Brainwavz S0 In-Ear Headphones

The Brainwavz S0; A Solid Performer


Introduction:

The company Brainwavz is a well-known Asian Hi-Fi Audio Company, which is known for their affordable audio products. The Brainwavz S0 is one of there entry level products which futures a Clearwavz Remote control.







Disclaimer:

The Brainwavz S0 was provided to me by the Brainwavz for free of charge as a review sample. I am not affiliated with Brainwavz beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered, opinions about the product.


Price & Warranty:

The MSRP price for the Brainwavz S0 is 49.50 USD and has a 24 Month Warranty.

Purchase Link: Brainwavz Store



Package and Accessories:

The Brainwavz S0 comes in small rectangular box which is wrapped with a white colored card board and sports an illustration of the S0 earphone. The box itself is in grey and has a soft coated surface with a nice appearance.





What’s inside the box?

• 1 x Brainwavz S0
• 1 x Earphone hard-case
• 6 x sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
• 1 x set of Comply™ Foam Tips T-400
• 1 x Shirt Clip
• 1 x set of Silicone Bi-Flange Eartips
• 1 x set of Silicone Tri-Flange Eartips
• 1 x Velcro Cable Tie
• 1 x Instruction Manual
• 1 x Warranty Card (24-month warranty)

The Brainwavz S0 IEM comes with lots of accessories like a shirt clip, hard-case, various silicone ear tips, etc. There is also one pair of Comply T-400 foam tips which is a nice addition.



The hard-case which is included to the box looks stylish and is also quite useful.




Specifications:

• Driver Type : Dynamic, 9 mm
• Impedance : 16 Ω
• Frequency Range : 18 Hz ~ 18 kHz
• Sensitivity : 100 dB at 1 mW
• Rated Input Power : 10 mW
• Cable : 1.2 m Y-Cord, Copper
• Headphone Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold Plated

Design, Fit and Build Quality:

The Brainwavz S0 has is quite comfortable and sits nice in my ears. The noise isolation is average due the bass vent on the backside of the monitor.

The Brainwavz S0 has a relative small and compact form factor. The monitor is made of a solid all metal housing and has a flat, tangle free cable which looks & feels also very durable.

There is also a red plastic part on the shell which serves as strain relief.



On the back of the monitor sports a bass vent and the Brainwavz logo and on the sides are the Left & Right markings.



The Brainwavz S0 has a built in remote which is promoted as “Clearwavz Remote” and features a build in microphone (on the backside of the remote control) with a quite good voice transmission performance. The remote control sports 3 buttons which supports Apple iOS and Android products and works for phone call controls, audio player controls and volume controls with a Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System (in short MEMS).



The cable sports a plastic Y splitter and a chin/neck slider.



The straight headphone jack is made of plastic and has a 3.5mm gold plated plug.




Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Metallica – Sad But True (Flac 24bit/96Hz)
• LP (Laura Pergolizzi) – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Saskia Bruin – The Look of Love (DSF)
• London Grammar – Hey Now (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
• George Michael – Older Album (Apple Music)
• Dire Straits – Money For Nothing (DSF)
• Mile Davis – Kind of Blue Album (Tidal Hi-fi)
• Emmanuel Pahud (Claude Debussy) – Syrinx (Apple Music)
• Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – Up Close “Album” (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• Alboran Trio’s – Cinque Lunghissimi Minuti (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Daft Punk – Get Lucky (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Lorde – Royals (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (DSF)
• Future Heroes – Archangel (Spotify)
• Deeperise feat Jabbar – Move On (Spotify)

Sources used for this review:

• IEM : Brainwvz S0, Shzoy Hibiki, VE Monk Smalls IE
• DAP/DAC : Chord Mojo, Hifiman HM603s, Nexum AQUA+

The Sound:

I believe in burn-in and this review is written after a burn-in process of approx. 80 hours. I have used the stock black colored silicone ear tips (which are softer but have a smaller sound channel) that are included to the package.

Tonality:

The Brainwavz S0 has a slightly warm tonality with a bright top end, strong bass response and a very clean overall sound and I was very surprised how clear and powerful this little IEM form sounded.

Frequencies:

Bass:

You can immediately notice that the Brainwavz S0 has some strong and powerful bass presentation, but don’t get me wrong, this is not the sort of bass presentation which sounds overpowered or overwhelming. This is not an IEM which will satisfy bass heads, but most people who want some strong bass, without to lose clarity will enjoy this IEM with no doubt.

