Wayback Wednesday: Grado’s GR10 – GRRRRREAT!

Disclaimer: This article about the Grado GR10 is part of the new Wayback Wednesday series which is replacing our “Favourite album of” series.

I first encountered an early version of the Grado GR10 sometime in 2012. I encountered it deep in Dimitri Trush’s Musica Acoustics office, meaning: it was buried behind boxes of GoVibes, Fisher Audio, and Earsonics stuff. Earsonics aside, it was a diamond in a coal mine. Thankfully, Dimitri has since moved.

I’ve not.

The GR10 is still my favourite universal. It is just as comfortable, light, and unassuming as it ever was. What it still isn’t is inexpensive. And the new e version looks exactly like the quietly released V2, which I reviewed here. What are the differences? Grado’s been mum on that.

The GR10 is half plastic, half aluminium. It comes in typical Grado packaging with a typical Grado accessory set, meaning you’ve seen way better, way more, and practically everywhere.

After a few years, my GR10 is a bit scratched. Its packaging went somewhere when my family moved house. Its Ortofon ear flanges have gone green, but are easy to find. More recently, I’ve replaced them with the high-density Comply tips that come with the likes of Campfire Audio’s Andromeda fit. I did that because they isolate better and keep the earphone more solidly in the ear.

Any tip more comfy than the Ortofon tips it comes with I gobble up, which keeps me lean and mean. The Ortofon’s are practically perfect, and are bettered by few tips out there.

But I keep coming back to the GR10 because it punches above its weight. It sounds great. Its clean bass and detailed mids have Grado written all over them. It isn’t sibilant. Its highs are extended. It feels, and looks, great. Sure, Astell&Kern’s AKT8iE II is richer and Beyerdynamic’s Xelento more contrasty. But not by a lot. And with the right tips, the GR10 fits more securely, and deeper in the ear. Its plastic shell attracts less attention. Its cable is more energetic and bumps around comparatively a lot of touch noise, but the tradeoffs are worth it. In fact, I can’t think of a single earphone whose tradeoffs: permanently attached cable, touch noise, crap accessory kit, silent manufacturer updates – mean next to nothing in light of its general brilliance. Nothing is over-engineered. The GR10 advertises itself. It is quiet and unassuming. It is a holistic, mature design. It is not perfect. But it gets damn close.

The GR10 is, was, and always will be a damn fine earphone.

Review: Vision Ears VE8 – Perfection

Disclaimer: Vision Ears sent us the Vison Ears VE8 free of charge in exchange for the review. The unit is a custom version and it doesn’t need to be returned. Vision Ears isn’t a site advertiser.

 

Vision Ears

If you’ve been following and reading HFN, than you certainly know this isn’t the first time we talk about the German Vision Ears. It’s been a while though as it was back in June 2015 that we reviewed their VE5 monitor and visited the guys in their lab. Not a lot of news came from VE since then but now they’re back with a new reference model, the Vision Ears VE8. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Vision Ears yet, here’s some info.

Perfect sound is our passion – highest quality our demand.

Vision Ears is located in the heart of Cologne, Germany and they’re devoted to developing and producing their custom made In-Ears with great passion. Marcel Schoenen and Amin Karimpour were working for the same CIEM company last decade and they were linked by their vision of highest quality and outstanding customer service. After a few years of separation, the two got reunited and VISION EARS was born. Since 2013, the headquarters of Vision Ears is located in the Luxemburgerstrasse in Cologne’s central south. Their optimism and the lucky situation to be able to form a team that is as passionate for In-Ears as the founders are, makes VE a solid and reliable partner for all musicians and audiophiles around the world.

Did you know that Vison Ears has something called a “Family Deal”? That means that if you already own one of their monitors, you’ll get a discount on every other new monitor you order. This certainly isn’t something new but I haven’t seen anyone doing it on the record for CIEMs.

The VE8

The newest monitor in VE’s line-up is the Vision Ears VE8. An 8-driver monitor in a 2+2+2+2 configuration. That means two Balanced Armatures for the lows/bass, two BA’s for the mids and no less than four! for the treble. The VE is setup in a 3-way system with two bores and its sensitivity is rated at 120dB SPL@1mW with an impedance of 22Ohm.

It is the first 8-driver in the VE product range and up to now the famous VE6 XC – which Nathan reviewed – was their top of the line monitor. The eight drivers are extremely popular nowadays and all the CIEM brands are releasing new 8-drivers. A lot of companies have monitors with a higher driver count in their line-up but for Vision Ears, this is their TOTL model.

