[mark2410]

Bluedio Vinyl Plus Bluetooth Headphone Review by mark2410

 

Thanks to Bluedio for the sample.

 

TLDR? Try here http://www.head-fi.org/t/815097/bluedio-vinyl-plus-bluetooth-headphone-review-by-mark2410#post_12741419

 

 

 

 

First Impressions:  Box looks nice, just like the UFO one from the other week.  Lol it’s like déjà vu, feels identical opening this, oh and there is the case.  Opening it is where things get different for starters, wow, how shiny is that chrome!!!!  Wow if you take these out in the sun they aren’t just going to be eye catching but potentially blinding, super pretty but maybe a matte brushed metal would have been more practical?  So you get a fair array of cables is there too.  A micro USB for charging, why yes these are Bluetooth capable as well as wired.  So what are the other three cables?  Well one is a mic’d cable for phone calls and stuff.  One is a normal, no mic cable which is about the same length as the phone one.  So that last one then, well instead of giving you one normal length cable and one giant one, they give you a 3.5mm connector extension cable.    So it’s a little thing but how come this is the first time I’ve seen a company do this?  Its waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more sensible that giving one humongous cable that is 5 miles long or be forced to use a phone terminated connector cable.  Big thumps up.

 

So I would usually just slap it onto charge for a while but I want to listen so stuff that and lets just run them wired for a bit.  After the UFO or U, whatever, from Bluedio I had in and well, let’s just say I didn’t love them.  These though, soooooooooooooooooooooo much better.  Thank the stars these are leaps and bound bounds better.  These are bassy yeah but still really good.  If these sound close to this good running off Bluetooth then Bluedio may have just kicked Sennheiser in the nads.

 

 

 

 

Source: Hisoundaudio Studio V 3^rd Anv., HiFiMAN HM-650, 1G Ipod Shuffle, Nexus 5 and Graham Slee Solo Ultra Linear.  For Bluetooth mostly Nexus 5, Moto G 4G and Lumia 735.

 

 

 

Lows:  Unsurprisingly these have a bass centric sound but it’s not overwhelming nor oppressive.  It’s strong, it’s dominant, it’s weighty and it’s aggressive but it’s not at the expense of the rest of spectrum.  Still the bass over time is what is dominant.   It’s so scaled, rotund like a great weighty rock with a pillow like outer.  The initial impact has a softness, squishy and warm to prepare you for the follow up onslaught.  My ears are telling me it’s too much, too big, too soft an impact, too much weighty a follow through.  It’s not super agile but the power, gosh the power is significant, like the Titanic trying to turn before that iceberg, its power just ploughs right on into like some unstoppable force of nature.  Then you slap on some super-fast bass, like Owl City’s “Umbrella Beach”  that bass can’t dance on the head of a pin but god damn it gives it it’s all.  Such vim!!!  Whether it can really do that agile you bet your life they are going to give it their all.  You shall be grabbed by the collar and hurled back and forth, left to right in what I can only describe as an explosion of power. It’s crazy, its mental, its super fun.

 

Okay, okay, so it’s a little bit wearing and after a while I do feel exhausted and in need of a break.  Still there is no denying these are bassy fun cannons.  Weeeeeeeeeee!!!!!  Oh, depth, that, it’s good.  They actually hold on more than I think they should as lots of deep, deep bass to me sounds a little unnatural and its always flabs up a bit. 

 

 

 

 

Mids:  Pretty good actually.  They have a decent breadth and while it’s an overall warm, thickish sound the mids try to lighten up a touch.  They take that breadth they have and try ever so slightly to dry, cool to enhance their clarity.  So they still aren’t the most clear things ever.  They are plenty clear enough and when you play stuff that isn’t widly bass dominant the mids do a really rather nice rendition.  I find myself really rather enjoying Mariah’s “Do You Know Where You’re Going To” her vocals are erring towards being as dry and breathy, as ethereal as she can manage.  While these are warming and thickening them a bit she still sounds quite magnificent.  Des’ree’s “Proud To Be A Dread” likewise sounds really quite impressive.  Her vocals sound rather distinctly separate from the bass notes and she sings forth her curious little ditty.  The bass remains separate and while it veers towards the mids it stops itself before they start to mingle. 

 

Tonally there is a veneer of warmth added to everything and a dash of warm cream.  So it does not produce an unfettered mid-range but…… these are gonna be pop fun cannons and as just that it can’t extract the most delicate and subtle intonation of Nora’s most breathy tracks, big whoop.  Poppy stuff and the likes of show tune diva, Idina Menzel all works superbly.  Enough detail but you know, it’s not placing anything under a magnifying glass.

