A review of the Creative Stage V2 Soundbar system with Wired Subwoofer.

Overview

The Creative Stage V2 is the second iteration of their Creative Stage soundbar product line and an improved version from the Stage 2.1 which was released earlier. Priced at just below $150, It is one of the least expensive soundbar solutions on the market today offering both TV and PC functionality. And there is nothing really cheap about the product or its package. Complete with a remote and subwoofer and cables. The Creative Stage V2 provides options for HDMI (ARC), Optical Cable, 3.5mm audio jack, and USB-C. Creative had done its home work well and offered one of the best budget soundbars in this price segment.

Sound Quality

The sound quality of the stage V2 can be described as in audiophile terms, as a stage comprising of a HIGH (elevated treble) and a LOW (deep bass) giving it a very PC like sound signature, given the fact that Creative is a PC sound audio company, the stage V2 is probably modelled to that mantra. Of course there is no way the stage v2 will satisfy any audiophile as it is targeted towards the mainstream home users. The Stage V2 audio is still audible and powerful and to the question whether it is better than the TV speakers or just an amplified version , the opinion can be subjective. One thing is for sure, No TV speakers can produce the bass of the supplied subwoofer. Creative Stage V2 really excelled with various content i played on it ( eg. youtube, TV programs and Online content) as opposed to the TV speakers. Creative includes its Sound Blaster technology in this one. And bass from this sound system seems to be stellar for its price. It is not exactly the most accurate or detailed , but almost a rattling bass deep and dark resonant one ( e.g a mix between a boomy and muddy one). The content i tried that clearly showed this is the youtube video :The starting few seconds almost knocked off the picture frames on the wall . Not only the bass volume goes up loud on scary or high parts only, and back to normal on the rest of the movie but also it does have that consistent deep smooth hum which can be heard in vocals too .


On the treble side it offers crystal clear, tonally clear audio with great balance but increasing the treble amount can result in unnecessary harshness and overly bright signature. However one of the major drawbacks for the price is that the main soundbar only included 2 speakers. As a result , the position of the sound bar with the room or hall requires a long period of learning and optimization to get the best soundstage treble and bass quality. Another drawback is that the sound is not very detailed but some decent effects come forward dependent on the content. Most notably , mids are still clearly audible somehow with an absence of a middle speaker. The whole sound resembles a extreme bright in the upper and dark tonality in the lower spectrum . Due to the nature of the tonality some poorly mastered content actually does well in terms of audibility .

These whole sound tuning is made for everyday home usage like watching downloaded movies YouTube and mp3s



There is also some transparency in the sound found in some higher ranged soundbars but only in average amount. At least there is no muddiness present. In music , the Stage V2 is also musical to an average extent .There is also a reasonably wide soundstage but not as wide as other bigger soundbars. Of course these issues can be expected in this price range and the dimensions. However playing around with the treble and bass controls results in different soundstages ( e.g V shaped or U shaped as u prefer). This aspect is one of the great features of the Stage v2. As u can prefer to adjust the sound according to the content , it gives u a very good control over the type of sound u want to hear.

The soundstage is also pretty wide and tall with the surround feature on and at times presents some good depth and height effects depending on the content. However the effect of sounds moving around u is not as evident as some higher priced soundbars and what u get is a expansive and satisfying soundstage with decent moving sounds at the price point , some depth articulation , left and right movement but still pretty good effect overall. , this nature is hard to beat. The sound also naturally follows the sound content thrown at it as the bar has a very balanced sound profile. If u throw a poor quality source ( like eg. badly recorded TV show) , the sound output is rather flat and constrained as compared to HD content. However the soundstage in most TV content is pretty good and it is hard to find fault with it given the price.


Conclusions:

To sum it , the sound signature actually resembles a pair of bookshelf type speakers The stage V2 might not be able to compete with the best higher priced soundbars but higher price dos not necessarily mean better. , but in terms of sheer raw value, creative stage v2 is the very best and holds its own in the budget segment. I have tried a few mainstream brands out there which are higher priced that 150 bucks, but they came up as short mainly lacking in treble energy . Generally speaking, in fact, there are only a few complaints worth noting. If my experience with this soundbar has taught me anything, it’s that if you want the most value for your money and don’t want to spend on big brand ones , Creative Stage V2 is a better solution than many others including those from the likes of JBL or SONY in the same price segment. Or at the very least, better than just about anything you’ll find in its price bracket. And that’s including soundbars costing all the way up to around the $200 to $400 range.

Finally got my hands on this hecate 360 and i must say i was quite underwhelmed at first listen as the treble sounded shrill and tinny and thin sound signature . But however after changing the stock tips to wide bore ones they totally changed the sound signature to bassy and smooth rounded but transparent vocals. These are pretty sensitive to the type of ear tips used and they can drastically change their sound signature.

