Brainwavz S0



Full Disclosure: Brainwavz supplied the S0 for this review

It seems Brainwavz has been cranking out the new releases in their IEM line up of late. This time they’ve entered the fray with a new entrant into the $50 market tier; the Brainwavz S0 has an MSRP of $49.50. Competition in this tier is stout, with a veritable flood of options. Lately Brainwavz seems to be going after clientele that would place value and durability at the top of their shopping list, especially in the “S” range of their line up. Let’s find out how the S0 stacks up to those expectations.



Specifications:

1. Transducers/Drivers: Dynamic, 9mm
2. Rated Impedance: 16ohms Closed Dynamic
3. Sensitivity: 100dB at 1mW
4. Frequency range: 18Hz ~ 18kHz

Design and Build

The design of the S0 takes cues from its pricier sibling, the S5. The housings are made of metal and painted black. There are markings for left and right on the housings, as well as the Brainwavz name on the back of the housings around what appears to be a pinhole pressure vent for the dynamic driver. The housings are of very similar shape to the S5 but shorter and without the angled nozzle for over-the-ear wear. While the S0 housings are made to wear down, I was still able to get a decent fit over-the-ear.



The new S0 on the left and more expensive S5 on the right

The strain reliefs are of beefy red rubber. The red and black color scheme is reminiscent of the Brainwavz B2. Exiting the strain reliefs is a flat, black cable that is of the same width as the S5. The flat cable does make the S0 a little more difficult to keep the cable over-the-ear, as it wants to flop off. This flat cable has a very durable looking Y split that is thankfully much smaller than the monstrosity on the S5. I’m glad to see Brainwavz go with the more streamlined look here. Lastly the S0 is terminated with the same straight plug as the S5.



The S0 y-split in the foreground and S5 in the background

The S0 Brainwavz supplied, came without retail packaging but included all the accessories one would find in the retail unit. First and foremost, it comes with the excellent red and black carrying case. This case appears to come with most, if not all of the Brainwavz line up. It’s a little on the thick side but offers nice, hard protection. Also included are a shirt clip, 6 pair of single flange silicone tips, 1 pair dual flange, 1 pair triple flange and 1 pair of Comply S400 tips. The dual flanges were my tips of choice for this review.



It seems Brainwavz has been able to maintain their goal of robustness and durability with a much appreciated streamlining of the Y-split.

So how do they sound? Right out of the box my very first thoughts were that I’m going to prefer these over its more expensive and more high strung sibling, the S5. The overall signature is a moderately bass elevated signature with a very mild V shaped frequency response. It’s pleasing, fun and exceptionally easy to listen to.

While I would describe the bass as plentiful, I would not describe the S0 as a bashead IEM. Its peak is more centered on mid bass, providing fairly broad impact, and while it extends pretty deep, it does start to gently roll off after 50hz. Bass presence is somewhat reminiscent between the S0 and S5 but the S5 does have sizably greater mid bass impact and sounds overall a little faster, cleaner and a bit deeper in direct comparison.

The lower mid is quite full and rich with dip in the middle midrange, giving it the shallow V frequency response. The S5 possesses a thinner and clearer vocal in comparison but it is noticeably more recessed than the S0. Electric and acoustic guitars sound thicker, bolder on the S0 with greater overall note weight.

Treble tonality between the two seems quite similar, with the S0 being the more restrained or tamed version. Both possess similar resonant frequencies but it is less noticeable on the S0, which comes across as smoother with less of an edge than the S5. Where the S5 can bring some fatigue with its lively and more present treble, the S0 stays smooth and friendly at any volume.

The S0 has been called the baby brother of the S5; I can’t think of a better analogy-- a baby brother that’s easier going and easier to get along with.

Comparisons

SoundMagic E10 and Zero Audio Tenore

Compared to Tenore and E10, the S0 is the bassier of the three but not by much. The E10’s impact is just a hair less overall, and while the Tenore’s has quite noticeably less impact, it in contrast produces quite noticeably more sub bass rumble.

The midrange of the E10 move vocals a little closer and sounds a bit more open overall. The Tenore on the other hand, brings vocals even closer and clearer, with very prominent guitars compared to the other two. The S0 has a thicker, richer midrange with weightier, albeit more distant vocals.

The E10 has the most prominent treble presence and sparkle of the three. It sounds obviously brighter, airier and more open than the S0 and Tenore. In fact the Tenore and S0 have similar overall treble presence with the Tenore high end sounding a flatter and more even in frequency response, with the S0 nearly matching the overall smoothness of the Tenore. All three display good extension without being harsh or piercing, even at louder volumes.



Conclusion

Continuing the family lineage of the S series robust and durable builds, the S0 is easily my favorite of the line-up to listen to. The only change I’d like to see is a housing and nozzle shape that is friendlier for over-the-ear wear. The S0 holds it’s own against two of my favorite budget phones, and while different in some areas, it is just as equally enjoyable-- the S0 hits a little harder, has thicker notes and is overall a bit darker but possesses an easy going and easy to get along with signature. Recommended.

visit www.mp4nation.net for more information.

 
Earphones, earbuds, in-ear monitors, whatever you want to call them, in full disclosure, I’m not really a fan. That's not to say that I haven't tried my fair share of these things, though. I've had probably a dozen or more earphones over the years from the likes of Apple, Philips, Samsung, Sennheiser, Skull Candy, Sony and others, I'm sure. So, I know what you're thinking... you get what you pay for. Well, my most recent in-ear experience is with HiFiMan's Re-Zero earphones that were gifted to me. And, while they have served me well for my commuter and travel needs, I'm generally thrilled when I can get any IEM out of my ears and settle back into a comfy pair of full-size headphones. 

Nevertheless, when Audrey from Brainwavz asked if I'd like to audition and review their latest in-ear monitor, the S0 (Zero), I graciously accepted the challenge, because, really, who wouldn't? When a well-regarded company like Brainwavz asks you to do something, you listen (within reason of course). And listen I did.

Unboxing
When first getting my hands on the S0, I was pleasantly greeted with the high-grade packaging I have come to expect from Asian audio manufacturers. I’ve been working a lot with Cayin, Dunu, Fidue and T-PEOS products lately for a project I am assisting CTC Audio with. The Brainwavz packaging is on par with its competitors, presenting quality construction and materials, nice printing, and a novel magnetic outer flap that opens to reveal the product and all of the details about it. In your hands, you’d think you’re getting a product that retails for far more than $50.

Accessories
Another thing I have come to expect with the IEMs competing in this price range is a variety of accessories to customize use and fit. The S0 doesn’t disappoint here. Included with the S0 is a Brainwavz-branded cable tie, hard carrying case and shirt clip, and a variety of tips that include 1 set of Comply S-400 foam tips, 1 set of black silicone bi-flange tips, 1 set of black silicone tri-flange tips, 3 sets of black silicone narrow channel tips, and finally, 3 sets of grey silicone wide channel tips. 

The hard case has two pockets that will secure all of these things in place while you’re on the go. Finding the tip that is right for you is really key, so experiment. I ended up using the tri-flange tip the most, getting the best comfort and isolation with it.

Build
Once you get the S0 in your hands, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with their sleek high-grade aluminum housing and overall build quality. They feel solid, the strain relief points are robust, and they simply look good. Internally, the S0 sports a 9mm dynamic driver comprised of a neodymium magnet and CCAW voice coil. 

The cable is 1.2m of flat insulated pure OFC copper that is intended to be worn down instead of over the ear. It is terminated in a 3.5mm gold-plated plug, but there are no adapters included as the S0 is intended for use with mobile devices. As for cable microphonics… yes they are there. The shirt clip helps, but doesn’t alleviate the entire problem. Sitting still while working, obviously no problem. Hustling to the train on the other hand left every rub and bump traveling into my ears. On occasion I also picked up some cell static while texting. That said, I can’t really recommend these for use at the gym or on a run.

The S0 comes with a 12-month warranty, but their build leads me to believe that you should be problem-free.

Sound
Brainwavz claims that the S0 presents a “balanced sound signature with each part of the sound spectrum represented accurate and clear,” and “are designed to sound good with any genre of music.”

This is where I have to draw the line. Clear? Yes. Balanced? No. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but buyers beware, these aren’t going to sound like the AKG reference headphones you use at home. I’d steer the discerning audiophile away and offer these to the new head-fi enthusiast looking to make incremental upgrades from typical consumer brands instead.

The S0’s 9mm dynamic drivers are rated at 16-ohm, with a frequency response range of 18hz-18kHz and a sensitivity of 100dB at 1mW. These stats will tell you right off the bat that they are super easy to drive, but will likely lack real deep bass extension and some sparkle in the highs. So how do they sound?

My initial audition was based on running through several hours of tracks from The Sound Apprentice Spotify playlist. A mix of songs from the likes of Fink, Bonobo, Odesza, Minus the Bear, John Butler Trio, Mammal Hands, Miles Davis, Glass Animals and many more all made their way through the S0 on my Samsung Galaxy S3, through my work PC utilizing an ALO Audio “The Island” DAC/amp, and later through my big home rig… the Sony DVP-S9000ES mated to my Ray Samuels Audio “The Raptor” headphone amp.

Without a doubt, the S0 benefits from a true headphone amp of some kind. Expect to get a cleaner presentation and more definition and better impact. That said, the overall sound signature of the S0 didn’t change much, being only influenced slightly by the characteristics of the amp itself. 

When you first listen to the S0, you will likely immediately notice that there is a prominent mid-bass hump—or at least I did. Bass overall extends fairly well, but it does fall short of producing a real low-end that rumbles your eardrums. I also found that the bass was slightly boomy. Kick drums, for example, had the impact but sounded a bit hollow, or un-dampened and resonant. For rock, I felt the bass notes to be a bit slow as well, but for electronic music and acoustic, it gave off the impression of an intriguing “live” sound. 

Transitioning from the mid-bass hump into the real soul of the mids was, again, not what I had expected based on the claims of the S0’s balanced presentation. My ears found the real heart of the mids to be a bit recessed and lacking of the meatiness I crave to get my feet tapping. The mids that were present were certainly clean with acceptable detail, but never really balanced out with the bass. Vocals have a natural sound, but tend to fall behind the rest of the instruments.

As for the treble, it certainly rolls off. Again, the highs that are there are clean, but they don’t extend too far, which gives the S0 a darker, slightly veiled sound signature. To those that are treble-sensitive, this may be exactly the sound you are looking for. For long listening sessions, the mellow highs may also be welcomed because you will never suffer any fatigue. That said, for those looking for cutting highs with a wide soundstage, you’ll be left wanting for more. In other words, these probably aren’t for the fans of big brass sections or sensitive saxophones. Rather, fans of hip-hop and electronic music will likely be happier with the S0.

What I can say is that the S0 centers the soundstage very well. I found no imbalances in the channels, and you do get some three-dimensionality. 

Bottom Line 
I have truly mixed feelings about the S0. The looks, build and accessories are all terrific. The cable could be better, and the sound is anything but balanced. But, these don’t sound bad. Not at all. These just fit a niche I think for those that favor a bias towards the lower end of the frequency range that helps tame a lot of today’s overly bright recordings. 

In all, I’d say that the Brainwavz S0 in-ear monitor is for those that simply like mellow highs and a slight bass emphasis. The V-Shaped response really gives you that live hall experience.

For more information, please visit Brainwavz and their online store MP4 Nation. Many thanks to Brainwavz and Audrey for reaching out to me and allowing me to audition the new Brainwavz S0 in-ear monitor.

PREAMBLE

Brainwavz is a well established manufacturer of headphones in the value for money category – offering many different options (especially for IEMs) that suit almost anyone’s sonic preferences. I’ve previously had both good and bad experiences with their headphones / IEMs – I previously reviewed and owned their B2 IEMs and HM5 headphones, and both were stellar performers. I also sampled their R1, R3, S5 and R3 V2 IEMs – and whilst the R3 V2 and S5 were also solid performers, the R1 and R3 originals weren’t quite as well aligned with my preferences.

I’ve had regular contact with Audrey from Brainwavz, and when she asked me to consider reviewing the S0, I immediately agreed – as at half the price of the S5, they were an interesting price point for me.
I received the courier pack last week – and have already spent as much time as I could getting to know the ins and out of these IEMs. I’d estimate that so far I’ve logged around 20 hours with the Brainwavz S0. I’ve also spent time tip rolling and using different genres to really get a feel for what the S0 offers to different music tastes.

I’ve listed price at USD $49.50 (current MP4Nation price at time of writing) – however this is not what I paid for them (they are a review sample).

DISCLAIMER

I was provided the Brainwavz S0 as a review sample. I am in no way affiliated with Brainwavz - and this review is my subjective opinion of the Brainwavz S0. I would like to thank Audrey for making this opportunity available.

PREAMBLE - 'ABOUT ME'. (or a base-line for interpreting my thoughts and bias)

I'm a 47 year old music lover. I don't say audiophile – I just love my music. Over the last couple of years, I have slowly changed from cheaper listening set-ups to my current set-up. I vary my listening from portable (Fiio X5, and iPhone5) to my desk-top's set-up (PC > coax > NFB-12 > LD MKIV > HP). I also use a portable set-up at work – either X5 > HP, or PC > Beyer A200p > HP. My main full sized headphones at the time of writing are the Beyer T1 and Sennheiser HD600. Most of my portable listening is done with IEMs, and up till now it has mainly been with the Fidue A83, A81, Dunu DN-1000 and Altone200. A full list of the gear I have owned (past and present is listed in my Head-Fi profile).

I have very eclectic music tastes listening to a variety from classical/opera and jazz, to grunge and general rock. I listen to a lot of blues, jazz, folk music, classic rock, indie and alternative rock. I am particularly fond of female vocals. I generally tend toward cans that are relatively neutral/balanced. I am neither a bass nor treble head (you could argue that I do like clarity though). I am not treble sensitive (at all), and in the past have really enjoyed headphones like the K701, SR325i, and of course the T1 and DT880.

For the purposes of this review - I used the Brainwavz S0 straight from the headphone-out socket of my Fiio X5, and iPhone5, and also from the Beyer A200p when at work. I did not further amp them, as IMO they do not benefit from additional amplification. In the time I have spent with the S0, I have noticed no change to the overall sonic presentation (I do not believe in 'night and day' burn-in). I will respect others choice if they believe in physical burn-in, but I am yet to experience it.

