Reviews by earfonia
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/in-ear-headphones/xba-z5
A head-fier drop-shipped Sony XBA-Z5 to me for measurement. I took this opportunity to write a short review of the Sony XBA-Z5.
MSRP: $631
Launched in 2014, Sony categorized the Sony XBA-Z5 as Sony’s ‘High-Resolution’ audio product. One thing I always ask for this kind of advertisement is, how do they justify the ‘High-Resolution Audio’ label for Headphones and In-Ear Monitors? Is there any measurement to support that claim? I guess the proof of the pudding is only in the listening test.
Pros:
-Cons:
Shell size is a bit large, might not fit smaller ears very well.Suggestions:
To provide objective proof and measurement results to support the ‘High-Resolution Audio’ claim.To improve the overall perceived detail and clarity.
The following is my guideline for the sound & engineering quality rating criteria that will be used in this review:
Sound Quality
Sony XBA-Z5 measured frequency response compared to Earfonia IEM Target Curve (EITC-2021), normalized at the midrange dip:
*More info about EITC-2021 here.
The following is frequency response analysis and rating based on the 4 observation points of EITC-2021:
Overall Sound Signature:
Moderately warm and bassy. Fat and laid-back midrange with silky smooth treble.From the frequency response graph, we can observe the followings:
- Sony XBA-Z5 frequency response is within ±6 dB from my EITC-2021 observations points.
- Sony XBA-Z5 frequency response around the bass and midrange area is within ±6 dB from the Harman Target IE 2019.
- Around +3dB bass to lower-mid emphasis.
- Around -7dB upper-mid recession.
The sub-bass extension is good. Sub-bass to mid-bass balance tilted up towards the mid-bass area. To me, there is too much emphasis around the Mid-bass to the lower-midrange area that makes the midrange sounds a bit bloated to my ears. The mid-bass emphasis makes the bass sounds a bit boomy, lacking texture and tightness. Bass punch and attack are a bit too weak for my taste. Midrange balance has too much emphasis on the lower midrange and the upper midrange response is too soft. Midrange sounds laid back, lacking presence and clarity. Treble is nice, sounds silky smooth without any sign of harshness, but a bit soft, lacking a bit of treble energy, sharpness, and perceived upper treble extension. The treble doesn’t sound dull, but at the same time lacks transparency, airiness, and the perceived ‘High-Resolution’ treble extension.
The sound signature of the Sony XBA-Z5 is not exactly my cup of tea, and as we can see from the frequency response it deviates a bit far from my target curve. So XBA-Z5 sound signature doesn’t sound balanced or close to neutral to my ears. I cannot use XBA-Z5 to mix my recordings. It is moderately colored with emphasis on the bass to lower midrange area and recessed upper mid. Having said that, I think XBA-Z5 doesn’t sound bad, and it can be quite pleasing and enjoyable with certain recordings like modern pop, especially the brighter ones. There are many positive reviews of the Sony XBA-Z5 that indicate that it has a likable sound signature. Not natural but likable. It is moderately colored with (I think) the type of pleasing coloration that our brain can easily adapt. No offensive peaks across the audio band. The tonality coloration can be perceived as a nice coloration for those who prefer a warm sound signature. Overall, it is good enough for casual listening but not for critical listening and Pro Audio applications.
Perceived detail, resolution, and clarity are ok but not great. Instrument separation is sufficient but not as good as what I would like to hear. Spaciousness and airiness are lacking especially for orchestral works. Transient and attack are a bit slow and blunt. For an IEM with a ‘High-Resolution’ label at this price category, I expect a lot more. I would give the liveliness score 6/10, good enough but not great.
Since I’ve mentioned that XBA-Z5 sound quality is not my cup of tea, I don’t see the reason to do comparisons with my other favorite IEMs (obviously, they sound better).
Engineering Quality
Disclaimer: The measurement results of the engineering quality measurement in this review represent only the pair of IEMs that was measured for this review. It doesn’t represent the overall quality control of the factory.
Left-Right Mismatch
Observation range: 20Hz – 7kHzThe unit has an overall under ±2dB matching from 20Hz-7kHz, with a 1.9dB maximum mismatch at around 6.7kHz.
Harmonic Distortion
Observation range: 55Hz – 7.1kHzSony XBA-Z5 performs well in distortion measurement. Overall THD level is quite low. Only at a high volume level, the distortion peak is a bit high, but in my opinion, it is not a concern. Left and Right channels show similar THD profiles. There is no abnormal distortion peak across the measurement range. Please take note that distortion measurement is not part of sound quality evaluation. It is only used to observe the engineering quality of the IEM.
Distortion measurement at 94 dB SPL at 500Hz:
Distortion measurement at 104 dB SPL at 500Hz:
Harmonic distortion analysis:
Electrical Impedance
Observation range: 20Hz – 20kHzThe impedance curve is relatively flat from 20Hz to 1kHz, followed by a rise and a steep downslope around 3-4kHz. Overall impedance linearity is still ok for a hybrid IEM.
Sensitivity
At 98.1 dBA SPL at 100mV @ 1kHz (measured) Sony XBA-Z5’s sensitivity is around the average, slightly higher than the Etymotic ER2XR which can be considered a bit low. Most portable devices would be able to drive Sony XBA-Z5 sufficiently, but a good quality DAC+Amp will improve the perceived dynamic, liveliness, and overall sound quality.Fit, Comfort, & Build Quality
Subjectively the Sony XBA-Z5 is quite comfortable for me. No issue with comfort. I would give a comfort rating of 8/10 for XBA-Z5. But please take note that it is not a small IEM so comfort level could be greatly varying between individuals. I’m not a fan of cable with memory wire but it seems necessary for the XBA-Z5 design. The wearing style of XBA-Z5 makes the memory wire is recommended on the cable end that connected to the driver. This can be an aspect for consideration for those who prefer not to have memory wire in the cable.
