kimvictor
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2012
- Posts
- 4,397
- Likes
- 233
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!
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!