Isn’t it a pain when you have to look at your earbuds to work out which one’s left and which one’s right ? Or you find that you’ve had the wrong phone in the wrong ear ? Well the Japan Science and Technology Agency ( JST ) has a solution with their Universal Earphones.  Using a proximity sensor the Universal Earphones automatically detect which ear each phone is in so that you’ll never have to worry about your stereo seperation again. In addition if you share earphones (something that all teenagers seem to do), then the phones will detect this do and put a full mono stream into each earphone rather than just a single channel. See the video after the jump.

Universal Earphones: Earphones with Automatic Side and Shared Use Detection from Kohei Matsumura on Vimeo.

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Tagged: Earphones

Universal Earphones: Earphones with Automatic Side and Shared Use Detection originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 9, 2012 at 8:00 am.

I’m torn about the PFE 232 Earphones from Phonak Audeo. They are about the best sounding universal-fit earphones I’ve yet heard. They are well made, extremely comfortable, customizable (more on that later), and have replaceable cables.

But wow, are they expensive. There is no getting around that. It’s an elephant in the room you can’t ignore. And when the price of universal-fit earphones approach, and sometimes even surpass the cost of custom fit earphones, they better have something unique to offer.  Let’s find out.

Phonak Sounds AG is a Swiss maker of hearing aids that got into the audio market because many of the components in modern hearing aids are also used in high quality earphones. It’s a natural symmetry.

Phonak’s first earphone was the PFE 111/112 which won raves for both its design as well as sound. They became a favorite among those wanting topnotch quality at a reasonable price. Even with one armature, the PFE 111/112s were favorably compared with earphones costing more.

Well, as they say, that was then; this is now. Many competing brands of earphones have come out since the PFE 111/112 and have been reviewed at The Gadgeteer. Today, there are a lot of good sounding earphones covering many price ranges.

Phonak has released the Perfect Fit (PFE) 232 with two balanced armatures instead of the single armature used in the 111/112s. They didn’t change the shape, since the original worked so well, and only did subtle exterior design changes. They are a gun-metal gray with black plastic. At first glance, you may think that at this price, they should have either aluminum or wood accents. But plastic is extremely light in weight and moldable to a more ergonomic shape. These earphones weigh almost nothing.

Let’s look at the ergonomics of the PFE 232. It is an unusual shape. No other earphones look like them. Yet when they are worn, it makes sense. They’re called Perfect Fit for good reason. They wrap around and behind the ear, much like Westone and Shure earphones. You can also wear them with the cable down if you’re willing to swap left for right, and the audio may be compromised. While they may not be the most comfortable universal earphones I’ve used – the Klipsch X10s own that crown – the 232s are very comfortable, and I can wear them for hours without ear pain or irritation. Being able to wear earphones comfortably for hours is not as common as you may think.

The PFE 232s come with a decent array of accessories. Included are two sets of cables; one with a mic for smartphones and one without. To be truthful, I hardly ever use earphones on my iPhone. The iPod Classic is my primary music device. So whether earphones have a mic or not is irrelevant to me. However, I know many people use a smartphone exclusively for music and the mic feature is essential. The multifunction button on the PFE 232 works as advertised. You can adjust volume, pause, forward, reverse, take calls… all the usual stuff. Note that the multifunction button only works on Apple devices.

Also included are six pairs of eartips; three different sizes of foam and silicone. There are also silicone ear-shaped guides which help keep the wires in place behind the ears. Eyeglass wearers can just tuck the wires behind the eyeglass earpiece without the guides. Since I wear glasses, I prefer this method. The ear guides are comfortable, but cumbersome to use.

One of the common problems with earphones in any price range is the durability of the thin cords. No one wants to replace a pair of expensive earphones just because of issues with the wires. Phonak has equipped the PFE  232s with removable cables. What that means is that no matter what happens to your earphone cables – worn, torn, chewed by your dog; whatever – you just disconnect the wires and reconnect new ones. It makes you wonder why everyone isn’t doing this.

The included accessory that matters more than the others and accounts for some of the cost are the three color-coded acoustic filters with included case and changing tool. These filters are tiny and difficult to change, but they can dramatically alter the sound depending on your tastes. The green filter promotes bass at the expense of mids and treble. Using the green filters makes the PFE 232s sound like $50 earphones marketed to teenagers. The bass may be cleaner than cheap earphones, but I don’t understand the logic. The black filters boost bass and treble much more accurately and could be considered the closest to a traditional earphone sound signature. The black filters do sound good, but on some songs, there is a harshness in the treble that bothers me. I prefer the gray filters for their overall neutral and balanced sound, but then, I lean toward that type of sound anyway.  Phonak packages the PFE 232s with the gray filters already installed and supply an extra gray set along with the black and green filters. My advice is to live with the gray filters until you are familiar with the sound and then change to the black or green filter to decide what you like.

In my listening tests, I decided to try old and new music. The song, “Roads to Moscow,” from Al Stewart’s “Past, Present and Future” album features just about everything to test headphone quality. It begins with a high, flamenco-styled guitar overlaying some purposeful acoustic strumming followed by a choral bridge. The PFE 232s effortlessly pick up the squeakiness of the guitar strings, the different vocal ranges of the choir and the excellent soundstage of the song delivering a complete audio treat.

A new song, “Colors,” by April Smith and the Great Picture Show is a joyful romp complete with accordion, hand clapping and a thumping bass drum. The attack and recovery of the drum hits in this song allow the visceral kick of the drum to be felt without letting it bleed into the other frequencies. That’s the mark of good headphones and earphones. That means any aural muddiness heard in a particular song would be the result of the recording and not the earphone speaker.

Roxy Music’s ode to Texas, “Prairie Rose,” is one of the harshest songs I have in my collection. I don’t know if it was intentional, but the recording quality leaves a lot to be desired, despite how good the song is. That actually makes it a perfect test song. Here the high frequencies were not brittle or painful, so I could listen to the whole song without wanting to rip the earphones from my head. Conversely, Honeyroot’s song, “Falling” has deep, deep bass that can buzz and distort cheaper speakers. The PFE 232s don’t seem to care. The bass is musical and rich without any boominess or buzzing of any kind.

The PFE 232s don’t have what I would call a jaw-dropping sound – unless you are migrating from Apple’s earbuds or other cheap buds. But what the PFE 232s do have is what you should be hearing; accurate sound as the musicians intended it to be heard.

The PFE 232s are unfazed by whatever style of music I throw at them. I have heard and reviewed many earphones – custom and universal – and very few have a sound signature as balanced and easy to listen to as the PFE 232s. There are many earphones that excel in reproducing bass, vocals, or the higher frequencies. But the ability to handle the entire frequency range and still keep the clarity and power in the music is difficult to achieve. I commend Phonak for this and can highly recommend the PFE 232s if you have the means. But their high cost holds me back from making my recommendation unconditional.

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Tagged: Earphones

Phonak Audéo PFE 232 Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 29, 2012 at 12:31 pm.

To say that Bob Marley became a musical icon after his untimely death at 36 from cancer is a massive understatement. Marley almost singlehandedly helped make reggae music a worldwide phenomenon that is still popular today. The name Marley is synonymous with reggae, and his estate has parleyed his popularity into a line of audio products that House of Marley say exhibits three principles: superior quality, eco-friendly and cause-minded. I will touch on those principles at the end of this review, but my main concern is whether their Zion earphones are worth your hard-earned money.

House of Marley has many choices of earphones, headphones, and speaker/docks priced for just about any budget. Marley divides each product range into three categories: The less expensive Jammin’, mid-priced Freedom, and higher-end Destiny. The mid-priced Zion earphones are part of the Freedom Collection.  I received the Mist version, but the Zion earbuds are also available in Midnight with darker wood and black metal.

The Zions are pretty standard fare as far as earphones go. They are based on the warmer, bass dominant dynamic speaker design as opposed to the more clinical but accurate armature speaker. This helps hold down costs and a lot of people prefer the warmer sound anyway.The build quality and design of the Zion earphones are impressive. Marley has managed to infuse colorful, Jamaican-inspired fun into the design, while also making them look like they cost more than they do. The Zions consist of recycled aluminum and real wood for the shells. They use comfortable silicone tips which help give a good seal for better bass. They are rated at 16 ohms impedance, which means that a separate headphone amp is not necessary.

Included is a remote volume control/mic attached to a multi-colored 52-inch fabric cord. Volume/mic controls with earphones are almost becoming a necessity in our mobile society. Because the cord is fabric, it also cuts down on microphonics (that thumping and scraping sound from touching earphone cords) and helps avoid tangles, though not as completely as advertised. At the end of the cord is a right-angled, gold-plated mini plug that fits any standard AUX port. There’s a thick, canvas carrying case that evokes Marley’s eco trappings.

The Zion has a 9mm speaker, which is to be expected in this price range. Bass is pronounced at the expense of the mid-range. On many songs, the vocals recede when they shouldn’t. Once again, let me say that many people prefer this setup because it is forgiving on lower quality MP3s and well, people generally like bass. An accent on bass can be fun and initially exciting, but I find it tiring after an extended time. A good example would be Bryan Ferry’s version of the famous Tim Buckley song, “Song To the Siren” from his latest album, “Olympia.” This song has been covered by many artists. Ferry is a stickler in the studio, but on this song, the bass is already up front and heavy. The Zions had trouble pulling out details in the recording because of this emphasis on the bottom end. It sounded muddled and indistinct.

Take a song like “Do It Again” from Steely Dan and the Zions sound much better. While this 70s radio staple isn’t a definitive audiophile classic, it was recorded with great care in an era where bass wasn’t king. The vocals and mid-range instrumentals are spot on in clarity and balance. I had forgotten how good Steely Dan was, and the Zions helped me relive good times.

Of course I had to listen to some reggae. Bob Marley’s “One Love” from the album, “Exodus,” has a fun reverb in the vocals that the Zions showcase well. The crack and snap of the steel drums have power and drama. Of course, reggae can sonically sound good or bad depending on the quality of the recording. This song on these earphones work well together.

Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” is an album recorded with very forward vocals,. While I’m not a big fan of Joel, this album made him a star for good reason. “Captain Jack” is a gut-wrenching look at a lost teenager on the verge of hopelessness. The 70s mix may not be as loud as a more modern or even remastered mix, but in this case, that’s a good thing. It’s older songs like “Captain Jack” that benefit from dynamic earphones. Whatever bass may be lacking in these classic recordings is compensated for with the  Zions.

One of the main reasons House of Marley exists is to advance various causes Marley was involved with. 1Love was created to focus on various charities, and for every Marley product purchased, a portion of the sale goes to those charities. They also believe in using sustainable and recyclable materials in the construction and packaging wherever possible. House of Marley states up front their commitment to quality in manufacturing as well as quality sound for their products.

Philanthropic reasons aside, you still should get your money’s worth with any pair of earphones you buy. With House of Marley’s Zion earphones, you do.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

House of Marley Zion Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 18, 2012 at 11:00 am.

I love music.  My first big purchase after getting my first job out of college was a stereo system.  After I bought my small house, I got rid of my stereo with the big floor speakers that could literally blow out a match, and I just don’t listen as much.  When I try listening with earphones, I usually find them too uncomfortable to listen for more than a few minutes.  I miss music, and I’m always trying to find something that makes it enjoyable again.  That’s why I’m always interested in trying new headphones and earphones.  I asked Julie if I could try the ms01 monitorseries earphones when they were offered by thinksound for review.

thinksound is a company with an eco-conscience.  They began with “a simple goal; to create incredible sounding headphones with the smallest eco-footprint possible.”  They use wood from renewable sources and PVC-free cables in their headphones.  Packaging is made from bleach-free, recycled materials; they use stacks of cardboard with cutouts instead of a plastic blister inside the package.  Still, they want their headphones to sound great, so they use only high-quality materials in their manufacture.

A small cotton, drawstring bag with the thinksound logo is included to hold your earphones and their accessories.  You get a cable clip and a total of four eartips (small, medium, large, x-large) with the ms01s.  You also get a pair of “Active Lifestyle Earhooks”, which are the black rubber things in the bottom right of the above picture.

The shells of the earbuds are made of wood, and the baffles are made of gray aluminum.  This color combination is called Gunmetal Chocolate.  The back of each earbud has a white thinksound logo printed on.

thinksound says the ms01s are 8mm in-ear high definition monitors.  They come with the large eartips installed, and I started with them.  I got a good seal with this size, without it feeling like I had something crammed in my ears.  If you don’t like these particular eartips, the ms01 are compatible with Comply T-200 eartips.

These earbuds don’t have an in-line volume/call answer control.  There’s a metal cylinder at the juncture of the main cable and the ear cables with the thinksound logo.  I assume this also serves to reinforce this point.  The cables are PVC-free, Kevlar-reinforced, and tangle resistant.  I haven’t heard any cable vibration or knocks while wearing these, even without using the cable clip.  There’s a 3.5mm gold-plated stereo plug that will work with most any audio device.

I find that the ms01 earphones fit very comfortably and securely in my ears.  If you use earbuds while working out, you might like the Active Lifestyle Earhooks.  These rubbery hooks have clips down their spine to hold the ear cables behind your ears.  These flexible hooks are about 1/8th of an inch thick.  They don’t seem to fit around my ears in any way that seems to stabilize the earphones.  I find them very uncomfortable to wear, because they press against the earpieces of my eyeglasses.  I find them uncomfortable even without my glasses on, though.  YMMV, but I won’t be using the earhooks.

I mentioned that the ms01 earphones were comfortable, but I didn’t make it clear just how comfortable I find them.  I hate those Apple-style earbuds because they push against my ears so hard that I feel like I’m bruised after a short while wearing them.  I find some in-ear styles to be uncomfortable because they block my ear canal and cause my eardrums to feel like they are under high pressure.  On the other hand, if I don’t press them in far enough, in-ear styles don’t sound good.  The ms01 earphones fit snugly in my ear without making my eardrums feel like they were about to be ruptured.  I can wear these comfortably for hours.

But how do they sound?  Well – good and and not so good.  The documentation says these earbuds reproduce 18-20,000Hz.  I listened to some bass-heavy music, most specifically Chris Squire’s Fish.  That song was performed with nothing much but a bass guitar, and it can loosen the fillings in your teeth when played on the right speakers.  I could hear the bass, but it wasn’t head-rattling.  The bass is there and enjoyable, but it doesn’t overwhelm.

The earbuds are very bright.  I’ve never liked Boston’s music because it’s shrill – high vocals, higher harmonies, and a drummer who was in dire need of a cymbal-ectomy.  Boston’s music through the ms01s was so shrill that my ears hurt.  Many other songs, especially rock, sounded too bright, too.  These earbuds really shone when I moved on to vocal and acoustic music.  With acoustic music, especially live, the earphones were clear and clean.  I could hear faint voices in the background that I’m not sure I noticed before in some songs.  Old bluegrass and orchestral music sounded good, too.