Breakdown

In contrary to a normal review I will use the same breakdown as I always do for my Custom Inear reviews:

  1. Build quality & Comfort
  2. Personalization
  3. Cable
  4. Price & Accessories
  5. Customer Service
  6. Sound
  7. Competitors/Comparisons
  8. Driveability & Sources

 

1.Build quality & Comfort

Over the years I have seen all the CIEM companies getting better in making monitors and the build quality nowadays is very high in general. Vision Ears’ monitors however have always been built with the highest precision and their crew has an eye for detail. In my opinion Vision Ears is one of the very best CIEM builders, I guess the German gründlichkeit extends to making monitors as well.

My VE5 and now the Vision Ears VE8 is incredibly well built: solid acrylic shells with no flaws, no bubbles, no bumps, no sharp edges, perfect closing of the face plate, perfectly flush sockets and sublime (by hand) lacquering. Even the insides are very neat looking at wiring, driver placement, etc. Both left and right earpieces are perfectly symmetric on the in- and outside.

For and 8-driver CIEM the VE8 is very small in size and I have CIEMs with a lower driver count that are much bigger. Vision Ears still uses the same short canals as they’ve always done. The perfect fit, small size and short canals make the VE8 extremely comfortable to wear, even for very long periods. I never had to refit one of my VE monitors but in case you need to get them corrected, VE will do so free of charge.

If I would give scores, the Vision Ears VE would score maximum on build quality, it’s that easy.

 2. Personalization

The number of possible personalization options has boomed these last few years. All the CIEM companies worldwide are borrowing creations from each other and they’re trying to come up with their own. Vision Ears is no different in this regard and they offer a lot of possibilities for the face plates and the acryl shell of the monitors.

Face plates come in wood, mirror (like my VE5), carbon, etc. Vision Ears however always points out they only use real materials and no cheap fake copies. I’ve seen their stock of carbon fiber and wood and I can confirm this USP. The artwork on the face plate could be a name or logo or pictures, etc., there hardly are any limits. Of course your name/initials/logo will also be (color) labeled on the inside of the in-ear.

Amin asked me if I wanted something special but I didn’t really ask for anything in particular. They know I like blue though and as a result they went for a blue acrylic shell. On the inside you can find the VE logo and my first name in white on both the ear pieces. For the face plate, they asked me if I was in to wood and they went for their Trump (wood) finish. As you can see in the picture(s) it’s pretty obvious why they call it the Trump finish. The wooden plate is about 1mm thick and it looks gorgeous with incredible detail. You can see the layering and composition of the wood and the transition of the brown tones from dark to light is just to die for. I have a lot of gorgeous looking monitors but this design ranks high among my favorites.

Vision Ears – not so long ago – launched their CIEM configurator on their web site and it lets you create your monitors yourself so you can have an idea what they will look like. For anything particular I still advise to get in touch with the VE guys to help you out. Of course all the special customization options costs extra depending on the level of difficulty. Check out their configurator right here: http://vision-ears.de/configurator#model=ve-8

The article continues on PAGE 2, after the click HERE or the jump below

Wayback Wednesday: VE Monk – Resistance is futile

Disclaimer: This article about the Venture Electronic Monk is part of the new Wayback Wednesday series which is replacing our “Favourite album of” series. Check out the other Wayback Wednesday articles HERE.

When I first heard of the the famous VE Monks the hype had been going for a while already and ever since the review was published the hype has only gotten bigger. The Monk made room for the Monk+ and Lee has added a whole product-range of Monk-versions with special cables, colors, wires, etc. There now even is a Monk with an XLR termination. Crazy? Maybe so, but as long as the customers are getting what they’re asking for, there’s no reason not to go all the way.

Some new versions of the Monk earbuds have gotten more expensive than the original $5 one, but again, as long as people are requesting and buying it, that’s perfectly normal. Do I still use the Monk? I sometimes do but not that much. The reason isn’t because I don’t like them or that they’re no good, but most of the time I’m playing with higher-end gear which logically sounds even better. Right now I’m listening to the Astell&Kern KANN with the Basslet strapped between it and the custom Vision Ears VE8 monitor.

