With the new tuning I’m able to enjoy for example Lupe Fiasco with them which I couldn’t do with the old tuning.
The midrange is slightly forward and is most definitely the star of the show with the B3Pro1’s. It’s slightly on the warm side with a very organic and liquid presentation that really hits the sweet spot for me. Vocals, both male and female, sound extremely natural in te way they’re presented. I’m a sucker for a nice timbre on strings and vocals and the Havi B3Pro1’s are better at this than any other IEM I’ve ever heard.
The treble is well extended without getting thin or introducing sibilance. It just feels right to me and mixes in excellent with the rest of the presentation.
Clarity and micro details are above average for an IEM at this price point. Soundstage width is well above average and actually one of, if not the, widest I’ve ever heard in an IEM. Depth and height is also well above average for an IEM and the feeling of 3D is extremely good. To accomplish its excellent soundstage the Havi B3Pro1’s also offer one of the best imaging and separation I’ve ever heard.
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
The Havi B3Pro siblings:
I do now own three pairs of Havi B3’s: Pro1 (original version), Pro2 and this, the latest revision on the Pro1’s.
Compared to the Pro1’s the Pro2’s has significantly more mid-bass impact and also a much smaller soundstage width. They’ve got a pretty similar sub-bass extension and vocal reproduction. The Pro2’s are much easier to drive.
Compared to my two year old pair of B3Pro1’s this new pair offers a slightly fuller presentation with a bit more mid-bass. With the old pair I’ve always felt that some music (rap and electronic music for example) wasn’t enjoyable due to the lack of bass. Although the new tuning might still not be the best for bass driven electronic music it still present it in a way that I find enjoyable, this makes them much more versatile to me. The new version is slightly easier to drive.
ATH-CKR9LTD vs Havi B3Pro1:
Compared to the B3Pro1’s the LTD’s has a more intimate presentation while soundstage depth and height are pretty similar. The overall sound signature of the LTD’s fuller with more bass across the board. Clarity and details are better on the LTD’s and although they’ve got great timbre and vocals I think that the B3’s does this even slightly better.
These do both have a pretty shallow fit but the LTD’s fits my ears best and are therefore the more comfortable of the two for me. The LTD’s are better built.
The LTD’s significantly easier to drive.
Isolation is better on the LTD’s.
VE the Duke vs Havi B3Pro1:
Compared to the B3Pro1’s the Duke have a smaller soundstage width and more mid-bass presence. Sub-bass extension is pretty similar but the Duke’s got a bit more impact. The Duke also has a lift in the upper mids/ lower highs making them a bit more airy in the top. The Duke has better treble extension, micro details and clarity while the B3’s has more natural voice reproduction as well as better timbre.
I find both of these equally comfortable but the Duke with its aluminum alloy housings feels more premium.
The Duke’s easier to drive.
Isolation is much better on the Duke.
Summary:
The Havi B3Pro1 is my all-time favorite IEM. Not only does it hold its own compared to my other personal favorite IEM’s and even outperforms them in some areas but they do it a at a fraction of the price. This new revision has made this great IEM even better and more versatile.
I listen to a lot of singer/songwriter music and this is a perfect match for the soundstage, separation, imaging, timbre and amazing vocal reproduction on the B3Pro1’s. I also love the sound of full sized open headphones and the Havi B3Pro1’s are the closest to that sound I’ve ever found in an IEM. This is probably some of the reasons why I’ve fallen in love with them and use them as my reference IEM.
With a good built, great accessories package and a performance that rivals that of IEM’s many times its price the Havi B3Pro1’s are my go to recommendation to anyone looking for the best performing budget IEM with a neutral-ish signature. This is under the condition that they’re also willing to invest in a powerful enough source/amp to drive them to their true potential.
If I should describe them I three words it would be: soundstage, imaging and separation.
The Havi B3Pro1 is available from Penon Audio:
http://penonaudio.com/HAVI-B3-PRO
I’m not in any way affiliated with Havi or Penon Audio.
