In any event, the Pro2 Bone looks and feels a great deal like their prior Runner Pro and Runner Caller, with the same tiny, difficult-to-access controls, although the Pro2 adopts Bluetooth 5.3 for better connectivity and increases the battery life from a subpar 4-6 h to a more competitive 8 hrs. Curiously, the Pro2 lacks a microphone, which makes it unusable for calls and limits its utility. There is an MP3 mode which allows you to shed your phone and listen to stored files.

Tonally, the Pro2 is similar to its predecessors—warm, smooth and quite natural sounding, with very limited highend extension. However, unlike the original Pro, which had almost no low end, the Pro2 has discernible midbass thump and presence, albeit somewhat boomy and slow.

Overall clarity is pretty good—these work well for podcasts—and instrument placement and separation is surprisingly accurate, although soundstage is narrow and two-dimensional. Most significantly, in contrast to its forbearers volume is adequate with these (note that positioning the headshells over (as opposed to next to) your tragus markedly increases the output and bass depth, although somewhat belies the phone’s non-intrusive purpose.

Detail and resolution cannot compare to in-ear TWS models, or even to open designs like the excellent Oladance or Galaxy Wireless Live, both of which present fuller, tighter bass and a much crisper, more extended high end—drums and percussion on the Pro2 sounds veiled and soft and electric guitars lack bite, but are free from sharpness.   

I’m not sure how you’d transcend the inherent limitations of the bone induction design—venting the headshells or adding more or bigger drivers would, I presume, compromise waterproofing and increase sound leakage or muck up the bone conduction technology.

That said, the Pro 2 has considerable appeal to its target no-penetration crowd—they’re comfortable and inoffensive-sounding, and I listened to them for four straight hours without feeling a need to take ‘em off. 

By its very nature, the Pro 2 is a practical device and not an audiophile product, and we’re probably the wrong guys to be reviewing them. Yet purely from the standpoint of sound, Naenka is subtly but clearly evolving— unlike past models they’re more than merely background music and they convey a certain organic quality that’ll get you through your next decathalon very pleasantly.  Keep up the good(ish) work.

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Naenka Runner Pro2 Bone Conduction Headphone

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The $80 Moondrop Joker headphone was kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

Introduction

Moondrop, the ever rising Chengdu company have earned their stripes mainly with earphones since 2015, some of which are remarkable. They lately expanded their catalogue into TWS and portable DACs. Their most recently addition were headphones, one in the premium segment, and the other in the mid tier category. Their $200 Moondrop Void received rather unfavourable reviews, mainly because of its poor build and mushy sound.

The current $80 Moondrop Joker appears to be exactly the opposite of the Moondrop Void: an articulate, analytical sounding headphone tuned for monitoring. It is distinctly different from most of their competitor’s warmer tonalities. The Joker has been designed for its technicalities.

Specifications Moondrop Joker

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the headphones with detachable cable, one 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter, and the usual paperwork. The fabric-coated cable uses standard 3.5 mm connectors on all three ends and can be easily replaced – though there is no need to do so.

The headphone itself appears a bit rickety, as the earpieces tend to bang against the frame, though both are separated by a rubber pad. The design is plastic and rather light. The headband padding is soft but the fabric appears somewhat cheap. The around-ear pads are spacious even for my monster flabbers and offer good comfort. They can just be pulled off and replaced if needed. Clamp pressure is comfortable for my large head. Overall fit and wearing comfort is very good for me.

The Joker can be driven by a phone but benefits from amplification.

Tonality and Technicalities

The Moondrop Joker was designed for monitoring – as a production tool: it therefore has an analytical tilt with an elevated brilliance region, far away from the warmish sounding Sennheiser or Koss-Porta-Pro-type models. It offers excellent note definition and great spatial reconstruction but can sound a bit lean and “cool” with some sources.

The Joker excels in his technicalities: separation, layering, and note definition are very good, staging is three-dimensional. Imaging is also one of the strong points. Note weight (above sub bass) is on the lean side, probably somewhat sacrificed for the technicalities. The degree of richness varies with source with analog players and warm digital DAPs delivering the thickest sound. Note decay is actually quite realistic: the Joker passes the “cello test” and aligns itself well for even monitoring acoustic sets.

In summary, I’d characterize the sonic presentation as AAA: analytical, accurate, and articulate. Don’t forget, the Joker’s purpose is not casual recreational listening.

The prominent bass really benefits from the technicalities: it is impactful and as tight as my wallet with some sources and thicker/rubbery with others. But there is always a good rumble down there, which can ad warmth. The low-end focus is clearly on the sub bass. A solid foundation.

The mids are rather lean, but very nuanced and well sculptured. Midrange has decent clarity. Accuracy rules! With some sources and tracks, there can be a degree of harshness in the upper midrange.

Treble has a good presence and is well resolving. Let’s call it “sweet” as there is no graininess above the upper mids.

As you see, the Joker is a bit of a chameleon in that its signature varies a lot with source, which makes its sonic characterization difficult.

In comparison, the Koss Porta Pro is warmer with a mushier bass but has inferior technicalities, particularly its spatial reconstruction lags far behind. Different purpose, though. The Teufel Massive is a bass bomb in comparison, and the discontinued Sennheiser HD471 is warmer but also lags in terms of note definition. The Moondrop Joker appears to be lonely in its own class – and hard to compare.

Concluding Remarks

The Joker is Moondrop’s third headphone model, and the first below $100. It has been designed as a monitoring tool for DJs and studio engineers placing tonal accuracy and articulation over richness and “musicality”. It is not meant to be someone’ primary playback device. And it performs its job very well. The price is certainly right.

Comparing the Joker to $80 iem models, it probably beats most.

Goal achieved!

Until next time…keep on listening!

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About my measurements.

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The latest Mac generation features a relatively good audio circuit that makes many budget dongles and headphone amps obsolete.

Introduction

Apple computers, unlike the company’s mobile devices, have traditionally delivered poor audio quality through their 3.5 mm headphone socket. And most Windows machines are not any better.

Plugging an earphone or headphone into my 2012 MacBook Air and listening to iTunes/Apple Music creates a dull and blunt listening experience. This low quality is a contradiction to the capabilities of digital audio, which goes back at least 20 years. Even the 2013 iPhone 5S had stunning audio quality. Similarly, Apple’s “Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Adapter” delivers excellent sound quality.