Of the 15 Monks that I bought, I only have one left to giveaway. Half of my friends never spoke of it again, but the other half keeps mentioning how awesome these earbuds are sounding and they’ve even asked for an extra set for their wife or girlfriend. One couple even got in a fight over who could take the Monk with them to work. I quickly gave then another set.

Have you been able to resist ordering one or have you caved in? Let us know how you feel about the/your Monk(+) or why you’d like to have one. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll send you that last one I have here.

Not convinced yet, then check out our full review right here, after the click

Review: VE Monk – The $4.99 Miracle

Review: Meze 99 NEO – riot

Disclaimer: Meze sent Meze 99 NEO to me, free of charge. It goes for 249$ USD. You can find out all about it here: Meze 99 NEO.

It’s every bit as comfortable, every bit as light, every bit as well-hung as the original. Meze 99 NEO is the new, lower priced, re-refined 99 Classics. It’s a bit of a point of guilt for me to admit that I like this 50$ cheaper headphone as much as its big brother. Guilty, yes, but I’m not about to apologise. Obviously, Meze had listeners like me in mind when they designed it.

Not sound

NEO’s new composit shell fits better the aesthetic defined by the Classic’s now-iconic headbands and elegant fulcrum. The original’s Walnut wood cabinets were, and are, pretty. They draw the eye, but not as much as they could in apposition to duller fastening hardware. The current bolts and sculpted nubs shine, reflect highlights, and pull in all your gaze. What is it Meze want us to look at? Beautiful wood cabinets? Shiny metal? I imagine it’s the former. 99 NEO’s low-key composite sits further below the radar. You look through it like you look through the lens in your eye. It is finished in faux pimples like a black American football. Was that the aesthetic/market for which Meze aimed?

Was it BDSM-loving American football fans? Or, was it leather-loving animal conservationists? Meze, what say you?

Meze 99 NEO comes with the same cable, and with the same sort of semi-hard carrying case as before. This time it is tough nylon rather than soft, dent-friendly pleather. 99 NEO also comes in the same giant product box with the same literature. (My 99 NEO came with better lifestyle photographs than the 99 Classics, which is pretty cool.) This is good news because the original was handsome and easy to use. A year on, Meze’s design has stormed the audiophile front. You’ll be hard pressed to meet an entrenched body that hasn’t heard of or tried a Meze headphone. By now, you’ve probably figured out their nomenclature. Or think you have. Classics means wood. Until now, NEO has meant metal. Meze 99 NEO, of course doesn’t; it means not wood. Or maybe it means plastic. Is this a marketing rift? Or, has NEO done the Major Kusanagi thing and merged upward into an ever-expanding consciousness?

Meze, what say you?

Meze 99 NEO’s composit makes more touch noise when brushed or tapped. But it’s 50$ cheaper. And let’s be honest here, it’s not like you’re going to be fingering NEO whilst banging your head to whatever’s in Lori’s playlist. In fact, NEO 99’s low-key design should keep your fingers off it more than on. If you want to touch and ooh and aah, stick with the original. The other thing about its composite is that it’s a bit soft. It soaks up finger grease and grime. Its matte black composite shells don’t dull under finger prints; rather they turn shiny when smudged. Like a shiny forehead.

Sound and more after the jump:

Review: SIMGOT EN700 BASS – Red is the new black

Disclaimer: The Simgot EN700 BASS was sent to us free of charge directly from the factory. It doesn’t need to be returned and SIMGOT is also testing bannering on HFN.

 

SIMGOT

I hadn’t heard of SIMGOT until they released the EN700 universal IEM a while ago. Their website doesn’t share a lot of information on who  exactly they are and we can only find that SIMGOT means “Simple and elegant”, that they were founded in 2015 and that they only trust the finest product and perfect service. Like Cayin they have the weirdest slogan:

 

“Salute to art and science”

 

EN700(Bass)

The SIMGOT EN700 BASS is the successor of their successful EN700 model and it only features one N50 moving coil driver. Its sensitivity is 101dB at 1kHz and it has an impedance of 16Ohm.

I simply love the way the EN700 (Bass) looks: the units are small and the grill screams sexy. I chose the red version as I like it most at the moment. Red is the FOTM, that’s for sure. Fiio, Cayin, Apple, they’re all into red. If you’re not then you can also get an Ink, black or blue version. The finish of the EN700Bass is soft and the paint job is smooth. SIMGOT has an eye for detail and the units are perfectly finished and feel sturdy. The 3.5mm connecter even came with a protective plastic tube cover The earpieces are not the lightest as the shells are in metal but the weight doesn’t make them uncomfortable.

