Introduction
My dad had a big-@$$ hifi stack as tall as the television, so naturally I was born with picky ears. But being raised in a shanty town (a lie), with only basic electricity and water (another lie), my first taste of earbuds and IEMs came from a bookstore (truth!). There would be entry level stuff from unknown Chinese brands, and comparatively higher-end stuff from Sony and Philips that cost the equivalent of USD20-30, locked up in glass cabinets. I saved up for a Philips IEM as a high-schooler, eating white bread for weeks instead of a proper breakfast, and finally landing the Philips. Made sure to get the extra bass too! Putting them in my ears for the first time, confirmation bias at play, they sounded awesome, and validated all those missed breakfasts.
Weeks of bass headaches ensued, and I thought it was just my simpleton ears that needed to adjust to the sound. Even tried that burning-in thingamajig. But eventually I came to realise, the bass was bloaty, muddy, and obscured everything else in the sound spectrum. I had to turn up the volume to listen to the vocals and other details. At the tender age of 14 I dismissed everything in the USD20-30 range, rage quit, and went back to Apple earbuds.
Today, after spending a significant amount of my life savings and retirement funds on Head-Fi (thanks!), I come back to this price bracket. Let me tell you first, spoiler-style, that the Brainwavz Jive made me rethink what USD25 IEMs can do. If I had this in my high-school age, I would definitely not have quitted so ragely, swearing revenge on soul-crushing, ear-splitting IEMs that exchange money for despair.
Equipment Used
Questyle QP1R
Shanling M1 > Chord Mojo
Brainwavz Jive
KZ ED3c “The Acme”
Rhapsodio Clipper
Albums Listened
Adele – 25
Amber Rubarth – Sessions from the 17th Ward
Amber Rubarth – Scribbled Folk Symphonies
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Jeff Buckley – Grace
Macy Gray – Stripped
The Eagles – Hell Freezes Over
And others.
Packaging and Accessories
Everybody buys Brainwavz for their signature black and red zippered case. I think I’ve established that in another review. It looks practical, striking, and has pockets for the accessories as well. If I were reviewing the case it’d end here saying “TOTL case, 5 stars”, because at USD28 you feel at least USD10 was spent on the case. But I digress. There are also 3 pairs of silicon tips (in S, M and L sizes) and a pair of original Comply foamies, medium-sized. A shirt clip completes the accessory set. Basic and practical, and yeah, great case.
"I was running out of photo ideas." -said the reviewer.
Design, Build Quality and Cables
They are available in 5 colour choices (black, blue, green, red and white). I chose blue but seem to have ended up with the secret colour purple instead. I like the look of the shells, a simple horn-shaped design that is easy to hold and insert. Left and right markers are clearly written, and the remote control handles volume nicely. The centre button takes on a few functions. One click plays and pauses, two clicks goes to next track, and three clicks takes you to the previous track. Build quality is so-so, housings are made of metal but feels plasticky, and cables do not inspire confidence. They are thin and tangly, with a rubbery Y-split and chin slider. The rubberized strain reliefs, Y-split and jack are not well-finished, they’re just here to do the job. The angled jack is a nice touch though.
Fit, Isolation and Comfort
They are small enough to just slot in and forget you’re wearing them. Eminently comfortable and lightweight, you don’t feel the weight at all. Isolation is below average, you rely 100% on the eartips for a good seal and yet some outside noise enters. You have to consider that if you’re commuting. For the safety-conscious having outside noise is a blessing as anything can happen while you’re deep in sonic bliss (traffic, road hazards, cats in heat, knife fights).
For less than $30 you get a brilliant IEM case, with a free IEM inside!
Overall Signature
The Jive has a U-shaped signature, I hesitate to say that in case readers think the mids are recessed, they are not. Just that the subbass and midbass are lifted, along with upper-mids and lower treble. The mids stay where they are, flat and neutral relative to the rest of the spectrum. It has a fun, energetic tuning, great for modern genres and lively tracks. The mids are not emphasised nor coloured. They are not for vocal or midheads, but I would say this is a well-tuned U-shape that doesn’t hinder the mids, so even in vocal-centric tracks you don’t feel the need to grab another IEM immediately.
