<INTRO>
This IEM seems to be unknown at Head-fi, so I decided to do a review. Annoyingly, I'm not sure what the sonic differences are between the Bmaster, Bmaster PRO, and the newest "Bmasters MMCX" with more interesting colors and smoother shell. It looks like the "Bmaster MMCX" has a better MMCX cable than the original Bmaster, and the Bmaster PRO appears to have better bass, isolation, and extra tips. Bmaster = 3 sets of tips; Bmaster MMCX & Bmaster PRO = 4 sets of tips. Each model appears to have 2x 10mm DD drivers and 1x BA driver, but looking inside the IEM I see what appears to be 1x DD and 1x BA, unless the DD's are stacked on top of each other. These IEMs definitely need more power than usual, nearly as much power as 7Hertz Timeless. Finally, can you tell the difference from the Bmaster, Bmaster PRO, and Bmaster MMCX from looking at them..?
<Unbox video>
Specs(barely any provided):
- 12 month warranty
- Up to 37 dB noise isolation
- MMCX connectors
- Dual 10mm dynamic drivers made of beryllium (according to their Amazon info) + single BA driver (unknown brand/model)
Tested with:
Tips = KZ Starline, SpinFit CP100, BGVP S01
Cable = KBEAR Limpid Pro
DAC = SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII
DDC = Douk Audio U2 Pro (USB in, coax out)
Amp = Topping A30 Pro
Setup = Windows 7 PC + WinAmp
SIGNATURE:
Well-balanced & full sounding, with a full-portion serving of smooth warmth & darkness.
FIT:
The fit is not bad. There is some minor discomfort noticeable at the back side of my ears, horizontally level with the nozzles, due to the inner side of the shell being too flat. No major problems, but I do need to take a break from the IEMs after an hour or two. I would prefer a more ergonomically-shaped inner shell.
~7/10
<BUBBLING BOURGEOISIE BASE>
There is a nice amount of warmth and thickness that usually doesn't overtake the mids or treble(IMO). Kick drums and bass guitar have a pleasing amount of density and power. The mid-bass performance seems to be the star of The Base Show, as I think the lower sub-bass does crumble a little under the pressure of busy action and tends to lose some definition way down there. Sub-bass reproduction is pretty good, generally outputting a tastefully light amount of quantity combined with a nice amount of physical rumble, but also dropping huge bass with content where extra is added(Globular). In several songs tested, there was a lovely, fat underlayer/backbone of bass to the music that just makes your ears smile - something you don't hear/feel from most IEMs. Drums in general sound pretty nice, with good texture and impact. There is a good bit more bass density and extension than 7Herts Timeless, a planar driven IEM. Overall bass texture is nothing to write home about, however, and the bass does get boomy with those extra-heavy hits. Bass level is above Boring Neutral(if not significantly above). I would not want to lower it more than 5-10%, though, to my taste.
~8.5/10
<MYTHICLE, MYSTICLE MYDS>
"What are mids??" Not really sure... I'm starting to think they don't actually exist, to be honest. But anyway, electric guitars sound thinner than I'd prefer, and don't offer the textural detail and grunt of the distortion like Timeless does. However, I would say the tone and general accuracy is very favorable. I think details here are presented decently clearly, where nothing seems too hidden or overshadowed. However, I would say mids are the background member of this trio, by a small margin.
~?/10
<VICARIOUS, VORACIOUS VOCALS>
Malien vocals seem placed correctly, or maybe a touch pushed back, and overall sound good, but are a bit thinner than I'd prefer(ideally). There seems to be very slight sibilance/sharpness/shout that can appear. Weird Al, in most songs, sounds clear enough, and not overly bright, but there is splashiness in "Ebay". Tonality is great. David Lee Roth in Van Halen's "Jump", and Nathan Pacheco in Yanni's "O Luce Che Brilla Nell 'Oscurita" both sound pushed back too much. On the other hand, the vocals in pretty much every The Lonely Island song sound great, and only slightly distant sometimes.