The SIMGOT EN700 BASS is rather small in size and it fits my ears quite well. SIMGOT made sure they would fit and they tested their IEMs on a lot of test subjects. The earwax filter looks really nice but do keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get congested. There’s a vent on the inside of the units to release the built up pressure from the driver. All in all the SIMGOT EN700 BASS is very well built and very comfy to wear, even for longer periods. Isolation is pretty darn good if I may say so. You can ask my colleagues who unsuccessfully keep knocking on my door to get my attention.

The OFC braided 400D DuPont Kevlar cable with the memory hook works well (yes it’s an over ear worn IEM) and it doesn’t suffer from any microphonics. Everything (even the box) screams quality and that for only $109USD, very remarkable. The only thing I’m missing is a slider on the cable to make the cable stay tighter under your chin.

The SIMGOT EN700 BASS comes in a nice box and has a basic set of accessories. Included in the box are a gorgeous leather pouch with the logo on the front and the SIMGOT slogan on the back, a Velcro cable binder, a cleaning brush, a warranty, a manual, a VIP Card and 2 x 3 sets of silicone tips. Not bad for a $109USD universal IEM. Not bad at all, especially the leather pouch.

Tuning

SIMGOT unlike other companies doesn’t use a filter system to adapt the EN700 BASS’sound signature but they simply get the result by using tips that deliver extra bass. SIMGOT included two different sets with their own characteristics, I’ve seen these sets in grey, black and some kind of red, so don’t be worried if your set looks different from ours. You can chose between:

SET 1: Powerful mid-high frequency. High resolution and penetration. Crystal clear sound.

SET 2: Enhanced bass and superior listening comfort. Outstanding attenuation of ambient sibilance. Neutral and bass-driven sound.

The tips are positioned on a harder type of paper and I wish they would have gone for a more durable solution like RHA has with their metal “organizers”. After a few tip switches the tip holder has already torn off. It’s quite remarkable though how the changing of the tips influences the sound you’re getting from these IEMs. It’s not a surprise of course, as we all know the slightest of change has an impact on sound, but the result is remarkable.

Click HERE to jump to PAGE 2 for the part on SOUND

Review: Brainwavz B200 – Mids

Disclaimer: The Brainwavz B200 was sent to us free of charge directly by Brainwavz. It doesn’t need to be returned, Brainwavz is not related to Headfonia.com in any way.

 

Brainwavz

Brainwavz has been around for as long as I can remember and to me they’re like the Fiio for IEMs: easily available and affordable gear with a good price/quality ratio (good bang for buck!). Brainwavz has a lot of fans all over the world and as most of you probably know, GPGS is the real brand owner and manufacturer. On the Brainwavz website we find the following description:

Brainwavz provides high-end earphones specifically designed for high-quality sound and tailor-made to provide the user with a solution that can be used across a wide range of audio genres and styles at affordable prices. Brainwavz believes in the idea that sound is a deeply personal experience, and strives to provide users with earphones that match their personal inclinations, to inspire with intensity. The Brainwavz name is known in many countries across the globe, and the company is continually committed to providing the best products at the best value.

B200

Today we’re looking at Brainwavz’s latest release: the B200 IEM. Logically it is the successor of the B100 and B150 which for some reason did not make it to our offices. (The M100 is the last Brainwavz IEM we received for review). Where the normal Brainwavz IEMs use a single Balanced Armature (like the before mentioned B-series IEMs) or dynamic driver to produce sound, the B200 for the first time uses a double BA driver, making it their Top Of The Line universal IEM of their very expansive product line-up. Brainwavz opted for a woofer & tweeter configuration and that’s audible in the sound signature which we’ll go over later in this article.

According to Brainwavz, the B200 earphone is designed for high performance and with comfort in mind. This dual driver earphone has been tuned to produce a balanced and accurate sound signature, with little to no colouring in the sound, listen to your music as the artist intended it to be heard.

The B200 is fairly easy to drive and it has an impedance of 30 Ω with a sensitivity of 110dB at 1 mW. The official price was set at $199USD but it can be found for $179 on Amazon already. The B200 comes in a nice but simple box like all of Brainwavz’s IEMs do. Accessory wise you, besides the monitors, get one rectangular shaped hard case which is extremely easy to carry around and which perfectly protects the units. You also get 1 shirt clip, which I’ve never used in my life, one Velcro cable tie (love it!) and the usual manual and warranty card. The B200 comes with a 24 month warranty which is quite generous from Brainwavz, it shows they really believe in their products.

