[kimvictor]

About Myself: See my Signature or click on my ID. I can review just about anything.

I promised on few websites that I'd write a review, but I've been delaying that for a while(I was too lazy to take the pictures and had to write for this site). I haven't written much on head-fi recently... Oh, please pardon some writing errors. Mr.T's not here to edit my review on head-fi.

While I am involved with summit-fi IEMs, I always have one reliable pair of "beater" IEM used for everyday arduous uses, which requires ultra portability, superb build quality, and finally, an audiophile acceptable sound quality. Originally, that was the intent of the purchase of the SBH80, an apt-x enabled wireless IEM from Sony Mobile. Please note that I said "Mobile". This sets them apart from typical Sony IEMs. Nevertheless, the SBH80 was tuned by Sead Smailagic, a well regarded audio engineer, and I was hyped for that.

My first demo was quite impressive, so I ended up purchasing a pair at the spot.


 
Since I love the SBH80 so much, I'm going to dive right at it.

Comfort
As you might have noticed, SBH80 has a behind the ears approach, found in similar LG Tone series. They are ultra light and comfortable. The seal is on the lighter side and the supplied tips are very comfortable. They also stay on rather well(they will survive a jog). The isolation is decent, better than some hybrids, but fairly average compared to other IEMs.

Build
Build, as expected of Sony, is exceptional. Although it hasn't been officially stated, SBH80 also has superb waterproofing capability. It easily survives 20min hot showers. I'm a daredevil that gives all technology hell, and I can say with ease that SBH80 is very reliable in build quality.


The mic quality is decent, making them perfectly suitable for on-the-go use

Functionality
Both sides of the cables are equipped with a mic and three buttons. This allows volume control, music control, and handsfree calling capability. I personally love the buttons. The connection can be set up via pairing mode or via NFC with suitable devices. Bluetooth connection is smooth and easy to use. Battery lasts about a day. Not bad, but not superb(charging time is superb though). The range is also ridiculous, outperforming 10m suggested by Sony. Ah, Micro USB charging also makes it more logical for android users.



These housings are tiny! They sit nicely in your ears.



So by now, you're probably curious about the sound... after all, we're on head-fi.

Gear/Reference
Sony XBA-Z5
UE Reference Monitors
Sony MDR7550
Fidue A83
Sennheiser HD800
LG G3(Apt-X)
2013 13in Macbook Air(Apt-X)

Apt-X
Why does Apt-X get a own section? Cause it deserves it! Unlike previous generation of wireless codec, Apt-X sounds awesome! Previous generation of wireless bluetooth codecs don't even compare. To me, it sounds no worse than wired IEMs in terms of playing 16bit lossless. And it sounds like it. I prefer SBH80 to almost every other sub $100 IEMs.

Bass
Bass is deeply extended and boosted. I expect at least a 8db boost, and will call SBH80 bass heavy. It borders somewhere between warm and basshead. However, the bass has a downhill slope as it approaches mids, so it doesn't affect the mids much. This also means that sub bass is boosted more than mid bass, creating truly deep bass. Bass extension is top notch and simply impressive. Mid bass is on the punchy side with a good amount of decay.

Mids
Mids are smooth and rich. Overall frequency response of the SBH80 remains downhill from bass to treble, making the SBH80 warm overall. There is really nothing more to say. The mids are done right, and you can hear it. There is also absolutely no peak, so you won't "feel the air" that is caused by 10k exaggeration, but this lack of peak creates a very smooth sounding IEM. SBH80 probably has the least peaky sound from any audio gear I've heard.

Treble
As I mentioned earlier, the downhill slope creates a rather relaxed treble. It never shrills or penetrates, but is simply present. In terms of extension, SBH80 is superb. It probably extends as much as XBA-Z5, if not more. However, the pushed back treble might be a downer, if you are looking for a flat signature. It's a silky smooth and pulled back treble with absolutely no peak.

Detail/Imaging/Soundstage
Detail remains fairly average for a $99 IEM, and imaging is slightly above average. However, the soundstage is very wide, rivaling $150 IEMs easily.



Nice simple main body with sealed Micro USB Port

Closing Remarks
As I said, I love the SBH80. I personally think they are one of the best IEM available for under $150, wireless or not. These sound good, not for a wireless IEM, but for a head-fi equipment as a whole. With superb functionality and sound quality, SBH80 is a easy recommendation for those looking for warm sounding IEM. I owned over $3000 worth of IEMs over the last year, and SBH80 remains as a keeper. Nice job Sony!

 

[fnkcow]

Agreed! SBH80 is definitely a keeper, was expecting "beater" pair of sound quality but was more than pleasantly surprised
Lived up to my expectation as a Sony MH1 upgrade in almost every way
Apt-X tech is DA real schitttt good to see you include it as a separate section in your review!
I got about 6 hours of non-stop playback out of the SBH80, a bit more than the specs claims by Sony and considering how small the unit is it is pretty good in my books
 
SBH80 has been long under the radar and definitely deserves its own thread, thanks for making one with review to boot!

 

[kimvictor]

  Agreed! SBH80 is definitely a keeper, was expecting "beater" pair of sound quality but was more than pleasantly surprised
Lived up to my expectation as a Sony MH1 upgrade in almost every way
Apt-X tech is DA real schitttt good to see you include it as a separate section in your review!
I got about 6 hours of non-stop playback out of the SBH80, a bit more than the specs claims by Sony and considering how small the unit is it is pretty good in my books
 
SBH80 has been long under the radar and definitely deserves its own thread, thanks for making one with review to boot!

I totally think that SBH80 is underrated. They deserve much more recognition!