Bass
I’m biased and jaded, so here’s what I expected after checking the price. Missing subbass, over-emphasized midbass to compensate, and mud all over the place. I was wrong, the Jive disarmed me with actual subbass rumble and extension that went down my throat. It was tuned for head-bopping fun, nicely elevated, and just enough. The midbass is also elevated, punchy and fun, just a bit flabby but tails off right before there’s any obvious bleed into the mids. I will forgive the occasional bass bleed at this price range because it only happens in really bassy tracks like Like a G6 from Far East Movement. I do however, turn the volume up just to hear the air being moved, it’s a guilty pleasure that the Jive excels at. The bass layering is impressive too, the thick midbass doesn’t hog the limelight and allows the subbass to shine. Just don’t expect much detail and texture, this isn’t the bass tuning you seek.
Mids
The mids are clear, detailed, and sounds relatively clinical next to the fun bass. Lower mids are devoid of the midbass thickness except in very bassy tracks where there is some bleed. It is definitely cleaner and leaner in the middle mids. And in a one-two punch combo, I could delineate some air in between the instruments and yet, no mids recession. Good vocals and instrument timbre as well. Nicely done! This is not your sweet mids tuning with alluring vocals, conjuring images of sultry singers writhing around in bed (fully clothed, we are a family-friendly forum), but the thinner notes and space creates some well-needed respite from the bass fullness. The upper mids unravel a bit, there is a lift that brings forward certain instruments (particularly cymbals) and it sounds edgy and tizzy in some tracks. Doesn’t happen often but once it does you can’t help but feel it’s uncharacteristic of the overall signature.
Treble
Like the upper mids, the treble wants to grab you by the ears and make its presence felt, which might or might not be a good thing. The lower treble continues where the upper mids left off, elevated with slight emphasis, bringing the details forward but sounding somewhat grainy as a result. There is good treble texture otherwise, amazing at this price, just that sometimes the instrument placement seems unnaturally forward. Hi-hats, bells, high-pitched percussion, they’re all affected. It sounds exciting and energetic, the Jive will never be described as boring or the perfect IEMs for your easy-listening grandma (who secretly likes EDM and would conversely make these perfect for her, you don’t know your grandma!). TLDR: detailed with good presence, but sometimes harsh and grainy.
Soundstage and Imaging
My word, it’s quite spacious. I’m used to a good tuning from budget IEMs, with little or no soundstage. This little guy proved me wrong again. You get a nice impression of space and staging, with music coming from around your head, rather than inside it. It’s a natural, enveloping stage with some air between the instruments, with two minor caveats already covered. One, the full bass prevents the airiness to fully take off, and two, the lower mids/upper treble that is unnaturally forwarded. Otherwise it’s good in the sense that you don’t feel like your head is being attacked. Imaging, given the air and space to work with, is excellent. You get a good impression of width, depth and even a bit of height. Pop in a binaural track and you’ll get what I mean. This isn’t Layla or A12 level of imaging, but at 1% of the retail price, it’s about 40% of TOTL IEM imaging. In real world terms, laser-pointer precision vs swatting a fly with your hand. And how many of us use laser pointers to kill flies anyway? Just take a bath, the fly will leave you alone.
Brainwavz left... Brainwavz left... to where? The subliminals!
Comparisons
KZ ED3c “The Acme” (USD10)
The Acme, my favourite KZ, is a $10 wonder with a fun-oriented tuning and tiny soundstage. Bass has more quantity than the Jive, both subbass and midbass, sometimes distastefully thick and bloated. The Jive in comparison handles bass quantity, quality and refinement in another level. The Acme’s midbass bleed hampers the sound further, with tub-thumping, head-throbbing bass taking precedence over mids clarity. The Jive’s mid-neutral tuning with air is more relaxed and accessible than the thick sonic assault of the Acme, you barely have space to breathe screaming “where’s dat air?” The Jive upper mids/lower treble lift seem tame in comparison to the harsher, hotter Acme treble. The soundstage and imaging of the Jive totally obliterates the congestive sound of the Acme, no contest. While good for its price, the Acme is clearly outclassed by the more refined and spacious Jive, which also manages to sound fun as well. Can I say twice as good? Yes, actually.
