Special thanks to Vivian from KEEP HI-FI for arranging to have the KBEAR KS1 sent over for a full review. You may purchase the KBEAR KS1 with the non-affiliate links below.

Price and specifications
Price: USD19.99
KEEP HI-FI Official Store
KBEAR Official Store

Specifications
Interface: 2-pin 0.78mm (TFZ)
Frequency response: 20-20kHz
Sensitivity: 109dB
Impedance: 16ohm
Plug type: 3.5mm L-type gold-plated plug
Driver Unit: Dual Magnetic Circuit Single Dynamic Driver

Accessories
Black 4 core 4N pure copper cable
(S), (M), (L) silicone ear tips

Comments on accessories
No complaints on the ear tips which are pretty standard. But I find that the pre-formed ear hook on the stock cable could curve a little more aggressively as they tend to barely sit on the edge of my ear, ready to fall off with the slightest disturbance.

Build, comfort and isolation
The simple plastic housing gets the job done and are comfortable for extended use. Isolation is average as with any other UIEM.


Bass
KS1 is a warm, V-shaped IEM with a large amount of mid-bass, almost to the point of being boomy. The relative lack of control in this region also makes bass thumps tend to sound one-note.【1】Let's be honest, I don't think anybody would expect a sub $20 IEM to come close to even the mid-fi tier in terms of tuning - these budget beaters have to appeal in a different way and the KS1 has done so in its low-end.

It isn't heavily sub-bass focused for a dramatic (theatrical) thunderous rumble but the vast amount of warmth here is a guilty pleasure to me. Let's put aside these technical terms on being one-note or being boomy aside. I have a soft spot for these ear buds not only because of the price, but also because the KS1's bass tuning is absolutely perfect for listening to lofi livestreams on youtube. The KS1's sound signature remains easy on the ears with bass that is pure ear massage.

Mids
Mids are not as recessed as other V-shaped IEMs, with presence at 4kHz and 5kHz giving the warm-tinged vocals a slight edge to cut through the warmth.【2】Although the upper mids and lower treble are raised for balance, the overall signature treads on the warm side of things with a clockwise tilt on the frequency response. Upper-mid dominant J-rock tracks are not overly sharp【3】and lower-mid forward Western-rock tracks maintain a sense of clarity.【4】

Treble
The KS1 tops this off with a controlled mid-treble boost to round off the tuning. The energy at 8kHz does not tonally skew vocals more than it needs to. The control serves to maintain the warmth of the KS1 and deliver a tight treble response with cymbal crashes (my preference).【8】


Detail retrieval is good which puts it at a score of 2.5 and all remaining components are average with a score of 2.

KBEAR Lark "4k"
Unfortunately I don't have the retuned Lark for comparison. Both are V-shaped IEMs with a mid-bass bump but the KS1 has larger quantities of this mid-bass which appealed to me with casual lo-fi listening. But more on the audiophile side of things, the KS1 delivers a more natural and balanced vocal presentation than the Lark. The Lark borders on shoutiness and sibilance from its excess energy at 4kHz and 8kHz; this has ramifications on vocals, causing them to sound brittle and hollow. Technicalities are generally slightly better in the Lark but it should be noted that I prefer how the KS1 can sound just as detailed without the overzealous treble boost of the Lark.

BLON BL-01
Both are V-shaped IEMs. The KS1 has slightly more mid-bass than the BL01, with the KS1 being able to hit bass notes harder than the BL01 - the BL01's bass response is less defined. The key difference lies in the vocals which are more recessed in the BL01 due to decreased presence in the upper-mids and lower treble which is compensated for by the mid-treble boost. This would be a matter of personal preference but I find the KS1 to sound more well-rounded for better playback of more genres than the BL01 since it doesn’t forgo the mids as much. The KS1 is marginally better than the BL01 in terms of detail retrieval. For this reason and the fact that I prefer the KS1's tuning, I'd pick the KS1 over the BL01.

Conclusion
While the KS1 falls under the umbrella of "generic V-shape" tuning, KBEAR pretty much nailed the tonal balance in the KS1 - big bass for a warm listen and highs that don't pierce the ears. The KS1 is amazing for its price, I'm happy to take my audiophile cap off just for the KS1 for easy listening and I love that it also makes a great gift for non-audiophile friends because its tuning is very consumer friendly. The only warning I can give to those who are ready to buy this is that it might have too much bass for some listeners. But if you don't mind and just want something warm and easy-going, the KS1 is definitely worth the blind buy.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. The Glitch Mob - Carry The Sun, Come Closer. NF - CLOUDS, LOST.
2. Gryffin - Nobody Compares To You. Hydelic - Connected (Yours Forever).
3. MAN WITH A MISSION - Evergreen. HYDE - WHO'S GONNA SAVE US.
4. Falling In Reverse - Losing My Mind. Architects - Animals.
5. RADWIMPS - IKIJIBIKI. ONE OK ROCK - Nobody's Home.

Special thanks to Meze Audio for arranging to have the 12 Classics V2 sent over for a full review. You may purchase the these earbuds with the non-affiliate link below.

Price and specifications
Price: USD69/69€
Meze Audio Official Store

Specifications
Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ω
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: Up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
6N OFC cable, length: 1.2m
No mic & remote

Accessories
EVA carrying case
(S), (M), (L) and 1x double-flange silicone ear tips

Comments on accessories
I would have liked to see a shirt clip included with these and I'll explain down below. Apart from that, the case and tips are probably the only accessories I'll need since both the earbuds and assortment of tips can be stored in that case.

Build, comfort and isolation
The 12 Classics V2 have a stunning body made of dark walnut wood which complements the shiny copper-anodized aluminum parts. This is easily one of the most pretty set of earbuds on the market right now. Meze is one to never fall short in terms of design choice, exemplified by their current portfolio of headphones and IEMs. I think it would be interesting to see how Meze chooses to integrate these design elements into future IEMs in the RAI series.

It seems like the cable is laced with a fabric which might be nylon; it is soft and pliable while remaining durable for extensive use. However as with most earbuds, this cable is also highly prone to microphonics. This issue can be resolved with a cable clip to the shirt but this was not included as an accessory. This cable transmits sound readily so I feel that it is important to have this accessory, especially for active users. Putting the great sound quality aside, if this is being marketed to the mass consumer market to be "the companion that makes your tunes feel right at home, wherever you are", it has to live up to the standard of convenience and practicality of an every-day-carry - a very high bar set by the wireless market. The Classics 12 V2 almost nailed it, with my only complaint being the strong presence of microphonics and the lack of a means to reduce it without purchasing a shirt clip from elsewhere.

Otherwise, these earbuds are very comfortable and I could achieve a proper seal with the medium tips supplied. Isolation is just below average but my average is compared to IEMs in my collection. But that is expected due to the smaller form factor of the Meze earbuds because my IEMs have a larger housing and fill up my ear, which equates to better passive noise isolation.


In today's market, Meze's entry level 12 Classics V2 effectively competes with the multitudes of budget and even wireless options in the same sub 100 price bracket for the role of the "daily companion". I can see how Meze released this product with confidence despite the competition because the updated sound signature is fundamentally different from the sea of V-shaped consumer friendly IEMs. The update to the original 12 Classics calls for a different flavour, which Meze accomplished with the V2's coloured sound signature.

Bass and mids
The 12 Classics V2 has a bold sound signature characterised by its prominent lower-mid emphasis to give a soulful and relaxed presentation, with just enough sparkle in the treble for balance. Despite having the lower-mids at the forefront, the sub-bass is well extended to give the mix a firm foundation on the lower bass registers. This is well controlled to give the upper registers of the bass and lower-midrange space to drive melodies; the double bass section of orchestral tracks are full-bodied with sufficient rumble, solidifying its presence.【1】

On initial listen, deeper vocals came forward so significantly that I was taken aback by how close these vocals were playing at my ear. The 12 Classics V2 excels in emotional ballads with deep vocals; but it doesn't stop there. When the crescendo hits and all the sections of the orchestra play at once, the grandeur is something I've never experienced in this price range.【2】I believe that this is primarily because these earbuds have that warm, "tube-like" sound.

