Havi B3 Pro1 is a dual dynamic micro driver iem (diameter of each dynamic drivers are 6mm).
Are you looking for clarity, very wide sound-stage, excellent imaging, separation and linearity; natural and neutral (accurate) sound in an iem that has above average isolation and very minor microphonics; then you came to right place, answer is: Havi B3 Pro 1
Bassheads and fun seekers look elsewhere because this sound signature wouldn't (or may not) fit your preferences! Hi-Fi seeking audiophiles, you're on the right spot
Am I hyping the Havi B3 Pro1 ? Read-on and find the impressions from the users...
EDIT: 6 reviews added by @bhazard , @Tom22 , @JoeDoe , @Audiophile1811 , @Wokei and @Baycode and 1 Video review added by @Tom22 Please check the bottom of the page for the LINKS.
First of all, lets see what is B3 Pro1 and the company behind it:
Some information and photos from the Havi official web site, the brand is supposed to originate from USA, producing in China : http://www.havi.hk/
Info about the main company (google web site translation from Chinese to English):
Havi company is headquartered in New Jersey Monica, segment located in the beautiful banks of Dongguan Chang An Zhenlian Rd. Since its inception has been focused on the development of multi-unit music headphones, original Balance Dual patented sound chamber structure to ensure that the product in perfect tone lighter and more nimble. HAVI has a unique understanding of the professional music headset products, plump and smooth pursuit in tone, improve the sound quality of music to express emotion in place under the premise. September 2013 HAVI twin driver iems, B3 honor dynamic market, get the praise music lovers on the market. B3 balance in the industry for the first time in 4-wire technology, which greatly enhance the musical details. 30 sets of oxygen-free copper cable for the first time, with a more powerful bass and get more adequate energy. Cambered tempered glass technology for the first time, the headset products, with a richer sense of technology professional look! I believe HAVI products will be a new design concept, the new understanding to your music listening experience ever!
Technical Specs:
- Frequency response：10-20KHz
- THD:<0.1%（Ikhz/100db SPL）
- Impedance：32ohms
- Sensitivity：115dB/mW
Cable:
4 separate cables up to the Y splitter (balanced cable design, ground is separated for L and R but the jack is 3.5mm stereo so in reality its not fully balanced, although this design and thick cables is something other iem producers must think of, bravo Havi!),
30 individuals of braided excellent quality "OFC" cables in each. Outer shell is supposed to be Kevlar.
My experiences with B3 Pro1
My journey with
Havi B3 Pro1 (also known as "pro old version", "pro first version") started at January 2014. Since then I spent a good amount of time reading the opinions of others in the "Chinese / Asian Brand Info Thread" and finally decided to purchase a Havi B3 Pro1.
I am really glad that I did! I have to thank many friends (especially thread starter bhazard and, peter123) for helping me finding this gem
Havi B3 Pro1 is a dual dynamic microdriver iem. Since it's difficult to find info about these iems, I would like to give you some information and share some photos. I will be happy if you contribute and share your opinions!
But please keep in mind: Havi produced 3 different versions of B3 (
added info at 03.25.2014, new official information):
The one I have and will be talking about is the first version (Pro1). It is a clear sounding iem with huge soundstage. All the frequencies are linear and none of them are neither dominant nor recessed.
After the original B3 Pro1 version they have produced B3 Pro EB (Strengthen Bass) version. This version were very few in production (only in tens).
Finally they have produced the B3 Pro II version (Pro 2). So you can find only Pro1 and Pro2 versions on the market now.
From the earlier reports we understood that the sound is not so good for both later versions (B3 Pro EX and/or Pro 2). Missing highs, less clear sound, narrower sound-stage, dark, high prominent bass, etc.
(My native language is not English, so I apologize for my mistakes, so good luck for reading
(Price paid: 59 USD + 6 USD for the shipping. Bought from Penon Audio Store)
I am in this hobby for 14 years. I have tried many headphones, earphones and iems. This is the second time that I feel
"I found a very special sounding item" First time was the AKG K340 Electrostatic-Dynamic headphones. This time an iem: Havi B3 Pro1.