Rhapsodio Clipper (USD55)
Rhapsodio makes some serious TOTL-level IEMs, and this budget-priced anomaly, so that more enthusiasts can sample the house sound. Like many IEMs in the USD50 and less price range, bass is boosted. Subbass is authoritative and moves more air than the Jive, however the overly-present midbass hump threatens to congest the sound. For me Jive straddles the line between fun and audiophile competently, whereas the Clipper is a verified bass cannon. Midbass bleed, minimum on the Jive, is obvious on the Clipper. Details are lost in comparison to the Jive. Mids are smoother and more coloured on the Clipper, it sounds more natural and euphonic. Clarity is also good, bass bleed aside. Treble, however, sounds muted on the Clipper, compared to the slight lift in the lower treble of the Jive. Soundstage is sufficiently wide, with imaging marred slightly by the midbass predominance. Not as airy as Jive by a long shot. Clipper has a smoother, weightier sound and lovely mids, whereas Jive is brighter and airier. Are they peers? Definitely.
"We are Brainwavz. We send happy wavz to your, uh, brain."
Conclusion
For fun, I asked a non-Headfier friend to listen to the Jive. His favourite IEM is the Jabra Rox Bluetooth with boosted midbass and precious little soundstage. Comparing both he said the Jive gave a very spacious, tuneful presentation that he likes, in contrast to the aggressive, bloated Jabra sound. When asked to guess the price he put it at USD100. His assessment is Jive in a nutshell. The cynical Headfier would never believe an IEM at USD28 would be of this quality, I’m at a loss for words as well. The bass layering, neutral mids, energetic treble, airy soundstage and stellar imaging are worth the price many times over. You must forgive me, for I do not participate in the Chinese IEM thread anymore, where more and more budget-fi wonders are discovered daily. So while I cannot comment on the competition today, the Jive has been a refreshing eye-opener. Many thanks to Pandora of Brainwavz for the review unit.
My dad had a big-@$$ hifi stack as tall as the television, so naturally I was born with picky ears. But being raised in a shanty town (a lie), with only basic electricity and water (another lie), my first taste of earbuds and IEMs came from a bookstore (truth!). There would be entry level stuff from unknown Chinese brands, and comparatively higher-end stuff from Sony and Philips that cost the equivalent of USD20-30, locked up in glass cabinets. I saved up for a Philips IEM as a high-schooler, eating white bread for weeks instead of a proper breakfast, and finally landing the Philips. Made sure to get the extra bass too! Putting them in my ears for the first time, confirmation bias at play, they sounded awesome, and validated all those missed breakfasts.
Weeks of bass headaches ensued, and I thought it was just my simpleton ears that needed to adjust to the sound. Even tried that burning-in thingamajig. But eventually I came to realise, the bass was bloaty, muddy, and obscured everything else in the sound spectrum. I had to turn up the volume to listen to the vocals and other details. At the tender age of 14 I dismissed everything in the USD20-30 range, rage quit, and went back to Apple earbuds.
Today, after spending a significant amount of my life savings and retirement funds on Head-Fi (thanks!), I come back to this price bracket. Let me tell you first, spoiler-style, that the Brainwavz Jive made me rethink what USD25 IEMs can do. If I had this in my high-school age, I would definitely not have quitted so ragely, swearing revenge on soul-crushing, ear-splitting IEMs that exchange money for despair.
Equipment Used
Questyle QP1R
Shanling M1 > Chord Mojo
Brainwavz Jive
KZ ED3c “The Acme”
Rhapsodio Clipper
Albums Listened
Adele – 25
Amber Rubarth – Sessions from the 17th Ward
Amber Rubarth – Scribbled Folk Symphonies
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Jeff Buckley – Grace
Macy Gray – Stripped
The Eagles – Hell Freezes Over
And others.
