Introduction:
I'll admit upfront that if you're expecting to read an in depth, technical review - you'll likely be disappointed. Other reviewers on this site have covered this little gadget in much more depth – in fact I'd argue they were writing a thesis on it. For those that like that sort of thing – all’s well and good - you may stop reading here.
For those of you still with me I'd like to take a different perspective. A short and to the point overview with a focus on what the Aune B1 was designed for - quality portable sound.
What's in the box?
The professional black packaging foretells I was in for a treat and I wasn't disappointed. Lifting the lid reveals a minimalist but adequate set of:
First Impressions – look and feel
First impressions of the B1 remind me of looking at a sturdy hip flask. It has that sort of grab and hold it in your hands shape. Very retro – very chic. Instead of a screw off lid we have a plastic (albeit dense and high quality) volume knob. The comparison goes a stage further too – with recessed “hips” all the way around adding to the flask shape and providing a utilitarian function too. It protects the slide switches from accidental changes perfectly
This thing is built to withstand a truck driving over it! It is absolutely solid – the sort of solidity and heft you’d you imagine a gold bar might have. No give, no twist – it just exists and the mass helps to dissipate heat?
The first side has two textured "pleather" insets which give the B1 an air of quality and again plays to the retro styling beautifully. Then comes the wonderful surprise. You turn it over and there in all their glory are two small windows giving you a glimpse of this “badboy’s” internals. Immaculately soldered and perfectly symmetrical surface mounted components mirror (I’m guessing here) left and right channels and their associated power /control circuits.
I’ve taken a magnified picture (below) to show the quality of the workmanship. Truly a delight to behold and again an indicator of things to come.
I flicked the power switch, hoping there was some juice in the 4,000mAh battery and was rewarded with two satisfying relay clicks. The B1 was alive and two green LEDs were now illuminating the windows. Very hypnotic – and I haven’t even listened to it yet. I love the see through panels.
In the hand the B1 is weighty – but not heavy. At 200g its not something you slip into a pyjama pocket and forget about in a hurry! However, it’s carriable in a ruck suck/bag or large overcoat pocket alongside your chosen portable source.
Pros: Solid, Robust, lovely retro styling, windows and pleather
Cons: No bands to hold your gadgets together, connector could have right angled ends to reduce cable distance to piggy backed gadgets
Gadget orientation and beauty shots:
This gallery captures the key faces of the B1. Features of note are:
Recessed slide switches for gain, amp power and device power on/off - picture shows windows on one face and the soft pleather inserts on the other.
Close up of the circuitry through one window. (Click for larger file)
Micro USB charging port on base of B1. This does not charge other devices - it's only for getting the B1 powered up.Top surface has volume knob and 2 x 3.5mm stereo sockets - note: no indicator/mark on the knob to show its position - makes it difficult to know what volume setting you have reached. A simple "dot" on the top or a white line on the gnerled edge would be more than sufficient and an easy fix.
Close up of the slide switches and battery indicator.
So how did it perform ? What did I think of it?
Bullet point notes on usage:
Bullet point notes on sound:
Sound Stuff
All source tracks are streamed from TIDAL - high res audio to avoid issues of poor source quality. These were played sequentially via:
Track: Once upon a time in the west - Dire Straits remastered - Communique
I thought I'd found a weakness in the B1 when I could hear hissing on the track. I double checked, without the B1 in circuit, only to find it was on the original sound track. So much for transparency! For the record the drum rolls on this track are simply superb and tighter with the B1 in use. The snares, cymbals and vocals are separated. A foot tapping good listen. Again with the B1 in place, the samsung S3 sounded more controlled and fuller.
Track: Bullet Proof Soul - Sade
This is a real test of very low infra-sound. You feel it rather than hear it. Again the B1 held it together, it reproduced the bass without muddying it. It was nicer to listen to the B1 for extended periods. Great atmosphere and a real presence to the sound.