I love voices, and vocal music sounded great with the ms01 earphones.  I listened to all my favorite singers – Peter Gabriel, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, Jon Anderson, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban – and they all sounded fabulous.  The voices were rich and full; they gave me chills.  I’m listening to Colin Hay’s Going Somewhere as I write this.  It’s just his voice and an acoustic guitar, and it seems like he’s standing right behind me as he sings.

I’m not sure thinksound’s ms01 monitorseries earphones will satisfy everyone, but fans of acoustic and vocal music should be very happy with them.

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Tagged: Earphones

thinksound ms01 monitorseries Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 12, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

I enjoy listening to motivational music while working out. But due to the intensity of my fitness routine at the gym or while pounding pavement, I am very tough/rough on my earbuds. I have trashed many a pair over the decades. Not through abuse or neglect, but by sweating in and on them too much.  (I know, TMI). Monster has developed a pair of relatively high-end earbuds specifically engineered to withstand this abuse; the iSport Immersion In-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk. They are so extreme (and waterproof), they advertise you can even put them through the washing machine (as most of you know, typically the sure kiss of death). So, I was excited to give them a good thorough run for their money .

The Monster iSports come very well packaged….and I agree with Monster’s statement of ‘Because the Music Matters’.  I am spoiled in which earbuds I use to listen to my music when it comes to non-workout moments.  I have at my disposal more than a few high end, custom-fitted monitors giving me a great, comfortable listening experience. However I won’t use any of my monitors to workout with as I do not want to destroy these pricey items with my sweat. My point is, it would be nice to have great sounding earbuds to exercise with….ones tough enough to survive the perils of working out. The Monster iSports are supposed to be THE ones.

Box Contents:

• iSport Immersion headphones
• 4 pairs of multiple-sized SportClips and Eartips
• Protective spring-clasp pouch

Monster includes four sets of SportsClips and eartips to allow you to achieve the perfect fit for your ear shape and size. Due to the 90 degree turn my ear canal makes, this shape/style of earbud rarely works for me. So, I was surprised how well and how comfortably I was able to get the iSport to fit in my ears. Once in my ear, they stay seated very well even on a long run in the dumping rain. I grant you, occasionally they get bumped and need to be reset into my ear canal, but rarely.

Features:

• Advanced In-Ear Speaker Design
  Delivers true Monster-quality sound while the patented SportClip provides a no-fail fit worthy of your toughest workout.
• Proprietary Waterproof Sealed Housing
  Beach. Mountains. Take your iSport headphones anywhere—including the laundry room. It’s 100% machine washable!
• MicroStrand Conductors
  Listen to your tunes reproduced in dramatic detail. With iSport, you’ll go the distance without ever missing a beat.
• Magnetic Flux Tube™ Technology
  The same technology found in Monster’s best speaker cables are now in the ultimate sports headphone. 
• 24K Gold-Plated Contacts
  Attractive—and anti-corrosive for maximum audio signal. From now on, your favorite tracks will sound as good as gold. 
• Patented In-Ear Clip Design
  Provides a secure, customized fit for even the most rigorous workouts.
• Convenient Right Angle Jack
  Move freely with your tangle-resistant cord and jack safely out of the way.
• Pro Sound Isolating Eartips
  Multiple sizes and shapes for the perfect fit—blocking out sweat and noise so you can always focus on winning.
• ControlTalk™ On-Cable Mic
  Take the call without stopping—iSport comes with convenient, hands-free calling for your iPhone or smartphone.

As you can see, a majority of the iSports is constructed of a hard, durable plastic and rightly so, they are meant to get wet. The OmniTip swivel nozzle pivots for extra adjustment. They are the directional speakers that the eartips slide onto; thus allowing the speakers to be angled independently in relationship to the earbud themselves for better seating in the ear and more comfort.

The left earbud has a blue ring around it. The right earbud has a red ring around it — making differentiating between the two quick and easy.

The iDevice enabled remote control and microphone is also suppose to be hardened to withstand exercise ickiness. This is a key failure point on the earbuds I have destroyed so far. The waterproof ControlTalk button/mic is located six inches below the left earbud, easy to find by feel while focusing on your workout. It worked perfectly with all the iDevices I used it with.

You can see for yourself, Monster puts it right there in writing…..Waterproof.  However, Monster is vague on just how waterproof the iSports truly are. The iSport’s instruction manual has the following language: “iSport headphones are designed and engineered for use with water sports, but not at depth: – good for swimming / – surfing, jet skiing; not intended for deep sea diving.” They also state that if the iSports are “…..used underwater at too great a depth for too long a time,” the one-year warranty will be voided. This language is way too vague for me. If folks do have issues, I hope Monster steps up. Considering their cost and design intent, it seems like Monster could include a longer, more holistic warranty.

The blue cable connecting all the components of the iSports is thin and flat, well constructed, and tangle-resistant. Monster has implemented the following technology into the iSports wiring: MicroStrand conductors, magnetic flux tube technology, and 24K gold-plated contacts.  These are all included to give you a better listening/music experience. It’s supposed to be tangle-resistant; it still tangles, just not terribly so.

The low-profile plug is well engineered/made. I prefer the L-shaped plug because it makes for a smaller profile, form-factor and is less likely, if bumped, to damage the internal plug-port mechanics.

Fit and Comfort:

As I said, the iSports fit me surprisingly well. The SportClips do a stellar job of holding the iSports in my ears while running, lifting weights, getting to-do items off my list, etc. The iSports’ design does well at pressing themselves up against my ear canal, keeping them well seated/sealed. The Monster iSports are available in the blue color you see here and black.

Sound Quality:

While the sound quality of the iSports do not match that of the monitors I use.  They do sound much better than the stock earbuds that come with iPods (not like that is too difficult). They are also better than the Sennheiser/Adidas MX 680i Sports Earbuds I reviewed this past summer. The key to getting the best sound quality is proper setting in your ear. If they are not, you lose most of your mid and bass. When they are properly set in your ears, they are well balanced: crisp and clear highs, detailed mids, and a nice full bass that is not too extreme.

I have made several calls with the iSports and I have been able to clearly hear those I am talking with and vice versa.

Getting Down & Dirty:

Along with getting sweaty and icky each workout, I have run with the iSports earbuds several times in the dumping rain (something you cannot avoid if you are a runner in Western Washington). They definitely got wet and continued to work just fine.  I have not washed my iSports to see if they live up to Monster’s claim of their rugged ability to survive immersion in water. I like them too much. Although, there may come a time, by accident or needing to be cleaned, when it may become a necessity. Thankfully, they should survive.

Bottom Line:

I have used the Monster iSport Immersion In-Ear Headphones a dozen times over the past month or so. They are definitely the best sounding and most durable sports/workout earbuds I have every used. Monster calls them ‘The Athelete’s Headphones‘ and I have to agree. That said, this great sound and rugged survivability comes at a (relatively) premium cost. The iSports’ MSRP is $180 but can be found on the Net for $150. I consider this price point to be in the moderately priced (middle-end) earbuds these days, akin to the Etymotic hf-5s. Considering the iSports sound quality and added toughness, worth the price for a set of headphones that can stand the pounding (& ickiness) of hard-core working out.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Fitness, Sports, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Monster iSport Immersion In-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 9, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

When writing about and reviewing earphones, I always include two points that are important to each model: the seal from the eartips and whether the earphone uses a warmer sounding dynamic or the more accurate, but bass deficient armature based speaker. Scosche is a maker of a seemingly endless array of affordable iPhone/iPod accessories with headphones and earphones among their more popular products. They have now released a new high-end line of audio gear under the Realm name, and one of the first products is the IEM856m in-ear monitor. There are a couple of things that make the IEM856m unique and we will discuss those in this review.

As I said, Scosche is going upmarket with the Realm line and so, let’s look at whether they succeeded. The design of the IEM856m (couldn’t they come up with a better name?) certainly looks good. They come in black (IEM856md) or bright Apple white (IEM856m) with subtle chrome accents.  Both have a good selection of silicone eartips to choose from. Also included is a very sturdy zippered case with a net pocket for holding tips, supplied carabiner and shirt clip.

At first glance, it looks like Scosche is gunning for the Monster Earphone crowd with its design, but I think they look a bit more toned down than Monster’s more aggressive look. One definite similarity the IEM856m has with some Monster earphones is a tangle-free flat cable design that really works. I have never been all that bothered having to untangle cables, but I know it drives others crazy, so these flat cables could be a deciding factor in choosing Scosche over other brands.

The IEM856m also includes what Scosche calls the TapLine III remote control and microphone system. It allows you to play/pause, skip tracks, adjust volume and answer calls. This setup is becoming the norm as smart phones become a prime source for personal music.

Beyond these specs, the main attraction of the Scosche IEM856m is a fairly unique speaker combination. Scosche could have decided to use the highly accurate armature speaker or the less clinical, bass heavy dynamic speaker. But they figured why not use both and hopefully, benefit from the strengths of both approaches? After all, it makes sense on paper: Combine the highs of armature with the powerful bottom end of dynamic to achieve a perfect balance. But, will this approach work in the real world?

Let’s first deal with the negatives. The IEM856ms are kinda big. While armatures are extremely small, dynamics aren’t and adding another speaker – no matter how small – only increases the bulk. And these do look and feel bigger than most other earphones. However, Scosche has managed to keep them very light and, despite their size, quite comfortable. That had to have been a primary goal, because this combo-speaker setup just begs for compromises and Scosche seems to have wisely avoided them.

I listened to many kinds of music ripped or downloaded in various levels of quality.

I noticed that while this combo does manage to capitalize on each speaker design’s strengths – when pushed, the disadvantages of each speaker design sometimes becomes apparent. For instance, on some (not all) R.E.M. songs, their trademark, jangly guitar sound could border on brittle in the higher frequencies. I wouldn’t say it’s irritating, but it is noticeable. I’m half-certain that it’s the recording and not the earphones, because it was rare when I heard it. Most of the time, the balance between the armature and dynamic speakers was spot-on. Their scatological song, “It’s the End Of the World As We Know It,” has an obscure bottom end when the group sings “… And I Feel Fine. With better earphones, you can feel the drum kick and on the IEM856m, I can feel it.

Sigur Ros is a group I have only recently discovered after becoming a fan of Jónsi and Alex. Their avant garde album, (), is a mixture of lead singer Jónsi Birgisson’s falsetto vocals combined with various electronic noises and instruments, making it a perfect test for the IEM856ms. You really have to like this kind of music or you will run from the room screaming. The song, Untitled #6 (E-Bow), is a good example of covering the frequency spectrum in a song without veering too far towards the low or high ends. With the IEM856ms, I never got fatigued listening to this album.

“Actor Out Of Work” from the nom de guerre St. Vincent (Annie Clark) is an in-your-face, distortion-fest with vocals pushed so far up front that you can hear and almost feel every breath Clark takes as she sings into your head. Clark’s siren singing is both discomforting and inviting at the same time and the IEM856ms let you hear it all.

Some might call Sarah Brightman’s album, “Diva”, a little over-the-top, but I am a sucker for her voice. I wanted to see how the IEM856ms dealt with her wide vocal range layered on top of pop songs. The effect is mesmerizing and goose-bump inducing. “It’s a Beautiful Day” highlights Brightman’s operatic chops and pop sensibilities over a world beat. There’s not a lot of bases that this song doesn’t try to cover. The IEM856ms didn’t disappoint rendering each frequency range with ease.

The rock classic, “In the Court Of the Crimson King” from King Crimson is a song with a pretty muddy mix. It’s never been an audiophile showcase and it still isn’t. Greg Lake’s lead vocals are clear and sharp on the IEM856ms, but the production is more of a wall-of-sound approach which doesn’t play to these earphones strengths. This kind of song is better served by more the forgiving dynamic (only) speaker earphones.

Any company known for its reasonably priced products takes a risk moving upmarket, and Scosche is no exception. While they have differentiated the upscale line under the Realm name, the Scosche brand is still predominant. It’s like they are trying to have their cake and eat it too. With the unusual pairing of armature and dynamic speakers into a single earphone, they’ve pretty-much succeeded.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Scosche IEM856md In-Ear Monitors Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2011 at 11:00 am.

You gotta love a company like Grado. They’re a family-run business out of Brooklyn, NY who make various cartridges and headphones in many price ranges. They have won countless audiophile awards by refusing to adapt to the latest trend or gimmick. One look at the design of their headphones, and you might think they were designed in the 50s. They have a very cool retro look about them. And the majority of their headphones and phono cartridges are made in Brooklyn. Not just sold, but MADE in the USA. How rare is that? This approach must be successful because Grado sells a lot of headphones to people looking for that “Grado sound” and are willing to pay for it. So it’s ironic that with Grado and their US made ethos, I am reviewing a Grado product made in … Japan. Oh, well, when you read the particulars of the Grado GR10 earphones, it becomes clear that the manufacturing process for earphones is exponentially more difficult than headphones, due to their almost microscopic parts. But don’t worry, the GR10s are every bit a Grado product as their headphones.

With the Grado GR10 earphones, I have to use my own tips because the supplied tips just don’t fit well enough to seal properly. I have that issue with many other brands, but I don’t really care because the GR10s are so good, so smooth, so easy to listen to, that I can forgive this. Heck, I can even forgive the lack of a carrying case (more about that later).

First, I’ll deal with the aesthetics. If you don’t like aqua green, you’re gonna have issues with the GR10s. Luckily, they’re small, so color is not that prominent. The earpiece has a brushed, aluminum ring separating the sound tube from the shell. There are also replaceable filters to keep out ear gunk. The left earpiece has a tiny bump molded into the plastic shell so you can feel which one is the left earphone without having to search for a too small L or R. It’s a nice touch.

There are basically two approaches to earphone technology. One is the more accurate, but clinical armature and the other is the warmer, but not as accurate dynamic speaker. Both have their pros and cons in sound and price, with armatures usually costing more. The GR10 is a slightly different moving armature design, with the sound qualities falling somewhere between the two competing technologies. The moving armature design creates a wider frequency range than static single armatures and they are also more expensive to produce, which helps explain the higher price.

As I said before, the GR10s are very small but their proportions make them look a bit short and fat. However, they slip into your ear easily and stay put under normal activity. With the right-sized ear tip, the seal is just about perfect, allowing the bass to mesh well with the mids and highs. You can also insert them upside down and wrap the cord behind the ear. Not only does this usually improve the fit, it also cuts out microphonics, that thumping sound that occurs when the cord is bumped. Note that the GR10s don’t artificially accentuate bass like some other brands, so if you like techno or hip-hop, you may be disappointed. I’m not.

It seems Grado has put all their resources only into the GR10 itself, because they come with three sizes of silicone tips and four tiny earwax proof filters. That’s it. A plain, brown box, no foam or flanged tips, no built-in cord mic for smart phones and no carrying case. If you want to protect the GR10s (and you will, based on their cost), then you’re on your own. I suggest an empty Altoids candy tin, which can make a great case. I’ve done it myself. The point is, though, that you shouldn’t have to do that. Grado should offer a case at the very least.

