The Good: Price/Quality ratio; Comfort; Bass quality/quantity; Musicality; Imaging.
The Bad: Requires a powerful amplifier.
Tonal Balance: V-Shaped
Style: Circumaural semi-open.
Cost: $250 at Cascadia Audio
 

Reviewing Process & Background

I knew Mad Economist as a fellow mod on Reddit’s /r/headphones community. A while back he had mentioned that he was working on a Fostex T50 mod and asked if I’d like to hear it when he finished the tuning, and enthusiastically I agreed. After some time I finally received a prototype, a standard T50 shell with the tuning applied inside. I gave them a listen for an hour and sent him a payment via PayPal to buy the first pair, I wasn’t letting these go!
 
I’ve had them for about three months or so and have used them exclusively for music and gaming - primarily Overwatch. I have used these long enough to have an informed opinion on them, but reviews are always subjective. Personal experience always trumps reviews!
 
Thanks Mad Economist for the opportunity to “beta” test these and purchase them!
 

Build & Fit

Build
The Talos are a modded T50rp MK3, but the mods are centered around comfort, sound, and aesthetics, no structural changes have been made that would affect the durability of a stock T50rp. Overall I feel the T50rp are a solidly built headphone with no concerns of durability for long-term use, this has been shown time and time again in the many other T50rp mods.
 
Comfort
Oh man the Brainwavz Hybrid pads are comfy! The leather comfort strap relieves the downward pressure and does a good job dispersing the weight as well. They never disappear from the head, they’ve got a little bit of heft to them, but they are comfy to wear for hours! The pads remind me of the DT770 Pro 80 for what it’s worth - super soft and comfy.
 

Sound Quality

Bass
Oh man the lows kick. Digging incredibly deep and providing an authoritative rumble in the sub-bass. I’m a huge fan of how powerful the sub-bass is while also being controlled very well, no noticeable midrange bleed at all. The sub-bass lingers slightly, but not to the point of slowing down the pace of quick electronic tracks. The bass has a tendency to push itself to the forefront of the soundstage, though the fantastic imaging qualities keeps the instruments in their own space.
 
The mid-bass is tight and punchy, not as prominent as the sub-bass and I appreciate that as mid-bass bloom distracts from the midrange. The punch of the mid-bass gives the Talos a very lively and exciting sound. No midrange bleed at all.
 
The bass is powerful and tastefully so, very few headphones compete with the quality in the low-end in my experience. The low-end is reminiscent of the ZMF Blackwood for reference.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange has a similar texture that can be heard in the Vibro, Blackwood, or Omni. A slightly smokey pleasing texture that’s neither highly resolving, or veiled. It sounds slightly smoothed over in a pleasing way and it seems to be unavoidable with this driver for better or worse. The midrange has a noticeable dip, yup these are definitely v-shaped, but the midrange isn’t drowned out.
 
The highs are bright and are as forward as the bass. They push the limit of what I consider to be acceptable brightness before becoming fatiguing or grating. No doubt some people are going to find these too bright, but I find them less bright than the DT990 for reference. Mild grain, but the highs sparkle and add to the excitement of the tuning.
 
Soundstage
The soundstage feels like an intimate club with great speaker placement. There’s a sense of air though that keeps them from feeling boxed in though. Imaging is fantastic, I have absolutely no issues using them for enemy placement in Overwatch, and left/right pans in music dance across soundstage accurately. Instruments also have hard defined edges between them, I’ve had no issues with instrument bleed at all, which gives each instrument it’s own space.
 

Conclusion

The Talos get a whole-hearted recommendation from me for those looking for an affordable v-shaped headphone. From the moment I put these on my head I knew that they weren’t leaving my house. These outclass any v-shaped headphone in it’s price range and it’s not even close. They’re comparable to the ZMF Blackwood in sound quality, and I must admit I actually enjoy the Talos more. The Talos get my highest recommendation, I haven’t had a headphone make me this excited to listen to music in a long time. I’ll confidently label these the best v-shaped headphone under $500.

 
The Good: Excellent build quality; Excellent accessory bundle; MMCX Removable cables; Treble extension; Midrange resolution.
The Okay: Comfort; Bass quality and presence; Treble resolution; Soundstage.
The Bad: Sibilance highlighting; Sub-bass presence.
Tonal Balance: Warm leaning despite lacking bass presence.
Style: Over-Ear/Worn Down IEM
Cost: $200
 

Reviewing Process

The Pinnacle P1, now forth referred to as the P1, have been my primary IEM for a month now. Primarily used during school hours plugged into an iBasso DX80, but they’ve also received desktop play through the FiiO E17k and the Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U. I’ve tested them with a variety of genres and spent a good amount of time with them, enough to feel comfortable sharing my opinions with you.
 
With that said a review will always be subjective and your experience may vary from mine. Personal experience trumps any review, so demo when you can!
 
Thanks to MeeAudio for the review sample.
 

Build & Fit

Build
Astonishingly durable feeling in absolutely every aspect. The housing is constructed of hefty feeling zinc-alloy and finely machined with a brushed look. The housing connects to the cables via MMCX connectors that are easy to insert and remove with replacement cables available at a very fair price through MeeAudio’s website; $30-$50. The P1 comes with a copper stranded cable with a remote/mic attached and a thicker silver stranded cable that’s got the feel of a thick rope chain. The cables feel hugely durable, I’d wager they’d be $100+ from a boutique cable maker. Both of the included cables terminate with 3.5mm plugs at a right angle.
 
Fit
I’ve worn the IEMs over-ear only, I’m not a fan of worn-down IEMs and quite frankly I see no benefit to doing so. All in all I’ve used the P1 with their single flanged, double flanged, and tri-flanged tips. My preference was for the double flanged though that was a personal preference thing with comfort and isolation. With that said, I don’t find any of the provided tips to be comfortable. I get mild discomfort within an hour or so of use without it ever growing past mild discomfort when worn for longer durations. The P1 do seal well and sit securely in my ear. The P1 are pretty picky about fit though, you’re going to need to ensure a good seal and proper positioning in order to achieve the best sound.
 

Sound Quality

Bass
The P1 extends nicely down to 20hz, though exhibiting a pretty noticeable rainbow effect when using the Bass Shaker Test which indicates a preference towards the midbass over the sub-bass. Unfortunately the bass is somewhat shy, taking a backseat to the midrange and treble when push comes to shove. The bass has some bloat, and a nearing generic texture to it, a few steps away from being one-note but not nearly as detailed as the bass on the Vibro Labs Aria, for instance.
 
Midbass bloats a little bit, sub-bass has a bit of a loose sound to it, but overall the bass is done decently for the price considering the strengths in the midrange and treble. A little bass boost goes a long way with the P1, but be careful as the bass could spill into the beautiful midrange.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange has a warm tone to it, and does so cleanly with good resolution, in-fact classic rock guitars sound phenomenal on it. Seriously, put these in your ears and listen to David Bowie’s Moonage Daydream. Male vocals and lower ranged female vocals also sound fantastic, I love focusing on the vocals of Lana Del Rey and Bright Eyes with the P1. I find myself often engaged into the midrange, it’s very pleasant and laid-back without sounding dull. Oddly though sibilance isn’t shy with the P1. I find that the P1 picks out sibilance whenever it can, but rather than razor blade brightness it sounds as if the driver is clipping.
 
The treble is extended nicely, I never have to focus on listening to hear the various cymbals or brass instruments. If they’re meant to be prominent the P1 allows them to be prominent. It’s not entirely smooth up top, there seems to be a few dips up there, but nothing that sounds alarming to my ears. Treble resolution is just okay though, instruments tend to sound a bit splashy up here, though in a non-fatiguing way. I’m never convinced that I’m hearing a real crash cymbal, for instance.
 
Soundstage
There’s decent left/right width, good enough for an IEM, with similar thoughts in terms of depth. Instrument separation is a bit above average though, with a decent sense of space, rarely sounding congested, like a small music venue with a good sound engineer. Somewhat of a cozy presentation, but not congested. Imaging is also just okay, I get a good left, right, and center imaging, though they tend to bleed into each other, focusing moreso towards the center.
 

Conclusion

The MeeAudio Pinnacle has been in development for years and they’ve put a lot of love and hard work into it - it shows. The packaging is elegant, the accessory spread is fantastic, and the IEMs feel very high quality. All of that wouldn’t matter if they didn’t sound good though, and they sound pretty damn good. When I first put them in my ears they reminded me of the big brother of the A151p, but better in dang near every way. The laid-back tone makes it non-fatiguing for long listening sessions if you can get a comfortable fit, and the midrange is phenomenal in a few aspects. They’re not without fault, but that can be said with every headphone.
 
These get a definite buy from me, unless you listen to a lot of bass focused music. The included cables are enough to make the purchase worth it if you don’t end up liking the sound. MeeAudio has made this IEM well worth every penny you’re going to spend on these.

 
The Good: Price to quality ratio; K5 allows for docking with FiiO DAPs; Plug and play; aesthetically pleasing; Low output impedance; Three gain settings
The Okay: Power output will struggle with some inefficient planars;
The Bad: No stated power at 600ohms, but likely not very high based on 150mW at 300ohms
Tonal Balance: Mildly warm leaning
Listening Set-Up: Musicbee (WASAPI+FLAC) -> E17k/K5 -> Various headphones
Cost: K5: $110, E17k: $140

Reviewing Process

The FiiO K5 and E17k were sent to me from FiiO as a review unit. I have had the combination plugged into my computer and kept running for the entirety of my time of possession, approximately one month as of now. I have tried a variety of headphones with it with some notable headphones being the Audio Technica AD2000, RHA S500i, ZMF Omni, and Sennheiser HD600. I have the Schiit Magni 2 Uber & Schiit Vali 2 (connected to the Modi 2 Uber) and the Matrix HPA-3u that I’ve done AB testing with to compare.
 
I feel comfortable sharing my opinion on these two products due to my time and experience with them, but I always recommend demoing a product first-hand to form your own opinions.
 

Build Quality

FiiO K5
The unit is housed in some sort of metal chassis which feels rather lightweight given the size of the unit. The volume potentiometer is large and turns cleanly and smoothly, actually a nice feel to it when turned. All of jacks are secured and offer no issues when used. When the E17k is docked it is seated nicely.

Features

FiiO K5
Despite the USB out, the K5 does not have an integrated DAC, it’s used as a bridge for a docked FiiO product. It does feature RCA line-out and line-in, as well as 3.5mm balanced out. The docking feature is the biggest draw on the K5 in regards to features, this allows for existing FiiO products with a DAC to be docked into the K5. Other DACs can be used, but the major draw is the capability to work seamlessly with existing FiiO products.

Power Output & Impedance

FiiO K5
The power output peaks at 1,700mW at 16 ohms with a published 150mW at 300 ohms with a published output impedance of less than 1 ohm - low enough to have a high damping factor even with low impedance IEMs. I am unable to find output power at 600 ohms, but I’m not very optimistic of it outputting enough power at 600 ohms to be considered for headphones at that impedance. FiiO seems to agree, in the specifications the K5 is specced for 16-300 ohms.
 
The K5 has no issues with low impedance and high sensitivity IEMs like the RHA S500i with no noise floor until volumes that would likely kill the driver if music played through them. The K5 powers the Audio Technica AD2000 without a hitch, though that’s to be expected based on their impedance and sensitivity ratings. The HD600 get close to being maxed out with some recordings, but most users will find plenty of headroom here. The K5 does struggle with the ZMF Omni though, which sit around 55 ohms and between 90-94dB/mW. High-gain is a must for the Omni, and some recordings simply don’t get loud enough with this set-up.
 

Sound Quality

FiiO K5
In my listening and comparisons I find the K5/E17k combination to have mild warmth without sounding veiled. Slightly smoothed over in details, but very easy to listen to as opposed to the Schiit Magni 2 Uber which I find to be a little bright in comparison. I notice no signs of distortion, nor any added grain. Overall a very nice sounding amplifier for the price when docked with the E17k.

Conclusion

The K5 is a no brainer amplifier if you’re integrated into FiiO’s ecosystem and don’t have huge power requirements. It’s closest competitor would be the Magni 2 and Modi 2 combination, which offers a stronger maximum power output and less vertical space real estate making it easier to sit beneath a shelf, for instance. I prefer the sound of the K5 with the E17k unit though, it’s not as detailed as the Schiit stack, but it lacks the treble grain that causes fatigue over long-term listening and presents music in a slightly more euphoric manner.
 
The K5 is a wonderful amp if you have a FiiO DAP or portable DAC that can be docked into the K5. If you’re buying a DAC and an amp from scratch then I think that the Schiit stack is a better value due to the added output power making it a little less replaceable if you move onto power hungry planars.

 
Pros: Secure on head; Built in bass boost.
Cons: Extreme clamping force; Cheap look and feel; Overall mediocre sound quality.
Tonal Balance: Warm with a downwards slope.
Style: Closed supra-aural
Cost at Time of Review: $76
 

Reviewing Process

 
I’ve been using the K183 as my primary cans for the past two weeks, using them rather heavily during the time with a wide variety of music and games. While I feel confident that I have a good feel for the sound and construction of the K183, this is still a subjective review and your personal experience may vary. Personal experience will always be the best way to form an opinion on a headphone, though I hope that my words may be of some help also.
 

Build & Fit

Build
Well they look cheap and feel cheap, and the headphones creak when held, but they feel like the type of headphone that would put up with a lot of abuse. There are stress points that look ripe for the breaking, but I’ve beat these guys up with no stress fractures or damage shown. The headband did survive an intense stretching session as well, so there’s that. The mini XLR removable cable is a nice touch to durability.
 
Fit
Easily the hardest clamping headphone I’ve ever worn. I had to stretch them over my clothing bin for 24 hours and even so, much of the clamping force is back. I’ve gone from pressure headaches caused in less than 10 minutes of wear to being able to wear them for 45-60 minute sessions at least. The on-ear design, combined with rather hard and uncomfortable pads don’t do much to alleviate this. They isolate well though, very well, so there’s that. These are definitely not for medium to larger sized heads.
 

Sound Quality

Bass
Using the Bass Shaker Test the K183 purr from the start with some small dips throughout, but nothing alarming. With the bass boost function on the bass is noticeably increased. Minor driver rattle in the left is heard.
 
When listening without the bass boost on the bass sounds warmer than neutral, somewhat untextured though not sloppy. Midbass is punchy and the sub-bass is extended well. I find it very slightly intrusive into the midrange though not annoyingly so. Adding just a slight veil.
 