The sub-bass area between 20 – 50 Hz has good weight and depth and this will satisfy many users who are looking for an IEM for a reasonable price.

The bass sounds controlled and is sounds tight but is missing a little bit of extension, which is quite acceptable for this price level. One big plus point for the Brainwavz S0 is the mid-bass performance, which sounds well controlled, punchy and pretty fast without to overshadowing the midrange.

For example; the bass presentations in some bass heavy songs like Future Heroes – Archangel and Lorde’s – Royal are sounding very exiting.


Mids:

The most important part of the Brainwavz S0 is the midrange clarity, which is in a level that is rare to find in this price class. It sounds slightly colored (warm) but has a good amount of detail.

The definition of instruments and the level of it’s clearness above average.

I have tested the S0 with some instrument intensive tracks like Alboran Trio’s – Cinque Lunghissimi Minuti and the result was pretty good.

Both male and female vocals are presented in a quite natural and transparent way. Some Female voices like Diana Krall and Hannah Reid (vocalist of London Grammar) are represented in a quite emotional and exiting way. The overall vocal distance of the Brainwavz S0 is pretty balanced, which doesn’t sound very upfront or too recessed.

The upper treble range of the S0 is another highlight, because it sounds controlled and transparent, with only a low amount of sibilance that is most noticeable in bad recorded or remastered tracks.



Treble:

The first noticeable thing about the treble range is the good transition between the upper midrange and the treble range, where exists a good balance between neutrality and musicality.

The treble extension and overall speed of the Brainwavz S0 is above average and the good thing is that there is no remarkable harshness between the 4 – 6 kHz range.

The upper treble range of the Brainwavz S0 sounds relative controlled with some instruments like violins, cymbals or bells. Megadeth’s epic song “Sweating Bullets” is a good example, where the cymbals have a pretty good attack and decay.



Soundstage and Imaging:

The soundstage of the Brainwavz S0 is fairly wide and is above average in depth, which should not be a drawback at this price point. The S0 represents a nice sense of space with a good amount of air between instruments and there is also a nice, 3D like imaging.



Comparison:

Vs. Shozy Hibiki:

The Shozy Hibiki has less sub-bass quantity and depth than compared to the Brainwavz S0. Both IEM’s are equal good regarding to the overall bass speed. The S0 has better the better bass extension, while the Shozy Hibiki sounds more controlled.

.The Brainwavz S0 sounds surprisingly clinical and transparent compared to the flat but grainy midrange presentation of the Shozy Hibiki. The Hibiki sounds slightly warmer and emotional compared to the S0.

The upper midrange of the Shozy Hibiki sounds slightly harsher, compared to the more controlled and softer presentation of the Brainwavz S0. Both IEM’s are surprisingly good for its price regarding to vocal and instrument presentation. When it comes to vocal presentation I must say that the Barinwavz S0 sounds better with male vocals, while I like the Shozy Hibiki more with female voices due the more emotional presentation.

Both the Shozy Hibiki and Brainwavz S0 have a pretty controlled treble presentation while the Hibiki IEM sounds slightly harsher with bad recorded/remastered tracks, where the S0 excels better. The detail level of the Shozy Hibiki is slightly better.

The soundstage of the Shozy Hibiki expands in a more natural way, while the difference for depth is minimal.





Vs. VE Monk IE Smalls

The Monk IE Smalls sounds quite warm in its presentation compared to the more natural sounding Brainwavz S0, which has also more sparkle on the top end.

Both IEM’s sharing some nice sub-bass rumble, which will excite bass lovers. But the Brainwavz S0 has more depth, extension and control compared to the slower and hotter sounding bass response of the Monk’s. The Monk IE Smalls sounds a bit too warm in the bass department, where the Brainwavz S0 sounds more balanced and natural.

Both IEM’s have a quite different midrange presentation. The Monk IE Smalls sounds fuller and warmer with a veiled presentation, while the Brainwavz S0 has a more transparent and natural midrange tuning. The Brainwavz S0 sounds more realistic with both male and female vocals, while the Monk IE Smalls has an emotional presentation.

The instrument clarity, separation and detail level of the Brainwavz S0 is superior compared to those of the Monk IE Smalls, which has some clarity problems.

