Disclaimers:
1) This product was provided to me by Brainwavz as a review sample at no cost. There is no incentive for a positive rating and this review expresses my honest opinion of the product.
2) Audio is a very subjective hobby, and my opinions might not accurately reflect your preferences and experiences. So please keep this in mind when reading my review.
I welcome any feedback and questions.
Introduction
Brainwavz is a Chinese audio company that is based in Hong Kong. They are known for offering products that provide great sound quality at a great price. The B150 that I am reviewing is part of their balanced armature lineup, which consists of the single driver
B100 ($49.50) and
B150 ($69.50), as well as the dual driver
B200 ($119.50) and quad driver
B400 ($179.50). All of these models feature plastic housings and are designed to worn over-the-ear, but the B200 and B400 are 3D printed. The B100 and B150 have a fixed, non-removable cable while the B200 and B400 have standard MMCX connectors that allow the cable to be removed and replaced. All have cables that are advertised as being OFC copper. The entire B-series recently had price cuts, and the B150 in particular was reduced to $69.50 from its previous $109.50. I will be reviewing it at the current, lower price.
Although I do not want to make a definitive statement, I have not been able to find any balanced armature IEMs that are cheaper than the B150, aside from its little brother, the B100. Balanced armature drivers generally have more detail than dynamic ones, with the downside of offering weaker bass. This problem is often rectified by using multi-driver designs, but at the B150’s price point it has to make due with just one driver. It is important to keep price in mind, as Brainwavz is clearly targeting this model at someone on a budget that likely wouldn’t have previously considered a balanced armature IEM due to the higher price.
For this review, I used my iPhone 6 as a source and music ranging from 320kbps Spotify to lossless. I own higher end desktop sources, but believe that IEMs should be able to be driven well from a smartphone. While the B150 might sound slightly better with more expensive equipment, I believe that at its price point the vast majority of customers will be using it with just a smartphone. As such, they are relatively easy to drive at 30Ω, and I had no issues using them with my iPhone. Brainwavz specifies the frequency response as 16 Hz – 22 KHz, and the sensitivity as 105 dB at 1 mW. The cable is 1.3m long. Rounding out the specs is a 24-month warranty, which is very competitive at this price point.
The best place to buy the B150, or any of its siblings, is probably from Brainwavz’s own website. The links above will take you to it.
Design and Accessories – 8/10
The design and workmanship of the B150 is good and solid, if a bit boring. The housings are a glossy black plastic and seem very sturdy. Left and right channel markers are embedded into the plastic housings, although they are a bit hard to see. They are adequate though, especially since the over-ear design makes it impossible to mix up the channels as the ear guide will go over your ear in the wrong direction. The housings will also not fit into the wrong ear properly. Extending from the housings are rubber strain reliefs that connect to the ear guides. The rubber ear guides work great. They are soft enough to mold over your ear without irritation, and in general do an excellent job of keeping the B150 secure. After about three inches, the ear guides give way to the cable, which is thin, but also seems sturdy. The splitter provides some strain relief to the lower portion of the cable, which is braided and slightly thicker. The termination is a very well-made 45o 3.5mm jack. Of note, is that the jack is thicker than most and just barely fit into my phone’s case. If you use a case that is tight-fitting around the headphone jack you might run into issues and need an extender.
Included in the simple cardboard box is the hard-shell carrying case, containing the B150 with medium silicone tips preinstalled, a pouch containing four other sizes of silicone tips, a pair of red T100 medium Comply foam tips, a clip to attach the cable to your shirt and a user manual. A Velcro band is also provided to keep the B150 wrapped-up when inside the case. The inclusion of genuine Comply foam tips is welcome at this price point.
The case is black, with red accents providing a nice contrast and complement. There is a metal Brainwavz logo embedded in the bottom-right of the top. The case does a great job of protecting the B150 and holding all of the included accessories. While it is pocketable, it is a bit fatter than I would have liked. The tips, case and cable clip might seem to be a bit basic, but at this price point I think that they form a great and competitive accessories package.
Overall, I am satisfied with the design and accessories. Brainwavz clearly used a relatively basic design in order to be able to focus on the sound. Nevertheless, I have deducted two points from this section. One-half point each for the case being almost too thick to be pocketable and the bland all black design. The other point is for the lack of a microphone and remote-control on the cable. At this price point, and considering that it is aimed for use with smartphones, I would have appreciated an included mic, or at least the option to pay slightly more for one. Taking phone calls is annoying without one, and I like the convenience of the three-button remote on the cable. This exclusion would have been less of an issue if the cable was removable or it was clearly designed for at home use, but neither of these are the case.
Comfort, Fit and Isolation – 9/10
I have grouped these three together because I believe that for IEMs they are all intimately related. If you don’t get a good fit, the earphones are likely to be uncomfortable and not isolate well.
As discussed previously, the B150 comes with five different sizes of black silicone tips and one pair of medium red Comply foam tips. Foam tips generally provide more isolation, and can be more comfortable, but they are more of a pain to take in and out and need to be replaced every few months. The medium silicone tips are preinstalled, and gave me a good seal right out of the box. While they are not the best silicone tips I have ever used, they are above average and definitely do their job. I did not feel the need to try any of the other included tips, or substitute other tips from another brand. The cable guides do a great job of keeping the housings inside your ears. They don’t fall out on their own, even when shaking my head vigorously in an effort to make them do so. So it is easy to get and maintain a good fit.
