mistertomlinson
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2008
- Posts
- 366
- Likes
- 12
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the Bragi Dash. If not, the short and sweet of 'em: Completely wireless. Single-balanced armature driver. 5 hour battery life. Conductive charging. The case doubles as an external battery that charges the monitors up to 5 times. Waterproof. 4GBs of internal storage. Bluetooth. Heart rate monitor. Pedometer. Gyroscopes. Accelerometers. Touch panel faceplates that respond to taps and swipes... That's not really short and sweet at all.
There's something like 20+ sensors in these things. They automatically turn on when you put them in your ears. Automatically pause when you take one out. There's an audio transparency feature that activates a mic and normalizes the audio so you can hear your environment and carry on conversation without removing the monitors. You can decline or accept calls using head movements. There's a "Virtual 4D Menu" that lets you operate certain functions by looking in a certain direction and nodding your head. There's a "bone conduction mic" that lets you tap your cheek to do certain things in case you're wearing something over your ears and can't operate the touch panel or your fingers are too sweaty.
... and they just announced a CUSTOM version of them. They've partnered with Starkey to make them. I've been waiting for someone to figure out how to make a completely wireless set of customs and the day has finally arrived. And they threw in a whole slew of cool stuff... for $500. That actually sounds generous to me considering what most companies charge for a run-of-the-mill, non-wireless custom.
The original Dash was plagued with bugs as they were pretty ambitious stuffing all this into a set of headphones. Most complaints were related to the bluetooth connectivity constantly dropping. There were also issues with one monitor dying altogether or failing to charge. Hissing or static was another common complaint. But the company has supposedly worked to remedy most of those with software updates and the new version of the Dash has been significantly redesigned to resolve some of the other problems software updates couldn't fix. It wouldn't surprise me, however, if there were still issues. Nonetheless, for $500 I was willing to take the risk.
However, unlike every other custom monitor builder in the industry, the order process REQUIRES that you schedule an appointment with a Starkey authorized Hearing Center. There is no other way to order them. There is no online ordering system. I excitedly called them Monday morning to order a pair and was told I would have to drive 40 minutes to the nearest authorized audiologist to do so. To make matters even worse, Starkey uses 3D scanners and I was told by a representative that I could just send in my pair of JH16s to be scanned instead of getting ear impressions. I explained this to the phone rep. She understood I would NOT need impressions but told me I would STILL have to drive to their audiologist to place the order, which means a 1 hour and 20 minute round trip just to place the order and ANOTHER to pick the completed monitors up.
The ordering process should be much simpler. Even if I needed impressions, I've got an audiologist less than 2 miles away that does mine free, so I have no reason to drive 40 minutes. I just need to place an order and mail my JH16s in for scanning... but there was no way for me to do that.
So, after jumping through their hoops and getting my impressions taken by their audiologist, I managed to arrange for them to use my JH16s... at least in part. For some reason, they still needed to use the impressions, but agreed to compare their model with my JH16s to get them as close as possible. 1 1/2 weeks later (they actually agreed to send the monitors directly to me to prevent another 40 minute drive to pick them), I received the finished product which fit perfectly and provided a flawless seal, but did cause some pretty significant irritation inside my concha. I'm sure this could have been easily remedied with some sanding if I had sent them back for adjustments, but this won't be necessary as I'm in the process of sending them back for a refund.
These things are TERRIBLE. I really wanted to like them. Honestly, my expectations were pretty low from the start. These monitors do so much, I really didn't expect them to do anything particularly well, but I would have been satisfied if they simply sounded "good."
First off, these don't reach as deep as a typical pair of custom monitors. The standard design of a monitor shell has a soundtube(s) that terminates just passed the second bend of the ear canal. Apparently, Bragi didn't wanna create a separate charger/case that would accommodate a larger monitor than the universal-fit Dash so they decided to shorten the tips of the custom version in order to fit the existing case dimensions. This actually has a significant impact on sound isolation. It almost completely negates one of the benefits of choosing a custom monitor over it's universal-fit counterpart. I wouldn't be surprised if the universal version actually isolated better. So, with this in mind, the custom fit almost seems like a gimmick, if it provides no real benefit.
Regarding the hardware, while it functions most of the time, there are times when some things don't and it can be quite frustrating. For example, the touch panels are very finicky. As cool as the idea of operating the monitors with swipes and taps is, the surface area is so small, it can be difficult to register a tap or swipe. While it's sometimes attributable to user error, sometimes the touch panels just don't seem to respond.
Audio transparency can be setup to automatically turn on when you pause your music and turn off when you resume playback. This is how i have it setup because enabling audio transparency while music is playing is completely useless. However, with my Dashes setup this way, there were still times when audio transparency would stay on when my music was playing.
The 4D menu was surprisingly responsive, but not very practical, so I disabled it. Nonetheless, when working out it would still activate from my head movement.
The MyTap function that lets you tap your cheek to control certain actions was difficult to use. You have to tap very close to the right monitor in order for it to register and at a pretty solid velocity. Considering the effort, you might as well use the touch panel. Getting a tap to work had an almost 50% success rate. Of course, when working out, the monitor had no problem erroneously activating MyTap, so I had to disable it.
