LFF
Co-Organizer for Can Jam '09
Member of the Trade: Paradox
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2004
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9Wave NW Studio Earbuds
Upon receiving these, heck…upon just hearing about these, I was taken back by the fact that some manufacturers are actually releasing NEW earbuds aimed at high-end sound. IEM’s I understand and one often sees new IEM’s all the time. Headphones I need not even mention. But earbuds….
While that might be something new for most head-fi’ers, I can completely see and understand the need for some new earbuds. Some people I know just refuse to use IEM’s because shoving tiny plastic things in their ear canals is something they don’t particularly enjoy. Moreover, some people dislike the total isolation some IEM’s provide. Still, others prefer the retro feel and look of earbuds for safety and fashion reasons. It’s for all these people that I feel the 9Wave will appeal to.
SPECIFICATIONS:
You can find a list of specification and features at their website here:
http://9wave.jp/nwstudioen.html
BUILD QUALITY:
The build quality on these is nothing spectacular nor is it nothing shabby. All in all I would the build quality is average and the overall look of the 9Waves is plain and nothing fancy.
EQUIPMENT USED IN REVIEW:
Please see my profile for a list of equipment that I own.
NOTABLE MUSIC USED IN REVIEW:
Frank Sinatra – Songs For Swingin’ Lovers! (Mono Gray Label LP Rip)
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms
THE SOUND:
Now…the important thing…the sound.
The 9Waves are an open-air dynamic design with certain key design features such as mechanical resistance of airflow which avoids the problems of standing waves. Overall I was quite surprised by the good sound quality these earbuds put out. They sounded good with just about every single genre I threw at them. The better the mastering…the better the 9Waves sounded. Compressed recordings come out sounding compressed and bad. This is great in that the 9Waves will not sugar coat a bad recording like most unrefined earbuds.
Another very nice feature I found on the 9Waves is that they sound superb without the need for an amp. This allows a person to truly have great sound in a small minimalist rig. I found it to be one of those rare cases where the earbuds sounded just as good loud as they did when they were played at lower volumes. This is perhaps why it sounds great without an amp. If you add an amp, the performance does indeed jump to another level but that is to be expected.
I played a nice mono recording I have from Frank Sinatra’s legendary LP “Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!”. As the track played I could easily distinguish Sinatra’s vocals from the rest of the band. Moreover, that slight bit of natural room reverberation came through nice and clear. Often times with bad ‘phones that wee bit of natural room reverberation remains hidden, leading many to falsely believe that the original gray label LP of that album is bone dry when in fact, it contains a nice bit of room ambiance. This is not to be confused with the fake stereo echo on all digital and some subsequent vinyl releases. With the 9Waves, you get an accurate representation of this recording - detail, soundstage and natural sound.
Another track I queued up was “Money For Nothing” by the Dire Straits. I love to use this track both as a vocal test and as a test for the modern guitar sound. When the initial guitar solo came about the 9Waves handled it just as good as Grado’s do in terms of getting that nice, crunchy detailed sound that the guitar track puts out in this song. Vocals were once again easily distinguished and sounded fine. The drum impacts were very nice as well, especially considering these are earbuds.
I could go on and on about the various tracks I used to test these and the honest truth is that the 9Waves handled each one very nicely…more so than any other earbud I have heard to date including the apple iBuds, many by JVC, Panasonic, Sony and other manufacturers. The only thing I wish I had were those gummy things which turn earbuds into a semi-IEM. I am willing to bet the 9Waves would sound even better that way.
CONCLUSION:
The bottom line comes down to two questions:
1: Do you prefer earbuds over IEM’s and Headphones?
2: Do you want to spend $60 for earbuds?
Obviously both questions will depend on the individual. However, if you answered NO to the first one, then there is no reason for you to get the 9Waves earbuds as there are better alternatives in the IEM and portable headphone market.
However, if you are one of the few people who are looking for good sounding earbuds, then the 9Waves should be on your audition list as they are honestly the best earbuds I have heard to date. Many thanks to swbf2cheater for sending me my review pair!
Recommended!