The build quality of the Sony XBA-Z5 is generally pretty good.
The 2x 3.5mm balanced cable that is included in the box is suitable only for Sony’s headphone amplifier with 2x 3.5mm balanced output.
Recommendation:
Although Sony XBA-Z5 is good enough for casual listening (not for critical listening and Pro Audio applications), at this price point I cannot recommend the Sony XBA-Z5.More information about my IEM Measurement Setup & Methodology:
Earfonia IEM Measurement Setup & Methodology
Advertised Technical Specifications:
Drivers: Hybrid 3-way – 16mm dynamic + 2 Balanced ArmatureFrequency Response: 3-40,000Hz
Sensitivity: 107dB/mW
Socket: MMCX
Vamp898
The upper mids aren't recessed, the target curve assumes that piercing upper mids sound good.
The upper mids on the XBA-Z5 are recessed, but only very slightly and nowhere close to what this graph shows.
This target curve expects that when you listen to Songs like "Let it die" from ReoNa, you actually enjoy the pain when she sings S's and things like that.
But i think this is a rather rare audiophile phenomen and most people who actually use their In-Ear to listen to music do not like painful, piercing sounds.
Audiophiles like that, because this virtually increases the illusion of details but i don't think this is the target group of the XBA-Z5.
The upper mids on the XBA-Z5 are recessed, but only very slightly and nowhere close to what this graph shows.
This target curve expects that when you listen to Songs like "Let it die" from ReoNa, you actually enjoy the pain when she sings S's and things like that.
But i think this is a rather rare audiophile phenomen and most people who actually use their In-Ear to listen to music do not like painful, piercing sounds.
Audiophiles like that, because this virtually increases the illusion of details but i don't think this is the target group of the XBA-Z5.
Brainwavz AP001 surely has the cute factor, from its small size and unique contemporary design. But that's for the look. As for features, we might wonder, why Brainwavz designed a headphone amplifier with no volume control, and 'always ON' bass enhancement. Honestly, though AP001 sounds fun and enjoyable, I would rate it 2 stars if I have to review it as a headphone amplifier, due to the missing of volume control and the 'always ON' bass enhancement feature. But from the beginning, I don't see AP001 as a headphone amplifier, but as headphone output 'Active Splitter'. That's where the 3.5 stars came from.
For those looking for real full featured headphone amplifier, you might look elsewhere, AP001 is not for you. AP001 is a simple and good sounding headphone output active splitter. No button to press, and practically to be used like a passive splitter. The difference is, AP001 is an active splitter, with build-in battery and 2 separate amplifiers for the 2 headphone outputs, and input signal detector for auto switch ON when there is audio signal detected at the input.
Summary:
Unique, small, and simple to use headphone output active splitter. Pretty good sounding for the size and price, but quite prone to EMI.
Pros:
Unique & innovative product. It is not very common to see such a small, light, and battery powered active splitter in the market.
Good battery life.
Pleasing, fun, and enjoyable sound. Especially for such a small device with small battery, at this price range.
Cons:
Advertised as headphone amplifier, but without basic features of a headphone amplifier (volume control, bypass option for any tone control).
No option to bypass bass enhancement.
Slightly high noise floor, audible when using sensitive IEM.
Prone to EMI.
No soft start, a bit peaking when it switches ON.
Sometime not easily switched ON when a song started at low volume.
Max voltage output (~ 2.7 Vp-p on 33 ohm load) only suitable for easy to drive earphones and headphones.
Suggestions for improvement:
Should be advertised as headphone active splitter, instead of headphone amplifier.
To use soft start to 'fade in' the music when it switches ON. A small switch to turn it ON, in my opinion is much better and more ear friendly than an automatic switch. The OFF timer is good, but to turn it ON, a dedicated switch with soft start is better.
Lower noise amplifier.
Option to turn OFF any tone control.
Full metal casing to reduce EMI noise.
Let me be clear from the beginning, that 3.5 stars rating I gave to AP001 is mostly for its unique and innovative design as a small, active headphone splitter, that is truly unique in the market. As for sound quality, it sounds surprisingly fun and enjoyable from such a small active device, but unfortunately prone to EMI. The interference noise from other electronic devices and mobile phones occasionally can be very annoying. If Brainwavz will continue AP001 product line, i strongly suggest using metal casing to reduce EMI noise. Otherwise the usage is limited to low EMI emitting devices.
Sound quality
AP001 sounds enjoyable when there is no EMI noise. Sound signature leans toward warm and organic sounding, with some moderate bass enhancement. Clarity is pretty good, but if Brainwavz can improve the clarity further, it would be great. AP001 has fun and enjoyable sound character, but not for those looking for highly detailed and clear sounding type of amplifier.
Bass enhancement is 'Always ON', comparing the peak to peak voltage of 100 Hz and 1kHz output, there is about 5.34 dB boost at around 100 Hz area (average measurement from both output 1 and 2).
Output 1 measurement:
The slight volume imbalance shown on the pictures is from the source, my laptop headphone output, not from AP100.Bass to midrange area is the strong character of AP001. Bass and midrange are good, warm sounding and full bodied. Really good for thin sounding sources or recordings, as AP001 adds some bass enhancement and fuller sounding midrange. Although midrange is not very detailed, but midrange sounds good, warm and organic sounding, really nice on vocal. Bass is quite present, not very fast and punchy, but not boomy either. Bass enhancement is at moderate level, and doesn't ruin the midrange. I would say Brainwavz done it right for the bass boost, it sounds pretty good especially for thin bass recordings or system. Detail and and clarity are good but not AP001 main character, and I do prefer slightly more detail and airiness for classical music. Treble is on the soft side, and sounds pleasing to the ears, specially for modern genres.