Femalien vocals seem to have a tendency to be slightly hot/splashy/sibilant here & there. More noticeably, I would say they sound generously dark/"muted", warmer than natural, and lacking the expected, full clarity & brilliance. If you like smoother, warmer female vocals, you should like this particular area of the Bmaster PRO's sound. Tonality is great.
Despite the dark-ish tuning, I think vocal performance is better than average across the board here. The sibilance and sharpness could possibly have more to do with the recording(s) being sub-par than the IEM having bad vocal performance, if the IEM itself is not at fault here. A flaw-revealing nature..?
~7.75/10
THUNDERMATIC TRIBAL TREBBAL:
General details are clear and presented at a sufficient volume, without any sparkle, shimmer or significant brightness. This type of tamed treble reminds me of Legacy 3. From memory, I want to say the Bmaster PRO does not suffer the noticeable BA tonality issue like Legacy 3 does. But I would say Legacy 3 definitely offers greater space, depth and air. Detail resolution could be a tie, as they are both similarly muted/softened. I would say the Bmaster PRO offers fairly believable treble performance, in a pleasantly semi-dark, low-fatigue format(...but don't expect to hear convincingly realistic treble with this IEM). There does seem to some slight hotness somewhere in the lower treble, in the vocal range, and breathability could be improved. Cymbals sound correct, except for having muted splash & detail. Switching to Timeless, all darkness and mutedness is gone, and several levels higher of treble performance and realism are achieved; there is no contest. Most treble details have to be listened for with the Bmaster PRO, otherwise the resolution isn't good enough to present them at all. The treble is fine, but is more lacking than problematic.
~6.25/10
<SEISMO-SENSASIONAL SOUNDSTAGE>
Not much to say here. It's about average all over; spherical, with a little spatial vagueness. I have no complaints about it, as the imaging and depth within are solid. Like a heavy cheese. Like a closed-back headphone. Like a closed-back headphone made of cheese. Your solid, standard-level IEM experience.
~6.75/10
VERSUS:
Penon Orb: This would be an easy choice for me. I think the Bmaster PRO has improved bass, technical ability, stage, and detail, at about 1/3 the price. Orb has a better fit, and a more relaxed, softer, colored listen.
KZ ZAS: These have been my #1 budget and general use IEM since they came out, and I am again impressed with what I hear when switching to them. Thicker vocals, better behaved bass, significantly more impressive imaging and stage extension, more ergonomic fit, and clearer treble with better detail sans sibilance/splash issues. The drawback is brighter general treble, that I would rather have than darker, muted treble. ZAS wins in my book, unless you want maximum bass or to avoid treble as much as possible.
KZ AST: This is the closest, and most interesting comparison, I think. Switching to AST, I immediately hear worse sounding sub-bass, poorer tonality, more muffled vocals, and more open, clearer treble. Mids seem equally warm, but the Bmaster PRO has much more, and much better sounding low-end. I think the Bmaster PRO wins everywhere here, because the quality, balance and tonality is simply much better. AST may have slightly better imaging and slightly larger stage, but it's pointless with the poorer performance and higher price.
KZ ZEX: I'm not sure how I feel about the ZEX. Detail is very good, far better than Bmaster PRO, but I think its tonality is strange, and treble is a bit too hot and artificial sounding. I have not heard an "EST" in an IEM I like yet, and it may never happen. Listening to Rob Zombie, I definitely prefer the natural tonality and more mature sounding treble of the Bmaster PRO. Also the fit.
Legacy 2 (AKA Oracle Jr.): With a thin signature just like Oracle, you get significantly less bass and warmth with L2, and clearer/cleaner mids with a better fit. I don't think the treble of either are particularly good, so it would be a choice between clearer-yet-problematic treble(L2) or decent-yet-dark treble(Bmaster PRO).
FiiO FH3: From memory, FH3 bass levels are lower, but much better detailed, textured and balanced with the rest of the sound. Mids on FH3 should also be more impressive. Treble is more open and clear(but far from stellar), with vocals on FH3 becoming aggressive/edgy. Fit is about a tie, with FH3 being a rather annoying, loose fit, and much heavier IEM. You can't go wrong with FH3, so it would be my choice at the price point.
