I would like to thank VModa for including me in the review program and being given the chance to revisit the M100 in the form of the M100 Master. Unfortunately my original M100 has developed a short in one of the cups so I was unable to do an A/B comparison between the 2 models. So this review will be only about the M100 Master with some select comparisons between it and some of my other headphones on hand.

Before I get started in earnest I need to apologize to VModa as I have taken a bit longer than I initially thought on this review as I was struggling with them when they arrived. This was due to my own ever shifting sonic preferences which took a turn to the mid/treble side after the purchase of a new True wireless earphone purchase around Black Friday. This change made it hard to enjoy a warmer sound signature. The issue was then compounded by my Samsung S9 phone which itself is a bit on the warm side as a source. Fortunately I finally remembered I had my trusty Pono still kicking around to fired it up and it helped add a bit of spark due to it's colder nature. The good news is this in NOT an issue with the M100 Master per se as I compared them to several other warm headphones I own and they more than held their own in that sonic realm. But expect this review to be slightly skewed by my preferences which currently lean towards a brighter signature...

So, how would I describe the VModa M100 Master? They are a mostly comfortable, rugged, portable headphone that manages to sonically hold its own again most of my headphone collection. Sonically speaking its a mid-bass oriented warm headphone that dips in to sub-bass depths but not as much as I would like, with a relaxed treble that's detailed but lacks sparkle and air compared to some headphones. I would say its a mildly V shaped signature that is shallower on the treble side of the spectrum.

Packaging, accessories, build quality, and comfort - 4/5
If there is one area that Vmoda does better than most is packaging and the M100 Master is no exception, these come in a nice looking restrained box that doesn't rely on Size and fluff to try and impress you with how great the headphone is. Inside that box is a cool headphone case that is as rugged in design as the headphones themselves. All a testament to VModa's DJ roots. So why a 4 out of 5? Unfortunately while the headphone is well packaged it misses slightly on the cup design. I have average size ears and they just barely fits inside the cup and have hot spots due to touches. Sitting up I can generally get them finally seated so they stop bothering me and then get a couple of hours of use without much trouble. But I find then to uncomfortable to lie down wearing them and I usually notice hotspots on my ears when I take them off after a longer listening session. As for accessories, these come with a regular 3.5 stereo cable and a single button smartphone cable which is starting to seem slightly short of modern standard cables. Given that many phones are dropping the headphone jack, it might be time for VModa to consider adding a 3rd balanced cable aimed more towards the audiophile crowd. This packaging was fine when the M100 was originally released but it might behoove VModa to catch up with the times.

Bass - 4/5
Bass is an area that is difficult to rate subjectively since each person will have their own idea of perfection. I personally prefer a headphone with a linear bass that can reach good sub-bass depths with little to no mid-bass hump. But this may be the EXACT opposite for a lot of people. To give an example my current favorites TWS is the AZ70 from Technics and I LOVE its bass presentation. But I can tell you several other people in one of the threads I follow sent their AZ70 back because it just lacked to much bass for them. So take my preferences in to consideration. In my initial testing I was frustrated enough I ended up pulling out a couple other headphones on hand to get a better perspective. In the following testing I found the M100 to have enough mid-bass to become a bit droning at times with some tracks but those moments tended to not last long and were usually made up for by the rest of the sound signature.

Midrange 4.25/5
The midrange while slightly recessed is engaging and at times lively with good detail. But due to the mid-bass hump it is warmer in nature. This makes it a great easy listening signature but I am not sure it is always tonally accurate. Having said that for voices I LOVE how horned instruments sound, they have great presence and realism for me. This makes the Master a great classical music headphone and very good with Jazz and rock that incorporates a lot of horns.

Treble 4/5
The treble on this headphone follows a similar path as the midrange, being detailed but relaxed in nature. This makes for a supremely relaxed headphone that can be listened to for hour with zero fatigue. But also may be lacking for some in regards to sparkle and air.

Soundstage and imaging 4/5
I was actually taken aback when listening to several classical pieces with complex harsh orchestral sections. The Master handled these songs with great aplomb allowing the instruments space along with nice 3D imaging. Other songs such as Zombie by Nelly McKay were decently presented as but lack the width and height of the best headphones I have heard for this area. But certainly above average especially for a closed back headphone.

Initial Impressions:

My first blush with these was a violin concerto with a strong brass section and I was impressed with how these reproduced trumpets and other brass instruments. The violin was also present but lacked some of the vitality on higher notes and was slightly on the warm side.

I flipped from that song to Patricia Barber - Smash and found the song well produced with the double bass plucks sounding nice and full and wonderful detail in the cavernous portion of the song. The cymbal kit sounded detailed and crisp but lacked a bit of decay and shimmer at the end of the strikes.

I switched over to a couple deep bass songs such as Beckah Shay - Rest, Interstellar - Cornfield Chase and found the M100s first weakness, sub-bass in all these songs has a moment where it can be felt but the M100 only touched on those moments. Not completely devoid but only a whisper of the potential.

I then switched to Led Zeppelin - In the Evening and found the bassy sound at the beginning of the song very droning and overwhelming in the song showing a mid-bass hump. For many songs this would probably sound wonderful but in this songs case it just sounded droning in an almost unpleasant way. When the song kicked in proper the sound was pleasant and detailed but lacked a bit of bite in the guitars.

After a few more songs and my initial take is this is a warmer sounding headphone with a nice midrange standing out the most, a mid-bass oriented bass that just scratches into the sub-bass, and treble that is detailed but relaxed, lacking airiness and sparkle to protect the listeners ears. I can absolutely see how a DJ might like this headphone and for a lot of people this will be a delight due to the mid-bass hump. For genres like Classical and Jazz it works very well. For general rock it sounded good but due to the lack of grit for guitars and lost cymbal detail I found myself wishing for more.

I then did some quick A/B/C/D testing between the M100, HE400I, Night Hawk, and Sony Z7. Using Led Zeppelin - In the Evening and Interstellar - Cornfield Chase.

The results were very interesting. None of these headphones could reach down into the sub-bass to make themselves felt in the Cornfield Chase with the Night Hawk slightly besting the rest, followed by the M100 and Z7 being about the same, then the He400i a distant 4th. Outside of that bass moment the M100 held its own well having decent detail retrieval that rivaled the 400i and the Night Hawks surprising the Z7 was the least engaging of the 4 headphones and the 400i while lacking that bass was the most engaging followed by the M100.

Switching up to In the Evening the 400i was bass light enough you could hardly tell there was a bass drone at the beginning of the song but sounded wonderful once the song really kicked in. The Z7 and Night Hawk both managed the drone better than the M100 but neither sounded good for the rest of the song. The M100 handled the drone the worst but overall was second only to the 400i due to how it handled the rest of the song.

As can be seen in those impressions I found most of my full size headphone collection lacked sub-bass impact which surprised me. So the M100 is no more lacking than several headphones that cost significantly more in my collection and it held up in over all sonics very well against everything mentioned.

I also pulled out my AKG K545 and Meze 99 for a quick comparison and again was surprised by the results.

Over all I found the Meze the most energetic but in an almost exhausting way with a much harsher V shaped signature that added to much to vocals making them go from warm and relaxed on the M100 to bright and harsh on the 99. The K545 were brighter that the M100 being the coldest sounding out of all my headphones including the 400i but they were nit as sharp or brittle as the 99. Out of these 3 headphones I definitely enjoyed the M100 the most.

Final Conclusions

Aside from struggling to appreciate the sonic qualities of the M100 Master due to the recent change in my preferences I found myself enjoying these a lot more than I initially thought as I properly compared them to other headphones in my collection. In the end my experience was good enough that I can comfortably recommend this to anyone who likes a warmer signature with a bit of mid-bass emphasis and relaxed treble. For anyone wanting something they listen to for hours on end with stressing their ear these will fit that bill completely.

After owning multiple True Wireless IEM's I think I have finally found my end game model for the time being, stick around and find out why. But before I get going let me give a bit of a brief history of my TWS experience. I have been trying various models from Sony with the WF-XB700 being the latest. I always have enjoyed the Sony sound even when it dips into the DARK zone for signature, but I also always have issues with something with each model. The latest model being the lack of ambient mode and an underwhelming talking experience. Plus I almost always find the treble to be easy on the ears but lacking detail and sparkle. I also have tried the original Sennheiser True Momentum True Wireless (MTW) and really enjoyed the warm spacious signature of the IEM. But alas Sennheiser took a bogey on that initial offering having serious battery drain issues, poor case design that resulted in hinge issues, and for me ultimately a failed unit that had minimal use after 2 years of use. My confidence in Sennheiser was shaken by this experience and I am unwilling to spend another $350CAD+ to try their new model. I also have tried the original Galaxy Buds and enjoyed them but found their signature lacking the excitement and detail I craved. I then bought the Anker Liberty 2 Pro and found a great IEM that had very good voice abilities for calls, amazing battery life, and good fit. But I found the bass a bit over the top and the treble a bit hot at times and I missed having ambient mode. But it was my best TWS at the time.

Queue the usual itch to try something new and hopefully find something more to my signature preference...

When I started seeing the Panasonic and Technics IEM's at Vision Electronics I was intrigued but put off by the high price tag so I started to wait to see when they would go on sale. Come Black Friday when they all went on sale I decided to just go for the flagship and bought the AZ70 for $198CAD. Not chump change but more reasonable than the WF-1000XM3 and Sennheiser MTW2, so while there were not many reviews of the AZ70 the few I read or watched (gotta love Flossy Carter) suggested I might like their sound and features even if they only had 6hrs of power per charge.

So I cancelled an order I had for the new Status Between Pro and went all in on the AZ70.

Upon first listen I knew I was going to like the AZ70 as it just had so much more detail and balanced sound than any TWS I had tried to date. But I also found myself wishing they had a bit more bass and were a bit more secure in my ears as the default tips were a bit to easy to move when walking or jogging. Queue the head-fi tip roll... After playing around I found myself settling on good old Sony Hybrid large tips. They added more security in ear for me and the narrower stem opening added a smidge more bass while dampening the treble ever so slightly inching the already great signature ever so closer to my perfect signature. So anyone contemplating buying these be aware you might end up using other tips, in case that is something your against doing.

Physical Kit -3.5/5
I find the kit of the AZ70 good but not great. They come with all the obligatory pieces such as USB cable, tips and charging case. But the tips are only 3 sizes and are all shallow in design. The case feels pretty premium but has a slightly flimsy feel to it making me worry a bit about durability (not interested in another Sennheiser type experience with hinges!). I also notice the IEMs don't snap into place in the case as easily as I would like. Battery life of the IEM is at a fairly decent between point for me. I find it last just about as long as I need at any given time during the day but just hits that point. At 6 hours I could wish it has a couple more hours to be safe. The case then has 2 more charges and can do a quick charge when needed. Over all it not underwhelming but not best in class either.

TWS Controls - 3.5/5
In this area I have to start off by saying I am not a fan of touch panel controls! So my score is skewed by my bias. Having said that these IEM's have all the controls needed to operate them, they have stop start, volume up and down, assistant ability, and the ability to switch between ABC, Ambient, and Off. But I find the double/tripple tap for volume tricky forcing me to grip the IEM with my fingers so I can comfortably tap the center properly (not a very good lefty) and of course it makes noise and presses into my ear. I also wish I could switch the controls around but this currently is no an option. I would have preferred a simple button on the side of each IEM but am OK with what is available. At least the touch panels seem to work correctly and don't miss taps.

Special Sound Abilities 4/5
I quickly fell in love with the ANC ability of the AZ70, I find it very effective, being almost as good as my full size WH-1000XM3 and slightly better than the WH-H910N. Its not perfect as I still hear stuff around me, but on the train once music is playing I am in my own little bubble. Similarly the Ambient mode allows me to break the bubble and works as good as my old Sennheiser MTW in this regard. Turning off both modes turns these into a traditional TWS. I find the signature is minimally impacted by each mode but there are small differences.

Note the accompanying APP for the AZ70 does allow for modifying the signature via some preset and a basic 5 band EQ but using these settings does not make serious changes to the signature. I find they are OK but if you want major changes to the signature it will not meet your needs. I also find the ANC adjuster seems to always go back to about 75% no matter what I do. This may be just something to do with my phone but but I can only report what I see happening.

Bass - 4/5
Bass on these is deep and supremely controlled offering plenty of detail but is more neutral than any TWS I have owned or heard. It certainly can go very low into the sub-bass but it is never intrusive with zero mid bass hump.

Midrange 4.5/5
As a lover of the midrange I really appreciate a clear and detailed midrange that can convey the emotion of singers and grit. In this regard the AZ70 out of the box is exceptional and very neutral verging on being on the cold side.

Treble - 4.5/5
Treble is a tricky beast to get right, to much and it causes fatigue and sibilance, to little and detail is lost and airiness is destroyed. In this regard the AZ70 pushes the envelope right up to the edge superbly balancing that fine line.

Soundstage 4/5
The sound stage on the AZ70 is above average but is a bit more intimate than the best such as MTW due to the level of detail offered by the midrange and treble as they are more in your face than more consumer oriented signatures.

Final thoughts
I have to say more than any TWS I have tried this IEM manages to capture the essence of my music better than anything else I have owned or tried. Its not perfect but its darn close at least for my ears. It works great with Jazz, classical, older rock, psychedelic rock, Celtic, and pretty much anything else I have thrown at it. Think I might be able to take a break from the upgradeitis train for a while now...

First off I would like to thank Audiofly for sending me this pair of AF140 MK2 for review. These were loaned to me for the purposes of reviewing and then sent back to the manufacturer afterwards.

I have been a fan of Audiofly since their inception where I did some reviews back in the day. About a year ago one of the national electronics stores here in Canada started to carry the mid/high range Audiofly headphones and I picked up a pair of the AF140 at that time. So when Audiofly was looking for reviewers I thought it might be good to do a review of the new MK2 version of the AF140 and do some comparisons to the original model and reached out to Audiofly.

Upon receiving the new MK2’s I was immediately impressed with difference in comfort and fit. The original AF140 were mostly comfortable but in a way that made the guide not properly form around the ear. The new model fits perfectly around my ear and is easy to forget once inserted. I also appreciate the more premium look of the paint on the MK2 as compared to the original AF140 which looks more plasticky in comparison. Finally the carrying case of the new model is also a significant upgrade over the original case. So overall in all areas non audio related the MK2 is a major improvement over the original model and shows that Audiofly has been paying attention to their customers.

I am not a great photographer thus the lack of photos but I thought one picture showing the color differences and the way the ear guides look was in order. Note the massive arc on the origjnalAF140 ear guide and the dull grey coloring versus the metallic grey of the MK2 and tight ear guide.


Regarding sound I find the new model to have more bass presence as compared to the original with similar levels of midrange detail and slightly more treble presence. The over all effect of the new model is a slightly warmer yet slightly more nuanced listening experience as compared to the original AF140. For most of my music this translates into a slightly more enjoyable listening experience. But I also notice that some of my music tends to come across as a bit overbearing in the bass response as compared to the original model.

So if you own the original model and thinks it’s bass level is right where you like it and your OK with the fit then the MK2 is not going to be an upgrade for you. But if you would like more bass or have fit issues with the original then the MK2 will be a solid upgrade bet.

So how does the MK2 compare on its own?

Accessories and fit – 4/5

The over all kit of tips and accessories included with the AF140 MK2 is pretty typical of audiophile-oriented headphones. That is, they include a basic non microphone cable designed to work with any 3.5mm stereo system, the typical silicone tips, complies, and 1 pair of medium Dekoni tips. While I applaud Audiofly for eschewing a microphone and controls for the sake of audio quality, I feel it is a misstep on their part as the missed functionality makes these less useful for people on the go who listen to music using their phone which I suspect will be the largest target audience. The included case is very sturdy and flat but slightly larger than I would like to carry in my pocket but is fine for a backpack, case, or purse.

Testing the included tips I quite liked the Dekoni tips as compared to the tradition Comply tips finding them slightly less irritating to my ear canal. But in the end, I switched back to the silicone tips as I generally find them easier to manage and the least irritating to my ear canals.

Bass- 4/5

Over I enjoyed the bass presence on these for the most part. I occasionally had songs where the bass was a bit overbearing though and I found the bass to be slightly one noted lacking detail and nuance as compared to some bass oriented headphones I have owned over the years. I think the bass works best with electronic music and worst with jazz that rely on double bass or cello oriented music.

