Introduction

I’m a basshead. I say that loudly and proudly, even though some folks believe basshead and audiophile are mutually exclusive. Obviously, I’m not in that camp. But sometimes, I break away from audiophile listening and just want to crank up the bass and listen to some phat beats (don’t worry, I felt just as bad typing that as you did reading it). So recently, when I was in search of the biggest, most powerful bass I could get for the buck, I ended up getting the Audio-Technica Pro700MK2 after reading several impressions that mentioned “seismic” bass quantity with quality to match.
 
So, does the Audio-Technica Pro700MK2 live up to the hype? Read on to find out.
 
 
Accessories: The Pro700MK2 ships with two cables, one 4ft long and straight, with a recessed plug (for iPhones) and an 8ft long coiled cable with a threaded for use with the screw on ¼” adapter. Both cables are threaded at the point where they connect to the headphones themselves. Finally, Audio-Technica also includes a drawstring leather pouch for transport.
 
Design and Build Quality: The Pro700MK2 headphones are made for DJ use and as such, they feel quite durable and able to withstand a good deal of punishment and transport from gig to gig. The removable cables are threaded, which keeps them from being pulled out unexpectedly.
 
Comfort: Here’s where things sort of fall apart for the Pro700MK2. Now comfort is an entirely subjective thing and not everyone is going to have the same experience I did but I couldn’t stand to wear these for long without modification to the pads. The problem is the pads are too thin and there’s a small bump at the center of the metal driver covers (which you can see in the pictures) which presses into my ears. If the pads were thicker or if the bump wasn’t there, this wouldn’t be an issue, but it is.
 
But I do understand that these aren’t built for consumer use and are thus not really made for long term comfort. As a consumer, I was forced to perform a completely reversible mod in which I cut a spare Cat-5 Ethernet cable to size, taped the ends together with some electrical tape and stuffed them underneath the rim of the pads. The result is more space between my ears and the drivers which makes them much more comfortable and gives me increased isolation and arguably a slightly more open sound, but that may just be a placebo effect.
 
Isolation: These isolate fairly well and sound leakage is minimal.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: These were burned in for upwards of 50 hours prior to review.
 
The Pro700MK2 has gained something of a reputation for being very powerful about the bass regions. One review even compared them to strapping two subwoofers to your head. Well I can safely say that these don’t have the kind of massive bass I was expecting but that’s only because the claim was exaggerated. They do have gobs of bass, with a very nice emphasis on sub bass and lacking a mid-bass hump. The amount of bass is superior to just about every headphone I’ve tried, including the bass heavy Klipsch Image One and has pretty good texture and detail in spite of the relatively soft impact.
 
The midrange is slightly recessed and slightly warm but remains well detailed and sounds a little less recessed than its elder sibling, the M50. Vocals are smooth and there’s no sign of sibilance. Instrument separation is solid and the midrange rarely sounds congested but there is some grain evident within it that makes them sound a bit dry and, perhaps, “scratchy” at times but the mids are mostly smooth on the whole and what little grain I did notice was minimal.  Treble presentation is less forward than that of the M50 and strays from the typical Audio-Technica house sound that I’ve grown accustomed to, namely forward and energetic. Instead, the treble presentation is a bit dry and less forward than I was expecting but the upside of this is that they’re not very fatiguing over long periods.
 
The soundstage is wide and deep enough for a closed-back headphone, sounding a bit more spacious than the M50 but still has a relatively “closed in” sound that I don’t think any fully closed headphone can ever get away from. Imaging is decent, neither really poor nor great, but should be adequate for DJ monitoring. The presentation is somewhat dark, almost to the point that it sounds rather opaque but I actually don’t mind it. I’ve said time and time again that I enjoy darker, warmer sound signatures and because of that, I’m more willing to excuse the dark nature of the sound signature. But nonetheless, I can’t imagine these will appeal to people who don’t like this kind of sound, unless they’re in it for the big bass, like I was.
 

Conclusion

The Audio-Technica Pro700MK2 is available from a number of other online retailers for prices as low as $140. At that price, I think they’re a good deal for a fine pair of DJ headphones but consumers might want to look at the usually cheaper and (at least in my opinion) slightly better balanced M50. The M50 doesn’t have the bombastic bass and its mids are slightly more recessed but the better appointed treble balances things out.
 
Nonetheless, I have to remember that this is a dedicated, purpose-built monitor for DJ use, not a consumer class headphone. In that role, I imagine these perform quite admirably, with their rigid and easily transportable design and well detailed sound that rivals, if not surpasses the M50 in terms of pure detail. For consumers, especially those who like to listen to music for hours at a time like me, a pad replacement (the M50 pads are pretty good on them) or modification like mine is likely in order. The removable cable is a boon for transport and versatility and the bass is just wonderful for hip-hop so I see the consumer appeal but the comfort issues might leave something to be desired. That said, these are a great sounding pair of headphones for the price and performed well with just about everything I tested them with.
 
This review was re-posted from my site Musical Musings

Introduction

First, I’d like to thank the folks at HiSoundAudio for sending me a sample of the Wooduo 2 in ear monitors for review.
 
HiSoundAudio is a Chinese based headphone and earphone brand I came across on Head-Fi, much like HiFiMan and VSONIC. After reading up on the company and its offerings, I was quite intrigued when I came across the Wooduo 2 IEMs, which were described by some as “true basshead IEMs”. Being the self-professed basshead I am, I was admittedly excited to give these a whirl. Upon receiving them, I couldn’t help but notice the phrase “Unbeatable Sound Quality” in large bold red letters written across the package. An audacious claim, to be sure, so, does it live up to the lofty expectations its packaging creates? Read on to find out.
 
 
Accessories: These come with seven pairs of silicone tips including a set of triple flange tips, two sets of biflanges in small and medium and standard round single flange tips. In addition, HisoundAudio includes a branded shirt clip, a bright blue cable winder and a zippered clamshell carry case.
 
Design and Build Quality: Made of African rosewood with metal nozzles, short rubber strain reliefs, and a bright red flat cable. Normally I’m not a fan of flat cables but these were unobtrusive and more flexible than many others I’ve encountered.
 
Comfort and Isolation: Being straight barrel IEMs, they are easy to insert but I did find them to be rather finicky when it came to the fit. Without a good fit, these are prone to a bit of driver flex I’ve come to expect from wooden IEMs. Personally, I wasn’t able to get a perfect seal with any of the silicone tips and ended up using a pair of Monster foam SuperTips. With the foam tips, achieving a perfect seal was much easier and isolation was slightly above average for a dynamic IEM and microphonics were mostly negligible.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: These were burned in for about 100 hours prior to review and I did notice that the bass tightened (very) slightly and some slight sibilance I noticed in the upper mids disappeared.
 
Let’s get right to it. The Wooduo 2 is capable of some savagely powerful bass. I’m not kidding or exaggerating. This is about the biggest and most bombastic bass I’ve heard next to those cars that sometimes roll by at two in the morning, blasting some song or another with the sub turned up so high the car threatens to shake itself apart with each thunderous bass note.
 
This is the kind of bass bassheads dream about. It’s rich, detailed, extends about as low as I can hear and has enough power to knock loose some fillings. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration but against the Atrio M5, Miles Davis Tribute, these are the clear winners in terms of sheer quantity of bass, even if they aren’t quite as detailed as those two.
 
 
All that bass does come with a cost, however, and much of that cost comes from the midrange. The mids are recessed, though not quite as much as I would’ve expected given the magnitude of the bass. The midrange presentation is expectedly warm and the low end does manage to creep into the lower mids somewhat but not offensively so. Micro detail is still good, on par with the Thinksound MS01 and DUNU Tai-Chi and nearly on the level of the RE-ZERO. Vocals sound a bit off in some cases but not necessarily unpleasantly so. Despite the huge bass, there is a nice amount of clarity and spaciousness present in the midrange and the Wooduo 2 does an impressive job of separating the bass from the rest of the sound signature.
 
Moving up, the highs of the W2 are surprisingly clear and detailed. They’re not really sparkly or bright but they are delicate and articulate. Treble is slightly emphasized over the mids but not to the point that I’d call these V-shaped, like the Moshi Vortex, for example, presenting a take on the high end that’s both well extended and decently linear in nature.
 
What we end up with is a presentation that’s slightly on the dark side of the spectrum and definitely warm in tone but not excessively so. These aren’t the most transparent sounding IEMs but they’re obviously not intended to be either. Linearity was clearly not the target of the Wooduo 2 and the result is a sound signature that’s clearly bass biased but mostly even handed. It doesn’t present detail on the level of my best IEMs but its sound signature is, at least for me, incredibly fun and addictive.
 

Conclusion

For the MSRP of $129, the HiSoundAudio Wooduo 2 is a great deal for bassheads who want the absolute biggest bass for the money and others who appreciate a warm and musical sound that sacrifices pure accuracy for an intentionally colored and enjoyable sound signature. Is its sound quality as “unbeatable” as the packaging prominently advertises? No. That’s not to say it isn’t good or even great, but I’ve heard better. Around the MSRP, there are some darn good IEMs, like the RE-400 that are better all-rounders but the Wooduo 2 is likely the more consumer friendly product with its bass driven sound signature, warm sound and clean presentation.
 
This review was re-posted from my site Musical Musings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

 
VSONIC is a well-known name in audiophile circles, with rave reviews coming from their GR07 monitors, which have recently seen an upgraded Mark II version and, the version I’ll be covering today, the Bass Edition. As a natural basshead, I was intrigued when I saw the GR07 Bass Edition earphones on sale a couple months ago and my curiosity got the better of me and I purchased a pair. Prior to these, I’ve never heard a VSONIC product but I’d heard virtually nothing but good things about them pretty much everywhere I went. So…yeah, I didn’t make the jump blindly.
 
So, what do I think of the VSONIC GR07 Bass Edition in ear monitors? Read on to find out.
 

Accessories

The GR07 Bass Edition comes with a number of accessories, including a wealth of tips in various sizes and types. There are seven pairs of standard Sony hybrid style tips, three pairs of foam stuffed Sony hybrid style tips, three pairs of silicone tips, a pair of biflange tips and one pair of Shure olive-esque gray foam tips. I can scarcely imagine someone being unable to find a comfortable and proper fit with this massive selection of tips. And to top it all off, VSONIC includes a carrying bag and a pair of rubber earhooks.
 
I wish VSONIC had included a standard zippered clamshell case but really, I’m just nitpicking. The accessory pack included with these is rivaled only by my Monster Miles Davis Tributes.

Design and Build Quality

These employ a non-standard brand of dynamic driver, namely bio-cellulose drivers that have been seen in other headphones and earphones such as the Creative Aurvana Live! and, perhaps most famously, the Sony R10, a classic and coveted audiophile headphone.
 
So what does this mean in terms of design? Well, very little, at least to the end user as many won’t know and likely fewer will care. The sound quality is what makes or breaks an IEM (at least in my book) and though I certainly praise unique ideas, I care more about how those innovations pay off in how an IEM sounds. But, of course, we’ll get to that.
 
Moving on, the GR07 Bass Edition is composed of nondescript black plastic housings and a red and silver candy cane style cable, jumping back and forth between standing out and not. The housings themselves feel sturdy and durable and are unique due to the fact that the nozzle itself is adjustable. I’ve never seen that before on an earphone and this makes them adaptable to a range of different ear shapes. While one might worry about the fragility of such a design, I’ve not encountered any problems and on the whole, the Bass Edition seems well built and durable.

Comfort and Isolation

The fit is a bit tricky, at least for me, but manageable. Once they’re seated, they’re fairly comfortable and isolate a bit more than a standard vented dynamic driver IEM. Microphonics are mostly non-existent with the over the ear fit and soft cables.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: These have been burned in for over 300 hours prior to review. Now I’m a bit skeptical of burn in on the whole as I’ve only heard a couple of headphones and in ear monitors in which burn in resulted in an actual change. The GR07 BE is one of them. In the early going, it was rather unpleasantly sibilant and needed a few dB worth of equalizing to bring them to non-fatiguing levels. Now, I don’t need any equalization at the same volume levels and with the same tracks. So, allow these to burn in for a while before you judge them.
 
This was a difficult review to write, as describing the way these sound is much more difficult than I expected it to be when I sat down to type this review. On one hand, these are among my favorite IEMs with a pleasing, amazingly detailed but mostly smooth, thin but a touch warm sound signature with just enough low end emphasis to tilt things towards the euphonic, rather than pure linearity. The result is an earphone that’s more tuned for sonic enjoyment than monitoring and an IEM I imagine will please just about anyone who listens to them.
 
Though these are the “Bass Edition”, they don’t offer up huge amounts of bass, instead opting to go the “emphasized but controlled” route. Rumble and texture is top notch, giving these a low end that surprises in its ability to present sub bass on the same level as midbass. There’s no distracting midbass hump here and the low end is quite linear in its emphasis, with an almost balanced armature like tightness but pleasantly dynamic reverb and speed without ever getting muddy or congested.
 
In terms of bass quantity, it has just the right amount to appeal to the casual listener and the audiophile alike. Those expecting bass on the level of the Future Sonics Atrios or Monster Miles Davis Tributes should look elsewhere but if more analytical ‘phones like the RE0 or Phonak PFE didn’t have enough bass for you, these should fit the bill.
 
 
The GR07 BE mids are, typical of monitors, a bit thin but detailed and refined. They’re just a bit warm but linear and impressively clear. Their emphasis on clarity gives them a slightly dry character, shying away from the liquid smoothness of the RE-262 or PFE but still remain quite entertaining on the whole. Due to their clarity and excellent detail retrieval, these are also quite transparent and revealing of flaws. With high quality tunes, this is a non-issue, but if your tunes are subpar, these will bring their deficiencies to light, though not as much as the Rock-it Sounds R-50.
 
Though the GR07 BE is prone to occasional sibilance, I wouldn’t call them sibilant. No, they’re just accurate to a fault. They place a bit of emphasis right at the sibilance point (between 6.5 and 10 KHz) which brings out sibilance in tracks that are either poorly mastered or just feature excessive sibilance. This is a holdover from its monitor origins but doesn’t mean they’re a bad choice for causal listening in the slightest.
 
