Reviews by shockdoc

Disclaimer: Brainwavz sent me this pair for my review and honest feedback.
 
Caveat: I am a big fan of the Brainwavz house sound so bear that in mind when reading my review.
 
Starting my HeadFi journey a little late I wasn't privy to the Brainwavz B2 years and thus was extremely interested (based on everything I'd read about the B2) in hearing that Brainwavz was again venturing into new balanced armature waters. I've owned more than a couple of BA IEM's over the years but when dynamic drivers really started to come into their own I dumped most of them and didn't look back. So I was a little bit skeptical about how I would find the sound of a single BA driver earphone.
 
While I don't necessarily consider myself a basshead I DO like a full and robust lower end. My passion is live music and my continuing search in the headphone world is for the sound that gets me ever closer to the stage and to the musicians on the stage. Live music has plenty of bass and headphones that don't include that spectrum of music sound flat and lifeless to my ears.
 
Upon opening the box I found the usual Brainwavz case and accessories and was pleasantly surprised to find the B150 does not have a mic/control. I know I'm in the minority, but I use my earphones to listen to music exclusively and dislike anything that could potentially get in the way of that. Additionally. I find them hard to work around with cord sliders and shirt clips which I use often. I was a tiny bit disappointed that for the asking price the B150 seemed to be made of the usual (though apparently good quality) Brainwavz plastic and the cord wasn't really anything special in terms of design or materials. 
 
I quickly tried them in my ears (they are over-ear only) and plugged them into my Chromebook. A quick stroll through several tracks of familiar tunes sounded pretty darn good. Then I switched to a file with a considerable amount of bass and my eyes widened with surprise. I was half tempted to take them out of my ears and attempt to crack the cases and see if there weren't dynamic drivers instead of BA's inside. I'd never heard a BA with this much bass. I quickly switched to my laptop with DAC and amp and cracked open some hi-res files from HD Tracks. Nirvana! I was amazed at the broad, full sound emanating from these little single driver 'phones. Definitely not the thin (if "accurate" sound I was used to with previous BA's. Vocals were surprisingly lush and intimate.
 
At this point, I should mention that, as usual, I base my impressions of any given headphone or speaker on how closely it resembles real world sound. I've been around live music my whole life and am proficient on the piano, guitar, and trumpet and have sung semi-professionally in college. I've played in bands and orchestras since grade school and know what the timbre of almost all instruments sound like and for that reason most of the music I use to review headphones is acoustic and orchestral. I do love rock as well but other than speaker dynamics don't find it all that useful in reviewing equipment since much of it is electronic. So I won't be throwing around poorly understood esoteric words meant to convey the nuances of musical sound but, instead, I'll be focusing, as much as possible, on how real or better yet "live" the music sounds through these IEM's.
 
So let's get to it. For the patience-impaired, I'll just say. These IEM's sound really really good. I've always been amazed by how much sound Brainwavz seems to be able to extract from a single driver. And I've never heard a BA with this much low end. Add the speed and dynamics inherent to BA's and this little 'phone checks most of the boxes I look for in an IEM. Additionally, many of the BA's I've owned or heard in the past at times seemed a little more congested than comparable dynamic drivers. These are NOT congested. In fact, compared to one of my current favorite Brainwavz offerings, the S5, they exceed it in width and depth of soundstage as well as instrument separation. They make orchestra music a joy compared to my dynamic driver headphones. At first, I thought I was just noticing the instrument separation and interpreting it as broader soundstage but the more I listened to more tracks, especially older recordings that I know extremely well, it quickly became apparent that they exceed the S5 in both aspects. 
 
It's rare for me, these days, to hear a headphone and immediately want to go through as much of my music collection as possible to see what differences I can hear. Most IEM's are so competent that sonic differences are fairly small but with the BA150's I definitely wanted to listen to more and more of my files. Also, one of the big things I look for in a new 'phone is if it seems to remove any additional "layers" (for lack of a better term) between me and the artist. On many recordings, these do that as well. If I have any criticism of the general sound signature at all it might be that on some recordings the instrument separation and soundstage width almost sound a little artificial, especially some of my older stuff from the 60's and 70's. Kind of like hearing stereo for the first time with a heightened sense of the separation of left and right channels.
 
As I mentioned earlier, I'm a tad concerned about build quality since they're plastic but they seem fairly sturdy though they don't "feel" as substantial as the metal S5. I should mention at this juncture that they are pretty much the most comfortable IEM's I've had in my ears. They are massively more comfortable (I suspect the somewhat more rounded housings) that the similarly shaped XF200. Maybe it's just my ears, but I can wear these, literally, for hours with little fatigue or discomfort. Microphonics were non-existent when worn my preferred way with the cord behind my neck, cable cinched and the nice shirt clip attached to my collar.



 
After spending several hours a day for over a week with these earphones I can honestly say that they've easily bumped the S5 and my trusty twin driver TDK IE800 from the top of my listening tier. If this is what Brainwavz has in store for us the future is indeed bright. I can't WAIT to see if they come out with a new dual driver BA earphone and see how it compares to this little beauty. 
 
