Greetings,

Today we are checking out yet another budget friendly true wireless (TWS) earphone, the Dudios Shuttle.

Dudios is one of those brands I see cropping up in 'Amazon's Choice' links on Amazon, and on random 'Best Of' lists for inexpensive wireless gear. Beyond that, I'm not familiar with anything they've released since they aren't a brand that remained on my radar after those initial, cursory glances. However, after using the Shuttle for a couple weeks I get why Dudios products are oft called an easy recommendation.

Let's take a closer look.


What I Hear As with other products in this price range, the Shuttle is endowed with a perfectly competent, but fairly standard v-shaped signature that in my opinion is perfectly fitting for the target audience; those that want true wireless without the high price tags associated with main brands and trend setters.

If you're looking for a fairly neutral or slightly boosted bass response, the Shuttle isn't going to satisfy your needs. No, the bass out of the Shuttle is quite prominent. While sub-bass extension is excellent for a TWS and can provide a visceral experience on the right tracks, mid-bass is clearly the show-stopper. It's thumpy, it's bumpy, it's a lot of fun (Argh!!! That word again!!), but bleed into the lower mids is real and can really affect vocal performances at times. On the plus side, texture is decent and while the Shuttle doesn't have the quickest dynamic driver in the segment, it's nimble and controlled enough to keep from distorting when the volume increases to dangerous levels.

The mids on the Shuttle are very clearly recessed which can hinder coherence, especially on bassy tracks thanks to the exuberant mid-bass presence. When not being overshadowed, they sound fairly natural with vocals having a warm, girthy, robust presentation that works well with vocals from both genders. That said, I prefer this style of presentation with female vocalists because of how complimentary it is with their natural sweetness. Instruments are blessed with a reasonably accurate timbre, especially if you're coming from a typical budget hybrid.

The Shuttle's treble is quite relaxed with a lower treble bias thanks to some heavy rolloff. This gives the Shuttle a somewhat dark-leaning signature, though the lower treble is present enough to keep it from veering far into that category, unlike products like the Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic or Brainwavz M100. Detail and clarity are satisfactory and do the job, though you'll be hard pressed to pick up nuanced track details which often are glossed over because of how smooth and inoffensive the upper ranges are.

When it comes to sound stage, the Shuttle doesn't do much to toss effects beyond the head. Sometimes details will trail off into the distance, but for the most part the Shuttle provides an in-the-head experience. Imaging is not amazing with effects moving from channel to channel convincingly, but without precision. Thankfully there are no off centre dead-zones, something I often noticed on older TWS units. Layering and instrument separation is good, but suffers on particularly bassy tracks.

Overall I find the Shuttle enjoyable to listen to with its big bass, realistic mids, and smooth, inoffensive treble. The low end is a bit too abundant at times though, bleeding heavily into the mid-range which hinders vocal clarity and coherence. If you don't mind EQing your earphones, the Shuttle can be improved with some minor adjustments.

Compared to a Peer

SoundPEATS TrueFree+ (48.99 USD): The TF+ and Shuttle are clearly cut from the same cloth, both having a similar tonality and v-shaped signature. That said, they're definitely not the same, and the differences have me enjoying the TF+ quite a bit more. Compared to the Shuttle, the TF+ is less mid-bass heavy and provides notably more upper treble giving it a more airy and sparkly presentation. The TF+'s mids aren't affected by the low end like they are on the Shuttle. The TF+ images better and sounds larger, though I find the more forward and crisp mid-range more prone to sibilance, something that only crops up on the Shuttle when it is a part of the track. The Shuttle is a warm, smooth bass cannon vs. the TF+ which does a better job of managing that delicate treble, mid, and bass balance.

In terms of build, they're equally good. Fit and finish is on par, though the Shuttle's touch based interface lends itself to a more sleek design compared to the TF+ which has tactile buttons on the face. Fit and comfort is pretty much the same. The Shuttle has a very similar shape, just tack on the Q-Tip extensions. I find it a bit more stable than the TF+, while others might see the extensions getting in the way and prefer the TF+'s more compact design. Connection quality is also very similar between the two, with the TF+ getting the nod. It's connection is a bit more stable in obstacle laden areas. Battery life easily goes to the TF+. While their run time of ~4 hours is the same, the TF+'s case brings with it a combined listening time to 35 hours vs. the 20 hours of the Shuttle.

Overall, the TrueFree+ gets the nod from me. Better battery life, slightly better connection quality, and a sound signature that is more to my liking. The Shuttle puts up a darn good fight though.

NuForce BE2 (49.99 USD): Like the Shuttle, the BE2 has a v-shaped signature, though it skews differently. While the Shuttle places a strong focus on bass, the BE2's focus is on treble. Bass is much less exaggerated out of the BE2, but this comes with it's own set of pros and cons. It is faster and more articulate than the Shuttle and provides better texture, but the roll off comes on strong and early leaving the BE2 feeling somewhat anemic. The mid-range of the BE2 is leaner and lighter and lacks weight compared to the Shuttle. Oddly, it is also less clear leaving vocals sounding smeared at times. Treble out of the BE2 sounds less natural and more metallic than it does from the Shuttle, but extension and detail are more immediately present. Sound stage goes to the BE2 which sounds wider and deeper, helped along by better layering and separation qualities. Imaging is also more accurate, though neither is going to win any awards. While the BE2 is technically a more accomplished earphone, the lack of sub-bass and occasionally unpleasant treble mean I enjoy my time with the Shuttle much more.

In terms of build and other aspects, the BE2 looks and feels like a more premium product thanks to higher quality plastics, including a rubberized section for better grip. Fit and finish goes to the Shuttle though, which has tighter seams between component parts. The Shuttle is also more comfortable with the BE2's tip-mounted driver design hindering fit. Despite being TWS vs. the more traditional design of the BE2, connection quality and reliability is in the Shuttle's camp. The BE2 suffers from random bursts of static and tends to stutter more often. The BE2 is the one to pick for marathon listening sessions thanks to around 10 hours of listening time. It doesn't have a charge case to extend this though, so you'll need make sure you've got a USB cable and something to plug it into available.

Overall, Shuttle all the way. It's more comfortable, sounds better, and offers a more reliable wireless connection.


In the Ear The Shuttle takes on the ever popular Q-Tip design released into the world by the Californian trendsetters located well South of the Canadian border. In my limited experience with products of this design ethos, Dudios does it very well. The Shuttle doesn't do anything weird with the core of the body, taking on a fairly traditional jelly-bean type shape which conforms nicely to the average ear. Then, there just so happens to be a protruding stick which contains the charging contacts. They don't get in the way, instead helping to provide an even more secure fit then a traditional TWS thanks to a more natural weight distribution. I can wear the Shuttle for extended periods completely free of discomfort, and that's with the stock medium tips. Thanks to a very standard nozzle design, the fitting of a wide variety of third party tips is entirely possible. As a result, the Shuttle gets top marks for fit and comfort. Isolation is above average too, doing a great job of dulling outside noise, even with no music playing. If you simply want to use them as a pair of ear plugs, they're actually quite good.

Build quality is good too, though the materials used are nothing particularly special. The all-plastic design looks and feels well put together with dense materials and fantastic fit and finish. You won't find any unsightly gaps or misaligned parts here. The compact charge case gets the same treatment with a functional design that looks simple but attractive. The plastic here don't feel quite as nice as they do on the earpieces, but I don't see anything worth complaining about. The lid is magnetically sealed with a foam pad tucked away inside that keeps the earpieces firmly in their respective charge ports when being stored/charged. Despite fitting into the charge slots one way only, Dudios added L/R markings to make the process that much more straight-forward. On the rear of the case is a micro-USB port which will disappoint some. While I certainly prefer USB Type-C, micro-USB is still perfectly suitable for a product like the Shuttle which wouldn't make use of the extra features and enhancements afforded by Type-C (except durability), needlessly increasing the price.

Tech Inside The Shuttle has some niceties that previously were reserved for higher price segments, such as touch controls. Thankfully, they work better here than on other TWS offerings I've tried recently. One reason is that there are no single tap functions. You need to double tap to play and pause whereas other TWS earphones use a single tap for this function. I never found myself accidentally pausing a track, such as when I take an earphone out when crossing the road so I can hear traffic, or am readjusting the earphone. Skipping tracks is handled by a long 1.5 second press. Maybe not as quick as the double tap most other TWS products demand, but it led to fewer mispresses. The Shuttle is probably the most enjoyable touch-based TWS I've had the opportunity to interact with. Only exception would be in cold whether where it doesn't always register my taps, though that could also be because my hands are usually quite dry.

Battery life is good, but given the design of the earpieces I was hoping they would contain larger batteries that would enable more than 4 hours from each listening session. At least the time to juice up isn't too long at 1.5 hours, and the case itself recharges within about 2.5 hours. The case will recharge the earpieces up to five times giving the Shuttle 20 combined hours of listening time. Given the price point, I have to keep my desires in check and maintain realistic expectations. What the Shuttle does with its batteries is perfectly fine. Since most will rarely run them down completely and place them in the case where they will recharge between short, bursty listening sessions (bus rides, listening between classes, gym sessions, etc.), battery life probably won't ever be an issue. Neither will connection quality.

I'm finding these inexpensive Bluetooth 5.0 equipped products to be very reliable, even though Bluetooth 5.0 isn't really something many products on the market can't even take advantage of yet, though that is rapidly changing. The Shuttle connects quickly to my G6, Shanling M0, and Asus FX53V, and can hold a reliable connection with few hiccups for the duration of my listening sessions. It will stutter and drop when moving around the apartment, but only when there are a couple walls separation the earphones from their source. Again, I can't really see anyone being too disappointed with the connection quality of the Shuttle, unless they spend a good amount of time away from the source, with lots of obstacles in the way.


In the Box If the Shuttle isn't OEM'd by the same company that handled the SoundPEATS TrueFree+, I'd be shocked, because the similarities in the packaging are striking. The compact matte black cardboard box is the same, with a simple green sticker wrapping around the front and side that contains the usual branding and model info, as well as a small ima ge of the earphones and charge case. Inside the charge case is set within a cardboard cutout, protected from scratches by a removable foam insert. Another, smaller box is also present, one which holds the main accessory kit. In all you get;

• Shuttle earphones
• Charge case
• Micro usb cable
• Single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)

In all not the most exciting or accessory rich unboxing. Still, the simplicity is refreshing and the included tips are really quite nice to use. The silicone is soft and provides a great seal. Good stuff.

Final Thoughts The Shuttle, while not the most technically impressive earphone I've ever heard, is a ton of fun, especially if you enjoy a bassy sound signature. Back that with a simple but stylish design, outstanding comfort, a reliable wireless connection, touch controls that don't suck, and solid battery life, and I can think of many worse ways to spend 50 bucks. Truly wireless gear has really taken a leap forward in the last year or so, with cheapo earphones like the Shuttle providing a great experience previously reserved for only high end stuff. If you're in the market for an inexpensive truly wireless product and enjoy a bassy signature, the Shuttle may be just what you are looking for.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

Disclaimer Thanks to Carrie with Dudios for sending over a sample of the Shuttle for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subject opinions based on time spent listening to the Shuttle. They do not represent Dudios or any other entity. At the time of writing you could pick up the Shuttle for 48.99 CAD: https://www.amazon.ca/Dudios-Wireless-Bluetooth-Earphone-One-Button/dp/B07ZRBM14F

Specifications

• Bluetooth version: 5.0
• Bluetooth chipset: RTL8763BFR
• Maximum working range: 10m (without obstacles)
• Talk time: ~4hrs
• Earbud charge time: ~1.5hrs
• Case charge time: ~2.5hrs
• Case recharge number: ~5 times (~20 hours total)
• Earbud dimension: 42.5mm x 23.5mm 25mm

Devices used for testing: Shanling M0, LG G6, Asus FX53V laptop

Some Test Tunes: Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're taking a quick look at the Model 2000EX, Blue Ever Blue's follow up to the outstanding Model 1200EX. The 2000EX has been out for a quite a while now and isn't really a new model. Where the 1200EX featured a single dynamic with a durable metal shell and high quality fixed cable, the 2000EX moves to a dual dynamic setup with plastic shells and a removable cable. While those changes all sound quite positive, the resulting product fails to perform to the same level as the 1200EX it succeeds. Let's take a closer look.


What I Hear Blue Ever Blue's previous flagship, the 1200EX, was an outstanding value at 100 USD bringing to market a very detailed, capable sound signature that went punch for punch with the best in it's class. It was a fantastic way to get an audiophile style signature, but with a little more excitement thanks to it's high energy treble and outstanding bass extension. I was expecting more of the same but better from the 2000EX, but alas, it was not to be. The 2000EX is a major misstep for the brand and fails to arise to the lofty heights achieved by it's predecessor.

Starting with the low end, the 2000EX has great extension that most of the time happens to be overshadowed by a clear mid-bass bias. This leaves the presentation feeling somewhat bloated and lacking texture on most tracks. Mid- and upper-bass is not particularly quick, nor do notes have a visceral impact. It ends up feeling soft and underwhelming most of the time, really only suitable for uncomplicated, instrumental EDM and the occasional hip hop track where admittedly it can provide some damn good experiences.

The mid-range is quite forward, especially in the upper ranges. This results in vocals often coming across as very shouty, especially female vocals. Male vocals are not quite as forward and sound prominent but not exaggerated. Timbre is acceptable but on the light and bright side leaving instruments feeling artificial. Also, despite being so forward, the mid-range isn't particularly detailed leaving everything sounding smeared or veiled. Fine for audio books and podcasts, actually quite good, but for music it's far from ideal.

Treble out of the 2000EX is lower focused with a rolled off upper region. As a result the presentation is pretty dry and somewhat artificial. Cymbals, chimes, and the like hit with a metallic ring and to put it simply, sound off. Detail and clarity is decent through, and notes hit with a satisfying attack. Decay is reasonably quick too. Overall a competent, but far from spectacular treble performance.

Soundstage out of the 2000EX is easily it's best quality. Like other HDSS equipped iems I've used, staging is wide and deep giving tracks lots of room to play around in... sort of. The overly forward vocals do cut into the stage somewhat, but the effect works since it sets the rest of the music off into the background where it can flit about as it sees fit. This results in a layered sound that has more depth to it than you might expect. Unfortunately imaging is somewhat vague and on very busy tracks individual track elements bunch up and separation suffers. It ends up being hit and miss, sounding fantastic at times, and failing magnificently at others.

Overall the 2000EX's sound is a blinding miss for the brand. While at times each element can pull itself together to provide a pretty stunning experience, those are few and far between. The most positive I can be here is that the 2000EX, while not good, is at least listenable. If I bought these I'd be very disappointed, but I could live with them, even if I'd be itching to upgrade at every opportunity.


In the Ear The 2000EX has an all-plastic construction with a very obscure design similar in shape to the head of a golf club. Fit and finish is fine and the quality of the plastic is good, in line with the TFZ Series 2, but it's nothing we haven't seen bettered by some sub-50 USD earphones. More premium materials would be nice at the 2000EX's 150 USD price point. The housings are also very thick compared to other products in the price range, possibly due to the HDSS tech, dual dynamic drivers, and removable cables using DC style connectors. While they look like they're designed for over-ear wear, they're not. This results in an initially awkward fitting session, but once you figure them out they're actually spectacularly comfortable. Weight is low, very little material actually touches the ear, and the nozzle is quite long. Isolation is fairly minimal though, so I recommend using foam tips when in noisy areas. Overall it is a pleasing product to wear.

The cable is another aspect of the 2000EX that could use a quality boost. It's not a bad cable by any means, with smooth, flexible sheath that has an excellent 45 degree angled jack and useful chin cinch. However, it is nearly identical to the cable that comes with the sub 10 USD QKZ DM4, but with slightly better hardware attached. Simply put, I expect something a bit more premium from a 150 USD product. The use of DC connectors are also a double-edged sword. I quite like them because you never have to worry about plugging them in the right way (ex. 2-pin) or being overly careful attaching and detaching the cable so to protect the pins or prevent the plugs from wearing out (ex. MMCX). The earphones I have that use DC connectors seem to stand the test of time quite well, and retain a stable connection over tens of disconnects. When the cable does eventually give you, you experience the next issue; replacement. Finding a replacement cable more than likely requires you to buy another earphone entirely; see the aforementioned QKZ DM4. To my knowledge, buying one of those is the most cost effective way to replace the 2000EX's cable.


In the Box The 2000EX arrives is a fairly straightforward cardboard box with the usual branding and product image adorning the front. Like the cover of a hardback novel, the magnetically clasped front flap flips open to reveal a diagram of the construction of the 2000EX, and a plastic viewing window showing off the ear pieces. On the back you find some product highlights, like “3D full stereo sound”, “high definition”, and “14.32% reduction in psychological stress”. Such bullet points always feel like marketing fluff so I take it with a grain of salt.

Sliding out the inner tray you find the earphones and carrying case set within a very dense, secure foam. Inside the case is the accessory kit, while underneath it all you find two pieces of paper; one for the warranty, the other outlining how to use the included ear hooks. In all you get:

• 2000EX earphones
• Semi-hard clam shell carrying case
• Removable cable with DC connectors
• Silicone ear hooks (s/m/l)
• Spinfit CP100 (s/m/l)
• Single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• Bi-flange tips (m)
• Airplane adapter
• Shirt clip

Overall a decent unboxing. You get lots of high quality tips with a fair bit of variety in terms of size and shape, as well as a useful, nicely constructed carrying case to hold it all.

Final Thoughts Has to be said; the 2000EX is not a good earphone. Comfortable, but the build doesn't match the price. The decision to go with DC connectors (that I genuinely like) doesn't work because alternate cables are so hard to come by. The sound is simply sub-par. The 2000EX isn't the worst earphone I've used in the last couple years, but it certainly plays among the lower echelon and coming from the 1200EX is a major disappointment. There are a few positives like wearing comfort and sound stage, but nothing I can point to that says “These are worth it because of X.” On the plus side, the 1200EX is still available, still sounds awesome, is much better built, and is cheaper than the 2000EX. Buy that instead.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

Disclaimer Thanks to Bentley with BeB for sending over a sample of the 2000EX for review. My deepest apologies for the significant delay in this review being written and posted (thought I'm sure BeB would have probably preferred it stayed in purgatory). The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on over a year of intermittent use of the 2000EX. At the time of writing it was retailing for 150 USD: http://blueeverblue.com/product_model_2000ex.html

Specifications:

• Drivers: Dual dynamic, 9mm + 7mm
• Impedance: 16Ω
• Sensitivity: 110dB +/- 3dB
• Frequency Response: 5Hz – 40kHz
• Max Input Power: 10mW

Devices used for testing: Shanling M0, Periodic Audio Nickel, LG G6, Asus FX53V laptop, TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

Some Test Tunes: Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out one of the more inexpensive earphones in Pioneer's stable, the CH3.　

Micro drivers 6mm and smaller hold a special place in this hobby for me. One of my first unabashed loves, the HA-FXH30 from JVC, mounts single titanium-coated 6mm dynamics in each nozzle and to this day remains one of my favourite products because it balances detail, clarity, control, sound stage, and bass depth so well, all while retaining a certain warmth and natural timbre through the midrange. It also looks pretty damn awesome. Its legendary relative, the HA-FXT90, manages most of the same from a dual carbon nano-tube 6mm dynamic setup that has been copied to death ever since, and is another product that I still hold in high regard after all these years. The CH3 hearkens back to these "glory days," showing us that mainstream Japanese brands have still got it where it counts, and that you don't have to sell a kidney to afford it.


What I Hear As is fairly common with inexpensive earphones, the CH3 has a mild v- or u-shaped signature. It has elevated treble and bass to add a bit of spunk to your tunes, though they aren't extreme boosts that would go so far as to please the treble and/or bassheads of the world. Instead it gives the CH3 a jack-of-all-trades appeal, meaning it works well with everything, failing to specialize at anything in particular. For me, such a tune is ideal for products at this price range since it works with a wide variety of musical genres and means I don't have to worry about carrying multiple earphones with me on my travels. I can take just one and know I'll have a good experience. When treating the CH3 as an everyday carry (EDC), such an earphone is hard to best.

One aspect of the tune that helps make the CH3 a successful EDC is the treble. It is lively without being harsh, able to cut through noise while avoiding overpowering quiet moments. It has just enough upper treble energy to give chimes and cymbals some shimmer and sass, but not so much as to become piercing. Lower treble is neatly elevated giving notes excellent definition and detail, which retaining control in busy moments. As as result I found it almost as equally pleasing with poorly recorded and fairly low-fi material (ex. Aesop Rock's earliest album 'Float') as I did with well-mastered, high quality tunes (ex. Daft Punk's 'Random Access Memories'). Being that this is such a small driver, you get the benefits of quick decay and transients at the expense of distortion when you start to crank the volume, though you shouldn't be listening that loud anyway if you value long term hearing.

Given the size of the CH3's drivers, I wasn't entirely expecting the authoritative bass it was able to output. Tossing on some EDM like Diplo & Autoerotique's “Waist Time” I couldn't help but smile at the punchy, well-controlled thuds being piped into my ears. Mid-bass does take most of the focus, thankfully without sounding bloated or bleeding into the mids, with sub-bass being present but rolling off somewhere between what you'd expect from a bassy balanced armature and your typical 8mm dynamic. Texturing is fairly average with the most grungy of notes from bands like The Prodigy and Tobacco coming across smoother than they should. The majority of tracks are properly represented, however.

I really enjoyed the CH3's natural sounding, timbre rich midrange. While slightly dipped, vocals and instruments sit forward enough to share centre stage with the rest of the tune. Clarity is quite good, helped along by the well weighted presentation, and I never found myself having to second guess what I was hearing when attempting to decipher lyrics, something I have only recently started doing. In the past I've been all about the beats and how cohesive the complete track was, for the most part ignoring what the artist was saying and letting the vocals blend in as just another instrument. Weird, I know, but the message just wasn't that important. While I find the note thickness here just fine, I'm sure there will be some that find the CH3 on the lean side. Keep that in mind if you prefer products that have a warm, thick, almost soupy presentation.

One thing I have always enjoyed about micro-dynamics is their unique sound stage presentation, and not because they are so wide and deep, able to portray this vast soundscape that completely immerses you. No, it's somewhat the opposite. Wide the CH3's stage is quite wide and will toss sounds well past each side of your head, the rest of the stage is focused and somewhat condensed. This shows off the CH3's good imaging qualities with clear channel-to-channel movement, free of dead zones, but also highlights it's fairly average layering and separation qualities. Elements of extremely dense tracks risk blending, especially at high volumes, though I'm not going to knock the CH3 too much here because the performance is still more than acceptable for a sub 100 CAD product.　


Compared To A Peer

Final Audio E2000 (49.00 CAD): The E2000 is easily one of my favourite iems under 50 USD, if not my favourite. Why? It looks good, fits beautifully, and has a warm, refined sound signature that doesn't skim on bass, detail, or sound stage. Compared to the CH3, the E2000 has the upper hand, depending on your sound preferences. While the CH3 is the more balanced of the two making the E2000's upper ranges seem a little too laid back, it gives up mid-range clarity and depth of sound resulting in the E2000 sounding like a much larger, more grandiose earphone. On the same tracks the E2000 sounds that much more flamboyant and expensive, even though it's not. Unless you straight up find the E2000 to warm and/or too bassy, I see no reason to choose the CH3 over it.

JVC HA-FXH30 (72.35 CAD): Anyone who has followed my content over the years already knows how I feel about the FXH30; it's about as close to being my perfect iem as it gets. I love the design and the sound, and if I were to be stuck with only one iem, it would certainly be fighting for that prestigious spot. Compared to the CH3 the FXH30 is more v-shaped with bigger bass and more vibrant treble. Mid-range presence on the two is similar with the FXH30 coming across slightly more robust and weighty. It has the edge in clarity and texture too, all through the range. They are quite similar in sound stage presentation with the FXH30 showing slightly greater depth and height.

Overall, compared to the E2000 and FXH30, what the CH3 has going for it is balance. While it's not as detailed as either of the above gems, and it doesn't dig as deep in the low end, it presents a level of balance that you just don't get with the other two. The CH3 does the best job of managing and juggling bass, mids, and treble levels within a similar soundscape. If that's what you need, then it's the best choice of the three. In my experience, the E2000 is probably the best one for most people. It's small, comfy to wear, and its warmer more mellow sound seems to do a great job meeting most listeners needs. The FXH30 is much the same but with a more vibrant top end and a snappier, more energetic sound overall and is my personal pick. However, if I were given the opportunity to purchase the CH3 after having listened to either of the other two, I wouldn't hesitate. It's nearly as good and can be found at a much lower price.

In The Ear In my experience, earphones utilizing a micro driver setup have the potential to be exceptionally comfortable. When designing the earpiece to maximize the compact size of the driver inside, the resulting product can be minuscule in size, irrelevant in weight, and near perfect ergonomically since there is no need to compromise design to accommodate the driver. As a result, products like the AAW Q emerge. That entire canalphone is smaller than the average medium sized ear tip. Such a design is only possible with such a compact driver, such as a 6mm or smaller dynamic, or various styles of balanced armatures.

With the CH3, Pioneer has worked with their unique 5.5mm dynamic driver and crafted a very compact, bullet shaped iem that completely disappears in the ear thanks to its low weight and small footprint. The familiar bullet shape allows users to wear it equally comfortably cable up or down. Cable up is my preference as it reduces the pretty severe cable noise that is present when worn cable down. Despite the easy fitting nature of the CH3 and that it completely blocks the ear canal, isolation is well below what I expect from a product of this design. Using it at the call centre where I work, an increase in volume was needed to drown out the cacophony of noise surrounding me. Foam tips are highly recommended for users planning to listen to the CH3 in noisy areas, but don't expect miracles.

While the CH3 is nicely built thanks to a fine attention to detail in terms of fit and finish, as well as the use of quality materials, it's not the most robust thing I've come across in recent memory. It reminds me of products from other Japanese brands like JVC and Final Audio. Small, lightweight, durable enough housings saddled with very simple rubber sheathed cables that lack the visual flair and girth of similarly priced products bursting from the Chinese hi-fi scene. That said, the cable on the CH3 is a slight step down from it's localized counterparts thanks to the extra grippyness of the sheath that has resulted in it catching on my clothing or objects in the environment. As such, the CH3 is constructed about how I would expect a product in this price range from a mainstream brand to be; good enough. Pioneer has nothing to prove, unlike the various no-name brands that have come to dominate the budget sector as of late, so they didn't go overboard with bulky, durable materials, instead keeping with the lithe and compact ideals of a micro-dynamic.


In The Box The CH3 arrives in the sort of retail packaging you'd expect from a major brand. The compact black and white cardboard box has a hanger protruding out the top and features a very clean and mature design with clearly labelled brand and model information, as well as the obligatory image of the CH3's earpieces. As seems to be the norm for most products in the current audio climate, a Hi-Res Audio logo is also present. Pulling at the magnetically sealed front surface reveals a plastic viewing window showing off the CH3 and inline mic module. Some basic product information can also be found, such as the use of a graphene coated diaphragm and aluminum housings. On the back of the package you find some more bullet points noting the use of tiny 5.5mm dynamic drivers and that an inline remote and mic is included. Cutting the security seals and digging into the package contents you find the fixed cable neatly wrapped and strapped with the earpieces, mic, and spare tips set within a plastic tray. There is also more documentation than you would expect for such an inexpensive, straightforward product. In all you get:

• CH3 earphones
• Single flange silicone eartips (s/m/l)
• Manual

In line with other major brands, the budget-minded CH3 comes with a paltry set of accessories. Enough to get you going and nothin more. While I like the design of the packaging, this is very much a forgettable unboxing experience.

Final Thoughts The CH3 was brought to my attention by Jant71 over on Head-fi and I can't thank him enough for it. At the time I bought it, there was next to no coverage outside of Japan (and even that was quite limited) so there was an element of risk to the purchase in that it could have been terrible. However, given the polished reputation of the CH9 and past experiences with home audio gear from Pioneer, and the low price, I wasn't too worried. In the end, that lack of worry was justified since the CH3 is a fantastic little earphone.

The simple silver and black, aluminum and rubber design is as comfortable as it is attractive. The sound is fairly mainstream in tune but with a level of resolution and restraint I would expect from a product intended for a more mature and discerning audience. The CH3 isn't for your Beats or Sony XB-loving teen, and probably wouldn't survive a week in their hands anyway since its build quality isn't particularly robust; think Final Audio EX000 Series or Zero Audio Carbo Tenore here. In the end it's straight up a rock solid EDC for someone that wants a little more performance and balance out of a budget friendly in-ear. That Pioneer is a well-known brand with a good reputation certainly doesn't hurt either.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

Disclaimer I purchased the CH3 from visions.ca with my own hard-earned cash monies. This review is composed of my own thoughts and opinions, uninfluenced by Pioneer or visions.ca. At the time of writing, the CH3 retailed for 59.99 CAD but was on sale for 34.00 CAD: https://www.visions.ca/catalogue/category/productresults.aspx?categoryId=726&brandId=63

**Note: I think they're worth 59.99 CAD, despite having a fixed cable, but why pay that much when they routinely go on sale for ~25-35 CAD?**

Specifications

• Drivers: 5.5mm dynamic driver with Graphene coated membrane
• Impedance: 16Ω
• Sensitivity: 102dB @ 1mW
• Frequency Response: 8Hz – 40kHz

Devices used for testing Shanling M0, Periodic Audio Nickel, LG G6, Asus FX53V laptop, TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

Some Test Tunes Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're checking out the ME80 from NiceHCK, an online web shop that fairly recently starting developing their own products under the NiceHCK brand name.

Earbuds were a style of product that dropped out of favour for quite a while. I suspect it was due to the rise of inexpensive in-ear monitors (iems). They offered up big bass and great isolation more akin to a headphone, but in a portable package we were accustomed to thanks to earbuds. Bass and isolation were qualities the humble earbud inherently struggled to provide thanks to their unsealed, open designs. Iems also seemed to provide a more universal fit thanks to their use of significantly smaller drivers and their in-ear designs.

However, a few years ago Venture Electronics released the Monk, a 5 USD earbud that offered up sound quality which well exceeded it's meager price tag. At this time the Chinese portable audio industry was really starting to pick up steam with various brands bringing to market hilariously inexpensive but great sounding products that nearly anyone could afford, though earbuds were a segment that was criminally underrepresented. Enter the Monk which almost single-handedly changed that, leading to the earbud segment seeing a massive resurgence and a growing fan base, especially among budget audio-conscious consumers that never really got on board with iems and their more intrusive design (niche, premium earbuds were already humming along just fine). Just look at how popular the Earbuds Anonymous page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/EarbudsAnonymous/) is over on Facebook (and be sure to join, it's an amazing community).

The ME80 is not a premium earbud and comes in at under 20 USD. However, with it's titanium-coated, 15.4mm diaphragms and powerful N52 magnets, as well as CNC machined aluminum alloy shells, you could certainly mistake them for something more expensive. If they sound the part too, then I see no reason why they shouldn't be on every earbud lovers radar.