I didn't have issues with the bluetooth connection as was plaguing previous revisions of the Dash unless I was using the right monitor only. Every time I used the right monitor alone, just seconds into the first song, the bluetooth connection would drop. I'd have to reconnect, hit play and just seconds later, it would drop again. It would do this every time I tried to use the right monitor alone and it usually took 4-5 tries before it would finally maintain the connection.
Considering they're charging $500 for a product that is widely available to the public, it should be bug-free, but it still feels like I'm testing a beta product. I almost feel insulted that they're selling me something that doesn't function 100% as advertised.
I've saved the most important part of my review for last. The sound. First, because Bragi is a German company, they have to adhere to EU regulations. When you first undock the Dashes, the volume is automatically set at a "safe" level. Every time you undock them, you have to open the Bragi app to change this limit, BUT even at full volume, the monitors don't get quite loud enough. This could be fine for some people and might actually be good for someone like me who has a terrible habit of listening to music so loud his ears ring, but it drives me crazy when I'm listening to one of those songs that gets me completely amped or moved and the desire to crank it up can't be satisfied. I'm not sure if this was done to prevent damage to the drivers or if it still has to do with EU regulations.
The WORST part about these monitors... the complete deal breaker for me and what ultimately led to my requesting for a refund is the sound signature. It's horribly unnatural. The mids and highs are completely recessed creating a muddy, veiled sound that I believe was an attempt at creating a bassier sound signature than previous generation Dashes. I've read a lot of complaints about the early versions not having enough bass and I believe they redesigned the newer Dash to have a warmer sound, but it sounds terrible.
Please understand, I'm not one of these audiophile types that picks apart the smallest detail in a pair of headphones, making a bigger deal out of it than it might be for most people... these things sound terrible. There is NO high frequency detail, vocals sound horrible, they completely lack clarity and instrument separation, the soundstage is small... I even went as far as to download a media player for my phone with a parametric EQ to try to get these things to sound a little better but with EQ'ing, sound quality suffers.
I have a pair of $25 bluetooth headphones I run with that sound better than these. Not necessarily in terms of quality, but in terms of sound signature. If these had just been designed with a flatter, more natural sound signature, I would have been satisfied if the sound quality wasn't great. I wasn't expecting a lot from them, but what I got was entirely unacceptable for $500.
My advise: If you have any appreciation for sound quality, you don't want these. I've actually ordered a refurbished set of the previous generation, universal fit Dashes for $100. The sound signature should be brighter judging from reviews. From what I've read, most of the bugs have been worked out in software updates. I'll give those a shot in fulfilling my need for a wireless monitor.
Eventually someone will design an amazing sounding completely wireless set of custom monitors, but I believe it's gonna be a few more years. The Dashes ain't it.
There's something like 20+ sensors in these things. They automatically turn on when you put them in your ears. Automatically pause when you take one out. There's an audio transparency feature that activates a mic and normalizes the audio so you can hear your environment and carry on conversation without removing the monitors. You can decline or accept calls using head movements. There's a "Virtual 4D Menu" that lets you operate certain functions by looking in a certain direction and nodding your head. There's a "bone conduction mic" that lets you tap your cheek to do certain things in case you're wearing something over your ears and can't operate the touch panel or your fingers are too sweaty.
... and they just announced a CUSTOM version of them. They've partnered with Starkey to make them. I've been waiting for someone to figure out how to make a completely wireless set of customs and the day has finally arrived. And they threw in a whole slew of cool stuff... for $500. That actually sounds generous to me considering what most companies charge for a run-of-the-mill, non-wireless custom.
The original Dash was plagued with bugs as they were pretty ambitious stuffing all this into a set of headphones. Most complaints were related to the bluetooth connectivity constantly dropping. There were also issues with one monitor dying altogether or failing to charge. Hissing or static was another common complaint. But the company has supposedly worked to remedy most of those with software updates and the new version of the Dash has been significantly redesigned to resolve some of the other problems software updates couldn't fix. It wouldn't surprise me, however, if there were still issues. Nonetheless, for $500 I was willing to take the risk.
However, unlike every other custom monitor builder in the industry, the order process REQUIRES that you schedule an appointment with a Starkey authorized Hearing Center. There is no other way to order them. There is no online ordering system. I excitedly called them Monday morning to order a pair and was told I would have to drive 40 minutes to the nearest authorized audiologist to do so. To make matters even worse, Starkey uses 3D scanners and I was told by a representative that I could just send in my pair of JH16s to be scanned instead of getting ear impressions. I explained this to the phone rep. She understood I would NOT need impressions but told me I would STILL have to drive to their audiologist to place the order, which means a 1 hour and 20 minute round trip just to place the order and ANOTHER to pick the completed monitors up.
The ordering process should be much simpler. Even if I needed impressions, I've got an audiologist less than 2 miles away that does mine free, so I have no reason to drive 40 minutes. I just need to place an order and mail my JH16s in for scanning... but there was no way for me to do that.
