The introduction
 
Firstly, I would like to thank Final Audio Design for the opportunity to be a part of this heavenly tour. That being said as a disclaimer I have no affiliation with Final Audio Design so all impression will be as honest and objective as possible.
 
Okay, before getting into the meat of this review I just wanted to mention a little about Final Audio Design and their products, so typically from trying a few of there earlier models Final Audio’s sound signature tends to lean towards that euphoric mid centric and epic soundstage kind of personality. Aiming to achieve all of this through their relentless pursuit of just a single balanced armature driver! Yep just one not two not three just one. So it’s no surprise the Heaven VII doesn’t fall to far from this stereotype sound, signature wise and certainly not technology wise.
 
It’s actual quite an achievement in what the company has produced with a lot new hype still surrounding hybrid designs and CIEMS now even holding up to 12 drivers per side. A commendable feat and Final Audio Design certainly have come a long way, I actually remember trying out a host of their earphones about 2 Years ago at a Head fi meet and being impressed by how much sound was being produced by such a seemingly inconspicuous earphone.
 
Below is a more detail picture of the Heaven’s internals and make up: 

Here is also a link to Final Audio Design's site for full specification and information: http://final-audio-design.com/en/archives/2240
(Disclaimer this picture was taken from Final Audio Designs Web Page I do not own the rights to this picture)
 
Build Quality and Design
 
As you can see a very simple yet eloquent design. The Heaven VII is crafted out of the same stainless steel body as the Heaven VIII. The only difference here being the VIII is only available in a gold finish. The VII on the other hand are obtainable in two other colour options a sexy polished silver and an enticing matte black, that feels so nice to touch, just saying.
 
Their signature font “Final” is printed on the front side of the driver housing as you can see, there are also left and right indicator markings written near where the cable and housing meet. One thing I must say is how much I love the beautifully crafted jack, it’s a modest straight 3.5mm jack but is encompassed in a silver finish with beautiful calligraphy printed across just adding that extra touch of class.
 
A flat non tangle cable flows from the housing, apart from being a little weighty the thing just screams quality! I have owned a few supposedly flat non tangle cabled earphones before which have failed that claim quite abysmally, the Heavens on the other hand offer a real chunky wire that never gets confused no matter how carefully or carelessly I put them away.
 
I have uploaded a picture of the jack, cable and earphones for a bit of visual reference:

 
Accessories
 
Other than the straight up sex appeal you get from looking at its packaging, inside you will find a black fur bedding hugging those precious heavenly jewels, a sleek polished silver carrying case, a warranty card, instruction manual and a selection of 5 different sized silicone ear tips (Of which I received 4 a pair may have been lost along the tour). Moving on there is also a mirror-finished slim flat carrying case has a padded interior, its dimensions are as follows: 3.5” H x 3.75” W.
 
The presentation is certainly one of extravagance really showing off just how luxurious the earphones are, I truly believe this comes from a company who want you to feel like you have got what you paid for. Regrettably though as nice as the presentation and case is I can’t help but feel a little griped. The reason for this isn’t due to the limitation of silicon tips or accessories, it’s actually down to that lustrous carrying case.
 
Basically due to the finish Final Audio Design has chosen to go with you end up with something very similar to the old iPod classics, if you ever owned one you’ll know exactly what I mean the surface is prone to scratching and marks no matter how carefully you try and preserve it. A little disappointing but worst of all even though the cases dimensions mean it can fit quite easily into your pocket the bloody thing won’t close without a fight with the earphones in, granted I have got foam ear tips on there but still this is something that could have been prevented with a simple indent for the earphones to fit snugly into.
 
Here are some pictures of what you are to expect, still love the box it’s like snake skin just pure class:

 
Comfort, Fit and Isolation
 
The comfort of these earphones is actually quite respectable. However, there seems to be one big design flaw here unfortunately, that is solely down to the housing’s stainless steel weighty enclosure. These things are downright heavy, even besting my Dunu 2000's. Aside from the weight though they’re generally very comfortable, they are conventionally worn straight down so no faffing about trying to get the cable over your ear and so on. 
 
Switching tips is one thing I found gave me a little bit of added relief from the earphones dense nature. Tip rolling in itself can be useful thankfully in this case I didn't find too many sonic changes as I was trying out various tips. I finally settled on a pair of foam ear tips which use no wax guard and provide a perfect balance between clarity, isolation and comfort.
 
Typically speaking due to the weight of the earphone I can't wear them for any longer than a period of about two hours before they become uncomfortable. Obviously for most people two hours is quite sufficient but something to take into consideration if you’re planning on wearing these for extended periods of time.
 
Last but not least a little word on isolation, I don't know if it's the foam ear tips or the stainless steel housing or both but there isn't any complaints here! Apart from the exception of a few good earphone these offer pretty substantial isolation on a few occasion with the music off people were trying to talk to me and still couldn't hear a thing so not bad at all. 
 
Initial impressions
 
Before I kick off with my initial thoughts and feelings I want to stress how much my views have changed since I’ve got to understand and spend more time with the Heavens, so please do read the actual sound impressions as it would be a crime to deface a pretty good product by just reading these next few slightly unflattering paragraphs.
 
So after a slight delay the earphones finally arrived (pun intended) upon first listen I couldn’t help but feel like something is either missing or broken. Actually after having read previous reviews I was tempted to email Mark and see if they had another pair or at least forewarn them of a seriously bad review.
 
The earphones sounded veiled, thin and distant and at first and I just couldn’t get why previous reviews had mentioned the vocal reproduction sounding so natural and a big soundstage which just didn’t seem to exist at this point.
 
I can not emphasis this next section enough, source matching is crucial for these babies to shine as they were intended to and you need to spend some days letting your brain adjust to what’s going on, or at least I certainly did. As I was in a rush the first thing I plugged them into was my iPhone 6 hardly audiophile, but I just didn’t think such a quality product could sound so lifeless. As it turns out with brain burn in and a little extra juice they are now quite enjoyable even out of my iPhone, not at their best by any means, but at least enjoyable.
 
Source matching
 
As I mentioned my initial impressions weren’t overly impressive at all. Thankfully once again my home listening set up saved the day. The setup I use is simply a Meridian DAC V1 connected to the infamous Meier audio Quickstep using a Crystal Piccolino interconnect. I found this set up to be the most sonically pleasing as it provided a nice ample amount of warmth and brought out all of the Heavens best attributes. 
 
I would go as far as to say these are nearly the pickiest earphones I've tried and I would recommend highly that you invest in a good source if you're planning on purchasing these, if you don't already own one. 
 
I am sure you can get away with using an iPhone or an android-based device if that's all you've got around, but do be aware you will probably need to push the volume up. This isn't necessarily because the earphones are hard to drive it just seems to need those notches to bring out their true character. I found myself pushing the volume up a little past my comfort levels when simply using my iPhone in order to really pull out the clarity, bass and midrange however, there was the negative of this resulting in a slightly more aggressive sound than I’m used to, mainly in the treble region but more on that later.
 
In the unlikely case all you have is your phone try get a little amp, even something like the Martini+ connected to my iPhone really gave it a good kick in the bum and boosted its performance. It’s certainly something I'd recommend as the results yielded a lot of good fruit, everything from more euphoric vocals to treble detail all the way down to the bass. 
 
I think the main reason why I couldn't seem to get such an enjoyable sound out of them at the start, other than having to adjust to the sound signature, is simply because these are high-end earphones and they were designed in mind with a high quality source to match. I hope you've stayed with me this far as we are about to get into the juicy bit, the sound!
 
Sound Quality
 
As has been made clear by this point I basically have decided to base these sound impressions on how the Heavens sound using my home set up, AR-M2 and also my iPhone 6 utilising a line out to my Neco V4 Amplifier.
 
Treble:
 
Well I feel it has been a long time since I have had the chance to hear a BA driver sound as subtle, gentle and crisp as the VII sound in this department. Everything from cymbals to hi hats sound great, guitars especially come across with such transparency and shimmer leaving a delicate note decay as if TinkerBell had just blew magic pixy dust over each note. Honestly please do be careful I didn’t find these earphones forgiving at all of poor recordings though, but as soon as you put some of your favourite music collection on you’ll learn to appreciate why they sound the way they do.
 
Micro detailing is great, light and never trying to force too much in your face all at once, this trait results in the treble having a supplementary amount of air and space for those twangs, clicks and pops to dance around the soundstage which adds a slight touch of brightness and breath. 
 
Midrange:
 
Why oh why did you have to go and make things complicated baby. Sorry me and the VII had a little difficulty understanding each other in this department. This is so much more down to source matching. I don’t get why but these earphones clearly still follow the typically acclaimed sound we have come to know from Final Audio Design but and there is a but if paired with a slightly mid recessed sounding source vocals can seem distant resulting in a slightly shady unmusical sound.
 
Thankfully after couples counselling we managed to sort out our differences and the results have been well, heavenly just had to. Sorry forgive the puns it’s hard when they’ve chosen such a brilliant name. Talking strictly from this point on there is this beautifully buoyant sweet vocal reproduction. It’s no secret I am a bit of a vocal devotee and to me I am always drawn to those type of earphones, that being said the VII is again an earphone that holds its own against some of the most favourable mid focused earphones I've tried.
 
Vocals come across airy and light with a touch of forwardness and bite that can be quite euphoric. The more I listen the more addicted I become refreshing seems to be such a fitting word for the way the Heavens sound to my ears. Although these are clearly designed for accuracy and pace I find myself sometimes wanting a little more meat after falling in love with the R2Pro but I’ll add that in the comparisons section.
 
Bass:
 
Hi, I am bass it’s nice to meet you I'll be around if you need me but don’t bother me too much because I refuse to work for no reason. I’m pretty sure that’s the kind of statement you’d get if the bass first introduced itself. There is certainly a limitation here and I can’t help but feel this is where Final Audio Design need to break convention and finally add an extra driver. Do not get me wrong the accuracy and speed is great from top to bottom like no other single based BA I’ve ever heard however, it still leaves something to be desired.
 
It lacks that texture and finesse you get from a well-tuned dynamic or multi BA earphone. I just feel like these little things were trying too hard to do so much. The bass is good and prominent when needed but certainly could do with some added meat to its bones. On a good note the speed and accuracy is really on point you never get any bleed into the other frequency ranges either leaving the rest of the sound so neat and tidy. There is also a nice impact when a track really calls for it, for the discerning audiophile who loves a bit of hip hop these can still perform remarkable well but there’s room for improvement.
 
Soundstage, Imaging and Layering:
 
Now you may have already heard about the VII’s immersive and spacious soundstage well I won’t kill the hype too much. I feel like they were created with this in mind the soundstage isn’t overly wide or deep yet it has a charisma about it that allows instruments to breathe and spread out around you. I like the way the soundstage is done it is very spacious just in its own way, I have more of a benchmark regarding layering the R2pro really opened me up to what that really means.
 
The VII feel more flat overall due to their nature but thankfully the light tight and liquid sound Final Audio have tried to put into nearly all their earphones makes up for it so you are more captivated about what’s going on around you, the micro detailing being presented and beautiful pallet cleansing midrange. To add a tag line to this I am being very critical because they have done such a good job in this department.
 
Brief Comparisons
 
Dunu 2000: We all know the Dunu 2000’s punch above their weight, but can they keep up with an earphone that costs twice as much? Well the answer isn’t a clear cut yes or no. Sorry for the suspense but although the Dunu do perform remarkably well there is still more refinement found in the VII.
 
Dunu due to the hybrid design in my opinion has a better bass response than the VII, sounding more natural and reaching deeper than the VII is capable of. Now in terms of coherency the tip of the hat goes to the VII everything from top to bottom is very well placed and with a good source they show up and outclass the humble Dunu in this respect.
 
Strictly talking about performance the Heaven VII is an incredible feat with what it manages to achieve with just one BA per side. Bottom line if you have the cash I’d pick the VII over the Dunu for its overall performance from a gorgeous glorious midrange and soundstage to its cohesive sound it’s just that bit better.  
 
R2Pro: Okay this one is really tough these are two completely different sounding types of earphone! So much in fact I will have to bullet point the differences to give you a better comparison.
 
Heaven VII
 

1. Lighter tighter sound
2. A more forward vocal presentation ( With the right source )
3. Soundstage is about equal. The VII is more about having you immersed almost so you don’t know there’s anything happening other than this sense of space whereas the R2Pro focuses on layering and making you aware where everything is coming from.
4. Cleaner clearer presentation

 
R2Pro
 

1. Plumper bass resulting in a thicker sound
2. Detail retrieval isn’t behind but it’s not as obvious
3. Less in your face midrange
4. Darker more engaging sound and more versatile
5. More suitable for longer listening sessions due to the light housing design and comfort

 
Final Thoughts
 
I know some elements of this review have been a little critical but on the contrary I want to commend Final Audio for producing such a fine earphone with just one driver! This to me has been like a fine wine that has only got better with time, a relationship in its growing stages maturing into a refined love and appreciation. There is a lot to be enjoyed about the quality of this earphone I feel I can’t really give it a five star because of some of its shortcomings i.e. lack of versatility with source matching and just the other nit-picks I have with its try hard attitude.
 
I would love to see some improvements for example a lighter driver housing, a slightly more pragmatic and durable carrying case, possibly a removable cable? Most of all I have high hopes, if this is what Final Audio Design can do with ONE SINGLE BA DRIVER can you imagine a highly tuned and perfected multi BA from this company, wow I think they may need to find a word above heaven. Might be harder coming up with a name that emulates what the upgrade to the Heaven VII would be than actually creating the earphones.
 
Concluding thoughts are these are a serious earphone it’s only because of the nit-picks and lack of versatility this is getting a four star. Believe me I may not have hyped about the sound too much but in all honesty I don’t want to let these go they have been a breath of fresh air if Final Audio Design take into consideration some of the suggestions made I don’t care how much the damn things cost I’ll buy them! 

After reading so much and so little about this beast I decided to take a leap of faith and purchase, when I saw it of the forum for a respectable price it was an opportunity not to be missed.
 
Sound Impressions
 
I had a rough idea what I was expecting to hear when I first plugged this thing in, maybe the reason I felt a touch underwhelmed by my initial experience. Sure it didn't do anything wrong but there wasn't anything to justify what I was hearing was any better than other portables I've owned. So after plugging in to variable sources I eventually found some amazing synergy between a family member's iPhone 5 and the Vorzuge wow. I started hearing details with more life nuances becoming more apparent, I then decided to take the next step and order a better interconnect. Once I plugged the triple hybrid mini jack in all became clear this amp was hear to stay. (Cable use was a mix of pure silver, mundorf- silver 1 % gold and pure copper) . Shortly after I received my Dunu 2000 I soon realized this was a match made in heaven. All impressions will made be using the following set up: Vertere Pulse D-Fi usb > Meridian Explorer > Hybrid interconnect > Vorzuge Pure ii > Dunu 2000 (Online streaming via Grooveshark)
 
 
Bass: I will start with the bass as I feel it will be the shortest part of the write up. Controlled and well extended not overly dominate but defiantly present. The bass does a great job of staying out of the rest of the frequency's but adds a warmth to the midrange which is great as it adds to the overall experience. 
 
Mids: I love the midrange this little baby pulls out of my earphones. It's simply gorgeous I've yet to hear an amp so smooth and forgiving yet has every subtle detail portrayed and presented in each note. I don't think the amp really adds any coloration to the overall sound it just takes whatever its given and pushes its best out of it. There is a certain buttery effect to the presentation but it never feels like your missing out on any details, the transparency is top notch. I will add with the right source iem and interconnect this thing will definitely bring the most out of your set up I simply keep rediscovering my music all over again as cliche as it sounds I don't care I'm a man in love.
 
Treble: The treble shares similar traits to the midrange with its sheer smoothness and extension. It's quite an interesting treble it almost as if what you knew what treble should sound like but didn't until you've heard this. I won't comment too much on this area as I truly feel the Dunu 2000 are a limiting factor in this assessment due to it's slightly rolled off bright treble. Timber is presented very nicely with a beautiful lingering decay which is not too fast and not too slow.
 
Soundstage: Accurate I can't really understand how the pure ii does it ? On the one hand I almost feel it shrinks the soundstage of my earphones but at the same time it makes the positional cues of instruments so much more vivid and accurate. Imaging is very good the texture is amazing as you listen you can hear the integrate layers of the music.
 
Conclusion: This is a state of the art piece of equipment and if your in the market for a new portable amp I highly recommend you take a look at this amp. It's worth noting if you do purchase the amp I recommend getting it straight from Vorzuge themselves as they don't seem to be very responsive to warranty claims by people who have purchased via third party sources. I have had a few issues with the amp but every time I have inquired the support team have been a lot less responsive after finding I purchased the amp externally, in fact i'm still awaiting a response I will update with accurate information once they have got back to me. Update response back is due to it being bought 2nd hand any repairs will cost a nice tidy sum so just forewarning for anyone looking to purchase second hand.

Introduction/Disclaimer

Well hello again feels like ages since I have written anything and due to my busy work schedule this review maybe a little shorter than I'd like. Add comments below if you need more info on the product. So I have been following audio for about 5 years now and been enjoying the journey/growing addiction ever since. 

I would sincerely like to thank Pandora for sending out this sample unit for purpose of review in trade for my honest opinions and impressions. 

What's inside the box Jack?

Not much but everything I'd want I think. Check below for a quick breakdown. I find it extremely generous of them to provide free comply foam ear tips at this price! Just a side note I love the hard case included it's a little longer than others, that what she said, but it really makes wrapping your earphones up and packing them in a little easier, the red outskirt, zip lock and metal logo is a classy touch. You also receive this handy Velcro strap band to keep your wires in place when you wrap to prevent tangling which works well if used correctly.
Please find more information and pictures below. 
 

 
Included Accessories:
1 x Comply S-400 medium foam tips 
3 x Pair silicone tips (S/M/L) 
1 x Velcro cable tie 
1 x Shirt clip 
1 x Brainwavz logo sticker 
1 x Brainwavz earphone carrying case 
1 x Instruction manual & Warranty card 

 
Specifications:
Drivers: Dynamic, 9 mm 
Rated Impedance : 16 Ohms 
Frequency Range : 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz 
Sensitivity : 98 dB @ 1 mW 
Rated Input Power : 20 mW 
Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold-Plated 
CABLE : 1.3 m, Copper

Build quality/Design

Well they are metal I will say that much; fine I'll write this section stupid conscience making me make this as comprehensive as I can.

Made up of an entirely metal housing the units themselves are pretty straight forward as you can see in the pictures below. The debate on housing/performance is still open but at the very least they feel nice and you get that bit of extra durability vs a cheap plastic housing. Both the left and right earpieces are clearly marked with a go faster strip pinned across the body on both sides. If it's too much trouble to look just pick up the side with the mic and bang that's your left earpiece. 

Let's talk ergonomics before I plough forward with the microphone and cable design. Whoever designed these must have made them for me! Love it an angle so slight you can barely tell by looking at the monitors themselves but it's there believe me, or at least I think it is? Each earpiece seems to be tilted ever so slightly into the depth of your ear canal. The result for me was a comfortable fit off the bat without even having to open any of the extra included ear tips which I usually have to do or go straight for the foam. I wish and hope to see more little design features like this in the future the angle isn't obtrusive or ugly just enough to get whatever desired effect the creator was going for, which I think had something to do with comfort and sound quality I would have assumed. Anyway long story short I'd like to say it worked alright for me! 

Cable and Mic 

Guy's not going to lie here I almost want to leave this section as short as the cable is! Saner heads prevail I don't know why but Brainwavz thought it be a good idea to have a shorter cable then most whilst not devastatingly short by any means it did present a slight issue when I went for a jog, trying to place my phone in my lower pocket and keeping the earphones in was a no go!

The cable leading to the earpieces is a little flimsy, whilst this doesn't matter to me would have been nice to see the same thicker style which runs to the angled earphone jack throughout. I am nit picking now because overall these things are damn hard to fault for the price!! Nice little chin slider and cable splitter complete the package so let's talk about the mic and functions.

I couldn't get the mic working on my mobile device due to technical reasons (Silly phone)! Fortunately, a family came to the rescue I borrowed both an Android and IOS device both worked flawlessly. Function control easy enough press the centre button once to pause, press once again to resume play, press twice to skip the track, press three times to go back. Easy enough, volume controls work great although the mic unit felt a bit cheap but the earphones are cheap so I'll stop my complaining. Phone calls were clear and cut out a little unwarranted background noise enough to ensure a clear phone call without any glaring issues.

Sound quality

As usual if you're reading this review or if I was reading this review this is usually the first part that a skip to. So let's get into the meat of this, no offence to any vegetarians I tried it once but that's a different story entirely.

Listening with the Jive earphones has been an absolute pleasure, sure they're not going to be class leading sound but I mean take a look at the price!! For goodness sake these things are brilliant for what you're paying for. They have a general bass tilt and the overtone is fun focused but keeping detailing and clarity to create a really immersive and musical sound.
 
