The Custom Art Harmony 8.2
 
Hi Head-Fi members and visiting audio lovers, my name is Adam and have been a long time member here on this forum.  I was lucky enough to have the chance to review the Harmony 8.2 custom in ear monitors, from The Custom Art.   A company located in Poland, ran and owned by Piotr Granicki also a member of Head-Fi.  If you have been around here long enough CA needs know introduction. Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Piotr for giving me the opportunity to be chosen to review the H8.2, I am in no way affiliated or being paid to write this review and is based on my honest opinion.  My review style may differ from other reviewers, and like to keep them simple for the average consumer. I don’t get into using graphs, special meters and charts.  There are plenty of great reviewers that go in depth and can explain sound better then me.  
 
Over the years I have had the chance to review 2 other product for CA, including the Ei.3 and the Ei.xx that was collaborated with CA and Massdrop.  Ciem’s are widely used through the professional music industry.  But over the recent years have become very popular with audiophiles, music lovers and consumers that want the best products for their listening experience.  Customs can be a big jump from headphones, universal monitors and earbuds.  There are numerous steps to the process for customs, CA makes the jump very easy.  When I think about The Custom Art, customer service is the first thing that comes to my mind, because they are just that good at it. Customer service is a huge part to me when buying ciems.  When it comes to fit of the custom they need to be perfect for them to perform up to their full potential.  CA has easily been the best company that I have ever dealt with.  Although out of the 3 customs I own from them I have never had to send a pair back for a refit.  I have had other experiences with other companies, and it can be a pain in the ass to get them right.  So my hats off to CA for getting it right the first time, which doesn’t happen all the time.
 
Here is a link to The Custom Art’s products below and there FB page.
http://thecustomart.com/index.php
https://www.facebook.com/thecustomart/?fref=nf
 
The time came around and Piotr emailed me and asked what kind of design I would like.  Just like the last two times I left it up to Piotr own artistic freedom.  If you ask why I have done this, all you have to do is look at the rest of the customs he has created.  Up to now I have only owned acrylic monitors, Piotr asked if I would like to give silicone a try.  I am always up for something new, after receiving them I first struggled getting them in.  Silicone can very grippy against your skin and can take some time to get used to inserting them.  I have mixed feelings about the silicone.  But I have to say after they are in and come to body temperature, there is nothing more comfortable than these.  My acrylic monitors melt away into my ears, but the silicone ones just disappear.  I have to say it’s a trade off for me after I get them in the comfort is worth it.

 

 
I won’t talk much about packaging since customs pretty much come standard with a Pelican 1010 case.  CA also includes a small blue clamshell pouch that can be zippered.  Also you will get your welcome card to the CA family with the manufacturing date of your monitors (warranty card 12 months).   Packed inside the case is the bore cleaning tool and moisture absorbent pack.  The clamshell case works pretty well for keeping your monitors and cable tangle free, it even fits inside the Pelican case.  
 
When it comes to build quality with customs, there either good or bad.  Some of the things that can go wrong are with the quality of the shell itself.  With acrylic shells you have to worry about bubbles and cracks.  But with 3D printing most of quality issues are resolved.  The monitors I received are silicone and were most likely poured by hand.  I received a pair that has a blue faceplate with CA’s logo in the middle.  The body of the shell is a glittery skin toned color, which I am very happy with.  The quality of my ciems is pretty much perfect if not perfect.  I used to be into DIY customs, and can tell you just trying to fit 2 balanced armatures in a shell is hard enough.  Piotr must be a magician for fitting 8 balanced armatures into each shell, and my ears are very small.  To fit all the tubes, wires, acoustic filter and crossovers into a small shell is an art form itself.

 

 
Now on to the sound, most my listening was done with my AK100ii and Samsung S7 Edge.  Surprisingly the H8.2 are pretty efficient to drive and sound pretty damn good straight out of my cell phone.  I listen to just about everything except country, but mostly what ever my daughter makes me listen to.  When I first placed the H8.2s into my ears I could tell it’s in the same bloodline of the Ei.xx.  The overall sound to me is very well balanced with a natural feel to it.  The low end is very comparable to the Ei.xx with slightly less impact but with better detail.  Having reviewed other products from CA Piotr is a master at tuning the low end to sound more like a dynamic driver.  When the bass hits I instantly get the image of a speaker breathing back and forth.  Bass is very well controlled and never takes over your listening experience.
 
The mids have a very captivating sound and have a smoothness and slight warmth to them.  Every type of music I played male and female vocals were very detailed and precise.  The amount of presence you get from the mids is the perfect amount to be tuned with the lowers and upper frequencies.  The upper frequencies are just enough without being too much but might not be enough for treble heads.  Coming from the Ei.xx treble of the Ei.xx sounds on the brighter side but with the H8.2 retrieving more details in a natural way.  Its very hard to explain sound especially when everyone has a different sensitivity to sound.  

 

 
Whenever I review any kind of headphones, earbuds, speakers or customs, I like to throw in a pair of cheap headphones or earbuds on just to see how much more I can hear with what ever I am reviewing.  It’s truly amazing of how much more I can hear using the H8.2,  the amount of  details I hear across the board is just mind blowing.  Next time you listen to a high end pair of customs or anything else give it a try and throw in the pair of earbuds you get for free with your cell phone.
 
Overall the H8.2s have to be the most advanced tuned listening device that I have ever stuck in my ear. They are tuned in such a way they sing with perfect harmony, the amount of details and balance is something special.  Piotr has given me the opportunity to review customs from his  most affordable, midrange to his top of the line products.  I know can hear why the H8.2 sits at the top of his product line up.  Custom Art has come a long way in this industry where we have many other companies to choose from.  There is a reason why this company continues to grow and is able to stay competitive.  Piotr is a very rare owner of a company, and is very hands on with the engineering and manufacturing of his products.  For example how often do you see owners of companies interacting directly with consumers on forums.  I could not recommend the H8.2 more if you are in the market for a high end ciem.  There are tons of reviewers that like to do critical listening for reviews, which is fine.  I am not a  technical kind of listener,  I do want my customs to make my music sound good.  And that is exactly what the Custom Art Harmony 8.2 monitors do.  They make the music I listen to sound balanced and natural with just enough bass impact to keep your music energized.  I joined Head-Fi for one reason, to find products that make listening to music more enjoyable.  Custom Art H8.2 do just that and makes me forget about anything else and lets me escape reality for awhile to just enjoy whatever I am listening at that time.  


Next to the Ei.xx
 
To top it all off  Piotr offers customer service that seems to be lost in some companies.  If you ask any of Custom Arts customers, Piotr main goal is to make sure you are 100% satisfied with your customs.  He is very fast to answer any questions and responds to emails within a day if not the same day.  Custom Art makes the process of buying customs very easy and straightforward.   If you're not in the market for a TOTL custom they also offer customs that are very affordable.  Thanks for reading, don’t pass the chance up if you ever come across a Harmony 8.2 demo unit you will not be disappointed.

It’s been awhile since I have posted a review here on Head-Fi, months ago I was talking with the company Meze about a review.  Just recently they asked me if I was still interested in reviewing there 99 Classics.  From hearing a bunch of positive things about them how could I say no.  Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Razvan from Meze for sending me out a demo unit to review.  I am in no way affiliated with Meze and this review is based on my honest opinion.  The Meze 99 Classics can be purchased directly from the link below for $309.00, the review sample I am reviewing is there Silver/Walnut headphone.
https://www.mezeheadphones.com/meze-99-classics-gold-wood-headphones

 
SPECS
Transducer size: 40mm
Frequency response: 15Hz - 25KHz
Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
Impedance: 32Ohm
Rated input power: 30mW
Maximum input power: 50mW
Detachable Kevlar OFC cable
Plug: 3.5mm gold plated
Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables
Ear-cups: walnut wood

 

 
Let me start off by introducing myself, my name is Adam I am 39yrs old and have been into high quality audio products since I was in high school. I am by no means an audiophile compared to the majority of members on Head-Fi.  I like to gear my reviews towards the average consumer since most searches on the internet land you on Head-Fi.  And to be honest more average consumers that are buying products are not audiophiles.  I was a little skeptical in what the Meze 99’s would sound like by first glance.  There are so many companies that are turning headphones and earbuds out.  Meze are what I would call a boutique style company, that doesn’t just turn products out. They have a very small lineup of products, but they are fairly new to the headphone scene.  

 
 
 

 
Meze 99 Classics come packed in a very nice box that can be used for storage, the top and bottom of the box even have a soft foam inside.  The headphones come packed inside a hard clamshell case that’s a hard EVA with a zipper.  The carrying case is very nice and can be tossed in a backpack for traveling. In the center of the case is a case that holds all the cables and accessories.  The accessory case is a soft pouch with a zipper that sits nicely in the center of the headphones.
 
Meze 99 Classics are engineered and designed in Romania, then sent to China for manufacturing.  The One thing that really stands out when you first lay eyes on these are the CNC machined walnut wood cups.  The overall look to the Meze 99 Classics is classy, the name says it all.  They feel very sturdy and durable all the hardware is a die-cast zinc alloy.  A self adjusting headband is connected to two metal bands to keep them light weight.  The earcups  pivot on a 2-axis swivel to get just the right angle on your ears.  I have to say these are one of the most comfortable over ear headphones that I have ever used.  The earcups contain a medium density memory foam to conform to your head.  I by no means have big ears, some people might find the earcups to shallow. Meze 99 Classics are more of a headphone that I would only use in the house.  There not the type I would take out to work out in or ride the train.  
 
I am not going to get crazy and tell you every little detail about the accessories.  They do include two cables that are marked with a R & L. The one cable includes a mic and 3 function button for cell phone users. The headphones are symmetrical, so it doesn’t matter which way you put them on. Also included is a 6.3mm gold plated adaptor and a airplane jack, if anyone actually uses them on flights.  The cables are very nice and sturdy that are made with Kevlar and OFC wire.  The cables plug is slim enough that I had no problem using them with my phone with a case on.  You won’t find any cable slide on these, but they are just the right length that I didn't find it to be a problem. The Y splitter is constructed of some kind of durable rubber with a metal band on top.  Accessories are just a bonus and at certain price points I expect to see certain items included, Meze did a great job including the necessary items that I would expect.
 

 
Now to the part that’s most important the sound, Meze 99 Classics are very efficient and easy to drive.  All my listening was done with my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and AK 100ii. Either using hi-res files or straight out of Spotify.  Like I said before I was very skeptical about these, I honestly haven’t heard much about this company until a few months ago.  I like to describe sound so the average consumer can understand if the headphone is worthy of their price tag.  Just being a little over $300 really isn't much for a quality headphone, but back when I first started to get into hi-res music I would think anything over $100 was to much.  So what do I think about them, I was pleasantly shocked after I let them burn in for 50+ hours.  If I had to sum them up in one word it would be very well balanced.  Ok that’s more than one word, by no means I would consider these neutral.  What I mean by balanced is there is just enough of the bass, mids and treble to make them sing in perfect harmony.  
 
The bass even goes into the sub-bass region, with a very clean mid-bass. You get that airy feeling when the bass hits when your music calls for it, the punch is just right.  The mids are where the Meze 99 Classics stand out.  For some reason they sound extra special with male vocals. There is a smoothness and clarity of higher end headphones. The treble extends just far enough without being ear piercing. Every instrument sounds as it should, with above average separation of instruments.  It’s hard for a closed back headphone to give you a sense of out of head experience.  But the Meze 99 Classics do a great job of not having you feel like you have to speakers strapped to the sides of your head. A good amount of headphones in this price range won’t give you the punchy low end and good extension in the highs, Meze designed these to have both without over doing one or the other.  That’s why to my ears they sound very
well balanced.  If they took away a little from the low end they would almost have a neutral sound signature.  
 


Meze 99 Classics are now one of my favorite goto headphones for in the house use.  The design might not be for everyone but the sound will sure win you over.  I listen to just about every kind of music besides country.  From 80s, 90,s rock, hip-hop to today's top hits.  Everything I throw at them the Meze 99 Classics did not disappoint.  I asked Razvan what we could expect in the future from Meze, there are plans down the road for a blue tooth and open back headphone.  That’s about all he could tell me, if there closed back headphone sounds this good you can count on me getting a pair of these open back headphones.  In the end I couldn’t be happier with the sound coming out of these. They are a jack of all and master many, the price may seem a little steep for the average listener. Besides the sound the one thing that really stands out is the quality of the materials and build. You won’t be disappointed if you audition these.

CustomArt Ei.xx

 

GRADO GR8E
 
Before I get started let me introduce myself, my name is Adam. I am a 38 years old headphone and portable audio lover, mostly iems. I am your average guy that works 8-10 hours a day and am required to wear hearing protection all day. My choice of hearing protection is usually an iem. My reviews are aimed at the average Tom, Dick, Jane or Harry, one day I did a search on the web for a new iem for work. Which brought me to Head-Fi, most searches bring you here one way or the other. I found most of the reviews were written towards audiophiles filled with long dragged out terms that i couldn’t understand at the time. Not that there is a problem with that, but the majority of consumers are not audiophiles. So that’s how I got the idea of writing consumer friendly reviews. You won’t find my reviews filled with charts, graphs, meters or audiophile lingo. The only charts I care about are my quarterly 401K charts. There are plenty of talented writers that include all that in reveiws already.
 
My goal with my reviews is to let the average consumer know if this product is worth their hard earned cash. Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Jonathan Grado for sending me a demo unit out. I am not employed or am I being compensated for this review, this review is based of my honest opinions. The Grado GR8e can be purchased from the following link for $299.00 http://www.4ourears.net/GR8e_p/4e-gr8e.htm
 
Grado who hasn’t heard of them, the small company is based in Brooklyn, NY. I say small because of the size of the building, they are anything but small. Grado has been known world wide longer than I have been alive. Grado has been making audio equipment in the same townhouse since 1953. I won’t go into the whole history about Grado, but it could be a best selling book how they became what they are today. The story behind Grado Labs is the American dream at it’s best. Starting a company with only  $2000, making phono cartridges in their kitchen to making some of the world’s best headphones to this day. If that’s not the all American dream I don’t know what would be. We all have heard of there over the ear headphones, especially for how they can reproduce mids. Not so much about there iems though, I had know idea they made an iem until I came across a thread. I was expected them to be a dynamic driver design, shockingly they use balanced armatures. I was given the chance to review the GR8e version, that uses a single balanced armature. Let’s see if there iems can match the quality of sound there headphones are known for.
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Driver: Moving Armature
Connector: 3.5mm stereo mini-plug
Frequency Response: 20 -20,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 118dB/1mW
Impedance: 32 ohms
Max Input Power: 20mW
Cable: 51"/130cm
Weight: 9 grams

 

 
 
PACKAGING
 
Grado is not known for their packaging and gives you a no frills clear box.  They are not ones to be flashy with fancy boxes and and shiny pictures.  I have a feeling they will never follow what other companies are doing.  And I am completely fine with that as long as they keep producing quality headphones and iems.  As you noticed most companies advertise the hell out of there products, not Grado and they haven’t since they started. The most you will see is a picture of one of their products on Instagram or Twitter with some kind of funny snarky remark.  I actually like how they post on social media, you won’t see photos that have been fluffed or computer generated.  You get a real life picture in real life situations (maybe not the ones where the headphones are levitating) but it’s clever and out of the box thinking.  Why change now it obviously works for them or I wouldn’t be writing this review.
 


 
 
ACCESSORIES
 
3 pair ear tips (S M L) proprietary blend of two silicons
Ear wax proof cloth x4
Ear wax proof cloth ring x2
 
If you ever bought one of their headphones you can already guess there isn’t many accessories. It’s kind of like cutting the crap out and just  listen to them already. They do provide 3 sizes of a proprietary blend of silicone tips that are quite comfy. Also if you don’t clean your ears, 4 wax proof cloths and 2 rings are included to hold them in. This has to be one of the best accessories that someone could come up with. Trying to clean a permanent screen or filter is a pain in the butt.  You will never really get them 100% clean but with this design you have a brand new ones with no worries.  Wax build up and dust and other foreign objects that you may shove in your ear canal can greatly destroy the sound quality if it clogs the nozzle opening. It would have been nice to see a carrying case included, but we don’t buy Grado products for accessories now do we.


 

 
BUILD and FIT
 
Wow the GR8es are tiny they're shaped like little jet engines that fit deep into your ear canal, providing maximum isolation and a good seal. The housings look like plastic but are built out of a light weight metal.  The shells are painted a deep dark blue with a hint of sparkle, the front port housing is a goldish copper color.  Grado also incorporated a recessed ring for the tips to stay in place. I was very happy to see this some companies seem to forget this, I have had tips actually come off inside my ear leaving me left to fish them out with tweezers.
 
GR8e cable is a made from a supple black colored rubber that's not too thin or thick. The plug is straight instead of being on a forty five degree angle. Personally I prefer this some people like a right angle plug. When I use a portable dap I shove it in my back pocket and if the cable gets caught on something it usually pulls out saving the cable. With a plug set on an angle it tends to just get hung up and puts strain everywhere, damaging the cable.  Grado also incorporated a cable slider that I almost missed.  It blends so well with the Y split you can barely see it, the Y splitter is sized perfectly.  I like to run the cable under the front of my shirt,  with big Y splitters it looks like I have a third nipple or a growth coming out of my chest.
 
Strain relief seems to be strong throughout the whole cable so you won’t have to worry about it coming apart.  The cable connecting to the shells is angled in slightly towards your face, which works well.  I find cables that are coming straight down from the housings flop around a lot and become annoying.  I couldn’t be happier with the overall build quality of the GR8e, it’s a big difference from there over the ear headphones.

 
SOUND
 
Before even receiving these I really wasn’t sure what to expect, since Grado is known for using dynamic drivers. I was even more shocked when I found out they use a proprietary balanced armature.  All my listening was done with hi-res files playing from my AK100ii, I also didn’t use an external amp since they are easy to drive.  If I had to pick one word to describe the GR8es it would have to be Clear.  Grado is known for their over the ear headphones clarity and crispness in the mids and highs.  The GR8es are know different the mids are very detailed and clean that work exceptionally well with live recordings. I wasn’t to shocked to hear how good the mids were since it’s a Grado product.  The lower frequencies have just the right amount of presence, midbass is highly detailed.  They can lightly touch into sub-bass depending on what you are listening to, but they don’t give you that low end rumble that some people itch for.
 
The upper frequencies is where the GR8es shine to my aging ears, they extend very well.  I was expecting them to be really elevated and up front but they are nicely balanced with the rest of the frequencies.  They were never ear piercing or do they become fatiguing while listening for long periods.  Although being a single balanced armature instrument separation and imaging is really good, being able to pinpoint where every instrument is being played from. Higher frequencies are crispier then a NY city pizza crust and extends further than the Holland tunnel. The higher frequencies just sound down right good.
 