They came in two weeks from HK to Turkey. Thanks for the guys/girls at Penon for fast shipping and excellent communication!
A red dot on the box indicates that I have received the correct Havi B3 Pro version (Pro1 or old version):
Lets come to the included accessories: 1 zippered clam shaped iem case, 1 soft cloth extra iem bag, 1 blue microfiber Havi lettered cloth, 1 pair of medium sized black sponge eartips (quality matches the Comply), 1 pair of medium sized double flange black silicone tips, 3 pairs of different sized black-red single flange silicone tips (looks like hybrids but stiffer, 1 black shirt clip for cable management. Also you may like and use the crystal clear iem box as a storage or accessory box. I hope Havi will include small double flange and triple flange tips of various sizes with these in the future. I believe accessory-wise it will satisfy most of the users.
New Information (04.2014) from Penonaudio: Havi started to include Senn double flange eartips (3 sizes) inside the B3 packages. (This is a great news!!!)
Iem is bigger than my previous iems (housing is larger than the ie80 and GR07 for example). Also the sound tube is large. So small ears can have hard time to find a proper ear-tip. If your ear canal shape is appropriate you may be lucky. The Gorilla glass on the face feels good and matches my Galaxy S2 screen with Gorilla glass
When I put my phone and the Havi's on a table for example they really look trendy together
Although this glass is a fingerprint magnet
Cable is not microphonic (I always use it cable-up position). Cable relief strains on the iem part should be softer. But they seem very durable. On the other parts its OK. Cable seems durable but only time will tell... Cable housings supposed to be Kevlar which is a very durable material. Golden mini jack is L shaped and feels durable. There were no glue residues or assembly mistakes on it either. Generally iem looks like an
"expensive" and
"very good quality" item.
B3 Pro1 sound very good right out of the box. A little on the brighter side at first. But if you give it 10-15 hours of burn-in you wouldn't believe your ears! (Edit: well, after 200 hours its even better! Some grittiness on highs disappeared and it's smoother on the highs now, also bass is better pronounced
B3 is very tip dependent (sound-wise and comfort/isolation-wise). You have to find the best fitting and sounding one for your ear-canal (For tip rolling experiments and best tips for B3, go and find the link at the bottom of this post).
This iem does have no emphasize on any of the frequencies (But not lacking any of them too).
Pros:
1- sound is neutral with a very small hint of musicality (this is my personal SQ preference
2- extremely wide soundstage! Depth is also very very good. Breathtaking 3D image! (as large as a big open headphone - when fitted with shallow bore depth, large bore opening tips and properly amped)
3- crystal clear sound, very impressive details!
4- instrument separation and imaging are both excellent! You can pinpoint every instrument at their correct place
5- microphonics are very minor. I can say its very very good for this regard. You can walk around without hearing the cable (cord) sound (when worn cable-up position)
6- looks and feels good (pro quality). Gorilla glass matches the smart phone screen glasses very well. A good approach for iem fashion
7- isolation is above avarage (a little bit better than GR07)
8- dual dynamic microdrivers delivers very fast and accurate sound (you may think you are listening a balanced armature iem sometimes)
9- because of over the ear cable design and chin slider it can stay in ears securely (if the right tip chosen and properly adjusted)
10- no sibilance (although slightly grainy on the high freq. side and extends endlessly for the highs)
Cons:
1- iem is power hungry, need more volume-up to sound fuller (drains the battery faster)
2- very tip dependent, different tips changes the sound excessively
3- needs to fitted well in order to sound good. A loose or shallow fit will kill the sound! (Havi should sell them with more tip versions)
4- although the cable should not be a problem for some users, some users may not like it, because it is large and a little heavy under the Y splitter
5- cable tangles sometimes on the upper side of the Y splitter (generally this is not a very big issue but should be taken into account)
6- B3 Pro1 is source dependent to sound good (with my Rockboxed Sansa Fuze it sounds poorer than my MH1C for example, but with Ipod Touch 4th Gen and Galaxy S2 its amazing, better than all my iems)
Bottom Line:
1- wind will not make very bad effects on sound. Although you can hear the wind. But for this regard I can say its only usable (this part bears many variables, so take my words as a grain of salt)
2- suitable for using while walking or working. Sounds good in these situations as well, no microphonics
3-
bass-heads, this is not your iem. No it doesn't lack anything, it just did not give extra emphasize to bass.