Aside from the slightly bothersome lower treble peak, the treble presentation is extended, linear and airy. The treble carries a good deal of sparkle without becoming too hot or fatiguing. The presentation is quite nice and spacious, with a good-sized soundstage and a great sense of space that helps establish an accurate sonic image within the listener’s head. It’s not the most expansive IEM I’ve heard (that honor belongs to the Triple.Fi 10 or the RE-262) but it is one of the more coherent I’ve heard.
 
The sound signature on offer by the GR07 BE is one that forgoes pure accuracy for the sake of enjoyment. It still retains some of the monitor-like qualities that made the original GR07 such a hit within the audiophile community but the added bass presence makes these quite the enjoyable set of earphones with a highly accurate and engaging sound signature that can run with the best I’ve heard in terms of both pure detail retrieval and enjoyment and work exceptionally well with every genre I listened to during my testing.
 
 

Conclusion

The VSONIC GR07 Bass Edition is available from a number of online retailers, including Amazon, eBay and Lend Me Ur Ears (the site I purchased mine from) for about $180. For that price, I think they’re a great pair of in ear monitors that offer fantastic sound quality that’s among the best I’ve heard. It’s easily on the level of the Rock-It Sounds R-50 in terms of technical ability but these offer a much different sound, one that’s a touch warm and bassy without sacrificing detail and resolution. They come with a wealth of accessories as well, which is a nice touch. Clearly, VSONIC knows what it’s doing in designing a very high quality IEM that balances consumer appeal with audiophile level detail and refinement.
 
This review was re-posted from my site Musical Musings

 
Accessories: These ship with a leather drawstring carrying bag and that’s it.
 
Design and Build Quality: The lightweight plastic construction of the headphones themselves is more durable than one might expect when picking them up but they fold flat for storage and the dual entry cable is thicker than many competitors I’ve tested and seems capable of dealing with day to day usage.
 
Comfort and Isolation: The WS55 is a supra-aural (on ear) headphone with decently padded earpads that are reasonably comfortable but I’d much prefer if they were a bit thicker and softer. Isolation is moderate, nothing special but likely good enough for most uses.
 
 
 

Sound Quality

 
Being part of Audio Technica’s “Solid Bass” line, the low end is expectedly powerful and full bodied, to the point of sounding bloated in some cases. It has the capability to extend down low pretty well but it loses out on texture for the sake of presence.
 
The mids are a bit disappointing in that they’re recessed and sound quite thin. Detail and clarity are pretty good because of the thinness of note and a somewhat dry texture but their position in the sound signature sounds off. Is this a big problem, overall? Not necessarily. During my testing periods, I adjusted to their sound and didn’t mind the recessed nature of the mids too much but midrange lovers are likely to be disappointed.
 
The highs are, like the bass, quite present and nicely extended. Personally, I found the lower treble to be somewhat sibilant, especially with female vocals and makes these rather fatiguing over extended listening periods but the bright and crisp highs add a sense of airiness and clarity to the sound that serves to balance out the aggressive bass.
 
These follow the signature V-shaped sound I’ve heard in my other Audio Technica headphones and earphones such as the Pro700MK2 and CKM50 and as such, should appeal to casual music listeners and Beats by Dre fans with ease. But be warned, these headphones take the v-shaped sound signature concept to the extreme, which can be a bit polarizing. The presentation is unabashedly forward in nature and sounds a bit closed in because of it but not excessively so.
 

Conclusion

Overall, I think the WS55 has a mostly agreeable sound signature that appeals to the masses without sacrificing too much quality in order to get there. Personally I wasn’t a fan of the recessed midrange but I imagine casual listeners aren’t going to mind that as much as I did. There are better balanced portable headphones out there like the V-MODA M80 but for the regular going rate of about $50 or so, the WS55 is a pretty good deal for people looking for a fashionable pair of portable headphones suited for bass heavy and electronic music.
 
This review was re-posted from my site Musical Musings

 
First, I’d like to thank the folks at RHA for sending me a pair of the MA-350 to review.
 
RHA is a name I’ll admit I’m not immediately familiar with, so when an email fell into my inbox, offering me a chance to review their MA-350 model IEM, I admit I was a bit skeptical. But nonetheless, I accepted the offer and a couple days later the package arrived in my mailbox. So, does this upstart have what it takes to box with the best in the budget class? Read on to find out.
 
Packaging and Accessories: Comes in a simple paper/plastic box with three pairs of single flange eartips and a drawstring carrying case.
 
Design and Build Quality: Solid metal shells made of machined aluminum feel exceptionally sturdy without being heavy. The cable is well relieved at both ends, features a nice chin slider and a cloth weave covering. Overall, I’m impressed with the tank-like build and RHA backs these up with a rather impressive 3 year warranty, not something you see often.
 
Comfort and Isolation: The bell shape surrounding the 10mm dynamic drivers was most comfortable when I wore them over the ear, due to the long strain reliefs pressing lightly against my outer ear when I wore them straight down. Throughout most of my listening sessions I barely noticed they were in my ears, even over fairly long periods of time.
 
These isolate well for a dynamic driver IEM but can’t compete with the balanced armature IEMs in my collection in that respect. Microphonics were surprisingly quiet, in spite of the cloth covered cable, which I’ve found exacerbates these noises on a number of IEMs.

Sound Quality

Burn in: The RHA MA-350 IEMs were given upwards of 50 hours of burn in time prior to review. No significant changes were heard.
 
The low end is…peculiar. I’d hesitate to call them neutral but they’re neither bass light nor heavy so I guess I’m going to have to. The bass boasts impressive depth and very good texture and refinement in a way that will never creep up on the mids or muddy the sound but has the ability to step forward when a song calls for it. The bass is also less punchy than it is textured, with a full weight and body but doesn’t punch as hard as many dynamics I’ve reviewed. Personally, I’d say it has more similarities to balanced armature bass than that of dynamics, which was peculiar at first but is nonetheless great for a wide range of music.
 
The midrange is slightly cold in tone as well as linear and smooth. Vocals are nicely defined and everything sounds as it should. The micro detail retrieval is impressive, thanks to a slightly thin note presentation, which again makes me think of balanced armature based IEMs in a positive way. The high end is similarly detailed and airy.
 
The most immediately striking aspect of the MA-350 is the clarity and openness of its sound. It surprises with the depth of its soundstage and its ability to image properly, with a good sense of space between instruments and vocals and makes for a coherent and enjoyable presentation.
 

Conclusion

Just about every aspect of the RHA MA-350’s sound signature impressed me, especially since they retail for about $40 and sound like they’d cost much more. It’s clear, detailed, engaging and refined to the point that it can box above its price range with ease.
 
So, yeah, I recommend the RHA MA-350. It’s quite the impressive performer for $40 as long as you’re into a neutral sound that emphasizes clarity and detail above boosted bass and treble. It seems the budget IEM set has yet another very competent challenger in RHA.

 
Thanks to the folks at HiFiMan for sending me a sample of their latest IEM to review.

Introduction

Around here, HiFiMan needs no introduction. I first learned of them in early 2010, back when they were known as Head-Direct (which is still the name of their web store) and I purchased the RE0 after my faithful V-Moda Bass-Freq IEMs gave up the ghost and reading impressions on Head-Fi. Since then I’ve been a fan and I’ve reviewed a few of their products over the past three years. So, when the RE-400 was released, I was pretty excited to give them a listen. So, does the RE-400 have what it takes to carry on the HiFiMan legacy? Read on to find out.
 
Packaging and Accessories: The packaging is comprised of a long, rectangular black box with a translucent plastic outer sheath covering the IEMs, nestled within a thick foam insert. Accessories include four pairs of silicone tips ranging from a simple single flange set to two sets of new biflange tips and familiar black large biflange tips, similar to those included with previous models. Also included is a white rubbery cable winder, a bit of a superfluous accessory in my book, one that I would rather have seen omitted in favor of a proper carrying case.
 
Design and Build Quality: The metal housings are made of anodized aluminum with familiar long strain reliefs exiting the silver housings into a plasticky black cable that joins at the y-split and is from there sheathed in black nylon and terminates in a beefy and well relieved 45 degree L plug. I’m not a fan of the nylon sheathing as it makes the cable quite noisy and prone to distracting microphonics but on the whole, the IEM seems well constructed.
 
Comfort and Isolation: Being fairly small straight barrel dynamics, isolation is about average but long term comfort was quite good. As mentioned above, the RE-400 is annoyingly prone to microphonic noise but this issue can be mitigated (for the most part) by wearing them over the ear.
 

Sound Quality

Given my experience with so many of HiFiMan’s back catalog of IEMs, I had a general idea of the type of sound signature to expect from the RE-400 and actually listening to them didn’t surprise me much in that regard. The RE-400s focus on neutrality, offering a mostly uncolored and nearly ruler flat audio presentation. But unlike its forebears, the RE0, it lacks the thinness present in that ‘phone. But let’s start at the bottom and work our way up, shall we?
 
The low end response is different from other HiFiMan IEMs in that it’s…well…present. Now don’t go thinking that this is the sort of bass that’ll shake your eardrums because it’s not but it possesses more body and texture and a bit more depth than the RE0 and RE-ZERO could muster. They have the ability to reach very low, with little discernible roll off even down to 20 Hz. Because of this, it has enough grunt that I’m not left wanting more.
 
The midrange is smooth and, though a bit dry like its precursors (RE-262 exempted), is more liquid and detail rich than either the RE0 or the RE-ZERO. Detail retrieval is excellent and they’re remarkably transparent but I’m impressed more by the spaciousness of the sound. Though the soundstage itself isn’t especially large in comparison to, say the Triple.Fi 10 or the RE-262, it is larger than average and separation within the stage, not to mention stereo imaging, is great.
 
 
Treble is right in line with every other frequency in the spectrum in that it is neither forward nor recessed. It’s quite linear and airy, detailed and clear. There’s plenty of sparkle and shimmer without sounding overly metallic and sibilance is non-existent. Top end extension is fantastic, rivaling the RE-ZERO and giving the omnipresent treble of the RE0 a clear run for its money.
 
The result is a tonally neutral, linear presentation that is absolutely phenomenal. Yeah, I know this sounds like hyperbole but it isn’t. It has certain seductive qualities that belie its true abilities, luring you in with its completely inoffensive sound signature and allowing the detail to sink in rather than shoving it in your face the way the Rock-It Sounds R-50 does. The RE-400 doesn’t try to impress with aggressive detailing or a presentation that errs on one side of neutral or another or emphasize one frequency range (mids, treble, bass) at the expense of the others. But, oddly enough, it’s because the RE-400 doesn’t try to sound great that it actually does. This is one of the few IEMs in my collection I’d truly say sounds “effortless”. It doesn’t try to sound as good as it does, it just…does.
 
One issue I have to note is that they’re perhaps a bit too polite in their resolution of tracks. They aren’t as unforgiving as the R-50 and are generally quite smooth in that regard. Personally, I didn’t find this to be an issue because it isn’t really a knock against their overall sound quality.
 

Conclusion

The HiFiMan RE-400 is available from head-direct.com for $99 and at that price, they are highly competitive. At $50 cheaper than the now discontinued RE-262 and $20 cheaper than the R-50 but competitive with both of those earphones in terms of pure technical ability, I’d say they’re quite the steal. Overall, I’d say they’re clearly better than the outgoing RE0 and ZERO and within striking distance, if not on the same level, of the best earphones I’ve heard.
 
It goes without saying that I like the RE-400 quite a bit. The neutral sound signature might not appeal to everyone and likely won’t be the best fit for more mainstream oriented listeners but those who value tonal accuracy and transparency should give these a look. These face stiff competition from other relatively inexpensive IEMs like the Rock-It Sounds R-50 and VSONIC GR07 (the latter I haven’t heard, just going by impressions I’ve read) but HiFiMan’s combination of low price and high performance should be more than enough to help them compete.
 
So, yes, I’m positively enamored with the RE-400. It reminds me of my first days of owning the RE0, how they wowed me with sound quality like I’d never before heard. While the RE-400 comes at a time in which I have a great deal of experience with high end earphones, it still had the chops to impress. I guess you could say things have come full circle.

 
Full disclosure: I received these for free from Topdogheadphones after my review won a DUNU Tai-Chi review contest. I was offered a prize valued at £35 and I chose the Telefunken TH-140 and was asked if I could review them as well and I accepted.

Introduction

Telefunken isn’t a name I’ve often heard in the headphone business. In fact, before receiving these, I hadn’t heard it at all. Well, not associated with the headphone market, that is. I’ve certainly heard the Telefunken name before, a German company known for their televisions and vacuum tubes but this is the first time I know of that they’ve gotten involved in the in ear monitor market.
 
As I stated earlier, after winning the Tai-Chi contest, I chose the TH-140 Cappuchino model as my prize based purely on the recommendation I received, as very little has been written on the TH-140 and I was assured that I was among the few (perhaps only) reviewers in the United States to try them out. Plus, I’d heard comments that these could measure up to IEMs nearly double their price at £60. On the surface, that sounds like pure marketing fluff to get me in the door. But seeing as I wasn’t being sold anything, perhaps there was more to that.
 
 
Packaging and Accessories: The TH-140 Cappuchino arrived in a black plastic box that opens to reveal two sets of silicone single flange eartips in three sizes with both a wide and a narrow bore design. The narrow bore design are similar to the Sony hybrid tips I’m a very big fan of. In addition, a triangular clamshell case is included, which is nice but rather small.
 
Design and Build Quality: The resin housings feature a swirled brown and off -white design owing to their namesake and are certainly unique while also feeling durable and solid with their metal nozzles and short strain reliefs. The cable is a plasticky design that’s fairly flexible and thick enough to give me little qualms about long term durability. All in all, a solidly built IEM.
 