So, the bottom line, this is a great little earphone. The sound is very impressive. Instrument separation is excellent as well as placement of each instrument on the soundstage. It definitely had me rolling through most of my music to hear things I hadn't really heard, or if I had it was mashed together with other sounds and instruments. The only real question in my mind is HOW impressive this is compared to many of the new multi-driver options in the same price range that are coming out these days. Personally, I'm glad I didn't discount these 'phones solely based on price, build or features because they certainly sound great to my ears and I heartily recommend you audition them if you get the chance.
I rate headphones almost entirely based on relative sound quality for the price range and these are very impressive for a solatary driver. So 4 and 1/2 stars. Also, I always edit my reviews if things such as durability issues pop up.
* I'll also be editing this review after I have a chance to seen how well they isolate (I use my rather noisy gym as my real world reference) and how well they stay in place doing things like running or other activities.

Brainwavz supplied me with these nifty little widgets in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
 
 
So, yeah, these are pretty nifty little IEM hangers that, since there are two of them, and each are slightly different as far as design and angle, should pretty much cover about any type of application needed for a sleek way to organize your gear. I got sick and tired of all my IEM's being sort of a tangled mess about 6 months ago and carefully coiled them up and put them in various cases and bags I've collected over the years when they were purchased. That still didn't solve the problem of what to do with my daily drivers. These cool little devices solved that dilemma with the only remaining problem being WHERE to attach them. After AGONIZING over it for weeks I finally settled on (believe it or not) the back support of my Brainwavz Quartz headphone stand for my fav buds and the back of my nightstand, within easy reach of my bed, for my everyday, non-critical listening, IEM's.
 
I know there have been many who have noted the adhesive on these is often TOO strong and find it difficult to remove the holder once attached. While the adhesive strip IS very strong I found it possible to remove the entire strip without too much muscle strain AND, actually, the adhesive was NOT strong enough for some porous surfaces. I actually removed the adhesive strip from one of them and replaced it with good old 3M double sided foam tape and found it worked quite well. 
 
So these are pretty cool little devices and are doing their best to help me make my gear look like normal gear and not the stuff a hoarder brought in and dumped on his already messy desk.
 
Be sure to clean and dry surfaces well before attaching these puppies.
 
*I'll update in a few months on how the original adhesive is holding up compared to the 3M foam tape. (I'm actually considering drilling a couple of screw holes and mounting them even more permanently for a neo-industrial look!  )
 
 

 

 


 

Let me start by saying that I'm sort of a Brainwavz fanboy and I typically love their 'house sound'. I was especially excited to review this particular offering because I use my IEM's predominately to exercise whether it be running, weight lifting or participating in active sports like snow skiing and cycling.
 
Thanks to Brainwavz for the demo pair. I have no affiliation with their company or any other company or entity in the industry.
 
Also, I will not be adding any photos (there are plenty in other reviews) since my camera is currently being used by my lovely wife for a family project. And this review will deal more with the XF-200's suitability as a sport IEM than with the actual sound of the headphone...although as you'll see I liked the sound very much.
 
 
I was EXTREMELY excited to try this IEM when it was announced as it, to my knowledge, is the first real 'sports' specific IEM that Brainwavz has offered. Also glimpsing it online I was excited by the look/design.
 
Alas, when it arrived I was somewhat disappointed that the cables weren't detachable like on the Meelectric M6 Pro. But since it retails for half the price it can be excused for not including that feature, although I doubt I'm alone in being willing to pay double the asking price for an upgraded future XF-200 that would include detachable cables. 
 
Typical good Brainwavz kit (case, tips including Complys, etc.)
 
A quick listen OOTB let me know this was going to be a nice Brainwavz offering even if initially the treble was a tiny bit 'crunchy' and the bottom end a tad bloated/boomy. No problem...as a true believer in the Church of the Holy Burn In I just plugged them into my burn in rig and forgot about them for a few days. I didn't count the hours (typically 50-100 for some of my other IEM's) as at this budget price I doubt most will burn them in at all.
 
 
 
So here we are ready for some serious listening.  But first, getting the fit right proved to be a little bit tricky. The biggest factor appeared to be tip selection as too small a tip allowed the housing too far into my ear and proved uncomfortable as well as providing a poor seal and too large a tip left the IEM sticking out too far and apparently the weight and/or angle of the housing dislodged the IEM with minimal movement. I probably tried at LEAST 30 different tips before settling on one that seemed to provide the best compromise. I should note here that I also tried the included Complys and they solved some of the fit problems I was having however I've never been a big fan, finding them to more often than not attenuate the upper ranges of frequency. Perhaps it's the size/shape/angle of my particular ear canal but I had a tough time getting them comfortable and sealed. I finally settled on an 'olive' shaped medium tip that seemed to work the best with the least amount of compromise in either fit or seal.  But that tip too broke the seal as soon as I started out on a slow run. Nothing I did seemed to help the tips stay sealed in my ear canal, least of all the cable cinch which is mounted below the mic/controls and thus cannot be tightened up to the head to help stabilize the earphones. This is, in my opinion, a design flaw that I've seen all too frequently. I realize that many (most?) users want the mic/control for use with their smart phones but I've found it more often impedes my use of the vast majority of IEMs as I can't cinch them up tight enough to lesson movement and cable microphonics. This seems especially vexing in a sports oriented IEM that is designed for over the ear use. *I should note at this point that my preferred method of wearing any IEM is over the ears with the cable cinch tight against the back of my head and the shirt clip on the back of my collar- this, for me eliminates movement/breaking the seal and cable microphonics*  I think that perhaps this could be rectified either by changing the design somehow or if the cables were removable and two cables (one with mic and one without) were included in the kit like the M6 Pro. 
 