Product link: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=599203601848

Have been testing them for a few hours with familiar songs ( AR Rahman music). I must say these are pretty brilliant on some technical aspects and gives an exquisite type of dynamic and digitally processed sound rather than BA sound common in Chifi IEMs.

Sound signature is dynamic and resembles a mix between JBL processed sound signature bass ,transparency of the BCD hifi Drivers and the mids, treble, tonality and soundstage of the Revonext QT2. They are digital sounding ,unlike the analogue and flat like the KZ- IEMs. Overall signature is smooth and crisp (when needed with treble) with detailed clean notes . They are not really 100% neutral , but have an organic smooth, richer, warmer sound that focuses more on the texture and tone of the music and with good clear pass through micro details. When i played my usual songs which i am familiar with , the layering and background details , acoustics come off as audible smooth clean and effortless. I was able to pick up details in percussion , and synthesizer sounds really well. The sound signature is also of an exquisite cold icy type tonality than the shrill and overly shiny or shimmering tonality of the KZ IEMS.

Treble is mostly well bodied and round with some transparency.There is little of airy sparkle and crisp present but nothing overly excessive. In fact the treble is quite balanced and smooth. There is slight roll off but nothing too major. Compared to the Revonext QT2 , the sparkle is present but not as much as the Revonext Qt2. Overall Trebel do not come off as shrilly, shimmering or Shiny but rather neutral.

Bass mostly comes through as a middling range between lower mid bass and sub bass. It is a combination of grippy and tight extended into a slight V- shaped sub-bass, but remains composed - and not gets mudy or creep into the midrange, not very detailed either). However there is sufficient accuracy of bass when the music calls for it.Very well controlled bass and rumble


Midrange is right in place on the sweet spot. Not recessed nor overly forward , doesn't smudge with the top or bass , there is some incredible depth added by the bass and mid range , and the resolution is better than the the BCD or QT2). Vocals are well rounded and transparent. there is some crisp at the expense of airy sparkle in the top. Good transparency and holographic at the same time excellent roundess and body in the midrange and smooth non shouty vocals. One of the best midranges i ever heard.However there is some lack of energy in the vocals in certain types of music

Soundstage is one of the best i have heard. Presentation is 360 degrees in all directions very well and present depth and width . Height is moderate . Most of the action goes on in the middle part of the stage and at the back of the head. There is very good amount of depth and expansiveness present throughout.However their instrumentation and separation is much better than KZ IEMS in the same price range.

Acoustics and articulation especially on EDM and is quite good and unique and in most of the music accoustics or surround/ depth action mostly seems to happen on the mid- back half of the sound stage instead of frontal.. There is certain elasticity and space between instruments that is noticeable.Decent coherence and excellent Layering which can be heard very clearly Timbre is is natural but at the expense of some accuracy but nothing overly bad here.

These are are responsive to the source material played , instead of linearly and artificially emphasizing some sound aspects ( like the KZ ones) they convey the the feel of the source sound through some processing of the tonality ( with a cold icy tinge) ,except that their timbre isnt so organic or natural like the BCD Hifi microdrivers. the whole sound signature is rather colored.

Build quality and comfort is rather on the better side with a solid feel , light and sturdy with strong wires. These have a in ear insertion method but feel like on ears and comfort is one of the best is any IEM to date.



Overall i am quite pleased with the purchase.

This is a review of a New DIY earphone, which I bought through Taobao: HIFI BCD micro-drivers. In the advert page it is stated as these pair of in ears is designed for music lovers . After giving the BCD a few days of playtime, I am very impressed with the sound they produced.They do get better with burn in and are sensitive to the type of tips used. Some experimentation with the ear tips to get the right balance and sound that u need. These IEMs remind me of the Melectronics M9 ( Famous in 2009) but tamer sound signature and controlled .

Sound signature: They have a U-shaped vivid sound signature (to be more precise, forward vocals and soundstage and some extra emphasis in the bass and treble). In between mild an impactful averaging on the both. Spacious and articulated. Smooth but with excellent timbre and layering and separation and imaging. The same songs i have listened to with other IEMS that cost 4x more compare to this $10 BCD seems to come more alive especially vocals and instrument ..Pretty surprised how they can give that chi-FI methods of armature/DD type sound signature with just single drivers. To give an idea of what they are suitable for - This earbuds are good if u like listening to modern new age music like like movie soundtracks like titanic or anything that is symphonic or orchestral.The sound natural and they do not have an impactful hard hitting signature. Just the right level to enjoy music the way it is produced. The sound isn't colored but presented raw and close to the original sound as it was intended.Overall the sound reproduction is resolving in nature and adds to musicality. One of the drawbacks is the speed . the drivers seem a bit slower than other iems to catch up with faster congested tracks.