Comfort and Isolation: I found the TH-140 to be very comfortable with both sets of small silicone tips but preferred the narrow bore Sony hybrid clones as they feel just about the same to my ears as the Sony tips and are thus very comfortable. Isolation was a bit above average for a vented dynamic IEM and microphonics were noticeable but didn’t detract too much from my listening.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: These IEMs were given upwards of 100 hours of burn in prior to review. No significant changes were detected.
 
Given that these are named after cappuccino, one would imagine that the sound signature would be similar to its namesake. After all, a good cappuccino is warm, rich, and creamy with a bit of a kick to wake you up in the morning. Lo and behold, that’s a surprisingly apt definition of the TH-140’s sound signature.
 
Much like the all-important coffee, the low end is rich, robust and powerful. It hits low and hard and carries a good amount of rumble but nonetheless seems to gloss over texture for the sake of pure power. The TH-140 is right up there with the SP-51 and Monster Miles Davis Tributes as some of the hardest hitters in my collection. Its low extension is impressive and it has enough sub bass rumble to rattle your brain. The cost of the sheer size of the bass is that it creeps into the midrange and warms it up a bit and the purely subjective issue of it being too big. If you like your bass taut and even handed, these are not for you but bass lovers should be quite pleased.
 
Next, you add your rich and creamy steamed milk, likened to the midrange of the TH-140, which is similarly rich, creamy and warm. The mids are very pleasing to listen to, with a delicate sweetness which makes them suitable for Jazz and even classical recordings. Detail retrieval, much like the low end, is a bit of an afterthought, and can’t quite keep up with the RE0, one of my benchmarks in the sub $100 range but I didn’t find myself missing the detail of the RE0 in the TH-140.
 
Up top, the treble is like an espresso shot, exciting and prominent. The lower treble’s slight forwardness does end up making some vocals sound a bit sibilant and sharp but that can be toned down slightly with a different tip selection, more on that in a second. On the whole, aside from the sibilance issues, I found the TH-140’s treble to be rather nice. It’s got good extension at the very top, doesn’t have a lot of sparkle but is sufficiently clear and detailed enough to avoid making the IEM sound too dark.
 
As I mentioned before, the Cappuchino comes with two different types of tips and both types slightly change the way the IEM sounds. With the Sony hybrid clone tips on them, the Cappuchino puts less emphasis on the treble and more on the lower midrange and bass, which makes them sound slightly congested. With the standard wide bore silicone tips in place, the sound opens up and the treble steps forward.
 
On the whole, the Cappuchino is an IEM that produces a warm and rich sound akin to its namesake. Its soundstage is about average in terms of depth and width and imaging is good as well. Despite the warmth of the sound signature, I never got the sense that it was too warm or too rich for its own good, to the point of glossing over too much detail. In that sense, they remind me quite a bit of the Sony MH1-C.
 

Conclusion

The Telefunken TH-140 Cappuchino is available from Topdogheadphones for £34.99, which equates to about 48 dollars US. Not a bad price at all.
 
Detail freaks will likely be better satisfied with a balanced armature IEM or the RE0 but that’s not the type of listener the Cappuchino is designed for. Those looking for a warm, rich sound that delivers powerful bass could do a lot worse than these for around $50 US. I hate to sound like a shill but Telefunken has a winner here in the TH-140 Cappuchino. It’s an IEM that appeals to my preferences as a listener in just about every way possible and one that I can’t find much fault with on an objective level aside from the occasionally piercing treble but even then, that’s more of a preference issue.
 
When it all boils down to it, the Cappuchino is a warm, rich and full sounding IEM that should be great for people who like that sort of sound and most mainstream listeners. If not, well, there’s always Starbucks. Err…I mean, some other IEM.
 
This review has been re-posted from my site, Musical Musings.

 
The JDS Labs O2 + ODAC combo (and just about every other version) is built into a simple metal enclosure (mine is black) and all of the inputs and outputs, save for the USB input are located on the front of the device. Aesthetically, I don’t love that design decision but I understand it’s one that was likely made due to the O2 being designed originally as a portable (sort of) amplifier, not a dedicated desktop amp.
 
So the aesthetics aren’t that great but functionally; I don’t take issue with it. In fact, I’m more than pleased with its performance. Besides, I’m not buying audio equipment based on aesthetics; I’m buying it based on performance. And oh boy can the O2 perform. There are certainly prettier amps out there but amps that can perform as the same level as the O2? Well, probably not in the same price range.
 
First off, this amp is dead silent. Even with my Creative Aurvana 3 IEMs, the most hiss-prone of all the IEMs I own, the O2 is completely silent. Very impressive.
 
But the best thing about the O2 + ODAC is how they don’t offer any of their own color to the sound. The two of them disappear completely from the signal chain, allowing you to hear your headphones like you’ve probably never heard them before. If you plug in a pair of HD 600s, the O2 + ODAC will sound like the HD 600. The same goes for the ATH-M50, Triple.Fi 10, RE-262 and just about every other pair of headphones and earphones you can think of. The O2 + ODAC are entirely colorless and transparent, allowing for the sonic characteristics of the headphone that’s plugged in to shape the sound.
 
And that’s what a good amplifier should do, in my opinion, tube amps obviously exempted due to added coloration inherent to their design. A good amplifier should provide ample amounts of power or current to power hungry earphones without altering the sound itself. That’s what the O2 + ODAC does.
 

 
But before you rush out to buy an O2 + ODAC, thinking they’ll make your headphones sound better, keep in mind what I said before about them being transparent. The O2 + ODAC aren’t going to magically make your iPod earbuds sound amazing but they will allow for just about any headphones or IEMs to reach their full potential. Though some earphones and headphones are easy enough for an iPod to drive on its own, high impedance ‘phones like the 150 ohm RE-262 and 300 ohm HD 600 need the extra power provided by a dedicated amplifier to sound best. That’s what the O2 does. It doesn’t make headphones sound better; it helps them sound as good as they’re supposed to.
 
A word of warning though. I keep harping on the transparency of this setup for a reason. Namely, the old adage of “garbage in, garbage out” still applies. If your music collection is filled with crappy 128kbps MP3 files you’ve…”obtained” over the years, this amp will not make them sound better. If anything, it will make the flaws even more obvious. Provided you have good enough headphones, of course. But then again, if you’ve got good headphones, I’d imagine you’d be cognizant enough to make sure your music collection is up to snuff.
 
But I’ve been wrong before.
 
Anyway, this is a well built, well thought out and high performing amplifier. I’ve got to hand it to He Who Must Not Be Named on Head-Fi (Not Voldemort), as he talked the talk and proved he’s got the engineering chops to walk the walk. The O2 + ODAC is about $300 fully assembled and shipped or $150 each individually (and the stock O2 has the ability to function as a battery powered “portable” amplifier) so they’re a bit pricey for most people but for music lovers, this is an investment that will pay off in spades every time you hit play.

 
First off, I'd like to thank the folks at DUNU-TopSound for providing me with samples to review
 
Up for review today are a pair of balanced armature based IEMs. Priced solidly within the bracket I would consider “mid-range”, these have a great deal of competition right out of the gate and one has to wonder whether or not DUNU’s newcomers can stand up to that competition. For my full review, read on past the break.  
 
 

 

Packaging and Accessories

 
Both IEMs are packaged almost identically to the Trident, which is a very good thing, as I really like the packaging of the Trident. The packaging does a great job of keeping the contents safe and is presented very nicely, even if it is rather frivolous at the end of the day. The two unsurprisingly differ in terms of accessories In addition to the leather(ette) drawstring pouch included with the Trident and requisite additional sets of eartips, the Ares and Crius both include a nice clamshell hard case with an inner pocket which is bigger and more elaborate than those from MEElectronics, which I’ve taken a liking to, without being too big to be considered “pocketable”. Strangely though, the Ares also comes with another case, this one featuring a (pseudo?)suede exterior and a magnetic clasp. Very classy.
 
 

 

Design and Build Quality

 
The first time I saw these, I couldn’t help but think of Monster’s IEMs, specifically the Turbine Pro Gold (Ares) and Jamz (Crius). Of course, you’ll be able to tell the Ares and Crius apart from their respective Monster counterparts but it’s obvious that the design of these IEMs was inspired by Monster’s design.
 
It’s hard not to see the Ares and Crius as highly derivative given the obvious similarities to Monster’s designs but this doesn’t bother me as I only care if an IEM’s design is functional and comfortable and in this case, they are. the housings of the Ares and Crius are entirely metal with nice mesh filters, functional L/R indicators in the form of blue and red rings around the housings (respectively) and feel very solid and durable without being overly heavy.
 
Extending down from the housings of both are short and decent strain reliefs, those of the Ares being longer than those on the Crius, and a cable that feels identical to that of the cheaper Trident which is a tad rubbery for my tastes but seems durable enough. The metal Y-Splitter and cable cinches are a very nice touch both in function and form and the 45 degree 3.5mm jacks are decent enough, though I would prefer a standard 90-degree right angle plug. On the whole, despite the style of the Ares and Crius, the two of them are very solid feeling IEMs and should last a decently long time.  
 
 

 

Comfort and Isolation

 
Ares
 
 
Being a fairly conventional straight design, the Ares is very comfortable to my ears with the stock tips. As said above, the housings are solid without being heavy so I never experienced any discomfort or ear fatigue in my tests, even over fairly long periods. Being that these IEMs are balanced armature based and don’t feature any visible vents, isolation is expectedly higher than your average dynamic driver IEM. Microphonics weren’t an issue when worn over the ear but were present when worn cord down.
 
 
Crius
 
 
Featuring short and somewhat stubby housings, the Crius isn’t quite as comfortable to me in my tests. Fitting the stock tips on the short but surprisingly wide nozzle was a chore and even once they were fitted, I never felt like I got a complete seal. I could feel the housings against the opening of my ear canals, making for a very shallow insertion. Personally, I needed to fit these with longer (and larger) bi-flange tips to get a full and comfortable seal with the Crius. Of course, your mileage may vary.
 
 
Upon getting the seal that I was looking for, isolation was, much like the Ares, above average. Microphonics were present when wearing them cord down but weren’t an issue when worn over the ear.  
 
 

 

Sound Quality

 
Burn in: Both of these IEMs have been given upwards of 100 hours of burn in time. No significant changes were heard.
 
 
Ares
 
Starting on the low end, the Ares is surprisingly full and rounded for an earphone based around a balanced armature. Bass is tight and punchy, typical of armatures, but isn’t as quick. It makes the Ares sound similar to a dynamic driver based IEM, which is interesting. Extension is decent and Make no mistake, this is not the earphone for bass heads, not by a long shot but the bass presence and presentation should be enough for everyone else.
 
 
Midrange presence and detail are about average for this price range. Nonetheless, it sounds a bit recessed to my ears. Vocals aren’t as prominent as I’d like and instruments seem to be situated farther back than I’ve come to expect. Don’t get me wrong, the Ares doesn’t skimp on the detail and does present notes clearly and cleanly, just in a more relaxed manner.
 
 
Treble is presented similarly to the midrange in that it’s relaxed and easy going. There are no unpleasant spikes to my ears but the Ares does a good job of presenting the treble in a sufficiently airy and sparkly fashion while rolling off smoothly at the highest levels. Fans of prominent treble with a bit more bite will probably prefer the more treble happy Crius. I, on the other hand, like a relaxed approach to the high end of the audible spectrum.
 
 
The presentation is good, with a nicely spacious soundstage and decent imaging performance. On the whole, the Ares is a warm and smooth sounding earphone, not unlike many similarly priced dynamic IEMs.
 
 
 
 
Crius
 
 
The low end of the Crius is typical of balanced armatures in that it’s tight, controlled and punchy. It gives up rumble and roundedness to most dynamic drivers I’ve used but it delivers enough in terms of quantity to satisfy. It’s a clean and deftly handled bass that doesn’t offend, even if it might not excite either.
 
 
The midrange is a stark contrast to the Ares in that it is more forward and lively. The way the Crius interprets detail reminds me a bit of the CC51P, in that it almost sounds, hyper-detailed. Of course, the Crius isn’t on the same level as the CC51P (and I wouldn’t expect it to) but it carries a similar bite across the frequency range, extending into the treble. This also means the Crius is prone to some sibilance which is absent on the Ares but it’s not anything that isn’t manageable with a little EQ or, perhaps some Comply foam tips. Extension is about the same as the Ares, which is to say it’s slightly above average.
 
 
In terms of presentation, the Crius is slightly airier than the Ares, though a bit more enclosed based solely on the soundstange and imaging performance, which, like most BAs I’ve used, is good. I can’t help but feel as though the Crius sounds a bit “metallic” on the whole. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something worth considering.
 
 
Comparison
 
 
The two of these are, at least to my ears, two sides of the same coin. On one side, you have a slightly warm, mid and bass driven sound while on the other; you have a mid and treble centered presentation that’s more on the neutral, perhaps a bit cold, side of the spectrum. Listening to them, they seem balanced towards each other’s deficiencies. The Ares is soft and mellow in its presentation whereas the Crius is more hard and sharp. Both are technically sound and surprisingly (in favor of the less expensive Crius) feature nearly equal amounts of detail overall but focus on presenting different aspects of music in different ways.
 
 
This makes it a bit difficult to recommend the Ares over the Crius on a purely technical level but of course, different people prefer different kinds of sounds. If you’re the type who enjoys a warmer, more relaxed presentation, the Ares is for you. If you like edgy, sharp sound, you’ll be better suited with the Crius.
 
 

 

Conclusion

 
The Ares and Crius are available now for around $75 - $80 and $67 - $73, respectively. Now, this is where things get a bit difficult. The Ares and Crius performed about evenly in my tests and I don’t feel as though one has a clear advantage over the other and both are tuned toward different users, as I’ve said before. That being said, in terms of sheer value, the Crius seems like an easier choice, given that it’s the cheaper of the two earphones but in this market, things like value aren’t cut and dry, especially when you’re dealing with IEMs with different sound signatures.
 
 
To be honest, I think there are some IEMs out there that are a better pick overall, such as the MEElectronics A151, one of the best sub $100 BA based IEMs I’ve heard but I don’t think anyone would be remiss in picking up either of DUNU’s midrange BA IEMs. The Ares and Crius are both enjoyable and technically sound IEMs in their own right and well suited to people who want a durable, good sounding upgrade from budget IEMs.
 