I found the overall sound signature to be very pleasing and definitely in my preferred range. I am among the so call "bass heads" who like a fair amount of low end to round out the sound. Live music has plenty of bass and I feel that recorded music, to sound 'real' should as well. Especially when moving about in environments with more ambient noise. Since I use my IEMs for commuting, and working out they sound much more lifelike if they have a good amount of well controlled bottom end...and don't sound like the cheap AM radio speaker in an old Ford Pinto.
 
Of course that is moot if you can't get a good seal and/or the 'phones don't isolate well. I know a lot has been written on HeadFi about isolation and how/why it is or isn't present in a particular earphone but that particular characteristic, or lack thereof, is my second biggest problem with the XF-200. Compared to some of my other Brainwavz IEM's they don't seal out external sound as well as I think and IEM should. That's the main reason I use IEMs...to block out the world and enjoy my music. I'm not sure if it's a function of ports for the dynamic driver, the material the housing is made of (plastic) or even the overall size/surface area of the housing...or all of the above that affects isolation. I found that these earphones isolate slightly less than the Brainwavz Jazz. And while overall isolation lagged, IMO behind the Jazz, the sound signature exceeded it.  My current benchmark for isolation is the Brainwavz S5 followed not too far behind by the S3. I'd be interested in hearing an XF-200 with some kind of metal housing to see if that has any effect on the relative isolation or not. 
 
Once burned in the sound was pleasantly weighted both top and bottom end and instrument separation and soundstage width and depth were both well above average especially for this price point. They pair particularly well with my trusty old 2nd Gen iPod Nano with the Wolfson chip. They sound wonderful also with my ancient rooted Samsung Galaxy S as well. Hi rez recordings sound particularly good. As always I didn't try them with any kind of dubstep or club music or whatever you want to call it as I don't feel that other than dynamics and frequency range you can objectively evaluate a headphone's sound quality with that type of music. As a musician I KNOW what a guitar sounds like...and a piano...and a clarinet...and.....To me the real test of any headphone is how well it reproduces the nuances of the human voice and timbre of acoustic instruments and immerses you in the music so that you feel like you're actually in the recording studio or concert hall. And the XF-200 does just that very very well at this price point. And I can pretend I'm a rock star wearing them around while I play my guitar with my little Vox headphone guitar amp since they look like stage monitors. 
 
One additional note. I 'owned' the M6 Pro briefly while burning them in as a gift for my son in law. While I liked them I still preferred, overall, the sound of ANY of my Brainwavz earphones. But the removable cables (with a spare in the box) on the M6 Pro are hard to pass up.
 
I still haven't given up trying to find a suitable tip that will keep these 'phones sealed in my ear canals while running or lifting weights. I'll update this review if/when I succeed.

 
I was quite curious to hear this headphone since other than a blu tooth 'phone designed for kids I hadn't really had the opportunity to listen to a full size Brainwavz offering. Unpacking the box I was pleased to find a removable single sided cable (and an extra, with mic/controls) as well as Brainwavz' very nice memory foam earpads. A nice, sturdy zippered case was also included. I'm not a super style conscious person but I see a lot of Beats and other popular street headphones worn by the younger people at my gym and, to my eye at least, think that the HM2 stands up well in looks and function to what I see the younger crowd wearing. I was a little surprised when I put them on my head that they covered my (average sized?) ears completely and were not, at least for me, 'on ear' headphones. That's a big plus in my book as the main reason I use headphones and IEM's is to block out external noise, hopefully without cranking the volume to a level that could eventually damage my hearing. It may be, however, that someone with larger ears won't quite clear the edges of the foam pads and they might indeed end up as 'on ear' types. 
 
The headband has no padding, a bit of a disappointment for me, but I suspect it's mostly a style choice by Brainwavz. It didn't seem to affect comfort that much to me. They also seemed to clamp a little too tightly on my average to large sized head but I assume they'll loosen up with time. I did a small amount of listening to a number of tracks before placing them on my burn in rig (yes I believe in burn in, especially for dynamic drivers). Initially I was pleasantly surprised by their rather rich, full sound. Of course being closed they didn't have as much space and soundstage as I like but it wasn't bad at all and exceeded somewhat my reference on ear JVC HA S400 slightly. I used those to compare as they are in the same general price range and are closed as well. The biggest problem with my old JVC's was that they were on ear and were EXTREMELY uncomfortable to me even after just a few minutes. I actually modded them with Brainwavz accessory memory foam pads (placed over the OEM pads) to make them over ear and more comfortable. This mod made the JVC's the equal, or slightly better than the HM2's for soundstage. If you don't have a could of sets of Brainwavz memory foam pads to play with, I recommend you get some. They work with a number of headphones and are quite a bargain IMHO.
 