Midrange – 4/5

I found the midrange to be rich and enjoyable lacking just a bit of detail that brings out the emotion of vocals or the full nuances of piano and guitar decay.

Treble – 4/5

The treble is slightly more detailed than its predecessor but over all loses some of the shimmer and space that some bass oriented IEM’s have managed to achieve.

Sound stage / imaging 4/5

I find the overall sound stage of these to be slightly on the intimate size but decently 3D in presentation, creating a small but engaging listening experience.

Final Impressions:

So my overall score is 4/5 pretty much across the board as these satisfy many areas but never reach for the stars in any area. This may seem like a knock against the headphone but I think not. These were designed primarily as a stage monitor for musicians and as such would generally play it safe to protect the musicians hearing and make them less distracting and this regard, they have nailed their demographic. For consumer-oriented buyers these are best suited for people who struggle with too much upper midrange/lower treble presence and also appreciate a heavier bottom end.

For me these work great when I am working and just want to enjoy music without getting distracted by the detail. They offer an excellent non invasive signature that is enjoyable without over whelming me. But when I want to fully focus on my music and get lost in the details I find myself reaching for something more detail oriented.

To start I want to say I have been a KEF headphone and earphone fan for several years, owning every models of product that have released except the newest Space One Wireless. But I have also had issues with ergonomics which often out weighed their sonic prowess.

So when I saw my local Visions Electronics store had the Space One Wireless and the Motion One on sale I had to make a hard decision as I could not justify buying both. In the end the lower price of the Motion One combined with the fact I already own the Space One wired lead me to grab the Motion One.

Man, am I ever glad I bought the Motion One!

This IEM offers the best KEF sound I have heard of all their products except maybe the M500 along with the best comfort of all their IEMs.

The IEM comes with an almost too beefy case for carrying the IEM and Neck ring. A standard selection of tips and a regular wire cable that can be used in place of the bluetooth module (not recommended).

Sonically speaking the Motion One is one of the most engaging IEMs I have owned, which is all the more impressive given the fact it is a Bluetooth device that is not using the latest version of bluetooth or the highest codecs available offering only APTx and AAC. Not to mention being only a single dynamic driver versus all the Multi BA / Hybrid offerings on the market.

So how good do I think it is? Well let's just say I prefer it to my $400 Sony WI1000X, my Brainwavz B400, Firefly AF140, and several other products I no longer own such as the Logitech UE900. I am not saying it's better than all of them but I definitely prefer its signature and 3D presentation to all of them.

In fact I find it as engaging as my now defunct Sony XBA-Z5. Again I am not saying it's better than the Z5, but it as engaging albeit in a different way as they have significantly different signatures. The Z5 has a larger than life movie theater type quality to it while the Motion One is more true to life / audiophile quality with a similar immersive 3D presentation.

Here is a sonic breakdown.

Bass - The bass is lightly emphasized but not egregiously over the top. It has a slight midbass hump but still manages to go quite low and the hump does not overshadow the sub bass or overly color the midrange.

Midrange - the midrange is slightly warm but not enough to overly color the sound. I never noticed female vocals to sound off pitch which is something I did notice with the Z5. I also find the midrange excellent for guitars and stringed instruments as a whole, conveying crunch, grit, and delicacy in equal amounts.

Treble - The treble similarly is airy and complete without crossing the line in to shrillness or sibilance.

Soundstage and imaging - This is the area that impressed me the most and brings this IEM to its magical status. The 3D qualities of this IEM are right up there with the XBA-Z5 which is a $700 IEM. This quality combined with a natural complete signature just captured my mind and ears more than anything I have owned since my XBA-Z5.

So now that have painted a picture of sonic perfection what are the warts?

Well thankfully comfort is not one of them. This is KEF's most comfortable IEM to date. It has pretty standard rubber tips and a more normal size nozzle as compared to the M200. It also allows for 3 positions of the nozzle to accommodate over ear and hanging down configurations. The neck ring is also pretty comfortable around the neck.

But speaking of the neck ring it is wrapped in a rubber material to help make the IEM IPX5 rated. The material is soft and pliable which adds to comfort but unfortunately it also makes the controls awkward to use and the power plug tricky to open and then reseal after charging. This is the biggest area of frustration for me and I wish it was better implemented. But I can live with it since these sound so good.

So, why is no one talking about this IEM? I think this boils down to KEF entering the fray a bit to late and not offering enough technical bells and whistles such as higher resolution codecs such as APTxHD and LDAC, or multi driver configurations. In their defence though, now that I have heard their product I can understand why they have done all that. Their product simply sounds so good it didn't need to. Unfortunately though, people read and place more value on specs when they can't try a product out first hand. Secondly this product has had very little retail exposure as compared to Beats, Sony, Sennheiser and other popular brands. Until these were available at Visions Electronics in Canada the only other way to buy them was from KEF direct here in Canada.

So are there any other issues? YES and it's a whopper! This IEM uses MMCX connectors and comes with a straight none BT cable option that can be swapped out for the BT neck ring. My best advice is to IGNORE THIS OPTION AT ALL COSTS! I have owned multiple MMCX IEMs and they simply can not take multiple connect/disconnects or they will lose connection and short out. My $700 XBA-Z5 are a broken pile of rubble due to this and that was after a warranty replacement. I have other MMCX IEMs with the EXACT same issue. Just use this IEM as it was intended as a bluetooth model and lose that other cable. If you look online many people have failed Motion Ones and I can almost guarantee you this is because they swapped their cables.

KEF if your reading DROP that extra cable and stop promoting this flawed feature!

So there you go. If you like the KEF sound you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this IEM. If you want a natural yet engaging IEM experience you will love this IEM. You just have to be OK with a ring style Bluetooth implementation. Given the EXTREME LOW PRICES these can be had for, at least here in Canada. This is one of the best sonic deals I have seen in many years.

Before I start my review I want to discuss my ANC Bluetooth journey a bit to give some context to my review.

I have been trying ANC and Bluetooth products now for several years. My first ANC product was the Bose QC20 which blew me away with its amazing ANC ability but came up short on its audio fidelity. I then tried different products like the MDR100ABN and a long list of other BT only products. Each would be good but never quite good enough. The MDR100ABN suffered from wind noise, some had Bluetooth connectivity issues, others lacked the audio quality I craved. so the search continued...

During this time phone manufacturers started to drop the headphone jack and headphone manufacturers started to improve the audio quality of their headphones. Part of the arms race that ensued was Bluetooth Codecs that were meant to overcome Bluetooth limitations. I bought into this part of the arms race hook line and sinker. I have even gone so far as to say I would only buy products that supported LDAC or APTxHD.

This lead to my purchase of the Sony MDR1000XM3 headphone, the KING of codec support having every Codec available today built in to the headphone, plus industry leading ANC and 3rd generation design! It had it all!!! Except I found myself wishing it had more detail. The more I listened to the 1000XM3 the more I found myself being overwhelmed by it's bass and underwhelmed by its treble. On paper it was perfect but in everyday use I just wasn't satisfied by the music. It was great from a relaxing perspective and the ability to listen for hours on end without any fatigue but it just wasn't as engaging as I wanted.

So my journey continued and after repurchasing the NAD HP50 on sale and loving its detailed yet delicate signature I decided to try the NAD HP70 a Bluetooth ANC headphone from NAD. It supported APTxHD, APTX, AAC, and SBC. As it turns out my new phone the Samsung S9 does not support APTxHD so I ended up using APTx or AAC. Unfortunately while the HP70 is more comfortable than the HP50 being almost as comfortable as the MDR1000XM3 it has NAD Room Feel 2.0 versus Room Feel 1.0. or a slightly different signature compared to the HP50. the change unfortunately added more upper midrange/lower treble energy than I am comfortable with. Making some music a bit to harsh for my ear fatigue prone ears.

I then switched gears to True Wireless Earbuds and found that the real secret to a successful headphone still lies in proper tuning and a good driver rather than just relying on Codecs as can be seen in my review of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless.

Shortly after I received my Momentum True Wireless I started to see the AKG N700NC appears in discussions. But it was getting little attention due to a lack of Codec support and some early misinformation, from Samsung itself no less! Early details suggested the headphone only supported SBC alone! Fortunately the headphone also supports AAC as well. But only these 2 Codecs!!!! What was AKG/Samsung thinking! Where was LDAC, where was APTxHD or at least APTx! But then I thought, well my MTW sound pretty darn good using only BT 5.0 and AAC, so why not the N700NC? So I took a leap of faith...


Build Quality, Accessories, battery life:
When I opened up the AKG packaging I was very impressed with the case that came with the headphone. It was semi hard and well constructed, offering good protection for the headphone. The headphone itself was similarly well built with one exception. The length adjusters are extremely loose and easily slide to a smaller size. But aside from the adjuster the headphone itself is nice and does not suffer from any creaking issues. The usual cables and airplane adapter are also included including a simple single button 3.5mm headphone cable. The battery life of the headphone is rated at 20hrs in Bluetooth mode, and 30 hours in corded ANC mode. I have not let it play until it has died but it appears to be pretty accurate to their claim as I have used it for around 10hrs and still hade around 50% battery life left.
Score: 4.5/5

Modes of Operation:
Like many Bluetooth and ANC products this headphone is designed to work in several different configurations. Ranging from Bluetooth mode, to cable mode with ANC, to cable mode without ANC. The only mode missing is the ability to use Bluetooth without ANC. The headphone also has an ambient button that allows a user to let in ambient noise for added awareness while listening to music or to mute the music and let in ambient noise to talk to people or listen to announcements. I also found I had to use the volume control of the headphone itself when I turned on ANC with the headphone cable. I would have to crank up the volume to amplify the sound to satisfactory levels and then would have to remember to turn down this volume before I switched back to Bluetooth mode or risk hurting my ears. Funnily enough with ANC turned off the headphone behaved like any non powered headphone would.
Score: 4/5

Ergonomics and control:
I really like the way the headphone band is designed as well as the ear cups and earpads. The headband hugs the head nicely and the earcups similarly are tight to the head making them more portable and less intrusive. The cups are also ear shaped and small without sacrificing comfort or space for the ears. The earpads are memory foam based so quite comfy. There is a bit more clamp than the 1000XM3 but not so much that they are uncomfortable while offering a bit more passive noise isolation. This headphone uses buttons versus a touch pad for controls. The buttons are on the circular rings versus the earcups which took a bit of getting used to and are a bit on the small side for the volume and middle button but easy to get used to after a while. I actually find buttons easier to work with than touch panels so I am fine with N700NC approach.
Score: 4.5/5

ANC Quality:
This is the one area that pleasantly surprised me. AKG has managed to create an ANC experience that is almost as good as Sony. I find the ANC to be almost perfect with only a couple of issues. Anyone who has tried Sony ANC over the past couple of years is aware that Sony couldn't quite deal with certain situations such as changing cabin pressure which could cause the ANC to react weirdly. Unfortunately AKG suffers from those same issues. They haven't happened often but I have noticed them. I also find a certain sound on some buses to cause the headphone to get a thumping sound from the ANC. But I have not worn the 1000XM3 on those same buses so can not say for certain whether it too might suffer the same issue. But since I have heard this with the N700NC I will adjust the score accordingly. If I notice the same issue using the 1000XM3 in the future I may update this portion of the review.
Score: 4/5

Bass Quality:
I found the bass of the N700NC just right. They can go deep if a song has depth and never over step their place. Instruments like bass guitars, double bass, kettle drums, Cello's and others all sound correct as compared to the "romantic" bloom of the 1000XM3 that often makes those same instruments sound bloated or unnatural. The only missing quality of the bass is a bit of texture as compared to best wired headphones I own.
Score: 4.5/5

Midrange Quality:
The N700NC offers a somewhat typical AKG presentation that is detailed and very neutral. I would say it is more neutral than many AKG offerings like Q701 or K712 which I found to be more on the bright side to the point of being a bit fatiguing. The midrange was still a bit too neutral for me but may be perfect for many and is easily tweaked using the EQ in the AKG headphone app. with or without the EQ the midrange offers wonderful dynamics and vocals that manage to convey the singers emotions.
Score: 4.5/5

Here is my EQ setting I use in the Headphone APP:



Treble Quality:
Unlike the NAD HP70 the N700NC manages to convey great detail and air without crossing the line into sibilance or harshness. I find I get all the detail I found missing in the 1000XM3 allowing cymbals hits and subtle drum kit details to shine in Jazz and classic rock without causing any ear fatigue.

Sound Stage and Imaging quality:
This is the one area sound wise that the N700NC is not as good as the 1000XM3. It offers a decent size sound stage and a decent level of 3D presentation but it is not as encompassing as the 1000XM3. But I still find myself able to feel like I am surrounded by my music.
Score: 4/5

Music Quality in cabled non ANC mode:
When using the cable with the ANC turned off I found the headphone to have a slightly warmer signature and slightly more detail. I actually found I preferred the ANC sound a bit more as I grew used to its balanced nature. But certainly think the un-powered mode was a nice signature alternative and a definite option if the battery ever dies on me during the middle of the day.
Score: 4/5

Music Quality in cabled ANC Mode:
Once I figured out how to get the volume level back up to normal with ANC turned on I found it's sound quality to be almost the same as when in Bluetooth mode while offering more detail due to the cable. While the added detail was mostly appreciated I was surprised to find the headphone crossing the line into a bit of harshness on the most strident of my recordings ,a rare nod to the headphone being too true to the recording.
Score 4.5/5

APP Quality:
I am an android user so this part of the review is only based on that app. I found the app to be fairly sparse in comparison to the Sony app but good where is counts the most. The EQ is basic and not overly strong in how it affected the music but more than allowed me to adjust the signature of the headphone to just where I like it without having any weird or over powering affects which I find common with most EQ's. I also like how I can control the ambient mode button to either let in more ambient noise while listening to music or mute the music and let in ambient noise for when I need to listen to announcements on the train or needing to talk to a clerk at a store. Finally the app has an auto off function to help save battery life by turning off the headphone if no music is playing after so many minutes.

So I think as you can see by my review, my leap of faith paid off as this headphone easily overcomes the fact it only supports AAC and SBC codecs and shows that in the end proper driver development and tuning trump the latest Codec Arms Race most headphones manufacturers have been chasing. Do I wish it supported LDAC and APTxHD, you bet! But don't assume it has to sound bad just because it doesn't...

Please see updated information at the end of review regarding charging and connecting issues.

Prologue: (skip down to the review proper if you don't want to read my wandering thoughts )

Over the past few years the lure of Wireless connectivity has grown as phone makers start to drop the classic earphone jack and ear/headphone makers improved Bluetooth audio going from being OK to very good to great in regards to audio quality. Today you can buy LDAC or APTx-HD fullsize headphones or devices like the Radsone ES100 that allow you use any wired headphone or earphone with almost flawless fidelity, sometime even trumping the built in headphone jack of many phones.

Coming in to this fray is True Wireless IEM's. The draw being ZERO cables of any kind without needing to use a headphone. The catch being how do you make them sound good and offer good enough battery life, and have good enough connectivity.

I almost pulled the trigger on the Sony WF1000X but held off because I had multiple disconnects in the store while demoing them. They sounded good but the disconnects were just unacceptable for a $300CAD+ device. Later on Sony released the WF700N and the disconnect issues seemed to be addressed. So after reading some favorable reviews I bought some on sale for $180CAD. For the most part I enjoyed the IEM except it had a very short battery life of about 2.5hrs. Frustrating because they would die in the middle of e session far to often sucking all enjoyment from them.

So when some of the other big players started to offer true wireless options I started to keep my eyes open. Several seemed promising such as Master and Dynamic MW07 or the B&O E8, or the upcoming Audio Technica offerings. But they all had drawbacks. The MW07 seemed to suffer from battery issues, the E8 from lag and connectivity issues, AT offerings had big delays and when they did arrive seemed to lack bass.

So when Sennheiser entered the fray with the Momentum True Wireless I was intrigued. The offering of APTx or AAC seemed to be as good as it was going to get for True Wireless and a few APTx only devices I had tried recently gave me hope that when paired with a good driver and proper tuning, these 2 codecs would be good enough.

So after wavering on the fence for a few weeks and waiting for them to be available in Canada, I finally decided to take the $400CAD plunge and try a pair direct from Sennheiser. With a 30 day satisfaction guarantee I figured what the heck! Then waiting 3 weeks for them to REALLY have them in stock I darn near cancelled my order several times...