If you can get past the lack of a case and concentrate on the sound, then you’re in for a treat. I wanted to sample many different genres of music, but to give the GR10s a fair shake, I needed to test them with music I was very familiar with. So I chose some classic rock, 80s new wave and a little jazz and classical. I am not much of a fan of newer music and since the GR10s are not bass monsters, they were a good match for my older, eclectic musical tastes.

The pop-punk group, The Runaways anthem, “Cherry Bomb,” doesn’t have the impact it could because of a perceived lack of bass, but hey, its has accuracy that I actually prefer. Lead singer Joan Jett’s breathy vocals are full of attitude and teasing. That’s lost on many other earphones.

The Manhattan Transfer’s eponymous first album is a vocal tour-de-force and the GR10s slightly forward mids bring out the group’s famous harmonizing quite well. Whether it’s the big band influenced “Tuxedo Junction” or the doo-wop styled “Gloria,” the four members meld into an almost perfect instrument that have amazing clarity on these Grados.

The Human League was one of the quintessential 80s dance groups. The 12″ single (that term is still used) mix of “Don’t You Want Me Baby” has pumped up bass and percussion at the expense of all else. The mix is designed to get you off your feet and moving. This is where the GR10s fail to deliver. Because of their laid back nature, the GR10s don’t provide the “oomph” you expect in a dance mix. But if that’s what you’re looking for, you can easily find earphones that will artificially boost the bass for far, far less money. Just don’t expect any accuracy.

Producer and musician Brian Eno’s “Just Another Day on Earth” from the album of the same name has an airiness about it that comes and goes throughout the song, pulsing to its own rhythm. As the song opens up and closes down, the GR10 rides this rolling, aural wave expertly. This album is quite bass heavy and the GR10s tame it to a pleasurable level.

If you are a fan of vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, you will absolutely love the GR10s. His 50s to mid 60s period is, I think, his most creative when he recorded an amazing collection of themed albums. The remastered versions from that period are astounding and the GR10s bring all that sonic goodness to your ears. “Willow Weep for Me” from “Only the Lonely” is a prime example. Sinatra had just divorced Ava Gardner and this album drips with melancholia. Despite a very slight analog background hiss, which the Grados don’t hide, all of Sinatra’s heartbreaking vocals are exposed in unflinching detail. The album “September of My Years” is another collection of reflective songs Sinatra recorded in 1965 when he had turned 50. “It Was a Very Good Year” looks back on a life that is too short, no matter how long one lives and the GR10s allow you the feel Sinatra’s angst as he realizes he is approaching the autumn of his years. His deep voice is complimented by soaring strings and the GR10s effortless way of handling the lows, mids and highs in this song is perfectly balanced.

Cat Stevens (remember him?) is another vocalist perfectly suited to a period. The 70s were THE time for singer/songwriters and Stevens fit the bill with his infectious melodies and emotional lyrics about peace and love. Surprisingly, his two most popular albums, “Tea for the Tillerman” and “Teaser and the Firecat” don’t benefit from the newer recording technology of the 70s.These albums technically pale compared to Sinatra’s older recordings. It’s not that Steven’s albums are badly recorded, it’s just that Sinatra’s are that good. The GR10s are honest in letting you know what is recorded well and what isn’t. That said, Cat Steven’s albums are a joy to hear. With the GR10s, his vocals and underrated acoustic guitar playing break through the mix giving the music an intimacy that can be lacking with lesser earphones. Grado’s famous open-backed headphones will give these songs more airiness and soundstage, though.

When the GR8s came out a few years ago, everyone (including me) thought Grado had hit a home run with their first attempt at in-ear headphones. Everyone except Grado, that is. They thought they could do better and they did. The GR10s are an evolutionary step up. If you own the GR8s and are happy with them, don’t fret about the GR10s. However, if you haven’t tried the Grado in-ears yet or are a GR8 owner who is a stickler for detail, the GR10s could make you quite happy.

Now, about that missing case…

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Grado GR10 Earphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 23, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Do you hate how your earbuds fit? Do they fall out when running or exercising? Do they hurt when you jam them in far enough to drown out the noise in your environment? Perhaps you need to check out the Clear Harmony SI1100 Sound Isolation Earbuds with Linx Audio from Able Planet. I was sent a pair to test and have compared them with my usual headphones for desk work to test them side-by-side. It’s been an interesting voyage.

Listening to music and video via personal earphones has almost become a national obsession here in the US. I work in a mall store where large numbers of people of all ages come in and browse on a regular basis. They are from all walks of life, all income brackets, and I cannot think of a demographic group that I’ve not seen represented by someone walking in – alone or with a group – with earphones in. Hipsters, young clumps of teens, parents with strollers of kids, children in strollers, business folks in dressy clothes – all have walked in our doors wired for sound. Some have been as audacious as to wear full over-the-ear headphones, but most have opted for the subtle plugs made popular by portable CD and cassette players, and made ubiquitous by the iPod.

Since we are no longer content with the soundscape provided by the stock units from our digital music player manufacturer, shelves of many actual and virtual stores are lined with dozens of bewildering choices. Many of these have a single element in each ear. Better ones have dual elements. Clear Harmony earphones have three elements in each ear for what they call the “Live Sound Experience”. This technology is advertised to enhance the resonance of sounds, so that it is less flat, less “polished” and studio-sounding, which gives it an acoustic openness. It’s actually quite nice for certain environments and for certain types of music. (I’m a fan of live albums and acoustic music in general, so my “bent” is in this direction. Taste salt here.)

Here are the specs as listed on the product’s web page:

Physically, the earphones are quite nice. They have very flexible yet sturdy tips on the earhooks with an articulating hinge that holds the hook open while you fit the earphone into your ear. Then you can click the hook into place to secure it. A tiny jewel-like cover on the hinge adds a bit of color, and also prevents any rough edges from scratching you. This does not show while the earphones are being worn.

The ear hooks have hinged joints and are flexible on the ends.

The cable is almost four feet long, and of a small gauge, but has a high grade plastic sheathing that tends to resist tangling. Even at the joint where the single wire branches to go to each earphone, attention has been paid to add strength and a bit of interest. A hard plastic button with Able Planet’s star logo prevents the junction from pulling apart. There’s an iPhone volume remote and mic on the right earphone’s cord which falls nicely into the position needed to pick up your voice. While it functioned well enough, these buttons were difficult to feel as discrete controllers, so occasionally I’d cut off a call when trying to change the volume.

Details of the logo button in the wire split and the inline remote/mic.

In order to fully test the range of tonalities, I dug into the edges of my music collection. In more electronic pieces, subtle filters that made the music fuller and richer showed up when using the Clear Harmonys. As I moved into Dance, Hip-Hop, and Funk, however, the lack of deep bass became a detractor. If this is a good portion of your musical diet, you’ll not be excited about these earphones. Moving into Rock and Jazz, the experience was quite varied. Vocals were always clearer, so vocal-heavy groups really shone. More instrumental bands were harder to categorize as better or worse. They were all different, and sometimes, that was a good thing. I ended up playing around with the EQ on a good many classic songs in my collection for several hours at a time, sometimes finding new levels of the instrumentation or even little sub-themes that I’d not noticed in radio listening or with other speakers or earphones. I count that as a win anytime!

Detail of sound-isolation ear tips

Sound isolation was quite effective, even at low volume levels. The deeper ear tips took a bit of effort to work into my ears properly, but once in, the sound was quite clear and the fit almost unnoticeable. My daughter got a bit irritated a few times, because I couldn’t hear things like the dog barking to get in, the tea kettle I’d put on out in the kitchen, or her in the next room calling to tell me about these things. That means you’d probably be wise to not use the Clear Harmony where not paying attention to your environment could be dangerous: running, biking, driving, etc. With such a full aural soundscape, it’s very easy to get lost in the music and not be paying attention to things in your immediate purview.

These earphones are not in the cheap price range, yet they are not priced like high-end units costing multiple hundreds of dollars. At $179, they will mean a significant investment from most gadgeteers, but if your music is an important part of your life and you can live within the limitations mentioned above, you’ll enjoy them quite a bit.

I give them a solid three and a half stars. Tonal range is great, but the lack of full bass in some genres was a bit limiting.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Able Planet Clear Harmony SI1100 Sound Isolation Earbuds with Linx Audio Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2011 at 10:40 am.

People don’t usually associate Bowers & Wilkins name with reasonably priced audio. Yes, they make killer products, but affordable? Not for the average Joe with little knowledge of how good audio can and should sound. Well, B&W have come out with a pair of earphones that – at least in B&W’s universe – are very affordable. The C5 In-Ear Headphones look nothing like any earphone you have seen before. At first glance, you may not realize they are earphones; they’re that different.

The C5s don’t even fit your ears in the traditional way. When I first tried them out, I had to look at a diagram to get the fit right. B&W say that this design – along with gravity – helps them stay in place no matter how much you move about. They explain that the earphones are weighted so that gravity helps hold them in place. The C5s use a small, adjustable loop that fits into the concha part of the ear (look it up). Once fitted properly, they aren’t going anywhere. The fit is that snug.

However, in my ears, the fit is also not the most comfortable I have ever used. For the first hour or so, everything is fine. Then the pressure caused by that same loop holding the C5s in place becomes irritating. I’ve had to let my ears rest after long-term use. Since I test earphones and headphones while I work at a desk, I sometimes wear them for 4-8 hours straight. I can’t do that with the C5s. Which is a shame, because the C5s sound really good. They exhibit an openness lacking in many other earphones, no matter the cost. That openness is due to B&Ws Micro Porous Filter which is somewhat similar to an open-back design on a headphone. The drawback – or advantage in an urban setting – is that outside noise can be audible. But the big advantage is that with some songs, you can almost point to where each musician is in relation to the others in a three dimensional space. That’s called soundstage. Ironically, B&W’s own on-ear headphones, the P5, have a closed back design and don’t sound this airy. Usually it’s the other way around. Music on the C5 just sounds a bit less claustrophobic.

There is minimal microphonics (a thumping or rustling sound as the cable is tapped or scraped on clothes). It’s there, but not distracting.

With this type of design, the bass is not as pronounced as with other earphones. On some less expensive brands, that’s a good thing, because bass done wrong will overpower and distort everything. Also, with better earphones, like the Westone 4, Grado GR10 (full review soon) and the custom JH Audio 13/PRO, the bass can have more prominence, but also have a near-perfect balance with the mids and highs. That’s not saying the C5s are better or worse, it’s just a different approach. Some music benefits from a more subtle bass, some not so much. It comes down to what you like to listen to.

I auditioned the C5s with various songs and genres of music to see where they excel or come up short. I decided to connect the C5s to an external digital to analog converter rather than directly in the headphone port on my Mac. Using a DAC to bypass the computers inferior soundcard can make a noticeable improvement.

One of my all-time favorite songs is the jazz/bossa nova influenced “The Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto. I downloaded this 1964 gem in ultra high resolution from HD Tracks and despite some analog hiss in the background, the sound on the C5s is extraordinary. Getz’s smoky sax begins so subtly that I almost missed it. I always thought it appeared a few seconds later in the song. Then Gilberto’s wife, Astrid starts intoning her now iconic vocals and it becomes magical. This song is recorded somewhat heavy on the bass, but the C5s prevent it from becoming too much. It’s admirable how the C5s can tame bass without squashing it.

A classical piece of music, “Das Rheingold: Vorspiel” from Wagner’s “Das Rheingold (The Ring),” begins with what sounds like instruments being tuned up before a performance. Then, ever so slowly, the volume picks up and a wonderful, transcendent cohesion takes hold and then, it just … stops. Like all good music, you are left wanting more. I was able to distinguish separate instruments among this perfect aural blend. I did expect a larger, more defined soundstage, but it just wasn’t present in this piece.

Talk about soundstage: “The Wind,” a binaural recording by Lenny White, Jamey Haddad and Mark Sherman from the album, “Explorations in Space and Time,” has a fascinating collection of percussive sounds emanating from every direction. The C5s built-in porous filter bring out this song’s sense of space. Plus, being a binaural recording, the listener is placed right in the center of everything. It’s an amazing experience.

Philip Glass’s “It Was Always You, Helen,” from “The Candyman” soundtrack plays like a long forgotten choral piece in a dusty, abandoned ballroom. The broad soundstage and slight reverb on the piano and vocals highlight the song’s eeriness which the C5s exhibit quite well, resulting in a haunting, yet beautiful composition.

Speaking of reverb, Paul McCartney’s 50s-tribute screamer “Oh! Darling” from the remastered Beatles “Abby Road” album is loud, rude and fun to listen to at full volume. There is a lot going on in this song between McCartney’s vocals and a searing lead guitar from George Harrison. The C5s prevent any muddiness from creeping in and everything remains clear and sharp – if a bit dirty – as The Beatles had intended.

An obscure David Bowie song, “The Width of a Circle,” from “The Man Who Sold the World” predates his Ziggy Stardust era by a few years, but you can hear the influence quite clearly. The soundstage on this song has many layers of depth. The C5s let you hear all of Bowie’s guitar strumming; the tone combined with ambient string noise. And this is played behind Mick Ronson’s powerful lead guitar with some up-front bass and drums. You can hear through multiple layers of sound. This is a song made for earphones.

The C5s come with the usual array of add-ons: 3 sizes of tips and a classy, but frustrating leather clamshell case. The tips are okay, but I’ve used better. I got the best seal from the largest size. I wanted to try some tips from other earphones (I do that a lot), but the C5s have a unique size, so trying different tips wasn’t an option. As nice and cool as the C5 case looks, it’s almost totally useless. There is a hard panel in the middle with two holes for holding the earphones securely. However, it’s cumbersome and a pain to deal with. If the case were larger, it wouldn’t bother me as much, but it isn’t and it does. The case is so small and tight, that it sits in the box unused. It’s a shame that such a simple thing as a case is over-designed. Also included is an Apple-approved remote control and mic, so you can make calls, control the music and switch between the two without losing your place. Making and receiving calls is easy enough to do and the quality is good. Mics are becoming almost necessary in the crowded earphone market.

Because there are metal parts, sometimes you can get a little static shock while wearing the C5s. In no way does this harm you or the earphones, but it can come as a little “shock” when it happens (bad pun, sorry).

As you can see, I really like how the B&W C5 earphones sound. They are warm, very balanced and just plain refined, both in sound and build quality. They also make quite a design statement. My main gripe is that within an hour or two, they become uncomfortable. Keep in mind that I can only speak about my ears. I have seen other reviews that are very complimentary on the fit and comfort. I just don’t agree. So, if you want to try B&W’s C5 In-Ear Headphones, make sure you get a return policy if they don’t quite fit as you had hoped. If you find that the fit is perfect for your ears, then you will be in for a sonic treat.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Bowers & Wilkins, C5, Earphones

Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Hey mon, Bob Marley’s family has been busy. With the desire to carry on Bob Marley’s musical message of peace and love, The House of Marley has released a line of audio products.