Let's take a closer look, shall we?


What I Hear: NiceHCK has done a great job tuning the ME80. While nothing particularly new for the format, it's overall a well rounded and detailed sounding earbud with solid technical ability that shines with acoustic and vocal-centric music.

Treble is clean and crisp with a skew towards lower treble. Upper treble has just enough emphasis to give chimes and whatnot some sparkle though, so the ME80 avoids coming across somewhat dry. Lower treble is slightly emphasized and somewhat lean in presentation giving the ME80 a fairly analytic feel. Thankfully it avoids coming across as clinical so it remains a fairly easy listen, much more so with full foams, even amidst tracks that can be somewhat piercing. Notes attack with authority and good control keeping the ME80 from sounding loose and splashy.

The mid-range also slots into that somewhat lean sounding category and to my ears feels best suited to male vocals and electric guitars. Notes and instruments are pleasantly organic and natural thanks to a fairly accurate timbre, with the lean-ish presentation feeling less suited to female vocals and woodwinds. Those in my opinion benefit from a more lush and bodied performance. At least the mids are quite forward without tipping over into shouty territory, and only occasionally come across sibilant.

Bass is fairly reserved in quantity as is often the case with earbuds. While roll off is certainly present, I was quite pleased with how well the low end extended on the ME80. Tossing on some of my usual EDM tracks tracks, I definitely felt that low end rumble, it just wasn't as pronounced as experienced through iems or headphones, which makes sense to me (earbuds don't seal). Still, I was quite impressed. Also a plus was the ME80's low end texture with grungy notes from bands like The Prodigy displaying the right amount of grime and grit. Note that installing full foams or donuts notably reduces raw detail output, and skews the balance towards the mid-bass, which is why I prefer the ME80 bare.

Sound stage out of the ME80 is fantastic giving off a spacious and airy feel on even the most synthetic tracks. Imaging is less stellar and while channel to channel transitions are clear, finer details keep the ME80 from being suitable for gaming or other activities that require greater precision. The ME80's layered presentation and outstanding separation keep congested tracks from bundling up into a mess of noise.

Overall a great sounding earbud with solid technical performance and plenty of detail. While not in the spotlight in terms of emphasis, the ME80's low end is a highlight thanks to it's better than average extension and pleasing texture, something I oft find lacking in products of this style.


Compared To A Peer: In this section the ME80 is being compared to a similarly priced but more stylish bud, as well as my personal favourite on the market thanks to it's comfortable, if not plain design, and catch-all sound signature.

Auglamour RX-1 (23.00 USD): The RX-1 has a warmer, thicker presentation that focuses more squarely on general midrange frequencies which have a more natural timbre but tend to highlight existing sibilance more. Treble is more blunted with less upper treble emphasis and a reduction in clarity. The RX-1's bass is more mid- and upper-bass focused with an earlier roll off and lesser extension. Attack on notes is more aggressive and engaging through the RX-1. The ME80's soundstage is quite a bit wider and deeper, with the RX-1 coming across slightly claustrophobic, odd for an earbud. Imaging is improved on the ME80, as is layering and separation, likely due to it's vastly superior soundstage. The RX-1 is a great sounding bud, but it is outclassed in this comparison.

In terms of build and comfort, the RX-1 gets the nod. It too features metal shells but they are considerably more stylish and compact with a more cohesive and interesting design. The smaller drivers inside mean the face is notably more compact and as a result it doesn't cause any hot spots or discomfort, regardless of the length of my listening sessions. It also sits less obtrusively under a toque, something I appreciate given the cold weather we're experiencing locally. When it comes to cables the ME80's is much better. The RX-1 cable is a fair bit stiffer and not quite as ideal in cold weather.

HE 150Pro (29.90 USD): Back when I originally reviewed the HE 150Pro in December of 2017, I said it was an earbud for those that dislike them. That was because it had a signature decidedly unlike your typical earbud. That is quite apparent when comparing to the ME80. Where the ME80 has a mid and treble focus, the 150Pro takes on a midrange and bass focus. Its presentation is thicker and more lush than the ME80, while outputting nearly the same detail, clarity, and texture, all while having a very robust and extensive low end that is unlike any other earbud I've heard. Treble is less emphasized on the 150Pro and doesn't extend quite as well, nor does it product the same shimmer, but they still go head-to-head on micro-detail and clarity. The 150Pro's tune does give it a more intimate presentation compared to the ME80 though, and as such it doesn't provide quite as open and spacious stage. The ME80's midrange is lighter and leaner and feels more at home with male vocals while the 150Pro's more organic sound is great with both male and female vocals, female especially. When it comes to the low end, the ME80 is better than most buds with extension that belies it's somewhat polite presentation. Texture is right there with the 150Pro. However, in terms of sheer quantity HE's bud is untouchable. The low end is much more forceful and omnipresent, akin to an in-ear or closed back headphone. If you've hated the sound of most earbuds you've heard but liked the form factor, the 150Pro will likely be more up your alley. If you've always enjoyed the somewhat typical treble/mid-focused tune of earbuds but felt they were somewhat lacking in low end extension, the ME80 is the one to pick.

In terms of build they are both solidly constructed with metal bodies. Neither is particularly stylish with the 150Pro's even simpler design coming across as the more suble of the two. Fit and comfort is similar between the two with the 150Pro's lighter, more slender shells getting the nod. While I like the cables on both buds, the ME80's takes the cake. The 150Pro's braided offering is thinner and less durable feeling, and tangles much more consistently above the y-split. It is lighter and more flexible though.

In The Ear: The ME80 has well constructed, if not somewhat uninspired looking, aluminum housings. Left and right channels are helpfully denotes by blue and red bands at the end of each cable stalk. Fit and finish is in general quite good with no excess glue sticking out or misaligned parts. Strain relief leaving each earpiece is unfortunately absent, but given the cable NiceHCK is using I don't mind too much. The cable seen here can be found on a few other products I've reviewed, like the Penon BS1 Experience and AK Light T2. In those applications it has proven to be very durable and resilient, even if it is a hint sticky and bouncy.

Fit and comfort are about average for an earbud. The large driver means the face of each earpiece is quite broad at around 17mm in diameter. Those who have had issues with the size of earbuds in the past will probably continue to have the same issues here. Those whom the ME80 fit fine will fine weight distribution good. While I still experience the occasional hot spot around the base after a while, a slight readjustment is all it takes to continue wearing the ME80 for extended periods.


In The Box: The ME80 comes in a small, plain white box. On the front is a fairly high res rendering of the earbuds along with the usual model and company branding. On the back you find the specifications in three languages. Inside you get;

• ME80 earbuds
• Soft carrying bag with NiceHCK branding
• Shirt clip
• Velcro cable tie
• Five set of foams in various colours (black x 2, red, and green full foams, blue donut foams)

While the unboxing experience is about as basic as it gets, I appreciate how many pairs of foams are included. It's also nice that they're of various colours since you can mix and match to make identifying each channel even easier, or simply to look more stylish.

Final Thoughts: The ME80 is another quality release from NiceHCK. It further contributes to the argument that the earbud design is entirely capable of providing a quality audio experience, and that they are worth revisiting if you've been slighted by them in the past. That pack-in pair of buds that came with your media player years ago, or that cheap replacement from some name brand at your local Best Buy are not even remotely competitive with a well-tuned, modern earbud. The ME80 is a great choice for the modern budget-conscious audiophile and will provide you with countless hours of listening enjoyment.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Jim with NiceHCK for sending over a sample of the ME80 for review. The thoughts here are my own subjective opinions based on time spent using the ME80 over the last couple months. At the time of writing it was on sale for 16.57 USD (21.24 USD regular price); https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33041694447.html

Specifications:

• Driver: 15.4mm titanium coated dynamic
• Impedance: 34Ω
• Sensitivity: 109dB/mW
• Frequency Response: 20-25,000Hz

Devices used for testing: Shanling M0, Hifiman Megamini, LG G6, Asus FX53V laptop, TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

Some Test Tunes: Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're checking out the new HEX from Brainwavz.

When I first saw this product announced, there were a few things that drew my attention. The first of course was the design. The hexagonal, honeycomb pattern adorning the face plate immediately grabbed my eye as it gave the 3D printed HEX a unique look, especially in their now familiar 'Stay Frosty' color scheme. Second was that it was coming in at 99 USD. Third was that this was being accomplished with triple Knowles armatures.

I know that more drivers does not necessarily equate to 'MOAR BETTER!!' but at this price point you're lucky to see a single Knowles driver being used. Sonion and other more budget oriented options tend to rule the roost. Such value is nothing new for Brainwavz given they did the same thing with the B400 which has quad Knowles armatures for under 200 USD. It's nice to see Brainwavz is still at it, but this time tackling an even more affordable segment.

Of course, none of this matters if the HEX sounds like crud. Does it? Or will it entrance you with the sweet songs of its balanced armature people? Let's find out.


What I Hear: The first time I tossed in the HEX for a listen I was reminded of one of my favorite earphones of all time, the Brainwavz B400. It had the same smooth, easygoing presentation that worked with everything I tossed its way. That said, where the B400 has a near neutral tune with slightly boosted bass to liven things up, the HEX runs a little closer to a more traditional u- or very light v-shaped signature.

I perceive the treble on the HEX to be slightly more prominent than on the B400 thanks to it's slightly recessed mids. Combined with more emphasized bass, the HEX gives off a fairly lively and energetic presentation. Treble extension is good, with roll off up top. Upper and lower treble balance is quite even giving chimes and cymbals a touch of shimmer without being anywhere near aggressive. I wish there was a little more lower treble since clarity and raw detail is merely average as noticed running through “No Amnesty” by Havok. This leads to attack being somewhat blunted. On the plus side, this results in a treble presentation that is very much non-fatiguing, unlike the majority of products in this price range. Brands tend to artificially enhance clarity by cranking the treble which also makes the product quite fatiguing.

The midrange on the HEX is a bit of a mixed bag, though the overall result is positive. Let's get the bad out of the way first. Clarity and detail is not the HEX's forte with vocals sounding clear but too smooth. Subtle details like the sliding of fingers across a guitar string are present but lacking texture. This is fine with everyday pop music and does a good job of hiding compression if listening to compress mixes, but if you feel like analyzing something, the HEX falls short. The good is that the mid-range otherwise sounds quite accurate with vocalists and instruments coming across weighty and timbre accurate. I really enjoyed revisiting my favorite albums like Supertramp's 'Crime of the Century' and Warlock's 'Triumph and Agony' because of how good Davies, Hodgson, and Doro's voices sounded.

Bass out of the big Knowles armature is solid at best. I enjoyed the presence it held across the overall signature keeping the HEX suitable for EDM tracks like Notion's absolute banger, “Hooked”. It's fairly quick, well textured, and has enough punch and slam to carry a track. Bassheads will be pretty disappointed if they for whatever reason settled on the HEX, a product better suited for those that like elevated but far from overwhelming bass. As is typical for armature based products, mid-bass takes the spotlight thanks to the driver's inability to hit really low notes. When tuned right, such as on the AS06, AS10, and BA10, the low-range armature found in Knowledge Zenith's still thwomps the majority of competitors when it comes to bass representation.

Soundstage is an area where Brainwavz's armature lineup tends to fare quite well in my experience, and the HEX is no exception. Maybe this is why the ear pieces are so large, but the HEX has a wide, deep stage that frequently tosses sounds just past the head. This is still an iem so you're not going to be getting the same experience you get from a headphone. Regardless, I found the HEX quite engaging, easily pulling me into a track. Imaging is good and in line with what I expect from the price point while separation and layering is above-average and more in line with what I experience from products beyond 200 USD. It would be even better too were it not for the somewhat underwhelming mid-range clarity noted easily.

Overall I really enjoy the HEX. It's not the last word in raw detail and analytic capability, but it makes up for this with a very clean, open presentation that works well across a variety of musical styles thanks to it's timbre accuracy and tuning balance.


Compared To A Peer:

FiiO FA1 (99 USD): The HEX comes across as having a more balanced tune thanks to treble, mids, and bass which share a move even presence. The FA1's upper mids are more forward and upper treble more prominent and sparkly giving it a leaner but more detailed presentation. The HEX's mids are more lush and natural though which combined with a wider, deeper sound stage results in a more realistic sounding product that has a richer, more organic timbre, even if it falls behind in clarity. Bass on neither is amazing, but the HEX digs deeper while maintaining the same level of control. In addition to having a larger sound stage, the HEX provides a more engaging experience thanks to better layering and separation qualities. While I appreciate the clarity of the FA1, the HEX's more well-rounded and natural sounding tune wins me over.

Both earphones are 3D printed with FiiO's offering being the more stylish and refined of the two. The build is simply cleaner and more uniform on the FA1 with only the inside of the nozzle giving away that it is 3D printed. The FA1's cable is also a step up. It shares a twisted design but without the HEX's stiff sheath over top. More effective strain relief is at the 90 degree angled jack while the y-split is similarly relieved on both.

Shozy & Neo CP (165.00 USD): While still a brighter experience overall, the resulting tune of the CP's preinstalled filters are more closely aligned with the HEX. The alternate filters dial down mid-bass leaving the presentation feeling slightly bass anemic, all the while perception of mid and treble presence increases. Since the stock filters are most alike the HEX, I'll use those for this comparison.

With the stock filters, the CP still has the edge over the HEX in overall clarity and detail in the mids and treble. Bass performance on the two is very similar which I suspect comes down to them probably using the same Knowles low range armature, though the HEX does come across more punchy and mid-bass rich. Mids on the HEX are thicker and more weighty with a more realistic timbre and better balance when it comes to male and female vocalists. The CP is slightly biased towards female vocals. Treble on the CP is brighter and more crisp, lacking the pudding-like smoothness of the HEX. Good for bringing out track nuances and replicating the shimmer of a cymbal or chime, but more tiring on the ears long term. When it comes to sound stage, the HEX feels more spacious and open but falls behind the CP when it comes to layering, separation, and imaging precision and accuracy. Given the price difference, I'm pleased the HEX compares so well. However, the CP earns it's keep with the extra clarity and detail it outputs, specifically through the midrange.

The CP has flawless hand-built acrylic housings. As with the FA1, overall quality is a step above the HEX thanks to the impressive fit and finish. It is also much smaller despite containing the same number of drivers (including a similarly large Knowles low-range armature), MMCX ports, and a metal nozzle with a tuning filter system. The cable is also a step up thanks to it's thick, braided cleath sheath showing off the copper within.


In The Ear: The HEX's shell are crafted using the same 3D printed process we've become accustomed to from a number of recent releases from Brainwavz. In addition to the 'Stay Frosty' sample shown in the review here, the HEX also comes in Black which looks pretty snazzy. Build quality is good and yet again an iterative step up from past products. The shells are polished smooth with a thick lacquer layered over top to fill in and gloss over any seams. The right ear piece has a few raised spots along the inside but they don't cause any discomfort and are hardly visible. The nozzles are fairly short and stubby which is good for durability (though I'd still be careful given these are 3D printed) but when combined with the gargantuan size of the HEX might make fitment an issue.

The HEX is light but remains a very large earphone, nipping at the heels of the Campfire Audio Solaris. I'm not sure why it needed to be so big since something like the Shozy & Neo CP uses an equivalent triple armature setup with crossover and MMCX cables, yet remains nearly 1/3 the size. And that's with a metal nozzle and filter system. Don't get me wrong, the HEX is quite comfortable thanks to its ergonomic, semi-custom style design which also give it outstanding isolation, its just going to be too big for many to wear in a way deemed natural.

The cable will be familiar to Brainwavz fans since it has been featured on numerous products in the past. It has multiple twisted strands coated by a tough, matte black sheath. While it tends to retain bends out of the box and is a bit springy, the materials used have shown me time and again that they are tough as nails. Plus, microphonics are pretty minimal, you've got a chin cinch if needed, strain relief is satisfactory, and you get the same style of angled ear guides that were first introduced with the B100 and B150. I love the shape of these guides as they curve naturally around the ear and work very, very well to hold the cable in place while exercising.


In The Box: The HEX's packaging is about as basic as it gets, likely in an effort to reduce both cost and waste. It is large enough to hold the case inside with little wiggle room. Brainwavz branding is printed on the front with some generic information that pertains to various models everywhere else. Model information is provided only through large stickers, meaning this same package can be used across a wide variety of products.

Inside you get the same generous accessory kit we've come to expect from Brainwavz which includes;

• HEX earphones
• MMCX cable
• Iconic black and red elongated hard case
• Red T100 Comply foam tips
• Two complete sets of single flange silicone tips in s/m/l
• Shirt clip
• Velcro cable tie

Overall a very basic unboxing experience held aloft by a fair helping of quality accessories.

Update: The HEX now includes the BLU-MMCX Bluetooth module which has the following specifications:

• Bluetooth Version: 5
• Operating Range : Up-to 10 meters
• Voice Prompt : Yes
• Play Time : ~6-8 hours
• Standby Time : ~250 hours
• Charge
• Time : ~2 hours
• Support : HFP | A2DP (Std Codecs, does not support aptX or aptX HD) | AVRCP | AVCTP | AVDTP | SPP | SMP | ATT | GAP | SDP

Since I do not have this module on hand for testing, I am unable to comment on its performance. A picture of the module, provided by Brainwavz, has been included below.


Final Thoughts: Brainwavz has released yet another quality armature-only earphone with the HEX and continues to strengthen this segment of their lineup. While the HEX's large shells will limit their audience, those they fit will find them exceptionally comfortable and that they isolate quite well. Brainwavz continues to improve the quality of their 3D printed earphones with each release but there is still room for improvement as evident when comparing to FiiO's FA1. In terms of sound tuning, Brainwavz has done an excellent job utilizing a triple Knowles setup. The resulting signature is clean and smooth with an open stage and non-fatiguing, versatile presentation.

While there are competitors in this price range that may offer better sound or a more refined build, most of those are from flavour of the month brands that offer little to no after-purchase support. For some that won't matter; they simply want the most bang for their buck when it comes to sound. For others, the 12 month warranty Brainwavz included with the HEX will provide peace of mind that few other brands can match.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

Disclaimer: Thank you to Brainwavz for reaching out to see if I would like to review the HEX, and for sending a sample for this review. The thoughts within are my own subjective opinions based on time spent using the HEX. At the time of writing it was retailing for 99.50 USD: https://www.brainwavzaudio.com/products/hex-triple-balanced-armature-earphones

Specifications:

• Drivers: Triple Knowles balanced armatures
• Impedance: 30Ω
• Sensitivity: 120dB @ 1mW
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz

Devices used for testing: Shanling M0, Hifiman Megamini, LG G6, Asus FX53V laptop, TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

Some Test Tunes: Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

**If you enjoyed the review there are lots more like it here.**

Greetings,

Today we're checking out Astrotec's newest entry into the truly wireless market, the S80.

The truly wireless (TWS) earphone market has exploded with options in recent years, the blame (or credit) for which many would lay at the feet of the Apple Corporation. While die-hard audiophiles scoff at wireless products thanks to their degraded sound quality vs. their wired counterparts, the average consumer values more than just how something sounds. With TWS, they no longer need to worry about an annoying cable getting caught up on their surroundings, or tangled in their pocket. They don't have to worry about the cable breaking, rendering the product useless. Wireless products certainly come with their own pitfalls, like battery degradation over time, interference from nearby electronics, lossy codecs, among others, but for many the sound quality is easily good enough and the user experience convenient enough to overlook any faults.

Astrotec's previous attempt at TWS, the S60 5.0, was a resounding success in my opinion. They had great battery life despite their compact size, a reliable Bluetooth connection, and a balanced, detailed sound thanks to well-tuned, full-range Knowles balanced armatures. The S80 drops the armatures in favour of a Beryllium-coated dynamic driver with a signature that I feel will appeal to a wider audience, improves battery life, and tosses touch controls into the mix.

Did it end up impressing me as much as the S60? Let's find out.


What I Hear: The S80 comes rocketing out the gates with a rock solid v-shaped signature courtesy of it's Beryllium drivers. I classify this low end as elevated but not tiringly so. This is exactly the sort of tune I expect from a truly wireless product aiming to please the majority. Bass is big and thumpy without being overbearing and bleeding into the lower mids. It extends well enough into sub-bass regions as heard on Kavinski's “Solli”, with roll off kicking in just before it gives you a particularly visceral rumble. Texture is smooth but detailed with notes hitting quickly and with decent slam. It ends up being suitable for the grimy bass heard on tracks by The Prodigy and Tobacco, but not entirely ideal.

The mid-range is slightly recessed. Female vocals tend to fall on the quiet side leaving male vocals better represented. I really noticed this on Warlock's “Triumph and Agony” album where Doro never stood out the way I was used to. There is little susceptibility towards sibilance, even on tracks like Crystal Method's “Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes)” or Aesop Rock's “Blood Sandwich”, both of which can be aggressively sibilant. Vocals and instruments through the S80 are naturally weighted without sounding overly thin nor dense. Timbre is a positive aspect of the presentation with drums especially having a snappy attack to them that really stands out.

Treble is inoffensively elevated without any significant spikes. Lower treble gets the emphasis with upper treble rolling off politely. This leaves the presentation slightly dry but it retains good detail with well controlled notes. Cymbals aren't splashy and notes are subject to distorting, even at higher volumes than I'm comfortable with. This presentation means that the S80 easily handles the endless smattering of shimmery effects, hi-hats, and other effects that are prominent in EXTE's banger “Endless”.

True wireless gear isn't usually all that great when it comes to sound stage. I'm happy to say the S80 somewhat bucks that trend. While not massive by wired standards, the sound stage on offer here is actually pretty decent. I find it extends just a touch past each side of my head with plenty of depth to keep things feeling more spacious than it otherwise would. Imaging it fine, though nothing spectacular. I certainly wouldn't be using these for gaming, but I have no issues following sounds in bin aural tracks with reasonable accuracy. Thanks to the stage depth, layering is quite good while instrument separation is solid too. The S80 does a good job keeping track elements from melding together.

Overall the S80 provides a quality listening experience. Bass is tight and punchy with decent depth and texture. Mids are smooth and clear with male vocals shining best. Treble is tight and inoffensive with solid detail retrieval. The S80's sound stage is above average for this style of product and with good layering and separation qualities ensures music doesn't come across congested.

Compared to a Peer: For this section the S80 is being pitted against it's older, more affordable counterpart as well as a more feature rich TWS from Sennheiser. It might seem unfair, but the S80 has much in common from both design and sound perspectives and isn't outclassed as much as you would expect given the price difference.

Astrotec S60 5.0 (79.90 USD): The S60 and S80 use very different driver tech and as a result provide quite varied experiences. The S60 has a more balanced signature with notably more prominent mids, though upper and lower end roll off is more prominent. I found the S60 to be more detailed and textured but not as smooth and refined as the S80. The presentation is also smaller and more constrained out of the S60 leaving the S80 more suitable for congested tracks. The S80's general presentation is also thicker and more weighty with epic tracks having more gravitas to them. From a technical standpoint the S60 is superior, but from a straight up listening perspective the S80 is simply more well-rounded and enjoyable. As long as you don't mind the less prominent mids, the S80 is a solid upgrade in most ways from the S60 5.0.

Looking at other aspects, the two products are quite comparable with similarly reliable and strong wireless connections. The S80 gets better battery life at the expense of size and comfort, though that's somewhat personal so others might find the S80 ergonomically superior. Where the S60 clearly gets the nod from me is in the single button interface. I don;t really have to worry about accidental presses and the various functions are more in line with the rest of the industry (ex. Double press to skip a track, long press to change volume).

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (MTW) (299.95 USD): The MTW is basically an S80 on steroids from both a design and sound perspective. They both have a similarly tuned, v-shaped sound with the MTW's mid-range being more forward. It's a little more detailed everywhere, it's bass digs a little deeper, treble extends further, sound stage a bit wider and deeper, etc. Everything that sounds great through the S80 sounds just that much better through the MTW. Don't take that as a knock against the S80. That it sounds as good as it does against a product costing over 200 USD more, and from a reputable mainstream brand no less, is very impressive.

The MTW's case is covered in grey cloth, though in it's entirety unlike the S80's case which has a chrome lid. I find the S80's two-tone look more stylish, which is aided but a small, more pocketable size. Also in the S80's favour is its more clear battery life indication via the four blue LEDs that shine through the cloth. The MTW's case has a single, tiny multicoloured LED recessed in the IO panel on the back. In terms of features, the MTW has the S80 handily beat thanks to items like Transparent Hearing which introduces your surroundings into the mix and a companion app that handles EQ and firmware updates. While still not ideal, the MTW's touch-based controls were also more reliable and used inputs that were more intuitive and traditional. I'd still rather have a single physical button like on the S60 either way. Again, it is expected that the MTW would provide a better experience given its premium position in the market and in most areas it does. The S80 didn't give up anything to the MTW when it came to connection strength and reliability which is awesome for a more budget oriented product. The MTW's battery is also somewhat sub-par compared to the S80, but in general use and in extended up via the case. While the S80 doesn't sound as good and is less feature rich, it is plenty competitive or even one-ups the MTW in other areas.


In the Ear: The S80's shells are tidily constructed from light weight plastics. Against your ear is a matte texture which provides some resistance to slippage. A rubber strip that surrounds the edge of the shell also aids in a secure fit and is embossed with left and right markings so you know which ear piece goes where. The exterior half of the shell is a glossy piano black with a silver lining that surrounds the touch pad.

The overall shape is very smooth and ergonomic slotting naturally into the ear, though a longer nozzle would be nice. I'm lucky to have pretty average sized ear canals meaning the stock medium tips that come pre-installed on most earphones work just fine. With the S80 I had to move up to the large angled single flange tips, and even they still required the occasional adjustment to maintain a good seal. Those with large ears are most likely going to need to dip into third party tip alternatives. Even when you do get a good seal, isolation is below average for what I expect from an in-ear monitor. Even with music playing at my typically low volumes, plenty of outside noise finds its way into the mix. If planning to use the S80 in noisy areas, be prepared to raise the volume.

I can't imagine these being considered uncomfortable for the vast majority of buyers thanks to the low weight and curvaceous, form-fitting design. However, if buying these to use while exercising and you typically use large sized tips, be aware that you might need to adjust them fairly routinely to ensure they don't fall out, or look into third party tips to ensure a more secure fit.

Tech Inside: The S80 utilizes touch controls via a pad on the face of each ear piece, a feature that I have a love/hate relationship with. On the plus side, touch controls make it easier to achieve usable dust and water resistance. They also improve comfort since you're not pressing awkwardly on the earphone to activate a multi-function button. Less moving parts also means fewer failure points. On the down side, touch sensitive controls are more prone to accidental presses, such as when inserting or removing the earpiece. These particular controls are also not what I would call intuitive.

Double pressing the right ear piece increase volume, while double pressing the left to decrease is a clumsy implementation of this feature. It's finicky and slow, half the time resulting in pausing the track instead of the intended volume change. Skipping back and forth through tracks requires a double press and hold, a gesture that is usually reserved for volume control. These two functions, volume control and track skipping, really need to have their gestures swapped. Because of this, I more often than not found myself pulling out my phone or dap to change tracks and volume, defeating the purpose of the S80's on-board controls.

While the touch controls could use some fine tuning, the rest of the product is spot on. The segment standard 10m of range is easily achievable in an obstacle free area, only dropping when you bring multiple walls and corners into the equation. I can use them anywhere in my apartment no problem, having to go to extremes to force disconnects since they don't happen in regular use. The S80 holds a strong connection to your source device with only the occasional stutter that plagues nearly every Bluetooth earphone, though it happens less here than on most. Connection quality between each earpiece was, well, perfect. Can't think of a single instance where they “forgot” or disconnected from each other. Overall I find the signal strength excellent while range is as average as it gets.

Battery life is a positive too. I found myself pretty easily exceeding the lowest rated 5 hours, consistently nipping 6 hours when using them indoors in the comfort of my home. The 2 hour charge time and around 25 extra hours of extra play time afforded by the charging case seem accurate, though admittedly I did not officially record those aspects.


In the Box: Astrotec has been doing a great job of maturing and evolving their packaging over the years with, in my humble opinion, the S80's culminating as the best of the bunch in terms of design. The soft whites and crisp images of the S80's black and grey design contrast nicely and look pleasing to the eye. Branding and model details are subtle and placed around the edges letting the clean look of the S80 and its case draw your attention. This is a professionally designed package that would look right at home in a retail space.

Inside continues to impress with a frosty plastic insert providing basic instructions for pairing and wearing. Beneath the insert was an unexpected surprise. Of the at least eight different truly wireless earphones I've tested over the years that include a charge case, that case has been the only one provided leaving accessories with a lack of storage options beyond the box they came in, or a third party alternative. Astrotec has finally bucked that trend with the S80. Not only do you get an attractive and compact cloth-coated charge case, but also a matching semi-hard clam shell case in which you can store all the included accessories, or whatever else you want to carry along with you. For example, say you want to bring along a spare pair of wired earphones or need a place to store the compact DAP you're connected to while you listen. Now you don't need to buy a separate case. It's certainly not a necessary addition to the S80's accessory kit, but it is a welcome one.

Along with the two cases you also get a USB-C cable for charging and a slew of tips, of which the angled single flange sets will be familiar to S60 owners. Also included is one set of fairly small, shallow foam tips as well as some more traditionally shaped single flange silicone tips. Overall a nice selection of gear; a well constructed charge case with a matching clam-shell care, tips of above average quality, and the USB cable needed for charging. An extra set of even larger tips would be welcome though since what's included is smaller than average.


Final Thoughts: When Astrotec first dipped their toes into the true wireless game with the S60, I was pleasantly surprised to see them go a different route than most in terms of driver tech. Instead of a dynamic driver, they recruited a single balanced armature from Knowles. While I think this led to one of the better true wireless products I've heard, the resulting tune was something that wouldn't really please your average, bass-loving consumer. The S80 rectifies this with it's use of a beryllium-coated dynamic driver. It has a bigger, bouncier low end and more treble energy lending itself well to modern pop and rock. Add to that a stylish, comfortable design, great battery life, and a strong wireless connection and it makes a strong case for your hard earned dollar. Keeping it from greatness is the touch-based control pad which is appreciably more finnicky than a simple single button setup, as well as a control scheme that could stand to be more intuitive.