Packaging and Accessories
Everybody buys Brainwavz for their signature black and red zippered case. I think I’ve established that in another review. It looks practical, striking, and has pockets for the accessories as well. If I were reviewing the case it’d end here saying “TOTL case, 5 stars”, because at USD28 you feel at least USD10 was spent on the case. But I digress. There are also 3 pairs of silicon tips (in S, M and L sizes) and a pair of original Comply foamies, medium-sized. A shirt clip completes the accessory set. Basic and practical, and yeah, great case.
"I was running out of photo ideas." -said the reviewer.
Design, Build Quality and Cables
They are available in 5 colour choices (black, blue, green, red and white). I chose blue but seem to have ended up with the secret colour purple instead. I like the look of the shells, a simple horn-shaped design that is easy to hold and insert. Left and right markers are clearly written, and the remote control handles volume nicely. The centre button takes on a few functions. One click plays and pauses, two clicks goes to next track, and three clicks takes you to the previous track. Build quality is so-so, housings are made of metal but feels plasticky, and cables do not inspire confidence. They are thin and tangly, with a rubbery Y-split and chin slider. The rubberized strain reliefs, Y-split and jack are not well-finished, they’re just here to do the job. The angled jack is a nice touch though.
Fit, Isolation and Comfort
They are small enough to just slot in and forget you’re wearing them. Eminently comfortable and lightweight, you don’t feel the weight at all. Isolation is below average, you rely 100% on the eartips for a good seal and yet some outside noise enters. You have to consider that if you’re commuting. For the safety-conscious having outside noise is a blessing as anything can happen while you’re deep in sonic bliss (traffic, road hazards, cats in heat, knife fights).
For less than $30 you get a brilliant IEM case, with a free IEM inside!
Overall Signature
The Jive has a U-shaped signature, I hesitate to say that in case readers think the mids are recessed, they are not. Just that the subbass and midbass are lifted, along with upper-mids and lower treble. The mids stay where they are, flat and neutral relative to the rest of the spectrum. It has a fun, energetic tuning, great for modern genres and lively tracks. The mids are not emphasised nor coloured. They are not for vocal or midheads, but I would say this is a well-tuned U-shape that doesn’t hinder the mids, so even in vocal-centric tracks you don’t feel the need to grab another IEM immediately.
Bass
I’m biased and jaded, so here’s what I expected after checking the price. Missing subbass, over-emphasized midbass to compensate, and mud all over the place. I was wrong, the Jive disarmed me with actual subbass rumble and extension that went down my throat. It was tuned for head-bopping fun, nicely elevated, and just enough. The midbass is also elevated, punchy and fun, just a bit flabby but tails off right before there’s any obvious bleed into the mids. I will forgive the occasional bass bleed at this price range because it only happens in really bassy tracks like Like a G6 from Far East Movement. I do however, turn the volume up just to hear the air being moved, it’s a guilty pleasure that the Jive excels at. The bass layering is impressive too, the thick midbass doesn’t hog the limelight and allows the subbass to shine. Just don’t expect much detail and texture, this isn’t the bass tuning you seek.
Mids
The mids are clear, detailed, and sounds relatively clinical next to the fun bass. Lower mids are devoid of the midbass thickness except in very bassy tracks where there is some bleed. It is definitely cleaner and leaner in the middle mids. And in a one-two punch combo, I could delineate some air in between the instruments and yet, no mids recession. Good vocals and instrument timbre as well. Nicely done! This is not your sweet mids tuning with alluring vocals, conjuring images of sultry singers writhing around in bed (fully clothed, we are a family-friendly forum), but the thinner notes and space creates some well-needed respite from the bass fullness. The upper mids unravel a bit, there is a lift that brings forward certain instruments (particularly cymbals) and it sounds edgy and tizzy in some tracks. Doesn’t happen often but once it does you can’t help but feel it’s uncharacteristic of the overall signature.
Treble
Like the upper mids, the treble wants to grab you by the ears and make its presence felt, which might or might not be a good thing. The lower treble continues where the upper mids left off, elevated with slight emphasis, bringing the details forward but sounding somewhat grainy as a result. There is good treble texture otherwise, amazing at this price, just that sometimes the instrument placement seems unnaturally forward. Hi-hats, bells, high-pitched percussion, they’re all affected. It sounds exciting and energetic, the Jive will never be described as boring or the perfect IEMs for your easy-listening grandma (who secretly likes EDM and would conversely make these perfect for her, you don’t know your grandma!). TLDR: detailed with good presence, but sometimes harsh and grainy.