Sound stage : The best part of this gems. 3D Deep natural sounding atmosphere with excellent separation layering and timbre. The sound happens on the same level as u with depth and articulation and detail with frontal surround stage.These aren't very deep V shaped as the bass is just little below the centre and with clear sub bass and forward mids. The highs mids and lows are part of the front sound stage articulation. The biggest drawback is that they lack the sound stage height of large IEMS. Understandably these IEMS are smaller in size than KZ types but they still manage to bring the sound stage out well. Stage is not only deep but wide as well..with the background reverb if the music calls for it.The stage fits orchestral pieces well and the positioning of the instruments were placed properly and . Imaging is top notch most of the times . Directional cues and sound movements being well represented as well.Naturalness in the sound spectrum is one of the highlights

Treble: Detailed enough, smooth, has a sense of Forwardness and body and no sibilant albeit they lack some resolution to the notes but have some good shine and air. They are smooth and vivid with the right tonality to give the musicality to sound.Liquid and fluid in texture with smoothness instead of crisp. They are not too airy but instead the airiness is passed to the mids and overall signature.

Mids : Average . Again resolution is average but at the same time airy and transparent . Mostly Forward sounding depending on the source. Tonality and detail is on the mark . Resolution is average but at least not up to the level of higher priced gear but does not distract the listener. The vocals are natural impactful and dynamic despite their flaws.

Bass: Another best part of this gems, The bass here is precise and well articulated . The sub bass is clearly present and impactful. The bass happens when the music calls for it. and there is a hint of sub bass even if there is no bass part. And there is ample bass and though they are of average detail with very good sense of reverb. The sub bass digs but in a milder deep V- shaped manner but one can clearly make out the separation and distinction between mid bass and sub-bass.The sub bass takes a prominent centrestage Overall the bass is absolutely enjoyable on these .

Overall: U may be hard pressed to find anything seriously wrong with these as they come incredibly balanced.Instead u wil love the sound signature as much as any KZ IEMs. To conclude , I am impressed with these cheap IEMs that seem to produce good sound and they should be ranked alongside other 30$-$50 IEMS. I wish to give a 5/5 but these aren't really suitable for fast music like EDM or stuff which are congested.For $10 it is a no-brainer. Highly recommended.

Select comparison with Sony MH755


Soundstage Depth = BCD = Mh755
Soundstage size = BCD < Mh755
Soundstage type : BCD Front forward / enveloping , mh755 = Back of head/ enveloping
Timbre : BCD> Mh755
Resolution : BCD < Mh755
Treble = BCD < Mh755
Bass = BCD > Mh755
Mids = BCD < Mh755
Vocals = BCD < Mh755
Layering = BCD > Mh755
Clarity = BCD = Mh755
Transparency = BCD > Mh755
Articulation = BCD > Mh755
Separation= BCD = Mh755
Musicality = BCD = Mh755
Airiness = BCD = Mh755
Holography = BCD > Mh755



Vocals and upper mids treble have more energy in MH755
Treble is more fluid on mH755
Bass is more articulated and enjoyable on BCD
Sound stage is enjoyable on both despite being different
Articulation is more enjoyable on BCD
Musicality is the same on both

*The CCA C10 can be purchased form the official CCA Headphone Store*

Overall impressions : With 20 hours of Burn in process . The overall sound signature is V-shaped without Doubt with more forward sound. There is a big Impact being conveyed with these IEMS but not overdone.There is a good balance between the highs mids and lows which is the main draw factor of this IEM. The layering is very good and the articulation is premium. There is some scientific type of sound articulation going on where one gets the impression of being in premium quality studio. A good impactful factor is present. Overall in between a audiophile and fun factor IEM.Overall these IEMs present the aspect of aliveness :- quality of sound reproduction which gives an impression that the performers are present, in person, in the listening room with body , bearing a quality of roundness and robustness in reproduced sound. "Gutsiness." and best described as a "lively sound without coloration" is present.Overall very musical IEM with the right amount of body oriented sound , articulation and coherence without overdoing or excess in any part of the sound

Treble: Tricky to describe the treble characteristics of the C10. They are best described as nowhere here nor there but in no way lacking.Better than average details and clarity. No harshness or sibilance present here but at the same time not smooth or not having a roll off early. They are of a slight grainy nature in some instances with hard hitting "tin sound" impact.The treble is open and transparent with some body . There is a well rounded form to the treble with airyness. Note that the airiness here is not present as sparkle which most people relate to the notion of "air" but more of a different variety where there is a well rounded sound with hard crispy edge floating in a soundstage. The treble is part of the soundstage and there is some sparkle like reverb present depending on if the source material calls for it .Crisp is more present than sparkle.Treble overall is not too clumsy, thin or flimsy. Just the right body and shape.Those who are used to sparkly IEMS will not miss anything here..

