Brainwavz Jive - The Budget IEM King?
Full quality images found here:
http://imgur.com/a/n36GI
(I was sent the Jive in black, and it looks killer, but the red photographed better)
Disclosure:
I was provided a set of Brainwavz Jive IEMs free of charge in exchange for my honest review. That is what follows below. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments.
My Preferences:
When it comes to IEM’s I own several pairs, and I prefer the sound of a balanced armature drivers. I love an IEM that is neutral with a hint (+3db or so) of bass boost to add some warmth to it, as well as an IEM that provides good detail retrieval. I am treble sensitive, and really don’t care for any IEM that gets sibilant, or that has a large treble spike.
My go to IEM’s are my re-shelled CIEM Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10, a pair of Westone UM3X’s, and a pair of Audeo PFE012 with the green filters. However, I occasionally reach for the classic, and often recommended, Shure SE215.
As is the same with most of you, I have a very eclectic taste in music, so it’s easier to list what I don’t listen too. I avoid modern country, most EDM (i.e.: house, trance, and anything played at a rave), and over produced top 40 pop music (those damn loudness wars!!!)
Specs:
Lifted directly from the Brainwavz site.
The Jive comes in several colors as well. You can get them in black, white, red, purple, and dark green. I own the black, red, and dark green variants, and the colors all look great and the anodizing holds up very well.
The Jive cable includes your choice of an iOS or Android compatible three button remote for controlling playback and volume. I found the mic to work as expected with calls, and received no complaints about the audio from other parties when using it. The three button remote worked well on my Samsung Galaxy S7, as well as with my older LG G3 and Nexus 5 devices.
Accessories:
Copy and pasted again from the Brainwavz product page.
Of note, I really love this wide (longer might be more accurate?) zippered case. So much so, that I purchased two more of them to use with other IEM’s.
Build Quality:
I wasn’t sure what to expect in respect to build quality when receiving the budget priced Brainwavz Jive. Upon opening the box, I was very pleased that the full mental house of the Jive is well made and seems very durable. Over the corse of using the Jive for several months now, I have had zero issues with the unit.
The cable however, does leave a bit to be desired. The cable has a very rubbery feel to it, and retains a lot of memory, so you will find it loves to kink and coil up on it’s very own. That said, the strain reliefs are well implemented, the Y-split is light and never gets in the way, the included cable slider is a nice addition, and I love that they included a 45 degree 3.5mm plug on the end.
All in all, for the cost, I am happy with the overall build quality of the Jive.
Fit / Confort:
I am lucky to have ears that aren’t too picky with most IEMs, and I rarely have fit issues. Most IEMs I have tried over the years fit ok to really well, and comfort isn’t usually an issue. I typically prefer Comply foam tips to silicon ones, but it really does depend on the IEM and how the tips change the sound signature.
With the Jive, I found the medium silicon tips work best, and was able to achieve a good seal, that kept the IEMs in my ears and did a nice job of passive noise reduction. I am happy to report that comfort was never an issue with the Jive, even on days when I used them for 4 to 6 hours at work.
It’s great that Brainwavz included a pair of S-400 Comply foam tips with the Jive, but I found I didn’t really need them. That said, I can always use another set of Comply tips for other IEMs. For those that want them most noise isolation and secure fit, the Comply tips are the way to go.
Sound:
I have had the Jive for a few months now, and it has seen quite a few hours of use. I have used the Jive direct out of my Samsung Galaxy S7 (no EQ), with a FiiO E7, FiiO E17K (no EQ), with a FiiO E12A IEM edition, my MacBook Air, iPad Air 2, Monoprice USB DAC/Amp (read: Drangonfly V1.2 clone), and with a SybaSonic SD-DAC63057 (no EQ).
Primary source for music has been Google Music, along with some lossless FLAC files.
Bass:
The Brainwavz Jive has surprisingly good low end for a budget IEM. The sub bass extends a lot lower then expected. Best of all though, the midbass hump that dooms so many of the Jive’s competition isn’t present. Mid bass is well balance and very pleasing. That fact alone makes these worth the cost (a whopping $28.00 USD). There is super minimal bass bleed into the midrange, and the full spectum of the lowend on the Jive is every so slightly boosted. For me, that is perfect, and fits right in line with my listening preference.
Midrange:
The midrange on the Jive’s is very clear and well detailed, if not ever so slightly recessed. Vocals, both male and female are clear and very pleasing. There is a bit spike in the upper midrange that can give some liveliness to the sound signature, but never becomes harsh or fatiguing.