The treble range of the Monk IE Smalls sounds darker and is missing some sparkle. The treble extension and detail level of the Brainwavz S0 is one of the best in this price class and is superior to those of the Monk IE Smalls. The upper treble range of the Monk IE Smalls sounds softer and more controlled, but is missing some sparkle.

The Brainwavz S0 has an airier and wider soundstage presentation in both directions.



Conclusion:

The Brainwavz S0 is a very well made IEM, which has a very nice accessory package and pretty good sound quality. The powerful bass, overall balance and clarity level makes it to a good performer in this price range.



Summary (plus and minus):

• + Build like a Tank
• + Strong but clean bass
• + Balanced sound and clarity
• + Build-in microphone with volume control

• – No detachable cable & Flat cable profile
• – Not the best isolation

This review was originally posted on "Moonstar Reviews" :
https://moonstarreviews.net



...

Brainwavz S0 Review: Budget Balance
Brainwavz is a company whose roots lie in building consumer audio products. They strive to produce high-quality audio products at an affordable price; a laudable goal indeed. The S0 is an outcropping of that passion. How well does it hold up against the rest of the market with a design that’s already a couple years old?

You can find the S0 for sale here, on Brainwavz’s official website, for $50.

About My Preferences: Heads up, I’m a person! As such, these words are my opinion, and they are tinged by my personal preferences. While I try to mitigate this as much as possible during my review process, I’d be lying if I said my biases are completely erased. So for you, my readers, keep this in mind:

• My ideal sound signature would be an extended sub-bass with a leveled, but textured, mid-bass. My preferred “speed” of sound is slightly above average, using a standard dynamic driver for reference.

Source: The S0 was powered like so:

HTC U11 -> USB-C adapter -> earphones

or

Hidizs AP100 3.5mm out -> FiiO A5 3.5mm out -> earphones

or

HiFiMAN SuperMini -> earphones

or

PC optical out -> HiFiMe SPDIF 9018 Sabre DAC 3.5mm out -> earphones

All music was served as MP3 @320Kbps or as FLAC.

Sound Signature
Sonic Overview:

The S0 features a mildly V-shaped sound signature with a mid-bass hump and mild mid-range warmth. Vocals are brought forwards but often compete with the mid-bass.

Treble: Songs used: In One Ear, Midnight City, Outlands, Satisfy, Little One

Treble is well fleshed out. It has a good energy to it and lacks any sort of peak or valley. Its timbre is natural and effortless. High hats and cymbals sound quite natural and are audible, but can smudge together in busy parts of a song. This is less the case with songs like In One Ear than it is with Little One, so the differences I heard in clarity may be due to the different mastering choices made by the producers of those two songs respectively.

Detail retrieval in the upper range is a bit complicated. The S0 does a great job picking up small details in the treble when there isn’t too much going on (even some things I rarely ever hear on “clarity” focused IEMs) but tends to not really pull much through during busy choruses. It’s not a complete blowout though, as certain details like the finger-snapping in the right channel during the bridge to the chorus in In One Ear was clear to a surprising degree.

There was no sharpness or sibilance in any song I listened to through the S0, even in very poorly mastered songs such as Satisfy.

Mid-range: Songs used: Flagpole Sitta, Jacked Up, I Am The Highway, Dreams, Too Close, Little Black Submarines

The mid-range of the S0 is about where it shows its age. While the timbre and expressiveness of it is quite good, the technical aspects such as decay speed and detail retrieval (which are quite deeply linked) are pretty average for an IEM of this price in 2018.

The S0 implements a warm mid-range with a somewhat heavier lower end. That said, the majority of my test songs didn’t have any problem with it, which is a pretty impressive feat considering how finicky their mastering can be.

Guitar timbre is fairly good and expressive. And again, the word “natural” comes into play as a descriptor. There isn’t really anything about the S0’s mid-range that doesn't meet that description and I’m really impressed by that.

But the cherry-on-top for the S0’s mid-range is the vocals. They are phenomenally clear and are far above average in terms of intelligibility in the vast majority of songs I played through them.

Bass: Songs used: Moth, Gold Dust, In For The Kill (Skream Remix), War Pigs (Celldweller Remix)

Bass is stronger than “neutral” but not so strong that the S0 could be called a “bassy” or “basshead” IEM. It has a mid-bass hump but lacks the full expressiveness of the sub-bass to complete the lower-register equation. For a dynamic driver IEM, I’d expect to hear a little more rumble than I’m currently getting.