Headphone Outputs
Maximum peak to peak output voltage is around 2.7 volts on 33 ohm load. Higher than my Samsung Galaxy S4 (1.03 volts), but generally not high enough for high impedance headphones. So usage would be around easy to drive low impedance headphones and earphones. Measured average headphone output impedance is 2.58 ohms.
Both outputs have dedicated amplifier. It is shown here, where output 1 Left channel is connected to 33 ohm load, and output 2 Left channel is connected to high impedance 1 Mega ohm load. The output voltage reading from the 2 outputs are different, indicating those outputs are driven by separate amplifiers.
Main Concerns
In my opinion, there are 2 things to be improved:
1. EMI immunity
2. Peaky start
The EMI noise honestly quite annoying on AP001. AP001 is rather too prone to EMI. Too much EMI noise when used with mobile phone or other EMI emitting devices, including laptop computer. So far I prefer to use it with portable players that emits low EMI. AP001 vulnerability to EMI is something that has to be addressed immediately by Brainwavz.
AP001 doesn't have soft start feature, and the switch ON sensitivity is sometime a bit too low for song that starts with low volume. So when we have our IEM plugged into our ears, AP001 sounds peaky to the ears when it automatically switches ON. A bit uncomfortable for me. Usually I let it switched ON first by playing some music, before I plug in the IEM. I suggest to use soft start to 'fade in' the music, and to increase the switch ON sensitivity by lowering the level of input signal to triggers the automatic switch. Or even better, to use 'press to ON' switch on the next model of Brainwavz active splitter.
Blue LED for 'ON' indicator. When charging, the LED turns orange color.After using it for a few days, I would say the AP001 sounds quite enjoyable, especially for modern genres recordings. I've used it for hours and I do like the fun sound signature. Hopefully Brainwavz would improve it on the next model, for a more powerful active splitter that is more immune to EMI.
AP001 is all about fun and simplicity. It's a simple device when we need two headphone outputs. It sounds fun and enjoyable (when there is no annoying EMI noise). It shouldn't be considered as a proper headphone amplifier, but as an active splitter to replace regular passive splitter. Although AP001 might not pass audiophile criteria for a highly accurate active splitter, but in fact it is a fun and simple device for everyone to easily get more headphone outputs from their device. AP001 is truly a unique and innovative product from Brainwavz!
Specifications:
Battery-Rechargable: 3.7 V,120 mA
Playback time: >12 hours (at 50% Volume)
Charging port: Micro USB
Earphone outputs: 2 x 3.5mm Jacks
Line In: 3.5 mm Phone Jack
Frequency Response: 10Hz - 100 kHz
SNR: 100 dB (A Weight)
Headphone Output: 50 mW
HP Impedance: 16 Ω - 150 Ω
Current Consumption: 8 mA (Power On)
Current Consumption: 10uA (Power Off)
Dimension: 38 mm x 38 mm x 12.7 mm
Weight: 15.5 g
Equipment used in this review:
iBasso DX90
Samsung Galaxy S4
Audioquest Dragonfly v1.0c
Brainwavz S5
Brainwavz S0
DUNU DN-1000
Audio Technica ATH-IM70
Velleman PCSU200 (Digital Oscilloscope)
Many thanks to Brainwavz for the BLU-100 review sample!
http://brainwavzaudio.com/blu100.html
Brainwavz BLU-100 is a Bluetooth earphone compatible with Bluetooth version 4.0 with aptX for lower latency and better quality audio. Looking at the size of BLU-100 that is approximately about the same size as UE TripleFi 10, and knowing that it houses a rechargeable battery, Bluetooth receiver, DAC, headphone amplifier, and an 8mm dynamic driver, I didn't expect much of its performance. After fully charged the battery, paired it with my phone, wow! It sounds good! Better than what I expected from such a miniature battery powered system.
Before going into details, here is the summary of my observation when using Brainwavz BLU-100:
Pros:
Very good sound quality for the size and price category.
Relatively small size with good fit and comfort.
Decent battery life from such a small battery.
Cons:
Poor Bluetooth receiver sensitivity.
Placement of charging LED indicator is obscured and difficult to see.
Battery:
Base on my observation:
Continuous usage: approximately 3.5 - 4.0 hours
Charging time: approximately 1 hour
Suggestions for improvements:
Bluetooth receiver sensitivity.
Better placement of charging LED indicator.
USB charging port to be moved to the remote control part. This way the earphone still can be used while charging, and doesn't look awkward.
Sound Quality
BLU-100 surprised me with its sound quality. I didn't expect such a small battery and amplifier housed in relatively small earphone housing could sound quite powerful with pretty good dynamic. BLU-100 manages to produce pretty good and decent bass, with good bass punch and body, and decent sub bass extension. Bass is quite snappy and has good speed. I would say the bass power and quality is almost as good as connecting Xiaomi Piston 2 directly to my Galaxy S4 smartphone. In fact, BLU-100 is a little punchier than Xiaomi Piston 2. Quite impressive considering the size and price of the whole system.
Overall tonality is quite balanced. No annoying peaks and dips in the frequency response. Sound signature is best described as balanced and fun. I love good quality bass, and BLU-100 bass is satisfying enough for me, enough punch and power from such a small amp and battery, and most important, bass doesn't sound bloated. Treble has good sparkle and clarity without touching sibilant, and in good balanced with the midrange. My regular test songs are mostly audiophile recordings, some pops, jazz, and classical, no sibilant issue so far. Midrange has good clarity, and never sounded muffled or muddy. Well, not the smooth and highly refined kind of midrange, but I would say the midrange is pretty good and enjoyable, without any annoying coloration. Overall tonality is quite natural, not warm nor analytical. I have no complaint on the tonality, in fact, I quite like it. Bass, midrange, and treble are in good balance. Purist might think it is a little bassy, but that's the level of bass that I consider natural and lively. To me flat sounding bass doesn't sound natural.
