Preamble:
I have a set of around 30 – 40 tracks all in the FLAC from varying genres that I use as my test reference playlist. I try to cover as many genres and stick to recordings that have good reputations as well as tracks I know have been lovingly mastered.
I naturally prefer a more balanced sound signature and get treble ‘fatigue’ fairly quickly. Therefore I usually mark down anything that gives me discomfort in the higher registers.
I have experience in mastering, DJ’ing and have had a keen interest in Hi-Fi and Head-Fi for almost 2 decades. I love this hobby and like to share experiences with others.
For this test my source was the Onkyo DP-X1 DAP.
Aesthetics and Tactility:
Before I begin describing the sound characteristics I would like to describe how these look and feel. I will start by saying these do not look or feel like premium priced earphones at all. In fact they look better in photos than in real life. The side facets have a very cheap low end look and the PSB logo etching/paint looks cheap. In fact most of the construction feels cheap which is disappointing given the asking price.
The packaging and tip collection are both adequate and the inclusion of Comply tips is welcomed.
Cable Microphonics and Comfort:
Now here is where I would say the PSB M4U-4 earphones have been designed better. The cable is very supple and I found the microphonics to be extremely low. The over ear design coupled with a very loose feeling and absorbent cable combine very well. I have tested over 50 earphones now and I would put these in my top 10 for cable design and general comfort.
I had no comfort issues with these. The neck of the ear buds is quite long so the housing sits further out of the ears than many other IEMs. I find this a good thing if the earpiece is light so the bud doesn’t fall out if one is walking/moving around.
Sound Balance:
These earphones appear to have gone slightly under the radar of most reviewers so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I did know that PSB marketed these with an emphasis on ‘room feel’. I will come back to the sound stage below. There is no doubting these are thick at the low end. Very well defined in some bass bands but also treacly and fussy in others. These earphones are more fun than reference but having said that there is a good amount of detail and presence in the highs. The highs can be fatiguing for those more sensitive in this band but are never shrill or too sharp. Just that there is a lot of it and can be overbearing. The mids tend to suffer badly on these, the overly present highs and thick lows can sometimes drown out the mids. This is a shame as I feel if the mids were more pronounced these could be a go to earphone for those wanting great quality and a large sound stage.
Soundstage and Other Notes:
As stated previously I knew the ‘room feel’ was a big design feature for these earphones. I assumed that meant they had a large soundstage so this is what I will describe first. I really like the sound stage on these. I have always loved an earphone that doesn’t sound like an earphone. I prefer a roomier sound rather than the ‘direct sound injected into the head’ that some earphones exhibit. At times I forgot I was wearing earphones and that is a good thing in my book. The stage is very wide and fairly deep. I would say it often sounded like you were in the middle of a large auditorium, not a studio or intimate venue.
The depth is quite good and each instrument/vocal had plenty of breathing room but not to the point where things became incoherent. There was often a lovely frequency separation that allowed each layers nuances to be brought out but again the problem of bass and high saturation meant that many tracks didn’t sound their best.
Overall:
I have been impressed with this offering from PSB. I realise many of my comments may sound negative but in reality they are not. I am merely pointing out the characteristics. I happen to like a little but more bass and a roomier presentation than some reviewers. I had fun with these and would strongly recommend auditioning these if you are on the lookout for an earphone that has good detailing and excellent large scale sound but are not fussed about micro detailing or pronounced mids. The sound ‘quality’ is pretty high but because of the highs being overly present on occasion things can sound a little shouty and in your face. This does make them sound a little cheap but overall I think they have a pleasant sound. If PSB can follow up on these with something that can bring out more detailed mids and tone down the highs slightly I they could have a killer pair of earphones on their hands!
I have a set of around 30 – 40 tracks all in the FLAC from varying genres that I use as my test reference playlist. I try to cover as many genres and stick to recordings that have good reputations as well as tracks I know have been lovingly mastered.
I naturally prefer a more balanced sound signature and get treble ‘fatigue’ fairly quickly. Therefore I usually mark down anything that gives me discomfort in the higher registers.
I have experience in mastering, DJ’ing and have had a keen interest in Hi-Fi and Head-Fi for almost 2 decades. I love this hobby and like to share experiences with others.
For this test my source was the Onkyo DP-X1 DAP.
Aesthetics and Tactility:
Before I begin describing the sound characteristics I would like to describe how these look and feel. I will start by saying these do not look or feel like premium priced earphones at all. In fact they look better in photos than in real life. The side facets have a very cheap low end look and the PSB logo etching/paint looks cheap. In fact most of the construction feels cheap which is disappointing given the asking price.
The packaging and tip collection are both adequate and the inclusion of Comply tips is welcomed.
Cable Microphonics and Comfort:
Now here is where I would say the PSB M4U-4 earphones have been designed better. The cable is very supple and I found the microphonics to be extremely low. The over ear design coupled with a very loose feeling and absorbent cable combine very well. I have tested over 50 earphones now and I would put these in my top 10 for cable design and general comfort.
I had no comfort issues with these. The neck of the ear buds is quite long so the housing sits further out of the ears than many other IEMs. I find this a good thing if the earpiece is light so the bud doesn’t fall out if one is walking/moving around.
Sound Balance:
These earphones appear to have gone slightly under the radar of most reviewers so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I did know that PSB marketed these with an emphasis on ‘room feel’. I will come back to the sound stage below. There is no doubting these are thick at the low end. Very well defined in some bass bands but also treacly and fussy in others. These earphones are more fun than reference but having said that there is a good amount of detail and presence in the highs. The highs can be fatiguing for those more sensitive in this band but are never shrill or too sharp. Just that there is a lot of it and can be overbearing. The mids tend to suffer badly on these, the overly present highs and thick lows can sometimes drown out the mids. This is a shame as I feel if the mids were more pronounced these could be a go to earphone for those wanting great quality and a large sound stage.
Soundstage and Other Notes:
As stated previously I knew the ‘room feel’ was a big design feature for these earphones. I assumed that meant they had a large soundstage so this is what I will describe first. I really like the sound stage on these. I have always loved an earphone that doesn’t sound like an earphone. I prefer a roomier sound rather than the ‘direct sound injected into the head’ that some earphones exhibit. At times I forgot I was wearing earphones and that is a good thing in my book. The stage is very wide and fairly deep. I would say it often sounded like you were in the middle of a large auditorium, not a studio or intimate venue.
The depth is quite good and each instrument/vocal had plenty of breathing room but not to the point where things became incoherent. There was often a lovely frequency separation that allowed each layers nuances to be brought out but again the problem of bass and high saturation meant that many tracks didn’t sound their best.
Overall:
I have been impressed with this offering from PSB. I realise many of my comments may sound negative but in reality they are not. I am merely pointing out the characteristics. I happen to like a little but more bass and a roomier presentation than some reviewers. I had fun with these and would strongly recommend auditioning these if you are on the lookout for an earphone that has good detailing and excellent large scale sound but are not fussed about micro detailing or pronounced mids. The sound ‘quality’ is pretty high but because of the highs being overly present on occasion things can sound a little shouty and in your face. This does make them sound a little cheap but overall I think they have a pleasant sound. If PSB can follow up on these with something that can bring out more detailed mids and tone down the highs slightly I they could have a killer pair of earphones on their hands!