The B150 has below average cable microphonics, as do most other over-the-ear designs. This means that when you walk or move around with them you will hear less of the cable rubbing against your shirt. They also do a great job blocking out noise. When I walked around with them outside while listening to music, I could not hear any of the cars or other noises from the environment. For regular on-the-go use, the B150 will be great. However, for flying I would still prefer an IEM or headphone with active noise cancelling to block out engine noise.
The comfort is good. I have not experienced any discomfort, even during long listening sessions. The plastic housings can be a bit clunky, but they fit in my ears well. Although I have used more comfortable IEMs, the B150 is definitely above average and doesn’t present any issues.
Soundstage – 8.5/10
The soundstage of the B150 is above average. When listening to more complicated tracks the imaging does a great job separating the different instruments and vocals. On some tracks vocals can seem a tiny bit distant, but I attribute this more to poor recording quality than the B150. I also wouldn’t go so far to say that the soundstage compares to an open headphone or an open IEM such as Audeze’s iSINE series, but it does a great job overall and I have no complaints.
Highs (Treble) – 8.75/10
I have really enjoyed the highs on the B150. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I can hear the air in between an artist’s breath as on some much more expensive IEMs. That being said, strings, piano notes and cymbals are all very clear. Higher piano notes have a nice sparkle to them. There is a great amount of detail and resolution. I wouldn’t call the B150 bright or piercing.
Mids – 8/10
If I had to find fault with one aspect of the B150’s sound, the mids would be it. Vocals, especially male vocals, can sound veiled at times and lack detail and clarity. This does depend on the track somewhat, so it should be at least partially attributed to the poor quality of the recording. That being said, this can lessen the listener’s enjoyment. Drums have slightly better detail and clarity, although the intersection between the mids and the lows might be described as a bit muddy. Despite these criticisms, the sound is non-fatiguing.
Lows (Bass) – 9/10
For me, the bass was definitely the most surprising aspect of the B150’s sound. It is impactful, hits low and has a tiny bit of boom and rumble. I would describe it as mostly accurate and well-controlled. It is slightly elevated above neutral, but it doesn’t ruin the mids and highs. The quantity of bass might not be enough to fully satisfy a basshead, and those that prefer less bass might call it a tiny bit muddy. That being said, I have really liked the B150’s bass and think it strikes a nice balance between neutral and basshead, while keeping accuracy at a high level.
Value – 20/20
I have increased the weight of this section to twenty, up from ten, given that this IEM is targeted towards those on a budget. I definitely think the B150 deserves the full twenty points. I picked apart the sound to find any fault I could, and in the end, I must say my criticisms are minor when the low $70 price is taken into account. I am confident that the B150 can go head-to-head with other IEMs under the $200 price point, and perhaps even above that. While the B150 lacks the premium construction of more expensive IEMs, the sound it delivers for the price is stellar. In addition, you get a very nice package of accessories for the price, including genuine Comply foam tips. A twenty-four-month warranty provides plenty of reassurance that the B150 will last. To summarize, I think the B150 represents a tremendous value at its price.
Selected Comparisons
Final F4100 ($279) – The Final F4100 is also a single balanced armature design. The F4100 includes a nicer accessory package, with better silicon tips and more foam tip options. The included silicon carrying case is also much nicer than the B150’s. When it comes to the design, the F4100 is extremely tiny, looks more elegant, and is much more comfortable to wear over extended periods of time. It also has a removable cable. That being said, the included cable is more microphonic than the B150’s. The sounds are definitely different. The B150 has much better bass, while the F4100 has clearer mids and slightly better highs. Overall, I feel the B150 competes very well on sound given its price is a quarter of the F4100’s, yet the F4100 definitely has a more premium design and better included accessories. But these two IEMs have very different sound signatures.
Conclusion – 8.91/10
At its price point of $70, I can recommend the B150 without reservation. While I would have liked to have had a more pocketable carrying case, an option for a built-in microphone and remote and perhaps a bit fancier of a design, it is clear that Brainwavz focused on the sound of the B150, and they delivered. Even though I own IEMs that retail for hundreds of dollars, I think the B150’s sound is inoffensive and does everything well. While the mids could be slightly better, at this price point that is nitpicking. So to conclude, the B150 gives audiophile-quality sound at a bargain price. It would make a good backup or beater pair, or gift to friends.
Averaging out the scores for all seven categories results in a score of 8.91/10. This is in between four and five stars. As it is just below the cutoff for a five, 9/10, I am going to go ahead and show that rating on this review as I think the B150 deserves it for the tremendous value that it represents. However, you can change the weighting of the various categories to better reflect your own preferences and come up with your own rating.
Bonus Review: Krudul Duo – 5/5
Brainwavz also sent me their Krudul Duo, which is a package of two IEM holders. One has the adhesive at a right angle to allow it to be mounted on a monitor, and the other has it straight at the end to allow it to be mounted anywhere else. I was very impressed with the build quality of both units. Brainwavz advertises on its website that both units are constructed from die-cast aluminum and it certainly feels that way. I could see them being useful if you listen to IEMs at home a lot and don’t want to have to go through the hassle of taking them in and out of the case every time you use them. Instead, you could just hang them on one of the Kruduls and be able to grab them and listen. For the price of $14.99, if you think you would benefit from the Krudul, I’d definitely recommend it.