Overall clarity is good, which is a must for phone call, but clarity is not over emphasized. Detail is pretty good, even with complex music BLU-100 manages to resolved decent level of detail. Overall sound quality is very good for an IEM at this price point, musical and engaging, with good balanced tonality. Considering the price, I would give 4.5 stars for the sound quality.
Microphone quality on the other hand is just average. Not outstanding, but not bad either. Good enough to make phone call, but in many cases, in a not so quiet environment, we need to bring it closer to the mouth for clearer reception.
Features & Operation
Power On, Power Off, and Bluetooth pairing indicator is by voice announcement through the earphone. Bluetooth pairing is easy and straight forward, tested with Samsung Galaxy S4 and ASUS Zenfone 5. Battery life is decent at around 3.5 hours of continuous usage. Charging using 1A or 2A charger is pretty quick, only takes around 1 hour to fully charge the battery. But LED indicator for charging is very small and obscured in the remote control housing. This is something to be improved; it is rather difficult to see the charging LED.
I suggest to move the USB charging port to the remote control part (control buttons and microphone part), rather than on the back side of the right earphone. When the battery flat, but we need to use the earphone while charging it using a portable battery, it looks awkward and uncomfortable to have USB charging cable sticking out from the earphone. But when the USB charging cable is connected to the remote control case, it is a much better and comfortable setup.
My main concern is the Bluetooth receiver sensitivity which is quite poor in my experience. I got Bluetooth signal cut-off quite often in daily general scenarios. Even in simple scenario of placing my mobile phone in my jeans front pocket, then walk for about 500 meters (which I do daily), in average I experienced cut-off more than 5 times, which is quite annoying. Other scenario, when mobile phone is on a desk and I work around the desk, Bluetooth signal cut-off also happens once and a while. I don't have other similar size Bluetooth earphone to be compared with, only Creative Hitz WP380 Bluetooth headset which is a larger on-ear headset. Using Creative WP380 on similar scenarios, I seldom experienced any Bluetooth signal cut-off. Especially for walking, where the mobile phone is relatively close to the Bluetooth headphone, I never experienced any signal cut-off when using WP380.
I like the balance and fun sound character of BLU-100, and would easily give it an overall rating of 4.5 stars for it, considering the size and price, but the poor Bluetooth receiver sensitivity in my opinion is quite annoying. Because of the poor Bluetooth sensitivity, I rate it 3.5 stars. I hope Brainwavz would improve it in the next model of Brainwavz Bluetooth earphone.
Beside the suggestion to improve the Bluetooth receiver sensitivity for the new model, since the quality of the dynamic driver and the shell design is very good, I would like to suggest to Brainwavz to develop a regular wired IEM using the same 8mm dynamic driver and smaller metal shell. By removing the active components and batteries, probably Brainwavz could cut the cost by more than half, and priced the IEM at the budget IEM category. If the sound quality of the new budget IEM is similar than BLU-100, I believe it could hit the market and potentially become a giant killer IEM.
Specifications:
Drivers: Dynamic 8mm
Rated Impedance: 30Ω closed Dynamic
Frequency Range: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Sensitivity: 110 dB @ 1 mW
Bluetooth: 4.0
Codec: aptX™
Max Distance: 10mt(30ft)
Battery: 60mAh
Playtime/Standby: 4hrs/100hrs
Charge Time: 2hrs(USB)
Noise Cancellation: CVC echo/noise
Voice Prompt: Yes
Profiles: HFP HSP A2DP
Pairing: Dual Pairing
In-Line: Remote/Mic
Cable length from left driver to right driver: 60 cm
Can be purchased from:
Brainwavz BLU-100 Sport Bluetooth 4.0 APTX Headphones
http://brainwavzaudio.com/blu100.html
Brainwavz BLU-100 is a Bluetooth earphone compatible with Bluetooth version 4.0 with aptX for lower latency and better quality audio. Looking at the size of BLU-100 that is approximately about the same size as UE TripleFi 10, and knowing that it houses a rechargeable battery, Bluetooth receiver, DAC, headphone amplifier, and an 8mm dynamic driver, I didn't expect much of its performance. After fully charged the battery, paired it with my phone, wow! It sounds good! Better than what I expected from such a miniature battery powered system.
Before going into details, here is the summary of my observation when using Brainwavz BLU-100:
Pros:
Very good sound quality for the size and price category.
Relatively small size with good fit and comfort.
Decent battery life from such a small battery.
Cons:
Poor Bluetooth receiver sensitivity.
Placement of charging LED indicator is obscured and difficult to see.
Battery:
Base on my observation:
Continuous usage: approximately 3.5 - 4.0 hours
Charging time: approximately 1 hour
Suggestions for improvements:
Bluetooth receiver sensitivity.
Better placement of charging LED indicator.
USB charging port to be moved to the remote control part. This way the earphone still can be used while charging, and doesn't look awkward.
Sound Quality
BLU-100 surprised me with its sound quality. I didn't expect such a small battery and amplifier housed in relatively small earphone housing could sound quite powerful with pretty good dynamic. BLU-100 manages to produce pretty good and decent bass, with good bass punch and body, and decent sub bass extension. Bass is quite snappy and has good speed. I would say the bass power and quality is almost as good as connecting Xiaomi Piston 2 directly to my Galaxy S4 smartphone. In fact, BLU-100 is a little punchier than Xiaomi Piston 2. Quite impressive considering the size and price of the whole system.