This Review Was Re-Published From My Site, Musical Musings

 
First off, I'd like to thank the folks at DUNU-TopSound for providing me with samples to review
 
Up for review today are a pair of balanced armature based IEMs. Priced solidly within the bracket I would consider “mid-range”, these have a great deal of competition right out of the gate and one has to wonder whether or not DUNU’s newcomers can stand up to that competition. For my full review, read on past the break.  
 
 

 

Packaging and Accessories

 
Both IEMs are packaged almost identically to the Trident, which is a very good thing, as I really like the packaging of the Trident. The packaging does a great job of keeping the contents safe and is presented very nicely, even if it is rather frivolous at the end of the day. The two unsurprisingly differ in terms of accessories In addition to the leather(ette) drawstring pouch included with the Trident and requisite additional sets of eartips, the Ares and Crius both include a nice clamshell hard case with an inner pocket which is bigger and more elaborate than those from MEElectronics, which I’ve taken a liking to, without being too big to be considered “pocketable”. Strangely though, the Ares also comes with another case, this one featuring a (pseudo?)suede exterior and a magnetic clasp. Very classy.
 
 

 

Design and Build Quality

 
The first time I saw these, I couldn’t help but think of Monster’s IEMs, specifically the Turbine Pro Gold (Ares) and Jamz (Crius). Of course, you’ll be able to tell the Ares and Crius apart from their respective Monster counterparts but it’s obvious that the design of these IEMs was inspired by Monster’s design.
 
It’s hard not to see the Ares and Crius as highly derivative given the obvious similarities to Monster’s designs but this doesn’t bother me as I only care if an IEM’s design is functional and comfortable and in this case, they are. the housings of the Ares and Crius are entirely metal with nice mesh filters, functional L/R indicators in the form of blue and red rings around the housings (respectively) and feel very solid and durable without being overly heavy.
 
Extending down from the housings of both are short and decent strain reliefs, those of the Ares being longer than those on the Crius, and a cable that feels identical to that of the cheaper Trident which is a tad rubbery for my tastes but seems durable enough. The metal Y-Splitter and cable cinches are a very nice touch both in function and form and the 45 degree 3.5mm jacks are decent enough, though I would prefer a standard 90-degree right angle plug. On the whole, despite the style of the Ares and Crius, the two of them are very solid feeling IEMs and should last a decently long time.  
 
 

 

Comfort and Isolation

 
Ares
 
 
Being a fairly conventional straight design, the Ares is very comfortable to my ears with the stock tips. As said above, the housings are solid without being heavy so I never experienced any discomfort or ear fatigue in my tests, even over fairly long periods. Being that these IEMs are balanced armature based and don’t feature any visible vents, isolation is expectedly higher than your average dynamic driver IEM. Microphonics weren’t an issue when worn over the ear but were present when worn cord down.
 
 
Crius
 
 
Featuring short and somewhat stubby housings, the Crius isn’t quite as comfortable to me in my tests. Fitting the stock tips on the short but surprisingly wide nozzle was a chore and even once they were fitted, I never felt like I got a complete seal. I could feel the housings against the opening of my ear canals, making for a very shallow insertion. Personally, I needed to fit these with longer (and larger) bi-flange tips to get a full and comfortable seal with the Crius. Of course, your mileage may vary.
 
 
Upon getting the seal that I was looking for, isolation was, much like the Ares, above average. Microphonics were present when wearing them cord down but weren’t an issue when worn over the ear.  
 
 

 

Sound Quality

 
Burn in: Both of these IEMs have been given upwards of 100 hours of burn in time. No significant changes were heard.
 
 
Ares
 
Starting on the low end, the Ares is surprisingly full and rounded for an earphone based around a balanced armature. Bass is tight and punchy, typical of armatures, but isn’t as quick. It makes the Ares sound similar to a dynamic driver based IEM, which is interesting. Extension is decent and Make no mistake, this is not the earphone for bass heads, not by a long shot but the bass presence and presentation should be enough for everyone else.
 
 
Midrange presence and detail are about average for this price range. Nonetheless, it sounds a bit recessed to my ears. Vocals aren’t as prominent as I’d like and instruments seem to be situated farther back than I’ve come to expect. Don’t get me wrong, the Ares doesn’t skimp on the detail and does present notes clearly and cleanly, just in a more relaxed manner.
 
 
Treble is presented similarly to the midrange in that it’s relaxed and easy going. There are no unpleasant spikes to my ears but the Ares does a good job of presenting the treble in a sufficiently airy and sparkly fashion while rolling off smoothly at the highest levels. Fans of prominent treble with a bit more bite will probably prefer the more treble happy Crius. I, on the other hand, like a relaxed approach to the high end of the audible spectrum.
 
 
The presentation is good, with a nicely spacious soundstage and decent imaging performance. On the whole, the Ares is a warm and smooth sounding earphone, not unlike many similarly priced dynamic IEMs.
 
 
 
 
Crius
 
 
The low end of the Crius is typical of balanced armatures in that it’s tight, controlled and punchy. It gives up rumble and roundedness to most dynamic drivers I’ve used but it delivers enough in terms of quantity to satisfy. It’s a clean and deftly handled bass that doesn’t offend, even if it might not excite either.
 
 
The midrange is a stark contrast to the Ares in that it is more forward and lively. The way the Crius interprets detail reminds me a bit of the CC51P, in that it almost sounds, hyper-detailed. Of course, the Crius isn’t on the same level as the CC51P (and I wouldn’t expect it to) but it carries a similar bite across the frequency range, extending into the treble. This also means the Crius is prone to some sibilance which is absent on the Ares but it’s not anything that isn’t manageable with a little EQ or, perhaps some Comply foam tips. Extension is about the same as the Ares, which is to say it’s slightly above average.
 
 
In terms of presentation, the Crius is slightly airier than the Ares, though a bit more enclosed based solely on the soundstange and imaging performance, which, like most BAs I’ve used, is good. I can’t help but feel as though the Crius sounds a bit “metallic” on the whole. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something worth considering.
 
 
Comparison
 
 
The two of these are, at least to my ears, two sides of the same coin. On one side, you have a slightly warm, mid and bass driven sound while on the other; you have a mid and treble centered presentation that’s more on the neutral, perhaps a bit cold, side of the spectrum. Listening to them, they seem balanced towards each other’s deficiencies. The Ares is soft and mellow in its presentation whereas the Crius is more hard and sharp. Both are technically sound and surprisingly (in favor of the less expensive Crius) feature nearly equal amounts of detail overall but focus on presenting different aspects of music in different ways.
 
 
This makes it a bit difficult to recommend the Ares over the Crius on a purely technical level but of course, different people prefer different kinds of sounds. If you’re the type who enjoys a warmer, more relaxed presentation, the Ares is for you. If you like edgy, sharp sound, you’ll be better suited with the Crius.
 
 

 

Conclusion

 
The Ares and Crius are available now for around $75 - $80 and $67 - $73, respectively. Now, this is where things get a bit difficult. The Ares and Crius performed about evenly in my tests and I don’t feel as though one has a clear advantage over the other and both are tuned toward different users, as I’ve said before. That being said, in terms of sheer value, the Crius seems like an easier choice, given that it’s the cheaper of the two earphones but in this market, things like value aren’t cut and dry, especially when you’re dealing with IEMs with different sound signatures.
 
 
To be honest, I think there are some IEMs out there that are a better pick overall, such as the MEElectronics A151, one of the best sub $100 BA based IEMs I’ve heard but I don’t think anyone would be remiss in picking up either of DUNU’s midrange BA IEMs. The Ares and Crius are both enjoyable and technically sound IEMs in their own right and well suited to people who want a durable, good sounding upgrade from budget IEMs.
 
This Review Was Re-Published From My Site, Musical Musings

First, I’d like to thank the folks at DUNU-TopSound once again for providing samples for review.
 
As DUNU’s current flagship IEM, the Hephaes has a lot to live up to. Competition in the sub $100 price bracket is stronger than ever, with strong entries from several companies such as HiFiMan, MEElectronics, Spider Cable, Eymotic, among others. So, does the Hephaes have what it takes to compete in this heavily contested group? Read on to find out.
 

Packaging and Accessories

I’ve already gushed about DUNU’s excellent packaging in previous reviews so I’m not going to go into meticulous detail here but I can safely say that the Hephaes does not disappoint in its price range (or beyond it, really).
 
In terms of accessories, the Hephaes ships with a pair of ear guides which will assist in over the ear fitment, several different pairs of eartips in various sizes and shapes, from narrow opening to wide and single and bi-flange tips in multiple sizes, which should be enough to cater to just about anyone’s needs. Two cases are included with the Hephaes, including the leather(ette) drawstring pouch and the shiny black hard case I like so much. I do find it odd that the suede case that came with the Ares wasn’t included with the Hephaes, as one would think such a case would be reserved for the highest end earphones in DUNU’s present catalog but I guess you’d be wrong. Not a big deal as the clamshell case should be more than enough to satisfy but I figured this was worth mentioning all the same.
 
 

 

Design and Build Quality

 
The Hephaes is clad entirely in metal with red accents resembling flames around the inner silver metal housings which is not just aesthetically pleasing, but serves as an additional buffer to help prevent unwanted reverberations within the housing. A bit more disappointing are the two stubby strain reliefs, similar to those on the V-Moda Vibe. These strain reliefs are simply too small to be very functional in the long run but thankfully, the cable itself is pretty robust, identical to those featured on DUNU’s lower end Ares, Crius and Trident.
 
 
The metal Y-splitter and cable cinch is very nice and I like the lettering on the rear of the splitter, spelling out “Hephaes”, in case you somehow forget what these IEMs are called. Frivolous? Sure, but a very nice touch nonetheless. L/R indicators are seemingly laser-etched into the sides of the IEMs and will be virtually impossible to see in the dark but are nice on their own.
 
 
Overall, I am rather impressed by the build quality of the Hephaes. There is nice attention to detail and while I don’t think these are quite as durable as the lower end Ares due to the stubby strain reliefs, the build quality is certainly in the upper echelon.
 
 

 

Comfort and Isolation

 
The Hephaes is a comfortable IEM that, thanks to its large assortment of various sizes of silicone tips, should be a good fit for just about anyone. Wearing them over the ear was especially easy to do with these IEMs because of their stubby strain reliefs and the included ear guides and resulted in a fit that was relatively free of microphonics. Isolation was typical of vented dynamics in that it was average.
 

Sound Quality

 
Burn in: These earphones were given upwards of 200 hours of burn in time prior to evaluation. The earphones did appear to be slightly more balanced and less bassy (but not very much so) after burn in.
 
 
Bass. Gobs of it. The kind of massive bass that only a dynamic driver could deliver. That is what the Hephaes specializes in. No doubt about it, bass heads will be in love with these as the sheer amount of bass these things can put out is rivaled only by the MEElectronics SP51 with the extreme bass ports in place. Listening to these for the first time, I was actually quite surprised by the level of detail and sub-bass presence these things were capable of. The Hephaes doles out a deep, textured and rich bass that’s surprisingly well extended. Even down to the lowest of lows, I could still hear (and feel) the bass rumbling. Yes, it’s bloated and a bit muddy due to the slow decay times but it’s a pleasingly bloated bass to me. If you don’t like your bass big and rumbly, look elsewhere. These earphones are not for you.
 
 
The midrange is warm and mostly smooth, expectedly warmed up by the low end which hurts clarity but not too much so. Neither forward nor recessed, the midrange is situated right where it needs to be and in a world of IEMs with big bass that tends to occlude the midrange, the Hephaes’ ability to present a midrange that’s mostly unobstructed by the low end is actually rather impressive, but one would expect that from a pair of earphones in this price range.
 
 
Unlike the lower end Trident, however, the midrange and treble presentation isn’t as smooth as I would’ve hoped. During testing I noticed that there are some sharp peaks in the midrange, specifically around the 3 – 5 KHz region which straddled the line between uncomfortably sharp and downright painful to hear at different times during my testing, particularly with vocals. The treble is similarly peaky in response, which I ended up having to EQ down. This is likely an attempt by the engineers to ensure that midrange detail isn’t lost under the weight of the bass these things pump out (it really can’t be said enough) but it just ends up being a bit unpleasant.
 
 
Presentation is about average, with a decently sized soundstage and decent imaging. Nothing spectacular but nothing terrible either, just…decent. The Hephaes is an earphone that I find a bit hard to quantify in terms of tonal balance. It’s not quite dark because of the midrange and treble peaks but it’s far from bright too. Pairing them with a cold or bright source (such as an iPod Touch) may not be the best choice as that will exacerbate the sibilance issues but probably not to one who isn’t as sensitive to peaks as I am.
 
 
On the whole, the Hephaes is a good sounding set of earphones that could be better for the price. To me, they are a guilty pleasure. They’re a set I reach for when I’m listening to Hip-Hop or Electronic music and want to be bombarded by big bass. They’re a “fun” set, not necessarily the best for a broad range of genres, but great for headbanging.
 
 

 

Conclusion

 
The DUNU Hephaes is available for about $99 or so on eBay and at that price, I honestly have to say, you can do better if you’re going for pure bang-for-the-buck performance and technical capability. These are for the bass lover who’s willing to spend a bit extra to get the biggest oomph. On a technical level, I’d recommend the RE0 or RE-ZERO over these and for sheer “musicality”, I’d recommend the Spider RealVoice or MEElectronics CC51, all of which are cheaper and are superior in different ways.
 
 
That being said, I can’t fault anyone for wanting to pick these up. Don’t get me wrong, they sound pretty good for the price and I love the bass thump but trying to be objective in my recommendation, I realize that there are better options. Few earphones out there will offer the end user the number of accessories you get with the Hephaes and the packaging is really second to none out of all of the sub $100 earphones I’ve reviewed. So, while the Hephaes doesn’t compete with the best earphones in its class for best overall value, they are still a very nice option for bassheads and pretty much anyone else who likes a bit (read: a lot) of “oomph” in their music.
 
