I'd like to first say I'm not very experienced with audio, so make of it what you will.
First off there are a few changes made to the product compared to the previous version which I don't think anyone else has mentioned, which I think is important for anyone interested in buying it just as a heads up if you see pictures of the older version so you know what you will and won't be getting with this new version.
The bottom half of the cable leading to the 3.5mm jack has now changed to a bare cable without the cloth sleeving, which is a bit disappointing for me, as I do love myself a good braided cloth cable.
The 3.5mm plug itself is now an L shaped plug which is a lot smaller and compact than the previous straight plug. Thumbs up for that!
Next is the housing. The CNC backplate is now sold in black, which makes it look very discreet and does not grab attention, if that's your thing. I personally don't mind. The other half the housing remains the same but maybe just a little less transparent, when I compare it to photos of the previous version. This again, I personally don't mind at all.
The 3.5mm plug itself is now an L shaped plug which is a lot smaller and compact than the previous straight plug. Thumbs up for that!
Next is the housing. The CNC backplate is now sold in black, which makes it look very discreet and does not grab attention, if that's your thing. I personally don't mind. The other half the housing remains the same but maybe just a little less transparent, when I compare it to photos of the previous version. This again, I personally don't mind at all.
I find these to be very tip sensitive, if using a wide bore tip they can actually get quite dry and sibilant. Using the stock large single flange tips I was able to get a nice, slightly warm tonal balance, while still getting all the detail in the highs. The double flange tips were hard to get a seal with. YMMV.
(All my impressions will be based on using it with my phone and the stock single flange large tips.)
Now for the sound.
-Bass:
Bass on these are nice and controlled, with decent quantity. Impact is strong and quick, making it feel quite lively. Overall bass is slightly elevated but not bloated and quite precise without leaking into the mids.
Again, getting a good seal is important to bring out all the bass, as you might not get a good seal with your first try.
Not bass monsters by any means, but it's definitely enough for most genres.
Again, getting a good seal is important to bring out all the bass, as you might not get a good seal with your first try.
Not bass monsters by any means, but it's definitely enough for most genres.
-Mids:
Mids are gorgeous. You wouldn't think something that looks so discreet to have such luscious mids. The slightly warm tonality gives it a natural, soulful sound, without being muddy or boring.
Vocals sound clear, crisp and slightly forward, but it doesn't overshadow other parts of the music, allowing things like electric guitars to come to the fore front when called upon.
Female vocals are really great, it can sound seductive, or light and floaty depending on the singer, as if she's singing right in front of you. Male vocals on the other hand have a nice body and weight to it, sounding very real and natural, as do acoustic guitars, which also sound natural, as well as crisp and smooth. Strings sound grand and have a real presence to it. These are mids that just resonate through your soul, and comfort you like grandma's home cooking. Without a doubt the best part about these phones.
Yet again, use the right tips, or they might sound a little too forward and end up being slightly fatiguing.
Vocals sound clear, crisp and slightly forward, but it doesn't overshadow other parts of the music, allowing things like electric guitars to come to the fore front when called upon.
Female vocals are really great, it can sound seductive, or light and floaty depending on the singer, as if she's singing right in front of you. Male vocals on the other hand have a nice body and weight to it, sounding very real and natural, as do acoustic guitars, which also sound natural, as well as crisp and smooth. Strings sound grand and have a real presence to it. These are mids that just resonate through your soul, and comfort you like grandma's home cooking. Without a doubt the best part about these phones.
Yet again, use the right tips, or they might sound a little too forward and end up being slightly fatiguing.
-Highs:
Not that much to say about the highs. The two BAs are definitely helping when the highs get busy, as they never sound congested and remain detailed. Cymbals and snare drums sound crisp and well reproduced without sounding sibilant or painful, but he sibilance that does occur is present in 'S' noises, especially with female vocals. YET AGAIN, this was because I was using the wrong set of tips, almost calling them dissapointing. It really is a massive difference with a wide bore and narrow bore as the sibilance was mostly eliminated using the narrow bore but when using the wide bore tips the highs and mids both sounded dry.
-Build:
Build is kinda meh, the CNC backplate is pretty neat but mine did come with a small scratch on one side. Cable does not tangle or hold any memory and is flexible and soft without feeling fragile. It has pretty good strain relieves too. I'm a clumsy ****, so I do hope I don't yank these into two one day. Maybe that'll be the day for a removable cable mod, who knows(wish they already did have a removable cable though). Overall they feel solid, enough.
Here are all the accessories included:
And a sturdy hard case:
-Ergonomics and comfort:
Fit is great regardless of tip, they don't fall out or move around much, but getting a good seal does require a bit of tip rolling though. Once in the ear they don't feel heavy and the rounded housing creates no pressure point, comfort is a thumbs up. You could wear them for as long as you want, which is great, since you do want to enjoy the sound these things produce.
-Isolation:
Well, average, I guess. Though, with the volume turned up you'd still get run over if you're not paying attention. They don't leak sound though, provided a reasonable volume. So you can use these in a quite environment.
-Soundstage and imaging:
The soundstage isn't very wide, but there's a decent sense of width and depth when called upon. Imaging is much better, positional audio is very accurate and you can hear just as much detail wherever it is coming from. The experience is immersive, vocals sound intimate, but music doesn't sound like it's being played from a box inside your brain either.
-Other remarks:
Well they are really sensitive, and can go up to very high volumes of a weak source, but floor noise is pretty bad though, especially if your source is also pretty sensitive you will hear quite a bit of noise in the background. Recommend using a DAP or whatever other standalone music player for it.
I think these are great for the price, and would recommend this to anyone that are looking for great vocals and separation.