Tip-wise the B200 comes with six! sets of silicone tips (S/M/L) and one pair of T-100 medium sized Comply Foam plus which I personally prefer over the silicone tips. The fit with the foam tips for me simply is the best and we all know you only get the best sound with a proper fit.

The B200  – being priced at $199 – no longer is one of those real budget units Brainwavz is so famous for. There are plenty of contenders in the $199 price range, even with double BA’s, like the Noble Audio X in example. It means Brainwavz is very confident in how their new B200 performs.

Build Quality & Comfort

The B200 is an over the ear design and it has an incredibly small form factor. On top of that it’s extremely light and soft to the touch, resulting in a comfortable fit (with the foam tips), even after hours of non-stop listening.

The Brainwavz B200 is very well built and its plastic shell shows no sharp edges or anything. Size wise it is so small it will fit everyone’s ears but if you have really big ears you actually might find its size too small. Then again, is that even possible? The nozzle is short and small and only the tiny T-100 foam tips will fit on them. On the inside of the units you’ll find the L &R mark pressed inside the plastic. On top of the units you’ll find the Brainwavz name right where the connector is. This is really small in size however and it doesn’t show.

The cable is fixed, and that might be the only downside at this price level, and measures about 1.3m. It is made out of OFC copper and it has an excellent Y-splitter with sizing slider. I found the cable to be completely friction free which is always a very positive thing. The B200 is terminated with a 3.5mm single ended plug with an over 45° angle. It’s a decent and sturdy cable, too bad it just isn’t replaceable. The pre-shaped over ear memory parts are fairly small but for my ears they are perfect. I do think you could make them bigger heating them up a little.

The Brainwavz B200 isolates pretty well, especially with the foam tips. I could perfectly listen to my music at an acceptable volume while vacuuming and not be bothered by the noise the vacuum cleaner was making. If you want to follow the B200 discussion on Head-Fi you can do so here. If you look around on Head-Fi you’ll also notice that Brainwavz announced a B300 IEM already and I even think Brainwavz even previewed at Canjam SOCAL.

Click HERE to go to the next page, or use the jump below

Review: Etymotic ER4-XR ER4-SR – Impressive!

Disclaimer: The Etymotic ER4 XR and SR were sent to us by KS Distribution in Germany. The samples don’t need to be returned.

 

Etymotic

Never heard of Etymotic before? Impossible! Etymotic Research is an engineering-driven research, development and manufacturing company. The name “Etymotic” (pronounced “et-im-oh-tik.”) means “true to the ear.” Mead Killion, Ph.D. founded Etymotic Research in 1983 to design products that accurately assess hearing, improve the lives of those with hearing loss, protect hearing, and enhance the listening experience of musicians and music lovers everywhere.

With deep roots in acoustic research and the hearing aid industry, Etymotic invented insert earphones in 1984. Etymotic’s original earphone design used balanced armature receivers, which established these speakers as the gold standard for high definition in-ear earphones. The first versions were used for diagnostic testing and precision auditory research (ER-1, 2, 3). Etymotic produced the first noise-isolating high-fidelity in-ear earphone, the ER-4 (1991), which became the basis of all subsequent in-ear earphones and in-ear monitors worldwide, and created an entire category of consumer electronics. The ER-4 earphones are still produced and channel-balanced to within 1 dB in Etymotic’s labs in the US.

So we really have a lot to thank to Etymotic!

ER4-Series

So yes, the Etymotic ER4-series are legendary. Mike reviewed the ER4 back in 2010 already and they worldwide are held in very high regards by those professionally working in audio and by music lovers seeking neutrality and detail. If the ER4 still doesn’t ring a bell then maybe a picture will do the trick as the Etymotic design is very typical.

Etymotic has now relaunched their ER4-series with two new editions named the ER4-XR and ER4-SR. SR stands for Studio Reference and XR stands for Extended Response. The ER4 earphones have a balanced armature speaker with precision matched, custom tuned drivers. Each set is handpicked left and right to get the best possible match.

The ER4 has unsurpassed frequency response accuracy and sound quality — 92%+ response accuracy from 20 Hz – 16 kHz and with 122dB they have the highest output sensitivity in its class.