I listened to the HM2 briefly after about 50 hours and stopped burn in after 100 hours not noticing anywhere near as much sonic change as I usually do with the brand's IEMs. Overall the sound is pleasing with no particular part of the sound standing out too much. In a word I'd call the sound mellow. There is plenty of bass, the midrange is nice, not too forward like the JVC's can be at times and the top end is there if not a bit subdued for my taste. I wouldn't really call the sound signature bland, but I wouldn't necessarily call it exciting either. I did notice, after listening to a number of different genres, that unlike some 'phones in my collection, they held up pretty well to just about any type and style of music. I usually term this characteristic as "forgiving" as it can be somewhat disconcerting with certain headphones when you run across the odd track that for some reason just sounds terrible, or at least "off". Haven't found a track yet, with these, that doesn't sound at least okay. 
 
Finally I did extensive A/B comparisons with the JVC's on many many tracks, leaning heavily on acoustic and orchestral music, since to me this is the true measure of a headphone, how it recreates the natural harmonics and nuances of acoustic instruments and the human voice. I have to admit, that after at least a hundred hours of listening I prefer the overall sound signature of the old JVC's for detail and resolution. But the HM2 surpasses them in bass and more than anything in design, build and COMFORT. I kind of wish I could stick those old carbon nanotube drivers in the HM2 and this 'phone could easily become a daily driver for me at the gym and commuting on a bus or train. Of course with any kind of constant external noise like in the aforementioned, any big differences in detail and resolution become mostly moot and the added bass gives the music more balance and weight. For short bouts of critical listening I'd still grab the JVC's but after 30 minutes my head and ears would be screaming for the HM2's. What I'd really like to know is how these hold up to the ubiquitous Beats that many kids wear. From my best memory the older Beats I've listened to were not even in the same ballpark. They were bloated and boomy and more than anything simply not anywhere near close these especially for the asking price. Hopefully they've gotten better but I'm skeptical and almost certain that when you consider the huge price discrepancy the HM2's would blow the Beats out of the water. The HM2 is, I think, a definite consideration for a daily driver "street" style headphone.
 
Finally I took them for a mini "torture" test to the gym. While they didn't block noise like my better IEM's they did a decent job and if, like many younger people, I preferred this style I wouldn't hesitate to wear them for workouts. The single sided cord stays out of the way nicely and, aside from some heat buildup, they were comfy for the entire 2 hours of my weightlifting and aerobics workout. My next step will be to see if I can persuade a few of the guys at my gym to listen to the HM2's and, in turn, let me listen to their Beats and Sonys to see what differences I can discern. Look for updates later on to this review. My overall review 'ratings' are based on my determination of sound, build and quality as a function of MSRP compared to other similar headphones. I welcome any and all feedback.
 
Thanks to Pandora for allowing me to review the HM2's. 

 
 
Being a proud yet protective grandpa I was very interested when Brainwavz offered to let me review a pair of sound level attenuated headphones for kids. I would love to pass on my appreciation of fine recorded music to another generation and protect their young ears for what I am sure will be an all out assault on their hearing by the time they reach their teens. LOL
 
This will be a somewhat brief review since I realized soon after unboxing that these would not fit my head well enough to get a good read on sound quality. So I boxed them up and took them up to the grandkid's house. They were VERY excited that grandpa had brought them some headphones to "review" and the youngest immediately grabbed them and put them on her head...but was quickly disappointed that there was no sound. In disgust she removed them and quickly ALSO removed one of the ear pads as well. No harm done but the ear pad was not so easily replaced. It took a few minutes of finagling and some small tools in my son in law's computer repair kit. There, good as new and now an additional warning to be a little careful handling these headphones we proceeded to "play" with the Kidwavz.
 
The battery was already charged and link up to several Bluetooth sources was quick and easy. The controls were a tad difficult to manage for small fingers with the headphones in place on their heads but soon each child mastered working them. Next we pulled out the cable and hooked them up to grandpa's DAP and enjoyed some rousing music from the likes of Frozen, Big Hero 6, and a few other favorite soundtracks and songs. They both declared the sound "awesome" but didn't really understand a number of my questions about the actual type of sound they were or were not hearing. 
 
So instead of playing different tracks we tried out every Bluetooth device we could find (a total of 11 different devices that they had in their home- all connected fine) and quickly got into a little fight/sibling rivalry over who's turn it was to listen to them while watching a movie. We also played with the microphone and both children again pronounced talking on the phone with the Kidwavz as "awesome".
 
Apart from the ear pad coming off within seconds of trying them on I was also a little bit concerned about the overall durability given that young children would be ostensibly be using these primarily. Nothing untoward happened for the remainder of the evening but I decided they needed a real torture test to see if they would indeed hold up to everyday use by two rambunctious children. I decided to let them take the headphones along on a trip to Disneyland. I'm please to say that the headphones survived the trip...even being scrutinized by TSA after the older grandchild forgot he had placed a pocket knife in his backpack for his Cub Scout day camp. No the knife did not return from Disneyland (well, the airport).
 