Track: Idle Moments - (Rudyard van Gelder 24 bit remastering)- Grant Green
Just for the sheer pleasure of listening. .I gave up A/B swapping, left the B1 on max gain and max power...and sat back to enjoy a beautifully rounded sound from sax, piano and drums on a solid sound-stage. 15 minutes of chilling!
Track: Young and Foolish - Bill Evans - Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Surprised how good the sound from the S3 actually was - but then when I added the B1 it tightened up - again the B1 was transparent, felt "fuller" and "more robust" - it was more controlled and offered better separation- I can describe it like "being in the same room as the artist" - a real room atmosphere. Definitely enjoyable.
Track: Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor - "Resurrection" - Weiner Philharmoniker
I wanted to see how far I could push the B1 so I played a really mean trick. Mahler is notoriously difficult to listen to. Tens of instruments, percussionists, volumes ranging from quiet to loudest of the loud. An audio system assault course! And the 1st movement of symphony no. 2 - Resurrection is no exception. I wasn't expecting a lot. What I got was a surprise. Again the B1 was transparent. The complex arrangements of cymbals, drums, trumpets, horns and violins were all in control and faithfully reproduced. No, I didn't get a huge sound-stage but then the real thing fills an entire auditorium!
Note: Across all these tracks the MDAC through the B1 didn't add much - perhaps a little more solid but really got too subtle for me to distinguish and by this time i was wanting to enjoy the music. They are both Class A amps and equally good to my ears. So I'd argue the B1 was transparent in this scenario.
Conclusions:
If you're looking to add some extra atmosphere to your music on the go and want to drive a decent pair of headphones the Aune B1 is worth putting onto your shortlist. It's looks alone are worth it, the Class A amp in such a robust package clinches it for me. I've enjoyed using Aune B1 over the past week. It's solid, looks a quality device and really adds something to the sound experience. I'd recommend giving it a listen and seeing for yourself how transparent and atmospheric it is.
The listening set up:
Sonos played through MDAC and TIDAL played through Samsung S3 , B1 and NAD Viso HP50's.
B1 Specifications (as published by Aune):
Disclaimer:
Yes, I won a freebie B1 from Aune for a trial period. No, it hasn't influenced my comments - I am being as transparent and objective as if I'd borrowed it from a pal. For the record, the freebie sample was for a trial "loan" period after which it has to be returned. Hope that covers off all the naysayers
I'll admit upfront that if you're expecting to read an in depth, technical review - you'll likely be disappointed. Other reviewers on this site have covered this little gadget in much more depth – in fact I'd argue they were writing a thesis on it. For those that like that sort of thing – all’s well and good - you may stop reading here.
For those of you still with me I'd like to take a different perspective. A short and to the point overview with a focus on what the Aune B1 was designed for - quality portable sound.
What's in the box?
The professional black packaging foretells I was in for a treat and I wasn't disappointed. Lifting the lid reveals a minimalist but adequate set of:
- A business card from Aune (complete with a lovely protective tissue paper)
- Mini stereo 3.5 to 3.5mm connector cable (not sure of quality - looked adequate)
- User manual/ leaflet
- USB to micro USB charging cable
- The B1 amp (black “pleather” on brushed black aluminium in my case - red on silver also available)
First Impressions – look and feel
First impressions of the B1 remind me of looking at a sturdy hip flask. It has that sort of grab and hold it in your hands shape. Very retro – very chic. Instead of a screw off lid we have a plastic (albeit dense and high quality) volume knob. The comparison goes a stage further too – with recessed “hips” all the way around adding to the flask shape and providing a utilitarian function too. It protects the slide switches from accidental changes perfectly
This thing is built to withstand a truck driving over it! It is absolutely solid – the sort of solidity and heft you’d you imagine a gold bar might have. No give, no twist – it just exists and the mass helps to dissipate heat?
The first side has two textured "pleather" insets which give the B1 an air of quality and again plays to the retro styling beautifully. Then comes the wonderful surprise. You turn it over and there in all their glory are two small windows giving you a glimpse of this “badboy’s” internals. Immaculately soldered and perfectly symmetrical surface mounted components mirror (I’m guessing here) left and right channels and their associated power /control circuits.