The older models will remain in Etymotic’s inventory and available for sale until late 2017 or as supplies last. There’s an excellent Head-Fi thread on the ER4-Series right here, should you want to discuss this IEM any further.

Build Quality & Comfort

The build quality of the new ER4-series is excellent but I didn’t expect anything less from the US based Etymotic. The inear units have that typical small and long shape and deep insertion the ER4-series is known for. The new ER4 models feature metal bodies with an anodized finish and you’ll find the serial number of each unit printed on the housing, and the measurement of that driver is in the box. The ER4-SR and the ER4-XR have drivers that are unique to their respective models. They are not the same drivers as in previous generations of the ER4.

The cable actually is detachable (MMCX termination) but I haven’t felt the need to try a different cable on these monitors at all. The cable itself is flexible and completely friction noise free. It measures about 5ft and it’s terminated with a 90° 3.5mm plug. It has never tangled up.

The ER4 comes delivered with two types of tip: the typical Etymotic triple silicone tip and the big yellow foam tip. I personally prefer the comfort and isolation of the foam tips most and I have no issues with listening to these for hours without any break. When you’ve plugged the ER4 in your ear you even with no music playing get a very high level of isolation. That means you don’t have to turn the volume up very high to get to your preferred listening volume which of course is safer for your hearing. At the same time do watch out when using these in public as practically all outside sound will be blocked out. Etymotic says that you, depending on the tips used, will get isolation levels between 35 and 42dB, and that’s extreme. (Most CIEM are around 26dB) If you don’t like the feel of custom inears or universal IEMs with a deep insertion, then the Etymotic ER4-series might not be for you. I personally have no issues with the deep insertion myself.

The Etymotic ER4 earphones always come with a 2-year replacement warranty. On top of that the filters, which are used to protect the BA driver from ear wax, are user replaceable. Did you know that the ER4-series are also available with a custom fit molded piece upon request?

Price & Accessories

Both ER4-models are available for $349 USD and around €370€. In return for that you get a reasonably pretty (yet useless once unpacked) box, the earphones, a detachable 5 ft. Cord, a ¼ stereo phone adaptor, an assortment of eartips, the filter removal tool and replacement filters, a shirt clip, a storage case and the performance certificate with the me measurements.

At this price level that’s a very nice set of extras, especially with the filter tool and replacement filters, although some extra foam tips wouldn’t have hurt anyone.

Sound and a lot more on the next page after the jump HERE or below 

Technical specifications

Frequency Response20 Hz – 16 kHzTransducersHigh performance, balanced armature micro-driversNoise Isolation35-42 dBImpedance (@1kHz)4XR (45 Ohms) 4SR (45 Ohms)Sensitivity (@1 kHz) SPL at 0.1v4XR (98 dB) 4SR (98 dB)Maximum Output (SPL)122 dBCable5 ft DetachableUser Replaceable ACCU-FiltersYesWarranty2 Years

Sound and a lot more on the next page after the jump HERE or below 

Picture Sunday: FitEar ToGo 334 – The Mid King

Disclaimer: We feature the FitEar Togo 334 in today’s Picture Sunday post. This post is not affiliated to anyone, TG334 was sent me from a fellow audiophile. You can check out all of previous Picture Sunday posts HERE.

STILL?

Once upon a time, when there wasn’t any 18 driver earphones, FitEar Togo 334 was standing right there with it’s glamour. With it’s unique spell, it is one of the IEMs that made me feel lucky for testing.

I’ll be direct and honest here: This IEM maybe has the worst price/performance ratio in terms of bass quality (it’s still around 1800 USD), but my opinion is, FitEar Togo 334 has the best mids of any IEM at any given price, among the ones that I listened to. It’s simply fantastic, magical and unbelievable. No one, without listening this IEM, should use the “gorgeous mids” phrase. This is clearly the ultimate mid monster in my eyes.

Despite being relatively old, it’s still very good in technicalities, trebles and soundstage succession. And importantly it’s no doubt built like a tank. There are so few products that can match or get close to it for shell quality and the solution for cable connectors.

As far as I know it’s still in produce (correct if I’m wrong). Of course it’s highly questionable if it’s worth the price in today’s market, while there are many IEMs that can give a more complete performance for less. On the other hand, if I had a chance to say “money’s no object”, I would definitely get one to listen Diana Krall all day long.