 

 

 

 

Highs:  While they are overall a tiny bit V shaped, well in part as there treble for the most part is pretty tame.  There is in the a little spike, a little peek that cuts through in the uppers and dishes out a swift little metallic dazzle,  that initial impact shines a little and its get a fairly short but pleasing shimmer.  However most of the upper range is quite subdued.  This works fine for me, what’s there is component, is delicately pleasing and it never gets unruly and ear stabby.  Nor does it just rise up in abundance to just get uncomfortably bright if you feed it broken scratchy rubbish.  Something that the Momentum can do if you push it.  These are much more bass centric and in terms of treble abundance, polite.

 

The tonally of the treble is rather pleasing, like the rest of the spectrum it’s again a faintly warmed and thickened presentation.  Thus the treble is always eager to be a little polite, a little reticent.  It’s so very easy, on the ear.  It also works wonders on acoustic heavy songs.  Its uppers take on a very relaxed and pleasing style.  It’s also really rather refined, if you listen out for them its detail levels are really quite good.  Now I don’t suspect those that buy these will be looking out for micro upper end detail but if you wanted to, it’s got plenty.

 

 

 

 

Soundstage:  They are big, weighty, full bodied, thick beasts.  They have a tiny dash of air but these are closed, they are powerful and while the abundance does lead to give the impression of a really big room or that of a small hall, they are most definitely closed.  That bass is what tells they are closed, it’s too powerful, too boundary reinforced to be open.  The bass and the mids though are quite nicely separate, the mids being centred and not that far out of reach whereas the bass is much bigger and further away.  The treble is just flanking and to the rear of the mids.  They are more tightly in than they should be but without stealing some of the basses thunder, it’s how they have to be.  Its good, potent weighty presentation.  Its instrument placement and such are a bit more nebulous.  While vocals are clear in the middle the rest is a little ill defined.

 

 

 

 

Comfort:  Well in the short term, great.  However they are on ears and after a couple of hours, despite their soft squishy pads, my ears wanted them off.  All on ears do that to me, it’s not like pain, its more akin to stretching your legs after you’ve gotten off a flight.  It wasn’t really bothering you before but it feels good to stretch them.  However the pads are really nice and squishy on your ears.

 

 

 

 

Fit:  Easy, on they went and that was it.  Despite their being round and not ear shaped, which I know round looks cooler but if they were ear shaped like the Momentum Over-Ears they would be so comfy to wear all day long.  Oh well.

 

 

 

 

Cable:  Well you get a few.  They are all pretty good and I really like that instead of one being short and one super long, you get an extension cable.  Why doesn’t everyone do this?  Otherwise the 2 cables you get, one is a mic’d one the other not.  They are pretty pleasant cables with a nice rubbery soft touch finish.  Okay so it’s a little grippy on your clothes it wasn’t very bothersome.  The fourth cable though, it’s a micro USB cable.  Yes that’s right, these are Bluetooth capable.  Yey, so you can use no cable at all if you want to.  They are pretty bloody good too running off Bluetooth.  Their own little inner DAC and amp have been well chosen.  I notice that there is no Apt-X but there is clearly no special need for it beyond marketing.  A2DP should have more than sufficient bandwidth.

 

 

 

 

Battery:  They are quoted at 20 hours of music playback and a crazy 1100hours of standby.  So yeah there was no way I was gonna even think about testing that claim.  The 20 hour claim seemed perfectly reasonable and I had no issues with the battery, it lasted seemingly ages.

 

 

 

 

Isolation:  It is somewhat dependant on you getting a seal at your ears and it seemed I did as the isolation was pretty good for me.  I’d be fine to use these out and about maybe even on a bus though I don’t like doing that with big cans.  They make way more noise than IEM’s do and I feel stupid wearing them.   Not ones I’d especially want for a flight or Tube commute but in a pinch they wouldn’t be terrible.  Naturally they are easily enough to get yourself run over of you fail to remember to use your eyes for traffic because you won’t hear it coming.

 

 

 

 

Build Quality:  Very nice.  I know at their price you’d expect decent but these seem extra nice.   It’s probably in large part to the big metal curving band / cup attachment thingy.  It is real metal, which looks great and if feels super solid too.  The buttons though are silver painted plastic which I disapprove of but still, they are over all a good solid built object.

 

 

 

 

Aesthetics:  Well they look a little attention grabby for me but…… come on they look pretty good don’t they?  It’s that big twisted arm thing, the bit joining the cups to the headband.  It’s a lump of sold metal highly polished and gently sweeping.  Sure it’s a little blingy but it being silver I think you can kinda get away with it.  The black and silver theme I generally love anyway.  Aside from them visually saying “I’m expensive, steel me” I really like the design of them.