When listening to duets, differences are highlighted as higher pitched vocals don't carry as much weight as deeper ones. While these higher vocals maintain the forward presence in the mix, I find that they are recessed by a notch when compared side by side.【3】This trait is preserved on playback of songs with high vocals, for example, in a Japanese style mix.【4】

Although the rich energy in the lower-midrange is not preserved into the upper-midrange, there certainly isn't a suckout in this region either. This is where the 12 Classics V2 stray from a neutral presentation and as with pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the coloured tuning of an earphone may not match all music libraries due to different genres. To complicate things further, differences in frequency emphasis selected by the audio engineer can affect transparency of the mix. The 12 Classics V2 sounds fuller with "Western" style of music as compared to "Japanese" style which have a little more presence in the upper-midrange. As a result, J-rock tracks balance the 12 Classics V2 tuning and are marginally more transparent【5】than the likes of Western-rock which offer a thicker quality to the sound.【6】

Treble
The 12 Classics V2 balances the low-end with energy up top that is inclined toward the lower-treble at 6kHz, with tapering off into and past the mid-treble at 8kHz. The single dynamic driver employed adequately fleshes out detail that might otherwise have been be smoothed over with the big focus on the bottom-end. Cymbals and hats in a busy mix have a tendency to sound compressed because of bigger emphasis on the lower-treble than the mid-treble.【7】 Even though the 12 Classics V2 don't pay particularly close attention to aggressive micro-detail, it is reasonable for the 12 Classics V2 to trade off chasing after micro-detail for the musical approach with just 1 DD and in this price range.


Instrument separation and articulation are just better than average, scoring 2.5 for resolution.
As discussed above, detail-retrieval is not the 12 Classic V2's strong suit but sufficient for it to not be lacking with a score of 2.
Although stage depth is fairly average with a score of 2, the emphasis around the mid-bass to upper-bass possibly lends a mild sense of spaciousness in terms of stage width, with a score of 2.5.
The intimacy of the 12 Classics V2 sacrifices some perceived "pin-point accuracy" of individual instruments, scoring 2 for imaging.

Conclusion
Coloured tunings are remarkably challenging to pull off and I feel that we don't often see an IEM in this price range accomplish what the 12 Classics V2 have to the same calibre. Attaining this type of JH Audio-esque sound signature for their sub 100 entry-level product, yet refusing to compromise on technicalities is a big win in my books. This is an exciting new addition to the Meze family and I'm excited to see what they have to offer in future products.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. Joe Hisaishi - My Neighbour Totoro (Dream Songs).
2. Gerard Butler - The Music Of The Night. Falling In Reverse - I Am Not A Vampire (Revamped).
3. Sarah Brightman - Amigos Para Siempre
4. Reona - ANIMA. YOASOBI - 夜に駆ける
5. MY FIRST STORY - LET IT DIE. Coldrain - SPEAK
6. Bring Me The Horizon - Mother Tongue. Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster
7. ONE OK ROCK - Nobody's Home. Royal Blood - Figure It Out.

Price and specifications
Price: USD69.99/AUD109.95
Amazon US
Creative Labs AU

Specifications
Total Battery Life: Up to 34 Hours
Playtime Per Charge: Up to 12 Hours Per Charge
Microphone setup: Single, with Qualcomm® cVc™ 8.0 Technology for mic
Controls: Touch Control
Software Super X-Fi® / Super X-FI READY: ✓
Siri / Google Assistant: ✓
Water Resistance: IPX5 Certified
Audio Codec: aptX, AAC, SBC
Interface: USB Type-C (Charging), Bluetooth 5.0
Driver: 5.6 mm Graphene-coated Driver Diaphragm

Accessories
USB-C Charging Case
USB-C Charging Cable
(S), (M) and (L) Silicone Ear Tips

Comments on accessories
Rather than opening up like a box which I prefer, the charging case adopts the slide-out style. Plus points for being secured by a strong magnet, I have no worries of these buds falling out by accident. The buds are pretty big which is why the charging case is also fairly big to accommodate for their size - I'd rather keep them in my bag when on-the-go than in my pockets.

Build, comfort and isolation
The earbuds are made of plastic with a super ergonomic fitting. They feel very snug against my ears and I don't see how it's possible to shake them off during an intense workout. This would be a matter of personal preference but the fit is so firm that they don't "disappear"; they instead fill up my ears and there's always a constant sense of "fullness".

Some may not like how you can always feel these plugged up in your ears but the amazing fit does a great job at passively isolating noise more so than any standard true wireless or universal in ear monitor. I don't have any issues with the "fullness" myself but I initially had to take them off for a couple of minutes after an hour of wearing to relieve the pressure-areas on my concha to let my ears "breathe". I could gradually wear these for longer periods of time after the first week of daily use.

Connectivity
Without any physical obstructions in between, I could get about 12m away from my phone source before the earbuds started cutting out intermittently. One point to add which consistently happens with me, the connection begins to stutter quite a bit when I'm around a running microwave. But other than that, the connection is stable so long as the buds are within range.

During the setup, you'll have to pair your source to each bud individually. When you connect thereafter, these buds follow the Master and Slave system. You may choose either the left or right bud to be the Master when connecting to your buds at the start of each listening session. You may play from the Master bud while the Slave is stored in the case; it's great to see that the Slave bud resumes playback immediately when taken out of the case.

Both buds are disconnected when the Master bud is placed in the case. After which, the source needs several seconds to automatically pair with the remaining earbud to become to Master bud.

Audio Latency
Audio-visual lag is significant which makes these suitable for music and podcasts only.

Microphone Quality
See section on Video Review (Hyperlink brings you straight to the relevant timestamp)

Touch Controls
Demonstration
CREATIVE has opted for some unconventional touch controls to resolve the problem of unwanted touch commands when adjusting the earbuds
- Double tap either side to pause/play
- Triple tap left/right for previous/next track respectively
- Press and hold left/right for volume down/up respectively

For calls
- Double tap to answer/hang up
- Press and hold for 3s to reject call

These are the main controls I use regularly, the guide to all controls can be found on their website. This system of touch controls on the Outlier Air V2 is much better than the button used on the CREATIVE Outlier Air V1 which was hard to press. The earbud was always getting jammed further into my ear which was uncomfortable - I'd rather control my music directly from my phone with the V1s.

Sound
I have to get this out of the way before discussing the sound. There is a constant hissing sound that can be heard when there is no music playing, similar to when a sensitive IEM is connected to a source with a high output impedance. It isn't noticeable when music is playing but it does get annoying when the music is paused.

The Outlier Air V2s have a V-shaped sound signature. They are neutral in the sub-bass and melodies are primarily driven by its big mid-bass response with significant bleed into the into the upper-bass; vocals sound chesty because of this. The excess energy in this region can be satisfying with the Pop genre but it doesn't sit well with Rock or Metal due to the bass bloat masking individual instruments. This is exacerbated by the veil stemming from the relative lack of energy in the upper-mids and lower-treble.

To balance out the fat low-end, the Outlier Air V2s concentrate more energy in the mid-treble instead. The boost is not excessive where it reaches fatiguing levels but tone wise, cymbals and hi-hats tend toward the splashy side of things. The mid-treble energy does slightly creep into the upper-treble region to prevent these buds from sounding too closed-in.


Instruments are not well separated or articulated, scoring 1.5 for resolution. This feeds into the bloated upper bass to make these sound even more muddy.
Detail retrieval is just acceptable with a score of 2, probably due to the moderate energy in the mid-treble.
I was pleasantly surprised by the stage width and depth for a true wireless set, scoring 3 and 2.5 respectively. (Note: These are my impressions streaming via Spotify, not using the dedicated Super X-fi app)
Despite the low resolution, instrument placement had a mild sense of precision, scoring 2.5 for imaging. Perceived imaging could have been better if the instruments were better separated.