About me:
I’m a 43 year old music and sound lover that changed my focus from speakers to headphones and IEM’s about five years ago. At that time I realized that it wasn’t realistic for me to have all the different setups that I wanted and still house a family of four children and a wife so my interest turned first to full sized headphones and later also IEM’s.
My preferences are towards full sized open headphones and I believe that also says something about what kind of sound signature I prefer (large soundstage in all directions, balanced and organic sound).
My music preferences are pretty much all over the place (only excluding classical music, jazz and really heavy metal). My all-time favorite band is Depeche Mode although I also listen to a lot of grunge/indie, singer/songwriter/acoustical stuff as well as the typical top 40 music.
I do not use EQ, ever.
I’m a sucker for value for money on most things in life Head-Fi related stuff is no exception.
Built and accessories:
The Havi B3Pro1’s is a dual dynamic driver in ear monitor.
The cable has a 90 degree angled 3.5 mm connector and seems very well built and should hold up for a long time. The chin slider is also in place just the way I like it.
The cable is flat from the 3.5mm connector to the Y-split and round from the Y-split to the housings. The cable does feel both sturdy and flexible and I’ve got no problem with it and I’ve used the B3’s a lot. The over ear fit makes microphonics pretty much non-existing.
The build in general is very solid. The housings are all plastic with gorilla glass back plates and strain relief is in place on all the crucial points. The Y-split is also solid and slightly on the large side.
The original B3’s are most likely the IEM I’ve used most of all the ones I own and they’ve hold up without any hint of problem.
Left/Right marking are fairly easy to spot but could still have been even better.
The retail package and is very nice for a product at this price point.
The accessories pack is also very good for the price and includes the following:
3 pairs black medium bore silicon tips (S,M,L)
3 pairs white medium bore silicon tips (S,M,L) own design)
3 pairs of wide bore double flange tips
1 pair of the best foam tips I’ve ever come across (Havi’s own design)
1 pair of bi-flange tips
1 pair of ear hooks
1 velcro strip for cable management
1 pouch to store them in when not in use
1 zippered case to store them in when not in use
1 cloth to keep the Gorilla glass nice and clean
The B3Pro1’s are significantly harder than average to drive and don’t work very well with my weak (in power) Sony Z3 Compact phone.
The specs:
Housing | Plastic/Gorilla glass |
Driver Unit | Dual Dynamic Driver |
Frequenzy range | 10Hz-20KHz |
Sensitivity | 95dB |
Impedance | 32 Ohms |
Cable lenght | 1.2m |
Fit and ergonomics:
I find the B3Pro1’s to be average in terms of comfort. The housings are quite large and the fit is pretty shallow but despite of that I’ve got no problems with having them stay in my ears. I’ve got narrow ear canals so sometimes I’ve got to work a lot to get a secure fit but it’s not a big problem with the Havi’s.
Isolation is less than average due to the shallow fit. By using the included foam tips isolation will become average.
Sound:
I’ve used my old pair heavily for the last two years and I’ve used the new pair with the fuller tuning as my main IEM for the last couple of weeks and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
I’ve used them with my Sony Xperia Z3 Compact phone paired with the Elecom LBT-PAR500 as well as the the CEntrance DACport Slim and the FiiO X3 and they’ve worked very well with all of them. As already mentioned the Z3Compact is not able to drive them well on its own. Although volume gets close to acceptable listening levels the dynamics and bass is far away from what the B3’s can deliver when getting sufficient power.
I enjoy the Havi B3Pro1’s the most with wide bore tips. They’re very tip dependent so I’d suggest to anyone new to the Havi’s to be patient and play around with the included assortment, and maybe even more, until you find the right pair for your preference.
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
The overall sound signature on the B3Pro1 is very well balanced with great soundstage width and 3D presentation
I’ve owned my first pair of the Havi B3Pro1’s for more than two years and it’s been my favorite value for money IEM and also one of my absolute favorites at any price. When I got the possibility to hear and review the improved version with a slightly fuller tuning I never hesitated.