Treble

The highs before burning were a tad bit sharp but since receive in the units and giving them about 20 hours they've calmed down a bit. Let there be no misunderstanding when I say sharp I don't mean harsh or screechy. The best way I could possibly visualise it would to be describing a drummer at a young age hitting pots and pans with a wooden spoon, he has since progressed with time and his parents have bought him an actual drum stick now to hit the little drum kit they bought him including cymbals. (A choice they don’t regret because it’s still better than pots and pans!). You get a splash of the symbol here and there and enough detail to satisfy most. Intrinsically whisked away into a world of finite detail you will not be, in fact I think I hold the Delta a grade above these but didn't enjoy them nearly as much even though I'm in favour of a more balanced and airy sound. Swept off your feet by the overall musicality most likely you will be, unless you don't like cheesy complements. I think the Jive has some good pickup lines like on a scale of 1 to 10 you’re a 9 and I'm the 1 you need. Feel free to use that one, but aside from the funny cheese the Jive really likes to flatter you and get you feeling you've not been left out of the party, whilst not the most intelligent creature he knows enough about things to keep you interested and informed enough to hold a delightful conversation.
 
Midrange

Ah well you can imagine what's about to come I've mentioned and alluded to the bass and initially sharp treble, we all know what this means! Just say it they are V shaped aren't they! Nope sorry to disappoint you they aren't, I said the treble calmed down and began to grow some maturity with the help of family and time so how do I describe them? Mixed bag, vocals come through smooth whilst neither really forward or recessed there is a really nice emphasis when pop songs come on that have you forgetting about the flaws for long enough that you might even believe the Jive is a little wise. In there lies the key though. Little whilst I enjoy the vocals the Jive produce there is a trade-off for this buttery smoothness. Space, ambience and detail when listening to some very well-known songs I began to tell I am missing some detail that isn't pronounced due to the slightly overshadowing bass and unrefined treble, this tends to be towards the high end of the midrange and isn't a huge deal breaker but it's there. I didn’t really know what to expect though you couldn't compare this to something too high market because that's not what they're about! For anyone who is looking for a consumer friendly sound without sacrificing hardly anything this pair of earphones might well be worth a look. 
 
Bass

The Uish shaped signature aside the bass is a plump outgoing character whilst a little wild remains controlled enough to let you enjoy your evening. The bass doesn't extend into the deepest regions but then again I wouldn't have expected it to, depending on the track and listener’s preference you might be quite surprised at how the mid bass performs and bass in general. There is a certain rumble that comes into adding to the treble creating a warmer more pleasant tone, life is easy going with the Jive and you'll survive as long as you don't put on something too bass heavy and crank up the volume. Not perfect but I enjoy the quality and quantity these offer which is just fabulous for the price.
 
Soundstage and Imaging

Soundstage actually exists on these not like cheaper earphones I have tried before, there is actually something going on here. Spatial cues are scattered around your brain remaining fairly close but as soon as a song has room to breathe you'll hear guitar strings in the distance and an airiness I have yet to really fault at this level. It must be noted though due to the slight mid-range dip in detail you’ll lose some of what could be considered great imagining. Don’t get me wrong it's there and heard, if you listen out for it, but I'd like it to be more pronounced and it would turn an otherwise really good pair of earphones into something a touch great.

Conclusion 

Should I buy these honestly if I was out for a budget pair of earphones and needed a mic I'd have no regrets in making this purchase. Yes, the sound isn't exactly audiophile 1000% but damn it's fun smooth and resolving enough to keep me listening for ages. Heck I've even picked this up over some of my other earphones just because I felt like it. Really great synergy with the M2 which was mainly the source I used for the purpose of this review thanks to AR.

As always any questions or comments please feel free to leave them below and thanks for reading! 

Acoustic Research UA1
 
Firstly I would like to thank Robert and David at Acoustic research for this review sample. Disclaimer I am not now or ever have been affiliated with Acoustic Research all material written in this review is purely subjective.
 
Packaging and contents
 
I have uploaded a few pictures below of the contents and packaging. Included in the luxuriously presented box is the UA1 DAC itself, USB cable, instruction manual and installation C.D. The packaging is minimalistic but well-presented, sort of what you’d expect from a high end restaurant a palatable plate of food with a few basil leaves for added effect. As nice as the presentation is, I do feel a little more could have been added for the price; ideally a ¼ inch adaptor and RCA to Jack cable would have been a really nice attribute to sweeten the deal.
 

 

 

 
 
Appearance and Function
 
Cased in a silver metal shell sized 82 x 135 x 24mm, Acoustic Research are keeping the look minimalistic and eloquent with a plain gloss black rear and front fascia enclosed in a machined aluminium casing. The company’s logo is engraved on the top of the device. The front fascia of the UA1’s features a headphone jack, a knurled knob which uses analogue controlling for the headphone volume and an additional multicolour led indicator showing the sample rate of the output. I must add the volume control is well implemented you get a nice sense of quality as you feel each click and notch. However one thing I feel slightly annoying is it does take a few notches before any audible sound is actually heard, but in all honesty this is just hair splitting.
 
Installation and software
 
Acoustic Research have very generously included a Jriver Media Center 19 for free with an installation C.D. I will not comment on Jriver as I am not reviewing the software, but would recommend it to any audio enthusiasts. Installation of this software is not mandatory just an additional extra should you wish to use it, you will not have to pay for licencing for continued use as the disk envelope has the registration code on the back saving you £50, If you wish to do so.
 
Installation of the drivers is simplistic and pretty much self-explanatory. Insert the disk and open the application file then follow the step by step process and eureka you’re good to go. Alternatively if you prefer you can install the drivers by downloading them online through Acoustic Research’s website a link is provided in the installation manual.
 
The UA1 provides installation for both Windows and Mac OS X.
 
Features   
·         An Audiophile oriented asynchronous USB Audio 2.0 interface
·         M-Class audio engine with Burr-brown PCM1794A DAC (Based on the Acoustic Research M1 music player)
·         Gold plated RCA output connectors
·         Windows/Mac OS X music player included for FLAC, DSD 64/128, and DXD playback
·         Optical output
·         ¼ inch headphone output
·         Dual Burr-Brown OPA2134 current/voltage converter
·         High slew rate TPA6120A2 Headphone amplifier
·         POWER (THD < 0.01%) 32 ohms 400mW + 400 mW 300 ohms 43mW + 43mW
 
 
Sound Impressions
 
Firstly I would like to talk about the sound impressions directly from the headphone out. The earphones and headphones used were the Dunu 2000 and Audio Technica ATH-M50 with a Forza Audio Works hybrid cable. I was hoping to get my hands on a pair of Grado SE325e for supplementary testing unfortunately this hasn’t been possible. There is little audible hiss with any earphones although there is a noticeable humming in the background when music isn’t actively playing but nothing to cause too much concern. I will split sound impressions down into four categories for convenience.
 
Bass
 
I will say immediately after plugging in both my Dunu and ATH-M50s the bass did strike me and in a very good way. There is a very nice tonal balance with the bass, it is prominent but not overbearing there is a slight bloom which contributes to a really rich and full bodied sound. In comparison the Meridian Explorer almost sounds a little looser and muddier which I didn’t ever really consider until now. There is stacks of detailing and the layering of each kick is very rhythmic, certainly one of the best DACs I have heard for bass detailing and texture.
 
Midrange
 
Moving on to the midrange I get a sense of open clean space. There is a nice touch of warmth that flows through with the cosy cuddly bass however, I do sense a slight recession in a few songs this occurs more so with male vocals. Vocals come across spotless and grain free but lack the touch of emotion I am consistently drawn to. Thankfully if you have a nice RCA to Jack cable and a good amp changes can be made. After plugging in my trusty Neco V4 amp the vocals soon showed there true colours and life began to flow into my ears again. I won’t add much more but the midrange whilst great could do with a touch of forwardness for added emotion.  
 
Treble
 
I am in love with the details this little beauty produces but admittedly it was not love at first sound. After A and B-ing back and forth against my Explorer with some High res files I noticed an immediate lack of timber, stumped by this I allowed more time for burn in and for my ears to adjust. As I was losing hope I decided to play Ed Sheeran’s new album X.  I have listen to most of the songs on that particular album an unsightly amount of times knowing the melodies very well, with this in mind I also most cried upon listening to the strings starting to cascade. No I am not joking it was as if someone had cleaned the dirty window of a prison cell and rays of natural sunlight had broken in. The timber is very different from the way the Explorer presents its music some will prefer the latter, personally both have their own unique taste it will be a matter of preference. The Explorer is certainly a more coloured sound which was built for an epic soundstage, luxurious vocals and lingering sweet treble. The UA1 had me lost discovering the integrated details of each note as the strings played and the whispers of the melody catch and entrance you. I certainly will miss it when it’s gone.
 
Sound-Stage
 
I am unsure how to word this article, hands down is the most truthful sound I have heard from a source. Not one thing seems out of place the sound-stage is just above average in width and depth just right some may say. Others may disagree here and I am happy for some constructive criticism as others experience this beautiful piece of mastery. I strongly believe this DAC was created for a better more accurate and precise musical experience as a no nonsense source. There is a lovey relaxed quality about the overall sound which is certainly not fatiguing, this in my opinion is a very mature DAC secure in its identity and its place in this world. As much as I adore my Explorer switching back and forth you soon see the dreams and ambitions Meridian were aiming for, and did accomplish which I am not saying didn't work well, but it’s clearly a different approach to the UA1 which emphasises neutrality.
 
Harmon Kardon Soundsticks
 
For this piece I will share some brief impressions on how I feel the DAC performed solely without the use of its internal amp. Certainly there is an improvement over the standard headphone out. The first thing you will notice is an increased level of clarity; separation of instruments are now a little more apparent creating a cleaner airier space between instruments. Sound staging is now noticeably wider and there is less glare in the treble than usual. The sticks usually like to hurl detail at your face sharply but with the UA1 in place the music and treble are presented in a slightly more laid back way, still with oodles of details, but with a truer sense of stereo space that encompasses the music.
 
Conclusion
 
To sum up this is certainly one awesome DAC with very few shortcoming. There is a lot to like about it particularly the sound even down to the simplistic design. If you haven’t figured it out yet I do like this DAC an awful lot, I would highly recommend the UA1 for anyone looking for a semi portable setup especially for those who will be utilising the DAC for any home audio system. The headphone amp is fairly powerful although I can sense it certainly has its limits but anyone using sensitive iem’s or headphones up to about 300ohms should be fine.   
 
If there are any questions you have about the review or DAC I will do my best to answer you as promptly as possible. I hope you have enjoyed the review and a quick heads up I seriously recommend keeping an eye on this company as they will have something very special coming out in the near future . Check out the Acoustic Research M2 thread for more details. 

Disclaimer
 
Firstly, I would like to thank the 1More team for giving these to me for the purpose of this review. All impressions will be made from as much as an objective standpoint as possible. I’ve been involved in audio for some years now and enjoy listening to music extensively. With a good set of earphones, headphones and source you’ll be set for life. Well until the next new thing comes along.
 
Introduction
 
The best pair of Bluetooth earphones I've ever heard!!!! I can't stress this enough, I may not have had extensive time or experience with Bluetooth audio devices but everything about Bluetooth until now has pointed to one conclusion, hard wire is simply so much better!

Whilst that might still be the case but in this new day and age with times changing and Apple removing our jack leaving us jack less fools unable to jack off... Yes, I know what I said! (Also I am aware there is an adaptor but that's not the point I'm making!). We have to conclude there needs to be an advancement in technology and we are about to see a new era of Bluetooth and fancy do flip bangers to come during this period I’m sure.

Thankfully I'm glad to say even a diehard wired in audiophile such as myself has come to see a little ray of hope shining in this new, thought to be, fruitless abyss. Enter in the 1More iBFree. 

Now the introduction is over I think I'll bore you to death with the specifications, design, ergonomics, accessories and such. Thankfully there’s not much to add here so I’ll bullet point for the most part making comment on what is necessary.

Specifications
 

1. Bluetooth®4.1 and aptX®Coding
2. Water Resistant Aluminium Alloy Body
3. Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 4.1 with 30 ft. range
4. Battery Life: Standby 240 hours, Talk 10 hours, Music 8 hours
5. Range of different colours: Vibrant Red, Space Grey, Aqua Blue, Apple Green
6. Duel layer drivers, Titanium

No additional information at the time will update if I can find out any more bits of info.

 
Accessories
 
Once again 1More provides a stellar minimalist package that feels fairly premium.
 
Inside the box you will get the following:
 
• In-ear Bluetooth wireless headphones
• 3 sets of silicone ear tips and sport grips of various sizes
• Micro-USB charging cable
 
Pretty disappointed after receiving some great foam ear tips with their current flagship that they haven’t included something compatible here! Alas, hopefully all these reviews might lead to more of an assortment in their future products, fingers crossed eh.

 
Design
 
I won’t rant on about the design but have pinched a few beautiful pictures from 1More’s website to further the brief description of the iBFree earphones.
As aforementioned these do come in a wide array of colours all of which pop in my opinion my personal favourite being the Aqua Blue. Talking a little about the design they are pretty much what you can expect from a Bluetooth set of earphones slightly big and bulky but the craftsmanship, like all of their other products, is just superb. You’ll get a slightly angled nozzle and the ear glides for additional ear support should you feel the need to use them.
 

 
Ergonomics
 
Okay well it has to be mentioned even with all the eartips and ear glides I just couldn’t get a good, comfortable or secure fit! Not good when you consider the target audience, in their defence I could be just that 1 out of 10 who had a weird shaped ear. If you overlook this subjective flaw and manage to find a compatible set of tips, which I did in the end, you are okay there isn’t much wearers fatigue despite the bulky housing design.
 
Note for those who are struggling to find a good fit, foam ear tips with a slightly small bore due to the nozzle size also remove the ear glides if you find them of no use. Below you will see a picture of how the ear glides were designed to work.
 
I’d say that about wraps it up but please leave a comment below if you would like any additional information.

 
Functionality
 
All of what is written here can be found in the manual if you ever need to read it. In the manual you’ll see the first four pages have some useful diagrams displaying how the earphones work how to turn them on (No not like that!) and of course how to turn them off, you’ll also see how to charge them, how to change the ear tips and how to properly position the earbuds in the ears. 
 
Upon power up you will be greeted with the robotic mono tone “1More” followed by a brief announcement of you level of battery and connection “Pairing, Battery High.”  Navigate into the settings on your phone, then Bluetooth and you will see the “1MORE iBFree.”  Select this and you will be informed that the device is now connected. You will hear that same mono tone female voice upon switching off your device to “Power off”.

1. Hold and press the power button on the in-line controller for 3 seconds after that the device will turn on followed by a blue LED flash.  If you hold the power button for ~4-5 seconds it will turn off, a red light will flash and the device will turn off. The device should pair automatically when turned on (red/blue LED flashing).
2. There should be a red light with charging and this should turn off when charged. 
3. The device will take about 2 hours to fully charge and can support a 15-minutequick charge, which should give you 1 hour of playback. 
4. There are 3 buttons on the in line controller, volume up, power/multi-function button, volume down. 
5. The multi-function button has different functions in different modes. In call mode, you can answer/end call, decline call (hold button), redial previous number (press button x2).
6.  While in music mode you can increase/decrease volume with short presses of the volume buttons, you can advance Next/Previous by holding the button and play/pause with the multi-function button.
7. The device supports IOS battery widget, multi-device connection. Useful for checking your battery life as pictured below.

 
I would say all the information is pretty darn accurate and I’ve had a good distance connection with them and about 7-8 hours play time after a full charge.

 
Sound Quality
Yay finally the wait is over unless you just skipped to this part which I don’t blame you if you did, but I do know where you live. Just kidding let’s see how this thing performs.
 
Treble
 
I can’t lie to you all and say one will be welcomed into a room of refinement silky smooth detail and sparkly highs that will leave you misty eyed. However, what I can say is you will be invited in with detailed features scattered around the room, a rather sharp character and hard overtone will case it’s shadow whilst ironically shedding light on each instrument you are trying to pick out.
 
I seriously can’t get over how good these things sound overall! Yes, there is cravats in the sound of course there will be I mean take a look at the price tag and accept the fact you are listening to a Bluetooth device. Once you’ve got over all of that you’ll be enjoying yourself just as much as I have been, well at least I hope you will. Now back to the point at hand how’s this treble coming across in a few words clean, clear, crisp and a little sharp.
 
Those adjectives best describe the sound to expect I have no idea why but it is almost like the veil has been lifted in comparison to any and all other Bluetooth headsets I have previously tried. There is without a doubt a lack of refinement and a little weight resulting in slightly tinny sound, I am not putting you off just needs to be clearly described as best I can.
 
Concerned about the sibilance issues well you might have a right to be if you are overly sensitive to such things. I am blessed in the fact my ears have been able to adjust over the course of my journey to handle and cope with a splash of sibilance now and with the ……. It’s there just not overbearing so I am happy enough to spend extended listening time with them to enjoy the rest of its spectrum and character.
 
Midrange
 
“Hey! Hey!! Here I am, I’m not late am I guys?!” No you are not bloody hell calm down, ah what the heck you just do your thing girl. I can see a ton of people here finding a marmite type sound signature, as you have probably figured out I like marmite. So how does this tie into me making such an outlandish claim as to say “These are the best Bluetooth Earphones I’ve heard to date”.
 
Well I am glad you asked Sir/Madam the answer we find located is within the energy of music, the flow to which one can enjoy and relish in the ambience and character of a such a vibrant soul. I like this kind of midrange sort of an in your face transparent demonstration of vocals and notes combined with an unsure yet sunny personality.
 
I won’t for a minute describe the midrange as over confident, strong, thick or lush but that doesn’t detract from the level of enjoyment I get from these. In all honesty we are probably getting closer to why these sound so damn good, well to my ears at least. The magic voodoo comes with the breezier approach the iBfree is trying to demonstrate and does quite well I might add. I do in general prefer a slightly lusher sounding midrange but in this case because of the bass, which I will get to later, you get a more rounded type of sound as weird as that is to admit with what some audiophiles will call undefined.
 
I am not scoring these on the premise of their sound flaws dos or don’t but rather as a whole sound package. With the midrange expect to hear a level of clarity and some peaks towards the upper register but do not let this detract from the overall feeling these earphones produce so well.
 
Bass
In a nutshell we are happy to attribute bass with musicality and this is another area I’d like to commend the iBFree earphones for performing within their means.
 
Mid bass is fairly prominent and holds a candle over the sub bass meaning a little less bass finesse however, this is where most consumers looking for a set of Bluetooth earphones in particular really won’t care. If these are to be used as intended i.e for an active user, despite those pesky ergonomics, functionality and housing design, they are pretty brilliant because they are serving a useful purpose of delivering you just enough bass on your plate to have you feeling full and gratified.
 
No, sorry to say these won’t be winning any awards for the most well rounded sound signature any time soon but they perform well enough to the extent that if you enjoy them the last thing you’ll be doing when you exercise is thinking I can’t wait to take these bloody things out.
 
Short Story
 
Side tracking here a bit but one of my first experience’s with Bluetooth earphones was a need for something wireless ish to use as work when cleaning. I got sick and tired and quite frankly peeved at every time I would snag my wire and whoosh an earbud would be yanked from my ear and go flying, just one time happened to be into a toilet (a clean one but still).
 
Suffices to say that was it, I thought I’ll be blown if I am breaking a pair of any earphones costing £150 upwards and dealing with the annoyance of having something yanked out my skull. 
 
In the end I placed my order on some relatively cheap branded Bluetooth earphones in the vein hope it could at least serve me the purpose of enjoying my music and not having the continual upset of snagging my wires or losing earphones down toilets.
 
Stupid, silly idiot I thought to myself as I tried to bare and endure just one minute alone with these things…. Overblown bass, screechy highs, non-existent midrange, no instrument placement, musicality haha you won’t find that here and of course lack of any decent sort of volume levels, Bluetooth earphones just suck. That until this day has pretty much remained, Brainwavz did do a good job of losing me up making me believe not all hope is lost just not quite enough to convince me I could live without wires.
 
Back to the Bass
 
So now you know the history let me reveal the mystery of why I believe these to be one of the best if not the best Bluetooth earphones on the market. Simply this, enjoyment I actually like these once I’d wrestled with the fit and got over function control I just found myself enjoying these. I hate to say it but the bass is on point it lacks a touch of depth when you come to the lowest notes but with a good recording these are just a joy to listen to. Flabby and uncontrolled bass in Bluetooth earphones is becoming a thing of the past my friends and here seems to be the answer iBfree. This is by no means to say the bass is spot on but it doesn’t stray too far from being controlled and I’ve heard a lot worse. There is a shaky bit of flab that jiggles its way into the music every now and again but for the most part you are just going to be smashing these out enjoying your club anthems looking like a complete wally as bang your head to the beat re-enacting Ozzy Osbourne or Geezer Butler back in the old days. Just note you aren’t allowed to claim whiplash from 1More trust me I tried, when the insurance company rang they just laughed, can you imagine that! Moving on….
 
Soundstage/Imaging
 
Wow, holy crap that’s probably the most I’ve ever wrote in one sound section but I feel it was necessary as consistently we have had to face too many trade-offs when it has come to the wireless world of audio. This nicely leads me onto the soundstage and imaging something I rarely hear a lot of in Bluetooth earphones but you know what it is here and boy oh boy it’s present enough to be talked about.
 