With the bass boost on the sub-bass gets a sub-woofer like presence though the texture goes nearly out of the window. Midrange veil is emphasized to varying degrees depending on the recording, but it’s certainly noticeable even using the likes of Steely Dan. I can’t say that I’m a fan of this tuning, the bass nearly fatigues me on some tracks before the end of it. One positive is that listening to the bass boost and going back to unboosted gives a very balanced perception initially.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange is largely unintriguing to me. A bit dull, mildly veiled, moderately grainy. A bit congested as well. There’s a dip somewhere near the female vocal range causing the likes of Madonna to sound a bit hollow, and everything else sounds a tad fuzzy here. In photography terms, the midrange is not sharp, rather a bit soft. There’s slight added sibilance, and a bit of brightness in the treble region. Treble seems well extended, but carries some of the softness in detail retrieval that the midrange carries.
 
Bass boost amplifies my disinterest in caring about the midrange. Sibilance seems slightly softened, but the bass is well overblown for any sort of alternative rock, or well anything that relies on the midrange. With bass boost on I find that the midrange seems excessively soft, lacking any punch when listening to something like Rage Against the Machine.
 
Presentation
Not entirely closed off sounding, but lacking hard edges of separation. There’s a resemblance of depth here, even if only slightly, and width isn’t completely closed in, but these are definitely closed. Good left/right signals but there’s little in terms of imaging quality outside of basic left/right and a hint of in/out.
 

Conclusion

The AKG K181 DG left a bad impression on me, rather immediately, due to a pressure headache and they didn’t do much to impress me from them on. There are too many flaws to make these an everyday tagalong can, and even when they do excel, which I find rare, they don’t do so to a degree of magnitude enough for me to recommend them.
 
For $76 they wouldn’t make a bad closed back to carry around, but I have a very hard time recommending them over the Audio Technica M50x which, to my ears, sounds like a more versatile headphone and is far more comfortable - Yes I understand how weird it is to hear M50x and comfortable in the same sentence.

 
Pros: Build quality; Strong bass presence.
Cons: Driver flex - makes positioning finicky; Sibilant; Scooped out lower midrange.
Tonal Balance: V-Shaped (Enhanced bass and upper midrange)
Style: Worn down IEM
Cost at Time of Review: $40 for non mic, $50 for mic
 

Reviewing Process

The RHA S500i have been my daily driver through my iBasso DX90 for approximately 1 month now. I’ve almost exclusively used them with the DX90 and no need for additional amplification. I’ve spent enough time with the S500i that I feel comfortable sharing my opinions on their sound and build. Even so, this is a subjective review and reviews will never trump experience. Test out headphones whenever possible before purchasing them!
 

Build & Fit

Build
The housing is tiny, machined of lightweight aluminum alloy without a weak spot visible. The housings are denoted L or R to easily distinguish which side is which. The cable seems adequately built with adequate stress relief on either end, terminating in a rugged feeling aluminum alloy 3.5mm jack. The remote feels higher-quality than most in this pricerange, no looseness felt on the buttons and the microphone sounded quite clear for cell phone usage. Budget in price, but solid in feel.
 
Fit
The fit is not particularly noted as comfortable, but I’ve had no issues wearing these for 2 hours at a time. Insertion is simple, though finicky to get a proper sound and driver flex is a part of the issue. The driver flex is not severe, but certainly heard when forming a seal and creates a bit of an issue in obtaining optimal sound from the S500i. A plethora of tips should ensure a solid fit for most.
 

Sound Quality

Bass
The S500i prominently displays the bass, often being the forefront of the sound regardless of the genre. They dig deeply with somewhat decent speed and decay, though somewhat loose and untextured throughout. They’re not as pushy and bloated as the Xiaomi Piston 2, but the bass is average for the price in all but presence.
 
Mids & Highs
The lower-midrange is prominently recessed; sandwiched in between prominent bass and shouty upper-midrange that simply amplifies this recession. This gives lower-ranged vocals, lower to mid-ranged piano notes and lower to mid-ranged guitar notes a feeling of being drowned out. In a vacuum the midrange sounds rather clean and enjoyable, but the moment other instruments enter, the lower-midrange takes a big step back.
 
The upper-midrange does nothing to hide sibilance, and when sibilance isn’t an issue I find this frequency range to be shouty and somewhat grainy. There’s a distinct lack of balance between the lower-midrange and the upper-midrange that creates a very uneven volume level between the two frequency ranges, especially as singers vocals climb in range.
 
The treble is present, somewhat grainy and fuzzy, similar to the bass in regards of texture. Having a rather generic splash for cymbals rather than showing each type of cymbal’s distinct tone and texture. Treble is present though, without being harsh.
 
Presentation
Width is respectable for an IEM, though the depth is rather unremarkable - I get no sense of distance from front to back. Imaging is also rather unremarkable, a simple left and right is noticed, but the sound is presented rather flatly. Congestion is also a concern and is mostly an issue of bass bloom and the shoutiness from the upper-midrange. There is no real sense of hard edges to the instruments with the S500i.
 

Conclusion

Man, it really seems like I hate the S500i yeah? I really don’t, and perhaps I’m being overly critical of them. I actually like the S500i more than most of the budget IEMs that I’ve heard, much better than the Piston 2, for instance, but they do have pretty notable flaws that I can not gloss over. At the end of the day the S500i are a budget IEM and they are certainly going to have compromises by design - but for a $40 IEM (without microphone) they have been a nice daily driver for the past month.
 
Now the question is do I recommend these? Given a 3 year warranty and a plethora of accessories the S500i are a solid buy for those who want a strong bass response and the security of a reputable company backing them.

 
Pros: Excellent build quality; great warranty; huge choice of tips; fit.
Cons: Recessed mids; sibilance; overly bassy for a general purpose IEM.
Tonal Balance: Bass heavy with recessed midrange, treble amount varies.
Style: Over-Ear IEM
Listening Set-Up: Clip Zlip (FLAC), Musicbee (FLAC) -> Matrix HPA-3U
Cost at Time of Review: $240
 

Reviewing Process

I’ve had the T20 for at least a month and during this process I’ve used them for light exercise as well as home listening. I have spent enough time with them to feel comfortable sharing my opinion, but my experiences may differ from yours. It’s always best to demo a headphone before purchasing, but if you’re unable to I recommend at least reading other views in conjunction with this review.
 
Thanks to RHA for the review sample.
 

Build & Fit

Build
The RHA are wonderfully crafted in-ear monitors from top to bottom, coloring me impressed from the moment that they left the beautiful packaging. The housings are made of stainless steel with a barely visible line that joins the two halves. The nozzle is removable and unscrews easily by hand and is reattached smoothly in the same fashion. Each cable leaving the housing is clearly designated either blue or red for left or right, respectively, at the base of the memory wire. The cable itself is a tad bulky, but inspires confidence in the durability of it. Stress relief is adequate at the end of the durable looking straight plug, relieved by a metal spring rather than a rubber sheath. All of this is backed by a 3 year warranty, not too shabby.
 
Fit
I find the T20 to be very easy to arrange around the ear as well as with inserting the nozzle into a secure position. The IEM sits at a moderate depth, but manages to block out a good amount of noise passively, more than enough to use in crowded college hallways. Comfort-wise these are a notch above every deep insertion IEM that I’ve used, as well as much less picky about positioning to obtain optimal sound. I have these inserted and positioned in my ears in a few seconds per ear, with comfort and stability that allows me to wear these with no issues for the 2 hours at a time that I tend to wear them. The large variety of tips should ensure a secure and comfortable fit for most users.
 

Sound Quality

Overall
Regardless of which filter was used sibilance is apparent, the midrange is recessed, and the bass is overly prominent. Sibilance varies with filter tips and despite the bass being prominent the low-end leans tight and controlled. The filters only affect the upper-midrange and treble, thus leaving the bass to have a heavy presence without EQ. The driver is relatively free of distortion and the bass carries quite a thump with an overall sound signature being decidedly V-shaped with the exception of the bass filter. Overall soundstage presentation lacks width and depth, but has good left/right panning and positional accuracy.
 
Reference Filters
I was excited to see the word “reference” as I have been looking for a neutral IEM to accompany my HD600. Unfortunately reference filters don’t equate to a reference sound. Outside of the common characteristics of the overall sound, the reference tips offer the largest amount of sibilance and a moderate upper-midrange boost that gives the reference filters a moderate v-shaped sound signature. The sibilance was so much that I found Glory Box from Portishead and I Can’t Feel My Face from The Weeknd to be completely unlistenable.
 
I don’t think that RHA intended reference to mean “reference quality sound,” rather reference in regards to the variety of filters.
 
Treble Filter
I had reservations after listening to the reference filters. I was scared that these would be even more sibilant. Somehow that’s not the case, despite the treble being raised. This filter adds further presence in the upper ranges, further increasing the v-shape to a rather heavy v-shape. Sibilance is still present though and there’s a bit of grain added compared to the reference tips. Nothing else has changed, only the uppermids/treble are affected with the filter change so it’s not a shock.
 
Bass Filter
The bass filter offers the most linear midrange to treble balance of all of the tips while providing a large amount of bass. There is a slight veil due to the prominence of the low-end, but the driver controlls the low-end rather well. Sibilance is reserved, there seems to be some brightness inherent in the drive but I don’t find myself wincing on snare hits as I did with the reference tips. I find this filter to be the most enjoyable of the three, especially with hip-hop, due to the relaxed upper frequencies and powerful bass. Despite me enjoying this filter the most, it’s nowhere near an all purpose tuning. This tuning reminds me a bit of the HyperX Cloud and DT770 Pro 80ohm.

Conclusion

Overall the T20 is a v-shaped IEM that DT770 owners would want to consider for portable use. They offer 3 filters that change the presence of the higher frequencies for those that want a tweak to the sound without using software EQ. Build quality, a massive amount of tips, and comfort are the strong points here, all backed by a 3 year warranty.

 
Pros: Sturdy build quality, customizable sound, imaging quality, control and texture of the midbass, incredibly euphoric and well textured midrange.
Cons: Weight, comfort.
Tonal Balance: Bass heavy to neutral.
Style: Closed Circumaural
Listening Set-Up: Musicbee (WASAPI/FLAC) -> Matrix HPA-3U
Cost at Time of Review: Starts at $700
 

Reviewing Process

I’ve had the Blackwood for a bit over a month and during this time I’ve exclusively used them for desktop listening. I’ve primarily used them for critical and noncritical music listening, though some I’ve spent some time playing Borderlands with them. During this time I feel that I’ve become comfortable enough with the sound to share my opinion, but remember that this is just my opinion. I recommend demoing a product when available as nothing trumps experience.
 
Thanks to Zach at ZMF for the review loaner.
 

Build & Fit

Build
The Blackwood are a highly modified Fostex T50RP that feature skillfully crafted African Blackwood cups, carefully stitched cowskin pads and the plush ZMF pilot pad. The construction looks and feels top notch in every aspect - no creaks or causes for concern when handled and the overall - overall a high-end feel to the Blackwood. I have one quip and it stems from the unsmooth headband adjustment system, though it isn’t a prolonged issue as headbands are usually “set and forget”. Other than that I have no complaints thus far, it’s clear that Zach puts pride into his work.
 
Comfort
The African Blackwood used on the cups are stunning to look at, but unfortunately they add quite a bit of weight in conjunction with the planar drivers of the T50rp. Downward force can be a bit much at times even with the plush pilot pad, I find myself taking short breaks during extended listening sessions due to the weight. Clamping force is on the light side, not feeling secure as my HD600 despite having thick and plush leather pads. The pads are comfortable though and I have no seal issues. In-fact the isolation is rather great on the Blackwood, though the inefficiency of the drivers makes them less than ideal to lug around. The Blackwood are best suited for home listening.
 

Sound Quality

Disclaimer
The review will be written from the perspective of the Blackwood stock, with all bass ports open. Bass port sections will be below the main sound quality portion.
 
TLR
The Blackwood are a warm, detailed and highly euphoric headphone that provides a highly engrossing experience with every genre that I’ve thrown it’s way. Truly a pleasurable experience through and through from Fleetwood Mac to Daft Punk, from Rage Against the Machine to Madonna.
 
Bass
Using the Bass Shaker Test the Blackwood are capable of digging incredibly deep, with a focus on the sub-bass. In real world listening I find the lows to be emphasized to a modest amount which gives the Blackwood an overall warm and full tone. The sub-bass digs incredibly deep, as noted in the bass shaker test, adding a satisfying rumble in bass heavy electronic tunes. Big sub-bass presence tends to add a bit of sluggishness and there’s some here. The Blackwood performs acceptably with James Blake’s Limit to Your Love, sounding mildly bloated but controlled enough for separation between the quick bass notes.
 
The midbass is punchy, controlled, and extremely well textured which adds a lively low-end presence to rock and electronic tracks alike. Rage Against the Machine’s track Take the Power Back highlights just how well the Blackwood are at replicating the texture and liveliness of the bass guitar and kick drum. Warmer than neutral, but energetic and lively, the midbass is incredibly satisfying.
 
The low end as a whole provides a lot of energy without being overbearing and I am thoroughly enjoying Daft Punk’s album Discovery with these on my head right now. Compared to it’s sibling the Vibro, the Blackwood don’t have as much bass presence, but has a tighter and punchier bass response.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange is an absolute pleasure to my ears. The tonal balance leans warm and full without midbass bleed or a sense of sluggishness, giving a sultry and euphoric tone throughout. Detail retrieval is top notch while simultaneously being forgiving to poor recordings. The bane of my musical existence is the quality of Lana Del Rey’s recordings and something with Zach’s tuning smooths out the grain present, seemingly enhancing the quality of the recording. This is something that I also noticed when listening to Lana through the Vibro and if anyone has any idea why this might be, I would love to hear your thoughts. Lastly the texture is spot on, one listen to Take the Power Back and I had chills as it felt as if I could feel the pick scraping along the electric guitar's strings. The midrange is highly engrossing and I’m not afraid to admit that I am in love with how the midrange is tuned.
 
It’s not all roses though, there is a mild peak in the upper midrange that adds a bit of sibilance and tizz to bright leaning recordings. Not razor sharp, but the amount of sibilance heard on Glory Box from Portishead is certainly increased compared to the HD600. They aren’t as bright or shouty as the Vibro though, Zach has cleaned that aspect up a bit.
 
The treble extends fully and smoothly with no audible grain. The treble is present and balanced nicely with the midrange, though air isn’t present. This is expected with a closed headphone that isolates as well as these do though.