In order to make computers sound better, digital audio pioneer Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio (and contractor to AudioQuest), invented the dongle DAC back in 2012, the DragonFly Black. A tiny device without its own battery, it drew power from the host. The DragonFly was restricted to use with a computer as it drew more than 100 mA, too much for iPhone to handle.

As of 2016, the next version of the “Black” was within the iPhone’s current draw tolerance. Many companies jumped on the bandwagon flooding the market with such devices. But not all dongles are equal and ALL of them are a compromise. Such that draw little current (and therefore drain your phone company slowly) have limited power, and the powerful ones empty your phone’s battery fast.

When it comes to dongle-DAC use with computers, current drain is largely irrelevant considering that desktop machines don’t have a battery at all, and notebooks have high battery capacities compared to a phone. Power is therefore no problem with computer application, sound quality has foremost priority.

Dongle DACs typically have 1 to 2 V, depending on impedance. Some, such as the Helm Bolt, automatically switch voltage depending on detected headphone impedance.

Apple introduced a new integrated audio circuit in their latest models:

• MacBook Air introduced in 2022
• MacBook Pro introduced in 2021 or later
• Mac mini introduced in 2023
• Mac Studio introduced in 2022

These models contain an audio circuit that is power wise very similar to dongles such as the Helm Bolt, ifi Audio GO Link, DragonFly Red and Cobalt. Below 150 ohm headphone impedance, the circuit provides a voltage of 1.25 V RMS, above 150 ohm and up to 1000 ohm, the headphone jack delivers 3 V RMS. You find Apple’s respective support article here.

Apple’s integrated DAC supports sample rates up to 96 kHz (just like the AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt).

I calculated the resulting power and current drain as displayed in the following table:

What we have learnt so far is that Apple’s new audio circuit is as powerful as a standard dongle DAC of the kind that also works with a phone. Yes, there are more powerful dongles on the market such as the Apogee Groove, Questyle M15, or ifi Audio Go bar, which will work better with insensitive headphones.

The 2022 MacBook Air with the M2 processor has its headphone jack on the right-hand side.

Amplification and Sound Quality

Playing in-ears with 32 ohm impedance is a piece of cake, even the 70 ohm Sennheiser HD 25 headphones (on the title photo) get lots of volume. Just like many “standard dongle DACs”, the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 brings the Mac audio to its limits. Yes, it principally works, but it lacks pizazz.

The current-hungry Final E5000 iems are a special case in that they do not run well with most current-conserving dongle DACs and daps, for example the ifi Go link, Helm Bolt or TempoTec V6. They play loud enough but lack bass control, an indication that hey don’t receive enough current.

My testing confirms the tech data comparison with comparable dongles.

And here comes the surprise: the sound quality of Apple’s new audio quality is…astonishingly good for what it is: crisp, transparent, clear. Very surprising. It sounds very similar (in terms of quality) to the ifi Go link or Helm Bolt.

Concluding Remarks

Apple’s new adaptive audio circuit finally sounds quite decent. Poor audio circuits in computers were the reason for the invention of the dongle DAC. The idea was to keep it small, down to the size of a thumb drive.

Some basic $50-100 dongle DACs have now become obsolete for modern Macs, which makes these devices even more compact. Where Apple are exaggerating is with the compatibility with high-impedance headphones. It principally works, but you are better off with a dedicated, powerful, headphone DAC/amp such as the ifi GO bar or the Questyle M15 on the go.

Testing this is easy: if you have a new Mac, try it out. If you don’t have one, don’t bother as you won’t buy one for this purpose anyway.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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There’s no AptX or ANC, and the small earpads provide no passive isolation to speak of; however the Sound + app provides very useful EQ and customization features. Call quality is just okay.

The 45H have a warm and  slightly syrupy tonality which emphasizes midbass and lower mids. Treble is nicely extended, if not mega-detailed, and  retains some snap on cymbals and snares;  it avoids harshness or sharpness even at high volumes. Midrange is slightly recessed—voices and horns are pushed back in the mix—but has good texture and clarity. 

Low end is decidedly a mixed bag here–bass is voluminous and has a lot of propulsive thump, but is quite wobbly and even when boosted in the app misses the lowest octave. It’s not monotonic, but it lacks tightness and tends to detract from the phone’s overall coherence. However, once I got acclimated to its forward, boomy character I grew to like it—it gives body and thrust to the music.

Soundstage is fairly intimate and narrow, with limited height, but instruments are unexpectedly well-separated and accurately placed—think of hearing a band play a small club with a good sound system. These seem to be deliberately tuned to balance energy with smoothness—they avoid excess brightness or glare, but do not sacrifice dynamic slam and remain engaging despite their inside-the-head presentation.

The similarly-positioned Status Audio BT One have a more expansive stage and sounds a little more sculpted at the high end, but otherwise have a similarly warm tone and billowy bass. The AKG N60C (frequently discounted to $60 or so) has a very similar form factor (tho much inferior battery life) and  are more analog-sounding and coherent, with less high-end information and less adrenaline,  but better-tamed bass, while the Beats Solo on-ears sounds bassier but more compressed and flatter. 

For the same $99 SRP, the 1More Sonoflow sound more open, with a more sculpted low end and a more neutral, less colored tonality; the 1More also have more tech features. However, I find myself reaching for the Jabra more often—the Jabra have the inalienable jump factor that the more polite 1More lacks.

Ultimately, the 45H are one of those quirky pieces whose ergonomic flaws and unruly bass are outweighed by its virtues—they’re not much good for the gym or air travel, but just about perfect for that dog walk or for caffeinating at Starbucks. Inessential, but considering you can easily find refurbs or used pairs for <$50, surprisingly endearing.

Non-disclaimer: bought ‘em on impulse.

Specifications Jabra Elite 45H

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The (circa-2013) Sennheiser Momentum has a sleek, lightweight metal-and-leather design which affords better-than-expected isolation and excellent comfort. Very easily driven with just a mobile or a modest dongle, the Momentum hews very close to Sennheiser’s house sound—balanced and very detailed, with a neutral-to-slightly bright tonality and lean note texture.

Soundstage is wide but has limited height, and instruments are accurately placed, with lots of air between performers. There’s not a ton of subbass thump or depth, but midbass is extremely well-etched and quick, if a bit cool and lacking in body and warmth. Mids are bell-clear and high end deftly balances being very resolving without sounding too clinical—the Momentum have some toe-tapping drive and energy and avoid the flatness of more “reference-tuned” phones.

 All that said, while the Momentum remain composed and revealing on classical and other complex fare, they miss a bit of oomph on rock and heavier genres—like very good limited range speakers they nail the technicalities, but the lowest notes are missing.