The only other iem I could compare them to that I have on hand are the Shure SE315s and the AKR01, both being single balanced armature designs.  I will compare them to the Shures since a good amount of people have these or have had them.  GR8es definitely have better clarity than the Shures higher frequencies. The Shures soundstage is also not as good as the GR8es, the GR8es soundstage gives you a nice sense of openness for a balanced armature.  GR8e low end isn’t as big sounding compared to the 315s, the 315s also go a lot lower into sub-bass.  Although the bass isn’t as prominent it’s more detailed and not as stuffy sounding. I guess you could say more quality then quantity commparing the two.  Comparing the midrange the GR8es are more upfront and more clearer and detailed then the 315s. Shures 315s mids are more laid back and not as detailed and can almost sound distant to the GR8es.
 
 
FINAL FEELINGS

To sum it all up Grado’s GR8es are detailed threw out the range and have a clarity to them that is amazing.  They sounded good with just about every kind of music, bass heads should look at a different option.  Music like dubstep and rap low end can be lacking, if you listen to rock, classical, jazz or any live music you can’t go wrong with these. If you noticed I didn’t say country because no one should listen to that, just kidding listen to whatever you like and these will work great with country.  The price might be high for some, but for us Grado fans it’s just another one to add to our Grado collections. To top it off the build quality is top notch and will last for years, kind of like the NY Yankees winning streaks. I wish I could say that for my hometown Philadelphia Phillies or are football team.  NY also has the NY Giants that don’t even play in NY. One thing I can count on is Grado being located in Brooklyn and continue to produce award winning headphones and iems.  Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone interested in the GR8e.

JIVE
 
 INTRO  
 
If you're reading this you must be a Head-Fi member or just looking at reviews for a new pair of headphones or iem’s. Let me introduce myself, my name is Adam I am 38 years old obviously a male. I work in a machine shop and am required to wear hearing protection all day, so my hearing protection for my 8 hour shift is a pair of earbuds.I have been a member of the Head-Fi forum for awhile now, my journey to Head-Fi started by doing a web search for a new pair of earbuds for work. I am your average Joe, Dick or Harry and write my reviews towards the average consumer. A good amount of reviews are written with a bunch of audiophile lingo, that the average consumer wouldn’t be able to decipher. This is the reason I started to write reviews to make them user friendly. The main reason could be I am a terrible writer, I am a way better listener.
 
I don’t consider myself an audiophile but I do like my music to sound good. Most audiophiles want their music to sound the way the engineer mastered it. I don’t necessarily want my music to sound how the engineer mastered it. I am willing to buy endless amounts of headphones, iems, dacs and amps to make it sound good to my ears. In my reviews I don’t use meters, charts or graphs, the only graph or charts I care about are the quarterly ones that come in the mail to tell me how my 401K is doing. In the end the most important tools are your own ears. Head-Fi reviews typically get more views than any pro-magazine or any dedicated review site, with most web searches landing you here one way or the other.
 
Describing sound can be a challenge since we all have different preferences, sources, files, environments, amps, dacs and ears. My goal in my reviews is to let the average consumer know if this product is worthy of their hard earned cash, and maybe make them into a new Head-Fi member. The more people that become interested in this hobby of ours the more products companies will offer us, the more the better. Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Brainwavz relationship manager Pandora for giving me the opportunity to review the Jive. I am not employed or being compensated in anyway for this review, and is based off my honest opinions.  You can purchase the Jive from the links bellow at a very low price of $25.
http://www.mp4nation.net/catalogsearch/result/?q=Jive
 
http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Isolating-Earphones-Android-Red-Android/dp/B013OKX8H4/ref=sr_1_5?srs=8142685011&ie=UTF8&qid=1441473486&sr=8-5&keywords=jive&pebp=1441473491267&perid=123PTWWRRJ0N3ZVZ4H49
Brainwavz product line is extensive and they pride themselves at making quality products at a friendly price. This is only the second iem that I have a had the chance to review for Brainwavz, and so far I am pretty impressed. There are so many companies in today's market turning out cheap products. Brainwavz price is cheap but so far from what I can tell there pricing does not match the quality. The kind of quality that they're putting out is more inline of higher priced products.

 

 
SPECS
 
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
Microphone and Remote:
iOS & Android Versions
Phone Call Control
Audio Player Control
3-Button Remote
 
HOW IT GETS TO YOU
 
Brainwavz Jives come packaged in a small plastic box, I chose the Blood Red ones. The front of the box has a nice photo of the iems in the same color of the product. These were shipped from overseas, so the box was a little banged up. On the back of the package you will find information about the Jives, specifications, contents and compatibility. I have to say the box is fairly cheap and flimsy, but for the price I can’t complain if the product is safe. That's about it for the packaging, it does it’s job gets them from point A to B safely.



 


 
 
THE EXTRAS
 
Comply™ Foam Tips         x1 S-400 Hard Case         x1 (wide)
Silicone Ear Tips                x3 sets (S/M/L)
Shirt Clip                            x1
Manual                               x1
Velcro cable tie                  x1
Warranty Card        
 
For $25 I wasn't expecting too many accessories, but the Jives come with enough extras that could sell for this price by themselves. The included silicone and comply tips will ensure a perfect fit for everyone. Brainwavz also threw in a shirt clip that most companies seem to forget to include. For storage a Velcro cable tie is included, it’s a very small accessory but one of my favorites. I myself typically just wrap the cable around itself so it doesn’t come unraveled and tangled up. $25 you don’t usually expect a storage case but to top it off Brainwavz Jives come with a very nice hard shell case with a zipper. The case also has a small pocket for storing extra ear tips. I was very impressed with their accessory package, like I said the accessories could cost you $25 alone.


 


 
BUILD  FIT
 
I was expecting an all plastic design for at this price, but the Jives are an all metal design that have been anodized. You could almost scrap the metal and get your money back, just kidding scrap prices are not that high but you know what I mean.  The metal housing is almost shaped like a bell and looks like it was precisioned cnc machined. The plug is set at a 45 degree angle and is gold plated. Moving on to the cable that’s a nice supple rubber that matches the color of the iem itself. At the Y splitter the cables leading up to the housings are quite thin but feel like there attached firmly with good strain relief.
 
The Y splitter is a little wide but its nice and flat, I really like that it's not to bulky. I run the cable under the front of my shirt, bulky y splitters make me look like I have a growth or a 3rd nipple. A 3 button control and mic housing is made of a durable plastic. It was nice to see all the functions work with my phone, especially the volume controls. Jives are a dynamic driver design with a wide bore for the sound to come out. There is a wax and dust screen to protect the sound port, a small groove is machined into the nozzle so the tips stay in place. This design is great since I have had many tips on different iems come off and be left behind stuck in my ear.

 
Isolation was what you would expect for this design and sealed out a good amount of ambient noise. Almost forgot there is also a cable slide that is on the cable, it matches the Y splitter so well I almost didn’t see it. Overall for this price the Jives are built to match higher priced products. I can’t see how Brainwavz does it when other iems cost hundreds and can't come close to match the durability and quality of the Jives.


 

 
THE IMPORTANT PART
 
All my listening was done with the Ak100II or my laptop paired with the Apogee Groove. I used all hi-res files and some MP3s. Jives are very easy to drive from any source so I didn’t pair it with an amp, I used the Groove for the DAC section. Brainwavz Jive sound is stunning for the cost of a large pizza and a side of french fries. Really the overall sound is slightly V shaped. The most impressive part in the frequency would have to be the bass. It’s very well controlled and detailed and slightly going into sub bass territory, but doesn’t have that full time rumble.  Bass is lifted but never takes away from the rest of the music.  These are by no means for bass heads the bass is done smoothly and transitions well into the mids.
 
The midrange has good clarity and a hint of warmth to them. They have good detail and sound good with just about every kind of music. I wouldn’t say the mids are laid back, but if they were brought more up front these would just be that much better. Higher frequencies are slightly elevated giving them more of a V shaped sound signature. All instruments and have great clarity and sound very clean. Brainwavz Jives never got to bright or pierced my ears with too much treble.
Instrument separation is about average, but compared to other products in this price range it would have to great. Compared to the Sure SE215s which might not be fair, but a good amount of people have heard these. Jives bass is better controlled and smoother compared to the 215s, with the 215s going deeper into sub-bass. Comparing the mids to my ears the Jives can lack detail to the 215s, but seem to be more up front. 215s higher frequencies seem to fall a little short compared to  the Jives with the Jives having better extension and detail.
 
Brainwavz Jives sounded pretty good for hands free phone calls, I could hear the other person clearly. My mother on the other end is hard of hearing and also had no problems. First listening to these it wasn’t so obvious of what kind of sound signature the Jives had. They fall just short of being balanced, a nice balanced signature is what I prefer. That doesn’t mean I don’t like these I actually really like the Jives. I noticed they didn’t incorporate an air hole for the dynamic driver to breath. I am almost tempted to drill a hole in the housings to see what kind of sound signature I could get. I think these are tuned perfectly for everyday use, they have a sound that will work well with everyday music that plays on the radio. Most consumers typically listen to the top 100 charts. Brainwavz have created an iem that will please just about everyone, the added bonus is you get an iem that can reproduce details in music that most products at this price can’t.


 

 
WHAT I REALLY THINK
 
I think for the price you can’t go wrong, the sound signature is very good for all  genres of music. It’s the type of iem that could become an everyday work iem for me, especially for the build quality. So stop buying those other bargain iems that last 2 weeks  and get Jiving, if you do you won’t be buying a new budget iem every month.  I can put my iems thru some abuse at work and at $25 if they break I won’t be sweating it. I don’t see myself doing any critical listening with these but then again I really never do anyway.  I just like to enjoy my music and if it sounds good then I am happy. I have to say I am very happy with the Jives. And could recommend these to anyone that doesn’t want to break the bank. Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone interested in these.





    

BEYERDYNAMIC iDX 160 iE
 
INTRO
 
If you're reading this you must be a Head-Fi member or just looking at reviews for a new pair of headphones or iem’s. Let me introduce myself, my name is Adam I am 38 years old obviously a male. I work in a machine shop and am required to wear hearing protection all day, so my hearing protection for my 8 hour shift is a pair of earbuds. I have been a member of the Head-Fi forum for awhile now, my journey to Head-Fi started by doing a web search for a new pair of earbuds for work. I am your average Joe, Dick or Harry and write my reviews towards the average consumer. A good amount of reviews are written with a bunch of audiophile lingo, that the average consumer wouldn’t be able to decipher. This is the reason I started to write reviews to make them user friendly. The main reason could be I am a terrible writer, I am a way better listener.
 
I don’t consider myself an audiophile but I do like my music to sound good. Most audiophiles want their music to sound the way the engineer mastered it. I don’t necessarily want my music to sound how the engineer mastered it. I am willing to buy endless amounts of headphones, iems, dacs and amps to make it sound good to MY ears. In my reviews I don’t use meters, charts or graphs, the only graph or charts I care about are the quarterly ones that come in the mail to tell me how my 401K is doing. In the end the most important tools are your own ears, remember it only has to sound good to you. Head-Fi reviews typically get more views than any pro-magazine or any dedicated review site, with most web searches landing you here one way or the other.
 
Describing sound can be a challenge since we all have different preferences, sources, files, environments, amps, dacs and ears. My goal in my reviews is to let the average consumer know if this product is worthy of their hard earned cash, and maybe make them into a new Head-Fi member. The more people that become interested in this hobby of ours the more products companies will offer us, the more the better.
 
Before I get into the review I would like to say thank you to Peter at Beyerdynamic for sending me a demo unit to review. I am not employed or affiliated with Beyerdynamic in any way, or am I being compensated for this review. This review is based off of my honest opinions and my 38 year old ears. Beyerdynamic iDX 160 iE can be purchased directly from their website for $139.00 at the following link.
http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/idx-160-ie-black.html
 

 

 
SPECS
 


 
HOW IT GETS TO YOU
 
Beyerdynamic iDX comes in a cardboard box with a nice hi-res glossy picture of the iems on the front. The front opens up like a book that reveals a clear viewing window to view the  product. On the back of the package you will find all the technical data and included accessories. On the inside the iems are securely placed in a precut hi-density foam insert to ensure safe traveling from point A to B.
 
THE EXTRAS
7 sizes of silicone eartips (5 types bowl shape, 1 type double flange, 1 type triple flange)
1 size of original Comply™ eartips (type T-400)
Adapter plug to share your music with friends
VoIP-Adapter
Extension cable (90 cm)
Cable clip for secure and firm hold
Convenient and sturdy hard case with zip fastener

 

 
Wow I have never seen so many cables for one set of iems, the iDX include a cable for Apple products and Android based cell phones. This is a big plus since most iems controls only work with Apple products. I have never owned any of Apples cell phones, but my kids have owned every version. There is every size of silicone tips included for proper fit, they also include a set of Comply foam eartips. If you would like to share your music with someone they also included a splitter. That’s not all, you also get a VoIP-Adapter and a very nice hard shell case that closes with a zipper. Beyerdynamic has really piled on the accessories at this price point.

 

 

 
BUILD  FIT
Beyerdynamic iDX 160 iE are an all metal design housing that has been anodized, with two silver rings wrapping around the outside. On the inside there is neodymium drivers to produce the sound. The housings have 2 small holes on the underside for the drivers to move and breathe freely. Traveling down the flat tangle free cable is a 3 button remote and microphone. The flat cable is made from a non-slip rubbery material that is very thin but strong. The controls worked flawlessly with my daughters Iphone 6, using it with my Samsung Alpha the only button that worked was the pause button. The cable plugs into your source with the plug on a 45 degree angle.
 

 

 

 
The build quality is top notch, wouldn’t expect anything less from Beyerdynamic. Myself being in the Tool & Die industry, German Tool & Die and Machinist are highly regarded as the world's best. The only problem I had was were the cable connects and splits it’s kind of chunky and has some weight to it. If you are moving around or being active the weight can tug on the iems and causing them to fall out. The fit of the iem itself is very comfortable and can be worn for hours, the iem is pretty light itself. They can be pushed in pretty far and sit flush in your ear, I was able to lay down on the couch with no problems. I am happy to see the materials Beyerdynamic decided to use, most iems in this price range are completely plastic.

 

 

 
THE IMPORTANT PART
 
All my listening was done with hi-res files using my Samsung Alpha or my Lenovo laptop with the Apogee Groove. If I had to describe the sound in one word it would have to be Big, the overall sound is neutral with an emphasis on the low end. Starting off with the low end it definitely has a big presence but well controlled. They go low and have a nice low end rumble, the mid bass is still more prominent. Having a good seal and fit was crucial for getting the most out of the low end.
 
Mid-bass never spills into the midrange, keeping the mids nicely detailed and smooth. I didn’t expect the vocals to be so detailed for the amount of bass these can produce. They are balanced with the rest of the spectrum especially with good recordings. WIth low res files the iDX seemed to help them and are not too revealing, but at the same time they are revealing with quality recordings. If that makes any sense then you know what I mean, so pretty much they can produce fine details with hi-res music and with bad recordings they are not to brutal. The higher end of the frequency is just as good as the bottom and the middle.  The treble is very clear and transparent and never harsh or fatiguing on the ear drums.
 
Straight out of the box they were really boomy and a little uncontrolled to my ears, I have to say they really improved over time. The amount of improvement was very noticeable to me mostly low end control. Compared to the iDX 120 the 160s have a fuller sound with more bass presence and refinement. Beyerdynamics 120s also don’t have the ability to separate instruments as good as the 160s, The 160 mids compared to the 120s is slightly on the warmer side, they don’t necessarily sound veiled or laid back the 120s are just more forward. Overall the 160 sound  leans  towards the neutral side with a slight emphasis in the bass.
 
You also get quality hands free cell phone calls, I always test these features calling my mother. She is up there in age and is hard of hearing, she had no problem hearing me talk into the mic and didn’t no I was using a hands free headset. My loving mother's voice came over crystal clear, her repeating herself wasn’t due to me not being able to hear her. You know how moms are the must repeat what they say at least 100s times. Then they will call you back just to say the same thing.


 

 

 
WHAT I REALLY THINK
 
Who are these for, anyone that doesn’t want to spend a ton of money on iems but want’s a highly detailed sound.  After using these for 2 straight weeks at work everyday, I can honestly say these are way overlooked especially at this price point. iDX 160 work really well with today’s music, what I mean by that is if you listen to anything in the top 100 music charts. To top it off they are built with Beyerdynamic quality that they're known for. You are not going to get a cheap piece of plastic, the metal housings will for sure withstand everyday usage. These are the type of iems that you use to just enjoy your music, they're not perfect by any means but what product is. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking to upgrade their free earbuds from their cell phones for the first time. Audiophiles won’t be doing any critical listening with these but I think it will please most of the discerning listeners.. So do yourself a favor and give these a try, or if you have them and haven’t used them in awhile go spend some more time with them. To be honest after using them for a short period I wasn’t to impressed. After racking up some hours and switching to some of my higher priced iems I realized how good these actually are. Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone interested in these.

REVIEW FOR THE APOGEE GROOVE
 
ABOUT ME
Let me introduce myself my name is Adam I am a 38 years old, I have been into audio equipment since I was in highschool. I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I am just an average guy that loves music. I like to listen to my music with the best possible quality. My journey to Head-Fi started one day doing a search on the web for headphone reviews. Just about all searches for headphones and earbuds brings you to Head-Fi, after lurking for a couple weeks I finally made an account and here I am writing reviews. Being on Head-Fi I have learned so much and I am learning something new every day.
 