The goal of The House of Marley is to offer a line of headphones, earphones and speaker/docks that are made of sustainable materials, promote equality and give good value. Plus, one look and you can see the Marley influence. The Marley line has three collections: Jammin’ Freedom and Destiny. Each collection covers certain pricing points.

“MARLEY audio products make perfect sense and are created with a focus on using sustainable products and providing exceptional sound that our family is proud to call our own,” said Rohan Marley, Bob’s son, on behalf of the family. Uplifting, hopeful names are given to each product, such as Zion, Stir It Up, Revolution, and People Get ready, to name a few.

The stylish Jammin’ collection is aimed at the youth market in design and price. The extremely colorful headphones and earphones range from $29.99 – $89.99 and the speakers are $49.99 and $299.99. Both speakers come in fitted, cotton outer canvas bags. These are meant to be seen as well as heard.

The up-scale Freedom collection ranges from $79.99 – $199.99 for the headphones and earphones with a pretty wooden tabletop speaker/dock going for $299.99.

The Destiny collection features high design and are priced to match. Marley promises supreme sound quality along with stunning looks. The One Foundation speaker/dock with Apple’sAirPlay is quite pretty.

Not all of the House of Marley products are available yet, but should be soon. The line is available at Best Buy; in-store and online.

To get more information, visit TheHouseofMarley.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thehouseofmarley, and follow on Twitter @houseofmarley.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Earphones, Headphones

House of Marley Introduces Eco-friendly Audio Collection originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 3, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

One of the more interesting aspects of the (reasonably priced) earphone market is the speed with which the Chinese have become major players worldwide. More surprisingly is how fast these manufacturers have been able to match – and in some cases exceed – the build and audio quality of their Japanese and American competitors. One reason for this may be that a few of these Chinese companies began as factories for the construction of some of our favorite domestic earphone brands. On the back of many domestic earphone (and headphone) boxes – regardless of the brand name or price – are the words, “Made in China.” So it’s no surprise that a few of these Chinese companies would eventually begin selling under their own name. One of these companies is DUNU-Topsound.

One of DUNU’s main selling points is that they began as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) for other brands of earphones. They don’t say who. I am certain it’s a legal, nondisclosure issue. But one look at their lineup and it becomes quite obvious that DUNU learned a lot. DUNU has some of the best made and good sounding earphones I have heard in this “middle arena” of pricing – nothing is over $106, and even that is stretching it.

Four of the models are named after Greek Gods (or their tools): Trident, Crius, Haphaes, and Ares. I wish one of them had been named Thor. DUNU’s packaging is first rate. Each model comes in a sturdy, tasteful box complete with at least one case (sometimes 3!). When you open each box there is obvious care taken with the packing and display with each earphone presented almost like jewelry. DUNU is proud of their earphones and it shows. Also, each model comes with many sizes and designs of ear tips. You should have no trouble finding a tip that fits you. The Y-splitters and L-shaped mini-plugs are identical on the three more expensive metal models (the least expensive Trident is a different design). On all models, the cords are tough and a bit on the thick side (for earphones, anyway).

When I first saw DUNU’s earphones, I immediately thought of Monster earphones. There is a similarity in the design cues. Placed side-by-side, the differences are readily apparent, but one cannot escape the influences.

I am going to review four mid-range models of DUNU earphones and one premium model that is available in the US, but not as easy to find. The prices of the other four range from $40-$99 on their eBay page, but you may find better prices with some searching. The top model, Itube 3c is $106. Two of the earphones are dynamic speaker design and three are armature based.

The earphones come complete with accessories which is determined by price. Four are made of titanium alloy, but ironically, the most expensive one is made of plastic. I will be reviewing each model in order of their cost starting with the least expensive and moving up from there.

1. Trident (DN-12). The Metal Trident is a dynamic speaker model. Note that generally, dynamic speaker earphones sound warmer and have more bass than the armature version. That axiom holds true for all DUNU models. So if you are a basshead, stick to the dynamic speaker versions. While the Trident sounds infinitely better than any free earbuds included with iPods, iPhones, etc., it does display a bothersome amount of distortion when pushed. I have a few “go-to” songs that I listen to that really test distortion levels and sadly, the Trident didn’t fare too well here. However, when the Tridents are not pushed into extremes, they sound pretty darn good. OMD’s song, “The Right Side?” sounded smooth with just the right amount of oomph to get the blood pumping. Separation and clarity are good and the bass has just the right amount of punch. As always, bass is almost entirely the result of a good seal. No seal equals no bass. If you need inexpensive earphones that can handle modern tunes in a noisy environment such as commuting or jogging, these should do the trick. It’s also worth mentioning that if you have a habit of losing earphones, you probably wouldn’t want to commute with anything more expensive than these, anyway. The Trident comes with a thick, vinyl drawstring bag for carrying. I had a little trouble keeping the string tight because of the thickness, but it wasn’t a major hassle.

2. Crius (DN-13). The Crius is an accurate sounding single-armature design in a subtle looking titanium shell. There is an emphasis towards treble like many other armature earphones, but DUNU managed to let a good amount of bass kick in also. “My Love is Real” from Greg Garing is a live in-studio recording that needs really good earphones to pick up the subtleties that can be missing from a single live mix. For the most part, the Crius performs well, with a slight hint of harshness only at the most sonically demanding parts, but overall, I was very impressed with how pleasant they sounded. The Crius does sound better than the Trident, but more importantly, it has much less distortion, so it can handle more challenging audio out of the box.

3. Ares (DN-11). The Ares is another single-armature design. It ended up being my personal favorite earphone of them all. While a bit heavy – heck, all of the four metal earphones are heavy – the Ares is very comfortable and full sounding without being boomy or too bright. It’s just a more rounded earphone for all types of music. It strikes a near-perfect balance in sound and affordability. I also like the design of the Ares better than the others. It’s gold plating was not gaudy and looked more expensive than it was. The Ares is easy to insert and remove which is good in a busy office environment with constant interruptions. It also comes with 3 different cases! Along with the same two cases included with the Crius, the exclusive third case is my favorite. It’s a classy, soft suede-like clasp case that is both roomy and protective. Each gold-plated clasp piece was covered with a small piece of sticky film which protected the gold from fingerprints and smudges during shipping. This is attention to detail that says, “We care about the customer.” I like that. The Ares handled my test songs with ease. I probably listened to the Ares more than the other models simply because they never got tiring. Even the more expensive Hephaes didn’t sound quite as good as the Ares, which I attribute to the armature vs. dynamic issue. Also, distortion and harshness were not issues at all.

4. Hephaes (DN-16). If you want to make a fashion statement, then the Hephaes are your earphones. Each piece sports a chrome body wrapped in a red metal flame that looks like they were designed for Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games” popular book series. They are not subtle. The Hephaes sound is not quite as precise as the Ares, but if you like bass, are not willing to accept distortion as on the Trident and have the extra bucks, than you will prefer these to the Ares. While bass on the Hephaes is pushed to the front, it doesn’t overwhelm the mids or highs too much. It’s still too forward for my tastes, but I like my music to be as accurate as possible without being clinical sounding. The Hephaes comes with a wrap around ear stay for behind-the-ear cord management. It’s not comfortable to my ears. Note that with the wire down, all four metal models exhibit microphonics, that annoying rustling and thumping sound every time the cord is touched. It’s important to note that almost all earphones suffer from this unless the wire is placed up and behind the ear. Some – like myself – get used to microphonics, some never do.

5. Itube 3c. The Itube 3c is a completely different animal from the four others. It’s a single balanced armature design made to wrap around behind the ear, similar in concept to higher-end earphones like Westone and Shure. The Itubes are extremely accurate and they are also extremely bright; much more so than the Crius. They reminded me of Etymotic earphones in their sound signature. I kept wanting to up the bass using an equalizer to compensate for all that treble. If the song is already on the bright side, it can become painful. I even had to boost the lower end on some Brian Eno songs that were already dripping with bass. I’ve never had to do that before. Distortion is not an issue with the Itube 3c. The accuracy is astounding. If you appreciate that accuracy at all costs and are willing to adjust the sound to your taste, the Itune 3c might be your ideal earphone. I haven’t heard an earphone this accurate or comfortable at this price before. The Itube 3c comes with a soft, velour draw-string bag and a hard, protective case.

DUNU-TopSound gives you many affordable choices for people wanting to upgrade from their earbuds or aren’t happy with those cheap $15 earphones that looked like such a good deal at the time. The price is right, the build quality is top notch, the sound ranges from good to really good and DUNU has been around for a while. As long as  you know what your listening preferences are, the choices are fairly easy. If you’re unsure, I highly recommend the Ares as the best all-rounder of the bunch.

Currently DUNU is not available in retails stores, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that changes soon. In the meantime,, DUNU has their own ebay page here or search for DUNU.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

DUNU-Topsound Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2011 at 10:00 am.

Altec Lansing has a line of earphoness that they designed just for women.  They are sized smaller for women’s ears, and they have “ jewel-like detailing and stylish colors” to look almost like jewelry for your ears.  They have three models in the Bliss line, with the Platinum being the top of the line.  The Bliss Platinum earphones comes with 4 sets of ear tips in X-small, small, and medium single tips and medium double-flanged tips.  The 8mm drivers have a frequency response of  20-20,000Hz.  The 4-foot long cable is cloth-covered and has a 3.5mm connector that will work with most audio devices.  The Bliss Platinums are available in Black, Pink, and Aqua (shown) for $69.95.  Other models include the Silver for $29.95 and the Gold for $49.95.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Earphones, Gear for women

Altec Lansing Bliss Earphones Designed for Women originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 15, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Back in the 70s, American Tourister had a commercial showing a piece of their luggage being thrown about by a gorilla to demonstrate how tough their product was.  Here at the Cloninger household, we have a similar test for earbuds.  We throw them in our teenage daughter’s room.  So far, none have emerged intact – those delicate little wires can’t hold up long with her.  I was very interested to try the J4 Rugged Metal Earphones when JLab Audio offered a pair to The Gadgeteer for review.  They sound strong, but how do they sound?

Specifications
Drive unit: 8mm
Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz
Impedance: 16ohm +/- 15%
Sensitivity (at 1KHz): 90 +/- 3dB
Max. Power: 3mW
Channel balance: <5% at 1mW 1KHz
Cord length: 50.75 inches
Plug type: 3.5” diameter stereo gold plug

The JBuds J4 earphones have a heavy-duty aluminum housing.  Instead of delicate little round cables, the J4 have heavy, wide, flat cables with Kevlar reinforcement.  There’s heavy, flexible plastic reinforcement at the attachment points for the plug and earbuds, and a heavy-duty flexible plastic splitter where the individual earbud cables split from the main cable.

The earbuds are available in all black, gunmetal/light gray, red/black, blue/yellow, and purple/light purple.  Two models are available, either with or without a microphone for use with phones.  I received the purple earbuds without a microphone.  You can see from the pictures that the aluminum bodies and the cables are darker purple; the eartips and plastic reinforcement are lighter purple.

The earbuds are branded with the JLab name on the aluminum earbuds and with “J4” on the plastic splitter and 3.5mm plug.  The bottoms of the earbuds are labeled “L” and “R”, so you’ll know which one fits in each ear.

The J4 earbuds have a 3.5mm plug, and they will work for any MP3 player, phone, computer, tablet, or any audio device with a 3.5mm jack.  I successfully used them with my iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPod touch, iPod nano, and my laptop.

Click to enlarge

You’ll notice in the pictures that the 3.5mm plug has a stepped-down collar just at the base of the metal plug.  This collar allows it to fit even when your device is in a case.  The bumper case I have on my iPhone 4 is thick enough that some earbuds don’t completely connect, but the J4s plugged in securely.  They also worked well with the HyperShop HyperShield back cover that I have on my iPad 2.

These earbuds come with the largest selection of eartips I’ve ever gotten before.  They come with a pair of medium single-flange tips installed.  They also have XS, S, and L single-flange tips and XS/S, S/M, L/XL double-flange tips.  With all these choices, most everyone should be able to find a comfortable fit.  I found the S/M double flange or the S single-flange tips fit tightest into my ears, but I don’t like having the earbuds pressed too far into my ear canals.  I know that a tighter fit results in better sound quality, but I prefer the looser fit to protect my hearing.

I listened to a wide variety of music on my computer, my phone, and my two iPods.  Everything from AD/DC to Warren Zevon, classical to Disturbed – it all sounded good.  Voices sounded rich and clear.  I could hear a lot of detail in the music, and I could even feel some of the deeper notes vibrating in my head.  I don’t listen at extraordinarily loud volumes, so it wasn’t just the sheer noise level I felt.  I could hear Israel Kamakawiwo’ole breathing during “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.  I could hear background sounds well enough that it sounded like I was in the pub with Jon Anderson.

I sometimes watch programming on the TWCable TV app on my iPad 2.  I usually use the external speaker on the iPad 2, and I never realized how anemic that speaker is until after I listened to several hours of programming with the J4 earbuds.  I could hear more details at a much lower volume through the earbuds than I ever could hear with the iPad 2’s external speaker.

JLab Audio doesn’t say that the J4 earbuds are noise cancelling, but they do muffle ambient noises.  I use the Push for Gmail app on my iPad 2 that plays a sound when I receive an email.  This sound is loud enough to be heard throughout my small house.  I had my iPad 2 laying in my lap while listening to music with the J4 earbuds and my iPod touch.  I didn’t hear the Gmail announcement at all.  You’ll probably need to keep your sound a bit lower than normal if you wear these while walking or jogging on the street.

Click to enlarge

There’s a clip if you like to attach the cable to your clothing.  I never use those things, and I didn’t need it with the J4s.  Even when the cables moved, I never heard any noise or static from the movement.

The J4 earbuds come with a very sturdy, very protective EVA case.  I find this case to be both too big and too small.  The case measures about 4.25” X 3.25” X 1”.  You can see it is thicker than my iPhone 4 in the bumper case.  JLab Audio says you can fit your iPod shuffle or nano in there, and there is more than enough room for either of those (or both) plus the earbuds and all the eartips.  (I currently have my nano, a set of earbuds, and three sets of extra eartips in a pouch that’s 3” X 3” X 0.75”.  It’s not as protective as the J4 case, but it certainly fits in my purse much better.)  I’m sure there are a lot of other MP3 players that would fit in there, but it’s too short for the iPod touch and about an inch too short for the iPhone 4 in the bumper.  That’s a shame, because it would make a great case for Rachel’s iPhone and the J4 earbuds.