I’ve taken a magnified picture (below) to show the quality of the workmanship. Truly a delight to behold and again an indicator of things to come.
I flicked the power switch, hoping there was some juice in the 4,000mAh battery and was rewarded with two satisfying relay clicks. The B1 was alive and two green LEDs were now illuminating the windows. Very hypnotic – and I haven’t even listened to it yet. I love the see through panels.
In the hand the B1 is weighty – but not heavy. At 200g its not something you slip into a pyjama pocket and forget about in a hurry! However, it’s carriable in a ruck suck/bag or large overcoat pocket alongside your chosen portable source.
Pros: Solid, Robust, lovely retro styling, windows and pleather
Cons: No bands to hold your gadgets together, connector could have right angled ends to reduce cable distance to piggy backed gadgets
Gadget orientation and beauty shots:
This gallery captures the key faces of the B1. Features of note are:
- Glass window panels
- Pleather insets
- Gain ( - is 5dB, + is 15dB) , Amp current (- is 20mA, + is 40mA) and power switch slider switches on one side
- Volume, 3.5mm stereo in (from source) and 3.5mm analogue stereo out (to headphone/IEM) on top side
- Micro USB charging port on bottom (only charges the B1 can't use it to power/recharge a USB gadget)
- Single "dot" LED and button to indicate battery charge level (number flashes indicates state of charge- 5 is max)
Recessed slide switches for gain, amp power and device power on/off - picture shows windows on one face and the soft pleather inserts on the other.
Close up of the circuitry through one window. (Click for larger file)
Micro USB charging port on base of B1. This does not charge other devices - it's only for getting the B1 powered up.Top surface has volume knob and 2 x 3.5mm stereo sockets - note: no indicator/mark on the knob to show its position - makes it difficult to know what volume setting you have reached. A simple "dot" on the top or a white line on the gnerled edge would be more than sufficient and an easy fix.
Close up of the slide switches and battery indicator.
So how did it perform ? What did I think of it?
Bullet point notes on usage:
- B1 took about 2 hours to charge using high current charger
- The battery usage figures seem broadly accurate at 10 hours use for low gain and 5 hrs at high
- Recessed sockets didn't prevent use of headphone plus I tried though you might find a l low profile set that could foul.
- Yes it got warm - but not hot. The metal case helps to lose heat and I noticed when it was close to my computer's fans it cooled really quickly as they sucked air across its surface.
- Could do with bands to hold the B1 to the Smartphone
- The lack of a "mark" on the volume control meant playing safe and moving the volume low each time i tested - a bit of a faff - was tempted to mark it with a little correcting fluid!
Bullet point notes on sound:
- Outstanding reproduction for such a small device
- Volume control is smooth . I tested it with full volume and max source output and no background noise or hissing. This thing is deathly silent, even when it's ramped up. More importantly it's transparent. I mean sonically it's giving a flat response neither favoring high or low frequencies. What does this mean ? Well, having tried it with the MDAC, the samsung S3, the desktop computer and the samsung tablet, what you hear it's what you put in. It's very clean.
- The overall impression I got was that the sound from the B1 had "atmosphere" and "presence" it didn't distort, it simply made it more enjoyable.
- I tended to prefer the settings at full gain and full power as they seemed more solid.
- The B1 does have an effect on the sound, you get atmosphere. The music becomes fuller, the bass more controlled. Where it makes a difference, and that seems to depend on the source, the music comes alive.
Sound Stuff
All source tracks are streamed from TIDAL - high res audio to avoid issues of poor source quality. These were played sequentially via:
- TIDAL> My PC (on board sound card using Realtek ALC898 codec) > NAD Viso HP50 - A/B with the B1)
- TIDAL > Samsung S3 >NAD Viso HP50 - A/B with the B1
- TIDAL > Sonos> Audiolab MDAC > NAD Viso HP50 - A/B with the B1
Track: Once upon a time in the west - Dire Straits remastered - Communique
I thought I'd found a weakness in the B1 when I could hear hissing on the track. I double checked, without the B1 in circuit, only to find it was on the original sound track. So much for transparency! For the record the drum rolls on this track are simply superb and tighter with the B1 in use. The snares, cymbals and vocals are separated. A foot tapping good listen. Again with the B1 in place, the samsung S3 sounded more controlled and fuller.