Mids: Perfectly placed. Neither recessed nor too forward. There is a good "shape and form " present with a bright tonality and transparency in the mids.They are not too steely or not too harsh but just right. There is some crisp present that articulates similar to the treble characteristics.They are right in their place without creeping up to the treble.Both male and female vocals come across extremely well with body and shape form.No graininess or grittiness is present.A smooth body and sufficient transparent charactistic is present.One of the best mids heard in a a budget IEM.

Bass:Without doubt, the classic V-shaped bass just in the right amount. There is no excessive mid bass present to cloud the soundstage or early roll off bass. The sub bass digs deep enough without being overly dominant and spreads widely in the lower spectrum of the soundstage. The bass is kept in its place without creeping up to the mids. the overall bass is more sub bass or lower mid bass oriented than mid bass dominant in line with a deep V shaped signature . Regarding details , they sound smooth and coherent without obscuring details or clarity coming through the soundstage.

Soundstage: Open with ample depth, height and width containing a "live" sound. Lots of background acoustical space present here. There is very good separation , some micro details with clarity and instrumentation. The same amount of depth and width present. Not too wide or narrow. The instumentation comes across as floating in 3D space togther with clarity, decent transpareny and instrumentatio without coming off as too thin or flimsy but with the right body. There is a good amount of ambience. One good characteristic of the soundstage is the cocktail-party effect , controllable ability to separate-out, on the basis of direction alone, one sound source from many coming from different directions. It allows you to follow one voice among the others at a noisy cocktail party.as when a sound has the timbre of a close listening seat but the perspective of a distant one.Overall a very musical soundstage is present.


Tonality: A mixture of warm and cold sound tonality.Bright, brilliant but also dark whch relates well to the energy content found in reproduced music.Quite apt for musicality.





Select comparison with KZ ZSN: I have both these IEMs and have used them extensively The C10 has same V -shaped sound signature. With the stock cable and eartips. my first impressions have the sound signature very close to ZSN but with a difference. The frequencies and layering are kept in their place without the mid/vocal harshness or the overly steely sound signature of ZSN. The vocals are not overly forward like the ZSN. the musical qualities are better than the RSN. the stage is more holographic than RSN. There is more depth articulation in the stage. overall the C10 manages to sound better in all aspects.

The following words can be used to desribe the KZ ZSN.

Accurate - The music is unaltered by the recording or playback equipment. Ideally, to sound identical to the original music.

Aggressive - Forward and bright sonic character.

Analytical - Highly detailed.

Articulate - Intelligibility of voice(s) and instruments and the interactions between them.

Attack - The leading edge of a note and the ability of a system to reproduce the attack transients in music.

Bright - A sound that emphasizes the upper midrange/lower treble. Harmonics are strong relative to fundamentals.

Brilliance - The 6kHz to 16kHz range controls the brilliance and clarity of sounds. Too much emphasis in this range can produce sibilance on the vocals.

Coloured - Having timbres that are not true to life. Non flat response; peaks or dips.

Definition (or resolution) - The ability of a component to reveal the subtle information that is fundamental to high fidelity sound.

Euphonic - An appealing form of distortion that generally enhances perceived fidelity, often ascribed to the harmonic elaborations of some valve amps.

Focus - A strong, precise sense of image projection.

Forward(ness) - Similar to an aggressive sound, a sense of image being projected in front of the speakers and of music being forced upon the listener.

Grip - A sense of control and sturdiness in the bass.

Imaging - The sense that a voice or instrument is in a particular place in the room.

Pace - Often assoc. with rhythm, a strong sense of timing and beat.

Presence - A sense that the instrument in present in the listening room. Synonyms are edge, punch, detail, closeness and clarity. Adequate or emphasized response around 5 kHz for most instruments, or around 2 to 5 kHz for kick drum and bass.

Shrill - Strident, Steely.

Snap - A system with good speed and transient response can deliver the immediacy or "snap" of live instruments.

Timing - A sense of precision in tempo.

Let me start off by stating my personal preferences: Airy and depp soundtage, sparking highs and deep subabass with V shaped signature

My initial impression of the KZ ZSN is that it sound similar to budget higher priced $50 IEMS but not quite there. The ZSN has better separation and positional sound presentation than many in its price category. But there is a bit more shimmer in the mid treble than sparkle. The bass is around the right amount, not too little nor excessive. it has a mild V shaped signature but more forward vocal signature. The mids are in front of u , There is a good surround effect but the the whole sound signature is more forward than with an emphasis on a V shape mid and sub bass. To some , the whole sound signature may look strange or convulated.

The sub bass is adequate...the mid bass is average. the sound is is separated and positional but however has less musical quality than some IEMs because of its soundstage transparency and its shimmering treble. The ZSN is bright but not truly airy unless with high quality sources. It lacks a crystallization brightness and has a more has more shimmering brightness and less sparkly. Zsn has clarity but lacking in transparency slightly but also being transparent in its own way int he sense that the soundstage seems ot be playing at the back of the mids. The vocals are forward and distinct the soundstage but lack energy or detail or being thin.. The soundstage as more vertical expansion than horizontall. In terms of articulation , overall excellent layering , clarity and positional characteristics..