This is a purely subjective review - my gear, my ears, and my experience. Please take it all with a grain of salt - especially if it does not match your own experience.

THE REVIEW

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The Brainwavz S0 arrived in a very smart retail box (book type), similar to the retail box of the S5 – with an inner container housing the IEMs and accessories.


The packaging is attractive and I think Brainwavz have a winner with this styling. It is functional, but also has a quality (or sophisticated) look to it. The colours simply convey something special. The retail box contains the catch phrase “clear and balanced sound, accurate sound reproduction, and durable metal housing” on the front cover. Straight forward and simple messages – we’ll address each one in the review. On the rear of the box is a list of accessories included plus the earphone specifications. On the inside of the front page is a really nice touch – and shows that Brainwavz are proud of what they are delivering – an expanded internal diagram of what makes up the S0. Once again, the inner audio-nut in me loves this sort of thing!


The accessory package is very typical Brainwavz – very comprehensive, and quite exceptional, especially for this price range. It still amazes me that even in the sub $50 price bracket, they offer far more accessories than a lot of other manufacturers do with their pricier models.


First up you get the Brainwavz carry case – which is a hard fabric covered pouch – and easily carries all your tips and the S0. The case is really good because it does offer a lot of protection to the IEMs – but it is definitely more suited to transport in a jacket pocket or bag rather than a trouser pocket – simply due to its height. This is definitely a quality carry case though.

Along with the case you also get a small combined instruction plus warranty information sheet (reverse side), a short clip, a huge selection of silicone tips (including single, bi and tri flange), and a genuine set of comply S400 medium tips.


The silicone tips include 6 sets of standard tips, 1 set of double flanges, and one set of triple flanges.


New (from the other Brainwavz offerings I’ve tried) is a nifty little velcro cable tie. I definitely like this addition, and shows Brainwavz are continually looking for ways to innovate. Hint for Brainwavz – take a look at the Dunu “attached” cable tie some time. For me – it is best in class and incredibly handy – but yours is definitely a big step in the right direction.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

(From Brainwavz)
For comparison, I’ve also listed the S5 reviewed previously so that you can see any differences.


FREQUENCY GRAPHS

Unfortunately I’ve been unable to find a frequency graph for the S0 so far but will add it later if I can find one. For the record – I’m expecting a relatively flat mid-range, elevated bass - especially mid bass, and also elevation in the lower treble, with some roll off in the upper treble.

BUILD QUALITY

Like the S5, when you first look at the shells of the S0, you’re likely to conclude (at the price level they’re targeting), that the body is hard moulded plastic. Up close – it even looks like black shiny plastic – but when you actually handle them, you realise that it is actually an aluminium alloy. The build quality on the S0 shell is extremely good – smooth, nicely shaped, and (like the S5 before it) one of the best I’ve seen at any price point. The S0 forgoes the ergonomically Shure type design, and revert back to a more standard straight design which can either be worn over ear or straight down.


The S0 is also extremely light weight and comfortable to wear – weighing in at a meagre 16g, and I think a lot of the 16g is (like the S5) in the cable (more on this below).

The strain relief from the IEM housing is relatively rigid rubber moulded onto the housing, and looks of sufficient quality to last for considerable time, and protect the cable very well. L/R markings are printed in very clear white on the S0 shell – and are very easy to read against the black background.


The cable is a 1.2m flat copper cable in an outer rubbery (TPE) flat sheath. It is very solid, but leads to my only real complaint about the build on the S0. The cable is quite microphonic compared to a lot of the IEMs I’ve tried. It’s not the flat design either – it’s simply the rubbery sheath. This can be negated through use of the supplied shirt clip, or using the in-built cable cinch. Another way to alleviate this is to tuck the cable well inside clothing. Whilst there are ways of fixing this, it is unfortunate IMO that the design was not altered. It’s one common trait on the Brainwavz S series I’d really like to see changed eventually. The flat cable is comfortable for me to fit over ear – but has to be cinched to avoid flopping.


The splitter this time has been reduced to a more manageable size (compared to the S5), is flat and does have a cinch (neck slider) which works well. Strain reliefs are very good.


The plug is a straight plug which is relatively petite – and I had no issues fitting it to my iPhone with cover intact. Once again, strain relief at the plug is excellent.

FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION

I have one ear canal slightly different to the other one (my right is very slightly smaller) - so I tend to find that usually single silicon flanges don't fit overly well. I initially tried both large silicone tips included, and they actually fit pretty well, but did not isolate fully. So I then switched to the Complys, and ….. perfection (for me). Really good comfort, and good isolation.

All tips stayed intact with the S5 during insertion and removal, so the design of the nozzle definitely gets thumbs up from me. Isolation with the Comply tips is good enough for air travel, and the comfort is brilliant. They do have a rear vent/port – but it doesn’t seem to affect isolation too much. I’ve already slept with the Brainwavz S0 – they do not protrude past my outer ear when fitted.

So what does the Brainwavz S0 sound like? Is it a cheaper version of the S5?

SOUND QUALITY

The following is what I hear from the Brainwavz S0. YMMV – and probably will – as my tastes are likely different to yours (read the preamble I gave earlier for a baseline). Most of the testing at this point (unless otherwise stated) was done with both my Fiio X5 and iPhone 5S as source.


Tracks used were across a variety of genres – and can be viewed in this list http://www.head-fi.org/a/brookos-test-tracks.
Thoughts on General Signature

I’m finding the Brainwavz S0 (like the S5) to have a mild V shaped frequency response with a boost to the bass presence (mainly mid-bass, but slightly weightier sub-bass also), quite flat and balanced mid-range (nice cohesion between lower mids and upper mids), and a very small bump in the lower treble for clarity. The sound is very tip dependent, and with a good seal, they can sound clear but dark and warm. If the seal is not 100% (eg with silicones for me), I get a little bass leak, and a much cleaner more balanced sound. I occasionally get a little ‘hollowness’ or “honkiness” with certain tracks which can indicate a notch in the upper mid-range – but this seems to come and go, and is very track dependent for me.

Overall Detail / Clarity

For this I used both Steely Dan’s “Gaucho” and Dire Strait’s “Sultans of Swing” as there is a lot of micro detail in both tracks, and the recording quality for both is excellent.

The Brainwavz S0 displayed good detail retrieval with a mellow and smooth sound, and quite a laid back lower treble – enough bump to give detail, but not too much sizzle. With Gaucho, the cymbals are there, but in the background (not spot-lit). It is a very smooth presentation, with no real peakiness. The sax is really good – not splashy or overdone. Switching to Sultans of Swing, and once more the focus is more upper mid-range than actual treble. This track shows a little more crispness – and this time there is the occasional splashiness coming through. Knopfler’s guitar Is allowed to sing and my only real complaint would be that there is some lower end bloom (boom) from the mid-bass that could be dialled back a little.

Sound-stage & Imaging

For this I used Amber Rubarth’s binaural recording “Tundra”. I used this because it’s a pretty simple way to get comparative data on sound-stage.

It’s usually difficult to get a reasonable stage size from an inner ear monitor. The stage is often quite small / close – with an average impression of space. The Brainwavs S5 for me is a typical IEM in this regard. The sound – while relatively clear (the drums are probably the most focused), is still very much ‘in your head’ – but still enjoyable. Directional cues are OK (positioning of the violin was “off” from what I am used to) – so for a value priced IEM its imaging is OK – definitely not as accomplished as some of the more detail oriented IEMs I’ve tried recently.

I also used Loreena McKennitt’s “Dante’s Prayer” and the S0 again delivered a smooth and easy to listen to performance. In this track, the applause at the end is so well presented that with some headphones (HD600) I can actually close my eyes and imagine myself in the crowd. With the S0, the clapping did have a little distance – but there was no real sense of space. At this point I retried the ending again, this time giving the S0 an EQ cut on the mid-bass, and all of a sudden the crowd sprang into life – and the some of the realism I hear with the HD600 was apparent. More on this later.

Genre Specific Notes

Again for tracks, albums, artists – please refer to this list: http://www.head-fi.org/a/brookos-test-tracks

Rock – For me, the S0’s perform reasonably well with this genre - smooth, with good vocal clarity and also very punchy bass. 3 Doors Down “Away From the Sun”, and Alter Bridge’s “Broken Wings” are both presented well vocally, but I was finding that when concentrated guitar kicked in, the S0 tended to close in a little, and almost become a wall of congestion. Overall though it is very easy to listen to the S5 for extended periods of time, and there is simply no fatigue with any of the tracks I’ve listened to. On the much faster “Diary of Jayne”, the presentation is warmer than I am used to – and there is some slight smearing of the lower mid-range. Vocals are still well presented, but I can’t help thinking that the mid-range is being slightly choked by themed-bass though.

Alt Rock – First up was Pink Floyd’s “Money”, and the S0 kept up quite well – but unfortunately the bass guitar tended to overshadow some of the detail that should be present. The sax was exceptional though – really smooth, and very easy to listen to. Gilmour’s electric guitar was stellar and shone nicely. Overall more pass than fail with this track. Switching to Porcupine Tree’s “Trains”, and here is a track that suits the S0 really well (from memory it also did with the S5). The bass is very good (again – might need a cut in the mid-bass) – and there is nice overall balance. Wilson’s voice really suits the S0’s relaxed vocal presentation. I need to explore more PT with this particular IEM.

Jazz / Blues / Bluegrass – I started with Portico Quartet’s “Ruins” and this is one of those tracks I encountered some hollowness through the upper mid-range which unfortunately took something away from the overall presentation. Detail overall was good though. Once again, too much bass for my particular preference. Moving to Miles Davis “So What”, and this is a little better – although I would personally like a little more detail from cymbals and high-hats. Miles trumpet sounds very good – smooth as always.

Switching to Blues – I fired up Joe Bonamassa’s India-Mountain Time, a track that I like immensely. The guitar work has less sparkle and crunch than I am used to, but the S0 is particularly good with Joe’s vocals (just the right tone and contrast), and this is a presentation I could definitely just sit down and enjoy for the entire album. Switching to “Dust Bowl Children” (Alison Kraus and Union Station), and the S0 also does this pretty well. Again, acoustic instruments (for my tastes) need more edge – but the vocals are clear – and the overall presentation is pretty smooth.

Rap / EDM / Pop – Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” next, and this is where the S0 nails things – everything works together very cohesively (vocals, bass, guitar), and it’s surprising how much bass these drivers can deliver with the right song (too copius for me – but others will love this). What surprises me though is how clear the song is despite the copious bass it’s putting out. I also tried Feist’s “Bad In Each Other” (another track with a thumping bass line) and again the S0 performed well. The contrast between vocals and bass was very good. Switching to Norah Jones “Light as a Feather” (a fusion of pop with jazz undertones), and it is three for three. I personally would like a touch more air in the upper registers, but it almost seems that the S0 was tuned for more modern music. In fact most Pop in my library sounds pretty good with the S0 – vocals shine, bass is impactful (although for my personal atses, I could live with a little less “boom”), the word cohesion does come to mind. Switching to EDM – I tried some Little Dragon and some Flashbulb – and it is clear to me, most electronic music also shines with the S0. Bass has good impact, but there is also enough detail to provide contrast.

Classical / Opera – after being surprised last time with the S5, I was hoping for good things with the S0. Kempff’s Moonlight Sonata was captivating, very good tone and pace – able to convey some of the emotion from the performance. Netrebko and Garanca’s “Flower Duet” was smooth and easy to listen to – but I did find that with full orchestral tracks I was missing some of the air I’d normally experience with brighter IEMs. Overall though with the mid-bass taking a break for a while, I was finding the S0 really easy to adapt to with classical – and for someone on a budget, I could see these fitting the bill quite nicely.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The S0 is very easily powered straight out of virtually any portable device, and I didn’t experience any issues with the 3 DAPs I tested (iPhone 5S, or Fiio X5). Of the two – my personal preference would go to the iPhone 5S – but simply because of the Accudio Pro app (read next section).

RESPONSE TO EQ?

I was really keen to see what the S0 could do by applying a little EQ – as I feel these have just a little too much bass (especially the mid-bass). For a quick fix, I often use the Accudio Pro app, and apply a preset EQ for a headphone/IEM that I know which has similar “issues” to what I am trying to correct. So I Ioaded the preset for the Sennheiser CX300 – an older IEM with notorious mid-bass issues – and reloaded some of the tracks I’d been listening to.

For my tastes the improvement was astonishing. The missing detail suddenly leapt to life, and instead of having the overpowering boominess, I was left with a much smoother and more balanced response. All the detail was there – but still smooth. If this was the default signature, I would buy these in a heart-beat. Tracks I use for sound staging had more zip and sense of space. So the S0 responded really well to EQ for me.

COMPARISON S5

Rather than trying to compare the S0 to other more expensive IEM’s, I thought it best to simply reference it alongside it’s reasonably well known older brother – the S5. I would have perhaps tried it against the Tekfusion Twinwoofers I had, but unfortunately they are still on tour in Australia, and nothing else I currently have with me is in a suitable price bracket.

For the comparison, I used a standard test tone (3 kHz), SPL meter, and the digital volume on the X5. Interestingly at 3kHz, there was less than 1dB difference between the two which made my job very easy.
The S5 (to my ears) has a more splashy treble / upper mid-range and deeper overall V shape, whilst the S0 appears more balance (less splash and more cohesion). Both have elevated bass – and removing some of the hump in the mid-bass does help both IEMs, although it does more with the S0 simply because it doesn’t have the same splash in the treble.

If I could take some of the mid-bass out of the S0, and put it in the S5 body (but keep the S0 slightly more petite cable V split etc), it would make a killer IEM in this price range (hint, hint Brainwavz).

Without EQ – personally I still prefer the S5 – but with EQ, definitely the S0.