Furthermore, the mid-bass tends to push around the mid-range. It isn’t too noticeable in some songs, but when it is, it really is. Examples of mid-bass over-stepping its boundaries exist in In For The Kill and War Pigs. Gold Dust and Moth remained relatively unaffected.

Packaging / Unboxing
The S0’s packaging has been heavily revised since it first launched a couple years ago, and all for the better. Gone is the crappy plastic shelling. In its stead is an eye-catching paint-splatter laminated cutout on top of a specially-cut foam later that holds the case in place within the packaging. The packaging itself is built from a pretty sturdy cardboard that feels pretty hefty. Based on the packaging alone it would be hard to tell that this is only a $50 product.

Build
Construction Quality

The S0’s construction is focused on durability and usability. Instead of regular round cables, the S0 finds itself with a flat “non-tangle” cable that does its job surprisingly well. The stress relief on the cable where it connects to the S0 is generous and plentiful. You’ll likely never run into a scenario where the cable will wear out at that connection point, excluding extreme cases of abuse. The cable has some microphonics while running, but they’re average at worst.

The shell is made from metal, as is the nozzle. The machining is clean and free from flaws. The S0’s nozzle is of an average length and diameter. You’ll find that it is guarded by a black mesh filter.

Along the cable lies a microphone and control unit. While its style isn’t exactly aligned with my preferences, I’m sure there are people out there who appreciate it. The buttons are made of rubber and are set well within the control unit’s plastic shell. You’ll find three controls: increase volume, pause/play, and decrease volume. The unit works with Android, iOS, and even some Windows machines. The mic quality is average but works absolutely fine for making simple phone calls.

The Y-splitter and 3.5mm jack, like the control unit, are made from a touch matte plastic. Each of them has good stress relief and are unlikely to fail, even after the 2-year warranty wears off.

Comfort

The S0 is very comfortable, especially when used with the included Comply eartips. It can be worn either over-ear or cable-down. The shells are light and didn’t fatigue my ears even after long listening sessions.

Accessories
Inside the box you will find:

• 1x semi-hard carrying case
• 1x shirt clip
• 1x velcro cable wrap
• 1x pair of Comply eartips
• 1x pair of dual-flange eartips
• 1x pair of triple-flange eartips
• 6x pairs of silicone eartips

The S0’s accessory package is quite impressive, especially at this price point. The case is quite good and can easily accommodate the IEM and all its accessories while still being small enough to bring with you on the go. The eartip selection is top notch and has something for everyone, and each of the eartips is of a high quality. You even get genuine Comply!

Comparisons
1: Alpha and Delta D3 ($35)

The D3, like the S0, uses a single dynamic driver. Unlike the S0, the D3’s dynamic driver is of the micro variety and is physically much smaller. But given its bass response, you really wouldn’t ever guess that. As far as sound goes, the D3 has a considerably stronger bass presence overall but has a less invasive mid-bass. The D3’s mid-range is warmer and more detailed but has worse vocal expression and tonality. The D3 wins out for bass quality but loses out on vocals and overall tonality. The D3’s construction is better by a mile though, so you might want to take that, and the D3’s lower price, into consideration when choosing between the S0 and D3.

2: HE 150 Pro ($30)

The HE 150 Pro clocks in at about $20 less than the S0 but maintains a pretty competitive edge with it in terms of detail retrieval in the mid-range. In fact, I’d say that the H 150 Pro, in a quiet environment, actually beats the S0 by a non-negligible amount detail-wise. The drawback here is, of course, the earbud form-factor of the HE 150 Pro; it is essentially like wearing open-backed headphones, so utility in public and loud spaces will be limited.

The S0 maintains a very solid lead on the HE 150 Pro in terms of bass and ergonomics as it is an IEM and comes with a very capable set of eartips (including Comply!). So if you want bass or isolation, the choice here is obvious: go with the S0. If you want to save some cash and don’t mind the form-factor of the HE 150 Pro, then go for it! You’ll be getting more detail

3: Brainwavz B150 ($70)

The B150 isn’t quite a fair comparison given that it is far more expensive, but I thought it would be interesting to see how far Brainwavz has come as a brand. The S0 has a more prominent bass presence, especially in the mid-bass, and has about 2dB more in the 50Hz–150Hz range. The B150 (unsurprisingly) outclasses the S0 in detail retrieval and timbre in both the mid-range and treble. That said the S0 is far more sturdily built than the B150, so clumsy listeners will value the added durability it offers.