4-
for me: this iem sounds better than my IE80, Tenore, KC06, GR07, MH1C and all the other iems that I have (had)
5-
For multiple users (other than me) B3 Pro1 reported to be better than: FXZ200, IE80 (for certain types of music), R50, VC1000, UE900, UE600, XBA-H3 (for certain types of music), DN-1000, DN-2000, AX-35, Gratitude EWF (for certain types of music), VSD3S (for certain types of music), and its reference-neutral-analytical sound is found to be onpar with ER4s "check this thread for details and you may contact the users if you want"
6- this iem sounds almost holographic with Buddha Bar albums, performs incredible with acoustic and unplugged recordings, generally performs excellent for diverse kinds of music
7- the barber shop binaural recording comes to life with these, simply unbelievable sound-stage and imaging. Binaural lovers "this is your iem !!!"
8- cable gets softer in time (I have good feelings for it now)
9- if the cable breaks in future it wouldn't be difficult to open and solder your own cable. Iem is moddable (see the links on the below of the page for opening the Havi B3)
10- for some sources it
will need amping to sound fuller. The power of the "source" is important here. Anyway, add an amp to your wish list if you want to hear the miracles of B3 Pro-1
11- there is slightly grittiness on the high frequencies between 10-100 hours of burn-in. But highs will be smoother after passing 200 hours (for some users it's 300 hours) mark
12-don't forget to put little silica gel bags into all of your iem bags and carrying cases (applies to all iems, silica gel collects moisture, so longer life for an iem
13-
THE REAL MAGIC OF HAVI B3 PRO1 LIES IN ITS UNIQUE REPRODUCTION OF FULL SOUND SPECTRUM, ITS BIG SOUNDSTAGE (EXCELLENT AND EQUAL: WIDTH, HEIGHT, DEPTH), EXCELLENT CLARITY, INSTRUMENT and FREQUENCY SEPARATION, L-R SEPARATION, POSITIONING (OR IMAGING), TIMBRE and ACCURATE SOUND REPRODUCTION (A REAL HI-FI IEM)!
About Burn-in Periods of Havi B3 Pro1:
15+ hours : first "big" settlement point. You'll hear that the bass is better controlled and earns slightly more definition and presence, also iem opens up, earns slightly more clarity
10-100 hours : grittiness on the high freq may appear (reported by me and some other users)
200-300+ hours : complete settlement of the iem, grittines disapperas (if any), bass settles and earns the max body it can, clarity opens up without further improvements, and perfectly settled sound after this point, no issues on any freq (reported by some users and me)
Never use high volumes for burn-in. Do not exceed daily 8 hours playing time for burn-in (IMO).
PS: I was nearly going to stop listening B3 between 10-100 hours because of the grittiness on the highs (gradually decreased until 200 h). This issue is reported by some other users as well.