 

 

 

 

Phone Use:  It just so happened a call came in while I was playing them over Bluetooth.  The call came in great, the caller was clearly heard, they could hear me great too so really everything worked just as you would hope and expect it to.  I still don’t get the Bluetooth controls though.  Usually the play/pause/answer button you multi press to track skip but like the U you long press the volume.  That you get used to but it just seems odd to me.

 

 

 

 

Amped/Unamped:  Well if you amp them well, may I suggest a brighter, cooler, more dry amp if you do, you get the usually benefits.  Things are improved, the clarity, the firmness of the bass etc etc.  However they are really easy to drive and they just don’t “need” it.  Of course that’s probably due to their being aimed at Bluetooth use.  You want something that runs off its own battery to be sensitive and power sippy.  These therefore do that really well.  They have a battery in there somewhere but you wouldn’t really guess from the weight yet it can last up to 20 hours.  So they must be super easy to drive drivers.  Basically if you have an amp, a cool one, then great use it, if you don’t you’re not really missing out on anything.

 

 

 

 

Accessories:  Well you get a really nice little bundle.  There is obviously the case and inside it there is the baggy, wallet thing for the cables.  You get 4 cables, a micro USB, a mic’d cable, a non mic’d cable and an extension cable.  Yeas an extension cable rather than give you a non mic’d massive cable (looking at you Yamaha) so you can choose to use either cable short and use the extension only if you want to.  Aside from the wallet / padded thing you then get a mesh pocket in the case.  I’m not really sure what else you could want.

 

 

 

 

Value:  Good to potentially great.  Acoustically these are playing with some really good stuff, Yammy Pro-500 and Senn Momentum Over-Ears and while these don’t beat them acoustically, they get dangerously close for rather less money and these have Bluetooth.  If you want the Momentum with Bluetooth you have to take a pretty significant wallet bashing extra.  Having not heard it I can’t say for sure but given how close they got to the wired version and the price differential, this is something that gets some serious kudos and value points.  So I can’t conclude anything other these being superb value for money.

 

 

 

Conclusion:  I was at first a little hesitant with these, after the U (UFO) and its weird multi driver set up, I hoped that these with just one big driver should not suffer the issues the U had.  I knew it would be bassy but I was afraid, it turns out however those fears were utterly unfounded.  These are and extra 50 quid but they sound leaps and bounds better than their sibling.  These are properly good stuff.  Sure they are a little over liberal with the bass but the quality level is great.  The bass may suffer a touch of softness in its initial impact but they are so eager to please.  Like a weimaraner year old puppy.  It thinks it’s still tiny little thing and thusly it hurls itself about the place not realising its size and so it ploughs into anything around it.  You need to just accept it and go along for the ride.  If you do you’ll end up having a ball.

 

 

 

So what if you don’t want to go along for the ride?  Well the Vinyl Plus are rather over bassy and a bit treble muted.  Thus I’m not sure the Vinyl name really matches up to that sound signature however that’s just a naming thing.  I hear vinyl and I think treble heavy Grado’s for those who have err, matured somewhat and now need a treble boosting to compensate for their upper end hearing having diminished a little.  These aren’t that at all.  These are poppy, bass centric party canons.  Oodles of bass shaking its booty all over the place and having a rip roaring time doing so.

 

 

 

So would I buy one / should you?  Me I’m not sure but I’d think about it, these really are super fun and I think extremely keenly priced.  In my head their competition are things like the Momentum wireless and while I’d expect it to be better, or I’d hope so anyway, the big Over-Ears ones are £380 and these are £150.  Literally you could buy two pairs and buy a pair of Momentum In-Ears instead.  Really my only actual reservation about the Vinyl’s is that their great looking but not so practical, round ear pads.  Bluedio any chance you could make a new version with oval shaped pads that would fit around my ear rather than on it, please?  However when your biggest criticism of a something is that you’d like them more comfortable so you could use them for longer, it’s not exactly much of a criticism is it.  Frankly I think despite these being overly bass heavy Bluedio are onto a winner with these, seriously these are properly good headphones.

 

 

 

 

[mark2410]

Bluedio Vinyl Plus Bluetooth Headphone Quick Review by mark2410

 

Thanks to Bluedio for the sample.