Summary
The S0 is an interesting IEM that’s aged pretty well. It features a durable metal build, good accessory package, and excellent vocal quality. Unfortunately, that comes at the cost of the midrange’s overall sonic performance. So while the S0 still does have its place in the market, it no longer holds a top price-to-performance ratio in the ever-competitive $50 segment. But hey, I’m not sure there are too many budget IEMs that can put up that much of a fight after so long, so props to Brainwavzs for creating IEMs that are meant to last!

As always, happy listening!

PreIntroduction:

I am in no way affiliated or work for Brainwavz. For this review, I’ve received the S0 as a review sample courtesy of Audrey from Brainwavz.

Introduction:


I remember when I got my first $30 IEM; this was before I was fully invested in sound quality and high end audio. Rather than going to head-fi to check which ones are valued for the price, I went to Amazon instead and looked for the highest rated IEM’s at the time. So I bought one. Wasn’t too impressed. Bought another one, and it broke; etc. Pretty much every time I tried to get my hands on a budget IEM, there was always some massive qualification that prevented me from liking it.

So a year later when Audrey told me she could give me the S0 to review, my expectations for this new ~$40 IEM weren’t too high. From my experiences, budget headphones always sounded muddy, didn’t fit, or had something else which completely spoiled the experience for me.

But when I started listening to the S0’s, I was quite surprised. Clear sound that even $80 headphones sometimes gets wrong was present on these IEM’s, and an overall sound that is well above the $40 tag.

I was afraid I would have to give my first mediocre rating to a budget IEM, but I can say with confidence that rating is clearly not meant for the S0’s. Let’s begin.

Packaging:

The S0’s box had a magnetic flap on the front, and on the inside it has a few neat surprises. First off, there’s a history of Brainwavz and the company’s primary goal. A nice touch in my opinion, and a good way to inform buyers of the company behind the product without being over-the-top. Also on the inside flap is a detailed part-by-part explanation of the S0, comply tips, and wire – this provides an air of seriousness that shows that Brainwavz puts hard work into its products, not just ‘whatever’ing the more budget end - like so many other companies do for their less-costly IEM’s.




Accessories:




Speaking about putting hard work, Brainwavz really outdid itself here; the amount (and usefulness) of accessories they provide makes me grin. Starting off with the IEM case - it’s really sturdy and small as well, one of the better cases I’ve seen overall. Definitely using it over the other IEM cases I have. Moving on to the tips - gosh, there’s really something for everybody here. A pair of comply tips for those who like foam, a pair of bi-flange, a pair of tri-flange, three pairs of good quality silicone tips (small, medium, and large), and three pairs of translucent red silicone tips (again, small, medium, and large).

The difference I found between the translucent and the regular tips was the nozzle size – although how that exactly affects the sound is up for grabs. For the listening tests, I used the default tips that were on the S0 out of the box – the medium pair of translucent red/gray tips. These actually look quite cool, and are visually a nice break from the standard tips that we’ve seen over and over again.

Overall, you get nine pairs of tips – something I definitely wouldn’t expect from this price point. Remember that the case + tips alone could cost quite a bit of money if bought separately, so Brainwavz is taking that hit for the buyer and providing everything you’d need in one package, and at a ridiculously good price point to boot.

3 other items included are the 1 year warranty card/manual, a Velcro strap, and a shirt clip, which helps reduce microphonics a lot for those who have that problem. This is definitely good foresight planning by Brainwavz, and a smart move to make. More on this later though.

Basically, you get much more than your money’s worth in accessories. From a nice hard case to a huge arrangement of tips, at this price point the amount of effort put into this is truly amazing.



Build Quality & Design:

At first glance, the housing looks like it’s made of hard plastic – not so. The shell is made out of metal – definitely a good sign, especially at S0's price point. The second point of interest to me was where the cable connected to the shell; I’d expect it (like so many other IEM’s in this price range) to be flimsy or have minimal protection. But Brainwavz did well here too, molding a thick rubber piece to protect that weak spot where so many of us have broken our cables. The cable itself is flat, which avoids tangling, and it is quite strong, which is good because many flat cables aren’t. The Y-split seems of good quality to me – doesn’t seem like any breakage will happen there either.