However their major flaws as mentioned earlier is in the sound characteristics particulary the highs. They tend to sound steely and lacking airyness.The soundstage could do better with more depth and height.The biggest flaws come in the form of sound characteristics mainly the mids and treble which are dry. The vocals may lack some quality to them. Overall its good or the best $20 can buy now. If u want something that is of budget value get this zsn as alternative or side upgrade. Overall they are average but could have been better.

Review of The Samsung AKG tuned earbuds which comes free with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9 smartphones.

Testing is done with the large bore tips of the TRN V20 earbuds .A general description of these earbuds sound signature can be described as follows :

Woolly - Loose sound articulation.
Wet - A reverberant sound, something with decay. Opposite of Dry.
Timbre - The tonal character of an instrument
Soundstage - The area between two speakers that appears to the listener to be occupied by sonic images. Like a real stage, a soundstage should have width, depth, and height.

Spacious - Conveying a sense of space, ambiance, or room around the instruments; stereo reverb; early reflections.
Naturalness - Realism.
Musical (or musicality) - A sense of cohesion and subjective "rightness" in the sound.
Low Midrange (Low Mids) - The audio frequencies between about 250Hz and 2000Hz.
Imaging - The sense that a voice or instrument is in a particular place in the room.
Headstage - The perception of the Soundstage while listening to headphones.
Grip - A sense of control and sturdiness in the bass.
Fast - Good reproduction of rapid transients which increase the sense of realism and "snap".
Dynamic - The suggestion of energy and wide dynamic. Related to perceived speed as well as contrasts in volume both large and small.
Depth - A sense of distance (near to far) of different instruments.

Detail - The most delicate elements of the original sound and those which are the first to disappear with lesser equipment.
Definition (or resolution) - The ability of a component to reveal the subtle information that is fundamental to high fidelity sound.
Brilliance - The 6kHz to 16kHz range controls the brilliance and clarity of sounds.
Breathy - Audible breath sounds in woodwinds and reeds such as flute or sax. Good response in the upper mids or highs.

Attack (2) - The time taken for a musical note to reach its peak amplitude eg. notes will tend to sound more defined rather than blended with other notes.
Articulate - Intelligibility of voice(s) and instruments and the interactions between them.
Ambience - Impression of an acoustic space, such as the performing hall in which a recording was made.
Airy - Spacious. Open. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. High frequency response extends to 15 or 20 kHz.

Sound signature: These earphones do not have a weighty sound signature or basshead type, they emphasise more on individual tonality and timbre of sounds with transparency and clarity.The mids and highs are nicely sparkly, natural, and accurate . Bass is rendered but not in copius amount , but just a bit backstage in the mix . The overall result is a brigh but silky signature, never fatiguing, but with a more top-end energy .


Treble: Airy and detailed. In between sparkle and grainy-crisp signature. subtle details on clear recordings are present .Not harsh or sibilant but it is not smooth either, A rough gritty/grainy texture is present that adds some naturalism to the sound reproduced.Fluid and watery. Silky, engaging smooth but detailed and clear.

Mids: Forward and wide, sharp Transparent and a decent amount of detail is present.Concentrated on the lower mids and higher mids have a bright sound. Comes off with a lower centre of mids espcially in vocals. However the vovals lack some detail and fullness. Overall the mids come off as airy and silky just like the treble . However the vocals do well with some depth and articulation betwene highs and lows on clear sources.

Bass: A decent amount of bass that is neither full nor bloated but transparent. Tight and expressive but doesn’t have a hard “edge” to it. It has good impact and some far-reaching rumble. Neiether forward nor recessed but expanding sideways Just right but at the back of the sound signature . Boom is present in recordings that have emphasised bass . A good amount of sub bass is present with a good grip around the lower mids but overall the bass is emphasised more in the mid bass-sub bass in between- section but comes across as loose with some lack in defintion and detail. However not a major flaw as the other aspects of the sound signature comes off really well

Soundstage: the most impressive part of these earphones . They present a surprisingly wide and airy transparent soundstage with clarity and depth. Spacious and detailed. The highs mids and lows float in a wide soundstage presented all around the head.

Overall they provide an impressive sound signature for free bundled In-ears.

Airy - Spacious. Open. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. High frequency response extends to 15 or 20 kHz.

Ambience - Impression of an acoustic space, such as the performing hall in which a recording was made.

Analytical - Highly detailed.

Articulate - Intelligibility of voice(s) and instruments and the interactions between them.

Attack - The leading edge of a note and the ability of a system to reproduce the attack transients in music.