Presentation

Soundstage width and depth are a bit more spacious than the average closed headphone, thanks in part to the huge pads, while having a bit more space than the Vibro. Imaging is the Blackwood’s strength in the soundstage, being highly accurate with games and music alike. I find a good sense of left and right, near and far and good incremental positioning in between. Instrument separation is equally fantastic, opening up space within the intimate soundstage. The combination of the imaging accuracy and instrument seperation keep the soundstage from sounding congested. There’s no mistake that these are closed headphones, though I hear no resonance or hollowness that headphones can fall victim to when underdamped.
 
Bass Port Options
Preface
Since it’s a bit difficult to go back and forth in a timely manner due to the nature of inserting and removing the stoppers I can not easily go back and forth between tunings. The thoughts expressed here are done by memory and could be a consequence of expectation bias. I am sharing these thoughts in good faith though and hope they are helpful.
 
One Port Closed
The overall sound is full and warm, though less ballsy in the sub-bass than with all ports opened. The midrange still sounds lush but sounds less engaging than all ports opened as well. The sound is more balanced, while losing some of the euphoric qualities that made me fall in love with the stock sound. Let’s just say that Run the Jewels isn’t banging quite as hard now.
 
Two Ports Closed
Much more balanced with a hint of warmth throughout, reminiscent of a beefier sounding HD600 in tonality. Clean and punchy bass that extends all the way down still, cleaner than with all ports open and perhaps quicker now as well. Unfortunately the midrange has a bit of grain showing through, and isn’t as clean as the HD600. Sibilance is also shown, though a step down from the Vibro. Imaging is also cleaned up as is instrument separation. Width sounds a touch larger, but depth has not changed. Overall a tuning that provides a powerful bass response while sounding fairly balanced throughout.
 
Three Ports Closed
Much like one port closed I’m not a huge fan of this tuning. The sub-bass clearly shows further improvement in sub-bass control and speed, but the bass seems to have lost its fullness. Clarity throughout seems increased, but the tone of the midrange sounds plasticy throughout and the overall sound comes off thin and wimpy after everything before it. Soundstage cohesion is up, as is midrange clarity, but the euphoria is all gone for me. Compared to the HD600 it’s closest in tonality, but sounds thin in comparison.
 

Conclusion

As of now the Blackwood are my closed headphone end-game. Tonally they reminded me a lot of the Audeze LCD-X that I demoed, and with the bass ports closed they have a tonal balanced not too far off from the Sennheiser HD600. I admit that I instantly fell in love with them from first listen, they’re one of the first headphones that I’ve listened to in awhile (other than the Vibro) that made me excited to come home and listen to old favorites as if I were hearing them for the first time. They’re not as resolving as the HD800, nor are they as comfortable as a DT770, and they have a peak in the upper midrange, but boy are they fun to listen to music with.
 
Hats off to Zach for another wonderful headphone.

The review was written from a $300 MSRP, they can be had like-new for around $100, my ratings reflect the used market pricing.
 

 
Pros: Gorgeous aesthetics; Lightweight & sturdy build; Removable cable; Midrange texture; Speed.
Cons: Cost to price ratio; Fatiguing; Midrange recession; Odd sound signature.
Tonal Balance: Forward upper-mids with odd unevenness throughout, slightly v-shaped
Style: Closed circumaural
Cost at Time of Review: $300
 

Reviewing Process

I’ve been using the 1R as my primary cans for the past three weeks, using them rather heavily during the time with a wide variety of music and games. While I feel confident that I have a good feel for the sound and construction of the 1R, this is still a subjective review and your personal experience may vary. Personal experience will always be the best way to form an opinion on a headphone, though I hope that my words may be of some help also.
 

Build & Feel

Build Quality
Plastic construction abound, the MDR-1R feel anything but cheap. Not a creak when adjusted or handled, nor is there a loose feeling joint. The addition of a removable cable, albeit single sided, adds longevity due to the ease of replacement of one of the most fragile parts on a headphone. The cable is a simple 3.5mm male to male cable that’s easily found and replaced. No cause for concern despite the heavy use of plastic.
 
Fit
Easily one of the more comfortable closed headphones I’ve used, trouncing the M50x and Focal line, seems to be a bit better than the PM-3 as well - though that is based on memory. The pads are comfortable with give to them, like a worn in leather chair, perhaps to a fault as my ears lightly touch the driver housing. Despite that I find the MDR-1R to be a headphone I can wear longer than most in my collection. Clamping force is just right for my noggin, light enough to avoid pressure headaches, but secure enough to not worry about them falling off. The plastic construction keeps the weight down as well, adding to the comfort factor.
 

Sound

Bass
Bass Shaker Test: Satisfying purr from the get-go with a steady ramp up in volume as the frequencies reach their peaks in the bass. I call this a rainbow effect and shows lack of linerity through the low-end.
 
Real World Listening: The bass sounds very nice, rather good control throughout with a satisfying rumbling texture from the sub-bass through the midbass. Midbass has somewhat of a bloated quality to it, though it’s not always noticeable. I found it most notable on Fleetwood Mac’s The Chainduring the chorus portion. The bass does punch rather well though, with defined beginning and endings of notes.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange has an uneven response, lower midrange is somewhat recessed, but the upper-midrange has a very forward/bright peak that further pushes the lower midrange into the background. What this means is that many male vocalists, acoustic guitars, and acoustic pianos find themselves pushed back a bit, while upper register vocals, electric guitars, and synthesizers find themselves too forward. In addition to the overly forward qualities of the upper-midrange, I find it to show grain - best shown in vocals - while simultaneously sounding shouty at times.
 
Despite that, the midrange sounds phenomenal in terms of texture, showing off distorted guitars very well, for instance. The midrange is also fantastic in terms of speed and clarity, very snappy with a clearly defined beginning and end of a note while doing so clearly.
 
Treble has a bit of roll-off, though not completely gone. Quality is average, cymbals tend to sound a bit hazy, though discernible. The relaxed quality meshes rather well with the forward upper-midrange. If both were aggressive and forward I might as well be listening to a closed Grado, fatiguing despite being engaging.
 
Presentation
There’s no doubt that these are a closed headphone, though the soundstage is certainly a step up above the MSR7 in separation, though not quite as wide or deep as the HM5. Instrument separation is rather good, easily discerned spacing from one instrument to the next, while having rather accurate placement of instruments despite a rather narrow soundstage. Depth is the weakest quality of the MDR-1R when it comes to soundstage, sounding rather flat all things considered.
 

Conclusion

The sound is odd, and not one I immediately liked - nor is it one I would recommend to someone without trying first. Fatiguing and uneven best describe the presentation of the sound, though it’s quite clean and responsive. The aesthetics are absolutely gorgeous though, and comfort beats many closed competitors. I don’t dislike the MDR-1R, not by any means, but they’re priced higher than I feel they’re worth at the $300 they are new on Amazon currently. I give these a hesitant recommendation - but one that only comes if you can demo them first.

 
 
Pros: Feels sturdy; Secure clamping force; Removable cables; Relatively balanced sound.
Cons: Cramped soundstage; Lackluster sub-bass quality.
Tonal Balance: Nearly balanced sound
Style: Circumaural Over-Ear
Listening Set-Up: Musicbee (FLAC/WASABI) -> Matrix HPA-3u
Cost at Time of Review: $250
 

Reviewing Process

The Aria were sent to me as a review sample from Feenix. I’ve had them for approximately one month with the bulk of the use through my desktop set-up. I’ve listened to a wide variety of music through the Aria with a mix of passive and critical listening. I feel that I have spent enough time with the Aria to have a good feel for their sound, comfort, and build, to feel comfortable sharing my opinion in review form. With that said, personal experience is always the best way to form an opinion on a headphone, though I hope that my words may help your purchasing decision.
 

Build & Fit

Build
The Aria are sturdy when held and when worn, not a warning sign anywhere to note. The cables are removable with a non-proprietary 2.5mm female jack on both earcups. The cups are beautiful, crafted of Japanese Pine. I know nothing of this wood in regards to its acoustic properties or durability, but they sure look nice. The included cables are braided and feel sturdy, while flexible, not stiff like the god awful HiFiMan HE400S cable.
 
Overall impression is that they look nice and feel well built.
 
Fit
Clamping force is moderately high which keeps the Aria secure when worn, but the pads are soft which minimizes any uncomfortable pressure from the clamping force. Weight is about average, and much lighter than expected to be with the wooden cups, downward force is mild. Comfort is above average, better than portable closed options like the M50x or MSR7, but not as comfortable as the Sennheiser HD600 or the HiFiMan HE400S. Isolation is rather good though, keeping in sound well enough to not worry about using them in an office environment.
 

Sound Quality

Bass
Using The Ultimate Headphones Test sample for bass response the Aria quickly shows some audible unevenness through the low-end frequencies. The dips are most notably somewhere right at the tail end of the sub-bass rumble, and towards the 200hz mark. I’ve had the Aria on my head for the better part of the past month and have never noticed it, though admittedly my bass heavy listening preferences have been slowed down as of late.
 
When listening to music the wonkiness that I heard in the tests doesn’t present much of an issue, though the low-end has other issues worth noting. The sub-bass extends well, but carries a cheap sub-woofer tone and texture to it, sounding artificially pushed to the forefront of the sound at times with little definition in the notes. The sub-bass extends well, but the tone and control miss the mark.
 
The mid-bass is punchy and forward though and integrated well with the midrange and treble. Unlike the sub-bass, the mid-bass is defined in texture with a realistic tone throughout, a step-up from the near onenote sub-bass texture. The main issue with the mid-bass is a slight sluggishness, though it doesn’t poke into the midrange.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange is mildly recessed where the midbass meets the lower midrange, with a quick jump to mildly shouty upper-midrange/lower treble. Overall tonal balance throughout leans balanced without sluggishness, added sibilance, or excess grain. Slight grain is present, though mostly in the uppermids and lower treble where the shoutiness occurs. Tonality the midrange and treble leans slightly thin and dry, but rather clean and decently detailed. I imagine some EQ would fix these up rather easily.
 
I struggle to find any huge flaws throughout this area. That doesn’t mean that the midrange and treble are perfect, but I haven’t found any glaring flaws that would prevent me from enjoying whatever I’ve listened to with them. With the upper frequencies cleaned up and the lower mids a bit more in focus the Aria would have a darn fine midrange and up.
 
Presentation
The Aria have a narrow soundstage that I find nearly congested at times. Each instrument’s space is clearly defined, though they sound cramped and often on top of each other. Width is shallow, though the depth of the soundstage is just enough to avoid total congestion. Imaging is mediocre as well, hurt largely by the narrow soundstage. There’s very little sense of a hard left or hard right panning on these, the presentation is largely front focused.
 

Comparisons

 
Vs HD600
I have to say that I’m surprised how well the Aria compares with the HD600, offering lots of similarities, down to a similar tonal balance. The HD600 is the cleaner driver, with a smoother frequency response, but the Aria doesn’t sound incompetent in comparison. The HD600 does trounce the Aria in the sub-bass category though, which is a running theme here. The Aria is the more musical headphone, while the HD600 is the more accurate headphone. You’re not going to buy the HD600 over an Aria, but the Aria sound quite nice even next to such a phenomenal open headphone.
 
Vs M50x
The M50x wins in the low-end department in terms of speed, control, and detail, while also offering better portability than the Aria - making them a more versatile headphone. The Aria is much more comfortable, has more low-end, a smoother midrange, and lacks sibilance that is present on the M50x. Both carry a similar warm yet balanced sound, though the M50x has a fatiguing brightness that the Aria do not. Neither carry much of a soundstage, though the Aria seem to win in terms of depth while the M50x seems to have better positional accuracy.
 
There’s no clear winner here, though the M50x would be an obvious better choice if you’re looking for a dual-purpose travel/desktop headphone, while the Aria would be the better choice if you’re looking for an affordable closed woody for desktop use.
 
Vs A900x
Much like the M50x the A900x has better low-end control and speed, though texture doesn’t seem hugely improved over the Aria. Midrange is shouty and sibilance is noted when compared against the Aria and I dare say that the Aria have a cleaner midrange than the A900x. The Aria seem to be all around better with the exception of having a further recessed midrange and muddy sub-bass. I can’t think of much reason to recommend the A900x over the Aria if you could afford both. That isn’t to say that the A900x is a bad can, but they have a fatiguing upper-midrange whereas the Aria is smooth with a pleasant warmth throughout. Neither have an impressive soundstage, though the Aria takes a step ahead in every way but width.
 
The Aria is a pretty clear winner to my ears, though they’re twice the price of an A900x. The A900x is a great value at $130 or so, but the Aria trumps it otherwise.
 

Conclusion

The Aria do so much right, in-fact I actually enjoy these headphones from top to bottom; with the only caveat being the quality of the sub-bass. They’re a wonderfully competent closed headphone marketed towards gamers that bests two of my favorite closed headphones. I will gladly recommend the Aria to those looking for a closed woody that has a warm balanced sound - with the caveat that sub-bass isn’t important to them.

Now here’s the issue, Feenix is a company with no presence in the headphone world marketing a $250 wooden headphone towards gamers. It’s a tough sell to the audiophile world, even though these are wonderful headphones that have grown on me greatly as I’ve spent more time with them. In all reality the only thing that makes these “gaming” headphones is that they’re being sold by a gaming company and they’re packaged with a clip-on mic. Don’t be cautious of these being a gimmick headphone, they’re entirely competent and make for a beautiful wooden headphone to add to your collection.

Pros: Sturdy build, secure/light, clean and balanced sound, accurate and wide soundstage.
Cons: The pads aren’t very comfortable.
Tonal Balance: Slightly warm leaning neutral
Style: Open circumaural
Cost at Time of Review: $350
 

Reviewing Process

The R70x have been solely listened to at home through a Schiit Magni 2 Uber/Modi 2 Uber and a Matrix HPA-3u with high-quality FLAC files. I have used these for a mixture of gaming, passive listening, and active listening. I have spent enough time with them to feel comfortable sharing my opinion, but my experiences may differ from yours. It’s always best to demo a headphone before purchasing, but if you’re unable to I recommend at least reading other views in conjunction with this review.
 
Thanks to Audio Technica for the review sample.
 

Build & Fit

Build
The R70x feel light, flexible, and sturdy when held in hand, I can not find a reason to be worried about the longevity of them when handled. Not a squeak or a creek, a solidly built headphone from top to bottom. In addition to the solid construction, the cables are removable which allows for one of the most damage prone parts to be easily replaced. Oddly though, the cables can be inserted into either earcup without orienting the signal wrongly. I’ve switched the cables a few times and the left earcup always plays the left signal and the right earcup always plays the right signal. That’s pretty neat.
 
Fit
The Audio Technica wing design has undergone a heap of changes throughout its tenure. Due to this it’s impossible to compare the R70x to past designs without making the review excruciatingly lengthy. I’ll gladly compare the fit to any other Audio Technica wing design in the comments, but as for now I’m going to judge it solely as it’s own entity.
 