My reviews are written geared towards the average consumer since most web searches direct you to Head-Fi. Head-Fi reviews get more traffic than most pro-audio magazines or any designated review site, you won't find my reviews filled with audiophile terms or do I use graphs, meters, or charts. The only charts and graphs I care about are the quarterly ones that come in the mail about my 401K. To be honest audiophile terms confuse me, some of them have 2 different meanings depending on who you talk to, or the definition says to see another term. Being a simple guy and write know better than a high school student, you will fully understand my reviews. My goal is to let the average consumer know if this product is worth their hard earned cash
.
Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Brad from Apogee for sending me a demo unit out. I am not employed or am I being compensated for this review. This review is based off my honest opinions. Apogee is has been in the business since 1985, they mainly focus there products on professional digital audio equipment. There recent release of the Groove has caught the eye of many audiophiles and music lovers including me. It’s form factor is made to be portable for people on the go, or if you just need a small amp/dac combo.  Laptops are not known for their audio fidelity and there amp sections are usually very under powered. So lets see if the Groove can make my laptop sound better and drive my headphones to reasonable listening levels.  You can purchase the Groove directly from Apogee from the following link for $295 they also have a 30th Anniversary Model for $595 that comes in silver and gold.
http://store.apogeedigital.com/store/index.php/products/apogee-groove.html

 

 

Features:

1. USB 2.0 connection to Mac and PC
   
2. Up to 24 bit / 192kHz audio
   
3. ESS Sabre DAC
   
4. Enhances your iTunes, Tidal, Spotify, Pandora or other music listening experiences
   
5. Constant Current Drive™ provides smooth frequency response with any headphones
   
6. Quad Sum DAC™, 4 DACs per channel for highest dynamic range and lowest distortion
   
7. Asynchronous clocking
   
8. Multi-color LEDs for status and level indication
   
9. Powered by USB
   
10. Top panel buttons adjust and mute volume
    
11. Compact and portable (95mm L x 30mm W x 16mm H)
    
12. Premium aluminum build quality
    
13. Built in the USA
    

D/A conversion :

1. THD+N: -107 dB with 600 Ohm load @ 16 dBu
   
2. (-109 dB with 600 Ohm load @ 16 dBu-Anniversary Edition)
   
3. THD+N: -100dB with 30 Ohm load @ 10.5 dBu
   
4. (-101dB with 30 Ohm load @ 10.5 dBu-Anniversary Edition)
   
5. Dynamic Range: 117dB a-weighted
   
6. (119dB a-weighted-Anniversary Edition)
   
7. Frequency response: 10Hz – 20K +/- 0.2dB
   
8. (10Hz – 20K +/- 0.1dB-Anniversary Edition)
   
9. Max output level:
   
   1. 225mW into 30 Ohm
      
   2. 40mW into 600 Ohm
      
10. 8 channel ESS DAC (4 DACs per channel)
    

 

System Requirements

Mac OS:

1. Computer: Intel Mac 1.5GHz or faster
   
2. Memory: 2 GB RAM minimum, 4 GB recommended
   
3. OS: 10.8 or greater
   
4. Connection and power: Any available USB port
   
5. Driver: Mac Core Audio.  No download or installation necessary
   

Windows OS:

1. PC or laptop manufactured after January 2006
   
2. Intel Core 2 @ 1.6 GHz or AMD equivalent
   
3. Memory: 1 GB RAM minimum
   
4. Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit)
   
5. Windows 8 (32 and 64 bit)
   
6. Windows 8.1 (32 and 64 bit)
   
7. Windows 10 (32 and 64bit) September 2015
   
8. Connection and power: Any available USB port
   
9. Driver: Register to download from Apogee’s website
   

 
 

 
PACKAGING
Apogee Groove comes in a nice heavy duty box with Apogee’s logo on the front. On the rear of the box you will find information for the specs and features. Opening the box the Groove is nicely presented to you laying in a pre cut foam insert. Underneath the foam you will find the instructions and accessories.



 
ACCESSORIES  
Groove
USB Cable (1′)
Carrying pouch
Product booklet (Quick Start Guide, Warranty Information)
Instructions for download of software and complete documentation
 
Who doesn’t like accessories, the Groove doesn’t come with much since it’s a portable amp/dac and doesn't require much of anything. It comes with everything you need to get you going with the included usb cable. Apogee also includes a nice drawstring carrying pouch. And of course the instructions, that’s about it for accessories.

 

 
BUILD And FUNCTION
The Groove build quality is minimalistic and very clean looking, the outer casing is an all aluminium design with a black finish. The first thing I noticed is this thing is small and has a good weight to it. It’s probably no bigger than two packs of gum stacked on top off each other. On the bottom there is a non-slip peice of rubber, so it doesn’t scratch or slide on whatever you place it on. On the bottom side you will find the headphone input, and on the top is the usb input. There is also a small loop in the right hand corner to attach it to a lanyard or keychain. I wouldn’t recommend making it a $300 key chain but you never know with some people out there.
 
On the face of the Groove there is only two buttons for the volume control, in between the buttons there is three leds. Pushing the buttons have a nice feel to them and they are also covered in a slip resistant rubber The leds are multi-colored for status and level indication, they have a good brightness to them. The Groove is powered directly from your laptop's usb port, it’s not meant to be used with tablets and cell phones due to the lack of power output. There is a hack on YouTube to hook it up with an external battery source and cell phone.
 
It’s a plug and play device as long as you are using MAC OS, Window OS users will need to download the drivers. Downloading the drivers was pretty easy from there website, you do need to register the Groove before you are able to access the right drivers. It has a USB 2.0 connection and up to 24 bit/192kHz audio. Grooves dac section is not one or two but four dacs per channel. Its called Quad Sum DAC, 4 DACs per channel for the highest dynamic range and lowest distortion. The Groove also uses a Constant Current Drive that’s supposed to provide a smooth frequency response with any headphone. Overall I love the build and form of the Groove, it doesn’t take up much room and can be thrown in your pocket for traveling.


 
 
SOUND
Finally the most important part of the review the sound, if I had to sum it up in one word it would have to be WOW. All my listening was done on my Lenovo Ultrabook ideapad. Using the headphone jack straight out of my laptop without the Groove is very unlistenable to me. Maybe for someone else it’s good, straight out of my laptop it’s very closed sounding with  recessed mids and non existing upper frequencies. On top of that, my laptop by itself can hardly drive any headphone with a double digit impedance to a reasonable listening level. If I do listen to music straight out of my laptop the volume is pegged at 100, I never listen to anything without an amp or dac hooked up to my laptop.
 
I always find it hard to describe sound especially with a amp/dac, there are so many variables like what kind of files, headphones, music type, environment and how well your ears function. So I will do the best that I can, all my files were all hi-res WAV or Flac format. To start off the Groove has a completely dark background. When there is no instruments and pauses in the music it is nothing but silence. When using my laptop by itself I usually hear a hissing noise or some kind of alien noise.  I don’t have any really high impedance headphones, the only pair I have are the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohms. They are not the highest impedance cans but they are not the easiest ones to drive. Coming straight out of my laptop I have the volume at 100, and this is still not a reasonable listening level. The sound is very unlikely with no details and probably the worst reproduction of high frequencies I have heard.
 
Plugging the Groove into my laptop with the DT770s turns them into something totally different. If you ever saw the movie Over The Top with Sylvester Stallone, where he is a professional arm wrestler.  Whenever he turns his hat around backwards he transforms into this super arm wrestler. Or it’s like superman without his cape, you know what I mean did that make any sense. What I am trying to say is the Groove does some magical things to the transformation of the digital to analog signal. The first thing I noticed was the separation of instruments, that was not there when my cans were plugged straight into my laptop. Apogees Groove doesn’t seem to add any coloration to the music and keeps things well balanced and natural. It’s hard to say what an amp/dac sounds like, when headphones have there own sound.
 
But I can tell you this it’s a huge improvement over my laptops sound card. Using other amp/dac combos there are sometimes very subtle differences and improvements that can be heard. The Groove was an instant improvement  to my music giving it a nice full bodied sound. From the low end to the high end of the spectrum, the Groove has no problems reproducing fine details in vocals or low end bass. The strong point would have to be seperation of instruments. It also had no problem driving the DT770s to a nice listening volume. There was plenty left that I could turn them up if I wanted to go deaf. I wasn't’ sure if the Groove was suitable to drive balanced armature iem’s since they have crazy impedance swings. So I set the volume all the way down and plugged the Grado GR8es in, and the Groove had no problem with them at all. The background was still completely dead quiet, without the Groove I experience a lot of hissing and humming right out of my laptop worse than regular headphones.
 
In the end the Groove can make your music sound the way it should be listened to. The overall sound is balanced with great retrieval of details.. To top it off it can drive most headphones with it’s amp section. It sounds better than higher priced dedicated desktop amp/dac combos that I have used. Whatever magic they did in this little unit, just works.

 

 
FINAL THOUGHTS
I would highly recommend the Groove  to anyone looking for a portable amp/dac for their laptop. It’s form and build are top notch, it’s higher price might turn away the average consumer. If you're an audiophile or a serious music lover or a pro in the industry,  the price will be more of a bargain for its performance. It’s not every day I get to demo something that gives me that WOW factor, the Groove has definitely shocked me. Just for being a portable unit and it’s size, I didn’t expect it to drive headphones the way it does. I was even more impressed the way it converts all those zeros and ones into a highly detailed listening experience. Thanks for reading I hope I helped anyone interested in this.

INTRODUCTION
 
Let me introduce myself my name is Adam I am a 38 years old, I have been into audio equipment since I was in highschool. I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I am just an average guy that loves music. I like to listen to my music with the best possible audio quality. My journey to Head-Fi started one day doing a search on the web for headphone reviews. Just about all searches for headphones and earbuds brings you to Head-Fi, after lurking for a couple weeks I finally made an account and here I am writing reviews. Being on Head-Fi I have learned so much and I am learning something new every day.
 
My reviews are written geared towards the average consumer since most web searches direct you to Head-Fi. Head-Fi reviews get more traffic than most pro-audio magazines or any designated review site, you won't find my reviews filled with audiophile terms or due I use graphs, meters, or charts. The only charts and graphs I care about are the quarterly ones that come in the mail about my 401K.  
 
I mainly listen to music using in ear monitors or headphones, I rarely use speakers. When listening to music I prefer to listen to music from the 1970s to the 90s. Anything but country or what ever my daughter forces me to listen to. Being a member of Head-Fi I never thought of making friends all over the world. If you're new to this site, and have a question about audio there are many people here to help and guide you. This is the best website that I have come across there are so many good people here.
 
I was recently in the market for a pair of custom in ear monitors, I wasn’t sure of what to get with all these companies putting out new products. I finally made up my mind when I saw a posting in a thread for Custom Art’s new Ei.3 triple driver custom. Custom Art’s owner Piotr Granicki also known as Peter, is a member of Head-fi known as  [u][color=rgb(17, 85, 204)][u]@piotrus-g[/u][/color][/u]. I have run into him on some of the forums without even knowing he was the owner of Custom Art. Custom Art is located in Warszawa, Poland and manufactures their products in Poland.
 
Custom Art is known for their silicone in ear monitors and recently Peter decided to jump into acrylic. You can find some of Peter’s silicone creations on Custom Art’s Facebook page, I have to say they are a work of art. His silicone artwork is like Noble’s acrylic pieces, you could say he is the silicone king of in ear monitors. That just sounds dirty, if he ever gets out of the custom business he could always do breast implants. Peter has had a fear of producing acrylic monitors do to acrylic never agreeing with him and has had trouble working with it. Myself being into DIY customs, producing acrylic shells is an art in itself.
 
Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Peter for helping get into the Ei.3s. I am not employed or being compensated for this review, and is based on my honest opinions. You can order the Ei.3 by going into the Custom Arts contact form and emailing them. The product is not listed on the web page yet, but just shoot them an email and they will be more than glad to help you. This is the crazy part they only cost around $300 for a triple driver custom, far as I know these are the most affordable triple driver setup out there. I live in the US and was a little worried about how hard it was going to be to ship out my impressions, since they were going to Poland. You will need to fill out a customs form, that can be done right online through what ever carrier service you choose. I went with USPS the cost was very cheap, filling out the customs form was pretty self explanatory it was pretty easy to do. Here is the link directly to Custom Art.http://www.thecustomart.com/index.php
 
Customer service is a big part when looking to purchase customs, getting into customs you will for sure have a lot of questions. Peter himself or one of his colleagues were very fast to respond to any of my emails. Peter also manufactures the shells and tunes them himself and checks for quality. I asked Peter how he could charge such a low price for his acrylic monitors this was his response, “I believe acrylic is much less time consuming to produce and finish, much easier to handle large quantities thus lower price. The same earphone in silicone would probably cost almost twice as much”.  You might take notice Custom Art doesn’t really advertise their products, but go by word of mouth. Just recently they celebrated their 3 year anniversary, that says alot about what kind of products they must be turning out. Let’s finally see how Custom Art’s first offerings of acrylic monitors sound and look.
 
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
- Three Balanced Armature per earpiece
- 3-way configuration
- 118dB @1kHz @0.1V
- 65 Ohm @1kHz
- 10Hz-17000Hz (+-20dB into IEC711 coupler)
- Acrylic body
 

 

 
 
PACKAGING
 
Custom Art’s Ei.3s were dropped off by some carrier, I forget what company it was but they were packed securely in a box. Opening the shipping box the monitors came in a 1010 micro Pelican case. Pretty much standard for customs, although I have seen some monitors triple the price come in a tin can. Not much to say about the packaging, I was surprised to see a Pelican case at this price point since they're not cheap by them self.


 
ACCESSORIES
 
If you have ever purchased customs before you already know accessories are very limited. You really don’t need anything except a case and the monitors and the cable. Custom Art provides a nice 1010 Pelican case for storage. They also include a small moisture absorbent disc, can’t think of the correct name but it removes moisture from the air when you place the monitors inside there carrying case. You also receive the standard cleaning tool for removing wax from the sound bores. Of course they also come with the cable that’s a 2-pin connection, with the plug and 2-pin being gold plated. Almost forgot you get a welcome card with the serial number and the manufacture date of the monitors. There is a 12 month warranty incase anything malfunctions.


 

 
BUILD AND FIT
 
Lets see if the Master of silicone can do the same with acrylic, Custom Art is one of the only companies that I know of that offers silicone monitors with unique designs and endless shell color combinations. Ok on to the acrylic build and fit, getting into customs you can expect a refit sometimes. One of the biggest problems with customs not fitting is the impressions may not be 100 percent correct when taken. Be sure you get your impressions done by a reputable  audiologist, and make sure they follow the instructions provided by Custom Art or any other custom company.
 
I left the design and colors up to Peter, I did let him know I am not into flashy or real bright colors. Ei.3s I received were a transparent blue with a solid white  faceplate. The Custom Art was written down the side of each faceplate in black lettering. For being Custom Art’s first rodeo with acrylic monitors, you would think they have been at it for a long time. The shells were completely bubble free and nice and clear to see the 3 drivers inside. Looking inside the shells the drivers and wires are very neatly placed with just the right amount of adhesive to keep them from moving. The sound from the 3 drivers are sectioned off to a dual bore design. If you look closely you can see the acoustic tuning filters inside the hearing aid tubes. The faceplate being married to the shell looked seamless as if it where one solid piece. Peter must have read my mind blue is my favorite color, I am  just glad he didn’t send me a pink or purple pair.
 
Having owned 5 different pair of customs, I was glad to see these wouldn't be going back for a refit. The Ei.3s fit like a glove inside my ear canal with a perfect seal. Out of the 5 pairs of monitors I have owned over the last 2 years this is only the second time they were a perfect fit. Depending on the company and the amount of drivers some monitors can stick out pretty far, the Ei.3s sit nice and flush and don’t protrude out far. Overall I couldn't be happier with the build quality, and the fit was dead on. If you're looking for your first pair of customs and never had experience wearing them, it can take a couple days to get used to having something jammed in your ear that fills every nook and cranny. Be patient after you are used to them you won't even know they are their, and they won’t fall out like universal monitors.

 
SOUND
 
All my listening was done with hi-res files using my Samsung Alpha cell phone, AK100II, Fiio X1, and Lenovo laptop with the Apogee Groove. The Ei.3s are pretty easy to drive from any source, but pairing them with an amp gave them an even bigger and fuller sound throughout the whole frequency range.
 
So from reading how they are advertised I was thinking they were going to be bass heavy and overwhelming. They are tuned for music like hip-hop, edm, dubstep, and electronica and so on.  The overall sound to my ears would have to be more balanced than anything. But when the music calls for the lower frequencies the Ei.3s really come to life. They reproduce bottom end that you usually only get with a dynamic driver. Ei.3s reach down to sub-bass levels and have a very nice rumble. Mid-bass is just as good, detailed and very open sounding it’s done with more quality than quantity.
 
Before hearing the mid-range I was expecting it to be slightly laid back, but that’s far from the case and it’s well balanced with just as much detail and clarity as the rest of the frequencies. The mids have a nice smoothness to them that keeps you engaged with the music. Bass never spills into the mids, and the mids never sounded warm.  When listening to songs that doesn’t call for bass the mids really shine and reproduce vocals effortlessly, that doesn’t mean the bass takes over when called for, I am just trying to say there just very good. The upper frequencies are crisp and well balanced with everything else. They are never bright or harsh and sound very clean and crisp. The Ei.3s sound good with every kind of music I threw at them, with rock and roll the impact of the kick drum is absolutely amazing. Snare drums and cymbals sound very defined and real. Listening to hip-hop and electronica really showed me what they are capable of. The bass doesn’t steal the show but it is very prominent with this type of music and is done very well.
 
Being an in ear monitor the soundstage is right where you would expect it to be it’s not the biggest or smallest. Instrument separation is done very well giving you a good sense of where everything is at with placement. The only monitor that I have on hand to compare it to would be the UE900S, although being a universal and $100 more and 1 more driver. The Ei.3 just has a bigger and fuller sound overall,even with 1 less armature.  The higher frequencies of the UE900S are slightly more detailed and more forward than the Ei.3s. The mids of the Ei.3 compared to the UE900S are more upfront with the 900S sounding more distant. Ei.3 bass compared to the 900S is more impactful and tighter and better controlled. 900S bass can’t even compete with the Ei.3s, the 900S also don’t go as low as the Ei.3s with sub-bass.



 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
A custom in ear monitor with 3 drivers for $300 that sounds as good as monitors double their price, how can you go wrong. This is the only product I ever gave a 5 star rating, the only improvement that I could think of is the higher frequencies, maybe having them slightly lifted and more prominent . There is nothing wrong with them it’s just how my ears hear it. The Ei.3s are detailed across the board and have a very nice impactful low end, they may not please bass heads being more balanced than anything. Out of all the balanced armature designs that I have heard in this price range the Ei.3s are going to be a game changer if enough people get to demo them.
 
If I didn’t know I would have thought they were a hybrid design, that’s how well they sound. I have never heard a balanced armature design were the bass has a nice airy feel to it like the Ei.3s do. Being Custom Art’s first go at acrylic monitors you would have thought they have been at it for years. I would highly recommend saving up some money and go out and order a pair of Ei.3s, there is nothing like the comfort of a custom in ear compared to a universal. You won’t have problems with them falling out, you won’t have to worry about people asking to borrow them either since they will only fit your ears.  You will also get very personal customer service which is a bonus when buying customs for the first time. I still can’t believe the asking price for what you are getting, forget about them being customs just based off the sound they are worth it.
 