Bassy - Emphasized Bass.


Boomy - Excessive bass around 125 Hz. Poorly damped low frequencies or low frequency resonances.

Breathy - Audible breath sounds in woodwinds and reeds such as flute or sax. Good response in the upper mids or highs.

Bright - A sound that emphasizes the upper midrange/lower treble. Harmonics are strong relative to fundamentals.


Decay - The fadeout of a note, it follows the attack.

Definition (or resolution) - The ability of a component to reveal the subtle information that is fundamental to high fidelity sound.

Delicate - High frequencies extending to 15 or 20 kHz without peaks.

Depth - A sense of distance (near to far) of different instruments.

Detail - The most delicate elements of the original sound and those which are the first to disappear with lesser equipment.

Fast - Good reproduction of rapid transients which increase the sense of realism and "snap".

Grip - A sense of control and sturdiness in the bass.

Headstage - The perception of the Soundstage while listening to headphones.

Juicy - Sound that has joie de vivre, energy and life.

Lush - Very Rich/Full.

Puffy - A bump in the response around 500 Hz.

Punchy - Good reproduction of dynamics. Good transient response, with strong impact. Sometimes a bump around 5 kHz or 200 Hz.

Range - The distance between the lowest and highest tones.


Rich - See Full. Also, having euphonic distortion made of even order harmonics.

Round - High frequency rolloff or dip. Not edgy.

Tubby - Having low frequency resonances as if you're singing in a bathtub

Wet - A reverberant sound, something with decay. Opposite of Dry.

Weighty - Good low frequency response below about 50 Hz. A sense of substance and underpinning produced by deep, controlled bass. Suggesting an object of great weight or power, like a diesel locomotive.


[Sound signature]

Balanced, large and weighty and full. They have the same articulation of the earlier variant. Its still early days for this review as I've not had these for long. They are still burning in I've played various styles of music and they come across largely as having a Digital -like signature as compared to the older variant which Is more analogy sounding, they seem to be slightly picky when it comes to quality of the source file used. More of a Warm-Balanced V_U shape sound. Moderately holographic and revealing .Resonably well articulated with clear distinction of the highs mids and lows. The sound signature can can be positioned in between the clear graphene and the earlier EMX 500

[Mid Bass]


Punchy, Impactful (when the track calls for it). Feels like you're overwhelmed by it, there is copious amount of mid bass present, but they lack in definition. The bass tend to creep up to the mids at high volume. They have a bass that’s identical to the older variant but larger and with more presence. Bass is more rounded full and has good average rumble at times. however they may lack slightly in detail or transparency depending ont he quality of source used.

[Sub Bass]

It present as an extension of the mid bass punch. When the sound calls for it they dig quite deep just like the older variant but with a bit of crunch and rough texture to them to give a visceral feel to the music.The sub bass is present and resolving to certain a extent.

[Mids]


A different story here. Mids. are actually present, neither forward nor recessed but they lack slightly in definition and transparency and clarity. The earlier variant has a slightly better transparent mid due to their forward signature when it’s called for. Vocals are thick and rounded. But changes after more burn in and became slightly more flat and forward presence.

[Highs]

Good quality and clear. Present with a signature that is in between sparkly and sweet but smoother and resolving than the earlier variants. They are present and clear. No sibilance and no harshness with average good definition. They have slightly more weighty and roundness that the older variant which has more sparkle. Here the signature is softer but it is hardly noticeable. The difference is the crisp that the older variant has. However, both are airy. Highs are reasonably clear and open.


[Soundstage]

Similar to eh earlier variant but larger in terms of height. The older variant has a more forward based signature (as in the sound being in front of u) while this one has more behind your head presence. Quite impressive. Detail is reasonably good but not fantastic Together that with a overall clear presentation and bass impact. The soundstage is enveloping but isn’t massively out of your head from left-right but more intimate in terms of depth. its more than above average.

[Conclusion]

Overall a bang for the buck in the $20 category,

These R4YS earbuds reviewed here is of the dark brown cable. They have a few months of use and has been adequtely burn in. The sound is just right with a mixture of warm and cold tonality. Warm + sweet sound signature.The sound has interesting "flavours" in treble, mid-bass and bass at different times in a a song or movie.There is decent attack and spaciousness in the sound with the right translucency , clarity fluidity and layering. They can described as being somtimes analytical with a natural, organic accurate sound imaging and wide soundstage with decent to excellent layering and resolution. There is little distortion and noise and rather clean. Overall the R4YS is fantastic value for money. Review is based on the comparison to the Monks VE and Blue Graphene.

Sound Signature:

Airy - Spacious. Open. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. High frequency response extends to 15 or 20 kHz.

Ambience - Impression of an acoustic space, such as the performing hall in which a recording was made.


Articulate - Intelligibility of voice(s) and instruments and the interactions between them.