7Hertz Timeless: More mid-bass focused, with less sub-bass and less general bass density. Fantastic detail, treble, tonality, and nice air & depth, though I feel the tonality of Bmaster PRO is equally good, with a darker, less technical sound. Do you want big bass & smoothness with low detail? Or top-notch treble and transparency, with still very nice bass? I would choose Timeless, with the Bmaster PRO having vocal flaws I don't want to deal with, and Timeless offering strong wow factor and great EQ-ability. To be fair, the much more open and extended treble of Timeless presents a brighter sound that some may not enjoy. (BGVP S01 tips FTW)
QKZ VK4 (bass test): Bmaster PRO has noticeably bigger, deeper, heavier bass.
SONGS I DUG'D:
Rob Zombie - The Life And Times Of A Teenage Rock God
Chickenfoot - Down The Drain (low gear guitars, distortion, smooth vocals)
Van Halen - Jump (bass presence, synth forwardness & clarity)
Yanni - Flash Of Color (bass, imaging/layering)
SONGS I DIDN'T DUG'D:
Ivan Spelljack Jitz - Vengeance (excessive cymbals & guitar)
Korn - Right Now (splashy vocals & cymbals, congestion)
Mirko Hirsch - [Power of Desire album] (vocals too sharp & splashy for some reason)
Trapt - Storyteller (vocals too hot)
<CONCLUSIONISSIMO>
I think these do a pretty solid job for music, surprisingly. I can't think of another IEM with a dark, bassy signature like this around $100. They remind me of HD650. These will not be keepers for me; however, I did have an enjoyable time getting to know them, and I have certainly heard many, many worse sounding IEMs than these.
This IEM seems to be unknown at Head-fi, so I decided to do a review. Annoyingly, I'm not sure what the sonic differences are between the Bmaster, Bmaster PRO, and the newest "Bmasters MMCX" with more interesting colors and smoother shell. It looks like the "Bmaster MMCX" has a better MMCX cable than the original Bmaster, and the Bmaster PRO appears to have better bass, isolation, and extra tips. Bmaster = 3 sets of tips; Bmaster MMCX & Bmaster PRO = 4 sets of tips. Each model appears to have 2x 10mm DD drivers and 1x BA driver, but looking inside the IEM I see what appears to be 1x DD and 1x BA, unless the DD's are stacked on top of each other. These IEMs definitely need more power than usual, nearly as much power as 7Hertz Timeless. Finally, can you tell the difference from the Bmaster, Bmaster PRO, and Bmaster MMCX from looking at them..?
<Unbox video>
Specs(barely any provided):
- 12 month warranty
- Up to 37 dB noise isolation
- MMCX connectors
- Dual 10mm dynamic drivers made of beryllium (according to their Amazon info) + single BA driver (unknown brand/model)
Tested with:
Tips = KZ Starline, SpinFit CP100, BGVP S01
Cable = KBEAR Limpid Pro
DAC = SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII
DDC = Douk Audio U2 Pro (USB in, coax out)
Amp = Topping A30 Pro
Setup = Windows 7 PC + WinAmp
SIGNATURE:
Well-balanced & full sounding, with a full-portion serving of smooth warmth & darkness.
FIT:
The fit is not bad. There is some minor discomfort noticeable at the back side of my ears, horizontally level with the nozzles, due to the inner side of the shell being too flat. No major problems, but I do need to take a break from the IEMs after an hour or two. I would prefer a more ergonomically-shaped inner shell.
~7/10
<BUBBLING BOURGEOISIE BASE>
There is a nice amount of warmth and thickness that usually doesn't overtake the mids or treble(IMO). Kick drums and bass guitar have a pleasing amount of density and power. The mid-bass performance seems to be the star of The Base Show, as I think the lower sub-bass does crumble a little under the pressure of busy action and tends to lose some definition way down there. Sub-bass reproduction is pretty good, generally outputting a tastefully light amount of quantity combined with a nice amount of physical rumble, but also dropping huge bass with content where extra is added(Globular). In several songs tested, there was a lovely, fat underlayer/backbone of bass to the music that just makes your ears smile - something you don't hear/feel from most IEMs. Drums in general sound pretty nice, with good texture and impact. There is a good bit more bass density and extension than 7Herts Timeless, a planar driven IEM. Overall bass texture is nothing to write home about, however, and the bass does get boomy with those extra-heavy hits. Bass level is above Boring Neutral(if not significantly above). I would not want to lower it more than 5-10%, though, to my taste.
