Mrcloc
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2013
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I need in-ears while I'm at work because I can't put on big headphones, but I need music. I also don't need super quality, so I bought a pair of Marley Smiles because they look great and people seem to enjoy their sound. I have needed another pair now, so I decided to try the Aerial7 Neo. I have written my thoughts on both below because I struggled to find any information about either:
Marley Smiles:
I like the wooden body and the other materials used. The sound quality is very good - I heard sounds in songs I have never heard before. The carry bag is also very useful - I keep my Shuffle in with the cable and can put the lot in my pocket. The construction quality is also good. After a year of abuse, they still work 100%.
I don't like the MICROPHONICS! Goodness! It's so bad. The nylon weave around the left and right cables causes so much noise it's very unpleasant. The fabric looks great, but let's be honest - who cares about looks above audio? I also find the Smiles a little uncomfortable. After about an hour my ears get quite sore. They aren't that light, but aren't heavy either. You just know they're in all the time. You always feel them and hear the microphonics. I also don't like the fact that the cable is so rigid.
I couldn't handle the microphonics anymore. So I decided to look for something else. In come the Aerial7 Neo.
Aerial7 Neo:
I read good things about Aerial7's higher-end stuff, and the Neo's seem to be the best in-ears they make (the Sumo's here are more expensive). I also like the quality touches - fabric on the main cable, soft rubber on the L and R cables. Immediately noticeable is that the connector will fit into an iPhone without having to remove the rubber phone cover (if you have one on). Also, the quality of the plastics and the fabric is a few notches up on the Smiles. I was initially disappointed with the sound quality, but then I realised it's because my left ear is more sensitive to mids than my right, and because of the good sound quality, I also had them a bit louder than I should have.
I like the sound quality. It's definitely technically better than the Smiles. The mids are there and the bass is where it should be. Both the Smiles and the Neo's give good enough quality in comparison to each other. I am used to the Smiles and they sound good on all songs and genres (the Neo's didn't sound like I wanted them too on some voices), however, I will still take the Neo's i.t.o. quality because they are better. I like the lack of microphonics and the high quality materials. They are light on the ear and very comfortable! The carry bag they come with is also much higher quality than the Smiles' one. I also like the button on the Y splitter and not on the microphone. Oh yes - when I move around the Neo's don't shock the crap out of me! The metal in the Smiles makes them a good conductor of static electricity and shock me every now and then, which is very unpleasant.
Another plus above the Smiles is that they don't make loud suction clicks - the Smiles make your eardrums feel like they're going to pop when you put them in or take them out. No problem with the Neo's.
I don't like.... Well, they're everything I need. And they were significantly cheaper than the Smiles. I guess from here it's wait until I can't use them anymore and get the same thing again or upgrade to something higher quality. But for the price, I can't give anything negative.
I live in South Africa. Got the Neo for R155 and the Smiles a year ago for R299. My verdict is that the Neo's are in a different league. For half the price. I was going to buy Sennheisers (before I got the Smiles), but I couldn't find in-ears which have a symmetrical Y cable where I live.
Marley Smiles:
I like the wooden body and the other materials used. The sound quality is very good - I heard sounds in songs I have never heard before. The carry bag is also very useful - I keep my Shuffle in with the cable and can put the lot in my pocket. The construction quality is also good. After a year of abuse, they still work 100%.
I don't like the MICROPHONICS! Goodness! It's so bad. The nylon weave around the left and right cables causes so much noise it's very unpleasant. The fabric looks great, but let's be honest - who cares about looks above audio? I also find the Smiles a little uncomfortable. After about an hour my ears get quite sore. They aren't that light, but aren't heavy either. You just know they're in all the time. You always feel them and hear the microphonics. I also don't like the fact that the cable is so rigid.
I couldn't handle the microphonics anymore. So I decided to look for something else. In come the Aerial7 Neo.
Aerial7 Neo:
I read good things about Aerial7's higher-end stuff, and the Neo's seem to be the best in-ears they make (the Sumo's here are more expensive). I also like the quality touches - fabric on the main cable, soft rubber on the L and R cables. Immediately noticeable is that the connector will fit into an iPhone without having to remove the rubber phone cover (if you have one on). Also, the quality of the plastics and the fabric is a few notches up on the Smiles. I was initially disappointed with the sound quality, but then I realised it's because my left ear is more sensitive to mids than my right, and because of the good sound quality, I also had them a bit louder than I should have.
I like the sound quality. It's definitely technically better than the Smiles. The mids are there and the bass is where it should be. Both the Smiles and the Neo's give good enough quality in comparison to each other. I am used to the Smiles and they sound good on all songs and genres (the Neo's didn't sound like I wanted them too on some voices), however, I will still take the Neo's i.t.o. quality because they are better. I like the lack of microphonics and the high quality materials. They are light on the ear and very comfortable! The carry bag they come with is also much higher quality than the Smiles' one. I also like the button on the Y splitter and not on the microphone. Oh yes - when I move around the Neo's don't shock the crap out of me! The metal in the Smiles makes them a good conductor of static electricity and shock me every now and then, which is very unpleasant.
Another plus above the Smiles is that they don't make loud suction clicks - the Smiles make your eardrums feel like they're going to pop when you put them in or take them out. No problem with the Neo's.
I don't like.... Well, they're everything I need. And they were significantly cheaper than the Smiles. I guess from here it's wait until I can't use them anymore and get the same thing again or upgrade to something higher quality. But for the price, I can't give anything negative.
I live in South Africa. Got the Neo for R155 and the Smiles a year ago for R299. My verdict is that the Neo's are in a different league. For half the price. I was going to buy Sennheisers (before I got the Smiles), but I couldn't find in-ears which have a symmetrical Y cable where I live.