Without going into excruciating detail, the R70x have their issues with comfort. The headphones are super light so that there is little in the way of downwards force, and the clamping force makes for a tight and secure fit. Unfortunately the pads aren’t comfortable enough to stand up to the clamping force for extended listening sessions. I felt an immediate upgrade in comfort when wearing the HD600 after taking off the R70x, for instance.
 
The Audio Technica wing design has always been polarizing for comfort and while the R70x solve many past issues, it still lacks as a whole.
 

Sound Quality

Bass
As always I test the bass with the Bass Shaker test located here as my first means of seeing the driver capability for bass extension, presence, and linearity. The R70x respond from the press of the play button with a gradual volume increase towards the midbass. In comparison to the HD600, they react very similarly with the R70x seemingly having a stronger midbass presence than the HD600. Neither are bass heavy though, but I’d put the bass quantity of the R70x slightly above the HD600 based on this.
 
With music played the bass responds nicely with a variety of genres, providing a warm and full low-end that’s unobtrusive to the midrange. The texture of the bass leans soft and fuzzy which has me favoring the likes of Portishead, Steely Dan, and West Montgomery. The sub-bass is quick and extended, as evidenced by listening to James Blake’s Limit to Your Love, but it lacks the visceral slam of the ZMF Vibro that I look for when listening to the likes of Above & Beyond, Flight Facilities, or Disclosure.
 
Overlooking the texture of the bass, the R70x driver does a great job of being quick and controlled regardless of whether I’m listening to Rage Against the Machine or James Blake.
 
I do find something euphoric about the bass of the R70x, in the same way that I find the midrange to be within the Ad2000 - there’s something that puts me at ease which I can’t put my finger on.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange of the R70x is clean, quick, detailed, and nearly linear across the spectrum. At times vocals lean a touch forward, but overall the sound is presented clearly, sharply, and accurately. When comparing it to the Sennheiser HD600 the R70x performs admirably next to it, sounding sharper and quicker with slightly better detail retrieval. The HD600 sounds more linear in comparison, while having a touch of warmth that’s lacking in the R70x midrange. The R70x is not sterile despite lacking warmth, but it lacks the euphoric midrange that drew me to the Audio Technica sound to begin with. The midrange is an honest to the recording though, and I respect that.
 
The treble is extended nicely, cleanly, and with a good level of detail retrieval. There’s a hint of air throughout, moreso than I find in the HD600, which gives the feeling of a more spacious sound.
 
Presentation
The R70x have an exceptional soundstage in every aspect that I can think of. The R70x has an above average left and right range, music extending fully around the perceived head space. Instrument separation is top notch, I can’t find a song that sounds congested in the least. Sense of air is here, modestly, but giving the music a sense of soft dissipation into the space around it. The weak spot would be soundstage depth, but even then I feel that it performs almost as well as the HD600. Lastly I find the soundstage to be accurate in positioning, making pinpointing audio cues within games a breeze.
 

Conclusion

The R70x is a fantastic first effort reference quality headphone that rivals the fierce competition that it faces - Sennheiser HD600, Beyerdynamic DT880, and AKG K7xx. Despite costing as much as, if not more, than all of those options, I find myself easily recommending the R70x for those wanting a balanced, detailed, and clear sound at an affordable price.

 
Pros: Stylish aesthetics, removable cable, musicality.
Cons: Shouty upper mids, rolled off treble, sluggish midbass.
Tonal Balance: Mild v-shape
Style: Closed circumaural
Listening Set-up: Musicbee (WASAPI/FLAC) -> Matrix HPA-3U
Cost at Time of Review: $220
 

Reviewing Process

I’ve had the MSR7 for approximately a month with daily use being primarily for light jogs through a quiet neighborhood while plugged into my Sansa Clip Zip. I have spent a great deal of time with the MSR7 and feel comfortable sharing my opinion of them, but experience is always better than reading reviews. I encourage all readers to demo products before buying them when able to.
 
Thanks to Audio Technica for the review sample.
 

Build & Fit

Build
The MSR7 are constructed of metal and plastic and feel to be built consistent with the general quality of the $200 headphone market. When handled nothing feels overly loose or overly tight and I don’t hear any creaks or groans when making adjustments. The pads and headband appear to be stitched cleanly and securely as well. Nothing about the build stands out as being phenomenal, but I can’t find anything to complain about.
 
Fit
Comfort is about average in every regard. Downwards force is mild due to the lightness of the body, but the headband padding is thin causing the downwards force to be increasingly noticed over time. Clamping force is enough to be secure without causing a headache, strong enough for a light jog but I wouldn’t trust them with strenuous exercise. The pleather pads are a bit thin, my ears nearly touch the drivers, and could certainly benefit from a bit more padding, I’d be interested in trying the HM5 pads on these actually. Isolation is above average though which makes these great for travelling or in close quarters listening situations.
 

Sound Quality

TLR
The MSR7 aims for a balanced sound but it doesn’t quite hit the mark, but the mild v-shape makes for an exciting and genre friendly sound while on the go. Clarity, quickness, and overall bass quality are where the MSR7 shine, all while capable of being driven from even modest portable sources.
 
Bass
As usual I like to run the Bass Shaker Test first when assessing the bass linearity and quality of the driver. At the press of the button the MSR7 produce a low growl that gradually gains a bit of volume, but overall the bass sounds nearly linear with no signs of unwanted distortion or driver rattle, those are all good signs!
 
In real world listening the sub-bass response is quite good; extending cleanly with respectable quickness and weight. Songs that rely on strong sub-bass response are welcome here, there’s no pretense of a sub-woofer, rather silky smooth lows that carry a satisfying weight to them. Controlled and smooth, the sub-bass doesn’t disappoint me in the slightest.
 
As a whole the midbass has a few minor flaws: overly prominent, lack of control, and lack of resolution. Let’s break this down and add it all up. To start, the midbass has a mild prominence to it which isn’t necessarily bad on it’s own, but it’s further exaggerated by a dip within the lower midrange. The combination of the two gives the bass notes preference in the soundstage over lower midrange instruments which include frequencies within: male vocals, acoustic piano, acoustic guitar and drums. This is further compounded by driver having a bit of sluggishness within this region, which causes the midbass notes to linger a longer than they ideally should. Lastly, the midbass lacks the clarity to fully convey the texture and quality of the bass notes, adding a subtle one-note quality or muddiness through this range.
 
None of these issues are huge, I want to make that clear, it’s simply a perfect storm of each imperfection adding up to distract from the overall clarity and crispness of the midbass. These qualities hurt the nuances heard in band based instruments, but in less nuanced electronic and pop music the midbass is lively with an enjoyable kick to it. The lows are far from horrible for rock, jazz, or other band based music, but the tuning makes them most enjoyable with the likes of Portishead, Jamie xx or Madonna.
 
Mids & Highs
As I talked about above, the midrange has a mild recession which in some cases distracts from the nuances within the lower midrange. Furthermore there’s a peak in the upper midrange, notably within frequency ranges of female vocals, violins and snare drums. This not only adds sibilance, but an unbalanced brightness that makes volume control a bit difficult for affected songs. Two songs that highlight this dilemma are Portishead’s Glory Boxand Kendrick Lamar’s Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe. This peak is followed by and odd treble response that seems rather peaky and rolled off; hi-hats tend to sound quiet within a mix as do some other cymbals, while others sound clear and present.
 
Outside of the odd peaks the midrange is clear and quick with a thin leaning tone that’s not too far from natural. Detail retrieval is also relatively good, certainly not comparable to the much more expensive ZMF Blackwood, or the HD600, but resolving enough to be satisfying for on-the-go use. Overall an enjoyable experience.
 
Presentation
There’s no doubt that this is a closed headphone when listening to it. The soundstage is neither wide, nor is it particularly deep, but it’s cohesive in its imaging capabilities. Left/right separation is great and positioning sounds correct to my ears. The soundstage tends to crowd up with more intensive or complex music though as the music sounds as if it’s coming from in front of, rather than around, my head.
 

Conclusion

It sounds as if I am being harsh on the MSR7, and perhaps I am undeservedly. I actually quite like the MSR7 as a closed full-sized headphone to use for light walks around the neighborhood. They feel sturdy, have a removable cable, isolate well, and have a pretty versatile and energetic sound signature. The MSR7 are competent closed back headphone with quick drivers, perhaps quicker than the HD600. They lack the refinement of a full-sized open back, but they’re not meant to compete with the HD600 or even the Ad900x for that matter. For what the MSR7 is, it makes for a fine choice and one that I recommend.

 
Pros: Comfort, build quality, sub-bass quality, multiple sound tunings.
Cons: Shouty upper mids
Tonal Balance: Warm to balanced depending on ports.
Style: Closed over-ear
Listening Set-Up: Musicbee (FLAC) -> Matrix HPA-3U
Cost: Starting at $499
 

Reviewing Process

I’ve had the Vibro for about a month and during the time I’ve used them to skype, play League of Legends and to listen to a wide assortment of music. During my time with them I feel that I’ve become comfortable enough with their sound and build to comment on them fairly. With that said reviews never trump experience and I encourage readers to demo products before buying them when possible.
 
Thanks Zach at ZMF for letting me review these!
 

Build & Fit

 
Build
The Vibro are a highly modified Fostex T50rp mod, so much so that they’re barely recognizable as the T50rp outside of the headband and the adjustment sliders. Zach has reworked the aesthetics in collaboration partly with Luke over at Vibro Labs who makes the beautiful wooden cups for this line. The wooden cups are finished with care and precision, these being constructed of beautiful red walnut, with 3 bass ports that allow for the user to change the sound signature of the Vibro, but we’ll talk more about that later.
 
The Vibro features a choice of two straps, mine shipped with a leather strap that is thick, cleanly cut and secured soundly to the headband. The pads are new and now made of lambskin and they look as great as they feel. The last big change to the build is the removable cable, now a dual XLR instead of the single locking 3.5mm the T50rp once had. The connectors sit firmly attached to the headphone and the attached cable feels sturdily built.
 
Based on this pair I feel safe to say that Zach has put a lot of time and care into modifying the looks of this while keeping the build quality up to par. Luke’s cups are beautifully crafted and they’re certainly a conversation starter when I have friends come over.
 
Fit
The Vibro are now shipped with angled lambskin pads that are super plush and super comfortable. The pads feel uniform in height and firmness as they form their seal around my ears. Clamp is moderate, not enough to headbang, but they won’t just fall off willy nilly. Downwards pressure is mild, though certainly noticed as the wooden cups and planar drivers add some heft to the headphone. The Vibro never disappear from my head, but I have worn these for 3 hours with no issues. Isolation is phenomenal though, noise stays in even when listening on the loud side with no bass ports closed.
 

Sound Quality

Preface: This portion of the review will be written from the perspective of having no bass ports closed. There will be a short write-up for the change in sound with the ports closed below.
 
TLR
With stock bass ports the Vibro are v-shaped headphone that packs a serious punch in the low-end. The sound is layered wonderfully with great imaging capabilities, a joy to listen to the likes of James Blake with while sounding competent for everything else I’ve listened to.
 
Bass
Using the bass shaker test at the Ultimate Headphone Test page the Vibro are capable of deep sub-bass response that sounds near linear, with a small dip before the mid bass, but nothing alarming.
 
In real world listening, soulful electronic music absolutely shines here; sounding incredible with James Blake’s self-titled debut as well as Jamie xx’s debut In Colour, for example. Both albums highlight the silky smooth sub-bass in presence, impact and speed. That isn’t to say that the sub-bass is super fast, but it is quick enough to keep up with James Blake’s Limit to Your Love. The sub-bass is thick, which creates a slightly sluggish sub-bass response, while offering a pleasant rumble that brings Jamie xx’s Sleep Sounds to life. The sub-bass isn’t the end-all be-all, it lacks control at times, but it sounds phenomenal for the dreamy bassy music of these two UK electronic stars.
 
The midbass is certainly prominent but less so than the sub-bass, with the bass sounding as if there were a mild downward slope from the sub-bass to the midbass. With that said the midbass is thick and syrupy with a bit of bloat into the midrange, powerful and punchy but overly present at times. Pop music sounds phenomenal with the added midbass thump, as does the variety of electronic music that I’ve tested. In-fact anything danceable benefits from the added umph in the midbass. The midbass is pushy and bloated though and the tunes of Steely Dan sound too thick in the lower-end at times and throw the song off balance.
 
Stock, the bass is tuned to be emphasized, adding thickness and impact. I find the tuning to excel with bass heavy tunes as well as dance hits, while sounding overly present otherwise.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange is lush and thick in the lower regions, emphasizing and adding warmth to lower ranged vocals, acoustic piano and tom hits on acoustic drum kits. The lower midrange suffers from a bit of grain as well as midbass bleed, causing a sense of recession in the lower ranges while also masking detail in this range. The midrange leans natural sounding though, even if a bit syrupy, reminding me a bit of a thicker HD600. Clarity and detail are sacrificed for warmth and thickness, which falls in line with my preference of bass heavy electronic music with the Vibro.
 
The uppermids become a bit shouty, noticeably in upper vocal ranges as well as the snare drum. The shouty vocals are most apparent with female vocals, though Pink Matter by Fank Ocean sounds overly forward at times as do some other more powerful male singers. The higher frequencies are tamed and done rather well though, sounding smooth and balanced while having a hint of sparkle throughout.
 
Presentation
The soundstage is intimate while having a good sense of stereo imaging, layering and depth. Instrument separation is decent, but held back by the thick lower end which takes up a large portion of the soundstage at times. The Vibro are closed headphones and certainly sound it in how they present the sound, not as closed as something like the M50, but certainly no K701.
 
Bass Port Options
Preface
Since it’s a bit difficult to go back and forth in a timely manner due to the nature of inserting and removing the stoppers I can not easily go back and forth between tunings. The thoughts expressed here are done by memory and could be a consequence of expectation bias. I am sharing these thoughts in good faith though and hope they are helpful.
 
One Port Closed
Stock I felt that the bass was overly assertive and undercontrolled, fun for certain genres, but too prominent enjoy more nuanced tunes with. With one port closed the bass significantly tightens up without sacrificing the powerful response that the stock tuning offers. If stock is a dark club with pulsating dance tunes, one port closed is a smokey jazz club with single malt scotch being poured generously. This tuning is smooth and sexy from head to toe, warm while lively, musical while nuanced.
 
With the bass tightened up the midrange and soundstage sound significantly more coherent. The midrange is still lush, but sounds cleaner and more detailed with a more natural tone throughout. In turn the soundstage also sounds cleaner with instrument separation benefitting heavily from the lack of low-end bloat. Listening to Lana Del Rey has never sounded as good and I keep wanting to reach for a cigar when a Steely Dan tune comes on, I’m in love.
 