Thus far the headphones have survived despite looking a tad wimpy and have even survived several tug of wars. I will update this review as time passes and report on future durability. I think this is a great product for young aspiring audiophiles and hope that other headphone makers will offer similar products to help protect young, sensitive ears. Good product, good price.  

Disclaimer. I was provided a pair of S3's by Brainwavz for my honest and unbiased review. Second disclaimer, I'm a big fan of the Brainwavz house sound, especially the latest offerings. It amazes me the quality of sound they are able to extract from a single dynamic driver.
 
This, like my other reviews, will be a little different. I won't go into as much detail as some reviewers as the the esoteric minutia of sound science and will instead concentrate on how these sound compared to REAL instruments and live music played in venues from concert halls to clubs to recording studios. I listen to a wide variety of music but skewed heavily toward acoustic. I also listen to a variety of sources, computer>DAC>amp, DAP's and even vinyl through my Denon receiver.
 
A little background. I'm a middle aged audio enthusiast who comes from a very musical family. I proficiently play the piano, guitar, trumpet and have sung semi-professionally in the past. I've played in groups from bands and orchestras to rock and pop bands as well as various singing groups since I was 10 years old and continue to love and seek out live music performances of many genres but most specifically acoustic type music. I don't listen to and won't comment on the use of these IEM's with electronic music. Being an old geezer who remembers the advent of "hi-fi" and lived through the salad days of the music and stereo/revolution I feel like I have a bit of a unique perspective. I've heard great analog music on high end systems and different formats from vinyl to tape (reel to reel) to the dawn of the digital age and now the so called "hi res" music era. As wonderful as digital music is, it has nothing on old school vinyl on a classic system and it's been interesting and enlighening to hear a lot of the same music in so many different formats over the years (including SACD and DVDAudio) and compare them. My first good system was a Dual turntable with a Stanton cartridge played thru McIntosh separates and hand built JBL S6 speakers. Not a Walkman or iPod in sight! 
 
 
So, to begin. The packaging is nice, Typical Brainwavz fare. It's nice to see a somewhat larger selection of tips included than other IEM's often do, although I'm not a huge fan of Complys (but I know many are) and would love to see other styles (or knockoffs of) such as "olives" or something similar to Sony hybrids. Still, I've always done very well comfort and sound wise with the stock silicon tips that Brainwavz includes. Glad to see a shirt clip, which the S5 didn't have included originally but though it seems sturdy and well designed I don't find it works as well as other clips for how I usually wear my IEMs. 
 
I should point out at this juncture that I strongly prefer to wear all my IEM's overear with the cable behind my neck and clipped to the neck of my shirt and the cable running down my shirt and out the armhole to my DAP. This keeps them out of the way for working out and other activities.
 
The build seems quite sturdy which is typical of Brainwavz. I know many don't like the rubbery flat cables but I do like them as they lend themselves well to how I wear my IEM's and don't tangle easlly. I'm pleased that the "Y" split is somewhat smaller/lighter and less obtrusive than the one on the S5's.  The cable slider is the same as theS5.  I like the straight jack and everything else seems of good quality. It appears the vent is on top of each driver housing. The front surface of each housing has a flat surface making it easy to tell simply by feel which is right and which is left. The Clearwavz remote seems sturdy and well laid out though usually don't use my IEM's with my phones. 
 
Now to the meat. Out of the box they didn't sound terrible but I am a firm believer in burn in so I quickly put them on my burn in rig and left them, checking them briefly every 24 hours or so. After 80 hours I listed for maybe and hour but decided to go for an even 100 hours. Boy am I glad I did. Many of the niggling little things that jumped out seemd much better north of 100 hours. 
 
At this point I will reiterate that MY criteria for any speaker or headphone is how well it reproduces the sound of real instruments and the human voice. Also I listen for how it recreates the space where the recording was made and how/where the instruments are positioned and spaced. I also try to judge how close the a live performance they sound. Can I close my eyes and imagine the band or singer in front of me? How many little nuances in the music can I hear in the recording. Can I hear a loose clacking sound of a loose key on a piano? How about the sustain pedal being pushed and released? 
 
The answer to all or most of the above questions is that the S3 does a superb job of reproducing real music and real instruments. Of course taking into account how the music was miked and recorded as well as the mixing and even the file size. I feel like I have a somewhat distinct viewpoint not only being involved in and listening to a great deal of live music performance but also having been in real recording studios and watching sound mixers work. So bottom line, for a single driver IEM moving so little air it sounds very lifelike.
 
The treble is quite good and extends past the highs of the S5. It definitely has some sparkle and "air" that the S5 is lacking. In fact, If I could add that to the S5 without losing the low end it would be close to a perfect 'phone for me.
 
So yes, the bass is also quite good but loving live music I love full rich bass and sub bass. The S5 surpasses the S3 in that area.
 
Midrange is full and lush and female vocals are immediate and present.
 
Soundstage is quite good and while I initially thought it slightly less than the S5 in breadth and depth now I'm not sure it's not equal to the S5. I like to listen to well recorded live concert hall recordings to judge soundstage and listen for things like acoustic echoing off of walls and where the audience seems to "be" when they applaud or cheer. Also, where do the instruments sound like they are on stage and how much space does it sound like there is between them...and yes I understand how amping and microphone placement affects this effect. 
 