Soundstage and Imaging
My word, it’s quite spacious. I’m used to a good tuning from budget IEMs, with little or no soundstage. This little guy proved me wrong again. You get a nice impression of space and staging, with music coming from around your head, rather than inside it. It’s a natural, enveloping stage with some air between the instruments, with two minor caveats already covered. One, the full bass prevents the airiness to fully take off, and two, the lower mids/upper treble that is unnaturally forwarded. Otherwise it’s good in the sense that you don’t feel like your head is being attacked. Imaging, given the air and space to work with, is excellent. You get a good impression of width, depth and even a bit of height. Pop in a binaural track and you’ll get what I mean. This isn’t Layla or A12 level of imaging, but at 1% of the retail price, it’s about 40% of TOTL IEM imaging. In real world terms, laser-pointer precision vs swatting a fly with your hand. And how many of us use laser pointers to kill flies anyway? Just take a bath, the fly will leave you alone.
Brainwavz left... Brainwavz left... to where? The subliminals!
Comparisons
KZ ED3c “The Acme” (USD10)
The Acme, my favourite KZ, is a $10 wonder with a fun-oriented tuning and tiny soundstage. Bass has more quantity than the Jive, both subbass and midbass, sometimes distastefully thick and bloated. The Jive in comparison handles bass quantity, quality and refinement in another level. The Acme’s midbass bleed hampers the sound further, with tub-thumping, head-throbbing bass taking precedence over mids clarity. The Jive’s mid-neutral tuning with air is more relaxed and accessible than the thick sonic assault of the Acme, you barely have space to breathe screaming “where’s dat air?” The Jive upper mids/lower treble lift seem tame in comparison to the harsher, hotter Acme treble. The soundstage and imaging of the Jive totally obliterates the congestive sound of the Acme, no contest. While good for its price, the Acme is clearly outclassed by the more refined and spacious Jive, which also manages to sound fun as well. Can I say twice as good? Yes, actually.
Rhapsodio Clipper (USD55)
Rhapsodio makes some serious TOTL-level IEMs, and this budget-priced anomaly, so that more enthusiasts can sample the house sound. Like many IEMs in the USD50 and less price range, bass is boosted. Subbass is authoritative and moves more air than the Jive, however the overly-present midbass hump threatens to congest the sound. For me Jive straddles the line between fun and audiophile competently, whereas the Clipper is a verified bass cannon. Midbass bleed, minimum on the Jive, is obvious on the Clipper. Details are lost in comparison to the Jive. Mids are smoother and more coloured on the Clipper, it sounds more natural and euphonic. Clarity is also good, bass bleed aside. Treble, however, sounds muted on the Clipper, compared to the slight lift in the lower treble of the Jive. Soundstage is sufficiently wide, with imaging marred slightly by the midbass predominance. Not as airy as Jive by a long shot. Clipper has a smoother, weightier sound and lovely mids, whereas Jive is brighter and airier. Are they peers? Definitely.
"We are Brainwavz. We send happy wavz to your, uh, brain."
Conclusion
For fun, I asked a non-Headfier friend to listen to the Jive. His favourite IEM is the Jabra Rox Bluetooth with boosted midbass and precious little soundstage. Comparing both he said the Jive gave a very spacious, tuneful presentation that he likes, in contrast to the aggressive, bloated Jabra sound. When asked to guess the price he put it at USD100. His assessment is Jive in a nutshell. The cynical Headfier would never believe an IEM at USD28 would be of this quality, I’m at a loss for words as well. The bass layering, neutral mids, energetic treble, airy soundstage and stellar imaging are worth the price many times over. You must forgive me, for I do not participate in the Chinese IEM thread anymore, where more and more budget-fi wonders are discovered daily. So while I cannot comment on the competition today, the Jive has been a refreshing eye-opener. Many thanks to Pandora of Brainwavz for the review unit.