If you're in the market for a great sounding true wireless earphone that is imbued with a stylish design, good battery life, and that won't break the bank, the Astrotec S80 might be just the ticket.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

Disclaimer:

The S80 was provided free of charge by Astrotec for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions and do not represent Astrotec or any other entity. At the time of writing the S80 retailed for 89.00 USD; https://www.astrotecglobal.com/product-page/s80-beryllium-dynamic-driver-true-wireless-earphone

Specifications:

• Driver: 6mm Beryllium Dynamic
• Impedance: 16Ω
• Sensitivity: 98±3 db
• Frequency Response: 5Hz -25KHz
• Bluetooth Version: 5.0
• Range: 10m
• Support: AAC, CVSD, mSBC, SBC, HFP, HSP, A2DP, AVRCP, SPP, PBAF
• Earphone Playback Time: 5-6hrs
• Case Charge Time: 2hrs
• Earphone Charge Time: 1.5hrs
• Addition Play Time Via Case: ~20hrs
• Total Play Time: ~25hrs
• USB Support: Type-C
• Earphone Battery Size Per Side: 55mAh
• Charge Case Battery Size: 500mAh
• Weight: Single Earphone – 5g / Charge case – 45g
• Water Resistance: IPX5

Devices used for testing: Shanling M0, LG G6, LG G5, Asus FX53V laptop

Some Test Tunes: Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're taking a quick look at the NX7 from NiceHCK.

NiceHCK is an online retailer that in recent years has started developing in-house products under their store name. The NX7 is a fairly ambitious release combining seven drivers of three drivers types into one surprisingly compact, KZ-esque shell.

With dual-dynamic drivers, four balanced armatures, and one piezoelectric ceramic driver per side, the NX7 certainly impresses on paper, but does it impress in the ears? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

To my surprise, given my negative feedback on the N3, Jim from NiceHCK reached out well before the NX7 was announced and asked if I would like to give feedback on a prototype earphone that was in the works. I said sure, knowing literally nothing about the product except that it was an iem. The NX7 prototype arrived, I listened for a few weeks and sent back some feedback along with the EQ settings I used.

Despite my involvement leading up to the retail release of the NX7, my thoughts will remain as unbiased as possible. This review is my unaltered, subjective opinion on the retail copy of the NX7 based on time spent listening to it throughout the month of August. It does not represent NiceHCK or any other entity. At the time of writing, it was retailing for around 66 USD. You can check it out here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000013594343.html

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Portable: Shanling M0, Shanling M0 or LG G6 with a Periodic Audio Nickel amp
@home: TEAC HA-501 with a Shanling M0 or Asus FX53V sourcing music

Specifications:

Frequency Response: 20-25,000Hz
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Impedance: 55ohms


Packaging and Accessories:

The NX7 arrives in a very standard package similar to what other brands like TRN and Knowledge Zenith have been doing as of late. The exterior sheath contains a clean image of the NX7's earpieces, preformed ear guides, and braided cable, along with the usual branding and model details. On the back you find specs in three languages. Lift off the sheath and you find the NX7 nestled within a foam insert and a cardboard box with the accessories, all covered by a clear plastic window. In all you get:

NX7 earphones
Braided 2-pin tinned copper cable
Fabric carrying bag
Velcro cable strap
Small bore, single flange tips
Medium bore, single flange tips

Overall a solid unboxing. The tips are generic as ever but they work just fine (esp. the medium bore set), and I really appreciate the inclusion of a carrying bag. Yeah, it's not going to offer much protection but it will help keep the cable neatly wrapped when not in use, plus it's more than the aforementioned brands offer.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

Build quality of the NX7 is good. The over-ear shape will be familiar to anyone that has bought a KZ or TFZ within the last couple years, though it's thinner and offers a cleaner, lower profile. The aluminum face plate doesn't have the most attractive design I've seen, but you can't deny the machining quality is outstanding. The 2 pin system is similar to what KZ and TFZ do. The 2-pin port protrudes from the shell while the plug on the cable wraps around it. I prefer what NiceHCK has done though. The plug's plastic feels thicker and more durable, and the port protrudes less from the shell. It all just comes across a bit tougher and that much more resistant to unexpected damage.

The cable seems to be getting a lot of flack from the community which I don't get. It's pretty much the same as what KZ has been offering with their recent releases, but with a better relieved 90 degree angled plug and more importantly, a chin cinch!! Woo!! Great addition NiceHCK. The preformed ear guides are also naturally curved and stiff enough to keep the cable behind the ear, even during heavy movement. I like this cable a lot and felt no need to move away from it during my testing. That said, I did try other cables as suggested by prominent members of the Head-fi community and Jim of NiceHCK himself, but I always went back to the stock option. It's perfectly fine.

Comfort is a strong point for the NX7. The shell is very ergonomic and feels great to wear for long periods. It's not particularly big or heavy, and being so low profile ends up being something that gets out of the way during use.

Isolation is about average, maybe slightly above, at least with silicone tips. The shells are vented to ensure the dynamic driver can breath, which also lets in outside noise. Toss on some foam tips and things improve marginally. I found these fine to use in noisy areas, like a coffee shop, with the caveat being some volume boost is needed which may push the treble quantity over the edge for some people.


Sound Quality:

Tips: I found the NX7 fairly receptive to different tips. My preference was the stock medium bore (medium size) pair. Small bore tips made the treble really sharp and wide vbore tips made it extra splashy. I didn't much of a change in the mids or low end. Foams sucked up some of the treble but smoothed out the dynamic driver's texture

The NX7 comes at you with a fairly mild v-shaped signature with treble getting most of the attention thanks to the addition of that piezoelectric driver. The piezo has a sharp, dry quality to it compared to the armatures and dynamic which are a bit more organic and natural, meaning the overall presentation isn't as coherent as I've heard from other products in the price range, though it's also far from the worst. In general I like the sound and it is the best implementation of piezo tech I've heard so far.

Starting with the NX7's upper ranges, treble is prominent with a fairly notable upper spike that gives it a sparkle-rich presentation, though one that is somewhat splashy. Extension seems to be quite good without any of the notable drop off that hindered products like the Massdrop x Mee Audio Planamic or Brainwavz M100. It is much more akin to the KZ AS16 in terms of emphasis, but with somewhat less aggressive spikes. Where the NX7 really shines is in clarity and detail thanks to a forward lower treble. Often brands will boost treble to increase perceived detail, whereas here it just serves to highlight actual detail. If you like to listen quietly, a situation where earphones often sound dull and lacking dynamics, the NX7 might be right up your alley since it retails impressive amounts of fine detail at any volume.

Female vocals fall on the light and lean side whereas male vocalists are replicated with a slightly fuller, more weighty presentation, but still kinda lean. I typically enjoy this style of product so while I don't really consider any of this a negative, some undoubtedly will, particularly if they are used to thick, mid-bassy tunes. Beside competitors like the KZ ZS10 Pro, the NX7's mid-range comes across less balanced from lower to upper, with a lighter, less accurate timbre. This is exacerbated further when comparing to something even warmer and more timbre accurate like the Final Audio E2000. Overall the mid-range presence is a bit weedy in terms of weight and prominence, yet very clear and full of detail.

The low end of the NX7 is a strength to my ears. It is only slightly elevated with good extension. It doesn't rumble on deep sub-bass notes like Shozy's Hibiki MK.2 or the TRN V80, but it also manages mid- and sub-bass balance more effectively. Texturing is stellar with grungy notes replicated accordingly well, and control is good. A bit more speed and slam would be appreciated, but as is the presentation should be quite inoffensive for the vast majority of listeners. The NX7 handles rapid double bass no problem, and doesn't trip up with there are multiple bass lines fighting each other, as is common in the EDM I listen to.

Thanks to all that upper treble energy, I found the NX7 to sound pretty spacious and open for a product with a comparatively small shell and so many drivers crammed inside. Stage depth is greater than width, though channel to channel imaging remains crisp and accurate. Using these with gaming was satisfactory, though the limited width did hinder my ability to tracks sounds at the outer edges of the audible area (ex. foot steps around a house began and ended closer than they actually were). Not my favorite for gaming, but passable.


Final Thoughts:

Overall I find the NX7 a very competent earphone with some really positive qualities. The level of detail and clarity afforded by it's seven drivers is nearly unmatched in the segment. The low end is tastefully boosted and free of bloat, though I would like more sub-bass emphasis. The peizo... that can go. It's presentation is not to my liking and hinders what is otherwise a coherent sounding product, plus, it's on the splashy side. At least it's not grainy like the prototype was.

For my tastes, I'd still rather pick up a KZ ZSN or ZS10 Pro, or any of TinHIFI's sub-100 USD offerings. They provide more refined and mature listening experiences to my ear, probably thanks to their use of common driver tech and less experimentation in the form of a piezoelectric driver. Still, the NX7 is a fine sounding product with a lot going for it. It's the best implementation of a piezoelectric driver I've heard so far, and I really hope companies like NiceHCK continue to develop and refine it. The potential is there, it just hasn't been fully realized as of yet.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out the Andromeda from Campfire Audio. Does this thing really need an introduction? For the sake of writing a complete review, sure, but I'll keep it brief.

The Andromeda first appeared on the market in 2016 and took the portable audio community by storm thanks to a balanced tune that does pretty much everything right. Over the years it has continued to receive near universal praise from customers and reviewers alike. 2019 sees the Andromeda receiving an update in various areas, such as a more refined shell, a new cable, and an updated accessory kit. What made the Andromeda such a hit in the first place, that being the sound signature, has remained untouched.

We already know the Andromeda is awesome, but feel free to read on for yet another opinion of this modern classic.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Caleb with Campfire Audio for arranging a sample of the Andromeda for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on time spent listening to the Andromeda throughout the last two months. They do not represent Campfire Audio or any other entity. At the time of writing the Andromeda retailed for 1099 USD. You can check it out here: https://campfireaudio.com/shop/andromeda/

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Mobile: Shanling M0, ZiShan DSD, HiFi E.T. MA8 w/ iFi iEMatch

@home: TEAC HA-501 with a ZiShan DSD, HiFi E.T. MA8, or Asus FX53V acting source duty



Specifications:

• Drivers: 5 balanced armatures (Dual High Frequency Balanced Armature Drivers + T.A.E.C, Single Mid Frequency Balanced Armature Driver, Dual Low Frequency Balanced Armature Drivers)
• Impedance: 12.8 ohms
• Sensitivity: 112.8dB
• Frequency Response: 10Hz to 28kHz

Packaging and Accessories:

When it comes to packaging, Campfire Audio has changed things up this time around. The spirit of their past designs are still in place as they follow the same astronomical theme, but the format has changed. Similar to the Solaris, the Andromeda comes in a fairly large, shallow square box. This box is covered by an exterior sheath, sealed shut by a matte silver Campfire Audio seal on the back. The front contains a large sticker with a mottled pattern set beneath a high quality image of the Andromeda's earpieces and the usual company branding and model information. One more sticker is present around the side containing company info, another image of the Andromeda, among other details that may or may not be important to the average consumer.

Breaking the seal, the sheath unfold like the pedals of a flower revealing the main box inside. Lifting out the box, you will notice the inner sheath is printed with the CA logo dead centre, silver rays exploding outwards. It's quite dramatic. The main box itself contains the same beautiful mountainous scene found on CA's prior packaging along with more Campfire Audio branding. Lifting the lid you're greeted by the slogan “Nicely Done” printed on one of the flaps, as well as their new leather carrying case and a smaller cardboard box containing many of the included accessories. Beneath all this is your warranty card and a manual. In all you get:

• Andromeda earphones
• Smoky Jacket Silver Plated Copper Litz Cable
• Final Audio tips (xs/s/m/l/xl)
• Campfire Audio Marshmallow tips (s/m/l)
• Medium bore single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• Campfire Audio lapel pin
• Cleaning tool
• Mesh accessory case (x3)

Overall this is an outstanding unboxing experience, as is always the case with Campfire Audio. But...I still prefer their old packaging. It was smaller and more compact thereby using less material and producing less waste, a big plus for those that toss packaging once they get to the goods within. That said, this packaging still produces a lot less waste than what you get with various other luxury brands (RHA, Dunu, etc.), and everything is recyclable, so take this as more of an observation than a complaint. The new box does look fantastic on display though, a positive for those of us that appreciate brands who put time and effort into crafting unique and attractive unboxing experiences.

Packaging aside, the accessory kit is second to none. Final Audio tips are some of the best in the business and with five sizes included you're sure to find something that works for your ears. Campfire Audio's Marshmallow tips are a very high quality foam option. The basic single flange silicone tips are nothing special and are the sort of tip you'd find included with more budget oriented offerings. That's not to take away from their performance though. They stay attached to the nozzle just fine and consistently seal well. The cleaning tool will be invaluable to those with waxy ears and the inclusion of three mesh bags to keep everything neatly organized is genius. Nicely done.


Build, comfort, and Isolation:

The machined aluminum housings of the Andromeda are adorned with their iconic green anodized finish that looks as stunning in person as it does in images. Seems to me that Campfire has improved the quality of their machining and their anodized finish. Compared to the original Polaris and images I've seen of earlier Andromeda's, the shells are much smoother with all machining grooves flattened out. Small bumps and knocks that chipped the finish on the original Polaris have done nothing to the Andromeda. New ~6mm long stainless steel nozzles are present and have a prominent lip that does a great job of holding tips in place. It also contains three small openings for the various sound tubes inside the Andromeda that keep the various frequencies from interfering with each other, at least until they've reached your ears. Textured silver screws top things off and attractively accent the green finish. The Andromeda use's Campfire Audio's familiar and extra durable beryllium/copper MMCX connectors. I say extra durable because that's what the marketing blurb spouts, but also my now almost two year old and well-loved Polaris has seen tens and tens of disconnects and the MMCX connectors are just as firm now as they were out of the box. Fit and finish is as to be expected, that is to say it is fantastic. Seams are barely visible and everything lines up perfectly without any gaps or off kilter angles.

The Andromeda comes with Campfire Audio's new Silver Plated Copper Litz cable. It is quite reminiscent in design and thickness to the copper cable that came with the original Polaris, but with a new smoke coloured sheath. The 90 degree angled jack is smartly designed with an extension to permit compatibility with a wide variety of device cases, though strain relief is a little stiff. Less of a worry than it would be in other cases. My experiences with Campfire's cables have shown them to be plenty durable. Within the small, reliefless aluminum y-split, the cable divides sending two strands on each side to the ear pieces. Slotting into the top of the split is a small plastic chin cinch. It moves much more smoothly here than on older Campfire cables and as a result is much more useful. Also much more useful is the move to preformed ear guides. While the memory wire used on past Campfire Audio cables worked, I found the “memory” aspect of that title limited at best which led to the wire straightening out over time. Ditching that entirely and running with preformed guides has resulted in a much more pleasant experience since I'm not constantly rebending the wire to ensure it stays behind my ear. This is a great new cable and I was pleased to see it included with some other new models, like the Polaris v2 and IO.

When it comes to comfort you'd be forgiven for assuming Campfire Audio's iconic angular shell design is a pain in the ear. Maybe for some, but not for me. Ergonomics are just right with the low profile Andromeda conforming quite naturally to my outer ear. That plus the use of lightweight aluminum, a small size the belies the chunky appearance, and the stubby nozzle keeps the Andromeda sitting in a way that does not feel out of place. I can wear the Andromeda almost indefinitely without experiencing any discomfort.

When it comes to isolation, the Andromeda is outstanding. The fully sealed housings relegate the sharp tapping of keyboards to a subtle snap and the tire rumble of cars passing by to a dull murmur, though as with the IO vocals seem to cut through the silence surprisingly effectively. It really is an odd experience, though handy if you're listening in an area where you risk being summoned by someone nearby. Of course, should you wish to eliminate this just toss on some foam tips and overall isolation improves even further.


Sound:

Tips: The generic medium bore single flange silicone tips seemed to elevate treble and improve sound stage slightly making the Andromeda sound brighter and give the perception of improved technical ability. Foams seemed to dull the entirety of the Andromeda's presentation making it sound somewhat stuffy. Didn't like them at all. The small bore Final Audio Type E tips brought the most out of the Andromeda's low end and the tips to use if you want more sub-bass. They also slightly boosted treble giving the earphone a less balanced sound overall. Lastly, my preferred tips came via a third party; JVC. While many users love the Andromeda with JVC's Spiral Dot tips, I don't have any of those. I run the Andromeda with the similar but vastly more affordable wide bore tips that come with many JVC products, such as the brown set I got with my old HA-FR65. With these tips in place, the Andromeda sounds near perfectly balanced with very mild treble and bass elevation. Magnificent.

The Andromeda is an all-armature earphone but in no way is the low end lacking. Opening with a classic track, Massive Attack's “Teardrop”, the Andromeda's low range armature attacks it with a growly texture and quick slam for each note. Decay is snappy but realistic, with notes hanging around as long as they need to. As is almost always the case with balanced armatures, I find extension into sub-bass regions somewhat wanting, but I still come away satisfied with the way things are handled here. On faster, more congested tracks like Havok's “Scumbag in Disguise”, rapid double bass hits remain well-defined amidst the rest of the instrumentation, regardless of how much is going on. The low end of the Andromeda won't wow with it's quantity or depth, instead impressing with it's texture and control. As someone that listens to a lot of (read: primarily) electronic music, I more or less require a strong low end to carry my music. There aren't many armature only earphones that tick the right boxes. The Andromeda is one of them.

Treble out of the Andromeda is so close to being perfect for my tastes. Extension is excellent and there are zero nasty peaks to cause discomfort. I personally would like a little more upper treble emphasis to add a hint more sparkle and energy to cymbals and chimes, but then the presentation would lose some of it's long term listenability and tire the ears faster. Regardless, the Andromeda's upper ranges are very smooth and detailed delivering beautiful, tightly controlled notes. Tracks that are usually uncomfortable or worse, like The Crystal Method's “Grace feat. LeAnn Rimes”, come out perfectly manageable if not pleasant with the Andromeda. In the case of “Grace”, the screeching effects that kick in at 1:30 and do their very best to ruin the LeAnn's solid vocal performance almost sound good with the Andromeda. Heck, it even shows that they have some depth, displaying a mountainous profile as the shrieks shift forward and back in the soundscape. No other earphone I can think of, save for maybe the Solaris or Brainwavz's humble B400, make that track sound this nuanced.

If you're a lover of good vocals the Andromeda is going to win you over in a heart beat. The mid-range on this earphone is phenomenal. Vocals have a thick and weighty feel to them, but with an ease of presentation and clarity that belies expectations. Paul Williams' performance throughout Daft Punk's “Touch” is a perfect match and easily draws you in thanks to the wealth of emotion on display, especially in the opening and closing moments when things slow down and focus on Paul. Whether you're listening to Danny Brown in his collaboration with Evil Nine on “The Black Brad Pitt”, Celine Dion on the chill inducing “Ashes”, or Corey Taylor tearing it up in “Pulse of the Maggots”, the Andromeda does everything justice. It also helps that it's timbre is spot on, avoiding the metallic or plasticy edge armatures from lesser products take on. Guitars sounds like they should and are rife with texture and grit. Pianos can sound light and airy or dark and brooding. It's this versatility and accuracy that has helped the Andromeda win consistent accolades over the years.

When it comes to the sound stage, I find the Andromeda large but not as cavernous as I was expecting based on what I've read over the years. As with the Brainwavz B400 against it's peers, the Andromeda's presentation is slightly above average in terms of size with sounds expending just past the head and moving about in a nicely rounded space. Where the jaw dropping occurs is in the imaging, layering and separation. Imaging is spot on with impossibly smooth, nuanced channel transitions. Tracks sound deep and layered with instruments playing in well defined areas, forward or back on the stage. They never blend and muddy each other, instead remaining separate and clear. This makes live recordings like King Crimson's “Cat Food” and “Indiscipline” a joy, giving you the impression of sitting among the crowd. Just close your eyes, lean back, and listen.

I am nothing but impressed with the Andromeda. Impressive is the tuning balance, how well it handled any genre I tossed at it, but most importantly, how effortlessly it did it all. Lesser products often sound like their driver(s) is/are being tuned within an edge of their capabilities giving everything a slightly strained edge to it. Then you have products like the Andromeda, the Solaris, HIFIMAN's RE2000, and others, which remove that undesirable quality and allow the music to flow freely and unimpeded. This effortlessness is a quality that really sets top of the line gear apart from more affordable stuff, at least in my limited experience. That and vastly improved technical qualities, like imaging accuracy and how effects are layered.


Select Comparisons:

Campfire Audio Atlas (1,299.00 USD): As the flagship dynamic-only earphone in Campfire's lineup, the Atlas offers up a very different experience than the Andromeda. Whereas the Andromeda is very balanced through the entire frequency range, the Atlas provides a warmer, v-shaped, bass-centric experience. The Atlas's low end is more boisterous and powerful, hitting harder and digging deeper than the Andromeda and it's armature only setup. In the Andromeda's camp are texture and speed which best the Atlas. In terms of the mid-range, I was pleased to see they were more similar than not. The Andromeda's mids are obviously more forward and crisp giving listeners more information and better clarity, yet despite this, the Atlas's mids share a similar tonality and timbre accuracy. It's just less forward and in your face about it. The Andromeda's treble has better extension, is slightly more controlled, and in general just sounds more technically competent. The Atlas is a bit brighter and more sparkly though thanks to more upper treble emphasis. I'd also say the Atlas's presentation is a hint more natural sounding though, with higher pitched instruments sounding just the teeniest bit off through the Andromeda. Given how minor this is, it is not something I would have noticed without a/b'ing the two. In terms of sound stage, the Atlas gives off a more grand impression of space. While impressive in it's own right, the Atlas can't compete with the Andromeda when it comes to imaging accuracy, layering, or separation, where it is second to none.

While I am firmly in the Andromeda camp thanks to it's technical qualities and overall balance (shell comfort too), I can see why you would prefer the Atlas. The liquid bass that only a dynamic driver can provide is a strong selling point.

HIFIMAN RE2000 Silver (1,500.00 USD): The RE2000 Silver is the best earphone in Hifiman's lineup in my opinion, besting the notably more expensive and flashy gold-plated, brass shelled standard RE2000. Why? It provides a more even, balanced signature, one that is quite comparable to the Andromeda. The Andromeda provides a bit more upper treble emphasis giving it slightly more sparkle and air in the upper ranges. I also find the Andromeda's armatures slightly better controlled with more defined notes. The RE2000 Silver's mid-range is less forward and a touch thicker, providing a less detailed and slightly darker but no less engaging presentation. In the Andromeda's favour, the upper mids on the RE2000 can show some stridency on female vocals that remain quite smooth on the Andromeda (ex. Massive Attack's “Dissolved Girl”. Bass on the RE2000 Silver is more extended and slightly more emphasized, though I find it's presentation slower and softer. The Andromeda's mid-bass gives notes a nice solid kick where it comes across as more of a thump through the Hifiman. In terms of sound stage and technical ability, this is where the Andromeda's multi-driver set up shines. The RE2000 sounds a hint wider and deeper to my ears, but falls behind in layering depth and instrument separation. Not to say it's bad by any means. Both of these will vastly outperform what the majority of the population is used it. Imaging falls into the same camp with the Andromeda showing even cleaner and more accurate channel to channel transitions.

While both of these products are shining examples of what the almighty dollar can buy, only one would get my hard earned Toonies; Andromeda. Not only do I think it sounds better thanks to it's more balanced, less fatiguing signature, but it's build quality is more price appropriate. It's also almost 400 bucks cheaper.

Campfire Audio Solaris (1,499.00 USD): As the flagship hybrid in Campfire's lineup and one of the best products I've listened to to date, I was curious to see how these two stacked up. Once again, the Andromeda comes across as the more even and balanced of the two. These two earphones have a similar mid-range with the Solaris coming across slightly cooler, leaner, and less forward. The cooler, leaner presentation, for me, gives the Solaris the edge on detail and clarity through the mids and up into treble regions. The Solaris is also slightly brighter up top thanks to some additional upper treble emphasis, but it's no less smooth. Bass is where the two differ most, and we can thank the Solaris' retuned Atlas driver for that. The extra depth afforded by a dynamic driver is readily apparent with sub-bass notes providing a deep rumble and level of physical feedback that simply isn't possible through the Andromeda. Andromeda still has the edge in terms of speed and texture, though not by a wide margin. Sound stage on the Solaris pulls from the Atlas in that it is wide open and spacious, even more so than the Andromeda. However, I'd still put imaging accuracy and precision, as well as layering and separation capabilities in the Andromeda's camp... barely. They're equals for the most part.

I was expecting to be all gung ho on the Andromeda with this comparison given just how much I've enjoyed my time with it, but this ended up being a wash. Sometimes I really miss the Solaris' extra treble and bass extension, but then when I'm listening to it I miss the Andromeda's thicker, more engaging mid-range. Once thing I think everyone can appreciate about both of these products is just how effortless their presentations are.

Final Thoughts:

It shouldn't come as a surprise, but the Andromeda is everything I expected it to be. The angular design pairs perfectly with the striking shade of green Campfire selected. As experienced on other models, it fits my ears perfectly too. The edgy shell might bother some, but it is perfectly in tune with the shape of my outer ear resulting in something I can wear for long periods of time, discomfort and fatigue free.

The new packaging is more tedious to dig into and produces more waste than Campfire's previous attempt, but you can't argue against it doing a better job of representing the premium product the Andromeda is. Inside the accessory kit doesn't let you down either. Along with a number of goodies you get 11 pairs of high quality tips of varying styles and sizes, all but guaranteeing you find something to fit your ear. Everything can be easily stored within the three mesh pouches provided, or at the very least tucked into the outstanding, newly designed leather carrying case.

Of course none of this would matter much if the Andromeda didn't back it up with one of the most accomplished and well-rounded signatures I've ever heard. I love everything about the way the Andromeda sounds, from the punchy and politely elevated bass, to the weighty and detailed mid-range, to the sprightly treble and sizable, well-balanced sound stage that pulls you into your music.

If you're not the kind of person to chase the perfect budget earphone, preferring instead to buy once and get it right the first time, the Andromeda is exactly what you need. It is every bit the top of the line, reference level product it's reputation has grown to suggest.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

[If you liked this review head over to https://thecontraptionist.blog for more just like it.]

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out Sennheiser's entry into the burgeoning truly wireless earphone market, the Momentum True Wireless.

Anyone who knows anything about audio, portable or otherwise, will be familiar with the name Sennheiser. Whether you're talking consumer headphones, earphones, or professional microphones, Sennheiser is a name that oft crops up when talking about the best of the best. Their products can be found everywhere from recording studios to a student's backpack.

Is Sennheiser's first entry into the truly wireless market a success or will the Momentum True Wireless (MTW) be forgotten in short order? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

A big thanks to Everett with Sennheiser for reaching out to see if I would be interested in reviewing the Momentum True Wireless, and for arranging a loaner unit for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on over a month using the MTW and do not represent Sennheiser or any other entity. At the time of writing the MTW retailed for 299.95 USD.

Product page: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/truewireless-details

Manual: https://assets.sennheiser.com/global-downloads/file/11230/M3IETW_Manual_EN.pdf

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.



Specifications:

• Dimensions: 78.6 x 45 x 35 mm (charging case)
• Microphone: MEMS
• Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 5.0 compliant, class 1
• Supported Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
• THD, total harmonic distortion: <0,08% (1kHz / 94dB)
• Ear coupling: Ear Canal
• Weight: 69.8 g (earbuds and charging case), 13.2 g (both earbuds), 56.6 g (charging case)
• Charging time: Approx. 1.5 hrs
• Microphone sensitivity: 94 dB SPL at 1 kHz
• Operating temperature: 0 to +40°C
• Power supply: 5 V, 650 mA: USB charging via USB-C socket at charging case
• Battery Specification: Built-in Lithium rechargeable battery
• Frequency range: 5 Hz to 21 kHz (earbuds)
  100 Hz to 10 kHz (microphone)
• Sensitivity: 107 dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)
• Speaker type: 7mm Dynamic
• Operating relative humidity: 10 to 80%, non condensing
• Battery time: Up to 4 hrs (A2DP) with rechargeable batteries of the earbuds, Up to 12 hrs with rechargeable battery of the charging case
• Water Protection Code: IPX4, splash resistant (earbuds)
• Type of Codec: SBC, aptX™, aptX™ Low Latency, AAC

Packaging and Accessories:

The MTW's packaging has a very eye-pleasing looking with a combination of the soft blues and whites familiar to the brand. On the front of the lid is a high quality image of the MTW's earpieces and the charge case, along with some highlighted features, like the ability to play music and take calls, touch controls, access to your phone's voice assistant, and battery life. Around the rest of the package you find some other handy tidbits, like support for aptX and aptX Low Latency codecs, as well as Bluetooth 5.0 support.

Lifting off the lid you find the earpieces and charge case nestled safely within laser-cut foam inserts. Lift out the foam insert and you find a smaller cardboard box containing the usual documentation (quick start guide and safety information) and the accessories. In all you get:

• Momentum True Wireless earphones
• Charging case
• Single flange silicone tips (xs/s/m/l)
• USB-C cable

Overall a pretty unremarkable, surprise-free unboxing experience. Given the MTW's price, I would have liked to see Sennheiser provide a wider variety of tips options, like bi-flange and foam, even though the stock medium tips were perfect for me and used for all of my testing.

Build and Comfort:

The MTW's earpieces are primarily plastic save for the logo-emblazoned metal touch pad, or “spin ring” as it's called on Sennheiser's product page. And the gold-plated charging pins. The plastics are of a very high quality with a matte finish that feels good to the touch, though I wish it was more grippy. It's not uncommon for them to slip out of my fingers when removing them from the charge case. The powerful magnets that snap them into place are also partly to blame. I can't tell you how many times I've dropped them because of this. On the plus side, this unexpectedly tested the plastic's toughness, showing off how resilient it is to scratches and marks; i.e. very. Build quality of the earpieces overall is quite good, though there are some things I would like to see addressed in a future revision. First, the nozzles are open with a simple piece of foam preventing dust and gunk from getting inside. There is no screen leaving the foam open to removal, either on purpose or by accident. At least stick a basic screen on there. Second, while fit and finish is excellent, there is a deep, tapered seam that runs the length of the base of the body of each earpiece. It is clear that this was intentional since this design element is present on the charge case too. While it looks nice and provides a consistent design across all aspects of the product, unfortunately it tends to collect skin, wax, dust, etc. and requires semi-frequent cleaning. The edge is also just a bit too sharp and after 45 minutes or so causes some mild discomfort. Users would benefit from it being smoothed out a bit, if not removed entirely. While the consistency in design looks nice, it's not quite worth the negatives, as mild as they are.

The charge case is a stylish piece of equipment with a grey cloth exterior dominating the design. A rubberized Sennheiser logo can be found on the top, while the bottom contains a plastic plate with relevant disposal and compliance logos, in addition to the model number and an address for Sennheiser. Out back is a USB-C port with an LED to the left and a small button to the right. Without the earpieces inserted into the case, this button will indicate the case's remaining battery life. With the earpieces inserted, you get their battery life. Lift the lid and you find a plastic base with inserts for the earpieces. They are perfectly formed to the shape of each earpiece so you don't have to worry about carefully lining up the charge pins. Just match the each earpiece to it's respective insert (left to left, right to right) and drop them in. Strong magnets do the rest, pulling and holding them securely in place for charging and/or storage. The plastics used on the case are just as high a quality as found elsewhere, and the cloth exterior is grippy and seems to do a good job of resisting dirt and stains. Continuing the design of the earpieces, around the edge of the lid and base is a tapered ridge which breaks up what would end up being a monotonous design were it all grey cloth. About the only aspect of the case I'm not fond of is the hinge. The design is fine and I like the way it snaps the lid shut, mimicking the feel of using magnets, it's the materials I'm worried about. It's all plastic and there is A LOT of flex when pushing on it. This might be fine in warm weather where if dropped the lid will flex to absorb the impact, but in colder climates plastic gets brittle and brittle things break.