Isolation was another area I felt like the S5 surpasses the S3. In a noisy environment like the gym I hear a lot more background noise with the S3 than the S5. Also, when running outdoors in the wind the S5 is much better at attenuating wind noise. Perhaps this is all due to the vent being on top of the housing. 
 
Overall this is a wonderful little 'phone and if it wasn't compared to the S5 would be my daily driver. My biggest complaints are less bass and less isolation than the S5 but I could easily live with those minor faults for the beautiful sound. Brainwavz is definitely on a roll. Add in the spectacular 24 month warranty and they're even more compelling. Good job Brainwavz. When are we going to see a multi-driver flagship IEM?  

 
 
 
Disclaimer: Brainwavz offered to let me review a pair of their new Jives for my honest opinion. I'm a middle aged professional and music has been a big part of my life since I was very young.
Everyone in my family plays multiple instruments and sings. I play piano, guitar, trumpet and have sung semi-professionally in the past. 
 
Okay, let me just get this out of the way. I just think the name "Jive" is super lame. I'm sorry but it makes them sound like a cheap bargain basement IEM that one might expect to see at a discount store. I'd have preferred just some random numbers as a model designation...or hey, maybe have a little naming contest on HeadFi like some other companies do. Yeah, I know that's a niggling complaint but it just (IMHO) makes them sound kind of cheap. Rant over. 
 
So nothing special about the packaging/box. Pretty standard fare as far as case and accessories. I'm not a big fan of Complys but I assume many people like them and applaud Brainwavz for including what are considered a premium tip. Personally I'd have preferred a few more "standard" silicon tips, maybe a double or triple flange or hey, how about hybrid tips? I do like the fact that they include a shirt clip which the S5's did not. I almost always use a shirt clip for keeping the cable where I want it and including it is a plus for me. Nice big case too that should be able to hold a number of different kinds of DAPs along with these IEMs.
 
These seem pretty solid. The cable is beefy enough for any IEM in this price range and personally I prefer the rubbery cables far and above plasticky ones that transmit a lot more microphonics. A solid "Y" split that isn't as big or as intrusive as the S5 is nice as well as a good cable cinch. Not a big fan of the 45 degree plug. I prefer straight plugs. Just my personal preference. Strain reliefs seem solid and strong. 
 
The inline mic/controls work great on all my Android devices and the audio quality is quite good both talking and listening when making calls. 
 
I initially was only going to burn these in for about 48 hours as I figured at this price point most people probably wouldn't even bother. However I got busy and ended up doing about 100+ hours before I got down to critical listening. Initially OOTB (out of the box) I felt the high end was rather sharp and bitter. Also I felt the lows were lacking. After burn in these initial impressions are mostly gone. There is still more top end than say, the S5 but it's smoother than it was initially. I actually prefer the top end a little bit over the more subdued S5. The bass is quite tight and fast but doesn't extend as low as the S5. I listened to a variety of tracks on my trusty 2nd gen Nano, Clip +, iPod Classic, and out of my Toshiba laptop via Saber DAC and FiiO E11. I also tried them off a Cmoy BB and Topping NX 1 as well as the headphone out of my Denon receiver.
 
For anyone who wants to skip the rest of this review I really liked these and think they punch way above their price range. I found myself comparing them (favorably) to the S5 as I feel like they gave me at least 90% of the S5's sound for a fraction of the price. And amped and EQ'd they were over 95% of the sound of the S5 (yes, I'm a huge S5 fanboy). They only fell short in bass extension and slightly in soundstage width and instrument separation. 
 
These are a little more power hungry than the S5's. In fact, at 98db@1mw sensitivity it looks like they're the 3rd least sensitive IEMs in Brainwavz lineup behind the  S1's and R1's which run 93 and 95 db respectively. Still they sound fine with any unamped source that I have...but I think they really come alive with a little bit of power, even an inexpensive little portable amp.
 
I should state, at this point, that the majority of music that I listen to is acoustic to some degree or another. Personally I don't think electronic music gives me a good feel for the overall SQ of a headphone. I want to hear how accurately a 'phone reproduces the timbre and nuances of real instruments and the human voice. Saying that, these do a remarkable job of doing just that at such a low price point. I'm very impressed with either who Brainwavz sources their drivers through or who tunes them. Other low to midrange manufacturers would do well to emulate them. Instruments and vocals have the subtleties that make them sound like you are in the room where the music is being played. That's my hallmark for any headphone. As I stated earlier the treble register extends farther than the S5 so you get a little more sparkle and you hear a little more of a singer's breath or the squeak of guitar strings or hi hat cymbals. 
 
I'm still trying to determine how well these IEMs compare to well tuned BA drivers as currently I only have my old UE Super FI 3's to compare. But they do seem to compare well to the attack and speed of most BA's I've heard in the past. Instrument separation is quite good as well even if the soundstage isn't quite as broad (only by a little bit) as the S5.
 
Very low (if any) microphonics when worn over the ears which is my preferred way to wear most of my IEMs. 
 