 

[jhoff80]

Is it just me or are the buttons a little mushy?  I don't get good feedback when I'm pushing them in to know if it worked or not.  Also, there's a bit more cord noise from the button section to the headphones themselves than I would like.  And something people should probably be prepared for (that I wasn't really) is that for 'supposed' wireless headphones, the cord is pretty damn long.  I mean, It's only about 16" or so shorter of a cord than my wired IEMs.  Anyway, my main reason for posting...  I was trying to find replacement tips that would work on these for just a little more comfort.  Has anyone found suitable-sized replacements?  Comply Foam doesn't have these specifically listed, for example, but I don't know, I would think there has to be some other IEM with similar sizing.   (And since that all sounded really negative I should point out that the audio quality is definitely really good, though as mentioned, a little more bass-heavy than I'm used to with my main set of Phonaks.  Still, a huge step up in my mind from the Jaybirds Bluebuds X.)

 

[kimvictor]

  Is it just me or are the buttons a little mushy?  I don't get good feedback when I'm pushing them in to know if it worked or not.  Also, there's a bit more cord noise from the button section to the headphones themselves than I would like.  And something people should probably be prepared for (that I wasn't really) is that for 'supposed' wireless headphones, the cord is pretty damn long.  I mean, It's only about 16" or so shorter of a cord than my wired IEMs.  Anyway, my main reason for posting...  I was trying to find replacement tips that would work on these for just a little more comfort.  Has anyone found suitable-sized replacements?  Comply Foam doesn't have these specifically listed, for example, but I don't know, I would think there has to be some other IEM with similar sizing.   (And since that all sounded really negative I should point out that the audio quality is definitely really good, though as mentioned, a little more bass-heavy than I'm used to with my main set of Phonaks.  Still, a huge step up in my mind from the Jaybirds Bluebuds X.)

The volume buttons are. The metal button's aren't. I think it has to do with it being waterproof. They must have covered it with some sort of rubber to prevent water. I found the cord to be just right length. It if was shorter, it wouldn't reach my ears.
 
Tips for fidue A83 works with SBH80. Look at Rin Choi's article. He measured the SBH80 with different eartips. 

 

[jhoff80]

  The volume buttons are. The metal button's aren't. I think it has to do with it being waterproof. They must have covered it with some sort of rubber to prevent water. I found the cord to be just right length. It if was shorter, it wouldn't reach my ears.
 
Tips for fidue A83 works with SBH80. Look at Rin Choi's article. He measured the SBH80 with different eartips. 

Thanks for the heads up on the tips.  I didn't really mean to say that the cord was too long, as it definitely feels like the right size for the design (and even better, it gives enough room for me to wear the headphone part over the ear, eliminating my cord noise issue)... just that if you're getting a pair of wireless headphones for the purpose of better pocketability or anything like that, you might be a tiny bit disappointed.  But I'm sure most on this site anyway care more about the sound quality (as I do as well).

 

[kimvictor]

  Thanks for the heads up on the tips.  I didn't really mean to say that the cord was too long, as it definitely feels like the right size for the design (and even better, it gives enough room for me to wear the headphone part over the ear, eliminating my cord noise issue)... just that if you're getting a pair of wireless headphones for the purpose of better pocketability or anything like that, you might be a tiny bit disappointed.  But I'm sure most on this site anyway care more about the sound quality (as I do as well).

Oh, I always have them around my neck, so I guess the pocketabliity doesn't really apply to me.

 

[kimvictor]

Huh. So, I can pull off a quick comparison with similarly priced IEMs(Under $200). Any ones you would like to see?(I can pull off most well known IEMs).

 

[PeterDLai]

  I prefer SBH80 to almost every other sub $100 IEMs.

 
Out of curiosity, which sub-$100 IEMs do you prefer over the SBH80?

 

[kimvictor]

   
Out of curiosity, which sub-$100 IEMs do you prefer over the SBH80?

SE215, Ety MC5, RE400(a tie), SE215SPE.

 

[kimvictor]

Does anyone else use the SBH80 with Sony Flagship Smartphones? I got the Z3c, and the pre-set for MH1C sounds amazing with SBH80. If you have a Sony smartphone, it's worth a try.

 

[Aradea]

Guys,

I have an Xperia Z ultra and looking for a BT handsfree with sound quality. I was looking for the sony MW1 but its hard to find here in Indonesia.
Now my choices are between SBH50, SBH52, and this. Should I get SBH80 if price isn't really a concern between these headsets?

 

[kimvictor]

Guys,

I have an Xperia Z ultra and looking for a BT handsfree with sound quality. I was looking for the sony MW1 but its hard to find here in Indonesia.
Now my choices are between SBH50, SBH52, and this. Should I get SBH80 if price isn't really a concern between these headsets?

Yup. Z series have an preset matched for MH1C, which is perfect for SBH80. SBH80 is really different from SBH50 and 52 though(you can't choose an earphone). If you already have an summit-fi earphone you want to use, you should buy SBH50 or 52 instead, but if not, SBH80 is the way to go.

 

[Aradea]

@kimvictor: what is a summit-fi earphone? Well if considering we can change earphones with SBH50 or 52 to improve overall sound quality, then I'm leaning to this. Especially when SBH50 is much affordable than the 52 and the 80. Any recommended earphones or IEMs for the 50?

 

[kimvictor]

@kimvictor: what is a summit-fi earphone? Well if considering we can change earphones with SBH50 or 52 to improve overall sound quality, then I'm leaning to this. Especially when SBH50 is much affordable than the 52 and the 80. Any recommended earphones or IEMs for the 50?

Well, you could use the 50 or the 52 with any iem with a 3.5mm jack. It won't be as portable as SBH80, but it's an option. In terms of IEMs to be used, you can do whatever. Do some research and find out which IEMs you might like the most.
 
I'm personally a fan of the SBH80, but if you like the fact that you can change the iems, you should go for the 50 or 52.