Overall tonality is quite balanced. No annoying peaks and dips in the frequency response. Sound signature is best described as balanced and fun. I love good quality bass, and BLU-100 bass is satisfying enough for me, enough punch and power from such a small amp and battery, and most important, bass doesn't sound bloated. Treble has good sparkle and clarity without touching sibilant, and in good balanced with the midrange. My regular test songs are mostly audiophile recordings, some pops, jazz, and classical, no sibilant issue so far. Midrange has good clarity, and never sounded muffled or muddy. Well, not the smooth and highly refined kind of midrange, but I would say the midrange is pretty good and enjoyable, without any annoying coloration. Overall tonality is quite natural, not warm nor analytical. I have no complaint on the tonality, in fact, I quite like it. Bass, midrange, and treble are in good balance. Purist might think it is a little bassy, but that's the level of bass that I consider natural and lively. To me flat sounding bass doesn't sound natural.
Overall clarity is good, which is a must for phone call, but clarity is not over emphasized. Detail is pretty good, even with complex music BLU-100 manages to resolved decent level of detail. Overall sound quality is very good for an IEM at this price point, musical and engaging, with good balanced tonality. Considering the price, I would give 4.5 stars for the sound quality.
Microphone quality on the other hand is just average. Not outstanding, but not bad either. Good enough to make phone call, but in many cases, in a not so quiet environment, we need to bring it closer to the mouth for clearer reception.
Features & Operation
Power On, Power Off, and Bluetooth pairing indicator is by voice announcement through the earphone. Bluetooth pairing is easy and straight forward, tested with Samsung Galaxy S4 and ASUS Zenfone 5. Battery life is decent at around 3.5 hours of continuous usage. Charging using 1A or 2A charger is pretty quick, only takes around 1 hour to fully charge the battery. But LED indicator for charging is very small and obscured in the remote control housing. This is something to be improved; it is rather difficult to see the charging LED.
I suggest to move the USB charging port to the remote control part (control buttons and microphone part), rather than on the back side of the right earphone. When the battery flat, but we need to use the earphone while charging it using a portable battery, it looks awkward and uncomfortable to have USB charging cable sticking out from the earphone. But when the USB charging cable is connected to the remote control case, it is a much better and comfortable setup.
My main concern is the Bluetooth receiver sensitivity which is quite poor in my experience. I got Bluetooth signal cut-off quite often in daily general scenarios. Even in simple scenario of placing my mobile phone in my jeans front pocket, then walk for about 500 meters (which I do daily), in average I experienced cut-off more than 5 times, which is quite annoying. Other scenario, when mobile phone is on a desk and I work around the desk, Bluetooth signal cut-off also happens once and a while. I don't have other similar size Bluetooth earphone to be compared with, only Creative Hitz WP380 Bluetooth headset which is a larger on-ear headset. Using Creative WP380 on similar scenarios, I seldom experienced any Bluetooth signal cut-off. Especially for walking, where the mobile phone is relatively close to the Bluetooth headphone, I never experienced any signal cut-off when using WP380.
I like the balance and fun sound character of BLU-100, and would easily give it an overall rating of 4.5 stars for it, considering the size and price, but the poor Bluetooth receiver sensitivity in my opinion is quite annoying. Because of the poor Bluetooth sensitivity, I rate it 3.5 stars. I hope Brainwavz would improve it in the next model of Brainwavz Bluetooth earphone.
Beside the suggestion to improve the Bluetooth receiver sensitivity for the new model, since the quality of the dynamic driver and the shell design is very good, I would like to suggest to Brainwavz to develop a regular wired IEM using the same 8mm dynamic driver and smaller metal shell. By removing the active components and batteries, probably Brainwavz could cut the cost by more than half, and priced the IEM at the budget IEM category. If the sound quality of the new budget IEM is similar than BLU-100, I believe it could hit the market and potentially become a giant killer IEM.
Specifications:
Drivers: Dynamic 8mm
Rated Impedance: 30Ω closed Dynamic
Frequency Range: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Sensitivity: 110 dB @ 1 mW
Bluetooth: 4.0
Codec: aptX™
Max Distance: 10mt(30ft)
Battery: 60mAh
Playtime/Standby: 4hrs/100hrs
Charge Time: 2hrs(USB)
Noise Cancellation: CVC echo/noise
Voice Prompt: Yes
Profiles: HFP HSP A2DP
Pairing: Dual Pairing
In-Line: Remote/Mic
Cable length from left driver to right driver: 60 cm
Can be purchased from:
Brainwavz BLU-100 Sport Bluetooth 4.0 APTX Headphones
Many thanks to Brainwavz for the Brainwavz S3 review sample! There are already some other reviews about Brainwavz S3, so I will make this review concise.
Brainwavz S3 utilizes single 8 mm dynamic driver with 16 ohms nominal impedance, in full metal housing for over the ear design. But I find that the design can also be worn straight down without any problem. The metal housing though pretty light but feels solid with good build quality. Left and Right markings are clearly printed on the earphone metal housing. The 4.5 mm nozzle size ensures compatibility with many generic eartips. From the housing design perspective my only concern is some edges on the metal housing. The edges around the housing near the nozzle always mildly scratch my ears when inserting S3 into my ear canal. While edges at the back of the housing might potentially scratch my DAP or other items when I put them together in my bag. So my advice is to always keep the S3 in the provided carry case. The smooth, no edges design of S0 and S5 is, IMHO, a safer design approach.
Brainwavz S3 share similar flat cable design as Brainwavz S0, S1, and S5 that seems to be the trademark for Brainwavz S series. Though flat cable is more tangle proof, but it also increases the thickness of the cable. The cable is equipped with Clearwavz remote that supports Apple iOS Products. For Android devices, the microphone in the remote can be used for phone call, as well as the middle button to play/stop and skip tracks. But the volume buttons don't work for Android.