Re-Posted From My Site, Musical Musings

Introduction

First, I’d like to thank Fang at Head-Direct once again for generously providing me with a RE-262 review sample.
 
HiFiMan has come a long way in just a few short years. Priding themselves on offering exceptional sound quality for a relatively low price, Their RE line of in ear monitors has been a perennial favorite at forums such as Head-Fi for their very high price to performance ratio. The RE0 was my first entry into the world of higher end audio and has remained one of my favorite IEMs in the time I’ve owned it, even after trying several other IEMs throughout the past year. It’s a great all-rounder that can hang with the big boys.
 
Enter the RE-262, the spiritual successor to the RE-252, another high end IEM from HiFiMan. While I haven’t heard this IEM personally, I’ve heard very good things about it so when I heard that the RE-262 was going to be released, I was understandably excited. Having listened to these IEMs for a considerable length of time now, these are something special. A considerable departure from the HiFiMan “house sound” that I’ve heard in the RE0 and RE-ZERO, the RE-262 are undoubtedly a new bang for the buck heavyweight. To see why, just read on.
 

Packaging and Accessories

I didn’t receive these in the typical retail packaging so I can’t comment on that but I wouldn’t be surprised if the RE-262s were shipped in a package similar to those the RE0 and RE-ZERO were shipped in. The accessory pack is identical, featuring the same large and small bi-flange tips, the same array of small, medium and large single flange eartips, a shirt clip and a set of replacement mesh filters.
 

Design and Build Quality

The RE-262, like the RE-252s before them, features a very unconventional design though not nearly as much so as the RE-252. The RE-262s are made out of a hard, glossy plastic and feature a rubberized coating on the end of the protrusions jutting out from the sides. The nozzles appear to be metal (or merely chrome painted plastic) and strain reliefs are identical to previous designs and just as effective. The cable itself is a good deal thicker and less flexible than that of previous HiFiMan products which gives it a slightly more durable feel and terminates in a very beefy and well relieved angled plug.
 

Comfort and Fit

The RE-262s are actually rather comfortable during regular usage, despite their unusual housing design and fits securely and comfortably in my ears with the stock small single flange tips. Wearing them over the ear is rather difficult unless you use the bi-flange tips and since neither size of those felt right for my ears, this effectively ruled out that wearing style for me but as usual, your mileage may vary. Being vented dynamic IEMs, the isolation provided by the RE-262 is about average at best.
 
The thicker cable I mentioned prior, as you’ve probably guessed, ends up being even more microphonic than the RE0 and RE-ZERO which rules them out for much active listening. The microphonics aren’t the worst I’ve ever heard from an IEM (that crown is still worn by the Altec Lansing Backbeat Plus IEMs and their awful cloth covered cable) but they are pretty bad overall. Personally, this is not much of an issue because I find the RE-262s better suited for home use than on-the-go listening but I’m aware that my tastes are likely far from typical.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: These IEMs were given upwards of 200 hours’ worth of burn in time prior to review but settled into their final sound signature after about 50 hours.
 
Having much experience with previous HiFiMan products, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from the RE-262…or so I thought. Upon the first listen, I knew these were something different, something special. The RE-262 is a big departure from the tonally neutral and analytical sound signatures delivered by both the RE0 and RE-ZERO. The RE-262 has a very warm, inviting and musical sound signature. To explain why, let’s start at the bottom.
 
The low end response is deep and textured but rather soft in impact and tone. Much unlike the RE0 and RE-ZERO, there’s plenty of bass to go around. By no means do I think these will satisfy the cravings of your average basshead but the low end presence should be adequate for the majority of users. When I listen to the RE-262, I often don’t feel the need to add a bit more bass presence via equalization, something I did regularly when using the RE0 and RE-ZERO. There’s a warm, roundedness to the lower end that doesn’t sacrifice detail and is more in line with my tastes in regards to the amount of bass I want to hear. In addition, contrary to the slightly rolled off bass response of its siblings, the RE-262 maintains composure all the way down into the lowest of frequencies audible to the human ear and rumbles pleasantly down as far as 20Hz.
 
The midrange is where the RE-262 truly differentiates itself from its predecessors, taking on a warm fullness that wasn’t present in either the RE0 or, to a lesser extent, the RE-ZERO. The midrange presentation is liquid smooth and full of energy without sounding edgy and not so smooth that it sounds sloppy or thick. In fact, comparing these side by side with the RE-ZERO, an IEM I personally lauded for their liquid smooth midrange, the RE-262s are lush, full and smooth in a way that almost makes the RE-ZERO sound a bit dry. Despite this smoothness, there’s no shortage of detail present in the midrange presentation and while these aren’t the most analytical ‘phones in the strictest sense, I’m sure detail freaks will love the RE-262s just the same.
 
 
Vocal performances and the presentation of stringed instruments are particularly noteworthy as well as this IEM is the best I’ve heard in both regards. Female vocals, such as the unique vocal delivery style of Diana Krall, are amazingly well presented and sound more natural through the RE-262 than any other IEM I’ve tried. This natural quality carries over to every aspect of the midrange presentation and imparts a sonic character unlike any other IEM I’ve heard to date.
 
The treble presentation is great as well. Once again, the smooth character of every other aspect of the presentation is present here in the way treble is reproduced and, personally, I find it very enjoyable. There’s a nice bit of sparkle to keep things from sounding too dark but the treble overall is rather relaxed in relation to the midrange. This also means that the RE-262s never sound harsh or strident in their presentation, even on treble-happy tracks.
 
In comparison to the RE0, an IEM with a treble presentation unlike any other I’ve heard with their boundless energy and bright but never too bright sound, the RE-262s are almost antithetical in the way they present treble. The RE-262 is relaxed without sounding recessed while the RE0 is anything but. In comparison, the RE-ZERO are much closer to the presentation of the RE-262 than the RE0 in that they are slightly relaxed but not as much so as the RE-262.
 
 
The overall presentation of the RE-262 is rather surprising in that it’s the single most spacious-sounding IEM I’ve heard. The soundstage is actually quite large, which gives the RE-262s a very out-of-head sound and stage presence. This makes it exceptionally easy to pick out the locations of individual instruments and performers on the sonic stage. At the same time, the stage never sounds too big or too open, actually, quite the opposite as the RE-262s are very good at portraying intimacy as well as space, as vocal performances sound very close to the listener (but not too close!).
 
It’s worth noting that these IEMs feature a 150 ohm impedance rating and they do benefit quite a bit from a good amp. These are certainly listenable and still quite good out of a decent source unamped but they improve noticeably with the extra juice a dedicated amp provides.
 

Conclusion

The HiFiMan RE-262s are currently unavailable from the Head-Direct website at the present time but are likely to retail for $249 when they are officially released. While this may sound rather steep, it’s actually rather low in comparison to the retail prices of other high end IEMs, such as the Westone 3 at $359, Earsonics SM3 at $379 and Shure SE535 at $499 (!). For the price, you’re getting a mid-centric and exceptionally detailed and well-presented IEM in the RE-262, one that likely compares very well with the above earphones.
 
Before you ask, no, I haven’t heard any of the above IEMs so I won’t make any definitive statements in regards to the technical proficiency of the RE-262 in relation to them but great sound is hard not to take note of and these are unquestionably the best IEMs I’ve heard, period.
 
Back to the comparison with the RE0 and RE-ZERO, the RE-262 is certainly superior to those ‘phones but is it worth the $150 - $170 premium over the two of them? Personally, I would say yes. These are a noticeable step up from both IEMs in overall quality and “musicality”. They’re not analytical or focused on neutrality; rather, they feature an unabashedly colored and warm tonality that is irresistible to me. Listening to them is a pleasure unlike everything I’ve heard in an IEM thus far. If you’re in the market for a high end mid-centric pair of IEMs, check out the RE-262, it may be the last IEM you'll ever buy.
 
Re-posted from my site, Musical Musings

 

Introduction

First, allow me to thank the great folks at MEElectronics for sending me a sample of the newly released M11P+ IEMs for review.
 
Prior to sometime in early February, I wasn’t aware that MEElectronics existed. It wasn’t until I came across a review of their M9 IEMs on Head-Fi that I decided to check them out and the rest is history. MEElectronics IEMs have been some of the best I’ve used in their respective price brackets and I’ve grown a great deal of respect for the company, as they have delivered a large number of highly competitive products at relatively low prices, something other, much larger companies have some problems with in the marketplace.
 
The original M11 was always something of an enigma to me. I’ve never personally had any listening time with it but it seemed to be the earphone MEElectronics would like to have championed as their flagship but was viewed almost universally as being sonically inferior to the M6 and in, some cases, even the M9s. Now, MEElectronics has re-tuned the M11 driver and released the updated versions of the M11 and M11P as the M11+ and M11P+, promising better sound quality over the originals.
Read on for my full review of the MEElectronics M11P+ IEMs.

Design and Build Quality

The M11P+ IEMs feature a conventional straight-barrel design with slightly elongated and slender metal housings. This slim, lightweight housing design makes these very easy and comfortable to insert and wear while still feeling very solidly built and able to stand up to a great deal of abuse. The housings are designed similar to the M2 in that they feature no filters and that may be of some concern to some users but this wasn’t a problem for me. I also wish the left and right markings were a little more than painted on the housings as that has a tendency to rub off.
 
The cable is, as I’ve grown to expect, excellent on the M11P+. The smooth and flexible translucent cable design is similar to that of the M9s and feels very, very durable. Strain reliefs are present both at the housing entry and at the 3.5mm jack and seem to be more than adequate at protecting cable entry points.
 
It’s rare to come across an IEM with build quality as good as this and I really can’t find any fault with them aside from the lack of filters on the nozzles but even then, that is a minor quibble at best and not necessarily a fault in design or engineering.

Packaging and Accessories

The M11P+ earphones come in a similar but slightly different clear plastic package than the M9s and M6s I’ve received earlier. The package itself is mostly the same but there has been a significant change to the artwork featured on the front and is definitely more attractive than the previous packaging.
 
Inside the package was the same great accessory pack that I’ve grown to expect from MEElectronics (Airplane adapter, hard clamshell case, cable winder and shirt clip that’s pre-attached to the cable) aside from one big difference. MEElectronics has taken it upon themselves to include a positively massive ten pair eartip set to ensure that users will be able to achieve a great fit with the M11P+. Included in this eartip set are four pairs of single flange silicone tips ranging in size from small to extra-large, two pairs of long single flange silicone tips, one pair of the large bi-flanges that comes with the M9 and three pairs of Sennheiser-style bi-flanges in varying sizes. This is, by far, the largest selection of eartips I’ve ever received with a single IEM and I applaud MEElectronics for going the extra mile.
 

Comfort and Isolation

The slender, straight-barrel housings of the M11P+ make them exceptionally easy to insert and remove and are very comfortable in both shallow and deep insertion depths. Personally, the medium size Sennheiser-style bi-flanges were the best fit my small ear canals and offer slightly above average levels of isolation. Once the M11P+ IEMs are in my ears, I hardly notice them, whether I wear them over my ears or straight down. MEElectronics is advertising the M11+ with a tagline that reads “Supreme comfort” and after experiencing them, I find myself in agreement as the M11P+ are among the most comfortable IEMs I’ve used.
 
Microphonics are another area in which the M11P+ excel in relation to other IEMs. When worn straight down, cable noise is noticeable but only slightly so and when worn over the ear, they are practically eliminated, making these good for wearing while in motion.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: The M11P+ IEMs were given upwards of 40 hours of burn in time prior to review.
 
Let’s kick things off with the low end which is easily the most prominent frequency range in the M11P+’s presentation. Bass is very impactful and punchy, adding a great deal of “oomph” to the presentation. Instead of sounding bloated or boomy, bass is actually very tight and well controlled. Only rarely does the low end creep up on the lower midrange. The only thing I can say that the low end lacks in is speed and attack and these are areas in which other dynamic IEMs such as the RE0 M11P+ beat.
 
Moving upwards, the midrange, which is usually understated in MEElectronics offerings, is also rather prominent. I hesitate to call the way the M11P+ presents mids “forward” but it is certainly more in your face than the mids on the M9 and M6. The result is a midrange that sounds much more lively and dynamic than that of any of the other MEElectronics IEMs that I’ve used. Finer details are much easier to pick out versus other MEElectronics IEMs and makes for a very pleasant and full-bodied sound. Mids are slightly warm, which might be a point of contention for accuracy freaks but the added warmth in the midrange was rather pleasant to my ears.
 
Treble is very smooth and non-fatiguing. The high end extends nicely and rolls off gradually after about 14 kHz. Highs are very tame in relation to the M9 and M6, which were both occasionally prone to sibilance. The M11P+ doesn’t have the same propensity to become strident or overly bright. That’s not to say that treble is devoid of detail or “shine”, just that it’s a tad laid back in relation to the other frequency ranges which may be a turn off some users looking for brighter, more forward highs.
 
The soundstage presented by the M11P+ is nothing special and sounds rather small and enclosed. Depth is decent enough but I didn’t get the sensation of width that I prefer. Instrument separation and imaging are both average at best. I never really got the sense that I could pick out where instruments were supposed to be on the stage nor could I detect much “air” between various instruments. Was this deficiency necessarily a bad thing? Depends on your taste. Personally, I am a fan of massive soundstages that portray distance within instruments well and allow me to mentally pick out the instruments in their proper places around me so this was a bit of a drawback for me. Nothing I wasn’t willing to forgive in the long run but it’s worth noting and taking into consideration if this is what you’re looking for in an IEM.
 
In a sound signature so heavily influenced by deep, thumping bass, I’m actually quite surprised at just how polite the low end really is. Bass is certainly big but it’s never too big and rarely ventures out of place. This leads to a nicely layered (albeit far from balanced or neutral) sound signature and, with the increased mids versus other MEElectronics IEMs, one that avoids a somewhat V-shaped sound signature that the others present. Above all, while listening to the M11P+, I couldn’t help but nod my head and tap my feet along to the music in many cases during my listening tests. These IEMs wouldn’t be my first choice for critical listening. Instead, I would pick these up when I just want to relax and listen to some Hip-Hop, Pop, or Alternative music, genres that I focus on when I just want to have some fun for a while. I am a fan of detailed yet slightly warm sounds and the M11P+ does a good job of providing that type of signature.