 

Price: £150 or US$250

 

Specifications:  Bluetooth version: 4.1+EDR, Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, Bluetooth transmission frequency: 2.4GHz to 2.48GHz, Bluetooth operating range: up to 33 feet (free space), Drivers: Φ70mm, SPL: 116dB, Impedance: 16Ω, Frequency response: 15Hz-25,000Hz, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) : <0.1%, Bluetooth music/talk time: about 20 hours, Standby time: up to 1100 hours, Charging time: 2 hours for full charge, Operating temperature range: -10 ℃ to 50℃ only, Headphones dimensions: 174*158*90mm, Package dimensions: 252*245*122mm, Headphones weight: 366g, Package weight: 1565g

 

Accessories:  3.5mm audio cable, Charging cable, Y cable, Cable with remote and mic, Carrying case with a buckle, Pouch for cables, User manual

 

Build Quality:  Very nice.  It’s big and eye catching twisted metal band to cup attachment is very solid feeling not to mention it looks great.  The build all appears to be of a high standard.

 

Isolation:  Not bad.  Totally fine for out and about use, even on a bus I think it would be okay so long as you don’t go crazy with the volume.  Tube and flights, well not quite what I’d want but would do in a pinch if you’ve nothing else.  Naturally that means it got more than enough for you to not hear that wheeled chariot of death hurtling your way, so do remember to use your eyes when near traffic.

 

Comfort/Fit:  Fit was easy, on and done, no fiddling.  The comfort though.  Well the pads, they are lovely and squishy but they are perfectly round and while that looks great, you know what’s not round?  My ears.  So that means that they sit on my ears at bits and that after a few hours gets wearing.  Not painful but that irritating, oppressive I want them off feeling.  Fine for an hour or two but after that my ears need a break.

 

Aesthetics:  They look great.  A little blingy maybe, that big polished metal twisting arm is rather eye catching.  I do find it rather visually pleasing, the black, the highly polished silver, it looks very nice if you ask me.

 

Sound:  These are clearly aiming for a bass centric sound, which I may find a little at odds with their name, I hear Vinyl and I think Grado like treble to counter the listeners maturing hearing response and compensating by whacking up the treble.  These aren’t that by any stretch.  They are highly bass dominant and its big, weighty, powerful bass too.  It hits like a softened pillow that is backed up by a ton of bricks.  A beguiling softened initial impact but serious power following it up.  It’s not the most nimble but it’s so super eager to hurl it and you from one side of the room to the other.  It’s so energetically enthusiastic.  You’ll do well to just go along for the ride and enjoy it.  It’s fun, its wild, it’s a bassy party cannon.  Depth is a little bit declining but you won’t be listening to pipe organ music on these so who cares.  Mids are a little warmed, a little thickened but they do have breadth to them that gives them some space.  They are clean and nicely articulate so long as you are happy to give up a bit of breathiness.  They do want to give vocals all a tiny dash of warmed cream.  The treble is rather good.  It’s quite subdued and delicate though it does have a little peak that cuts through with some clarity.  Its initial impacts are slightly softy metallic, so clear and they have a brief but most pleasant decay.  However this isn’t a can for treble heads, even pairing with a cool, dry amp the treble is never going to dominate, ever no matter how nicely a decorating it may provide.  It will forever be merely side decoration.

 

Value:  Great stuff, sure they are too bassy but oodles of fun and they are Bluetooth capable yet priced like they were just wired.  It’s a quality, big bassy fun time wireless party machine.

 

Pro’s:  Bluetooth.  Great value.  Woooo Party!!!  Bass.

 

Con’s:  Bass dominant.  Blingy looks say “Steal me.”

 

[h1a8]

Great review. I'm very curious about the new Ufo plus and the V (victory). Many good reviews on them. Maybe you can review both?

Have you tried the 3d surround mode for movies on any of these (Bluedio headphones) yet?

 

[mark2410]

Great review. I'm very curious about the new Ufo plus and the V (victory). Many good reviews on them. Maybe you can review both?

Have you tried the 3d surround mode for movies on any of these (Bluedio headphones) yet?

i will have a try at getting the V but having mentioned it before when chatting they seemed to indigate that it was very bassy therefore theey seemed to think i wouldnt like it.  i know wthey werent overjoyed with my U ufo review.  as for the 3d mode, never in my life have i used any DSP on headphones that i thought was worth using.  as best as i can tell DSP in general makes thing different but very very rarely ever in a good way.

 

[h1a8]

 
i will have a try at getting the V but having mentioned it before when chatting they seemed to indigate that it was very bassy therefore theey seemed to think i wouldnt like it.  i know wthey werent overjoyed with my U ufo review.  as for the 3d mode, never in my life have i used any DSP on headphones that i thought was worth using.  as best as i can tell DSP in general makes thing different but very very rarely ever in a good way.