One of my favorite things that I have used the Ei.3s for is watching action movies at night when the kids are sleeping. For instance the the sound of bullet casings falling to the ground is unbelievably awesome. Or in the movie Top Gun when the jets take off, the rumbling of the jet's engines is so realistic, if I had hair on my head it would be blowing backwards from the thrust. Thanks for reading if you ever have the chance to demo these, do yourself a favor and try them out. These are the best value customs that I have ever heard before.

 
 
Audeze EL-8’s and Deckard Amplifier
 
INTRODUCTION
 
Let me introduce myself my name is Adam I am a 38 years old, I have been into audio equipment since I was in highschool. I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I am just an average guy that loves music. I like to listen to my music with the best possible quality. My journey to Head-Fi started one day doing a search on the web for headphone reviews. Just about all searches for headphones and earbuds brings you to Head-Fi, after lurking for a couple weeks I finally made an account and here I am writing reviews. Being on Head-Fi I have learned so much and I am learning something new every day.
 
My reviews are written geared towards the average consumer since most web searches direct you to Head-Fi. Head-Fi reviews get more traffic than most pro-audio magazines or any designated review site, you won't find my reviews filled with audiophile terms or do I use graphs, meters, or charts. The only charts and graphs I care about are the quarterly ones that come in the mail about my 401K. To be honest audiophile terms confuse me, some of them have 2 different meanings depending on who you talk to, or the definition says to see another term. Being a simple guy and write know better than a high school student, you will fully understand my reviews. My goal is to let the average consumer know if this product is worth their hard earned cash.
 
Before I get into the review I would like to say thank you to Jonathan Scull from Scull Communications  for making this review possible. I am not employed or am I being compensated for for this review. This review is based on my honest opinions, the EL-8 and Deckard Amplifier can be purchased directly from Audeze from the following link.
https://www.audeze.com/
 
When you want the top of the line headphones there are a couple companies that pop into my head, with Audeze being one of them. When you are serious about a hobby like headphones there is no doubt that if you want the best there is a hefty price tag that comes with it. Audeze specializes in high end headphones, using planar magnetic drivers instead of dynamic drivers. They are what I would call a boutique company, and produce and assemble their products mostly by hand giving them better control over quality. The EL-8s are there first headphone that comes in under $900 price point. EL-8s are a closed back design using Fazor elements and Fluxor magnetic structure and Uniforce diaphragm design, that greatly reduces their weight that typical planar headphones are known for. The Deckard amplifier is a Class-A headphone  AMP/DAC combo, Audeze teamed up with BMW DesignworksUSA for the design of the EL-8 and Deckard. The Deckard is Audeze first amp/dac, the EL-8s and Deckard both have an industrial look to them. Both products are assembled in Costa Mesa, CA  with the parts being sourced out all over the world.



 


 
SPECIFICATIONS  EL-8


 

 
ACCESSORIES EL-8
 
2m (6.56 feet) Audeze headphone cable
3.5mm to 1/4in stereo adapter
 

 
SPECIFICATIONS Deckard AMP/DAC
 

 

 



 

 
ACCESSORIES Deckard AMP/DAC
 
6-ft. USB cable
6-ft AC power cord



 
PACKAGING
 
EL-8s come in a very nice heavy duty box, there is an outer sleeve that slides off, then you are presented with there name on a the box. The box lid kind of unfolds like a book, the flap is secured with a magnet, opening the lid you are presented with the EL-8s laying down in a nice precut hi-density foam core. On the other side of the box you will find your manual and accessories.
 
The Deckard is packaged in a similar box but without the magnetic flaps. The Deckard is sandwiched in between hi-density foam that keeps it floating in the middle in case it’s banged around during shipping. Both boxes are very well put together for long periods of storage.
 

 
BUILD AND FIT
 
How  products look is almost is as important as the sound these days, I know I wouldn’t want an amp/dac that looks out of place on my desk, that goes the same for the headphones. The Deckard has a very industrial look, but keeping it stylish at the same time. the footprint isn’t any bigger then a large text book. The chassis is made off all metal with a nice finish on it that won’t attract fingerprints. The Deckard DAC section plays 16 to 32-bit audio and sampling rates from 44.1kHz to 384kHz on Mac OS 10.6.4 and above. Windows computers are limited to 193kHz and 24-bits. Window users will need to install the drivers since it’s native Mac OS. I have a Lenovo laptop and it was very easy to download the drivers from there website, they also include a disc that the drivers can be installed from.
 

 

 
 
On the front panel you will find 2 switches and the volume knob, the volume knob is a good size to ensure easy controlling, it has a very smooth feel to it. The first switch is to change your inputs, you can either use USB or RCA. The switch next to it is the Gain switch that can be set to high, medium or low.

 
On the back of the Deckard is the main power switch and the outlet for the power plug, the power cable is very heavy and thick. You will also find the RCA input and outputs, the outputs can be used to hook up speaker monitors. Also on the back is the input for the USB cable, the USB cable is also heavy duty and is very long in case your source is far away. On the bottom of the Deckard are 4 rubber feet to keep it from sliding or scratching anything. You  won’t have to worry about it sliding, it has a good amount of weight to it. Powering on the amp/dac there is a blue led on the front panel that turns on. The led is not to bright or dim, some amps lights can be overly bright and just be annoying. After powering on the amp it can become warm to the touch like any other amp/dac. Some amps can run really hot, the Deckard has a fin like design on the sides that I would assume helps carry the heat away from the internals and keeping it from overheating. Before using the Deckard it’s recommended to rack some hours up on it, to release its full potential giving the inside components a chance to settle in. I really like the design of the amp/dac, it’s simple and classy and very clean looking. I have a glass desk and it looks great next to my laptop.

 

 
 
The EL-8s are a closed back headphone that's made of mostly metal with a wood veneer finish around the edges that's coated for protection and durability. The wood gives them a nice modern look to them, it’s a very different look from there LCD series. The LCD’s have a vintage or antique style, the EL-8s look more up to date. The face of the ear cups have a nice machined ring pattern on them having a semi-gloss finish, the outer part of the earcups has a satin finish that makes the machine finish stand out nicely. The ear cups can be rotated to lay down flat on a desk, the ear pads are slightly angled and made from leather. The ear cups can be lowered for people with longer heads. Adjusting them they have a nice positive click so you can match the other side to the same length. They are connected to the headband from a pivot point and adjust to conform to the side of your head. On the underside of the metal headband there is a padded leather strap that stretches upwards when wearing them to ensure a secure fit..

 

 

 
 
Being one of the lightest planar headphones they are still on the bigger side, I personally wouldn't wear them outside. Being on the bigger side they are still very comfortable and not too heavy. There clamping pressure was a little tight at first around the cheek area, it was easily fixed after stretching them out slightly. To get the most out of the headphones you will have to make sure they are positioned correctly so they won’t leak any sound.

 

 
 
The cables attached to each ear cup with a proprietary design plug that reminds me of a Lightning cable Apple uses. The plugs can only be attached one way for right and left so don’t force them in. A flat cable is used with a nice non-slip rubber finish. I have read some other reviews on the cable how it attaches, some people think its not secured enough. They are held in place with a magnet on each side, I personally really like this design. One of the biggest problems when cables fail for me is getting them caught on something and ripping the wires off the inside terminals. With Audeze’s design if you were to catch them on something the magnet isn’t strong enough to keep it locked on, and giving it a chance from breaking the wires. They plug in with enough force for them not to fall out during normal use, I have tried walking around with them and they never failed. I wish more companies would have designs like this, cables are not cheap. On Audezes website they also offer replacement cables from balanced and cables for ios devices. I really like the overall design of the EL-8s, it’s some what minimalistic and industrial. They are very clean and smooth looking, they are also very comfortable and can be worn for long periods. I do wish they supplied a shorter cable the one provided is pretty long.
 
 


 
SOUND
 
All my listening was done with hi-res files using the following with the EL-8s without the Deckard. AK100II, Samsung Alpha cell, and a Lenovo Ultrabook. Audeze EL-8s were made to be driven easily for portable devices, I still find them too big to take out of the house. It’s recommended to burn them in to get the most out of them. Right out of the box they were on the brighter side, but after 100 hours they really changed for the better. I am not big on burn in but the El-8s improved drastically, maybe it’s the planar drivers with dynamic drivers I rarely hear a big difference if any. After racking up some hours if I had to describe the EL-8s in one word it would have to be Smooth.

 

 
The one thing that really stood out to me was the smoothness of the bass. They are far from being something for bass heads, the bass is more on the balanced side. They do go low and give you a nice low end rumble, but the midbass is still more prominent. It’s very tight and detailed without ever spilling over into the midrange. The midrange is just as smooth and balanced with hint of warmth to them. They have no problem reproducing fine details in vocals, especially with good live recordings. Upper frequencies is where the EL-8s shine, they can keep up with the higher priced headphones with no problem. At first straight out of the box they could almost be fatiguing, but after some hours racked up they settled into place very nicely and balanced out with the rest of the frequencies. EL-8s upper notes have a clarity to them that is done with almost no effort and can keep up with the fastest of tracks. Listening to string bands with orchestras sounds almost too good to be real.
 
Comparing the higher frequencies to Audio-Technicas MSR7, the EL-8s are not as much in your face like the MSR7s, but have the same clarity to them. I like using the MSR7 as a reference point when comparing headphones because of their unforgiveness to recordings. The MSR7s mids are also more upfront than the EL-8s with the EL-8s being more laid back. Comparing the low end the MSR7 have more quantity with the EL-8s having more quality. It’s kind of like Kim Kardashians low end she has more quantity then quality, we all know what that must look like underneath.
 
The EL-8s placement and instrument separation is some of the best I have heard for a closed back headphone.  They give you a good sense of space and air to them, especially for being a closed-back headphone. The music doesn’t feel like it’s right on your ear but more around you, the angled pads probably help with this. A lot of companies are going with the angled earpads these days.
 
Now using the EL-8s with the Deckard RCA out just as an amp, really brings these to another level of listening experience. When I use an amp I don’t want to color the sound, I want to drive my headphones to their full potential. This is exactly what the Deckard did for the EL-8s, It breathed new life into them. Driving the EL-8s directly from my phone or the AK100ii I could max the volume out. First thing the Deckard is dead quite plugging any source I had and with any headphone. I had the gain switch set at the medium setting for just about any headphone I used with it. Using the Deckard with the EL-8s really gave hip-hop, rap and electronica a nice low end rumble and boom. To make it simple it made them sound more lively and more engaging, like I said I am a simple guy and like explaining things so everyone can understand them.
 
 
I personally don’t like reviews where they say there rolled off at this frequency or they have a spike at this frequency or there is a dip here and there. I respect reviewers that write like that it’s just not me and doesn’t help me much. Especially when everyone isn’t using the same source, amps, files, listening levels and placement of the headphones. And something to my ears that sounds warm might sound bright to you. But anyway using the DAC section when plugged into my laptop via USB, I could tell it sounded a whole lot cleaner and more refined right away. My laptops sound card is pretty good by itself. But using the Deckard I could clearer hear things I didn’t hear with my laptop alone. Plugging headphones straight into the laptop jack I could easily listen all day at max volume, with the Deckard at the medium gain I could go slightly above half way for a comfortable listening level, the Deckard isn’t the most powerful amp, but it will for sure be enough to drive higher impedance cans. The only hard to drive headphones I have are Beyerdynamics DT 770 Pro’s at 80 ohms, they are not the hardest to drive and not the easiest to drive. Listening to the DT770 right out of my laptop they can sound very dull and boring. Using the Deckard really showed me what they are capable of. I also hooked up a pair of Audioengine A5+ threw the rear outputs, so I could take advantage of the DAC in the Deckard. On the down side it would have been nice to see a balanced output for headphones, especially when a lot of people run there Audeze headphones with balanced cables. Although I never use balanced cables except for studio monitors.

 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
My overall thoughts of Audeze's more affordable products is they hit it out of the park. They keep the quality of their more expensive offerings that they are known for, and they also bring the quality of the sound they're known for. If you're looking for a closed back headphone that has an overall neutral sound with unbelievable refinement these will definitely please your ears. Their desktop Deckard pairs very well with the El-8s and won't take up to much real estate on your desk. The prices are still a little steep even for being Audezes more affordable line up. But you know what they say you have to pay to play, and Audeze is a specialty company and doesn’t turn out products like big corporations.
 
 
Products like these will never be seen in your average Big Box store but  hopefully Audeze has plans to bring more affordable and portable products in the near future. Maybe we will see them expand their top of the line products in the future as well. Thanks for reading I hope I helped anyone interested in Audeze’s new line up.

This review is for the iclever IC-BTH01 Bluetooth Stereo Headset
 
INTRODUCTION
 
Let me introduce myself my name is Adam I am a 38 years old, I have been into audio equipment since I was in highschool. I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I am just an average guy that loves music. I like to listen to my music with the best possible quality. My journey to Head-Fi started one day doing a search on the web for headphone reviews. Just about all searches for headphones and earbuds brings you to Head-Fi, after lurking for a couple weeks I finally made an account and here I am writing reviews. Being on Head-Fi I have learned so much and I am learning something new every day.
 
My reviews are written geared towards the average consumer since most web searches direct you to Head-Fi. Head-Fi reviews get more traffic than most pro-audio magazines or any designated review site, you won't find my reviews filled with audiophile terms or do I use graphs, meters, or charts. The only charts and graphs I care about are the quarterly ones that come in the mail about my 401K. To be honest audiophile terms confuse me, some of them have 2 different meanings depending on who you talk to, or the definition says to see another term. Being a simple guy and write know better than a high school student, you will fully understand my reviews. My goal is to let the average consumer know if this product is worth their hard earned cash.
 
Before I get started I would like to say thank you to Aaron hisgadget for sending me the iclever bluetooth headset out for review. I am not employed or am I being compensated for this review, and is based on my honest opinion of this product. The iclever can be purchased from the link below from  Amazon for $45.99
http://www.amazon.com/iClever-IC-BTH01-Lightweight-Headphones-Transmitter/dp/B00RF27R9I/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1435547977&sr=1-7&keywords=iclever+bluetooth&pebp=1435547989028&perid=15TESBVRKZW1VV2RS2AG
 
If you have ever done a search on amazon or ebay for earbuds or headphones everybody and there mother is selling some kind of budget product. Alot of these products are fairly cheap and the audio quality usually follows the price point. After having done a good amount of reviews companies have been reaching out to me to review some of their products. Aaron reached out to me to review the iclever, at first I  was a little hesitant to take him up on his offer but after doing some research and reading some online reviews of the iclever I decided to give them a shot.
 

 

 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
- Bluetooth version: Bluetooth V4.0
- Bluetooth profiles supported: HSP, HFP, A2DP and AVRCP
- Operating distance: 10 meters
- Talk time: About 5.5 hours
- Music playing time: About 5 hours
- Standby time: About 150 hours
- Charging time: About 2 hours
 

 
PACKAGING
 
The iclever’s come in a clear package that contains a cardboard box inside, the ear buds are held into the package with some plastic tabs. On the back of the box you will find all the specifications  and features of the IC-BTH01’s. That’s about all for the packaging, it’s not the kind of box you would want to keep. It's pretty much a throw away carrying vessel to get them to point A to B.


 


 
ACCESSORIES
 
- 1 x IC-BTH01 Bluetooth stereo headset
- 1 x Micro USB cable
- 1 x Stabilizer
- 3 x Ear-tips (big/middle/small)
- 1 x Cord management clip
- 1 x User manual
- 1 x Warranty card
 

 

 

 
 
BUILD AND FIT
 
One of the most important things that I look when using a bluetooth headset is the build and fitment. I only turn to bluetooth when I am exercising or working, using bluetooth you can expect some audio quality lose. When I use a wireless headset audio fidelity usually cannot be achieved anyway, and there build quality and how they fit is more important to me. Iclever’s headset is an all plastic design, kind of in between Brainwavz and Plantronics mashed into one.
 
They also support Bluetooth 4.0 and can also be paired by NFC compatible devices. There charging time is 2 hours and an average run time of 5 hours. The operating distance is 10 meters, I got about 15 feet before I lost the signal.  The right earpiece contains the micro usb charging port and is accessed by a plastic cover that moves out of the way with your fingernail. On the underside of the right earpiece is a small led to show what function you are in. Also on the right side about chin level is the 3 button remote/mic, the cable is a flat to avoid any tangling and is coated with a nonslip rubber material.
 
Iclever’s are slightly on the bigger side and will stick out  past your ear. Even though they are on the bigger side they are pretty comfortable and are very light being made of plastic. They supply 3 sizes of silicone tips for proper fitment and also include a set of ear wings to help stay in your ear.. You will also receive a usb charging cable, on the down side there is no carrying case. The build and fit of the iclever’s is pretty good for the price point. Also included for cable management are these 2 clips that the cable gets routed threw to shorten the length. I have never seen anything like these before and they work really well, hopefully some of my other flat cables will fit in them.
 

 

 
SOUND
 
Now on to what you have been waiting for the sound, the iclever’s are tuned towards the everyday consumer. Most of my listening was done with my Samsung Alpha, I also paired it with my AK100ii, Lenovo Ultrabook and my Sony MP3 player. I used all hi-res files mostly WAV format, I also streamed Spotify from my phone. To my ears they have a V-shaped sound signature, low end is elevated and can be very boomy. Mid bass  can bleed into the midrange depending on the music you're listening to and take away from details in the vocals. The midrange sounds quite good and stands out especially with female vocals when the bass isn't overdone. The higher frequencies are slightly elevated giving them their V-shaped signature. Although being elevated  I did not experience any hearing fatigue.
 
The sound signature is not my personal preference, my go to sound signature is more towards a neutral sound. The everyday consumer leans more towards this kind of sound the iclever’s are tuned towards.. The closest thing that I could compare these to are the Beats Powerbeats2 wireless. The iclever’s have more bass and a better controlled midrange compared to the Beats. Beats upper frequencies have more detail and better extension. Listening to what i like to call teenage music hip-hop, rap, dubstep and electronica, the bass can be overwhelming for my ears. Switching to adult music (the stuff I like) rock, 90’s, 80’s and alternative, they sounded more balanced but still with a good bass presence but bearable.
 
Making phone calls were the iclever’s strong point, alot of times with wireless device I have experienced a lot of background noise. The ilcever’s were dead silent, with the other caller being heard crystal clear. My mother on the other end couldn’t tell I was using a bluetooth device. The 3 button remote worked like any other 3 button remote, for phone calls and music functions.