As is the hot topic with truly wireless products right now, how accommodating is the charge case of various ear tips during charging? I'm going to have to eat my earlier words about the HIFIMAN TWS 600 being the best I've tried to date, because that title goes to the MTW. Let me just cut in an except from the TWS 600 review addressing this, edited to accommodate the MTW.

“Let's compare cases and tip compatibility with the Nuforce BeFREE8, SoundPEATS TrueFree+ and Q26, Astrotec S60 and S60 5.0, and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (MTW). Most of these are designed to accommodate at most the preinstalled medium sized single flange tips. Few can take the stock large. None but the MTW can accommodate the chunky Xiaomi tips that work fine with the HIFIMAN case. None but the MTW can take standard medium foams (Comply or otherwise) without compressing them first. None work with the insanely long double or triple flange tips HIFIMAN provides with the TWS 600, will nor do other third party options fit, though the MTW will accept some shorter bi-flange options. HIFIMAN comes out way ahead of all but the MTW with a case that is much more flexible when it comes to charging the ear pieces with a variety of different tips attached. Also in Sennheiser's favour, their case has a hollow lid allowing you to carry your detached tips with the earphones, should they not fit ”

When it comes to comfort, the MTW is quite good, though there are a couple knocks against it. First is that aforementioned edge that runs around the rim of each earpiece. It's a tad sharp in places and for me reduces the MTW from being an all-day wear to a 45 minute wear with short breaks. The earpieces are also quite large in circumference, ~23mm at their widest point. They fit similarly to an earbud, but with a short nozzle added to accommodate some ear tips. I prefer earphones with a shallow fit and love how most earbuds slot into place so I'm cool with the MTW. However, if you're not so lucky and have issues getting earbuds to fit, you might want to find somewhere you can try these on first. Those with small ears may also want to keep the size of these in mind when considering them. I'll say they're comfortable, but with an asterisks (*).


Isolation:

Normally I fold this into the previous section, but MTW has a 'Transparent Hearing' feature accessed through the Smart Control app. This feature allows you to use the onboard microphones in each earpiece to pipe in the environment around you, thereby overriding any passive isolation.

Passive isolation is about average for a dynamic based earphone, maybe slightly above. There are plenty of places for noises to bleed through, so the clacking of keyboards, cars driving by, people chatting, etc. all come through, it's just dulled and mostly incomprehensible. I found it quite suitable in noisy areas, like the local Tim Hortons coffee shop, on my evening walks through the city, and when grocery shopping.

Hopping into the app and turning on 'Transparent Hearing' changes everything. Gone is that decent isolation replaced by the environment around you coming through loud and clear. People, cars, whatever. You hear it all. The only other product I've used that features similar tech is the Radsone ES100, and there is no comparison. The ES100 provided nowhere near the same amount of information, and without the same level of immediacy. There is very little delay between the noises around you and what the MTW pipes through, something I find extremely important when using this feature. If you need to react, you're not reacting to a significantly delayed sound. And if you work in an office, the MTW should definitely be on your shortlist. You can listen to your music while working without having to worry about missing, a phone call, someone call your name, etc. And if you need to pause your music to chat with someone, simply remove one earpiece which stops the music. Awesome.

Sources and Connection:

The Momentum True Wireless was tested with a number of devices; LG G5, LG G6, Shanling M0, Shanling M1 and an ASUS FX53V laptop. Connecting for the first time is as straightforward as it is with most products. Once you take the earphones out of the case, press your finger against the touch sensitive pads for 5 seconds and the earphones will announce they've entered pairing mode. Find the MTW on your device (it shows up as MOMENTUM TW), select it, and you're done. The pairing will be remembered in the future and auto-connect whenever possible.

One thing I'm not fond of is that the MTW can only be paired to one device at a time, or at least that's how it has been in practice. Switching from one device to the other always requires forgetting the original connection, and pairing again. Not a huge deal, but for those used to having their earphones connected to 2+ devices at a time and swapping between them, as I do with my laptop and wireless device of the moment, it gets tiring having to repair constantly.

One connected, how is the connection quality? Pretty good. Every once in a while the left earpiece will briefly disconnect from the right, but it's fairly rare. On one, occasion after removing an earpiece to pause the track and talk to my wife, music would play intermittently upon unpausing. I've experienced this with another product, requiring a fresh pairing of the devices to fix. Other than that, the connection quality is very reliable, even over fairly long distances and with obstacles in the way. Paired to my LG G6, I can leave the phone in my office and step just outside my apartment before the connection begins to falter. The front door is through three rooms and two hallways, around a90 degree corner and with a bathroom separating it all. That's nuts. Some of my other TWS earphones will allow me to walk around the entirety of the apartment while retaining a solid connection, but none can do what the MTW can. It is truly impressive.


Battery Performance:

Less impressive is the battery life. Four hours of listening with two additional charges via the case totalling 12 hours of total use. That's not terrible by any means, and has been good enough for my use cases, but it's not good either. The MUCH smaller and more compact Astrotec S60 5.0 manages 16 hours of combined listening time. The sub-50 CAD SoundPEATS TrueFree+ provides 30 hours of combined listening time. The HIFIMAN TWS 600 provides a combined total of 38.5 hours. I'd be okay with 12 hours if the Momentum True Wireless was very compact, but it's not. The case is reasonably small and easily pocketed, but the earpieces are quite large.

On the other hand, this battery life makes sense given the features and technology within, but most people won't be taking that into consideration. They'll just read a spec sheet, see 12 hours, and think it's not enough when X brand gives you double the battery life. I really hope Sennheiser looks into bumping up the battery life considerably with their next release, if only to please spec-heads.

Firmware Update:

Updates seem to be automatically applied via the Smart Control app. There's not much to say here beyond the process being painless, and wow, does it take a long time. They warn you though, and since you can use them while the update is occurring, it's not a big deal. You only need to stop listening right at the end of the update process to drop the earpieces into the case to finalize the installation. Easy peazy.

Smart Control App:

The app is a free download and pretty basic in it's functionality. I appreciate that to be honest. While something like the Earstudio app Radsone created to accommodate the ES100 is amazing in the features and added functionality it brings to the device, for the average user it's a lot to take in. The Smart Control app keeps things simple. On the home page you see the remaining battery life and two options: Transparent Hearing and Equalizer. Under 'Transparent Hearing' you have the option to turn it on, and decide whether or not you want music playing in the background while it is on. Simple and self explanatory. The Equalizer is a bit more interesting.

Instead of the usual multi-band sliders used by everyone else, you are greeted by a unique interface. Up North is a plus sign, South a minus sign, East covers bass, West is your treble, and dead centre sits a white dot. The idea is that you move that little dot around the screen and tailor your sound. It's not as flexible as a traditional equalizer, but it's undoubtedly more fun to use and for someone that is not familiar with frequencies and/or is easily overwhelmed by dials and sliders, this is going to be a great tool to help them customize the sound of their MTW.

That said, I don't use the equalizer. I prefer more control over each frequency, but also, for whatever reason half the time I try to move the dot, when I let go to leave it in the area with a sound I like, it jumps to the top left corner ruining my selection.

Controls:

The MTW eschews traditional buttons for touch sensitive pads on each earpiece. I'm kinda old school and prefer things that are packed to the brim with buttons, dials, etc. Tactile feedback all the way. That said, the touch controls here worked well enough to be plenty usable.

Each earpiece has it's own suite of controls. The left handles music functions with a single tap to play/pause, a double tap to skip a track, and a triple tap to go back. A single long press will also reduce volume. The right handles call functions with a single tap accepting and ending a call, and a double tap rejecting a call. A single long press will increase volume. Lastly, a a double tap will turn on/off the 'Transparent Hearing' feature.

Overall the controls are quite standard and fairly intuitive. Though, actually using them is made a bit more difficult thanks to the use of touch sensitive pads. Placement of the finger and the speed at which you complete multiple presses all affect how successful you will be in achieving the desired function. You need to be fairly precise and methodical. It would have been neat to see Sennheiser do something a little more unique, such as moving your finger around the ridge of the pad to adjust volume. While I still prefer more tactile controls, the touch sensitive route Sennheiser used works decently well and probably helped them more easily achieve the IPX4 splash resistance rating the MTW has, so that's a plus.


Sound Quality:

The Momentum True Wireless has what I consider a pretty typical signature for truly wireless products. That being a v-shaped sound with plenty of bass to cut through and maintain presence regardless of outside noise, and sparkly treble to add excitement and keep your blood pumping. While this style of tune isn't necessarily anything special, Sennheiser keeps it refined resulting in a very pleasant sounding earphone.

The treble presentation is a highlight in my opinion. It is detailed and crisp with a slightly lean note weight, yet it comes across extremely light and airy without any harshness or grain. It's lively and sprightly, and simply a joy to experience. Even tracks with nasty, overly aggressive treble like The Crystal Method's “Grace feat LeAnn Rimes” work with the Momentum True Wireless. Decay is reasonably quick letting the MTW handle heavy-handed cymbals fairly naturally. This is a truly wireless product that ends up being quite enjoyable with metal, like Havok's album 'Time Is Up'.

The mid-range, while slightly recessed, is in no way overshadowed by the bass or treble. Vocals are naturally weighted and sibilance free, blending in well with the rest of the presentation. Female vocals come across especially sweet with a warmth and emotion to them that is lacking in a lot of other products, such as on Celine Dion's “Ashes”. Through the MTW, her performance is every bit the powerhouse you expect from such an accomplished vocalist. This is actually one of the few earphones that gave me goosebumps with that track, particularly at 1:10 when the bass kicks in and Celine's vocals swell. So good.

Speaking of so good, the MTW's low end is fantastic. Depth is phenomenal for a wireless product with deep basslines rocking you with a slow rumble, such as that aforementioned moment in “Ashes”, and the opening section of Kavinski's “Solli”. EDM and hip hop fans are very unlikely to find themselves wanting extra low end from the MTW, unless they are true bassheads. Depth is good, but so is texture. It's not among the most information rich earphones I've tested, but all the relevant detail in each note is there meaning the grimy basslines inherent to The Prodigy and Tobacco are every bit as crunchy as they need to be.

The Momentum True Wireless' sound stage is also quite satisfying for a truly wireless product. While stage depth isn't anything special, width is fantastic with notes flying off into the distance giving the impression of a fairly open and spacious listening experience. Imaging is good, right in line with the best truly wireless products I've heard. There are no vague spots off centre, or odd channel to channel transitions. I think these would work fine for mobile gaming. Layering is also good but the previously mentioned lack of depth does show on congested tracks, such as the closing minutes of King Crimson's “Starless and Bible Black”. Thankfully separation is good, so you rarely have to worry about instruments colliding and smearing into each other.

Overall I find the MTW to be a very satisfying earphone. The selected tune is perfect for mobile use, good because that is likely where this product will see most of it's time. I would love micro detail to be a bit more prevalent through the mids. Good stuff in general though.

Final Thoughts:

At nearly 300 USD, the Momentum True Wireless are not a cheap, throwaway pair of wireless earphones. Do they sound like a 300 USD product? When compared to top performing wired earphones in that price range, no, not entirely. However, when you buy a wireless earphone, you're not buying just an earphone. You're also buying into the tech and features that make them sing. Reviewing any truly wireless product based on sound quality alone is of little value. That is just one small part of the overall picture and the overall picture with the MTW is one of competence and versatility.

The v-shaped tune Sennheiser went with works perfectly in the wild where there is noise and chaos, things that ruin bass and block out the mid-range. It's passive isolation is good enough to let you enjoy your music without too much interference. And when you need that interference to be a part of your life once again, such as when you're out jogging, you have that option thanks to 'Transparent Hearing'. I can't emphasize enough how well it works, and how useful it is. You don't need to to turn down your music, or roll with only one bud. You get the best of everything. It's a game changing feature in my world. Add to that the best wireless range, with obstacles, I've experienced to date and things are looking up.

That's not to say all is good and true in the world of the Momentum True Wireless. The battery life at 12 hours combined is overshadowed by, well, most modern products and could definitely benefit from an upgrade. The earpieces themselves are quite large and the ridge that runs around the bass of each hinders comfort slightly. I also worry about the long term durability of the cases' hinge, especially in cold weather. As I said before, plastic gets brittle in cold weather and brittle things tend to break. The touch controls also take a bit of getting used to, but work fairly well overall.

Those qualms aside, I love this product. As someone that spends most of their time listening to high value, budget friendly products from niche brands you have to buy through sometimes questionable sites, I'm always skeptical of mainstream brands and what they'll bring to the table. I was not expecting to enjoy the Momentum True Wireless as much as I have and while it could certainly be improved upon, what it does well it does really well.

If you're in the market for a premium, truly wireless product with some features that are both interesting and useful, the Momentum True Wireless is definitely worth checking out.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out HIFIMAN's TWS 600, their first entry into the booming truly wireless earphone market.

Bluetooth products have become commonplace within the last few years thanks to improvements in sound quality, connection reliability, and us consumers being somewhat forced into them thanks to major manufacturers opting to remove headphone jacks from their products. Annoying, but so is the world we live in. Truly wireless earphones are still in their relative infancy with worthy products only hitting the market quite recently. By worthy, I mean those that offer up acceptable sound quality and stable connections, along with natural ergonomics and long term comfort.

The TWS 600 is the first truly wireless product from HIFIMAN, a brand that is probably best known for their high end, full-sized planar magnetic headphones. Along with Bluetooth 5.0 and an IPX4 water/dust resistance rating, this new earphone incorporates tech from HIFIMAN's high end earphones, that being their topology diaphragm technology which was previously only found in the RE800 and RE2000 (and their Silver counterparts).

Along with some impressive specs, the TWS 600 offers up a sound signature I have not heard in this segment, but is that enough to warrant consideration? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to HIFIMAN for arranging a sample of the TWS 600 for the purposes of review. The thoughts within are my own subjective opinions based on time using the product (50+ hours). They do not represent HIFIMAN or any other entity. At the time of writing the TWS 600 retailed for 199 USD.

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/TWS 600.html

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Specifications:

Earphones

• Size: 25mm x 17.4mm x 26mm
• Weight: 5.9g/earpiece
• Battery Capacity: 55mAH/earpiece
• Charge Time: 1hr
• Effective Voltage: 3.3V-4.2V
• Standby: 110hr
• Music Play Time: 5-6hr
• Talk time: 4-5hr
• Bluetooth Version: 5.0
• Pf Transmission Power: Class 2
• Transmission Distance: >10m, up to 50 (depending on the environment)
• Codec Support: CVSD, mSBC, SBC, AAC
• SNR: >95dB

Charge Case

• Size: 44mm x 80mm x 33mm
• Weight: 55g
• Charge Port: Type-C USB
• Charge Time: 1.5hr
• Extra Usage: 33hr

Packaging and Accessories:

The TWS 600 arrives in a fair-sized black and red cardboard box with a retail ready hanger protruding top the top. On the front of the package is an image of the TWS 600's earpieces along with the usual branding and model information. A few product highlights can be found within a red band; a combined battery life of 38.5 hours, Bluetooth 5.0 support, and fast charging. On the rear of the box you find contact information for HIFIMAN Support along with additional product highlights; stable connectivity from 10-50m, IPX4 sweat and dirt resistance, an ergonomic design, call and music playback up to 38.5 hours, and voice assistance support with most phones. They also highlight battery indicator support with some phones and operating systems.

Lifting the lid you're greeted by a small card thanking you for your order. On the back there is a reminder to register your TWS 600 within the one year warranty period. Why? They'll give you an extra three months support. Very nice of you HIFIMAN. Beneath the card the interior is dominated by a dense foam insert in which the earpieces and charge case are safely nestled. Beneath the foam insert you find the included tips, a usb-C cable, and some documentation. In all you get:

• TWS 600 earphones
• Charge case
• usb-C cable
• 9 pairs of silicone tips
• Instruction manual
• Warranty card

Overall a pretty standard unboxing, except for one thing; the tip selection. HIFIMAN has one upped the competition here by offering a ton of different tips that you can use to find the best possible fit for your ear. Most offer a simple s/m/l selection of basic single flange tips. Now, I have seen some complaints about tips not fitting in the charge case. Since I like to consider myself reasonably thorough, I put this to the test.

Of the nine different pairs HIFIMAN includes, only two do not fit. Those were the extra long bi- and tri-flange pairs. Looking into third party options, similarly extra long multi-flange tips do not fit, nor do large foam tips (unless you compress them first). One of my preferred set of tips, the broad triple flange set that came with the classic Xiaomi Piston 2, actually worked p;erfectly which I was surprised about.

Let's compare cases and tip compatibility with the Nuforce BeFREE8, SoundPEATS TrueFree+ and Q26, Astrotec S60 and S60 5.0, and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (MTW). Most of these are designed to accommodate at most the preinstalled medium sized single flange tips. Few can take the stock large. None but the MTW can accommodate the chunky Xiaomi tips that work fine with the HIFIMAN case. None but the MTW can take standard medium foams (Comply or otherwise) without compressing them first. None work with the insanely long double or triple flange tips HIFIMAN provides with the TWS 600, will nor do other third party options fit, though the MTW will accept some shorter bi-flange options. HIFIMAN comes out way ahead of all but the MTW with a case that is much more flexible when it comes to charging the ear pieces with a variety of different tips attached. Also in Sennheiser's favour, their case has a hollow lid allowing you to carry your detached tips with the earphones, should they not fit.

Personally, I think the case/tip concerns are overblown and that most customers won't have any problems. But what if you do!? Remove the tips and toss them in your pocket or set them beside the case while charging. I've had to do it in the past with the BeFREE8 and Q26. It's not that inconvenient, and other brands handle this far, far worse. Yes, HIFIMAN could improve this with a future revision or complete product replacement, but as is this is still one of the better cases out there (and the best I've come across) for tip accommodation when charging.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The TWS 600 earpieces seem to take inspiration from General Motors interiors during the 90s. By that I mean they are plastic-fantastic, bulbous, and bubbly. Unlike GM in the 90s, HIFIMAN didn't do it poorly. The plastics feel very dense and tough and all the component parts fit together with very tight seams, something that probably helped the TWS 600 achieve it's IPX4 sweat and dirt resistance rating. Still, the seams are clearly visible, as are lines from the molding process. This plus the odd shape makes them look cheaper than they are, and feel. The HIFIMAN logo and L/R markers are printed onto the bodies of each ear piece. I fully expect them to wear off over time as they interact with the oils of your skin. Fortunately, the ear pieces are clearly designed to be worn only one way. The case also has redundant L/R markings, so it shouldn't lead to much confusion when/if the print begins to wear off.

On the face of each ear piece is a deceptively small multifunction button which depresses with a fairly satisfying 'snick'. It is pleasantly damped and as such isn't obnoxiously loud when the TWS 600 is in your ear and the button is pressed. Giving the TWS 600 an even more unique look are the transparent spiralling tendrils that emanate outwards from the multi-function button, lighting up bright blue or red to show device functions. Overall the build of the earpieces is just fine. Nothing comes across overly premium, and while the slightly arguably goofy design might look somewhat low rent, it doesn't feel that way.

The charge case is also mostly plastic and carries on with a somewhat obscure, egg-shaped design of it's own. Offset to the right on the lid is a HIFIMAN logo made from what appears to be aluminum or an alloy of some sort. Those that like everything mirrored are probably going to be infinitely annoyed by the placement of the logo, and probably the usb-C port too. That can be found on the back to the left of the hinge. On the bottom is a ovular anti-slip rubber ring on which the case rests. The lid is held securely shut via a strong magnet and isn't likely to open by accident. Opening the lid requires separating a small tab on the front of the case by lifting the two halves away from each other. HIFIMAN has pressed small arrows into the case so you know which tab goes in which direction. Once you've got the case open, there are spacious, magnetic openings to accommodate the earpieces. Large padded cutouts can be found in the lid to ensure everything is held securely in place. Found in between where the ear pieces rest is a battery icon with four small LED lights. This indicator tells you how much battery life remains in the case. For the most part I find the case very well constructed. While it doesn't look particularly premium, it feels tough. My only main complaint is levied at the hinge design. It feels plenty durable, but let's the lid flip so far back the top and bottom halves of the case bind. When that happens, closing the lid results in an uncomfortable snapping sound as the two halves bind. HIFIMAN did mould in a ridge with a small indent to seemingly get around this, but it doesn't work.

Despite it's size and bulbous shape, the TWS 600 is actually quite ergonomic and very comfortable. The shell is more or less divided into two segments. The main body and a compact wart on which the nozzle resides. This wart is around 15mm in diameter and smoothly rounded to rest lightly against your outer ear. It causes zero discomfort and provides adequate support in dispersing what little weight is present across it's surface. The rest of the body is just as well-rounded so it too avoids interacting with the ear in a way that would cause hot spots or other forms of discomfort. The nozzle is a pretty average 5mm at it's widest, and around 7mm long, protruding at a ~45 degree angle. It all feels quite natural once inserted. The standard nozzle width combined with a prominent lip also allows you to roll through a wide variety of tips to find the one that works best for your ear, should none of the stock pairs do the trick.

Isolation is about average with silicone tips, no music playing. Using the stock medium wide bore pair, sitting at my computer, typing results in only the snappiest part of the keystroke being clearly audible. Mouse clicks are audible too. Cars passing by on the road outside my window can be heard but what is normally a cacophony of noise is reduced to a mellow rumble. Taking the TWS 600 for a test drive at my local coffee shop you can still hear voices but they are muffled. Following a conversation would be pretty challenging. Toss on foam tips or some multi-flange silicone tips and expect isolation performance to improve to slightly above average. While the TWS 600's isolation is pretty good, I would have liked it to be even better so what little bass there is isn't almost completely drown out by your environment.


Sources and Connection:

The TWS 600 was tested with a number of devices; LG G5, LG G6, Shanling M0, Shanling M1 and an ASUS FX53V laptop. Connecting to a device is very easy. Simply remove the primary (left) ear piece from the case and it will automatically power up and enter pairing mode. You'll know because the LED will flash red and blue, and a voice will announce that you've entered pairing mode. Turn your source's Bluetooth function on and search for a device. The TWS 600 will show in the list of available devices as “TWS 600”. Select it and you're connected. If you remove the right earpiece from the case, it will automatically search for and pair with the left to enter stereo mode. You'll know the two sides are connected because it will be announced.

Connection strength was for the most part fairly strong and reliable. Though, seemingly at random, every once in a while the right earpiece would drop connection with the left, or they would both disconnect from each other and the source device. Connections will always re-establish themselves quickly and without missing much of a beat, but it still happens. Doesn't matter if I'm right beside the source, or meters away. One aspect of the TWS 600 that stands above is it's low latency. Should you choose to use these for video, you'll find the audio syncs up very well with what it is you are watching. If there is a delay, it is imperceptible to me.

The TWS 600 is rated for 10-50m, dependent on the environment. In my apartment, the TWS 600 doesn't perform any better than your average truly wireless product with cutouts happening once a few obstacles are in the way. This means the TWS 600 falls behind recent budget oriented products I've covered, those being the Astrotec S60 5.0 and SoundPEATS TrueFree+, which will retain a connection almost anywhere in my apartment.

Overall I find the connection quality to be quite average. Given the somewhat premium price point of the TWS 600, I was expecting it to be among the top echelon of truly wireless products I've tested, but that has not been my experience. On the positive side, latency is wonderfully low so watching video with the TWS 600 makes for a positive experience.

Battery Performance:

The battery life of the TWS 600 is outstanding. Rated for 5 to 6 hours of music play time, I had no issues reaching it. With the TWS 600's volume maxed out and the volume set at 4 of 15 on my LG G6, I managed 6 hours and 21 minutes on one charge. I can't imagine I got any lower than that on other listening sessions given I was listening on only 2 out of 15 on the G6 for all those sessions. This thing is extremely loud.

Controls:

The TWS 600 doesn't rewrite the single multi-function control book, featuring actions that are easy to pull off and reasonably common/intuitive.

Using either the left or right ear piece, you can press once to pause/play, or accept/end a call.

A 2 second press will decline an incoming call. If no call is incoming, a 2 second press will open your phone's voice control feature.

Double pressing the left button will reduce the volume. Double pressing the right button will raise the volume.

Triple pressing the left button will skip to the next track. Triple pressing the right button will return to the previous track. Note that a triple press and hold will not allow you to scrub through a track.

While I find these controls work fine, I would prefer some slight alterations. Instead of triple pressing to skip back and forth through tracks, move that function to a double press and have volume function on a single or double press + hold action. A single quick press can be used to decline an incoming call, and a triple press on either side would do to bring up voice control. In my experience, fewer misclicks happen under that control scheme. Of course, this is all personal preference and again, the existing controls are perfectly functional.


Sound Quality:

Tips: With the exception of foams, which muffled the sound, I didn't find the TWS 600 particularly susceptible to changes when swapping tips. As such I selected them based on comfort and isolation. The stock medium wide bore set was the most comfortable for my ears, and provided the least isolation. They were good for listening at home. Xiaomi triple flange were my go to for the outdoors because they were still quite comfortable and provided better isolation. Sony Isolation Hybrids were a good alternative to the Xiaomi's but didn't provide as reliable a seal.

The TWS 600 is unlike any other truly wireless earphone I've heard to date. It has a bass light, mid-forward sound that is the anti-thesis to the usual v-shaped, bass bombastic products that are the norm at basically every price point. Good on HIFIMAN for doing something different, even if it doesn't always work out.

The TWS 600's mid-range is front and centre thanks to a ~2k peak that draws nearly all of your attention. Great for mid-heads. I found both male and female vocals fairly equally represented with neither sounding better or more suited to the presentation. This applies to everything from GUNSHIP's “Fly For Your Life”, to Big Grams' “Run For Your Life”, to Paul Williams on Daft Punk's “Touch”. Unfortunately, while a forward, coherent mid-range is nice, being so forward results in it taking on a hollow, unnatural presentation that takes away from things somewhat. It also doesn't help that the TWS 600 is somewhat lacking clarity in the mids, so those wonderful voices and instruments come across slightly muffled as well.

The mid peak would be countered somewhat if the treble was well extended with reasonable emphasis in both brilliance and presence regions, but that is not the case. The treble here is detailed, non-fatiguing, well-controlled, and very inoffensive, but also dry and lacking sparkle and shimmer leaving tracks falling somewhat flat. Cymbals and chimes on King Crimson's “Night Watch” show this off. They lack prominence and fade into the background leaving the guitars and vocals to carry the track.

I actually quite enjoy the low end presentation of the TWS 600. It very much plays second fiddle to the midrange and most of the time putters along with little to no impact. However, when needed I found it pulled it's weight just fine. Now the TWS 600 would not be my first pick for my preferred genre, that being liquid drum and bass (I can hear the audiophiles closing the page, if they even made it this far...see ya, my reviews aren't for you anyway), but it still handles it well enough for me to not be left wanting too badly. On Calyx & Teebee's “Intravenous”, the warbling bassline that underlies the track is present and carries the overlaying tunes. Sub-bass presence is minimal leaving the TWS 600's mid-bass bias to lead the charge. While in general the TWS 600's bass is quite polite, it's at least quality stuff being that it is quick, well controlled, full of texture, and generally satisfying, as long as you're okay with low bass quantities.

Unlike others, I find the TWS 600's sound stage outstanding. It feels wide and open regardless of the track being played. Effects and instruments sit way off in the distance, though not always in the most realistic way. Vocals are a centre-point anchor with everything else trailing off behind it in a wide v. This means that imaging isn't super accurate, but separation and layering are just fine, effectively keeping tracks from melding together. It's not immune to congestion though, as noticed during the chaotic final few minutes of King Crimson's “Starless and Bible Black”.

Overall I find the TWS 600 to be a decent listen, just not very versatile. For me, this earphone is not something I choose when I want to sit and listen to music exclusively. It's tune is too mid-focused and not a fit for my preferred genres. Instead, it's perfect for when I want background music for whatever I happen to be doing that day; getting groceries, doing laundry, working on my car, etc. At low volumes in particular, the TWS 600's signature lets music fade into the background and provide a sound track to my life. I know it's there and when I focus on it, it is pleasant enough, but it's better as a complimentary element. Unless of course you decide to dip into the modern portable audiophile's most hated tool; equalization.

The TWS 600 loves to be EQ'd and is very receptive to it. That ~2k peak can easily be removed and some extra emphasis dialed into the presence region to improve detail through the midrange. While most of my sources don't have extensive EQ'ing options available, the Shanling M0 provides enough to tailor the TWS 600 to my needs. Dropping 1k by 3dB, 2k by 5db, and a 2db raise at 4k results in a product that is more balanced with just a little kick in the treble that I enjoy. With these changes applied the TWS 600 becomes a product I'll pull out when I want to listen to music.

Final Thoughts:

HIFIMAN's first go at the ever-growing truly wireless earphone market isn't quite a slam dunk, but I don't find it disappointing either. You get a plethora of tips to personalize fit, a well built and comfortable design, and decent connection quality. Battery life is amazing and the carrying case is one of the best I've come across thanks to it's pocketable nature and the extra 33 hours of use it provides. While I don't find it an issue, others have expressed concerns with the fact that not all included tip styles fit into the case during charging, so keep that in mind.

The TWS 600 is the only option I'm currently aware of which clearly attempts to cater to the neutral-loving crowd. If you're not opposed to equalization, you can turn that dream of a neutral truly wireless product into reality. But alas, I don't review modded/EQ'd products, so as good as you can make the TWS 600 with a mite of effort, that's not what you get out of the box.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with the TWS 600. As it currently stands I think a slightly lower price point would be beneficial, as would a tweak to that upper mid-range. However, if someone is looking for a mid-focused or neutral (with EQ) truly wireless product at this price point the TWS 600 is the one to get. Those looking for a more generic v-shaped earphone and/or something that sticks closer to the Harman curve, well, the rest of the industry has you covered.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out the new, reworked version of the Polaris from Campfire Audio.

Back in 2017 when I reviewed the original Polaris, I was blown away. Here was an earphone that was quite technically adept in a way that was befitting of it's premium price tag, yet it had an unashamedly v-shaped signature. It was both fun and capable, yet there were a few qualities I was not particularly fond of. First, while the sound stage was large it was quite flat giving the Polaris a “wall of sound” effect. Over time I also found the mid-range could come across dry and unnatural. Regardless, it made for one heck of a listen, all wrapped with that distinctive Campfire Audio design.