 

Dunu Titan 5 Earphones – Groundbreaking Sound, Amazing Price

Dunu is a relatively unknown brand to many but their earphones have garnered quite a bit of praise from audiophile critics worldwide. The Dunu Titan 5 earphone is a mid-priced earphone by Dunu that looks pretty cool and promises to deliver high-fidelity sound. So is it possible for an earphone that costs less than $150 to really sound like a high-end IEM that would normally be twice the price? Let’s listen and find out.

Dunu Titan 5 Earphones Review

 

IN THE BOX

The Dunu Titan 5 earphone comes with everything you need to get a perfect fit and store your earphone in between uses. Inside the box is the Titan 5 Earphone, 1 detachable cable with 1/8″ plug, 6-sets of silicone eartips, 1-set of in-ear stabilizers, a cable clip, a 1/4″ adapter and a really nice storage case. The storage case is small enough you can fit it in your pocket. It’s an incredible package for the price.

BUILD

Design / Style

The Titan 5 Earphone housing is constructed of a beautiful stainless steel making it one of the most durable in-ear headphones you’ll ever own. The audio cable is sturdy and has no inline controls for smartphones. Dunu opted rather for optimal sound by bypassing additional electronics in the signal flow. The detachable cable is a handy feature as even the most high-end wires can eventually wear out and replacing the entire earphone isn’t necessary. Overall this earphone will last you a very long time.

Comfort

The Titan 5 fits snugly in the ear canal with the main portion of the housing sitting in the inner-ear. With 6-sets of eartips you can find the perfect fit and get a proper seal which will give you the best sound. The comfort level on the Titan 5 is really nice. It’s not too bulky yet has enough room for a decent sized driver.

Dunu Titan 5 in-ear headphones with nano class T-diaphram dynamic drivers.
Dunu Titan 5 in-ear headphones with nano class T-diaphram dynamic drivers.

Features and Specifications

The Titan 5 earphone is packed with features and impressive specs.

  • 13-33 nano class T-diaphragm dynamic drivers
  • 1.2m (4ft) detachable  cable
  • 316 L stainless steel housing
  • Hi-Res Audio
  • 10Hz – 40kHz frequency range
  • 32 Ohms impedance
  • 108dB sensitivity
  • 3.5mm (1/8″) gold plated plug

 

SOUND

Sound Signature

Every headphone has a specific sound signature and the Titan 5 has one of the most desirable sound signatures of in-ear headphones. The Titan 5 boasts a wide frequency range from 10Hz to 40kHz and it definitely delivers a nice amount of presence and clarity on the high-end of the frequency spectrum. But it’s the bass that most earphones lack. The Titan 5 earphone however has an unprecedented amount of bass. In fact the Dunu Titan 5 has incredible bass compared to any other earphone in the same price range. Combined with the clarity and definition in the high frequencies you won’t find any other earphone with this level of sound quality.

OVERVIEW

To sum it up, the Dunu Titan 5 in-ear headphone is one of the best sounding earbud style headphones for the price. Dunu has managed to pack incredible clarity and bass that will blow you mind into a small stainless steel housing that fits discreetly and comfortably in the ear. It’s definitely one of the best earphones our staff has come across in a long time. Come by Audio46 in Midtown Manhattan to see the full line of Dunu earphones or shop online at the Dunu Headphone Store at Audio46.

The Dunu Titan 5 in-ear headphone has incredible clarity and bass frequency response.
The Dunu Titan 5 in-ear headphone has incredible clarity and bass frequency response.

Sennheiser PXC 480 vs Audio Technica ATH-MSR7NC Comparison Review

Here at Audio46, we often meet customers who need some direction in regards to specific kinds of headphones.  From gaming to critical listening to travel, specific needs require specific recommendations.  Take noise-cancelling headphones as an example.  For higher-end noise-cancelling headphones, both the Sennheiser PXC 480 and the Audio Technica ATH-MSR7NC sport a $299 price tag.  But which one fits your listening needs?

Sennheiser PXC 480 vs Audio Technica ATH-MSR7NC Comparison Review

Sennheiser PXC 480 vs Audio Technica ATH-MSR7NC Comparison Review

Aside from their common price, the PXC 480 and MSR7NC have many similarities.  While both headphones utilize plenty of plastic and aluminum in their construction, they still sport unique designs.  Both employ a built-in battery for longer continuous playback – the Senneheiser offers 50 hours of battery life while the Audio Technica offers a little less at 30 hours.