Pros:
Good detail and clarity, with good midrange and treble response.
Generous accessories with plenty of eartips and a very nice carry case.
Cons:
Lean bass. Bass level is moderately lacking.
Edgy metal housing.
Suggestions for improvements:
To improve bass response without sacrificing the detail and clarity.
Avoid edges on the earphone housing.
Slimmer cable.
Remote that fully compatible for both iOS and Android devices.
Sound Signature
Sound signature observation was using the stock translucent grey eartips, after over 100 hours of burn-in. I didn’t notice any significant improvement before and after burn-in, so I would say burn-in is not necessary for S3.
Clarity is the main sonic signature of S3. It is not a warm sounding IEM, and leans slightly, just a slightly, towards analytic in a good way. Bass is lean, but has decent speed and texture. To my sonic preference, the bass is moderately lacking, and IMHO the main weakness of S3. I find the bass is lacking around 6 dB for most of my test tracks. The lack of bass makes S3 fail to deliver sense of musical engagement. Midrange has good clarity with some mild emphasize around the upper mid that makes midrange presentation quite forward. Treble has mild emphasize on the lower treble, but overall midrange to treble frequency response is pretty good, quite balance with good detail, clarity, and texture, without touching sibilant. I observed there is no annoying peak and dip beside the slight upper mid hum. One good thing is, It doesn't have midrange muffledness that I often found in many IEMs in this price range; detail and clarity are basically S3 main strength. The good clarity of S3 makes it a good communication earphone for smartphone, for better speech intelligibility. If only Brainwavz tuned S3 to have more bass, it could be a very close competitor to S5.
I did some simple frequency response measurement using USB measurement microphone MiniDSP UMIK-1 and a DIY acoustic coupler that I made using heat shrink tube. As for the software, I use REW. Brainwavz S3 connected to LH Geek Out 450 headphone output (0.47 ohms), and the earphone side coupled to the measurement microphone as shown in the following pictures.
I’ve been experimenting on IEM measurement lately, and I found it to be very complicated. I observed the following:
1. The length and volume of the acoustic coupler greatly affecting the treble response. Longer acoustic coupler will create unnecessary treble peaks.
2. Room temperature greatly affecting the bass response. Similar measurement done in 25 degree Celsius and 31 degree Celsius room temperature consistently showing around 6 dB differences in bass response. Bass response is higher in lower room temperature.
3. Loudness level affecting the smoothness of the overall frequency response. Generally measurement done in louder volume showing smoother frequency response.
From my experiments so far, I suggest to always read IEM frequency response measurement result in the context of the measurement environment, as they are mostly useful only as comparison to other IEMs that are measured in the same measurement environment. So please take note that this is not a standard measurement, therefore cannot be used as comparison with other measurement. This measurement is only to show the rough estimation of the frequency response, especially to show the lacking of the bass response in comparison to S0 and S5.
I used short acoustic coupler to avoid unnecessary treble peaks. Measurement is done in room temperature around 31 degree Celsius (non air-con room in Singapore). Loudness reference is 105 dB at 500 Hz. 105 dB seems high, but it is due to the distant of the earphone that was placed very close to the microphone. The volume level is actually around 90 dB listening level when used on ears. All measurement were done 3 times, by plugging, unplugging, and re-fitting the earphone to the acoustic coupler, and then averaging the result from the 3 measurements. Psycho acoustic smoothing was applied to all measurement.
Besides comparisons with Brainwavz S0 and S5, I also compared S3 with DUNU DN-2000. DN-2000 is so far what I perceived as the flattest sounding IEM that I've ever tried. We might have different preferences for what we call flat / balanced tonality, but for me so far DUNU DN-2000 is what my ears perceived as relatively flat tonality; therefore I use it as my reference for comparison.
Measurement result of Left (Blue) and Right (Red) drivers of Brainwavz S3:
Averaged frequency response of Brainwavz S3 Left and Right drivers:
Frequency response in comparison to Brainwavz S0 (Blue) and S5 (Green):
Frequency response in comparison to DUNU DN-2000 (Green):
Comparisons with Brainwavz S0 and S5
Comparisons were done using the stock translucent grey eartips.
Brainwavs S0
In short, S0 has more bass with less clarity than S3. S3 wins on clarity and resolution. S0 has some mid bass emphasize that bleeds a little to the midrange, bass is a little bloated and less textured as compared to S3 lean and faster bass. Midrange on S0 is mildly muffled and less textured, and treble is softer and less transparent. S0 is more forgiving and fun sounding, better option for those who prefer smooth and warm sounding signature. While S3 has better clarity, more linear midrange and treble, but lacking the fun part due to the lean bass. S3 might be preferable for those who prefer clarity.
Brainwavz S5
S5 has some treble emphasize and sounds brighter and more transparent than S3. S5 has wider frequency range, more extended bass and treble and overall sounds livelier with better detail and dynamic. Beside the slightly smoother treble, S3 is still a level below S5 in almost every aspect. S5 has better resolution and sounds more transparent than S3, with much better bass. Dynamic and speed is also better on S5, faster and more realistic. Though S5 is the better IEM here, but S5 might be a little too bright for the treble sensitive users.
Between S0, S3, and S5, the older and more expensive S5 is clearly the winner for me. With the right eartips such as the triple flange, S5 treble is tamed resulting an excellent lively and balanced sound signature. S0 and S3 serve different category of audience as mentioned above.
Eartips rolling
S3 comes with plenty of eartips for some degree of sonic tuning. Sonic impression of S3 above was using the stock translucent grey (red core) eartips. The following are comparisons of other eartips with the stock translucent grey eartips.