Boomy - Excessive bass around 125 Hz. Poorly damped low frequencies or low frequency resonances.

Bright - A sound that emphasizes the upper midrange/lower treble. Harmonics are strong relative to fundamentals.

Depth - A sense of distance (near to far) of different instruments.

Detailed - Easy to hear tiny details in the music; articulate. Adequate high frequency response, sharp transient response.

Decay - The fadeout of a note, it follows the attack.

Definition (or resolution) - The ability of a component to reveal the subtle information that is fundamental to high fidelity sound.

Delicate - High frequencies extending to 15 or 20 kHz without peaks.

Depth - A sense of distance (near to far) of different instruments.

Focus - A strong, precise sense of image projection.

Timbre - The tonal character of an instrument

Sub-Bass - The audio frequencies between about 20Hz and 80Hz.

Texture - A perceptible pattern or structure in reproduced sound.


Good to excellent and movement of sound from top to mid and bottom are present. Treble , mid and sub bass are clearly separated and can be felt and heard .The Monks and Graphene are somewhat lacking in these aspects as they present a one whoel sound signature at the expense of articulation.

Treble: Mainly textured. A decent amount of sparkle, detail and and crispness. A somewhat analytical, non sibilant, but defined in nature. Clear, decent amount of transparency and resolution and weight and presence. There is a certain amount of wetness to the lower treble. A impression of grainy signature but with no harshness or sibilance. This is where these earbuds trash the monks. As compared to the Graphenes, the graphenes have a sweet but clear and smooth treble signature without texturing. But details are better on the R4YS than th emonks or Graphene.

Mids: Neither recessed or too forward but maintains a good sense of presence with a cold tonality.A good amount of detail and smoothness. The lower mids are where the mids excel in detail.Vocals are clear with a certain upper mid emphasis to them for some detail and clarity.Compared to the monks which have a very forward full bodied mid,there is no harshness or fatigue while vocals is still relatively forward. There is a good sense of attack and accuracy to the mids. They are transparent with high quality sources. Vocals have decent sense of presence and body.

Bass: A good amount sub bass , but with more mid bass. Smooth and accurate. There is little distortion with a emphasis on the lower mids to sub bass. there is cold tonality/timbre to the sub bass while the monks have a warm upper bass with sub bass lacking. Bass strong but not overwhelming. the intersting part of this earbuds bass sound signature. The elevated mid bass gives an impression of reverberating throughout the soundstage and giving a sense of depth of field, in other words the bass seems transparent. Bass overall is not in anyway lacking a this price point and earbud standard. On the contary it seems to be fantastic as compared to the monks and graphenes


Soundstage: The soundstage is surprising after burn in. The signature is forward ( a sense of instruments ,vocal playing as if one is sitted at the front row of a concert) ; but a good background surround/ aural sound is present to add to mood and ambience, all clearly separated. In my opinion , this is the ideal signature . A musical nature. Slightly forward sound signature ( the stage in front of u) , with excellent background aural characteristics and depth. They have a wide soundstage comparable to the monks but detail , depth imaging horizontal, vertical depth and clarity is 2x better. Positioning and accuracy is better than the monks but the rhythm and attack and resolving ( movement of sound) in the monks is better. But there is better articulation between high, mids and low compared to the monks which are rather flat.Much lesser noise and distortion than the monks.The soundstage is less articulated thant the graphene which has a lot of depth in terms of forward mid articulation.However the soundstage is better in background surround than the graphenes.

Conclusion : Excellent value for money earbuds and they seem to perform at 2-3 times their price point. Works well with all sources. Clearly impressive finished sound. Has everything , sparkle, sub bass , depth and soundstage.It is hard to find fault or have a feeling of the sound lacking in some aspect in any way. On the contrary , these earbuds will be the best value for money one can have in the below $20 price point

Here is a review of the new NICEHCKDIY MX760 Graphene-Earbud ( 10- 22000Hz version) which is different from the older ones (15-30000hz). First of all, I will use the following words from this list to describe these new graphenes in the overall sound signature. Equipment used are everyday devices iPhone and laptop with source sound of varying qualities.

Ambience - Impression of an acoustic space, such as the performing hall in which a recording was made.
Transparent/ holographic - Easy to hear the music, detailed, clear, not muddy. Wide flat frequency response, sharp time response, very low distortion and noise. A hear through quality that is akin to clarity and reveals all aspects of detail.
Gentle - Opposite of edgy. The harmonics (of the highs and upper mids) are not exaggerated, or may even be weak.
Headstage - The perception of the Soundstage while listening to headphones.
Depth - A sense of distance (near to far) of different instruments.
Lush - A "lush" sound has a sense of warmth and fullness. Notes are more authoritative and have a sense of life about them. It is a sound free of any sibilance or brightness. It does not mean colored, however. It is an open and inviting sound enveloping the listener into its soundstage.
Smooth - Easy on the ears, not harsh. Flat frequency response, especially in the midrange. Lack of peaks and dips in the response.
Spacious - Conveying a sense of space, ambiance, or room around the instruments; stereo reverb; early reflections.
Wet - A reverberant sound, something with decay. Opposite of Dry.
Nasal - Honky, a bump in the response around 600 Hz.