Microphone Quality

One of the defining features of the M11P+ IEMs is the inclusion of a microphone and control module. Plugged into an iPhone or any other phone that allows headset functionality via a 3.5mm jack, the M11P+ gains the ability to function as a hands-free headset. Microphone quality was adequate during my testing over Skype and recording a couple of voice memos on my iPod Touch and the microphone module, which also functions as a button, allows you to control the playback of music.
 

Value and Conclusion

The MEElectronics M11P+ IEMs are available now on their website for a special introductory price of $69.99 (at the time of publication) and will regularly be available for $79.99 once the introductory deal is over. The $69.99 retail price is actually not an introductory price and is instead the price the IEMs will regularly be sold for once the introductory sale (currently $59.99) has concluded. At their current retail price as well as the sale price, they are a very good pick for users looking for an IEM that can also be used as a headset for their smartphone or other portable media device such as the iPod Touch.
 
Of all of the MEElectronics products I’ve used, the M11P+ IEMs are undeniably at the top of the heap. Their sound signature is easily one of the most purely entertaining that I’ve heard and on that aspect alone, I can highly recommend them. However, because I call them entertaining doesn’t mean I think they would be a bad choice for accuracy lovers but as I said before, I wouldn’t refer to these as “balanced” or “neutral” so that’s something to consider. For most users looking for a mainstream, bass-driven sound signature, the M11P+ are a great choice for pairing with a portable media player without necessitating the need for an external amplifier to sound great.
 
Re-Posted from my website, Musical Musings

Introduction

First and foremost, a big thank you goes out to Fang at Head-Direct for sending me a sample of the RE-ZERO IEMs for review.
 
If you’ve been keeping up with Musical Musings, you’re probably well aware of my current love affair with the HiFiMan RE0 IEMs. They are the current crown jewel in my IEM/headphone collection and hardly a day goes by in which I don’t pop them into my ears for a listen.  With that in mind, when the HiFiMan RE-ZERO (yes, that is their name) IEMs were announced this year prior to the 2010 CanJam Head-Fi event that was held in early June in Chicago, I was understandably excited about them. Envisioned as a 1000-unit limited edition to commemorate the three year anniversary of the RE line of IEMs, the RE-ZEROs immediately piqued my interest. Featuring a much lower 16 Ohm impedance, and a silver coil for “more real bass”, these were intended to be used portably, straight out of a DAP or other source without the need for an amp.
 
Over the past week or so, I’ve been listening to the RE-ZEROs almost exclusively and for a great deal of time in each session. I say “almost exclusively” because I’ve also been comparing them to the RE0s, HiFiMan’s other inexpensive heavyweight. So, do the HiFiMan RE-ZERO IEMs offer Hi-Fi sound quality at Mid-Fi prices like the RE0s and are they worth the $20 price increase over their predecessors? Read on to find out.
 

Technical Specifications

Driver: 9mm Dynamic
Frequency Response: 15Hz – 22KHz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 100db/1mw
Cable Length: 1.2m/4ft
 

Packaging and Accessories

The RE-ZERO IEMs arrived in a clamshell plastic case that is a mirror image of the packaging of the RE0s, aside from a few coloring differences. The accessory pack is also virtually the same, featuring six pairs of silicone single flange eartips in varying sizes, two sets of bi-flange eartips in small and large sizes, five pairs of replacement filters and a shirt clip. The only difference here is that the RE-ZEROs include two different adapters that allow you to plug the RE-ZEROs balanced plug (more on this later) into a standard 3.5mm jack.
 
Of the two adapters, one hard and one soft, I preferred the slightly bulkier hard adapter due to the fact that the soft adapter was prone to causing channel imbalances if the plug was positioned wrong and the static it occasionally introduces when it is jostled.

Design and Build Quality

At first glance, it can be pretty difficult to tell the RE-ZEROs and RE0s apart. First off, the housings are slightly smaller than those of the RE0s and feature a very classy matte gunmetal finish. The Y-splitter and chin slider are also clad in a similar gunmetal finish and the Y-splitter features painted on lettering spelling out HiFiMan and RE-ZERO.
 
Build quality is, as expected, very solid. The housings are made almost entirely from metal with plastic nozzles and felt/paper filters. Extending down from the housings are familiar black strain reliefs which lead into a black PPE cable that seems to be the same one used in the current hardware revision of the RE0s. The cable terminates into a 45 degree angle 4 pole 3.5mm plug. The inclusion of a balanced TRRS 3.5mm jack is one of the biggest changes to the RE0 design and one that leaves me a bit confused.
 
I’m going to go off on a bit of a tangent here and talk about the TRRS balanced plug HiFiMan has decided to go with instead of the traditional 3.5mm TRS connector that most consumer earphones utilize. I’m puzzled as to why HiFiMan would choose to fit the RE-ZEROs with a balanced plug versus a traditional mini jack because it presents a number of questions.
 
Balanced plugs only appeal to owners of balanced headphone amplifiers, an incredibly small subset of the audiophile market (likely less than a single percent), or people who own DAPs that accept balanced plugs, an even smaller (if not nonexistent) corner of the market. Because of the decision to use a balanced plug, the RE-ZEROs cannot be used properly with the vast majority of audio players, portable or otherwise, without an adapter. This is especially puzzling considering that the RE-ZEROs were designed with much lower impedance than the RE0s and are intended for portable use. Well, being forced to carry around and use an additional adapter, unless you’re one of the few who is in possession of a balanced portable amplifier inevitably adds more bulk to a portable setup and is one more thing to carry and keep track of. What happens if you misplace the adapter? What happens if you forget to bring it along with you? Well, you’re out of luck.
 
Not to mention, since the RE-ZEROs are low impedance IEMs, they theoretically shouldn’t need an additional amplifier to sound great in a portable setup to begin with. Because the RE-ZEROs are low impedance, I don’t feel the need to bring along an external amplifier when I go out and simply run them straight from my iPod Touch and they sound fantastic in that capacity. This makes me wonder, if these were designed with very low impedance ratings which is highly beneficial for portable usewhy use a balanced plug? Wouldn’t a standard mini jack make more sense in this application since it would offer inherent advantages to users who wish to use the RE-ZEROs without a portable amplifier?
 
The RE-ZEROs are a 1000 unit limited edition but these clearly possess a great deal of mainstream appeal. Given their relatively low price tag on a price-to-performance scale, similar to the RE0s, one has to wonder why the choice would be made to use a type of plug that appeals to such a niche market instead of the widely accepted alternative.
 
This is not the sort of design problem that truly hampers my ability to recommend them to most users but is definitely very puzzling when looked at on a grander scale.

Comfort and Isolation

Due to the RE-ZEROs being so similar in design to the RE0s, the level of comfort and isolation is almost exactly the same across both IEMs. The RE-ZEROs are among the most comfortable IEMs I’ve used, especially when worn over the ear and when using Sony Hybrids. The stock small bi-flanges provide a relatively comfortable fit for my ears as well. The RE-ZEROs are ported on the rear but that doesn’t seem to adversely affect isolation too much and the resulting levels of isolation are about average.
 
Microphonics are definitely present and can be bothersome while in motion but are mostly unobtrusive and can be toned down considerably by using the included shirt clip and wearing the IEMs over your ears.
 
Of course, all that has and can possibly be said about comfort and isolation will inevitably vary from person to person so keep in mind that your mileage may vary.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: These IEMs were given upwards of 100 hours of burn in time prior to review.
 
Sources:

1. 60GB iPod Video 5.5G – Fiio L3/Canare Cable LOD – CMoy BB v2.02
2. 16GB iPod Touch 2G
3. Lenovo Ideapad Y450 – 3.5mm interconnect – CMoy BB v2.02

 
Various music files including 128kbps – 320kbps MP3 as well as 16 and 24 Bit FLAC files.
 
Given my history with the RE0s, I had very high expectations of the RE-ZEROs. The RE0s are, at least in my opinion, among the best values in portable audio today and this is certainly a lofty goal to live up to, to be sure.
 
Starting at the bottom, the RE-ZEROs have a slightly weightier low end than the RE0s.While the level of bass is still a bit light in the grand scheme of things; I found it to be quite adequate, even for the Hip-Hop and Rap tracks that are so heavily featured in my usual rotation. The RE-ZEROs exhibits a certain smoothness, definition and refinement that I prefer to the heavy, thunderous bass tones that are so common in “mainstream” sorts of sound signatures. Extension is quite impressive, even if there is a slight rolloff as you reach the deepest of sub bass levels.
 
The RE-ZEROs possess a full and almost liquid smooth midrange, a far cry from the relatively thin and recessed midrange found on the RE0. The midrange sits at the forefront of the sonic presentation and vocals, both male and female are well defined, full, rich and mostly pleasant to listen to. I say “mostly” because the RE-ZEROs are prone to a bit of sibilance and sharpness in the midrange. What I mean by that is the sounds of pronounced “t” sounds, the hissing sounds of “s” enunciations and the crack of snare drums are a tiny bit exaggerated with some sources and I noticed this especially on my iPod Touch. I’ve found that I am somewhat sensitive to these sounds and the iPod Touch is a rather bright sounding player so this minor occasional sibilance may not be a problem for most users so I advise you to take this with a grain of salt.
 
Borrowing yet again from the audiophile dictionary, midrange tonality is best described as “sweet”. Put simply, aside from the minor vocal sibilance I mentioned earlier, there is practically nothing I can say negatively about the midrange. Instruments have a somewhat natural timbre and fullness that reinforces my opinion that the RE-ZERO’s presentation of the midrange is the best I’ve heard in an IEM and works very well with Rock and Alternative music because of it.
 
Treble is also presented differently than that of the RE0s. The RE0s are widely regarded as having one of the best high frequency presentations of any IEM and the RE-ZEROs are certainly not too far behind their older siblings in that regard. While the RE0s seem to have endless treble energy and present highs in a smooth and non-fatiguing manner, boasting impeccable extension, treble is handled slightly differently on the RE-ZEROs. Treble is more delicate and crisp, with a familiar smoothness but lacks the endless top end extension. The benefit of the slight treble rolloff is a lack of any sibilance whatsoever, at least not to my ears, even given my sensitivity to midrange sibilance.
 
The soundstage presented by the RE-ZEROs is both deeper and wider than that of the RE0s but not much. The soundstage is still relatively small in comparison to other IEMs such as the MEElectronics M9 but it does a good job of portraying intimacy as well as spatial positioning between instruments. Imaging is also quite good and while listening to some Jazz and Acoustic tracks, I was able to pick out the position of instruments placed around the stage quite easily and was seemingly enveloped by the sound. Whereas many headphones and IEMs tend to place you front row center, the RE-ZEROs seemed to place me right up on stage with the performers which I liked a great deal.
 
The kindred spirit shared by the RE0 and RE-ZERO is amazingly apparent to me listening to them side by side. The excellent transparency, clarity and balance inherent to the RE0 are definitely present in the RE-ZERO, albeit presented in a different manner. The RE-ZERO focuses less on the highs and more on the midrange and low end, two things that some users wished were presented better by the RE0s. Personally, I found the RE0’s midrange to be pleasing to my ears, even with it being slightly recessed and the RE-ZEROs are even more pleasing in that regard now that it has been brought forward. The slightly weightier low end is also a plus.
 
Now we get to the $99 question. Are the RE-ZEROs superior to their older siblings? To be frank, I don’t think so. What the RE-ZEROs represent to me is an alternative to the sound signature of the RE0s. Neither better, nor worse; merely different.
 

Value and Conclusion

As mentioned before, the RE-ZEROs are a 1000-unit limited edition that retails for $99 plus shipping. At this price point, I firmly believe that the RE-ZEROs are an excellent value for the money. The exceptional clarity, detail, smoothness and natural presentation offered by the RE-ZEROs is well worth the asking price and these IEMs, like the RE0s, perform well above their price point. Seeing as these are a limited edition and are a mere $20 price hike over the RE0s, I’d recommend going for the RE-ZEROs if you’re debating picking up one of the two. Despite some minor design quibbles, mostly concerning the balanced plug, these are very easy to recommend and you might end up kicking yourself for not picking these up when you had the chance once supplies have run dry.
 
HiFiMan has impressed me once again with another stellar entry into their already very impressive catalog of products. I am certain that HiFiMan’s offerings will only continue to improve from here as new products are introduced and the brand name grows in popularity. Whatever the case, the RE-ZEROs are undeniably some of the most intriguing and high quality IEMs to be released in recent memory and you’d be hard pressed to find another earphone that can compete at this price point.
 
The RE-ZERO IEMs are available at Head-Direct for $99, while supplies last.
 
This review is re-posted from my site, Musical Musings.

Prelude

Apple’s stock earbuds that have been shipped with every iPod since its inception are quite possibly the most prolific and widely distributed tech accessory of all time. It’s hard to go anywhere without seeing a pair of these things dangling from someone’s ears. Casual listeners are bound to be satisfied by the decent performance of the earbuds but what about audiophiles? It’s hard to imagine that many audiophiles would be impressed with those earbuds and, not to mention, they just aren’t comfortable at all for long periods of use. So, what’s an audiophile to do?
 
Apple’s answer to this comes in the form of their revamped in-ear headphones which feature two balanced armature drivers, a dedicated woofer and tweeter, promising Hi-Fi audio quality for about $80. I was able to snag a lightly used pair for $23 on Amazon (They’re the real deal too!) to give them a thorough listen.  So, do Apple’s IEMs (which I’ll henceforth refer to as the ADDIEM) deliver audiophile grade sound on a relatively low budget? Read on to find out.
 

Design and Build Quality

Apple products are typically well designed and aesthetically pleasing and the ADDIEMs aren’t too shabby in that regard. While the housings are comprised almost entirely of white plastics, much like the Apple iBuds, the housings themselves feel rather sturdy. The front and nozzles of the IEMs are made of polished metal, likely aluminum or steel, and are very solid feeling on top of adding a touch of class.
 