Treble:
Treble performance on the Jive is probably the most surprising aspect of this IEM. As with the bass, the treble slightly elevated, and usually I would shy away from an IEM or headphone at that point. But with the Jive it works, and works really well. They tuning is nearly eliminated all sibilance, and the Jive is never fatiguing for my ears. the tuning reminds me a lot of single balanced armature IEMs in its voicing and detail retrieval. It gives the Jive a sparkle I wasn’t expecting and makes them a very fun, yet quality IEM to listen to.
Imaging:
Top performers, for me at least, in the imaging department are usually multi-driver balanced armature IEMs. In most cases, I would say its unfair to compare a budget dynamic driver IEM to those when it comes to imagine, but the Jive gets close, and that is saying a lot. Detail retrieval, instrument separation, and stereo imaging on the Jive is class leading, and punches way above its weight. While not up to the level of multi-driver balanced armature IEM’s, it’s close, and that is very pleasing.
Soundstage:
The soundstage of the Jive is one of it’s few weak points. Being an in ear design, its hard to get that sense of air that is achievable with something like the Monk+ earbud. For an IEM it does just ok, and music always seems to feel as if it’s coming from within the head, and not outside it. It does give a good sense of depth to the soundstage, but the width is narrow.
Conclusion:
Well, if you haven’t caught on by now, I really do love the Brainwavz Jive IEM. So much so that after being provided a review unit, I have purchased two other pairs of Jive’s for my wife and to keep at the office. Brainwavz markets the Jive as having the high fidelity sound of a balanced armature unit, and while not quite there, its very close. A lot closer than anyone would expect at a cost of $28.00 USD. In fact, for me, its better in some ways. It conveys about 95% of the detail of a balanced armature driver, but with added bass and dynamics that make the Jive a very fun IEM, without sacrificing sound quality. This is one IEM that will please both the audiophile and general consumer alike. Good on ya Brainwavz.
Full quality images found here:
http://imgur.com/a/n36GI
(I was sent the Jive in black, and it looks killer, but the red photographed better)
Disclosure:
I was provided a set of Brainwavz Jive IEMs free of charge in exchange for my honest review. That is what follows below. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments.
My Preferences:
When it comes to IEM’s I own several pairs, and I prefer the sound of a balanced armature drivers. I love an IEM that is neutral with a hint (+3db or so) of bass boost to add some warmth to it, as well as an IEM that provides good detail retrieval. I am treble sensitive, and really don’t care for any IEM that gets sibilant, or that has a large treble spike.
My go to IEM’s are my re-shelled CIEM Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10, a pair of Westone UM3X’s, and a pair of Audeo PFE012 with the green filters. However, I occasionally reach for the classic, and often recommended, Shure SE215.
As is the same with most of you, I have a very eclectic taste in music, so it’s easier to list what I don’t listen too. I avoid modern country, most EDM (i.e.: house, trance, and anything played at a rave), and over produced top 40 pop music (those damn loudness wars!!!)
Specs:
Lifted directly from the Brainwavz site.
- Drivers : Dynamic, 9 mm
- Rated Impedance : 16 Ω
- Frequency Range : 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
- Sensitivity : 98 dB @ 1 mW
- Rated Input Power : 20 mW
- Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold-Plated
- Cable : 1.3 m, Copper
- Phone Call Control
- Audio Player Control
- 3-Button Remote
- Supports TRRS Connector
- Supports Apple iOS and Android Devices
The Jive comes in several colors as well. You can get them in black, white, red, purple, and dark green. I own the black, red, and dark green variants, and the colors all look great and the anodizing holds up very well.
The Jive cable includes your choice of an iOS or Android compatible three button remote for controlling playback and volume. I found the mic to work as expected with calls, and received no complaints about the audio from other parties when using it. The three button remote worked well on my Samsung Galaxy S7, as well as with my older LG G3 and Nexus 5 devices.
Accessories:
Copy and pasted again from the Brainwavz product page.
- Earphone Hardcase (wide)
- 3 sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
- 1 set of Comply™ Foam Tips S-400
- 1 Shirt Clip
- Velcro Cable Tie
- Instruction Manual
- Warranty Card (24 month warranty)
Of note, I really love this wide (longer might be more accurate?) zippered case. So much so, that I purchased two more of them to use with other IEM’s.
Build Quality:
I wasn’t sure what to expect in respect to build quality when receiving the budget priced Brainwavz Jive. Upon opening the box, I was very pleased that the full mental house of the Jive is well made and seems very durable. Over the corse of using the Jive for several months now, I have had zero issues with the unit.