When Sennheiser finally had stock my earphones arrived the very same day I received an email from Sennheiser so kudo for fast shipping!

Now I want to be clear. I was feeling like I over spent this year as I bought 2 other head/earphones while I was waiting for these to come in. So I was half convinced I was just not going to like the MTW enough to want to keep them. More to the POINT I REALLY WANTED to NOT LIKE THEM so I could send them back..

Review:

Packaging and accessories: 4/5
This packaging for the Momentum True Wireless is concise and professional bordering on sparse. Gone are the days when Sennheiser felt the need to over engineer their packaging to justify the product. Inside the box I found a nice fabric covered case and the IEM's in a separate foam housing. Underneath all the foam was a neat little box containing the extra tips, USB cable, and manuals. The included tips were 4 sets ranging from extra small to large. I switched to the large tips to get a proper seal. The USB cable is short and tips just enough to get started. A starter set of foam tips would have been nice but since they are always disposable the included are acceptable. I find the cloth covered charge case quite nice with a posh feel to it. The IEM's mount easily inside the case for hassle free charging.


Bass: 4/5
Just before getting the MTW I had just bought a pair of AKG N200 and KEF Space One Wired ANC headphones. Both offering a balanced to bright signature. So upon initial listen of the MTW I was overwhelmed with it's BIG BASS. Fortunately the bass actually settled down after a couple hours of use. But the MTW is not a neutral IEM by any stretch. The bass is nice though offering a full sound that compliments most music, without overwhelming the midrange or treble. It lacks a bit of detail and texture compared to a great wired headphone but seems very much in line with all but the absolute best Bluetooth headphones.

Midrange: 4.5/5
The midrange is slightly on the warm side but manages to have more detail than the Sony WF700N equaling the AKG N200 for detail while offering a more natural sound to my ears than the N200. The midrange conveys just enough detail and emotion to capture singers like Patricia Barber's slight sibilance on their S enunciation and the rasp of singers like Bruce Springsteen.

Treble: 4.5/5
The treble region offers plenty of detail without crossing line into being strident, being a smidge to safe. After using the Space One and N200 I started to appreciate having that slight extra treble presence so did notice it missing on the MTW. On the flip side I have had zero ear fatigue with the MTW which I had using both KEF and AKG offerings. So if you suffer from treble ear fatigue the MTW will suite you better.

Soundstage / 3D Presentation: 4/5
As a lover of a big three dimensional sound stage I always hope to get some of this quality even from IEM's. In this regard to MTW is actually pretty solid, offering a higher than average sense of width, depth, and height. In comparison the N200 sounds much more 2 dimensional. But I do not think it rivals old classic products that offer the best 3D experience. But considering this is a wireless device that has to make compromises to achieve it's goal the MTW is still impressive in this regard.

Bluetooth Connectivity: 4.5/5
Lets face it, if you keep losing signal your music is going to sound awful no matter how good the driver is in your head/earphone... In this area the MTW is rock solid in my opinion and experience. I have tested walking away from my phone and was able to go to another room in my house where I normally start to lose signal. The MTW did start to lose signal but it was much more tolerable than several other BT products I own and was just about as reliable as my best BT devices. It bested the AKG N200, Radsone ES100, and NAD HP70 for example and was only beat by the Sony MDR1000XM3. When out and about I had two split second dropouts at one train stop that normally causes BT issues often to the point of 5-10 dropouts with some products.

Isolation: 4/5
Isolation is very good on the MTW rivaling the WF700N which actually has ANC and besting the AKG N200 by quite a bit. These are not super isolators like most bean shaped headphones from Shure/Westone/Fender and others, but they do offer decent isolation. To the point that Sennheiser offers a transparency mode to allow you to hear the outside world when needed.

IEM functionality and software: 4.5/5
One of the challenges of BT products this size and shape is how to make them functional. In this regard Sennheiser has chosen to use a touch pad on each earbud. This touchpad does not have swiping and instead relies on quick touches, double taps, long pause touches, and the like to manage things. It actually uses BOTH buds in this process. a slow touch on the left ear turns the volume down for example or a slow touch on the right ear to turn up the volume. This means you need to READ the manual and practice to get good at using the buds. I personally find they work pretty well and fully anticipate I will be able to master using them.

The software these use is equally excellent. Allowing for customization of the EQ which is the saved on the IEM and then will follow to other devices without the software. YES, the IEM remembers your EQ! The EQ is more organic in nature versus technical but I found it intuitive and easy to use and appreciated NOT being overwhelmed by to many options.

Battery Life: 3.5/5
Battery life is the biggest Achilles heel of the true wireless IEM market. In this regard the MTW also suffers like it's competitors. But it at least achieves what it advertises as I was able to comfortably get 4hrs of use on every charge so far listening at around 50% volume. The WF700N on the other hand has never achieved it's 3hr battery life claim and my N200 has failed to reach it's 8 hour battery life claim (wired IEM's generally get double the battery life of true wireless models). So because some TW models have achieved around a 5 to 5.5hr battery life I will give these an appropriate middle range score in this area.

Final Thoughts:
So in the end I could not dislike this IEM enough to send it back! They just offer to much musical goodness along with technical proficiency. Are they perfect? No, nobody has managed that yet... But they are good enough to justify their price in my opinion and when (not if) they go on sale they will be well worth their price for most people who want to truly cut ALL OF THE CABLES!


It appears I may been to eager to post my review. Since then I have had 2 separate instances where the case was drained even though it was just plugged in a showing green, both instances the IEMs were also drained. I have also had a couple instances where I have needed to reset the IEM to get it to turn on and connect to my phone. Looking in the forum others have had similar issues. I have knocked a full point off my review score and may adjust lower depending on Sennheisers response to the issue. Stayed tuned...

OK, the more I think about the 2 instances I had major issues with the MTW and case seeming to be dead. Both times I used the MTW in bed and then put in the case in the middle of the night and both times the case was unceremoniously lowered/dropped onto the floor with no attention to position or being bumped. Last night I just took an extra couple seconds to place it properly on the floor and no issues today at all. I also make sure it is place right side up in my pocket as well.

I have adjusted the score back up to a 4. If after a few days the problem never reappears I will decide of I will increase the score back to 4.5.

To recap, the case appears to be susceptible to being bumped or getting placed in a position other than flat and lid facing upwards or the IEMs can cause the case to drain and they get mixed up as well.

First off I would like to thank Brainwavz for allowing me to review the B400. The unit I have was sent to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review of the earphone.

About a year ago I was asked if I would like to review Brainwavz re-entry into the BA arena in the form of the B100. I remember at the time I wasn't sure I was interested as I had found myself less and less interested in BA based IEM's focusing more on dynamic and hybrid designs. But I was curious enough I bit and was pleasantly surprised at how good the B100 sounded. It was slightly better than the Klipsch X7 in my opinion, and at a fraction of the cost was very easy to recommend for anyone wanting to try a BA based IEM.

When I heard about the B400 I was very curious see what Brainwavz could accomplish with a 4 BA model. Could it be as good or better than the other BA based IEM's I have owned such as the Ultimate Ears UE900, Earsonic's SM3, Sony XBA3 and others? How would it compete with new hybrid model's like the 1More Quad or Sony XBA-Z5?

So this time I actually reached out to Brainwavz to see if I could scratch my curiosity itch. Luckily things worked out in my favor and a pair was on it's way for me to put through it's paces.


When the package arrived I was impressed with the quality of the packaging and the thoroughness of the kit. I was genuinely surprised by little things like the cleaning wipes for hearing aids and the cleaning tools that went a bit above other BA based IEM's I have bought. As usual Brainwavz included an nice sturdy carrying case and a nice wide assortment of tips including 1 pair of Comply tips for the lovers of foamies.


Both stock cables looked and felt awesome. I have to admit I prefer a smartphone designed cable as I do the majority of listening from my phone for convenience sake. But the stock cable has really won me over even after trying some other smartphone enabled MMCX cables I had lying around. The stock cable may lack a mic and controls but offers one of the better memory wire designs I have tried and had no micro-phonics and it's cinch worked well in conjunction with the clip to help reduce distracting cable movement. I also like the strain reliefs on the jack and the hard plastic base of the MMCX connector which seems to give good stability while allowing for a comfortable spin of the IEM which aids in inserting the IEM.

I played with all of the included tips in the kit that made sense for me including the Comply tips. In the end I stuck with the silicone tips as the Comply is slightly to small for my ears. But I can say the silicone tips offered the best treble response and almost as good a bass response as the comply tips. I also played with some other tips such as the Shure Olives and a pair of Sony hybrids. The Shure Olives offered the best bass response with the least effect on the treble for me while the Sony hybrid tips really didn't work as they subdued the treble even more than the foam tips. In the end I went back to the stock silicone tips and haven't felt the need to keep switching around with other tips.

Before I get into the meat of this review I want to establish some things about my listening preferences and the equipment I used during the review. I have a very eclectic music taste ranging from Classical music, to select country, Celtic, classic rock, psychedelic rock, Jazz, and more. About the only thing I don't listen to is Club Music and modern genres like Dubstep and the even more modern variants of electronic music. I also do not listen to loud music preferring to keep the volume levels down to between 10-30% on most of my devices with 45% being on the extreme end for me unless using a headphone that needs higher volumes due to their design.

All of my listening has been done from my LG V20 phone or my Pono in balanced or single ended mode. My music files are almost all FLAC based with about 25% of them being high resolution 192/24 bit based.

So now that I have given the usual disclaimers and talked about the basics lets get down to the important aspect of any IEM. How doe they sound and how do they feel?

Comfort and ergonomics - 5/5
The B400 has a 3D printed shell that is perfectly designed fitting my ears more comfortably than any IEM I have owned including other bean shaped IEM's like the SE215. The shell is slightly bigger than the B100 but still fit my ear like a glove. I also appreciated the easy swivel of the IEM to help navigate around the memory wire which can be tricky. The fit was then aided by an easy effective cable clip and sufficiently tight cinch. Once everything was inserted I would find myself going for hours without thinking about the IEM or feeling the need to adjust it even when walking around.

Isolation and micro-phonics - 5/5
You really don't know how much good isolation can be until you have GOOD ISOLATION! The B400 is indeed GOOD! I have been amazed when using these on the train as I sometimes go for the entire trip and then realize I never heard anything around me even to the point of missing my stop once! So one of the usual downsides to this type of isolation is micro-phonic issues, especially foot falls and cable rubbing. The B400 suffers from ZERO cable rubbing and only very faint footfall noise that can only be heard when listening to very soft music with silent spaces.

Bass - 4/5
The B400 offers a nice full bass that reaches quite low into the sub bass regions. But while it goes low I felt myself missing a bit of slam and air movement from the bass. But I have to admit this is because I have grown used to dynamic based bass and overblown bass at that. But if I look past my preference in this area the bass is balanced and fully their when required and nicely detailed and textured.

Midrange - 5/5
If the bass isn't quite my cup of tea the midrange more than makes up for it! Vocals have plenty of detail and emotion without coming across as to forward or excessive. I find the B400 performs equally well for male and female vocals which is a rare feet in my experience. I also found myself really enjoying guitar riffs with the B400.

Treble - 4/5
The B400 offers a nicely detailed treble that is never strident or sibilant but unfortunately comes across as slightly too "safe" for me. If you have issues with fatigue this will be a blessing but some may find the treble just a bit to soft when it comes to cymbal crashes and other percussive hits that are like that.

Sound Stage, 3D Imaging, and instrument separation - 4/5
One of the downsides of such a good isolating IEM is a smaller sound stage and the B400 does suffer from this. The sound stage is still bigger than average but not on the same scale as some of the better dynamic and hybrid IEM's on the market with a more typical in-head feel to it. 3D imaging is similarly impacted requiring more effort hear it. Instrument separation while compact in distance is good though with no instruments bleeding together. I found myself easily drawn into genre's like Jazz, Orchestral music, and older rock music as they felt like the instruments were in the right place if not quite as widely spaced as I have grown accustomed to.

So now that I have quantified the basic sections or areas of the IEM how does it all fit together? If I could use only one word to describe the sound it would be "immersive". So what this means is I found myself not having a whole lot of WOW moments when using the B400 but I would get caught up in the music for hours of time and having lots of moments where I realized I had not heard the outside world for an extended period of time.

So how do these compare to other BA based IEM's?

B400 vs UE900
The UE900 offered a more mid/treble centric experience for me with slightly less bass extension. The B400 in comparison is more balanced sounding going slightly deeper while not suffering from the fatigue I found the UE900 caused. Sound stage is similar between the 2 IEM's. The B400 is more isolation and comfortable to wear.

B400 vs Sony XBA3
The XBA3 was a deeper harder hitting IEM with more sub bass extension and a stronger mid bass, a warm midrange, and sparkly treble giving it a strong V shaped signature as compared to the more balanced signature of the B400. Isolation was good but no where as complete as the B400 and fit was OK but not as stable as the B400.

B400 vs Earsonics SM3
The SM3 was very much a midrange centric IEM offering bass that was not very extended and treble that was also on the polite side. The B400 is similar in the regard but offers a deeper bass extension and slightly brighter treble as well. The SM3 had a very unique sound stage that place you in the position of the singer which was very unique, the B400 in comparison gives a more traditional sound stage. The SM3 was not as isolating and more finicky in fit and was a very fragile IEM.

Comparison to hybrid IEM's offers an interesting swing in musical styling and signature preferences. Almost every hybrid offers more bass but not always in a positive way.

B400 vs Sony XBA-Z5
The Z5 is the most unfair comparison in this review as it is my favorite IEM I have ever owned. In comparison to the B400 it offers a massive deep bass that is still textured and detailed, a warmer midrange that is detailed and compelling, and extended treble that is actually very similar to the B400. The Z5 offered an uncanny outside of the head 3D sound stage that is unique among all of the IEM's I have owned. But while all that sounds good they come at a cost. The Z5 in comparison offers only 50% less in regards to isolation, and a Frankensteinian and finicky fit. Plus the Z5 only sounded it's best when played from a balanced device like a Pono Player and was closer to pedestrian in sound from my phone. Plus it was FRAGILE dying on me twice (once in warranty). Both failures being on the MMCX connections. The failures might have been livable if the IEM had a reasonable cost but at $700 you just expect more...

B400 vs 1More Quad
This comparison is more appropriate as this IEM is in the same price range as the B400. But aside from the obvious increase of bass I find the B400 slays the Quad in every way. The B400 has more texture and detail in all areas from bass to treble and is simply the more audiophile grade IEM. The Quad does offer slightly more 3D imaging though and has a slightly larger sound stage dues to it's shallower fit and ports on the IEM, but this is at the cost of isolation. The Quad offers a similar level of comfort but in a completely different fashion. Funnily enough the Quad is more micro-phonic than the B400 unless warn in an unconventional over ear fashion that it is not designed for even though it is a shallower less isolation IEM.

So who should buy the B400?

Anyone who is thinking about buying a BA based IEM should have this on their short list. It is as well made as anything I have owned and considering it's price to performance ratio it's simply a no brainer.

If on the other hand your a bass lover some of the hybrid IEM's might be pretty compelling but only if you can afford the difference in cost and/or are willing to accept the compromises such an IEM offers. The Sony XBA-Z5 will cost you 3-4 times the B400 for example and will require an additional expense in regards to a balanced DAP to meet it's full potential as compared to the B400 needing nothing more than a good phone for a source. Personally I think a person should have both!

 
First if I would like to thank Meze for including me in their review program. I did NOT receive these for free, like all other reviewers in the program I have been given a 1 week window to review the headphone, then ship them on to the next reviewer.
 
Ok, so now that I have dealt with the usual disclaimers let get into the review.
 
I am really taken in by the look of the Neo, I absolutely love the textured look of the cups, the classic black color, the accents on the edge of the cups and general over all look of the headphone. Meze simply has one of the best set of designers out there when it comes to making a good looking headphone. The Neo may be made from "inferior" plastic materials when compared to wood but it sure doesn't look or feel in any way shape or form inferior! In fact anyone who is not a fan of wood will LOVE the Neo alternative, and anyone who love the wood originals may love the Neo JUST AS MUCH! I personally would be more than happy with either one.
 