These were originally $349, which was a stretch since comparably-priced open-backed models like Senn’s HD600/HD650 provide a more expansive, meatier (if less portable) take on the same basic signature. However, I now see the Momentum on Amazon for $129 (and used models for as low as $30 on Ebay), which is a screaming bargain for phones of this quality.

The Sony MDR 1A (originally $300, but easily found used for < a hundo)  look a bit generic but are very solidly-built and feel more durable than the Momentum. Although approximately the same weight as the Momentum, the Sony feel a bit heavier on your head and aren’t quite as comfortable. The Sony are also a bit less stable, which limits their utility for outside use. Isolation is below average and the cable is quite microphonic.

Soundwise, the Sony are the polar opposite of the more restrained, accurate Momentum—the Sony have a rich-textured, warm tonality with a giant, palpably physical bass presence. Soundstage is within-your-head but nicely rounded; imaging is okay but not as precise as the Senn.

Compared to the Senn, the Sony sound fuller and more analog, while the Momentum present more microdetail and high-end resolution, although the Sony do surprisingly well at reproducing guitar strings, drums and percussion. The massive low end is something of a mixed blessing for the Sony—it imparts an exciting, live-in-concert feel to uptempo genres, but can get boomy and distorted at higher volumes and tends to overshadow more delicate arrangements; if anything, amping adds to the chaos. Refinement isn’t the Sony’s strong suit—they’ll get the adrenalin pumping but will wear you out after an extended listen.

Generally speaking, the Senn and the Sony are complementary, with the former being better for critical listening and the latter being better at getting your freak on. Comparing them to good, comparably-priced Bluetooth phones, however, I’m struck by how much better both of these wired relics sound—less compressed and much clearer, without the characteristic artifacts and background noise of wireless models. If I didn’t need wireless functionality, I’d reach for the Momentum or the MDR-1A every time.

Looks like our democracy will survive until the next election cycle. So life is good.

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Ergo: Voonaudio, who register as sincere (and certainly enthusiastic) folks, sell what they promise are authentic Sennheiser phones at attractive prices and customer-friendly policies (my sample arrived very quickly from China and were in fact 100% genuine). Check them out.

The Momentum 4 are more plasticky and generic-looking than earlier, leather and metal- clad Momentum models, but seem sturdier and more durable.  Fit is stable and comfort is pretty good, without undue clamping pressure, although these can feel slightly heavy and/or get warm over extended use.

The Momentum 4 ditches the physical control buttons of prior models for the touch-sensitive surface of the right earcup; the touch controls are intuitive and responsive. ANC is very effective, if not class-leading (the Sony XM4 is a little better at blocking out low frequencies).  Battery life, however, is unrivalled—up to 60 hours w/ANC. 

Tech features are off the hook—auto off, multipoint pairing, adjustable ANC, call quality enhancing—and the app has all sorts of preset and custom EQ features, including the ability to set different sound profiles for different locations.

It’s all very innovative, if somewhat over-complicated for us Luddites. The BT 5.2 connectivity is powerful, although I did experience a few pauses and/or dropouts, perhaps because the auto-pause function is hyper-sensitive.

In contrast to the more balanced, subdued signature of prior (wireless and wired) Momentum models, the 4 has a surprisingly energetic, L-shaped presentation, with enhanced, deep-but-controlled low end and full-sounding midrange (Tweaking the various EQ functions varies the degree of bass thump but doesn’t radically alter the stock sound character).

Soundstage extends beyond your head and is very enveloping and 3D; stereo spread and instrument placement are very accurate. Timbre is warmish and notes have a lot of body; high end sounds slightly rolled off but retains some sparkle; snare and cymbal hits have good transient speed and are reasonably well-reproduced, if a tad hollow and unnatural-sounding. However, overall clarity is very good (these excel at movies and podcasts) and coherence is perfect—there are no odd dips or peaks.

Where these trail good wired models (and even some BT phones like the AKG NC70 or Phiaton 900) is in tonal accuracy—while quite detailed, the Momentum 4 has a frenetic, digitally-enhanced quality which clearly favors danceable PRAT and immersion over audiophile-transparency. It’s free from glare and sharpness, but you never forget you are listening to Bluetooth and not to a precise rendering of the source.

Likewise, in contrast to the dead quiet background of Sennheiser’s wired models like the HD600, there’s faint but audible white noise on the  Momentum 4, which tends to soften/blur the presentation on acoustic fare—I believe this is attributable to the fact that the ANC cannot be wholly disengaged. That said, the Momentum 4 sounds livelier and less clinical on more uptempo genres than the leaner-textured, less-bassy HD600.

The Sony XM4 have a similarly expansive soundstage as the M4, with similarly good imaging, but sound comparatively closed-in and laid-back, with less extended low end and less high-end detail. I do prefer the fit and UI on the Sony, but the Sennheiser presents more information and is the more exciting listen.

Apple’s AirPods Max have a similarly bass-boosted, warm and forward (also slightly unnatural) tonality with a big, enveloping stage. However, the Momentum 4 has more high-end extension and more microdetail; likewise the Momentum 4 has the richer midrange–it is the less-compressed, better-sounding phone.

On a quick listen, the Bose QC45 is more comfortable and has even better ANC, but sounds flatter and leaner, with an overemphasized midrange and less high end detail and sizzle. Ultimately, comparing the Momentum 4 to its competitors is sorta like comparing German to Japanese sports sedans, which is to say that the latter may have better build, or more refined features, but don’t provide the same driving thrill. 

I wish the Momentum 4 was a few grams lighter and that they offered higher rez codecs like aptX HD or LDAC. At the end of the day, however, these are minor quibbles. Taking into account the <$300 street price, the impressive tech and the insane battery life (and not having heard the latest-and-greatest from B&W or Focal), I’d venture the Momentum 4 is the best of the current mainstream players.

Thumbs way up.

Disclaimer: as noted these were sent to us gratis by Voonaudio (https://www.voonaudio.com), who otherwise made no attempt to influence our review. We receive no compensation (except, hopefully, good Karma) from sales made by them.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Specifications

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As with the Runner Caller, fit is stable and very comfortable and call quality is at least serviceable, although I still take issue with the awkward placement of the control buttons on the underside of the right module. I got around 5-6 hours of battery life, which limits the Pro’s functionality.

