[dweaver]

Excellent review lecky spot on the money.

 

[mojoe24]

Would you guys recommend these over the Monster Turbines (refubished for $50) or the NuForce NE-700X?  I plan to listen to a lot of classical while studying in coffee shops.  Would it be enough isolation?  I also listen to acoustic rock and hardcore.  Would these be better?  The Turbines seem like the best value, but the Betas are only $29 on Amazon so they are tempting me.

 

[dweaver]

PM sent but might as well say it here to. Having owned both I actually prefer the sound of the Beta over the Turbines. But the Turbines are better built and more isolating.

 

[lecky]

I'd be comfortable in a coffee shop with the betas, from an isolation point of view, but some might not. You will still have a sense of the ambience of the coffeeshop under the music while the music's quiet. Haven't tried your other contenders, although I'd be pleasantly amazed if they matched up to the betas for general use, and particularly classical.

 

[garcsa]

Good photos!

 

[tomscy2000]

I've been looking around for a pair of cheap semi-open IEMs for a while now, after my beloved Superlux HD381F finally gave out on me. I'd been looking at the Phiaton PS210, but found it hard to buy (no longer living in the US) --- this looks like a good option.
 
The new Beta and the Superlux actually take a really similar approach --- large, obliquely mounted driver, and semi-open design. It seems like a cost-efficient formula for making very good sounding earphones for really cheap. To this day, my Superlux have been the best sounding sub-$20 earphone I've ever listened to, and from all these descriptions, the Beta sounds really, really similar, and has marginally better build quality.
 
Can anyone else offer any other suggestions for semi-open IEMs? I asked in a thread a while ago, but no one replied... I'm looking for non-isolating earphones that are also affordable. I keep moving upmarket these days and haven't really paid attention to value-priced products lately.

 

[tomscy2000]

Oh, and does anyone know if Brainwavz has places in HK to audition or buy? I'm taking a trip there in mid-January and figure I can just listen to it there, to see if it matches my sound expectations w/respect to my old Superluxes.

 

[garcsa]

Quote: Hi, would you be so kind and please just take a look here. Thanks.

The feedback on this thread has been quite interesting, again i am really happy to read that so many people are enjoying these but there seems to be a consensus that some parts of the build and accessories could be improved. I am working on getting the cabling changed on the next production, this will be purely an aesthetic upgrade, the cable will feel better and be a bit thicker. There will also be a carrying case to go with them, it will be the new case we have been working on, which will ultimately replace the standard round case that comes with most of our earphones. The two changes will not happen till the next production run, which is only scheduled for completion in November.

 

 

[keanex]

Easy answer, Brainwavz changed the design to what they felt better after hearing about durability concerns. Most of the reviews were from early models without the full packaging. 

 

[manfrog]

Thanks for the review...going to give these a shot as a secondary pair

 

[josh84]

Snapped them for $10 and they are worth every penny..... better than any cheap IEM recommended at Head FI (Phillips 3580 and Monoprice)

 

[dziendobry]

Would you mind posting some comparisons on the three?  I find the Beta's to be more balanced then the 3580's however I am interested in reading your thoughts on how the beta's compare to the Monoprice.
 
Quote:

Snapped them for $10 and they are worth every penny..... better than any cheap IEM recommended at Head FI (Phillips 3580 and Monoprice)

 

 

[GigaFi]

I also like the Betas more than the 3580 and the Monoprice, possibly even more than the ATH-CKM50s.
 
I just got my new Beta today (last pair had some driver imbalance), I'll try to post a comparison after it burns in a bit.
 
Quote:

Would you mind posting some comparisons on the three?  I find the Beta's to be more balanced then the 3580's however I am interested in reading your thoughts on how the beta's compare to the Monoprice.
 


 

 

 

[MattTCG]

These are now $13 at amazon...

 

[lecky]

$13 - that's outrageously cheap. I still much prefer these to my RE-0, they're more balanced in their presentation and more comfortable. There is sibilance on an ipod at full volume, but never at lower volumes and not when they're amped adequately, if you're happy (as I am) to accept this limit to their use, they'll reward, and would do so at a much higher price then they originally were, let alone at $13. I fear that the cheaper they get though, the more they're likely to end up on the heads of users who will use them loud on ipods with music on which their neutrality is wasted, or perceived as a lack of something.