Aside from the obvious changes in cup material there also appears to be slight differences in the ear pads from my 99 Classic's. The Neo appears to have slightly wider and taller inner measurements This makes them slightly more roomy for the ears but also not quite as cushy. Having said this I have the original large pads sent out by Meze for the 99 Classic on my pair and that ear pad may have been modified by Meze since then so may very well be the same as what is on the Neo. I will let Meze comment on whether the pads truly are different or not. The case for the Neo is also slightly different than the 99 Classic as it is more textured and might be considered slightly less posh by some. For me I find both cases to be well designed and well suited for their purpose.
 
My photography skills suck but I thought I would post a few pictures of the Neo and the Classic.
 
  
 
So what's different sonically speaking?
 
When I first received the Neo I did an initial listen then let them cook for 24 hours and then did some initial impressions of the Neo compared against the Classic on a few select songs. I then let them cook for another 3 days as I went out of town. I then compared them again using the same songs and found my first set of impressions were essentially the same. I have copied and tweaked those initial impressions to help people decide which headphone is best for them.
 
In my testing I took a couple of songs and did a comparison between the Classic and the Neo. I left the volume unchanged, switching between the 2 headphones and replayed the songs in segments focusing on specific areas and pieces of the songs to determine whether I heard differences and if so what they were.
 
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain - First 32 seconds of the song. The Neo has slightly more thump and body in the kick drum and the guitars are slightly more warmer sounding with less crunch. The 99 sounds thin in comparison but in some ways more articulate and airy. I like both ways and the differences are VERY subtle. 2:30 to 3:15 of the song the 99 Classic has slightly more shimmery cymbals and the vocals are a bit brighter, the bass guitar that cuts in at around 3:05 lacks a bit of authority though. The Neo on the other hand has slightly starker contrast between cymbals and the drums and vocals are slightly warmer and when the bass guitar kicks in there is more authority and weight to the guitar.
 
Beckah Shae - Rest (song with a pretty heavy Bass), Hmmm this song has a pretty deep electronic bass but surprisingly both headphones went about the same in depth and weight. Vocally the 99 Classic is slightly brighter and cymbals similarly have a bit more shimmer. This seems to indicate the midbass of the Neo is slightly more boosted than the classic but they both have similar sub bass. At the 4:13 point in the song their is a simulated heartbeat section and the Neo definitely has more weight and presence and is also stronger contrast in the cymbal like percussion as well.
 
Hans Zimmer - Cornfield Chase - Intersteller, throughout the majority of this song there is a subtle deep bass that gains strength and urgency as the song plays. This bass presence is more evident in the Neo than the Classic.
 
Patricia Barber - Code Cool, this song has a heavy Double Bass beat contrasted with cymbals and fine drumkit work and Patricia's impeccable vocals. This bass is heavier on the Neo but also feels every so slightly more closed in. The drumkit work is more clear and shimmery on the Classic and vocals are slightly more airy and dry. I personally prefer the Classic ever so slightly for this song.
 
To my ears the Neo has a slightly more V shaped signature with a slightly bigger midbass hump that extends just enough to affect the midrange slightly, giving it more warmth. There also appears to be a small spike in the lower treble range where cymbals start giving them a bit more energy at the initial impact.
 
Now I want to be clear here these differences are not massive and if I was not able to A/B test I would have a hard time pointing out these subtleties.
 
So if someone owns the Classic or has heard it and wished it had a bit more oomph to it the Neo might be just the ticket for that person. Conversely if you absolutely adore the Classic sound you might find the Neo to be a bit to heavy and thick sounding. Personally I think the Meze team might be envisioning the Neo as a bit more of a road warrior with it's tougher cup material and the changes I am hearing are engineered to give a better listening experience in a slightly more noisy environment.
 
OK, now that I have discussed these subtle differences I am hearing. What do I think of the new Neo??
 
DAMN IF IT AIN'T ONE FINE PIECE OF KIT!
 
I love how it looks, how it fits, and how it plays. It is an amazing headphone that is every bit as wonderful as the 99 Classic which is work of art in my opinion. I love my Classics but would be just as happy owning the Neo as they both exude a level of sophistication physically and sonically. In fact their differences in appearance in MANY WAYS directly reflect the subtle differences in their sound...

I want to thank Brainwavz for allowing me to review their latest foray into the balanced armature market. I have received a free pair of the B100 in exchange for an honest review of their product.
 
I actually hesitated to receive the B100 as I have slowly moved away from balanced armature only IEM's concentrating mainly on either dynamic or hybrid based products over the past couple of years. But I also had never reviewed a balanced armature from Brainwavz so relented and decided to give them a try. I am glad I made that decision as Brainwavz has restored my faith in the single driver BA with a masterful tuning job. I actually had 2 other single BA IEM's on hand (UE 600vi and Klipsch X7) and the B100 handily bested both IEM's sonically and ergonomically in my opinion. This says a lot considering that the Klipsch X7 was featured in this winters Headphone guide and has a retail price of $200 as compared to the B100's $60 price tag.
 
Note my score below are based on how this IEM sounds compared to other IEM's in the same price range versus IEM's costing hundreds of dollars more. The higher the cost the higher my expectation and score criteria.
 
So what do you get when you buy the B100?
 
Packaging wise Brainwavz covers all of the bases masterfully as usual. The unit comes in a no nonsense retail box and includes:

1. Earphone Hard case
2. 6 sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
3. 1 set of Comply Foam Tips T-100
4. 1 Shirt Clip
5. Velcro Cable Tie
6. Instruction Manual & Warranty Card (24 month warranty)

​All of the basics required to allow a person to use the earphone without having to buy anything. I found I needed to switch to the large silicone tips but other than that I never felt any need to "tip roll" through my grab bag of tips to get a comfortable fit.
Score 5/5
 
Speaking of comfortable fit...
 
Comfort and ergonomics - are excellent with the B100. The IEM shell is light and perfectly designed for the ear (my ears anyway ​) and the cable is light and supple without feeling flimsy or cheap and the memory wire is just enough to help hold the shape and stay firmly in the ear without being annoying or cumbersome to use. Brainwavz has done one of the best jobs I have seen in regards to memory wire implementation, KUDOS to a well done design!
Score 5/5
 
Isolation and microphonics - Over the years I have come to the conclusion that the better the isolation the more microphonics can come into play when it comes to IEM's. Sadly the B100 falls into this trap. In regards to isolation the B100 is top notch blocking train noise on the LRT and traffic noise while walking downtown. But while I appreciated the isolation it made the cable rubbing noise and footfall sounds all that more distracting and frustrating. I want to be clear here, the B100 is not a horrible IEM for microphonics it is in fact slightly above average. The problem is that the isolation is high enough that it's frustrating when its ruined by cable noise.
Score - Isolation 4.5/5, Microphonics 3/5
 
So lets get to the real meat of any headphone review, the sound. Unlike virtually every single BA based IEM I either own or have tried, the BA100 actually provides a complete enough signature I didn't find myself wishing I was using a different earphone while using the B100, something I have struggled with while using other brands. It is not so complete that people who want a hard or heavy bass or lots of treble energy will be satisfied. But anyone who listens to music that lives more in the middle of the two extremes will find the B100 to be a satisfying and enjoyable IEM. Genre's that seemed to work very well with the B100 were Jazz, classic rock, any vocally oriented music, and acoustic music.
 
Bass - While the B100 being only a single BA IEM is limited in it's ability to go really low into the sub-bass arena was still considerably more pronounced in the bass region as compared to the Klipsch X7 and the UE 600vi. The bass was just enough I found myself bopping to the music versus going half way through a song before I realized there was bass in it.
Score 4/5
 
Midrange - The midrange of the B100 is neutral with just a slight hint of warmth with excellent detail retrieval. Singers such as Patricia Barber managed to have enough edge that you could hear their urgency but not so much as to come across as harsh or sibilant. The X7 in comparison came across as thinner while the 600vi came across as very warm, forced and unnatural in comparison.
Score 4.5/5
 
Treble - The treble of the B100 easily competes with the X7 offering a similar level of detail retrieval while trouncing the 600vi. In regards to balancing between to harsh and to relaxed I find the B100 more energetic than the X7 while not crossing the line into being fatiguing.
Score 4.5/5
 
Sound Stage and imaging - The sound stage is decent sized but not large. Imaging similarly is good but not spectacular, lacking a truly 3D spatial quality that more expensive or the better dynamic based IEM's have.
Score 3.5/5
 
My overall feeling is this is about as good as it will get for a single BA based IEM. I know I have not heard all of the more expensive single BA manufacturers out there but I have heard enough of them and read enough about the rest to feel comfortable in recommending the B100 without reservation especially considering it's very reasonable price point. If your looking to try your first BA based IEM or want a nice affordable balanced IEM alternative to your "fun" mainstay, look no further.

To start, I want to thank Sennheiser for graciously loaning the PXC 550 for a review. I contacted them a couple of months ago about possibly being able to review the headphone as I have been very interested in Active Noise cancelling headphones over the past year. At the time I was told the product was not available in Canada yet so I would have to wait. Several months passed and I got busy with other products and actually ended up buying the Sony MDR-100ABN used from another Head-fi member. So I was pleasantly surprised when I was contacted by Sennheiser and asked if I was still interested in reviewing the PXC 550. The good news is that this has allowed me to have a couple of high end ANC products to compared to (did I forget to mention I also have the Bose Quiet Control 30 on hand ) to add in pertinent active noise cancelling comparisons.
 
When the PXC 550 arrived I found the packaging well done and sensible without feeling overly designed or wasteful. Many expensive products feel a need to have expensive looking packaging to justify their product. Sennheiser has instead created their typical professional design seen on most of their products. Once I opened the box I found the headphone case with the headphones and accessories inside. The case is a clamshell that is semi hard that has a simple design that helps protect the headphones while not being too bulky. I can easily see the case fitting in a traveller’s luggage without taking up to much space while offering a decent level of protection.
 
Taking the headphones out of the case they had helpful stickers on them to help understand how the headphone worked. There was also the usual basic documentation. But I have to admit I struggled with how to pair them to my phone as I generally don’t use NFC like I should. But after doing a bit of reading I found out I just needed to hold the Effect Mode button for 4 seconds to get prompted for pairing and then search for the device on my phone. I similarly struggled to figure out how to check the battery level (touch and hold your finger on the touch pad until you hear 2 beeps and then a voice will say how much battery is left). In Sennheiser’s defence when you switch away from things like a traditional power button and implement a touch interface it does make some features a bit trickier to implement and less obvious. Having said that, the benefits of their power on model and their extremely well implemented touch interface more than make up for my couple of challenges.
 
Once I got past getting things working I was then able to start to try out the headphones proper and put them through their paces. Having 2 other high end ANC products on hand to compare against might lead you to think I would be underwhelmed by what I have heard and experienced. But I actually found the PXC 550 more than holds its own against both the MDR-100ABN and Quiet Control 30 and has quickly become the portable headphone of choice for me.
 
Let’s get into the review proper:

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Accessories – Inside the box the headphone has all of the usual bits and pieces needed. The case is semi-hard to add a bit of extra protection soft cases do not offer while not being as bulky and intrusive as a hard shell case. Some will wish the case was harder for that added level of protection but other will appreciate that it takes up less space in their luggage. Inside the case you will find the usual adapters such as the inflight adapter and the old standard ¼” stereo adapter, along with USB cable for charging and an audio cable. One thing I really appreciate is that Sennheiser thought to add a smart phone audio cable something Sony managed to neglect on their cable with the MDR-100ABN.
Score - 5/5
 
Headphone Physical Design and comfort – When I initially started to use the PXC 550 I thought I might have an issue with the ear pad being too small. Circumference wise these are paired down to the smallest size possibly while still being a true over ear design, this means they might be too small for anyone with larger than average ears but for me they are just right. The speakers are also angled so I think most people will not have issue with their ears touching the inner grill. The pads are very soft and cushy which is good because the headphone has a bit more clamp than usual. Initially I thought I might find the clamp bothersome but after a couple hours of use the pads started to soften up the band relaxed just a bit and now are more comfortable than the MDR-100ABN.  The headphone band is thin with soft comfortable padding. The thinness of the band helps keep these truly portable by reducing wait and a bulky look without compromising comfort. The adjusters on the band are a traditional design with a clicking system to help control where they are set and hold their position. I have found they stay where they are set which is nice as I find having to adjust my headphone all the time to be an annoyance with many other brands. I do find that the headphones can get hot when I am working in warmer environments but no more so than most closed headphones. This headphone has a very solid feel to it with ZERO creakiness or plastic groaning. In the past 3 weeks of use the headphone has not started to feel loose at any joints or moving parts maintain the same solid feel as the first day I took it out of the box (The Sony MDR-100ABN comparatively feels loose and wobbly from when I first received it and it groans and creaks when worn). 
Score 4.5/5
 
Headphone Controls – Sennheiser really came up with some innovative ideas for this part of the headphone. Instead of having an on/off button if you simply fold the headphone flat it will turn off. Once I started to get used to this feature I really started to appreciate its simplicity and efficiency. You just have to glance at the headphone to determine if you forgot to turn it off, consequently I almost never forget to turn the PXC 550 off. This is the 2nd Bluetooth I have owned that uses a touch pad and the PXC 550 controls are intuitive and well thought out. A simply swipe up or down controls volume and forward back controls skipping, replaying and going backwards to a past song. I particularly love the double tap feature! A double tap stops the music and turns on one of the mics partially allowing in outside sound allowing you to have a conversation with someone without taking the headphones off. The Sony 1000X offers a similar feature but I really appreciate NOT having to hold my hand to my ear during a conversation… As I mentioned above these features have made a couple of things a bit trickier or hidden as compared to older button based headphones but the benefits far outweigh the negatives. There is also the effect button which allows for 3 preset effects, Club, Movie, and Speech. I find the effects somewhat usefull but have to be honest and say I generally just leave them turned off.
Score 4.5/5
 
Bluetooth implementation – Sennheiser used Bluetooth 4.2 and has wisely adopted aptX to help improve the sound quality of the headphone. They have also incorporated the ability to have 2 devices simultaneously connected to the headphone which is an awesome feature for those of us who might be using a smartphone and laptop/tablet at the same time.
Score 5/5
 
Active Noise Cancelling – OK this is probably what everyone is waiting for since this is an active noise cancelling headphone and all . I have owned 3 different high end ANC products (Bose QC20, QC30, and Sony MDR-100ABN) plus I have tested the Bose QC25/35 headphones extensively. So while not an expert in the field of ANC technology I feel I can give an informed opinion on the subject of active noise cancellation. ANC is a tricky technology in that the stronger you implement it the more it affects the quality of your music so each company works to find the best balance between ANC and music quality. The Bose QC20 for example has extremely good ANC but it affected the music quality enough that I ended up selling them because I just wasn’t enjoying my music enough to want to use them. Out of the 3 products in terms of pure ANC effectiveness I would rank them QC30, MDR-100ABN, PXC 550 with the 550 only being marginally behind the 100ABN. This would on the surface be an indictment against the PXC 550 but like I said ANC is a tricky technology. The QC30 while having the strongest ANC is only marginally better than the QC20 audio wise so is by far the weakest product overall unless ANC is your primary concern. The difference in ANC between the 100ABN and PXC 550 on the other is very small allowing for other consideration to come into play. Musically speaking they both offer slightly different signatures while offering comparable levels of quality when in ANC mode, but if you turn off the ANC the PXC 550 is much better musically because the signature is almost unchanged as compared to a hollowness that happens to the 100ABN. In fact the PXC 550 is the only ANC product I have tried that is only minimally impacted when the ANC is turned off or down! In daily use I find the PXC 550 works extremely well in the office and adequately when walking downtown or riding on the train. I find I hear voices when music is really low or stopped but they go away once the music starts. More importantly the hum of the world around me disappears which is what I appreciate ANC the most for. One issue ANC has is a sense of pressure when turned on, the PXC 550 has managed to almost completely avoid this issue unlike Bose and to a slightly lesser degree Sony. Hiss is also an issue with most ANC headphones but once against the PXC 550 has very little of this issue being lower than Sony and Bose. Finally my one PET PEVE with all ANC headphones is wind noise in the microphones. I wish I could say the PXC 550 was the first to eliminate this issue but sadly this is not the case. But the PXC 550 has a much better handle on this issue than the 100ABN and the QC30 with the 100ABN being almost unusable without modification in wind.
Score 4.25/5
 
Bass – This headphone has an elevated bass presence but not one that is onerous or overwhelming. I actually find the bass just about perfect with most of the genres I listen to. It is not quite as hard hitting as the 100ABN but it has slightly better texture and nuance. I find instruments like double bass, cello’s, and kettle drums all have excellent heft and presence. Whether I am listening to Jazz, classical, classic rock and everything in between I find the PXC 550 handles them all with ease never sounding out of place or off.
Score 4.5/5

Midrange – There is a bit of an upper midrange emphasis that makes female vocals a bit sweeter than the 100ABN and gives guitars a satisfying bite and crunch without crossing the line into sibilance. The level of detail in the midrange is definitely above average for most Bluetooth and ANC products and is at least as good as the MDR-100ABN. It does not quite reach the level of a true audiophile level product but it is definitely not far behind and more than adequate given where this technology is being used.
Score 4.5/5
 
Treble – There is a continuation of the upper midrange emphasis into the lower treble. This makes cymbals have an added level of sparkle and presence. Personally I have really enjoyed the added presence but do know that this is going to be an area that some will find to strong. The funny thing is I generally prefer a more relaxed sound as well but have really enjoyed the PXC 550.
Score 4.5/5
 
Imaging, Sound stage, and instrument separation – The PXC 550 has what I feel is an intimate sound stage with above average imaging and instrument separation. The accented upper midrange and lower treble bring you closer to front of the stage so to speak but they also help keep everything clear allowing for strong instrument separation. The headphone also has strong dynamics and is fast enough to be able to handle complex pieces without becoming muddy.
Score 4/5
 
Miscellaneous sound facts – This headphone seems best appreciated by people who prefer lower volume levels and is in fact unable to go to extreme volume levels. In my posting I noticed several comments about the volume not being strong enough so just prior to writing this review I did some volume testing and found I could adjust the volume on my phone to the maximum level and the headphones volume to its maximum level and still listen to the headphone, it was at an uncomfortable level but not a painful of damaging level as in instantly damaging. I then tried the same experiment using the audio cable on my computer using my Audioengine D1 DAC and could so the same thing. If you really like your music loud the PXC 550 is probably not going to be loud enough for you. On the opposite end of the scale the upper midrange and lower treble will likely get more shouty as the volume is increased which would make these less enjoyable for any genres that have a strong presence in those areas.
 