Black small bore with coloured core ('Sony Hybrid' look alike)
The black small bore eartips is in my opinion the best sounding eartips for S3. It helps to improve the bass response a little, and preferable in comparison to the default larger bore translucent grey red core eartips. Treble also sounds smoother and less peaky using the black small bore eartips. But still, the bass response is less than what I called proper bass level.
Double Flange
Sounds more or less about the same as the default translucent grey red core eartips. The only improvement I felt was not in the sound department, but in comfort. The double flange covers the edges near the nozzle that usually scratches my ears a little during insertion, therefore more comfortable during insertion to ear canals.
Triple Flange
I observed triple flange eartips usually has the largest degree of treble smoothing among other silicone eartips. It could be that it is actually shifted up the treble peak, therefore treble sounds less peaky than other eartips. Treble is a tad smoother than eartips and holographic imaging also improves a little. But unfortunately bass response is the lowest, a tad less from the default translucent grey eartips, therefore the least preferable.
Foam - Comply T400
The foam eartips performs quite well, and more or less comparable to the default translucent grey eartips, a tad more linear on the treble region, probably more comfortable to some, but no significant differences in sound quality.
Competition in this price range is tough and crowded with a lot of options, and S3 sits in the category around average to good. For sub $100, some of my most favorite IEMs are LZ-A2, Puro Sound Labs IEM500, Alpha & Delta AD01, and Narmoo S1. I hope in the near future Brainwavz would come up with some giant killer IEMs that would compete well with those IEMs.
Equipment Used In This Review:
Earphones / IEMs:
Brainwavz S0
Brainwavz S5
DUNU DN-2000
DACs, DAPs & Headphone Amplifiers:
LH Geek Out 450
Fiio X3ii
Onkyo DP-X1
Superlux HA3D
Some recordings used in this review:
Brainwavz S3 utilizes single 8 mm dynamic driver with 16 ohms nominal impedance, in full metal housing for over the ear design. But I find that the design can also be worn straight down without any problem. The metal housing though pretty light but feels solid with good build quality. Left and Right markings are clearly printed on the earphone metal housing. The 4.5 mm nozzle size ensures compatibility with many generic eartips. From the housing design perspective my only concern is some edges on the metal housing. The edges around the housing near the nozzle always mildly scratch my ears when inserting S3 into my ear canal. While edges at the back of the housing might potentially scratch my DAP or other items when I put them together in my bag. So my advice is to always keep the S3 in the provided carry case. The smooth, no edges design of S0 and S5 is, IMHO, a safer design approach.
Brainwavz S3 share similar flat cable design as Brainwavz S0, S1, and S5 that seems to be the trademark for Brainwavz S series. Though flat cable is more tangle proof, but it also increases the thickness of the cable. The cable is equipped with Clearwavz remote that supports Apple iOS Products. For Android devices, the microphone in the remote can be used for phone call, as well as the middle button to play/stop and skip tracks. But the volume buttons don't work for Android.
Pros:
Good detail and clarity, with good midrange and treble response.
Generous accessories with plenty of eartips and a very nice carry case.
Cons:
Lean bass. Bass level is moderately lacking.
Edgy metal housing.
Suggestions for improvements:
To improve bass response without sacrificing the detail and clarity.
Avoid edges on the earphone housing.
Slimmer cable.
Remote that fully compatible for both iOS and Android devices.
Sound Signature
Sound signature observation was using the stock translucent grey eartips, after over 100 hours of burn-in. I didn’t notice any significant improvement before and after burn-in, so I would say burn-in is not necessary for S3.
Clarity is the main sonic signature of S3. It is not a warm sounding IEM, and leans slightly, just a slightly, towards analytic in a good way. Bass is lean, but has decent speed and texture. To my sonic preference, the bass is moderately lacking, and IMHO the main weakness of S3. I find the bass is lacking around 6 dB for most of my test tracks. The lack of bass makes S3 fail to deliver sense of musical engagement. Midrange has good clarity with some mild emphasize around the upper mid that makes midrange presentation quite forward. Treble has mild emphasize on the lower treble, but overall midrange to treble frequency response is pretty good, quite balance with good detail, clarity, and texture, without touching sibilant. I observed there is no annoying peak and dip beside the slight upper mid hum. One good thing is, It doesn't have midrange muffledness that I often found in many IEMs in this price range; detail and clarity are basically S3 main strength. The good clarity of S3 makes it a good communication earphone for smartphone, for better speech intelligibility. If only Brainwavz tuned S3 to have more bass, it could be a very close competitor to S5.
I did some simple frequency response measurement using USB measurement microphone MiniDSP UMIK-1 and a DIY acoustic coupler that I made using heat shrink tube. As for the software, I use REW. Brainwavz S3 connected to LH Geek Out 450 headphone output (0.47 ohms), and the earphone side coupled to the measurement microphone as shown in the following pictures.
I’ve been experimenting on IEM measurement lately, and I found it to be very complicated. I observed the following:
1. The length and volume of the acoustic coupler greatly affecting the treble response. Longer acoustic coupler will create unnecessary treble peaks.
2. Room temperature greatly affecting the bass response. Similar measurement done in 25 degree Celsius and 31 degree Celsius room temperature consistently showing around 6 dB differences in bass response. Bass response is higher in lower room temperature.
3. Loudness level affecting the smoothness of the overall frequency response. Generally measurement done in louder volume showing smoother frequency response.
From my experiments so far, I suggest to always read IEM frequency response measurement result in the context of the measurement environment, as they are mostly useful only as comparison to other IEMs that are measured in the same measurement environment. So please take note that this is not a standard measurement, therefore cannot be used as comparison with other measurement. This measurement is only to show the rough estimation of the frequency response, especially to show the lacking of the bass response in comparison to S0 and S5.