I think the JLab Audio JBuds J4 Rugged Metal Earphones sound great.  I think you’d be hard-pressed to find something that sounds better for the price.  I like that there’s a variety of colors – from staid black to wild-and-crazy – to fit most everyone’s taste.  The variety of eartips should give most everyone a great fit.  The case is the only thing I’d change.  It needs to be a bit bigger or a lot smaller.  I don’t see how you could go wrong with the J4s.  Now, I’m going to go toss these into Rachel’s room and see if the Kevlar makes them teenager-proof…

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

JLab Audio JBuds J4 Rugged Metal Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 7, 2011 at 12:05 pm.

In the past, I have reviewed some outrageously expensive – and outrageously good – earphones. But let’s face it: The vast majority of music lovers either can’t afford to or just won’t shell out the bucks to achieve that last bit of audio perfection. And truth be told, most decent earphones sound about 75-85% as good as the best earphones available – at any cost. And more truth be told, some of those same decent earphones sound incredible. High-end audio company NuForce makes a pair of earphones that sound really good. When you see the price, however, that sound becomes incredible. The NE-700M are Nuforce’s newer range of earphones made for people who want to upgrade their listening experience without surrendering their wallet or first-born in the process.

At $75, the NE-700Ms are a bargain and a half. Not only do you get an earphone which should satisfy most bassheads, but also a handsfree mic for your iPhone, iPod Touch or   Blackberry Storm. If you don’t need the mic, there’s the identical – sans mic – 700X for $65. The 700M is made of a copper-colored, machined aluminum for the housing with 8mm dynamic drivers. What this means is you will get plenty of warmth and bass. NuForce claims that the use of aluminum minimizes vibration. Well, there may or may not be advantages to that, but others use wood for various good reasons and some use plastic. While I’m sure each material has its pros and cons, the aluminum housing looks and feels much more expensive than it is.

The use of dynamic drivers helps hold down costs while making the music have a richer, more forward sound. Any armature drivers in this price range – I’m not even sure they exist – are going to sound much more analytical. Dynamic drivers are usually more earthy and analog sounding and are also good at covering a multitude of audio sins like low resolution MP3 files.

As with all earphones, the seal you can achieve is everything. Unless those earphones are snug in your ear, forget getting decent sound, especially bass. Unfortunately, the NuForce tips just didn’t give me that all-important seal. I had to use some tips from another company’s pair of reviewed earphones to get the seal I needed. I seem to have this problem with a lot of earphones – especially dynamic driver models with their wider sound tube. If you find that you have similar fitting issues, Comply makes foam tips for just about any model earphone available today.

With the fit issue solved, I tested the 700M on many genres of music using both high and low resolution files. I quickly discovered that while the 700Ms made low-res MP3s sound pretty good, conversely, they couldn’t bring out the ultra clarity of higher bit rate lossless files like more expensive earphones can.

“Motion and Heart” from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s album, “Organisation” has a bass beat that will loosen teeth fillings. The 700M handled this thumping like a champ. There was no distortion up to the audible pain threshold but there was a very slight sibilance at full volume. “Organisation” was recorded in the 80s, so I decided to try a newer OMD song with more modern mastering; “The Right Side?” from “History of Modern.” This catchy, synth-based pop gem is just full of hooks that grab your attention. Once again, the bass was heavy, but still clean on the 700M. And once again there was a slight sibilance at full volume. But really, if you hear that sibilance, then the volume is set way too high. Can you spell tinnitus?

The synth wash of Moby’s “Love of Strings” from “18 B Sides” employs a wall-of-sound approach that sounds inviting on the 700M. Once again, Moby, like OMD, uses hooks expertly to draw the listener in, but this song could border on brittle with lesser earphones. Not here. It sounds great.

The Bee Gees “First of May” from their masterpiece “Odessa” features the low vibrato  of cello and the high tinkling of triangle. Here is where the 700M is stretched. They don’t seem to handle the audible range as effectively as I’ve heard on more expensive earphones. There’s a harshness present throughout the album as well.

Alison Krauss and Union Station’s new album, “Paper Airplane” is a good test for the 700M clarity. The song, “Dust Bowl Children,” has guitar, banjo, and fiddle played to perfection. On the 700M, you can hear each string plucked on the guitar and banjo as well as the occasional string squeaks from the guitar. The guitar players in my family love this sound, because it makes the playing sound more authentic. That’s the earthy sound mentioned earlier that the 700Ms seem to be made for.

As with most earphones,, the mic is on the left wire. To receive a call, just squeeze the mic button and squeeze again to hang up. You can also pause and skip songs with the mic button, but I’ve always felt this is more bothersome to remember than just using the iPod controls instead. But that’s just me.

The NuForce 700M earphones come surprisingly close in sound to earphones costing a lot more. Not only is the build quality close to the more expensive earphone choices, in many ways, it is as good. If you are on a budget – and who isn’t today – then you don’t have to compromise much to get decent audio at a more than decent price. The 700-Ms are a true bargain.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

NuForce NE-700M Earphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 2, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Several years ago, I reviewed Etymotic Research hf5 High-Fidelity earphones. Although being a writer at The Gadgeteer enables me to try/review many earphones per year, I continue to enjoy and regularly use the hf5′s to this day. Their size and performance are ideal for me. So, I was excited when Etymotic Research agreed to not only send me a pair of their latest ER•4PT MicroPro Earphones to review but have a set of their CUSTOM•FIT Eartips created for me as well.

The ER•4 MicroPros are Etymotic Research’s flagship earphones. According to Etymotic Research, the ER•4 provide ‘unsurpassed frequency response accuracy and sound quality — 86%+ response accuracy from 20 Hz – 16 kHz’. The engineers at Etymotic Research mate each set of earbuds to better compliment each other, but more about that later. As I stated earlier, the size of both the hf5′s and ER•4′s are ideal from not only a portability standpoint but a style point of view as well.

The ‘T’ in the ER•4PT name means ‘for travelers’; they include a few additional accessories like the airline adapter for those who want to plug into aircraft audio system.

Included Accessories:

• ER•4PT earphones
• 5 ft cord with 3.5 mm stereo plug
• 1⁄4″ stereo phone adapter plug
• Assortment of ACCU•Fit eartips
• Filter changing tool and replacement ACCU•Filter wax filters
• Shirt clip
• Airline adapter
• Travel pouch
• Storage box
• Channel-matching compliance graph

Technical Specifications:

Types of ER•4 microPro earphones:

ER•4PT earphones are intended for sound engineers and audiophiles in constant motion. This model combines all of the acoustic characteristics and features of ER•4P earphones, and comes equipped with extra mobile adapters and accessories for traveling professionals. Included with every pair of ER•4PT earphones is an industry-exclusive channel-matching compliance graph, signed by the Etymotic engineer who precision matched and custom tuned the balanced-armature drivers.

ER•4P earphones can be used with portable devices without an additional amplifier. Compared to the ER•4S, the ER•4P has 10 dB greater output at high frequencies and 13 dB greater output at low frequencies. The higher sensitivity and enhanced bass of the ER•4P have made it the most popular earphone in the series.

ER•4S earphones were designed to compensate for the high frequency emphasis in all CD recordings, in order to provide accurate sound reproduction. Performing musicians often use them as in-ear monitors because the response of the ER•4S matches the response of most typical monitor loudspeakers. The high accuracy and exceptional sound isolation of the ER•4S have made these earphones popular with musicians, recording engineers and audiophiles. ER•4S earphones can be used with a headphone amplifier when using low power portable devices.

ER•4B earphones are for the binaural recording enthusiast. The ER•4B is an ideal earphone for use with material that has not been equalized for loudspeaker playback. It was developed from the ER-1 earphone that is referenced to a flat diffuse field and used primarily for speech reception research, where the goal is to produce the same frequency response at the eardrum as would be produced in the live situation.

Here is the graph Etymotic Research included with my ER•4PT earphones showing how accurately the right and left earbuds match each other. To track this, each earbud is stamped with its own serial number.

This picture is to demonstrate the relative size of the ER•4 series to other high-end earbuds (from left to right; JHAudio’s JH|5 Pros, Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10, Etymotic Research hf5′s, and the ER•4PT earphones). The ER•4PT earphones are the smallest of them all (although the er6i are the smallest)….amazing how much sound they can pack into these small earbuds.

Like the ER6i and hf5′s I have used in the past, the ER•4 series has user-replaceable filters (ACCU•Filter) to protect the balanced-armature drivers from earwax. Because, let’s face it folks….we all have earwax and these types of in-the-ear-canal (isolation) earphones are wax magnets. These filters are critical in protecting the delicate, finely balanced inner workings of the earbuds.

The one suggestion I have is finding an earwax cleaning tool (this one came with a different pair of earbuds) to get the wax out of the eartips before it gets to the filters. I have found this extends the life of the filters quite a bit. Considering all the included accessories that comes with the ER•4PT, it seems like a minor and logical item for Etymotic Research to include.

The cabling on the ER•4 series is a step up from the hf5′s and JH|5 Pros, similar in quality to the UE TripleFi 10′s. The main cable is thick and does not tangle easily. The braided cabling to the earbuds is good quality, but seems a bit fragile and potentially breakable.

Comfort and fit:

I regularly travel back and forth across the county for my day job and have used the hf5′s during many of these trips. The stock hf5′s and ER•4′s are very similar in form, fit and comfort. Both are comfortable for the first few hours but they start to become uncomfortable after hour two or three.

This is where Etymotic Research’s CUSTOM•FIT eartips come into play. Etymotic Research partners with ACS Custom to create Custom Fit Earphone Sleeves to replace the ER stock tips. Just like having a set of monitors created, you will need to visit an audiologist for them to make you a set of molds. This involves pink goo being squirted deep within your ear canal, sitting still while the goo hardens, etc. The audiologist then ships your molds to ACS and about three weeks later you receive your silicone sleeves.

Specification:

The silicone earphone sleeves easily slip onto both of my hf5′s and ER•4′s.

The sleeves are color coded to make it easier to determine which goes into each of your ears. The blue goes into your left ear and the red goes into your right.

The sleeves themselves are available in clear, black, yellow, blue, red, purple, and white.

The fit and comfort of the silicone sleeves is perfect. ACS did a great job creating my custom fitted eartips. These sleeve are even more comfortable than the custom fit monitors I have previously reviewed. While those monitors fit extremely well, they are made of hard acrylic plastic. The silicone, the ACS sleeves are made of, is much softer than the acrylic, making them more comfortable than my monitors.

ACS creates a digital copy of your mold and keeps this electronic record of your ear impression in their database. They keep your scan on file for up to four years in case you want additional sleeves or monitors created. I am actually considering ordering another set of custom sleeves for my hf5s.

Sound Quality and Music Experience:

The sound quality of the ER•4PT are excellent. They provide a nicely balanced, very detailed listening experience. According to Etymotic, the ER•4 are ‘in a class by itself’ producing ‘unsurpassed frequency response accuracy and sound quality’, are ‘the only earphones with Accu•Driver balanced-armature, precision-matched, custom-tuned drivers’ and provide ’98% (35 dB – 42 dB) noise isolation —highest of any earphones or headsets on the market today’. To be honest, I do not have the test equipment to confirm ER’s claims….all I know is that they sound as good as any of the other monitors I have reviewed previously.

Bottom line:

In some peoples opinion, the ER•4′s with CUSTOM•FIT eartips may not look as cool as a set of monitors, but they are extremely comfortable and sound great. The ER•4PT cost $299 (can be found for less on the usual online stores) and the CUSTOM•FIT eartips cost $100. So, for under $400 you can have a ‘monitor like’ experience at a fraction the cost. Or if you have or decide to purchase a set of the hf2, hf3, or hf5, your cost is even less. With their smaller form-factor and great sound, the ER•4′s with CUSTOM•FIT eartips are current my earbuds of choice.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Etymotic Research ER•4PT MicroPro Earphones w/CUSTOM•FIT Eartips Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Decades ago, I use to be a pretty good musician with a decent enough ear. Although, I was never a true audiophile by any stretch of the imagination. By the time I purchased my first iPod I was relatively satisfied with the stock earbuds that Apple included with their revolutionary device. But my time here at the Gadgeteer has enabled me to try/review a multitude of very good earphones and monitors. This perk of the job has evolved my appreciation of the nuances of what, at least for me, makes a great listening experience (think evolving from crappy college beer and pizza to fine red wine with a steak fillet). So, when Ultimate Ears agreed to creating me a set of their 7 Pro monitors I was, to say the least, tech-giddy at the news .

Last year I reviewed JHAudio’s JH|5 Pros entry level monitors. I gave them a glowing review and still use them today. Their custom fit and sound quality are exceptional when compared to the standard $100-200 earbuds. But I know there are better monitors out there and want to see if greater musical nirvana can be reached. When Ultimate Ears agreed to let me review their 7 Pro monitors I immediately scheduled an appointment for molds that would ultimately enable UE to construct my monitors.

My experience at the audiologist was nearly identical to the first….pink goo squirted deep into my ear canal, sitting still for 10 minutes while the goo hardened, me rambling on about reviewing the monitors and tech-toys in general. From that point, it took UE about two weeks to create and ship my 7 Pros. Considering they are made especially for me and the fine, micro technology they cram into such a small space, the time-lag seems more than reasonable.

My Ultimate Ears 7 Pro custom monitors came very well packaged, in a padded, metal box within a padded cardboard box within a padded shipping box. Ultimate Ears ships the 7 Pro’s in their large metal carrying case (Dimensions: L 4.50″ x W 6.25″ x H 1.50″) monogrammed with my name. The carrying case is very well made and protective of the custom made monitors. Ultimate Ears also includes a cleaning tool to keep earwax from working its way into the delicate technology within.

While being very protective, the large case Ultimate Ears included with the 7 Pros is pretty huge. I prefer carrying them around in my, much more portable, small metal case that Ultimate Ears included with my TripleFi 10′s. The monitors fit inside UE’s small metal case very well.

1. Single precision balanced armature for the high frequencies
2. Dual precision balanced armatures for the low and mid-range frequencies
3. Audio filters to help shape the sound signature

It is amazing how small they can make technology these days. How much tech-manufactures can squeeze into such tiny spaces.

The overall listening experience is awesome…..sorry to gush, but I call them like I see them. Where the JHAudio JH|5 Pro’s have two micro-speakers/drivers, the UE Pro 7′s have three, a high, medium, and low (similar to the TripleFi 10′s but in a custom made housing). And I have to say, there is a difference in the clarity. The Pro 7′s differentiated the middle and low sounds better than the JH|5′s. Whether I am listening to music or a movie, the 7 Pros produce stellar sound that truly permeates. They produce a very nice, well balanced sound that I enjoy over earbuds/monitors that produce too much base.

The Ultimate Ears 7 Pros fit perfectly; I hardly know they are there. But one of the main reasons for getting a set of custom monitors is the individualized fit. Admittedly, this is in some part a function of the molds the audiologist created for UE. But UE has to take those molds and precision manufacture your monitors; I am sure that is not a slam-dunk process. That said, the 7Pro’s fit is ideal. I used/wore them on a non-stop from Seattle to Boston and had zero ear fatigue or pain that the typical noise isolation earbuds can cause during extended use.