BRAINWAVZ S0 - SUMMARY

The Brainwavz S0 (likes its sibling S5) is an extremely well built IEM with a mildly V shaped sound signature, good tone and timbre, and excellent comfort and fit. It is an IEM that belies its $50 price range – delivering superior sonics at an incredible value (especially when considering both build quality and accessory package) . It has an emphasis on bass impact, which can be reduced nicely by EQ. The mid-range itself is quite linear, the lower treble has some good detail and is quite smooth, but the upper treble is polite (definitely not a focus). The S0 has a very smooth overall signature which suits many genres. Treble-heads, or people preferring brightness and etched detail should definitely look elsewhere – unless they are willing to rely on some EQ (which the S0 responds to quite nicely). Rather than tweaking the upper registers, just subtracting mid-bass really helps these IEMs. The continuing fault I do find with the Brainwavz S series is that the cable is perhaps a little too bulky, and is definitely microphonic – but this can be managed to minimise the effects.

The litmus question again for me would be “would I buy these for myself”, and “would I recommend them to my family”. The answer to this question is maybe – with EQ applied, the S0 offers very good sonics for a bargain price.

And here is perhaps a good note to end the review on. It’s evening as I put the finishing touches on the review before posting, and although I’m pretty much finished, the S0 remain in my ears. I’m listening to Wildlight’s album “Hers Was A Thunder” on my iPhone 5S – through Accudio (so the EQ is on). I could easily switch to my A83 triple hybrid at this point, but I don’t need to. I’m thoroughly enjoying what I’m hearing without switching. And that is the magic of the hidden potential of the S0.


RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRAINWAVZ

• Again - consider changing the cable to something lighter and less microphonic
• I’d love to see an S0 with less mid and sub-bass, and housed in the S5 shell. Pricing between the S0 and S5 current RRP could quite possibly make a winner. Worth thinking about?

At the time this review was written, the Brainwavz S0 earphone was on sale for $49.50 USD on MP4NATION. Here is their listing of this product at the time of review:
 
http://www.mp4nation.net/brainwavz-s0-iem-earphones-free-fedex-2-day-to-select-destination
 
Introduction
 
This Head-Fi journey has led me to try many different models and brands. However, I have only heard bits and pieces on Head-Fi about Brainwavz and their product line. Aside from the HM5 headphone pads, I hadn’t purchased any of their gear because I was unsure of what to expect. When Audrey at Brainwavz contacted me to try their products, I was excited to try a sample of their earphones.
 
Disclaimer
 
First and foremost, a HUGE thank you to Audry at Brainwavz for the opportunity to try the S0 earphone. I am in no way affiliated with Brainwavz, and was given an opportunity to sample this product in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
 
My Background
 
Please allow me to share a little bit about myself so you can better understand my observations. I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
 
There’s something about quality DAPs, amplifiers and earphones that intrigues me, ESPECIALLY if they can be had for low prices. I’m a budget-fi guy. I buy the $5 to $400 headphone or IEM that looks promising, in hopes that I can find that one new gem that can perform above its price range, and compete with the big boys of this industry. If you look at my profile and inventory you will see I have purchased many, and I mean MANY different headphones ranging from $5 all the way up to $400. For me, it’s been more about getting great price to performance ratio, and hearing a variety of different gears with diverse signatures. With this hobby, we often times pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned is that price DOES NOT always indicate good sound and build quality.
 
 I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me that “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different signatures as long as they are presented in a way that is pleasing to my ears. It’s my pleasure to share my experience with audio products, and make recommendations based on what I have heard.
 
The Package
 

 
 
The Brainwavz S0 came in a black box featuring a simple and stylish display of their name, the model, a brief description of their product’s features, and a glossy “cut out” image of the product.
The back of the package had a description of their product, stating that it had a balanced signature, and that their earphone would play any genre of music well. It also gave a listing of their contents and accessories, and a listing of the device specifications.
 

 
 
Driver:                                 Dynamic 9mm
Frequency Range:             18Hz ~ 18kHz
Impedance:                        16 Ohm
Sensitivity:                          100dB at 1 mW
Rated Input Power:            10mW
Plug:                                   3.5mm, gold plated
Cable:                                 1.2 m Y-Cord, Copper
 
Flipping open the front flap of the display, there was a nicely layed out statement from the company and their commitment to sound quality, and detailed schematics of their design on the left. On the right is a teaser of the IEM, and the AWESOME red and black zipper case. It is very sharp how they did this.
 

 
 
Opening the package, there was a clear plastic mold holding everything in place.
 

 
 
The zipper case is of semi rigid and high quality mesh material. It is a slightly larger than normal clamshell cases that is easily capable of holding the earphone and all of the accessories, or you could opt for storing the earphone and something like a Sansa Clip Zip, or a small mp3 player along those lines. This was a really nice touch.
 

 
 
The S0 comes with 9 sets of tips.
 
1X High quality comply foam premium tips (Medium size)
1X Medium/Large dual flange silicone tips
1X Medium/Large triple flange silicone tips
2X Small single flange silicone tips (1X Sony Hybrid-ish style, and 1X Gray/Red wider bore)
2X Medium single flange silicone tips (1X Sony Hybrid-ish style, and 1X Gray/Red wider bore)
2X Large single fange silicone tips (1X Sony Hybrid-ish style, and 1X Gray/Red wider bore)
 
Note: The Sony Hybrid-ish type of tips are the same shape and size as the authentic Sony version, but they are more rigid and less supple then the original. Because of that expect a slightly different fit as compared to the ones that come with Sony earphones. There are plenty of tips for just about everyone to get a secure fit and seal.
 
The build on these are solid. Starting at the housing, they have a black metal exterior. Everything seems of high quality and it doesn’t look like anything will break any time soon. The red strain reliefs seem tough and work well in the transition from the housing to the flat cable.
 

 
 
The cable is flat and of high quality. I have to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of flat cables because my preferred method of wearing IEMs is over the ear. Although I am capable of wearing the S0 over the ear, I have to be mindful of not twisting the cables leading from the Y-split to the housing too much to prevent creating tension and tugging from the cable. I also find myself losing a seal from time to time, and more often so than when using a round cable with the same housing design (your mileage may vary). Some will like the flat cable and others won’t. Please note I speak from my own opinion. There is no chin slider to snug the cable in place.
 

 
 
The Y-split is made of tough plastic, and has rubber strain reliefs on each side. It’s well built and leaves me with no concerns. The cable jack is made of the same plastic and rubber as the Y split. It is a straight cable and seems sturdy. I sense that there could possible and eventually be a short where the flat cable meets the strain relief at the plug IF handled roughly for a long period of time.
 
Fit & Microphonics
 
I touched on over the ear use while describing the cable, but these work great being worn straight down. The housing sits comfortably in the valley of my ear canal. You will get considerable microponics when wearing them down. When wearing the over the ears microphonics is reduced significantly.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Review Materials
 
I primarily did my demo with my LG G3 phone, and with my portable rig, a Samsung Galaxy S (Wolfson chip) with Topping NX1 amplifier. I also used my Fiio E17 DAC/AMP at 24 bit, 96000 Hz out of my laptop setup. I also tested them with other portable DAPs and amplifiers, and didn’t notice any significant changes with different sources. I used Google music downloaded in its highest quality download setting (320 kbps), and streamed flac via Tidal streaming service. I made sure to have approximately 30 hours of burn-in by playing them at loud volumes with different varieties of music.
 
 I used my usual same songs for testing this gear:
 
“Limit to your love” by James Blake
“One” by Metallica
“Madness” by Muse
“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk
“Some Nights” by Fun
“The Soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela
“Bassically” by Tei Shi
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie
“One” by Ed Sheeran
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack
“Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits
“Ten Thousand Fists” by Disturbed
 
Sound
 
These are described as balanced on the box, but I definitely wouldn’t consider that to be case. I won’t say its false advertising, but if you are an audiophile looking for a flat tuning, you aren’t going to find it with these. These are a mid bass forward earphone that can play many genres very well. The midrange is full bodied and the treble is decent and not harsh to my ears. I didn’t necessarily care for how much the mid bass effected the overall resolution and soundstage in their stock configuration. Making adjustments with an EQ rendered a much more pleasing sound to my ears. The good news is that these are very capable of quality sound reproduction and respond well to an EQ adjustment. I really enjoy them with the mid bass turned down.
 
Bass
 
I find the bass to be punchy and mid bass forward. The sub layer is decent, but it gets over shadowed by the large amount of mid bass. At loud volumes the amount of mid bass gets slightly fatiguing to my ears. The good thing is that turning the mid bass down with an EQ adjustment, they can be a very balanced sound that is really fun to listen to.
 
Midrange
 
Midrange is full bodied and smooth. Before an EQ adjustment the mid basses resonate and impact the clarity of the midrange. With an EQ adjustment they have an above average response. Male vocals carry a lot of weight and some will considered it to be veiled.
 
Treble
 
It is smooth and in balance with the midrange. Cymbals have a nice smooth attack and decay. I really enjoy the treble response as it is easy on the ears and not lacking IMHO.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
 
I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but the mid bass impacts the soundstage. When anything from mid bass regions through upper mids takes the front of the stage, it makes it very hard to say that they are extended or airy.
 
Imaging is average for an IEM with a signature like this. It’s not bad, but not great.
 
Comparisons
 
Hisoundaudio ES212 ($40 to $55 USD on many sites)
 
The ES212 has more sub extension, giving it a sense of more depth to it’s sound. Bass is more mid bass forward on the S0, putting more weight on the midrange at the expense of some resolution. The ES212 has more of a V-signature. The treble on these two are very similar, with just a hair more crispness in the Hisoundaudio model.  
 
Build quality is about equal, but in terms of accessories the S0 destroys the ES212. The case and tip selection is far superior on the S0
 
Xiaomi Piston 2.0 ($20 to $30 USD on many sites)
 
The Pistons bass is more extended into sub regions, but mid basses are very similar on both models. Mid bass on both impacts the midrange. The midrange is more full on the SO, with the Pistons midrange being more recessed. Treble on the S0 is a touch smoother than the Pistons.
 
The Pistons offer a three button control for android which is a plus, and a very clever case that holds all of the accessories. The tip selection is much better on the Brainwavz model.
 
Soundmagic E10 ($25 to $40 USD on many sites)
 
The Soundmagic E10 is a more balanced sound than the S0, and with a boosted sub layer. These are actually quite similar in terms of tuning, but where the E10 is boosted in sub bass, the S0 has that boost in it’s mid bass layer.
 
The build on each is equal, but I slightly prefer the E10 because of the over the ear fitment. The S0 has a better accessories package.
 
 
Conclusion
 
For a younger crowd looking for a bass forward tuning that puts plenty of weight on male vocals and with treble that is not fatiguing at all, the tuning will be right up their alley. They are a solid package with great build quality and lots of accessories. While there are models at this price range that offer a better tuning in my opinion, all things considered this is a great offering from Brainwavz.
 
Thanks for reading and happy listening!

okay, it seems mp4nation & brainwavz have a habit of boosting their prices first, then offering the regular prices as discounts. this is probably not news for head-fiers though. $50 regular price for this ? come on... koss ruk30's original price is just $30 and it can be found around $20 and sounds slightly better imho (see my review for details). i cannot bear any earphone that has a lower quality than this level and i'll not welcome any earphone which costs more than koss and offer nothing more but i'm happy for the competition at least. 
 
compared to s1, there's some frequency balance adjustments. judging from other reviews, i guess people liked that. so what actually people liked ? changes made are on 125hz and mostly on 250hz frequencies. they're the strong bass frequencies which mainly controls drums (250hz especially). lowering these frequencies help earphone compatibility with wide range of song types, by absorbing some distortions in certain songs, while making drums more muffled. the point most people are missing is, this also easily doable with an equalizer setting on your device. but you know some people...
 
other than frequency balance, i think s1 is slightly superior than s0 (no surprise due to model numbering ?). i didn't read all the reviews yet but i guess most people choosing s0 over s1. i think s1 is slightly better in terms of distortion tolerance of bass & vocal positioning. on the soundstage size ? i think i felt something too, isn't s1's mids occurs a little more distant to ear ? maybe due to slightly bigger bass ? i don't know, but i know following things for sure:
 
* both s0 & s1 is similar, very similar, actually very very similar (except the frequency balance)
* they're pretty much alike to koss ruk30 (s1 is more comparible but the frequency balance again)
* they're bass earphones and you're going to forget there was a treble in songs sometimes
* their treble is not bright thus sound a little bit dark (s1 is the darkest i think)
* their mids are detailed due to properly incorporated mid layers (unlike m series)
* their bass doesn't interferes with other frequencies due to better seperation 
 
more about the bass: actually if we consider the total amount of bass power, m5 is slightly leading among others. but due to larger soundstage & better seperations, s series & koss earphones delivers more quality, more proper sounding bass and feels more satisfying both with the punches and the overall bass feeling but most importantly they don't interfere with mids (due to more seperation). and hey, these earphones are the most bassy earphones among i've tried yet (see the list on my profile).
 
i've to note that s0 has smaller case and better fitting but other reviewers probably already done that, no need for me to state the obvious both s1 & koss have more chance to fall down due to horizontally long case. only reason i cut some stars from these is the pricing, what can i do if koss offers better price ? they say hearing is believing. maybe brainwavz believe in pricing instead...

S0 is the new little brother of S5 which I quite enjoy. It costs about half the price of its big brother, at US49.50. It's great to see more competition in the sub-$50 price range, because that's how much most mainstream consumers are willing to pay for a pair of good earphones/in-ear monitors.
 
S0 has the same flat cable as S5, which may take some time getting used to compared to the traditional round cables. There's some microphonics even when worn over the ears, but adjusting the cinch upwards makes it a lot more bearable just like S5.
 
While the housing has left and right channels clearly indicated unlike S5's tiny letters that were very hard to see, S0 doesn't have any tactile way of knowing which side is which. I prefer to have that because it may not be possible to see things in the dark. I think isolation is very good. It came with different standard silicone tips, including a set of very nice Comply S-400 foam tips. I quite like the default tips (with the red colour), normally I would rather pick Comply tips. Like most IEMs,it’s very easy to drive.
 
It has the sort of balanced sound found in S5. This is a great IEM for portability and easy listening.
 
Bass is definitely not deep like S5, but it's there. It's warm but not bassy. Good control. Like most balanced phones, it excels at classical music, instrumental, etc. Low-mids are a bit grainy, vocals are excellent. Treble is just as smooth as S5. Even with the silicone tips I'm using, it doesn't sound harsh or sibilant unless the recording is that way. Like S5, imaging is very good. 
 