One brilliant design decision Apple has taken here is to make the metal mesh filters detachable. These filters easily unscrew from the nozzles and can be dropped into a solution of rubbing alcohol and water for quick and easy cleaning (which is what I did as soon as I got them). The fact that the filters can be unscrewed so easily from the housings does mean that they could potentially be just as easy to lose if you’re not careful but as long as you are careful, you shouldn’t have a problem with them.
 
Moving on, the build quality is still very similar to that of the iBuds. The straight plug is better than that of the iBuds and feels a bit more durable and the cable is virtually identical to that of the iBuds, perhaps feeling a bit softer and being a tiny bit more durable overall but it still doesn’t inspire a great deal of confidence. Leading into the housings themselves is a grey rubber pseudo strain relief.
 
Overall, I wasn’t terribly impressed with the build quality of the ADDIEMs but it is adequate. As long as you take care of them, they should last a good amount of time.
 
 

Comfort and Fit

The housings of the ADDIEMs are extremely small, considerably smaller than I was expecting. Because of this, they are very comfortable to wear. The included bulbous silicone tips will not be a great fit for everyone but the small tips fit my ears just fine and the IEMs didn’t fall out during my testing. However, I did prefer using a pair of small Sony Hybrid clones, which fit perfectly, instead of the stock tips. Isolation is average with stock tips and is slightly improved with the Sony Hybrid clones.
 
The longish stem of the ADDIEMs could make them a bit difficult for some users to wear over-the-ear but for me, it wasn’t a problem. Wearing them over-the-ears or straight down wasn’t a problem for me and the fit was mostly effortless either way. The small housings sit flush with my ears and I could wear these while sleeping very easily.

Sound Quality

Burn in: These IEMs were given 20+ hours of burn-in before testing but I didn’t notice any significant changes in the sound signature after burn in versus before.
 
Right out of the package, I was surprised by the level of clarity and transparency that’s present in the sound signature of the ADDIEMs. These can make other IEMs sound quite muddy by comparison due to their very airy and above all, analytical presentation. For the price I paid, the clarity is absolutely outstanding and, at based on what I’ve heard, is only topped by the RE0s.
 
Low end response is the most disappointing aspect of the ADDIEMs. Sure, bass is tight, punchy and doesn’t creep up on the mids in the slightest but it’s seriously lacking in terms of quantity and texture. Bass just doesn’t have realistic levels of decay or reverb, it just sort of hits and then disappears. There’s very little in the way of resonance or warmth and the low end is rather uninvolving because of it. The Sony Hybrid clones improve the low end in terms of quantity and warmth but not much in terms of detail. Extension is surprisingly good and you can hear and feel sub bass notes almost all the way down with gradual roll off as you approach the bottom end.
 
 
While listening to the ADDIEMs, I found myself continually craving more bass. The more I listened to them though, the more my brain seemed to “burn-in” to what was there. It was only when I switched back to bassier IEMs did I really notice that the bass was so dialed back in regards to the rest of the sound signature. Whether or not you’ll experience the same feeling is dependent on your tastes. The ADDIEMs are certainly bass-light but what is there may be enough to satisfy you.
 
The midrange is perhaps what the ADDIEMs do best. It is amazingly clear and instrument separation is great throughout the range. Mids are slightly forward and have a relatively natural if a tad clinical and cold tonal balance and good timbre. Very good overall, considering the price. Highs are clear and sparkly but slightly rolled off in the upper end. They seem to be positioned right where they need to be; neither forward nor recessed and never over-emphasized.
 
Despite the openness of the sound, the ADDIEMs sound somewhat contained within a small but fairly intimate soundstage. Imaging is decent enough and, as stated before, instrument separation is very good.
 
The ADDIEMs are among the most analytical IEMs in my collection and make the Backbeat Pros, my only other BA IEMs sound veiled and a tad muddy by comparison. The dual balanced armature drivers in these earphones can really pick out the finer details in a piece of music while still offering a comprehensive and coherent sound signature. Yes, they can sound a bit thin because of their analytical character and the lack of bass response but it’s nothing that significantly detracts from their appeal.
 

Value and Conclusion

The ADDIEMs are available from Apple’s website and Apple retail stores at an MSRP of $79. Even at the MSRP, these are among the cheapest dual balanced armature based IEMs on the market. Online retailers such as Amazon sell them for about $68 but on both Amazon and eBay, some serious discounts can be had if you delve into the used/like-new/refurbished market. I was able to get a pair of these IEMs for $23 is proof enough that there’s a wealth of great deals out there on the ADDIEMs. At the price I paid, I’m more than happy with what I received.
 
Overall, while the ADDIEMs are definitely bass shy in the grand scheme of things and their sound signature is a tad thin, for the price, I really can’t find much wrong with them. For bass addicts, I recommend using Sony Hybrid tips (genuine or clones) for boosting the low end response and perhaps even foam tips, which should eke out a little more warmth. It may seem as though I’m being overly critical of the ADDIEMs and/or that I don’t like them but that’s not true. I actually enjoy listening to them, even without any EQ or the bass boost from my CMoy amp; they’re just not great for everything.
 
At their MSRP, these are decent performers but, even considering the need for proper amplification, I’d still recommend the RE0s over them for their more musical and better balanced sonic character. However, the fact that they also perform double duty as a headset and remote for iPhone 3G and second and third generation iPod Touch users should be taken into consideration and they perform reasonably well in that capacity. Whatever your needs or desires out of a pair of headphones or IEMs, the ADDIEMs aren’t a bad choice at any price point and at the current sub-$35 price point that they float around on eBay and Amazon, they’re a very good value. Just…don’t expect them to have a great deal in terms of bass.

 
Before I go on, I’d like to thank the folks at Woodees for sending me a sample of the Woodees IESW101B in ear monitors for review.

Prelude

Wood has long been used in the manufacturing of musical instruments because of its acoustic properties. One application of wood that has failed to really take off is in the world of in ear monitors. Sure, there are a few well known IEMs that have been crafted out of wood but the IEM market is thoroughly dominated by plastics and metal.
 
A Canadian firm by the name of iConnects is looking to change that and has developed two wooden IEMs under the name “Woodees” for the mid-fi marketplace. Both IEMs are virtually the same with their primary difference being their color scheme and a microphone for use with the iPhone and other smartphones that accept microphone input through their 3.5mm audio jack. I have the sans-microphone version on hand and I have taken my time in putting these through their paces.

Packaging and Accessories

The Woodees arrived in a nice cardboard box, showing off the IEMs and proudly proclaiming that “Wood Sounds Richer”. Inside the package are four pairs of silicone single flange tips, a black velour carrying pouch and a generic shirt clip. On the whole, the packaging is pretty standard but the accessory package is better than average.
 

Design and Build Quality

As the name betrays, the Woodees IEMs are comprised of wooden housings but feature metallic nozzles and metal mesh filters. The housings themselves are well designed and polished and feel durable but they are a bit on the long side and will protrude from people’s ears quite a bit. Extending down from the housings is a decently flexible rubber strain relief that immediately reminds me of my other wooden IEMs, the Kanen KM 92s. At the Y-split, there’s a small but functional strain relief extending from the split to the cable that leads into the decently relieved 3.5mm plug. On the whole, I like the design of the Woodees IEMs and they feel like they would be able to take a decent amount of abuse.

Comfort and Fit

Getting a good fit with the Woodees is important for getting the best sound quality out of them and that, for me, was a trickier proposition than I’d expected. Using the small single flanges and then the longer small single flanges provided the best fit for my small ear canals and I quickly noticed that these were very sensitive to insertion depth, like the MEElectronics M9s before them but even more so. With the M9s, I was able to insert both of the earpieces in the same depth to get the best sound. With the Woodees, the seal is different with each ear, with one going in further than the other. While I highly doubt that my case is typical, I don’t doubt that some users will have some issues getting these fitted for the best sound. Once a good seal has been achieved, isolation is just slightly below average, even when using de-cored black foams. Overall, the iEMs are fairly comfortable and easy to use but they just take some time getting used to as far as fit.

Sound Quality

Burn in: These IEMs were given no less than 30 hours of burn in. It’s worth noting that the sound signature changes considerably for the better after being burned in for about 20 hours or so and with that in mind, I highly recommend that you burn these in for a similar amount of time. Trust me, it’s worth it.
 
I had more than a few preconceived notions about the Woodees before I actually used them purely because of their wooden housings. Honestly, I was expecting these to be bass cannons. Bass cannons with rich, textured sound and decent tightness, but bass cannons nonetheless. I am happy to say that I was wrong. The low end is pronounced but only as much as it needs to be. If anything, I’d refer to it as understated. Extension isn’t particularly amazing as the low end begins to roll off after 100Hz or so but it still remains very linear and has good resolution and impact. Bass is warm, tight and rich on top of being well controlled so that it doesn’t spill over the mids in the slightest bit and it’s actually rather refreshing to listen to.
 
Straight out of the box, mids had a somewhat grainy sort of texture that was certainly off-putting at first but with burn in, the graininess has more or less disappeared, making the midrange sound smoother and more detailed. Clarity throughout the midrange is nice and somewhat analytical with a touch of warmth to keep them from sounding thin.
 
Highs are detailed and have a nice sparkle and shimmer to them but sometimes, they can become a bit strident. Treble clarity is very nice but because of this occasional sibilance, they can be a bit bothersome to listen to. Foam tips such as de-cored Shure black foams (olives) can help attenuate these treble peaks but one solution I’ve found is to EQ down the lower treble/upper mids by a few decibels which helps reduce some of the sharpness.
 
The soundstage is decently wide and deep, certainly no giant killers in this regard and leads to a fairly intimate sound. Imaging and positioning are both decent and instrument separation was good.
The Woodees’ sound signature can be described as somewhat thin and analytical but retains enough of a fun factor to keep things interesting. The warmth of the low end, smoothness of the midrange and sparkle of the highs all combine together into a signature that’s very good for the price. While the highs can be a bit harsh and the mids a tad edgy, the sound signature doesn’t suffer from these heavily enough to be a serious annoyance and with the right equalizing and eartips, the faults can be smoothed out so that you’re left with a very good sounding pair of IEMs.
 

Value and Conclusion

The Woodees IESW101B IEMs retail for $59.99 but can be found online at many retailers for about $20 less. At $40, these are a very capable pair of IEMs that perform admirably for the price. The sound signature which is a nicely balanced mixture of analytical and “fun” sounds is one that is certainly very appealing but seems as though it could be polarizing to some users. On the whole, the sound signature is very good for the price.
 
As a whole, I like what iConnects has done with the Woodees IEMs. Their sonic character is one that I find to be very enjoyable and well worth the purchase price. These IEMs surprised me and were far from what I had expected considering that they are made of wood. In my experience, wooden enclosures typically lead to a very warm, thick and bass heavy sound signature but that’s not what I heard from the Woodees which may be a disappointment to some but I imagine that the sound signature that they do output isn’t going to turn off too many people. So, if you have $40 to spend on a new pair of earphones/IEMs, the Woodees are a great all-around choice that I can easily recommend.
 
Re-posted from my site, Musical Musings

 
Browsing on Amazon earlier this week, I came across the Pyle Wood-Bud in ear monitors for $5.30, marked down from $20 or so. Against my better judgment, I bought them, the grand total coming to $10.88 after the $5.58 shipping costs. You’d think I would’ve realized something was up when I saw the incredibly low price but also when the shipping costs totaled more than the price of the IEMs themselves but nope. I ordered them anyway. Well they arrived yesterday and after listening to them for about five minutes over two days…I want my money back.
 
The Wood-Buds arrived in what feels like a balsa wood box that features the equivalent of faux wood-grain stickers pasted over the box to give it the illusion of class. Red flag one went up in my mind. When I opened the box, I found the buds in a plastic casing that had a matte feeling to it, once again trying to give these the illusion of class, as if they were inlaid in velour. Removing the plastic shell from the case, I expected to find two more pairs of silicone eartips, as the medium sized tips are slightly too big for my ears. Again, I was wrong. Red flag number two went up.
 
 
After grabbing a pair of small single flange eartips from my collection, I decided to give these a listen, as all of their faults thus far could be forgiven if the sound quality was good enough. So, I jammed these in my ears and yet another red flag went up. There was some massive driver flex on the left earbud which occurred at the slightest movement of my jaw. Very annoying. So, I clenched my jaw shut, loaded up some of my favorite tracks and began to listen. Not even two minutes later, I ripped them out of my ears and threw them aside. Yes, they were that bad. The sound was hollow, the midrange was both sucked out and shrill at the same time, the overwhelming amount of bass was muddy, flat and devoid of texture, highs were nonexistent and everything just seemed to be mashed up together. There was no differentiation between the mids, lows and highs, everything sounded like it was thrown into a giant blender and throughout the frequency range, there were more peaks and valleys than the Rocky Mountains.
 
The sound these IEMs put out is, bar none, the worst I’ve ever heard. And Pyle is charging $20 for these things. I thought burning them in for the rest of the day and overnight (they have about 15 – 20 hours of use now) but no, the mids calmed down ever so slightly but overall, they still sound like crap. One thing I did notice though is that the sound can be improved when the vents at the rear of the enclosure are covered so I decided to perform a minor mod by covering them with some Blu-Tack and sure enough, the sound is improved. Driver flex remained the same but the sound isn’t as hollow or sucked out anymore. They suddenly became tolerable but only barely so and they still sound quite bad in comparison to even the lowest performing headphones and IEMs in my collection.
 
 
Every review scale needs a statistical baseline to which everything can be compared. The Pyle Wood-Buds are my new baseline. They are the absolute worst headphones I have ever used and I imagine that everything I will use from here on will be better. I’m still debating on whether or not to keep these, as a reminder of just how bad headphones can get and to compare to my other headphones to remind me just how good they are in comparison.
 