Now before I go gushing my heart out I just want to say that I am not trying to make any outlandish claims that these are going to be a multi BA setup or anything the likes of which but just to merely proclaim my excitement for the fact a Bluetooth earphone has a soundstage and a fairly decent one at that!
 
Space, finally! You get an almost airy kind of signature here wide but not very deep still there are great spatial cues hard to keep up during complex passages of music but during the slightly less chaotic times you get an abundance of the slightly peaky treble and in your face midrange scattering detailed around your head. From note to note they accurately portray the information being presented to you. Yes, there are dead zones in the music which is so disappointing considering there is such a balance of excellence for the most part.
 
Overlooking the parts, the iBfree can’t handle you still get this moderately immersive soundstage with imaging being shown to you as best it can you’ll hear the instruments pop, click and vocals when or where they’ve been panned they’ll be presented. I suppose in a way this could be a way of saying you are getting to hear your music closer to what the artist indeed you to hear it like.
 
Okay let’s not get ahead of ourselves here they are good for earphones…. But in terms of Bluetooth earphones they are great and we shall leave it at that.
 
Conclusion
 
Need to wrap this up so some short pros and cons:
 
Pros:

1. Great Performance
2. Built like a tank
3. Nice array of colours to choose from
4. Battery life and charge time

Cons:

1. Potentially tricky fit
2. Big and bulky
3. No foam ear tips
4. Slightly peaky treble and midrange

 
As always if there are any questions or comments please leave them below and I will do my best to get back you. 
 
Link to their website for more info and purchasing: https://uk.1more.com/collections/in-ear-headphones/products/ibfree-bluetooth-dual-driver-in-ear-headphones

 
Introduction Disclaimer
 
I was given this sample in exchange for my honest opinion and impressions. I would especially like to thank Kathryn for getting in touch for purpose of this review. I have been involved in audio for about 5 years or more now, listened to countless setups, mostly headphones and earphones but here we go again my second speaker review.
 
Inside the Box
 
It’s that time again let’s hop into the unknown and what is to be expected when you crack this sucker open. Side note not relevant at all but my cat seemed to like the box as he wouldn’t actually let me open the bloody thing when it arrived, cute as anything to watch though. One thing I would like to add here though is the smell when you open the box is a pleasure I don’t know why or how but these speakers came smelling like a brand new car off the showroom floor. Before I even started listening I was there sniffing for a good 20 seconds not that you needed to know that and it’s not like I have a habit or anything (eyes darting from side to side) haha.
 
Now we have a fairly minimalist array of accessories but I wouldn’t really expect much anyway, this is a portable Bluetooth speaker so I’m happy with what was included maybe a carry case would have been nice but meh it affects me not.

 
Inside you get:

1. One 5V charging plug
2. One Aux cable
3. One User Manual (Men need not apply), wait I don’t think I’m allowed to say that, that’s not PC surely… Ah well it’s out there now I mean come on how many of us macho idiots actually read the manual anyway.

 
Kidding aside you’ll have everything you need to get your new toy up and running.
 
Features
 

1. Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity with NFC
2. Up to 8 hours play time with built-in rechargeable batteries
3. Water and dust resistant to withstand harsh outdoor conditions (not for underwater use)
4. Digital sound processing and dynamic range control
5. Volume controls
6. Optional AUX 3.5mm Jack input
7. Power button/output control
8. USB Output for charging you mobile device (audio device) on the go
9. 7600mAh Battery

 
Specs
 
I’ll drop a bullet pointed list below so you can see what’s under the hood of this beast.

1. 2x 70mm drivers
2. 2x 19mm tweeters silk dome tweeter
3. 3x Passive radiators giving a total power output of 36W
4. Total power output:8Wx2（Treble）+10Wx2（Midrange and bass）
5. Signal to noise ratio: ≧85dBA
6. Frequency response:80Hz ~ 20kHz(±3dB)
7. Input sensitivity:800±50mV
8. Input type: Auxiliary/Bluetooth
9. Weight about 3.5 pounds,
10. Dimensions: 11” x 4.3” x 2.6” (Not including handle)

 
Build Quality/Design
 
Boxed up and ready to go, the MP700 offers a very lackluster design and whilst might not be the most aesthetically pleasing thing in the world to look at, it does however function quite well in terms of realistic practicality.
 
This thing is packaged up like a beast and I’d happily carry it around as a backup weapon, the thing is tank like to say the least. I would have expected nothing less though as the aim was for on the go outdoor listening so of course it needs to be able to sustain some wear and tear.
 
Edifier mentions this is water resistant whilst I wouldn’t recommend taking a bath with the thing a few rain drops and splash will do little to nothing to affect this beauty. The speakers are encased in a durable metal and the buttons in that super soft plastic you just want to touch and feel up all day, maybe that’s just me….
 
Located on the top of the box you will find your three primary function controls i.e Power, Input selection and volume control. Look to the side and you’ll see the little rubber flap concealing the auxiliary input, USB output and of course your DC power port.
 
I don’t find the design or size overly obtrusive and Edifier have tried to spice things up with a little patterned design on each side of the speaker. Last but not least you will find an almost perfect brushed metal handle/stand for when/if you decide to lug this thing about with you for your travels.
 
At this point I want to mention the handle does shift all the way to a 90-degree angle and whilst useful for propping the thing up, if you like to angle your speakers correctly like me then you might have wanted them to have opted for a slightly more flexible design. I would have liked about an extra 45 degrees or maybe just a little stand on the back to make my own adjustments, anyway that small blemish aside we shall continue with the review.

Functionality/Connectivity
 
Not much needs to be said here so I can keep this to a paragraph. The Bluetooth functions as it should, giving you an ample range of up to about 30 meters with my iPhone at least. Literally, for testing I had to leave my house and walk down my drive before it cut out. Pairing is simple, controlled by the power button through a series of clicks you’ll see a tiny blue led flash when pairing and to indicate it’s on, a solid red led shines when hooked up via the auxiliary input and the function is selected and that’s really all she wrote.
 
Battery Life/Useful feature
 
As you know in today’s modern times we all need as much juice as we can get from our devices as we survive in this workaholic day life. I have been able to confirm the 8 hours of playback is a very realistic time when being played at about 65% max volume.
 
The other neat feature which you get is the option to charge your device via the USB port provided which according to the box is kicking out 5V not sure what that works out to maybe 1A or 2.1A either way charges my phone faster than the battery goes down so it’s a big plus in my book.
 
Of course you’ll expect a little less than 8 hours of playback if you are charging your devices as well but in my humble opinion this offers plenty enough juice to get you through the day on a full charge. Charging time took about 3 hours from flat-full.
 
Sound Quality
 
It’s harder for me to describe the sound you get from speakers built more for portability unless they truly excel in one way or another. I suppose one of the major questions here for some people looking to buy would be how loud can it go? Don’t worry I will cover that just rest assured it’s enough sound to fill a room comfortably.
 
I usually like to split things down into categories but I will for a change of pace be describing the sound as a whole. This is more to do with the fact of how this speaker was designed and picking out each instrument was never what this was designed for.
 
On the whole you will get a smooth, lush and rich overtone of notes, please do not be mistaken into thinking this is just some bass cannon aimed at those late night parties where nobody cares what’s being played as long as I can’t hear or remember anything the morning after kind of deals we are good.
 
Nope I truly believe Edifier tried to make the MP700 catered to a more refined listen, more of a picnic, cheese, wine, good company and nibbles kind of deal. This can be a fun speaker but strictly speaking for out and out enjoyment disregarding any of our audiophile training this just isn’t top dog.
 
Every detail in your music will be presented with a glass of milk or milkshake whichever you prefer. When listening to the MP700 I found myself relaxing a lot more, rather than analysing the sound looking for new things or mistakes. In essence the MP700 takes me back to my teenage days where we used to sit on the park and try and play our music as loud as we could with the crappy speakers you’d plug into your phone. (No disrespect Sony we loved them at the time!). I hope I am not losing too much but the point here in a nutshell is these are the type of speakers you want by your side when you are hanging out with friends be it on the go or even a small house party. They just do their job very well.
 
Bass notes are the most prominent with the midrange following closely behind but in the race for the sound space treble takes a back seat. These are without a doubt a great listen but for the audiophile conscious listener there will be areas which just won’t tick all the boxes.
 
I like the level of clarity you get with each detail being presented with enough definition to be clearly heard. if it weren’t for that pesky mid bass stealing the spot light this would be a really well rounded portable speaker. By no means is it totally unbalanced but you are leaning towards a more consumer friendly sound.
 
My hopes for the future would be at the very least a bass adjustment system to balance out the sound because in reality this is pretty kick ass sound for on the go.
 
Loudness okay for those who want to know how loud the MP700 can go the answer is simple, very. I don’t unfortunately have the equipment to test how loud in DB but I will say this for a house party or an outdoor adventure there is no doubt the MP700 will be able to handle just about everything you throw at it, even at max volume you will find little to no distortion which is a big plus in my book.
 
Value for Money/Conclusion
 
In today's crowded audio society innovation and great sound at the right price is becoming harder and harder to achieve. Now I won’t rave about this as the best Bluetooth speaker ever but it certainly would go on my strong recommendations list if you need one. I have seen many offerings by companies some better some a lot worse but the MP700 is just a sweet spot in terms of performance and price.
 
It won’t win any beauty pageants that’s for sure, but for rugged on the go listening with solid sound for a decent price you can’t really go wrong in picking this up. The fact I can charge devices through that USB slot at the same time is a nice feature I’d like to see more companies offer with bigger Bluetooth speakers.
 
All in all, this is a great buy if you’re in the market take a look around but be make sure this is on that list because it really is a really solid performer.
 
 
As always any questions or comments you have please feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you. Thanks for reading!

 
The Anticipation (Skip to the review part if you need to)
 
I first got the chance to hear this sleek beautiful piece of art during the Headroom Show down in London. I actually remember passing it by initially thinking I haven’t ever heard of that company before perhaps I will try it a little later. Well after trying out everything on offer and just before leaving I remembered that oh too curious, unknown shiny box.
 
You know what they say though save the best to last. By this time I had already had the pleasure and privilege of listening to the famous Astell&Kern AK240 married to the brand new Layla by JH Audio. So quite a winning combination, running straight from balanced mode and playing DSD files no less! Long story short I thought it was a great sounding bit of kit although, for the price I was hoping for some kind of mesmerising unheard of sound. I will say this though I still have never heard anything as coherent, refined and mature yet, so in regard to that aspect it simply was perfect.
 
For comparison I only had my trusted Dunu 2000 for a quick A and B test from one player to another. Recalling from memory my Dunu 2000 sounded better out of the AK240 over my iPhone 6, just not an extra £1,790 better (If you can quantify sound with a price tag). Anyway I promise this is leading somewhere, so continuing toward the end of the show feeling a little weary after the five hours spend on my feet and all the traveling I stumbled towards Sennheiser’s booth.
 
Now never being a huge fan of the HD700s against my better judgment I placed them over my head to hear what this magic box was doing to them. After seeing a few grinning faces I figure it’s worth a shot. WOW yep capital W.O.Ws I simply hadn’t heard the HD700 sound so good. Shortly after this I plugged my earphones in and just the same again stunned by the spacious clean sound being reproduced. This thing was even making my humble Dunu 2000 sound better in a few areas compared to the AK240 Layla combination I had heard prior to this. Maybe this was synergy gone mad maybe this was just plain better recordings and files who know but I know it sounded good!
 
After a brief chat with the product manager and a brief chat with Robert arrangements were made to have it shipped out for review when available.
 
The Review
 
So today I finally have the jewel in my hands and it is definitely an honour. I can see this being a very popular product, if given the chance with the long line of audiophile daps now available, but please if you can get your hands on it grab the opportunity.
 
Due to the nature of this review and product I will try and manage each section into nice bite size chunks. Focusing mainly on; Sound quality, User interface, Practicality, Functionality, Features, Power and Accessories.
 
For this review I will be using my Dunu 2000, Audio Technica ATH-50 (Re-cabled by Forza Audio Works using their Hybrid cable) and the Beyerdynamic T 90 using mainly Spotify all at extreme quality.  I will shed some light on the differences when using higher bit rate files which, in my opinion does give a perceptible boost to audio quality.
 
The Package
 
Although, for some this may still seem an awful lot to pay for a digital music player I do believe it is a little more reasonably priced in comparison to some of its competitors.
 
That being said don’t expect an array of accessories you will still get all the basics though. So what do we have inside, let us find out? Included is; A USB cable, a soft draw string pouch, a few selections of adaptors and a USB plug socket. Really not much to get excited about but hey they have certainly provided the bare essentials.
 
I am not too concerned with the lack of accessories, as when purchasing anything to do with audio, sound will always be my primary concern. However, even a nice leather case or a memory card could have been the cherry on top to sweeten the deal but I digress.
 
Below are some pics of the box accessories etc:

 

 

 

 
 
Features
 
- 5 inch OGS HD IPS colour display screen
- Easy-to-use Multi-touch “MusicSurf” GUI 
- Android OS base, tuned for pure music
- Pure Lossless Audio Path bypassing Android OS totally
 - High capacity battery 4000 mAH - 9hrs average battery life
- Duralumin metal housing - tough and good-looking
- Dedicated line out
- Headphone out
- Easy to use play, pause and track selection buttons
- Burr-Brown PCM1794A Current Output DAC
- 64GB built-in memory plus flexible storage expansion through Micro SDXC
(Expansion Up to 200GB)  
The 64GB internal memory could be conceived as a touch limiting. Perhaps a 2.0 version could be launched in the future with an internal capacity of 128GB. Fingers crossed guys.
 
 
Full Wi-Fi streaming capability
 
I thought best to add a little sub section on this so as not to interfere with the rest of the review. The connectivity is great I've not experienced any problems although, I can say the range won’t be at the level of most smartphones today. Generally speaking for home use you are free to roam and still have quick access to live streaming, browsing and whatever else you like to do with your internet.
 
Also a nice bonus feature, with the use of a personal hot spot means, if you sync your phone and AR-M2 together you can stream anytime anywhere, which is great to have on tap if you happen to like streaming music now and then. I really have been enjoying this feature because as good as the iPhone sounds for a mobile device it certainly isn't anywhere near the level of the AR-M2 but with the hot spot it’s like having the best of both worlds. You get all the browsing time you wish and what is essentially an unlimited library at your disposal.
 
YouTube and browsing are all fairly nippy but YouTube sometimes takes a few moments to load even with a great connection. Surfing the web is all the same as today’s modern smartphones like a mini laptop on the go.
 
If I were to use an analogy this is practically a Sony Z1060/iPod touch on steroids.
 
High-power headphone amplifier
 
- Power output (THD < 0.01%)

- 32 ohms 400mW + 400 mW 

- 300 ohms 43mW + 43mW

- Ultra-low-distortion at max output <0.01%

- Supports 16 ohms to 600 ohms headphones/earphones

- Ultra high slew-rate, genuinely responsive to Hi-Res content
 
I am going to include driveability in this section as I feel it best suited seeming as this is the headphone amp section. The player has some serious power to give and will probably drive just about anything.
 
I did manage to get some testing done with Beyerdynamic’s T 90’s thanks to the guys at Richer Sounds. The AR-M2 certainly has enough power to drive them comfortably when using the inbuilt player. However, I don’t know if there is an undiscovered setting but the power certainly dropped when using Spotify causing me to crank up the volume considerably more.
 
Just a forewarning if you go to switch between the two remember to lower the volume gain or you may end up blowing your ears off.
 
The T90’s sing with the AR-M2 what was essentially a little lifeless is given new breath with this player. Everything from soundstage to coherency was simply bliss. The most noticeable improvement made, other than driveability, were the subtle details suddenly revealing themselves and the vastly improved soundstage with an added sense of space and air making you clearly aware what instrument is playing and where.
 
Supported File Formats
 
The AR-M2 plays the following audio formats (WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, APE)
Plus DSD64/DSD128 & DXD
Custom developed Hi-Res DSP processing
Upgradeable to support other new formats
 
I have also uploaded a link with a more in-depth write up of what the AR-M2 is all about               pricing, origin, more specs, the why and the what and so on : http://d19cgyi5s8w5eh.cloudfront.net/eml/lWrBIjt3SKK9H899uT2L0A?e=dnundra%40aol.com&a=uBK-4duzQTC6RTNE7PY2zA&f=&t=1
 
Now back to the review.
 
User Interface
 
Disclaimer I haven't had the pleasure of using countless high end DAPS but I will say for usability this is by far my favourite in all those that I’ve used. Anyone who is familiar with an android or OS operating system will be able to learn and pick up the basics very quickly.
 
Navigation is swift and really easy to use. It is essentially a hybrid OS Android based operating system. Anyone who has used a smartphone will be able to use this device without hassle.
 
So far this is the most responsive DAP I have tried and I would like the chance to compare it something like the new Sony NWZ-ZX2. I have consistently switched out applications, changed songs and browsed the internet but still not even a single flinch or glitch.
 
This is such a contrast to say something like the Cowon Z2, no offence, which was just abysmally slow. I used to get frustrated waiting for songs to load and browsing the internet was just a joke.
 
I really like the interface on the AR-M2 it actually reminds me an awful lot of the Sony Z2 phone, very nippy and doesn't bug out when handling complicated commands. Now although I know thought has gone into making sure this thing doesn't overheat I will pre warn you, you will most likely feel a little warmth being dispersed when pushing it, browsing the net, running apps and especially using higher rate files.
 
 
 
Below I have uploaded a few pictures of the Dap’s UI:
 

 

 
 
Functionality/Design
 
Some of this is obviously going to be very subjective as I’ve already noticed a few unfavourable comments on the design. But to each there own I actually quite like the simple, sleek and brick like design. I know that sounds like a negative but I really like the feeling of this manly machine in my hands. This to me is a real bloke’s music player solid, rugged, thick and firm so let’s keep the comments clean. J
 
I do remember holding the AK240 and as innovating as the design is, which I did like by the way, I was slightly worried I might have dropped the dainty little thing. Aside from that I still find this player will be one of those marmite designs, for me I love it, actually reminds me of a hybrid iPhone 4s and iPhone 6.  Here are the official dimensions; 136.5 h x 71.1 w x 15 mm deep, with a weight of 245 grams. Not bad at all, for comparisons sake I've uploaded a picture of it next to the iPhone 6, which I’m assuming most have had a chance to see in real life.
 

 
 
Installation and File Transfer + Boot speed
 
Now on to the functionality, well it works huzza as it should. Kidding aside I think the design makes for a real functional and practical solution.
 
This really couldn’t be easier simply plug in your device and your computer will do the rest. There is no need for driver installation and file transfer is just a simple drag and drop. I absolutely commend this firmware implementation, a tip of the hat, it’s nice to have an audiophile dap without the typical firmware glitches that usually accompany them.
 
Thankfully due to the operating system everything works smoothly without any bugs I haven’t had a chance to transfer any DSD files over yet as I don’t own any but I assume there should be no issues there.
 
Just keeping this diminutive, from a fully shut down position boot time is about 15-20 seconds before you’re up and fully operational.
 
App Installation
 
Typically speaking if your thinking of purchasing this player it is not to play games or download a crap load of bloat ware that being said some apps maybe a vital need in my case Spotify. Installation of apps is fairly simple, initially upon receiving a new unit I had a few issues trying to download through Google play, instead of using a straight apk if you have any issues downloading any apps always try downloading the apk file first with security switched off. Once this was sorted had no problems getting what I wanted installed just download open and let it do its thing.
 
Volume Control & Keys
 
One thing I really quite like is the volume knob, don’t ask me why I just like fiddling. The volume knob is located at the top of the device simply scroll left or right to turn the volume up or down. In terms of realism it is quite useful to have it located there. It is a very smooth operator no clicks just glides from side to side, I love it as you can probably tell. But you have to be quite careful due to the lack of resistant the volume can be adjusted a little too easily.
 
Let’s say for example with the iPhone a song happens to pop up and it’s a little quieter or louder than the previous song I always find myself having to pull my phone out of my pocket to mess around with the volume, with this on the other hand it’s just right there on the top so without even having to faff I can safely adjust the volume to my desired volume.
 
Another plus for me and it baffles me why some companies did away with the play, pause and track selection buttons is just the simple convenience of having them there on the side without having to open the device. For me I can tell someone really sat down and thought ok guys what would we like form this device, what is going to be practical, and how are we going to combine the two effectively oh that’s right let’s bring back that classic bit of common sense.
 
That’s essentially what I feel they have created a really functional and practical design; the buttons are firm and feel well implemented no complaints here.
 
Display
 
Now on to the screen what more could a person really want! It is clear, un-pixilated and just a pleasure to look at. If there is one criticism I have here it’s almost too shiny on a sunny day I can see this certainly picking up some glare, but really I am nit-picking now.
 
Unfortunately, as you will find with most if not all big touch screen DAPs and smartphones alike finger prints are just going to be smitten wanting to get a piece of that sexy sheen all over the front, and back so make sure you keep something to wipe her down if your anal about her remaining prestige. 
 
I am going to throw album art, videos and pictures in here just for the sake of it. After pushing in my Micro SD card all my videos, pictures and music were available instantly. As of yet there has been no problems with viewing any of the aforementioned. In fact all the pictures and videos were displayed incredibly clearly probably due to the stunning display. Album art for most songs were all there, I know there has been few issues with previous audiophile DAPs not displaying album art but there seems to be no problem here.
  