Conclusion
As you may have realised, the tonality is nothing to write home about from an audiophile perspective although it should still be fairly enjoyable for the regular consumer - It is big sounding and non-fatiguing. Despite this, the staging qualities exceeded my expectations for a true wireless set. These actually sound like a set of gaming headphones with the impressive stage and big bass. True enough, these sounded amazing when gaming but are severely bottlenecked by its prominent audio latency.

The CREATIVE Outlier Air V2s are fairly affordable for what they offer - they've got an amazing fit and immersive stage in spite of its low resolution. Maintaining these staging properties and price range, and improving audio latency and sound quality would see the next iteration of CREATIVE's Outlier series become the next big all-rounder in the true wireless market.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

Special thanks to Vivian from KEEP HI-FI for arranging to have the BLON BL-01 sent over for a full review. You may purchase the BLON BL-01 with the non-affiliate links below.

Price and specifications
Price: USD$21.99
Friendly Audio Store Aliexpress

Specifications
Driver: 10mm bio-fibre diaphragm
Connector: 0.78mm 2-pin
Impedance: 16Ω
Frequency: 20-20000hz
Sensitivity: 102dB/mW


Accessories
1.2m cable
5 pairs of ear tips (1 set of S, M, L) + (1 set of S, M)
Soft pouch

Comments on accessories
The accessories provided are still the same as previous generations of BLON IEMs which includes that 1.2m black cable with a super aggressive ear hook.

Build, comfort and isolation
The BL01 is housed in a polished zinc-alloy chassis which looks a little unconventional. Looks aside, the BL01 barely fit my ears as the fit is shallow - I had to use the largest ear tips to compensate for the lack of insertion depth. Those with larger ears may require extra-large aftermarket tips.


Sound
First and foremost, the BLON BL01 is unlike its predecessors (BL03, BL05, BL05s). You may refer to my review of the BLON BL-05s for my thoughts on the BLON house sound regarding these 3 models. In short, the BLON house sound is a V-shaped sound signature with emphasis to the 2-2.5kHz to cause vocals to sit closer to the listener. The intimate midrange is a breath of fresh air from the sea of budget V-shaped IEMs with "recessed vocals", which could also be why the BL03 did so well upon its release along with the hype.

From what I hear, the BL01 joins the "sea of budget V-shaped IEMs with recessed vocals"- melodies are primarily driven by the mid-bass with an average amount of sub-bass extension. The amount of mid-bass is enough to lend fullness to the mix and allow bass beats to thump with some satisfaction. The BL01 does not have basshead quantities of low end hence the most apt term I can use to describe it is "average".

The mid-bass has some bleed into the upper-bass which creates a light veil over the midrange. This veil arises from the relative lack of energy in the upper midrange between 1 to 4kHz. Rather, there is a slow climb from 1kHz up till the mid-treble at 8kHz for articulation and to balance out the low end. The energy up top is concentrated in the mid-treble without much extension. The end result is an ordinary V-shape signature with a slight clockwise tilt on the frequency response - the bass is lifted more so than the treble to classify the BL01 as a warm set.

I feel that this general tuning has been implemented in many earphones and even TWS (chi-fi, including those by JBL and Sony) that have been tuned for mass appeal on a budget. However, the BL01's strong points lie in how there is nothing glaringly wrong with its generic tuning and the fact that it does not heavily compromise on technicalities in spite of its price.


The BL01 scores an average of 2 in all aspects of the technical summary. It even outperforms the BL05s which scores 1.5 for detail retrieval.

Conclusion
Those with treble-sensitive ears or those looking for an inexpensive and easygoing "beater" set will find the BL01 pleasing for its price. Although I would have preferred for BLON to bring vocals forward in the BL01 as with the previous BLON models, I find it difficult to justify any qualms given the price of USD21.99. To put it simply, the BL01 would have been "just another budget earphone" had it been priced at USD50. The asking price sets the BL01 apart from the competition to make it the king of USD20 beater sets… for today.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

Big thanks to Effect Audio for loaning the EA Club exclusive Onyx to me for 1 week for a full review. I greatly appreciate their kindness and generosity. Take note that the unit I'm reviewing is a prototype which did not come in the official retail packaging.

The EA Onyx is a cable that is exclusively sold to members of the EA Club, Effect Audio's Facebook Group. This is where members share their impressions and pictures of their favourite products with the community. You may join the EA Club here.

Price and specifications:
Price: USD999

Technical Specifications:
- 6 wires
- Multi-stranded Palladium-plated Silver
- EA UltraFlexi Jacket (insulation)
- EA Custom Designed Connector and Y-Split

Build:
Fans of a sleek, subtle look will be pleased to hear that the EA Onyx is all black. The insulation used is a classy matte black and the cable termination, Y-split, and connectors are black. Sometimes cables with transparent insulation might cause heads to turn. The only factor that might garner attention when bringing the Onyx out is its relative thickness.

I was surprised to see a chin slider since the wires are relatively thick. I love the way the metal piece looks and how subtle it is especially when compared to a molded piece of rubber. Out of the box, this chin slider is quite stiff and takes quite a bit of shimmying to get up and down. But I would expect it to get easier with use over time like any other chin slider.

Ergonomics/comfort:
For a thicker cable than the standard 4W braid, the EA Onyx is comfortable. This could be because the matte black insulation used is lightweight. I also like how the "Ultraflexi Jacket" (that is also used in EA's "VOGUE" series) is more pliable than the standard "Flexible Insulation" EA uses in their other cables, such as the ones in the Premium series. This may change over time but I won't be able to comment on that in a week.

One big change that I'm particularly fond of is how EA has lengthened the pre-formed ear hook and curved it a little more aggressively. It sits much better over my ear now when compared to my Ares ii 8W which kind of floats in place.

Sound:
Disclaimer: These are subjective opinions based on what I hear when testing cables. In my opinion, some cables make a difference to the way an IEM sounds. Whether or not that difference is worth the cost of upgrading is entirely up to the potential buyer.


The EA Onyx increases perception of the Sub & Mid-bass, bringing about more tactile feedback with an IEM's bass response. I find this to be especially effective in IEMs that have a dynamic driver for the lows, where the bass response becomes even more visceral with this pairing. Even so, I was pleasantly surprised to find that IEMs with a BA woofer also benefited with a more impactful low end that can be heard. These attributes are what make the EA Onyx a specialist in bass reproduction - I personally love how drums and bass guitars are generally made more prominent in my IEMs.

It also increases perception of the Upper-bass/Lower-mids. This adds some fullness to the sound for a richer listening experience. Pairing the Onyx with warm, full-bodied IEMs only serves to make them sound even fatter. The extra body is certainly handy for balancing out lean vocals in "thin" sounding IEMs instead.

I find that the Upper-mids & Lower-treble are just raised by a hair. However, the difference is especially noticeable in terms of its effects on playback of cymbals and hi-hats in some cases. For instance, the mid-treble peak and relative lack of lower-treble presence in the KBEAR Lark "4k" makes cymbals and hi-hats sound thin. Pairing this with the EA Onyx evens out the treble harmonics of cymbals and hi-hats to sound well-rounded.

Note that despite the slight increase in Upper-mids & Lower-treble, the bass boost as described above far outweighs the Upper-mid & Lower-treble to make the Onyx primarily a bass-oriented cable. This could be why the increased bass perception also gives the impression of a smoother listening experience.

The slightly larger Overall stage perception is possibly due to the increased bass region for a fuller sound.

The Mid-treble, Upper-treble and Resolution are largely unchanged from what I hear.

All in all, when paired with my IEM collection and music library, I find the EA Onyx a great cable for accentuating the bass region. It makes for an excellent pairing with bright IEMs for more balance, whilst retaining the same DNA in the upper-mids and treble which may have been the initial X-factor for the listener.

Specific pairings:
There are many factors that come into play with the aspects responsible for the synergy between an IEM and a cable. Please view these pairings as a rough gauge for the synergy you may come to expect when pairing the EA Onyx with an IEM that has a similar sound signature.