The input connector is an 1/8″ (3.5 mm) gold plated plug. From the look and feel of it, this is the highest quality plug of any music listening accessory I have ever tried/reviewed. The cable is braided and is surprisingly tangle resistant.

The 7 Pros are the largest of the high-end earbuds/monitors I have reviewed (from left: Etymotic Research hf5′s, Etymotic Research er4′s, UE 7 Pros, JHAudio JH|5′s, and UE TripleFi 10′s).

These monitors are so perfectly fitted for my ears, I literally have to ‘screw’ them into my head (aka rotate them into and out of my ears). It takes a bit of getting use to but once you get the hang of it, putting them in is quick and easy.

The Ultimate Ears 7 Pros are more detailed and finely made than the JHAudio’s JH5s, but at twice the price. The 7 Pro’s penetrate much deeper than the JH|5′s; they feel like they are just millimeters from my eardrum.

Ultimate Ears not only monograms the metal case but the 7 Pros themselves. They are labeled with the model number, my initials, and serial number. Plus UE color code their monitors; red goes in the right, blue goes in the left.

Ultimate Ears can create their monitors in a multitude of colors and can add graphics to the exterior as well. I think this optional personalization is really cool (if given the choice, I would make the monitors black with a gray Superman shield).

Like most monitors, the Ultimate Ears 7 Pros are not inexpensive. At $850 plus the audiologist visit (aka nearing a grand), some would say they are outrageously expensive. But I would argue that in this case you are definitely getting what you pay for. If you REALLY want to enjoy your music, want to isolate yourself from your surroundings or comfort is an issue during extended periods of use; (AND you can afford it) the 7 Pro custom in-ear monitors are well worth the money.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Ultimate Ears 7 Pro Custom In-Ear Monitors Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

The Shure SE535 earphones are a study in contrasts between frustration and nirvana. Boy, this wide-open gap in opinion is going to need some explaining.

Shure is one of the better known headphone/earphone companies around, so when they announce a new model, it’s news. A few months ago, they introduced the SE535, which replaces the SE530 model. The 530 has long been – and still is – a favorite among Shure fans and has become one of those earphones that others are judged against. Shure could have stopped there and many customers would have been okay with that. But they didn’t. They set out to improve an already iconic model. Did they succeed?

As a triple-armature design with one tweeter and two woofers, The 535s differ from some other triple armature models that are a tweeter/mid/woofer configuration. What Shure’s approach accomplishes is an increase in bass for a warmer, less analytical sound, something armatures can be infamous for.

The bronze colored (also available in clear) 535s arrived with Shure’s smooth, black, proprietary foam tips attached. I had trouble getting a good seal with them, so I opted for the supplied bright yellow “rougher” foam tips (boy, are they ugly). That’s when I ran into the frustration. The original tips felt like they were super-glued on. I twisted and pulled the tips with no luck. I just could not remove them. Since the shell is made of plastic and the sound tubes are on the thin side, I was worried that I might break them. A tech-support person at Shure suggested I put the earphones in a plastic zippered freezer bag and place them in the freezer overnight. I kid you not. So I did. The next morning, the tips twisted off with not much effort. Now, should I really have to do that with a $500 pair of earphones? Once I had the tips replaced though, I was able to get the correct seal with the yellow foam tips.

Even with the use of the yellow tips, the 535s were not as comfortable for me as I had hoped when listening for extended periods. The sound tubes on the shells are pretty long, which can be good and bad. Good, because you can get a killer seal – the only way to get good bass – and bad because well, they go very deep into your ear and while that doesn’t bother me, it can be off-putting for some people. They weren’t uncomfortable, but sometimes I listen to music for 6-8 hours straight and comfort became an issue over those longer listening times.

I really like the fact that the cables snap-on/off, which means that if anything happens to the cables, just replace ‘em. After snapping and unsnapping the connections when I first received the 535s, I couldn’t imagine why everyone wasn’t doing detachable cables. It seems like a no-brainer. The gold-plated cable plug swivels 360° at the connection point which makes for a better fit. This design requires that you wrap the cable over and behind your ear. An added benefit of placing the cable behind the ear is that it cuts down on microphonics, an audibly distracting thumping from tapping or rubbing against the cable.

Befitting earphones in this price range, the 535s come with a slew of accessories. There are many tips available in varying sizes, shapes and materials. Also included is a strong, zippered  carrying case, a 1/4” plug adapter, volume control extension, and an airline adapter for travelers. It all comes neatly packed in a black and silver brushed-aluminum box.

The cables come with what Shure calls a Wireform Fit. Basically, the wire that wraps behind the ear has built-in memory, which can make fitting easier. Frankly, I’m not crazy about it. For one, the cable is thick and the wireform makes it even thicker. Plus, I never could get it to shape to my ear completely. It always felt like it wasn’t going to stay in place. I found out that Shure makes a thinner cable (without Wireform Fit) and when asked, they were gracious enough to send it to me. I much prefer this thinner version. It may not be as durable in the long run but I think it’s a big improvement. I just wish Shure included this thinner cable in its packaging.

Since the 535s concentrate on the bass with two woofers, I decided to see what that sounds like. I began with the Jimi Hendrix song (and album title) “Are You Experienced?” Even though this is a 40+ year old recording, it still holds up in the remastered version. Noel Redding’s bass playing is prominent, but not in an overbearing way. The bass just rounds out this psychedelic masterpiece without becoming overbearing.

“Aerial” from Kate Bush’s latest album of the same name couldn’t be a more different recording. Bush’s high register vocals are in complete contrast to a thumping bass line that I can feel as well as hear. However, as powerful as it is, it never distorts. It remains tight and fast. My car speakers can’t handle this song, so it’s good to be able to hear exactly what Kate Bush intended.

Bass guitar, drums and synth are the main instruments in the Simple Minds’ song, “Seeing Out the Angel” from “Sons and Fascination.” The 535s allow the minor chords to accentuate Derek Forbe’s static bass plucking. You can hear his fingers cleanly snap the strings with no muddiness or echo. If you like bass, you should love this song. The 535s exhibit detail that is simply astounding.

Apart from some minor comfort and cable thickness issues, the Shure SE535 earphones are a step up from the 530s with their detachable cables and a warm sound that still keeps its sharp edge without harshness.

So if you can stomach the high price and are looking for an audible step up, the Shure SE535s sound like nirvana and there’s a lot of the fun in trying to find what’s been hiding in your music.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Shure SE535 Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 12, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

In the world of headphones, there are many, many choices that range in price from a few bucks to a price requiring a second mortgage on your house. It’s that wide of a margin. And let’s face it, most mortals wouldn’t dream of spending over a couple hundred dollars to get the sound we want – and even that’s pushing it for some. Which brings us to a new kid on the block: Fanny Wang.

At first glance, the Fanny Wang On Ear headphones look like Monster Beats. There is no getting around that. Fanny Wang proudly states that they used the same sound engineer who worked on the Beats. Now, Monster has sued Fanny Wang, but that’s a matter for another time. I will say up front that I have not heard the Monster Beats, so even though they may look similar, there will be no audio comparison. My job here is to evaluate the On Ear Wangs on their own merit.

First, let’s look at the headphones. I have the black model with red accents and a removable red cord. They are quite stunning and look like they cost more than they do. White and red are also available. The outer shell is a shiny plastic with an indented pattern for grip. The headband and earcups are nicely padded and comfortable. They can be a bit tight on the ears after a few hours, but no more so than many other brands I’ve used. The red cord even has a cleverly added 3.5 mm Duo Jack for sharing music.

The On Ears are foldable, with a white, soft velour-like carrying bag for travel. The bag will not protect the headphones if dropped or crushed, but will help keep them clean. And since it’s bright white, I expect it to look dirty in no time. I hope it’s washable.

But as good as the On Ears look and feel, it’s the sound that really matters. And as I’ve said before, you can’t see them while you are wearing them; you can only hear them.

I’m not one of those persons that does a long burn-in on headphones right after delivery. I’m much too impatient for that. Burn-in is when you play music and/or generated noise patterns through headphones anywhere from 40 to 200+ hours. What that does is break the headphones in. The audio vibrations help make the diaphragm more flexible, resulting in a more natural, relaxed sound. Keep in mind that a burn in will happen anyway just from use. Performing a burn in 24/7 just speeds the process up.

But I like to listen right out of the box, so I can hear how better they get over time. And since I use headphones about 6-8 hours per day, they get burned in pretty quickly anyway.

One thing I noticed about the On Ears is how clear they sound. While the 40mm drivers do lean to the warm side and are forgiving sounding (meaning not too analytical), there’s an accuracy there that usually comes with more expensive models. That was surprising. I was expecting a more bassy headphone from all the marketing. But the bass was more complimentary and realistic than overbearing. To me, that’s a good thing. Too much bass becomes very tiring over an extended period. And that’s not a good thing.

Things didn’t begin well for the On Ears while listening to some older 60s music. Spirit’s “The Great Canyon Fire In General” from their debut album was too muffled to be enjoyable. I may as well had cotton over my ears. Part of the problem is the over-compressed analog mix, which – well, let’s just say we’ve learned a lot in that area since then. And a lack of a decent, remastered version didn’t help. A different problem became apparent with another song from that era. Peter & Gordon’s “A World Without Love” has a great instrumental sound that was clear and engaging but was ruined by atrocious vocals that were so pushed back, it was as if they were in another room. And the absolute stereo separation so popular back then just made it worse by killing any chance of soundstage. It was fast becoming clear that the Fanny Wangs – and many newer headphones, also – are geared to a more modern mix.

“Shameless” from the Bryan Ferry album, “Olympia” really shines with the On Ears. Even though the mix is a bit too muddy for my tastes (as is the whole album), this song still has sparkle courtesy of Groove Armada. There are electronic repetitions overlaid  on Ferry’s smoky, aging voice. It’s a study in contrasts that challenges the On Ear’s drivers to be able to differentiate it all without bleeding into each other. It works here.

The On Ears strut their stuff on songs like Engma’s “Sadeness (Part 1)” from their greatest hits album, ‘Love Sensuality Devotion”. The mixture of gregorian chant, heavy bass and bright flute accents cover the whole range from highs to lows. Even though the mids of the chants are recessed and the bass is dominant, it’s not buried in the mix. The On Ears make this song a lot of fun to listen to. Heck, that’s true for the whole album. It’s a headphone masterpiece.

Another headphone tester is New Order’s “Blue Monday” in the 12” dance mix. You want bass? You got bass, and then some. This song is a brain shaker. I turned up the volume on my iPod Classic to painful levels to see when distortion would kick in. It didn’t. But I did end up with a nice headache.

Cat Steven’s “Tuesday’s Dead” from “Teaser and the Firecat” features a bright acoustic guitar punctuated by a bass drum. Steven’s mid-range vocal performance breaks through this seeming conflict nicely. A recent remastering process gives the song a punch that’s exploited for all it’s worth on the Fanny Wangs. Older mixes of this song got bogged down in muck.

Originally, I had the Fanny Wangs connected directly to the audio-out port on my iMac.  They just sounded so… lost with no volume, power, or presence. It was pathetic. It became apparent that they sounded much better direct from my iPod Classic or iPhone. Compared to the muffled iMac audio, it was more airy and realistic. The soundstage opened up quite a bit and that made all the difference.

Fanny Wang is off to a good start. The On Ear headphones are made well, have killer looks and most important of all, sound great. At this price range, it could make choosing new headphones that much more difficult.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Fanny Wang On Ear Headphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

I have written in previous reviews that I tend to prefer neutrality and accuracy over sound that is enhanced or “colored” in headphones/earphones. That being said, I do enjoy bass when it doesn’t interfere with or overpower the mids or highs, which can so often happen. Some brands accentuate bass to attract a younger crowd and it works. Their sales are good even if their quality isn’t. But there is a new company trying to enter the increasingly overcrowded earphone market with a new twist on earphone technology. And I have to say, they may be on to something here. TFT Accoustics makes an earphone – both in-ear and bud style – that incorporates thin film technology. This review deals with the TFTA-2100-2V1S and TFTA-2100-3V2B models.

What exactly is thin film technology? Basically, it’s the process of adding a thin film layer within a dynamic speaker earphone. Dynamic speaker earphones are all bud-style earphones as well as some popular budget brands of in-ear models, such as Skull Candy, Sony, Maxell. But this technology is also found in expensive earphones like Futuresonics, Monster and Sennheiser. TFT Accoustic falls somewhere in the middle. They are not cheap, but they are far from the more expensive choices out there.

TFT Accoustics claim that the thin-film gives the earphone a wider frequency range and deeper bass. I’m not sold on the wider frequency range when you consider that human hearing falls between 20hz-20khz. Anything outside that range is pretty much not heard. But bass, that’s another matter you can hear… and feel. Here is where the 2V1S shines. It has bass. Lots of bass. And this bass doesn’t drown out the mids and highs as it pulses into your brain. Even so, it doesn’t even compare to the bass in the 3V2B earphone. More on that later in the review.

But first, lets look at the construction of the earphone itself. Both the 2V1S and 3V2B are identical looking on the outside with a metal housing and flexible, reinforced cable. There is some weight to the earphone, but it’s pretty light overall. Compared to Monster Copper Pros, they’re practically weightless. Because they aren’t armature based, the sound hole is somewhat large in diameter. I personally prefer inserting earphones as far as I can into my ear, and often this has proven to be uncomfortable for me, but on these, that surprisingly wasn’t the case. And I wasn’t even able to get a decent seal until I used the largest tips supplied. Due to past experience, this should have been impossible as I have smaller ear canals, but the tips are so soft, it was comfortable. Mind you, the TFTs aren’t on the comfort level of Klipsch, but they are close. I could easily listen for hours. I do wish though, that TFT supplied a a more complete selection of tips.

Okay, the TFTs are well-built, comfortable for extended listening and the 2V1S have good bass. So what? A lot of earphones do that. Lets see what you get for the money.

First, you get warmth. While I wouldn’t call the 2V1S analytical, they are accurate. In just about every song I used for testing, the bass is what I noticed first. It was more from less bass in other earphones than too much in these. Believe it or not, “Love Is Blue” from Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (one version of this way overdone late 60s instrumental) is about as bass heavy as you could want. But there are also some vibrant highs. And it’s all carried off without a wrong note. Not so with REO Speedwagon’s “Roll With the Changes” from the album, “You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish.” The bass here just bogs the song down in aural mud. It could have been a bad mix or pressing, but it was absolutely tedious. It was a disappointment as I really like this song.

I had a similar problem with “Reap the Wild Wind” from Ultravox’s “Quartet.” However fiddling with the iTunes EQ a bit took care of that. So I decided to use that setting on the rest of the recordings.