The Naenka Runner Pro is a niche product (audiophiles can stop reading here) designed for swimmers and/or that band of users who are in-ear averse or who need maximum situational awareness. As such, the Runner Pro have the same intrinsic limitations as the Runner Caller and other bone conduction models, i.e. they don’t play loud and they don’t produce a lot of low end. Once again, you need to max these out to hear the tunes.

That said, the Pro sounds purty nice—as with Naenka’s prior models, the timbre is organic, warm and grain-free, with clear mids, good high-end detail and surprisingly decent imaging and instrument placement—it’s background music with some finesse. Other than some visceral thump, low bass is absent, though there’s some discernible presence in the 100-200 Hz range, and voices are clearly reproduced. These are good for podcasts and for sleeping.

Overall, the Pro work well for a narrow use case— sitting in a hot tub, say, or maybe half-listening to a sermon—and the MP3 function is a definite plus. However, like the Runner Caller, the Pro seem like a work-in-progress which need a longer battery, more thoughtful UI and, above all, more volume to broaden their appeal. As presently conceived the current asking price seems ambitious, but I reiterate that Naenka does know good sound—they just need to let their customers hear it.

Disclaimer: as noted these were sent to me gratis for review by Naenka and can be bought here with a discount: 

Naenka Runner Pro: https://bit.ly/3ahmWJ4

15% Discount Code: Audioreviews

We do not receive any compensation or incentive from Naenka and Naenka, to their credit, makes no effort to influence our reviews.

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The 900 Legacy distinguishes itself from its drab plastic peers by using carbon fiber on the side panels—it’s a premium flourish, if a bit flashy. Build seems more substantial than Beats Studio/Bose QC/Bose 700 and touch controls are reasonably responsive.

The head-hugging form factor isn’t great for glasses and can get a bit uncomfortable for longer sessions, but does provide for good stability and seal—these are gym-worthy. Battery life of 43+ hours is really impressive and substantially better than Sony, Bose and Apple. There’s no EQ or app, but most of the desired tech features—multipoint, proximity detection, aptX HD—are present.

ANC isn’t as effective in the 900 Legacy as the Bose or Sony XM4 (some high frequencies intrude), but pretty effective nonetheless. However, the ANC tends to add boominess to the low end and to hollow out the mids, and I did most of my music listening with ANC off.

The 900 Legacy immediately grabs you with an energetic, brightish signature which really brings on the bass—the low end is deep, voluminous and verges on overpowering the higher frequencies—it can sound overamped or boomy on certain jazz and acoustic fare, but generally retains credible speed and note definition (note that playing these in passive wired mode noticeably attenuates the bass, but otherwise makes these sound laid-back and less involving).

Mids are nicely forward; treble is crisp, well extended and detailed; despite the prominent low end, percussion has a lot of snap. Resolution is very, very good by Bluetooth standards (little nuances like vibrato on reeds is well-captured) and tonality, if not as organic as good wired sets, sounds less processed and artificial than most of its BT peers.

Although instruments are cleanly separated, soundstage is unexpectedly narrow and low-ceilinged—on big-sounding recordings like the Stones’ “Rocks Off” or Humble Pie’s “30 Days”, it sounds like the musicians are crammed onto a small stage, and the precise location of the performers can be somewhat imprecise. However, the MS900 have an inalienable, toe-tapping jump factor—your ears perk up when you throw on an uptempo genre. They are an exciting listen.

The 900 Legacy are a small but discernable sonic step-up from the very capable, value-leading ($99) 1More Sonoflow, which have an unforced, natural-sounding timbre, but sound a bit flatter, without the energy and dynamic slam of the 900 Legacy.  The Phiaton sound better in all respects than the Beats Studio 3, which share the 900’s thick low end but trail considerably in high end clarity and sound a little muddy.

Compared to the Sony WH1000-XM4, the 900 Legacy have a leaner, more sculpted note texture and are considerably less expansive, though bassier and with more high-level detail; the Sony are warmer and more coherent overall but have a more synthetic tonality. The Sony also avoid the low end bloom of the Phiaton and image better. The Phiaton actually approximate the crisp (and bass-forward) presentation of Apple’s ($450) AirPods Max; the Apple has better bass control, more space between the instruments and a wider stage while the 900 Legacy may be more revealing at the high end. 

For all their virtues, the 900 Legacy fall short of endgame for me—these are phones that scream for EQ to tame the sometimes-unruly bass. Given that since the release of Sony’s XM5 you can find the XM4 for around the same price as the MS900, if I had to choose just one headphone I might still opt for the better-balanced XM4, which are also slightly more comfortable and have better UI.

That said, the 900 Legacy are the best over-ear BT I’ve heard at digging out microdetail and certainly aren’t lacking for immediacy and slam, and the thought of owning only one headphone is anathema to true believers. Definitely worth a listen.

Specifications Phiaton 900 Legacy

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The Final UX3000 is an articulate sounding and well resolving headphone with a very agreeable tuning that also features an effective Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The headphone also works wired without being switched on. ANC works independently with and without Bluetooth or wired use.

Introduction

Final are a premium headphone/earphone manufacturer out of Japan that focus on technical progress mainly for their domestic market. Their distinction from most of their competitors is that their products have shelf lives of several years. The company prefers substance over style – it does not subscribe to sensationalist marketing – and therefore hands out samples sparsely, and to credible sources only.

At least three of us are Final fanboys in that we have purchased many of their products, which includes painful ordering from Japan through shipping agencies. Alberto has reviewed the Sonorous II & III headphones and Kazi has lined up the Final E-series…and more.

Specifications Final UX3000

The Final UX3000 plays with Bluetooth and wired (without power), and the ANC works completely independently of the audio functionality. This means, the headphone can be used for suppressing ambient noise (“your neighbour’s leaf blower”) without listening to music. Or one can listen to music without noise cancelling.

What the Final UX3000 does specifically you find in the user manual and on the product page.

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are:

The headphone’s frame is made out of hard, rigid polycarbonate coated with Final’s own soft-textured SHIBO シボ finish that gives the surface a speckled look. シボ is an old Japanese word for wrinkled paper! The coating gives it the optical appearance of ruggedness.

The headband is steplessly adjustable according to head size. Its top is mantled by soft pleather…and the earcups, which go around the ears, feature pads made of the same material.

On the back of each earpiece are the operational panels. The right one features a small, subtle LED indicator and three buttons (on/of/pause, volume up/down) and a 3.5 mm socket for the headphone cable (“wired use”).

The panel on the back of the left earcup features a single button (ANC on/off) and a USB-C charging port. Operation is straight forward. As said, both panels operate independently of each other.