Output Location
In terms of the headphone out and line out location I’m not really sold on the idea of them being at the bottom of the unit. With the volume knob being located at the top naturally I would have assumed the headphone out would have also been located there for convenience but alas you can’t have everything you want.
 
Memory+ Expansion
 
Now there is something I have left to the last section as I really have had a slight issue with the SD card slot. Aesthetically this is probably one of the sleekest designs I’ve seen on portable music device. The problem lies when after I’ve slotted the memory card in it is just a pain to get out unless you have nails or something quite slim to poke down in there. This could have done with a touch more thought but I will say I love how the slide down cover masks the appearance of any additional bits or bobs. 
 
Battery Life
 
This is a nice step in the right direction on average I’m getting about 7-8ish Hours out of a full charge but bear in mind most of my listening is done via live streaming. I think with pre-loaded files held by the internal memory and with connectivity off you should be able to get the claimed 9 hours out of it. 
 
Charging time is really quite good give about 4 hours and your good to go that should last you about double the time if you’re a little conservative during use.
 
Sound quality
 
I am sure this is the main point why we’re all here so let me sum it up quickly it sounds really, really good. Oh the irony if I were to just leave it there no I’ll elaborate on this stunning piece as we go on I am going to break it down into file sections as I feel each hold their own level of quality.
 
All listening was done using the headphone out but I have added the little sub section below mentioning the quality of the line out.
 
Line out quality
 
Simply super-duper clean the line out adds nothing and takes away nothing. In comparison to say the Meridian Explorer’s line out you can hear the difference in an instant so synergy is a lot more important in this instance. I personally love the Meridian’s sound but it has a tendency to add its own personality to whatever amp you decide to partner with it.
 
I only have my trusty Vorzuge Pure ii amp for reference but what I hear is just what you’d expect to hear from such an honest milky amp. I have plugged my Pure ii into a few devices with some adverse effects not the case with the AR-M2 it’s exactly how it should be everything that holds true to the character of the Pure ii the sound is simply there without any mess or sudden schizophrenic changes.  
 
Online Streaming Using Spotify
This is my preferred method of listening because I didn’t feel to transfer my entire music library and it also means I have an almost limitless selection of music at my disposal.  First things first with good Wi-Fi connectivity there have been no problems I have encountered at all. Streaming has been smooth, quick and very responsive.
 
All the audio seems to have a beautiful composed tone that makes everything sound incredibly clean and effortless. I can sense a slight lift in the vocals when using most earphones and headphones. But I am warning as a vocal lover some tracks did display a slightly V shaped response.
 
One thing in particular I love about the way this device portrays the music is how clear and detailed the music is without ever sounding hard edged or sharp. Every detail is there from clicks to the subtle breaths of the singer as they inhale to exhale there next word.  Soundstage is very realistic it has great width, depth isn't the greatest but still very good however I don’t think many will pick up on this unless you are clinically listening.
 
It is worth mentioning the earphones I’m using do not hold the greatest depth of soundstage but the Meridian + Vorzuge set up I use holds the edge in this department. In comparison there is certainly a noticeable difference when switching from my iPhone 6 which is a touch more mid centric and has a much more 2D sounding soundstage.
 
Higher Bit Rate 24/192
 
Now whilst all of the above hold true for the following write up without repeating myself too much I’ll try and explain some of the most important differences when you are listening to up scaled music.
 
I wouldn't have thought many would really hear a night and day difference between the iPhone 6 running Spotify and the AR-M2 if I am completely honest. On the other hand when switching to some of my acoustic music, which I effortlessly uploaded from HD Tracks, there is a difference and yes it is clear.
 
The best way I can describe it would be to present you this image so use your imagination if you will. You’re driving in your Aston Martin Vantage 2dr 420 down a long, winding, smooth, sunny road and during your exhilarating journey you notice the subtle warmth of the sun as it kisses your face. Then you suddenly remember you can let that luxurious soft top down and experience this pleasure in its rawest form. The top slowly descends and as it does you feel the truth, that unexplainable embrace of fresh air and friendliness as all becomes clear. You’re enjoying the journey the way it should be no restraints just pure unadulterated love flowing as you wind and dance with the road and your surroundings.
 
Ok well I may have embellished on that a touch but on a realistic scale if you are considering buying this player I would do so being prepared to have everything ready to feed it. The differences between a compressed file, streaming and uncompressed are night and day to a discerning ear.
 
You will find stringed instruments suddenly have more room to breathe, there seems to be almost boundless space that surrounds you and it’s like you finally stop getting this persistent urge to analysis the music so you can finally relax.
 
DSD Files
I haven't had the privilege of trying out any DSD or DXD files so I am borrowing a quote from [b][color=red]AlanYWM[/color][/b] hope he doesn’t mind: “I tried DSD on my micro SD card but the machine seemed to be "stammering." It worked fine with 16/44 files. The surprising thing was it played DXD files from its internal memory without any hiccups. So I am wondering if the micro SD card had anything to do with the "problem" I encountered.
 
 
Issues and Improvements
 
So far there has been static sounds when the music is stopped but this mainly seems to occur when connected to Wi-Fi. I have spoken to Robert and he thinks this may be a problem to do with some of the pre-production units so I will keep this section updated as and when changes are made. (After some headphone and earphone switching the problem seems to mainly occur with BA type earphones exclusively. So this is a brief heads up to those looking to partner this with anything BA related sorry guys.)
 
Update ok after the new unit had arrived I experienced no issues with interference or static. This unfortunately didn't last forever since downloading Spotify the same problem has redeveloped I have uploaded some footnotes below emailed to me by Robert to help everyone get a better understanding of what is happening. 
 
Screen Animation and Wi-Fi noise

 

The key for the better sound from the M2 is a full two-stage analogue amplifier.  The headphone amplifier works exactly like a power amplifier and it amplifies everything at full power. 

 

You hear noise because:

- The screen generates noise

- Wi-fi can generate noise

- Without interference, the noise floor is incredibly low

- The amplifier is about 30 to 40 times more powerful than the competition and everything including noise is amplified

- With both screen and WiFi off, no noise should exist

 

Effects

- With large headphones there is no problem.

- With extremely sensitive low impedance IEM, you may hear some noise in silent parts of the music.  

- The noise from activity of LCD touch screen (e.g. full screen animated changes) and Wi-Fi will become audible.  

 

If we make the unit as feeble as the competition, we can avoid the noise.  It’s essentially a side effect of the HIGH-POWER AMPS

 

SCREEN NOISE

Some noise arises from the use of the LCD Screen and from screen animation

As the screen switches off automatically when idling, this should be no problem when listening

 

WI-FI NOISE

Using extremely sensitive low impedance IEM and with Wi-Fi on, you can hear noise if the volume is set high without music playing

However playback music at any sensible volume and you will deliver excellent sound quality and sufficiently dark silence.

 

CLICKS ON PLAY / PAUSE

This is the price for great sound. Again, the key is the full two-stage analogue amplifier (pre-amp and power-amp).  The whole analogue circuit consumes constant high power regardless of output level.  Even if there is no sound, the analogue circuit is consuming the same power as full output.  To keep the high sound quality and deliver a reasonable standby time, we need to shut down the entire analogue circuit when there is no music playback and switch it on only when there is music playback.  Switching the analogue circuit on and off produces a pop/click. This does not affect music playback.

 

CLICKS BETWEEN TRACKS IF THERE IS A CHANGE IN SAMPLE RATE

The M2 uses two Crustal Clocks support accurate playback of two groups of sample rates:

ONE - 44.1/88.2/176.4/352.8kHz, DSD64/128

TWO - 48/96/192/384kHz

 

A click noise occurs when the system switches between these two groups.  

There should is no click noise if the two tracks have sample rate within the same group.

 

You do not hear such noise on classical Android or iOS devices because they actually stick to one specific sample rate (e.g. 44.1kHz only) and convert everything to that specific sample rate by software.  Such product do not really have a real sample rate change in hardware.

 
Yes the pops and static are a little annoying but certainly not a deal breaker.
 
Personally after spending more and more time with this player I am becoming too smitten to go back to any other of my sources. This however will not by any means be an end game product for some. So what is lacking? Well there are so many variables but if we really pick this deal apart in comparison to some of its competitors Fiio’s own X5 doubles as a DAC point Fiio, price is a little steep with new high end DAPs coming out left right and centre Cayin N6, even though I almost feel like saying the AR-M2 is a bargain there are other options out there for a more budget concerned person, then of course outputs no balanced mode for those dedicated to true audiophile nature no optical out etc.
 
But this is where I am putting my foot down. As it stands this is hands down the best piece of equipment I have tried sound is subjective yes but this is a machine built for its purpose and is worthy of the title in my opinion “A True Audiophile DAP”.  In its nature that is exactly what it is a modern day android based Audiophile player no bells and whistles but damn who needs them when you’re enjoying your music this much.  
 
Summary 
                                        
-          Solid build quality
-          Stunning sound
-          Great UI simple and effective
-          Good battery life
-          Lacklustre Accessories
-          Nice design (Matter of opinion)
-          Incredible driving capability  
 
Unfortunately guys there are going to be a few things I won’t be able to shed light on during this review simply because I do not have access to certain pieces of equipment at the moment. If at any point any Head Fiers would like to have some comparisons to other high end Daps they own and would care to lend a hand I’d be more than happy to take the time to write up some comparative notes.
 
Thanks for reading as always if there are any questions please feel free to ask. I will do my best to update the review as and when necessary. 

Let gets started a little background i have tried over 20 dedicated bass head iem's ranging from the well know Future Sonic Atrios to the lesser priced Skull candy 50/50. I know hardly should be able to compare the two but everyone's journey starts somewhere. Anyway it has to be said these are the best bass heavy iem i have heard to date hopefully this review will shed some light on why so lets get in to it. 
 
For arguments sake we will start with my main gripes to get them out of the way:
 
COMFORT:
These have to be one of the most uncomfortable earphones without the correct tips, in fact i was about to dispose of them had it of not been for some comply tips i had lying around. I would encourage you to purchase these separately if looking to purchase these as its almost essential to enjoy them fully. Without the comply's installed i tried various tips from specialized tips such as the ear ports to bi flanges and triple flanges. ( Side note i spoke to the product manger of JVC based in the U.K and this information was taken on board :so for U.K users we may see a set included in future sets so fingers crossed) However with comply's installed fit isn't uncomfortable in fact they fit quite snugly seal is great and this does effect audio reproduction as we all know. 
 
DESIGN:
ok admittedly these do look ridiculous sticking out your ear they could have been better designed ergonomically. Although this is something that can easily overlooked when listening to them so i will leave this section as short as possible. Just to add the wires don't ever seem to tangle my earphone are always looked after inside a tin which can cause tangle issues but these happen to be ready to use every time so truly impressed.
 
  
ISOLATION:
It's fine but it doesn't block things out as much as others for example fischer audio eterna do a better job but its understandable considering the design. It's not a big issue unless you want to use them in the subway or a noisy area and once again i must add comply do a great job of boosting isolation but if you do chose silicone don't expect anything to substantial.
 
Now to the important bit how do these sound. 
 
Main source used Asus laptop K55V >  Gold / Silver Mundorf Interconnect > Neco V4 ( AD8065 ) 
 
Highs - Ok one thing that did catch me off guard was how well these earphones handle treble, detail and timber are top notch far more pronounced than the Atrios partially due to the difference in sound signature .There is a nice amount of air between each instrument and the treble never really becomes harsh i haven't noticed them being sibilant. In tracks with stringed instruments timber is conveyed very well natural and an added bit of sparkle, its quite beautiful to hear considering most bass heavy iem's usually go one of two ways dark or overly bright due to a v shape frequency.  
 
Mids -  Detailed and informative can lack full emotion on certain tracks but overall there is a great sense of balance as another reviewer previously noted there almost on eye level with the highs. There doesn't seem to be much coloration to the sound just personal preference i would like the mids slightly more forward, but then you would be changing the dynamic of how this beast works. Overall the mids are great far from recessed but not center stage by any means at least to my ear.
     
Bass - I am bass hear me roar lol. That isn't to say the bass messes or interferes with the rest of the spectrum however these do have a dedicated sub woofer so....  Admittedly i was initially disappointed with the overall quality even my silver bullets did a better job of producing deep bass. But this is where a bit of persistence was needed i would like to add before writing these things off make sure that they are burnt in and you have a good seal ! So with this in mind things have changed before these factors were added the bass was distorted and muddy, now however it has become a different story suddenly the bass has become deep controlled and incredibly addictive to listen to. I would love to add more to this section but i will say this in closing if you are after the best iem for bass in particular and overall sound quality i have yet to find an iem i would pick over them..
 
Soundstage - The soundstage is quite interesting i haven't really heard anything quite like it. In essence it reminds me slightly of the UE triple fi 10vi except not as wide but with more depth. I suppose having three drivers helps add to the effect it's quite three dimensional.
 
Overall if you are after a great bass head iem grab them without hesitation and a pair of complys . I must add although not needed an amp is vital in bringing these beasts to life and seeing them shine in there full potential will require a fairly decent amp. In fact a brilliant combo is the dragonfly dac which i had the privilege of demoing the synergy was great really tighten up the whole sound anyway hope you enjoyed my first review. ( I'm not an audiophile just love earphones and music and sound is subjective just a thing to bare in mind and thanks again ) 

Disclaimer
 
Before I start this review I just want to thank Pandora from Brainwavz for approaching me to review the newest edition of their Bluetooth earphones in trade for my honest opinion, meet the BLU-200. 
 
History
 
So without wasting too much time here a little background about me, I started my audiophile addiction about 4 years ago and as we all know the urge to splurge out more and more money for that 1% increase in sound quality forever increases. I have heard of Brainwavz Audio and dabbled a little with the Delta model nothing to write home about but fairly impressive in terms of price performance. If I ever wrote anything about Brainwavz Audio, it would be they care about keeping costs down without sacrificing too much sound. My biggest interest to be produced by the company happened to be their R3 earphone, something I haven’t had the pleasure to listen to yet but probably will one day. So that’s that we are all caught up let us get into this review already! 
 
The concept, the reason
 
Well as many of us audio fans know there will probably never be a full replacement for hard wired earphones when it comes to sound. Well what about the pain staking niggles that come with hard wired sets, I’m talking about portability ease of use and general convenience. Whilst I hardly ever workout anymore, thus the pot belly, I do enjoy a light jog now and then and when manual work is required I tend to stick my earphones in. Unfortunately, there has been many a time where I’ve caught the wire and snagged my earphones from my ears and it is more than frustrating, especially when you in the middle of a good jog or work flow. I honestly could talk about the irritation and red fog that appears over me for days but I shan’t. 
 
Instead I want to discuss the solution for this pain staking mishap. Enter in Bluetooth earphones, less wires, more portability and with a damn good fit no fiddling about when you are on a jog or working. Heck the BLU-200 even allow you pause, play and adjust volume without pulling your device out. It’s not perfect but we will get to that bit later. 
 
These earphones clearly designed more for the on the go listener gym junkies please apply here!
 
Inside the box.
 

 
Accessories:
 
Earphone Hardcase (Just beautiful imo I’d prefer to use this hard case over many of the supplied pouches that have come with my earphones prior to this.) 
Here are some glamour shots of this beauty, black with accents of red and a neat little pouch to carry around extra tips and enough space to fit your earphones and charging wire, neat!
 
 
 
You will also get;
3 sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L), 1 set of Comply™ Foam Tips S-400, 1 pair of Ear Hooks, 1 Micro USB Charging Cable, Velcro Cable Tie (which comes in very handy I might add), an instruction Manual and a 24-month Warranty Card.
 
 
 
Specifications 
 
Transducers/Drivers: Dynamic, 9.2mm
Rated Impedance: 16ohms Closed Dynamic
Sensitivity: 96dB at 1mW
Frequency range: 20 ~ 20000Hz
Bluetooth 4.0 (CSRBC8645) with aptX
Operation max distance: 30ft (10m)
Battery: 60mAh - 4hrs playtime, 100hrs standby, 2hrs for full charge (Micro USB charging)
CVC echo and noise cancellation
Supports voice prompt for MMI: Power on / Paring / Connecting / Battery low / Power off
Supports HFP, HSP and A2DP
Supports pairing with two devices at the same time
3 button remote, works with Apple iOS products, Android & Windows phones & PC
 
Build Quality, Design and Fit 
 
The first thing that came to mind when I looked at these was oh my gosh I am sticking a mini coke bottle inside my ear! Thankfully due to the ergonomic design of the earphone, despite the rather large housing, they fit flush within my ear canal and are rather secure I might add. You will have an arrayish of tips to make sure you can get a good fit. If all else fails try the comply, I didn’t end up needing them in the end as the provide stock silicon ear tips did the trick just fine.
 
The BLU-200 is jackless that’s right I said it, no jack. Poor jack, joking aside there is a short flat cable that connects from the right driver to the left. There is an inline remote and mic and Bluetooth control unit which allows you to power up the earphones, connect them to your device of choice, press play, pause, track selection, voice dialing, answering and rejecting phone calls, even a last number redialing option and of course the ability to adjust the volume. The design in itself give a lot of freedom and stops that messy tangling you sometimes get from hardwired earphones. There is a strain relief that is wrapped around the earphones themselves giving a sleek appearance and confidence to boot that these will hold up even if snagged a few times. 
 
The BLU-200 is a little on the large side and as I mentioned look kind of like mini Coke bottles, yes they do stick out a bit however, there is some neat gear inside such as, the USB charging port and battery under rubber flap marked clearly for charging. It houses a micro 60mAh battery that will deliver 4 hours of continuous audio playback, 100 hours of standby and can be fully charged in under 2hrs. With a range of 30ft (10m), you can comfortably be away from your audio source with no disruption to audio quality or performance.
 
Personal usage
 
Pairing was easy as pie just press and hold the play/pause button for about 3 seconds to power up and if you are pairing a new device keep it held down 5 seconds to boot up into its pairing mode. A tiny LED light at the top of the inline starts blinking and you should see it on your phone. Pairing doesn’t require a pass code so just select it from your pairing list and get them matched up. When you connect you will get a seductive(kidding) robot style female voice stating the following “power on” and “connecting” to authenticate the connection. That's it, bam Bob is now your uncle and all is good with the world. 
 
In terms of connectivity and signal strength I was able to get a solid connection up to about 7m when walking around my house so take from that what you will. Also as pictured below if you are a lucky apple user if you scroll down on your screen you will be able to view the battery life of your phone and earphones, which is quite handy also worth mentioning these don't really chew up any extra battery at all maybe an extra 3% an hour in normal use. 
 

 
Sound Quality 
 
Usually this is the part I like to throw in some emotion unfortunately it's difficult to do this with such an earphone. It's not that these sound terrible at all in fact the best I've heard from an earphone in the Bluetooth range but.... I wouldn't ever be convinced that this would replace my hard wired sets regardless of convenience. Anyways without further ado let's break the sound down from these puppies! 
 
Highs 
 
Still trying to find the words to put in this section mainly because it's a section I know is there but is being overshadowed by a bloated mid bass! When there is a chance for a vocal to pop or a symbol to shine they will only raise their shiny metallic voice when you are indulging in a track without a meaty type of musicality or banging bass line. I've almost concluded I could only listen with these for a certain amount of time as they lack too much refinement and are either overshadowed or too sharp. This isn't the earphones strong point but hey it's not all bad there is a sufficient amount of detail there to not have you feeling like you've been left out of the loop entirely.  
 
Before I move on to the next section of sound I will elaborate a bit the highs on the BLU-200. They hold a really light tinge that leaves them sounding thin and very dry, please don't be put off by this believe me I've listened to worse but it's hard coming down from steps above like the Delta or R2Pro but then look at the price difference and the hardwire design plays a big part in this. Anyways moving on...
 
Midrange 
 
Anorexia, perhaps my ears are just too used to being spoiled by lush enveloping vocals and seductive levels of refinement. Well there is actually an upside to this V shape sound signature and that come with space I'll talk about that later in the soundstage section. So more on the midrange..... Well let's take a clinical look at this by picking a few adjectives! Sibilant, withdrawn, hard- working, unskilled but surgical. Now this might sound like I am being harsh and I am but please do not take this lightly when I say this, these still kick out musicality regardless of the critique I am giving them. 
 
Bass
 
Hello big boy! Ooo okay well if you like hitting the gym hard with a bit of Hip Hop or Rock this is the time for the BLU-200 to shine. I am not saying these do bass maturely but hell they do produce a juicy amount, yes it bleeds, yes it could be moved a little further south and diverted away from the midrange but hey I am not complaining here. The BLU-200 bass is dominant but does have some good extension, you end up with this quite full sound that actually handles complexity quite well. For its intended use this is one area I wouldn’t be quite to jump the gun and say change it now. 
 
Soundstage 
 
Okay so the review is starting to lighten up a bit I did say these weren’t bad not my cup of tea but hey I’m not here to like everything I hear. Well despite these not being created for a discerning audiophile’s ear there is still an airiness about these earphones that are quite good indeed. There is room to breathe and you will hear a respectable amount of detail and separation. Instruments from left to right are easily enough discernable and with that V shaped signature there is space enough for detailing and spatial cues to pan themselves out quite nicely. I do apologize for not writing more here but I am at a lack for words these are some great earphones in terms of what they were built for so I hope you have stuck with me this far.   
 