The new Polaris is now available and I've spent the last two months rocking out to it. Is it an upgrade over the original? Does it paste the same stupid grin across my face when listening to EDM? Or, was it downgraded to fall in line with the 100 USD lower price? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Caleb with Campfire Audio for arranging a sample of the Polaris for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on time spent listening to the Polaris throughout the last two months. They do not represent Campfire Audio or any other entity. At the time of writing the Polaris retailed for 499 USD. You can check it out here: https://campfireaudio.com/shop/polaris-2/

Originally posted on https://thecontraptionist.blog.

**Edit: Score reduced a full point/star as the Polaris II now has plenty of competition that can keep up at a lower price point. Still hellishly fun though, and worth it if you want an attractively designed, mid-tier bass cannon.**

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Mobile: Shanling M0 alone or with the Periodic Audio Ni amp, ZiShan DSD
@home: TEAC HA-501 with a ZiShan DSD or Asus FX53V acting source duty

The Polaris II is quite sensitive and easy to drive. No amp needed. Make sure you've got a clean source though, because like many Campfire iems it will hiss if the output is too much.

Specifications:

• Driver: Single balanced armature with T.E.A.C. + 9.2mm dynamic with Polarity Tuned Chamber
• Impedance: 17 ohms
• Sensitivity: 105dB
• Frequency Response: 5Hz to 20kHz

Packaging and Accessories:

When it comes to packaging, Campfire Audio has changed things up this time around. The spirit of their past designs are still in place as they follow the same astronomical theme, but the format has changed. Similar to the Solaris, the Polaris comes in a fairly large, shallow square box. This box is covered by an exterior sheath, sealed shut by a bronzed black Campfire Audio seal on the back. The front contains a large sticker with a mottled pattern set beneath a high quality image of the Polaris' earpieces and the usual company branding and model information. One more sticker is present around the side containing company info, another image of the Polaris, among other details that may or may not be important to the average consumer.

Breaking the seal, the sheath unfold like the pedals of a flower revealing the main box inside. Lifting out the box, you will notice the inner sheath is printed with the CA logo dead centre, blackened rays exploding outwards. It's quite dramatic. The main box itself contains the same beautiful mountainous scene found on CA's prior packaging along with more Campfire Audio branding. Lifting the lid you're greeted by the slogan “Nicely Done” printed on one of the flaps, as well as their new leather carrying case and a smaller cardboard box containing many of the included accessories. Beneath all this is your warranty card and a manual. In all you get:

• Polaris II earphones
• Smoky Jacket Silver Plated Copper Litz Cable
• Final Audio tips (xs/s/m/l/xl)
  Campfire Audio Marshmallow tips (s/m/l)
• Medium bore single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• Campfire Audio lapel pin
• Cleaning tool
• Mesh accessory case (x3)

Overall this is an outstanding unboxing experience, as is always the case with Campfire Audio. But...I still prefer their old packaging. It was smaller and more compact thereby using less material and producing less waste, a big plus for those that toss packaging once they get to the goods within. That said, this packaging still produces a lot less waste than what you get with various other brands (RHA, Dunu, etc.), and everything is recyclable, so take this as more of an observation than a complaint. The new box does look fantastic on display though, a positive for those of us that appreciate brands who put time and effort into crafting unique and attractive unboxing experiences.

Packaging aside, the accessory kit is second to none. Final Audio tips are some of the best in the business and with five sizes included you're sure to find something that works for your ears. Campfire Audio's Marshmallow tips are a very high quality foam option. The basic single flange silicone tips are nothing special and are the sort of tip you'd find included with more budget oriented offerings. That's not to take away from their performance though. They stay attached to the nozzle just fine and consistently seal well. The cleaning tool will be invaluable to those with waxy ears and the inclusion of three mesh bags to keep everything neatly organized is genius. Nicely done.


Build, comfort, and Isolation:

The machined aluminum housings of the new Polaris eschew the Ceracote faceplates of the original, and instead are adorned completely with a vibrant blue anodized finish that looks pretty stunning in person. Seems to me that Campfire has improved the quality of their machining and their anodized finish. Compared to the original Polaris, the shells are much smoother. Small bumps and knocks that chipped the finish on the original Polaris have done nothing to the Polaris II. Black ~10mm long stainless steel nozzles replace the 3D printed plastic nozzles of the original Polaris and have a prominent lip that does a great job of holding tips in place. These nozzles are very similar to those introduced with the Atlas and Comet and incorporate protective grills into the design. You won't have to worry about losing a filter when changing tips. Matte black screws top things off and attractively accent the blue colouring. I would love to paint them yellow to give the Polaris a Subaru WRC vibe. The Polaris II carries over Campfire Audio's familiar, extra durable, and newly insulated beryllium/copper MMCX connectors. I say extra durable because that's what the marketing blurb spouts, but also my now almost two year old and well-loved original Polaris has seen tens and tens of disconnects and the MMCX connectors are just as firm now as they were out of the box. Fit and finish is as to be expected, that is to say it is fantastic. Seams are barely visible and everything lines up perfectly without any gaps or off kilter angles.

The Polaris II comes with Campfire Audio's new Silver Plated Copper Litz cable. It is quite reminiscent in design and thickness to the copper cable that came with the original Polaris, but with a new smoke coloured sheath. The 90 degree angled jack is smartly designed with an extension to permit compatibility with a wide variety of device cases, though strain relief is a little stiff. Less of a worry than it would be in other cases. My experiences with Campfire's cables have shown them to be plenty durable. Within the small, reliefless aluminum y-split, the cable divides sending two strands on each side to the ear pieces. Slotting into the top of the split is a small plastic chin cinch. It moves much more smoothly here than on older Campfire cables and as a result is much more useful. Also much more useful is the move to preformed ear guides. While the memory wire used on past Campfire Audio cables worked, I found the “memory” aspect of that title limited at best which led to the wire straightening out over time. Ditching that entirely and running with preformed guides has resulted in a much more pleasant experience since I'm not constantly rebending the wire to ensure it stays behind my ear. This is a great new cable and I was pleased to see it included with some other new/updated models, like the IO and Andromeda v3.

When it comes to comfort you'd be forgiven for assuming Campfire Audio's iconic angular shell design is a pain in the ear. Maybe for some, but not for me. Ergonomics are just right with the low profile Polaris II conforming quite naturally to my outer ear. That plus the use of lightweight aluminum, a small size the belies the chunky appearance, and the reasonably long nozzle keeps the earphone sitting in a way that does not feel out of place. While I find the stubby nozzle of the Andromeda more suitable to my personal ear anatomy, I can still wear the Polaris for hours without experiencing any discomfort.

Isolation on the Polaris II is quite good. Despite having a vented housing, it blocks nearly as much noise as the fully sealed IO. However, the Polaris II retains the placement of the outer vent of the original and picks up a ton of wind noise that almost completely drowns out your music. While the volume of the wind noise is reduced over the original Polaris, it is still glaringly loud limiting the Polaris II's usefulness when worn outside, at least in weather where even a fairly light breeze is present.


Sound:

Tips: Wide bore all the way. The included small bore tips accentuate the already very prominent mid-bass tipping the Polaris II over the edge into a slightly bloated presentation. Wide bore tips, like those from JVC, negate this keeping the low end massive and engaging but still controlled.

While still very much a v-shaped sound, the Polaris II's tuning has seen some when changes compared to the original, the most obvious due to a new dynamic driver handling the low end. Gone is the original's 8.5mm dynamic is favour of a larger, 9.2mm unit. Boy, does it make a difference. The Polaris II's low end takes most of the spotlight and as such is a major driving force in the overall presentation. So, let's start by looking at the bass.

The Polaris II's low frequencies are huge. Lots of mid-bass, lots of sub-bass, bass everywhere. This new Polaris is an absolute bass cannon. Normally this quantity of bass would be a bit much for me, but it works. This new dynamic doesn't initially feel quite as quick as the old one but it handles the rapid double bass inherent in many metal tracks, such as Havok's “Time Is Up”, just as well as the old one. And, in the process it provides a MUCH more visceral experience with notes rumbling and lingering where they would die off and lose energy on the original Polaris. This makes tracks like Karma Fields & Morten's “Stickup ft. Juliette Lewis” an absolute blast thanks to the heavy bass line that now carries the track like it should. The only thing I prefer about the previous driver is it provides more texture and detail. The new Polaris II's low end is smoother and more refined at the expense of a mild loss of information.

Midrange presence is more or less the same as it was on the original. That is to say, it's recessed, but not by a lot. Despite all the extra bass dialed into the Polaris II, instruments and vocals remain clear and coherent without mid-bass bleed joining in and ruining the party. I personally prefer the mid-range here when compared to the original Polaris because it's thicker and more natural sounding with a more accurate timbre. I get a better sense of the emotion behind Paul Williams' opening and lyrics on Daft Punk's “Touch” with the Polaris II. However, this more natural presentation comes with a reduction in clarity and detail which is noticeable when a/b'ing the two together. Vocals simply do not sound as sharp and crisp through the Polaris II. I personally think this is worth the improvements in timbre and accuracy. You might feel otherwise.

The Polaris II is about as bright as the original, with the treble emphasis shifted to higher frequencies. This gives the II more energy and bite to its attack while adding air and space to notes. The reduction in the presence region would also help explain the slightly reduced detail and clarity. In addition to the shifted emphasis, I found the Polaris II's presentation better controlled. Running through King Crimson's “Cat Food”, hit hats simply sound cleaner and better defined through the Polaris II. If you're sensitive to upper treble, I can certainly see you preferring the original Polaris' presentation though as hit hats have a fair bit more emphasis through the Polaris II and at higher volumes risk being overbearing.

Lastly, the Polaris II has a wicked sound stage. While the original had a fairly tall stage, it lacked depth which resulted in a presentation that was more or less a wall of sound. The Polaris II is in my opinion miles ahead of the original in this regard. Running through BT's “If The Stars Are Eternal Than So Are You And I”, the Polaris II surrounds you within the ethereal effects and dancing sounds while the original Polaris merely places it beside you. Tracks are much more deep and lively with the Polaris II. Imaging is improved too thanks to this extra space, lending the Polaris II to success with gaming. The depth and accuracy of it's stage, along with excellent layering and separation made this earphone a gem to use when playing intense racing games like Wipeout Omega Collection (special mention goes to the wicked sound track) or competitive shooters like PUBG or Call of Duty.


Select Comparisons (volumes matched using Dayton iMM-6):

Fidue A85 Virgo (399.00 USD): The A85's triple driver hybrid setup offers a more balanced, neutral-leaning sound than the Polaris II. Treble on the A85 feel biased towards the presence region and compared to the Polaris II is lacking in brilliance. This leaves cymbals, chimes, etc. sounding slightly muted and dull compared to the Polaris, and lacking the same level of detail. The A85's mid-range is notably more forward with vocals and acoustics having a slightly thicker and much more dominant presence on most tracks. Timbre is more accurate out of the Polaris II. The A85 adds a touch of dryness where there should be none. Clarity is similar between the two with vocals and instruments being equally coherent. Bass is where the two drastically split. The A85's low end is barely elevated above neutral with a light, warm, mellow presence that focuses clearly on mid-bass. It's not slow, but it's not particularly quick either. Sub-bass is present but lacks presence. When compared to the Polaris II the A85 sounds almost anemic. The Polaris II's bass is clearly the star of the show with a advantage in speed and control, as well as way more presence in both mid-bass and sub-bass regions. The A85 sets the listener further from the performance and as such gives the impression of a larger sound stage. When it comes to technical ability, the Polaris II is a big step forward. Imaging is sharper, more precise, and tracks sound more layered and better separated. A big part of this is due to the Polaris II's depth which is much improved over the A85. While I prefer the A85's mids, that's all I think it has going for it over the Poalris II.

HIFIMAN RE800 Silver (599.00 USD): The single dynamic in the RE800 S has a more balanced sound than the Polaris 2. Still v-shaped, but not to the same extent nor in the same way. Where the Solaris puts it's extra emphasis in the bass, HIFIMAN puts it firmly in the treble with the RE800 S. As such, I found the RE800 S the brighter of the two with a more even upper and low treble balance. Clarity and detail are more prominent on the RE800 S, helped along by a leaner presentation. Mids on the RE800 S are more forward and articulate with the Solaris II sounding thicker and more weighty. The RE800 S is more susceptible to sibilance that does not show up on the Solaris II. Timbre on both is accurate. Bass is where the two really split with the RE800 S having a much more dainty presentation. Extension is good on both but the Solaris II has a much greater mid- and sub-bass emphasis resulting in a much more visceral experience that will undoubtedly be overwhelming for some. Texture is excellent on both with the RE800 S having the edge. When it comes to sound stage the RE800 S takes a slight lead on width and imaging accuracy. The Solaris II gives off a much greater sense of depth that make it's staging feel more accurate and alive. Overall I find these two to perform on a similar level. I personally find the Solaris II a heck of a lot more fun to listen to thanks to it's beautiful bass and enveloping sound stage, though the RE800 S is good to have on hand when a cooler, more neutral-leaning signature is desired.

Final Thoughts:

The Polaris II is unapologetically bassy, and that's okay. I for one am glad Campfire Audio doubled down and fully committed to this new sound. The resulting earphone is hella fun, even if it gives up some detail and clarity to it's predecessor. It's completely worth it. Those aspects that were improved were significantly improved, while those aspects that were not are only slightly worse. The Polaris II has a more natural sounding mid-range with improved timbre and the dryness of the original removed. It has a VASTY improved sound stage that entirely corrects the 2D-ish nature of the original.

Yes, I miss the Ceracote faceplate and two tone colour scheme, but I welcome the cleaner machining and anodized paint job that is proving to be much more resilient to damage and chipping. Where my original Polaris had a small chip out of the box and numerous more by the time the review was released, in the same time and with similar treatment the Polaris II still looks mint. While I like the design of the old leather case, the new one is easier to carry and store the earphone and it's accessories in. It's a quality of life enhancement making the new case one I actually use on the regular.

Overall the Polaris II is a welcome update to the Polaris I, and should you be in the market for a fun, top tier earphone, be sure to include it on your list of gear to audition. You might be surprised.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out the new IO (Eye-Oh) from Campfire Audio.

Campfire Audio is located in Portland, Oregon and was founded in 2015 by Ken Ball of ALO Audio fame. In the world of high end portable audio they rapidly became a household name thanks to the Andromeda with it's iconic design language and impressive performance.

The IO that we're checking out today is one of their newest releases. Along with all-new packaging for the brand, it features a dual armature setup and the same angular design that is shared with many models in their lineup, and that won them great accolades from the community when they first appeared on the scene.

As one of their most affordable models, is the IO a worthy addition to Campfire's lineup? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Caleb with Campfire Audio for arranging a sample of the IO for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on time spent listening to the IO throughout the last two months. They do not represent Campfire Audio or any other entity. At the time of writing the IO retailed for 299 USD. You can check it out here: https://campfireaudio.com/shop/io/

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Mobile: Shanling M0 alone or with the Periodic Audio Ni amp, ZiShan DSD
@home: TEAC HA-501 with a ZiShan DSD or Asus FX53V acting source duty

The IO is very easy to drive and doesn't need to be amped. A phone drives it just fine. That said, since it is somewhat bright and quite revealing, it sounds best out of a clean, warm source so I do recommend a decent DAP or DAP/amp combo.

Specifications:

• Driver: Dual balanced armature
• Impedance: 26 ohms
• Sensitivity: 109dB
• Frequency Response: 5Hz to 22kHz

Packaging and Accessories:



When it comes to packaging, Campfire Audio has changed things up this time around. The spirit of their past designs is still in place as they follow the same astronomical theme, but the format has changed. Similar to the Solaris, the IO comes in a fairly large, shallow square box. Unlike with the Solaris, this box is covered by an exterior sheath, sealed shut by a gold coloured Campfire Audio seal on the back. The front contains a large sticker with a mottled pattern set beneath a high quality image of the IO's earpieces and the usual company branding and model information. One more sticker is present around the side containing company info and another image of the IO, among other details that may or may not be important to the average consumer.

Breaking the seal, the sheath unfold like the pedals of a flower revealing the main box inside. Lifting out the box, you will notice the inner sheath is printed with the CA logo dead centre, golden rays exploding outwards. It's quite dramatic. The main box itself contains the same beautiful mountainous scene found on CA's prior packaging along with more Campfire Audio branding. Lifting the lid you're greeted by the slogan “Nicely Done” printed on one of the flaps, as well as their new leather carrying case and a smaller cardboard box containing many of the included accessories. Beneath all this is your warranty card and a manual. In all you get:

• IO earphones
• Smoky Jacket Silver Plated Copper Litz Cable
• Final Audio tips (xs/s/m/l/xl)
  Campfire Audio Marshmallow tips (s/m/l)
• Wire bore single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• Campfire Audio lapel pin
• Cleaning tool
• Mesh accessory case (x3)

Overall this is an outstanding unboxing experience, as is always the case with Campfire Audio. But...I still prefer their old packaging. It was smaller and more compact thereby using less material and producing less waste, a big plus for those that toss packaging once they get to the goods within. That said, this packaging still produces a lot less waste than what you get with various other brands (RHA, Dunu, etc.), and everything is recyclable, so take this as more of an observation than a complaint. The new box does look fantastic on display though, a positive for those of us that appreciate brands who put time and effort into crafting unique and attractive unboxing experiences.

Packaging aside, the accessory kit is second to none. Final Audio tips are some of the best in the business and with five sizes included you're sure to find something that works for your ears. Campfire Audio's Marshmallow tips are a very high quality foam option. The basic single flange silicone tips are nothing special and are the sort of tip you'd find included with more budget oriented offerings. That's not to take away from their performance though. They stay attached to the nozzle just fine and consistently seal well, though I'm not a fan of how they sound with the IO. The cleaning tool will be invaluable to those with waxy ears and the inclusion of three mesh bags to keep everything neatly organized is genius. Nicely done.


Build, comfort, and Isolation:

The machined aluminum housings of the IO are adorned with a pale red anodized finish that looks pretty stunning in person. Seems to me that Campfire has improved the quality of their machining and their anodized finish. Compared to the original Polaris, the shells are much smoother. Small bumps and knocks that chipped the finish on the original Polaris have done nothing to the IO. ~10mm long stainless steel nozzles are present and have a prominent lip that does a great job of holding tips in place. These nozzles are very similar to those introduced with the Atlas and Comet and incorporate protective grills into the design. You won't have to worry about losing a filter when changing tips. Gold plated screws top things off and attractively accent the red colouring, Iron Man style. The IO use's Campfire Audio's now familiar and extra durable beryllium/copper MMCX connectors. I say extra durable because that's what the marketing blurb spouts, but also my now almost two year old and well-loved Polaris has seen tens and tens of disconnects. The MMCX connectors are just as firm now as they were out of the box. Fit and finish is as to be expected, which is to say it is fantastic. Seams are barely visible and everything lines up perfectly without any gaps or off kilter angles.

The IO comes with Campfire Audio's new Silver Plated Copper Litz cable. It is quite reminiscent in design and thickness to the copper cable that came with the original Polaris, but with a new smoke coloured sheath. The 90 degree angled jack is smartly designed with an extension to permit compatibility with a wide variety of device cases, though strain relief is a little stiff. Less of a worry than it would be on lesser cables. My experiences with Campfire's cables have shown them to be plenty durable. Within the small, reliefless aluminum y-split, the cable divides sending two strands on each side to the ear pieces. Slotting into the top of the split is a small plastic chin cinch. It moves much more smoothly here than on older Campfire cables and as a result is much more useful. Also much more useful is the move to preformed ear guides. While the memory wire used on past Campfire Audio cables worked, I found the “memory” aspect of that title limited at best which led to the wire straightening out over time. Ditching that entirely and running with preformed guides has resulted in a much more pleasant experience since I'm not constantly rebending the wire to ensure it stays behind my ear. This is a great new cable and I was pleased to see it included with some other new models, like the Polaris v2 and Andromeda v3.

When it comes to comfort you'd be forgiven for assuming Campfire Audio's iconic angular shell design is a pain in the ear. Maybe for some, but not for me. Ergonomics are just right with the low profile IO conforming quite naturally to my outer ear. That plus the use of lightweight aluminum, a small size that belies the chunky appearance, and a reasonably long nozzle keeps the IO sitting in a way that does not feel out of place. While I find the stubby nozzle of the Andromeda more suitable to my personal ear anatomy, I can still wear the IO for hours without experiencing any discomfort.

The passive isolation of the IO is kinda weird. Low and high frequencies are significantly dulled when I have them inserted, Final Type E tips installed. This is great. Oddly though, vocals come through loud and clear, if not slightly dulled. As a result, I can have a video on in the background at my normal listening volume, IO inserted into my ears with no music playing, and follow along with the host/commentators just fine. This is actually really handy when using the IO in an office setting where you need to be able to hear your colleagues. That is, as long as you're not using foam tips. Those tend to sop up vocals and muffle everything.


Sound:

Tips: I found wide bore tips exacerbated the mids and treble making the IO flop over the edge into being overly aggressive. Small bore tips like the included Final Audio E-Type, foams, and other small to medium bore, soft silicone tips (ex. Sony hybrids, Spintfit CP100, etc.) were preferable since they curbed some of that edginess. My testing was done with the included Final Audio medium tips.

The IO has plenty of treble on tap giving it quite a bright presentation. Hi-hats, chimes, etc. are quite vibrant and can get tiring quickly. This was noticeable on King Crimson's live recording of “Indiscipline” off the 'On Broadway' collection. In the first couple minutes the drummer gets to show off his skills and you are assaulted by a barrage of hi-hats. On the plus side, notes are fairly well-controlled with a satisfactory amount of space and air present. This keeps the IO from coming across congested and muddied when a song get busy. Attack and decay are expectedly quick, but not so snappy as to sound unrealistic. Detail and clarity are quite good too and I never felt I was missing out on any fine details, or that the IO was smoothing over imperfections. It sounds quite unforgiving and quite revealing actually.

Vocal presence in the mid-range is somewhat inconsistent. On some tracks, like Tom Walker's “Now You're Gone”, both male and female vocalists sound forward and prominent with neither standing out more than the other. Other times, like on Radiohead's “Weird Fishes”, vocals fall back and sound recessed in comparison to the bassline and high hats, especially in the closing moments. This really only happens with male vocalists and it varies from track to track. The IO certainly feels most at home with female vocalists though. I was somewhat surprised with the IO since it handled Nicki Minaj well. Many earphones with unique mid-range presentations tend to make her sound very nasal, but that isn't the case here. Running through “Ganja Burn”, her vocals are smooth and sweet, blending in perfectly with the simple instrumentals and background accents. When it comes to guitars and other instruments, timbre is too light but I otherwise enjoy the presentation. Take for example, Havok's “Covering Fire”. Riffs chug away with a sublime attack and wicked texture. Pianos fall much into the same realm, as heard on the 51 second piano solo opening Supertramp's “Bloody Well Right”. While the piano doesn't sound quite right, it still manages to be entertaining and serve its purpose of pulling you into the track to preparing you for the eventual crescendo. The IO's mid presentation is off, yet it didn't manage to ruin the immersion of a good track, even one I've listened to as much as “Bloody Well Right”.

The IO is fairly light on bass, but it's some quality stuff. First off, extension is outstanding for an armature with the IO able to reproduce the opening rumble on Kavinski's “Solli”. While it's often hard to tell thanks to the lack of emphasis, the IO can certainly provide a satisfying low end experience. Juice Aleem's “The Fallen” absolutely relies on it's strong bass line to carry the track and the IO takes it on like a professional. Texture is fantastic too, as evident on Tobacco's work on his joint effort with Aesop Rock, 'Malibu Ken'. The IO picks up all the grunge and distortion Tobacco layers onto everything, and tosses it back at you with aplomb. In addition to having plenty of texture, the IO's low end is pretty quick, as is common with armatures. Each note of the rapid double bass found throughout Havok's album 'Time Is Up' is well defined.

When it comes to sound stage, the IO's intimate presentation results in a fairly “in-the-head” type of listening experience, with effects and notes dancing off into the distance every once in a while. It really shines in it's depth portrayal which keeps instruments and effects well layered and separated, and restricts their ability to interfere and blend in with each other. Imaging is quite good with sounds very accurately transferring across channels. I found the IO to be a nice companion when playing competitive games like Counter Strike or PUBG where accurate imaging helps give you an edge in testy situations.


Select Comparisons (volumes matched using Dayton iMM-6):

EarNiNE EN2J (267.00 USD): The EN2J and it's twin armature setup is much more balanced. Mids and treble are more forward than bass which is quite neutral, but neither steps forward as aggressively as it does on the IO. IO offers better extension in either direction, most noticeable in the bass which rolls off before really offering anything in terms of sub-bass. The EN2J's bass is impressively quick and articulate, but I can see the lack of presence being a turn off for most listeners, especially given the IO isn't particularly bassy itself. Mids on the EN2J are less forward but more balanced and slightly more detailed. They also feature that distinct breathy tone characteristic of EarNiNE's in-house armatures. This unfortunately means it's timbre isn't 100% spot on either. While the EN2J's sound stage is reasonably intimate, it comes across slightly wider but not quite as deep as the IO. Imaging, layering and separation is pretty even across the two with the IO offering slightly improved layering. Between these two, the EN2J does the mid-forward, treble prominent signature a little better. The IO certainly takes the cake in the low end, but I prefer the overall balance and presentation of the EN2J.

In terms of build, the IO is much more impressive. The EN2J isn't poorly built by any means, but it's steel housings lack the attention to detail in terms of fit and finish thanks to prominent moulding lines and plastic nozzles that detract from the premium aesthetic they were going for. The brushed aluminum face plate is also very susceptible to scratches, though it does look good. I quite like EarNiNE's cable. While it doesn't feel as durable as Campfire Audio's, the light, flexible sheath completely stays out of the way. I love it. Comfort on both is excellent, though the IO fits me more naturally and remains less intrusive despite the extra size. I think it comes down to the nozzle design which forces the EN2J deep into my ear canal and pressed up against my outer ear. I also find I have to fiddle with it more to regain a lost seal.

ADV GT3 w/ reference filters (299.00 USD): The single dynamic GT3 also has a skewed signature, this time towards a v-shaped sound. Bass doesn't dig quite as far as the IO's armature but with the IO's lack of sub-bass presence it doesn't feel like it. Mids of the IO are more forward and prominent, upper especially, yet similarly detailed and clear. Timbre is more accurate on the GT3. Treble on both earphones is sharp and crisp with the GT3 sounding tighter and more controlled. The GT3's peak around 6k gets tiring, though I can say the same for the IO's peak further up. The IO has a more intimate presentation with a smaller sound stage, but provides a more impressive job of moving sound between channels. Layering and separation is equally good. I prefer the IO at lower volumes while the GT3's dynamic provides more entertainment at high volumes, though that treble can be unpleasant.

In terms of build both are outstanding with flawless fit and finish, top tier cables, and cool designs. GT3 has a slight advantage in that it brings tuning filters to the party, whereas the IO is more ergonomic. Not only is it heavier, but the GT3 has a very sharp rear end which in some ears will cut into flesh and cause discomfort. I thankfully don't have that problem during regular listening, but on a few occasions I have forgotten about that edge and when going to lay down jabbed my ear when the iem pressed into the pillow.

BGVP DM7 (299.00 USD): The six-armature DM7 has a more balanced signature with tighter, less aggressive treble, but it lacks the extension and upper treble presence making it come across somewhat numb. Mids on the IO are generally more forward and crisp with better clarity and additional detail, though somewhat artificial and thin when compared to the DM7. DM7 has the lead when it comes to timbre. On select tracks, such as Radiohead's “Weird Fishes”, vocals on the DM7 come across more prominent in the mix. Bass on the DM7 doesn't extend as far and sounds heavier, slower, and more mid-bassy. IO has a wider, deeper sound stage and does a better job of portraying various layers to a track, as well as separating individual elements. DM7 sounds more constricted and almost congested in comparison. I prefer the DM7's overall tune but appreciate the IO's technical proficiency.

In terms of build, IO is vastly superior. The DM7 is 3D printed which is in itself just fine, but my DM7 is a bit sloppy around the nozzle and in general feels less durable and looks less premium than the IO. There is also that loose MMCX port issue BGVP is currently dealing with, or has already dealt with if you're reading this well into the future. Speaking of MMCX, both products have very nice cables with the DM7's being thicker and more impressive looking. I think they're equally solid, but I will say Campfire Audio has the better preformed guides. BGVP's are somewhat loose around the cable and when it flexes you can hear ticking as the guide sticks and rubs against the wiring within.

Final Thoughts:

The IO is the kind of product that makes me hate having to put down a score when posting a review to Head-fi. On one hand, I entirely understand the criticism that has been levied at it's unique tune. It's bright, it can be tiring, it can be kinda harsh, and it's not particularly natural sounding. I also found the mid-range inconsistent in it's presentation across a number of vocalists. On an objective basis, it has issues.

However, enjoyment of an earphone is a subjective experience because everyone is unique. A headphone that measures near perfect, assuming the Harman curve is our target for perfection, will be both loved and hated because there is no one tune that everyone universally considers “good”. The IO isn't an earphone for the majority, and that's okay. Those who like it are probably going to like it a lot. It's a fun, vibrant listen with decent technical prowess, great bass that takes you by surprise, and loads of detail and texture to go around. I wish it was a little easier on the ears and that it's midrange and treble peaks were more relaxed, but that's where an EQ comes in, pending you're not opposed to tweaking your purchases.

While the IO's sound signature is tuned for a specific crowd, the rest of the package is undeniably, universally fantastic. The unboxing experience is fun and attractive, and once you get inside you are treated to an extensive accessory kit filled with useful tidbits, like Final E tips, multiple mesh bags to organize and store everything, and a fantastic leather carrying case. Criticism has been levied at this case because it looks like something you'd store make up or coins in. I see where people are coming from with that. However, such cases are ergonomic and designed to be carried and interacted with frequently. This new case is just as spacious inside as Campfire's old cases, but significantly more pocket friendly and easier to get the product into and out of. I think it is a fantastic addition and have no issues with it's inclusion.

I like the IO, warts and all. If a bright, mid-centric earphone sounds like your jam, give it a shot. You'll probably like it. It does that sound fairly well. For everyone else, there are lots of other products out there to cater to your specific preferences

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're checking out a new version of Astrotec's S60, an affordable and very competent fully wireless earphone released at the end of 2018.

While the new variant of the S60 looks virtually identical, it has seem some welcome updates to it's specifications and feature set making it even more versatile than it's predecessor. That said, given the similarities between the two earphones there will be quite a bit of overlap (read: copy/paste with editing) between this review and my prior S60 review. If you get a sense of deja vu, that's why.

Anyway, let's dive in and see what Astrotec did to improve the S60.

Disclaimer:

Thank you to Astrotec for providing a sample of the S60 5.0 for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subjective impressions based on time using the S60 in my daily life. They do not represent Astrotec or any other entity. At the time of writing you could pick up the new S60 5.0 for around 70 USD on Astrotec's official AliExpress store.

AliExpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32945508077.html

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. In 2018 I learned that I no longer have a preferred signature and can understand and appreciate vastly different earphones. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Specifications:

• Driver: Knowles RAF balanced armature
• Frequency Response: 10Hz – 20kHz
• Sensitivity: 94dB
• Impedance: 28 ohms
• Bluetooth: version 5.0
• Range: 2.40GHz – 2.48GHz
• Transmission Range: 10m
• Support: HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP, CVSD, mSBC, SBC, AAC
• Weight (single earpiece): ~4.6g
• Weight (charge case, no earpieces): 60g
• Size (charge case): 64.5mm x 40mm x 27mm
• Charge Time (earpieces): ~1hr
• Charge Time (charge case): ~2hrs
• Battery Life: 16 hours (4, plus an additional 12 from the charge case)
• Water Resistance: IPX5
• Charge Methods (charge case): USB Type C, wireless

What's New?:

• Bluetooth 5.0 vs. 4.2
• Improved battery life: 4hrs of playback + 12h extra from the case vs. 3h of playback + 9h from the case
• Right earpiece is now the primary and phones calls can be taken through either earpiece (left only previously)
• Enhanced controls. You can now adjust volume; increase with a long press on the right earpiece, decrease with a long press on the left side. Double press on the right earpiece to skip to the next track, double press on the left earpiece to skip to the previous track.
• The left earpiece can now be shut down independently
• Improved sound tuning

Packaging and Accessories:

Packaging is one area where the new S60 differs most from it's predecessor. As seems to be the trend lately, the S60 is shipped in a small cardboard box covered by an outer sleeve. On the front is a classy image of the S60 and it's charge case sitting on a wood surface, a sprig of cattails nearby. Above is the Astrotec logo, and below some model information. Flipping to the back you find listed some features and contact information for Astrotec. Sliding the sleeve off you find a cardboard insert containing directions for pairing the S60 to a device, as well as the correct way to wear them.

Lifting out the cardboard insert you find the interior split into two sections. The top section has the charge case securely set within a foam insert for protection during shipping. The bottom section contains a small cardboard box. On top, held in place by two tabs, is a plastic sheet in which the spare tips reside. Within the box is a usb-C cable and manual. In all you get:

• S60 earphones
• Charge case
• Four pairs of unique silicone tips
• usb-C cable
• Manual

The included tips are the same as those included with the original S60 and as such are not your traditional tips. Preinstalled would be a set of medium single flange, though they're angled to keep the tip flush with the body of the earphone. Another set is very similar but a fair bit larger. The next set is very squat and wide with three small indents around the base of the single flange. The final set is absolutely tiny and again, single flange. The material used for these tips seems to be of excellent quality. It is flexible, durable, and provides an excellent seal. While the variety in designs in nice, I worry that due to how unusual each tips is, some might have issues finding one that works for them. Lucky for me, the preinstalled set worked perfectly.

Overall a solid unboxing experience, if somewhat unremarkable.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The S60's ear pieces are entirely composed of plastic. The outer half of the shell is glossy black with a large, finely meshed vent for the microphone, while the inner half is matte black with a soft texture and six copper pads, two of which are used for charging. The face plate is one large multifunction button that depresses with a satisfying 'click', and with a pinhole opening for the LED indicator. The plastics seem chosen for lightness and as such do not feel particularly dense, yet they do not feel fragile either. The original version I had dropped a couple times resulting in nothing more than a small scuff on the left earpiece. I suspect the new version will be just as resilient, with scuffs being more visible due to the new coloration. Fit and finish is quite good overall with each component part fitting together nice and snug, including the nozzle mesh which is neatly applied. Of course, this would be necessary in order to achieve the IPX5 water resistance rating the S60 5.0 has been given. This level of protection should mean it0 is well protected from sweat, rain, and other things that would splash liquid on the device.

The charge case is made from a mixture of metal and plastic. It is quite compact, easily fitting in the palm of your hand. I found it fit perfectly in the tiny change pocket in my jeans. The lid, printed with the Astrotec logo, is all-metal and gives the case a quality feel as well as some heft. This also means the hinge is metal too and plenty durable. The base of the charge case is plastic and looks to use a thicker version of the material found on the colored portion of the earpieces. At first I found it somewhat odd that they chose to make the lid metal. Opening it up all the way causes the case to fall over due to the weight discrepancy, but it makes sense when you realize the case can be recharged wirelessly. Wireless charging doesn't work through metal. The interior is lined with plastic inserts shaped to the ear pieces. The updated charge case for the 5.0 changes the color of the base to matte black, and adds foam padding to the interior to make the ear pieces fit in a bit more sung, and probably provide even more protection from accidental damage. Another nice touch is that the interior is magnetic, so you only have to drop the ear pieces in and they snap into place, exactly where they need to be to start charging. There is a USB Type-C port on the back should you not have a wireless charge pad handy, though I suspect people will have these pads commonly lying around in the coming years. More and more products are supporting this method of charging, and major phone manufacturers like Xiaomi are starting to include them with their products. Including both wireless charging and USB-C is an intelligent bit of 'future-proofing' on behalf of Astrotec. Nice!

Considering they're filled with electronics, the S60 5.0's ear pieces are impressively compact. Pitting them up against a few fairly popular iems, they are slightly larger than the TinAudio T2 and nearly the same size as the BGVP DMG. Ergonomically it is very similar to the HiFiMAN RE2000, but much lighter and with all the edges rounded off. As a result of this very familiar shape and traditional ergonomics, the S60 5.0 feels like every other earphone, avoiding annoyances like ear hooks that other fully wireless earphones have to employ to keep them stable and secure. This also means the S60 5.0 is very comfortable and has an extremely low profile, so they are quite versatile. I have no issues using them while lying in bed, out in windy weather, or wearing them under a toque (Canadian winter hat).

When it comes to passive noise isolation the S60 5.0 does a good job. There is ample ventilation sure, but the use of armatures instead of dynamic drivers and a form fitting design does a good job of blocking exterior noise. I can easily listen to the this earphone at fairly low volumes in noisy areas like the local coffee shop, and when walking around the city. They won't be replacing something with active noise cancellation, but they're certainly above average when compared to similar products.


Sources and Connection:

For the purposes of testing, a few different devices were enlisted for pairing with the S60 5.0; LG G6, LG G5, Asus FX53V laptop, F.Audio S1, Shanling M0, and Shanling M1. Taking the right earpiece out of the charge case automatically has it searching for a source device. Right is now the primary, while left is the secondary, opposite to the original S60. They automatically locate and connect with each other when out of the case too, which is nice. I have yet to experience the ear pieces unexpectedly disconnecting from each other. The S60 5.0 was quickly recognized and paired reliably with everything, including my Shanling devices which the original S60 refused to communicate with. This is awesome because when paired with the M0, you have a killer gym or workout setup.

As with the original S60, connection quality was strong and stable. Where the original S60 would sometimes stumble on the initial connection, then stabilize, the new S60 was rock solid right off the bat. However, a few times I did experience random disconnects using the 5.0 with my laptop. Odd because I was only a few feet from the device with zero obstacles in the way.

Range is average at 10m (~33ft). I'm able to set my source in a central location and listen pretty much anywhere in my apartment. As as is often the case when you start introducing obstacles or cover the source or earphones with your hand, the connection to stutter and potentially drop entirely. Compared to the original S60, the new 5.0 version provided a more stable experience through obstacles. Leaving my source in my office and crossing the apartment to the kitchen (around a corner and behind a wall with various pieces of furniture and electronics in the way) resulted in the original S60 stuttering where the new S60 didn't miss a beat. I wasn't expecting the connection quality to be any better. Glad I was proven wrong.

Overall I find the connection quality to be quite stable and reliable, with only occasional hiccups that do little to mar the experience.

Battery Performance:

The S60 5.0 is rated for 4 hours of listening time plus an additional 12 from the charge case. This gives users a combined total of 16 hours of use. I was already pleased with the original S60's 12 hours combined given how tiny the earpieces are, so this was a welcome and unexpected upgrade. In my time with the S60 5.0, at the low volumes I listen I was able to reach the claimed four hours of use with ease. This was evident by the S60 dying just after I started my lunch break which is four hours after the start of my typical work day. As with the original S60, you are notified when the battery is running low. You can also check the battery life indicator added to the notification bar at the top of your device's screen, pending that feature is supported by your device

It was nice to see that despite the additional battery life, charging the ear pieces still only take around an hour. That said, I rarely run them to empty, instead opting to top them up after every listen when I chuck the case back in my pocket. Not a best practice for battery longevity, but convenience wins out there. Charging the case itself still only take around two hours as well. Since the new S60 took over the old as my secondary daily driver for the duration of testing, I'd pop the case on the charger every couple days to ensure I never had to worry about running out of juice when out and about, or going away for the weekend.


Sound Quality:

The S60 5.0 does not sound vastly different from it's predecessor, however, the changes made do result in an improved signature. Given their similarities, I'm not going to go in depth with sound impressions and instead briefly outline the improvements Astrotec dialed in.

Compared to the original, the 5.0 is slightly brighter with seemingly better extension. I found this improved clarity and gave the sound stage a small bump as well. The upper ranges sound more energetic which is probably the first thing a listener would pick up on when a/b'ing the two models.

The 5.0's midrange is slightly more forward and a hint leaner which again helps improve clarity and vocal coherence. I found myself enjoying mid-focused tracks more through the S60 5.0 as a result since it provided a more well-rounded experience than it's predecessor.

Bass was improved too with the mid-bass hump being dialed back a bit. This lets the S60 5.0's decent extension stick out a bit more. Texturing is improved too, and the lessened mid-bass makes this little balanced armature's punchiness and speed more prominent.

Overall the new S60 is slightly brighter with a more forward, leaner mid-range and less low end thickness. Sound stage is slightly deeper but around the same size. It's a more detailed and well-rounded tune overall.

Select Comparison:

Nuforce Optoma BeFREE8 (149.00 USD): The BeFREE8 has a more v-shaped signature than the S60 5.0 with it's single micro-dynamic offering up better end to end extension. It's bass is deeper, hits harder though with less control, and is similarly textured. It's mid-range is a touch thinner and less prominent with similar air between notes. Treble is more prominent with more upper emphasis giving the BeFREE8 additional sparkle. Some might find this tiring, others might find it more engaging. Either way, I think it suits the v-shaped sound. The S60 5.0's upper end enhancements bring it's treble more in line with the BeFREE8, but with better control. The BeFREE8 has a larger and more spacious sound stage with more accurate imaging. Whereas against the previous S60, I found the BeFREE8 superior, I would put it on par with the revised S60 5.0.

In terms of the rest of the product, they trade blows quite well with the new S60 5.0 coming up strong. First up, the BeFREE8 no longer has better battery life at 16 hours total. They both have 4 plus an extra 12 from the charge case thanks to the S60's enhancements. Given the BeFREE8's earpieces are larger and less ergonomic, this really makes the S60 5.0 look good. The charge case is almost twice the size of what Astrotec created and is all plastic with no support for wireless charging. Another point for Astrotec. Connection quality to the source device is pretty equally reliable between the two. Despite the BeFREE8 using some unique tech to connect the ear pieces to each other (NMFI), the S60 certainly wasn't shamed and was more resistant to forced disconnects (i.e. deliberately blocking the connection). NMFI is great when the ear pieces are being used properly and disconnects are very rare, but as soon as you take them out of line of each other the secondary ear piece will disconnect. I've found in the year and a bitI've been using them, it has led to the primary ear piece always running low on battery first. This is not a problem with either version of the S60.

Despite the huge discrepancy in price, I enjoyed my time with the S60 5.0 more than I have with the BeFREE8, an earphone I am very familiar with by this point. With the new S60 5.0 you are no longer giving up anything to the BeFREE8 in terms of sound quality or battery life. And in my opinion the S60 is the more compact, comfortable, and overall more convenient product to take with you. While I haven't been able to take advantage of it yet, I consider the ability to wirelessly charge the case and USB Type-C big pluses since those are becoming more common place features and are absent in the pricier BeFREE8.

Final Thoughts:

The S60 5.0 isn't a rewrite of the Astrotec's truly wireless entry, but a refinement and enhancement of the overall experience. Everything about the product has seen tweaking here and there, even the packaging which is more compact and environmentally friendly. Visually it has been updated with a new colour scheme. Audio quality is similar but enhanced with a more balanced signature and mild technical buffs. New features have been added too, like additional media controls and Bluetooth 5.0 support. Even the case saw a simple addition in the form of foam in the lid to ensure a more secure connection for charging when the lid is shut. Can't forget about the extra four hours of battery life either.

If you're looking for a sub-100 USD truly wireless earphone and do not want to pick up one of the numerous rebrands smattering the market, the new S60 5.0 is a great choice. Like the original, it is one of the more attractive, comfortable, and overall competitive offerings to cross my plate.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're taking a casual look at the new Accessport Air from Advanced.

Way back in January of this year (2019) Advanced dropped a new Kickstarter campaign for their wireless Bluetooth module, the Accessport Air. If you've been following my reviews for a while, you'll know I've covered a lot of their products and am a big fan of the brand. To show my continued support I made my pledge and crossed my fingers that this particular product would receive the funds necessary to go forward with production. In about the time it took to cross my fingers (okay, small exaggeration), the Accessport Air was funded 250%. One day. That's all it took. That is bonkers...

Fast forward to June 21st, 2019 and my Accessport Air arrived safe and sound thanks to the tag team shipping duo that is USPS and Canada Post. I've been using the Accessport Air on the daily and am ready to write about some of my experiences. This isn't going to be one of my usual reviews so don't expect neatly laid out sections and extensive testing. I bought the Accessport Air to replace my bricked ES100 and will be writing from the perspective of a traditional customer, not a reviewer. Still gotta talk about packaging though because I love me an attractive box.


When I went down to the mailbox to pick up the Air I was surprised to see such a small parcel awaiting me. I don't know why, but I was expecting the Air's packaging to be much more exuberant and flamboyant. Instead, it's just a simple matte black cardboard box about the size of my palm, and about as deep as my finger is wide. It's pretty compact overall. It does look nice though with a white sticker wrapping around front to back that also acts as a security seal. In terms of conveying information, there's not a lot the package has to say beyond showing some images, branding, and listing a few specifications on the back. If you want to know the specs, they are as follows:

• BT Version: 5.0 + aptX / aptX low-latency / AAC
• Talk/Music Time: up to 9 hours
• Range: 10m (33ft)
• Charge Port: USB-C
• Charge Time: 2 hours
• Multipoint: Connects to two devices
• Current Consumption: Max 14mA (talk) / 18mA (music)
• Charging Current: 80mW

Considering you can buy the Accessport Air for 34.99 USD, those are not bad specs at all. They are right in line with FiiO's similarly priced µBTR that has been my go-to wireless module, but unlike that model which is all plastic, Advanced's Accessport Air is not.

The build here is a mix of aluminum and soft touch plastic (aluminum body with plastic end caps) and feels very study, though I question the longevity of the shirt clip on the back. The clip is a fixed piece of plastic unlike the pivoting clips found on the µBTR and ES100. On the plus side, fewer moving parts means less chances of failure. On the negative side, you have to bend the arm of the clip to get it around the thing you're attaching it to. Bend something enough and it will give out. I'm also curious to see how it will handle cold Canadian winters since plastic tends to get brittle, but we shall see in another 6 or 7 months. Going back to the rest of the build, it's all good.

On the top of the Air is the headphone jack and on the bottom the usb-C port. The sides are blank minus + and - symbols on the right side denoting functions of the three face buttons. The buttons are all made of metal with the top and bottom painted black to keep them all from blending into each other. They stick out prominently and are easy to find though I do wish there was a lock to prevent input. I found myself pressing them by accident every once in a while, especially when I opted to toss the Air into my pocket. Above the three buttons are three pinholes containing the indicator LED and the inbuilt microphone. Overall I am really impressed with the build considering how inexpensive this product is. Fit and finish of the component parts is good (buttons are a bit wiggly but whatever) and it feels quite durable. The Air is also way smaller than it looks in pictures and has quite a low profile hindered only by that clip on the back.

Connecting the Air to my LG G6 was about as easy as any other modern Bluetooth device. Press and hold the centre silver button to turn on the Air, and keep holding it to activate pairing mode. If you have headphones on at the time, you'll hear convenient voice prompts telling you that the device is on and when it is pairing. Searching for the Air on my G6 took a couple seconds with it showing up as ADV. AP AIR. in the device list. Once selected it connected almost immediately. The devices remember each other too, so I haven't had to re-pair them at any point. The only 'glitch' that I've run across is that the voice prompt will always announce twice when the Air has connected to another device. I would also prefer quieter voice prompts, but I've got sensitive hearing and almost every device is too loud in this regard. Of course there is an easy solution to this issue; stop wearing headphones/iems when turning the device on. When it comes to maintaining a connection, the Air is merely alright. That 33ft rating can only be applicable in an open air setting free of obstacles, because once you starting putting stuff in the way the Air's otherwise reliable connection starts to falter.


Sometimes I like to relax on the couch in the living room with my Bluetooth module connected to my laptop, five or so feet away on the coffee table, and watch Youtube or Netflix. This is something the Air handles well due to it's low latency connection. Maybe I need to get up to get a drink from the kitchen just around the corner. With most devices this isn't an issue. I can continue to listen to my media while doing other tasks. With the Air, almost as soon as I break line of site the connection gets spotty and skips. Doesn't drop, but it definitely falters. I can also invite inconsistencies simply by covering the device by my hand while it's in my pocket, even if the source is only a couple feet away. Maybe that's a sacrifice that had to be made in the decision to go with a more durable aluminum body? In general I found the connection to be stable and fine for general use, just not as strong as some competing products.

Once connected, using the Air to control your music is, again, as simple as most modern devices. Starting from the top you can short press to increase volume or long press to skip to the next track. The centre button can play/pause/answer and end calls with a single short press. Two quick presses activates your phone's voice assistant. A long press is used to power the Air on and off. The final button uses a short press to decrease volume while a long press skips back a track. You can also hold the top and bottom buttons together for a length of time to manually enter pairing mode. Lastly, you can hold down the centre button for two seconds to call the last known number. I haven't been able to get that last one to work. Overall I like the way this device handles. It's simple and intuitive enough to know how to navigate functions without bothering to glance at the user guide since all these actions/functions are pretty common throughout the industry.

When it comes to sound the Accessport Air is a pretty nice Bluetooth module. It has a fairly neutral response with some added kick in low end, suitable for the audience that is most likely looking for something at this price point. While bass is a little emphasized, I wouldn't say the overall signature is too coloured. The comparably priced µBTR has a warmer, more mid-bassy sound to it which does end up colouring the presentation somewhat. Clarity and detail out of the Air is handled well too. It's not an analytic presentation but it doesn't do anything to smear micro-details either. Again, it is a step ahead of the µBTR in these metrics which still sounds detailed, but misses out on the finer touches picked up by the Air. It's really noticeable with vocals by Calyx where the µBTR smooths out the gruffness. In terms of bass quality, the Air does a fantastic job. It does nothing to hinder texture and depth. In comparison, the µBTR tends to bump mid-bass and rolls off earlier in sub-bass, as well as falls behind in texturing. Treble through the Air is nice and crisp and doesn't introduce any graininess or splashiness into the mix. The mid-range is good too, though it tends to make headphones and earphones a touch more lean than they are when run wired or through the µBTR. One area I think the Air really excels is in staging and presentation. I don't think the µBTR is a slouch in this area whatsoever, yet the Air does a better job with channel separation and imaging.

While I haven't spent much time testing differences between the various codecs, I have a few observations to note. First, switching between AAC and aptX you will notice that AAC is much louder (something another backer pointed out first). Since I don't have the option to choose the codec through my G6, I had to swap over to the Shanling M0 to experience it. Apparently this is normal, it was just odd to run into since I've never experienced that before. Neither the ES100 or µBTR do it, nor does my 7 CAD Tzumi Bluetooth module I snagged out of a discount bin. The differences in quality between AAC and aptX were also noticeable, but minimal. If you need to have the best possible quality you'll appreciate the extra clarity afforded by aptX, but I suspect most will never notice a difference. I'm perfectly content listening to my headphone and iems on either codec.

In terms of the Air's ability to bring your headphones up to volume, I have been pretty darn impressed. Recently the TinHiFi P1 planar magnetic earphones crossed my path for a review. Those are some of the hardest to drive iems I've ever used. The Air has no issues bringing it up to volume, and amping it properly by avoiding the softness present when using the P1 through a phone or similarly underpowered (for the P1) device. That does bring up an issue I have with volume on the Air, and that is how large the adjustments are on various devices. Connected to my Asus FX53V it adjusts volume 8 steps at a time. When you can only go from 0 to 100, eight is way too extreme and it makes finding a comfortable volume a challenge since you have to dip into other volume settings to fine tune. My other devices all increase volume 2 steps at a time, same as the standard volume controls, and that works great. Another issue I have with the Air is it's suitability for pairing with sensitive earphones, or more likely, a lack thereof. With very sensitive, easy to drive earphones like my BA-only KZs, the Campfire Audio Andromeda and their other models, as well as a bunch of hybrids, there is plenty of background hiss. I had the same issue with the FiiO µBTR. With most earphones the hiss is manageable as it will be mostly drown out once you're up to listening volumes, but on others it is still present and can be intrusive, especially during quiet sections of a track. Bringing the ifi iEMatch or another similar product into the mix helps quell the hiss, but makes the setup a little more cumbersome.


In terms of battery performance the Accessport Air is rated for up to nine hours of use with a two hour charge time. The two hour charge time certainly seems accurate. When I first attempted to use it out of the box, it needed to be charged. I was working the day it arrived. My lunch and breaks are spread out in two hour increments. I picked the Air up from the mailbox during my lunch break, put it on to charge, and it was ready for use just after my final break for the day ended. Regarding usage time, I haven't formally measured that, but even if it were to give me only seven hours I would be content. As is so far, I've had to charge it a couple times over the last week and it should be due for another charge very soon. Given the way I use the Air on and off throughout the day, not for marathon listening sessions, it has been performing just fine and I haven't felt like the battery life was lacking.

To summarize my thoughts, here are some of the pros and cons of the ADVANCED Accessport Air as I've experienced it so far:

Pros:

• nice build quality with solid materials and good fit and finish
• plenty of power on tap to drive demanding gear
• compact size and low weight
• detailed sound quality and solid codec support, though I would like to see LDAC
• intuitive and simple controls with easy to determine buttons

Cons:

• connection strength could be better
• hiss with sensitive earphones requires you to either look the other way/suck it up, or incorporate an impedance adapter
• I question the longevity of the shirt clip design
• no lock for the controls had lead to unwanted button presses when tossing the Air in a pocket
• didn't mention it above, but it cannot act as an external amp over USB

With everything said and done, does the Accessport Air replace my bricked ES100? Absolutely not, and if I'm being honest I wasn't expecting it to, even if that's the reason why I bought it. The ES100 is triple the price, it has a balanced out, and, Radsone has a supporting mobile app that adds a huge amount of functionality. The ES100 is one of the most feature rich devices I've used. The Air is a much more basic device and I knew that from the outset. I was simply hoping that it would provide me with a cheaper, clean sounding source that I could use with any earphone in my collection. Since there is still background hiss with sensitive earphones, I need to keep searching or just break down and buy another ES100.

So the Air won't replace the ES100, but will it replace the µBTR as my current go to module for daily use? Absolutely. I trust that the Air's more durable materials will last longer and take more abuse, and it has a more powerful output so I can use it with extra demanding headphones. I will miss the µBTR's speedy charge time though, as it halves the Air's two hours. And I kind of like it's simple Apple-ish aesthetic.

Overall I am more than pleased with the Air. While it is not perfect and there are a few flaws to be found, as an everyday Bluetooth module that I can keep on me all the time it is fantastic. If you're in the market for a budget friendly Bluetooth module, the Accessport Air is a very solid choice. You can check it out here if interested: https://www.adv-sound.com/products/accessport-air

Thanks for reading.

- B9Scrambler

Greetings,

Today we're check out a release from yet another KZ spinoff brand, the Tripowin TP10.

So what is the TP10 all about? Well, it features a pure balanced armature driver line up, five per side. It uses the same shell we recently saw with the AS16, though the ornate face plate has been replaced with something much more plain. I'm a little confused as to why KZ is diluting their already complicated brand like this, and by “like this” I mean releasing competing products under different brand names. The TP10 doesn't help since on a surface level it brings literally nothing new to the table.

Let's take a closer look.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Lillian with Linsoul Audio for providing a sample of the TP10 for the purposes of review. The thoughts within are my own subjective impressions based on time listening to the product. They do not represent Tripowin, Linsoul, or any other entity. At the time of writing the TP10 was retailing for 69.99 USD: https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/Tripowin-TP10-IEM

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Mobile: Shanling M0 with the Periodic Audio Nickel amp, or, ZiShan DSD by itself
@home: ZiShan DSD or Asus FX53V laptop plugged into a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

While it has lower than average sensitivity (i.e. below 100dB), I never found the TP10 difficult to bring up to volume. Adding in an amplifier does really seem to do anything to boost performance either.

Specifications:

• Driver: 5 balanced armatures per side
• Impedance: 15 ohms
• Sensitivity: 98dB/mW
• Frequency Response: 20Hz to 40kHz

Packaging and Accessories:



If the TP10's packaging looks familiar to you, you're not alone. Swap out KZ or CCA branding, toss on Tripowin, and you're got yourself the TP10's box. The white exterior sleeve has a nice colour image of the TP10 on the front showing off the ear pieces and 2-pin setup, as well as the usual branding and model details. On the back you have contact information for Tripowin as well as specification info.

Slide off the sleeve and you find the earpieces nestled in a cardboard coated foam insert, protected by a transparent plastic cover. Thankfully the Tripowin version of this cover has a plastic pull tab built in, something commonly missing on the KZ versions. It's a real pain to lift out without that tab, unless you have long nails. Lifting out the plastic cover and foam insert you find a manual and included accessories. In all you get:

• TP10 earphones
• Copper braided cable
• Single flange 'Starline” silicone tips (s/m/l)

Yup, this is the same accessory kit pretty much all KZ and CCA models come with. Enough to get you going and nothing more. I don't understand why Tripowin needs to exist when even the packaging and accessories are redundant with it's parent brand. CCA already does that.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The build is virtually identical to the KZ AS16, therefore, it is outstanding. High quality acrylics. A weight aluminum alloy faceplate. A neatly integrated metal nozzle with an oddly stylish protective steel screen. A protruding 2-pin 0.75mm input that is screwed in place, not glued. A wonderful 3D printed insert that holds the drivers securely in place and acts as directional tubes for the sound. There is a well-soldered crossover present out back too, somewhat hidden by '10 Units Balanced Armature' printed on the shell. Sub 100 USD earphones simply aren't built like this, but KZ/CCA/Tripowins are.

The cable is the same braided option KZ has been using for a while now. It's flexible, doesn't transmit much noise when rubbing against your clothing, and has been proven quite durable. The hardware used by Tripowin is probably my least favourite of that used by the KZ trifecta. The preformed ear guides and 2-pin plugs are fine since they're shared with the ZSN. The y-split is a tiny, completely unrelieved aluminum and plastic cylinder and I suspect will be a weak point. The jack is a simple straight cylinder as well with a small rubber relief. It is quite still and short, and as such offers a level of protection that falls well short of what KZ and CCA provide for essentially the same cable. And then of course the y-split is still set way too low resulting in the slender wires above tangling way too easily.

Comfort is pretty good. The TP10 is heavier than your average plastic bodied iem, but it doesn’t do anything to hinder fit. Neither do all the smooth curves and rounded edges. All this combined with the nicely formed ear guides leads to something I can wear for quite a while without experiencing discomfort.

Isolation is solid as well, and reminiscent of the experience provided by the AS06. Right now we still have quite a bit of construction going on in the area as they are resurfacing a number of parking lots. The TP10 effectively dulls the constant rumbling going on outside, even without any music playing. These should be fine for those planning to take them on the bus or subway.


Sound Quality:

Tips: To my borked ears the TP10 benefits from small to medium bore tips with a very soft silicone, such as Sony's Hybrid tips or Spinfit's CP100. Foam tips are also great because they soften the peaks slightly and make the TP10 more listenable. Not a fan of the stock Starlines with this earphone. The stiff silicone and medium bore do nothing to hide the peaks in the mids and treble.

The TP10 is a bright, mid-rangy earphone with a fairly reserved low end and a lean, airy nature.

Treble is peaky and aggressive which makes it quite a tiring listen, even at the low volumes my listening sessions inhabit. It feels like there are fairly aggressive peaks in both presence and brilliance regions because the TP10 can come across both quite harsh and overly sizzly and sparkly. In the TP10's favour, it is a very detailed listen with excellent clarity and plenty of space between notes. These drivers are quick too with notes decaying quite rapidly. Not going to be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you prefer the typically weighty, slower decay of a dynamic driver.

The mid-range, upper mid-range especially, is plenty forward. This is great for keeping vocals at the forefront and away from any mid/upepr-bass bleed, but unfortunately has the side effect of making them shouty and sibilant. Timbre is also off, lighter and leaner than it should be. Instruments simply sound off. That said, I really like how aggressive guitars are as they display plenty of attack and aggression. You also don't have to worry about lyrical coherence.

The TP10's low end is set back and plays a clear supporting role in the overall signature. Listeners wanting deep, thundering sub-bass or full, punchy mid-bass will certainly be left wanting. That said, the quality of bass is quite good. I am routinely impressed with KZ's low range armatures and while I'm not always a fan of the tuning, you can't deny they give Knowles and others a run for their money. Extension is pretty decent with some roll off present as is common with armatures. Texture is stellar with grungy basslines having the right attitude. It is well controlled and quite quick too, easily tackling rapid bass notes with ease.

The TP10 has a fairly intimate default presentation set within a decent sound stage. Imaging is sharp and accurate with clean channel to channel transitions that are free of dead zones or any vague spots. Tracks sound layered keeping instruments and staging dynamic. Instrument separation is quite good too with the TP10 taking on congested tracks with ease.

Overall I'm not really a fan of this tune. It is too harsh, too sibilant, and overall just not that enjoyable... at least for my current preferences. I appreciate the clarity and detail it can output and find the bass quite accomplished. The underlying issue, with the exception of the low range drivers, is they feel like they are tuned to play right at their upper limits. This gives the TP10 a strained presentation at every volume and that can be quite distracting. It's the opposite of effortless.