Original characteristics: Heavily lower-mid boosted, honky vocals
IEM(s) used: Jomo Audio Jazz (2BA)
EA Onyx pairing: Increased fullness is not a priority for this IEM and the Onyx can make the Jazz sound overly bloated. I find that the Onyx will not change vocal reproduction since it does not affect the midrange and treble harmonics.

Original characteristics: Bright neutral, metallic sounding vocals, thin cymbals and hi-hats
IEM(s) used: KBEAR Lark "4k" (1DD 1BA), KZ ZS10 Pro (1DD 4BA)
EA Onyx pairing: Balances out sound signature with increased bass perception. Increased balance to sound signature might be the reason why the EA Onyx has the potential to smoothen out metallic-tinged vocals. Evens out the treble harmonics by a little, making thin cymbals and hi-hats sound well-rounded.

Original characteristics: V-shape with good bass impact.
IEM(s) used: BLON BL-01 (1DD), TFZ Galaxy T2 (1DD)
EA Onyx pairing: Bass rumble is now more visceral in nature.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

Special thanks to Vivian from KEEP HI-FI for arranging to have the BLON BL-05s sent over for a full review. You may purchase the BLON BL-05s with the non-affiliate links below.

Price and specifications
Price: USD$45.00
KEEP HI-FI Official Store
Friendly Audio Store Aliexpress

Connector: 0.78mm 2-pin
Impedance: 32Ω
Frequency: 20-20000hz
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW


Accessories
1.2m cable
5 pairs of ear tips (1 set of S, M, L) + (1 set of S, M)
Soft pouch

Comments on accessories
I've read of people complaining about the molded ear hooks which curve so aggressively such that the earphones are pulled out of their ears. I've never had this problem but I have to say that I feel the cable guides here more so than other cables; I have to adjust them every half an hour or so because the ear hooks feel as if they are clinging to my skin.

Build, comfort and isolation
This review wouldn't be complete without talking about that colour. I feel that this green would have been appropriate if there were other colour options available but of course that would imply more manufacturing costs and the possibility of unclearable leftover stock from unpopular colours. The BL-05 and BL-05s were released just months apart so my guess is that BLON wanted to differentiate the BLON BL-05s from the gunmetal BL-05 with this polarizing colour; and to that I say they have succeeded.

I could not achieve a proper fit with any of the included tips in the BL-03. With the BL-05s, I am happy that they fit my ears normally with the included M tips. Passive noise isolation is pretty much what you'd expect with any UIEM.


Sound
Before discussing the BLON BL-05s specifically, I think it's relevant to share my thoughts on BLON's house sound.

The BLON house sound is a V-shaped signature but with more energy at the 2kHz and 4kHz region relative to the other boosted frequencies in the upper-midrange (1kHz - 4kHz). In particular, the extra energy at 2kHz causes vocals to sit closer to the listener as compared to conventional V-shape IEMs. To me, this was the appeal with the BL-03 when it took the market by storm upon its release. Finally, a tuning that was "close to home"/familiar yet different enough to stand out from the sea of V-shaped Chi-fi IEMs.

Since then, it seems that BLON has been releasing variations of this house sound with regard to its balance on the "see-saw" of its tuning based on consumer feedback:
- BL-03 = Favours bass
- BL-05 = More balanced than BL-03 but too lean for some
- BL-05s = More warm-colouration in the mid to upper-bass to address the lean sound

In my opinion, the BL-05s is by far the "safest" BLON tuning. It is the most balanced sounding of the 3 whilst retaining the upper-midrange tuning that was "tried and tested" in their BL-03. However, as "safe" as it may sound, the warm-colouration in the upper-bass may render tracks too muddy for those who chase a low bass shelf which is becoming increasingly popular these days.

To touch on the treble, the treble region is often overshadowed by the bass and midrange. I don't often find myself listening out for cymbals and hi-hats since the BL-05s clearly adopts a musical approach as compared to an analytical one.【1】


On that note, the BL-05s scores a 1.5 for detail retrieval. There isn't much to discuss here as the BL-05s is mostly an average IEM in terms of technical performance, which is still very much acceptable given its asking price of USD$45.

Conclusion
Recommending this is tricky since the BL-05s does not excel in any particular aspect - the technicalities are average and the treble isn't exactly the star of the show here. Even the bass doesn't slam that hard when I feel it needs to in some songs.【2】 Bar those who are looking for more technical proficiency and those who have zero tolerance for a mildly bloated bass, the BL-05s is just a fairly acceptable sub-50 budget IEM.

I hope to see BLON step out of their comfort zone to push the boundaries that they created for themselves in future products. Achieving greater technical proficiency is indeed possible as seen with the KBEAR Lark "4k" version which I reviewed previously (note that these are not the retuned version which is the official one). With that, I am curious to hear how the cheaper BL-01 which came out recently compares to these and will do a review if I can get my hands on one.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. ONE OK ROCK - 完全感覚Dreamer, Nobody's Home, Cry Out. Royal Blood - Out Of The Black, Figure It Out.
2. The Glitch Mob - Carry The Sun, Black Aura, Come Closer. PVRIS - Gimme a Minute, Dead Weight.

Special thanks to Vivian from KEEP HI-FI arranging to have the KBEAR Lark sent over for a full review. These were sent out before the retune so I've only got the "4k" version over here. But the non-affiliate purchase links down in the description below are for the retuned versions of the KBEAR Lark unless you request for the "4k" version. Nevertheless, the "4k" version has given me a good understanding of what the retuned Lark could be like and possibly, why KBEAR had to retune the "4k" version.

Price and specifications
Price: USD$29.99
KEEP HI-FI Official Store
KBEAR Official Store Aliexpress

Drivers: 1DD 1BA
Connector: 2-pin 0.78mm (TFZ)
Frequency response: 20-20kHz
Sensitivity: 105dB
Impedance: 16ohm


Accessories
3.5mm 4-core SPC cable with L-type gold-plated
KBEAR hard carrying case
3 pairs of white silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
3 pairs of charcoal silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
1 pair of charcoal silicone ear tips (M, already attached to IEMs)

Comments on accessories
Very well done, I was so happy to see that the package included a sturdy hard carrying case even at this competitive price point. I have zero complaints about the cable, it's thin, light and looks pretty; it's hard to do badly in this department unless you throw in the old brown KZ cable.

Build, comfort and isolation
The IEM shell is made up of environmentally-friendly plastic with a faceplate made of zinc alloy. The IEM mold is stated to be exclusive to KBEAR although it looks just the same as the likes of other IEMs such as the KZ ZS10 Pro and TFZ Galaxy T2 - they all fit the same to my ears and comfort isn't an issue. Passive noise isolation is pretty much what you'd expect with any UIEM.


Sound
The KBEAR Lark "4k" version features a reverse L-shape sound signature. That's not to say that there's little bass; there's certainly a counter-clockwise tilt with a larger focus on the upper mids and treble.

The dynamic driver delivers bass that is fast and tight. The Lark "4k" has a fairly linear bass response with a gentle emphasis on the mid-bass for some warmth; this does not stretch into the upper bass which gives the Lark "4k" a pristine midrange.【1】

I've tested these on warmer sources such as a Sony ZX300 (DMP-Z1 firmware mod), IFI Zen Can and MacBook Pro and the "4k" version doesn't have a hard, aggressive sounding upper midrange at safe listening levels. I've never heard them for myself with neutral to bright sources so your milage may vary with those.

The fact that they were still tolerable to listen to was a pleasant surprise given what I was expecting after the announcement that these had to be retuned. However, I feel that the extra energy at 4kHz relative to the other frequencies does not negatively impact the Lark "4k" in terms of listening tolerance but rather, it does more to cause vocals to border on sounding tinny.【2】

From my experience, a balanced IEM with a pinna gain that rises from 1kHz to between 3-3.5kHz sounds most tonally accurate to my ears and those with extra energy at 4kHz have a bit more "bite"/clarity to the sound.【3】 One can normally expect the latter to have mild sibilance especially when coupled with a mid-treble boost which is the case of the Lark "4k". This is exacerbated with brighter sources and those that have too high an output impedence for the Lark "4k".