So, after jumping through their hoops and getting my impressions taken by their audiologist, I managed to arrange for them to use my JH16s... at least in part. For some reason, they still needed to use the impressions, but agreed to compare their model with my JH16s to get them as close as possible. 1 1/2 weeks later (they actually agreed to send the monitors directly to me to prevent another 40 minute drive to pick them), I received the finished product which fit perfectly and provided a flawless seal, but did cause some pretty significant irritation inside my concha. I'm sure this could have been easily remedied with some sanding if I had sent them back for adjustments, but this won't be necessary as I'm in the process of sending them back for a refund.
These things are TERRIBLE. I really wanted to like them. Honestly, my expectations were pretty low from the start. These monitors do so much, I really didn't expect them to do anything particularly well, but I would have been satisfied if they simply sounded "good."
First off, these don't reach as deep as a typical pair of custom monitors. The standard design of a monitor shell has a soundtube(s) that terminates just passed the second bend of the ear canal. Apparently, Bragi didn't wanna create a separate charger/case that would accommodate a larger monitor than the universal-fit Dash so they decided to shorten the tips of the custom version in order to fit the existing case dimensions. This actually has a significant impact on sound isolation. It almost completely negates one of the benefits of choosing a custom monitor over it's universal-fit counterpart. I wouldn't be surprised if the universal version actually isolated better. So, with this in mind, the custom fit almost seems like a gimmick, if it provides no real benefit.
Regarding the hardware, while it functions most of the time, there are times when some things don't and it can be quite frustrating. For example, the touch panels are very finicky. As cool as the idea of operating the monitors with swipes and taps is, the surface area is so small, it can be difficult to register a tap or swipe. While it's sometimes attributable to user error, sometimes the touch panels just don't seem to respond.
Audio transparency can be setup to automatically turn on when you pause your music and turn off when you resume playback. This is how i have it setup because enabling audio transparency while music is playing is completely useless. However, with my Dashes setup this way, there were still times when audio transparency would stay on when my music was playing.
The 4D menu was surprisingly responsive, but not very practical, so I disabled it. Nonetheless, when working out it would still activate from my head movement.
The MyTap function that lets you tap your cheek to control certain actions was difficult to use. You have to tap very close to the right monitor in order for it to register and at a pretty solid velocity. Considering the effort, you might as well use the touch panel. Getting a tap to work had an almost 50% success rate. Of course, when working out, the monitor had no problem erroneously activating MyTap, so I had to disable it.
I didn't have issues with the bluetooth connection as was plaguing previous revisions of the Dash unless I was using the right monitor only. Every time I used the right monitor alone, just seconds into the first song, the bluetooth connection would drop. I'd have to reconnect, hit play and just seconds later, it would drop again. It would do this every time I tried to use the right monitor alone and it usually took 4-5 tries before it would finally maintain the connection.
Considering they're charging $500 for a product that is widely available to the public, it should be bug-free, but it still feels like I'm testing a beta product. I almost feel insulted that they're selling me something that doesn't function 100% as advertised.
I've saved the most important part of my review for last. The sound. First, because Bragi is a German company, they have to adhere to EU regulations. When you first undock the Dashes, the volume is automatically set at a "safe" level. Every time you undock them, you have to open the Bragi app to change this limit, BUT even at full volume, the monitors don't get quite loud enough. This could be fine for some people and might actually be good for someone like me who has a terrible habit of listening to music so loud his ears ring, but it drives me crazy when I'm listening to one of those songs that gets me completely amped or moved and the desire to crank it up can't be satisfied. I'm not sure if this was done to prevent damage to the drivers or if it still has to do with EU regulations.
The WORST part about these monitors... the complete deal breaker for me and what ultimately led to my requesting for a refund is the sound signature. It's horribly unnatural. The mids and highs are completely recessed creating a muddy, veiled sound that I believe was an attempt at creating a bassier sound signature than previous generation Dashes. I've read a lot of complaints about the early versions not having enough bass and I believe they redesigned the newer Dash to have a warmer sound, but it sounds terrible.
Please understand, I'm not one of these audiophile types that picks apart the smallest detail in a pair of headphones, making a bigger deal out of it than it might be for most people... these things sound terrible. There is NO high frequency detail, vocals sound horrible, they completely lack clarity and instrument separation, the soundstage is small... I even went as far as to download a media player for my phone with a parametric EQ to try to get these things to sound a little better but with EQ'ing, sound quality suffers.
I have a pair of $25 bluetooth headphones I run with that sound better than these. Not necessarily in terms of quality, but in terms of sound signature. If these had just been designed with a flatter, more natural sound signature, I would have been satisfied if the sound quality wasn't great. I wasn't expecting a lot from them, but what I got was entirely unacceptable for $500.
My advise: If you have any appreciation for sound quality, you don't want these. I've actually ordered a refurbished set of the previous generation, universal fit Dashes for $100. The sound signature should be brighter judging from reviews. From what I've read, most of the bugs have been worked out in software updates. I'll give those a shot in fulfilling my need for a wireless monitor.
Eventually someone will design an amazing sounding completely wireless set of custom monitors, but I believe it's gonna be a few more years. The Dashes ain't it.
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