The S0 can be easily worn straight down or over the ear, whichever you prefer. I kept mine over the ear from the start, as I’ve gotten a good fit that way. You know what they say – “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

And from this build quality the S0’s definitely won’t be broken anytime soon – it has a solid build quality that is much above the standard in this price range.

The S0 also has a sleek look – one that doesn’t scream “fancy” but at the same time doesn’t look drab or dull. The red rubber that I mentioned before (to strengthen the part of the cable that connects to the housing) matches well with the red/gray translucent eartips. The shell itself looks smooth and simple – which is why so many were surprised with the metal shells. Combined with the red and black case it requires a moment to appreciate the effort Brainwavz took to make everything match. Simple and elegant – design is a definite winner at this price range.




Fit & Comfort:


I only tried one set of the included tips, but I can confidently say that you won’t have too much trouble as the average man trying to get a good fit on these IEM’s. The S0’s is very comfortable whether worn down or over the ear, and for the 45 minute session I listened to them, I experienced no fatigued or tip annoyance. The ergonomics of the shell is quite simple, and doesn’t leave anything to be desired. Honestly though, with so many different tips you can try, I’m not sure there’s any possibility for the S0 to be uncomfortable to begin with; this section gets a huge thumbs up from me.

Isolation:

Isolation is pretty darned good at this price range – It blocks most outside noise when I first put them in. For the average outside use, these isolate quite well. This will be dependent on your fit though, so YMMV.

Microphonics:

I wear the S0’s over the ear, which eliminates most of the microphonics altogether. However, if you’re finding the flat cable or whatnot to produce too much noise when you rustle the cable, the included shirt clip (when used) will eliminate most microphonics that way. I don’t know exactly how it works, but shirt clips are the #1 best homemade cure for microphonics without tampering with the actual wire of the headphones – I’m not kidding around. Brainwavz was clever enough to preempt the problem before it materialized – so overall I’m giving a nod of approval to Brainwavz for making this smart move. However, for all those that where it over the ear like me, there’s no noticeable microphonics to speak of.

Sound:

For listening, I used a Cowon J3 with various tracks of different genres (to gauge what genres the S0 is a good match with), without an amp. Most portable devices have plenty of power for the S0, the amplification is not necessary.

This is definitely a fun section, and one I was quite surprised in. The only slight caveat (to me) of the S0 lies here, as well as its biggest strengths. Shall we begin?

Highs: In general, I don’t usually care if there’s a slight treble roll-off, as long as the treble's there. I liked the clarity the S0 had at the upper regions, although some might say it’s slightly laid back. For my tastes though, it’s perfect – I don’t need the highs in my face at all times, but I do want it present. And present it is on the S0. Drums sound great, as well as violins. For an IEM, it does a great job. Details on the higher end don’t leave much to be desired either. In short – a great job, and one I wouldn’t expect from this price range.

Mids: Instruments/acoustics sound good, albeit not the best I’ve heard. Again, we’re dealing with a $40 IEM though, so for the price range I have no complaints, which is actually a compliment considering how many in the price range get it wrong.

Vocals though – here’s where the S0 really shines. Female vocals sound musical and sweet – if I were to blind test the female vocals on the S0 I would put it in a much higher price bracket. Definitely gains favor in my opinion of the sound quality, and for those who listen to a lot of hip-hop and such – I’m just going to cut to the chase and say buy the S0 right now. You’ll enjoy it enough for it to be a great investment on the go. Daft Punk by Pentatonix, Burn by Ellie Goulding, and Samantha Jade’s “Firestarter” were but a few of the first tracks I used to listen to the S0, and it just went to replay from there. ‘nough said.

Bass: Sub bass is nice, quantity and quality have no complaints from me. Again, clarity is a big bonus to this section, and I’ve been so sick of muddy bass on budget IEM’s that I was really glad when the S0’s held up. However, there is a noticeable bump in the sub-bass region. Not enough to overpower the rest of the frequency, or spoil the sound even to a small extent, but it’s there. I personally like my frequency flat, but I do have to appreciate the fact that this is the only caveat in the whole review. After a few minutes of listening, I found myself ignoring the slight bump and just enjoying the music. So it’s really not a big deal, especially given that the rest of the frequency is quite balanced.