Two Ports Closed
This tuning sounds really well balanced while maintaining a hint of warmth that the Vibro is known for. The uppermids are still a bit shouty, which will likely be common through all tunings, but I don’t find it overly forward. This tuning further solidifies my love for this headphone, adding further versatility to this headphone and solidifying it as a definite recommendation from me.
 
Three Ports Closed
At first I felt that this tuning was too mid forward and lean in the lows, but after giving my ears time to adjust I now feel that this tuning is the most balanced and natural of the four. By plugging up the last open port the soundstage sounds the most accurate and spacious of the bunch, while also sounding the cleanest from a sound reproduction stance. This tuning nears neutral to my ears and is quite versatile in genre compatibility. From 1970s Japanese fusion jazz to 2000s electrodisco this tuning is very capable.
 

Conclusion

The Vibro are the first new headphone in quite a while that have left an impression on me. I am astonished at the beautiful aesthetics, the sturdy build quality and the versatility of the sound signatures. All in all the Vibro are the total package for someone looking for a closed headphone within the $500 price range and they receive a full recommendation from me.

Pros: Build quality and sound quality are top notch, I have no qualms with either.
Cons: Cost, non removable pads.
Tonal Balanced: Balanced
Style: Open circumaural headphones
Listening Set-up: Musicbee (FLAC) -> Matrix HPA-3u
Cost at Time of Review: $1,400
 

Reviewing Process

I’ve had the PM-x2 for a bit over a month now and have put significant head time on them. Over the course of my time I feel that I have gained a solid understanding of the sound and build of the PM-x2 and feel confident sharing my opinion. With that said this review is my opinion and I encourage readers to demo a product when available before buying.
 
Thanks to Alex for graciously allowing me to borrow this pair!
 

Build Quality & Fit

 
Build
To put things simply the PM-x2 are built extremely well from top to bottom with no worries of durability based on the review pair that I’ve had for a month. The headphone is mostly constructed of metal with plastic being only apparent on the outside of the earcup. No squeaks, no creeks, the earcups swivel 90* each way with no groans or resistance and the sliders adjust the headband with a firm click. I have no qualms about the quality of the build here though I am disappointed that the pads are not removable, at least not in a quick on/off way.
 
Fit
The PM-x2 fit rather comfortably around the ears with their plush velour pads with a modest amount of clamp. The horizontal pressure is adjusted nicely to my head, though my ears are nearing the drivers. The metal construction adds to the weight though and downward force is certainly noticed. The headphones aren’t uncomfortable, but they never disappear once on my head; there’s simply too much downward force for these to disappear on the head. Neither comfortable or uncomfortable, the PM-x2 are able to be worn for hours at a time without any discomfort.
 

Sound Quality

 
Bass
A lot of people believe that a neutral or balanced headphone is one that lacks bass, but this is not true. A truly balanced or neutral headphone should have a linear bass response that digs as low as the ears can hear, and that is what I hear with the PM-x2. Using the bass shaker test I feel a visceral rumble at the lowest frequencies with a linear bass response up to 200hz and back down. In real world listening the sub-bass is textured in such a way that sounds buttery and thick without sounding sluggish; mild rumble in the deepest notes while maintaining clarity and control. The thick qualities of the PM-x2’s sub-bass make it a perfect complement for the sub-bass driven song Sleep Sounds from Jamie xx, or the Jon Hopkins album Immunity. When tested with James Blake’s Limit to Your Love I feel that the PM-x2 handles the rapidly pulsating bass sequence rather well, but I prefer the PM-x2’s sub-bass with more slower plodding sub-bass driven songs.
 
The midbass is smooth with a touch of warmth, coming off mildly thick but never intrusive. Kick drums are punchy, albeit a bit rounded in texture, while bass guitars are thick and controlled. There’s perhaps a slight sense of hump here, but I may be overthinking things. What I do know is that the qualities of the midbass have sounded great with Madonna, Dawes and Kendrick Lamar alike making the PM-x2 a rather versatile headphone as it carries energy from pop music while sounding lifelike for the alt-country acoustic drums of Dawes.
 
Mids & Highs
The midrange is stellar; this is the most natural sounding midrange that I’ve heard to this date and it does so effortlessly. Every instrument within the midrange sounds phenomenal, but the PM-x2 shines brightest with well mastered acoustic tracks, a favorite of mine being Fleetwood Mac’s Never Going Back. The midrange is quick to decay which allows for each string pluck to be clearly discerned, never sounding cluttered due to sluggishness. Tonality is spot on, with each instrument sounding natural, there are no signs of coloration to my ears. The midrange also has fantastic resolve which allows me to hear the small details like strings buzzing, or the hand changing positions on the fretboard to a great level, furthering my immersion within the song.
 
The midrange reminds me a lot of a refined Sennheiser HD600; improving upon clarity and resolve while maintaining a natural tone throughout.
 
The highs are clean and balanced well with the mids, extending without signs of grain. There’s a lack of air in the highs, though they don’t sound confined either. Neither forward or laid back, the highs are presented as natural and effortlessly as the midrange is.
 
Presentation
The soundstage of the PM-x2 is rather wide, though not airy, which can give it a bit more of an intimate sound than something like the K701. What the PM-x2 lacks in width it makes up for in separation, depth and accuracy of imaging. I haven’t listened to something yet where the soundstage was cluttered, even Modest Mouse’s Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine which is a lo-fi recording that gets rather hectic at the end. A touch of air would be nice, but otherwise I have no complaints here.
 

Conclusion

The PM-x2 are a headphone that I consider to be a direct upgrade from the Sennheiser HD600 and potentially end-game for many people. While the Sennheiser HD800 is a more resolving and airy headphone I enjoy the slight warmth and musicality of the PM-x2 over it. The PM-x2 are balanced while carrying respectable authority in the lows, a truly easy to listen sound signature that is immediately enjoyable without lacking resolution.
 
The PM-x2 are the total package: build quality, aesthetics and sound quality. The only hang up I have with the PM-x2 is the price, but that issue is not one that I have exclusively with the PM-x2. The PM-x2 are a totally valid option considering comparably priced headphones such as the HD800 or LCD-X and between the three they are what I would choose.

 
 

 
Pros: Build quality, comfort, sound quality, removable dual entry cable, price
Cons: None
 
Packaging
 
I am unable to comment on the packaging of the HM5 as I have received a loaner model. I can comment on the accessories I've received though and Brainwavz has done a fantastic job here. Included with the HM5 I received were an extra pair of faux leather pads which are good quality here, soft yet firm. Also included was two cables, both being dual entry with a 3.5mm plug and an included 1/4 adaptor. The cables are thick and feel of the utmost quality, I'm thoroughly impressed with them, and the inclusion of a set for each plug rather than the cheaper way out of just giving an adaptor. 
 
Design and Build Quality
 

 
The first thing that I noticed about the HM5 was that the build quality was astounding. I picked them up from the soft foam padding they laid in and noticed a nice weight to them and very solid construction even under close inspection. The headphones themselves seem to be clones of the Fischer FA-003, at least aesthetically, and I think that's a great thing. The FA-003 have a very nice clean look to them and Brainwavz has done a great job keeping everything clean while adding it's own little touches.
 
Starting from the top, the faux leather and soft foam make for a minimal, yet clean looking headband. On the top "BRAINWAVZ" is in a glossy black to accent over the matte black of the faux leather. A little further down you reach the adjustors on the headphones, which is a slightly notches aluminum strip from the right and left that feels very solid when being adjusted in anyway. A click will let you know you've reached each notch and where the adjustor meets the lower half of the headphone there's some room for it to move laterally slightly allowing some flexibility. The adjustors meet with a black matte plastic which almost has a rubber feel to it allowing for better grip. At the top of it there's a red "R" and a blue "L" indicating left or right as well as color coding for the cables. The plastic wraps around the housing and locks in at the sides allowing the HM5 to swivel up and down up to 90 degrees allowing them to point down.
 
The housing itself has a brushed aluminum siding with a small circle cut out with the Brainwavz logo on either side, the grey brushed aluminum looks beautiful contrasting against the outside of the housing which is the same black matter rubberized plastic that gives the HM5 a sleek look. On the bottom back of each ear cup HM5 is stamped in a light grey. The cables enter from the bottom using a straight 3.5mm plug in each ear. The ear cups are big soft faux leather pads that are not only comfy, but provide good isolation for the HM5. They're also very easy to take off and put on for those who want to try different pads. 
 
The cables were a huge surprise to me, each side has a blue or a red ring around it to indicate which ear it belongs in and is not only thick, but feels surprisingly high quality. The cables are joined by a simple y-split and terminate with a thick, solid, straight plug.
 
Everything about the HM5 screams high quality. The build quality is easily comparable to any high end headphone. The aesthetics are extremely simple, but beautiful to boot. These headphones are well worth the asking price for this alone, they make my Ad900 feel like a cheap toy.
 
Sound Quality
 
These arrived from Dragon2Knight with a nice hand written letter explaining these had well over 250 hours of burn-in/use before being used. Therefore I simply listened, I can't speak for any burn-in and I am not noticing any changes throughout my listening.
 
The Brainwavz HM5 are being marketed as neutral for studio monitoring purposes and I couldn't disagree with this if I tried. The HM5 are almost perfectly neutral to my ears allowing me to pick apart problems with the mix and mastering unlike any other headphone I've used before. That isn't to say the HM5 are the most detailed headphone I've ever used, there's some grain even, but these are the flattest headphones I've used with excellent extension on both sides of the spectrum while having good detail and clarity.
 
The HM5 are not for bass heads, if you're expecting the bass to rattle your head then look elsewhere. The HM5 have a very flat response across the bass with only the slightest mid bass hump and great extension, there was never a point where I felt I was missing anything in the lows. The mid bass has decent impact, enough to let you know a kick drum is being hit, but it's not bloated or overdone, it's more of a rounded hit rather than a sharp jab. Even on songs with incredible bass the HM5 handle them well. I don't particularly feel the bass but I hear it no matter how low it goes with good detail to boot. The mids are the weakest of everything here, but that's only because I'm used to my Ad900. The mids here are clean and serve as a perfect link between the lows and highs. The mids are polite as to not push out the mids and highs, but are assertive enough to give the vocals good presence and electric guitars a good crunch. The upper mids or low highs do have a slight edge to them, but just like the mid bass it's only the slightest. There's a very slight sense of sibilance, but only on the most sibilant heavy songs. There's a slight grain as well in the highs, but they're well extended without being overly bright.
 
As I said before the HM5 have good detail, but they're certainly not to be considered analytical, at least in comparison to the likes of the AKG K701 or HiFi Man RE272. I don't feel as if I'm missing anything when listening to these, but they don't have the typical cold analytical presentation. The soundstage on these is decent, there's actually a light air to it. There's good separation throughout and I feel as if I'm at an intimate outdoor concert, if I were to describe it at all. Perhaps yes described as if the stage were enclosed from all except the front, giving a slight air, but still an intimate presentation. As for amping, I definitely recommend something to power these, but they sound rather good even from an iPod or straight from my MacBook Pro.
 
Onto the music!
 
The Antlers - Kettering
In this song there's an incredible ambiance and emotion conveyed through the music with a great build up and dynamics. Right away the hushed piano plays the repeating melody sounding very cold and subdued as the vocals take on a very similar tone, sounding hushed and cold while sounding very intimate, as if he were singing a few feet in front of me in a small coffee house. The synth noise rolls in as a precursor to the soon to be change in dynamics. The vocals stop, the piano goes a little higher, then the drums come in with the synth noises vibrating at a high frequency. The song continues to build up giving me the chills. Everything is beautifully conveyed through the HM5 in such a perfect, delicate manner. Very clean with excellent presentation. 
 
Sufjan Stevens - Impossible Soul
This is a really hard song to do well as it is essentially 5 songs, each with different sounds to them, combined into one. I'm going to just take the first movement and talk about the HM5 for it as it's a 30 minute song. I have to say, I don't think I've heard this song as good before as I am now. The synth is polite, soft, and clean as Sufjan's voice matches with good panning and the echoes of his voice being heard perfectly below in the mix. The harp that rolls along pans beautifully back and forth as the drums do as well. Hearing certain hits in the left and the proceeding one in the right keeps my ears open and paying attention, Sufjan knows how to keep a listener entertained in such small ways. There's simply so much going on here that the HM5 replicate so well. The harshly toned guitar solo comes in like a jagged knife, which is definitely intended and the HM5 do a great job giving it the edge Sufjan intended, all the while the harps and drums panning, not once does it feel confused or congested. I could go on, but this song is beautiful through these. It's not easy to have a song with such hectic parts and combinations of electronic, pop and classical sound good. The HM5 are fantastic though!
 
Radiohead - Idioteque
This song is a perfect example of how good the HM5's bass is. The electronic kick drum thumps enough to be present, while being polite enough to allow the mechanical sounding hi-hat and snare to tick away as the synth sweeps along and the various noises make their appearances. Thom's voice comes in and the kick drum still thumps, but it's clear that the vocals were mixed to be slightly higher here as they wanted them to be the focus. The vocals come in clear and slightly higher than anything else while the backing vocals are panned to the right and hushed behind the rest in the mix, which is a nice contrast going on here having vocals essentially surround the instruments. Everything sounds clean here and I'm enjoying it, just the right amount of thump.
 
Porcupine Tree - Trains
This song is a great progressive rock song with a good sound. Right away the acoustic guitar shines, clean and detailed, I can pick apart each string loud and clearly. The vocals are perfectly balanced with the guitar and equally clean. The drums and bass come in and are punchy and easily heard, in-fact I don't think I've ever noticed the bass line in this song before. Even the acoustic guitar is still easily heard in conjunction with the punchy drums and bass. As the song continues I really don't have much to say than everything simply sounds clean, there's no grain at all, every instrument has it's own space. I'm enjoying the clarity of the HM5 for this song, especially for the well recorded acoustic guitar.
 
Sara Bareilles - Bottle It Up
This song is a sibilant heavy song. The sibilance that made this unenjoyable on my q-JAYS is still there, but it's a recording issue more than a headphone issue. The HM5 do show signs of sibilance here, but again this is a recording issue and the HM5 do a great job of making the song listenable still. It's clear though that this song is mastered loudly with a emphasis on the vocals. It's clear that this album is a victim of the loudness wars and the HM5 have no problem revealing this.
 