The cable however, does leave a bit to be desired. The cable has a very rubbery feel to it, and retains a lot of memory, so you will find it loves to kink and coil up on it’s very own. That said, the strain reliefs are well implemented, the Y-split is light and never gets in the way, the included cable slider is a nice addition, and I love that they included a 45 degree 3.5mm plug on the end.
All in all, for the cost, I am happy with the overall build quality of the Jive.
Fit / Confort:
I am lucky to have ears that aren’t too picky with most IEMs, and I rarely have fit issues. Most IEMs I have tried over the years fit ok to really well, and comfort isn’t usually an issue. I typically prefer Comply foam tips to silicon ones, but it really does depend on the IEM and how the tips change the sound signature.
With the Jive, I found the medium silicon tips work best, and was able to achieve a good seal, that kept the IEMs in my ears and did a nice job of passive noise reduction. I am happy to report that comfort was never an issue with the Jive, even on days when I used them for 4 to 6 hours at work.
It’s great that Brainwavz included a pair of S-400 Comply foam tips with the Jive, but I found I didn’t really need them. That said, I can always use another set of Comply tips for other IEMs. For those that want them most noise isolation and secure fit, the Comply tips are the way to go.
Sound:
I have had the Jive for a few months now, and it has seen quite a few hours of use. I have used the Jive direct out of my Samsung Galaxy S7 (no EQ), with a FiiO E7, FiiO E17K (no EQ), with a FiiO E12A IEM edition, my MacBook Air, iPad Air 2, Monoprice USB DAC/Amp (read: Drangonfly V1.2 clone), and with a SybaSonic SD-DAC63057 (no EQ).
Primary source for music has been Google Music, along with some lossless FLAC files.
Bass:
The Brainwavz Jive has surprisingly good low end for a budget IEM. The sub bass extends a lot lower then expected. Best of all though, the midbass hump that dooms so many of the Jive’s competition isn’t present. Mid bass is well balance and very pleasing. That fact alone makes these worth the cost (a whopping $28.00 USD). There is super minimal bass bleed into the midrange, and the full spectum of the lowend on the Jive is every so slightly boosted. For me, that is perfect, and fits right in line with my listening preference.
Midrange:
The midrange on the Jive’s is very clear and well detailed, if not ever so slightly recessed. Vocals, both male and female are clear and very pleasing. There is a bit spike in the upper midrange that can give some liveliness to the sound signature, but never becomes harsh or fatiguing.
Treble:
Treble performance on the Jive is probably the most surprising aspect of this IEM. As with the bass, the treble slightly elevated, and usually I would shy away from an IEM or headphone at that point. But with the Jive it works, and works really well. They tuning is nearly eliminated all sibilance, and the Jive is never fatiguing for my ears. the tuning reminds me a lot of single balanced armature IEMs in its voicing and detail retrieval. It gives the Jive a sparkle I wasn’t expecting and makes them a very fun, yet quality IEM to listen to.
Imaging:
Top performers, for me at least, in the imaging department are usually multi-driver balanced armature IEMs. In most cases, I would say its unfair to compare a budget dynamic driver IEM to those when it comes to imagine, but the Jive gets close, and that is saying a lot. Detail retrieval, instrument separation, and stereo imaging on the Jive is class leading, and punches way above its weight. While not up to the level of multi-driver balanced armature IEM’s, it’s close, and that is very pleasing.
Soundstage:
The soundstage of the Jive is one of it’s few weak points. Being an in ear design, its hard to get that sense of air that is achievable with something like the Monk+ earbud. For an IEM it does just ok, and music always seems to feel as if it’s coming from within the head, and not outside it. It does give a good sense of depth to the soundstage, but the width is narrow.
Conclusion:
Well, if you haven’t caught on by now, I really do love the Brainwavz Jive IEM. So much so that after being provided a review unit, I have purchased two other pairs of Jive’s for my wife and to keep at the office. Brainwavz markets the Jive as having the high fidelity sound of a balanced armature unit, and while not quite there, its very close. A lot closer than anyone would expect at a cost of $28.00 USD. In fact, for me, its better in some ways. It conveys about 95% of the detail of a balanced armature driver, but with added bass and dynamics that make the Jive a very fun IEM, without sacrificing sound quality. This is one IEM that will please both the audiophile and general consumer alike. Good on ya Brainwavz.
I find they need longer eartips personally (using them with my vsonic dual flange) gives them just enough length to seal better and helps even out that upper midrange spike, making them less bright
the bass I found to be my favorite aspect of the jives ! literally, punches way above the asking price, yes they are a bit mid-upper bassy but not thick in any sense.
the mic and buttons are just a nice added bonus... need to really test out the mic in noisy areas but so far so good =)