~8.5/10
<MYTHICLE, MYSTICLE MYDS>
"What are mids??" Not really sure... I'm starting to think they don't actually exist, to be honest. But anyway, electric guitars sound thinner than I'd prefer, and don't offer the textural detail and grunt of the distortion like Timeless does. However, I would say the tone and general accuracy is very favorable. I think details here are presented decently clearly, where nothing seems too hidden or overshadowed. However, I would say mids are the background member of this trio, by a small margin.
~?/10
<VICARIOUS, VORACIOUS VOCALS>
Malien vocals seem placed correctly, or maybe a touch pushed back, and overall sound good, but are a bit thinner than I'd prefer(ideally). There seems to be very slight sibilance/sharpness/shout that can appear. Weird Al, in most songs, sounds clear enough, and not overly bright, but there is splashiness in "Ebay". Tonality is great. David Lee Roth in Van Halen's "Jump", and Nathan Pacheco in Yanni's "O Luce Che Brilla Nell 'Oscurita" both sound pushed back too much. On the other hand, the vocals in pretty much every The Lonely Island song sound great, and only slightly distant sometimes.
Femalien vocals seem to have a tendency to be slightly hot/splashy/sibilant here & there. More noticeably, I would say they sound generously dark/"muted", warmer than natural, and lacking the expected, full clarity & brilliance. If you like smoother, warmer female vocals, you should like this particular area of the Bmaster PRO's sound. Tonality is great.
Despite the dark-ish tuning, I think vocal performance is better than average across the board here. The sibilance and sharpness could possibly have more to do with the recording(s) being sub-par than the IEM having bad vocal performance, if the IEM itself is not at fault here. A flaw-revealing nature..?
~7.75/10
THUNDERMATIC TRIBAL TREBBAL:
General details are clear and presented at a sufficient volume, without any sparkle, shimmer or significant brightness. This type of tamed treble reminds me of Legacy 3. From memory, I want to say the Bmaster PRO does not suffer the noticeable BA tonality issue like Legacy 3 does. But I would say Legacy 3 definitely offers greater space, depth and air. Detail resolution could be a tie, as they are both similarly muted/softened. I would say the Bmaster PRO offers fairly believable treble performance, in a pleasantly semi-dark, low-fatigue format(...but don't expect to hear convincingly realistic treble with this IEM). There does seem to some slight hotness somewhere in the lower treble, in the vocal range, and breathability could be improved. Cymbals sound correct, except for having muted splash & detail. Switching to Timeless, all darkness and mutedness is gone, and several levels higher of treble performance and realism are achieved; there is no contest. Most treble details have to be listened for with the Bmaster PRO, otherwise the resolution isn't good enough to present them at all. The treble is fine, but is more lacking than problematic.
~6.25/10
<SEISMO-SENSASIONAL SOUNDSTAGE>
Not much to say here. It's about average all over; spherical, with a little spatial vagueness. I have no complaints about it, as the imaging and depth within are solid. Like a heavy cheese. Like a closed-back headphone. Like a closed-back headphone made of cheese. Your solid, standard-level IEM experience.
~6.75/10
VERSUS:
Penon Orb: This would be an easy choice for me. I think the Bmaster PRO has improved bass, technical ability, stage, and detail, at about 1/3 the price. Orb has a better fit, and a more relaxed, softer, colored listen.
KZ ZAS: These have been my #1 budget and general use IEM since they came out, and I am again impressed with what I hear when switching to them. Thicker vocals, better behaved bass, significantly more impressive imaging and stage extension, more ergonomic fit, and clearer treble with better detail sans sibilance/splash issues. The drawback is brighter general treble, that I would rather have than darker, muted treble. ZAS wins in my book, unless you want maximum bass or to avoid treble as much as possible.