An obscure, little song from Pink Floyd’s album, “Ummagumma” called “Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict” covers the frequency range with all kinds of natural and processed animal noises climaxing with an unintelligible tirade spoken in a heavy Scottish brogue. The TFTs handle the whole range quite easily.

I discovered that – as with many other earphones – both the 2V1S (and 3V2B) much prefer newer recordings and mixes. Cindi Lauper’s  “She Bop” has an insistent back-beat that manages to pound its way to the front without overtaking Lauper’s hiccuping vocals. Once again, there is a warm glow to the whole song the 2V1S refuse to let anything get out of balance.

A fun test was “Six Marimbas” by avant-garde musician, Steve Reich, who adapted the song from his previous “Six Pianos.” This song is composed of musicians repeating the same riff on marimbas while very subtly, more players fade into these sequences as  others fade out altogether. The result is a song that manages to remain unchanged, while slowly mutating all at the same time. This is a long way of saying that “Six Marimbas” is perfect for earphones like the 2V1S. The song is light on bass with an accent on highs and mids. On analytical earphones, this could become too bright or even brittle sounding. Not with the 2V1S.

Another example of the 2V1S preferring newer recordings is Patrick and Eugene’s “Don’t Stop” whose style is reminiscent of a 1920s flapper song. But it’s also full of modern synth and percussion touches that keep it from veering into parody. The bass attacks in this song are short and sharp. No sloppy bass fuzziness common with older recordings here. The 2V1S make this song a fun, quasi-nostalgic romp.

As bassy and warm as the TFTA-2100-2V1S are, TFT Acoustics realized that even that would not be enough for some people. So the came out with the TFTA-2100-3V2B. As I said earlier, while they are visually identical to the TFTA-2100-2V1S (they really need to shorten these model names), the 3V2B earphones are so bass heavy, you’ll hear bass that probably isn’t even there. Well, that’s not exactly true, but the bass is pushed right into your face. These are the heaviest sounding earphones I have ever heard. And while I truly do not like the sound of the 3V2B, my son LOVED them. So it could all come down to an age thing. If you are into gaming, hip-hop and techno, than the 3V2Bs might just be perfect for you. They will absolutely vibrate your brain cells and not apologize for it. They are that heavy.

Both the moderate bass TFTA-2100-2V1S and the killer bass TFTA-2100-3V2B earphones sell for the same price, so it comes down to what you prefer from your music… And how young you probably are. Either way, these are well-made, comfortable and fun earphones.

The earphones are on sale in the UK now but only sold through Amazon, the online store. The price is appx. $160.00 now but should very soon be about $120. Keep checking the web site for up-to-date information on pricing.www.crosswalk.com

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

TFT Accoustics TFTA-2100-2V1S and TFTA-2100-3V2B Earphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 23, 2011 at 11:37 am.

When you think of consumer earphones, what companies come to mind? Sony? Monster? Skullcandy? Truth is, there are a LOT of companies out there making earphones for your MP3 player – with many of them producing pretty good products. It’s a huge market, so the choices are in the buyer’s favor. As reviewer, one of my tasks is to educate consumers about what may be available that they either hadn’t considered or maybe have never even heard of. I can just about guarantee you that one of those unheard of companies is Earjax. They are not one of the bigger names in earphones, but that could change for a couple of reasons.

Before we talk about the Earjax Lyrics earphone, I want to bring up one of the reasons that Earjax is unique. There are a lot of children who suffer from many hearing problems. Earjax has teamed up with the Starkey Hearing Foundation by donating a portion of sales to help fund a world-wide distribution of hearing aids to children who can’t afford them. It’s a mission that Earjax passionately stresses on their website.

You can get the details here: http://earjax.com/mission.php. And while that may be a worthwhile cause, it still comes down to the quality – aural and construction – of the earphone itself that determines whether it’s worth your money.

The Earjax earphones are trendy in both style and color choices, but much more understated than, say,  Skullcandys. Earjax makes five models in various price ranges  with a younger and more cost conscience customer in mind.

The Lyrics earphone that I’m reviewing is their most expensive model and, relatively speaking, isn’t all that expensive. It’s not cheap at $120, but if you do some searching, it can be found online for less. However, I was surprised by what is included with the Lyrics. You get a total of nine eartips in various sizes, a carabiner clip, miniplug extension cable, a very nice, zippered hard case and a removable tough cable wrap which helps keeps everything tangle free. When used, this cable wrap adds even more sturdiness to the case. A nice touch.

The egg-shaped Lyrics feel expensive with their non-slippery, rubberized surface. This can help them stay in place during sweaty workouts. And that egg shape fits into your outer ear. Overall comfort is pretty good. The cable is a hang down style which is see-through until it comes together at the Y connector where it is then covered in a black fabric. To reduce microphonics (that thumping sound you sometimes hear when you tap on the cable), I tried wrapping the cable around my ear, but I couldn’t get e decent seal – which just killed the bass – so I gave up on that idea. However, microphonics is not a big problem with the Lyrics, anyway.

The Lyrics are a dynamic, mini-speaker designed earphone. Dynamic speakers lean towards a warmer, more bass-heavy sound, as opposed to the more clinical sound of an armature speaker. Usually the sizes of these mini speakers are either 8mm or 10mm. The Lyrics are a whopping 13mm. What this means is that they don’t have to try very hard to achieve decent bass. Surprisingly, you would think then, that the Lyrics would be bass monsters. They aren’t, and that’s a good thing. The overall sound of the Lyrics is pretty uniform in the lows and mids while a tad weak in the highs. Since the highs are  recessed somewhat, there is little harshness in the bright spots. That’s good, because harshness can become fatiguing and unpleasant over extended listening periods.

A case in point would be The Byrds song, “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better,” from their “Greatest Hits” album. This song is horribly recorded and very sibilant, but the warmth of the Lyrics tone this down to a tolerable level. Another example of this harshness can be heard in Al Stewart’s “Roads to Moscow” from the  “Past, Present & Future” album, This heartbreaking, history lesson of a song features guitar picking complete with the squeaking sound you hear as fingers slide up and down the neck of the guitar. With earphones that accentuate highs, this can be teeth-grating. On the Lyrics, it just sounds authentic. I like that.

Paul McCartney’s “Sing the Changes” from his Fireman side-project album, “Electric Arguments”, is an aural attack that melds into a wall-of-sound. This song fares a little better on more accurate earphones, but it’s still a pleasant listen. More accuracy is needed on the live Lou Reed track, “Intro/Sweet Jane” from the “Rock ‘n Roll Animal” album. This powerhouse of an album opener begs for maximum, distortion-free volume. And while the Lyrics don’t distort, the power is just not there in full force.

The warmth of the Lyrics sound is more appreciated on songs like “It’s In the Rain” from the Enya album, “Amaratine.” Her music is a sonic wash to begin with and here, it’s perfectly suited to the Lyrics. “Cup of Kindness” from Emmylou Harris’ “Stumble Into Grace” is quite bass heavy, as a lot of her later work has been. And since the Lyrics don’t overdue the bass, it works. What could have easily been a chore to suffer through becomes an enjoyable listen.

For the price, Earjax has produced an earphone that looks good, sounds very good, comes with a slew of extras and yet, they still manage to give some back to the hearing impaired. Not a bad way for a company to act, I’d say.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Earjax Lyrics Earphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 26, 2010 at 12:52 pm.

I’ve mentioned in earlier reviews that I tend to find many earbuds uncomfortable, especially the hard, standard earbuds from Apple.  Although I’ve found a few earphones that are comfortable and sound good, I’m always willing to try out another pair.  When Julie offered the MEElectronics M6 earphones for review, I asked to give them a try.

Specifications
Driver: 9mm high performance drivers with neodymium magnets
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20,000Hz
Sensitivity: 98 dB (1mW @ 1,000Hz)
Impedance: 16 ohms
Connector: 3.5mm gold plated, right angle connector
Cable: Designer 1.4m cord (4.59 ft) with attached shirt clip
Memory Wire: Stainless steel
Dimension: 0.65” H X 0.75” W x 1” L

Airplane adapter and cord organizer

In the Box
M6 earbuds
Four sets of gel eartips (small/medium/large/triple-flange)
Airplane adapter
Cord organizer
Zippered storage case

This photo courtesy of the MEElectronics website

The MEE M6 earbuds I received are clear with clear gel eartips.  As is usual, the small eartips fit my ears best.  These earbuds don’t look like typical earbuds.  They have stainless steel memory wire loops designed to hold the earbuds in your ears, even when you are playing sports or working out.  The shape of the earbuds themselves is different than the typical earbud.  They actually look like some of the expensive, custom-made earbuds I’ve seen reviewed here on The Gadgeteer. 

The cable is clear, and you can see a braided silver cable inside.  The MEElectronics company says this cable is tangle resistant, and they say it has low microphonics – cable noise from friction of the cable as it moves.  There is a clear plastic slider above the cable split which can slide up to hold the earbud ends together to prevent tangling when not in use.  The individual cables for the earbuds are the same length, which is nice.  I don’t like earbuds with one long cable and one short one.

You can see from the photos that the tip that fits into the ear canal is canted at an angle.  This shape took a couple of tries before I found the correct way to insert them into my ears.  Once I got them settled in, I wrapped the memory wires around my ears.  I was afraid these wires would be uncomfortable – pressing on my glasses perhaps, or pinching the top of my ear.  This was not the case.  After a while, I didn’t notice they were there. I like that these loops guided the cables behind my ears.  I found that less irritating and distracting than wires that dangle down onto my cheeks.  The earbuds were pretty comfortable, too.  The longest I wore them was about three hours, and they felt fine the entire time – never had an urge to rip them out and throw them away like some earbuds have inspired me to want to do.

I wore the M6 earbuds for a while – not listening to music – to see how they felt.  I also wanted to see if they offered any sound isolation.  I was able to carry on a normal conversation with my family, and I was able to hear ambient noises with no problems.  These earbuds aren’t going to isolate you from airplane noise, for example, but then they do not promise any noise reduction.

These earbuds are equipped with a gold-plated 3.5mm plug.  They will work with any device – phone, mp3 player, computer, other portable device – that has a 3.5mm jack.  I tried them with my computer, iPod touch in a Belkin Grip Vue case, and my iPad in its Belkin Grip Vue, and the MEE M6 earbuds worked fine with all.  They looked nice with the clear Belkin Grip Vue cases, too.

So, how do they sound?  I listened to a wide variety of music – vocal, orchestral, Donovan, Yes, Stevie Ray Vaughn, soft, loud.  The earbuds sounded good with all types.  Of course, I didn’t get thundering bass, but I don’t want that so close to my eardrums anyway – I value my hearing.  The bass end was present enough to make listening to Chris Squire’s Fish enjoyable.  Vocals and the higher end sound good.  The sound was clear – I could almost understand the words Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) was singing.   I found I could set the volume at a low level on all my devices, and still the music was loud enough to enjoy.

I imagine the MEElectronics M6 earphones sound as good as most earbuds at their modest price point ($50), and probably better than some.  The big surprise for me was their comfort. It’s also nice that you get a black, rubbery, dog-bone-shaped cord organizer and a zippered storage case to protect them in your bag.  I think most people would enjoy the M6 earbuds for use with their portable electronics.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

MEElectronics M6 Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2010 at 9:30 am.

Last July was an eventful month for this reviewer. I got to see firsthand how custom earphones are made by craftspeople who are experts in what they do. And I got to take delivery of my own pair of custom Jerry Harvey JH/13 PROs.  But before I delve into this review, a little history is in order.

Jerry Harvey may not be a household name, but he should be. Because in the mid-’90s, he saw a solution to a need in the performing arts business and seized upon it, almost singlehandedly creating an entire industry. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s people like Jerry Harvey who make this country what it is.

If you’ve noticed the earphones worn by performers on TV or in live shows, you’re seeing the genius of in-ear monitors. Back in the mid-’90s, Jerry was working for the rock group Van Halen as their sound engineer when the drummer, Alex Van Halen, complained about not being able to hear what he needed to hear while on stage. So Jerry decided to try and do something about it: He developed an earphone using components  from hearing aids and custom molded them for Alex. The benefits were immediate and dramatic. And it didn’t take long before other rock performers heard about this new earphone and offered to pay Jerry to make them some. And so the company Ultimate Ears was born.  Quickly, Jerry Harvey and company dominated a market they pretty much invented.

Fast forward to the late ‘90s when Jerry sold Ultimate Ears. Being an avid pilot, he – once again – saw a need and filled it. He started manufacturing aviation headsets for pilots. Well, it didn’t take long for word to get out that Jerry was busy and performers started asking for custom earphones from the master. He couldn’t say no, and JH Audio was the result.

Which brings us to my trip to their factory last July. I call it a factory, but it’s really a converted airplane hangar at a small, country airport hiding out in the middle of Florida. When I arrived, I immediately realized how friendly and unpretentious the people were. They even share space with Jerry’s airplane. Well, it is a hangar.

The family atmosphere was also plainly evident. I was welcomed and given a tour by Jerry’s wife and also, his daughter. I had molds made of my inner ears that became the template for getting that one-of-a-kind fit that only customs have. The vast majority of orders are made from molds made by audiologists from around the world. JH Audio’s customers range from the very famous to mere mortals. My ear impressions however, were made in-house.

Although I didn’t witness my own earphones being made (that takes one to two weeks), I got to see how intricate the whole process is from beginning to end. I saw how they’re made to order with special colors and/or logos engraved and handpainted on the surface. I saw tiny – and I mean tiny - speakers placed inside the shells. Seeing them being assembled was a bit surreal. Heck, even upon leaving, I had  to look both ways for aircraft taking off or landing because I had to drive – on the runway! Surreal indeed.

So, fast forward a week or so and I drove back out to the hangar (and looking out for aircraft again) to pick up a pair of clear JH/13 PROs. I chose clear, because I think all the tiny electronics in the earpieces look really cool. I could have had their top-of-the-line 16 PROs, but I preferred the 13 PROs instead. Here’s why: When I visited that first day, I listened to a sample unit of the 13 PROs connected to my iPod, which was playing a song I was quite familiar with. The song just happened to have a lot of bass punch to it. When I switched to the 16 PROs while listening to that same song. I almost fell out of my chair. The 16 PROs were so much louder and had a lot more bottom end than the 13 PROs did. I was immediately blown away. However, I know my tastes. Over hours of listening, I much prefer a more neutral sound to one with killer bass. Maybe it’s my age, but as impressive as the 16 PROs were, I just knew I would prefer the 13 PROs over time. And for me, anyway, I was correct in that choice.

Let’s talk about these neutral-sounding JH/13 PRO in-ear monitors. The 13 PROs have six speakers. Six. For each ear. Until you’ve used custom made earphones, you haven’t really experienced music the way it was meant to be heard. You haven’t been this close to what the performer – either on stage or in the studio – wanted you to hear. There is no way a foam-tipped universal-sized earphone can encompass you in sound the way customs can. Yeah, they can come really, really close and there are some universals I would recommend without hesitation, but customs are in a whole other league.