Comfort is good for, but may vary individually. I have a large head with large ears and get a snug fit with good seal. Clamp pressure is relatively big for me. I have used the Final UX3000 for hours several times. It may ge a bit sweaty around the ears in a hot climate, though.

Active Noise Cancellation

I tested the ANC listening to a Mozart violin sonata while vacuuming with a noisy older Dyson ball vacuum – a talk radio at normal room volume was running in the background. No issues. The Dyson was still audible but did not interfere much with the music – and, even when the Dyson was off, the radio was effectively shut out.

Another representative test came when comparing the ANCs of the UX3000 and my old Bose QC15. The class-leading Boses did a marginally better job on the Dyson’s noise (without being perfect), but they were twice the price even in 2010. And they run wired only. The UX3000’s noise cancellation does no miracles but is solid and fully sufficient. I look forward to taking it with me on my next intercontinental flight.

A real test was me cutting down trees with a noisy jigsaw while listening to the orchestral music of John Ireland. It worked just fine.

Then winter came and crazy neighbours cleared snow with noisy motorized leaf blowers. Again, the Final UX3000 performed well – even without music.

Tonality and Technicalities

The Final UX3000 features a gentle V-shape mainstream tuning, on the neutral-warm side, but its technicalities make it stick out nevertheless, particularly the good accentuation/articulation and imaging, layering, and separation.

I have listened to Sennheiser and AKG Bluetooth Bluetooth headphones in the past, and both had a completely overcooked bass: overwhelmingly strong and not very controlled. The Final UX3000 are nothing like that. They feature a composed, well-dosed low end that digs deep and provides some rumble. Kick is plenty and surprisingly firm, the dosage is just right for my gusto. There is a mild mid bass boom in some music, but nothing to worry about.

As you’d expect, the vocals are slightly recessed but very nicely sculptured and of decent richness. Also typical for Final’s tuning is the lack of shoutineess which contributes to a other natural music reproduction. Treble, as typical for Bluetooth headphones, is slightly rolled off but nevertheless of good definition. So far fairly standard.

Technically, the Final UX3000 offer great articulation across the frequency spectrum, notes are generally well defined, attack and decay are within normal margins. Headroom is big although stage is only of average width and depth but good spatial cues. Resolution is ok with a bit of stage crowding in busy tracks. Layering, separation, and spatial cues are very good.

What makes it interesting for me to use the Final UX3000 over longer periods is its articulation. It is tight without being sharp/strident. If my old Sennheisers are the equivalent of a soft truck suspension, the Final UX300 is a sporty BMW.

Concluding Remarks

The UX3000 may be Final’s first wireless headphone, but it is a mature and complete product. Not one of sorts “a good first effort, can’t await the pro version”. It sounds great, handles great and has great operational specs (codecs, battery life, charge times). There is not much more I can say other than that I enjoy it – and that I use it (despite all my choices including the Sonorous III).

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

I received the Final UX3000 from the manufacturer upon request. And I thank them for that. You find the product page here.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Final UX3000 Review – Mainstream Against The Stream appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Final UX3000は、明瞭なサウンドと解像度の高いヘッドホンであり、効果的なアクティブノイズキャンセリングも搭載した、非常に好感の持てるチューニングになっています。このヘッドホンは、電源を入れずに有線で使用することもできます。ノイズキャンセリングは、Bluetoothまたは有線での使用の有無にかかわらず独立して機能します。

はじめに

ファイナルは、日本発の高級ヘッドホン・イヤホンメーカーで、主に国内市場向けに技術的な進歩を追求しています。競合他社との違いは、製品に数年の賞味期限があることだ。同社はスタイルよりも実質を重視し、センセーショナルなマーケティングを行わないため、信頼できる筋にのみサンプルを配布しています。

私たちのうち少なくとも3人はファイナルのファンボーイで、日本から代理店を通して苦労して取り寄せた同社の製品を数多く購入しています。アルベルトはSonorous IIとIIIのヘッドホンをレビューし、カジはFinal E-seriesをラインナップしています…他にもあります。

仕様 Final UX3000

Final UX3000は、Bluetoothと有線（電源なし）で再生し、アクティブノイズキャンセラーはオーディオ機能とは完全に独立して動作します。つまり、音楽を聴かずに周囲の騒音（「近所の人の葉っぱの吹き飛ばし」）を抑えるためにヘッドホンを使用することができます。また、ノイズキャンセリング機能を使わずに音楽を聴くこともできます。

What the Final UX3000 does specifically you find in the user manual and on the product page.

モノとユーザビリティ

箱の中身は

ヘッドホンのフレームは、硬質で剛性の高いポリカーボネートにファイナル独自の「SHIBOシボ」加工を施し、表面に斑点状の凹凸を表現しています。シボとは「しわくちゃな紙」という意味です。このコーティングにより、光学的に無骨な印象を与えることができます。

ヘッドバンドは頭の大きさに合わせて無段階に調節できます。耳にかけるイヤーカップにも同素材のパッドを採用しました。

イヤーピースの裏側には、操作パネルを配置。右側には小さく繊細なLEDインジケーターと3つのボタン（オン／オフ／ポーズ、ボリュームアップ／ダウン）、ヘッドホンケーブル用の3.5mmソケット（「ワイヤード使用」）が配置されています。

左のイヤーカップの背面のパネルには、1つのボタン（ANCのオン／オフ）とUSB-C充電ポートを備えています。操作はストレートに行えます。とあるように、両パネルはそれぞれ独立して動作する。

使い心地は、良好ですが、個人差があるかもしれません。私は耳が大きい頭で、密閉性の高いぴったりとした装着感を得ることができます。クランプ圧は私にとっては比較的大きいです。Final UX3000を何度か何時間も使用しました。暑いところでは耳の周りが少し汗ばむかもしれませんが。

アクティブノイズキャンセリング

ダイソンの旧型ボール掃除機で掃除機をかけながら、モーツアルトのバイオリンソナタを聴いてアクティブノイズキャンセリングをテストしてみました。問題ありませんでした。ダイソンの音は聞こえるものの、音楽の邪魔にはならず、ダイソンが停止しているときでも、ラジオは効果的にシャットアウトされました。

もう一つの代表的なテストは、UX3000と私の古いBose QC15のノイズキャンセリングを比較した時です。クラス最高のBoseは、ダイソンのノイズにわずかに良い仕事をしましたが（完璧ではありません）、2010年でさえ価格は2倍でした。しかも、有線のみで動作する。UX3000のノイズキャンセリングは、奇跡は起きないが、しっかりしていて、十分な効果がある。次回の大陸間飛行に持参するのが楽しみです。