Sennheiser has also included a free application called Captune that allows for the ability to customize the EQ of the headphone to an amazing degree. Unfortunately a good portion of my music is not compatible with the application so I did not use it a lot. For users of Tidal this might be a great feature though as it works with that service. If Sennheiser continues to improve the application making it more compatible with high resolution FLAC files it will might be one of the headphones best features.
 

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So what does this all add up to?
 
I am really glad I was given an extended length of time to test this headphone. I honestly think many of its features would not have been properly appreciated or understood without being able to use them on a daily basis. If I had only a week to test the headphone I would not have had a chance to use the double tap feature in stores or for a quick conversation with someone at work or even at home. Similarly being able to appreciate the comfort and stability of the headphone while being out and about is harder quantify or compare against other products unless you have the ability to switch back forth over several days. Similarly quantifying how effective the ANC is from product to product also takes the same amount of time.
 
So after 3 weeks of use the PXC 550 has slowly but surely become the most used. It is more comfortable than the 100ABN and has far less issues in my climate and has no noise issues such as being creaky. Sound wise it offers the most audiophile like experience I have heard in ANY Bluetooth or ANC product I have heard, it squashes the Bose QC30 in this regard and is a bit more balanced than the 100ABN while offering at least the same level of detail. The closest audiophile level Bluetooth product I have owned would be the B&O H7 and it offered weaker Bluetooth stability, way less intuitive touch controls, and no ANC functionality. All of this combined with the 550’s ability to work in all modes with almost no change in sound quality makes it one of the most complete all round headphones I have heard.
 
I have to admit I am not looking forward to the day I have to send this headphone back to Sennheiser, it will be greatly missed. I am already trying to figure out what I will have to sell and give up to be able to save up the money to buy my own pair since my finances are more strained than usual...

First if I would like to thank Meze for including me in their review program. I did NOT receive these for free, like all other reviewers in the program I was given a 1 week window to review the headphone, then ship them on to the next reviewer. Having said that one of us will win a free pair as a thank you from Meze for reviewing their headphone. I personally do not feel the potential for a free headphone sways my opinion on how something sounds, looks, feels, or it's craftsmanship. To be blunt if I don't like it I wouldn't want to win it and if I do like it, well then any positive review I make is deserved...
 
This headphone deserves a positive review...   
 
Ok, so now that I have dealt with the usual disclaimers let get into the review.
 
When the headphone arrived I loved how it looked. I personally love the dark walnut cups, the black headrest and suspension system and the gold accents. The headphone looks like a tasteful work of art and listening instrument. To be blunt I can't take pictures of the headphone that do it justice so I won't be lacing my review with pictures. Suffice it to say Meze's stock pictures look every bit as good as the finished product with no photo touching and glamorizing needed. Some will prefer the companies silver offerings more which is fine because I believe every picture offered by Meze is an honest depiction of their quality and craftsmanship so people can buy with confidence based on their personal fashion preference.
 
The retail packaging also reflects the quality of the product without being excessive or over the top in an attempt to upsell an otherwise less than impressive product. Just as Meze has not needed to depict their product as more than they are in their pictures, they haven't felt the need to waste money with fancy packaging either. Which is great news because they then put that money into a great case to protect their works of art as well as a very nice soft case to hold their cables.
 
Everything Meze has done shows their love for craftsmanship, design, and most importantly... MUSIC.
 
So are there any flies in the ointment? Yes, there are two things that stand out.

• The cables while looking very nice and being well built internally are cloth covered which makes then slightly noising when rubbing on things, with the smartphone cable being a bit less noisy due to the microphone/button acting as a noise absorber.
• The cups are not truly over ear (at least for my average sized ears), being more of a 3/4 over ear, somewhat similar to the original Sennheiser Momentum. The good news for me is that while they are not truly over ear, they are far more comfortable than any other partial over ear headphone I have tried or owned and that's even when I wear my glasses. In fact I found them comfortable for several 2+ hour listening sessions.

 
So how do these sound? In my opinion these sound as good as they look, reflecting the same esthetic values as their design. When I look at them I see a headphone that looks natural, with craftsmanship so solid there is no need for excessive coats of lacquer, over sized components, or glittery/shiny over polished accents. It's just so well put together it doesn't need to TRY THAT HARD! When I listen to them, THATS EXACTLY HOW THEY SOUND TOO! They have a boosted bass but it's never bombastic or over the top. They have a midrange that is clear, articulate, and engaging without ever feeling in your face and shouty. The treble similarly is detailed and slightly brighter than I have grown used to but never fatiguing. Their sound stage while smaller than my most expensive headphone and others I have owned or heard is still of a decent size and offers an above average 3D experience.
 
In my testing I used these equally between my LG G4 phone and my Pono player with both devices sounding excellent with the headphone. I also did some listening sessions with my computer and Audio Engine 1 DAC. Again the headphone sounded impressive. In all 3 listening situations I was using a mix of standard and high definition FLAC files from a variety of musical genres from classical orchestra, choral, movie sound tracks (lots of Hans Zimmer), small ensemble, Celtic, classic rock, psychedelic rock, country, female jazz, and more.
 
My usual review style is a breakdown of each area of the sound spectrum but I think I will fore go this process in favor of a brief comparison I wrote between the Meze 99 Classics, the VModa M100, and the Sony MDR-Z7.
 
The bottom line is I think the Meze 99 Classic is EVER BIT THE TITLE. They are "classic".
 

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Meze 99, Vmoda M100, Sony MDR-Z7 shootout listening to 192kHz 24 bit FLAC song Code Cool by Patricia Barber on my Pono.

Meze 99 and M100 played with standard stereo connection, Z7 played with balanced cable output.

Ok before I get started I want to be clear about my preferences. Over the years I have fluctuated between bright and dark sounding headphones. Swaying as bright as the AKG K712 and as dark as RHA T10. The T10 actually started me down the path to darker headphones until I settled on the Z7 which found a good balance between a dark sound with just the right sparkle and treble detail for me. For the past year and half it has been my go to headphone for listening enjoyment in full size gear.

M100 - Comparing the 3 headphones with this song really shows the M100's main stream signature and it's weaknesses. Starting with the bass while almost as strong as the Z7 it lacks the Z7 punch, detail and texture, sounding slightly hollow in comparison. The midrange is slightly subdued compared to the Z7 and the 99 while having a vocal pitch closer to the 99as compared to the warmer sounding Z7. Strangely the midrange sounds less cohesive due to the gap between the bass and the midrange. Treble is slightly hotter than the Z7 while still not being as bright or as detailed as the 99. The hotness of the treble makes the M100 ever so slightly more fatiguing than the 99 and Z7. The sound stage is slightly larger than the 99 but smaller than the Z7 but has an artificial quality assocated with its V shaped signature. Of the three the M100 has the least detail and imaging prowess.

MDR-Z7 - The Z7 has the biggest bass of the three headphones while having good punch and texture. The bass is definitely the Z7 strength and for many will be its Achilles heel. In this song the Big Bass (instrument) sounds slightly slightly larger than normal. Personally I enjoy the slightly larger than life experience but again many would not appreciate the coloration. The midrange is the warmest of the three headphones and yet retains detail, urgency, and is very cohesive with the bass. But this also means vocals have a level of huskiness that some would again find colored. The treble is finely detailed and articulate while being slightly relaxed, never approaching anything close to fatiguing. 3D imaging and sound stage is immensly satisfying and large beating both 99 and M100 handily.

Meze 99 - The bass of the 99 is the lowest in quantity while having as good a punch as the Z7 as well as detail and texture making it the most balanced of the three headphones. It is not a neutral headphone though, just more balanced than the other 2 in this comparison. The midrange similarly is brighter and as detailed and urgent as the Z7. The treble has none of the hotness of the M100 while being the brightest of the 3 headphones and yet fatigue free. While the 99 has the smallest sound stage it is very natural sounding and has as good instrument separation as the Z7.

So given my leaning towards the dark side it would be easy to say I would like the Z7 the most, but strangely enough I found myself enjoying the Meze 99 as much or more than the Z7. Where the Z7 won in the 3D and sound stage department the 99 won in the clarity and natural department. Both were non-fatiguing.

Comfort wise the Z7 wins but I actually found the 99 more comfortable than the M100 with extra large pads. In fact I can easily see living with the 99 from a comfort perspective which is shocking because I immensely prefer full over over versus on ear or half on ear. But the 99 has done a better job of comfort than any other half on ear headphone I have owned or tried.

So there you have it. The Meze trounced the M100 and sounded as good as (or better if you don't like the sound of the Z7's signaure) my $700 Z7 running in its optimal balanced configuration. So I guess you could say I like the Meze 99 a lot .

 
I am in the middle of 1 week window to listen to the Edition X as part of the loaner review program. This is the first really expensive headphone I have had an extensive listen to. I have listened to the T1, HD800, and LCD2 in a quiet setting for a couple of hours and them plus a few more expensive headphones at various head-fi meets over the years. So I have a bit of an idea of what more expensive headphones offer but not on a daily basis. My most expensive headphones prior to this is my current Z7, and prior K712 (sold), and D7000 (sold).

To give an idea of what I like I bought the Sony Z7 and Z5 last year and have been using them with a Pono player in balanced mode and they became my defacto favorites. So I like bass boosted warm gear with detailed but polite treble. I also recently picked up the PSB M4U4 IEM which is less bass heavy and more balanced than the Z5 which I also have enjoyed. When I first tried the HEX I found it to sound more like the M4U4 signature wise.

So here I am on day 2 using the HEX and my worst fears have been realized! I really REALLY like the HEX! It offers the best of every headphone I mentioned above and improves on those areas by quite a margin.

So if I was to say what areas are improved I would say the HEX offers a better balance of bass than the Sony's and slightly more bass than the M4U4 with amazing control, nuance, and texture. The bass is strong enough to satisfy my basshead tendencies while being controlled enough to never sound over done, bloated, or over lap other frequencies. The midrange similarly is clear, detailed, and never recessed. Liking warm signatures I like it's slight warmth. The treble is definitely a bit brighter than the Sony's being more like the M4U4. I notice just a hint of ear fatigue when using the HEX but LOVE the added treble presence as it just adds to all music while never crossing into harshness or sibilance. Finally I can not say strongly enough how much I love the sound stage and imaging of the HEX. It offers a very open sound with the 3D imaging of the Z5, beating any open or closed headphone I have owned. I can not say how it compares to the HD800, LCD2, T1 and the like as I have not heard them recently enough to offer a comparison in this area but the HEX is certainly better than my Sony's and the AKG K712 which I used to own, in this regard.

So why is this my worst fear? Its simple really. This headphone costs as much as my entire family vacation last year. It weighs in at a hefty $2400CAD which means I would need to save $200 a month for the next year to afford this musical marvel. It also means I need to say to my family I want a personal product that's worth as much as our entire family vacation just for myself! So I am struggling with guilt over what feels like an extreme extravagance.

Do I think it is 3 times better than my Sony's? Certainly not, but I am very tempted to buy it anyway (a year from now after I have saved up enough money).

So there you have it. I have a new 10/10 standard for listening excellence as the HEX stands head and shoulders above my previous headphones but at a price point that is close if not possibly too high for me to ever attain/justify. So heres hoping to winning the lottery .
 
One thing that does help justify the cost of this headphone is its low requirements. This headphone sounds awesome from nothing more than my LG G4 phone or my Pono! I have tried it using my Ocean Bravo Tube amp as well and it sounds just as awesome from it. So there is no need to buy an expensive amp to drive this headphone. This would allow the astute shopper to allocate those costs towards the headphone itself. This is a great feature for first time buyers who have not already invested hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in amps.
 
Specific Scores
 
Packaging and accessories - The package that arrived contained everything needed hook the headphone up to either a portable source or a tradition amp. The cables are cloth covered and relatively flexible working well from either my phone or my desktop amps. The retail box looks posh and comfortably and securely holds the headphone when not in use. There is no travel case for the headphone. 4/5
 
Build Quality and Comfort - The build quality of the headphone is solid with the exception of the plastic gimbals which feel out of place on a headphone this expensive. The square headband looks a bit geeky especially if you need to use one of the smallest adjustment settings as it sticks way up in the air. The adjustment system is a bit stiff a hard to manage. Comfort is TOP NOTCH as the weight is not to much and the clamp is perfect. I was able to wear these for hours on end with zero comfort issues. 4/5
 
Bass - The bass is one of the strongest elements of this headphone. It offers bass with enough weight and authority to make instruments like kettle drums, cellos, and electronic bass sound complete, textured, organic, and nuanced while never feeling over done. The bass also never over shadows the other frequencies. 5/5
 
Midrange - The midrange is ever so slightly warm and is not recessed in comparison to the bass and treble offering plenty of detail while remaining organic and engaging. I noticed no particular favor regarding male or female vocals. 5/5
 
Treble - The treble is nicely extended and revealing without stepping over the line into harshness or being sibilant. I can see where the treble might not be quite bright enough for those who really love treble but I think it is about as good as it can get for anyone who find treble exhausting. 5/5
 
Sound Stage and 3D imaging - This is the one area I think the HEX excels above all others especially the 3D imaging. The sound stage is probably not as big as the HD800 from memory but is still very large and the 3D aspect just takes it to that special place few headphones ever achieve. 5/5
 
Testing equipment and music used during the review - I used my LG G4 phone for a good portion of my testing along with my Pono in standard mode, Ipad Mini 2, and my computer going to my Audioengine D1 and then to my Bravo Ocean single tube amp. In all configurations the HEX sounded awesome. The D1/Ocean amp combo and  Ipad Mini 2 were the most relaxed and warm sounding configurations, the LG G4 had a slight V, and my Pono was the most balanced. I listened at low to moderate volume levels only as I do not blast my ears with loud volume levels. I used a variety of classical tunes from Arvo Part and other orchestral composers, Celtic music from Loreena McKennitt, rock from Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, ACDC, Black Sabbath, country rock from Blue Rodeo, Jaz from Patricia Barber and Diana Krall, and more. During all of the music I tried I only had one Black Sabbath song sound off for cymbals. Everything else sounded realistic from cymbals to kettle drums and Cellos.

I would like to thank Echo Box for being asked to review their new IEM. I received the IEM in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

So let's go through the non music aspects of this cool little IEM first. To start, well is a COOL LITTLE IEM! . The size and shape is it's most unique aspect. It looks cool in hand and simply disappears in ear. I love its minimalist design and how the cable comes out of the IEM and the manufacturer's clever strain relief system. I worry that the strain relief concept won't work but only time will be able to answer that question. The cable itself feels really good in hand having just the right amount of heft and bounce.