There isn't much else to talk about with S0 because it does a good job with most things. 
 
For $50, you get a pair of jack-of-all-trades IEMs. Due to its balanced sound (even more so than S5), it is suitable for any genre you throw at it, except for bassheads. If you just want more bass, this is not for you. I do believe most people won't find this IEM offensive. It's very likeable, reminds me of Soudmagic PL-30 I owned a long time ago, with more warmth and intimacy (more bass & treble). Because there are so many choices in this price range, you'll need to buy according to your favourite sound signature. If you're a newbie who can't decide, then this may be an option as your first journey into audiophilia.

Thanks Brainwavz for the review sample of Brainwavz S0!
 
 
 

 
Designed to be the little brother of Brainwavz S5, Brainwavz S0 uses single 9 mm dynamic driver that is slightly smaller than the 10 mm driver in Brainwavz S5. At about half the price of the S5, thanks to Brainwavz, the sound quality of S0 is much more than half of the sound quality of S5.
 
 

 
In this review, I will use S5 as a reference for comparison.
 
 

 
Smaller than S5, S0 also has full metal body which is sleek and durable. Unlike S5 that is designed to be worn over the ears, S0 symmetrical housing design can be worn both ways, straight down and over the ears. This is a good feature for those who are not used to wear IEM over the ears. S0 has similar flat cable as S5, but with improved, smaller and sleeker, IMHO much nicer, Y splitter.
 
 
 

 
One thing to be noted, probably due to the position of bass tuning vent that is located at the back of the IEM, S0 has less than average noise isolation. Less noise isolation than S5. Not necessarily a bad thing, occasionally I do need less isolating IEM. But those who require high level of noise isolation, S5 is the better choice.
 
 

 
My experience with S0, from new till now, for about a month, has been quite consistent. Rather different than my experience with S5, as I mentioned in my review of S5, that S5 was pretty bright when new, and suddenly turned to be natural sounding IEM for unknown reason. S0 sound signature has been consistent, only smoother after about 4 days of burn-in.  I do recommend a few days of burn-in for S0, that though the improvement was not drastic, S0 sounds smoother and more relax after burn-in.
 
 

 
S0 is more forgiving than S5, to changes of sound signature by different eartips. But it doesn't mean all eartips sound the same. It is still important to try all the supplied eartips to get the best sonic performance and comfort. My favourite eartips for S0 is the default large bore, translucent gray eartips with red centre cylinder. S0 comes with some different set of eartips than S5. The tri-flanges and bi-flanges are the same, but the Comply foam tip is S-400 instead of T-400. Tested the comply S-400, I still prefer the sound using the default silicone eartips. The rest of the silicon eartips are also different. 3 sizes of large bore translucent eartips with nice red color center part, and 3 sizes of smaller bore eartips that looks like Sony Hybrid eartips. S0 nozzle size is the standard 4.5 mm that widely compatible with common generic eartips.
 
 

 
 
Pros:
Good quality, durable & solid full metal housing.
Designed for both straight-down and over the ears wearing style.
Various types and sizes of eartips are included, for flexible sound tuning and maximum comfort.
The famous Brainwavz semi-hard earphone case is included.
 
 
Cons:
Below average noise isolation.
The white colour Left and Right marking is not easily identified in dimly lit environment. There is no left dot / dimple near the left driver. Probably it would be easier if the Left and Right marking are using different colour, for example white and red.
 
 
Suggestions for improvement:
Bass and Treble extension, and level of detail.
As many people these days using their smart-phones to listen to music, to include a microphone is probably a value add that can be considered.
 
 
 
Sound Signature
 
Smooth-warm, balanced, and forgiving, are the main sonic characters of Brainwavz S0. Slightly mid-centric due to lacking of some low bass and upper treble extension. While S5 has higher level of detail and wider frequency extension, with better overall sound quality, S5 is also less forgiving to recording imperfection. S0 on the other hand is a much more forgiving IEM. Overall sonic character is quite smooth and balanced from bass to treble without any annoying peaks and dips on the frequency response. Only some very gentle emphasized around upper mid - treble area that adds perceived clarity. In comparison to S5, the lacking of low bass rumble and upper treble extension in S0 makes it sounds less lively than S5, and sometime a bit boring, especially for classical music. I prefer modern genres (closed miked recordings) for S0, as they match the sound characteristic of S0 better.
 
There is some mid bass emphasized that bleeds a little to the midrange. Probably the lacking of low bass extension giving the impression that the mid bass is slightly emphasized. Bass, especially mid bass level and impact are pretty good. Bass level is good and never sounds bass anaemic, but not yet at the level for bass lover and basshead. The bass is rather boomy, especially on the mid bass area, and bass texture is not very clear, but for a sub $ 50 IEM, IMHO the bass is pretty good.
 
Midrange sounds smooth-warm and quite natural, which is good. Sometime may sound a bit too smooth for my taste, and may sounds a little muffled, as I prefer higher level of detail on the midrange. Vocal, both male and female sounds natural. Vocal presentation is not forward nor laid back. I imagine it would be much better if midrange detail could be as detailed as S5.
 
Treble is on the soft side, good enough to gives a good perceived clarity, but not at the level and quality of S5 treble. I prefer the sparkling and airy treble of S5, but S0 treble is smoother and much more forgiving. Bright recordings or high pitch female vocal would probably sound less offensive on S0. I would say it boils down to personal preferences, some prefer a more lively treble; some prefer smoother and more forgiving treble.
 
Level of detail and clarity of S0 are pretty good for sub $ 50 IEM, but again, when compared to S5, not yet as realistic as S5. Level of dynamic and transient are on the average level of an IEM in this price category, not a very fast and impactful IEM. I would say level of detail is comparable with the famous Zero Audio Carbo Tenore, with slightly better perceived clarity, which is good.
 
Instrument separation though pretty good, not the best that I've heard from an IEM in this price category. Imaging size is average, not the wide and spacious type, but also not annoyingly congested. For classical, binaural recordings, and other type of recordings which use distant stereo miking techniques for a more realistic space virtualization, S0 is not able to give real sense of space, which is expected for an IEM in this price range.  As mentioned before, modern genres recording with closed miking, or electronic, match better with S0 characteristic.
 
As for players, I do prefer to pair S0 with detailed, rather analytical sounding player. From the equipment used in this review, Fiio X3, Dragonfly, and ifi Micro iDSD, match pretty well with S0. S0 is slightly less sensitive than S5, but generally easy to drive, so smart-phones have no issue to drive S0.
 
 

 
The fact is, sub $50 IEM is very crowded with choices. I do have some collection of good sub $50 IEMs, and have tried quite many of them. Based on my experience, I would rank Brainwavz S0 as a ‘Good’ sub $50 IEM. Not yet a ‘Giant Killer’ IEM. The big brother S5, in my opinion, has better sound quality, but at double the price. In some user comments, some people might even prefer S0 over S5. So it is again boils down to personal preferences. In fact, S0 sounds better than some good models in my collection, to name a few, ATH-CKM300iS, MEElec M-Duo, & TDK LoR "CLEF-Premium P" MEGA BASS Tuning. That shows that Brainwavz S0 competes quite well in the sub $50 category.
 
 
Brainwavz S0 is a nice, friendly sounding, affordable IEM from Brainwavz. But I do hope that in the near future, Brainwavz will come up with a better, ‘Giant Killer’ sub $50 IEM. Jiayou Brainwavz!  
 
 
 
Specifications:
Transducers/Drivers: Single Dynamic, 9 mm
Rated Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 100 dB at 1mW
Frequency range: 18Hz - 18kHz
Cable length: 1.2m, Y cord, Flat, Copper.
Plug: 3.5mm gold plated, straight.
 

 
Included Accessories:
1 x Comply foam S-400 eartip
6 x Silicone tips
1 x Bi-Flage tip
1 x Tri-Flange tip
1 x Shirt clip
1 x Earphone carrying case
1 x Instruction manual
 
 
 

 
 
Equipment used in this review:
ifi micro iDSD: Powerful and excellent sounding DAC + HeadAmp combo. Transparent, detailed, and powerful. Slightly lean to analytical sounding.
Audioquest Dragonfly v1.0c: DAC + HeadAmp combo. Marvelous little DAC. Transparent, airy, and powerful. Slightly lean to analytical sounding.
iBasso DX90: Portable player. Natural sounding, not warm and not analytical. Good dynamic, detail and resolution.
Fiio X3: Portable player. Powerful, balanced sounding with good bass and sparkling treble.
 
 
Recordings used for this review:

Thanks to Audrey at Brainwavz for this opportunity to review the new Brainwavz S0.  I am not affiliated
in any way to Brainwavz, although i did review the S5 recently with a review sample from them.
 
The S0 is the so called "baby brother" to the recently released S5 from Brainwavz and is a welcome
addition to the Brainwavz family of inexpensive IEMs.  It is smaller than its bigger brother and actually
had a better fit for me with its on board tips, with a good seal and is remarkably comfortable.  Still made
of metal at 50$ it is well built and has a good selection of alternate tips and supplies with it and a case.
 
Brainwavz advertises the S0s as having a "clear balanced sound" and after burn in they pretty much do
although there is still a mid bass hump to them but its pleasant for most music. The cable has good strain
relief and was pretty tangle proof. The design is straightforward and fairly simple, with neodymium magnets
and aluminum housing, and they seem well made and fell good in your hands and ears.
 
The out of the box sound changed a fair amount with 100 or so hours of burn in, which tamed the
initial bloated bass and sibilence and rounded the sound to a fairly balanced presentation.  the bass
is still humped, but less so than the S5, and after burn in the S0 is pleasant for a variety of music from
blues to EDM  through rock.  More lyrical wavy or ambient music sounds more digital than one might like
but the phone does nice things to streaming audio and makes it pleasant to listen to in a good way.
 
Overall the sound quality is that of a decent car radio--pleasant for background non critical listening
good to do work or chores to, or while watching sports or news you don't want to hear the sound to
and prefer music to.  I don't say this as a criticism:  a good car stereo is a major achievement!  i once
had a contest with a doctor friend who won the contest after putting 14 speakers, six amps and
four subwoofers in his old cadillac...and thousands of dollars. his car was a rolling boom box!
Well this S0 is not THAT kind of car stereo, but it is pleasant
light weight IEM that is fund to "cruise around " with while one is doing other things.  It sounds very
good out of my HTC one M8 without an amp, and stays put in my ears while i do other things with
good sound isolation.
 
This phone is a welcome addition to the Brainwavz lineup.  Some folks, indeed,  might prefer its smoother rounded
sound to the S5.  Its not pretending to be anything its not or trying to out muscle more expensive
IEMs and is worth the 50 dollars I believe.  At the same time there are more exotic earphones
like the Zero Audio Tenore which have a smoother midrange and vocal presentation that is magical
at the same price range. (not up to the bass of the S0 however, so as Mark Twain says "you pays your
money and you takes your choice"  And for forty nine  dollars more you can upgrade to the new Fidue A71 which
has three drivers and sounds super LIVE, not like a car radio.
 
But for an entry level IEM that transcends the basic Phillips,Sony, and assorted Chinese cheap phones available,
and such it outperforms the 20-30$ mass market phones by quite a bit! And so it becomes
a very good pocket companion to me, stashed in my jacket in case i want to tune in and out
of the default realities with streaming audio like JohnnyBlue on Soundcloud, or such, or
relax with my amazon cloud library on the go...it works just fine and is quite listenable for these.
 
I think this phone would make a great holiday present for newbies into portable audio and everyday companion
for those with good smartphone sound on the go.......

First of all I'd like to thank Brainwavz and Audrey for giving me a chance to check out the Brainwavz S0 IEM.
 
Introduction:
The Brainwavz S0 is the newest and smallest member of the Brainwavz S family. Having recently reviewed the S5 the similarities in design is striking. I really enjoyed the design on the S5 and I’m pleased to see it passed on to the S0 as well. The S0 is really like a baby brother of the S5. The smaller size on everything from housing to y-split actually makes them even more to my liking.
 
The outer packing:

 
 
The inner packing:
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S0 with it's bigger brother the S5:

 
Built and accessories:
The accessory pack is very good and includes nine pairs of tips (foamies, double flanges and regular silicone tips), a shirt clip as well as a zippered case to store them in.
 
The accessories:
[size=12.8000001907349px][/size]
 
Built quality is top notch and while some may have problems with the flat cable I actually like it. Everything about the S0 feels robust and well thought out. The only thing I'm missing is an L-plug instead of the straight one.
 
The S0 is easy to drive and works great out of portable devices.
 
I've let them play for over 100 hours and I've used them while working out, at the office and at home and I've not found any weaknesses to the way they're constructed. I've been using them with my HTC One M7 phone, iPod Shuffle, Nexus 7 tablet, FiiO X3 dap and with my Geek Out720 playing music from my computer.
 
Sound:
The sound signature of the S0 is on the dark and warm side without being overly so. The sub bass have good impact and control but unfortunately the mid bass doesn’t show the same control and it’s also a bit too much which makes it interfere with the rest of the spectra more than I prefer. This is by no means extreme and it’s really just a bit too much for them to be fully enjoyable to me. Using them with my FiiO X3 and turning the bass down to -4 makes it sound really balanced and nice. It also makes them a bit less dark which is more to my preference. In this configuration they really shine and I enjoy them quite a bit.
 
The treble is nice and polite but I personally would have preferred a bit more extension and some more sparkle to it. Soundstage and separation is also good without offering something spectacular. They’re also pretty forgiving with bad recordings but I do feel that they llack some details.
 
I’ve also used them a lot with my iPod shuffle while working out. The Shuffle has a pretty thin sound which pairs extremely well with the more dark and bassy signature of the S0. With this pairing it sounds really great and I’m pretty sure that I’ll continue using this pairing in the future. The excellent build of the S0’s also makes them a very good partner for a lot of different activities.
 
Paired with iPod Shuffle:

 
 
Summary:
The Brainwavz S0 is a good all rounder. If you don’t mind some overemphasized mid bass or using the EQ to reduce it the Brainwavz S0 is a great offering in the sub $50 bracket. Its great built and the fact that it’s easy to drive makes it very versatile as well.