Conclusion
 

 
You'll see I have no listed cons for the HM5, and deservedly so. For the $120 or so you can pre-order the HM5 for you can't ask for more. The build quality is absolutely top notch from top to bottom, from cable to ear cups. The included accessories is just a huge bonus, Brainwavz didn't need to include two cables, but they did, as well as an adaptor. I think that simply goes above and beyond what they had to. The sound is something that won't immediately please you, it's good out of the box, but it's when you realize the subtleties that make it so good you'll appreciate it. The delicate balance it gives songs that sometimes sound congested on other headphones, the polite yet present presentation is just fantastic.
 
The HM5 are for the person who wants a musical, neutral, clean and detailed sound. Are these as detailed as the K701 or RE272? No, but never once did I feel like I was missing anything in the music, while enjoying it far more than on either of those headphones that were simply too cold and analytical for me. These are one of the best values in the headphone world.
 
Come see the rest of the pictures here!

 
Packaging
 


 
Having received two other Superlux headphones in the past I wasn't expecting much outside of a no frills cardboard box. While I wasn't completely blown away, Superlux definitely took some notes from other companies and made the packaging much more appealing than the 668b or the 651. The 661 come in black box with red sides, what's interesting though is that on the front right half the 661 are exposed by a plastic window. The left side is a profile picture of the 661 in a glossier paint than the matte black, HD661 is also in this glossy print in black. Under the HD661 is says "Professional Monitoring Headphones." On the back Superlux has printed in white lettering the specifications and accessories in English as well as 3 other languages. 
 
The front of the box flips open to expose the headphones that are laying on red cloth, which turns out to be the carrying pouch for it. Also included are 2 headphone cables (1m and 3m), a 3.5mm to 1/4'' adapter and a cable clip. 
 
I'm very impressed with what Superlux has done here. The box is very appealing from a consumer standpoint, it isn't flashy yet it will catch your eye. The included accessories are a very nice touch as well, it's rare to see extra cables and an adapter in a $50 headphone package. I don't have one complaint about the packaging, well done Superlux.
 
Design and Build Quality
 



 
Superlux is known for making some great sounding headphones that are very hard to beat for the price, one thing no one has ever praised them for is the build quality though. With the HD661 I can honestly say I'm impressed with the build quality for the price. Everything is plastic, but has a very sturdy feel to it from top to the bottom. 
 
The wing system makes an appearance here in typical Superlux fashion. Thankfully it's been redesigned for some more flexibility and comfort in comparison to other models like the 651 and 668b. Unfortunately the wing system is still the worst part of the design, even though they've re-designed the wing they're still rigid and uncomfortable. I will say that they do a good job of allowing for fit of all head sizes though, which is necessary since there's no way to adjust the size of these. Holding the two sides together are two plastic pipes which flex decently with no worry of them cracking or breaking for those with larger heads, unfortunately though since they're plastic they can't be stretched to reduce clamp. 
 
The ear cups each have raised chrome text that says Superlux which stands out on the very glossy black paint. Below that the model number is printed in grey with an indicator, or lack of, for which side is which. What I mean by this is that only on the right ear cup is there an indication of which side is which, an odd choice. Another odd choice is that the ear cups can swivel, but not sideways, they can swivel vertically completely to turn the driver out. The ear cups are fitted with thin leather pads that can easily be taken off. On the left ear cup a 3.5mm male plug is exposed to allow the included cables to attach which is a nice touch.
 
Once put on the 661 aren't very comfortable. Part of this is the wing system being rather rigid creating some down pressure of the headphones, the other part is the clamp. The clamp is similar to that of the Sennheiser HD558, but the pads on the 661 are more thin and rather rigid. Due to this I wasn't able to wear the 661 for extended listening. They aren't terribly uncomfortable, but I couldn't wear them for more than an hour or two. I did find that the 661 worked decently for portable use though in non-noisy areas. I never worried about them falling off and they don't leak much noise. I wouldn't use these in a library or a train, but for a quiet walk around the neighborhood they work well.
 
The 661 aren't going to win comfort contests and I wish they would ditch the faux Audio Technica wing design in favor of something more comfortable. The build quality is a nice step up though from the 668b. The 661 feel solid with no creaks or worries about them breaking, I feel they could even stand a few drops with no worries. I also said that the paint was glossy, but I don't think I can stress it enough, it's almost able to be used as a mirror, take that as you will. The 661 also come in a variety of colors which should allow anyone to find a style for them.
 
Sound Quality
 
As always I gave these 50 hours of burn-in time. No significant changes were noted during burn-in.
 
The 661 have a bright, slightly aggressive, but balanced sound to them. They're very musical headphones that manage to blend that with good detail and not be boring to listen to. The lows are fantastic here with good upper and mid bass impact with good extension which gives kick drums a good thump. Unfortunately when it comes to the sub-bass though I find myself wanting a bit more. The bass extends well enough, but it's almost teasing as I can't feel it, the rumble just isn't there. The bass is rather quick though, keeping up with the quick fluctuations in James Blake's "Limit to Your Love," which isn't an easy thing to do.
 
The mids have a nice intimate warmth to them with excellent presence. I honestly find the miss to be almost perfect here with good clarity and a nice slightly forward feel to them. To put it simple, rock music is an absolute joy to listen to with these, I find Coheed and Cambria and At The Drive-In to be hard to not listen to through these. The highs are the focus here and with great extension and sparkle. They are clean and detailed with good presence to them while managing to not cause fatigue.
 
Every aspect of sound is well represented here and while the 661 is a tad bright, that doesn't mean the lows are lacking, unless you're a bass head that is. It's rare for me to find a headphone like this with excellent lows, but great highs and mids that aren't recessed. Part of what makes these so fun to listen to though is how the music is presented. The music has an intimate feel to it and has an aggressive forward edge that makes alternative rock come to life. The sound is actually presented similar to how the Grado SR80i present sound, but less in your face with better instrument separation. Another thing that impresses me is how great these sound from an iPod despite it's 68 ohm impedance. These are very efficient, more so than the 668b even. 
 
Onto the songs:
 
At the Drive-In - 198d
This song has great dynamics to it with it's soft intimate verses to the heavy intense bridge. The 661 handle this song almost perfectly. During the verses the hushed sound of the song is handled perfectly with each instrument able to be heard with great clarity, but the restrained sound of each is heard. When the chorus hits the guitars explode, the cymbals crash, the vocals come to life. The dynamics of this song are handled perfectly. The guitars have great crunch to them, and the vocals sound intimate as if I'm in the same room.
 
Sara Bareilles - Vegas
This song has a nice bluesy vibe to it as well as a talented singer. Right away the HD661 expose some mastering problems with the bass being a bit too boomy, it actually hurts the song a lot more than I thought. Moving on though Sara's voice sounds good, slight sibilance here, but it's more of a recording issue than an issue with the 661. While the 661 aren't incredibly detailed they certainly expose some bad mastering here, take that as you will, but I don't like this song through these.
 
Sufjan Stevens - John Wayne Gacy Jr.
Hushed vocals, a fuzzy acoustic guitar and a winterized sounding piano are the primary culprits here. I have to say it sounds wonderful the piano weaving in an out giving a cold vibe to the song with the guitars bass notes adding some warmth to the song. Sufjan's vocals sound incredibly smooth here. This is a song I've listened to hundreds of times and I am enjoying it a lot through the HD661.
 
Hot Chip - I Feel Better
A cheesy electronic mock track with a thumping kick drum and filled with synths and auto-tune. This song carries a lot of energy and definitely relies on every instrument to come through clean and with authority to sound good. The bass is thumping more than sufficiently thanks to the mid-bass impact. The synth sounds full and fulfilling as it repeats itself. The vocals are clean and intimate. This song is just living through these headphones, it sounds absolutely fantastic. I'm nodding my head and can't stop, thumbs up here.
 
Pretty Lights - NIN vs Nirvana vs Radiohead
This song has a nice blend of panning, sub-bass and atmosphere to it. The HD661 aptly handle this song. The panning is done well, not as 3d as the Brainwavz Beta, but it has some depth. The bass has nice extension, but I don't feel the rumble, this is a disappointment because it takes some of the raw sound of the song away. Overall the song is very clean sounding though, great production value and it comes through with the HD661.
 
Conclusion
 
The HD661 are an excellent addition to Superlux's already impressive budget line up. The HD668b will suit those who want a more flat sound with a tad more bass response while the HD661 will cater wonderfully to those who favor treble, but still want a clear balanced sound with good bass response. The build quality is great for the price, though I wish Superlux would consider a leather band or another option in place of it's wing system. The Samson SR850 are much more comfortable than the HD668b, for example, because of that and are still able to be found for the same price. Either way Superlux seems to have found it's niche, making excellent products at a budget minded price. I highly recommend the Superlux HD661 for it's suggested retail price of $50 for it's versatility though I have to say I highly enjoyed alternative rock the most through these.
 
For those looking to purchase these, unfortunately they are a bit hard to find. If you e-mail Superlux though I'm sure they will assist you in finding a shop or a place online!
 
Come see more pictures of the HD661 here!

 
 

 
Much thanks to Urban at JAYS for giving me the opportunity to review these fantastic headphones!
 
Pros: Comfort, clarity, detail, musicality
Cons: Sibilance is heavy until hours of burn-in, bass is a bit shy
 
Packaging
 


 
Big and sleek are the first two things that come to mind when I received my q-JAYS. The box is easily bigger than any DUNU offering I've received, about the width of a marble notebook and almost the height for some imprecise measurements. The box does include a lot of accessories though, so it's excusable.
 
The front of the box is very minimalistic. The q-JAYS are each shown through a small window sitting on a lime green plastic case. At the bottom it has the q-JAYS name with some information. When turned over to the back the packaging suddenly seems a little congested. In the two rectangle window the various silicon tips are shown. Above them there is a lot of text. The text is the various accessories included as well as specifications in English and many other languages. While it does congest the back, I think it's nice they cater to various regions. On the right the content list is shown in a diagram.
 
Opening the q-JAYS is a little bit of a feat. The plastic container holding everything in place was surrounded by a plastic casing which I unfortunately wasn't careful enough when opening to save for further storage. Everything was carefully packed away though and very secure. Nothing fell out or looked damaged, despite being a wealth of accessories. 
 
Included with the q-JAYS is 7 sets of single flanged silicon tips that should provide a good fit for everyone and a pair of Comply T300 tips that come in one size, medium. Plenty of replacement filters are included which should last the lifetime of the q-JAYS with clean ears. I do wish though that JAYS had used screw off metal mesh filters like the Apple Dual-Driver IEMs include. Two cables are included, an L-plug extension cord and an I plug extension cord to add necessary length while giving the user an option of an L or I plug. Lastly a 3.5mm spitter, an airline adaptor and a small zipper carrying case are included.
 
The q-JAYS come in a stylish box with everything secure. The accessories are honestly overkill, but I love that. JAYS gives users almost everything they could possibly need for any travel condition here, call me impressed. The addition of the Comply foam tips is really icing on the cake here. Top notch packaging for top notch headphones.
 
Design and Build Quality
 




 
Tiny. It's really hard to comprehend how tiny the q-JAYS are until you see them in person. JAYS claims that these are the worlds smallest IEMs and while I have no verification, I'm not going to dispute it. I've always wondered how companies managed to fit two drivers into normal sized IEMs, but with the q-JAYS I think they've simply used magic to fit two drivers into these. The q-JAYS seem to be meant to be worn down as the slight curve and branding of the plastic housing is suited for wearing them down, unless you want to wear them in the opposite ears. Some users do claim to prefer these over ear though, I'm really not sure how though as the curve of the IEM would cause it to sit awkward in the ear.
 
The housing itself comes in either black or white plastic. While the white looks sleek, especially for those who are avid Apple users, the white does show wear and tear more than the black. On one side "right" or "left" is imprinted on the inside of the IEM, while the JAYS logo is printed on the other side facing outwards. The nozzle is small and allows for deep insertion and has a removable mesh filter on the edge of it, which once removed exposes another permanent filter. The JAYS plastic housing is coated in rubber on the outside edges to allow for a better grip which is where the cable comes out of. The cable has a very small stress relief which is slightly inside of the housing itself barely protruding. Despite the small stress relief the cable is durable feeling and I have no qualms about it.
 
The cable leads to a small plastic rubberized y-split with a cinch that looks almost seamless. From the y-split the cable terminates shortly after to a 3.5mm I plug in-which the extensions come in use. From here you can choose the L or I plug which both terminate in a well built 3.5mm gold plated plug. 
 
The q-JAYS sit deep and securely in the ears, but very comfortable with the included Comply tips. With the Comply tips isolation is above average, about 75% outside noise blocked without music playing. Microphonics are a slight issue on the q-JAYS unfortunately. When worn down it's noticeable unless using the cable cinch which still allows for some microphonics. Wearing them over ear though stops the microphonics.
 
The q-JAYS are well built and designed IEMs. They are not only comfortable but they isolate well. microphonics unfortunately are present unless worn over ear, which I never found an ideal fit with. The only thing I would change about these in-fact is the microphonics, everything else is above average.
 
Sound Quality
 
As always I burned these in for 50 hours before listening. After 50 hours the treble was still harsh so I gave them another 50 hours allowing them to settle in. I highly recommend giving these 100 hours before forming an opinion on these, I also highly recommend the Comply tips for these.
 
When I opened the q-JAYS I was very excited to hear them as I'd heard many good things. What I was treated to was a very bright sound with a lot of sibilance. The first thing I did was switch the included silicon tips for the included Comply tips to give them a warmer sound, then I allowed them to burn in to let the treble settle in. Boy am I glad I didn't. 
 
After allowing them to burn in I found myself treated to a clean, detailed, airy, quick, neutral sound with a slightly warm tinge to them. To compare these to another headphone I easily compare them to my Ad900. While the sound signature is very similar to the Ad900, the q-JAYS are more analytical and far more revealing. Despite that the q-JAYS still retain a lot of musicality and are just as fun to listen to music on as my Ad900.
 
The bass is tight, quick, and punchy. The bass is simply fantastic in quality, though the quantity will definitely disappoint bassheads. The bass extends well, but it lacks any authority in the sub-bass making it rather disappointing for dubstep and other heavy bass genres. The mid and upper bass though is punchy and very quick though giving appropriate impact for kick drums and presence in bass guitars for most music. The mids are clean and detailed. Slightly forward, but not as much as the Ad900, they give guitars a nice crunch and vocals a nice presence to them making these fantastic for vocal oriented music or alternative rock. The highs are the star here, not only do they sparkle, but they shine. The highs are incredibly detailed, extended and clean. Sibilance is definitely heard when these are out of the box, but with the Comply tips and 100 hours of burn-in it's very slight and not a problem.
 