To insert into your ear, you just twist them a bit. They “snap” right into place and the world disappears. It’s eerie. The thin cord is braided and fits over the ear, both of which cut down on microphonics, that distracting noise that comes from tapping or brushing the cord against your clothes. The cord is also replaceable. It tightly plugs into both earphone shells. So if the cord frays or becomes damaged in any way, just swap it out. The 13 PROs come with a personalized, clear Otterbox 1000 case that is crushproof, waterproof and even floats. The case provides about as much protection as humanly possible. Also included is a cleaning tool and a velour drawstring bag.

The JH/13 PROs are made up of what JH Audio calls proprietary precision-balanced armatures. Armatures are what you usually find in more expensive earphones,  such as Shure, Klipsch, Ultimate Ears and Westone to name just a few. There are advantages to this design, the chief one being accuracy. But armatures are also brutally accurate, so if it’s garbage in, it’s garbage out. If you have lower bit-rate files, chances are you will be disappointed.

Historically, armatures are also deficient in the bass department: however a lot of that is overcome by splitting armatures into specific frequency areas, much like a traditional loudspeaker, with highs, mids and bass combined with integrated crossovers. Which is exactly how the JH/13 PROs are designed. Except that JH Audio doubled it. So each earpiece contains dual high, dual mid and dual low armatures. And they sound as impressive as the specs read.

One of the reasons they sound so spectacular is they have, well, six speakers per ear. So, how do you think they sound? I’m sorry for being flippant, but for what these cost, they had better deliver the moon. They do, and then some. There is also the seal that you can only get with customs. Without that seal, it doesn’t matter how good earphones are. They are going to sound like absolute … well, let’s just say not good.

The JH/13 PROs gave me an excuse to listen to Brian Eno’s new album, “Small Craft on a Milk Sea.” Eno is one of those artists that has kept up with production techniques through the years. You may or may not like how his music has evolved, but you can’t argue with the pristeen quality to his later works. The song “Paleosonic” is a study in percussive anarchy that holds together. It almost sounds binaural, in that you can place (in your head) exactly where each instrument is located, and you are in the center. The quieter “Written, Forgotten” shows off the bass of the 13 PROs, but the midsare also in full force here. That’s why I chose these over the 16 PROs. The bass is strong, but doesn’t sound out of context, which happens a lot on Eno’s newer pieces if your earphones accentuate the bass.

One thing that became apparent to me was that the 13 PROs work their magic better on newer recordings. One of my favorite live performances is “Break Song,” from the Vanilla Fudge album “Near the Beginning.” This 23–minute opus features my favorite drum solo (remember those?) by Carmine Appice. While I could appreciate an improved  clarity separating the bass and cymbals, the mix was still a bit too muddy, and this 35-plus-year old recording didn’t move me like it used to.

“The Dangling Conversation” from Simon and Garfunkel’s “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme” fares better as an older recording. This melancholy of this remastered version shines like a dark jewel. There is also a subtle cymbal sound in the right speaker that is not that noticeable on lesser earphones. Its these little things in different songs that add up to the overall experience of the 13 PROs.

I have a high resolution converted FLAC of George Thorogood’s “Who Do You Love” from the “Move It on Over” album. I’m very familiar with the power of Thorogood’s Bo Diddley guitar riffs on this song. But now, it has a life of its own. The thundering drumming and blistering guitar playing rips into your brain and you can’t help but smile. It’s songs like this that the 13 PROs were made for.

Once again, I was glad I went with the more neutral 13 PROs while listening to Imelda May’s “Johnny Got a Boom Boom”. The upright bass playing is pushed right to the front in all it’s glory while May snarls her trademark rockabilly growl all over it. The attack of the bass plucking is sharp and distinct with no fuzziness. You get the benefits of a 50s genre recorded in a range unattainable back when rockabilly was king. I think on the 16 PROs, the added emphasis on bass would have done me in.

One good test of how quickly the 13 PROs can recover is Kraftwerk’s “Geiger Counter” and “Radioactivity” from the album “Radioactivity.” The electronically false Geiger counter thump attacks speed up as the song progresses with no delay in between. As the song blends into “Radioactivity,” a synth wash fills in the emptiness without drowning out that relentless thumping. For fans of the fathers of electonica, it’s pure bliss.

I’ve listened to the 13 PROs using an iPod, iPhone, straight out of an audio port on a mac and finally through a port built in a pair of external speakers that have their own digital audio converter. The speakers with the DAC offered the best sound, but it was subtle. The iPod alone drives the 13 PROs just fine.

What will keep 99 percent of the people from buying earphones like the JH PROs come down to one thing only: price. These aren’t just expensive. They’re crazy expensive. But this review is not about the average Joe’s quest for earphones he can tool around in. This review is about earphones that professionals use when their trained ears depend on it – earphones that audiophiles use to judge all other earphones against. Earphones that spare no expense to get it right. The holy grail of earphones. And there lies the frustration I have with these earphones. The JH Audio/PRO 13s are so good, so personal and so expensive that only a handful of people will ever know the joy that can be had from custom earphones of this calibre. And that’s frustrating.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

JH Audio JH/13 PRO Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2010 at 10:31 pm.

Lately, I have been reviewing some really, really expensive earphones and will continue to do so. I do it mainly because I want to educate people about how much more enjoyment can be had from their music with an investment in quality earphones or headphones. That said, there is a huge market for less expensive choices, whether it’s because of budget demands or just a second pair needed for exercise/outdoor use. In fact, there are almost too many choices out there. You can spend anywhere from $10 to $50 and get a pretty decent – if not great – pair of earphones that will last you a while. One entry into this mega-segment is Empire Brands’ Wicked Audio division.  We’ll be looking at their Wicked Little Buds earphones.

Wicked makes inexpensive earphones and headphones that concentrate on style. That seems to be the trend in this price range. Many earphones with identical specs will come in wild colors and wilder graphics to set them apart. Consequently, these earphones tend to appeal to a younger, fashion-conscience crowd. Which is great, as long as that fashionista is getting his/her money’s worth in sound quality.

Before I get into the pros and cons of how the Wicked Little Buds sound, there are a couple of things that impressed me. First is the size. They’re small… as in tiny. I have the black model, and because of their size, they are very easy to insert into the ear and are comfortable over hours of listening. Secondly, the cord is covered in woven cloth. That’s not something you usually see on earphones this inexpensive. Its a nice touch that helps prevent tangling and cuts down on microphonics – that distracting thump you hear as the cord is bumped, a common trait of many earphones. The Little Buds do not come with a mic for smartphone users, but that’s not surprising at this price.

The sound quality of the Little Buds is not a surprise, either. They don’t sound any worse or any better than other earphones under $50. But that’s not a criticism because while they don’t sound terrific, they sound good, and that’s light years ahead of  free buds included with your player.

The earphones are rated at 20-20,000 Hz, which is a little more range than a normal human can hear. But we have to take these numbers with a grain of salt. What is important is how the music sounds.

The Little Buds faired better on older recordings than the newer bass-heavy songs, which is a bit strange since these are made for the younger listener. Oh, there is plenty of bass here, but it gets muddled when pushed. Of course, if you are used to those ‘white earbuds’, then the bass exhibited here will knock you over and you will be in heaven. So there.

I began with “Hot Love” from T.Rex, an old 70s glam-rock tune in the Bowie style. What was good is that even though the bass was a bit on the heavy side, recordings just didn’t have the frequency range they have today. So in this respect, the Little Buds weren’t tiring. The same held true for David Bowie’s “Word on a Wing” from “Station to Station”. This album has recently been remastered, so maybe the newer mix will be less forgiving. This mix from an 80s CD pressing was fine.

One of my favorite groups is Simple Minds and I love the 12” version of a B-Side song, “King is White and in the Crowd”. Here is where I was disappointed, simply because on the Little Buds, the song had less power. On really good speakers, this song takes you places. On these earphones, I stayed home.

One of the modern songs  I listened to, was “Modern Drift” from Efterklang. This song has a lot of percussion and subtleties going on and I wanted to see how the Little Buds were able to distinguish all the various instruments and sounds. Once again, they did OK, not great. I just couldn’t get into the song like I have been able to with other earphones. But once I remind myself what they cost, my reservations disappear.

As a backup pair or an upgrade from the freebies, Wicked’s Little Buds are a bargain.

Now if they cost $100, I would be hurling insults. But they don’t. For what you get, both in the little extras mentioned earlier and the perfectly OK sound; at $35, I have no complaints. And you won’t either.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Earphones

Wicked Little Buds Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 13, 2010 at 10:43 am.

While some earphones/headphones available for the iPhone/iPod/iPad are great, most fall into the pretty good category.  But all of them are light years better than the earbuds that come standard with your device. The difference is that noticeable. This is not a review for you who are still using earbuds, unless you KNOW how awful they are. This review is for you who already have a decent pair of earphones and want to move on to a higher level. And one way to do that is to go custom, like the Tunz Duo in-ear monitors from Starkey Labs.

If you are unaware of what exactly custom means in earphones, think about the last time you saw a performer live or on TV. Today, the majority of musicians have what looks like bad hearing aids in both ears. Those aren’t hearing aids and they are most definitely not bad. They are earphones that are custom molded to their ears.

See, ears are like fingerprints. No two are alike. The advantages to acquiring custom earphones are obvious: They will fit you, and no one else… perfectly. The not-so-obvious advantages are increased noise isolation and better bass response. And your friends can’t borrow them (they won’t fit)!

First lets deal with the fit.  With customs, as you insert the earphones, they will literally “snap” into place. It can feel really weird at first. But they will stay in place. No more adjusting or fiddling to get a good seal. And know this, no seal means no bass. Then, there is the almost total isolation from your surroundings. Technically, it’s about 24-26 dB of isolation – which is a LOT. You can be riding the noisiest subway and still be lost in your own world. The fit is that good.

The main disadvantage of custom earphones is the price. They are not for the faint of heart. Custom in-ear monitors can go well over $1000. Most fall into the $500-$1000 range. But there is good news for those who are interested in going custom, but will not (or cannot) spend close to that amount, no matter how good they sound.

Starkey Labs in Minnesota have released a brand of in-ear monitors called Tunz. I am concentrating on the consumer dual armature model, called the Tunz Duo In-Ear monitor. At $250 (not including the ear impression cost), the Duos are one of the least expensive dual armature custom monitors on the market.

You begin by getting an open mouth impression (or mold) made of your inner ear by an audiologist (appx. $40-75). It’s a process that takes about 15 minutes. Once the impressions are made, they are then mailed to Starkey Labs for construction. In about 2 weeks, your custom earphones arrive (you won’t find these earphones in a store).

Inside the box are your earphones, a shirt clip, cleaning tool, and a hard case with the customers name engraved on it.

It may take some practice to insert the earphones, but they will literally snap into place if done correctly. Once in, they stay in.

Interestingly, these customs cost about the same as most good quality universal-sized duos. So you have the added benefit of a custom fit for the same price (minus the impressions cost). Not a bad deal.

So how does the sound compare with other duo or triple armature earphones? I’m happy to say, pretty well, thank you. The Duos are equipped with one bass and one treble armature. I’ll admit that they are not quite as accurate as some triple armature (bass, treble, midrange) earphones I own, but the Duos tackled much of what I threw at them with a surprising warmth. Many armature-based earphones can be overly bright. These aren’t.

I wanted to see how the Duos handled bass, since this is where most dual (and more) armature customs really shine. I began with the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss album, “Raising Sand.” For an album of well-recorded Americana music, this really kicks bass. I’m sure the producer, T-Bone Burnett had a lot to do with this.

I can’t listen to “Raising Sand”  in my car, because the speakers just can’t handle that  much bass. But hearing these wonderful songs through the Tunz Duos is ear-opening. Believe it or not, this rediscovered bottom end brings out the highs in strange ways. The jangly guitars and Krauss’ high whine in “Polly Come Home” gets hung out to dry on lesser speakers. But with the Duos, the highs suddenly have balance with the bass and static drum pounding. Finally, the song sounds complete.

Speaking of Robert Plant, his song “Big Log” from “Nine Lives” features a mid-range percussive repeat that counters nicely with the string arrangements. However the Duos do bring out a certain sibilant quality to Plant’s vocals. This song is proof that with the Duos, you are much better off with higher resolution files, which is usually necessary with better earphones.

If you want a kick to the teeth, crank up “Thunderstruck” from AC-DC. Chris Slade’s bass drum attack vibrates the brain… in a good way. This song must be played loud to  be fully appreciated. But like before, have a high resolution version available.

Moving in a totally different direction, but still following the bass route, is Paul Simon’s “Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes” from “Graceland”. The backing vocals of the South African group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, provide a gutteral low undercurrent that accentuates Simon’s vocal woo-hoo-ing throughout the song. And when the bass drum kick comes in at the beginning of “Boy In the Bubble”, you jump in surprise even though you fully expect it.

“Long Haired Lady” from Paul McCartney’s “Ram” isn’t what you could call an audiophile recording but Paul’s multi-instrumental talents are in full bloom here. The intimacy is immediate with no drag in the vocals. The crescendo ending is a fun, delightful mess coming from a wall-of-sound approach.

Another example of how unforgiving the Duos can be is The Byrds, “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” from their Greatest Hits album. The highs in this great song will absolutely set your teeth on edge. Talk about something in need of remastering. It’s just awful.

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s version of Claude Debussy’s “Claire de lune” from the “Ocean’s Eleven” soundtrack is a beautiful wash of melancholic strings which the Duos allow to breath. The spaciousness of the piece is immediately apparent and that’s not easy with earphones. Open-backed headphones can provide a better soundstage, but then they’re not exactly portable, are they?

If you are still listening to those supplied (free) earbuds and think you are happy with the sound, please, oh please do yourself a favor and invest (at minimum) $60 and upgrade to earphones. A whole new world will open up to you. But be warned: Once you get a taste of that aural sweetness, you’re going to want more and better audio sugar… much like the Tunz Duos.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Audio, Earphones, in-ear monitors, iPad, iPhone, iPod, portable audio

Starkey Labs Tunz Duo In-Ear Monitor Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 20, 2010 at 12:00 pm.

The Communicator Earphones have a thick cord that resists tangles and come with 3 earbud tips – in latex or “deep-fit soft foam” – so you can find your best fit.  They minimize ambient noise, and their 10mm drivers reproduce 20-20,000 Hz for full, rich sound.  There’s a built-in microphone so you can use it with phones.  If you’re using an iPhone or Blackberry, you can answer the phone and stop the music with a single button push.  The earphones are compatible with devices using a 3.5mm jack, such as iPods, iPhones, most mp3 players and laptops.  The Communicator Earphones are available in grey(shown), blue, or all black from the A + R Store for $65.00.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Earphones, microphone

Communicator Earphones Let You Listen to Your Music or Talk on Your Phone originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 3, 2010 at 3:00 pm.