Brainwavz S0 Review: Budget Balance
Brainwavz is a company whose roots lie in building consumer audio products. They strive to produce high-quality audio products at an affordable price; a laudable goal indeed. The S0 is an outcropping of that passion. How well does it hold up against the rest of the market with a design that’s already a couple years old?

You can find the S0 for sale here, on Brainwavz’s official website, for $50.

About My Preferences: Heads up, I’m a person! As such, these words are my opinion, and they are tinged by my personal preferences. While I try to mitigate this as much as possible during my review process, I’d be lying if I said my biases are completely erased. So for you, my readers, keep this in mind:

• My ideal sound signature would be an extended sub-bass with a leveled, but textured, mid-bass. My preferred “speed” of sound is slightly above average, using a standard dynamic driver for reference.

Source: The S0 was powered like so:

HTC U11 -> USB-C adapter -> earphones

or

Hidizs AP100 3.5mm out -> FiiO A5 3.5mm out -> earphones

or

HiFiMAN SuperMini -> earphones

or

PC optical out -> HiFiMe SPDIF 9018 Sabre DAC 3.5mm out -> earphones

All music was served as MP3 @320Kbps or as FLAC.

Sound Signature
Sonic Overview:

The S0 features a mildly V-shaped sound signature with a mid-bass hump and mild mid-range warmth. Vocals are brought forwards but often compete with the mid-bass.

Treble: Songs used: In One Ear, Midnight City, Outlands, Satisfy, Little One

Treble is well fleshed out. It has a good energy to it and lacks any sort of peak or valley. Its timbre is natural and effortless. High hats and cymbals sound quite natural and are audible, but can smudge together in busy parts of a song. This is less the case with songs like In One Ear than it is with Little One, so the differences I heard in clarity may be due to the different mastering choices made by the producers of those two songs respectively.

Detail retrieval in the upper range is a bit complicated. The S0 does a great job picking up small details in the treble when there isn’t too much going on (even some things I rarely ever hear on “clarity” focused IEMs) but tends to not really pull much through during busy choruses. It’s not a complete blowout though, as certain details like the finger-snapping in the right channel during the bridge to the chorus in In One Ear was clear to a surprising degree.

There was no sharpness or sibilance in any song I listened to through the S0, even in very poorly mastered songs such as Satisfy.

Mid-range: Songs used: Flagpole Sitta, Jacked Up, I Am The Highway, Dreams, Too Close, Little Black Submarines

The mid-range of the S0 is about where it shows its age. While the timbre and expressiveness of it is quite good, the technical aspects such as decay speed and detail retrieval (which are quite deeply linked) are pretty average for an IEM of this price in 2018.

The S0 implements a warm mid-range with a somewhat heavier lower end. That said, the majority of my test songs didn’t have any problem with it, which is a pretty impressive feat considering how finicky their mastering can be.

Guitar timbre is fairly good and expressive. And again, the word “natural” comes into play as a descriptor. There isn’t really anything about the S0’s mid-range that doesn't meet that description and I’m really impressed by that.

But the cherry-on-top for the S0’s mid-range is the vocals. They are phenomenally clear and are far above average in terms of intelligibility in the vast majority of songs I played through them.

Bass: Songs used: Moth, Gold Dust, In For The Kill (Skream Remix), War Pigs (Celldweller Remix)

Bass is stronger than “neutral” but not so strong that the S0 could be called a “bassy” or “basshead” IEM. It has a mid-bass hump but lacks the full expressiveness of the sub-bass to complete the lower-register equation. For a dynamic driver IEM, I’d expect to hear a little more rumble than I’m currently getting.

Furthermore, the mid-bass tends to push around the mid-range. It isn’t too noticeable in some songs, but when it is, it really is. Examples of mid-bass over-stepping its boundaries exist in In For The Kill and War Pigs. Gold Dust and Moth remained relatively unaffected.

Packaging / Unboxing
The S0’s packaging has been heavily revised since it first launched a couple years ago, and all for the better. Gone is the crappy plastic shelling. In its stead is an eye-catching paint-splatter laminated cutout on top of a specially-cut foam later that holds the case in place within the packaging. The packaging itself is built from a pretty sturdy cardboard that feels pretty hefty. Based on the packaging alone it would be hard to tell that this is only a $50 product.

Build
Construction Quality

The S0’s construction is focused on durability and usability. Instead of regular round cables, the S0 finds itself with a flat “non-tangle” cable that does its job surprisingly well. The stress relief on the cable where it connects to the S0 is generous and plentiful. You’ll likely never run into a scenario where the cable will wear out at that connection point, excluding extreme cases of abuse. The cable has some microphonics while running, but they’re average at worst.

The shell is made from metal, as is the nozzle. The machining is clean and free from flaws. The S0’s nozzle is of an average length and diameter. You’ll find that it is guarded by a black mesh filter.

Along the cable lies a microphone and control unit. While its style isn’t exactly aligned with my preferences, I’m sure there are people out there who appreciate it. The buttons are made of rubber and are set well within the control unit’s plastic shell. You’ll find three controls: increase volume, pause/play, and decrease volume. The unit works with Android, iOS, and even some Windows machines. The mic quality is average but works absolutely fine for making simple phone calls.

The Y-splitter and 3.5mm jack, like the control unit, are made from a touch matte plastic. Each of them has good stress relief and are unlikely to fail, even after the 2-year warranty wears off.

Comfort

The S0 is very comfortable, especially when used with the included Comply eartips. It can be worn either over-ear or cable-down. The shells are light and didn’t fatigue my ears even after long listening sessions.

Accessories
Inside the box you will find:

• 1x semi-hard carrying case
• 1x shirt clip
• 1x velcro cable wrap
• 1x pair of Comply eartips
• 1x pair of dual-flange eartips
• 1x pair of triple-flange eartips
• 6x pairs of silicone eartips

The S0’s accessory package is quite impressive, especially at this price point. The case is quite good and can easily accommodate the IEM and all its accessories while still being small enough to bring with you on the go. The eartip selection is top notch and has something for everyone, and each of the eartips is of a high quality. You even get genuine Comply!

Comparisons
1: Alpha and Delta D3 ($35)

The D3, like the S0, uses a single dynamic driver. Unlike the S0, the D3’s dynamic driver is of the micro variety and is physically much smaller. But given its bass response, you really wouldn’t ever guess that. As far as sound goes, the D3 has a considerably stronger bass presence overall but has a less invasive mid-bass. The D3’s mid-range is warmer and more detailed but has worse vocal expression and tonality. The D3 wins out for bass quality but loses out on vocals and overall tonality. The D3’s construction is better by a mile though, so you might want to take that, and the D3’s lower price, into consideration when choosing between the S0 and D3.

2: HE 150 Pro ($30)

The HE 150 Pro clocks in at about $20 less than the S0 but maintains a pretty competitive edge with it in terms of detail retrieval in the mid-range. In fact, I’d say that the H 150 Pro, in a quiet environment, actually beats the S0 by a non-negligible amount detail-wise. The drawback here is, of course, the earbud form-factor of the HE 150 Pro; it is essentially like wearing open-backed headphones, so utility in public and loud spaces will be limited.

The S0 maintains a very solid lead on the HE 150 Pro in terms of bass and ergonomics as it is an IEM and comes with a very capable set of eartips (including Comply!). So if you want bass or isolation, the choice here is obvious: go with the S0. If you want to save some cash and don’t mind the form-factor of the HE 150 Pro, then go for it! You’ll be getting more detail

3: Brainwavz B150 ($70)

The B150 isn’t quite a fair comparison given that it is far more expensive, but I thought it would be interesting to see how far Brainwavz has come as a brand. The S0 has a more prominent bass presence, especially in the mid-bass, and has about 2dB more in the 50Hz–150Hz range. The B150 (unsurprisingly) outclasses the S0 in detail retrieval and timbre in both the mid-range and treble. That said the S0 is far more sturdily built than the B150, so clumsy listeners will value the added durability it offers.

Summary
The S0 is an interesting IEM that’s aged pretty well. It features a durable metal build, good accessory package, and excellent vocal quality. Unfortunately, that comes at the cost of the midrange’s overall sonic performance. So while the S0 still does have its place in the market, it no longer holds a top price-to-performance ratio in the ever-competitive $50 segment. But hey, I’m not sure there are too many budget IEMs that can put up that much of a fight after so long, so props to Brainwavzs for creating IEMs that are meant to last!

As always, happy listening!

Recently I was contacted my Brainwavz to sample one of their brand new products. This review however will be a little different from others and quite a bit shorter as we're only doing some basic design impressions and mostly what counts, the sound to give you guys out there a grasp on S0's signature. To my understanding Brainwavz S0 is a budget orientated in ear headphone that's going to be priced around $50 USD.


Firstly I'd like to once again thank Brainwavz for the S0 sample! 


Brainwavz Website: http://www.yourbrainwavz.com/index.php




 



Design:






The S0 takes on quite an intriguing  appearance, especially for those familiar with the S5 and B2 products produced by Brainwavz, I read one member say it looks like both of those IEM had a baby and can very much agree with that statement. The housing in person is quite small, elegant and light weight which is good for fit and comfort levels. It's also designed to be worn down which is most welcome here, although Brainwavz S5 could be worn down too I was never a fan of its over the ear design. The housing this time round are also made of light weight metal as you can see the sturdy strain reliefs keeping everything in place firmly.






Moving onto the cable we continue to see a flat design which helps eliminate any tangles when storing or unwrapping the earphone, but again similar to the more expensive S5 the cable holds some spring and can be a little cumbersome. While I can see the appeal in a flat cable design this one comes across to me as a little too thick still for my liking. However, when you talk about durability and an earphone that needs to last this all comes into play as being the right choice after all. I don't have many problems with the cable personally, there is a little bit of microphonics which I can see some people kicking up a fuss, though we must remember the price range here.









The Y-Spilt. Not quite as wide as the one seen previously on S5, this one is more streamline line which will help cut down the weight and any pendulum swinging motion the cable may want to take on. You can see while trimmed down it's still rather rugged over all. It has that strength and robust appeal to it and I really don't see this falling apart anytime soon, that's for sure.






The 3.5mm jack, made to fit virtually any MP3 player on the market. I do wonder why Brainwavz opted for a straight jack, in day and age of everyone using right angle jacks it might not be the right choice. I have however had no problems fitting the cable into most phone cases. In saying that though I do worry about thickness or bulk on the end which makes it quite a fat, stubby little piece of work. Again from a durability perspective the jack is made to last and feels quite nice in the hand, sturdy, much like the Y-Spilt. I had read a comment from someone saying maybe a change in color to red would have fitted in well so it matched the strain reliefs on the housing. I have to agree there.



Sound:



 



During my time with Brainwavz S0 I stuck to three main sources.


iPod Touch 4G (AAC 256)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockbox - FLAC)
iPod Classic (Rockbox - FLAC)


Overall tonality: 

For an earphone in this price range if there's one thing I'm impressed by it's how clear and high in clarity S0 sounds, while I can hear just a hint of warmth in the presentation which makes them quite smooth, the mid-range is very clear, there's no veil usually found on cheaper products this was one thing that jumped straight out at me.

While S0 doesn't quite make the neutral mark it does a fine job of staying quite clean in the mid-range but you'll often get a slight push in the upper regions (mostly mid-range related) I was very surprised. There is however just a hint of warmth there that mostly comes from the bass  but overall I'm very pleased with how much clarity pushes out of this product, especially at their price point. There were times I was thinking hmm, just a dash of brightness here too  but again, from the upper mid-range..


Bass:


The low end is rather balanced with the mids, I do hear a slight amount of forwardness with certain genres, take for example electronic music the bass can come out to play, but well toned down compared to it's older brother S5. Mid-bass is kept at a subtle presence while the low end focuses deeper into sub-bass regions. Texture is decent as is the low ends ability to keep bleed out of the mix. I think compared to the more expensive S5 - S0's bass is quite welcome, as you can see some people actually prefer the signature of S0 instead. I would say that's mainly because the bass does stay fairly true and balanced most of the time. It isn't however the tightest bass, though nore is it the most expensive IEM.


Mids:

Here at the heart of S0 I'm really impressed, especially at that clarity I keep mentioning, while it does come slightly from an upper mid push the detail is far above that of a $50 product, this is where you'll be won over quite quickly (I know I was). Throwing well recorded albums at S0 truly shows you what the earphone is capable of. Female vocals are probably better suited due to the slight upper-mid emphasis though it's quite well done for males vocals too.

Like I said in the tonality section there's still a hint of warmth to the earphone which makes the mids smooth, and easy to listen too. It's quite welcome over something more aggressive or grainy which in turn causes early fatigue. All in all it's quite a well tuned mid-range, Brainwavz hit a real sweet spot between clarity, smoothness, and detail. Timbre is quite natural if not just a little metallic sounding, the S5 also had this trait which can be looked at in two ways: it's unique and nice to absorb, or on the flip side can sound a little artificial compared to more organic sounding IEM like Vsonic VSD3S or Havi B3.


Treble:

Again, depending on the track treble sounds quite in line with the mids and bass, it can come a little forward with some of my treble enhanced tracks but nothing extreme, I think another safe bet here which keeps enough highs going at all times. Extension however isn't terribly impressive but the highs keep a good amount of detail and stay separated from the mid-range giving them some individuality. They seem to take on their on character or personality while playing in-line with the mid-range. While listening to S0's highs I sometimes question if the IEM should have been a little more expensive. I've had those thoughts a few times, especially with the right tracks.


Soundstage:  

I'll tell you what, for an IEM in this price when using an iPod video I was quite impressed at the soundstage width of this IEM, at first I was a little shocked. The stage using the iPod Video is rather wide, much wider than I remember S5, depth on the center channel was also note worthy. I'm not sure exactly why this is because using other sources I didn't get exactly the same results, but my conclusion is the soundstage on S0 for it's asking price is extremely capable. You get a good grasp of instruments imaging on the outer sections of your ears and the focus on center channel really causes a nice amount of separation. 


Seperation:

It seems S0 has been made with technical aspects in mind because again I hear a decent amount of separation and coherency in the mid-range, while the bass can tend to mix in a little with the mid-range the treble and it's detail remains well separated most of the time. I think throwing some super fast EDM tracks at S0 might test it's ability to the limits but overall for a decent paced track the instrument separation is quite capable.