ジョン・アイルランドのオーケストラ音楽を聴きながら、音の出るジグソーで木を切り倒すというテストをしてみました。うまくいきましたよ。

そして冬になると、狂った隣人たちが騒々しいモーター付きリーフブロワーで雪片付けをするようになりました。ここでも、Final UX3000は音楽なしでも問題なく動作しました。

音律と技巧

Final UX3000は、メインストリームを緩やかなV字型にチューニングした、ニュートラルウォームタイプですが、アクセントやアーティキュレーション、イメージング、レイヤー、セパレーションの良さが際立つ技術的な特徴を備えています。

過去にゼンハイザーやAKGのBluetoothヘッドホンを聴いたことがありますが、どちらも低音が圧倒的に強く、あまりコントロールされていないという、完全にオーバークックな感じでした。 Final UX3000はそのようなことはありません。このヘッドフォンの特徴は、構成された、よく効いたローエンドで、深く掘り下げられ、いくつかのランブルを提供します。キックも十分で、驚くほどしっかりしていて、その量感は私のガッツにちょうどいい。音楽によっては中低音のブームがありますが、気にならない程度です。

ヴォーカルは期待通り、やや引っ込んでいるが、非常にきれいな造形で、豊かさも十分だ。 また、Finalのチューニングの特徴として、シャウト感がなく、自然な音楽再生に寄与しています。高音域は、Bluetoothヘッドフォンの典型として、わずかにロールオフされていますが、それにもかかわらず、良好な解像度を有しています。これまでのところ、かなり標準的です。

技術的には、Final UX3000は周波数スペクトル全体にわたって素晴らしいアーティキュレーションを提供し、ノートは全体的によく定義されており、アタックとディケイは通常のマージンの範囲内です。ヘッドルームは大きいですが、ステージは平均的な幅と深さしかありませんが、良い空間的な合図があります。解像度はまずまずだが、忙しい曲ではステージが少し混雑する。レイヤー、セパレーション、空間的なキューは非常に良い。

Final UX3000を長く使っていて面白いのは、そのアーティキュレーションです。鋭さ・強さを感じさせないタイトさです。私の古いゼンハイザーが柔らかいトラックのサスペンションに相当するとすれば、Final UX300はスポーティなBMWです。

まとめ

UX3000はファイナル社初のワイヤレスヘッドホンですが、成熟した完成度の高い製品です。最初の取り組みとしては良いが、プロバージョンを待つことはできない」という類のものではありません。音もいいし、操作性もいいし、動作スペック（コーデック、バッテリー駆動時間、充電時間）も素晴らしい。私はこの製品を楽しんでおり、（Sonorous IIIを含むすべての選択肢にもかかわらず）これを使用しているということ以外に、私が言えることはあまりありません。

次回まで…聴き続けてください。

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免責事項

メーカーからの依頼でFinal UX3000を受け取りました。そして、そのことに感謝します。製品ページがあります をご覧ください。

The post Final UX3000レビュ appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The  ($20 on Amazon) KTXPRO1, as best as I can ascertain, sport a titanium-coated version of the driver used in Koss’s KSC-75 and KPH-30i, both of which are much-admired in these parts. Retro faux-metal headband looks a bit outré, but fit is stable and build  surprisingly solid for the giveaway price. 

Its shared heritage notwithstanding, the KTXPRO1 has quite a different signature than its warm, balanced siblings—the KTXPRO1 is brighter and more V-shaped, with a leaner note texture, more recessed mids and a noticeably more extended, crisper high end.

Most significantly (perhaps because the KTXPRO1’s earcups provide a little better seal than the more open-back KSC75) the KTXPRO1 has noticeably tighter and better sculpted bass than the fuller-sounding but somewhat boomy KSC75 (and the more celebrated PortaPro)—attack transients on bass strings and drumheads are much quicker on the KTXPRO1. Soundstage is narrow and within-your-head, but instruments are fairly well separated and accurately placed.  

As with the KSC75 and the KPHi, the KTXPRO1 have that quality of unforced musicality—even if pricier units have more transparency or articulation, the KTXPRO1 remains wholly non-fatiguing and true-to-source.

That the KTXPRO1 is  better at the technicalities, cheaper and better-built than its stablemates is icing on the cake—these are easily the best Koss model I’ve heard and their comparative obscurity is a bit surprising.

In an alternative universe I could have spent twenty bucks and used these as my sole headphones, saved tens of thousands of dollars, and probably be no less discontented with my station in life. Ah, reality!!

Wall of Excellence material, uber-budget division.  

Specifications Koss KTXPRO1

• 15-25,000 Hz
• 60 ohms
• 103 dB SPL/1mW
• <0.2%
• Straight, Dual Entry, 4ft standard 3.5mm
• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• Tested at: $20

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Headphone Reviews

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INTRO

The Oppo PM-3 pads and headband are notorious for flaking off even without use. The bonded leather is of terrible quality. I do not have a good handle on how to replace the headband or what to replace it with, so I just bought a zipper neoprene style headband to cover that. The following is a how-to guide and short review of the replacement pads. I performed this mod a year ago during the pandemic and the YDYBZB pads still seem to be holding up well.

None of my links earn me or Audioreviews.org an affiliate kickback. They are merely links to the products I used.

SUGGESTED TOOLS

• Plastic pry tool (or a butter knife) Plastic is preferred since it is softer and will no mark up the headphones. The butter knife should work too, but no guarantees it will not leave marks on the headphones.
• Small flat bladed screw driver or similar used to scrape and pry glue off or separate the pad.

REPLACEMENT PARTS

• Headband LTYIVABHTTW ($11)
• Brainwaves Sony Replacement Leather Pads–I did not think these fit the original aesthetic but some people use them ($29)-Option 1 (OK)
• YDYBZB Sheepskin leather replacement pads for Oppo PM-1,2,3 ($22)-Option 2 (Better)

PART ONE-PAD BRACKET REMOVAL

First step is to detach the pad retainer bracket off the Oppo PM-3 headphones. There are 6 clips that hold it onto the headphones. Using a blunt plastic tool (preferred as it it should not leave any marks) or a butter knife, carefully insert where the pad meets silver portion of the headphones between the clip sections so as not to break off any clips. Some of the other pictures show where the clips are located.