The Lark "4k" version's treble is characterised by its mid to upper-treble boost as compared to a lower-treble boost which is all too common these days. A lower-treble boost often gives the music more presence or as some people coin, an "in your face" type of sound. Instead, the mid to upper-treble boost in the Lark brings forth cymbals and hi-hats in an inoffensive manner. This may be attributed to the brand new customized BA used for the higher frequencies. My only complaint is that they sound too tight and thin for my liking in the Lark "4k".【4】


Wow. Colour me impressed.

At just USD$29.99, the Lark "4k" has good instrumental separation and resolution. Some may argue that the boosted 4k and upper-treble gives the auditory illusion of more details but having already taken that into account, it is indisputable that the Lark "4k" is indeed slightly more revealing than your average set of IEMs. To top this off, the Lark "4k" has layering and imaging that I would never have expected in this price range.

When I first learned that the Lark "4k" was going through a retune, I thought that it was pretty troublesome given that my review unit had already been sent out. But listening to this "4k" version has given me insight as to why the retune was pushed to happen. The KBEAR Lark "4k" is already a technically proficient pair of IEMs; it also comes with that hard carrying case which outdoes the rest of the competition at this price bracket and maybe even higher.

Conclusion
To me, the only drawback to these is the brittleness in the tonality from the extra energy in the high-end. I've never heard the retuned version but I am confident that by retuning these for a safer, more balanced sound, it would make these the next big go-to sub-50 budget option for many.

The bass and technicalities should be untouched in the retuned version. Having a personal preference for warm and balanced sound signatures, I am truly excited to hear what the retuned version has to offer in today's competitive budget audio market. You can be certain that I will do another review if I get my hands on a pair of the KBEAR Lark retuned version.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster. PVRIS - Nightmare, Hallucinations. Milet - Ashes.
2. Of Monsters And Men - Stuck In Gravity, Wild Roses. Andrew Lloyd Weber - The Music of The Night, Amigos Para Siempre.
3. MY FIRST STORY - 失踪FLAME. Coldrain - Runaway, THE SIDE EFFECTS, SPEAK.
4. ONE OK ROCK - 完全感覚Dreamer, Nobody's Home. Royal Blood - Hole in Your Heart, Out Of The Black, Figure It Out.

Price and specifications
Price: USD$499, USD$349 at the time of posting this review.
HIFIMAN store
HIFIMAN ebay
HIFIMAN Amazon

Frequency Response: 6Hz-75kHz
Impedance: 37Ω
Sensitivity: 94dB
Weight: 372g


Accessories
1 x 1.5m long headphone cable with 3.5mm termination
3.5mm to 1/4" adapter

Build and comfort
These are a sturdy well-built set of headphones. The soft headband also helps with relieving that over-head pressure. Although they have quite a bit of clamping force, the Pali Pads counteract this by doing an excellent job at relieving that over-ear pressure which is why I don't have a problem wearing these for hours at a time.


Sound
The Sundara was tested with my Sony ZX300 (DMP-Z1 firmware mod) and iFi ZEN DAC.

True to its overall neutral tuning, the Sundara has a linear bass response. It doesn't have much sub-bass which is expected because of its open back design. Kick drums and bass thumps/rumbles are not emphasised over the vocals in hip-hop and even in bass heavy tracks, which could sound dry for some.【1】 But a hint of tactility from the planar magnetic driver makes up for this, with bass that I can lightly feel.

Midrange gives substantial focus to both upper and lower midrange, with the upper mids being slightly more emphasised than the lower mids. Bolstered by its lower to mid-treble boost, this gives the Sundara's vocal presentation a strong vocal presence. This is why higher female vocals have slightly more of an aggressive edge in presence over deeper male vocals.【2】

The tonal balance the Sundara strikes between its upper and lower mids hits the sweet spot with orchestral tracks in my library. Strings and woodwinds are neither overly sharp nor bloated, they have an airy, breathy quality to them.【3】 If there was anything I would have preferred, it would be for more sub-bass to give the low end instruments like the tuba more weight.【4】 Nevertheless, the grandeur of a full orchestral set is brought forth with its wide soundstage.

The Sundara is certainly a solid performer with orchestral tracks but its relative lack of energy at approximately the 2kHz region makes vocals sound a slightly uneven to my ears. The human ear is very sensitive to how voices sound and from my subjective perception, it feels as if there is a "missing" element to it. Vocal "unevenness" aside, I find that the Sundara's timbre sits much better with ballads with an orchestral backing and acoustic.【5】 In my opinion, it doesn't sound as appealing with the likes of indie pop, rock and metal.【6】


Sundara has a wide stage, although much wider than it is deep. You're going to get a broad stage with instruments panning across left and right, more so than from front to back. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and it's a matter of preference. I just personally tend to prefer deep stage perceptions with distinct layering with my music.

Conclusion
The Sundara is suitable for those looking for a clean bass response that doesn't skimp on tactile feedback. I personally like its sound profile with orchestral tracks and acoustic although some listeners may potentially find its presentation of vocals slightly uneven. Although there isn't much depth to its soundstage, the soundstage is very wide which still makes these enjoyable to listen to.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. Coldrain - REVOLUTION. Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster. Billie Eilish - my future. Bring Me The Horizon - Ludens.
2. Of Monsters And Men - Stuck In Gravity, Wild Roses. Andrew Lloyd Weber - Memory, Amigos Para Siempre.
3. Kitaro - Matsuri, Fiesta. Joe Hisaishi - Oriental Wind, Cinema Nostalgia. (Dream Songs)
4. Joe Hisaishi - My Neighbour Totoro. (Dream Songs)
5. Andrew Lloyd Weber - Til' I Hear You Sing, The Music Of The Night, Amigos Para Siempre. MY FIRST STORY - ACCIDENT, LET IT DIE. (THE PLUGLESS)
PVRIS - Hallucinations, Stay Gold. All Time Low - Safe, Summer Daze. Bring Me The Horizon - Sleepwalking, Antivist.

Price & Specifications
Price: AUD$849.99 / USD$649.99
Audiofly AU
Audiofly Amazon

Driver type: Six Balanced armature drivers with 3-way crossover
Driver arrangement: Dual bass, dual mid, dual high
Frequency range: 15-25kHz
Crossover: Passive 3-way electronic crossover with Butterworth filter
Acoustic tuning: Physical 3-way frequency divider
Impedance: 11Ω
Sensitivity: 109dB at 1kHz
Cable length: 1.2m / 47”
Plug type: 3.5mm gold plated, right angle format


Introduction
Audiofly has been around since 2012 and they create bluetooth products for the casual listener under the name of Audiofly Headphones, and IEMs for audiophiles, musicians and sound engineers under Audiofly Pro. In their lineup of "Pro" IEMs, the 1120s were tuned to be neutral for audio professionals who require an accurate playback.

I'd like to thank Michelle from Audiofly for arranging to have these IEMs loaned out to me for a full review. I greatly appreciate Audiofly's kindness and generosity.

Accessories

• Protective hard case
• 2.5mm balanced cable
• 3 sets of dome silicone tips
• 1 set of Comply tips
• 3 sets of foam Flytips
• 3 sets of Dekoni Audio Bulletz
• 3.5mm to 1/4" adaptor
• Airline adaptor
• Cleaning tool
• Cable tidy

Comments on accessories
Unlike other brands which have been progressively moving toward compact round carrying cases, Audiofly has chosen a pelican-style hard carrying case for the 1120s which tends to be more space consuming. Nevertheless, it will protect the IEMs just the same.

The cable may not seem fancy like what boutique cable manufacturers offer these days but I've grown to like its ergonomics. The fabric makes the cable more pliable and I can see it remaining so, unlike PVC based cables which tend to get stiff over time with exposure to sweat and UV light, which is normal.

It has also been reinforced by CORDURA fabric for better durability. It's not something audiophiles who listen at the desk and on their daily commute will strictly need but rather, this is something that stage musicians might better appreciate. The thin 2-wire braid above the Y-split is light which is also something stage musicians will find reliable to work with when wearing the IEMs from behind. I've read of people who found the stock cable lackluster but I'm alright with it as I prefer thin and ergonomic cables.