Oh wait, they seem to have already developed a short at the 3.5mm plug. Yep, they’re going back. I’ll just do my comparisons from memory as the unprecedentedly terrible sound will likely be burned into my memory. Do yourself a favor and avoid these like the plague. These are absolutely terrible, no matter the price.
 
Re-posted from my site, Musical Musings

Prelude
 
I admit it; I’m something of a bass-head. I love a pair of headphones, earbuds or in ear monitors that can produce deep, powerful, rich and well-textured bass tones and when I come across something that’s reasonably priced and produces the kind of bass that I’m looking for, I have to give it a try. The item in question this time is a pair of Altec Lansing Backbeat Plus in ear monitors. These are advertised as featuring “extra bass power” and “balanced mids and highs”, which is fairly standard marketing jargon for such a product. I scouted these out on eBay (it's amazing the headphone deals one can find) and managed to snag a pair for just $2.99 plus $6.99 for shipping.
 
The retail price for the Backbeat Plus IEMs fluctuates wildly at retail and I’ve seen pairs going for as little as $15 in other eBay listings all the way up to $60 from a couple Amazon sellers so considering the fact that I had to pay a little less than $10, I figured these would be a pretty good deal. I also figured that, if I ended up hating them, then I wasn’t out a great deal of money. So, do the Backbeat Plus IEMs manage to impress with their sound quality or will these end up being another bargain bin disappointment? Read on to find out.
 
Technical Specifications
 
Driver: 10mm dynamic driver
Frequency Response: 30 Hz - 18.5 kHz
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
Cable Length: 1.2m/4ft.
 
Packaging and Accessories
 
The Backbeat Plus IEMs come packaged in a nice thin red and black box which does a good job of showing off the IEMs themselves. The included accessories are a bit more disappointing, only including three pairs of single flange silicone tips and that’s it. No carrying case or anything else. Considering the price I paid for them, the lack of accessories is acceptable but the higher up you go on the pricing scale, it gets that much more difficult to accept.
 
Design and Build Quality
 
These IEMs, like their big brothers the Backbeat Pro balanced armature IEMs I reviewed before, are made of a hard plastic with a soft touch exterior texture that feels very durable. Short but flexible strain reliefs extend down from the housings and the cable terminates into a 3.5mm straight plug that features an integrated pseudo strain relief. The cable itself is a thick cloth-knit design which is similar in texture to the cable of the V-Moda Vibes. The primary difference here is that the cable on the Backbeat Plus is a great deal thicker and as a result feels more durable. The unfortunate tradeoff is that these carry a massive amount of microphonic noise. Nothing I’ve ever used produces as much cable noise when rubbing against my clothing as these IEMs and that makes them very annoying to use when on the move.
 
Overall, aside from the terrible microphonics, these feel like they could stand up to daily use and/abuse for a fairly long time. I have heard some reports of the cable fraying where it terminates into the plug but as long as these are handled with care, that shouldn’t be a problem.
 
Comfort and Fit
 
These are somewhat finicky IEMs in my experience and didn’t sound right until they were inserted into my ears just right. The stock single flange ear-tips didn’t blow me away either and I had more fit issues with them than I’d like so I swapped them with a pair of medium V-Moda silicone tips and haven’t had as many problems since then. Once a proper fit was attained, they isolate fairly well and are very comfortable to my ears. Using them while typing this very review, I can hardly notice that they’re in my ears.
 
Sound Quality
 
Burn in: As per my usual, these were given no less than 20 hours of burn in time prior to review.
 
Like the Kanen KM92s and MEElectronics SX-31s before them, these are very bassy IEMs and their sound signature is defined by the low end. Bass notes coming through these things are deep, big and powerful but don’t pack the type of punch that I was expecting. Despite the lack of punchiness or urgency the low end is very pronounced and in your face and is fairly well detailed and extends pretty low before rolling off but I can easily hear the bass rumbling at about 30Hz. There is a bit of a midbass hump but it’s not so big that it’s distracting. The low end is tight enough that it doesn’t have much of an impact on the mids.
 
Mids are vibrant and engaging to listen to, not forward or recessed but with the slightest bit of a veil over the sound. The mids have a sense of fullness about them and are the slightest bit warm on certain tracks. Vocals are natural and clean sounding and songs are decently clear all around. Highs are nice and bright and sparkle and roll off gradually the higher up you go on the frequency scale. The linearity of the highs and mids stands out to my ears and even with the low end emphasis, there’s a nice balance between these two frequency ranges
.
Overall, the sound signature is full-bodied but lacking in terms of clarity and the type of high resolution you get from high-end IEMs. The soundstage is of average size with decent imaging and instrument separation. These seem to live up to Altec Lansing’s claims of “balanced mids and highs” somewhat but only when referring to those frequency ranges by themselves. However, when the lows are factored in, these IEMs are anything but balanced. Whether or not that’s a bad thing is entirely up to your tastes in music and what you desire to hear from your headphones.
 
Value and Conclusion
 
Deciding whether or not these are a good value is a bit difficult with their inconsistent pricing. If you can get them for $15 - $20 or less as in my case, these are a great value, providing very good sound quality for the price. If you go any higher than that, the answer is less obvious. Altec Lansing’s own Backbeat Pros can be found for about $25 and are sonically superior, especially with proper equalizing.
 
At the end of the day, I enjoy these IEMs and would recommend them to folks who enjoy big bass in addition to decently balanced mids and highs. They aren’t going to satisfy people who appreciate neutral sounding IEMs or audiophiles looking for the next big thing but for the average user, these are a very good sounding pair of earphones that should definitely be in consideration by budget conscious consumers.

Introduction
 
I found these portable headphones by chance at Target one day and saw that they were on clearance, marked down to about $15 from the MSRP of $60. Seeing the relatively high retail price, I thought these were practically a steal at one quarter of the MSRP so I promptly purchased them, thinking that I’d done pretty well for myself. After owning these for six months or so and using them on and off during that time, I’ve decided to review these, as there are only a few reviews out there on these portable headphones.
 
Design and Build Quality
 
The Panasonic Slimz are made to be portable headphones and fold completely flat into a space saving design and feature a retractable cable, which is automatically activated by plugging the straight plug into a small slot on the left driver casing.
 
Having said that, I can’t recommend carrying these around with you unless they are stored in the protective case they ship in when they aren’t actually on your ears. As soon as I took these out of the package, I immediately felt how light, plasticky and flimsy they felt in my hands. I almost felt like I was going to snap the headband in two just trying to place these on my rather small head. The swiveling ear cups feel like they’d snap rather easily if light pressure was applied to them.
 
The cable is the absolute thinnest cable I’ve ever seen on a pair of headphones, portable or otherwise. It too feels quite flimsy, and seems like it could snap at the slightest provocation. Yes, I realize that this concession had to be made to accommodate the cable winding mechanism but honestly, I would’ve preferred if Panasonic had omitted that feature in favor of a thicker and more durable cable. Seeing as I’ve also heard reports that the cable winding mechanism is easily broken, I’m not very confident at all in the build quality of the Panasonic Slimz. I know that headphones are rarely designed to take heavy abuse but I shouldn’t have to worry that I’m going to break my headphones through my normal everyday usage and that’s exactly the feeling I get with the Slimz.
 
Sound Quality
 
After listening to these for a while, I find myself disappointed in their sound quality. It’s not necessarily bad, just…flat and that’s something I noticed across the board. Starting with the low end, bass is flat but packs a decent punch. It makes itself known when absolutely necessary but doesn’t have the engaging sort of punch, texture or depth that I expect from a pair of headphones. Low end extension is rather mediocre as well, rolling off steeply past 100Hz. Midrange definition and clarity is decent enough, if lacking in dynamics. Vocals are a bit distant and lacking in fullness but are decent overall. On the high end, treble detail is good with a good shimmer but, like the low end, extension is mediocre. One of the strangest things about the Slimz is the peaks and valleys encountered the higher you go up in the frequency range.  While the treble is rolled off significantly after about 14KHz or so, there are some audible spikes in the presentation from that point on.
 
If there’s one thing these do right in their presentation, it’s the soundstage. Soundstaging is rather good, with decent positioning, instrument separation and surprising airiness for a closed-back portable headphone. Listening to a couple live performances, these were surprisingly immersive, even if the sound quality was only decent at best.
 
Value and Conclusion
 
Honestly, I can’t see why these have such a high MSRP because they really don’t measure up to that price point in any way. Even for the $15 price I paid for them, these are outclassed by similarly priced portables. If one wants a cheap pair of portable headphones, the JVC Flats, which can be found online for about $10 - $15, and the Koss KSC75s, which can also be found for about $10 - $15, both outclass the Panasonic Slimz in terms of sound quality. I can personally vouch for the sound quality of the KSC75s (especially after being modded) and they will likely last a lot longer than the Slimz for portable use due to their more solid feeling build quality.
 
Overall, these are only a decent sounding pair of portables in the grand scheme of things. These aren’t worth their $60 MSRP and given the fact that there are such good options for the $15 price I purchased them at, they can’t really compete there either. If I wanted to listen to a pair of portable headphones, I would choose my KSC75s over the Slimz every time because the KSC75s offer a more engaging and high quality listening experience.
 
I wish I could recommend the Panasonic Slimz, but unfortunately, I can’t. Given that the retail price fluctuates between $15 and $60 depending on whom you buy from and that these are outperformed by headphones that can be found for cheaper than these, there’s no reason that I can think of to choose the Slimz over the more capable performers.
 
Re-Posted From My Site, Musical Musings

Introduction
 
Shortly after I received my RE0s, I happened to be browsing eBay for a new pair of Bass-Freq earbuds because as much as I liked my RE0s, I wanted to replace my outgoing Bass-Freq earbuds because I liked their bass response when listening to certain music. During that time, I came across an auction for a pair of V-Moda Vibe IEMs for $30 (open-box) and I jokingly asked my father if he’d like to split the price with me. To my surprise, he said yes and I went ahead and ordered them. Having prior experience with V-Moda’s products, I was curious to see how the big brothers to the inexpensive Bass-Freq earbuds sounded in comparison.
 
Technical Specifications
 
Driver:9mm dynamic driver
Frequency Response: 12 Hz – 22 kHz
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Sensitivity: 92 dB (at 1kHz 1mW)
Cable Length: N/A
 
Packaging/Accessories: As I stated before, these arrived in open box form without an actual box to contain them so I can’t judge the overall quality of the packaging for myself but I’ve heard it is fairly good and from what I’ve seen, it’s pretty attractive.
 
All of the accessories included with the boxed versions of the V-Moda Vibes were included in the auction as well. The list of included accessories is pretty standard, which includes six pairs of single flange silicone fittings in both clear and black, the Modawrap cable wrapper accessory I mentioned in my Bass-Freq review and a small black leather pouch to carry the IEMs around in. In short, the accessory pack is good, but not spectacular.
 
Design and Build Quality: If there’s one thing the Vibes get right, it’s their highly attractive and classy design. V-Moda is a very style-conscious brand and the original Vibes are perhaps the best looking IEMs they’ve produced and have this sort of hipster/fashonista vibe (pun unintended) about them. The housings are polished aluminum and very attractive. They are described as “semi-open” and in my experience, aren’t very good at attenuating exterior noise.
 
The cable is a fabric cloth knit style used on plenty of other IEMs and is marketed as “tangle-free” but that isn’t entirely true. Cable noise is decently controlled when worn straight down and extremely low when worn over the ear. The cable is decently relieved at the 3.5mm plug but at the point of entry into the housings, strain reliefs are non-existent, leading to some concerns about long-term durability.
Overall, the lightweight aluminum housings and the fabric covered cable feel durable enough to take a fair amount of abuse but the lack of proper strain reliefs on the cable entry points on the housings is a cause for some concern.
 
Comfort/Fit: Using the clear small fittings, I was able to create a solid and comfortable seal. The housings are lightweight and while wearing them, I hardly notice they’re in my ears at all, whether I’m wearing them over the ear or straight down.
 
Sound Quality
 
Burn-in: These IEMs were given 50+ hours of burn-in prior to review and settled into their final sound signature after about 10 hours.
 
Low End: The most prominent frequency range. Bass is boomy and warm but lacking in detail and control. Bass begins to rumble at about 20Hz, denoting good sub-bass extension but the somewhat muddy midbass is sometimes too overpowering for the sub-bass range to be distinguished and enjoyed.
 
Midrange: Smooth and recessed. Vocals come through loud and clear but clarity is lacking and the bass can creep up on the lower mids, making them sound somewhat muffled.
 
Highs/Treble: Good clarity and sparkle but rolls off pretty quickly in the upper treble region. Highs are much tamer sounding than most IEMs in my experience and far less prone to sibilance which is a good thing for people who are sensitive to that sort of thing.
 
Soundstage: Very wide, deep and airy for an IEM. The semi-open design of the Vibes certainly helps in that regard and is very pleasing overall.
 
Overall Sound Signature: The Vibes are very laid back and muffled IEMs to my ears, despite their prominent bass. Sound is full but it lacks richness. These sound very warm and somewhat dark due to their low end emphasis and tame treble. Clarity is decent and the airiness and width of their soundstage adds to their appeal.
 
Surprisingly, despite their low impedance rating of 16 ohms, these benefit quite a bit from amping. Particularly, the bass, which is usually muddy and uncontrolled, tightens considerably. The midrange comes forward ever so slightly and clarity increases. I’d highly recommend using them with a decent amp.
 
Conclusion
 
These certainly aren’t the best IEMs I’ve ever heard but they are indeed an improvement over their cheaper siblings. For the price I paid, I’m satisfied with them but it’s worth noting that the price I was able to get them for is far below the price these typically retail for. For the recommended retail price of $60, these are more difficult to recommend, especially when you consider that these need to be paired with an amp to shine. $60 is a very tricky price point for the Vibes, as one can easily pick up the Backbeat Pros (which I can attest to personally), Maximo iM-590 or Thinksound Rains which are all sonically superior. Overall, I can only recommend these to people who enjoy deep bass and say that those who desire more neutral sound should steer clear of these. They’re decent, but even for those who are looking for bass cannons, there are better choices.
 
Re-Posted From My Site, Musical Musings