Select Comparisons (volumes matched with Dayton iMM-6):

TinHiFi T3 (69.99 USD): Where the TP10 is a five driver, armature-only earphone, the T3 is a dual-driver hybrid. Like the TP10, the T3 has elevated treble but it is less peaky, smoother, and better controlled. The TP10 has a more forward midrange. The T3's is more natural sounding and lacks the shouty qualities of the TP10. Bass on the T3 digs deeper and is slightly more impactful, but lacks the speed and texture of the TP10. It's not far off though. The T3 has a wider and deeper sound stage, but it's imaging qualities lack the immediacy of the the TP10's. TP10 also feels slightly better layered and on congested tracks does a better job of separating instruments and effects. Overall I prefer the T3. It's tune feels more balanced and refined, it doesn't display the TP10's sibilance, it's bass is more satisfying, and in general it just sound like the all-round better earphone. Build quality is about on par, though the edge goes to the T3; all-metal shells for durability and Tin's cable is vastly superior.

KZ AS16 (~125 USD: The TP10 and AS16 show of the two brand's familial background beyond more than just how they look. While they have a similar sound, to my ears the TP10 is brighter, has more aggressive mids, is more sibilant, and has a more pronounced low end with better extension and a hint more presence. The AS16 has a wider, deeper sound stage with improved technicals, but not by much. Decay and speed is basically the same. Timbre is improved on the AS16. Personally I think the AS16 is the better product, and it should be given the price, but it's not to the point that I'd say it is worth the extra cost over the TP10. Though if we're being blunt I wouldn't recommend either.

Final Thoughts:

The TP10 isn't a terrible earphone, but it's not a good one either. All positives, like the tight bass and sharp imaging, are countered by undesirable qualities, like sibilance and general treble harshness. It's biggest fault to me though is that it has no identity to call it's own.

This is a KZ in all but name, from the packaging, to the shell, to the drivers, to the KZ-esque sound. It's a further dilution of a brand I held in fairly high regard for their ability to bring good sound to those who traditionally could not afford it. But, ever since the ZST their prices have been increasing, products becoming more complicated, and the lineup ever more confusing, redundant, and congested. CCA appearing didn't help much since it brought little in the way of something new to the market, continuing the trend of tweaking the same basic signature in a refaced package. Tripowin and the TP10 do it again, but not nearly as well.

If you're a treble head and don't mind EQing or modding products to get the most out of them, you might enjoy the TP10. There is a good earphone hidden in there, it's just not that apparent out of the box. For everyone else, there are other, better products to spend your money on.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we’re checking out TinHiFi’s newest release, the P1.

Back in October of 2017, TinHiFi (previously known as TinAudio) quietly took over the budget scene with the T2. It was a dual-dynamic earphone and it’s combination of low price, outstanding build quality, and one of the closest things to neutral without being deathly boring won over a crowd infatuated with hybrids and flashy specs. Since then TinHiFi has released a number of products in the T1, T2 Pro, and T3, all of which were well received, some more than others. Their strong lineup of sub 100 USD earphones has kept them relevant, and to some, a leader in a very competitive segment.

The P1 is not only their first earphone over 100 USD, but also their first to move away from traditional dynamic and balanced armature driver tech. The P1 features a single 10mm planar magnetic driver per side. While that’s pretty cool, TinHiFi is not the first to bring planar tech to the earphone market, though I do suspect they’ll have been the most successful to date. Other brands have done it with varied levels of success, such as RHA with the CL2 and Toneking with the BL1. There are a handful of other examples out there if you take the time to hunt them down, all of which seem to have some critical flaw you either need to live with, or work around via EQ or some other method.

Let’s take a closer look at the P1 and why I think this is a standout product in the sub-200 USD market.


Disclaimer:

Thank you to Lillian with Linsoul Audio for arranging a sample of the P1 for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subjective opinions based on time listening to the P1. They do not represent TinHiFi, Linsoul Audio, or any other entity. The P1 will be releasing on June 20th at an introductory price of 149.00 USD. MSRP will be 169.00 USD.

https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/tinhifi-p1-iem

https://drop.com/buy/tin-audio-p1-iem

Edit 11/17/2019 - Reduced score to 4 stars. After using the P1 constantly over the last 5 months, the low end performance and reliance on amping compromises the user experience during portable use too much to warrant the previous score.

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Mobile: Shanling M0 or Zishan DSD paired with the Periodic Audio Nickel amp
@home: ZiShan DSD or Asus FX53V laptop plugged into a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

While it’s sensitivity hints at it being a bit more power hungry than some earphones, it doesn’t tell the whole story. The P1 is a very hungry little earphone and requires a ton of power to get up to volume. Amping is absolutely necessary in my experience, unless you’ve got a stupidly powerful DAP available.

Specifications:

• Driver: 10mm planar magnetic driver
• Impedance: 20 ohms
• Sensitivity: 96 +/- 3dB
• Rated Power: 5mW
• Max Power: 10mW
• Frequency Response: 10Hz to 40kHz
• Cable: 1.2m mixed braided (5N OFC and copper alloy) with MMCX

Packaging and Accessories:

TinHiFi did a great job with the P1’s packaging, providing an experience reminiscent of something you get from much more premium brands. The P1 arrives in a large matte black box with a matte black sheath covering it. The overall design is quite subtle with minimal branding and information printed on both the sheath and main packaging. Sliding the sheath off and opening the lid reminded me of the HiFiMAN RE2000 unboxing. While Tin’s packaging is plain cardboard vs. the faux leather of the RE2000’s box, it’s no less impressive. The lid is restricted in the amount it can open thanks to a black ribbon. The entirety of the interior of the package is lined with a smooth fabric, imprinted with the TinHiFi logo and website. The P1’s ear pieces and leatherette carrying case are set within a foam insert lined with the same smooth fabric lining the rest of the interior. Lifting out the insert you find a simple manual. In all you get:

• P1 earphones
• 1.2m mixed braided (5N OFC and copper alloy) with MMCX cable
• Leatherette carrying case
• Single flange, wide bore tips (s/m/l)
• Single flange, medium bore tips (s/m/l)
• Foam tips (s/m)
• Velcro cable tie

Overall a decent kit. The tips are nothing special in terms of design or materials. I have plenty others like them and find they do a fine job. They’re durable and provide a reliable seal. The carrying case is quite nice and reminds me of the one Astrotec recently included with the Lyra Nature. It looks good, is spacious, and magnetically seals, though it’s not the most pocketable.

Lastly, I do have one issue and that is levied at the foam insert holding the ear pieces. Both on this P1 and a previous version received, the earphones were loose and rattling around inside the box when I first opened it. They sit too loosely in the foam insert and fall out with little movement. I can see this resulting in damaged or scratched products being delivered to customers and as such is something that should be rectified ASAP.


Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The P1 uses food-grade, hand-polished 305 stainless steel for the earpieces. Fit and finish is outstanding with the two sandwiched components that make up each side fitting together tightly and with minimal seams. Even the MMCX port out the top is integrated with minor seams. On the face of each earpiece is a unpolished triangular indent giving the design some contrast. It looks nice, but gives off the impression it was modelled after the face of a golf club. Perched in the pointiest end of the triangular depression is a pinhole vent. One more vent can be found near the laser etched L and R markers on the inner face of each earpiece, right near the bass of the nozzle. The nozzle itself protrudes at around a 45 degree angle and is slightly wider than what I consider average at around 5.5mm. A small lip is present just below the end of the nozzle and does a good job of holding tips in place. Lastly, the nozzle is protected by a stainless steel grill so you don’t have to worry about earwax or grime finding it’s way inside.

The mixed 5N OFC and copper alloy braided cable is a nice inclusion. The clear sheath puts the copper coloured wiring within on full display and is very flexible and memory resistant, though the exceptionally loose braid below the y-split speaks of cost cutting. It takes a fair bit less material to make a 1.2m cable with a loose braid than it does with a tight one. This is one of the reasons I prefer the T3’s cable, though in the P1’s favour each strand is a hint thicker. At least the rest of the hardware is quality stuff. The 3.5mm straight jack is nearly the same as that used on the T3’s cable with the silver carbon fibre look swapped out for black. The y-split is a simple metal cylinder filled with plastic within which the cable splits off into two twisted strands per side. Strain relief is unfortunately absent, though the bead-like chin cinch makes a return. It’s a bit smaller and less obvious this time around which I like. The MMCX plugs are again nearly identical to those used on the T3, though the knurling is a hint deeper, and the taper at the top a bit longer. Colour coding is present with red and clear plastic bands at the base of each plug denoting the right and left channels respectively. Lastly, preformed ear guides are present. I quite like the angle and how tightly they cling to the cable. I find loosely applied preformed guides occasionally make crinkling sounds when the cable bends, as experienced on the T3’s cable and some third party cables from HiFiHear.

When it comes to comfort, the P1 is outstanding. Sure, the steel housings have some heft to them but they are surprisingly small and free of sharp edges or unusual shapes that could cause hotspots or discomfort. The straight MMCX plugs also fit in well with the design pushing the cable up and around the ear at a natural angle keeping the cable from positioning itself in a way that rubs uncomfortably against your helix. While they will be a little cold on first touch if using them in chilly weather, I suspect that is about the only discomfort you’ll experience with the P1.

The P1 has very good isolation. Without music playing and a video playing in the background at my standard listening volume, not much beyond some muffled vocals gets through. The same can be said for use outside in the real world, like a noisy coffee shop. The P1 does an oddly good job of muffling high and low sounds, with cloudy vocals being about the only thing that cuts through.


Sound:

Tips: The P1 seems to be pretty tip sensitive. Wide bore tips (ex. Stock set, JVC, etc.) were not my favourite option as they reduced the already reasonably reserved sub-bass presence. Small bore tips, like Sony Hybrids, softened the treble a touch and brought up the mid-bass making the experience slightly warmer. Medium bore tips (ex. Stock set, RHA Dual Density, etc) were my preferred option. They provided a balanced sound with just enough sub-bass presence to satisfy while doing little to alter mid-bass or treble. Foam tips also sounded great with a presentation similar to small bore tips, but with added sub-bass.

TinHiFi does a great job of bringing neutral leaning signatures to the budget segment. Bass is well controlled but generally reserved. Mids are forward and clear. Treble is slightly (and in one case significantly) boosted to add excitement and energy. Sound stage is well spaced and airy. The P1 tweaks the TinHiFi formula resulting in their most balanced and accomplished earphone to date.

It wasn’t always like that though. A few short weeks ago a P1 arrived. While I was excited to put them through their paces, it didn’t take long to realize there was something off. Kinda how I felt about another planar earphone I reviewed back in November of last year. What was off? Upper midrange and lower treble. Everything was completely veiled resulting in a product that had the worst clarity in Tin’s existing lineup. Not good considering this was to be their new flagship.

Feedback was passed along to TinHiFi from a number of us lucky early reviewers, of which mine included the EQ settings I used to fix the midrange, and shortly thereafter news was passed back that the P1 was held off in favour of a quick retune. I suspected that wouldn’t be something TinHiFi could apply overnight, but only a week later a new P1 arrived. I cracked open the packaging expecting more of the same. Apparently TinHiFi can completely rework the sound of an earphone overnight because version two of this product is phenomenal.

I suspect this is a story TinHiFi wouldn’t want shared, but in my opinion it is one that needs to be told. Unlike some companies, they did not go ahead and release a flawed product then issue a silent revision later on down the road, or worse, leave it be. No, they listened to the feedback provided, made the necessary changes, and as a result all of their customers are getting a better product the first time around. So, major kudos to TinHiFi. Seriously. Okie dokie, onto how this thing actually sounds.

Treble is well extended without any significant roll off. For the most part brilliance and presence regions are fairly well balanced with the presence region seeing a mild hump. This results in an earphone that is quite detailed and clear, but not harsh and tiring. Some of the laser-like effects present in Tobacco’s “Berries That Burn” are quite sharp. Even at the relatively low volumes at which I typically listen (60-65dB, 80dB if I feel like “letting loose”), this song can be tiring. The P1’s treble is tuned just right to take off the edge without sacrificing clarity and detail. Decay is also quick. Not quite typical BA quick, but faster than all but the snappiest dual magnet dynamic based earphones I’ve used. This earphone has no issues with upper range congestion on tracks rich with treble.

The P1’s midrange went from it’s worst aspect to it’s best as a result of TinHiFi’s tuning adjustment. What was once horribly veiled and extremely disappointing is now crystal clear and completely coherent. Both male and female vocalists are well represented with female and softer male vocalists getting a little more love, as evidenced listening to Muse and Big Grams’ “Born to Shine” and “Run For Your Life”. Sarah’s vocals are a bit warmer and sweeter with a touch more body than what you hear from her male counterparts. Other instruments fare well, such as the heavy guitar riffs and high pitched guitar solo on Havok’s “Covering Fire”. That said, guitars could benefit from some additional attack and anger. Piano’s fare even better with a more natural weight and tone. This makes the opening of Muse’s “Exogenesis Symphony Part 2: Cross Pollination” an absolute joy.

Bass on the P1 is good but not amazing. While extension is there the sub-bass lacks emphasis. While there is some physicality to it, it’s less than I like. This leaves the somewhat punchy mid-bass region to carry the torch and while it does an admirable job, texture is also smoother than is preferred. As such, the grungy basslines oft used by Tobacco and The Prodigy lose some of the intended rawness. Speed is quick with the P1 handling the rapid bass present in a lot of metal songs, but it can’t quite match the rapidity of most armatures. It’s speed is alike that of the dual magnet drivers used by TFZ, but without the bass quantity or depth. Note that you can improve the sub-bass presence by blocking the inner vent, though the difference is fairly minimal.

When it comes to sound stage, the P1 doesn’t disappoint either. It doesn’t provide the cavernous experience of the old Havi B3 Pro I, but it’s far from intimate. Width and depth felt equally present to my ears and whether I was watching John Wick or wrecking fools (more like getting wrecked…) in World of Tanks, the P1 did a killer job of immersing me in the experience. A big part of this was it’s impressive channel to channel imaging which is precise and accurate, as well as it’s ability to provide very definitive layers to music and other audio tracks. Everything comes across quite organic and natural in the way depth is perceived. Separation is very good too, though I prefer how it is handled by some of the better multi-driver earphones I’ve used.


Select Comparisons (volume matched using Dayton iMM-6):

TinHiFi T3 (69.99 USD): The T3 has a brighter, more aggressive presentation with more heavily emphasized upper and lower treble. The T3’s armature pumps out a little more detail at the expense of control with cymbal strikes coming across less well defined. The T3’s mid-range is similarly emphasized but lacks weight and body in the vocals that are present in the P1. This gives the T3’s mids more air and space, but it sounds less natural with vocals. I prefer the T3’s leaner presentation with guitars though. They have a more aggressive edge which is lacking on the P1 making it less suitable for metal and rock genres when compared to the T3. The P1’s tonality and timbre are more accurate otherwise. Bass on the P1 has a heavier feel and greater emphasis. Mid-bass is more prominent aiding in the overall warmer tone it has when compared to the T3. Texture and speed comes across as superior on the T3. While sub-bass extension is similar the T3 provides a slightly more visceral experience. Sound stage on both is quite good though the P1 is clearly superior. The P1’s default listening position sets the listener slightly further from the performance. The P1 can toss effects further away, and with a greater and more accurate sense of depth and movement. This also helps with it’s layering which is outstanding. Separation is also above average, though I’m giving the T3 the nod thanks to it’s leaner presentation which keep notes even more defined.

The T3 and P1 are both exceptionally well built. I’ll give the edge to the T3 though. The design is more complicated and interesting, with fit and finish that is no less impressive. TinHiFi knows how to put together a quality product. The bleeds over to the cable too. As noted earlier, I prefer the T3’s cable. The tighter braid and extra material combined with similar hardware makes it feel a bit more premium in my opinion. That said, the P1 cable’s copper colouring looks better than the white and gold of the T3’s cable.

Overall I’m torn on which I prefer. Pitting the T3 against the P1 just shows off how good it is, but it also comes across more analytic and worse off as an all-rounder. The P1 is nicer to listen to for longer periods, feels more versatile, and while it isn’t better in every way which might disappoint some, the final package gives off a greater sense of completeness and tuning maturity.

BGVP DMS (159.00 USD): The DMS has a similar level of treble emphasis as the P1, though without the same expert balance. While fairly even, it eschews some upper treble emphasis for added lower. This gives it a drier tonality that drops some of the pleasing sparkle present in the P1. The DMS’ midrange also takes on a less organic tone, and with a touch less weight to vocals and instruments, though timbre is near equally good. Clarity and detail are also quite similar with the P1 having a very slight edge. Not sure which presentation I prefer. Bass is where the two really separate. The DMS is notably bassier with additional mid-bass and sub-bass. Mid-bass is punchier and sub-bass extends deeper and with a much more visceral feel. Texture is similarly satisfying on both. Could be better, could be much worse. Speed seems about similar with the DMS’s dynamic driver having a longer decay time. Sound stage on both is excellent with the DMS coming across slightly more confined thanks to it’s more intimate default position of the listener. Imaging is tighter and more accurate on the P1 though the the DMS rivals it pretty easily in layering and betters the P1 in separation.

Like the P1, the DMS has a metal shell. Unlike the P1, the DMS’ shell is aluminum. It has tight seams too, but you can see lines from the machining whereas all that is smoothed over on the P1. The P1’s build feels more polished (no pun intended), whereas the DMS’ is unquestionably more interesting thanks to all the curves and prominent vents. I have a soft spot for the DMS’ cable given the old school flavour, but I can’t deny the P1’s more premium materials and design.

Due to the differences in the low end, these two satisfy different crowds. When I want the technical competence with some extra low end grunt, the P1 cannot satisfy the same way the DMS does, even with the vent mod. But, if I want that lighter bass response and overall tuning balance, the DMS cannot do what the P1 can without busting out the EQ. After directly comparing the two, I lean towards the DMS due to my preferences for electronic music. However, I know could go either way depending on my mood. They’re both head of the class imo.

Shozy & Neo CP (165.00 USD): Despite their vastly different driver tech, the CP and P1 are tuned quite similarly. Treble on both is similarly emphasized and balanced but I find the CP smoother and better controlled. The CP’s midrange is a touch thicker, warmer, and not quite as forward. Clarity is slightly worse out of the CP’s armatures while matching the P1 in terms of timbre and tonality. Neither has game changing bass but I find the P1’s more satisfying. The CP has a mid-bass focus and rolls off in the sub-bass earlier. While notes have a bit more punch through the CP, deep notes are mostly lost and lack the visceral rumble of the P1, however tame it still is through that earphone. Sound stage is larger on the P1 which has a wider, deeper presentation. Imaging is equally impressive on both. While the P1 is a hint more layered, the CP takes the freshly baked separation cake home with it.

The CP and P1 couldn’t be more different in build and materials; steel vs. acrylic. Both are great examples in their respective fields, but the CP does what it does better. There are few earphones that can match the perfection of the CP’s construction, both inside and out. It’s cable is nicer too. While the MMCX plugs look to have been provided by the same source, and maybe the straight jack too, the y-split is thicker and more ornate. The wiring itself is about the same gauge but is more tightly wound (but still loose) and more flexible.

Once again, choosing between these earphones is a harrowing experience. They’re both wicked good. The CP is a little smoother and more intimate with technical capabilities that are just as good. The P1 is larger and more open sounding with a more satisfying low end, but isn’t quite as refined sounding. I think the P1’s more spacious presentation and low end extension would win me over in the long run though.

Final Thoughts:

The P1 provides a very premium experience for not a lot of money. From the gorgeous packaging with it’s classy presentation and soft touch interior, to the top of the line build, to the balanced sound signature that does everything at the very least well, the P1 shows itself to be a fantastic all-round package free of any significant flaws. As a result of the consistency in positive experiences, the P1 is a top tier pick in it’s price range.

Are there improvements I would make? Sure, though none to the sound (well, sub-bass presence could be bumped up a bit) since the final product ended up remarkably similar to what the original sounded like with EQing in place to address the issues. I would like to see TinHiFI revise the packaging to better hold the ear pieces in place. Nothing is worse than getting a damaged product, even if it is something as simple as a small scratch or mark. I would also like to see a cable with a tighter braid. The existing cable is fine and better than most, but the cheaper T3 has an arguably nicer cable in my opinion. If they could make it more sensitive without hindering performance, that might be a worthwhile change too. The P1 is currently a very challenging to drive earphone. Cell phone users and those with basic DAPS won’t get much out of the P1 without an amp.

Thanks for reading!

– B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out a snazzy new earbud from Smabat, the ST-10.

Smabat is a new company with two products under their wing, the ST-10 earbuds and the XT-10 iems. The ST-10 that we're checking out today is a pretty cool little earbud. Unlike many companies that have been tuning the driver and shoving it into an MX500 shell, Smabat put a little more thought into the ST-10. With titanium coated drivers, MMCX removable cables, and a unique acoustic cavity which actually improves bass response, the ST-10 does a good job of standing out in what has become a crowded segment over the last few years.

Let's take a look and find out why I think this is a quality earbud that is worth your time.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Jim at NiceHCK for reaching out to see if I would be interested in reviewing the ST-10, and for arranging a sample for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subjective opinions based on time spent listening to the ST-10. They do not represent sSmabat, NiceHCK, or any other entity. At the time of writing this earbud was retailing for 99.00 USD. You can check it out here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/329...6&spm=2114.12010615.8148356.43.56746685w31jHB

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

Mobile: Shanling M0 with the Periodic Audio Nickel amp, or, ZiShan DSD by itself
@home: ZiShan DSD or Asus FX53V laptop plugged into a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp

Specifications:

• Driver: 15.4mm dynamic
• Impedance: 45 ohms
• Sensitivity: 115dB/mW
• Frequency Response: 10-22,000Hz

Packaging and Accessories:

Packaging and for the ST-10 is basic, but I like it. The matte black textured cardboard box is fairly compact. On the front is Smabat branding and their bat wing logo in gold foil, while the sides and top contain this information and their website repeated in silver foil. On the back is a stick with the model information and specifications as well as contact information for Smabat's Customer Service team.

Lifting the lid you see the ST-10 earpieces set in a foam cutout. Below sits a Smabat branded leatherette case covering the rest of the extras which are set within a multilayered foam sheet. It's a neat presentation overall and fun to unboxing without being overly wasteful. In all you get:

• ST-10 earbuds
• Leatherette carrying case
• MMCX cable
• Foam earbud covers
• Rubber earbuds covers
• Manual

Maybe a little light on extras compared to come of the competition, but it's what you need to get going so I can't complain. Overall a nicely presented package.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The ST-10's ear pieces are made of a combination of aluminum and plastic. The rear portion of the housing is where the spiral acoustic cavity resides. That part is plastic, wrapped in an attractive brushed aluminum exterior which is emblazoned with the Smabat brand name, as well as the model info and L/R indicators. Out the bottom of the cavity there is a silver vent. The stem connecting the rear to the rest of earbud is textured aluminum, as is the bell-shaped housing itself. There are three small vents for the driver hidden around the bass of the stem. The metal grill is neatly installed within a plastic surround. Overall construction quality is quite good with excellent fit and finish, though the edges of the aluminum surround for the acoustic cavity could serve to be rounded off at the edges. They've got some sharpness to them.

Below the y-split the cable is cloth covered, something I am generally not a fan of because it tends to fray and transmit noise up into the ear pieces. Thankfully, above the y-split the cable goes back to a more traditional black rubber coating which negates my microphonics concerns. The y-split is a simple metal straight jack with an effective rubber relief. Smabat branding is present and looks to be laser etched so it shouldn't rub off. The y-split and chin cinch are also metal with relief present leading into the bottom of the split. Leading up to the earpieces are preformed ear guides making this a cable up earbud. The angle of the guide is well formed and even on both sides, stiff enough to hold the cable in place during movement but not so stiff as to cause discomfort. The MMCX plugs are simple rubber stubs and are easy to grip should you wish to detach the cable. Despite my bias against cloth-coated cables, this one is nice to use. Unless you want something flashier, I see no need to replace it out of the box.

When it comes to comfort, you're either an earbud per or you're not. There is no in between in my experience. With the ST-10 this is not different thanks to it's large 15.4mm drivers. Even without foams or the included rubber covers, the ST-10 is a wide earbud and as such those with small outer ears are going to have issues. For me, I found them simply okay. Without foams, after about 30 or so minutes they would start to cause a hotspot and I'd need to shift them or take them out for a bit. With foams, I could wear them indefinitely since they're so lightweight. I don't recommend trying to wear them cable down as they are clearly designed with the support of an ear guide in mind. Trying to wear them down showed zero stability and they simply wouldn't stay put. Maybe someone else would have better luck than I?

Isolation? None. It's an earbud.


Sound:

To foam or not to foam:Without foams in place I find the ST-10's treble a bit too aggressive and slightly harsh. It's also gets uncomfortable after a short period. Donuts help soften the treble sharpness, but not enough. Full foams do the trick and permit the best seal allowing the ST-10's impressive low end out to party.

The ST-10 has a fairly pronounced v-shaped signature for an earbud, though that's not a bad thing when it's done well.

Treble is clearly elevated and extends well enough for the eventual drop off to be insignificant with the vast majority of music I used for testing. It is plenty detailed and crisp with a very controlled presentation and quick decay. Air between notes is spacious thanks to a lean note weight. The ST-10 did a great job with the sprinkling of digital sounds that are present throughout Gramatik's “Bluestep”. Even the aggressive screeching on The Crystal Method's “Grace” isn't completely unbearable.

The ST-10's mid-range is dialed back in comparison to the rest of the signature, quite unlike the majority of earbuds which are usually neutral to mid-forward. Vocals and instruments are quite lean and lack body and weight as noticed running through modern tracks like Dillon Francis' “We The Funk” and more classic tracks like Supertramp's “If Everyone Was Listening”. Thankfully clarity is excellent so there are no issues with speech intelligibility. Instruments also have some bite to them which works well with metal and rock.

Bass is the ST-10's specialty and unlike most ear buds, reaches deep and has a prominent sub-bass region. The ST-10 is capable of providing some physical feedback on the deepest notes that you don't really hear, but know are there thanks to the reverberation. This was evident on Skrillex's “Ruffneck”, a track I wouldn't say is well suited to your average ear bud. The ST-10 and HE 150Pro are about the only buds I've heard that really do it justice. Texturing is good, and the driver remains composed even when tracks pick up the pace.

The ST-10's sound stage is another positive aspect. The combination of an ear buds natural airiness and ample ventilation with the ST-10's pulled back mid-range makes every track sound wide and deep, with that width being the most prominent quality. It's somewhat open-back headphone like in it's presentation. Imaging is surprisingly sharp with clean and accurate channel transitions. Layering and separation are good with the ST-10 avoiding any sense of congestion, but it could be better.


Select Comparisons:

Penon BS1 Official (109.00 USD): The BS1 is more balanced and displays a thicker, more robust sound with a stronger mid-bass presence. Clarity and detail is quite similar with the ST-10 giving the impression of being the better of the two thanks to it's leaner note weight and additional treble emphasis. Bass depth goes to the ST-10 which gives off more sub-bass rumble. The BS1's low end emphasis rolls off much earlier and lacks the physicality of the ST-10. The rest of the low end presentation of the ST-10 bests the BS1 as well since it is tighter and more textured. The BS1's midrange is more prominent and engaging with a more natural tonality. Sound stage goes to the ST-10 which feels both wider and deeper and has a less intimate presentation. Imaging, layering, and separation is good on both. While I enjoy the BS1's mid range more, the ST-10 makes for a more engaging listen. Plus, I don't have to deal with the BS1's heavy cable.

Rose Masya (109.00 USD): Where the ST-10 focuses on treble and bass, the Masya places it's focus on the mid range and treble. Both have a somewhat lean note presentation. While the Masya's mid range is more forward and vocals certainly have more presence, I also find it is mildly sibilant where there is none on the ST-10. ST-10's bass digs deeper and has more grunt, but falls short on texture and control compared to the Masya. Treble is thinner and more prickly on the ST-10 but comes across more refined. Makes sense given the two+ years that separate their release dates. Sound stage of the Masya is slightly wider but not as deep, though it places the listener closer to the performance giving it a more immediately intimate feel. Overall I prefer the presentation of the Masya and think it is worth the extra 10 USD. It's more comfortable for me as well.

Final Thoughts:

The ST-10 is a good earbud. Not amazing, but certainly good. I like the design which is stylish and well built. The cable is a touch thin above the y-split and I'm not a fan of the cloth coating, but in use it comes together and shows itself to be a fine addition to the package. Sound quality is pleasing with plenty of detail, a spacious sound stage, and impressive bass for an earbud, but a slightly meatier presentation and more forward mids would be appreciated since vocals lack body and presence. The ST-10 is competitive with other products in the price range and are worth checking out if you want an ear bud with a more visceral low end than is the average.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're checking out a new fully wireless earphone from SoundPEATS, the TrueFree+.

I'm no stranger to SoundPEATS having reviewed a number of their products in the past. The Q16 true wireless sports earphones have been one of my favorite Bluetooth products over the years, and one that was never fully replaced by newer products, either from SoundPEATS themselves or others. The combination of decent sound, good battery life, a durable (but ugly), comfortable design, and an amazingly stable and strong wireless connection made them an easy choice to pick up and use whenever I wanted to go wireless. Outside of their large size, they offered a fairly no-compromise experience.

The TrueFree+ is now my go to model. Given they pulled a number of elements from the Q29, a model I did not enjoy, I had pretty low expectations. To say those low expectations were surpassed would be a clear understatement.

Let's take a closer look at the TrueFree+ to find out why it is my new favourite truly wireless earphone.

Disclaimer:

A big thanks to Louis at SoundPEATS for reaching out to see if I would be interested in reviewing their products, and for sending over a sample of the TrueFree+ for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subjective opinions based on time spent using the TrueFree+. They do not represent SoundPEATS or any other entity. At the time of writing the TrueFree+ retailed for 48.99 CAD on Amazon. You can check it out here: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NVLL8GW/

Also feel free to visit their main website: https://soundpeatsaudio.com/soundpe...ireless-earbuds-5-0-bluetooth-headphones.html

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. In 2018 I learned that I no longer have a preferred signature and can understand and appreciate vastly different earphones. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Specifications (as determined using Google Translate...not sure how accurate they are):

• Driver: Single dynamic
• Bluetooth: 5.0
• Chipset: Realtec 8763BFR
• Supports: SBC/AAC
• Battery Life: ~35 hours (~3.5 to 4 hours extended via 9-10 charges from charge case)
• Battery Size: 43mAh (earpieces), 800mAh (charge case)
• Charge Time: 1.5hrs
• Range: 10m
• Weight: 4.7g
• Standby: 120hrs

Packaging and Accessories:

The TrueFree+ sports SoundPEATS' typically plain packaging. It arrives in a squat, matte black cardboard box with a blue sticker pasted along the front, wrapping around to the main flap. The sticker shows off the earpieces and charge case in a contrasting white line diagram along with the usual branding and model info. A few features are also highlighted, such as Bluetooth 5.0 and 35 hours total play time.

