ljokerl
Portables Reviewerus Prolificus
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Though I am not a fan of conventional earbuds, the wooden HP-WHF11M caught my eye long ago by taking the wood theme very close to heart - aside from metal reinforcements on cable entry and exit points, the shells of the earbuds are made almost entirely out of wood. The majority of portable listeners still use earbuds, whether out of necessity, preference, or laziness, and the HP-WHF11M is, if nothing else, a unique take on the aesthetics of the most mundane of listening devices.
My reviews of conventional earbuds have been few and far between, the last one being a write-up on the Sunrise AS-Feeling and AS-Charm back in November, but - courtesy of Dimitri at musicaacoustics - I was provided with a set of the WHF11Ms anyway. The only other earbuds I own at the moment are Kozee E300s, which will be referred to once in a while as they were used extensively in my comparative listening.
Packaging & Accessories
The Radius wood art earphones ship in a handsome cardboard box with finger-friendly plastic inserts – no digits were harmed in the making of this review. Aside from a short spec sheet and the earphones themselves, the box holds two pairs of black foam pads – the bare minimum but certainly good enough for an entry-level set of earbuds.
Design & Build Quality
The light maple wood housings of the Radius WHF11M are offset by the gold accents on the earphone stems and y-split. The finish is surprisingly good and the design exhibits great attention to detail. A radius logo is etched in the wood casing of the 3.5mm I-plug and prominent L/R markings are etched into the housings. The cable, however, is far less impressive. Thin and plasticky, the cord lacks strain relief and really doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence in the longevity of the earphones. It also carries a bit of memory character and has a slight tendency to tangle – standard fare for conventional earbuds and not all that unexpected considering the price of the WHF11M.
Fit & Comfort
The Radius earphones closely resemble first-gen iPod earbuds in size and shape and really aren’t noticeably heavier than if they were made out of plastic. Those who find iPod earbuds comfortable should have no issues with the wood art earphones. My dislike of earbuds doesn’t stem from discomfort so I have no problems wearing them for any number of hours at a time once the foam pads have broken in (fresh ones can be a bit itchy).
Isolation & Microphonics
None and none.
Sound Quality
Specifications
Driver Type: Dynamic
Driver Diameter: 13mm
Impedance: 28Ω
Sensitivity: 97 db/mW
Frequency Response: 25-19k Hz
Max. Input Power: 5mW
Cord length: 1.2 m (4ft)
Weight (without cable): 6g
Testing note: all on-the-go listening was done straight out of a Cowon J3 portable player loaded with 192-320kbps mp3s. Critical listening was done using an iBasso D10 DAC/amp with stock opamps using a wider selection of lossless tracks in FLAC and WMA formats.
Promotional materials for the Radius WHF11M claim that the maple wood used in the construction was chosen for its crisp treble and rich overall sound, and to an extent this is true. However, the overall balance places noticeable emphasis on mid- and upper bass, with all of the ensuing warmth and coloration in place. The overall bass quantity is above baseline – more Sennheiser MX760 than Sunrise Charm – and the bass carries good impact and body. The 13mm drivers aren’t the quickest in existence but bass detail is still better than it is with my stock Sansa buds. Bottom-end extension is quite decent and the notes take on a slightly soft and thick character. In comparison, the Kozee E300 sounds leaner and flatter but offers no more texture or detail. Both earphones have a tendency to distort at extremely high volumes.
The midrange is warm, rich, and smooth. It is not recessed but the balance of the earphones does emphasize the bass slightly more. Like the low end, the midrange tends to sound a bit thick and soft. Detail and clarity could be better but still provide a small step up from most stock earbuds. The top end, similarly, provides a bit of sparkle and edginess due to some lower treble emphasis but is generally inoffensive. The promise of crisp treble does ring true to an extent as the top end is arguably the cleanest part of the WHF11M’s sound signature. Extension leaves a bit to be desired but otherwise there’s nothing significantly wrong with it.
The presentation of the WHF11M is on the intimate side, seemingly quite fitting for the warm and colored sound. It is still more spacious than most IEMs in the price range but falls short of the width and airiness of the Kozee E300 and the higher-end Sunrise earphones. Imaging and separation are slightly better than with most stock earbuds but the WHF11M is hardly a hi-fi listening device. On the whole, it provides a generally pleasant listen in the fidelity range of some of the entry-level models from brands such as Sennheiser and Sony.
Conclusion
The Radius HP-WHF11M is a handsome, well-made earbud that delivers exactly what it promises. It may look like a woodified Apple product but the surprising attention to detail shows that it is hardly a knockoff. If there is a functional problem area, it is the cable, which is thin, plasticky, and a bit tangle-prone. The sound is competent, providing a step up from most stock earbuds but stopping short of competing with pricier ‘audiophile’ sets. On the whole, the WHF11M is a good earphone and a better gift - the perfect set for someone in search of an aesthetically pleasing aftermarket listening device in the earbud form factor.