 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
If you're looking for a light weight with a really good phone quality wireless headset these might be for you. They are tuned towards the average consumer and will serve well for active use. Being made from heavy duty plastic keeps them nice and light and can take some abuse, I wouldn’t even be afraid to just throw them into a purse or gym bag. And no I don’t own a purse but I do have a gym bag, just making a point. If you're more into a balanced sound I would look somewhere else, these are tuned more for towards the majority of what the average consumer listens to. And believe me the average consumer usually doesn’t go towards a balanced sound, they like more of an energetic and elevated bass sound. Overall for the price of under $50 these sound better than most other wireless headsets in the same price range. thank you for reading I hope I helped anyone interested in a bluetooth headset.

This review is for AKG by Harman Y50’s
 
INTRODUCTION
 
Let me introduce myself my name is Adam I am a 38 years old, I have been into audio equipment since I was in high school. I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I am just an average guy that loves music. I like to listen to my music with the best possible quality. My journey to Head-Fi started one day doing a search on the web for headphone reviews. Just about all searches for headphones and ear buds brings you to Head-Fi, after lurking for a couple weeks I finally made an account and here I am writing reviews. Being on Head-Fi I have learned so much and I am learning something new every day.

 
Since I am your average Tom, Dick, or Harry working a 9 to 5 job, raising 2.5 kids and a dog that know one takes care of but me. My reviews are written geared towards the average consumer since most web searches direct you to Head-Fi. Head-Fi reviews get more traffic than most pro-audio magazine or any designated review site, you won't find my reviews filled with audiophile terms or do I use graphs, meters, or charts the only tools I use are the ones stuck on the side of my head, there cheaper and it's the only tool that matters in the end. To be honest audiophile terms confuse me, some of them have 2 different meanings depending on who you talk to, or the definition says to see another term. Being a simple guy and write know better than a 10th grader, if you have at least a 6th grade education you are in luck. So if you're looking for the other type of review, skip down about 67 pages and you will eventually find one. If you just want to know if this product sounds good and is worth all your hard earned cash, then you're like me then, so keep on reading.
 
Before I get into the review I would like to say thank you to Derrick at Harman for sending me out the Y50’s to review. I am not employed by Harman or am I being compensated for this review, this review is based off of my honest opinions. The Y50 MSRP $99.95 here is a link for more information on them.
http://us.akg.com/akg-product-detail_us/akg-y50blk.html
 
The Y50’s are a portable on ear headphone and come in many color options, they also come with a in-line one-button universal remote/mic. The Y series headphone line up is geared towards today’s younger generation, the tuning of their sound signature backs this up also.  Nowadays just about every company offers some kind of headphone for portable use. You can’t leave the house without seeing kids from 10 years old and up not using some kind of portable headphone or ear bud.  Y50’s at first glance is not your typical AKG look, it’s more of an urbanite and modern looking headphone that would catch the eye of any youngster.
 
Having 2 kids one in there 20’s and the other in her teens, the majority of kids in this age group you will usually find them listening to rap, hip-hop, dubstep, and pop. So let’s see if the Y50’s will sound good and appeal to today’s younger generation.
 

 

 
 
SPECIFICATIONS  
 

 

 
PACKAGING
 
AKG Y50’s come in a cardboard box with a clear plastic front for viewing. The headphones are packaged inside in black plastic blow form. The packaging is what you would expect at the price point. On the back of the box you will find all your specs and other information on the headphones in a couple different languages.  It gets your headphones from point A to B safely during shipping.
 

 

 
ACCESSORIES
 
1 pair of AKG Y 50 On-ear headphones
1 detachable cable w. universal one-button remote/mic
3.5 – 6.3mm adapter
Soft travel pouch
 
AKG Y50’s come with the basic accessories at this price point, they do include a nice neoprene carrying case with AKG printed across the front. The carrying case is very nice and has to be the thickest neoprene I have ever seen or felt. They also include a ¼ adaptor incase you are going to use it with another source at home. The cable included comes with a remote/mic with a 1 button function.
 

 

 

 

 
BUILD AND FIT
 
On to the build the Y50’s are made for portable use and they are very light and a minimalist design. The pair I received are black, they are made of both plastic and metal. The ear cups are aluminum, painted in satin black with AKG printed across them. I really like the looks of the ear cups, it’s a very techno modern look and stylish. But what do I know I am 38 years old and my kids tell me I need to update my wardrobe.  On to the headband, it’s less than an inch wide made from spring steel connected to a plastic housing that can be adjusted to 10 different positions for people with large heads. A small padded faux leather band is on the underside for maximum comfort. The ear cups are on hinges and can be rotated to store them flat, they also fold inwards to store them in the included neoprene bag. The ear cups are connected to the headband by a plastic arm that swivels up and down to form around your ear.
 
Y50’s ear pads are made from faux leather and can be removed for cleaning. On the inside of the ear cups they are marked with a L and R.  The fit of the Y50’s was very comfortable and can be worn for hours. I really liked how thin the headband was it pretty much disappears when wearing them, you won’t have to worry about any hot spots either. Being an on ear headphone you do get some ambient noise leakage. If listening to these at high volumes there is also is a good amount of sound leakage for others to hear.
 
The cable is coated in a soft non slip rubber material, the plug is set at 90 degrees. I really like the plug design, it’s profile is very low and won’t stick out far from your source. The plugs housings are also some kind of nonslip rubber, the housing of the control button is made from plastic also but has a high-gloss finish on it. The cable has good strain relief on both ends, I would have liked to seen a cable without a mic included also.
 

 

 

 
 
Overall I really like the design of the Y50’s, they are lightweight and have a sturdy build quality. There look will appeal to many younger and older generations, style is a big part of today’s younger generation and if it doesn't look good you can forget about it.
 

 

 

 
 
SOUND
 
Most of my listening was done with my AK100II, I also used the following Samsung Alpha cell phone, Lenovo laptop, and Fiio X1. The Y50’s are easy to drive no amping is necessary, all my music files were either hi-res flac, wav, or mp3 format.
 
The overall sound to my ears is slightly V shaped, this kind of sound signature  will for sure appeal to my kids and peers alike.  The lower end of the Y50’s is boomy and hit’s hard, mid bass is more prominent the sub bass. This kind of bass works better with hip-hop and rap, there is some mid bass bleed into the midrange  and can take away details in vocals. The mids are detailed and smooth sounding when listening to tracks that don’t call for a lot of low end. The higher frequencies are slightly elevated without being ear piercing. The upper frequencies have good clarity to them, but are not overdone. The higher registers sound exceptional better with electronica and edm music.
 
Listening to rock and live music, the midrange can sound overly warm to me, switching to hip-hop and rap you will hear a more balanced sound. Instrument separation and sound stage is about average, on ear headphones I find don’t help in these departments.
V  shaped signature headphones isn’t my first headphone to go to, my personal preferences are more towards a neutral sound. A lot of people do like V shaped sound sigs, these may be right up your alley if that is you. This type of sound signature fits the general consumers listening preferences and a good amount of younger people. Most companies stick to there house sound AKG saw a market towards a younger generation and ran with it.
 
Using the one button controls worked to play and pause the tracks coming out of my cell phone. Making phone calls the one button worked as expected, using for phone calls the clarity of the person on the other end sounded unbelievable good. The Y50’s has to be one of the best headphones I have used for hands free calls. I always use my mother for testing headphones for phone calls, since she is hard of hearing. The lovely woman on the other end couldn’t tell I was using a hands free device.
 



 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
If the particular headphone that I am reviewing is not to my taste it will be someone else’s favorite. Established companies do a lot of research for a specific targeted age group for their product, and the Y50’s are tuned and geared toward  a younger generation and I have no doubt that they will be loved by many. Winning 2014 product of the year from What Hi-Fi? can back there success, I would have know problem recommending these to anyone that is looking for a reasonably priced portable headphone for music I listed in my review.
 
There worth the price just in there build quality, most headphones in this price are typically all made from plastic. It’s hard to find products that are reasonably priced, that both sound good and are built good, and the Y50’s achieved both of these. I can know finally let my daughters use these again, I had a hard time pulling them away from my kids to write this review. They are my ultimate Beta testers for portable equipment, especially for style and fashion. It must meet my kids approval, and if it can withstand the abuse my kids put products through it will last for many years. I hope this helped anyone interested in purchasing these thanks for reading.
 

This review is for Ultimate Ears UE BOOM
 
INTRODUCTION
 
Let me introduce myself my name is Adam I am a 38 years old, I have been into audio equipment since I was in high school. I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I am just an average guy that loves music. I like to listen to my music with the best possible quality. My journey to Head-Fi started one day doing a search on the web for headphone reviews. Just about all searches for headphones and ear buds brings you to Head-Fi one way or the other, after lurking for a couple weeks I finally made an account and here I am writing reviews. Since I am your  average Tom, Dick, or Harry working a 9 to 5 job, raising 2.5 kids and a dog that know one takes care of but me.
 
My reviews are written geared towards the average consumer since most web searches direct you to Head-Fi. Head-Fi reviews get more traffic than most pro-audio magazine or any designated review site, you won't find my reviews filled with audiophile terms or do I use graphs, meters, or charts the only tools I use are the ones stuck on the side of my head, there cheaper and it's the only tool that matters in the end. Audiophile terms can be confusing half of them I find have 2 different meanings or the definition will say see the following. I am a simple guy and not the greatest writer, if you have at least a 8th grade education or your a caveman then my reviews are for you. So if you're looking for the other  type of review, skip down about 67 pages and you will eventually find one. If you just want to know if this product sounds good and is worth all your hard earned cash, then you're like me then, so keep on reading.
 
Sound is subjective, what I hear will most likely be different from what you hear so take my opinions with a  grain of salt. Before I get into the review I would like to say thank you to Andrea from Logitech for sending me out a demo to review. I am not an employee or am I being compensated for this review. This review is based on my honest opinions. UE BOOM sells for $199 and can be purchased directly from the link below.
http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/store
 
UE BOOM is a wireless Bluetooth speaker, just about every company is offering some kind of wireless speaker these days. I have used Bluetooth speakers ever since they came out, some of the problems I have found with other offerings is the audio quality and build quality.

 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Bluetooth pair up to 8 devices, connect two sources at the same time
Wirelessly play (stream) to 2 UE BOOMs from one source
Range  50 feet
NFC pairing  Android Jellybean and higher
Max Sound Level:            88dBa
Frequency Range:           90Hz-20kHz
Drivers:                            (2) 1.5” 4 Ohms
Radiators:                        (2) 2.0” Passive
App Configurable             IOS-Android
2-Year limited hardware warranty
 
Diameter:           6.5cm (2.6”)
Height:               18cm  (7.1”)
Weight:              538g   (speaker only) 19oz
 
 

 

 


 
PACKAGING
 
The UE BOOM comes in reusable coffin like black hard plastic case, with a cardboard sleeve with the Boom’s photo on the front and the specifications on the back. UE BOOM’s carrying box also has a compartment on the top and bottom that are removable to store the usb cable and wallpart. This case works great for long period storage, or for traveling. The storage compartments are very convenient and keeps the accessories safe and with the speaker.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
ACCESSORIES  
 
Usb wall charger
Usb charging cord
 
 

 

 

 
BUILD AND FIT
 
UE BOOM is built to withstand harsh environments, I have seen many pictures of the Boom strapped to mountain bikes, coolers, motorcycles, and many other objects that you normal be afraid to strap a speaker to. The Boom is mostly made of a hi-density plastic with a mesh speaker screen. There is a rubbery strip going down the middle also, this is where the volume button is located. They offer to many color options to mention, but there is a color for just about everyone's taste and lifestyle.
 
The Boom has a 15-hour battery life, you can check the status with the plus and minus buttons. It’s also has a wireless range from up to 50-feet, you can also connect 2 Bluetooth devices at the same time, it is also NFC compatible. The design of the Boom is also water and stain resistant.
 
After spending some time with the Boom, I have come to the conclusion this is the most durable Bluetooth speaker out on the market. I have actually taken the speaker in the shower, so don’t be afraid to take the speaker in the shower with you and throw on some Marvin Gaye, just make sure it’s not just you and the speaker if you know what I mean. I wouldn’t recommend submerging it totally in water it’s only water resistant. UE included a rubber gasket the protects the charging port and auxiliary port. On the same end is a key chain like hook to clip it to whatever you want.
 
You can also pair the speaker with another Boom for a stereo effect, UE has an app for Windows and Mac for some cool features. One of the best features is you can answer phone calls, there is also an EQ to further adjust to your liking. For you have sleepers you can set an alarm to have the Boom wake you up playing your favorite tune. UE Boom is perfect for so many applications like backyard BBQ, beach, college student, workout room, bathroom, and so many more.
 
 

 

 


 

 

 
 
 
SOUND
 
The most important part of the device the sound, when I use a wireless speaker I don’t expect a hi-fidelity sound. Bluetooth for me is more of a convenience, especially if I don’t want some of my more costly equipment to get damaged. The UE Boom sounds pretty damn good, most Bluetooth speakers just don’t get loud enough. And using a bluetooth speaker I want it to get load since I won’t be right next to the device, the Boom gets insanely loud for the size of it.
 
Testing the Boom I mostly used my Samsung Alpha cell phone, I also used the following AK100II, Sony MP3 player, and my Lenovo Ultrabook. I also streamed Spotify music to it also. Pairing the Boom is pretty straight forward with the designated button, you can also pair it using NFC if you device is compatible. Mids is the Booms strong point they are clear and smooth and have good clarity for a wireless speaker. Upper frequencies have a good natural sound, without being ear piercing. The lower frequencies is where the Boom struggles, they can sound very boxy at times depending on the type of music you are  listening to especially at high volumes. Mid-bass is more prominent than sub-bass. Instrument separation is on average for a Bluetooth speaker.
 
You can change the sound of the Boom depending on how it’s placed towards you, the distance between the speaker and the wall can have an effect on the sound also. For what the Boom is meant for it’s one of the best sounding bluetooth speakers that I have used. The sound of the UE Boom can fill an entire room, and you wouldn’t have to worry about it getting knocked over or broken. I found the best kind of music to listen to with the Boom is just about anything where there isn’t a lot of bass. The overall sound of the Boom if I had to describe it would be a nice full sound, compared to the Bose Soundlink the UE sounds more open and fuller. The Soundlink sounds quite hollow to me as if it were playing inside a garbage can. The Soundlink’s bass wins over the Boom’s with more of an impact and more of a natural sound.
 
Answering phone calls while it’s playing is as simple as pushing the bluetooth button. When testing phone calls I always call my mom, since she is hard of hearing. The old lady just kidding my loving mother had know problem hearing me and didn’t know I was on a wireless device. My mommy’s voice came over the speaker nice and clear. The sound of the call sounded just as good as a conference  calling speaker.
 
Most speakers I have used like this just don’t get loud enough, and using a Bluetooth must mean you don’t want to be wired down and you are going to be moving around. Another problem is battery life with wireless speakers the Boom has one of the best if not the best battery lifes that I have used. I set it to a low volume before I went to bed at night, waking up in the morning it still had plenty of juice.
 
 

 

 

 
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
My overall 2 cents of the Boom, it has to be my favorite Bluetooth speaker that I have had a chance to use. You don’t have to worry about getting it wet or the battery life going dead on you. It is the perfect speaker for outside gatherings or the beach. If you go on UE’s Twitter you can see all the crazy things people do with there Boom. The price might turn some people off, but how many times have people bought a cheap wireless speaker and end up disappointed and just throw it to the side and buy another one. I would have know problem recommending this to anyone looking for a Bluetooth speaker. The best thing about this speaker is it gets pretty darn loud. Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone in the market for a wireless speaker. UE also has a UE Mini Boom and a MegaBoom, hopefully one day I will hear the Megaboom.

This review is for the Ubsound Fighters, let me introduce myself before I get started. My name is Adam I am 38 years old and have been into audio equipment since I was in high school. In the past 2 years headphones and iem's have become my main hobby. I am not an audiophile, but a collector or hoarder of audio equipment. My journey to Head-Fi all started when I did a search on the web for a new pair of ear buds, and just about every search landed me here. Since my first search I made an account and started to review headphones and ear buds and never looked back.  It's know secret the reviews on Head-Fi get more traffic and more views then most pro-forums combined.
 
Before I get into my review let me start off by saying I aim my reviews at the average Joe or Jane and use simple terms, so the average consumer can understand them since that's what brought me here from the beginning. So if your into to reading a long reviews with graphs, meters, charts, levels, and audiophile terms skip down about 234 pages and I am sure you will find a review like that. My reviews are so easy to understand a caveman will understand what I am saying. There is nothing wrong with the other kind of reviews, but after 10 minutes of reading I just want to know if they sound good, I don't care what your graph says or your spl meter says the only tools I trust are the ones my uncle used to grab if I did something wrong. Ok that's enough of my rant you guys probably skipped down anyway.
 
I would like to say thank you to Clara at Ubsound for sending me a review unit out, I am not an employee or am I being compensated for this review. This review is based on my honest opinion, and all pictures were taken by me. The Fighters come in 4 different colors and can be purchased directly from this link for $69.90
 
UBSOUND FIGHTERS
 
Who are they, well I didn't know either until a saw an add somewhere on line, UBSOUND is actually pronounced "You Be Sound". Fighters were released for European sales in June 2014 and to the US market February 2015. They will also be releasing an on ear headphone in July of 2015. Further down the road into 2016 they will hopefully have there line of DAPs, DAC's, and over ear headphones released. Ubsound was founded in 2011 by its CEO Marzio Gasparro in Milan, Italy. Every day there seems to be a new company popping up, due to the high demand of mobile listening devices. And what's better then having more options to choose from. Music is as subjective as it gets every one hears and likes different kinds of music. It's not like how I know for a fact I am so good looking I should be a model, my looks are not subjective I am just that beautiful. Just kidding if that were true I wouldn't be single writing reviews, ok I really do enjoy writing reviews it's my hobby and down time. So let's get right into it. http://www.ubsoundshop.com/en/12-fighter-series-earphones      http://www.ubsound.com/
 
SPECIFICATIONS 
 
Driver                                    8mm dynamic
Sensitivity                             92dB/mW
Frequency Range                 20-20.000HZ
Impedance                           32 ohms
Max Distortion-max              <0.5%
Flat Wire Cable                     1.2m
Plug                                       3.5mm          
 
 

 
 
PACKAGING 
 
Ubsound Fighters come in a small plain cardboard box, based on price this is what is expected. The front of the box has a hi-res photo of the Fighters, the back of the box has all the specifications in just about every common language. That's about it for the box, it gets it to point A and B safely.
 