Pulling the flap and lifting the lid reveals the charge case nestled within a cardboard insert while the tips and USB cable find themselves tucked under a secondary foal in the cardboard. Underneath it all is a manual (in Japanese only, oddly) as well as some information cards. In all you get:

• TrueFree+ earphones
• Charge case
• MicroUSB cable
• Single flange silicone tips (xs/s/m/l)

Overall a basic unboxing and accessory kit. Perfectly fitting for the price and target market. I wouldn't expect anything else, which isn't to be taken as a bad thing.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The charge case is made entirely of plastic. The plastics used aren't particularly nice with notable flex in the lid and a hollowness to everything if you flick it with your finger. Regardless, SoundPEATS did a great job with fit and finish, and textured the lid for additional strength. Some nice touches are the two LEDs on the front used for charging. I also like the use of magnets to both hold the lid down, and the earpieces securely in their cutouts/charge ports. Overall the case looks nice, it's pocketable, and it feels durable enough. It's not going to win any design awards, but again, at this price it is just fine.

Unsurprisingly, the earpieces are all plastic too. They seem to feature the same plastics used for the case. It works better with the earpieces given their compact nature and the result is some durable feeling plastic ear pieces. Once again, fit and finish is quite good with a clicky multifunction button that makes up the face of the earphone being neatly integrated, as are the indicator LEDs. A neatly installed, fine plastic mesh protects the nozzles from dirt and other debris. The charge contacts are also neatly integrated into the design and always made contact with the case without any need to fiddle with the placement. That's pretty important when the case is the only way to charge them. While the TrueFree+ won't be winning any awards for a snazzy design, you do get something that looks understated and feels reasonably tough. If I'm to complain about anything, it's that the button on the right ear piece sometimes depresses without an audible click leading to pausing a track when unintended.

Comfort is outstanding. Despite being a fully wireless earphone and full of tech beyond just a single dynamic driver, the TrueFree+'s ear pieces are absolutely tiny. At least as small or smaller than your average wired earphone. Given their light weight and low profile design with a well angled and naturally positioned nozzle, this earphone slots into place and disappears. They're very secure too, thanks to the aforementioned qualities. No amount of wild head shaking could unseat them. Whomever designed this thing absolutely nailed it. I'd quite like to see SoundPEATS use this shell again for a more traditional wired earphone, with detachable cables of course.

The TrueFree+ has above average isolation too. The shell looks to be sealed, save for the microphone ports located on the front of each ear piece. Without music playing, outside noise is significantly reduced. Using the TrueFree+ at our local coffee shop is a positive experience. There is no need to boost the volume to compensate for the chaotic noise. The only noise related issue is wind noise, thanks to the placement of those mics. If walking into the wind you will hear it buffeting the ear piece, though it's nowhere near as bad as what I experienced with the Campfire Audio Polaris v1.


Sources and Connection:

The TrueFree+ was used with a number of devices, such as my LG G6, Shanling M0, and Shanling M1. Connecting to these devices was extremely easy. I'm glad because the manual is all in Japanese so I was forced to wing it anyway. The right earpiece is the primary. Once you take it out of the case, it automatically turns on and goes into pairing mode. Locate it on your device and it'll connect. Once you pull out the left earpiece, it too will turn on and locate the right side. Once you have connected to a device, the TrueFree+ will remember it and auto connect when the option exists.

Connection quality was for the most part excellent with connection loss occurring only about as often as Donald Trump spouts a truth. Sooooo, not very often. Range is rated at 10m which is pretty much the average. Totally achievable in an uninterrupted line. Toss in some walls and obstacles and you can expect that to drop. For me, I can set my source in the middle of the apartment and walk anywhere without nary a hiccup.

Battery Performance:

While I would normally test at 50% volume, the TrueFree+ was so loud I was worried they'd be damaged playing for hours on end at that loudness. Connected to my LG G6 at 25% volume, the battery lasted for a miraculous 5 hours and 3 minutes of continuous play, well beyond the rated 3.5 to 4 hours. I did not measure the time taken to charge, but the 1.5 hour claim seems accurate.


Sound:

The TrueFree+ doesn't break any new ground with it's signature, but what it lacks in innovation it makes up for in competency. This is one well tuned v-shaped earphone.

Treble is elevated and tidy with a fairly even upper and lower emphasis push. This results in a sound that is detailed and clear with a slight shimmer on cymbals, chimes, etc. It is especially pleasing with King Crimson's live rendition of “Cat Food” which can be a little harsh asd metallic through some wireless options. I personally would like a bit more upper treble emphasis, but know that would cause issues for some listeners. SoundPEATS did the right thing by making the treble presentation applicable to a wide audience. Air between notes isn't mind boggling but there is enough to give notes their own space to play around in. Decay is snappy enough too.

The midrange is only slightly recessed and has a very satisfying tonality and timbre that some more expensive planar and hybrid earphones can't touch. Pianos and guitars have the right amount of bite and texture too as evident running through Supertramp's “Rudy”. I especially enjoy the occasional twang! from the acoustics on Broken Bells' “The Mall and Misery”. Both male and female vocals are well represented. I found myself enjoying Big Boi's sections as much as Sarah Barthel's on Big Gram's “Run For Your Life” and “Born to Shine”. Neither seem more or less prominent than the other which is especially handy when you've got a varied playlist running in the background, or if you're like me and usually randomize your entire music collection.

The TrueFree+'s low end was a pleasant surprise offering up a surprisingly robust sub-bass region. Roll off is present but you do get a low rumbling sensation on deep notes. It is certainly more satisfying than the TinAudio T2. Mid-bass is punchy and well controlled and not handicapped with a huge hump that ruins the rest of the signature. Texturing is good, but not great. Some bass notes, like those on Felt's “Felt Chewed Up” lack a bit of the grit that should be there. Same goes for pretty much anything from Tobacco. Control is good too with the TrueFree+ avoiding sound bloated or sloppy, even on the snappy double bass that routinely frequents tracks from Havok and other metal bands.

Another pleasant surprise was the sound stage and general imaging performance. Not only is the sound stage above average for a fully wireless earphone, able to toss effects and instruments way off into the distance, but the movement from channel to channel is smooth and free of any off centre dead zones which seem to be quite common. Which the sound stage is wide, it's certainly not as deep which means layering and separation qualities are a bit more average. On really busy tracks like the closing moment of King Crimson's “Starless and Bible Black” the TrueFree+ sounds a bit congested. Still, the performance on hand is more than reasonable for a sub-50 CAD earphone, especially one that is truly wireless.

Final Thoughts:

I went in with low expectations and came out thrilled with what SoundPEATS accomplished with such an inexpensive, fully wireless earphone. Sure, the TrueFree+ doesn't feature any special tech or interesting materials. It's v-shaped signature is nothing I've never heard before either. However, the tuning is handled well resulting is a fairly balanced, detailed, and generally competent sound that is plenty entertaining. The ear pieces are tiny, extremely nice to wear, and isolate better than most. The battery life exceeded the rated specs in my testing, and not by a small margin. The Bluetooth connection is reliable too. I honestly have no major complaints about the TrueFree+.

If you're in the market for a truly wireless earphone, out of everything in this segment I've tested there is nothing I'd recommend more.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings!

Today we're checking out the least expensive earphone on the market with 8 balanced armatures (BA) per side, that I know of at least; the CCA C16.

CCA is a newcomer to the market and competes directly with brands like Knowledge Zenith (KZ), TRN, TinHIFI, among others. Using parts from KZ, they have rapidly gotten a foothold in the budget market thanks to low prices and impressive specs. Some of their gear doesn't sound half bad either, like the C10.

The C16 is CCA's first all-armature release and despite housing 8 Bas per side, manages to squeak in just under the 100 USD mark. Do they offer a compromised experience that is more about the number of drivers than the implementation, or are they a legitimately well-tuned budget-friendly offering?

Let us find out.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to Lillian at Linsoul for arranging a sample of the C16 for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on time spent listening to the C16. They do not represent CCA, Linsoul, or any other entity. At the time of writing the C16 was retailing for around 99 USD. You can check it out on Linsoul.com or their AliExpress store, DD Audio.

https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/CCA-C16-IEM

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/329...06&spm=2114.12010615.8148356.1.28a42b18BfMaY1

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

@home: TEAC HA-501 with Shanling M0 or ZiShan DSD playing source duty.

Mobile: Periodic Audio Nickel with Shanling M0, or, straight out of a ZiShan DSD

Specifications:

• Driver: 8 balanced armatures
• Frequency Response: 20-40,000Hz
• Impedance: 27ohms
• Sensitivity: 105dB

Packaging and Accessories:

The C16 arrives in some very KZ-esque packaging, just like the C10 before it. On the front of the exterior sheath covering a compact cardboard box is a color image of the C16's earpieces with the cable installed. It does a good job of showing off the beefy connectors and preformed ear guides. You also find the usual CCA branding and model info, as well as information that this earphone contains 16 drivers in total, and has removable cables. Flipping to the back of the sheath you find CCA's location and contact information as well as the earphone's specifications.

Slipping off the sheath reveals the C16's earpieces under a plastic cover, tucked tightly into a cardboard and foam insert. Under the insert are the accessories and documentation. In all you get:

• C10 earphones
• 0.75mm 2-pin copper cable
• “Starline” single flange ear tips (s/m/l)

Overall this is a very basic accessory kit giving you only what you need to get listening; the earphones, a cable, and some ear tips. At this price I would like to see some additional accessories, like a case or carrying bag, even if you can pick those up separately for under a dollar.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The C16 is a nicely constructed product. The base shell is shared with the KZ AS10 and AS06 but modelled in a bright blue this time around. A single pinhole vent is present on the inner face relieving pressure that is common with fully sealed, all-BA earphones. The nozzle design is the same as the aforementioned KZ's with three small protrusions replacing a traditional nozzle lip. They work well enough. At the tip of the nozzle is a fine plastic mesh protecting the drivers within from damage due to dust, dirt, earwax, and other particulates that could find their way inside. The face plate is made from zinc alloy giving the C16 some heft and a higher quality feel than other, all-plastic products. Printed neatly on each face plate is 'CCA 8 Balanced Armature', along with left and right indicators. Out the top of each ear piece you find 0.75mm 2-pin ports shared with past products from KZ. While I prefer the new ports KZ uses, some prefer the older version used here. If you're in the latter camp, the C16 should work well with all those unused KZ upgrade cables you've got kicking around.

Speaking of cables, if you've used a CCA or recent KZ before, there's nothing new going on here. The C16 is equipped with the ever familiar braided copper cable we've seen elsewhere. The y-split is still set way too low making the portion above the y-split subject to tangling. The left side is also about an inch longer than the right, which doesn't really affect anything, I just find it annoying. On the plus side, the cable is flexible and not particularly noisy in terms of microphonics. The preformed ear guides feel good around the ear and keep the cable secure, so thumbs up there. The 90 degree angles jack is smooth and well rounded, but very broad and doesn't have an extension to permit use with cell phone and DAP cases. They will get in the way and cause intermittent disconnects. The y-split is extremely well relieved above and below. Lastly, the 2-pin plugs are metal and knurled allowing a good grip, as well as coloured coded thanks to a slim band of paint on each side. Red for right, left for blue, as per the industry standard. Overall a good cable, but that y-split needs to be raised or a chin cinch added to help deal with the tangle-prone nature.

The C16's shell is more or less the same as the AS10, AS06, and AS16 from KZ and as a result comfort is pretty good. The C16 is heavier than your average plastic bodied iem, but it doesn't do anything to hinder fit. Neither do all the smooth curves and rounded edges. All this combined with the nicely formed ear guides leads to something I can wear for quite a while without experiencing discomfort.

Isolation is pretty good, and reminiscent of the experience provided by the AS06. Right now we have a butt ton of construction going on as they are resurfacing a number of parking lots. The C16 effectively dulls the constant rumbling going on outside, even without any music playing. These should be fine for those planning to take them on the bus or subway.


Sound:

Tips: Wide. Bore. Find them and use them. Wow do they ever make the C16 sound way more exciting that with the stock 'Starline' set. The low end has so much more presence, and it doesn't lead to additional mid or treble peaks that hinder those frequencies.

The C16 is a surprisingly balanced earphone. Treble is well extended and only slightly emphasized. Cymbals, chimes, etc. display some shimmer and sparkle thanks to a fair upper treble spike, but not enough to be overly aggressive as noticed on Skindred's “Get It Now”. Low treble could see a mild boost to help improve clarity, something I feel isn't a strength of the C16. Micro details are routinely smoothed over and lost in favour of a inoffensive sound. The presentation is in general fairly spacious and clean.

The mid-range is reasonably well forward keeping vocals, guitars, etc. from blending into the mix. I find the tune especially flattering to deeper female vocalists (ex. Cher), and higher male vocalists (ex. Matthew Bellamy) due to the weight and presence they carry. Acoustic guitars sound excellent as heard on Porcupine Tree's “Baby Dream in Cellophane”, as do the chugging electric guitar riffs on Havok's “Covering Fire”. The problem is a lack of micro detail letting what should be defined notes meld slightly. It ends up dulling what should be exciting passages.

The C16's low end is it's strongest aspect to my ears, but still lacks in some areas. Mid-bass is quick and punchy with some solid slam, but as you dig into sub-bass regions the roll-off is noticeable and not unlike what you experience with single, full-range armatures. As a result, bass reliant tracks like Kavinski's “Solli” lack character, while more mid-bassy tracks like Jidenna's “Long Live The Chief” fare just fine. Texturing is better here than through the mids and treble, thankfully. Now, I must remind that I listen as very low volumes. As I've noticed on a few earphones using KZ's 22955 low range armature, it tends to “wake up” at higher volumes. That is no different here. If you listen at louder volumes, you'll have a better experience than I did.

The C16 sets listeners fairly close to the performance but does a good job tossing sounds off into the distance when needed. It's still fairly intimate though, so I wouldn't put it much beyond average. That said, imaging is tight and well controlled with clean channel transitions and no vague areas or dead zones. Layering and separation are good too which combined with the width and depth available keeps the C16 from becoming congested during busy tracks.

Overall I find the C16 a solid listen, though not without some qualms. I don't find them particularly detailed which wouldn't be an issue if they were very smooth and organic, but they're not. At least not in the treble. It's not harsh, but it's not smooth either. Regardless, I like what CCA has done here. They clearly had a vision in mind when tuning the C16 and the resulting product is coherent and competent making it a good all-rounder across a wide variety of genres.


Select Comparisons:

FiiO FA1 (99.00 USD): The C16 has a slightly darker, more mid-bassy sound. Treble on the FA1 is slightly more emphasized and doesn't extend as well but is tighter and more controlled. There is more air between notes as well giving it an evenly broad and deep sound stage. The FA1's mid-range is more forward and articulate with cleaner but leaner vocals. Timbre is slightly more realistic as well. The C16 has the low end advantage with more mid-bass impact and grunt. Sub-bass extension is alright on both, but still nothing to write home about. I find the FA1 more detailed through the mids and treble with the C16 providing more texture and information in the low end.

The FA1 is the best built 3D printed earphone I have yet come across. That said, while I think it is significantly more attractive than the C16 thanks to it's more tasteful design and subtle use of the colour blue, it is no better built. Both have outstanding fit and finish and are constructed without any notable flaws. Cables are another story and the FiiO's is the better tale. It is winder versus the C16's braid, but feels more durable and is much less prone to tangling above the y-split. Both use preformed ear guides though I prefer what CCA uses as it is softer and more flexible while holding the cable just as secure around the ear. Fit easily goes to the FA1 thanks to it's more ergonomic shape, lighter weight, and smaller size. It isolates better too thanks to a fully sealed shell.

Overall both are good performers but the FA1's single balanced armature sounds more natural and coherent, not to mention more detailed in the mids and treble when compared to the C16 and it's plethora of drivers. The only area the C16 has a clear advantage is in the low end, and even that isn't by a wide margin.

KZ AS16 (125.00 USD): Both earphones house 8 drivers per side and come from the same company so I would expect performance to be similar, and it is. C16 is the better tuned product to my ears thanks to a more balanced tune that is quite easy on the ears. While the C16's bass is similarly underwhelming, treble dialed down to be more in line with the rest of signature so no particular aspect stands out. The AS16 is more clear, a fair bit more detailed, and has a better sound stage, but the aggressive treble counters this in a way that is negative and not flattering.

When it comes to build the two are very similar, though the AS16 is the better of the two. First, the AS16 simply looks more premium with it's transparent shells, metal nozzles, and Fidue A85 Firgo inspired face plates versus the C16's bright blue plastics. Both give the impression of more expensive products when held thanks to their weight and impression of density. Cable quality is the same with what is considered better coming down to which 2-pin connector you prefer. Personally, I like the AS16's more. Looks better and is compatible with a wider variety of 3rd party cables, even if they'll fit awkwardly.

When it comes down to it, the C16 has a more well-rounded tunes with the AS16 looks and feels better. Tune trumps look though, so the C16 gets my vote, even if by only a small margin.

Final Thoughts:

While the C16 isn't the best product in it's price range, I would consider it a competitive product and a somewhat technical achievement. An eight armature earphone for under 100 USD that doesn't sound like an incoherent piece of excrement, doesn't sacrifice on build quality, and arguably sounds better than it's flagship cousin from Knowledge Zenith? Yeah, I'd definitely consider than an achievement. It sounds good, if not a little lacking in the detail department, is comfortable, and isolates well enough to be used in noisy areas. I would like to see CCA differentiate themselves from their parent company a bit more since the KZ influence is strong in all aspects, but as is, the spinoff brand has the better flagship.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Greetings,

Today we're checking out Knowledge Zenith's (KZ) newest release to carry the title of brand flagship, the AS16.

Ever since the release of the ZST a few short years ago, balanced armatures (BA) have been used in the vast majority of their products. With the release of 2018's armature only AS10, they once again entered uncharted grounds for the brand. Instead of a simple single armature release, the AS10 featured five armatures per side. I was especially impressed with their 22955 low range armature as it provided some of the most satisfying BA-bass I've heard. Shortly after the AS10 dropped, the more premium, metal-bodied BA10 showed up featuring the same driver layout. The release of the AS06 saw a return to the AS10's body, but with a more modest triple armature layout and a return to KZ's bread and butter, v-shaped sound. With the AS16, KZ has upper their driver game with eight armatures per side, 16 total.

That's a lot of drivers for not a lot of money, though it does bring KZ firmly into the sub 150 USD market which is less forgiving. How does the AS16 sound and does it compare with similarly priced gear? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

A huge thanks to Lillian with Linsoul Audio for arranging a sample of the AS16 for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subjective opinions based on time listening to the AS16. They do not represent KZ, Linsoul, or any other entity. At the time of writing the AS16 was retailing for around 125 USD. You can it out here on their main site or their AliExpress store, DD Audio;

https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/kz-as16-iem

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...ml?spm=2114.12010611.8148356.3.48a85de08inygw

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Sources:

@home: TEAC HA-501 with Shanling M0 or ZiShan DSD playing source duty.

Mobile: Periodic Audio Nickel with Shanling M0, or, straight out of a ZiShan DSD

Specifications:

• Driver: 8 balanced armatures
• Frequency Response: 20-22,000Hz
• Impedance: 32ohms
• Sensitivity: 106dB

Packaging and Accessories:

The package for the AS16 is the same as that introduced with the AS06. It is virtually identical to the AS10's, but much more compact and less wasteful. The same glossy KZ logo can be found on the lid while the back contains a couple stickers with model info and contact information for KZ. The lid is still weighted with a dense cardboard plate containing the following slogan that I love; “Don't forget. The original intention is to use headphones to enjoy music.” KZ kept the cool metal plaque they introduced with their other armature based models, but of course it is tailored to the AS16. While it doesn't add any real value to the package, it does serve to elevate the armature lineup as the most premium of products in KZ's dense catalogue. Lifting out the foam insert the AS16's earpieces are nestled within, you find the accessories beneath. In all you get:

• AS16 earphones
• 0.75mm 2-pin cable
• Single flange silicone ear tips (s/m/l)
• Instruction manual
• Warranty card

This is the same accessory kit KZ has been including with their products since they started integrating removable cables into their designs. While I think this is fine, if not only because their 'Starline' tips are some of the best in the business (in my opinion), I get why some are getting tired of a lack of extras, like a simple carrying case. They're not expensive and with the AS16 breaching the 100 USD barrier, KZ should start thinking about including more.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The AS16 uses the same half-moon style housing we've seen before on the AS10 and AS06, but here it features a hefty zinc alloy face plate, metal nozzles, and higher quality, transparent black acrylics allowing you to peer inside and admire the tidy driver layout and 3D printed driver enclosure. All of this gives the AS16 some serious heft and a premium feel unlike any pretty much any other KZ I've held before, and I've tens of individual models to use as a reference point. Neatly printed on each face plate is Left or Right in stylish cursive, along with the statement “Professional HIFI” and “8 Balanced Armature”. On the buttocks of each ear piece is the model number and the statement “Higher order acoustics”, also neatly printed. Protruding out the top of each ear piece is the new 0.75mm 2-pin connection port introduced with the original ZSN. Further adding to the well-thought out, high quality designs KZ has been releasing lately, the plug is not simply glued in place, but screwed making it more durable and secure than what the vast majority of brands bring to their customers, regardless off the price of the product. This is a beautifully built product, one that “more legitimate, hobby-grade” brands should look at and take inspiration from. They can do a lot better, and products like the AS16 are proof.

The cable is the same copper-braided unit they've been including with a number of their products lately. It's a nice cable that is quite flexible, even in cold weather, and resistant to microphonics. The y-split is still set way too low, however, leading to easy tangling if you store them hastily. KZ is continuing to remove their memory wire, replacing it with the excellent preformed ear guides first seen on the ZSN. The new ear guides are present on the AS16's cable, and they are fantastic. While KZ does memory wire better than most, with preformed guides as good as these I won't miss it when they phase it out completely. The rest of the hardware is classic KZ with the y-split and 90 degree angled jack featuring the same chunky, Vsonic inspired styling we've seen before. Overall I quite like this cable, but the tossing in the BA10's higher quality cable would have been a better choice. It's thicker, more premium, and a better match for the AS16's quality materials and workmanship.

Comfort is pretty good. The AS16 is heavier than your average plastic bodied iem, but it doesn't do anything to hinder fit. Neither do all the smooth curves and rounded edges. All this combined with the nicely formed ear guides leads to something I can wear for quite a while without experiencing discomfort.

Isolation is pretty good, and reminiscent of the experience provided by the AS06. Right now we have a butt ton of construction going on in the area as they are resurfacing a number of parking lots. The AS16 effectively dulls the constant rumbling going on outside, even without any music playing. These should be fine for those planning to take them on the bus or subway.


Sound:

Tips: Since the AS16 is quite bright, small bore tips (ex. Sony Hybrids) are the way to go imo. Medium bore tips with a soft core (ex. Spintfit CP100) are also satisfactory. They soak up some of the treble and raise the bass, however slightly. Wide bore tips (ex. JVC) and the stock “Starlines” which have a stiff core exacerbate the already elevated treble and make the AS16 uncomfortably bright.

The AS16 has a decidedly mid and treble-centric signature with a very light bass response.

Treble is well extended but also significantly elevated. Trevle heads might get a kick out of this one. Thankfully the quality of the treble is good so you're not stuck with a product that is both bright and harsh. Notes have good definition and decay rapidly. It all comes across very detailed, crisp, and well controlled, just quite bright. Chimes and cymbals hit with almost too much authority and get tiring very quickly. This presentation certainly seems better suited to low volumes as a result.

The midrange is quite prominent with an upper mid emphasis that keeps vocals in the forefront. Timbre takes another step in the right direction and sounds fairly accurate, something KZ has been improving generation to generation with their products that incorporate armatures. Detail here is impressive too with the AS16 taking on an analytic quality. You can really pick apart vocals and instruments thanks to the wealth of information on offer. Vocals density and weight is surprisingly fine despite the lack of mid-bass to pump it up.

Bass overall is a bit of a letdown. KZ has been on a roll with their 22955 low range armature with each earphone using it having deep, impactful bass that doesn't give up the ghost on speed and control. While the bass here is textured and snappy, emphasis is lacking at the low volumes needed to manage the treble which serves to make said treble ever more prominent. As you raise the volume the low range driver begins to “wake up” and take on more presence, but so does the treble. I haven't been able to find a happy medium without resorting to EQ. Bass extension is satisfactory but rolls off earlier than I like. The AS16's low end simply lacks impact and presence in the overall tune reducing this earphone's genre versatility.

Sound stage is excellent thanks to all that upper treble energy. Sounds have a ton of room to play around with leading to lots of moments where I removed the earphones thinking I heard my wife calling or the cats getting into trouble. Width and depth are excellent and on games like World of Tanks, the resulting reverb of a cannon round fades way off into the distance. It's pretty sweet. Imaging is sharp and accurate with the plethora of drivers crammed into this thing keeping tracks layered and well separated.

Overall I have mixed feelings about the AS16's presentation. On one hand I appreciate the clarity and detail. On the other, the sharp treble gets tiring. The comparatively weak low end just doesn't have the presence needed to counter it. That said, running the AS16 through a powerful source like the Periodic Audio Nickel or my HA-501 desktop amp with the damping factor set to low helps significantly to balance out the signature when compared to running the AS16 straight out of a phone or DAP. I strongly recommend amping it if you have the option to see how your experiences are affected, but in my experience amping is pretty much necessary despite being an easy to drive earphone.


Select Comparisons:

KZ ZS10 Pro (45.00 USD): The ZS10 Pro is a five driver hybrid and it's obvious. The difference in bass quantity and presentation is probably the first thing you'll notice when comparing it to the AS16. It's deeper and more visceral providing a level of slam to bass notes the AS16 could only dream of. Sure it's a little less textured and not quite as quick, but I'll accept the trade off for the physical feedback. AS16's mids are more forward, detailed, and more coherent. It's clearly the superior product in this aspect. Treble on the AS16 is sharper and more prominent. I appreciate the extra detail and clarity on offer over the ZS10 pro, but it gets tiring and overstays its welcome. Sound stage is wider and deeper on the AS16 while also setting the listening slightly further from the performance. It feels more natural than the ZS10 Pro.

In terms of build, the ZS10 Pro is one of the best products KZ has released and while the AS16 is no slouch by any metric, ZS10 Pro gets the nod. While you might not like the mirror finish of the polished steel faceplates, they ooze quality and feel exceptionally premium. The rest of the materials are the same (metal nozzles, quality acrylics, cable and 2-pin system). Comfort is also superior on the ZS10 Pro thanks to it's smaller size and shapely housings that better conform to the outer ear.

While I prefer the ZS10 Pro, these two are different enough to be complimentary as opposed to competition. If you prefer a warmer, bassier sound, the ZS10 Pro is a steal. If you like a brighter, more mid-range heavy sound, the AS16 will give you the better experience.

CCA C16 (99.00 USD): Both earphones house 8 drivers per side and come from the same company so I would expect performance to be similar, and it is. C16 is the better tuned product to my ears thanks to a more balanced tune that is quite easy on the ears. While the C16's sub-bass is similarly underwhelming, treble is dialed down to be more in line with the rest of signature so no particular aspect stands out. The AS16 is more clear, a fair bit more detailed, and has a better sound stage, but the aggressive treble counters this in a way that is negative and not flattering.

When it comes to build the two are very similar, though the AS16 is the better of the two. First, the AS16 simply looks more premium with it's transparent shells, metal nozzles, and Fidue A85 Firgo inspired face plates versus the C16's bright blue plastics. Both give the impression of more expensive products when held thanks to their weight and impression of density. Cable quality is the same with what is considered better coming down to which 2-pin connector you prefer. Personally, I like the AS16's more. Looks better and is compatible with a wider variety of 3rd party cables, even if they'll fit awkwardly.

When it comes down to it, the C16 has a more well-rounded tunes with the AS16 looks and feels better. Tune trumps look though, so the C16 gets my vote, even if by only a small margin.

Tenhz P4 Pro (120.00 USD): The P4 Pro shares a similar signature with the AS16 in that they both have a treble and mid focused sound with a very reserved low end. The P4 Pro is slightly more mid-focused with less upper treble energy giving it a sound that is slightly more dry. Both have a pleasing, forward midrange that provides a good vocals experience, though I'll give the edge to the P4 Pro as it sounds a touch more natural. Sound stage on the AS16 is wider and deeper and does a better job of enveloping the listener. I find the AS16's treble cleaner sounding with a more crisp and controlled note presentation. Bass on both is pretty average with good texture and speed but extension that dips earlier than I would like. KZ did a good job mimicking Knowles' 22955 driver. I wish they copied themselves instead and straight up ported over the BA10's low end tuning.

In terms of build I'll have to give it to KZ. It looks and feels more premium and I prefer their cable and the 2-pin system. Don't get me wrong, the P4 Pro is wonderfully built, it's just a little to plain. Some spice is nice, and the AS16 has it. You may feel differently and that's cool too. P4 Pro is more comfortable since it takes on an ergonomic, ear hugging shape. Isolation is better too.

When it comes down to it, I like the P4 Pro more. While their tunes are similar, the P4 Pro is more balanced and lacks the treble brightness. It's less fatiguing and about as technically capable while also being more comfortable.

Final Thoughts:

I appreciate KZ's ambition in bringing to market a gorgeous 8 BA earphone and trying to move their brand slightly more upscale. At 125 USD the AS16 moves KZ out of the budget realm and directly into a slightly less competitive, but also much less forgiving market. In the AS16's favour, the level of detail and clarity on offer is impressive. The updated shell with it's tidy driver layout and 3D printed insert looks fantastic. It's all quite visually stunning and feels fantastic in the hand.

However, while the visual appeal is all that and then some, the AS16 is simply too bright and fatiguing to be enjoyable for more than short listening stints. And at this price, the accessory kit they've included with nearly every product of theirs no longer makes the cut. For a little bit less, the B200 from Brainwavz gives you an excellent case, two cables, two complete sets of silicone tips, a set of Comply foams, among other things. With the A15 Pro from Whizzer you get a pleather carrying case, a metal tip holder, a cleaning tool, and a slew of different styles of tips. While I accept that the driver layout KZ went with means sacrifices must be made elsewhere to meet a specific price point, one look at the CCA C16 and it's identical accessory kit shows there was some wiggle room here.

While I don't always agree with KZ's sometimes questionable business practices, they've almost always provided customers with products that were amazing bang for the buck. There is a reason why their products are usually recommend to those just starting off in the hobby. Find a signature you like, then move on to bigger and better things. The AS16 doesn't offer amazing bang for the buck. It looks great and sounds fine, but others in this price range sound just as good or better while offering more for your money. If you like a bright sounding earphone I'm sure you'll enjoy the AS16, but, if you just want an 8 BA earphone without spending triple or quadruple digits, go for the CCA C16 instead. Or forgo a few drivers and get the Tenhz P4 Pro. There are lots of other great options out there.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)

Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)

King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)

King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)

Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)

Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)

Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)

Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)

Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)

Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)

The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)

Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)

Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)

Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)

The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)

Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)

Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)

Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)

Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)

Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)