The included tips work well but may not always feel like they do. When I started out I felt I was struggling to get a good seal and switched to some JVC spiral and Sony hybrid tips which definitely sealed better. But the higher seal actually affected the signature to much. In the end I went back to the included tips because they created the best sound balance for me despite not always feeling like they were as sealed as I like.

Finally there is the filter system included with the X1. This is about the 5th IEM I have reviewed with such a system. I have a bit of a love hate relationship with these type of IEMs due to the nature of a filter. The best way I can describe filters is that are like a poor EQ system that is prevalent in a lot of portable devices these days. The EQ that doesn't just increase the area being adjusted but affects the sound spectrum around the area being adjusted. Filters similarly affect other aspects of the spectrum often giving them a mixed bag of results. I think the best way to think of filters is that they give a chance to achieve best sound right for each person. I don't find them great for switching around on a regular basis.

In the end I found the black filters gave me the best signature, followed by the silver, then the red with each filter being increasingly bright and bass subdued.

There is also the perfunctory clam shell carry case and essential accessories. The packages looks wonderful and is good with the exception of the filter holding system which gets wrecked in order to remove the filters.

Over all I give the design, look and feel of the IEM and accessories high marks. The product looks and feels very premium.

Score of 4.5 out 5.

Before discussing the sonic characteristics of the X1 I think it good to discuss my audio journey to help people understand my preferences so my enthusiasm or lack thereof doesn't inadvertently affect their decision.

I have vacillated between bass heavy products are more articulate choices. Going from products like the Monster Turbine Copper or Sennheiser GR8 to the opposite extreme such as Etymotic HFx series or the UE900. I loved the detail of the one and the bass and dynamics of the other. In the past year I started using some hybrid IEMs that have the big bass I love along with BA type midrange and treble I also enjoy. My favorite of these IEMs has been the Sony XBA Z5. One side effect of this extended love affair has been getting used to detailed but relaxed or subdued treble especially in the creation of cymbals. Consequently I now struggle listening to sharp or etched treble whether it be BA or dynamic driver created.

Ok now back to the X1 review.

When I listen to the X1 I get the distinct impression that Echo Box listened to existing filter IEM’s from companies like RHA and found those offerings distinctly short of the Audiophile standard so set out to correct that problem. Unfortunately for me they went too far in the other direction. Creating an IEM that eschews clarity and articulation at the expense of cohesion and fatigue. The good news is lovers of brighter signatures and Grado or AKG like sound will be ecstatic.

Out of the box I found X1 bright and lively but within a few hours of use I was starting to find it too fatiguing and unnaturally sharp especially for cymbal production. So I decided to break them in for 3-4 days. To accomplish this I used a combination of contrasting difficult songs and a burn in file I created a few years ago that uses white, pink, and Brown noise along with cymbals and heavy drumming and an enforced 10 minutes of silence to give the headphones a break every once in awhile. I set the volume at a level that I personally find to loud for comfort and then just let the IEMs play. A hundred hours later I tried the IEM again. The end result was a slightly more relaxed signature that was a bit less fatiguing but still too etched and harsh for my tastes.

Bass - the bass of the X1 is pretty linear with no issues such as a midbass hump but is also not particularly deep in regards to having a lot of sub bass. I find the bass works well for most older rock genres and a lot of jazz. The bass lacks weight for instruments like Cellos and kettle drums as well Double Bass so works OK for Jazz relying on the Double Bass and classical but does not shine for those genres.
Score 4 out of 5.

Midrange - the midrange is nice and detailed with no particular emphasis on one area such as upper mids or lower mids so it works well with both male and female vocals. The vocals while detailed feel slightly behind the bass and treble with the treble being the most prominent. Listening to singers like Dianna Krall or Patricia Barber feels like they are not front and center. I get the same feeling with when listening to male singers like Neil Diamond.
Score 4 out of 5

Treble - This area is the one most troublesome to me. Cymbals in particular are just too hot for me and have too much sizzle giving them a static like quality which I am not fond of. I also feel there is a bit of grain in this area.
Score 3.5 out of 5.

Sound stage and imaging - I am actually surprised as how well the sound stage works since these are so tiny. It is not large but these definitely don't lack In this area compared to other IEM’s. The imaging is even a bit better due largely to the sharp treble.
Score 3.5 out of 5

First off, I would like to thank BrainWavz for letting me review this IEM and also apologize because I have been a bit tardy getting my review completed. For disclosure purposes I have received the S3 for free in exchange for my unbiased review of the product.
 
So to get things started I think it important to state up front who I think the target audience is for this particular IEM. This IEM is definitely targeted towards people who are looking for a musically warm midrange oriented listening experience. While the S3 has north of neutral bass it is rolled off in the sub bass region and has a relaxed treble that is never fatiguing. My audio quality score is based on my take for this target audience. At the end of the review I also have rated the audio quality for other target groups.
 
Before I get into the sound portion of the review I will go over the non sound aspects of the S3.
 
Build Quality: The overall build quality of the S3 is my mind solid but utilitarian. The IEM body is made from polished aluminum and looks nice but not expensive. The flat cables are thinner than older BrainWavz IEM's but still retain the basic issues that flat cables have in regards to cable noise and weight. The strain reliefs likewise are smaller but tend towards serviceable versus pretty. My only real gripe I have with the build is the lip that hold the tips on. It is so sharp I have had it slice the tip stem on a couple of tips. So please be extra careful removing tips from the S3. Score 3.5/5
 
Accessories: As usual BrainWavz offer a wide selection of tips and their usual semi hard carry case which is perfect for first time buyers and anyone who likes to look after their gear. There should be enough to make most people happy with only the die hard tip rollers wanting more. Score 4.5/5
 
Isolation and micro phonics: As mentioned above the cable design does make these noisy when worn straight down but there is enough distance between the mic and the IEM shells that these can be worn over ear which almost eliminates all the noise of the cables. The level of isolation is slightly above average which is good enough for light rail transit and walking around downtown where I live but would probably not be enough for heavy transit or really noisy environments.
 
Design; The S3 has a basic bullet type design that works well for a lot of people. My preference is an angled tip but these work adequately. I struggled a bit in keeping a good seal consistently with the S3 though.
 
OK enough talking about the basics lets get down to the sound...
 
Bass - The overall bass response of he S3 is decently impactful and full sounding until you get to the sub bass regions where it suddenly drops off. For most of my music (Jazz, classical, classic rock, folk) this works well and offers a nice balanced sound that is easy to listen to and keeps my toes tapping. But I did find any electronic bass to be lacking in the bottom end and instruments like Cello's and Kettle Drums lacking in body as well. Score 3.5/5
 
Midrange - The midrange is the heart of the S3 in my opinion especially if you like your midrange to be a bit on the warm side. I found all vocals to have a nice full sound that was easy to get lost in. The signature is relaxed but not boring, managing to straddle that fine line. Score 4/5
 
Treble - The treble of the S3 is perfect blend of detail without fatigue. I found myself really enjoying the treble as it gave just enough splash and detail as to give cymbals some life with causing my ears to feel fatigued afterwards. This is one area that potential mid/treble heads will want to cautious of though as they may find this "perfection" rather boring. Score 4/5
 
Soundstage and imaging - I really like the S3 in this area. I think these have a larger than average sound stage and the imaging also seems above average. Score 3.5/5
 
On an overall scale I think the sound signature of the S3 deserves a 4 as it is a musical warm signature that anyone outside of the extremes will find enjoyable and worth while.
 
For the bass heads of the world I suspect you would rate these more like a 3/5 due to the sub bass roll off but anyone who likes bass but not at extreme levels will be satisfied with most of you music. Lovers of electronic bass may be the group most negatively affected by the bass.
 
For midrange lovers depending on whether you like a cooler/drier midrange or a warmer midrange you will fluctuate between 3.5 to possibly even a 4.5 out of 5 for an over all score.
 
Midrange/Treble heads I suspect the upper midrange and overall treble response will not be strong enough for your liking and you will score these more around a 2.5 - 3/5

First off I want to apologize for taking so long to get this review put together. Circumstances and family responsibility have conspired against me this year in regards to being able put together a review when I wanted to. But I wanted to make sure I gave the T20 the proper effort as it is a worthy IEM that deserves that. I would also like to thank RHA for sending me their latest flagship IEM.
 
OK enough fluff and excuses lets get to it .
 
Last year when I wrote my T10 review I suggested that RHA had created the perfect Pizza but that it wasn't my flavor. At the end of my review I asked them to make a new flavor. Now, I have no illusions that the T20 was because of my request because I think that RHA was already thinking past the T10 but I think my and all of the other reviews and comments from Head-fi members gave RHA the feedback they needed to start working on the T20 because this IEM is CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT FLAVOR! If the T10 was an all meat then the T20 is a Deluxe Pizza. Unfortunately for me I ate to much meat Pizza last year so find this new pizza to be slightly to spicy for my tastes and slightly lacking the meat department. The good news is I think I will be in the minority in this regard .
 
Starting with build quality as I compare the T10i and the T20 RHA has slightly tweaked and refined their already solid design. The memory wire has been slightly stiffened to help hit retain it's shape a but better but without sacrificing the original T10's comfort. The cable also appears to be very slightly thinner and the sleeve feels a bit less rubbery. The changes are very small but is nice to see that RHA is continuing to improve upon their physical design.
 
The second bigger change RHA has made is their driver technology. The T10 had a single dynamic driver while the T20 has a DualCoil^TM Dynamic driver. The difference in this technology has allowed RHA to create a more technically proficient driver that offers a richer more detailed listening experience.
 
The accessory kit of the T20 is exaclty the same as the T10 model. Which is to say, VERY COMPLETE. RHA is one of the best manufactures out there when it comes to ensuring a person has everything they need to enjoy their products. The vast collection of tips are managed with a great easy to use organizer and the soft case houses everything a person needs easily. They also come with a good quality shirt clip. Overall I would rate the accessory kit of the T20 as a 5/5.
 
Isolation is pretty much exactly the same as the T10, it is not quite on the scale of an Etymotic or Shure IEM for passive isolation but it is close. So I give it a score of 4.5 in this area. While I am on the subject of sound (outside of the music) I think the micro phonics of this IEM are also above average and again deserve a score of 4.5 ot of 5.
 
Finally the T20 comes with the same filtering system as the T10. This allows a person to customize their sound to their preference at will. The even better news is the filter system seems to suite the T20 a bit better than the T10 as the T20 more balanced signature allows each filter to work as designed. For myself I found the neutral filter to work best as it allowed most of the bass and treble through without impacting the mid-range their is a slight V shape but it is very slight. The bass filter removes quite a bit of the midrange making the signature decidely V shaped. The treble filter removes quite a bit of the bass and lower mid-range giving an upper mid-range / treble oriented signature. For many the treble filter will be considered the most neutral especially if they come from IEM's like Etymotic or classic full size headphones like the AKG K/Q7xx line. For my testing I have settled on using the neutral filter as it suites my tastes best.
 
When it comes to sound, like last year I need to say again... TO HECK WITH WHAT I LIKE! I say this because I was introduced to a darker less upper mid-range and treble oriented sound with the T10 and continued to search for an IEM that reflected that type of signature which lead me me down a different path to meet my personal requirements. So when I got the T20 I had already become used to this new signature. But the T20 is pretty much exactly what I envisioned RHA making when I initially reviewed the T10. So I do believe the T20 will be enjoyed by a large segment of audiophile oriented music lovers.
 
In regards to which group that should avoid this IEM I would say if you really like a bass oriented experience the T20 will come up a bit short for you. Similarly if you struggle with any glare in the upper registers and ear fatigue you might find the T20 a bit to much for you as well. If you happen to like bass AND are treble sensitive you will find yourself turning up the volume to try and satisfy your bass love which then makes the treble even more problematic.
 
Bass - I found the bass of the T20 to be much less than the T10 verging on being a bit to polite for my tastes. Having said that the bass is tight and detailed. It seems to have slightly less sub bass which is the one area I miss the most. I rate the bass as a 3.5 for bass lovers, 4.5 for balanced signature lovers, and 4 for treble lovers. But this is one area where the filters can make more of a difference especially the treble filter which will make the bass more in line with an Etymotic type of sound for the treble lovers.
 
Mid-range - The midrange is more forward than the T10 with lots of wonderful detail and is decidedly less warm sounding. It is also more aggressive and edgy as compared to the T10. For most audiophile listeners the T20 offers the type of sound they want. Personally I wish is had a bit more warmth while maintaining the level of detail it has. I rate the mid-range as a solid 4 for my tastes and a 4.5 for balanced and treble lovers.
 
Treble - The treble of the T20 is a massive step up from the T10. Where the T10 erred so far on the side of caution as to be considered muddy by many Head-fi members the T20 is clear, detailed, edgy, and ever so slightly hot. Personally I find the slight peak in the lower treble a bit to much for my ears causing slight fatigue especially if turn up the volume.. But for most audiophile listeners I think this won't be an issue. In regards to sibilance I only noticed what was naturally occurring in an album and then it was never really harsh or annoying. I rate the treble as a 4 for my tastes, 4.5 for balanced lovers, and 5 for treble lovers.
 
My overall score based on my own preferences would be a 4, for balanced lovers and treble lovers 4.25 - 4.5

OK, before I get into my review of the MDR-Z7 I feel a need to give some background and history of my time on head-fi. It might help make sense of my love of this headphone and why at the same time I am going against the sonic grain of some of my recent reviews and general mid/treble centric preferences.

When I started out on Head-fi I was the proud owner of the original Bose Triport earphones and thought they were pretty good until I started to read about sound and realized I wanted something more. I then started down my low-mid-fi days of trying to find something cheap that would meet my desires. Interspersed among this lower end gear was the occasional splash into what I thought was higher end gear such as the original Monster Turbine IEM's.
 
After several IEM's I started to check out headphones versus IEM's and have bounced back and forth between these to areas since. My first full size big phone was the venerable ATH-AD700 which was a revelation of what a headphone could do in regards to a larger sound stage, I was so impressed a gave away my AD700 to my Mother and bought the AD900 figuring it would be  step up. The AD900 introduced me to my love hate relationship with mid-range/treble centric headphones. I then bought the Sennheiser HD600 and loved that signature as well. Then I got a great deal on a pair of Denon D7000 which opened my second love love of quality bass and sparkly treble. But in the end I sold all 3 of these headphones as I just could find something I was in love with sonically. The AD900 was to strident and thin sounding, the HD600 was to balanced, and the D7000 to V shaped. I then went through a round of Shure headphones buying the 940, 1440, and 1540, all ended up being sold as I again found issues with the signature and or the build and comfort of each. So my search continued. During this search I went back to my IEM roots and tried a few more IEM's including the XBA-H1/H3 both which ended up being traded or sold as again I found myself not satisfied with the signature of each IEM. I also snuck an AKG K550 in the mix and ended up reviewing the new K545 (which I still own and love, it is V shaped but has enough upper mids that I find it very good for a portion of my music). I then bought and modded a pair of Q701 which I also love and still own. After an afternoon of testing the Sony MDR 7520 and AKG K712 Pro I ended up ordering a pair of the K712 Pro and even declared them best for my mid/treble love as I would not sacrifice those areas for bass.

Then something strange happened. I won an RHA contest to review their new flagship IEM the T10i. When the T10i arrived my initial impression was these are fun, but WAY TO BASSY! But I ws determined to give them a proper chance before I wrote up my review. So I started burning them in nightly and put away my other IEM's and just used the T10i. After a week of using the T10i suddenly my other IEM's and headphones were starting to sound thin and fatiguing (to be honest my K712 caused ear fatigue when  got them even though I loved their mid-range and treble detail). After another week I was starting to use the T10i a lot and preferred it's relaxed sound for longer listening sessions.

Meanwhile I was reading and trying to ignore all the Sony MDR Z7/Z5 talk, but I would be lying if I didn't say I was intrigued... I then bought a pair of MDR10RBT to test out blue tooth technology to see how it had improved and suddenly found myself splitting all my head time between the T10i and the MDR10RBT (the MDR10RBT are now my permanent winter muffs LOL).