 



Conclusion:

Remembering we're not talking about the accessories or packaging today, what we were here for is the sound and design. I can tell you that S0 can punch up quite high for it's price, with the strong technical ability and capable mid-range S0 puts up a fight towards other highly ranked IEM like VSD3S, Havi B3 PRO 1, Ostry KC06. While we're keeping in mind the price what Brainwavz have done is strike a good balanced between smoothness and clarity which for the price one couldn't ask for me. I will say I am not a personal fan of the design, I think something a little more flashy could be thought up, and the cable with it's flatness and weight may cause problems for some people

In the end though I'm very happy with the performance of this product, it meets its criteria and price bracket with a little extra push of attributes. 

Id' like to once again thank Brianwavz for the sample!

Brainwavz S0 Headphone Review

 
Introduction:
It’s 2014 and Brainwavz is hot off the success of their S5, R3 and S1 IEMs before they have, yet again, introduced another IEM for the world market. This time, it’s a budget unit called the S0! It’s a petite black and red colored earphone that has the sharp looks of the S1 and S5, but at a fraction of their price.
 
Unboxing Video:

 
 
 
Build and Design:
Getting right into the unit, we are met by a heavily downsized unit from what Brainwavz has given us in the past. No longer are we given aggressive plastic on the wire, a super thick 3.5mm jack, or even an over-ear design. Nope, this time, it’s fully stock and ‘normal’. Quite weird considering how eccentric Brainwavz has been in the past year –check out the R3 – and how much success they have had with them.
 

 
The unit is utilitarian throughout. The driver housing is quite small and uses a ‘bullet’ insertion style that then angles itself naturally to your ear. It’s terminated by a small but sizeable stress reliever that is colored a fiery red. The flat cable – a stable feature of their IEMs recently – ends up at the cable splitter and hidden chin slider. Honestly, the best kept secret of this unit is the chin slider because of how intricately it fits into the pattern of the cable splitter. It appears to be part of the splitter construction itself, but a few prods and pulls revealed a petite delta shaped morsel that separated itself from the pack. But after that, we end up at the small terminating 3.5mm plug that sports the same jigsaw pattern as the terminator and splitter. It’s a much downsized and torpedo shaped plug this time.
 

 
While the overall usage of the unit has been improved drastically, a few annoyances still remain. The flat cable and over-ear design on the S5 makes it angled weird (as the cable is ‘shaped’ and not circular), and so the regular hang-down style of the S0 fixes this quite well. The unit fits snuggly in the ear, and the overall cable is light enough to not cause a lot of tugging during walking. The problem then remains in the y cable itself. The semi thick plastic that wraps it is not of the highly maneuverable kind, it holds a sort of crinkly shape that it develops overtime from bending. This makes unknotting the unit hard at times as the stiff y-cable just makes it a pure joy to work with, said no one ever. The second problem I had was that due to the stiffer nature of the cable (not saying it is by any means ‘stiff’, but it is just enough to have a few problems that I’m noting) I have problem using the chin slider as it keeps getting stuck. The unit is overall fine for use, but a few kinks here and there could be worked through in the future.
 

 
 
Accessories:
The accessories that the S0 came with were the standard that Brainwavz gives us. It’s the usual multiset pack of ear tips and a pack of the S0 specific specialty tips. Next up we got the 3.5mm to quarter inch jack, and lastly the shirt clip. All of this is housed in the nice soft – but fairly hard – case that Brainwavz gives standard with nearly all their more expensive IEMs right now. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s nice to have. My only criticism is that the case is just a tad bit too cramped. This works better for company logistics and personal packing, but I’d rather it have a bit more room.

 
 
 
The S0 was tested with the Encore mDAC sporting a Sabre ESS 9023, the FiiO X5, X1, and an Objective 2 with Burr Brown op-amps and finally a Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC.
 
Sound:
The general sound signature of the S0 can be said to be warm with an airy mid and a strong bass. The S0 had a fairly good sound signature for the price, especially considering the accessories they include.
 
The mids of the S0 are a bit pulled back with a tendancy towards being clear rather than ‘accurate’. The unit is able to produce a clear vocal range that is separate from the other sonic frequencies. Not to confuse clear with forward or bright, as there is a difference and the S0 is neither of those. The downside to this is the vocal fullness is a bit thinner than usual, but at this price point, it’s not that much of a strike against it. But the clarity really helps it as it works well on close to all genres. This makes lead singers stand out from the rest, and it’s pretty good at doing it consistently. The spatial separation in the mid range was something I was not expecting from a unit in this price range. It has an almost concert hall sound for the mid-range whereas the instruments and bass are much closer.
 
The bass is quite polite with good texture. It’s not very noticeable or loud, but it offers a well meaning background ‘oomph’ to most tracks. It adds to the song, but it isn’t as prevelant as I would have wanted it. This isn’t necessarily bad as it means it works better for classical music. The best part about it though, was the texture. It was this vibrant buzz deep in the song that kept it going when the bass kicked in.
 
 
Conclusion:
Overall, the layered sonic ranges, textured bass, and the clear vocals make the S0 a nice sounding unit for the price. It’s normally $50, but Brainwavz puts it on sale for $25 every now and then which is a fantastic price!
 
 
 

---

Product Info:

 
 
Buy it here:
http://www.mp4nation.net/brainwavz-s0-iem-earphones-free-fedex-2-day-to-select-destination
 
Product Page here:
http://www.yourbrainwavz.com/s0.html

The Brainwavz S0; A Solid Performer


Introduction:

The company Brainwavz is a well-known Asian Hi-Fi Audio Company, which is known for their affordable audio products. The Brainwavz S0 is one of there entry level products which futures a Clearwavz Remote control.







Disclaimer:

The Brainwavz S0 was provided to me by the Brainwavz for free of charge as a review sample. I am not affiliated with Brainwavz beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered, opinions about the product.


Price & Warranty:

The MSRP price for the Brainwavz S0 is 49.50 USD and has a 24 Month Warranty.

Purchase Link: Brainwavz Store



Package and Accessories:

The Brainwavz S0 comes in small rectangular box which is wrapped with a white colored card board and sports an illustration of the S0 earphone. The box itself is in grey and has a soft coated surface with a nice appearance.





What’s inside the box?

• 1 x Brainwavz S0
• 1 x Earphone hard-case
• 6 x sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
• 1 x set of Comply™ Foam Tips T-400
• 1 x Shirt Clip
• 1 x set of Silicone Bi-Flange Eartips
• 1 x set of Silicone Tri-Flange Eartips
• 1 x Velcro Cable Tie
• 1 x Instruction Manual
• 1 x Warranty Card (24-month warranty)

The Brainwavz S0 IEM comes with lots of accessories like a shirt clip, hard-case, various silicone ear tips, etc. There is also one pair of Comply T-400 foam tips which is a nice addition.



The hard-case which is included to the box looks stylish and is also quite useful.




Specifications:

• Driver Type : Dynamic, 9 mm
• Impedance : 16 Ω
• Frequency Range : 18 Hz ~ 18 kHz
• Sensitivity : 100 dB at 1 mW
• Rated Input Power : 10 mW
• Cable : 1.2 m Y-Cord, Copper
• Headphone Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold Plated

Design, Fit and Build Quality:

The Brainwavz S0 has is quite comfortable and sits nice in my ears. The noise isolation is average due the bass vent on the backside of the monitor.

The Brainwavz S0 has a relative small and compact form factor. The monitor is made of a solid all metal housing and has a flat, tangle free cable which looks & feels also very durable.

There is also a red plastic part on the shell which serves as strain relief.



On the back of the monitor sports a bass vent and the Brainwavz logo and on the sides are the Left & Right markings.



The Brainwavz S0 has a built in remote which is promoted as “Clearwavz Remote” and features a build in microphone (on the backside of the remote control) with a quite good voice transmission performance. The remote control sports 3 buttons which supports Apple iOS and Android products and works for phone call controls, audio player controls and volume controls with a Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System (in short MEMS).



The cable sports a plastic Y splitter and a chin/neck slider.



The straight headphone jack is made of plastic and has a 3.5mm gold plated plug.




Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Metallica – Sad But True (Flac 24bit/96Hz)
• LP (Laura Pergolizzi) – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Saskia Bruin – The Look of Love (DSF)
• London Grammar – Hey Now (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
• George Michael – Older Album (Apple Music)
• Dire Straits – Money For Nothing (DSF)
• Mile Davis – Kind of Blue Album (Tidal Hi-fi)
• Emmanuel Pahud (Claude Debussy) – Syrinx (Apple Music)
• Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – Up Close “Album” (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• Alboran Trio’s – Cinque Lunghissimi Minuti (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Daft Punk – Get Lucky (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Lorde – Royals (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (DSF)
• Future Heroes – Archangel (Spotify)
• Deeperise feat Jabbar – Move On (Spotify)

Sources used for this review:

• IEM : Brainwvz S0, Shzoy Hibiki, VE Monk Smalls IE
• DAP/DAC : Chord Mojo, Hifiman HM603s, Nexum AQUA+

The Sound:

I believe in burn-in and this review is written after a burn-in process of approx. 80 hours. I have used the stock black colored silicone ear tips (which are softer but have a smaller sound channel) that are included to the package.

Tonality:

The Brainwavz S0 has a slightly warm tonality with a bright top end, strong bass response and a very clean overall sound and I was very surprised how clear and powerful this little IEM form sounded.

Frequencies:

Bass:

You can immediately notice that the Brainwavz S0 has some strong and powerful bass presentation, but don’t get me wrong, this is not the sort of bass presentation which sounds overpowered or overwhelming. This is not an IEM which will satisfy bass heads, but most people who want some strong bass, without to lose clarity will enjoy this IEM with no doubt.

The sub-bass area between 20 – 50 Hz has good weight and depth and this will satisfy many users who are looking for an IEM for a reasonable price.

The bass sounds controlled and is sounds tight but is missing a little bit of extension, which is quite acceptable for this price level. One big plus point for the Brainwavz S0 is the mid-bass performance, which sounds well controlled, punchy and pretty fast without to overshadowing the midrange.

For example; the bass presentations in some bass heavy songs like Future Heroes – Archangel and Lorde’s – Royal are sounding very exiting.


Mids:

The most important part of the Brainwavz S0 is the midrange clarity, which is in a level that is rare to find in this price class. It sounds slightly colored (warm) but has a good amount of detail.

The definition of instruments and the level of it’s clearness above average.

I have tested the S0 with some instrument intensive tracks like Alboran Trio’s – Cinque Lunghissimi Minuti and the result was pretty good.

Both male and female vocals are presented in a quite natural and transparent way. Some Female voices like Diana Krall and Hannah Reid (vocalist of London Grammar) are represented in a quite emotional and exiting way. The overall vocal distance of the Brainwavz S0 is pretty balanced, which doesn’t sound very upfront or too recessed.

The upper treble range of the S0 is another highlight, because it sounds controlled and transparent, with only a low amount of sibilance that is most noticeable in bad recorded or remastered tracks.



Treble:

The first noticeable thing about the treble range is the good transition between the upper midrange and the treble range, where exists a good balance between neutrality and musicality.

The treble extension and overall speed of the Brainwavz S0 is above average and the good thing is that there is no remarkable harshness between the 4 – 6 kHz range.

The upper treble range of the Brainwavz S0 sounds relative controlled with some instruments like violins, cymbals or bells. Megadeth’s epic song “Sweating Bullets” is a good example, where the cymbals have a pretty good attack and decay.



Soundstage and Imaging:

The soundstage of the Brainwavz S0 is fairly wide and is above average in depth, which should not be a drawback at this price point. The S0 represents a nice sense of space with a good amount of air between instruments and there is also a nice, 3D like imaging.



Comparison:

Vs. Shozy Hibiki:

The Shozy Hibiki has less sub-bass quantity and depth than compared to the Brainwavz S0. Both IEM’s are equal good regarding to the overall bass speed. The S0 has better the better bass extension, while the Shozy Hibiki sounds more controlled.

.The Brainwavz S0 sounds surprisingly clinical and transparent compared to the flat but grainy midrange presentation of the Shozy Hibiki. The Hibiki sounds slightly warmer and emotional compared to the S0.

The upper midrange of the Shozy Hibiki sounds slightly harsher, compared to the more controlled and softer presentation of the Brainwavz S0. Both IEM’s are surprisingly good for its price regarding to vocal and instrument presentation. When it comes to vocal presentation I must say that the Barinwavz S0 sounds better with male vocals, while I like the Shozy Hibiki more with female voices due the more emotional presentation.

Both the Shozy Hibiki and Brainwavz S0 have a pretty controlled treble presentation while the Hibiki IEM sounds slightly harsher with bad recorded/remastered tracks, where the S0 excels better. The detail level of the Shozy Hibiki is slightly better.

The soundstage of the Shozy Hibiki expands in a more natural way, while the difference for depth is minimal.





Vs. VE Monk IE Smalls

The Monk IE Smalls sounds quite warm in its presentation compared to the more natural sounding Brainwavz S0, which has also more sparkle on the top end.

Both IEM’s sharing some nice sub-bass rumble, which will excite bass lovers. But the Brainwavz S0 has more depth, extension and control compared to the slower and hotter sounding bass response of the Monk’s. The Monk IE Smalls sounds a bit too warm in the bass department, where the Brainwavz S0 sounds more balanced and natural.

Both IEM’s have a quite different midrange presentation. The Monk IE Smalls sounds fuller and warmer with a veiled presentation, while the Brainwavz S0 has a more transparent and natural midrange tuning. The Brainwavz S0 sounds more realistic with both male and female vocals, while the Monk IE Smalls has an emotional presentation.

The instrument clarity, separation and detail level of the Brainwavz S0 is superior compared to those of the Monk IE Smalls, which has some clarity problems.

The treble range of the Monk IE Smalls sounds darker and is missing some sparkle. The treble extension and detail level of the Brainwavz S0 is one of the best in this price class and is superior to those of the Monk IE Smalls. The upper treble range of the Monk IE Smalls sounds softer and more controlled, but is missing some sparkle.

The Brainwavz S0 has an airier and wider soundstage presentation in both directions.