I used short acoustic coupler to avoid unnecessary treble peaks. Measurement is done in room temperature around 31 degree Celsius (non air-con room in Singapore). Loudness reference is 105 dB at 500 Hz. 105 dB seems high, but it is due to the distant of the earphone that was placed very close to the microphone. The volume level is actually around 90 dB listening level when used on ears. All measurement were done 3 times, by plugging, unplugging, and re-fitting the earphone to the acoustic coupler, and then averaging the result from the 3 measurements. Psycho acoustic smoothing was applied to all measurement.
Besides comparisons with Brainwavz S0 and S5, I also compared S3 with DUNU DN-2000. DN-2000 is so far what I perceived as the flattest sounding IEM that I've ever tried. We might have different preferences for what we call flat / balanced tonality, but for me so far DUNU DN-2000 is what my ears perceived as relatively flat tonality; therefore I use it as my reference for comparison.
Measurement result of Left (Blue) and Right (Red) drivers of Brainwavz S3:
Averaged frequency response of Brainwavz S3 Left and Right drivers:
Frequency response in comparison to Brainwavz S0 (Blue) and S5 (Green):
Frequency response in comparison to DUNU DN-2000 (Green):
Comparisons with Brainwavz S0 and S5
Comparisons were done using the stock translucent grey eartips.
Brainwavs S0
In short, S0 has more bass with less clarity than S3. S3 wins on clarity and resolution. S0 has some mid bass emphasize that bleeds a little to the midrange, bass is a little bloated and less textured as compared to S3 lean and faster bass. Midrange on S0 is mildly muffled and less textured, and treble is softer and less transparent. S0 is more forgiving and fun sounding, better option for those who prefer smooth and warm sounding signature. While S3 has better clarity, more linear midrange and treble, but lacking the fun part due to the lean bass. S3 might be preferable for those who prefer clarity.
Brainwavz S5
S5 has some treble emphasize and sounds brighter and more transparent than S3. S5 has wider frequency range, more extended bass and treble and overall sounds livelier with better detail and dynamic. Beside the slightly smoother treble, S3 is still a level below S5 in almost every aspect. S5 has better resolution and sounds more transparent than S3, with much better bass. Dynamic and speed is also better on S5, faster and more realistic. Though S5 is the better IEM here, but S5 might be a little too bright for the treble sensitive users.
Between S0, S3, and S5, the older and more expensive S5 is clearly the winner for me. With the right eartips such as the triple flange, S5 treble is tamed resulting an excellent lively and balanced sound signature. S0 and S3 serve different category of audience as mentioned above.
Eartips rolling
S3 comes with plenty of eartips for some degree of sonic tuning. Sonic impression of S3 above was using the stock translucent grey (red core) eartips. The following are comparisons of other eartips with the stock translucent grey eartips.
Black small bore with coloured core ('Sony Hybrid' look alike)
The black small bore eartips is in my opinion the best sounding eartips for S3. It helps to improve the bass response a little, and preferable in comparison to the default larger bore translucent grey red core eartips. Treble also sounds smoother and less peaky using the black small bore eartips. But still, the bass response is less than what I called proper bass level.
Double Flange
Sounds more or less about the same as the default translucent grey red core eartips. The only improvement I felt was not in the sound department, but in comfort. The double flange covers the edges near the nozzle that usually scratches my ears a little during insertion, therefore more comfortable during insertion to ear canals.
Triple Flange
I observed triple flange eartips usually has the largest degree of treble smoothing among other silicone eartips. It could be that it is actually shifted up the treble peak, therefore treble sounds less peaky than other eartips. Treble is a tad smoother than eartips and holographic imaging also improves a little. But unfortunately bass response is the lowest, a tad less from the default translucent grey eartips, therefore the least preferable.
Foam - Comply T400
The foam eartips performs quite well, and more or less comparable to the default translucent grey eartips, a tad more linear on the treble region, probably more comfortable to some, but no significant differences in sound quality.
Competition in this price range is tough and crowded with a lot of options, and S3 sits in the category around average to good. For sub $100, some of my most favorite IEMs are LZ-A2, Puro Sound Labs IEM500, Alpha & Delta AD01, and Narmoo S1. I hope in the near future Brainwavz would come up with some giant killer IEMs that would compete well with those IEMs.
Specifications:
- Drivers: Dynamic, 8 mm
- Rated Impedance: 16 Ω
- Frequency Range: 16 Hz ~ 22 kHz
- Sensitivity: 96 dB at 1 mW
- Rated Input Power: 10 mW
- Cable: 1.3 m Y-Cord, Copper
- Plug: 3.5 mm, Gold Plated
Included Accessories:
- Earphone Hardcase
- 3 sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
- 1 set of Comply™ Foam Tips T-400
- 1 Shirt Clip
- 1 set of Silicone Bi-Flange Eartips
- 1 set of Silicone Tri-Flange Eartips
- Velcro Cable Tie
- Instruction Manual & Warranty Card (24 month warranty)
Equipment Used In This Review:
Earphones / IEMs:
Brainwavz S0
Brainwavz S5
DUNU DN-2000
DACs, DAPs & Headphone Amplifiers:
LH Geek Out 450
Fiio X3ii
Onkyo DP-X1
Superlux HA3D
Some recordings used in this review:
Some recordings used in this review:
This is one of the best EDM in-ears out there, just a beast, got them for 2 years now, technical facs my @ss i sold the Shure SE846 for the Z5.
The 16mm are the special trick sound like a big one.
On Balanced they get awake and go 3D!!!!
Need some power for brutal EDM bass stamp, loaded with details in full 3D, mids are fine, highs are very smooth, crisp and never i say never faulty just space away...
Timings are awsome for a hybride.
4.4mm balanced with @MrWalkman 1Z firmware on a 1A is just like a big EDM party with LÁcouistics thunder.