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- Jan 30, 2012
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Firstly, I'd like to thank HiSound Audio for generously providing review units of the PAA-1 Pro to me and many other Head-Fiers.
HiSound has been steadily making a name for itself. A while ago, they pleasantly surprised us with their Studio DAPs, which many praised for providing top quality SQ for a reasonable price. More recently, they've been causing ripples in the community with their new IEMs and earbuds. The PAA-1 Pro, at it's retail price of $50, has already made a name for itself as a good bang-for-buck earbud that plays with the big boys. Today, I'm going to find out if that's true.
To me at least. As always, YMMV, you should try to audition a pair for yourself before making a purchase.
Specifications (taken from the back of the retail box):
Type: Dynamic, open
Driver size: 16mm
Driver impedance: 32[size=small]Ω[/size]
Sensitivity: 105db
Maximum SPL (Sound pressure level): 120db (1khz, 1Vrms)
Frequency response: 17-22khz
Earphone jack: 3.5mm
Cable length: 119cm
Accessories:
1 x Shirt Clip
3 x Earbud Foams (1 attached)
1 x Hard Shell Case
1 x Fish bone cable winder
[Pictures will be added as soon as I get my camera back]
Build Quality:
The HiSound PAA-1 Pros are light. They easily disappear in my ear with the foams attached.
I found that I preferred to use the PAA-1s with the foams converted into donuts, done by folding the foam three times and cutting the middle edge off with a pair of scissors.
The grille is metal, not plastic (yay!)
Sorry, I can't compare foam quality as I don't have any other earbuds that use foams.
The earbuds themselves are matte black plastic and easy to grip, easy to insert and remove. Personally, I sort of like the silver band running down the middle of them; it looks nice while allowing the earbuds to remain pretty understated.
The cable itself seems well built, except for two areas: there is no strain relief after the Y-split and at the point of entry into the earbuds. The 3.5mm jack has strain relief that looks sturdy enough. The lack of a cable cinch doesn't mean much for me, but it might for others. Other than the Y-split issue, the cable feels like it'll last; it has a slight rubbery feel and is pretty thick.
Sound Quality:
[Note - The earbuds have received 50 hours of burn in, while the PFIIs have received at least 500. I decided to carry out all my listening the way I felt the majority of people would be doing so: with a phone (an iPhone 4S in my case)]
Test Tracks
Jamestown Story - Till The World Ends (No, this is not a cover of Britney Spears)
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know/Eat That Up, It's Good For You
Dire Straits - Money For Nothing
The Pretty Reckless - Miss Nothing
Delain - Mother Machine/Electricity/We Are The Others
Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyes/Guns and Horses/Starry Eyed (SubVibe Remix)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack - The Time Warp
re
lus - Everlasting Truth
DJ Okazaki - Flower Dance
Soulostar - Lost In Lights/Rainy Day Reminiscence
Icona Pop - I Love It
Brad Sucks - Making Me Nervous
Britney Spears - Baby One More Time (for equality and great justice) (I lost a bet.)
4minute - HuH
Immediately one will notice that the PAA-1s sound much thicker and richer than the PFIIs. Though both are slightly warm, the PAA-1 is slightly warmer. The PAA-1 is noticeably more bass heavy, while the PFII is more treble heavy.
[TBC]
- All of a sudden, the right side of my PFII stopped playing music. Upon checking I realized that it was a problem in the 3.5mm jack. I'm sending the PFIIs for repair shortly. Until then, I'd like to delay the comparison of the two earbuds as I feel that solely reviewing the PAA-1 Pros will not be very helpful (there are dozens of other reviews out there). -
HiSound has been steadily making a name for itself. A while ago, they pleasantly surprised us with their Studio DAPs, which many praised for providing top quality SQ for a reasonable price. More recently, they've been causing ripples in the community with their new IEMs and earbuds. The PAA-1 Pro, at it's retail price of $50, has already made a name for itself as a good bang-for-buck earbud that plays with the big boys. Today, I'm going to find out if that's true.
To me at least. As always, YMMV, you should try to audition a pair for yourself before making a purchase.
Specifications (taken from the back of the retail box):
Type: Dynamic, open
Driver size: 16mm
Driver impedance: 32[size=small]Ω[/size]
Sensitivity: 105db
Maximum SPL (Sound pressure level): 120db (1khz, 1Vrms)
Frequency response: 17-22khz
Earphone jack: 3.5mm
Cable length: 119cm
Accessories:
1 x Shirt Clip
3 x Earbud Foams (1 attached)
1 x Hard Shell Case
1 x Fish bone cable winder
[Pictures will be added as soon as I get my camera back]
Build Quality:
The HiSound PAA-1 Pros are light. They easily disappear in my ear with the foams attached.
I found that I preferred to use the PAA-1s with the foams converted into donuts, done by folding the foam three times and cutting the middle edge off with a pair of scissors.
The grille is metal, not plastic (yay!)
Sorry, I can't compare foam quality as I don't have any other earbuds that use foams.
The earbuds themselves are matte black plastic and easy to grip, easy to insert and remove. Personally, I sort of like the silver band running down the middle of them; it looks nice while allowing the earbuds to remain pretty understated.
The cable itself seems well built, except for two areas: there is no strain relief after the Y-split and at the point of entry into the earbuds. The 3.5mm jack has strain relief that looks sturdy enough. The lack of a cable cinch doesn't mean much for me, but it might for others. Other than the Y-split issue, the cable feels like it'll last; it has a slight rubbery feel and is pretty thick.
Sound Quality:
[Note - The earbuds have received 50 hours of burn in, while the PFIIs have received at least 500. I decided to carry out all my listening the way I felt the majority of people would be doing so: with a phone (an iPhone 4S in my case)]
Test Tracks
Jamestown Story - Till The World Ends (No, this is not a cover of Britney Spears)
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know/Eat That Up, It's Good For You
Dire Straits - Money For Nothing
The Pretty Reckless - Miss Nothing
Delain - Mother Machine/Electricity/We Are The Others
Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyes/Guns and Horses/Starry Eyed (SubVibe Remix)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack - The Time Warp
re
lus - Everlasting TruthDJ Okazaki - Flower Dance
Soulostar - Lost In Lights/Rainy Day Reminiscence
Icona Pop - I Love It
Brad Sucks - Making Me Nervous
Britney Spears - Baby One More Time (for equality and great justice) (I lost a bet.)
4minute - HuH
Immediately one will notice that the PAA-1s sound much thicker and richer than the PFIIs. Though both are slightly warm, the PAA-1 is slightly warmer. The PAA-1 is noticeably more bass heavy, while the PFII is more treble heavy.
[TBC]
- All of a sudden, the right side of my PFII stopped playing music. Upon checking I realized that it was a problem in the 3.5mm jack. I'm sending the PFIIs for repair shortly. Until then, I'd like to delay the comparison of the two earbuds as I feel that solely reviewing the PAA-1 Pros will not be very helpful (there are dozens of other reviews out there). -