Bottom line, these are really good little IEMs and are a bargain IMHO at this price level. I could easily see this 'phone as a daily driver (I think my wife is plotting to steal them!) in my collection and even enjoy it for more critical listening. I know some think it's a little bass heavy but I listen to a LOT of live music (and have been in a number of recording studios) and live music IS bass heavy! Headphones that recreate the bottom end of music without getting boomy are the ones that truly capture REAL music for me. 
 
One last thing. BIG shout out to Brainwavz for extending their warranty to 2 years across their line! Talk about standing behind your products. It will be interesting to see if any other manufacturers follow suit.
 
This is a really good sounding IEM, especially when you consider the price and ESPECIALLY when you consider the 2 year warranty! Even if you're a rich headphone snob who only listens to high end 'phones I think you could justify using this as a beater or gym 'phone. It's a no brainer. Get this 'phone.  

This is a review of the Brainwavz BLU-100 blu tooth IEM headset.
 
Thanks to Audrey for the opportunity to review theses headphones. I’m in no way affiliated with
Brainwavz or any other audio company or entity.
 
A little background. I’m a 58 year old audio enthusiast and audiophile (or wannabe) since I was a
kid and first heard a really great system at a friend’s house. I was enthralled as it seemed like the performer was standing right in front of me singing directly to me. I’ve been actively seeking that same level of performance in the audio world since that time.
 
I have an extensive musical background, play multiple instruments and sing. My family is also very musical as well and all sing and/or play at least one instrument. My musical tastes are quite eclectic but skew heavily towards acoustic music. In fact the main criteria, and my forte, is headphones and gear that faithfully reproduce accurately the sounds of acoustic instruments. I cannot and will not speak to how a headphone sounds with electronic music.
 
These headphones did not come in a package or with any kind of instructions. I found out later that they had been sent in an e-mail. I have never owned and have only briefly listened to any blu tooth headsets or headphones so I will be reviewing these mostly on sound quality and ease of use for a relative blu tooth novice.
 
They came in the usual Brainwavz red zippered case with some extra sized ear tips and a set of Complys (usual, and appreciated by Brainwavz) and some clips to apparently prevent rotation of the housings in the ears.. There was also a  micro USB charging cable.
 
Since I didn’t see any instructions I simply plugged them in to see what would happen. They quickly paired with both my phone and my laptop and were quite intuitive to use even for a noob to blu tooth.
 
I quickly loaded a few of the songs from my playlist and started to listen. My initial impression of the sound was fairly good. Nice mids, decent low end but the highs on some tracks were fairly harsh. I’m a pretty firm believer in burn in for dynamic drivers so I’m thinking that with more hours on them that particular characteristic will likely diminish. I knew with the stated battery life and charge times I would not have time to burn these in to any extent prior to writing this review.
 
At this point I decided to loan them to my adult son for a few days as he DOES have plenty of experience with blu tooth earphones and headsets (using them on an almost daily basis for many years). The following are his brief observations:
 
“1) Battery life seems fine, I haven't run out the battery yet but I haven't tried listening/talking for 4 hours straight.
 
2) Controls are nice and intuitive. Even without glancing at the instructions I was able to use the headset to navigate my playlist comfortably.
 
3) Call quality seems fine. Mic is sensitive.
 
4) Bass seems a little weak, though I suspect that it might be on purpose to increase battery life. Other than that the audio quality sounds good to me.
 
5) As we discussed before, I dislike looping them around the back of my ears because that makes the controls difficult to reach. Looping them around the back of the ears, however, seems to be the only easy way to keep the headset on when the earbuds are not in my ears. If I want to take the earbuds out and not have the headset fall to the ground I usually have to flip it around my head.”

 
One thing I did notice is that with single instrument acoustic music the sound was quite lifelike and realistic. However, when multiple instruments were playing, an orchestra for example, it was somewhat difficult to distinguish instrument separation. This is often an issue with some of my budget ‘phones but lessoned somewhat with burn in on a few of them. I don’t know if it’s the headphone itself or something to do with how the blu tooth signal works (or doesn’t). I did notice better separation on tracks with multiple, but similar instruments. I have some guitar trio tracks that sounded quite nice but still didn’t have the very nice separation of the Brainwavz S5’s.
 
I also concur with my son as to the cable. I prefer to wear, when possible, my IEM’s overear and the shortness of the cable makes it hard to reach the controls. This is not an issue at all when worn down with the cable in front. I also wonder about the longevity of the little cover for the USB charging port on the right housing.
 
The housings are rather large but I can’t imagine how they could be made any smaller and still house the battery and necessary electronics. They are quite light and I had no problem getting a good seal and keeping them in play with normal movements.
 
Overall, these are a decent little set of IEM’s with the added bonus of being able to answer your phone. At this price point they should be a no brainer for someone seeking a good inexpensive blu tooth IEM for daily use. They would likely only very rarely replace a regular set of IEM’s for me personally, however.

Thanks to Brainwavz for this review set of pleather and velour replacement pads. I bought a pair of the pleather models a year or so ago in an effort to make my wife's JVC S400's more comfortable and improve the soundstage. They did that but weren't a perfect fit for her 'phones. Still she uses the pads and wouldn't ever go back to the stock pads.
 