If there's anything I would change about the cable, it's that the Y-split is too big for my liking and the plastic used for the Y-split and 3.5mm connector feels relatively cheap for a premium priced product.

It's a nice thought to have the 2.5mm balanced cable included for those who have a balanced output on their source. But it should be noted that the balanced cable feels stiffer and cheaper when compared with the stock cable. The discrepancy in build quality is significant and I would have preferred to see the same implementation of the CORDURA fabric on the balanced cable.

Additionally, the balanced cable may not be necessary unless your source's balanced output has a low noise floor. The 1120s are very efficient and when connected to my ZX300's balanced output, electronic hiss was very much audible. This is why all testing was done with the stock cable on my Sony ZX300.

Sound
Here is the raw graph provided by Audiofly.

The 1120s have a warm-neutral sound signature. They feature a very broad bass lift by about 2dB which does more to lend the music a sense of warmth than to emphasize either the sub or mid-bass. Despite the bass boost being broad, the boost itself is mild hence the 1120s leave no room for any muddines or boominess, just enough to lend warmth.

The 1120s have minimal content in the sub-bass, which is only mildly audible in hip-hop rumble drops.【1】 Consequently, it's more difficult to track bass guitars when they are adjusted to be heard in the sub-bass.【2】 It can certainly be heard in all its definition because the 1120s are very resolving but it's just softer than what I'm used to. I might not have noticed the growl of the basslines on first listen if I wasn’t looking out for it in my music.

The mid-bass retains the same reserved quality as the sub-bass, which makes kick drums and synthetic bass beats sound tight.【3】

The upper midrange rises at 2kHz and peaks at 3.5kHz at 4dB. I feel that this doesn't balance out the wideband bass boost enough, causing music which prioritises instruments over vocals to sound slightly veiled.【4】 There is more transparency with music where vocals are at the forefront of the mix.【5】 The 1120s will certainly be welcome by lovers of smooth, tube-like presentations out of the box. I have to add that the 1120s top this off nicely with its midrange tone which is almost spot-on.

There is also a pronounced scoop in the lower treble following the 3.5kHz peak which may be a potential dealbreaker for some. The lack of energy past 4kHz reduces presence of vocals and instruments, causing the 1120s to be a very laidback set of monitors. This isn't a problem for me as the midrange is still tonally acceptable and it has the added bonus of being non-fatiguing. It's just that such an aggressive lower treble dip may not provide the energy and aggression that some audiophiles crave.

While cymbals and hi-hats are primarily driven by the mid-treble from 8-9kHz, the dip in the lower treble reduces the intensity of their attack. Cymbal crashes and hi-hat patterns are heard at the volume the audio engineer intended for them to be heard in the mix, nothing more, nothing less.【6】 There is neither any bite nor sparkle, or a feeling haziness - dead neutral.

The 1120s are by no means detail monsters from its laidback treble but it doesn't fall short in terms of note definition. To me, the biggest selling point of the 1120s lie in their technical ability. It has outstanding instrument separation and resolution which sit well above average. For instance, tracking background electric guitars which often get masked by lead vocals is a breeze and busy metalcore mixes never sound congested.【7】 It images well within its modestly sized soundstage.

Comparison with M7 & M9
I felt that it is only appropriate to compare these with my favourite sets of warm-neutral IEMs which are none other than the Sony IER M7 and M9. I'd like to thank Addicted To Audio for allowing my friend and I to audition and take pictures of the IEMs in their beautiful showroom here in Perth. We appreciate the staff's kindness in assisting us.


I will speak about the M7 and M9 broadly as a whole as they sound very similar to me, with the exception of the M9 having a superior treble response over the darker M7, due to its magnesium super tweeter.

In terms of tuning, the M7 and M9 have more sub-bass relative to the 1120s, causing them to have much more impact when the mix calls for it. The M7 and M9 have more energy in their upper midrange relative to their low end. To me, this makes the M7 and M9 more transparent than the 1120s.

In the grand scheme of things, both the M7 and M9 are pretty laidback IEMs due to their well-controlled lower treble presence. Similarly, the 1120s are also laidback but to a much greater extent.

In terms of resolution, 1120s = M7 < M9. The 1120s sit on par with the similarly priced M7 and the M9 edges out both these IEMs marginally. It should also be noted that the M9 costs almost twice as much as the other two.

Another possible reason why a potential buyer may choose the M7 or M9 lies in their superior soundstage over the 1120s. This could be because the semi-tubeless design employed in the M7 and M9 gives the impression of expansive width and depth to complement their extremely precise imaging.

To sum up the differences, I am certain that many consumers will find the tuning of the M7 and M9 more appealing, being musically-inclined whilst retaining the excellent technicalities befitting of a studio monitor. The combination of the spacious staging qualities, high level of transparency and tonal accuracy makes for an organic listen. Their ambience is just a whole lot more immersive which is why I'd pick them for personal enjoyment, especially so for listening to playback of live performances.

In contrast, the 1120s are much more clinical in nature. They adopt a flat neutral approach and a clear focus on precision, which allows the listener to hear exactly what the audio engineer envisioned when adjusting the volumes of different instruments in the song - their excellent dynamic range accomplishes this with ease. It clearly achieves what Audiofly set out to do with the 1120s' neutral tuning direction as it doesn't emphasise any frequency.

All in all, the 1120s are a highly technically competent workhorse. Their warm and flat neutral signature makes them an all-rounder for studio mixing and non-fatiguing stage monitoring. Audiofly also offers CIEMs but the program is on hold for the time being due to COVID-19. I feel that a perfect fit from having a CIEM version of the 1120s may increase perception of its clean sub-bass response. Additionally, its non-fatiguing signature is likely to work well with a CIEM firing past the 2nd bend in the ear canal for long audiophile listening or music mixing sessions in the studio.

This is it for my Audiofly AF1120 MK2 review. All photographs were taken by my good friend @teriyakeith.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. Falling in Reverse - Popular Monster, Losing My Mind.
2. MY FIRST STORY - With You.
3. Coldrain - REVOLUTION. Josie Dunne - Old School.
4. Coldrain - COEXIST, THE SIDE EFFECTS.
5. The xx - Angels. Machine Gun Kelly - I Think I'm OKAY
6. ONE OK ROCK - Yes I am (mixed louder), Taking Off (mixed softer).
7. Bring Me The Horizon - Antivist. Crystal Lake - Watch Me Burn.

Jabra Elite 75t Review - Mini sub-bass cannons



Specifications:
Price - 179.99 USD
Product page here
Driver - 6mm DD
Weight - 35g charging case, 5.5g each earbud
Frequency response - 20Hz-20kHz (music playback)
Battery - Up to 7.5h with earbuds and 28h including charging case
Charging time - About 2h20min to full charge
Connectivity - Bluetooth 5.0
IP rating - IP55 (resistant against dust and sustained low-pressure water jet spray)

This review can also be found on my hobby website with more pretty pictures taken by my good friend! You may find more of his works here.

General thoughts:
The 75t is Jabra's new offering as a follow-up for the popular 65t. The 75t takes a different approach from the 65t's neutral sound, attempting one that gives users a solid kick with their favourite tunes. The shell size and charging case are now much smaller, a more-than-welcome feature I love about it. This review primarily aims to describe the 75t's sound, more so than the other features.

Build, comfort and isolation:
The body shell is made of plastic and is much smaller than its predecessor, the 65t. The titanium black face of the buds is finished with a grainy texture and the body has a smooth matte finish. The build feels alright for what you're paying for and I personally wouldn't mind forking out an extra $20 for the Active version released earlier this year.

The charging case has a smooth matt finish that is pleasant to touch. Jabra has now adopted a magnetic lid which snaps shut on closing. Opening and closing the 75t's charging case is unusually satisfying of all TWS sets I've played around with before. It gives me the same satisfaction as toying with a fidget cube.