Bonus points
 
There are a lot of redeeming factors to consider when thinking about these earphones though! One be the price, secondly is the comfort fit and the functionality that you get with the earphones not to mention that bad ass case. Possibility one of the few earphones I would still pick up regardless of its shortcomings I’d still take them on a jog with me for sheer convenience alone. With some heavy beats and a sweaty workout or tedious work load these earphones do kick some serious ass for the price. 
 
Conclusion and improvements
 
The BLU-200 is and was designed for exactly what it does, is it going to please the diehard audiophile fan no, but it will satisfy those in hunt of a damn good Bluetooth set of earphone for a great price. The bass response and soundstage alone is enough to make up for that lack of refinement and slightly sharp sound and at the end of the day that’s really what you need when you are blasting your body pushing it through its paces and just need some good vibes to carry you through. For $54.50 you get a lot for your money a concrete performance and almost unbeatable at this price point. I haven’t heard another Bluetooth set of earphones this good I know that doesn’t speak volumes because I’ve only tried a few some branded some unbranded but the point is these are a damn good shot if you are in need of a set of solid Bluetooth earphones.
 
I would love to see a hybrid design with a little refinement, more forward midrange and maybe even detachable cables as an upgrade option for those who’d be willing to spend a little more and squeeze out a little more performance. Who knows maybe a BLU-300 could offer such genius? I’d be happy to purchase these myself despite the harshness I have written about with the midrange and treble. Good job Brainwavz is all I have to say and I look forward to an even more impressive set next time!  

 
Disclaimer
 
Firstly, I would like to thank Pandora for sending these to me for the purpose of this review. All impressions will be made from an objective standpoint but do carry some serious subjective views, you’ve been warned. I’ve been involved in audio for some years now and enjoy music extensively. With a good set of earphones, headphones and source you’ll be set for life.
 
Specs
 

1. Drivers : Dynamic, 8 mm
2. Rated Impedance : 32 Ω
3. Frequency Range : 12 Hz ~ 22 kHz
4. Sensitivity : 110 dB @ 1 mW
5. Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold-Plated
6. Cable : Braided 1.3 m OFC Copper
7. Remote & Mic: 3 Button, Apple & most Android phones compatible

 
Accessories
 

1. Earphone Hard case
2. 6 sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
3. 1 set of Comply Foam Tips T-400
4. 1 Shirt Clip
5. Velcro Cable Tie
6. Instruction Manual & Warranty Card (24-month warranty)

 
If you have read any of my previous Brainwavz reviews, then you’ll pretty much find the same impressions and things included. I have uploaded a picture below just in case you wanted to see the case.

Features:

1. Tuned for clear sound with well-defined bass.
2. Special crafted drivers, with high purity copper and feather light diaphragm.
3. Made with aircraft grade metal.
4. 3 Button microphone & remote, compatible with iPhone & Android.

 
Multi-Function 3 Button Microphone & Remote:

1. Supports Apple iOS & Android Products
2. Phone Call Control
3. Audio Player Control
4. Volume Control
5. Supports TRRS Connector

 
Ergonomics/Fit+Mic
 
Hum it is hard, for a guy who loves to talk I haven’t much to add to this section at all. Due to the very basic design the M100 is just easy to get on with anyone who finds the ones you have to hook over your ear a little tricky there is no need to worry about that here.
 
Even with the provided silicon ear tips fitment wasn’t an issue and for those of you who are struggling Brainwavz very kindly throw in a pair of Comply ear buds just in case. Although, it’s worth mentioning as much I like a good set of foamies they can add a veil and bass to the sound something this earphone doesn’t need. But hey you can always try them out and your mileage will vary. As for me I have stuck with good old silicon for a change.
 
As for the microphone it works perfectly fine for calls and music you are able to play, pause and skip tracks all with the click of a few buttons. 

Build quality/Design
 
Okay usually I would have bored you all to death with ramblings in each section but being pressed from time I thought to let you just read the details for yourself.
 
Build quality must be discussed though as you do need to know if you are about to plunder into a purchase that is inevitably going to break. Thankfully in the case of all Brainwavz’s products you are covered by a 24-month warranty and for good reason they are confident enough to offer that on all their products.
 
They never seem to skip the build on their products ranging from low to high you find a consistency of solid materials. In the case of the M100 this is no difference you get a pliable yet rugged twisted cable; pictures below. Great strain reliefs and a durable, meaty yet light Y splitter.
 
Moving on to the earphones themselves they certainly don’t look like anything special it’s a typical straightforward design. The earpieces themselves are a little cone shaped almost reminding me of a mega horn, perhaps that was the idea behind the bass but more on that later. Each earpiece is also fashioned out of aircraft grade metal according to Brainwavz and is marked with left right indicators and of course Brainwavz’s signature printed across the body.
 
All in all, nothing noteworthy here to mention but certainly another solid build. Let us move on to the reason we ever bother to read reviews anymore anyway.. the sound!
 

Sound Quality
 
My first impressions….
 
I was pre-warned, if you will, of the need for burn in these require. Usually straight from the get go you can tell if you will like something or not. In this case, not! Now I am not saying these sounded terrible just not my cup of tea and considering I am a reformed bass head these should have tickled my fancy a little bit more.
 
I’ve grown quite fond of Brainwavz tuning over the months I’ve been reviewing for them their house sound is never an intent on being overly aggressive and they always push for the best out of whatever materials they are using despite the price. However, in this case I couldn’t grasp what Brainwavz were trying to do there was just a ton of bass, a wispy veiled treble and midrange which just seemed to hanging about.
 
I chalked this down to the warning so I stuck them in the draw playing loops of music hoping for a miracle to happen before I typed this review up. Well I can say for now there are improvements but maybe not to the extent I would have liked, maybe I knew in my heart this would happen but damn it I hoped.
 
Ramblings aside my first thought of these were bass cannons just being fired for the fun of it. Thankfully cannons have many uses when operated by a skilled hand who has had countless hours of practice. What I am saying is you’ll need to give these a chance at first glance they’re a monster but give her about 60-100 hours and you’ll tame the beast enough to appreciate her beauty.
 
(All impressions made here were after the earphones receiving over 50 hours of burn in)
 
Treble
 
Shining in the darkness there is a ray of hope these earphones didn’t offer much excitement to begin with and I can’t wholly say they will after burn in but there are some improvements which have led to my slightly sunnier disposition on them.
 
First things first don’t ever expect these to hurl detail at you because they just won’t if you want to put a character to them they are the moody teenager whose emotions are a simple mask to a pleasant soul. You get splashes of detail but nothing is over pronounced and I will throughout this review be making comparisons to the first range of Beats earphones because they are very similar in presentation.
 
You tend to get a touch of treble roll of when aiming towards the higher peaks but this does lead to a warmer more forgiving presentation. I wouldn’t claim these do a bad job but there is certainly nothing there that will stand out to impress.
 
Midrange
 
Testing, testing, mic check, hello is this thing on? Literally how I felt when I plugged these in the first time! Honestly when I get to the bass you’ll see why I’ve had issues with these. This part of the sound spectrum is almost hard to describe because of the copious amount of mid bass that overshadows it.
 
If you manage to overlook that blemish, you’ll find a U-shaped sound signature no bountiful amounts of detailing here but there is something a little special. Now I am pretty much settled in my audio preferences I know what I like and what to listen out for. One of my main selling points for any good piece of equipment nowadays is its ability to reproduce lush natural sounding vocals.
 
This may lead you to believe the M100 offers that well in a way they do but it is all too quickly ruined the moment a hair of bass appears. Vocals take a back seat to the rest of the sound but when you do get a chance to hear them there is a little bite and a seductive midrange to be heard.
 
When testing, these I ended up back on Andie Case listening to a few of her covers, check her out does some amazing work, digressions aside these paired with her vocals ticked the magic realm just a bit. Of course, it was soon destroyed by the bass but for the moments when it wasn’t, there was a blissful sound that echoed through my soul of peace and warmth. These are no doubt a warm earphone and certainly not for the analytical listener however, on a good day with the right track there is a something to be admired here.
 
 
Bass
 
Argh!!!! Can I use more exclamation marks please oh please let me!!! I have no idea who was behind the tuning of this model but damn it I wish they hadn’t been. Now I know this is coming across as aggressively harsh and critical but I will redeem it somewhat with further impressions just want to make a few things clear before I do.
 
No way in hell is anyone going to appreciate these fully without burn in, secondly if you have made it that far then please stick to Hip Hop or anything that requires bass by the bucket load. I am exaggerating and I have heard worst but the bass here is just unflattering, in my opinion, to the rest of the sound.
 
Sub bass extends well but it’s hard to pick out over the almost mono tone mid bass that seems almost ever present regardless of what song I play. For anyone looking for a decent set of bass earphones these may fit the bill, whilst I can say I’ve heard better if these come down to about half the price they are well worth a look.
 
Sound stage and Imaging
 
Somewhere amid all this I did find some space not really a lot but some. The soundstage is not tall, deep or wide just present enough to let you know instruments are being played and being occupied in different areas.
 
It is such a shame as Brainwavz have released a couple of earphones that have done a much better job and for the price I would pick the Jive in a heartbeat over these. Anyway, back to the topic at hand you can expect a decent amount of imaging and whist not airy there is enough breathing room to allow most instruments a place on the stage.
 
Final Thoughts
 
Okay this is a section I am happy to write and hopefully something Brainwavz will read into. I shall start with a question; are these really worth it? Simple answer no, not really. Now I know that isn’t what any company would want to have put in a review but it is the truth I have the up most respect for Brainwavz and their ethos but these didn’t hit the nail on the head or they did and just went in for overkill.
 
Kidding aside Brainwavz have something that could be worked with and tweaked to create something a little more befitting of its price tag but currently where it stands the company offers much better earphones in my opinion for less than half the price. These are a reminiscent version of the first gen Beats earphones that came out nothing more or less. Which is a shame as I had higher hopes.
 
Speaking of hopes I am sure for those who are aware of what Brainwavz are up to know of the new BA earphones they will soon have. I have heard the B200 prototype and all I can say is if I have the privilege of writing that up I imagine it to be a complete contrast to the feelings I have expressed within this review.
 
I must make an apology for not being able to fully articulate my impressions on these as I haven’t had as much time to write or listen to them as I would have liked. So please take these impressions with a pinch of salt and leave a comment below if you would like anything clarifying or elaborating on and once again thanks for reading. 

Introduction and Disclaimer
 
Firstly, I would like to thank the 1More team for giving these to me for the purpose of this review. All impressions will be made from as much as an objective standpoint as possible. I’ve been involved in audio for some years now and enjoy music to no extent, a good set of earphones, headphones and source you’ll be set for life. Well until the next new thing comes along. But I digress so let’s pop back into this review.
 
When I first heard these earphones believe me I wasn't taken back. I suppose I was roped in through the inviting invitation and the very subjective elevator pitch of "would you like to try the best earphones in the world." Way too much of a big statement which many companies have tried to make. This claim is almost always going too subjective and many companies have failed to stay true to that word. I'm not going to base this review with criticism just sober judgement and fair assessment. 

There is an air to these earphones that is a little bit different and refreshing, for starters let's talk about the design, features and some of the accessories included. Not to mention the packaging!! This has to be one of the nicest packages I've ever seen (that's what she said). But seriously possibly one of the best and well-presented earphones I've opened to date.

For the reviews that I've been asked to write for the company I will be attempting to keep things short as I have a limited time period. I just want every person reading this to get the full idea of what to expect if you decide to purchase these yourself so if my review here doesn't cover something please just leave a comment below and I'll do my best to answer and I've left a link to the company below too.

I'd like introduce you to the bipolar express, The marmite of sound, innovation, creation and another shot into an otherwise crowded market. You will see how I have come to these conclusions and titles for these earphone as I dive deeper into this review. 
 
Pros and Cons

I'll start off with some pros before I go into the cons. Without a shadow of a doubt it's undisputed that the packaging was just super with the 1more range especially their flagship model. In fact, the current flagship model comes with probably the best foam ear tips I have ever tried in my life I just wish every company in the world would provide these ear tips because it makes for such an enjoyable and comfortable experience. The ear tips themselves are a sort of hybrid between what you would find from a Comply ear tip and silicon rounded based ear tip the results are just superb.

To my knowledge in from the short conversation I had with one of the team members everything from the ear tips to the drivers inside where created by 1more themselves, in house, this in itself is a refreshing break from the traditional TWFK drivers and Knowles drivers traditionally used in most hybrid style earphones.
 
Cons still to be had though those drivers whilst manufactured by the company aren’t the last word in refinement or I should say consistency although, I must say this has been improving dramatically with burn in. Have no idea why BA’s don’t usually benefit much from this… I’ll leave that down to brain burn in perhaps.
 
Con number two as much as I like the design the bloody microphones can be abysmal for on the go listening at low volumes and for anyone who wears a hooped earring. (Don’t judge me lol) It has been a bit annoying though whilst walking down the street at one point I thought they were broken nope, just my darn earring taping against the cable.

I think that’s about it for now, so let's talk a little bit about the specifications what is actually inside this beautiful package.
 
Specifications, Accessories
 
Tech Spec

1. Cable Length: 1.25 m (4 ft
2. Plug: 3.5 mm Gold Plated
3. Wired Materials: Enameled Copper Wire
4. Frequency Range: 20-40,000 Hz
5. Sensitivity: 99 dB
6. Impedance: 32 Ω
7. Rated Power: 5 mW
8. Weight: 18 g

 

1. INTELLIGENT CONTROL TECHNOLOGY- in-line remote control is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android, allowing you to conveniently control volume, select songs, and take calls. Superior MEMS microphone has independently set ground wires to eliminate cross-talk and background static.
2. TUNED BY A GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SOUND ENGINEER- 1MORE collaborated with internationally acclaimed producer, mixer, and sound engineer Luca Bignardi to perfect the final tuning to deliver a precise representation of your favourite artist’s intended sound.
3. THREE DRIVERS- these headphones have two balanced armatures and a separate dynamic driver. Together they deliver an extremely accurate listening experience with unsurpassed dynamic power and clarity from deep bass to sizzling highs.

 
Content
• Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones
• 6 sets of silicone ear tips
• 3 sets of foam ear tips
• Magnetic clasping traveling case
• Attractive storage case
• Quality dual prong airline adapter
• Matching shirt clip

Design, Features, Ergonomics

The earphones themselves have an offset angle which work great for wearing straight down. I actual couldn't get the right deal with any of the silicon ear tips provided so immediately switched to the foam ones provided. 

With the foam ear tips installed just having them in your ears is a sheer pleasure, sure they are a little on the heavy side but you don't notice it as the foam seems to take the brunt of that added weight.

As you can see from the pictures they are coated in gold and a marvellous blue/black finish. I'm not going to spend all day telling you how these look but do take a sneak at the pictures.
 

As you can probably see the wire coating is crafted out of durable fabric from the Y splitter down and although I don't think I can capture the detail enough the wires leading to the earphones themselves is wrapped in rounded finely grooved plastic. This part of the wire is actually something to write about be used it had resulted in almost a hybrid between the anti-tangle design you get from a flat wire and combined it with the ergonomics of a rounded one. Very interested to know if this was just a happy coincidence, brilliant thinking or just an aesthetic choice...? Either way I'm happy!!

The cable comes with a microphone for on the go listening with your mobile device allowing you to switch seamlessly between phone calls and your music. Quality is good no distortion testing phone calls and the mic also doubles as volume control, play and pause, skipping tracks and of course answering or hanging up phone calls.

To skip ahead double click the centre button, to go backwards triple click and as usual pause and play operates just using the single click. 

Sound quality

Well I think I've written enough to give you an idea of what these are all about. So shall we dive in to how these interesting things actually perform!

Going back to my previous title "bipolar express" I'd like to elaborate a little more on this and what exactly I mean. 
 
Treble

First of all, I'll start with the treble, detailed and finite given the right partner in crime these perform really well. You'll hear a ton of detail here and there is the odd extra detail I’ve picked out in a few well know songs I’ve listened to. Something I have only seen replicated by much pricier earphones.
 
Then there is the mood swings highs and lows but as our relationship grows she becomes more stable, subtle and easier on the ears. After running through about an hour’s worth of music I couldn’t get a real read on these one minute the treble just had a nice zing to it the next minute she’s screaming in my ear.
 
“Why didn’t you listen to me!” she yells!
“I did, I promise everything was fine until you changed your tone?” I replied
“Okay maybe I’m over reacting, this is a nice song how about we start again?” she reasons with me.
“Erm, that’s fine by me. Are you sure you are okay?” I ask.
“Yeah I guess I just didn’t like that track.” She replies.
 
Things are going well now, but damn this was a consistent battle up until about 10 hours of play time with her. I am happy to say we sought counselling and are now living a balanced and healthy life. Believe me though there were times I did leave her, that voice was just too much for me to handle but I’m glad I gave her one more chance.
 
Midrange
 
Ah good old midrange my friend something I almost instinctively listen out for when picking a set of headphones or earphones. To me the midrange holds the soul and life breath of the music of course this must be accompanied by a reasonable balance to the rest of the sound but I am a sucker for lush vocals.
 
I’m pleased to report the Triple Drivers do their thing here but not necessarily in a way that suits my personal listening preference. The vocals come across clear but there is no doubt a more V shaped sound curve these. I like the fact that with the right source pairing this can be fixed, plugged straight into my new Hybrid Valve AMP/DAC purchased through Kickstarter these become a different story.
 
I am trying to remain balanced here so for reference out of most sources I’ll say the vocals take a back seat but if you happen to be in the market for a nice little setup the combo I mentioned above is a damn good start on a tighter budget.
 
Surprisingly even with this sound signature bass and treble emphasis I found the vocals and midrange detailed offered just enough character to keep me interested. There is something that these earphones don’t do though which I find is a strength that comes from a lot of other V-Shaped sound signatures and that would be the soundstage. I’ll get into that later but it’s refreshing, in a weird sort of way, to not have the extra added soundstage. To my ear makes them sound a little less artificial.
 
Bass
 
As I don’t feel I can add much more in terms of description to the midrange I’ll skip right to the bass and boy oh boy they did a good tuning job here. I am not going to rave about the bass like it is some kind of God send but despite having an emphasis on the treble and bass the bass remains tight enough in enter into a more audiophile conscious listen.
 
Mid bass hits hard and fast but the decay lingers around long enough to make rap and pop songs a sheer pleasure to listen to. Now jumping down low we have sub bass, not limitless but sophisticated enough to add a level of depth to the music. Controlled and relatively unobtrusive with a splash of youthful vigour to please all of those bass lover out there.
 
I would like to add some personification to this section of sound and the next but I am hitting a touch of writer’s block so If you need any info pester the crap out of me in the comments below.
 
Soundstage
 
Last but not least and probably the shortest part of this review is the soundstage. It sounds good. Ha how cruel it would be to leave things there. Pulling my finger out here I will say this the soundstage is nothing to write home about but holds good spatial detail and give off a slightly airy sound.
 
It is neither wide or deep but it is there! Given then sound signature I may have expected more but am glad they didn’t try and over sell things here I think it may just be the reason why it holds things together so well for me when the midrange is sleeping in the back, lazy git lol. Seriously though it adds a bit of intimacy but partnered with that detailed and slightly unpredictable treble it ties things together quite nicely.

Overall thoughts and impressions
I haven’t got the urge to tell anyone they should run out and buy these right now but for the price range they aren’t bad, heck in their own way they are a little brilliant, sure you might find something a little better more suited to your needs but for those indecisive buyers looking for a really decent set of earphones I’d give these a shot.
 
I wouldn’t have bought them off hearing them on first impressions but after some time spent with them I am happy to call them a great edition to the squad. You won’t find better packaging or foams out there that’s for sure, well in my opinion for this price range… But the sound whilst balanced, detailed and coherent doesn’t stand out enough for me to make a haste recommendation, but these are damn good earphones and credit where credit is due. If 1More keep on working off this as their benchmark it won’t be long before there up there with some more serious competition.Still really great value for money at $99.99 US and £99.99 GBP
 
Links to product page and pricing: 

https://usa.1more.com/products/triple-driver-in-ear-headphones
https://uk.1more.com/collections/headphones/products/triple-driver-in-ear-headphones?gclid=Cj0KEQjwxqS-BRDRgPLp0q2t0IUBEiQAgfMXRHSqb1MDXX4dm7a2-Wku7XjhFzHCvn2vpRo1Xd-NunkaAvn78P8HAQ

Introduction/Disclaimer
 
I was given this sample in exchange for my honest opinion and impressions. I would especially like to thank Kathryn for getting in touch for purpose of this review. I have been involved in audio for about 5 years or more now, listened to countless setups, mostly headphones and earphones but here we go my first speaker review. I would usually advise taking this review with a pinch of salt but I don’t want you to miss out on the following, no they will not hit every member of the audience reading but damn if you ever enjoyed listening to music, not analysing it, then please read on. 
 
Accessories
 
Open the box and you will see a user manual useful, RCA to 3.5mm auxiliary cable, an optical cable, remote control and XLR connector cable.