So what do they sound like? This is where things get a bit interesting. If u are used to budget earbud typical sound signatures, these can sound pretty loud hefty, heavy and wide in the presentation with a "brutish" cinema hall sound signature.

Articulation: Raw, impactful, rounded and powerful and holographic transparency are the best ways to describe these earbuds. Comes with as one whole sound as part of the soundstage rather than being nuanced or specific, not in the way of showing the obvious treble, mids and lows but the articulation of these earbuds seem to be more suited for adoption to different hardware sources like amps and DACs for some type of articulation that may differ from equipment to equipment synergy .These graphenes seem to be more concentrated on forward- back articulation (depth related) rather than top-down articulation, the stuff which audiophiles always refer to in terms of "high" and lows". well, this itself is not a bad thing and may suit certain tastes. Treble, mids bass exist as in synergy as part of the soundstage being conveyed though it is not a flat sound signature and more about the "depth articulation"; if u prefer instruments floating in a large 3D psuedo sound space with some body then these are for u.

Tonality: A cool tone FMish radio tone. At times a sudden sparkle comes along to brighten the signature. Sound feels like its going some reprocessing .

Treble: Sweet signature, a good amount of sparkle with some detail with high-quality sources. No sibilance present but rather weighty and airy. but have a rather weighty well-rounded presence with a roll off that is not obviously detectable. The breaking of glass sounds seem to be more natural, rounded , weighty and natural .i will describe them as full glass oriented heavy sound ( the type when u hear glass breaking, it has a tremendous impact with depth), or a bubbly effect but raw. Treble isn't very detailed on nuances or articulation but come off as a whole sound from low-quality sources. However at this point I need to emphasize that these earbuds are highly dependent on the type of foams and equipment used despite not having a high impedance.

Mids: Noticeably present and heavy, neither forward nor recessed and sense of presence that is forward with good quality sources. Not detailed or articulated. Vocals can be hollow with some poor sources. The mids rather come off as part of the soundstage depth, being distant and forward at different times. Sometimes harsh with processed sources or the type of foams used. Depending on the foams used, those who are used to a textured or colored sound may find the presentation harsh with some tinge of muddiness at times especially in movies where the volume normalizer function is not enabled.The biggest drawback of the mids is that they have a hollow dull presentation with poor sources.


Bass: A general weight fast bass attack with a " flat thump" and slight "boomy" sound that extends sideways than top to below. Bass is ample and wont disappoint but, the bass presence takes a backseat in definition and detail. A little audible sub bass boom is present as part of the lower mid. Lacks some detail but comes across as pretty adequate. Bass creeps up to to the mids with a just tinge of sub bass.The bass rather comes off as a bodied sound in synergy with the mids and treble with a tinge of a boom with ambience. Most of it present as part of the lower mids. The bass here is not audiophile quality, certainly will not win awards but adequate for casual listener .

Soundstage: One of the biggest soundstage u will ever hear in an earbud.Much better than other earbuds in the same price range.A more deep than wide presentation. A decent amount of air is present depending on the source. Transparency and holographic qualities are present in good amount, a bit too much in some instances where the source sound is reverberant in nature, some distortion or unnatural characteristics in reverb may be present due to over emphasis. The forward back depth articulation is something that the casual listener will love. Imaging and positioning are decent but not fantastic. Clarity is decent at the expense of some details.Overall good surround capabilities.

Overall: These earbuds are highly dependent on the source sound in their reproduction. They do everything well but excel in none. All-rounder performers that are good enough to go into your collection if u do not pay attention to articulation or being an audiophile. The better the quality of the source, the better these perform.The differences can be rather pronounced in their presentation. Can be best described in doing everything reasonably well but excels in none except in air and soundstage. Excellent value for money.

In my opinion. these new graphenes resemble the Monks VE but none of the drawbacks of the monks. After testing for 2 days in comparison with the EMX500 and this new graphenes (10hz-22000hz), seem to be tuned for a big sound with emphasis on the soundstage, very much like the monks plus, but of course they are better than the monks in every way and they likely seem to perform better with audiophile sources and more expensive hardware or dedicated amps. The emx500 is suited for a wide variety of common sources ( youtube, movies, and mp3) probably because of their texture or colored sound. I will describe the new graphenes as trying to reproduce the source sound in a big way but as close to the natural source as possible. . The sound signature is generally appealing to the casual listener.However, u need good quality sources for them to really shine.