But my intrigue regarding the MDR Zx products wouldn't go away and was whetted by my MDR10R. So when I found out the local Sony stores were carrying the Z7 I knew I had to have a listen. My first taste ended up being an A/B session between my MDR10R and the Z7 through the new PHA3. I could tell there was a ton more space and size in the Z7 and big improvements in all sonic areas. I left the store impressed but unconvinced because I wasn't sure if it was the headphone or the better DAC/Amp. So I went back to another store and tried nothing but my LG G3 as a source. 45 minutes later I reluctantly left the store with the Z7 in hand and a football in my gut because I had just laid out $700+ dollars!

So 3 weeks into using the Z7, here I am writing this review. In case you haven't guessed, I LIKE THE Z7 A LOT!
 
So now begins the hard part, how do I write an unbiased review???
 
Simple, I am going to spend a paragraph and discuss the sonic qualities  of the Z7 and explain who in my opinion should look at it and who will likely want to take a pass based off those sonic qualities. Then from there I get to just talk about why I love this headphone without fear of upsetting anyone .
 
The general description of the Z7 signature is big, bass-y, and relaxed without sacrificing the mid-range and treble... sort of . By this I mean the mid-range is clear and detailed but warm and the treble is clear but not as detailed and airy as other headphones like the K712 or the Beyerdynamic T1, especially at lower volume levels. So if you want neutral or you want mid/treble centric sound then simply move on as the Z7 won't fit those needs. Also the sound stage while nice and big and decently accurate for a closed headphone will simply not keep up with a good open headphone.

So is that it then, is the Z7 a lost cause????

HECK NO!!!
 
Once you get past the basic description of the sound signature and delve into what makes this headphone tick then things get interesting. In my opinion the very things that will give many head-fi'ers cause to pause ultimately may be why they should consider this headphone as second option and for many quite possibly their main headphone.

Each headphone manufacturer should hopefully have a goal in mind when they make a headphone and hopefully that goal isn't to simply make money. In the case of the Z7 I think Sony wanted to make something with a BIG EXPERIENCE but without sacrificing the music in the process. For me when I think BIG EXPERIENCE I think concerts, block buster movies, live orchestra's, followed by intimate Jazz sessions where you can feel the music pulsating with life. In my opinion one aspect of all these venues is the music or sound track has to be louder than what we listen to most of the time. So how does one create a headphone that achieves these qualities without making people go deaf?

The Z7 attempts this balancing act by going deep for the bass and uses air flow versus raw impact and punch. This allows the Z7 to present bass in a way that doesn't simply get louder as you turn up the volume. Instead of just getting louder is starts to show detail an nuance. Similarly the mid-range which is slightly warmer can be listened to out a louder volume and like the bass shows more my detail as the volume goes up. Treble on the other hand can't scale the same way as the bass and warmer mid-range so Sony dampened the treble so as the volume was increased the treble would gain clarity to match the bass and mid-range at it's optimal moderate to loud volume level. In my opinion at moderate to loud levels Sony has NAILED this signature. I can listen for hours being completely immersed in my music and loving the grandeur of it all and then simply remove the headphone with ZERO ear fatigue. Further more when I want to just relax or focus on some task with music in the background, I can turn the volume down and get a less dynamic but still enjoyable level of music. The only thing I can not accomplish with the Z7 is a low volume listening session with tons of detail and dynamics. But that is where my SECONDARY headphones will come in...

So in case you didn't catch that, my "better technical" headphones have been relegated to second fiddle! For years I worked hard to convince myself to listen at low volumes only and use extremely technical oriented IEM's or headphones to allow me to dissect my music. The problem with that approach was that I lost what was most important to me, AWE AND GRANDEUR! I fell in love with music because it moved me and for good or bad volume played a roll in that process. Music moved me because it quite often MOVED ME!

On top of all this Sony has made one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. It just simply disappears when I put it on. The pads are soft and enveloping without being super hot (I am sitting in my hot stuffy computer office as I type this and the headphones have not bothered me for the past hour plus I have been typing). Plus they are flawlessly designed and manufactured including a masterfully designed cable and connection system.

Sure I would rather have had a case included, maybe an extra set of earpads. Heck I would have been ecstatic if these had been priced at the $500 price point! But regardless of these missing niceties or wishful lower pricing I do think the Z7 earns it's keep if barely.

One final discussion I think is important. There was / is lots of talk about this headphone as it compares to past Sony masterpieces. I think this is immensely unfair to the Z7. Sony had a goal for each headphone they have made. Please focus on their goal for this headphone instead of wishing they would just make a new Mona Lisa 2.0!

I am going to go against tradition in how I usually score a headphone breaking it down into general areas like bass, midrange, treble, and sound stage, instead I am going to give a few song impressions:

Babel by Mumford and Sons - The bass in the song is thicker and slower than the a headphone like the Q701 but enjoyable as the speed is not so off that it becomes to slow. Vocals are slightly heavy / warm in a way that is more meatier. There is a drop off in detail in the upper registers as compared to a headphone like the Q701 but I get a similar sense of immediacy as different areas are accented on the Z7. I would say the Z7 is more intimate sounding than a mid/treble centric headphone as the vocals sound slightly closer and as mentioned, warmer.
 
Your my Thrill by Diana Krall - At the beginning of the song the piano sounds thick and weighty and when the bass kicks in there is a nice heavy note that is detailed and full of decay. When Diana's voice starts she sounds very sultry and very close. You can hear the drum kit but cymbals are not very prominent acting more as an accompaniment rather than taking center stage. The over all sense is that your watching Diana play in a small intimate club that is warm and inviting.
 
Anvil of Crom by Basil Poledouris - from Conan the Barbarian - The kettle drums have a nice full sound and the brass also sounds full and vibrant. The cymbals in the background actually sound very clean and have great articulation but loose some of the shimmer and airiness as compared to a neutral or mid/treble centric headphone. The violins are slightly dark and not quite ethereal but blend very well in the over all soundscape being presented. The instrument separation is clean but is done by a reduction in shimmer of instruments like the cymbals. The sound is what I would expect to hear at the movies. Given that this is a movie sound track I feel the Z7 offers a faithful reproduction of the sound intended.
 
Symphony No 3 by Arvo Part - The cellos at the beginning of the track I am using sound very full and thick. The sense of sound stage is enveloping as the different cellos and later instruments join the music. Brass instruments sound exceptionally poignant. I feel completely surrounded while the song plays and can feel the emotion and atmosphere of the music completely. The song hits a very heavy dark section that is simply so well done it sweeps me away. Then violins kick in and they are vibrant and clear. Small bells are played 3/4 of the way through the song and are again clear and poignant, followed by a minimalist violin section that is clear followed by a wonderful brass section that is restrained and poignant before descending into a deep kettle drum bass filled crescendo that is simply awe inspiring. When this song ended the next Arvo Part song "I am the True Vine" kicked in and the voices were so vibrant and couldn't help but listen as they sing... This song clearly shows how a well designed bass oriented headphone can completely transform a song into an experience versus just listening to a song.
 
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd - The initial bass and synthesizers sound amazing with good pop to the drums and organ like for the synthesizers. There is a wonderful 3D aura throughout the song with the vocals being perfectly placed. The drum kit is detailed but never more than accompaniment to the song. The guitar solo is relaxed and clean but not so relaxed as to be boring, it carries you down the song pulling you into the feeling of the song. Little details like the pin prick are wonderfully articulated.
 
Money by Pink Floyd - The cash registers at the beginning of the song sound great and never harsh. The bass guitar kick in and sound very full and wonderfully present, when the drums kick in they have a nice kick to them and the cymbals sound clear but never bright always acting as just an accompaniment. The vocals again are weighty and perfectly placed in the song. Guitars and saxaphone have vibrancy and clarity. The songs is simply immersive surrounding you as it plays out, again with a wonderful 3D sound field.
 
Lullaby - by Loreena McKennit - The start of the song with the thunder is very compelling and larger than life. Loreena's voice sounds very ethereal and full. All the accompanying instruments sound poignant and clear. When the male actor starts to give his speech his voice is full and very powerful while Loreena's singing in the background never looses it's ethereal qualities. The song feels like an experience versus just music.
 
A quick discussion on burn in (brain and physical). If your used to a brighter signature you will likely need to listen to this headphone exclusively for up to a week to give your brain a chance to adjust. If you still just don't like the signature nothing with likely change that opinion. If on the other hand, you like it but are not sure you like it enough because either the bass is to big or the treble to dull I suggest you give these another week and burn them in religiously every night, as I do feel the bass settles down a bit and the treble also improves. So you might find yourself going from being on the fence to being sold on this headphone.
 In my overall score I am giving this headphone a 5 because I feel it is simply awe inspiring when used at moderate volume levels. But I have knocked it's value down to about a 4 and it's overall audio quality to about 4.5 as I do think it's price is at the extreme edge of what is acceptable and there is a trade off in sound quality at lower volumes from an audiophile perspective.

First off I would like to thank CTC Audio for being given the chance to review this amplifier. Note, they did not give me the amp, this is a loaner program they have set up to review their product line. I am grateful for a company like them to be willing to do this. It costs them money to set this up and being a simple online retailer is a lot of work. For anyone in North America and Canada specifically CTC offers a line of some of the best Audiophile equipment that has been made in the past year at a price that is competitive while offering warranty options that are harder to get when dealing with companies over seas. I strongly recommend supporting a local company like them.
 
 
 
 
Ok stepping down from my soap box I am now ready talk about the amp .
 
Removing the amp plus it's audio cable and rubber bands from the neatly subdued packaging I was impressed with the solid feel of the amp and it's utilitarian appearance. It has a nice elegant look and feel to it. If I have any concern with the amps physical design it would be the plastic piece over the volume knob as it has cracks developed in it where the jacks plug in. It doesn't appear to be ready to break for real or anything but given that the unit is only a week and half old I would expect more durability.
 
 
 
In my case I have a very large phone so have eschewed using the rubber bands as I don't want to excerpt that much pressure on my phone or the amp. I also have paired this up with my home desktop computer and it's LittleDot DAC1, my Lenovo Laptop, and my Dell Venue 8 Pro Windows 8 tablet. Out of all my sources the amp has exhibited a consistent sound signature. I was surprised to find I actually enjoyed it most when it was paired with an already warm source such as by Dell tablet and laptop. It seemed to just flow better from those two sources. My LG G3 and my Little Dot DAC1 on the other hand lost their clarity a bit which was noticeable. But I will delve into these details later in the review.
 
Upon receiving the amp and giving it a good charge I eagerly plugged it into my LG G3 phone and prepared for some MAGIC! Sadly I was quite underwhelmed... Instead of a big sound and added detail I was presented with a warm sound that was lacking in detail and dynamics. Needless to say my first thought was DAMN AM I GLAD I HAVEN'T BOUGHT THIS! So I immediately posted my initial impressions and was quickly reassured I should let them burn in for a day or two. Now this is tricky as I only have a week to test this gear. But I was determined to give this amp the attention it deserved so I dutifully plugged it in and set it to playing music with one of my headphones and left it. The next day I recharged the battery and tried the amp again. This time I was pleasantly surprised. The warm thick sound was reduced dramatically and upper details were suddenly present. So I dutifully left it running for another day. Upon the next listen the sound had changed yet again and I started to notice more subtle changes in the overall sound of my headphones. The difference was most noticeable with IEM's followed by closed headphones. There was a decided added level of 3D space and presentation. I will be honest, I never expected it to really exist even though I had read about it in the forums. I simply couldn't believe that an amp would have that impact on the way a headphone would sound.
 
One thing I have experienced with amps is hiss and possible electric noise from other sources. Fortunately the C5 had NONE of these issues. I did not get any noise from my phone and the amp had pretty much no hissing with any of my IEM's or headphones. For me THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF AN AMP.
 
So I started to do a round of A/B testing primarily from my LG G3. My testing was to set the amp to be at the same volume level as my phone so I could simply switch back and forth between my the phone directly and the amp. I used a variety of different songs and tested the amp with about 8 different headphones and IEM's. Below is each headphone listed wit the general experience I noticed.
 
T-PEOS Altone200 - This IEM is one that has me definitely on the fence. After reviewing several warmer IEM/Headphones I have been turned off of sharp treble and the Altone200 is definitely sharp!. The C5 took this IEM and tamed it's highs just enough to give me an added level of enjoyment. The bass button also helped to warm up the sound. The IEM by nature has a TON of detail so the little bit lost by the amp was noticeable but not seriously missed. Out of the IEM's tested this one benefited a lot from the amp. The C5 also took an already expansive sounding IEM and made it sound even bigger and more 3D like.
 
RHA T10i - This IEM has been designed to work best directly from devices like my phone. In my time with the IEM most amps have exaggerated it's bass which hinders it's presentation. The C5 did this badly in the beginning but after it was burned in actually started to sound better. While it still amplified the bass it managed to also help bring out the treble of the T10i a bit and added to the already decent sized sound stage. Out of the IEM's tested this one benefitted the least from the C5 but I did start to enjoy the changes it brought to the table.
 
Pioneer DJE1500 - This IEM is my current favourite as it offers an excellent level of bass punch while still offering a full mid-range and treble. The C5 elevated all areas of the IEM and smoothed out a bit of it's harshness in it's upper midrange and lower treble. It also added some wonderful spatial queues to the IEM already impressive sound stage. The bass button was also nice as it added some warmth to the IEM which was helpful with some of the music I listen to.
 
Vivo XE800 - This IEM is a boil-cellulose variant of the GR07 made specifically for Vivo. It's signature by nature is balanced and very clean with almost BA like levels of detail. The C5 consequently had a small drop in the level detail and a slightly smoother sound. But like the DJE1500 there was less harshness in the upper midrange helping to ensure no sibilance from the IEM. There was also added level of 3D spatial qualities which helped add some height to the slightly 2D sound stage of this IEM. Again the bass button offered a nice added touch of warmth and bass presence to this IEM.
 
Etymotic H5 - The Etymotic H5 is a very special BA in my books as it offers excellent detail and neutrality. The C5 simply took that sound and smoothed it out a bit and offered added bass punch and warmth when used with the bass button which made the H5 sound much more enjoyable especially for male singers. I feel the bass button might be enough reason to get this amp for anyone who loves their H5 but wished it has that added warmth. The C5 also helped increase the 3D spatial qualities of the H5 a lot. I would say it's a toss up between the H5 and the Altone200 as to which benefited the most from the amp.
 
Sony MDR10R - This headphone is by design a bit on the warm side so the C5 just takes that area to the next level. The headphone is also a bit power hungry so really benefited from the added juice of the amp. I was able to comfortably use the low gain setting while still gaining added volume and clarity. The C5 also helped take a decent sound stage and make it even bigger and more 3D like. These two played very well together but only if you enjoy the general signature of the headphone as the C5 just accents that signature further. The bass button was to much for this headphone in my opinion.
 
Sony MDRZ7 - I only have had this headphone for a short while so will add impressions after I have had a chance to let the headphone burn in.
 
AKG K712 - The K712 is the only headphone in my testing that struggled to gain a benefit from the C5. It was only barely louder on low gain and had a harsh tone to it when using the high gain. I suspect it simply falls into a gap between the high and low gain settings. It is also those the most competent headphone I have in regards to sound stage and spatial abilities so doesn't really gain anything from the amp in this regard. But the bass button on the amp definitely helped warm up the signature of the headphone which was nice for male vocals.
 
As I mentioned I did use the amp with various other sources. I was surprised to find it seemed to work best with warmer sources enhancing their signature versus colder sources where is simply diminished their good qualities.
 
Over all I think this amp deserves a 4.5 out of 5 for it's sonic qualities. It worked very well with most of my sources with no noise issues. While it slightly alters the sound it does so in a generally pleasing way especially in regards to the sound stage. My only concern would be the plastic piece with the volume knob in regards to physical build quality dropping the score in that area down to 4/5.
 
So if your in the market for a portable headphone amp I don't think you can really go wrong with the Cayin C5. It offers an excellent price/performance value and offers enough battery life to give a person a typical full day of use.
 
Tech Specs:
Rated Output: 800mW + 800mW (32Ω load)
SNR: ≥101dB (A-weighted)
Battery Life: Up to 12 hours
Charging Time: ~4 hours
Frequency Response: 20Hz-100kHz (± 1dB)
Sensitivity: ≤500mV (Hi-Gain)
Total Harmonic Distortion: ≤0.02% (1kHz)
Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity: 1000mAh / 11.1V
Dimensions: 136 x 63 x 15mm
Weight: ~185g / 6oz.