Here is some information about each accessory starting with the Included 5-pin XLR connector cable which measures 3 meters long if I am not mistaken. Brilliant quality you get that thick meaty feel from these cables which is used to connect the left and right speaker. The length of the cable is just perfect you shouldn’t have any issues setting them up even if you are placing them across a big beautiful monitor, laptop or T.V.
 
Next you get the optical cable which measures 1.4 meters. You get protective caps to keep them safe if you intend to be anal about keeping things pristine. 
 
Two for the price of one you also get one RCA to 3.5mm auxiliary cable and one RCA to RCA which both measure about 1.6 meters. Whilst I still wish they were a little more premium they will get the job done and you’ll be able to use it to connect the speakers to most generic audio sources and DACs. I have found having both included and the functionality of the speakers very useful.
 
Yay a remote for lazy people like me, I am so pleased to know I can just sit on my bum and with the slight raise of my hand a press of my thumb I have an abundance of control. The remote control is 10cm x 4cm. It is very sleek looking and uses a Lithium Cell CR2025 3V battery. Taking the back of the battery holder off can be a pain and I would recommend using a coin like object to avoid any aesthetic damage.
 
Specifications
•    POWER OUTPUT ：RMS 25W×2(Treble) +35W×2(Mid-range and bass) = 120W）
•    SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO ：≥ 85dBA
•    FREQUENCY RESPONSE ：48Hz~20KHz (±4dB)
•    INPUT SENSITIVITY ：PC: 900 ± 50mV | AUX: 700 ± 50mV
OPT, COX: 350 mFFs ± 50 mFFs
•    INPUT TYPE ：PC/Auxiliary/Optical/Coaxial/Bluetooth
•    MID-RANGE AND BASS DRIVER ：5.5 inch
•    TREBLE DRIVER ：1 inch
 
Build Quality/Aesthetics
 
I don’t know where to begin! These things are stunning to look at. I’ve had to pinch pictures off the web because my camera nor editing skilling are able to capture this level of magnificence! From the moment you open the box you get that sweet whiff of brilliance. Each speaker is encased with this attractive wood finish and put together tightly giving such a quality and premium feel to them. Find pictures below for a little tease. 



The titanium dome tweeter is protected by a hard metal mesh and looks ever so inviting just such outstanding quality all the way down to the pop filters, you get to see the subtle hints and details Edifier have put in.
 
Everything from the remote to the nobs, inputs, outputs, cables (bar the RCA ones), speaker grills and casing is in just one-word superb. Details have been clearly thought about in this design, front facing speakers for the finest sound, removable pop filters and on the active speaker an LED interface, you can see the L.E.D. screen which displays different colours to let you know the input selected (Red – Optical / Blue – Bluetooth / Green – Auxiliary-PC). They are tilted for perfect performance and of course the tiny feet that raises them just enough for you to enjoy the clearest sound possible tightening up the bass just a hair when standing on an even solid surface. Okay I can’t go on gushing about these all day, after all I must be objective in this review because it is for those looking for a quality set of speakers and you have a right to know exactly what you are buying.
 
The remote will be my first target to bully, I jest it isn’t bad functionality is almost spot on but I will get to that later. The remote is light weight with a sexy silver finish as you can see from the pictures below. I am being fussy here when I say this and I know it was to keep the remote looking sleek without bulges but it requires a battery similar to the ones you find in a watch, possibly a slight inconvenience if you don’t have one lying around the house. I haven’t opened her up yet but I can see you would easily be able to damage the finish trying to get into it if you are using a foreign object such as a screw driver I would recommend using something like a small coin which will sit flush inside the grove giving you access to the battery without damaging or striping the case as mentioned previously. Other than that and one bit of functionality, which would have been hard to implement anyway this thing is perfect. Maybe a nice wooden overlay across the back would have been nice to get that matching feeling but that’s about it.


Whilst I wouldn’t recommend throwing or dropping these gorgeous speakers, I have a feeling they could withstand more than an accidently drop. It is worth mentioning the weight of these book shelve speakers are fairly heavy but that’s what you get when you are buying a premium product. 
 
At this point I feel like I am rambling so let’s move on to the functionality section.
 
Functionality
 
There is a ton to cover here and whilst I would like to bore you to death just for fun, I have instead decided to bullet point the many features with a brief overview of how they work and how well they work. Let us begin. 
 
1)    Bluetooth: Easy as pie to setup, click the remote search for it on your device and partner up. I actually found this feature really useful especially considering the massive range this thing has. If I want to I can be downstairs or pottering around my house get a mood swing want to change track pull out my device and bam! Honestly it really holds its own in the sound department too, I am a hard wired guy through and through but I was really impressed that you don’t lose anything, well maybe a hair of detail, but overall it is like wow how does this voodoo magic work so well?! Many Bluetooth devices compromise sound quality and I can assure you this is not one of them. The Edifier S1000DB speaker supports aptX® codec for that superior quality and can receive a stable signal up to 10 meters away regardless of what’s in the way. 

2)    Auxiliary: No complaints here, provided is a basic RCA phono to jack lead nothing to write home about setup is simple for any able bodied person and the inputs are clearly marked out on the back. Whilst I know the cable is delivering sound just fine I am a bit of a believer in high end quality cables, you can purchase them separately, but I wish there was at least one included other than the basic ones to really add to that premium finish. I’m moving on and don’t worry I promise I will get to the sound section, patience young one.
 
3)    Optical: Now I will have to elaborate later on the sound but setup is simple just plug and play from your optical device. Honestly sound at this level is the greatest you will get from her please do hook these up optically if you can, whether it’s to listen to music, watch a movie or your favourite T.V program these sound just sublime!
 
4)    Coaxial: Unfortunately, I didn’t have the equipment to test this input out but I would assume it works perfectly as it should just like the rest of the unit does. 
 
5)    RCA to RCA: Again very similar to the RCA to Jack. A very useful advantage of having both a pc input and aux input is the flexibility you get. You are easily able to enjoy what input you like without having to faff around with wires and getting off your ass. Just to give a short example I’d hooked the RCA-RCA to my TV initially for testing however, my music device was lying by the side and I was in the mood for a change. Just selected my track on my beautiful AR-M2 and then clicked the button changing the input and voila, just perfect nothing of an inconvenience for me at all. The same would apply should you have your phone to hand and it paired wirelessly via Bluetooth. 
 
6)    Drive in behind the back and take a look at the rear end of the sexy beast and active speaker you can see the interface laid out in the pictures. Here you will discover volume control, treble and bass nobs. The power switch is located just below those three controls. You will also see the additional inputs which are the 2 RCA inputs (AUX, PC ~ white/red) followed by the Optical Input and of course a Coaxial Input which is marked with yellow innards. The active and passive speakers are both hooked up to each other via the XLR input connection. You can also change the audio source by pressing the volume controller useful for those of us who will inevitably lose the remote at some point. It will control everything from optical, Bluetooth, RCA and the coaxial input.
 
7)    The remote control: This sweet little thing ticks almost all my boxes, very useful and functional as you can see you have an option to change almost everything at the touch of your fingertips. The treble and bass settings are the only thing you can’t mess with through the remote so you will have to get off you bum if you wish to change them. I must mention this one very useful feature the remote holds which is a mute button located right in the centre pad, I have used this when receiving phone calls (side note not a slight bit of static or interference from mobile devices here, well shielded Edifier!) it is a really nice feature and one I wish every manufacture would include. 
 
Sound quality
 
Typically I'd like to break this down into sections but due to the nature of these speakers I will do a sub section on music fidelity alone after first exploring what to expect if your intended use is gaming, T.V or Movies.
 
Let's bounce to it, yes I said bounce not pop even though these things do pop off! One thing you'll notice is the pronounced depth and rich overtones the S1000DB’s are capable of producing in any setting, this doesn't mean you are left with an overshadowed amount of bass, far from it but yes these are willing and able of creating some seriously good neighbour waking chaos.
 
Whilst gaming I have found the Edifiers to be extremely satisfying. Whilst I left them on their neutral setting for the purpose of review it's very much worth noting the tuning of both the treble and bass is far more than a gimmick here. Please find more information in the section labelled tuning. Moving on from my distracted writing and back to my impressions whilst gaming you will find your games coming alive with this set up through optical or RCA whichever route you chose. Either way you'll be grateful for the thought and quality that the S1000DB has to offer here.
 
Playing an epic game of Zombies on the Xbox one resulted in explosions of sheer delight and gun fire that pulsates through one’s heart, exhilarating is one word I would use to sum these up for all you gamers out there this is an experience you wouldn’t want to miss. There are a few nit-picks here and there as you miss a touch of detail in the midrange but you are way too involved to notice and this is something I'll come to elaborate on when I mention how music sounds through these bad boys.
 
Getting lost in your favourite movie or T.V series is great so why not kick things up a notch and add the S1000DB in to the picture to create a more cinematic experience! Truly as of yet I haven't found much that could outclass theses for their outstanding performance and lush sounding depth of field for a simple 2.1 setup. With the correct speaker positioning and optical output these do deliver an immersive experience, often at times I found myself thinking how I managed to live without them up till now. I can't offer any comparison to anything in this price range but I will say this much the Edifiers will surely not disappoint you if you are looking to enjoy a good movie kick back with a glass of wine or bottle of beer and be taken aback by a new, fresh and invigorating experience. (This coming from anything your standard T. V’s standalone speakers will be able to produce)

Music fidelity
 
Rather than ramble on and repeat myself let's get a little more clinical here. How do these sound when you’re in the mood for your favourite Jazz track or in my case any genre that tickles my fancy and I'm not kidding here I can't pick one, some would say I'm a music genre whore but alas let them say what they wish I have my music to comfort me. My questionable music ethics aside I'll break the sound down into three categories treble, midrange and bass.
 
Treble
 
Well I am going out on a limb to say using these in their base setting I.e. no enhancements I did find the treble at first a little underwhelming but don't let this put you off. The tuning options you have allow you more than enough room to acquire and tweak things to your taste. There isn't an in your face or sharp nails on a chalk board kind of sound here, it's just not what the Edifier's do, they are the middle aged gentleman looking for a comfy chair to relax into whilst sitting back enjoying the sweet detailed notes in his 40 year aged old scotch. You get all the flavour you need here with minimal sacrifice to anything you may think you are missing. My perfected preference was with the treble dialled in slightly past 2pm edging closer to 3pm but hey that's me these are flexible and do not forget that! 
 
Midrange
 
Okay, so we know we are covered on the bass and treble front with those dials right, well good but is this it, the one biggish con I could find? I hate to say this but I have found a chink in the armour of an otherwise flawless product! The midrange lacks a little soul in favour of following a richer warmer tone. It kind of feels like the more detailed upper register got a little left out at the party. "Aww poor baby don't worry you'll still be allowed to come in but hush hush not everyone is allowed to know you are here". Sorry me and the midrange just having a moment there she needed a little comforting. The midrange plays a very important role for me when I evaluate sound because to me the vocals can be a gateway to the heart of music when done correctly. Now the Edifiers might have come up short in this department but they are by no means bad or left out entirely with the neutral setting you'll get plenty of details and vocals will still come across crisp and clean if not a little recessed but hey I'm willing to live with this because of how well they perform in every other department!
 
Bass
 
If you've stuck with me this long you might as well hang around for the rest and possibly the best? Bass is spot on for me and with the tweaks you can make just turns this thing into an absolute force to be wrecking with! You might think I'm on about a sub-woofer rattle you windows shaking kind of bass here well I'm not although, pushed to the limit with a good track I'm sure they'd give the windows a hard time. Mature deep sub bass is easily soaked into the mix leaving a warm rich sound that hits hard with a nice amount of decay, most likely due to the housing design I found with a lot of wooden set ups. Yes, I've heard bass faster, yes I've heard it cleaner but have I heard something as well rounded? Still up for debate the balance these strike between mid-bass and sub bass is just fantastic you will be hard pressed to find such a mature student at this level and everything from your favourite EDM track to Bill Withers will result in a Lovely day. Hit a like if you got that. The point is the S1000DB is a well round chap and deserves some attention nothing is misplaced here and with the functionality you get as well it's almost hard not to call these a bargain.
 
Tuning
 
So it must be mentioned to really polish this review off the tuning these speakers offer really couldn't have been better implemented, with the exception of a mid-range dial. I will keep this bit short because it does do what it says on the tin without any added surprises, well unless you are surprised at how well it works.
 
The bass dial when turned up will result in a deeper hit, not necessarily more mid bass but a throatier meaty hit is to be expected. The opposite is very true should you go the other way dial her down and you will tame the beast and be left with a thinner sound detracting from any bloom if you happen to need that option with bass heavy tracks or films.
 
The same can be said for the treble it just works a treat you want a sharper sound without sacrificing too much on the mids you can turn her up and you'll be swimming in all the detail you could want. A song too sibilant for you? No problem she's got you covered dial that treble down and cut off some of those screechy high notes.
I must say I'm very impressed, I've seen this kind of implementation before with less that satisfying results but in this case I'd say Edifier have hit the nail on the head!
 
Conclusion
Would I buy these? In a word yes. With many options out there it's always a tough pick so do your research try before you buy and see what you like but if you do end up with these as a decision I can't see many people suffering from buyer remorse. These are an incredibly well rounded pair of speakers and with the diverse range of functionality, practicality, sound quality and aesthetics you are in for a solid purchase. 
If there are any questions you would like me to answer, please feel free to leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
For more information and purchases please follow the link provided here to Edifier’s website:
http://www.edifier.com/int/en/speakers/s1000 

Introduction/Disclaimer
 
Firstly, I would like to thank the 1More team for giving these to me for the purpose of this review. All impressions will be made from as much as an objective standpoint as possible. I’ve been involved in audio for some years now and enjoy music extensively. With a good set of earphones, headphones and source you’ll be set for life. Well until the next new thing comes along.
 
Right unfortunately due to some serious time constraints this may just have to be my shortest review ever. No pictures will be included unless anyone is in need in which case just leave a comment. I hope I don’t hear any cheering from the crowds lol (what crowds, why are you speaking to yourself?). Anyway without further ado let’s kick this review off.
 
Accessories:
 
• Over-ear Bluetooth wireless headphones 
• Optional Kevlar core cable with in-line microphone and remote 
• Attractive traveling case 
• Micro-USB charging cable and power adapter 
• Luxurious packaging and storage box
 
Build Quality, Design, Ergonomics
 
I do apologise for not commenting more on each section like I like to do but if anyone is feeling they’ve missed some crucial bit of information please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. 
Build quality is nice these are certainly a solid set of headphones. Wait is that all? Erm yes I really want to end things there but there are some points I would like to highlight and mention. Firstly, I know we shouldn’t be captivated by looks or to be as vein as to purchase any piece of audio equipment based on such views but simply put these things are kind of ugly and beautiful at the same time. 
 
Hold the phone that’s a touch harsh, well unfortunately I don’t think it is. I’ve been told off many a time for giving honest feedback heck if my girlfriend ever did look fat in a dress and ask me do you think I’d be stupid enough to give an honest answer? Yes, of course I would (R.I.P Dnun8086, avid Headfier and all round too honest guy.) No apologise need to be made I would hope she’d appreciate the honesty of course I would back up the comment with how beautiful she looks all the time which wouldn’t be a lie at all and she would know I was telling the truth because I was brave enough to accept the fury.
 
I feel I have gone way too off topic here so let me bring this back with some positives. In summary you could pick a pair of generic headphones out of a bargain bucket that could match the aesthetics these offer. However, you do get a chunky build thrown in there and some great qualities these are by no means flimsy and they did a great job with the crimson red.
The fit and finish both are done very well and I appreciate the efforts from the silver cuts outs to the flat wire connections and robust sleek headband. The fact still remains these still look far too generic.
 
On the comfort side though we do have something that is going to just engulf any of those out there with small ears. Benefits include extra noise isolation; side effects will include loss of ability to keep them of your head for longer than an hour before your ears become the next heating plate for Gordon Ramsey. 
I like the fit but I’m not in love with it and I can already see it causing a problem for some users the soft faux leather padding is beautiful on the ears but heats up way too fast with extended listens.
 
Functionality
 
BONUS FEATURES
 
The MK802s come with an optional Kevlar® core cable enhanced with TPE for comfort with additional in-line microphone and remote (useful if your battery is low). In addition, the MK802s works in conjunction with their optional downloadable 1MORE Assistant App. Current features include: Optional Hearing Protection for monitoring kid’s volume levels and for adults concerned with hearing health; Smart Burn-In for optimizing your MK802’s sound quality within a shortened time period; 1MORE button for controlling assignable apps right from your ear cup.
 
Whilst I haven’t had the time to try this feature out I will say it sounds like a bloody good idea and given the chance again I will update this review with my impression on the App. 
 
Intelligent Control Technology and Microphone- Convenient ear cup controls are compatible with Apple iOS and Android, allowing you to control Bluetooth, 1MORE app, volume, select songs, take calls, and activate voice control. Superior MEMS microphone eliminates echo, cross-talk, and background static for crystal clear phone calls.
Connectivity is simple just turn on the headset without the cable find your device pair it and bam. It's also worth noting the inline volume controls do not work with iOS devices.
 
I know I said I wouldn’t add any pictures but here is one of the user manual that will save me some time:

Estimated battery life is to be roughly 15 hours of music playback your milage may vary. (Connecting the audio cable automatically disables the battery.) One unfortunate fact: The headphones don't automatically power down after a long period of inactivity, and it's easy to forget and kill some battery life. A good way to avoid this would be to always store them with the cable attached.
 
Sound Quality
 
I will focus mainly on how these sound via the Bluetooth connection but in summary you aren’t stepping up too much when plugging in via the hard jack. Yes, they do sound at their best when plugged in with a decent source and you will notice a lift in clarity and resolution all around the board just take the impressions below and add a half a star to them. 
 
Treble:
 
Shining in the darkness is where I lie. Okay maybe too dramatic, there are details to be heard here and none of them fall into an abyss of bass although you may argue against that if you flip the switch but more on that later. As much as I hate summarising sound in a review sometime we just must! 
 
Surprisingly there is a copious amount of detailing in every nuance but this is all too diminished by the lack of refinement. There is a hard edge to the sound which gives off the impression that these are simple cheap but they aren’t, they’re far too complex to be categorised as cheap sounding.  
 
Midrange:
 
Now this is one of the reason why I think me and these headphones didn’t jell well. Personally there are a few specifics I look for when I’m listening to music, when I’m lost in lyrics and found spaced out in sea of musicality midrange is one of my main draws to attention. 
 
Unfortunately, this is where maybe I should have had my objective hat on a bit more because it was hard for me to get into an engaging listening session with the slightly recessed midrange the MK802 offers. I find it even harder to write about something I’m not excited about and that is one of the reasons I think I left these till last. 
 
Dry, present, ever so detailed and pushed back would summarise things quite nicely here. But that is being too hard on them, the poor things actually aren’t a bad set of headphones especially if you factor in all the features the treble detailing and build quality. Suffices to say I was straining myself to listen to some Hip Hop tracks where the recording themselves were midrange shy. I’ll move this section on into the bass which is another mixed bag but anyone who enjoys their vocals you can pretty much stop reading here. 
Bass:
 
Anything you would expect to want can be fiddled around with and tweaked here or so is meant to be the case. 
 
Three settings are offered Bass boost, neutral and Bass Light. I used the neutral setting for most of my listening and switched the bass boost on when necessary.
 
My overall thoughts would change going from setting to setting there are three different settings that all work very much towards what they were geared to but don’t seem to offer what you like to expect.
Let me elaborate on this a touch setting one Bass Light literally cuts out all bass everything from mid bass bloat to sub bass rumble has been diminished. Moving on to the neutral setting yes there is some fairly quality bass there nothing intrudes too much into the rest of the sound and there is enough pump and musicality to be called pleasant. Door number three Bass Boost, boost it, it does heapings of mid bass to spare and even a dash of cream to thicken up the midrange. 
 
Very disappointed I liked the bass boost setting and the meat it added to the sound but finding out that it was going to lead to a slightly sloppy and uncontrolled listen I soon resorted back to safer ground. 
 
They did an okay job with an otherwise gimmicky feature though some will find it far from that. The point being is I wished they would have opted for the bass settings to enhance all the qualities the MK802 already holds rather than just focusing on the bass itself. The Bass light setting just left you with an emptiness and the bass boost just added bloat (beside the hint of richness to the midrange). I suppose what I am trying to say is maybe they’d have been better off leaving this feature out and focusing more on the overall sound but hey that’s just my two cents.
 
Soundstage:
 
Well again it’s something I wish I had more words for but don’t. If I were looking for a pair of headphones another thing I like to hear is air, instrument separation and magical imaging. I mean it’s one of the reason why have the differences between in ears and over ears isn’t it? 
That all being said the MK802 simple just do their job nothing more nothing less, which can be a little tiresome. I wouldn’t say I have any major grips with it just that I was in want of more air more space and maybe a touch more precision. 
 
If you got the impression that these are a decent set of headphones scoring average marks all round you’d be about right. Think of any headphone that hasn’t really done too much wrong but never tickled your fancy and you’d be about where I am with the MK802’s.
 