Some may call the q-JAYS grainy, yes they're very grainy and distorted at times. Thankfully that isn't a problem with the q-JAYS, but unfortunately a problem with bad mastering. I took some loudness war offenders and some other notably bad recordings and the q-JAYS showed the flaws. This can be seen as a good or bad thing, depending on the music you listen to, but one thing is for sure it shows the clarity and detail of the q-JAYS.
 
The soundstage is actually rather impressive on the q-JAYS giving a nice airy wide feel to it with good imaging. The soundstage is very similar to what open headphones provide. While the soundstage is rather large and airy it doesn't make these less engaging, in-fact these are very engaging with their slightly forward sound. As for needing an amp I find that the q-JAYS are adequately driven from my iPod Classic though it doesn't hurt to have a little extra juice or something with bass boost to make the sound a bit warmer.
 
Song time!
 
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
This is a classic song with good mastering and a great clean sound to it. Boy do the acoustic guitars sound wonderful through these. Absolutely clear as if looking at the bottom of a Caribbean sea. The vocals are warm and sweet and the drums sound incredibly natural. The piano sound clear and perfectly balanced in the mix to my ears. Honestly I have not one complaint with this song through the q-JAYS, it's absolutely stunning and clear.
 
Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
A beautiful song with excellent balance, recording and a variety of instruments. One thing about this song, and album, for that matter I find many headphone lacking or messing up is the balance of the album. The album was recorded beautifully and while a very warm album still has a lot that can be left out. The bass is usually either underwhelming or overwhelming depending on the headphone. The q-JAYS leave me slightly underwhelmed in all honesty. The bass is easily heard and extends well but it doesn't have enough presence. Don't let that deter you though, I've never heard Jonsi's vocals sound so clear, the piano so detailed, or the acoustic guitar in such clarity from the position changes to the slides. The only thing lacking is the bass, but even so I find myself enjoying this on a level I've almost never experienced.
 
Kanye West - Power
I wanted to test this song not only for it's bass, but because the mastering is questionable and I wanted to see how revealing the q-JAYS are. The vocals and samples actually sound excellent through the q-JAYS, I'm really liking these with their aggression on the vocals making them more than suitable for rap. The bass is where the problems really are though with the mastering and there's definitely clipping heard in the heavy bass, which is hard hitting and showing authority. Thankfully though the song is just as listenable as I've ever heard it. Thumbs up here.
 
Feist - So Sorry
I chose this because of the beautiful female vocals and delicate sound of the song in combination to being a good sibilance test. While some sibilance is heard it's honestly not bothering unless I'm concentrating on it. Out of the box this song hurt my ears, but after burn-in the q-JAYS have toned down. The vocals sound absolutely clean and controlled. I'm thoroughly impressed with the clarity and warmth of this song.
 
Sufjan Stevens - Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
This is a beautiful song with a winter suited piano, hushed vocals, and a nice sibilance test. The piano sounds warm, yet cold at the same time, the sort of piano tone you would hear on a Christmas recording. The vocals are hushed, clear, and intimate, oh boy do they sound good. There's some grain in the woodwind and some of the backing vocals, but this album is lo-fi in a way so it's simply the q-JAYS revealing it. 
 
Conclusion
 
As a fan of the Ad900 I've been searching for months to find an IEM to satisfy me when I'm away from my Ad900. The combination of a slightly forward sound with a warm tinge that's incredibly detailed and clear while still being musical has made the q-JAYS my new favorite IEM. These won't suit everyone, especially bassheads, but the q-JAYS will be a perfect on the road companion for AD900 fans and even possibly AKGK701/K701 fans. 
 
At the current asking price near $200 depending on where you look these are a good value. While they may not be the best price to quality ratio there is nothing, absolutely nothing, I find disappointing about these from the comfort to the sound. Well done JAYS, well done.
 
Come see more photos of the q-JAYS here!

 
 

 
Pros: Deep well extended bass, rather clear sound, comfort
Cons: Rolled off highs and upper mids.
 
Unfortunately I do not have the packaging or accessories for the XB. I am borrowing these from a friend and the box has been since thrown away.
 
Design and Build Quality
 





 
The first thing you'll notice is how huge the pleather pads are. They look rather silly to be honest, but actually provide a nice seal around the ears and help provide decent isolation. The pads are also very comfortable, though they get warm during extended listening. The headphones themselves are made of plastic, there's nothing special here but they feel solid enough. On either side of the headband where it adjusts Sony is written. Below that on the cups the model number and side indicator is given. 
 
Each cup has a flat sturdy feeling cable coming from it that meets at the Y-split. The cables feel flexible and well made. The Y-split is simply a blank plastic almost rectangle that combines the two sides. The cable terminates into a gold plated 3.5mm L shaped plug which feels well made.
 
The XB500 won't bat any eyes with it's plastic build but it feels well made regardless. The comfort provided by the enormous pleather pads is fantastic and the XB500 sit light on the head while feeling secure. For the $50 these can be had for I haven't found another full-sized headphone that has the comfort the XB500 have. Above average build quality here.
 
Sound Quality
 
These have had at least 50 hours of use from my friend so I jumped right in to listening.
 
The model is called the XB500, which stands for Xtra Bass. The XB500 do not fail on that department. These are certainly basshead headphones and are capable of pumping out some serious bass that's not only well extended, but surprisingly well controlled with good speed for the quantity. The bass is certainly the focus here and it gives the headphones a warm sound. On bass heavy tracks I find my ears vibrating, though the bass isn't as overwhelming as I would expect out of a headphone marketing itself as "Xtra Bass." The mids are surprisingly rather clear, but the upper mids are rather recessed causing them to feel as if they're towards the back. The highs are the weakest point of the XB500, there's really nothing special here. The highs are rolled off and don't make much of an impression.
 
The soundstage of the XB500 is rather intimate with decent separation and air to it. The XB500 have a nice balance of aggressiveness and finesse to them which is surprising. During live album listening I feel as if I'm in a nicely tuned venue and I'm rather close to the stage. Most of the crowds sound as if they're behind me. The XB500 have nice punch and energy to them making music very fun to listen to.
 
Music time!
 
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
Rage's first album has long since been praised for it's excellent production qualities of it. The XB500 give this song a nice punchy feel to it with nice aggression. The vocals are definitely a bit behind the punchy kick drum and bass. The guitars have a nice crunch to them, but are a tad too laid back. The hi-hats of the drums are able to be heard but I have to actively listen for them, even the cymbals are really lacking. The XB500 have good energy despite their downfalls and I am nodding my head listening to this.
 
The Beatles - Rocky Racoon
I absolutely love this song due to it's beautifully clear guitars and lively tempo changes. The guitar right away sound a bit too warm for this song unfortunately, the vocals are nice and intimate though. Once the bass comes in though the XB500 focus on that slightly drowning out the hi-hat hits, the snare drum is lacking as well. The harmonica in the right ear sounds clean and clear though, but only because the bass is panned to the left. Thankfully most of the other instruments are in the right ear, including the olde time piano which has nice clarity to it. The XB500 are a bit too bass heavy for this song to really shine, but it doesn't sound horrible on them.
 
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Is This Love
Fantastic production quality is found here along with some minor details make this a fun song to listen to. The bass is strong, but not overbearing as Marley's voice sounds clear and smooth. The background vocals during the chorus even sound clear. The guitar is easily heard clearly in the left ear, while the drums are overall drowned out, but the percussion fills are nice and intimate sounding. The little guitar fills unfortunately are barely audible and it's hard to hear them. This takes away a lot of intricacies of the song as the guitar has plenty of little fills throughout the song. The XB500 though sound good with reggae, which generally focuses on bass as it is.
 
Kanye West - Power
Since these are focused on bass I feel it necessary to pick a song with heavy bass. The kick drum has a massive amount of authority here rattling my ears every few seconds. The minor details in the song are lost, but the vocals and background vocal samples sound clear. The song has a lot of energy with the XB500 and is very fun to listen to hip-hop on these. Thumbs up.
 
Rubblebucket - Came Out of a Lady
This is a highly energetic song with a lot going on from various instruments. Unfortunately the percussion is almost drowned out by the too prominent bassline. The vocals are a bit recessed, but the whistling is heard clearly. The guitar is a bit recessed as well, but it works for this song as the guitar isn't the focus here. The horns sound energetic though despite being slightly recessed. The song is just too bass heavy through the XB500 though to fully enjoy it.
 
Conclusion
 
The Sony XB500 are surprisingly clean sounding with good bass control. The upper mids and highs are certainly the weakest part of the sound from the XB500, but they produce a nice lively sound that almost makes up for it. The intimate soundstage has a nice feel to it and I'm really enjoying certain genres through these. The XB500 have a good build quality for the price and fantastic comfort thanks to the huge pads. Most cheap bass oriented headphones tend to have slow and bloated bass. The XB500 manage to have decently controlled bass with great texture and extension on it. Bass heads looking for a budget option would surely be happy with these.

 
 

 
I would like to thank Rocky of DUNU for the chance to review the DUNU Trident IEMs.
 
Pros: Build quality, quality to price ratio, packaging
Cons: Microphonics when worn down
 
Packaging
 



 
The DUNU Trident came packaged in a familiar looking box, those who have either the Crius, Ares, or Hephaes will notice similarities. A rather large white box presents the users with a picture of a female dancing and the Tridents. On top the DUNU logo appears, on the bottom the model name. There is also some writing in Chinese, though I do not read Chinese so I'm not sure what it says. On one side of the box there's a pictures of highlights of the Trident such as the leather carrying case and the high quality cables. On the other side an enlarged profile picture of the Trident is shown. The back showcases product information and specifications in Chinese and in English.
 
That information is all on a cardboard sleeve that is slid up or down to reveal a black cardboard box that has the DUNU logo and opens like a book held closed by unseen magnets giving it a high quality feel to it that owners of other DUNU products will be familiar with. When opened the user is greeted by the Trident sitting securely in a velour coated plastic casing with the leather carrying pouch sitting below it. The housing is lifted up to reveal the included tips. DUNU decided to include a wealth of tips such as: Single flange wide nozzle (S/M/L), single flange thin nozzle (S/M/L) and a pair of bi-flange tips which are small sized.
 
The Trident come well packaged for the price though as someone who cares about the environment I wish DUNU had made the packaging a bit smaller. Aside from that everything looks fantastic! Elegant, high quality packaging with a good selection of tips and a nice looking carrying pouch. This is definitely above average for the price point.
 
Design and Build Quality
 




 
With the Tridents DUNU decided to go with unique cone shaped design that fits well in my ear. The Tridents are definitely well made with a seemingly unibody aluminum housing that has nice weight to it inspiring confidence in the build quality. Each housing is color coded either red (right) or blue (left) on the outside of the housing around the sleek DUNU logo. The housing is two toned, a grey body with a gold outside. This gives the Trident a sleek look to my eyes, good choice!
 
The housing leads to a decent length stress relief that feels solid. The cable is nothing special, but it feels high quality, I have no concerns about the durability of the cable here. The cable comes to a y-split that has DUNU plastic coated, a sleek integrated cable draw looks very nice. The cable terminates into a 45 degree gold plated 3.5mm plug that feels well built.
 
Once in your ears they feel decently comfortable. They're not winning any prizes here, but they feel secure in my ears with a semi-deep insertion. Isolation is decent, slightly better than average with about 60%-70% of noise blocked out with no music playing and all of it blocked out with music playing at a reasonable volume. Microphonics are somewhat apparent with the Trident worn down, but not a problem when worn over ear. For those who have Comply 400 series tips or Sony Hybrids these will fit without a hitch.
 
The Tridents are built to the excellent build quality standards DUNU has set with their IEMs. Everything on the Trident and attached to the Trident feels incredibly solid. The comfort is average here, while the isolation is a small step up from average. The whole package would make me think these are closer to $100, which impresses me that the Trident so well built, while maintaining a good sound.
 
Sound Quality
 
As usual I've allowed 50 hours of burn-in before making judgements.
 
Astonishing balance for the sound price is the first thing that comes to mind with the Trident. I recently reviewed the Brainwavz Beta and praised their sound quality to price ratio and the Trident are very close to being as much as a value. The Trident have a rather balanced sound that leans slightly warm with decent clarity. The lows are borderline great on these. The lows extend well, have some decent mid bass slam and have decent detail in the bass department. Unfortunately the bass is a tad slow and slightly bloated, this causes fast paced electronic music to feel slightly behind, as if the Trident are playing catch up. Despite the slightly bloated bass the mids still have good presence and punch to them. The mids are slightly forward and rather sooth sounding making the Trident more than adequate for alternative rock or other mid-centric music. The highs leave something to be desired here though. The highs aren't bad, but they're laid back and not really the focus. There's no sparkle in the highs unfortunately. The highs are rather clear though when they are by themselves with no sign of sibilance!
 
The soundstage is average here, I really miss the fantastic imaging the Betas gave me when listening to these. Instrument separation is decent though, I never felt congested when listening to anything. Each instrument has room to breath, a small amount, but enough to give them room to pick apart. As good as the Trident sound though for the price they sound somewhat flat to me. They just aren't as musical as the Brainwavz Beta where I feel a part of the music. The Trident's just don't pull me into the music as much as the Betas. With that said the Trident are still a lot of fun to listen to music on.
 
Let's test some tunes!
 
Feed Me - Strange Behaviour
This is a dubstep song so it has a substantial amount of sub-bass with a lot of mid-bass slam. There's also a lot of sound effects and samples in this song. The intro sounds very good, the vocals are smooth, the synth is nice and fuzzy, but the samples sound a bit flat. The intro ends and the sub-bass kicks in. The Tridents extend well, and the mid-bass has nice impact. The sub-bass is heard, but I don't feel it. The balance of the song still sounds good though, while the bass rumbles I can still hear the vocals and other instruments clearly. The Tridents sound decent for bass heavy music to my ears.
 
Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times
A classic song with great energy to it. Again with the Trident I feel they are a bit flat in sound taking away a lot of the energy from this song. The guitars have nice crunch to them and the vocals are smooth and have nice presence. The drums sound clear and on level with the bass, though a bit fuzzy. Everything sounds good, but the song just doesn't come to life.
 
Sigur Ros - Staralfur
I chose this due to the fantastic balance of the various instruments, it's imaging and due to it's classical like similarities. The violin and other string instruments sound nice, going in and out of focus, but the depth isn't enough to give the song the 3d imaging that makes this song immersive. The vocals sound clear and the piano is warm and fuzzy. Every once in a while one of the violins will hit a high note and it gets a bit grainy causing me to slightly wince. Sigur Ros sounds good on these, but it's missing the depth to make me immersed in the song.
 