First off I want to thank RHA for selecting me as one of their 3 reviewers here on Head-fi. I really appreciate being selected out of so many quality reviewers that replied in the reviewers wanted thread. I also would like to thank the people who posted their recommendation for me. I was touched by those posts more than you realize, as the process of writing reviews can at times feel like I am talking to myself. It was wonderful to see such positive feedback about my writing, making all the effort worth while.
 
OK so enough fluff, lets get down to the brass tacks!
 
RHA has created what I think is the best pizza I have had the pleasure of trying in quite a long time! Unfortunately it's not my flavour... But like a great pizza, this IEM is so well made it has made me stop and sample the flavor being offered and DARNED IF I DON'T LIKE IT IN SPITE OF MYSELF!
 
So what makes this IEM so special?
 
For starters BUILD QUALITY. The IEM body is beautifully made from stainless steel in a process that shows RHA's dedication to quality and willingness to go the extra distance to ensure their product is robust while esthetically pleasing to the eye. They then have used a slightly thicker than average cable that is subtle and not so big as to be considered overly bulky and have couple it with an excellent mic/controller. The microphone is good enough I was able to have a quality conversation with my wife for 15 minutes while walking on a busy street in downtown Calgary during lunch time! The cable also has an above average spring based strain relief at the I shaped jack. The Coup de gras of this IEM though is it's memory wire system, the spring coil wire is simply one of the most comfortable well thought out designs I have ever used!
 
Build quality receives a 5.5 ot of 5! You heard that right, I'm cheating here because its that good .
 
Then we have the accessory kit. This IEM offers a good enough selection of quality tips to satisfy any buyers needs. The tips seal well on the IEM and offer excellent fit (at least for my ears which are at times kind of fussy), as well as a nice system to display and hold all the extra tips. Then there is a decent soft square case for holding the IEM's. one might want a hard shell case but I think this IEM is robust enough it doesn't need one. Finally there is the filter system, but I think they deserve a paragraph all to themselves.
 
Other companies have made filter systems in the past so RHA isn't necessarily breaking new ground here. But I have not seen filters as well designed and easily switched as these. From their aesthetic beauty, their details to little things like using a rubber seal, and most importantly their sonic changing abilities RHA has done this better than anyone to date. The bass filter takes an already bass oriented IEM and raises the bass stake significantly. The balanced filter offers a nice in between level of performance, while the treble filter increases the upper midrange and treble as advertised.
 
Accessories score 5 out of 5. Some might think a triple flange is needed to achieve a 5 but this IEM is designed for comfort so I feel the dual flanges are enough to cover isolation and seal for those needing something other than a single flange tip.
 
Speaking of isolation. This IEM is not quite on the scale of an Etymotic or Shure IEM for passive isolation but it is close. So I give it a score of 4.5 in this area. While I am on the subject of sound (outside of the music) I think the micro phonics of this IEM are also above average and again deserve a score of 4.5 ot of 5.
 
Now let talk about how they sound. This is where it gets tricky.
 
OK, let start of by establishing my position... TO HECK WITH WHAT I LIKE! So you might be wondering why I have taken such a stand. It simple really, this review needs to transcend my personal sonic likes and dislikes to do the T10i justice.
 
So what are my sonic preferences? I like good solid bass but never at the expense of the midrange, I like neutral to slightly bright mids, and treble that has lots of detail without coming across as splashy or harsh. My personal headphone/IEM's I have enjoyed the most are Pioneer DJE1500 (an IEM with solid bass that never compromises the midrange, neutral mids, treble that highlights cymbals and highs with decent detail while never being harsh or sibilant), UE900 (solid bass that has the typical BA qualities, mids that are definitely peaked towards the upper midrange possibly a bit to much so, treble that is very detailed but again without being harsh or sibilant), AKG K712 Pro (bass that is very present but more on the punchy side that the heavy side, super detail midrange that is slightly tipped towards the upper midrange, detailed sharp treble that can be harsh if the original recording has sharpness to it). So there you have it, I am a mid/treble oriented head-fi'er who likes to indulge in bass. In this regard the T10i falls short and to be honest, based on my own posts, if someone else had written them and I was reading to decide if I would want the T10i based solely on my own preferences, I would end up taking a pass. But based on my actual listening experience I know this would be to my own detriment.
 
So is there any group that should probably avoid this IEM? The answer is yes, there are two groups. If you find any bass heavy signature distasteful or if you live and die by sharp precise detailed treble you will want to likely take a pass on this IEM.
 
For everyone else, depending on where you sit these will be either a must have IEM or one that might be an excellent alternate option for your stable or a possible number 1 choice based off all the reasons above PLUS a signature that is more enjoyable than it's signature placement might lead you to believe.
 
I would rate this IEM as a 5 out of 5 for bass lovers and a 4 out of 5 for balanced signature lovers and a 3.5 out of 5 for treble lovers. But honestly think the bass signature is done well enough that it might skew those rating by half a point in the positive for both balanced and treble lovers. It can be even better if your willing to use an equalizer to help shape the sound. For my LG G3 I simply turn on the treble enhancement setting to satisfy my treble love. For anyone coming from stock ear buds that come with their DAP or lower entry level IEM's found in most retail stores the T10i will be all the upgrade they will likely want and without having to do all the head-fi tricks most of us on head-fi are used to such as resorting to tip rolling.
 
Bass - The bass of the T10i is easily it's most defining aspect and one that will either win you over or possibly have you running away. The bass also seems to become stronger with most of the amps I have tried it with so does not seem to be improved by added current. On the flip side I have enjoyed the bass straight from every device I have tried which includes an iPad, LG G3, Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet, Lenovo Windows 8 touch screen laptop, so it really is designed for portable use requiring just a DAP. The bass is deep, slightly slow and thick with a great sense of fullness and completion. Out of the box it will feel to strong but does settle down after 20-30hrs of use. The bass affects the midrange but only slightly giving the lower midrange more warmth.
 
Midrange - As mentioned the midrange is on the warm side leaning towards rich and luxurious. It is not recessed but errs on the side of relaxed rather than detailed and is lacking in urgency as compared to IEM's such as the GR07 or the DJE1500 in my collection. But while the midrange is on the relaxed side it also has an enjoyable aspect to it that is down right addictive for some genres such as early vocal jazz and to some degree even some rock genres or bands you would not think it would work with such as Led Zeppelin and Rush where it brings so enjoyable warmth to some of their songs.
 
Treble - The treble of the T10i is probably it's most obvious Achilles heel based solely on an audiophile scale as it is very rolled off and laid back. This is great for people who are allergic to sharp treble but will be missed by anyone who is a lover of cymbals and intricate treble detail. This is not to say it doesn't have the detail it is just that it is to much in the back ground.
 
I will close this review with two pleas.
 
To those that know this will not be in your wheel house, if you can try a pair at a local Head-fi meet or work a temporary trade/borrow session with another head-fi member. Give this IEM a try as it might surprise the heck out of you.
 
To RHA, please take your exquisite IEM design and simply build another flavour of driver. Since I am making the plea I would like an ALL DRESSED please! For me that would be one with slightly less bass presence that has more punch in the sub-bass and a bit less mid-bass with a bit more speed and texture. If the bass is fixed it should by design then leave the midrange untouched removing some of the warmth and make the midrange more dynamic and alive. For the treble if you could add more detail especially for cymbals allowing them to have more crash with decent decay. All of the above give better imaging and instrument separation to go along with the sound stage offered by your IEM shell design.
 
Here are some pics I have placed in various posts already.
 
  
  
 
    

Over the years I have owned and reviewed a number of IEM's and headphones, being a positive person my reviews generally err on the side of generosity. This IEM forced me to go back through my reviews and adjust my ratings. The overall package and sound of the DJE1500 required it to be separated from everything else or I wouldn't be doing it justice. It is the first 5 star rating I have ever given. Now this doesn't mean I might not hear another IEM that is better but as of now it is the best dynamic based IEM I have heard, PERIOD... Now having said that I want to remind everyone that it is the perfect IEM sound for me not everyone else. For people wanting massive bass these won't do, similarly for those who love bright, or detail above all else again this IEM will not meet your needs. But for anyone wanting a good healthy dose of ALL OF THE ABOVE I think you might find the DJE1500 fits the bill.
 


 
Accessories:
As far as accessories goes you get the standard combinations of silicone single flange tips, and one set of Comply tips with the wax catcher. While the included tips work I am not a huge fan of Comply tips and found the bullet shape of the default tips not super suited for my ears. So I ended up testing Sony hybrid or UE wide mouth tips with great success. The Sony tip will give you a darker more subdued midrange and treble sound compared to the original tips while the UE tip allows more midrange and treble detail through.
 
This IEM uses the same detachable cable system as Shure, UE900, and several other manufacturers which will allow for cheap 3rd party cable replacements or expensive high end cable alternatives. Personally I have tried the UE900 blue iPhone cable and a Samsung S4/5 Android cable successfully but both reduced the treble detail detracting from the IEM sound, but may be perfect for anyone who find treble energy to tiring. In regards to the original cable, it offers a slightly to long a cable for portable use but is manageable due to it's extremely soft cloth covering and soft easy to manage memory wire section, it looks damn near perfect for the intended DJ audience. I have to say the quality of this cable out ways any length or non mic qualms I have. It sounds fantastic and works well on my home desktop rig as well as off my LG G2 phone. Microphonics are not perfect but above average in my opinion. The original cable may never have to be "upgraded" for users looking for just a straight stereo connection. I have actually ordered a $90 upgrade Samsung Android cable in the hopes I can get the same quality of sound as the original cable while having the controls and mic on my phone because I couldn't accept the difference in quality from my existing 3rd party cables and the original.
 


 
 
Design
 
One thing I really find cool about this IEM is it's ability to transform from an over ear to a regular down ear IEM. It accomplishes this through a dial that allows you to adjust where the cable is positioned in regards to the IEM's shape. Here are some pictures of the various positions.
 


 
   
 
Sound
 
So how does it sound? In one word FANTASTIC!
 
I have owned a plethora of high end IEM's over the years ranging from the Sennheiser IE8, UE Triple-fi 10, UE900, Earsonics SM3, Sony MDR 7550, Sony EX1000, Sony XBA-H1/H3, Sony XBA3, and more. Almost all of these have been sold by me because of one short coming or another that just started to bother me. Some had great detail but were two fatiguing or lacked bass presence, others had amazing sound stages but at the expense of the midrange, some had almst everything right sonically but were ergonomically challenging or susceptible to wind noise while out and about.
The DJE1500 has managed to fit almost every single check mark I want in an IEM and where it falls down simple manageable 3rd party accessories can address the problem.
 
Bass - The bass in these is north of neutral but in a very expansive and enjoyable way. It does not just have massive bass slam which can be fatiguing and it manages to have great texture and decay so other instruments like Cello's, bass guitars, and the lowest registers of a piano sound wonderful while still making drums sound awesome. The only music I find the bass a bit over cooked is electronic sub bass. The bass of the DJE1500 is not overly mid-bass or sub-bass oriented but fairly linear albeit slightly boosted over the other ranges.
 
Midrange - The midrange is nicely neutral to maybe ever so slightly forward. Tip choice can affect the upper midrange though. When using UE tips for example some artists who strongly enunciate S's can come across as borderline sibilant but with the default tips or the Sony hybrids this is not an issue. I find the midrange to be engaging and detailed but never so detailed or analytical as to be boring.
 
Treble - The treble is clear and detailed especially with the UE tips but never fatiguing in my experience. I love how instruments like cymbals are reproduced. They have nice sizzle and crash without becoming strident or shouty. The treble is about in the same place audibly as the midrange.
 
Sound Stage and imaging - The sound stage and imaging of this headphone is simply off the charts. It is in the same range as the best Sony IEM's and the IE8 but without the veiled midrange of the IE8 or the wind noise and quirky ergonomic issues of the Sony's and the IE8. I was continually amazed at how drawn into classical music I was with these. The sound stage was nice and broad with good depth and fantastic instrument placement. I was similarly impressed with well done classic rock, jazz, Celtic, and other genres. This IEM reminded me why I like this area so much.
 
Final Thoughts
 
This IEM while not necessarily better than the IEM's I have mentioned has for me struck the best balance of detail, sonic signature, imaging, sound stage, ergonomics,  build quality, and after market component options to get a perfect 5 star rating. In regards to the Sony IEM's in particular this IEM sounds the closest to the MDR-7550 but with deeper harder hitting bass and better treble, a perfect blend between the EX1000 and the 7550. When I bought the Sony XBA-H1 and H3 I was hoping both would be what the DJE1500 ultimately is in this regard.

Disclaimer: I am reviewing a pair of the S5 I received from Brainwavz for reviewing purposes.
 
OK, I have reviewed several Brainwavz over the years and they have always managed to nail a great balance between cost and sound quality with only the occasional miss. The S5 manages to continue that trend admirably. I will be blunt, the S5 is their best dynamic based IEM they have created to date. Taking other S series models I have reviewed in the past the S5 takes the best of those IEM's and refines and perfects those qualities. I have not taken a ton of pictures for this review as other more qualified than I, with better equipment have already done so, I will simply stick to a written review.
 
Packaging and accessories:
 
The packaging reflects the dedication and quality of this IEM to a tee. It looks fantastic and gives off just enough luxury without coming across as pretentious or over the top. I love how the IEM cable and accessories are all nicely tucked into the Brainwavz standard clam shell case. As usual the IEM comes with pretty much all of the standard minus one thing, there is no shirt clip which would have been a useful item due to the weight and design of the cable.
 
Build and design:
 
This IEM is similar to the S1 in regards to the cable and strain reliefs but is slightly less heavy and bulky. Having said that, I hope Brainwavz continues to reduce this area while retaining the durability they have achieved in their products. This IEM utilizes an I jack and does not offer any form of mic or controls so is designed strictly for playing music and as such is as at home with a home desktop rig or portable amplifier as it is with a portable MP3 player or phone. For my review I am using my LG G2 phone for my source. The IEM itself is a curious looking torpedo design with a bend at the end to accommodate the ear. This design looks great in ear in my opinion and is also very comfortable. The isolation is what I would consider average for an IEM, not super isolating but good enough for most situations.
 
Bass:
 
I find the bass of the S5 to be pretty hard hitting and emphasized. The emphasis works with most genres but I did find it to be a bit to strong for some of the jazz I listen to and a bit over powering for some of the older classic rock I listen to. For music designed to have more bass it works very well though and is great in music that does not have a strong bass presence as it does not CREATE bass just emphasizes what is there. It also does not seem to intrude into the midrange even though the mid-bass has a slight hump which is a good thing.
 
Midrange:
 
The midrange is clean and nicely present. It lacks a small amount of detail but not enough that you feel there is something missed unless your doing straight up A/B comparisons. The midrange is slightly recessed in comparison to the bass and the treble though. This slight dip has a tendency to make me want to crank up the volume a bit which can then make the bass in particular come across as to strong.
 
Treble:
 
The treble of the S5 is clean and sparkly with little to no graininess and is nicely detailed without becoming hot or to energetic. In all of my testing I never once felt fatigue from the IEM after a listening session even though I did have a tendency to turn them up louder than usual.
 
Sound stage:
 
The sound stage and imaging of the S5 is slightly narrower than some of the more expensive IEM's I have heard as well as a couple of the cheaper IEM's. But in defence of the S5 the cheaper IEM's all achieved a larger sounding sound stage through sonic trickery that often affected their sonic quality in other ways. While more expensive IEM's were, well considerably more expensive... Overall I find the imaging and sound stage of the S5 to be very good for the price of the IEM and certainly adequate for most of the music I listen to.
 
Genres of music tested:
 
I listen to Christian Rock, classic rock, Jazz, country, Celtic, acoustic, New Age, classical and more. The only genres I don't listen to are things like death/speed metal, dub step, trance, and hip-hop. In regards to the genres I listen to the S5 worked very well for Christian Rock, acoustic, New Age, and most classical. It also worked OK for country, classic rock and Jazz but the bass would occasionally be to strong with those genres. The good news is the IEM responds well to EQ'ing so it is very easy to tune down the bass if needed.
 
Conclusion:
 
I have to say I really think Brainwavz has nailed this IEM very well. It offers a wonderful sound for almost any music and is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to take their first big step into more expensive gear. I hope it doesn't get lost in the Head-fi shuffle of extremes in regards to signatures, unknown flavours of the month brands, and "new" or "different" technologies that quite often overwhelm just good old fashioned standards and solid design in the forums.