I heard that the victory were more balanced (less bass) and better sounding than the vinyls and all other bluedio headphones.
The ufo plus (not the orginal ufo) had the strongest bass (tightest) of all the bluedio but still was amazingly clear (unlike the ufo) and was a close 2nd.
In other words, both make the original ufo sound like garbage.
 
I talked to a reviewer who owned all of them and they said the victory sounds the best (over the vinyl and ufo plus). I own the ufo plus and they are great sounding.
Have you tried the V's yet? I can assure you that the bass is less than the vinyls (or no more than). The mids are more pronounced (what someone told me).

 

[mark2410]

 
I heard that the victory were more balanced (less bass) and better sounding than the vinyls and all other bluedio headphones.
The ufo plus (not the orginal ufo) had the strongest bass (tightest) of all the bluedio but still was amazingly clear (unlike the ufo) and was a close 2nd.
In other words, both make the original ufo sound like garbage.
 
I talked to a reviewer who owned all of them and they said the victory sounds the best (over the vinyl and ufo plus). I own the ufo plus and they are great sounding.
Have you tried the V's yet? I can assure you that the bass is less than the vinyls (or no more than). The mids are more pronounced (what someone told me).

​hey, well if you followed me on twitter you would have spotted in a photo the other day that I got a bunch of things come in from Bluedio including the Victory's.  its still in the box so I cant comment on it yet.

 

[kokoloko]

 
​hey, well if you followed me on twitter you would have spotted in a photo the other day that I got a bunch of things come in from Bluedio including the Victory's.  its still in the box so I cant comment on it yet.

Any toughts on Victory's yet?
 
Can't decide between Avantree Audition Pro, Bluedio Victory, R+, UFO...
 
EDIT: too late, just ordered Victory for 95Ł (33% OFF) from eBay UK.

 

[mark2410]

 
Any toughts on Victory's yet?
 
Can't decide between Avantree Audition Pro, Bluedio Victory, R+, UFO...
 
EDIT: too late, just ordered Victory for 95Ł (33% OFF) from eBay UK.

thoughts yes, review comming soon, promise soon.

 

[h1a8]

Can't wait for the victory review. I'm either getting it or the vinyl

 

[mark2410]

Can't wait for the victory review. I'm either getting it or the vinyl

http://www.head-fi.org/t/827745/bluedio-victory-bluetooth-and-optical-headphone-review-by-mark2410

 

[pus2meong]

I just got this headphone last week. And I just noticed if the swing arm is not painted shiny chrome, mine is using silver color (almost like aluminum color).
 
Anyone know how to remove the earpads? Since the clamping force is quite strong for me, I want to change the earpads with wider inner hole.
 

 

[h1a8]

I just got this headphone last week. And I just noticed if the swing arm is not painted shiny chrome, mine is using silver color (almost like aluminum color).

Anyone know how to remove the earpads? Since the clamping force is quite strong for me, I want to change the earpads with wider inner hole.

I agree. That's the big flaw with the vinyl plus. It's not comfortable enough. The clamping force is too much AND they don't cover your entire ears. I also wish the skipping and going back a track option worked better. Other than that they sound excellent for their price point.

 

[SHAMuuu]

I agree. That's the big flaw with the vinyl plus. It's not comfortable enough. The clamping force is too much AND they don't cover your entire ears. I also wish the skipping and going back a track option worked better. Other than that they sound excellent for their price point.

I was able to stretch out the headband on UFO + , and also had the small hole earpads which bugged the hell out of me. I just snapped it off with my fingers. Slowly to loosen it up and took a leap of faith. They all seem to be clipped on with 5 clips. I manged to get 2 loose, then twisted it a little. Then snapped it off.
 
Anyway the UFO has 12 drivers vs the 70mm, but the larger hole seemed to open it up. I was able to get both hm5/xb1k pads on them, but seems the vinyl pro team will have to figure out the earpad best for it. But thats the fun of a Bluedio!
 
Never again.

 

[dogears]

i have just tried this and it sounded very good

 

[stock3jacob]

I realize that Bluedio is not well thought of these days. I got a pair of the Vinyl Plus headphones several years back. They have been running strong for at least four years. Loud and clear. Always surprised my friends that paid more for things like beats.

I think of them as the "fun" headphones. Bass is loud and obnoxious. I personally prefer headphones that are more subdued. SQ oriented. I will say.....as little as I use these....maybe a few times a year for the past couple of years.....I haven't had to charge them. The battery they tossed in these is unreal.