 
ACCESSORIES
 
1 pair of ear buds
S,M,L silicone tips
Manual
Ubsound Sticker
Black velvet pouch
 
 

 
Who doesn't like accessories, it's like icing on the cake. Ubsound includes everything you need to get you up and running, I do prefer a hard shell case for tossing them into a gym bag or book bag. They include every size you need of silicone tips for proper fitment. The sticker is a nice touch since I like to fill the outside of my tool box at work with stickers.
 
 
BUILD AND FIT
 
The Fighters are for sure pretty stylish and have some good weight to them without being overly heavy. The cable is flat and made of a non slip rubber with a matte finish, being flat helps with it becoming tangled. I have to say it is pretty good at staying tangle free. A  straight 3.5mm plug that is gold plated is also coated in a matte black rubber, there is good strain relief though out anywhere it's needed. Ubsound Fighters housing is made of aluminum and is painted to a nice satin finish. The faceplate is shiny aluminum with a machine circular finish stamped with there logo in white paint.
 
Where the cable splits for each ear piece you will find a rather large Y splitter that's made of metal painted black with the logo in white. The Y splitter actually weighs them down a little bit and can cause the ear buds to come out if you don't have them placed in your ear correctly. These also have a 1 button control and mic attached to the right cable, the control is set about 7 inches down form your ear.
Each ear piece has a L and R on the rubber grommet for strain relief, underneath the housings there is a small hole for the dynamic drivers to breathe. Removing the tip will reveal a metal screen to keep dirt and dust out.
 
 



 
 
The over all build quality is top notch, you won't be finding to much plastic on these except for the cable. Isolation is right where it should be for this kind of ear bud, they kept a good amount of ambient noise out. These where really comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, the only thing I would change on the design is the size of the Y splitter and the weight of it. Just from the build quality and quality materials these should be able to take some abuse in harsh environments.
 

 

 
 
 
SOUND
 
You probably skipped to this section by now so go back and read the rest of the review (to be continued) just kidding. So how do they sound, even before I received them through some emails they told me the sound signature was a V-Shaped sig. I don't use specific tracks since everyone doesn't listen to the same thing as I do, but I don't know why you wouldn't listen to what I do because my tastes are impeccable and trust me Polka music is fun. Ok really, the main source I used was my Astell & Kern AK100II I also used my Samsung Alpha since there made for portable use. I used just about every kind of format file that I have, from WAV, FLAC, to highly compressed MP3 files. Ubsound Fighters are easy to drive so no amping is required knowing they were tuned with a V-shaped sig I had an idea of what kind of music to throw at them.
 
Let's start off with the low end, expecting heavy bass I was not disappointed listening to 1990's freestyle. Mid-bass is more prominent then sub-bass and it hit's hard, it does extend into the lower mid's. At some volumes it does become distorted and a bit muddy. Depending on what kind of music your listening to the bass sounds more controlled, like Hip-Hop, Rap, and Dubstep the lower registers sound better then listening with Classic, Rock, or Live music.
 
The mid-range is quite smooth but can lack clarity and detail adding to there overall signature of V shaped. Mids sound better listening to music with soft toned vocals. The high frequencies are one of the Fighters stronger points, and  they are not extended so far to pierce your ear. Upper registers sound more natural then the rest of the frequencies and have more transparency. Compared to Sure SE215's the 215's bass is more controlled, but the Fighters mid-bass hit's harder but sacrifices detail. Fighter's mids compared to the 215's sound more laid back, the higher notes of the Fighter's has better extension and more clarity.
 
Using them for phone calls the Fighters performed pretty good, the caller on the other end came through clear without back round noise or any hissing. I used them to call my mother and she couldn't tell the difference if I was using a hands free device. The 1 button control worked ending the call with no problems, it also work for the music functions as well.
 
CONCLUSION
 
My overall 2 cents, V-Signature is not my go to sound, I am more of a Neutral kind of guy and natural I never used body enhancing substances but it's hard to tell I am like a card board cutout for a fitness magazine, not really I am short and shaped liked a fire plug.  If you are looking for a V shaped ear bud these might be right up your alley. Or if you like a lot of bass these could be for you, the tuning of the Fighter's sounds like they would be very popular with the younger generation of people especially teens and preteens. They are built with quality materials and have a nice modern look to them that will appeal to many. Thank you for reading I hope this helped anyone interested in these, until next time.

This review is for Audio-Techinca ATH-MSR7(black). Let me introduce myself: My name is Adam I have been into audio equipment since high school. Mostly into full size speakers and car speakers, over the past two years I have been getting into portable audio and headphones and IEMs. One of the main reasons for jumping into portable equipment was do to the convenience and my job. My work requires me to wear ear plugs for 8 hours a day. I mainly use IEMs, unless my boss isn't around. I will throw a pair of headphones on. I was given the opportunity to review one of Audio-Technica's ATH-MSR7. The MSR7 is part of their SonicPro line up, and comes with their Hi-Res Audio stamp. All of their products that receive the Hi-Res Audio standard, their transducer frequency performance to at least 40kHz. More and more companies are trending towards Hi-Res Audio, from DAPs, headphones, IEMs, and streaming music. Audio-Technica needs no introduction. I am pretty sure everyone has heard of them. My first experience was probably back in the early 80's, using my brothers AT turntable scratching records like I was some kind of DJ.  There are other reviews of these on the forum, but the more the better. Hearing is subjective, so what I hear could be the total opposite of what you hear. If you're looking for a review with crazy audiophile terms and graphs, move on. I consider myself as an average consume,r and my reviews are written towards the average consumer. I like to keep my writing style simple for the average Joe to understand them, or maybe it's because I am a horrible writer. I started my journey to Head-Fi by researching the web for headphone reviews. Just about all reviews for headphones and ear buds will bring you right to Head-Fi. I don't consider myself an audiophile. I am just an average guy that has a crap load of headphones and IEMs. I guess some people would consider that an audiophile, or just crazy. There are even people I know that tell me "You're soooo stupid. How many pairs of headphones can you wear at once?" But if you're reading this, I bet you own at least two pair.  I guess I could call myself a collector of ear warmers, or ear canal expanders. Call my kind of people what you want, because we are growing at an unstoppable pace. Pretty soon we audio equipment lovers will be the majority, and not the minority. Okay, that's enough of me rambling on about me, and what ever else that was.
 
Before I get into the review, I would like to thank Frank at Audio-Technica for sending me out the MSR7's to review. I am not an employee, or am I being compensated for this review. This review is based on my honest opinion and all the pictures were taken by me.
 
Here is a link to Audio-Technica website to locate dealers. The MSR7 come in three different colors, and can be purchased for $249.95 (see link below.)
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/9f55d2de9afd8f31/index.html
 

 
 
SPECIFICATIONS 
 
Driver:                                                 Closed Back Dynamic 45mm
Output Sound Pressure Level:           100dB/mW
Frequency Response:                         5 - 40,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power:                       2,000mW
Impedance:                                         35 ohms
Weight:                                                290g
 
 

 
PACKAGING
 
I won't go to much into details about packaging since there are other reviews. The MSR7's come in a nice box, with a very nice glossy picture on the front and side. There is also a picture of their "True Motion" Hi-Res Driver technology. The back lays out how the housing is assembled. Opening the box, there is another box holding all the accessories. Lifting the accessory box out, you will find the MSR7 presented very nicely. They are laying in a molded piece of plastic, draped with black fabric, almost like a headphone coffin. Very nice eye candy and gets your brain stimulated. I don't know about you, but first impressions get me excited and turns me into a little kid on Christmas again. That's about it. AT does a good job with boxing to ensure they won't be damaged during transport. The box is very eye catching, and for sure would catch my attention sitting on a shelf in a store.
 
 
ACCESSORIES  
 
1 Carrying Pouch
Cable For Smart phone With Mic   (1.2m)
Cable (1.2)
Cable (3.0)
 
MSR7's are advertised as portable headphones and come with three cables. That's right - three of them. One with smart phone controls, one without, and another one without that has a very good length to it. The shorter cable is the perfect size for on the go - it's not too long or too short. I really liked the length of the cables. Most of the time I find them to be in-between too short or too long. The longer cable is great for home use. You could sit pretty far away from your source, or even walk around a little bit. They also provided a protein leather drawstring bag, embossed with their name and logo. It's a pretty nice bag, although I wouldn't want to throw it into a backpack. A hard shell case would have been more functional, especially branding them as portable headphones. Overall, I was pleased with the three cables. They didn't include a 1/4 adapter. I guess since it's a portable headphone, and who doesn't own a bunch of them?
 

 
 
BUILD AND FIT 
 
Let me start off by saying I have an abnormally large head sitting on my shoulders. At first look of the MSR7's, they look mostly made of plastic, but it actually has a lot more metal than I thought. The housings are made from an exclusive aluminum and magnesium mixture. AT states these materials reduce unwanted resonance, and to enhance the texture of the sound. The cups contain three vents, with two of them visible for the drivers to breathe. If you look at the picture on the back of the box, there is a lot going on inside these housings. The MSR7's ear pads and headband are both made of protein leather. Both sides can be adjusted up and down with grooves to lock in place for people like me with large heads. You can also rotate the cups to lay them down on a flat surface. They also pivot on a hinge to form to the side of your face. The headband is made of some kind of metal, and can be manipulated to the width of your head. The pads can be removed to replace them or to clean. Myself, I found them hard to get back on.
 


 
Now to the cables. They are all made from the same material: a nice soft supple rubber with gold plated connectors. On the ends, there is a piece of rubber for strain relief. The part that plugs into the headphone is straight. The other end that plugs into the source or phone is a right angle plug. This is one of the biggest things that I didn't care for. The right angle plug sticks out pretty far for a portable headphone. Also the angled connector is two parts: the inside is partly plastic and rubber, with a plastic housing snapped over it. The first time I unplugged the right angle connector, I felt the housing lifting up, and you can actually feel it and see it. I don't think it will break. It just feels a little cheap. It does look nice, and is a very unique looking plug, but it doesn't feel right. The cable with the mic and remote is placed perfectly just below the chin line. It's a one button function for all controls, with a mic on the other side for taking calls.
 
Overall, the MSR7's have a very eye appealing look to them, with their electric blue accents, and their shiny beveled edge on the cup. They will catch many people's eye with their modern appeal. I have read other reviews saying they were a little heavy. I actually thought they were kind of on the lighter side for over the ear headphones. Their clamping pressure is a little snug at first, but what headphones aren't? Personally, I would rather have them tighter than loose. Headphones will always loosen up over time. The fit was very comfortable for me even after extended use,. The headband is very soft and forms to your head, without a lot of pressure. I did find the ear cups to be a little shallow with my ear, almost touching the driver housing. The driver housing also sticks out slightly like a speed bump. But overall, they are very comfortable and very compact for outdoor use.
 


 
SOUND
 
I guess this is why you're reading this. So, how did they sound? They sound good, thanks for reading. Just kidding! The MSR7's are very easy to drive. I used all Hi-Res files when listening to them. Most of my listening was done on my AK100II and Fiio X1, stacked with the Fiio E07K. The MSR7's sounded GREAT from first note, even before racking up hours on them. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would have to be BUY these. Sorry, that's two words, isn't it? Frequencies extend in both directions of the spectrum nicely. Some reviews have stated that these are on the brighter side. I would have to disagree. The MSR7's higher frequencies for sure stand out, but I think it's more because it brings out the higher notes that you have been missing from other headphones that can't reproduce them like they should be.
 
AT's MSR7's low end is very smooth and detailed. I wouldn't recommend them for a bass head. They are not lacking bass at all. Mid-bass is more present than sub-bass, both being very well controlled, and without taking over the rest of the music. I have read a couple of other reviews saying the mids sound recessed or veiled. I have to disagree with this also. The mids are not upfront or set back to my ears. They are balanced, sound lush and highly fluid, especially with live recordings. You will be able to hear every breath taken, to every mouth bump on the microphone from the performer. That's how detailed the mids are reproduced with the MSR7's. The higher frequencies are where these stand out with out, being bright, unless you crank the volume up. But what headphones don't sound bright when turned up loud, when you're getting the clarity and clearness like the MSR7's do. The upper frequencies separation of different instruments is the best I have heard in this price range. I honestly haven't heard cymbals sound so real from an other headphone in this price range, and others priced much higher. Imaging and separation are the MSR7's strong points, and for being a closed back design, that's really impressive.
 
One thing is, the MSR7's are not forgiving with bad recordings. They will pick your music apart, and put out what you put in, which in my opinion is a good thing. I listened to mostly hip-hop and 90's music, and the MSR7's sounded good with every kind of music I listened to. They will sound their best with live music, and with real instrumentals. You could say they are a reference sounding headphone. Making phone calls worked as expected with great sound quality on both ends.
 

 
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
I would highly recommend these for anyone to purchase without a second thought. Their build quality is top notch with great looks. You will be hearing things you have been missing from other headphones. These are a great pair for critical listening. You can even use them for making phone calls. With everybody going portable, you might as well use a high quality sounding headphone for phone calls. At this price point, I can't think of any other headphone that will offer this kind of clarity. Some people might find $249 a lot for a headphone. Some think $40 is a lot. If you're in the same hobby as I am, you will think it's a bargain. Thanks for reading. I hope this helped any one interested in purchasing these.

This review is for Master &  Dynamic MH30 over the ear. My name is Adam. I am a 38 years old headphone and IEM collector. I don't consider myself an audiophile, but have been into music and audio equipment since I was in middle school. Some months ago, I have always wanted to review the MH30's, but ended up reviewing there ME03's. After that review, I reviewed their MH40's. I guess the stars weren't lining up right for me to get my hands on a pair. I finally got my hands on a demo unit to review the MH30's, and I would like to say thank you to the whole Master & Dynamic Team: Scott, Mary, and Jonathan. I am not an employee, nor am I being compensated for this review. You can purchase the MH30's  for $349 directly from Master & Dynamic, if you live in NY city they offer one hour delivery. How's that for service? http://www.masterdynamic.com/products/mh30-on-ear-headphones
 
We should all know Master & Dynamic by now, they are based in New York City. They design all their products there, but have them manufactured overseas. I know what you're thinking: the quality. I can guarantee that all their products are nothing less then top notch. Master & Dynamic looks stand out for sure, and are more stylish than any other brand that I have seen. In today's market, consumers don't purchase headphones just for the sound. They also want them to look good. Just imagine walking down Park Way Avenue in a three piece suit, wearing a pair of plastic headphones. I still like to think at my age I still have some kind of style, but just don't ask my kids. After reviewing there MH40's I fell in love with Master & Dynamic right away, but I have always been wanting to review the MH30's. The MH40's style is more for the kind of person that owns a Hedge Fund company and doesn't drive, but uses limos to get around and wears custom made suits. Now, the MH30's style are more for the kind of person that uses the subway, and relies on Uber service to get around and works at a local club in Brooklyn. Now, that's more of the type of person I am. But style is only one part, so let's see how they sound and let's get right into it. Sorry for the contrast in pictures. Someone's kids dropped my camera ,and now the white balance isn't working properly. Yeah, it was one of my offspring.
 

 
SPECIFICATIONS 
 
Dimensions:           195mm x 190mm x 40mm
Weight:                   260g
Sound Profile:         Dynamic, Closed
Impedance:            32 ohms
Drivers:                   40mm High-Performance
 
 
 
 
 
PACKAGING
 
Master & Dynamic MH30's come in a nice heavy duty cardboard box, with a hi-res photo on front and back of the sleeve. After removing the sleeve, you will find the black box with a lid and pull tab to get to the goodies. The first thing you will notice when opening the lid is the premium smell of leather that fills the air. It's kind of like walking into Schott's leather store in NYC. On top of the MH30's, you will be greeted with their welcome card. The headphones are packed in a pre-cut hi-density foam with the cable box set in the middle -- very nice to store, if not in use. Lifting up the foam tray, you will find the fabric pouch, warranty information, and user manual.
 
Master & Dynamic really goes all out with first impressions with very nice packaging. Their packaging reminds me of the company that sounds like a fruit. Some companies don't put much thought in their packaging, and use plastic blister packs and thin cardboard, only to be damaged in shipping. And at this price point, they go above and beyond, and do better then some higher priced headphones packaging.
 
 
 
ACCESSORIES
 
Canvas Headphone Case
Leather Cable Box
Gold-Plates Adapter 3.5/6.3mm
Headphone Plug 2.0m
Headphone Plug With Remote & Mic 1.25m
 

 
The accessories who doesn't like accessories? I am all about accessories, and they just don't include a cable. They give you a pouch and a leather case for the cables. Two cables, that is one separate with a remote and mic. Just like their other products, I give them an A+. You're lucky if you get a 3.5 adaptor with some other brands.
 
 
BUILD AND FIT 
 
Now, this is one of the things Master & Dynamic stands out in the front of the crowd -- They're head turners. The color combinations they use are stunning. They're built with nice clean lines and smooth edges, all made with premium materials. You won't find any plastic on these, except for maybe in the housing. The MH30's are over the ear cans. The headband is wrapped in heavy grain cowhide with lambskin underneath for padding. The ear pads are wrapped in lambskin with memory foam underneath for an ample fit on your ears. Did I mention the ear cups are removable that attach with magnets for replacement? I really like this design. There has been once or twice I have ripped new pads trying to stretch them over for replacement.
 
MH30's housing is made of aluminum that is anodized for extra hardness. The backs of the housing has a very nice circular machined pattern on them. There are two pins on the housing so the cups can pivot to the angle of your head. They also can be adjusted up and down for people that have longer heads. They are attached to the headband using a friction slide that has numbers on them, so you can match the other side up, if you're as picky as me. The slides have a nice machined knurled finish on them. You can also fold them up for storage, with the hinges connecting them to the headband. The cups can be turned so you can lay them down flat on a desk, or the seat of your Mercedes. Did I miss anything? Probably, but all you need to know is that these are built with premium materials, and don't have a single flaw in them. They will please some of the higher class wine and cheese eaters.
 


 

 
 
The cables are made of oxygen free copper, and are wrapped in a nice woven fabric. The plugs are gold plated, with a nice knurled finish on the end of the housing. There is also a piece of rubber coming out of the back, to help with strain relief. Remote and mic cable is made from the same material. The mic is located perfectly,  closer to your chin for phone calls. They keep the remote separate from the mic, and makes for better phone calls and operation of the controls.
 

 
I have to say the MH30's are my favorite looking headphones to date. They are built like tanks, but keeping a stylish look. They are very comfortable to wear. The clamping pressure fits my head perfectly. For being over the ear, they seal really well and keep ambient noise out above average. I could wear these for hours upon hours with out any discomfort. For people that wear glasses, these are very friendly. One thing I should point out I do have a big head, and the ear cups are at their maximum length. So, if you have an oddly long head, these may not fit. But like I said, I have a big head.
 