You can either use a prying lever motion, or a twisting method. I used a twisting motion with the blunt pry tool so that it un-clips without gouging or breaking clips.

PART TWO – PAD REMOVAL

Once the bracket it is off, there are two steps to remove the pads without destruction. If you don’t care then of course cutting and ripping off is an option. I prefer not to add to the destruction and I could technically re-use the pads later for comparison sake.

Using a small flat bladed screw driver, scrape or lift the pad edge that is glued to the backside of the retaining bracket. Slowly work your way around the edge of the pad until fully unglued.

Next, using the same blunt pry tool or butter knife, slide it on the inside of the pad between the filter and bracket and work it around the edge of the bracket to release the ear pad filter from the bracket. It is lightly glued to the bracket in six places as seen below in the photo.

PART THREE – PAD ATTACHMENT

Now onto the next step of attaching the new pads. I choose to use the YDYBZB brand pads because they were closer to the original size however still thicker (~1/16″ or 1.5mm) and felt more premium than the Brainwaves ones in both padding and texture.

The Brainwaves also had a wrinkled appearance that is found along the stitching similar to the Sony’s, but not the Oppo PM-3. The filter of the YDYBZB appears thicker but still relatively close to the original while the Brainwaves was easily thicker having two layers of cloth plus foam. I figured it would not alter the sound too much using the YDYBZB branded pads.

Slowly stretch the lip of the pad over the backside of the bracket. You might need to use the blunt pry tool to aid in stretching it over and use it to rotate around the bracket stretching it out and getting it over the edge. No need to re-glue it in my opinion.

Once it is in position, all that is left is to reattach the pad bracket back onto the head phones. It can be a bit tricky but I recommend slipping the top clips in first, then press firmly on the opposite bottom side to snap it back in to the two bottom clips.

Once those two clips are attached, press firmly along the left and right side edges working your way around to re-attach the remaining 2 side clips with a satisfyingly snapping sound.

SOUND CONCLUSION

So does it change the sound of the Oppo PM-3? Perhaps in a minor way because they are obviously thicker. There is less midrange enhancement, a little minor loss in bass punch and some upper treble softening. They sound a bit more open now, less closed in.

The advantage is that you should not feel the rim of the driver touching your ear for better comfort and of course no more leather flaking onto your ear. The YDYBZB pads are an excellent option for renewing the degraded Oppo PM-3 pads.

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DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

The post Oppo PM-3 YDYBZB Pad Replacement Guide appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Contrary to some reviews I’ve read, the 1More Sonoflow’s ANC works well to suppress the outside world; however it has the odd effect of enhancing bass while veiling higher frequencies, and I got the best sound by keeping the ANC and transparency off. Physical control buttons are awkwardly placed but are more responsive than the typical touch panels.

Tech features aren’t especially advanced—there’s multipoint and LDAC, but no AptX or wear sensors , while the accompanying app seems a bit half-assed, with some marginally useful presets but no custom EQ and a wholly baffling “soothing sounds” mode which, for some reason, plays short bursts of ambient noises. (Note to 1More—in this culture, at least, “gale” and “volcano” are not considered soothing).  Battery life, however, is positively sick—50-70 hours, which is reason enough to buy these.

The 1More Sonoflow  present a V-shaped, signature with fairly lean note texture and a within-your-head, but nicely rounded soundstage. Instruments are well-separated; however the Sonoflow are slightly incoherent in the sense that you can hear the crossover between the different frequencies.  

Bass is well-sculpted and quick but doesn’t have a lot of slam or depth, which makes the phones sound a bit “polite” (the Bass Boost preset helps a bit), while mildly recessed mids push vocals a few feet back from front stage. Neutralish treble is well-resolving,  effortless and free from harshness and digital artifacts, even if some microdetails like snare hits are smoothed over or muted. Tonal quality is the real  strong suit here—it’s accurate, uncompressed and less colored than most of its peers. 

I compared the 1More Sonoflow to its most obvious target, the $348 Sony WH-1000XM4. The Sony immediately registers as bassier, fuller-sounding and richer-textured, with better integration from highs to lows.  However, the Sonoflow actually sound more natural and less “Bluetoothy,” with better high-end definition; the Sonoflow had the more “audiophile, ” albeit less energetic presentation.

The AirPods Max, at least from memory, likewise have significantly more low-end punch and better dynamics, but sound more compressed and processed at the high end—again, the Sonflow more accurately reproduces the source material. Stated another way, most consumers would find the Sony and Apple to be the better phones, while serious music geeks and adherents of measurements would opt for the less flashy but more transparent 1More.  

Granted, both the Sony and Apple have much better tech, marginally more solid build and more expansive stages—but I’m not sure the advantages are cost-effective. In any event, the Sonoflow sounded better to my ears than the comparatively flat-sounding, mid-focused (if more comfortable) >$300 Bose QC45 and the competent-but-uninvolving Beats Studio3, which don’t image as well and sound a tad muddy and overemphasized in the lower mids.

The 1More Sonoflow also perform on a completely different level that the party-hearty $50 SuperEQ S1, which has a surprisingly big stage and good imaging, but sound comparatively boomy at the low end and strident at the highs.

However much it’s evolving, Bluetooth still doesn’t sound as good as well-tuned wired sets, and you might reasonably question whether it’s  worth spending serious bucks on what’s basically a lifestyle appliance.  Purely from an audio standpoint, I’m not quite prepared to anoint the 1More Sonoflow as a giant killer—they miss just a little low-end punch and high-end sizzle, though they are more than credible for the genre.

As a value proposition, however, the 1More Sonoflow are unrivalled (you can get these for $79 with current promos) and especially consider the week-long playtime, it’s hard to keep your fingers off Amazon’s Buy Now button. 

Non-disclaimer: bought ‘em myself.

Specifications 1More Sonoflow

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Naenka Runner Caller

The post 1More Sonoflow Wireless ANC Headphones Review – Pretty Close To The Truth appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The 29 GBP CNC Copper Mass Loading Mod DIY Kit By Custom Cans allows for an easy Mod of the Sennheiser HD 600 series headphones that improves their notoriously limp bass response.

With an addendum by Biodegraded.

Introduction

The Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 650 have been standard staples with audiophiles since 1997 and 2004, respectively. I own a pair of the HD 600, the leaner sounding model of the two that is preferred by many over the thicker sounding HD 650.

The HD 600 has been popular because of its midrange delivering natural, organic, and intimate vocals – not to forget its well extended treble. But its bass is superseded by speedier and more articulate headphone models. A HD 600 series mod to improve the bass quantity was long overdue.