Conclusion
 
Overall these aren’t a bad set of headphones especially when you are considering a Bluetooth set however it’s a shame these don’t really follow in the footsteps of what could be considered the in-ear counterpart 1More provide, which were in my humble opinion the best Bluetooth earphones I’ve listen to thus far. 
 
I can’t go out on a limb and rave about these because they just didn’t tick enough boxes for me. The bass control is nice but needs refinement, they are a comfy fit but I’ve wore comfier headphones. The price is always going to be subjective but I think there are better sets out there that I would be willing to save up to get closer to what I want. Knock these down to about £60 and I might be convinced there is still a reason for these being relevant. 
 
Here is a link to their website to find out more info on specs, picture and pricing etc.: https://uk.1more.com/collections/headphones/products/mk802-bluetooth-over-ear-headphones?gclid=COTX4Ki40s8CFS8o0wodiaUElQ
Amazon Link just in case that wasn't enough: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MK802-Bluetooth-Over-Ear-Headphones-Remote/dp/B01GT79OIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476194896&sr=8-1&keywords=1more+mk802

Introduction

 

The A83 have been on my wish list for a while now, saw them at a reasonable price so thought why not snatch them up. So here we are I finally have the lovelies plugged into my ears and what a joy it is!

 

Initial impressions

 

I'm having to write this as I've noticed quite a significant amount of adjustment since the A83 and I first met.

 

Well my initial impressions had me feeling a little lost didn't quite know how to sum them up, couldn't get a good read on them at all.  The sound was good at best and the fit well that was just plain awful. Don't get me wrong I didn't feel these sounded bad just a little off considering what I was expecting.

 

The highs felt rolled off, the midrange lacking the raw emotion I'd heard so much about and a bass that didn't know where it belonged. Good thing after having a few finickity earphones recently, I now know source and tips can be incredibly crucial in bringing out an earphones true character.

 

Packaging

 

Ooo lovely I just love getting new toys in the mail hehe. 

 

I've posted some pictures below as you can see:

 

A nicely presented box, inside we find; 

 



 
 

A solid foam earphone holder which is rather handy if you’re anal about neatness like myself 

 

 
 
 

 

An incredibly tactile plastic carrying box

 



 

 

And last but not least all your standard accessories i.e Ear Tips and adapters etc. (Unfortunately not receiving the unit brand new I'm missing some ear tips but ah well)  

 

Build quality/Design/Fit

 

If it's one of the things that contributes to that half a star drop it would be in this section. The build quality is fantastic solidly built shells encase the drivers and every contour joined together perfectly. 

  

The design is as you can see a typical over ear hook which is fine most of the time unless of course you have fit issue like myself. Even with the Dunu 2K ear tips I still can't seem to get a great deal of comfort for listening longevity. In all honesty I would probably buy this earphone all over again, with no upgrade to sound, if the bloody things would fit comfortably for longer listening sessions without faff but I digress.

 

As of yet no problems have occurred with the connectors, but as you can see in the picture the left earpiece doesn't quite sit flush like on the other side. I think this may be due to a problem with my cable connector not the iem itself. Thankful I had a friend to hold them so I could get a better picture the left earpiece being the blue and the right one in red.

 



 

 

 

Apart from my moans and groans overall they seem very solid and the cable looks like it's built like a tank so all is good.

 

 

Sound impressions after playing

 

As a disclaimer I just want to point out what works for me might not necessarily work for you. Now that being said I found my ideal ear tips thus far have been the Dunu 2K's grey silicon tips. You can find more information with regards to ear tips and sources on the thread. (A winning combo seems to be the Shozy Alien Dap and JVC spiral dot tips) which I have yet to try.

 

The first source I started using was the AR-M2 player, which I have been smitten with for some time now, but partnered with the A83 it just sounded a little unflattering like everything I mentioned in regard to my initial impressions. So I pulled out my good old Meridian explorer, plugged her in and using my newly acquired Quickstep amp began really enjoying my music, no like really enjoying.

 

There is this lovely quality about Fidue's house sound which really allows you to start enjoying your music again. I had the same feeling with one of their younger model the A63. Anyway with the correct source and tips everything said about these bad boys began to ring true. 

 

Highs

 

The treble isn't subdued by any means but a little more relaxed sounding than something like the Dunu 2K. I really quite like the treble and timbre the A83 portrays. Detail retrieval is pretty damn good not the best I've heard but certainly enough to keep up with most if not all TWFK designs I've heard to date. 

Truthfully extension is fairly good but it could do with a touch more to really bring out all those nuances we all love to hear so much. Whilst on the subject of improvements I wish the presentation had a touch more space with slightly airy treble to accompany a wider deeper stage but I will get to this later.

 

Midrange

 

There is much to love about the A83 and the way it lures you in with its vocal reproduction. I would call the mids slightly forward sounding and absolutely packed with fun. I don’t find them quite as enjoyable as the ASG 1Plus however, that being said these are very addictive earphones to listen to. Vocals don't come across overly thick and there is a great detailing to match which add to the ambience. I think the A83 strikes an almost perfect balance between a fun and serious listen experience.

 

As much as I love the mid range there is still room for improvement. One thing I would have hoped for is a touch more air to surround the mids, this could have really made a great thing even better.

 

Bass

 

Texture is great you get a real full bodied sound with spades of detail to match. Immediately coming from some bass lighter earphones I thought the midbass was a little overcooked. However, with a bit of time and after brain burn in kicked I started to hear a rather clean bass. Don't get me wrong there is still a little mid bass bleed but not as much as I'd initially thought.  Personally I’d like a touch less mid bass and an added bit of sub bass to clean everything up a hair but overall the bass is very well done. The speed is great keeping up with complex passages and manages to stay out of the way when needed 99% of the time. 

 

There is a touch lack of extension when reaching to the lowest of bass notes but nothing to complain about, or would even be picked up upon unless critically listening. 

 

Imaging/Soundstage

 

This again is an area which I feel is good really quite good but not quite great. Firstly let us start with the soundstage, I am still trying to get my head around this one, it is wide but not overly so I would say depth is lacking slightly detracting from that traditional open stage monitor kind of signature.

 

Moving on to the imaging side of things the A83 are competent everything is where is should be you get to hear those clicks in the mix as you listen in and get swept up by the music. Once again I find myself coming back to this point of air I love an airy sound signature but with the A83 I feel they are lacking that separation I desperately crave. Certain passages just felt a touch congested this could be due to the mid bass bleed but I am nit picking now.

 

I wouldn't call this a complaint just personal preference as the A83 still deliver an overall stunning package for the price if I had a restricted budget I would choose these over the 1Plus but only if funds were absolutely inflexible.    

 

Conclusion

 

I know it seems like the A83 have been picked apart by a seemingly uninspired review but I assure you this earphone is still a beauty. I think with the price performance ratio, despite a few shortcomings, this is certainly one of the most enjoyable earphones I've had the privilege of listening to. I really hope Fidue don't change too much and work on some improvements I certainly will be first in line for the A83 2.0.

 

As always if there are any questions or comments feel free to ask away. Hope you guys enjoyed this review.  

 

As there already four reviews I shall keep this one short and sweet.
 
Initial impressions: Holy cow! Accessories galore, beautiful balanced sound and more accessories.
 
The sound has grown on me over the months and actually changed my sound preferences. Overall these are what I would call neutral but not necessarily natural. The flavor consists of dry, clean, transparency with a bite of lemon.
 
Treble: In a nutshell basically the treble is very detailed but doesn't quite have the extension to reach its ambitions. It can be very sharp at times with a bad recording and prone to sibilance with the wrong tips and spacers. I find it a little brittle and forced but timber is pretty good and it tries its very best to throw as much detail at you as it possibly can. 
 
Mids: Wow this is one thing I love so much about these iem's. Clear and transparent I wouldn't call them forward but they certainly aren't recessed and with a slight volume boost can be brought forward to your own liking. Coming from the Fischer amps Fa-4e XB I suddenly realized what I had been missing all this time, emotion ! Although the mids can be a little thin at times with the right track, ear tips, spacers and volume the mid range can become highly addictive as you get caught up in each instrument and listen to vocals shining through their pronounced transparency and emotion into your ears and into your heart. The 2000s have made me rethink what I like most when listening to music and the mid range whilst not quite perfect has shed some light on what I love most.
 
Bass: Surprises is what the Dunu offer in the bass department. I am a self confessed bass head and although I would not call these bass heavy by any stretch they have this innate ability to just slam, bang  and rumble when awoken. The bass to me is almost perfect, ask me about eight months ago to listen to these and say that statement I would have laughed in your face. But then again preferences change and these have altered my thinking, I now know music doesn't have to be clouded with a heap of artificial bass to sound musical. It's a pleasure to listen when the sub bass kicks in it always reaches deep with such great quality and texture one can only really expect from a dynamic driver.    
 
Sounstage, Instrument Separation: Where to begin this is kinda a mixed bag on a good day these things have a great soundstage, well placed not entirely three dimensional but fairly encompassing shines with some good trance tracks . I don't know how to fully articulate this part of the sound signature as it really varies from track to track all I will say is width is great but over all height could be improved for a more holographic sound. These do posses the skills to separate instruments very well and present the music in an airy manor giving each instrument its own personal space to breath.
 
In conclusion I find these to be an incredible bargain for the price. If you're after a balanced iem with great transparency and great sub bass just get these and be done with it. There are areas where I feel like things could be improved but this is a touch more subjective rather than objective.
 
Warning: Do not pull the grey wings to hard back as I managed to pull the back piece of my earphones off, whilst still fully functioning its not recommended you do this I almost cried thinking I had broken them, although nothing a bit of super glue can't fix ha.
 
Gear used: Clas Solo-db + Duet + Balanced interconnect.  Tips, spacers used: Finally settled on the blue spacers and foam tips due to overall comfort and isolation. 

 
Firstly I just wanted to thank Simon and Adam at Pro-Ject for the review sample of the Head Box S USB. I am not affiliated with Pro-Ject in any way, all impressions are written as objectively as possible. That being said let’s get started.
 
Inside the box/Build quality
 
Well don’t expect anything too exciting here, the Head Box S USB comes in a rather plain white box and if we dive in a little further you will find the product itself encased in a brown box, which holds all the accessories. All, yes I said all. Damn it a man can’t help but feel a little let down, before getting into the reason your probably reading the review i.e. how does it sound, I just want to say I wished Pro-Ject had included a little more, you’re getting pretty much the bare essentials and that’s it.
 
 
The Head Box S USB is a tidy neat… well black box. It feels incredibly solid and holds a fair amount of weight to it. You have the big beautiful, smooth analogue knob for volume control and also all your inputs and outputs which are displayed and described a little further on. It’s quite hard describing how plain yet strikingly simple this thing is so…… They say pictures paint a thousand words, so here are a few below:
 


 
Moving on what you get is the following;
 

1. Power lead
2. Multiple power adaptor sockets 
3. USB lead
4. The Head Box S USB itself
5. Manual

 
What I’d like to see included;
 

1. ¼ inch adapter
2. Phono to jack lead at least one
3. RCA cables

 
I promise there is a reason why I’ve chosen to shine a light on this, what I can only assume was an accident, it is the fact the Head Box S USB is to be used as a desktop unit! The ¼ inch is forgivable and cheap to pick up, and I’m sure most audiophiles out there will have a quality Phono to jack but really to get full use of this thing straight out the box it’s almost a necessity to have these included. Because without them you’ve pretty much just got a black box that sounds good but you won’t know until you can try it!
 
Let’s explorer this a little more in the functionality section.
 
Functionality
 
Well one of the most obvious uses for this unit is the fact it’s a DAC! So one would assume you’d have a cable included so you can make use of it through the line out. But alas there isn’t so unless you have a phono cable you’re stuck to using this unit as a DAC/AMP combo running out of the ¼ inch headphone out.
 
Inputs: There are two ways of feeding music through this unit, one is its obvious use as a DAC/AMP by which you use a digital device of your choosing to channel music through the Head Box S USB. The second method is by utilising the amplifier section of the device by using a phono to jack cable meaning you may hook up a higher end DAC and take just take advantage of the amplifier section alone. (Which I might add is pretty damn good)
 
 
Outputs: Well unfortunately I haven’t been able to use the unit as a standalone DAC I did try following the manual which states “The Out RCA/phono sockets of the headphone amplifier can be connected to the input sockets of you recorder “. Maybe I missed something here but just couldn’t get any sort of output using the RCA Out on the unit.  A shame really because so far the unit has stood its ground with regards to sound quality.
 
I am pretty much out of my rant now so we can take a look into how the unit actually sounds.
 
Sound quality as DAC/AMP
 
Firstly I just want to describe a little about the sound of the unit as a whole for those using headphones or earphones with it. Most of my listening was done using the R2Pro earphones but I also used the Audio Technica ATH-50’s and tried the unit out with my Harman Kardon Soundsticks. All I will say is anyone with a decent Hi Fi system may want to take a look elsewhere but those looking to use this as a desktop amp for you headphones and/or earphones read on!
 
Secondly, as lazy as this may sound I decided not to add a section specifically when using this as an amp because the difference in sound quality between the DAC and using the Amplifier simply wasn’t all that different. Furthermore it will depend on the source you feed the amp to how it contributes to the sound. However, it is worth mentioning though to really take advantage of the amplifier make sure your input is set to its loudest setting, or else when you'll go to turn the volume up on the amplifier you will hear clicks, pops and cutting.  
 
Treble
 
Almost spot on, there is a sufficient amount of detailing that presents itself in the treble. I really dig the natural presentation, I have heard DAC/AMP combos before that have messed this part up a little by trying a little too hard. That doesn’t mean to say the Head Box S doesn’t try hard but its efforts just seem effortless, there is a smooth, grain less approach which can leave out the upmost parts of the higher frequencies, but this is still certainly a noticeable improvement over most sources.
 
Decay on guitars and strings stay but for a moment but the timber is actually very good at this price point. There’s room for improvement but man they haven’t gone far wrong in creating something that sounds so organic. Thankfully the treble mixes in so nicely with the rest of the sound you forget to ask if there is enough air surrounding each instrument as you listen, the answer is yes there is maybe not extravagantly so but nothing to be looked down at.
 
Midrange
 
Again there really isn’t much to fault here, hats off to Pro-Ject for creating such a well-rounded unit. I’ll throw in a little comparison against my Meridian explorer, a long-time favourite of mine, so on the one hand you clearly have a more mid centric sound and on the other you have something so delicate it begs you to listen more. I still love and probably always will love the Meridian simply because of its expansive soundstage and great midrange. But here’s the kicker I actually preferred the slightly more chilled approach of the Head Box on a few tracks.
 
There’s no cry for attention it just subtly draws you in. Vocals come across slightly behind the bass and treble however it very rarely feels like you’ve missed something out. The unit sometimes does lack a bit of detailing and bite. It’s almost like a haze sometimes unfortunately, and on some tracks the relaxed style seems to smear some of the detailing out of the midrange. But 9 out of 10 isn’t bad looking at its price point.
 
Bass
 
“Uptown Funk you up, I said Uptown Funk you up.” I have got to stop doing that in reviews, my sincerest apologies I was caught up in the rhythm and beat now back to the matter at hand. Bass will not disappoint most, the Box presents a rhythmic pace with a full bodied bottom end (sorry does that sound rude J) anyway it does not overcook the bass I’m please to say. In fact I think the bass might even be a little tighter than my beloved Meridian Explorer!
 
There is a solidarity to the bass that keeps the whole sound together, you never really feel like any one frequency is showing signs of deficiency. I would say there is a more of an emphasis towards the mid bass but the sub bass does its best to extend down to the nether regions but it just doesn’t always quite make it.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
 
So by this point you can see this wonderful little black box is keeping up quite nicely in every area. Okay time to play bad cop, I won’t describe the soundstage as airy or small but it’s certainly a different approach to the Meridian. Now if we were talking about sound stage and imaging vs something like your iPhone then there is a noticeable difference!
 
Instruments all have a place and take their seat wherever they belong on this slightly open stage. Nevertheless imaging remains fairly solid with a decent enough sense of space and accuracy, sure it could be wider, deeper and airier but to be honest I’m not complaining it doesn’t do things too bad at all and if I am being quite frank the natural presentation has really started to grow on me. The unit does really tend to stand out with acoustic pieces and well mastered recording will come across a lot more airy then some grime track recorded in a basement but that’s expected.
 
Resolution and refinement
 
Not a section I usually write about but since this magic box has done so well I wanted to add a little extra in to give more of an idea of the tone the Head Box S USB sets. Firstly I’d like to say it’s quite an admirable feat the Box has managed to pull sounding as good as it does with its limited sampling rate.
 
Anyway moving on to the resolution it wasn’t until I did a real A & B test against my AR-M2 that I started to see some more of its actual shortcomings in regard to sound. So thus far everything had a sounds sweet, fairly airy and organic, switching back to my AR-M2 though I suddenly realised the poor Box was actually lacking the real level of audio fidelity, resolution and refinement.
 
Sure it stands pretty great as a unit and I am not complaining also taking into consideration the price difference, but there certainly lack that extra sense of warmth and rich musicality you only really start to hear when you enter into that high resolution territory.
 
Extras
 
For kicks I hooked up the unit to my iPhone using Apple's CCK, as the unit is limited to 16 bit, I wasn’t going to be getting the most out of my high resolution files anyway. But I tell you what although there’s a difference between my beloved AR-M2 and this it’s not as big as one might think, I loved this thing with my iPhone! I must say I’ve tried a few DAC’s with my iPhone some with improvement some not so much but this unit certainly makes a difference. The sound doesn’t change a bit and remains as fluid and clean as when connected to my laptop which is more than I can say for others I have tried.
 
Concluding thoughts
 
I really have enjoyed my time with the Head Box S USB, it a shame it didn’t boast a bit more from its lacklustre accessories to its humble and unimpressive appearance and sampling rate. As far as sound goes for music enthusiasts this is a good bit of kit, I know this certainly won’t stratify diehard audiophiles but for those wanting a set up in sound quality and a tidy little rig at home or at work it’s hard not to recommend the Head Box S USB on sound alone. 

I borrowed these from a friend as a trial and I can see why he likes them, unfortunately I do not share the same appreciation. Original review updated an extra half a star added. 
 
Let me elaborate on this as it's no justification at all to dismiss these earphones because I have a personal preference. So with over 100 hours of burn in and a pain staking few days getting used to them I feel I can now review and asses the fx750's with brutal honesty.
 
Well lets start off with some positives:
 
Spacious is a word that I find myself picking as I write this. It is so odd coming from my Dunu 2000's which I now consider my reference pair as they have no significant flaws throughout the sound spectrum. Well that being said the 750 are certainly wider, the sound stage is open, the vented design I assuming helps this but I find it can be quite unrealistic. I am a big fan of musicality so a slightly out of head feeling is something I consider a positive. Unfortunately after being spoiled by listening to accurate reproduction through other earphones it makes me question why instruments are coming at me at all angles with no serious positional ques.
 
There is actually a copious amount of detail but I often found these earphones quite picky of sources there is no chance of me getting through an entire minute of music on my old ipod classic 5.5 amp or no amp. However in the spirit of perseverance I tried several other source finally settling on my laptop surprisingly enough. The sources used to try the 750s are as follows: Meridian Explorer, iPhone 6, ipod classic 5.5 with and without Neco V4 and finally Asus K55V straight from the headphone socket.
 
With all sources there seemed to be a lack of detail a hazy sound is the best way to describe it. There was always something missing significantly enough to warrant me pulling them out of my ears within a few minutes.
 
Bass these would like to be all about that bass, sometimes there's no treble. No seriously kidding aside the bass on these earphones complex me a little, I love bass especially bass done right. These are cannons which I can imagine some people enjoying, tons of mid bass which leaves a chasm of depth and texture to be filled. Don't get me wrong I've heard worse but when listening to these earphones you soon come to understand there is such a thing as quality and ergo lack off. I can understand what JVC are trying to do unfortunately it hasn't worked particularly well, I can only assume this was an effort to add warmth and character such a shame it didn't quite work out that way. I am listening to these again as I write this final sentence and there is still an over generous amount of mid bass but this however does add character and warmth to the sound, I am certainly not retracting any thing from what I have previously said but It is certainly not as bad as I lead myself to believe.
 
Transparency does exist and my sincerest apologies if that sounds sarcastic. There is with the right source a clarity to the sound particularly violins shine and shimmer through with some pretty great timbre. I have reevaluated the earphones in an effort to make sure everything is done in fair justice.
 
Mids and treble.... Well it isn't bad there is actually a substantial amount of detail here especially hidden in the treble it's just a little more subdued than I've gotten used to.
 
I would say due to the slightly recessed mid range there seems to be a lack of detail, but when doing some critical listening it becomes a little more apparent its only an effect. On the contrary there is about as much detail as I've ever heard from any dynamic driver. The mids are a marshmallow with metallic sprinkles for treble. With the right source and song the treble is actually presented rather nicely there is a natural tone to stringed instruments which I have missed many times listening on inaccurate sources. The mids are presented but take a back seat to the music and that ghastly, messy mid bass covers them when the bass line pumps. There are some benefits to this as it does lead to a warm rich sound. All in all these are not the strongest earphones for vocals but they do there best to not mess anything up. 
 