SOUND
 
Okay, with all the style and premium materials, does the sound really matter at this point? Some might be happy just to wear them around their neck. I guess it matters, and how do they sound? They are now my go-to headphone for ON the ear use. I don't wear OVER the ear headphones out, just because they're too big. I need all the help I can get in the looks department, so why add something big over my head? The MH30's overall sound: I would say it's on the warmer side. I listened to these using all hi-res files with my AK100ii and Fiio X1 stacked with a Fiio E07K. These are very easy to drive, but I amped it because the E07K has 2 outputs so I could compare them really fast with the MH40's.
 
When I say warmer ,I don't mean they're bass heavy. The bass extends very well with out bleeding into the mids. You have to hear these to see how well there low end is in sub bass and mid bass. You get a nice rumble and thump at the same time. Compared to the MH40's the MH30's sub bass is definitely more noticeable but it is very well controlled  It reminds me off my high school years driving in my 1994 Camaro Z28 with T-Top's blaring my music from my two 16" Kicker woofers. You can really crank these up and feel the bass threw out your body. Form reading that you might be thinking they have to be bass heavy, but only when your playing music when it's called upon.
 
The midrange is warmer then the MH40's, but is very smooth and detailed without being laid back or veiled. Listening to female vocals, you will hear how it just flows and engages you into the performance. Higher frequencies is were these lack, and can be slightly laid back to the rest of the frequencies. By all means, I am not saying it's bad. That's just the sound signature these have. They blend well with the rest of the music. It's the type of headphone you want to use for portable use, like going on a train ride or a long air plane ride. Compared to the MH40's, the higher frequencies are more distant, and gives it a warmer sound.  Instrument separation is good, but with the MH40's being better. I found the best type of music to use these with would have to be Hip-Hop, Freestyle, Rap, and Dub Step and it's fitting for these. Just by looks, I can see more younger and middle age people buying these. Unlike the MH40's, which look like they're more for an older generation of people using them at home relaxing.
 


 
OVERALL
 
Like I said before, these have to be my favorite on ear headphones to use. Reviewing these even inspired me to make both of the headphone stands you see in the pictures. I would recommend these to anyone that is worried about style, and needs a good headphone that can be cranked up. Listening to these, you won't believe the sound that comes out of them for being so small. Master & Dynamic is fairly new still, and offers some premium headphones that are very reasonably priced. Some people might think the price is high, but I have used other headphones two times the price, and made of 80% plastic that don't even sound half as good as these. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for Master & Dynamic. I have a feeling they are going to be around for a long time. If you look on their website, you will see they do a lot of giving back to their local community. So in the end, if you are looking for a great portable can, get the MH30's. If you want to do more relaxed and critical listening, go for the MH40's. Their customer service is one of the best that I have ever dealt with. Thanks for reading. I hope I helped anyone interested in these.

This review is for the Linum Bax 2-Pin, Bax  IEM and headphone cables. Let me introduce myself my name is Adam, I live in the states between Philadelphia and New York City. I have been into audio equipment since high school, I am currently 38 years old. I came across Estron the company behind the Linum Brand looking for a new cable for my custom and universal monitors. I wear in ears for almost 8 hours a day at work in a machinist shop. After using the cables that came with my monitors I had to find something better, I can't count how many times I have too adjust the ear piece do to the weight of the cable pulling them down or breaking the seal. I like to route the cable under my shirt so it doesn't get caught or snagged on a piece of machinery, so wearing the cable underneath the Y splitter can become very uncomfortable or itchy especially on my Shure SE315's. Shures factory cable is quite big and heavy and the ear guides are very thick and can cause a lot of sweat buildup behind your ear. So after doing some research right here on Head-Fi coming across different cables and reading some others peoples thought's I narrowed it down the Linum Bax.
 
How I came to my decision picking the Bax was easy, the price wasn't  to off putting compared to many other companies it was actually one of the cheapest ones. After researching cables I was shocked at some of the other cable prices, most of them cost more then my monitors I was using. Before I let you guys know how I like the Bax I would like to say thank you to Heidi at Estron for sending me a demo unit of the Linum Bax cable. I am not employed or am I being compensated for this review, and is based on my honest opinion.
 
Estron has been manufacturing products for medical devices for over 20 years mostly in the hearing aid industry. All cables are assembled in China to there specifications.
 
The Linum Bax 2-pin cable cost $62 EUR/$67USD the Linum Bax MMCX cable cost $75 EUR/$81USD with out shipping and can be purchased directly from there website. If you purchase and pay directly through Paypal it will convert EUR to USD.
http://www.linum.dk/linum-bax/
 
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Weight:                            3.0g
Wire:                                Silver plated copper litz wire
Wire Diameter:                0.9mm
Tensile Strength:             60N
Plug:                                3.5 TRS gold plated
Impedance:                     1.5Ohms
Length:                            127cm/50"
 
 

 
 
PACKAGING
 
Linum Bax took about 5 days to be shipped directly form Denmark, and arrived via FedEx in a white soft pack envelope. Opening the envelope the cables are packed in plane see through zip lock bags. Also included in the bag is the instruction manual and warranty information. They have a warranty for 1 year against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use from the original date of purchase. There really isn't much to say about the packaging, ok it's the nicest zip lock I have ever seen and plan on displaying it just kidding. It's a cable there really isn't much more you can do maybe a small tin can or nice heavy duty box to store them when not in use. But if your spending money on cables your probably not planning on storing them for long periods. So I was pretty happy with my very clear zip lock bag.
 
 
 
 
BUILD
 
This is the whole reason I became interested with the Linum Bax, the Bax is based on 6 Litz conductors made up of 7 individual strands. Each strand is silver plated copper with enamel, the cable gets it's strength from Aramid fibers and is rated at 60Newtons=13lbs. The outside of the Bax is a TPA coating that is UV stabilized and won't turn colors to sun exposure. The overall build is top notch it feels very strong even though it's so thin, I couldn't resist myself but giving it a couple hard tugs holding on to the wire and holding on to the plug. The outer jacket is soft to the touch and is very comfortable on the skin if you can even realize it's there. The cable is a dual twist design that splits off at the Y splitter into a single cable for left and right sides.
 

 
3.5 TRS is gold plated and is very small in length and diameter, you should have no problems using this with cell phones with big cases. The plug is coated in a black non-slip rubber that has a nice matte finish to it. Moving up to the Y splitter you will find a really small rectangular black piece of plastic compared to Shure's Y splitter the Linum is like a pin head, it has to be the smallest that I have ever seen it is also very comfortable underneath a shirt.
 

 

 
Moving up to the chin slider, looks identical to the Y splitter but I can be moved up and down. On each side there is a red and blue dot to identify from left and right. Going up to the 2-pin connectors you will find 2 grooves in the housing for helping you removing them with your fingernails. The housing is a semi transparent plastic. The MMCX connectors are coated with the same material as the 3.5 plug. On both of the 2-pin and MMCX the housings are the smallest that I have ever used, the design on the 2-pin makes it easier to remove then other 2-pins. they can still be hard to remove depending on the monitor you use. All manufactures tolerances are not that the same and can vary lightly. Overall I have found my favorite cables to use with all my universals that can be changed. I have always disliked the memory wire for over the ear wearing, Linum Bax disappears and you won't even know it's there. It's comparable to fishing wire or hobby wire and has the strength of guitar wire.  They also have there own T2 connector that is proprietary design that is smaller then the 2-pin or MMCX. I would have alos seen left and right indicators on the connectors themselves. To identify left and right you need to find the dot on the Y splitter and follow it all the way up to the connector. It's not a big deal it would just be easier the other way.
 

 
 
Pictures compared with the Shure SE315, UE 900S, EarTech Customs

 

 
 
 
 
There is a certain way to store them, you don't want to wrap them up like other cables around your fingers You want to hold the cable up high by the ear sockets so the bottom isn't touching anything you then lower the cable down onto a flat surface. The cable will coil back to it's preformed shape, for storing them you want to slide the chin slider all the way up to the earpieces to bring them together then place in a safe place. This works really well, I suggest not placing them in a larger container then throwing them into a gym bag they will become tangled.  I found out the hard way and how they tell you to wrap them up is the only way. If you plan on throwing them in a backpack it would be a good idea to remove the cable from the ear pieces and storing the cable in a small sip lock or container.
 

 
 
SOUND
 
The part you all have been waiting for, but I am actually not going to go into details of what I have experienced. I was never a believer in cables, but impedance between your source and in ears does become a factor. the differences are usually very subtle if any that you could actually hear. Linum's website has different versions of the cable that are different impedances, Bax 1.5ohm, Music 2.0ohm, Vocal 4.5ohm, and the Balanced 1.5ohm that all have different sound characteristics. The Bax the one I have, they call it the "loudness button" with these characteristics
 
Bass:  Clear punchy, Extra high resolution
Mid:    Smooth voices, clarity
High:  Clear, transparent      
 
I used my Fiio X1 as my source with all hi-res Flac, WAV files I also tried with my Astell &Kern AK100ii. I replaced the cables using both the 2-pin and MMCX on my UE900S, Shure SE315, and EarTech Music Customs. Switching back and forth between cables I heard know difference in the sound. I even used it out of the Fiio E07K with 2 inputs hooking up an ear piece to both factory wire and the Linum wire, and pulling one side out at a time and reinserting them. Maybe my hearing isn't as good as it used to be and working in a machine shop for over 20 years has taken it's toll on my hearing. My work makes us all get hearing tests every year and it shows how bad my hearing has diminished over the years. I wasn't interested in the cables for changing the sound anyway. I buy my ear buds if I like the sound and really wouldn't want to change it in the first place, that's why I am not into cables and other reasons. I am only interested in cables only on form and function and looks. Linum does have readings and graphs to show the differences when using there cables, so if you are interested in that go right to there website to find out. Others have experienced changes from drastic to none at all, hearing is subjective and can be a loaded questions and have started some very heated arguments on forums so I like to stay out of it.
 

 

 
 
OVERALL   
 
I couldn't be happier with these cables, I would recommend them to anyone just on build and form factor. They are very reasonably priced compared to there competitors, they also stand behind there products. So if you are sick of thick ear guides and cables weighting down your ear buds these cables are the answer. Estron is currently working on R&D interconnects and new Linum versions and other audio cables that may or my not be released depending on feedback from beta-testers. I asked Heidi what they had coming out in the future this was her response in  quotes "We are currently beta-testing SuperBax 3.5 TRS and 2.5 TRRS and interconnects with 3.5 TRS, 20cm and 127cm-the latter potential full size headphone cable". They are surely hard at work and using beta-testers is he best way to get feedback for any adjustments or changes they could make. That says a lot about the company, and shows that they  really take customer service a top priority. Twister6 recently reviewed there balanced cable if you are interested you can just do a search on him and find it in his profile. Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone looking to upgrade there iem cables.
 
 

This review is for the Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Wireless (Black) before I start to tell you my time spent with the Momentum's let me introduce my self. My name is Adam I have been into audio equipment since I was in high school. Audiophile I am not but more of a headphone and ear bud lover that likes to listen to music the best it can be heard. Working in a machine shop I am required to wear hearing protection all day long, so looking for my first good pair of in ears brought me to Head-Fi and haven't missed a day being on it since then. Being a member and a reviewer on Head-Fi has taught me a lot about they way I hear my music, every day I keep learning more from this tight knit family community. Back to wearing hearing protection at work, I am not supposed to be wearing headphones or ear buds while working my boss actually threatened to write me up. I told him go ahead do what you have to do and then told him do you see how much work I put out compared to every one else. Listening to music I want to hear instead of what ever crap there blasting over the shop speakers, listening to what I want to hear motivates me and makes my day go a lot faster. In the end my boss gave up and saw my point so now I try to listen to a different ear bud or headphone every week at work.
 
That's enough about me Sennheiser has been around for a long time and needs know introduction, they have had wireless headphones for awhile but  where more for home use. So it's know shock for them to put out headphones for portable use, due to the popularity of music on the go with apps like Tidal, Spotify, just to name a few. There at home use wireless headphones have been well received by many and are known for there quality sound, so let's see if there Momentum's On-Ear can match up for portable use. I would like to say thank you to Brian from Sennheiser  for sending me out a demo unit to write this review. I am not an employee or am I being compensated in any way for writing this review and this review is based on my honest opinion.The Momentum's can be fond here on Sennheiser's web site for $399.95
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/momentum-on-ear-wireless-headphones-with-mic
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Frequency Response:                                        16-22,000Hz
Impedance:                                                        Active 28ohm /Passive480ohm
Sound Pressure Level:                                      111db (Passive: 1kHz/1Vrms)
Total Harmonic Distortion                                 <0.5% (1kHz, 100dB)
Pick-up pattern (speech audio)                         Dual Omni directional microphone
Total Noise Attenuation                                     Up to 20dB
Battery Type                                                      Built-in Lithium ion Polymer
 
 
Sennheisser Momentum On-Ear Wireless Is a wireless Bluetooth Ver. 4.0 technology for pairing to other Bluetooth compatible sources. It also supports NFC connection, APT X and NoiseGard hybrid. I am not going to get into what all this means since there's other forums and threads covering these. But all you need to know it's wireless and is leaps and bounds  of old Bluetooth technology, and you get near CD quality audio. These are also a noise canceling headphone that uses NoiseGard hybrid using 4 microphones to pick up outside noise and cancels it. The battery is rated for up to 22 hrs of use, I didn't test the actual time but it lasts a long time and it  probably has one of the best battery hours before it needs to be charged then any other wireless headset that I have used.
 
 

PACKAGING 
 
The Momentum's come in a very thick box with a nice hi-res photo on front, with just about every major language spoken for the specifications and other information. Upon opening the lid off you are greeted to the Momentum's carrying case set in a precut foam insert for safety for transportation. The headphones are packaged inside the carrying case lifting the case out you will find the user manual and warranty information. Packaging really isn't a big deal to me as long as there safely packaged so they don't get damaged going from point A to B. Sennheiser does a very nice job though, and the box is nice enough to keep for storage if not in use for long periods, I keep all my boxes anyway for just about all my gadgets and electronics, I must have a whole shed full of them.
 

 
 
ACCESSORIES  
 
1 Momentum On-Ear wireless headphone
1.4m Audio cable / 3.5 mm Low-profile angles plug
USB Charging cable
Inflight adaptor
Manuals
Carrying case
 
 
Sennheisser includes every accessories you would expect, the carrying case is a very soft plush case with gold stitching with 2 zippers that is semi rigid. I would feel safe to throw it into a book bag but wouldn't want to pile heavy stuff on top. This has to be one of the nicest carrying cases that I have ever seen, they also include a soft satin draw string bag. They didn't stop there unlike most cases there is a mesh pocket in the middle of the case for all your accessories that fit perfectly in. Just about every other company leaves an accessory pouch out only to leave you having to find another pouch or case for your accessories. Thank you Sennheisser for the well design case, I know it's not a big deal to many but for the price we pay for stuff the little extras add up.
 
You also get a inflight adaptor, usb charging cable, and wired cable for non-wireless use. They seem to forgot the wall part for the usb cable for charging, a lot of companies seem to leave these out since every one has them already. I would like to see these included since my kids always walk off with mine and lose them. They could leave out the inflight adapter and include a wall part, that's just my opinion how many people actually use the inflight adaptor anyway. But they make up for it with there nice carrying case.
 

 
 
BUILD AND FIT
 
Sennheiser Momentum's On-Ear are made from some premium materials, the housing is a durable plastic attached to a stainless steel headband. The headband is very flexible and can be contorted to form to your head.  The stainless steel band has a nice time saved finish to it. A time saved finish is a process where the material is sent threw a machine to round over all the rough edges and to put a nice finish on it. The only reason I know this is from working with stainless steel all day, you would be amazed on how some things are manufactured if you don't know and it would make some realize why some things cost as much as they do. The ear cups are wrapped in a breathable Alcantara material with a soft 2 layer  foam underneath. The headband is wrapped in the same material, it feels almost like a suede. The under side of the band is some kind of hard foam that rests against the top of your head. I have never heard of this kind of material before now, and I have to say it is very comfortable against your skin and seems to be more breathable then any other material that I have seen on headphones. Other materials seem to create sweat and with this material I had no problems. The Momentum's isolate about average for an On-Ear design they don't seal as much as a headphone with leather or faux leather do. But your ears also won't sweat from the materials they use.
 
 

 
The ear cups are attached to the headband with a 360degree ball joint for perfect positioning on your ears. They also adjust up and down from a friction mounted slide, for portability both sides are hinged to fold in and can be collapsed  for a more compact profile, the hinges were built very sturdy and nicely and is very low profile unlike some other companies using plastic hinges. The one side of the headband near the hinge has 3 brail like dots for identifying left and right side there are also markings on the inside of the band for left and right.
 
 


 
 
The Momentums also come with a 3.5 plug to use if you don't want to use wireless, the end that plugs into the ear cup and has a notch in it that turns and locks so it doesn't come out. The plug is very low profile  and has very good strain relief. The cable is coated in a black nonstick rubber that is very resistant to tangling witch is a big plus since most cables tangle very easy. The USB charging cable is just a standard cable, seems to be well built.
 

 
 
On the right ear cup you will find all your controls for music and making phone calls, and for pairing with devices. The on off button has a led light above it to show what mode the headset is in, the volume button can be pushed in and also slides up and down for all it's functions. Each ear cup has a grills on them for the microphone and NoiseGard.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Overall the Momentums are built with premium materials and it shows, they are some of the best looking headphones that I have seen they are very clean and classy with nice eye appeal. The fit of Momentums sat perfectly on top of my big head with just the right amount of clamping pressure they were not to tight and not to lose. Since they are on ear headphones the headband seems to stick pretty far away from my head, it could just be the funny shape of my head. I usually wear contacts through the day but at night time I wear my glasses, I always run into comfort issues wearing glasses using headphones. With the Momentums band sticking out further, wearing glasses was not a problem at all and felt very comfortable. Other headphones just about every 3 minutes I have to push my glasses to one side or the other or readjust the headphones, not with these they are very friendly for people that wear corrective lenses. The finish on the ear cups is very friendly and is NOT prone to finger prints, the stainless steel is also resistant to finger prints also. So you won't be worrying about having to wipe them down after every use.
 