Track: Bullet Proof Soul - Sade
This is a real test of very low infra-sound. You feel it rather than hear it. Again the B1 held it together, it reproduced the bass without muddying it. It was nicer to listen to the B1 for extended periods. Great atmosphere and a real presence to the sound.
Track: Idle Moments - (Rudyard van Gelder 24 bit remastering)- Grant Green
Just for the sheer pleasure of listening. .I gave up A/B swapping, left the B1 on max gain and max power...and sat back to enjoy a beautifully rounded sound from sax, piano and drums on a solid sound-stage. 15 minutes of chilling!
Track: Young and Foolish - Bill Evans - Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Surprised how good the sound from the S3 actually was - but then when I added the B1 it tightened up - again the B1 was transparent, felt "fuller" and "more robust" - it was more controlled and offered better separation- I can describe it like "being in the same room as the artist" - a real room atmosphere. Definitely enjoyable.
Track: Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor - "Resurrection" - Weiner Philharmoniker
I wanted to see how far I could push the B1 so I played a really mean trick. Mahler is notoriously difficult to listen to. Tens of instruments, percussionists, volumes ranging from quiet to loudest of the loud. An audio system assault course! And the 1st movement of symphony no. 2 - Resurrection is no exception. I wasn't expecting a lot. What I got was a surprise. Again the B1 was transparent. The complex arrangements of cymbals, drums, trumpets, horns and violins were all in control and faithfully reproduced. No, I didn't get a huge sound-stage but then the real thing fills an entire auditorium!
Note: Across all these tracks the MDAC through the B1 didn't add much - perhaps a little more solid but really got too subtle for me to distinguish and by this time i was wanting to enjoy the music. They are both Class A amps and equally good to my ears. So I'd argue the B1 was transparent in this scenario.
Conclusions:
If you're looking to add some extra atmosphere to your music on the go and want to drive a decent pair of headphones the Aune B1 is worth putting onto your shortlist. It's looks alone are worth it, the Class A amp in such a robust package clinches it for me. I've enjoyed using Aune B1 over the past week. It's solid, looks a quality device and really adds something to the sound experience. I'd recommend giving it a listen and seeing for yourself how transparent and atmospheric it is.
The listening set up:
Sonos played through MDAC and TIDAL played through Samsung S3 , B1 and NAD Viso HP50's.
- Note: I tried my Shure 215 IEMs as another listening option and found they were easily over powered by the outputs from the B1 - not that it didn't add anything - however the quality compared with the VISO HP50s really wouldn't make it a value for money purchase. This balance would change instantly if the IEMs were in the next league / quality up - however I couldn't test those on this occasion.
B1 Specifications (as published by Aune):
- Impedance: 16Ω - 300Ω
- Size: 65 mm × 110 mm × 18 mm
- Weight: 230 g
- Typical THD+n: <0.0008% @ 1 KHz, 600Ω / -0dB
- Signal/noise ratio: >124 dB @ 600Ω
- Flatness (Frequency range): 10 Hz – 20 KHz ± 0.15 dB
- Crosstalk (Channel separation): > 110 dB @ 1KHz 600Ω
- Class A Output power: 25 mW @ 16Ω, 50 mW @ 32Ω, 100 mW @ 300Ω
- Battery: 4000 mA/h
- Battery Life (vs drain current): 10 hours @ 20 mA, 5 hours @ 40 mA
Disclaimer:
Yes, I won a freebie B1 from Aune for a trial period. No, it hasn't influenced my comments - I am being as transparent and objective as if I'd borrowed it from a pal. For the record, the freebie sample was for a trial "loan" period after which it has to be returned. Hope that covers off all the naysayers
love that song!