The shells are incredibly ergonomic as the ear buds now better replicate the ear anatomy with the curved nozzle simulating the 2nd bend in the ear canal, as compared to straight nozzles seen almost everywhere. The result is a comfortable, secure fit without ear fins/hooks which can cause irritation to the ear cymba. Despite having physical buttons, they are easy to press comfortably. With some other TWS, pressing these buttons can be uncomfortable because the user ends up jamming the ear bud further into the ear when they want to pause or take a call.

Passive noise isolation is average and gets the job done within the realm of UIEMs.

Packaging and accessories:

• Earbuds
• Charging case
• USB-C cable
• S, M & L silicone ear tips ("eargels", as Jabra likes to call it)

Comments on accessories:
I appreciate how the charging case is compact and thin, taking on the thickness of an average wallet. This makes pocketing the tech really handy when going about my daily activities.

Testing procedure:
The 75t was tested with Spotify on my MacBook Pro and Samsung smartphone. I have also tested the 75t with a tone generator to look out for any jarring peaks or dips. While I can never be as precise and accurate as a graphing tool, I use the rough information to rationalise specific sonic qualities which I hear for myself. Take this information with a pinch of salt.

Each【X】is a reference for some of the test tracks used to come to that conclusion. The list of referenced test tracks can be found at the end of this review. This list is not exhaustive, the full pool of test tracks can be found on my website.

Sound overview:
The 75t has a reverse J-shape response - essentially an imbalanced U-shape response with more emphasis on the sub-bass. Attack transients are a tad slow, and can seem even slower in the presence of the excessive sub-bass boominess.

Sound analysis:
The 75t has a hyper-boosted sub-bass with a spike in the bass response 90Hz and below. This sound might not normally work with average IEMs if we pump the sub-bass up to max on the EQ. However, Jabra manufactured the DD to fit in well with its tuning by giving the 75t DD a good sense of physicality - this makes the sub-bass seismic in nature.

However, little was done to provide grip to the sub-bass, making it woolly. This woolly sub-bass provides plenty of rumble and slam for bass-heavy tunes【1】, but it can lend an odd timbre to the sound. This stems from the fact that there isn't a complementary mid-bass boost.

The sheer imbalance within the bass region, with a hyper-boosted sub-bass and tame mid-bass, can make tracks sound uneven in rock & metal - kick drums give a resounding physical thump but tom-toms and snare drums pale in comparison with a lack of weight【2】. The unevenness is alleviated on playback of tracks with consistent synthetic bass beats【3】and therefore works better with the Pop genre.

Surprisingly, the 75t also manages to sound tinny. This only goes to depict the extent of the mid-bass recession despite the ample dose of sub-bass. The 75t might have been tuned this way to make room for the dominating sub-bass presence and to avoid bass bleeding into the midrange.

As a rough gauge, there is a recession from 90kHz to 200Hz, followed by a slow and gradual climb from 200Hz all the way to 6kHz which could be contributing to its tinny timbre. This also causes the midrange to be on the thin side and border on harshness. Tonal quality takes a hit as vocalists sound as if they are singing from their throat【4】and speedy electric guitars lose their crunch【5】.

In tracks with a ballad before a grand multi-instrumental outro which I can best describe as "calm before the storm"【6】, the 75t makes me want to skip the "calm" and dive right into the "storm". The imbalance discussed earlier can make the 75t go from a dark-sounding set to a bright one, solely dependent on whether the mix contains sub-bass presence. It essentially becomes bright without the sub-bass to mask the upper midrange shout.

On a more positive note, the midrange does "force out" subtle background cues because of its detail-oriented aggressive upper mid boost【7】. Some may enjoy this if they don't mind the midrange features discussed earlier.

The treble of the 75t is characterised by its massive spike from 6kHz to 8kHz, which could be Jabra's attempt at balancing out the sub-bass spike. This brings cymbals and hi-hats forward, but does little to give them shimmer and sparkle. In busy rock or metalcore mixes, crash cymbals can sound splashy【8】.

It should also be noted that the overall resolving ability of the 75t is not particularly fantastic for both midrange【9】and treble. This is especially so for the treble region where it lacks definition in cymbal strikes and hi-hat patterns - this contributes to a splashy background harshness as well【10】.

In other news for technical ability, the 75t has a narrow-sounding headstage, exacerbated by its thin midrange. However, the woolly sub-bass can help alleviate this depending on the quantities of sub-bass present during playback. The 75t doesn't do much for separation or imaging. Sonic cues are projected upon a narrow 2-dimensional wall of sound with little depth to it. Subtle background details become audible but aren't placed in a discernible location within its narrow headstage.


When left on "neutral", it sounds as if somebody already cranked up the sub-bass on the EQ and left it as that. We will now discuss each EQ pre-set in brief.

Speech: Sub-bass presence is the most tame in this setting. Thin and hard sounding vocals described earlier now dominate the mix.

Bass Boost: Amplifies the already excessive sub-bass bloom and rumble. Helps drown out any abrasiveness in the upper mids and treble for a smoother playback.

Treble Boost: The most "balanced" signature the 75t has to offer. Be warned that listener fatigue may set in quickly. For me at least.

Smooth: Begins to imitate a more traditional V-shaped sound signature. Becomes smoother relative to its original sound but is still distinctly 75t sound, which is, not smooth.

Energize: Similar to "neutral" but with vocals pushed even further back.

Who is this for?
Unique tunings, while interesting, can be polarizing. The 75t is not for those who:

• Don't want another earbud that has a midrange which borders on shoutiness (varies between listeners depending on their tolerance)
• Want a TWS with an organic musical playback with their multi-genre library (vocalists can sound as if singing from their throat, etc…)

But the 75t may fit the bill for those who:

• Want gobs of skull-rattling (sub) bass for the kicks, especially at the gym
• Appreciate a tactile bass response - this is what makes the 75t's overly-bassy tuning work
• Don't mind the unusual sub-bass spike for a different take on their music
• Have a library which involves heavy rotation among synthetic "future bass" Pop or EDM. (Marshmello, Gryffin, Illenium, Seven Lions, The Chainsmokers, etc…)
• Want something convenient and comfortable for their daily commute. The ergonomic earbud housing and compact charging case fit into my daily life with ease.

Would I change anything about it?
With the available EQ presets, I don't find myself wanting the original tuning to be tweaked. I most often find myself rotating between "bass boost" and "treble boost" ("bass boost" for workouts and "treble boost" for short mundane tasks such as folding laundry).

Concluding thoughts:
If this sounds like something you'd like to have on top of your primary reference gear, you might be happy to hear that the other features of the 75t are very well done. The Jabra Sound+ app offers users other features:
- A transparency mode, "HearThrough", that gets the job done
- Soundscapes such as "white noise", "ventilation fan", "ocean waves", "rainy day", "crowd", etc…
- Multi-device connection. It spares me the trouble of configuring the earbuds for use between my laptop and phone.

The asking price offers the consumer a fun, unusual playback with the convenience of TWS. The other features may merely be a gimmick for some but I do find them useful. Its unique playback is genre-specific which makes it one of those earbuds I'd wear to enjoy self-curated playlists containing songs which don't reveal the 75t's bass imbalance - mainly synthetic "future bass" pop. I don't often play acoustic on these as it can sound "naked" without the sub-bass to carry the sound.

The 75t's seismic sub-bass is one that I've grown addicted to in the gym. It is clearly geared towards bassheads who can appreciate its odd flavour and those who need a kick in their tunes.