 

 
 
HOW DO THEY SOUND
 
Listening to the Momentum's I used the following wireless and wired Lenovo Ultrabook, Samsung Alpha, Astell & Kern AK100II, Fiio X1, all my music files were either WAV or FLAC Momentum's are very easy to drive in active or passive mode. My first impressions were less the stellar, using them with my Samsung Alpha the volume at max was very low. I couldn't believe how low the volume was but come to find out my daughter made a custom EQ setting and all the bands were lowered. So after turning the EQ off it sounded a lot louder but the max volume still wasn't very loud. The volume is just my opinion I tend to listen to my music loud, it's probably loud enough for every one else. I guess all the years working in a machine shop without hearing protection has taken a toll on my hearing.
 
Ok so how do they sound that's enough about me listening to loud music, they sound fantastic for something in such a small package. To my ears the overall sound signature would be V shaped, there is  definitely an emphasis in the lower end. Listening to mainly Hip-Hop and music form the 1990's the bass is well controlled having more mid bass then sub bass with out being overly to bass heavy. Changing over to todays music playing Taylor Swift the mid ranges clarity is not what you would expect from a Bluetooth device. You can pick up fine details in the pitch of her voice and pick up every little note form high to low. The midrange can sound a little recessed at times putting the singer in the middle of the band and not front and center adding to the V shape sound, giving it a smaller then average sound stage but the clarity and tone makes up for this slightly. The higher frequencies are slightly lifted with good extension, reproducing instruments with out coloration. Playing other types off music you will get the same sound signature, but listening to Electronica, EDM, Hip-Hop, and Rap really makes these headphones shine having there V shape sound.
 
The only other headphone I had to compare them to in the same price range was the Beats Studio Wireless. Compared to the Beats the Momentums mids, highs, and lows are more detailed and better controlled. The Beats were more balanced with the Momentums mids being slightly recessed but make up for this with better clarity and smoothness. Making phone calls was better then any other headphone I have used, they incorporate what they call Voice Max (Crystal Clear Speech technology). Hearing the person on the other end was so good I would use these just for a hands free device for making phone calls. On the other end the person I was talking to didn't no I was using a hands free device. A lot of wireless phone calls can sound very tinny or have an echo sounding voice, or it's sounds like your in a small bathroom talking. Sennheisser did a really good job for the hands free phone calls, they are also rated for up to 25 feet of distance before you lose your Bluetooth signal. I probably got up to 23 feet before it started to break up, but I have a lot of other  electronics that can interfere. Using them with the cable I really didn't hear a big change in the overall sound. But after burning them in for more then 150 hours the mids came forward more and the bass had better extension but still having there V sound signature. Burning them in  really opened these up, so if you plan on purchasing these make sure you put them threw the burn in period.
 
The ANC works pretty good for cancelling noise, I have only used 4 other headphones with ANC so I won't get to in depth. The Momentums use microphones on the ear cups to pick up ambient sound then processes it to cancel it out. Compared to the Beats Studio they didn't cancel noise out as much as the Beat's but the plus side is you don't constantly hear the white noise you do with the Beat's. But they work fine if your not in a really noisy environment like a machine shop.
 


 
 
OVERALL
 
I would have know problem recommending these to anyone, the price might be off putting but there right inline with other Wireless headphones. For wireless headphones your going to pay more for the technology that has to go in them, and Bluetooth has come along way on how it compresses music. Your not going to be doing critical listening with these but they are made for portability and wireless use. One off the best uses I have used these for was for watching movies when the kids are in bed, there so compact I could rest my head down on a pillow flat. There built with premium materials and there very stylish and to top it off you won't be finding yourself having to charge them all the time. Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone looking to buy these.

This review is for Aurisonics Rockets in ears, a little about me I am 38 years old and have been into hi-res audio since I was in middle school. I don't consider myself an audiophile like many on this forum, but an ear bud or headphone enthusiast. I am mainly into in ear monitors since I use them daily at work for 8 hours, and always have an eye out for something new. Working in a machine shop I need something durable and can withstand a lot of abuse and machine coolant in the air. When I first seen and heard of the Rockets I thought it was one of those products like you see on TV (As Seen On TV) then I saw the price and researched them more and had to try them. I would like to say thank you to Andy at Aurisonics for sending me a demo unit to review, I am not employed or am I being compensated for this review and is based on my honest opinion. The Rockets $249 and $299(mic) you can purchase them from the website. http://aurisonics.com/product/rockets/
 
 
Aurisonics set record breaking sales overnight with there crowd funded Rockets on Kick Starter. If you haven't heard of them yet you must not be a hard core headphone or ear bud enthusiast, Aurisonics have made big waves in the audio community since there start in 2011. Founded by vocalist and master audio engineer Dale Lott based in the heart of Music City Nashville, Tennessee. All of Aurisonics products are designed and assembled in the U.S.A., up to 60% to 80% of all parts are manufactured in the U.S.A. Aurisonics has quite the extensive product line from universal to custom in ear monitors, and the Rockets for still being fairly new to the audio world. So let's see if these are just a product that are over built and look unique.
 
 
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Drivers                                           5.1mm Precision Micro Dynamic
Frequency Response                    18Hz-22kHz
Impedance                                    16ohm +/ 10% @ 1kHz
Sensitivity                                      105db @ 1mW
Passive Noise Reduction              NRR 26dB
Construction                                  Precision 100% Titanium Shell
Cable                                             Proprietary Quad-Weave Aramid Cable
Color                                             Water-Honed Titanium
 
 
 

 
 
PACKAGING
 
The Aurisonics come in a tin box with a product sticker on the front and another sticker on the back with the specifications. Nothing more nothing less, it serves it's purpose and keeps them very safe during shipping and handling
 
 
 
 
ACCESSORIES
 
1 Black Carrying Pouch
Sureseal Tips
Antiloop set
Tri-Tab Set
 

 
 
 
Aurisonics come with 4 size tips that they call Sureseal for tips for every ear size, they also include a piece that fits inside your ear called the Tri-Tab. The Tri-Tab grabs 3 parts of your ear to help them stay secure. It also includes a real leather carrying case that's embossed with the Aurisonics logo, that has 2 zipper compartments for storing your tips and ear buds. Rockets also come with Antiloops for when wearing them with the cable over the ear. Aurisonics gives you all the necessary accessories and sum, the tin can is a nice touch for storage. Overall I was very pleased with the accessories that came with the Rockets.
 

 
 
BUILD AND FIT
 
One word to describe the Rockets build  WOW, I thought Shures in ears were built like tanks. The drivers are housed in a 100% Titanium shell that's machined. Titanium is known for its high strength to weight ratio, and not cheap to work with due to the carbide tooling needed to machine it. The drivers are only 5.1mm / .200 of an inch, it has to be one of the smallest housings that I have ever seen. If you look at the opening of the housing you will see a mesh screen protecting the insides. There is a channel going around the outside of the housing for the tips to seat themselves.
 
 

 
The rockets cable is a Proprietary quad-weave aramid cable, the cable is like nothing I have ever seen in terms of strength. It's coated in a clear smooth plastic that is red white and blue. Very fitting colors for the name they really due look like rockets with their Tri-Tabs. There is a cable slide to tighten up cable slack that's made from some kind of plastic that feels like Delran plastic. In the middle of the slide there is a elastic band in the middle for tension around the cable. The band can make it kind of hard to slide up and down, there has been some that have actually broke on some owners. I think they resolved this problem with newer models. They Y splitter is made from the same material as the slide and is sized perfectly, I hate when companies use a big Y splitter. The plug is 3.5mm jack that is set at a right angle made from the same kind of plastic. The housing of the jack is a little big for my liking and it also fits into my phone, dap's tighter then any other jack. You will never have to worry about strain relief with the Rockets, the are tied off mechanically inside all the housings.
 


 
Now to the actual fit of the Rockets, they isolate better then average ounce I found the right tips. This is were I had the biggest problem the tips that come with them are a material that like to grab to your skin. Every tip that I have tried wouldn't provide a good seal they were either to big or to small. A couple of times the tip actually came off the housing and got stuck in my ear, I  had to use tweezers to remove it, but no big problem. I could see it being a problem if someone younger had this happen to them. One of the problems I found with them the tips don't stay securely on the housing and come off easier then most other tips I have used. Maybe the channel should be a little deeper or maybe it should be flared out to hold them on better. I finally found a tip were they securely fit in my ear with great isolation. Fitting them is very critical for maximum sound, and can change the overall signature and distort the low end. There has been a thread started for tip rolling to get perfect isolation and sound. I found them to be the most comfortable to wear them with the cable down. Trying to wear them over the ear the cable felt uncomfortable due to it's rigidity, people found solutions to this by using a plastic ear guide. When I finally got them to fit right I adjusted the Tri-Tab all the way to the bottom, since I have very small ears. At first I was a little skeptical about them but they really work well, they actually grab parts of your ear. If you have them placed correctly you can give the cable a pretty strong tug and they will stay in your ear. Overall the Rockets are built to last a lifetime besides the tips, they are indestructible to every day abuse. They are even water resistant, they did a demo of the Rockets taking a bath in a glass of water and pulled them out and they still worked.
 
SOUND
 
The most important part of the Rockets the sound, how good could something built to industrial standards and mil-spec standards actually sound. My main source I used was Astell & Kern's AK100II, I also used my Samsung Alpha, Fiio X1. The rockets are easy to drive and can be driven by most portable devices. So how do they sound, they sound unbelievably amazing. Their overall sound signature is Neutral or somewhat flat sounding. Flat, but very engaging the low end of the Rockets are tight and well controlled. They are far from being for someone that is a bass head, the bass is well controlled and is well balanced. Trying different tips I found you could get more mid-bass out of them. Now to the midrange the midrange is were these shine in my opinion, they have great clarity and is well refined. I wouldn't say these are mid forward but while listening to them it's the main thing that sticks out to me. Especially with female vocals being lifted, vocals are so smooth and lively and are reproduced with no coloring. The high frequencies are well extended, with great separation and imaging. Cymbals sound like cymbals, every instrument reproduced by this tiny driver is very detailed. Soundstage is very spacious for being such a small package, dynamic driver housings almost always have an air port for the driver to breath I couldn't find any opening. I tried the Rockets with my Fiio X1 stacked with Fiio's E07K amplifier. Stacking with an amp really opened these up, especially with the sub-bass using the bass setting in the amp. You can really tune these to your liking by using EQ settings, I usually don't use an EQ at all. That's one of the benefits to a neutral sounding ear bud, you can really dial them in to how you want them to sound.
 
CONCLUSION
 
Overall these have been one of my favorite in ears to use I would highly recommend these to anyone. Their build quality is above and beyond any other in ear that I have seen, their cable is the only cable I wouldn't worry about breaking. Aurisonics is always doing some kind of R&D and will continue to push their limits. Sure there are some things that can be improved on, but what product doesn't? I would love to see them come up with some kind of tip that snaps in place, if anyone could do it this it would be Aurisonics .The Rockets reproduce music the way the engineer intended it to be heard with no coloration. I still haven't heard any of their hybrid monitors and can't wait to get a chance to. If your the type to go through ear buds monthly do yourself a favor spend a little money and buy these, these will last you years. I hope this review has helped anyone interested in buying these, you won't be disappointed.

This review is for Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless (white). First I would like to introduce myself I am 38 years old and have been into audio equipment since middle school. I don't consider  myself an audiophile, but a audio equipment enthusiast. We all know how audiophiles feel about Beats brand, I have felt the same way for years until I listened to there updated Beats Studio and have been impressed ever since. It's well known Beats sells more headphones and ear buds then any other company if you like them or not. There target consumer is focused towards a younger generation and people with a fashion sense. I would like to say thank you to Erin from Apple for sending me out a demo unit to review, I am not an employee or am I being compensated for this review all  pictures were taken by me and this review is based on my honest opinion. Powerbeats2 Wireless can be purchased directly from there website for $199.95.http://www.beatsbydre.com/earphones/beats-powerbeats2-wireless.html
 
Majority of people use there cell phones to listen to music for portability, more and more companies seem to be offering a wireless headphone or ear bud. The Powerbeats2 Wireless were inspired by LeBron James and are designed for athletes and active activities. I like to work out with weights in my spare time and usually use a pair of wired iem's, using a pair of wired iem's can slow your work out down. If you know anything about lifting weights you know you don't want to much time in between sets. I always found myself playing with the cord or it catching on something or trying to change tracks or having the whole ear bud falling out. The best solution to these problems would be to go wireless, before trying Powerbeats2 I have tried to use Plantronics Backbeat Go wireless ear buds. But they were nothing but a hassle they never would stay in my ear, and the volume at max was to low for me. I like to listen to music loud when working out yeah I know it's not good I listen to all my music loud. My daughter suggested for me to look at the Powerbeats2 since they have ear hooks for them to stay in place. So hear I am reviewing them lets start off with the packaging.
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Weight: 24 grams
Wrap around cable length: 500mm
Height: 43.7mm
Dual Driver
 
Beats is known for not putting specifications on there packages like SPL, impedance, and frequency response and pretty much leave it at dimensions of the unit. We all know there target consumer isn't audiophiles, but lets get with the program some real specs listed would be nice to see . I am not interested how much they weigh or how big they are, I would like to know if they would pair well with my DAP give us some real specs.
 
 
 
 
PACKAGING
 
 

 
 
 
The Powerbeats2 come in a very nice box with hi-res photos on the back and side. The front of the package the ear buds are displayed through a clear piece of acrylic and are nicely fit into a preformed piece of cardboard. Underneath after removing the cardboard you are greeted with a small box containing the charging cable and ear tips with a hard shell case to follow. Below that you will find the owners manual and warranty information. Removing everything is very easy since they include pull tabs on everything it's a very nice touch for packaging. I don't know how many times I had to get a butter knife out just to get the stuff out on other products. Beats have always impressed me with there packaging with very thick cardboard and a memorable unboxing experience. A lot of other companies will use thin cardboard only to have the product damaged in shipping. I give Beats a A+ for packaging, and the box makes a really nice display case when your not using them.
 
 
 
ACCESORIES
 
Powerbeats2 wireless earphones with RemoteTalk
Hard shell carrying case
Universal micro-usb cable
Cable management clip
Quick Start guide
 
Ok for a wireless ear bud there really isn't many accessories that you would need but they did include the essentials. Powerbeats2 come with S,M,L silicone tips and a pair of flanged tips, the medium ones were factory installed pretty much standard practice. There is also a very nice black hard shell case for storage, it's nice to see they are not using soft pouch cases I can't stand them they do no good for protection when placing them in a backpack. Included is also a very short micro-usb for charging, everybody probably has a dozen but for the price I would like to have seen a wall part included. That's about it for the accessories everything you need nothing more nothing less, pretty satisfied.
 


 
 
BUILD AND FIT
 
Powerbeats2 uses a all plastic design for durability and sweat proof, with a tangle free flat cable.  The front of them has there name and logo on them stamped in gray witch looks really nice. On the left side placed near your chin is a 3 button remote and mic for phone calls and music controls. The housing of the button is coated in a non-slip rubber material, the middle point of the cable there is a cable management slide also made from a non-slip material. On the left ear piece the charging port and power on button are on the top and bottom of the front housing. They also have an led light near the power button to tell if it's on or off and to also show you when it's in sync mode. The ear hooks are a non-slip material also and can be formed to fit your ear, each housing has airports for the drivers to breath also. Taking off the tips they have some kind of screen to ensure no wax enters the sound tube. It's good to see they didn't choose to go with Apples lighting cable for charging and stuck with a micro-usb.
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
First looking at the Powerbeats2 I was worried that they were going to be heavy and bulky, wondering how they would stay in place. They are actually pretty light weight and fit really well, the ear hooks really helped keep them in place. I really like the materials they have chosen for these I wouldn't want any kind of metal on these for what there meant for. Placement of the ear bud itself in your ear doesn't go in deep but sits right before your canal making isolation not that good. I would assume they did this since you don't want complete isolation during active activities and want to be aware of your surroundings. Even though they don't isolate that well sound leakage was at a minimum. Working out in these for about 2 hours they were very comfortable and never failed due to sweat. I don't usually run on a treadmill but I have seen a video of someone running with these on and having them fall out every couple of minutes. So I had to give it a try and they never fell out, I don't think the other person had the right silicone tips on or didn't bend the ear hooks right. Overall I loved these for what they are intended for, they performed flawless and they look good in my opinion. You wouldn't want to go the gym wearing something that looks goofy, being single you never know when you will meet someone. I wouldn't want to be at the gym looking like I have a growth coming out of my ears I need all the help I can get and these are pretty stylish. But what do I know about style I am a 38 year old man I like to think I am though.     
 

 
 
SOUND
 
Ok the part that really matters, but working out I am not looking for something for critical listening  when doing an active activity. I want function and durability and something that is going to get loud to get me going. I mostly used my Samsung Alpha playing mp3's and tried it with my Astell & Kern AK100II using FLAC, and WAV files. I let my daughter demo them with her IPhone 6 and I am lucky she gave them back to me to review. So how do they sound for being wireless in one word I would have to say WOW, I was very impressed especially with so many negatives things said about Beats first offerings. They are definitely low end heavy but with control, they kind of remind me of my Shure SE215's but the Powerbeats2 mid bass is richer and smoother. Powerbeats2 midrange is very detailed with good clarity with vocals, they are laid back a bit  witch gives  them an intimate soundstage. The high end is were the Powerbeats2 lacks but it is above average of other Bluetooth headsets I have heard. Compared to Plantronics Backbeats the Powerbeats2 are more engaging with better clarity and smoothness.
 
Using the Powerbeats2 for phone calls was above average and work as I was hoping, you could clearly hear the other person, and the other end didn't no I was using Bluetooth. All the controls worked perfect with my android device for music and phone calls, it's great to see this since Beats is now owned by Apple. I have always run into a problem with controls that only worked with Apple devices so I was really happy. These things get loud just what I would want for active use, playing them at max volume there was no distortion at all. They are rated for about 30 feet from your device, I walked away from my phone and ended up about 36 feet before it broke up. They are also rated for about 6 hours of use, witch I didn't actually see but they last long enough for a full work out.
 
 

 

 
 
CONCLUSION
 
I would have know problem recommending these to anyone, the price might be off putting but they work great if your an athlete or practicing for some kind of sport and there sweat resistant . These are the only wireless ear buds that actually stay in my ear when I am working out. For the size I would have liked to seen a longer battery life. They also come in just about every color you can think off, and if you want to look good at the gym Beats is probably the only brand women know off (no offense to women). Beats has come along way from there first offerings so if you still haven't heard there new house sound, next time your at a brick and motor store give them a try. Bluetooth has come along way from the beginning of bluetooth's start, the Powerbeats2 sound better then some wired ear buds I have heard in the same price range. I hope I helped anyone interested in the market for a wireless ear bud for active users.