Kanye West - POWER
This is one of my favorite recent hip-hop songs and despite it's iffy mastering it's something I'm familiar with. The bass is expectantly boomy and the song has good energy to it. the samples during the chorus and the "21st century schizoid man" sample sounds very grainy enough to make me wince. The bass is definitely the star here, but Kanye's vocals sound good through these, though at times I feel as if the vocals are trying to push through the bass. I think hip-hop fans will really enjoy these all things considered though.
 
Animal Collective - My Girls
This is a wonky electronic song with a lot of energy in it. The synths sound wonderful right away and the vocals sound on point. The synths aren't phasing in and out as much as I would like though, there's not enough depth to the soundstage unfortunately. The song maintains a nice balance to it though through the various vocals and the bass coming in. The bass is a bit prominent though pushing the synths a bit back in the mix. The song sounds fun though as it should, yes I said it sounds fun if you listen to Animal Collective you'll understand. 
 
Conclusion
 
The DUNU Trident are a fantastically built budget IEM with good sound to them. The soundstage and imaging aren't it's strong suits and at times it causes the songs to lose energy. The sound though is great for the price, a nice balanced sound that leans a bit to warm side. These IEMs are a great recommendation for all types of music and are definitely a great budget IEM that will withstand some abuse. For the $40 asking price these are very hard to beat as a complete package, DUNU shows again that it's more than capable of making a well priced, built and sounding IEM.
 
Come see more pictures of the Trident here!

 
 

 
I would like to thank Brainwavz for the opportunity to review their brand new Brainwavz Beta. I've titled this with a (V2) marking to distinguish that these are vastly different than the original ones. If you are interested in where to purchase these head on over to MP4nation where they have the best price and world wide shipping!
 
Pros: Punchy bass, clarity, price, Comply tips, no microphonics
Cons: Slightly recessed mids, build quality
 
Packaging
 



 
I'm not sure whether this is the final design or not but so far it looks clean and simple, which I like. I wonder whether it's the final design or not due to a black sticker covering up "45 Degree" in the cable termination description, which is actually straight. Perhaps Brainwavz changed the design and didn't want to be wasteful of the old packaging, I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that the small package catches the eye with it's simplistic design and color scheme. 
 
On the front above the plastic window it says in white letters "Brianwavz" under that it says Beta with some notes about them. On either side there's simply a logo on the bottom and Beta on the top. On the back product information is given with information about the included Comply tips. Aside from the 45 Degree angle being changed, I think that Brainwavz originally meant to use the T400 tips, rather than the S400 as the Comply product information about the included tips fits the T400 description, not the S400. This is based off of the product information for the S/T400 on the Comply website. Either way it's kept simple on the back which I like.
 
Once opened it was a pain to get the IEMs out of their plastic housing and out of the blue cardboard box the cord was leading to. The included 2 spare S/L grey silicon tips were freely sitting in the container which could easily be lost if you're not careful when opening taking everything out. The Comply tips were sitting in a small plastic bag. No frills or other included accessories here, but really none are needed.
 
Overall the packaging seems like a rough version with the plug termination angle being wrong and the Comply product information fitting the description of the T400 rather than the S400. Getting the Beta's out of the box was also a bit of a hassle. While the complaints are minor they still are blemishes that can be easily fixed.
 
Design and Build Quality
 



 
The Beta's look weird to put it simple. The odd shape won't catch many eyes, but it surprisingly works well when worn over ear or down. While they look odd, the design makes sense. The outer part of the IEM which shows the logo is easily used to grip the Betas and position them easily in the ear.
 
The build quality certainly doesn't feel great though. The Beta's themselves are made of plastic with the outer edge showing a Brainwavs logo and a R or L near the tip of the Betas. The housing feels decent enough, but the long stress relief isn't connected very well to the housing, in-fact when I move the stress relief I can see the top of it near the housing pull away slightly on one side. The cable is very thin as well and where the cable meets at the y-split there's simply a small block of plastic that doesn't move. The rest of the cable is simply the two thin ones from each IEM held together. Think of the y-split as a zipper that was pulled up and then permanently stuck where it stopped, I hope that makes sense. The cable terminates to a rather flimsy feeling straight 3.5mm plug. The stress relief on the plug feels more flimsy than I would like.
 
Once in the ear they sit deep enough in the ear to feel very secure regardless of what tip. The included silicon tips unfortunately don't feel so great in the ear, but the included Comply tips do. The Betas feel secure whether worn over ear or worn down with little to no microphonics. The isolation is average here, blocking out about 60% of the outside noise with no music playing.
 
Overall the build quality could definitely use some work. A thicker cable and more secure stress reliefs would inspire more confidence, I wouldn't say no to a proper y-split either. The IEMs themselves feel solid though and sit firmly in my ear and the included Comply tips are a nice touch.
 
Sound Quality
 
As always I burned these in for a minimum of 50 hours before making judgements on the sound.
 
After putting these in my ears it's easy to see where the budgeting of the money went. These have possibly the best overall sound I've heard of any IEM under $100. They are rather balanced, though a bit on the warm side. The sound is very musical and pleasing to the ears, I find myself enjoying music rather than analyzing it like with the RE272.
 
The lows are the most prominent of the frequencies and the Betas do them very well. Fantastic extension, punch and control on the lows make these fantastic for electronic music such as dubstep while still being fantastic for alternative rock. The lows are simply done right here, clean and well extended without being overbearing. They do bleed into the mids, but only slightly. The mids are very clear though slightly recessed. I found myself missing some very hard to hear details I heard much easier on my Ad900. Given the details were very minute, they were still missing or even harder to hear than normal. Don't let that deter you though the mids are still great on these and satisfy me even coming from my Ad900. The highs are slightly rolled off, slightly grainy and really don't impress me. They aren't bad, but the bass really takes the show here.
 
While these aren't the most detailed IEM, they definitely have fantastic clarity, more so than the SoundMAGIC E30, Meelectronic A151 or the DUNU Ares. I found myself missing some details in a few songs, but they were very hard to hear to begin with so I don't fault the Betas much. The soundstage impressed me very much though, it's rather wide for an IEM with excellent imaging. Yes, a $30 IEM with fantastic imaging.
 
Let's hear some tunes:
 
The Cure - Why Can't I Be You?
This is a very lively song with a fast pace and a lot going on in it. Despite everything going on in this song the Betas keep up and give each instrument it's space. The horns in particular sound wonderful, I can easily pick out where they each are in the sound as each horn has it's own area it's coming from. I don't think I've ever heard this song as good as this to be honest. As I said I can easily pick out each instrument from the keyboards to the horns to the guitar at any given point and it's as if they all have their own designated spot. Wonderful.
 
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
The silky smooth baseline and vocals in combination to the various percussion and overall funk to this song makes a good test. If this were a graded test the Betas would score an A for this song. the percussion sound phenomenal. The various percussionists are easily hear as if they were standing in a half circle. Curtis sounds as if he's front and center with the bass and it's just grooving along. 
 
James Blake - Limit To Your Love
I like to use this song to test for bass since the bass in this song wobbles very fast with quick pitch changes and deep extension. The piano and vocal intro sound very nice, but what I'm after here is the bass. The bass comes in and it's absolutely fantastic. Very quick and deeply extended. The drums and vocals even sound very clear while the bass is doing its thing. The Betas were not only able to keep up with the intense bass, but it didn't muddle up the mids at all here. 
 
Coheed and Cambria - Everything Evil
Some may be worried about the slightly recessed mids making these bad for alternative rock, I chose this song to dispel any worries. The guitars are crunchy, the bass punchy, the vocals are just smidge recessed and I mean that in only the smallest bit. The Betas give this song the energy it deserves in every way.
 
Sara Bareilles - Bottle It Up
This song is excellent for testing sibilance. As the song kicks in sounding absolutely wonderful I do notice a slight sibilance. It's nothing that's annoying me, but there's definitely a little bit of sibilance. Overall though the female vocals sound excellent on these.
 
Iron & Wine - 16 Maybe Less
This is a nice mellow alternate country/folk song with a few various instruments and nice ambience to it. The steel lap guitar sounds haunting and the drums sound perfectly hushed as the vocals come in. The song feels as intimate as when I saw him perform this live.
 
Conclusion
 
For $30 I don't think there is a better sounding IEM. These have completely enamored me with their slightly warm balanced sound with excellent imaging. The build quality leaves a lot to be desired though, but you get what you pay for. After listening to over 100 songs on these I can honestly say they handle any genre competently, I couldn't honestly find one song I didn't like through these. To my ears these are the best IEM under $50 and perhaps the best under $100 for sound alone.
 
Come check out more pictures of the Betas here!

 
 


 

I want to thank The House of Marley for allowing me to review their headphones. For those who aren't aware of The House of Marley go check out their website! They are partners with the 1LOVE movement to spread peace.

 

Pros: Eco-Friendly, iPod Remote, Wood, Bass lovers IEM

Cons: Pushy bass, recessed miss, rolled off highs, cable quality

 

Packaging

 





 

Typical packaging for a budget IEM. Cardboard housing with a plastic window. The front has the Marley logo with a picture of the People Get Ready buds. The flap on the front lifts up to show the headphones and is held shut with an hidden magnet on both sides. On one side there's information about the 1love foundation, on the other side a quick blurb about the headphones. On the back there's product information such as the eco-friendly materials used and so forth.

 

The package oddly opens from the side, rather the top. Everything was nicely packed and held together without worries. Inside was the People Get Up IEMs, a cloth carrying case, warranty and product information and a few spare sets of single silicon tips.

 

Overall the packaging will grab some people's attentions. I think it's a bit too busy, then again I like minimalistic stuff. There's nothing special about it though, it's average for the price.

 

Design and Build Quality

 







 

Fashion oriented is the first thing that comes to mind, secondly is eco-friendly. The IEMs are oddly shaped and made primarily of FSC certified wood with some recyclable aluminum and a recycled plastic strain relief. The cable is made of fabric with little yellow, green and red spots throughout the black cloth. The IEMs themselves are light and feel decently durable, the tips are typical silicon, nothing special here. The stress relief worries me the most, it's very short and causes me to think there will be problems down the road. Each stress relief has a R or L marking though.

 

The cable is made of cloth and the version I have includes an iPod remote. The box says the cable is tangle free, but I've had some tangle issues with it more so than other headphones I've used. The remote is made of plastic and doesn't feel too durable, but it does work with my iPod Classic well. The remote is actually the y split as well and it is a bit too high up for my liking, at least when worn over ear. This is due to the remote also having a mic so it's understandable why it's up high. The cable terminates into a rubber L-shaped plug with Marley written on it. Again the stress relief is less than I'd like and causes me to worry about durability. 

 

Overall the People Get Ready are decently built. I have issues with the stress relief and the cable definitely tangles up. They're decently built though, average for the price.

 

Sound Quality

 

As always I burned these in for a minimum of 50 hours before making judgements on the sound.

 

Bassy, grainy and congested. These IEMs focus on bass as it says on the website so let's talk about the bass first. The bass is very forward, boomy and extends rather well. It's a tad bloated, but it's actually not bad. If the bass were toned down a little and refined these IEMs would actually be pretty darn good. Bassheads should like these though, but those who aren't should stay away, the bass simply spills over too much into the mids and even takes focus away from the highs. The mids are rather grainy and congested, but they're not terrible. The bass simply overpowers the mids too much though for them to stand out. Even on acoustic track the bass notes are simply too forward for the mids stand out. The highs are rolled off but they're decent when they are heard. Unfortunately the bass is just too prominent for the other frequencies to shine.

 

These IEMs are rather congested as well, the sound stage is small and the instruments sound bunched together. The sound is actually reminiscent of a 5 piece band on a small stage with the bassist having his amp louder than anything else. Detail is also lacking a lot as well, these are rather grainy. Minor details on songs aren't easily heard, for instance, if heard at all. 

 

Let's do the song test:

 

Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man

A nice pop/rock song with a good sound. The acoustic guitar sounds nice and clear, the highs a bit faded, but it sounds decent. The kick drum and bass come in though with the banjo and things change. The bass hits like thunder and the bass is fuzzy. The banjo is heard easily though. The vocals come in and they actually sound decent, a bit distant but decent. Once the intro chorus finishes though and the song picks up before the verse it is just hectic. The bass is far too strong for this song to be properly enjoyed to my ears.

 

Four Tet - She Just Likes to Fight

A nice ambient electronic track to test. The bass drum is kicking with nice authority, the guitar sounds fuzzy, but fits the tune. The various bells and percussion are heard, fuzzy and distant sounding though. Despite these IEMs setbacks though they actually sound decent with this song. The bass is a bit slow, but it has nice impact on it.

 

The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

A classic Beatles song with excellent guitar work and mastering. The bass again is overpowering. On this track it's fuzzy and completely interfering with the guitar and vocals. The guitar is very fuzzy, the vocals are distant and the little guitar riffs throughout the song are barely noticeable. In-fact the only time I could really hear the lead guitar was during the solo, even then it sounds rather weak and rolled off. I do not like this song on these headphones.

 

Bob Marley & The Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff

Let's see how Marley's music holds up to headphones with his branding on it. His records were generally well mastered, these headphones definitely emphasize the bass. The vocals are distant and actually the backing vocals seem more forward than Bob's. The guitars aren't the focus on this song, but in these headphones they are definitely hard to hear. Even with the emphasized bass, Bob's music sounds decent on these, not the best I've heard, but not bad.

 

Duo Infernale - Lost In the World

I chose this track because it's fast paced with a lot of atmospheric elements and a bass heavy feel. The headphones actually keep up with the quick hi-hat hits and the atmospheric elements sound decent despite the kicking bass. Once the heavy bass line comes in it becomes the absolute focus though. It's simply rumbling my ears. Surprisingly though the atmospheric elements are still heard and the hi-hat is keeping up. The vocal sample is actually easily heard and sounds great. 

 

Conclusion

 

The People Get Ready IEMs are nothing special. They're not breaking any ground here, nor are they going to make your eyes widen. They are bass oriented fashion headphones that don't sound offensive to the ears. They are decently built, please make the stress reliefs longer though. The sound isn't terrible, but fans of rock music or mid oriented music should stay away. These headphones are at their best with electronic music definitely. 

 

The People Get Ready come in a multitude of great looking colors and are priced at $39.99 without the remote, $49.99 with the remote. I think they're a tad too expensive, they would be more appropriately priced at $20 and $30 in my opinion. The budget IEM market is tough and there are many fantastic options in the sub-$50 category, namely from SoundMAGIC and Meelectronics that I would choose over these. For fashion phones though these aren't bad and I recommend them for those who want a bass heavy headphone with fashion in mind.

 

Come check out more pictures of the People Get Ready here!