Both headphones make use of a folding design for easier transport.  With ample pleather padding on the earpads and headband, comfort is decent between both models.  Many fans of the first MSR7 will notice that the narrow headband hasn’t changed on this newer noise-cancelling version.  Likewise, the Sennheiser PXC 480’s headband is equally thin – and possibly just as uncomfortable during longer listening sessions.

The PXC 480 comes with a 4.5 ft (1.4 m) smartphone-compatible cable.  In comparison, the MSR7NC includes two cables – one standard 4 ft (1.2 m) audio cable and one 4ft (1.2 m) smartphone-compatible cable.  Both headphones also come with power cables for charging the onboard batteries.

Specs

Sennheiser PXC 480 Specs
Frequency Range: 17-23,000 Hz
Impedance: 45 ohms (passive)/150 ohms (active)
Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 109 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.5%

Audio Technica ATH-MSR7NC Specs
Frequency Range: 5-40,000 Hz
Impedance: 35 ohms (passive)/150 ohms (active)
Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 104 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): NA

As evidenced by these specifications, the greatest difference between these two headphones in terms of technical details is frequency range.  With a whopping 5-40,000 Hertz frequency range, the MSR7NC comes out on top here…at least, on paper.  Impedance and volume are roughly the same between both models.  While Audio Technica doesn’t give a rating for the MSR7NC’s Total Harmonic Distortion, I’d peg it as being close to the PXC 480’s <0.5%.

Low End

Characterized by fair detail and a good deal of bass, too, the low end on the PXC 480 comes across as lively, without being too overpowered.  It sounds natural enough, and the overall sound here is clean and accurate.

In comparison, the MSR7NC may suffer from the slightest bit of bleed.  Still, there’s tons of detail here – maybe just a little more so than in the PXC 480.  Bass is equally decent, with plenty of oomph but never sounding overstated.

Mids

Carrying the slightest bit of compression in the mids, the PXC 480 has a tendency to pinch some vocals.  Instrumentation doesn’t suffer as much, and most listeners will be more than willing to forgive Sennheiser for the small imperfections.

Where the PXC 480 drops the ball, though, the MSR7NC has you covered.  In the Audio Technica model, mids are cleaner with neither distortion nor compression.  Again, slightly more detail seems to rise to the surface as I listen to the MSR7NC, giving it a slight edge over the Sennheiser.

High End

Somewhat bright in the high end, the PXC 480 offers a good amount of detail while keeping everything else in check.  While the sound never gets too uncomfortable or piercing, some finer nuances may be missing from the top of the frequency range.

On the other hand, the MSR7NC may sound similarly bright, but with tons of details that seem to sparkle.  Nothing is missing from the Audio Technica model, with exacting detail making this headphone a perfect choice for classical or acoustic music.

Soundstage

Where soundstage is concerned, the Sennheiser rocks plenty of depth but suffers from poor placement.  As a result, instruments can seem somewhat jumbled and out of place as you listen.  While this won’t be an issue with every track you throw at it, the PXC 480 may not be the best headphone for more intricate listening choices.

The Audio Technica MSR7NC, by contrast, offers a decent level of depth and placement.  Here the sense of soundstage is more realistic, helped along by tons of detail and an air of contrast.

Other Observations

The Sennheiser PXC 480’s natural dynamic sound may be more at home with heavier rock and hip hop.

And with it’s stronger emphasis on mids and highs, the Audio Technica MSR7NC may be a better option for classical music or more critical listening.

Recommendations

For most casual listeners who need bass and a well-controlled high end, the Sennheiser PXC 480 is the obvious choice.  With a longer battery life and a more consumer-friendly sound, it’s clearly a crowd-pleaser.

Of course, that isn’t to say that the Audio Technica MSR7NC won’t have its fans.  Personally, I preferred the sound of the Audio Technica, and anyone seeking a more analytic sound will revel in its performance.  Likewise, those looking for more emphasis on midrange or high-end detail (or soundstage) would do well to consider the MSR7NC.

Final Analysis

For $299, both the Sennheiser PXC 480 and the Audio Technica ATH-MSR7NC offer impressive listening experiences.  For those seeking a bassier sound that would complimetn rock or hip hop, the Sennheiser will offer a better fit.  In comparison, the Audio Technica’s sound delivers more emphasis on the mids and highs – a perfect formula for critical listeners and classical fans.

Check out the Sennheiser Store at Audio46!

View more models in the Audio Technica Store at Audio46!