LINKS LINKS LINKS
REVIEWs:
B3 Pro1
VIDEO REVIEW by
@Tom22 :
LINK (fast and easy to understand coverage)
B3 Pro1 REWIEW by
@Wokei :
LINK (If you get bored because of long and detailed reviews, then visit this one first)
B3 Pro1 REVIEW by @Baycode :
LINK
B3 Pro1 REVIEW by
@bhazard :
LINK
B3 Pro1 REVIEW by
@Audiophile1811 :
LINK
B3 Pro1 REVIEW by
@JoeDoe :
LINK
B3 Pro1 REVIEW by
@Tom22 :
LINK
For fit/comfort/look of B3 on the ear, please follow these links:
On the ear photos by
@Salmonelas (including comparisons with some other iems) :
LINK
On the ear photos and fitting impressions by
@Baycode :
LINK
For size comparisons with other iems (photos only) :
Comparison with GR07 by
@Baycode :
LINK
Size comparisons with some other iems by
@Salmonelas:
LINK
Ear-tip Suggestions:
B3 Pro1 ear-tip suggestions (best ear-tips for B3) :
LINK
Updates to the ear-tip selection part :
LINK
For better understanding of IEM's, Ear-Tips and how to fit the iem's securely in the ears: LINK
Keeping, Maintenance and Disassembling Instructions:
Taking Care of Havi B3 (keeping, maintenance and opening (for repair) instructions) :
LINK
Fully Disassembling the B3 Pro1 :
LINK
Are you having sound imbalance problem with B3? Do you think that it's not sounding as clear as once it was ? Well visit this
LINK and
LINK
Comparisons With Some Other IEMs:
Why You Should Choose B3 Pro1 over the Tenore by
@Baycode :
LINK
Havi B3 Pro1 compared to KC06 and Tenore by
@gyx11 :
LINK
Initial Impressions and Comparisons with CKR9 and KC06 by
@SyedZ2ez4 :
LINK
Initial impressions (before burn-in) and comparisons with UE900 by
@spurxiii :
LINK
Short comparisons on B3 Pro1 vs AF140 vs Noble PR by
@H20Fidelity :
LINK
Source/AMP Matches Mismatches (Best Sources and Amps for B3 Pro1):
Thoughts on iPhone 5 compatibility and Topping NX1 compatibility by
@Baycode :
LINK
iPhone 5c compatibility (with and without amp) and comparison of DX50 with iPhone 5c by
@spurxiii :
LINK
Nexus 4 compatibility by
@ebrian :
LINK
Cayin C5 + Fiio X5 compatibility and comparison of C5 and E11k by
@twister6 :
LINK
Colorfly C3 + C&C BH and NX1 compatibility by
@H20Fidelity :
LINK and
LINK
Thoughts on X3 vs DX50 synergy with B3 Pro1 by
@gyx11 :
LINK
Thoughts on DX90 + NX1 by
@Tamirci :
LINK
E17 non-compatibility by
@BenF :
LINK
Comparisons of O2/ODAC, GO1000, X3 + Pico Slim, iBasso R10 by
@gyx11 :
LINK
Cayin C5 and Little Dot Mk 1+ pairings with B3 Pro1 by
@peter123 :
LINK
Cayin C5 compatibility by
@Dsnuts :
LINK
Cayin C5 vs Fiio E11k vs E12 by
@Dsnuts :
LINK
Compatibility with PB2 amp by
@spurxiii :
LINK
Havi B3 Pro1 through the E07K, Audinst HUD MX1 and Geek Out 450 by
@gyx11 :
LINK
Comparing GO1000,Audinist HUD MX1, Pico Slim, X3, DX50, AK100, Fiio E07K for B3 Pro1 by
@gyx11 :
LINK
Havi B3 Pro1 through the JDS C5 (with reference to the Pico Slim) by
@gyx11 :
LINK
A compilation of some of the compatible amps with B3 Pro1 by
@munggo :
LINK
From the eye ear of a professional by @analogsurviver:
On the "Pro" designation of B3 :
LINK
About the real sound heard vs B3 Pro1's sound :
LINK and
LINK
Scratching the reasons beneath the imaging (positioning) quality of B3 Pro1 :
LINK
Some notes on listening B3 Pro1 through analog devices :
LINK
Pushing the B3 Pro1 to its limits :
LINK
On power needs of B3 Pro1 :
LINK
Notes on sound-stage and imaging :
LINK ,
LINK and
LINK
Field recording notes on B3 Pro1 :
LINK
Some thoughts on B3 Pro1, Stax Lambda and AKG K1000 :
LINK
B3 Pro1 handling high SPL's :
LINK
Short Statements on Havi B3 Pro1:
"If you love music, you owe it to yourself to try these." (a statement by
@bhazard)
"Originally got my pair to isolate and well have a little music in the background while studying... Unfortunately, I end up just focusing on the music..." (a statement by
@munggo)
"It's an iem that will achieve cult status someday" (a statement by
@Wokei)
"Returning to B3 Pro1 from my other iem's feels like returning home" (a statement by
@peter123)
"Havi B3 Pro1, the iem that grows on you ! " (a great statement by
@Netforce )
"I don't know who tuned this iem but one day I want to meet him and shake his hand" (a statement by @Baycode)
.