Fit well the long and short is these were not built for my ears. These earphones have been a pain to get to seated. I've tried various tips ranging from the spiral dots to comply and back. If you are seriously considering getting a pair please try get a demo if at all possible. I only say this as a pre-warning as I know the frustration of having a beautiful pair of earphones made unlistenable due to comfort and fit issues.
 
The overall signature is warm with generous detailing, great timber and good transparency . I would love to hear it's bigger brother in hope it may be a more refined version with greater transparency, more control and a more accurate presentation. In conclusion these are not bad earphones its only due to hearing rivals in a similarly price category I can't whole heartily recommend them.

 
Disclaimer
 
I just want to say an honorary thank you to Felix for arranging this product tour and also a thank you to Pro-Ject for the opportunity to give feedback on these headphones. That being said I have no affiliation with Pro-Ject so all opinions are written purely and as objectively as possible.
 
Background about Pro-Ject
 
Pro-Ject Audio Systems was founded 25 years ago. In 2006 the company also started a venture into micro hi-fi components including DACs, amplifiers etc.
 
Actually one of Pro-Ject’s amplifiers happened to be one of the first audiophile components I got the chance of trying as I was growing into my audio hobby/addiction.  So a little bit of a privilege and nostalgia getting to try out one of their later products. 
 
Here are two links to Pro-Ject’s products page for further product information and specifications: 
 
http://www.box-designs.com/main.php?tech=hearitone&cat=headphones&lang=en
 
http://www.box-designs.com/main.php?prod=hearitone&cat=headphones&lang=en
 
Inside the Box
 
I don’t quite know why but the lime green has a certain alluring appeal, as you can see in the photos the presentation is pleasant, neat and tidy. On the back of the box Pro-Ject have decided to add a little tease for all us audio addicts out there by picturing one of their headphone amplifiers on the back unfortunately, the amp isn’t included. 
 
 

 
So what is? Well of course you get the Hear it One headphones and also a ¼ inch adaptor with a slightly thin but suitable carrying pouch not too shabby for a headphone costing under a 100 Euros. The carry case is ample for travel and I would assume will protect the headphones from scratches and tarnishing. 
 

 
 
 
 
Build Quality and Design
 
Whilst I haven’t had a copious amount of experience with over ear headphones these certainly seem well built in comparison to a few other models which will remain nameless. The design reminds me slightly of the Fostex T50RP’s only a slightly less macho version, a mini me if you will. The housing is made of plastic but doesn’t feel cheap or give off that tacky expression in any sort of way.
 
The cable design is made of a light weight fabric however, doesn’t exactly scream quality but a pragmatic design no less. The cable unfortunately, is somewhat cheap feeling and is also hardwired in, not a deal breaker but something that may be good to see in a later revision unit. Thankfully the internal wiring used is OFC so some thought was put into the sound quality aspect. The cable length is a modest 1.25M long perfect for portable use. 
 
You can also make adjustments to the size and fit by moving the ear cups up and down the metal sliders. The headband is covered in a nicely finished leather and in addition you get Pro-Ject’s logo printed across the headband a subtle touch I quite like.
 

 
 
 
Comfort and Isolation
 
Hehe oh boy one thing I feel I can brag about a little here is certainly the comfort. Pro-Ject have decided on using a memory foam inside the ear pads. This has resulted in wonderful comfort and isolation managing to block out a decent amount of external noise. Due to the design and pads I personally find these one of the more comfortable over ear headphones I’ve tried.
 
I must mention though my ears are fairly small so the ear cups cover my ears perfectly and for those with slightly bigger ears this may not be the case. Still all in all great design not felt any discomfort regarding pressure or that overly warm feeling you can get from over ears.
 
Sound Quality
 
Let us move on to the bit we always find ourselves wanting to skip to. How do these sound! Broken down below is some basic impressions and conclusion on the overall sound quality of these headphones.
 
Treble 
 
The treble is nicely presented with detailed offerings splashed into the music as you listen in. But there isn't anything too special to mention here, it's not particularly airy but the sense of separation is there just enough for you to pick out an instrument or two. Anyone looking for mammoth amounts of detail I'd look elsewhere but for the price there's certainly nothing to be sniffed at.
 
Should you have a whiff though you might find yourself wanting a little more aroma and extension? I didn't find the headphones particularly fatiguing but after a while I found myself a touch exhausted with the presentation wanting just a little more excitement without the added aggression. Treble detail did seem to improve slightly with burn in time becoming less grainy and more refined finding its place within the sound spectrum a little better.
 
All in all it is fairly competent in what it’s trying to accomplish but there are others that do a better job at this price point, combining an extra bit of sparkle with a dash more sophistication.  
 
Midrange
 
Okay well don't let me fool you into believing these are a complete faux par when it comes to sound quality because they’re not. The vocals do take a back seat and try and let the bass and treble drive the sound and chips in its part by pointing out landmarks across the way.
 
Still even with the relaxed presentation there is still plenty of information presented from guitar plucks and subtle breaths in songs. There is a downside to the recession with some female vocal tracks voices can sound a little distant and hazy making you crank up the volume to push them forward a bit. However, with the right recording they do reproduce a warm rich sound that blends in well with the bass.
 
Personally I’d like a more forward presentation and added clarity in the vocal department however, I have heard a lot worse. Furthermore there is a nice sense of warmth that comes across in the vocal range making for a more relaxed listening session, a coffee by the fireplace sort of deal.
 
Bass 
 
Despite some of its shortcoming the Hear it One does do bass and does it quite well I might add. These are by no means bass heavy headphones but there is a certain bias towards it. The mid bass is prominent on any track when it calls for it but does its best to stay out the way of the rest of the sound spectrum.
 
Moving a little lower to the sub bass region is where the poor Hear it One seems to bottom out a bit extension goes down quite well but not quite deep enough to reach those dirty, window rattling levels.
There is a slight lack of texture and bass definition so you don’t always necessarily get the same definition as you would from something like ATH-50s.  Still I can’t find a lot to fault here as nothing messes up the overall sound and I quite like its character in the way it presents itself when called upon.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
 
Remarkably considering the overall darker tone of the headphone and lack of air the soundstage doesn’t seem to suffer from it. In fact it was one of the things that caught my attention the moment I heard them. There is good width and depth with an almost out you head kind of feel. Now here is where I have to take some brownie points away due to half assed attempted imagery, okay that’s a little harsh, no you can place instruments around the place here and there but there’s just no really pin pointing where it’s all coming from it almost feels a little like a blur then a flash of “Oh wait what was that”. But criticism aside there is still that lovely soundstage to take the edge off some of its inadequacies.
 
Concluding thoughts
 
Whilst I can’t hand on heart say this would be my go to recommendation for a set of over ear headphones. I will say for the price they actually haven’t gone far wrong. It’s a shame because something such as Sennheiser’s baby Momentum’s are now going for as little as £60 on eBay and to me offer a little more bang for buck. The Hear it one is a good headphone and I would like to see some DIY’ers get their hands on it to see what they can do to pull out some of its hidden potential. Regrettably though as it stands it a good attempt and certainly a comfy headphone but the market has become an even tougher place now to standout with price performance ratios being beaten every day.
 
Please check out some of Pro-Jects other stuff as well though because they're a great company with a lot of solid offerings, whom I’m sure we will get to see a lot more from in the future.
 
Thanks for reading and if there are any questions please comment below and I will do my best to respond. 

 
Disclaimer
 
As a disclaimer, I must mention the Edifier B3 sound bar was sent to me for this review free of charge from Edifier. A massive thank you to Kathryn who has been endlessly supportive during my time with the B3 an apology as well for the delay it has taken to write this.
 
Background
 
I am an avid user of most things audio which begs to ask the question why I haven’t dabbled too much into a great Hi Fi system. There is an answer to this, you see long ago when I was but a young lad I had an obsession for loud bass heavy systems. This resulted in me spending more on my car audio system than I did on my first car and some very unhappy neighbors.
 
Suffice it to say not everyone was happy, apart from me and my friends, so I had to look for a quieter solution here entered the world of earphones and personal audio. I was hooked and didn’t spend much time looking back. I am sure I have lost the point of why I am writing this but anyway since that time I haven’t seen many sound bars or stereos I have been particularly interested in.
 
Now with that era behind me I have come to rediscover my love for a good quality sound system and I will say this the B3 is one of the best sound bars I’ve heard to date.
 
Build Quality, Installation, Specs
 
Specifications 
 
•    POWER OUTPUT ：RMS 16W×2(Treble) +19W×2(Mid-range and bass) 
•    SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO ：≥ 85dBA
•    FREQUENCY RESPONSE ：60Hz~20KHz (±6dB)
•    INPUT SENSITIVITY ：PC: 700 ± 50mV | AUX: 550 ± 50mV
OPT, COX: 400 mFFs ± 50 mFFs
•    INPUT TYPE ：PC/Auxiliary/Optical/Coaxial/Bluetooth
•    MID-RANGE AND BASS DRIVER ：70mm
•    TREBLE DRIVER ：19mm
•    SPEAKER DIMENSIONS: 1000x79x80mm
•    PACKAGING BOX DIMENSIONS: 1066x170x143mm
 
Oh, if I could just jump into the sound I would but this needs some attention too unfortunately. So, let us kick things off with the looks. As you can see from the pictures below there isn’t much to it a very sleek looking, black Toblerone design believe me it might not be chocolate but it sounds just as sweet.
 
Installation is a piece of cake I am sure a trained monkey could fit this thing plug and play and the rest is paint by numbers. Should you have any issues though there is always the instruction manual for those less manly/prideful. There is also the addition of a wall mount in case you wish to have the B3 levitating in your set up.
 
Overall the build quality is nothing short of great and ticks all my boxes I think it would survive a drop or two, that is not a challenge however! Aesthetically speaking there isn’t anything to complain about and I have included some glamour shots below.
 
Under the hood, we have a generous amount of tech to keep you satisfied the B3 sound bar is loaded with four 70mm speaker units for lows and mids, as well as two 19mm tweeters for clear highs. At maximum setting, B3 can output 100 dB of room-filling sound. It also features DSP not sure exactly how it works but I am not complaining.
 

Features and Accessories
 
This isn’t a big section so instead of wasting too much time I have copied a quote from Edifiers official web page.
 
“Multiple Connections
B3's optical input delivers lossless audio. Coaxial, RCA Line In and auxiliary inputs are also available, so the sound bar can be connected to your TV, game systems, Blu-ray players and other sources at the same time. That means all your favourite entertainment are ready to go, whenever you want, without the hassle of switching wires.”
 
As always, I recommend the optical option a wire is also included in the package which is a nice addition. However, the B3 is very versatile allowing several other inputs in case you can’t go this route. The B3 also features improved Bluetooth technology, which provides up to 10 meters of connection. It's faster and more reliable. So, you can stream a world of music from your smart-phone, tablets and any other Bluetooth-enabled devices, seamlessly. (I got lazy and copied that last bit but I can testify for its accuracy in connection and distance quotation.)
 
Inside the box, you will get a handy dandy remote which you’ll be able to use to turn off/on the sound bar, select inputs, adjust volume and mute it in a hurry if you need to. The remote itself is quite small measuring about 8 cm X 3 cm. My only concern is given enough time in a family household this tiny thing will go missing. Thankfully even if you couldn’t get a replacement the B3 offers functional controls on the side of the sound bar itself. You also get a wall mount for easy installation, a RCA to 3.5mm cable and an optical cable for your T.V. 

Sound Quality
 
I never thought I would make it this far but we have and if you’ve stayed along for the journey come join me and let’s have a drink at the sound bar.
 
First things first I would like to state all impression made in each section will be my overall impression not based on any one setting unless specified. As this needs to be as informative as possible below I have broken down the characteristics of how each sound setting effects the performance of the sound spectrum.
 
News: This setting is certainly not for the bass lover and will happily cut out any unnecessary mid bass, this however doesn’t mean it hasn’t got a function. I find this setting more useful for listening to regular T.V you get a distinction of voices and the added treble and detail make for a good listening experience.
 
Movie: Okay we are barking up my tree now or starting to at least. The movie setting as suggested was designed for all your movie lovers out there and I say it does do a bang up job. This is certainly the more bassier of two settings mention so far but hints and keeps elements attributed to the News settings. Overall you get a darker sound plenty of detail and bass to boot it really is the middle setting and perfect for games and movies.
 
3D: This is my personal favourite but not for casual T.V watching or movies. This setting is and was designed, in my opinion, for the music lover. All in all, it holds a lot of the detail whilst adding a rich depth to the sound, panning out spatial cues from left to right and adding a blood pumping amount of bass to the mix. You would however get the impression that this would-be idea for movies or maybe even T.V but I would challenge that assumption. The reason being is the 3D almost adds too much bass for easy listening and this comes at the expense of the detail you need to hear during your viewing time, I have no idea why but the effects just aren’t the same when playing music through it, no loss of detail and an addition of fun. I am stumped but for now I will stick to that as my music setting.
 
I was in two minds about splitting this down into sections as I would typically do with my headphone reviews but in this case I would like to discuss the B3 as an all in one package.
 
There is much to love about the B3 especially when coming from the poor speakers packed into most of today s T. V’s. The first thing you will be greeted by is the pleasant volume increase everything from voices to hidden nuances are now much more pronounced. Of course, being able to hear what you are listening to is a bonus but the fun doesn’t stop there.
 
When you think of tiny sound it must make you cringe and believe me even though I haven’t a vast experience with sound bars some sound just as bad if not worst then your standard T.V speakers. Thankfully the B3 doesn’t sing that song instead you get a rich, detailed and enveloping sound that is great for everything from movies to music.
 
In all honesty when you have your desired setting you can’t really go wrong with what the B3 offers but there are obviously, some cravats to this otherwise stunning piece of equipment. Funnily enough what I am about to mention doesn’t seem anywhere near as prominent when playing music through the B3.
 
So, what’s the issue then? Well guys and girls, the simple answer is distortion. Please do not hear me wrong the B3 is great but when watching less that spotless quality recordings, T.V shows or Movies when pushed to its limits the B3 starts to become a little messy. There is a shake of detail and sharpness, the bass losses its visceral emotion and things just kind of just become unflattering. This isn’t the case however when playing music through it, I can only chalk this down to my T.V or poor audio sources as with music the B3 just shines as well as any good book shelve speaker.
 
Final thoughts
 
I have liked this sound bar a lot but as mentioned in sound section it isn’t quite perfect, it still has outshone a ton of its competitors or at least anything else I could try in that price range. I would like still like to see this get some attention because it is a great sound bar it might not fit the bill if you are looking for earth shattering bass or a complete surround sound system but hell for the price it’s a steal.
 
I’m sure I have missed some bits out and if you find anything you feel didn’t give you full coverage please leave a comment below and I will do my best to get back to you.

Disclaimer
 
Firstly, I would like to thank Tony at HiFiHeadphones for this review sample and setting up the review tour, in trade for honest opinions and impressions. 
 
Introduction
 
So without spoiling too much, what is the A65 all about well it’s one of Fidue’s mid-tier earphones that I can only assume was made to desecrate any earphone at this price point and even many above it, The A65’s uses a micro dynamic titanium driver, rare for a headphone of this type but becoming more and more popular. There are a few draw backs, barely, but we will get to that a little later. 
My initial impressions were these sound pretty good, all I can say is keep reading because these things are something spectacular.
 
Unboxing/packaging
 
You might hear me bang on about the bang for buck these earphones offer but that doesn't mean they skimp too much on presentation.The earphones come in a rather plain yet quaint box, typically upon opening the box you see the beauty creep out. A nice faux black sued encases the earphones, included accessories are 3 pairs of small, medium and large silicone tips, 1 pair of double-flange tips and a soft carrying pouch as pictured below. I've tried to not spend too much time on this sections so I hope the pictures will write the words for me.
 

Design/comfort 
 
There is no shame in having a crush alright so don’t judge me when I say it was love at first sight! Honestly though I find it hard for anyone not to enjoy the textured, creative raw yet refined appeal the A65 offer. They remind me a reinvented DN-2000 smaller tighter and lighter.  The outer case for the earphones are wrapped in a brushed copper finish with the housing taking on the form of a very handsome pyramid. As you can see a lot of thought and effort was put into the small touches looking at the little logo on the back and the ever so slightly rounded nibs that hold your ear tips on. They say the little things matter and I must agree.
 
The cable is a little less luxury but once used for a bit went from a stiffed neck partner to someone who was quite agreeable. It actually reminds me of a coated version cable that was on the GR07 BE, so underneath the brown hue is a candy cane, barber shop, red and white swirled design. Why this choice I have no idea? Honestly whack on an extra £10 and give me a removable one I would be quite happy. 
 
Comfort wasn’t too bad with the supplied silicon ear tips that accompanied the earphones however comfort was greatly improved when I slid on some of my own foamies. Love me some foamies just
not Comply, never Comply, I kid they’re great but I hope one day all the slight digs people take at them will sink in and the revise the durability. Anyway petty issues aside the A65 fit great once you get a good seal they just manage to hit a sweet spot allowing you be able to wear them for hours upon end which I have done.

Mic Function
 
Although I don’t use my iPhone much for music anymore on the off chance I do it’s always useful to have a pair of high quality earphones with a mic. I’m glad Fidue included one and it’s not a surprise they didn’t skimp on quality here. The mic is encased in a ridged meatal fascia and the only thing letting it down is that slightly cheap looking plastic that joins end to end together.
Call quality is absolutely fine no snaps, crackles or pops. All the calls I made using the A65’s came across clear and gave me great feedback allowing me to hear the other person on the other end of the phone, always a bonus… In most cases. The mic has a singular button control press once to play a track, once to stop and once to end a call, simples. 
 
Sound Quality
Time to break it all down I’ve summarized my main points below to really sum up my feelings about the A65 so feel free to skip ahead if you want a tidy version of what I am about to say. 
 
Highs
 
Say hi highs, “Hi” they shout back with youthful exuberance in heart full of the joys of spring announcing detail upon detail without ever getting snippy. There is a slight peak on lower quality recordings but easily forgivable as the titanium driver is pushing out a great amount of detail for a single dynamic. Have I heard a more detailed monitor of course but bear in mind the cost of these sweet angelic little gems.  Air allows each instrument its place and the balance is stuck just so the A65 haven’t really gone overboard with anything here and I love it. As contrast as it is to say the highs are almost presented with a smooth brightness, if you didn’t think that was possible try them out. 
 
Mid-range
 
Well now I have had a small debate here with a family member who tried these and summed up we agreed these are just amazing when there amazing and okay when there not. Well whatever do you mean sir? Hum don’t quite know myself to be truthful. Not every recording shows off the stunning, inviting, open, almost liquid like, upfront mid-range these earphones are capable of. Nevertheless, I must state for the record when you hit a spot of music that’s recorded well you will be missing no thing, I almost didn’t see it coming when I started listening to some electronic music the transient passage of the song came all of a sudden swept me off my feet and evaporated as quick as it came. I then moved on to trying some vocal tracks and there is was with a little encouragement these blew the dust off some music I haven’t enjoyed in a good long while. Me the M2 and A65 lost hours of sleep as I laid awake at 2am just revisiting music I know oh so well with the generous space and emotion the A65 brought to the table.  
 
Lows
 
Improvements made over the likes of their flagship model imo. The A83 had me a bit puzzled when I first heard it was like a bloated mid bass of fury things did settle down but the A65 is much more up my street. Balance, now whilst I feel there is some slight mid-range recession on some tracks which almost forces my hand to use the expression V-shaped there is no denying Fidue went after a balance here. Lows are presented with authority but nothing of a Head Teacher more a Substitute Teacher who came in one day but is not the type you feel like making fun of. Mid bass is ahead of the sub bass which is fine as it keeps the sound light and breezy, although as much as I am enjoying the sound overall, tuning the nether regions a bit more for a deeper slightly more textured bass would be adding the crème de la crème.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
 
Oh gosh as the A65 open up which they will do more and more with burn in you will come to realize just how much a mid-tier earphone is capable of. The soundstage is certainly larger than average and there is a beautiful sense of air which brings a holographic feel to the imaging. Instruments have enough separation to be classed as above average, sure it isn’t incredibly distinct but you can pick out heaps of detail when you look into her. I must say bar a few issues with layering and instruments diffusing there is a spectacular sense of imaging here. 
 
Conclusion
 
From the iconic looks, with its brushed copper triangular design to the marmite cable and mic making no compromise to sound performance vs price, there is no getting around that these are a fantastic entertaining pair of earphones that deserve nothing but appraisal. 
 
In all my experience of budget or low mid-tier price ranged earphones these are the best I've heard by a far margin. The sound field is 3D holographic and actually accurate. Bass is tight enough and hardly ever bleeds into the midrange never smears an ounce of detail. Clarity of this caliber is almost unheard of at this price point. Sure there are issues with poor recordings you get a little treble spike but it's more dependent on your source and recording. Tuned beautifully, usually I prefer a more upfront mid-range yet even with the slightly more V shaped response the A65 still push out tantalizing vocals with an addictive bite that just sweetens certain music genres and tracks. Treble peaks on this can be bothersome but I feel no reason to complain about it the titanium driver is clearly doing more than I've seen before at this price point so don't expect the level of refinement you get from a pair of high end CIEM but don’t expect these to fall too short of your expectations, even if they’re high.