Clarity: The crowning glory, in my opinion (vs vocals? I’d still give it to the clarity). The clarity of the S0 is just amazing given its price, and helps provide a well-balanced sound that is great for everyday listening use. I’m really, really glad the clarity of this headphone pulled through, and it did so quite effortlessly. All the frequencies are quite clear, with the mid-bass lagging slightly behind due to its small difference in quantity.

Imaging: I thought the good parts were done, but Brainwavz managed to squeeze in one more – the imaging. Or, more precisely, the 3d-ness of the sound it presents. Gone are the days where budget ‘phones sound like a block/wall of sound going in your direction – the S0 manages to provide a more 3d sound from the back and front as well as left and right. Obviously, jump up a few hundred bucks and it will get much more refined, but for a $40 IEM the S0 provides a nice effort that pretty much succeeds in this regard.

Soundstage/Detail/Coloration/Separation/Accuracy/Immersion Factor: Most of my other reviews have these sections, but due to the nature and price range of this IEM, I’m going to jump over these, as there’s not much to say. Consider performance in all these sections good for its price bracket, and don’t expect it to be a HD600.

Overall Tonality/Balance: The S0 is quite balanced, barring the bump in the mid-bass. The bump doesn’t ruin the balance the rest of the frequency provides though, and just gives it a bit of extra oomph for people who are a bit more bass inclined (which in the audience for this price bracket, seems to be quite many). The overall tonality seems to be a hint of warmth, without the quantity which makes you feel “woah, Fiio house sound alert.”

Frequency Shape: Many say the S5 (which the S0 is modeled after, to my understanding) is V-shaped. The S0 is definitely not V-shaped to my ears. The mids are present in full force, and like I said earlier, there is an overall balanced sound. I would say these have a basically flat frequency with a bump somewhere in the bass region.

EQ: I know most audiophiles don’t like using EQ, but c’mon, a budget IEM for on the go – how can you resist? The S0 responded well to the EQ presets I used on my Cowon J3, with the exclusion of the bass presets – giving a bass boost to the S0 made it overpowering to my ears. However, it is not rocket science that you don’t add bass to something that has a bass boost already. All the other presets worked fine with the S0, and I would recommend using them on whatever device you have – whether it be android, iOS, or other – to maximize your enjoyment with these headphones.

Genre Recommendation: I would definitely recommend anything that is vocal dominant, whether it be Pentatonix, Chris Brown, or other mainstream artists. For instrumental listening such classical music, or even modern instrumental music like the Piano Guys and Lindsey Stirling, I wasn’t as happy with the S0 – but then again, it’s a budget IEM, so I can’t judge this by audiophile standards. EDM/ electronic music also performed well with the S0, due to its clarity and boost in the bass region.

Basically, anything genre that benefits from a good quantity of bass and shining vocals – the S0 excels. Any genre that flails when given a boost in any way – the S0 should only be used for with proper EQ, which every android device has; so no worries there.

Sound Summary: The sound of the S0 is clearly (no pun intended) enjoyable, and very well suited for both mainstream audiences and those who’ve been listening to music for a while as well. Definitely a winner for the listener of mainstream music, and for the classical listener too with proper EQ. I believe that since EQ is so integrated with mainstream devices today (phones, tablets, music players) that it is very reasonable to buy the S0 and play around with the unique things that it brings to the table, even if you’re not a fan of the genres mentioned above. The clarity throughout the frequency, as well as how it treats vocals makes the S0 definitely a keeper in the sound department. Is the mid-bass bump a deal-breaker in my opinion, especially given the things the S0’s good at? No. I’d prefer to say this is what makes the S0 “human,” so to say. But if I had to compare it to a human, I would consider the S0 a person who’s reached many milestones, and has little left to work on. Bainwavz definitely knows what they’re doing when it comes to the sound of their IEM’s, and if they can find a way to remove the slight bump in the mid-bass, I would easily say this is the best IEM under $50, hands down.

Value & Conclusion:

There’s so much value here at this price point I’m pretty much at a loss for words. The accessories themselves would probably cost $20 separately, and for a $40 price tag, the build quality and comfort of the S0 are phenomenal. Regardless of all that, the S0 delivers a sound that is definitely well-suited for the average consumer and the music lover alike. Clear and enjoyable sound makes the S0 a winner to me; for all those looking for an IEM on the cheaper side that will sound good and last for quite a while, the S0 is a bargain for the price, and it should definitely be on your list.