The newer version is thicker. seems a little better constructed and seem to stay on her JVC's better (still not perfect but a definite improvement).  Sound is quite similar and MAYBE being thicker slightly enhances the soundstage a tiny bit since the drivers are a little farther from your ear.
 
What did surprise me is how much I like the velour model. Extremely comfortable. Perhaps a little less bass but a lush beautiful soundstage that makes this headphone sound almost like an open back 'phone. 
 
I also, on a whim, tried the pleather version (old and new)  on my beat up old Bose QuietComforts and found they fit very well. The pleather isn't quite as soft as the OEM (could be because the OEM is old and broken in).
 
You owe it to yourself to try these pads if you're looking for replacement pads. Good job Brainwavz. 
 
Many have posted pics but I'll post a few of their fit on these two phones if anyone is interested.
 
Oh, and they have some great new colors.

Rather than go into the esoteric aspects of the sound signature (not really sure if all the nomenclature actually means the same thing to everyone) I'm going to approach this review from a little more practical (everyday use and listening) aspect. Also I won't add any photos as they are in almost all the other S5 reviews and it would be redundant. This will be rather brief and to the point.
 
First things first. The usual great packaging and accessories selection that Brainwavz is known for. Decided to do most of the review with the installed tips as they fit and sealed well for me. These have a wonderful sturdy build. Just first rate. I would like more IEM makers to maybe put a little bit of red or something on the right strain relief (or cord) to make it easier to know which way they should be inserted. Of course this isn't necessary for overear 'phones like these as they usually insert just one way but for noobies to overear 'phones it would be helpful I think. The flat rubbery cord is likely an either love it or hate it kind of deal. I actually quite liked it for lack of tangles and how well it stayed in place while running, etc.. 
 
Out of the box the bass was definitely noticeable. Possibly because few IEM's delve into the lower registers this well...but it's a little jarring at first. After some burn in (and brain burn in) the sound (especially the bass) mellowed and really grew on me. Shortly after I started really listening to these and while going through my usual audition list I had the occasion to attend several live concerts in my area. That's when it sort of "clicked" for me. What these 'phones do really well, and what many of my other IEM's are missing, IS the lower register that makes for the "live" sound you would hear seeing an artist in person. But I did have to turn off any and all bass boost on my DAP's and amps because the bass was already so present with these.
 
I can't vouch for how well they do on electronic music (EDM or dubstep or whatever) but on real musical instruments and voices they are very very good. I do think they lack just a tiny bit of upper register harmonics, perhaps certain things like on a high hat cymbal or guitar strings or maybe what many would call "air" but it's very little that is lacking.
 
The midrange is quite lush and smooth. I mentioned in the S5 thread that I thought these would make good inexpensive stage monitors for vocalists and I stand by that assertion. Many of the things I try to hear in my own voice as an amateur singer/musician are things that these reproduce very well. On many tracks it feels like you are right there with the vocalist singing directly to you. Very involving and intimate. 
 
Soundstage is very good for this price range comparing well to most others in width and surpassing them in depth a little bit. 
 
Now to the more practical. I'm an avid runner/gym rat and am always looking for better sound during my workouts. Worn the way I wear them (overear, behind my neck with the cord running down the back of my shirt to my iPod ) these have VERY little microphonics from the flat rubbery cord. I would like to see a shirt clip to keep the rather heavy "Y" from pulling the cord down while running but that's minor as I have plenty from other IEM's that I could rig up if these were my own phones. They isolate against outside noise very well also, even to wind noise, which most don't very well, when running outdoors. Of course that much isolation is dangerous when running near traffic but I loved just hearing my music and almost nothing else.
 
Edit 8/12/14: I've been running with these almost exclusively for several weeks now and this morning I went back to my previous go to running/gym IEM's, my TDK EB950's. It was pretty shocking to hear how much more noise I heard while running. Not necessarily a great deal more outside noise but cable microphonics and the sound of the slight movement of the 'phone in my ear canal with each foot strike. These just stay put and don't move around as much with the jarring of running as others do (again worn the specific way I wear them). I'm going to play around with my other IEM's and see which shirt clip I can cannibalize from another 'phone and use on these babies to make them the best, to date, running IEM.  
 
Bottom line these are great 'phones and it's amazing what a single driver can do these days. Since I auditioned them I've noticed that I now bump up the bass boost on all my other headphones to try to reproduce that beautiful lower register that makes music sound like a live performance. I could easily see a 'phone like this becoming my go to IEM for everyday use on anything other than extremely critical listening. Well done Brainwavz. Definitely four and a half (maybe higher?) stars for a 'phone this well built with a compelling sound signature at this price point. 
 
Edit 3/14/15: They sorta "broke". About 2 weeks ago I noticed a fairly prominent drop off in the bass. At first I thought it was a tip issue and started rolling tips but soon realized it was something more. Now I'm pretty careful with my gear but I do use these as my go to 'phone for running and for the gym. After careful investigation there seems to be something loose (a rattle anyway) in the left housing. I'm hoping this is an aberration and not a manufacturing defect or QC problem. I'll contact Brainwavz and see if they want me to send them back to them to do an autopsy. I'm pretty bummed as I feel like these are a spectacular little "everyday" IEM that excel with my 2nd gen Nano unamped.