Test tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…

1. The Glitch Mob - Aminus Vox, We Can Make The World Stop, Come Closer. Billie Eilish - bury a friend, bad guy, you should see me in a crown. The Weeknd - Starboy, Six Feet Under.
2. All Time Low - Favourite Place, Cinderblock Garden, Summer Daze. Solence - Paralyzed. Bring Me The Horizon - Sleepwalking, Shadow Moses.
3. Josie Dunne - Old School, Ohh La La, Same. The Weeknd - Blinding Lights, I Feel It Coming, True Colours. Halsey - Colours, Roman Holiday, 100 Letters. Aimer - ONE, 3min, Monochrome Syndrome.
4. Andrea Bocelli - Vivere. Of Monsters And Men - Wild Roses, Stuck In Gravity. Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Music Of The Night, 'Til I Hear You Sing, Memory, Any Dream Will Do. Aimer - Marie, Choucho Musubi, Rokutouseino Yoru. Radwimps - tazuna, Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?, Confession. Coldrain - JANUARY 1ST. The Fray - You Found Me. Daughtry - What About Now, No Surprise.
5. My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade, Famous Last Words, Thank You for the Venom. M83 - Go!. MY FIRST STORY - Mukoku, LET IT DIE, REVIVER, 2 FACE, ALONE.
6. Falling In Reverse - The Drug In Me Is Reimagined. MY FIRST STORY - Love Letter, Last Kiss, Kimi no Uta. Radwimps - Mountain Top, Breath, Hari to Toge.
7. MY FIRST STORY - Mukoku, LET IT DIE. LiSA - Gurenge, ADAMAS, Ash. Sawano Hiroyuki - Binary Star, Tranquility, Trollz, narrative.
8. Coldrain - ENVY, F.T.T.T, SPEAK, ANSWER / SICKNESS, LI(E)FE. Crystal Lake - +81, Lost in Forever, Devilcry, Apollo, Sanctuary. Bring Me The Horizon - Sleepwalking, Shadow Moses, Avalanche.
9. Bring Me The Horizon - Drown, Oh No, mother tongue, Happy Song. ONE OK ROCK - Wasted Nights, Take What You Want, We Are, Decision. Sawano Hiroyuki - REMEMBER, i-mage, View. MY FIRST STORY - REMEMBER, REVIVER, Monologue + Kyogen Neurose (Orchestra Ver.). Radwimps - 万歳千唱, 正解 (18FES ver.).
10. Royal Blood - Little Monster, Hook Line & Sinker, Out of the Black, Figure It Out. ONE OK ROCK - Cry Out, Taking Off, The Beginning, Mikansei koukyoukyoku. MY FIRST STORY - WINNER, Home, Fukagyaku Replace, MONSTER.

Price and specifications
Price: USD$299.99 (tested at USD$176)
Sony MDR-1AM2 official webpage

Weight – 187g
Type – Closed dynamic
Impedance (ohm) – 16Ω
Frequency response – 3-100,000kHz
Sensitivity – 98dB/mW
Cable – 3.5mm detachable silver-coated OFC
Cable length – 47-1/4”
Plug – Gold-plated L-shaped (3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Balanced)



Accessories
4.4mm male to 3.5mm male balanced cable
3.5mm male to 3.5mm male single-ended cable with mic
Soft carrying pouch

Comments on accessories
I love how Sony includes both sets of cables, allowing for flexibility between sources. The pouch contains a separate compartment to store the 2 different cables which is good thinking on Sony’s part.

However, this is also why they must be stored carefully. It is easy to create dents which take some time to subside. I would very much prefer to have seen a hard-shell case at the listed retail price point, as the soft pouch does little to protect these in the confines of a backpack full of junk; especially since the ear pads must be oh-so-dearly babied.

Build, comfort and isolation
The frame is light but the build quality remains sturdy without feeling cheap. It should be noted that the pressure-relieving earpads, while comfortable, may trap heat when wearing the headphones for about an hour or so. The earpads tend to flatten over a listening session; my ears gradually begin to touch the grills in front of the drivers when wearing these for more than 2 hours. I have to take these off for about 20min to let the earpads return to its original shape.

Despite providing the comfort I yearn for on long-haul flights, I swapped out to my CIEMs on a plane as the MDR-1AM2 passive noise isolation does little to block out the aircraft hum.

On a separate note, I have been taking very good care of the earpads by wiping them down with alcohol after a few uses so the synthetic leather earpads and headband have yet to start peeling. I'm doing my best to prolong its lifespan because changing earpads seems to be quite a pain with these since the earpads are permanently attached to the cans.



Sound
The MDR-1AM2 was tuned with Sony’s new house sound, a well-tuned V-shaped pair of cans with an airy, energetic timbre. It walks the fine line between being musical and analytical. It satisfies the average consumer, as well as the discerning audiophile, within the mid-tier price bracket.

The bass is elevated and extension is deep, with equal focus on both sub-bass and mid-bass. This attention to both aspects of the bass is realistic – the sub-bass rumble is well-controlled and the mid-bass does not mask its tone.【1】 The MDR-1AM2's bass presentation renders details of bass guitars that play alongside vocals exceptionally well. It has a clean playback while delivering that "kick" most people crave for in a rock mix.【2】

Possibly bolstered by the back vents at the top of each earcup, the DD has a nice physicality, with impactful sub-bass rumble and mid-bass thump that can be felt. Although the mid-bass lends some warmth to midrange, it is clearly balanced out by the upper midrange with a pinna gain that climbs from 2kHz to approximately 4.5kHz. The peak at 4.5kHz here definitely gives the vocals a boost in clarity; the magnitude of the upper-mid boost is well-controlled to avoid an uncomfortably hard, aggressive upper midrange. Taking the rise from 2kHz into account, the lower-mids are relatively recessed hence one can expect that higher pitched vocals will have more of an edge over deeper ones. 【3】

The mid to upper-treble boost works well with the gain in the upper-mids to give air and reveal fine details of recordings. I say that this is a well-tuned V-shape because it not only does bass well, but I also love that its treble also exhibits a distinct shimmery "crash" to cymbals and hi-hats.【4】Additionally, the MDR-1AM2 manages to keep sibilance well under-control despite the treble emphasis.



While it is all too common to see some manufacturers boost the treble for the psychoacoustic illusion of more details, the MDR-1AM2 is a specialist in bringing forth such detail of recordings while maintaining a pleasing tonality. However, the MDR-1AM2 does not keep up in the resolution department. As detailed as it sounds, these perceived details in different components of the mix are not as well-articulated and well-separated as I'd like them to be.

At the end of the day, the resolution is very reasonable and it's something that some listeners might not even have a problem with. But I have to bring this up because of what these headphones could have been for me. Its stellar tuning and detail retrieval can fit the bill for many and having the extra bit of resolution at this price point would have made these an even stronger contender in the mid-fi arena.

Possibly due to the fact that the lower treble is slightly recessed, the presence of instruments and vocals are set a distance away from the listener. Combined with its airy treble, this helps give the perception of a spacious sound although the soundstage is neither particularly wide nor deep. This is why I enjoy using the MDR-1AM2 for live performances as well.

Concluding thoughts
I also have to discuss the relevance of the MDR-1AM2 today in 2020. With the recent release of the Sony WH-1000XM4 in Aug 2020, it would be interesting to listen to how the wired MDR-1AM2 fares against its wireless counterpart. While I do not have a pair of WH-1000XM4 to make a definitive comparison at the moment, I intend to audition them one day to come to that conclusion.

Costing USD$50 more than the official listed price of the MDR-1AM2 (USD$349.99), it may be hard to justify an MDR-1AM2 if the sound quality isn't far off (considering ANC and wireless features in the WH-1000XM4). You might get more bang for your buck purchasing the MDR-1AM2 2nd hand as a secondary pair of headphones if you've already got a great setup at home for wired listening.

Thanks for reading! You may find more reviews on my Head-fi thread.

These are some of the notable tracks used to come to my conclusions for those who're interested (not exhaustive).
Sample tracks for reference: Artiste 1 – Song 1, Song 2. Artiste 2 – Song 1…
1. Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster. PVRIS - Nightmare, Hallucinations. Milet - Ashes
2. Imminence - Paralysed, Infectious. Architects - Animals. Bring Me The Horizon - Teardrops.
3. Of Monsters And Men - Stuck In Gravity, Wild Roses. Andrew Lloyd Weber - Memory, Amigos Para Siempre.
4. MY FIRST STORY - Missing You, With You, Home. ONE OK ROCK - Yes I Am, Taking Off.