Conclusion:

The Brainwavz S0 is a very well made IEM, which has a very nice accessory package and pretty good sound quality. The powerful bass, overall balance and clarity level makes it to a good performer in this price range.



Summary (plus and minus):

• + Build like a Tank
• + Strong but clean bass
• + Balanced sound and clarity
• + Build-in microphone with volume control

• – No detachable cable & Flat cable profile
• – Not the best isolation

This review was originally posted on "Moonstar Reviews" :
https://moonstarreviews.net



...

The Brainwavz S0s were nicknamed as the “little Brothers” of the Brainwavz S5. I had previously reviewed the Brainwavz S5s, while I did like how well they performed as a V shaped earphone. In the end the sound was not exactly my cup of tea. With the release of the S0s, Brainwavz attempts to take many of the features that made the S5s great, but channel that into a more affordable, consumer friendly package (especially now since you can easily wear the S0s cable down). I think Brainwavz have succeeded with the S0s. Now on with the review!
I want to thank Brainwavz for their patience and for sending a pair of these S0s out for review.
Below is my video review over on youtube: Check it out and subscribe if you like what you see!

 
Accessories:
The S0s comes with a nice set of accessories given their price range.
9 sets of eartips

1. 3 sets in the red and grey in the S,M,L
2. 3 sets in the black (sony-like hybrids)à they have a narrower bore
3. 1 set of Triple flange
4. 1 set of Double Flange
5. 1 set of Comply S400 in the medium

1 Hard shell protective carrying case
Overall: 8.5/10 (given their price range, they paired different size bore eartips plus a very nicely made hard shell carrying case)
 
Design: They have a subtle, minimalist design. The entire housing has a barrel like design, with smooth black finish with the exception of the bright red strain relief and having “Brainwavz” written on the side. You wouldn’t be able to spot that their Brainwavz earphones if you didn’t know already, minimal branding. Some would prefer the sleekness of the minimalistic design, while others would call it plain.
Overall: 7.5/10 (I’m indifferent about the actual design, not great or bad looking)
 
Build Quality: Surprising this earphone I feel is built almost on par with their older brother the S5s, which is a great thing. The earpieces is made of a very solid but lightweight brushed metal, with a  black paintjob that is resistant to scratching. The cable is a flat(but sturdy feeling), flat (tangle-free cable) with plenty of reinforced strain reliefs throughout.  I felt that their older brother, S5s was built very well but my biggest complaint was the fact that the y split was far too chunky. Brainwavz listened and corrected this issue with the S0s here, (making it a much more appropriate size) and I didn’t think they sacrificed anything as a result.  The earphones terminate in a well relieved straight angle jack, (I still feel they need to move towards a L shape jack, but this is more of a personal preference).
Overall : 8.5/10
 
Comfort: These earphones have an effortless fit. The housing has all of the edges rounded off, and the earphones themselves are on the smaller size, and I felt no discomfort while wearing them at all. The cables exit the housing on an angle, which allows the S0s to sit flush in your ears (when worn cable down) without causing irritation to your outer ears.  I do wish that the eartips are bit softer, but aside from that they are very comfortable.
Overall: 8/10
 
Isolation: these earphones are vented, however noise isolation is still very good. I can easily recommend them for most general purposes (from the coffee shops, malls, busing and train use as well). They do an above average job of blocking out outside noise.
Overall: 8/10
 
Cable noise: when worn cable noise cable noise is moderate, I suspect it’s due to the flat cable design. When worn cable up, the S0s are almost silent.
Overall: 7/10
 
Sound: Nicknamed as the “little brother of the Brainwavz S5” I was surprised with what I heard. It’s nowhere as bassy or as V shaped as its older sibling. Instead, it opts for a slightly more balanced sound signature. It’s a rich, warm sound, and surprisingly I actually prefer the sound signature of the S0s over their older brother(the S5s) which is almost twice the price. It’s a competent sound overall, and with has a broad appeal at this price range with whatever music you throw at it.
* note I think the sound benefits with some aftermarket wide bore eartips* (opening up the treble a bit and toning down the midbass)à the narrow sony-like hybrids made them even bassier
 
Bass: the bass here is still rich with more of it’s weight in the midbass where it retains good, solid punch with a bit of bloat but the impact is not as intrusive for less bassier genres. In terms of quantity, I think its at a level where it would have a the widest appeal from the bargain-hunting-audiophile, all the way to the average consumer. Its perfect for those looking for a versatile earphone while preferring a bit slightly richer, bassier sound but doesn’t want to go overboard in this department.
 
Midrange:  Rich and smooth midrange, just behind the bass. It retains fairly decent clarity throughout, definitely favoring smoothness over clarity. Male vocals have nice richness and character while being more forward than female vocals.
 
Treble: The treble rolled off, but comes back up in the upper treble. For the most part it’s laidback and lower in level compared the bass and midrange. This results in a darker signature, allow the user to turn up the volume without fear of the treble getting harsh. This is great in noisy environments like trains and buses, where I think the S0s are mostly going to be used.
 
Soundstage: Fairly average in size, separation, and depth.
 
Comparison: the S0s ($49) to older brothers S5s ($99):
The S5s much more V shaped, as such they are much bassier, and punchier. The midrange are more recessed but clearer, with more emphasized female vocals in particular. The treble has more brighter ,“airer” and cleaner. In terms of soundstage, the S5s are wider in presentation and provides better vocals and instruments separation.
 
The S0s has a better and smoother balance throughout, as a result the bass is less appropriate with less bass bloat. The midrange has good note thickness, and more natural sounding in proportion to the bass and treble. The treble is less peaky, avoiding any potential issues of harshness that comes with a crisper treble.
 
 
I will be doing a comparison review/video between quite a few very popular sub $100 chinese earphones: the Brainwavz S0, VSONIC VSD3S, Havi B3 Pro 1 and (maybe the TTPOD T1E as well) in the near future.  (subscribe to my youtube channel for the latest update)
Sound Overall: 7/10 (It has a sound though not the most detailed or clearest but it’s just a nice, enjoyable listen)
 
In conclusion, the Brainwavz S0 has earned my recommendation as an great all around option for everyone from the casual music lover (non- head-fier), all the way to the “audiophile” on a budget.
Overall 55/70= 78.6%
below are some pictures of the S0s. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Brainwavz S0 (ZERO)​

Review by TrollDragon​

 
I was contacted by Audrey a few weeks ago to sample a pair of Brainwavz' new $50 category IEM's, the S0. Since I really like the R3's and enjoy the HM9's as a full size headphone, I jumped at the chance to try something that I hoped would not be as treble HOT (to my ears anyway) as the S5's. I received a production sample of the S0's with all the included accessories but without any retail packaging.
 
I would like to thank Audrey for providing me with the review sample of the S0. Brainwavz is exceedingly generous to the Head-Fi community and it is greatly appreciated.
 
 

Contents

What I received was the familiar Brainwavz Red and Black dual zippered EVA case that also shipped with the R3's and S5's. This is a top quality case to protect your IEM's and store the accessories, it is really good to see that Brainwavz provides this case so you can take care of your gear.
Inside the case there were the S0 IEM's, a big Brainwavz logoed shirt clip and a plenitude of various tips consisting of 6 pairs of S/M/L silicone, dual and triple flange, and a pair of medium Comply S-400 foam.
 
 

Design

The S0 looks very similar to the S5 model which I had reviewed a while back, but since the S0's are quite a bit smaller people are labelling them the S5's little brother. I don't find it fair to pit the two against each other as they are only similar in shape and design but are two completely different IEM's. If Brainwavz wanted them to compete with each other then they probably would have called them the S5 Junior or something similar so I will not pit them toe to toe.
 
The S0 has a well machined all aluminum housing and a flat rubbery cable with a heavy duty, contrasting red coloured strain relief. The cable extends down 40cm to a slim Y splitter. The chin slider looks like the ribbed end of a typical strain relief and blends in quite nicely with the splitter. The main cable continues down another 80cm to a 3.5mm TRS plug that has a rubber shell molded on the plug.
 

Brainwavz S0 Specifications

Drivers: Dynamic, 9mm
Rated Impedance: 16 Ω
Frequency Range: 18Hz – 18kHz
Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1 mW
Cable: 1.2m /Y-Cord/Flat/Copper
Plug: 3.5mm Gold Plated
 
 

A Possible Recommendation for Brainwavz

It would be nice to see Brainwavz incorporate a very flexible round braided cable similar to the Jelly Galaxy's cable from Joinhandmade. I just adore that little blue cable as it is very soft and flexible without any memory.
 
 
 

Sound

I was not impressed with the sound of the S0's right out of the case. I always use a large sized tip and after I mounted the large tips on these at the first listen I really didn't care too much for the sound. The bass was lacking and there was just a little too much treble, it wasn't a good experience. I put them in their case and went back to them a few days later. This time I decided to roll a few tips and see if I could find something that worked. As I require a large tip to get a proper fit, I tried one of the default opaque tips in medium. Well that was a night and day difference for me with the S0's, they actually came alive at that point as it's all about the fit.
 
My default go to track for first initial testing is AC/DC's "Who Made Who"
 
A nice quick bass test right off the start with Simon's drum kit, moving up into Malcom's riff and then onto the sibilance test of Brian's opening lyrics. If I make it to Angus's signature licks then there is a good chance I will easily like the IEM/Headphone right from the start. Brian's voice for example with the black filters on the Rock Jaw Alfa Genus brought the painful winces out of me immediately.
 
The medium opaque tips on the S0 had none of that sibilance that feels like daggers to my ears. The S0 actually has a balanced sound leaning towards the warm side with a laid back treble. I used the S0 daily for a few weeks and can say that these sound good with anything you throw at them. The bass can be EQ'ed up a bit if required for some nice thump with EDM or just left alone to for a little Prog Rock reminiscing session.
 
 

Conclusion

My favourite IEM's from Brainwavz at the moment are the R3's granted I have not experienced a lot of their product but the sound of the R3 is perfect to my ears. I could very easily grab the S0 while dashing out the door and be perfectly satisfied with the sound all day long. The flat cable has a fair bit of mechanical noise and that is always an issue with IEM's, Brainwavz has included a nice shirt clip that I really couldn't get to work well, the main cable kept falling out of the retainer and the S0 thread suggestion of putting both earpiece cables in the holder has just too much fiddling around with for my liking. I think it's time for a different type of cable from Brainwavz or a nice shirt clip like the JVC one here.
 
The Brainwavz S0 is a very easy IEM to recommend for anyone wants a fun sounding IEM with an excellent build quality and a generous amount of accessories.
 
Constructive criticism is always welcome,
TrollDragon

[Disclaimer: Audrey from Brainwavz reached out to me for a review. I'm in no way affiliated with the company and frankly, I'm quite humbled that I was asked to post my thoughts!]
 
The S0 is yet another sub-$100 offering from Brainwavz that, like its siblings, punches about its price point. It boasts a fun yet detailed sound signature that will bring a smile to both the average Joe and to the audiophile who'd like to have a gym-ready IEM that won't cause tears if it needs to be replaced.
 
Here's the breakdown:
 
Packaging/Accessories/Build Quality
 
I'll give a few thoughts, but since this review is for the S0's sound (after all, that's why we're all here), I won't bog you down with pictures and critiques of tips, clips, or cases. Tips: check. Shirt clip: Check. Case: check. It bears mentioning that the hard-side case that Brainwavz has started including with their IEMs is just awesome. Zippered, roomy (but not huge), and it has internal pockets for things like tips, clips, and adapters. The sleek black/red colors are pretty sweet too.
 
Also, build quality is excellent. I've been impressed with the implementation of the flat cables, meaty Y-splits, and sturdy strain reliefs that Brainwavz uses. Always makes you feel like you're dealing with a quality product. Metal housings on the S0 are well finished and also lend to the feeling of something that's going to last you a long time!
 
Sound
 
First thought that comes to mind: easy. The signature is very reminiscent of the Shure SE215 or maybe TDKBA200. Detailed, yet smooth. Rich bass with a little bloat, smooth mids, and refined yet slightly rolled off treble. 
 
Bass: Bear in mind, the bass changed the most with tip-rolling if you ask these ears. With the pre-installed tips, the bass was Grado-esque. Punchy and dynamic, rich in mid-bass, not as much in sub-bass. Present, but not very meaty or terribly thick. At least not at first. Bassnectar and Lupe Fiasco were both underwhelming. Changing to some wider bore or double-flanges brought the bass forward and although the mid-bass was able to yield some decent slam, it definitely starts to bleed into the lower mid/vocal range. For EDM or trance, I don't think anyone would say boo, but for those of you who live for the mosh or want to hear the nuances of Paul Chambers upright, may want to look elsewhere.
 
Mids: Smooth and clean. The upper mids are a little more present than the lower but neither are recessed. Once again, Grado-esque. Musical, but not too thick or unnatural. Florence + The Machine is sounding great! Some of the male-vocal lead stuff (Pearl Jam, Aloe Blacc) is less engaging by comparison, but certainly not unlistenable!
 
Treble: In a word: polite. Here's where the sound is not so Grado. The treble definitely rolled off, but still detailed, and clear. I can hear everything textures on strings and harmonics from solo piano work well, however, things like intricate cymbal work from Neil Peart is sometimes blurry. In this case, the S0 reminds me of a diet version of the Sony MH1. 
 
Soundstage/Separation/Imaging: Decent but nothing to write home about. L to R placement is accurate and probably better than average at this price point. The sense of space isn't huge, but I never felt like it was collapsed or congested either. Both of these points speak highly of the S0 tuning. In my experience, budget IEMs are often tuned decently, however, developing a coherent sense of space and separation usually sucks. Not the case here! Listeners of rock/jazz/pop/hip-hop and they like will be just fine with the S0 staging attributes. Fans of larger ensemble work or decent live recordings may feel a little underwhelmed. 
 
Overall, the S0 from Brainwavz is a very good all-rounder that will play quite nicely with rock/pop based genres. Tip rolling will help you dial in the bass just right (as well as treble to some extent) and mids are musical and rich. Soundstage isn't the widest, but it won't disappoint for the price bracket. If you need a new budget IEM that fits nicely in the niche carved by the Havi B3, VSonic VSD3, and Ostry KC06, the S0 is certainly one to consider, especially given its excellent build quality and included accessories. Check 'em out!