KZ AST: This is the closest, and most interesting comparison, I think. Switching to AST, I immediately hear worse sounding sub-bass, poorer tonality, more muffled vocals, and more open, clearer treble. Mids seem equally warm, but the Bmaster PRO has much more, and much better sounding low-end. I think the Bmaster PRO wins everywhere here, because the quality, balance and tonality is simply much better. AST may have slightly better imaging and slightly larger stage, but it's pointless with the poorer performance and higher price.
KZ ZEX: I'm not sure how I feel about the ZEX. Detail is very good, far better than Bmaster PRO, but I think its tonality is strange, and treble is a bit too hot and artificial sounding. I have not heard an "EST" in an IEM I like yet, and it may never happen. Listening to Rob Zombie, I definitely prefer the natural tonality and more mature sounding treble of the Bmaster PRO. Also the fit.
Legacy 2 (AKA Oracle Jr.): With a thin signature just like Oracle, you get significantly less bass and warmth with L2, and clearer/cleaner mids with a better fit. I don't think the treble of either are particularly good, so it would be a choice between clearer-yet-problematic treble(L2) or decent-yet-dark treble(Bmaster PRO).
FiiO FH3: From memory, FH3 bass levels are lower, but much better detailed, textured and balanced with the rest of the sound. Mids on FH3 should also be more impressive. Treble is more open and clear(but far from stellar), with vocals on FH3 becoming aggressive/edgy. Fit is about a tie, with FH3 being a rather annoying, loose fit, and much heavier IEM. You can't go wrong with FH3, so it would be my choice at the price point.
7Hertz Timeless: More mid-bass focused, with less sub-bass and less general bass density. Fantastic detail, treble, tonality, and nice air & depth, though I feel the tonality of Bmaster PRO is equally good, with a darker, less technical sound. Do you want big bass & smoothness with low detail? Or top-notch treble and transparency, with still very nice bass? I would choose Timeless, with the Bmaster PRO having vocal flaws I don't want to deal with, and Timeless offering strong wow factor and great EQ-ability. To be fair, the much more open and extended treble of Timeless presents a brighter sound that some may not enjoy. (BGVP S01 tips FTW)
QKZ VK4 (bass test): Bmaster PRO has noticeably bigger, deeper, heavier bass.
SONGS I DUG'D:
Rob Zombie - The Life And Times Of A Teenage Rock God
Chickenfoot - Down The Drain (low gear guitars, distortion, smooth vocals)
Van Halen - Jump (bass presence, synth forwardness & clarity)
Yanni - Flash Of Color (bass, imaging/layering)
SONGS I DIDN'T DUG'D:
Ivan Spelljack Jitz - Vengeance (excessive cymbals & guitar)
Korn - Right Now (splashy vocals & cymbals, congestion)
Mirko Hirsch - [Power of Desire album] (vocals too sharp & splashy for some reason)
Trapt - Storyteller (vocals too hot)
<CONCLUSIONISSIMO>
I think these do a pretty solid job for music, surprisingly. I can't think of another IEM with a dark, bassy signature like this around $100. They remind me of HD650. These will not be keepers for me; however, I did have an enjoyable time getting to know them, and I have certainly heard many, many worse sounding IEMs than these.
- Music Approved? - Yep!
- FPS Game Approved? - Nah. Too dark, and not enough detail or spaciousness.
OceanPoet
You had me at Thundermatic Treble. Funny, I was just wondering a couple of weeks ago why there aren’t a lot of reviews on these. Thanks for diving in.
Bernard23
I bought these on a whim about 9 months ago, lost them briefly and missed them more than I thought I would. They are perfect for listening in bed after a few drinks, ie not super critical etc. I have same view of them as you - very strong and punchy bass, OK midband, but treble lacking in detail, way too much distortion in the upper presence band. For £70 GBP they are good value, I'd get them again if I lost them!