The bass is very well controlled and sub-bass extension is good but not great. Mid-bass presence is enough to avoid the presentation feeling thin but it’s never even close to become boomy or dominating. This is not an IEM for bass-heads but it should be enough to satisfy most others. With the new tuning I’m able to enjoy for example Lupe Fiasco with them which I couldn’t do with the old tuning.
The midrange is slightly forward and is most definitely the star of the show with the B3Pro1’s. It’s slightly on the warm side with a very organic and liquid presentation that really hits the sweet spot for me. Vocals, both male and female, sound extremely natural in te way they’re presented. I’m a sucker for a nice timbre on strings and vocals and the Havi B3Pro1’s are better at this than any other IEM I’ve ever heard.
The treble is well extended without getting thin or introducing sibilance. It just feels right to me and mixes in excellent with the rest of the presentation.
Clarity and micro details are above average for an IEM at this price point. Soundstage width is well above average and actually one of, if not the, widest I’ve ever heard in an IEM. Depth and height is also well above average for an IEM and the feeling of 3D is extremely good. To accomplish its excellent soundstage the Havi B3Pro1’s also offer one of the best imaging and separation I’ve ever heard.
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
The Havi B3Pro siblings:
I do now own three pairs of Havi B3’s: Pro1 (original version), Pro2 and this, the latest revision on the Pro1’s.
Compared to the Pro1’s the Pro2’s has significantly more mid-bass impact and also a much smaller soundstage width. They’ve got a pretty similar sub-bass extension and vocal reproduction. The Pro2’s are much easier to drive.
Compared to my two year old pair of B3Pro1’s this new pair offers a slightly fuller presentation with a bit more mid-bass. With the old pair I’ve always felt that some music (rap and electronic music for example) wasn’t enjoyable due to the lack of bass. Although the new tuning might still not be the best for bass driven electronic music it still present it in a way that I find enjoyable, this makes them much more versatile to me. The new version is slightly easier to drive.
ATH-CKR9LTD vs Havi B3Pro1:
Compared to the B3Pro1’s the LTD’s has a more intimate presentation while soundstage depth and height are pretty similar. The overall sound signature of the LTD’s fuller with more bass across the board. Clarity and details are better on the LTD’s and although they’ve got great timbre and vocals I think that the B3’s does this even slightly better.
These do both have a pretty shallow fit but the LTD’s fits my ears best and are therefore the more comfortable of the two for me. The LTD’s are better built.
The LTD’s significantly easier to drive.
Isolation is better on the LTD’s.
VE the Duke vs Havi B3Pro1:
Compared to the B3Pro1’s the Duke have a smaller soundstage width and more mid-bass presence. Sub-bass extension is pretty similar but the Duke’s got a bit more impact. The Duke also has a lift in the upper mids/ lower highs making them a bit more airy in the top. The Duke has better treble extension, micro details and clarity while the B3’s has more natural voice reproduction as well as better timbre.
I find both of these equally comfortable but the Duke with its aluminum alloy housings feels more premium.
The Duke’s easier to drive.
Isolation is much better on the Duke.
Summary:
The Havi B3Pro1 is my all-time favorite IEM. Not only does it hold its own compared to my other personal favorite IEM’s and even outperforms them in some areas but they do it a at a fraction of the price. This new revision has made this great IEM even better and more versatile.
I listen to a lot of singer/songwriter music and this is a perfect match for the soundstage, separation, imaging, timbre and amazing vocal reproduction on the B3Pro1’s. I also love the sound of full sized open headphones and the Havi B3Pro1’s are the closest to that sound I’ve ever found in an IEM. This is probably some of the reasons why I’ve fallen in love with them and use them as my reference IEM.
With a good built, great accessories package and a performance that rivals that of IEM’s many times its price the Havi B3Pro1’s are my go to recommendation to anyone looking for the best performing budget IEM with a neutral-ish signature. This is under the condition that they’re also willing to invest in a powerful enough source/amp to drive them to their true potential.
If I should describe them I three words it would be: soundstage, imaging and separation.