The Brainwavz S0 IEM I am writing about, is an review sample provided by Audrey from Brainwavz.
 
I am writing my honest opinion about these IEM’s. I will try to keep this review simple I hope it be easy to read, and will help fellow enthusiasts to know more about the S0.
 
Brainwavz is an renown brand in the audio world. What I like about Brainwavz is that they always deliver quality products in an affordable price. The S0 (zero) is the latest In Ear Monitor offering from the house of Brainwavz, which was probably released to compliment the already loved S5.
 

 
 
Me : I am an 21 year old Engineering student living in a small town in India. I would like to call myself an music enthusiast, rather than an audiophile.
 
I was inspired by music since childhood. My mother had taught me to play ‘Sitar’ and ‘Harmonium’ instruments many years ago. As time passed, the passion of music grew in me, I tried to reproduce and listen to the recorded music, and that subsequently led me to join Head-Fi. Eventually, I found the pleasure of listening to music by the HD600 headphones, and realized the true components of recorded music. I usually like to listen to Indian Classical Music along with Bollywood songs.
 
 
Let's go down to the review, shall we?
 
Packaging and Accessories : The S0 is sophisticatedly  packed inside an attractive finished cardboard box. The box itself has features and functions of S0 written over it. The fonts, colouring is nicely done. The 3D connector cable sticker on the front of the box took me by surprise!
 

 
Once can flip over the outer cover and look through the window provided onto the S0 drivers. The flip cover has magnetic lock to it, which feels very special indeed!
The contents are sealed inside the actual box, and can be slid open.The S0 housing shell is securely placed inside an transparent sheet, and the cable stored in the hard case, in which the rest of the accessories are present.
 

 
Brainwavz has been generous in case of accessories, by providing  exceptional amount of accessories, including  hard case, shirt clip, manual an band to tie up the cable, six pairs of single flange tips, a pair of double, triple flange and comply tips each. The accessories again remind us of the refined Brainwavz quality management. They have the same high quality and sophisticated feel as each and every part of the S0.
 

 
Overall the packaging and accessories leaves an very positive first impression on one’s mind.
 

 
 
Design and Build : The S0 has an excellent and practical build quality with professional grade materials. Metal housings, durable cables and reliable overall construction, The driver housing shell is light weight, made up of metal and has clearly visible Left and Right markings. Strain relief on the housing are rigid and well implemented.
 

 
The cable is 1.2 metre long, flat type exterior, has a rubbery feel to it. It is noisy to some extent. The Y splitter on the cable has correct size and includes an sliding cable lock function. The cable is a comparatively rigid and heavy from housing shell till the Y splitter. From Y splitter till the connector, the cable is fine and flexible. The 3.5mm connector jack is gold plated and straight type.
 

 
Overall the S0 has solid construction, which ensures in long life and easy maintenance of the IEM. 
 
 
Comfort and Fit : The S0 is pretty comfortable to wear. Apart from, The driver housing shell is quite long and protrudes out of my ears. The cable from housing till Y splitter is quite heavy and if the cable is swayed, the housing may be dislodged from their positions inside the ears. This can be avoided by simply using the shirt clip provided on the cable.
 

 
The comply tips suited my ears better, as my ear canals are slightly uneven. Next best fit for me was the default medium sized single flange tip.
 
 
Sound : The S0 is overall ‘clean and clear’ sounding with smooth highs,  good sound stage, imaging and detail retrieval. Considering the S0’s overall neutral sound quality, It can match up with any genre without sounding bad in particular.
 
Lows : Lows are punchy. Balanced and fairly tight and clean. But I have always felt mid bass and sub bass were stronger than the rest of the lows.
 
Mids : Mid frequencies are flat, clear and open sounding.
 
Highs : Smooth and  laid back. An advantage of laid back highs is that, one listen the S0 for hours without any fatigue, which is an plus for sensitive ears like mine.
 
Sound-Stage and Details : Sound stage width is good especially for an IEM in this range, though it is not deep or layered as an headphone. Detail retrieval is also comparatively very good.
 
According to my observation, the S0’s sound qualities can slightly change according to the tips used.  When using the comply’s the S0 sounded a little ‘closed in and dark’ than the single flange tips. This happens due to a slight leak in seal and hence the bass leaks out giving the silicone single flange tips an more clear and spacious presentation.
 
Amplification requirements : The S0 does not technically require amplification from an external amplifier. It sounds good straight from an decent sounding source, but the sound quality is noticeably improved, especially in terms of soundstage and dynamics, when paired with an good sounding amplifier like Objective2.
 
 
 
Specifications by Brainwavz :
Drivers : Dynamic, 9mm
Rated Impedance : 16 Ω
Frequency Range : 18Hz ˜ 18kHz
Sensitivity : 100 dB @ 1 mW
Cable : 1.2m/Y-Cord/Flat/Copper
Plug  : 3.5mm Gold Plated
 
 
Conclusion : The Brainwavz S0 is an truely capable contender in its own range, and is an very good IEM. The S0 ensures one does not spend much for an good listen. It has almost every feature an music enthusiast may look for : good build quality, sound quality, comfort, and along with all these, the S0 is affordable.
 

 
Pro’s of S0 :
Good Sound Quality  
Appreciable build quality
Accessories and value.
Affordable. 
 
Con’s of S0 :
Cable is relatively heavy and noisy.
 
Scope for Improvements: Engineers at Brainwavz have done a very good job in designing these, But nevertheless, small improvements can make the S0 even more perfect.
 
1) It would be appreciable if Brainwavz could reduce the weight of the cable from housings till the splitter and make them a little more flexible, If possible.
2) I would also like to suggest that the 3.5mm connector can be made 45 degree angled instead of an straight type.
 
 
 
I would like to thank Audrey for providing me an opportunity to review these. 

I was asked by Brainwavz to review their new S0 model in ear headphones. This review will be similar to my review of the Brainwavz S5 since to me these sound very similar. I will start off by saying that my prefered sound signature is more inline with the AKG Q701, Brainwavz HM5, and Vsonic GR01, that is to say I prefer a neutral sound. As a reviewer I find it important to note that. I will try to review these the best that I can considering that these do not sound as neutral as I typically like. I will be as objective as I can be.
 
Anyway... on to the review.
 
As for build quality they are above average and seem to be very well built and should take some abuse. The wire seems strong, but not quite as annoying bulky as the S5. The strain reliefs at each end are well built, as is the Y split. The Y section isn't as monstrous and overdone as the S5, but is still strong and should be plenty durable.  
 
The packaging and accessories are well done. There are a bunch of tips included, but I still prefer the S0 with some of the Meelec brand tips with the super wide bore. They just sound better and cleaner with some wide bore tips. Also included is a shirt clip and a nice semi rigid case. 
 
As for the sound, they are a bit more balanced that the S5, but are still a bit warm and bassy. The mid-range is a tad bit recessed, and the top end is smooth and decently extended. They offer a fun, non tiring, and smooth sound signature. While the S5 has a bass boost all the way through to the very bottom, I find the S0 to just have a bit of a mid-bass hump. Bass is still tight and punchy, just with a good bit of heft. A 5db cut centered at 100hz makes them sound a lot more neutral and less congested. Again this is just my personal preference, I like less bass than the average person. The mid-range is clean, but just a tad distant or recessed, just a tad. The top end is smooth and non tiring, and decently extended. Never have I heard any harshness or sibilance with these. The S5 seemed to have a bit of a peak in the treble somewhere that made them seem extra "exciting" to listen to, and these don't seem to have that. These definitely sound more natural up top. These are also very efficient and easy to drive. My Samsung Galaxy S4 drives them plenty well in the 27-40% region on the volume control, so they will work well with any decent device out there. With the slight "V" shape signature they actually sound very good at lower volume levels too. Thats what the whole "loudness" contour thing is about. Soundstage depth and width are good, average, or slightly above for the price. Detail is very good for an earphone of this sound signature. I always find detail and neutrality to go hand and hand, these aren't quite neutral so they won't have exceptional detail, but it is very good for what they are.
 
For $50 you can't go wrong, and I can't say I've heard anything do better for the price. I've heard headphones that cost twice as much sound much worse. I could listen to them all day with the 5db cut in the mid bass, they aren't bad at all after this very small amount of EQ. I think I said this about the S5 as well, but for the mainstream listener I think these will do great. If you are seeking a fun, laid back sound, these are it, if you are looking for absolute neutrality and clarity seek elsewhere. Just don't mistake "balanced" for "neutral" and you should be very happy with them. 
 
Thank you to Brainwavz for the review pair. Keep up the good work. 

First off, I want to thank Brainwavz and Audrey for this S0 unit and  to apologize again for the ridiculously long delay of my review.
 
 
Packaging and Accessories
 

 
The package has the embossed image of the S0, which pops up with the help of its glossy finish. Once you’re finished running your fingers over it and looking it at a different angle you can move your attention to the embossed Brainwavz inscription followed with their description – Clear & Balanced Sound, Accurate Sound Reproduction and Durable Metal Housing.
 

 
On the back of the box there is a short description of the S0 followed by a list of the contents of the package and the S0’s specs and compatibility.
 

 
Once you open the magnetic flap you are greeted by the S0 and the Brainwavz case and a detailed description of the iem’s and cable’s construction and Brainwavz’ mission on the inside of the flap.
The box is pretty standard but as I've stated before I personally am a fan of this type of presentation with the front opening up and revealing the product.
 

 
Inside the box reside the S0 and the Brainwavz case. I’ve mentioned multiple times that this is my favorite iem case. It’s quite tough and specious and can easily fit a pair of iems and a small DAP like a Sansa. Inside one of the red pockets there is a shirt clip and a small gray bag with the included tips. There are 2 different types of single flange tips. Translucent ones with red cores and wider bores similar to what comes with other iems including higher-end stuff like Noble but actually these are of slightly better quality. The other single flanges have a narrow bore and are somewhat designed after the sony hybrids. The single flange silicone tips come in 3 sizes. There is also a pair of bi-flange and a pair of tri-flange tips, which come in only one size. As usual with Brainwavz a pair of comply foam tips packaged separately is included to complete the package.
 
Build Quality, Design and Fit
 

 
The Brainwavz S0 is a pretty solid iem with a nice metal housing which has a nice smooth feel in the hand. The cable is flat and pretty sturdy. As I’ve mentioned before, I personally am not a huge fan of the current flat cable trend but it has its positive sides.
 

 
The strain reliefs again are quite substantial but this time around the Y-splitter is a lot more slender and shows the Brainwavz listens to its customers and their complaints. I personally had no issues with the beefier Y-splitter Brainwavz used on some of its previous models. The Y-splitter also smartly conceals a chin slider that is easy to miss.
 

 
The straight plug is small and has slightly flattened sides for better grip and overall seems solid. Again an L-plug might have been a better choice but it’s mostly a personal preference and I’m fine with it.
 
Design-wise the S0 is a fairly standard affair. Relatively small straight-barrel housings, which make the fit easier than the S5’s bigger housings and angled nozzles.
The fit is good with most of the provided tips but the included bi- and tri-flanges might be too big for most people. I settled with other tips though – the blue-core Noble single flanges due to the better fit and the better sound they provided IMO. The isolation is about average.
The S0 is meant to be worn straight down but could be used in an over-the-ear configuration with some fiddling. Microphonics aren’t bad, especially with the included shirt clip but flat cables tend to increase microphonics. There is no driver flex.
 
Sound
 
The S0 has over 100hours of burn-in at the time of writing this review.
 
The bass seems to have tamed somewhat after the burn-in because I remember it being bigger and a bit bloated at first listen. It is not too boosted and relatively tight with solid body and good impact but lacks some depth. In comparison Brainwavz’s own S5 is bassier and its low end is less controlled and softer. Vsonic VSD3S is also less impactful and softer in this area next to the thicker and more solid S0’s bass.
 
The mids are slightly laid back. The note presentation is a touch thick throughout the midrange. The overall tonality is on the warm side. Male vocals have good presence, while female vocals lack a bit of energy due to the laid back lower treble and there is a hint of dryness in them but also have good presence. Clarity is pretty good due to S0’s blacker background and drier presentation. The slight dryness also reveals more texture in the sound. Timber is pretty good and string instruments in particular sound pretty good. In comparison S5 is brighter and clearer but also more artificial sounding. VSD3S, on the other hand, is more neutral in tone and sounds smoother and sweeter but less focused and textured than S0.  
 
The highs are on the laid back side. There seems to be a dip in the lower treble and S0 lacks some energy and sparkle but that also means no peaky or splashy treble. S0 is not prone to pointing out sibilance at but is touch thin and dry, which leads to some graininess. The treble rolls off a bit early, which makes the S0 sound a bit dark but that, on the other hand, plays a big part in S0’s darker background. In comparison both S5 and VSD3S have more treble energy, sparkle and shimmer but they also have a lot more problems up top like peaks and lack of refinement and overall sound splashy.
 
The S0 sounds a touch dark. It has very good center imaging and overall positioning. Width is about average. Depth is pretty good due to the blacker background and the same goes for the instrument separation. In comparison both VSD3S and S5 sound more spacious and airy due to their more prominent and extended highs but S0 sounds more focused and grounded and has them beaten in the depth department.
 
I have to take some time to discuss some of the changes different tips bring to the table. First, I chose the Noble blue-core single flange tips because they tighten the sound overall and make the S0 sound a touch clearer and add a touch more energy to the lower treble. Not that the stock tips are bad but with them the S0 is a bit warmer and slightly veiled in comparison. The Ortofon tips with their thinner silicone make the S0 brighter and bring up more sparkle and also improve the top extension but also showcase a bit more the dryness of S0 and soften the low end.
 
Summary
 

                                                                                                S0 and its big brother S5
 
Brainwavz S0 is a pretty solid performer, which ironically carries a strange moniker, which implies it should be at the bottom of the S-series. The ironic part is that this “zero” is actually quite competent and while Brainwavz went a bit on the safe side with its tuning, I actually consider it better overall than its biggest brother the S5. Yeah, the S5 is clearer and more spacious sounding but that’s what impresses the average consumer. In reality the S0 has less weak points and that paired with the lower price and more straightforward design makes it a much easier recommendation.