Custom Cans are a British company that specialize in headphone modifications.

Purpose of Mod

Straight forward: to improve bass response by adding detail and sub-bass quantity – and keep the quality of midrange and treble. Vary the low end level according to your personal preference by selecting from four different tuning foams.

Physicals

Two kits exist, the “regular” 29 GBP copper version for HD 580, HD 600, and HD 650, which is used here. A 35 GBP “nickel-plated” copper version is optimized for the HD 6XX issued by drop.com.

In the bag are the two copper weights, these stickies, and four pairs of different tuning foams. I did not have to use the stickies as the copper weights stuck firmly to the ear of the driver without.

The Modding Process

In order to apply the mod, you have to partially take the headphone apart. Disassembly and reassembly of the Sennheiser HD 600 series is easy as well documented in videos such as this one.

For disassembly, we remove…

1. cable from earcups
2. earcups from headphone
3. grille from earcup to expose rear of driver
4. black stock foams from rear driver

We then add…

1. copper weight to back of driver
2. tuning foam of choice into the hole of copper weight

..

Now we re-assemble the headphone by

1. clicking the grilled back on the driver
2. re-attaching the earcup to the headphone
3. plugging the cable back in

Too fast? Just watch this video:

Result

I settled for the bassiest “bored” foam (sample A in the image above). The sonic result of my efforts is a more detailed bass and a bit more sub-bass…and some interesting optics. Midrange and treble remain unaffected. Biodegraded measured the frequency responses of his HD 6XX with the different foam inserts, which yield different frequency responses below 1 kHz.

For the unlikely case, you don’t like the result and would like to reverse the mod you may have to develop some patience to get the black foams back into place. The rest is easy.

If you don’t dare to remove these black stock foams, Custom Cans recommend just plugging the copper weight on top of them. This yielded zero sonic difference to my ears (I A/B-ed by sticking and removing the weight on the fly while playing music).

Concluding Remarks

The CNC Copper Mass Loading DIY Kit By Custom Cans improves the low end response of the Sennheiser HD 600 series. If you know what you are doing, the mod is performed within 5 minutes. If you don’t know what you are doing, some easily comprehensible instructions videos will help.

If you are not a modder and lack self confidence, talent, and have two left hands, you are like me. Rest assured, you cannot screw this one up.

I like the result of this mod and will keep the kit on my HD 600s for good. Try it, too, if you are not 100% satisfied with the bass of your HD 650 or HD 600.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Addendum: Some Amateur Measurements and Musings

By Biodegraded

Intrigued by mentions on internet forums, I bought this kit to try with my 2017 (Ireland) HD6XX. Like Jürgen I noticed increased bass extension and mid-bass quality, and also a bit more smoothness in the texture of upper mids and highs.

As shown by the frequency-response measurements above, mid-bass level can differ by more than 5 dB depending on which foam plug is used (my home-made flat-plate coupler unfortunately rolls off below ~70 Hz so doesn’t show relative differences in the lower bass very well). 

I was curious what might be the reason for the perceived increased bass tautness and smoother mid/treble texture. To investigate distortion in the bass, I made measurements for different mod configurations with SPL for each being 96 dB @ 100 Hz (a convenient mid-bass reference) rather than leaving them independent as in the graph above.

Comparing distortion measurements (behind the spoiler below) it’s possible to see changes particularly in how the 3^rd harmonic behaves. Ignore the big spikes in the bass, they’re because of electrical noise nearby in my building: my measurement space is right on top of the main transformer, so there’s hum at 60 Hz and multiples which the measurement program assumes is distortion – meaning 60 Hz hum appears as a spike at 30 Hz in the 2^nd harmonic, at 20 Hz in the 3^rd harmonic, and so on.

This is easily visually removed, though – let your eye follow the curves’ baselines and note how with more/denser foam, H3 is higher in the bass & lower mids compared to the other harmonics.

Distortion Measurements

Stock configuration, for reference:

[L distortion stock pic]

Copper ring only, no foam:

[L distortion Cu B pic]

Bored foam:

[L distortion Cu 5 B pic]

‘3’ foam:

[L distortion Cu 3 B pic]

Yellow foam:

[L distortion Cu 2 B pic]

Blue (densest) foam:

[L distortion Cu 1 B pic]

[collapse]

Overlaying just the third harmonics from each measurement, you can see how they vary in the bass when SPL is similar there (same colour scheme as in the FR graph):

[L H3 overlays B pic]

Notice between about 40 & 200 Hz how the tan and green curves (stock and ‘3’ foam, respectively) are about the same but purple and blue (no foam, bored foam) are lower and orange (yellow foam) higher; and the red curve (blue, densest foam) is considerably higher from the bass up to about 400 Hz.

Also, when measured at the same SPL in mids & highs (for brevity not shown here), the stock H3 curve (tan) is up to ~5 dB higher than the rest above ~500 Hz. The curves represent the levels of the 3^rd harmonic at the excitation frequency, so would manifest at ~120~600 (mid-bass to lower mids) and >~1500 Hz (upper mids & higher), respectively. 

If these measurements reflect reality (have to admit they’re pretty noisy), they indicate that adding the copper ring slightly reduces 3rd harmonic distortion in the upper mids & treble and that more/denser foam plugs markedly increases it in the bass.

The curves are all below -45 dB down from the signal level (horizontal line at 0 dB), so whether a few dB of difference down there would be audible might be argued; but the ear is sensitive to distortion, and the measured differences might cause or correlate with some other effect to generate the perception of more textured, better quality bass (don’t know about the blue foam – as the FR shows, bass is kind of absent with that one) and smoother upper mids & treble.

Regardless, I enjoy the subjective effects. My favorite configurations are the bored foam and the ‘3’ foam, with ‘3’ seeming tonally the most balanced but bored seeming timbrally the most correct across the range (and sometimes I don’t mind a bit of extra bass). Like Jürgen, I’ll be leaving this mod installed.

The post Sennheiser HD 600 Series Mod – A Practical Evaluation Of The CNC Copper Mass Loading DIY Kit By Custom Cans appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $89 Naenka Runner Caller is clearly targeted at the many consumers who prioritize hands-free calling and don’t like to insert things in their ears.  The Runner Caller, which wraps around your head and sits the earphones on your cheekbones, is extremely lightweight and comfortable for extended sessions.

However, the tiny physical control buttons are awkwardly placed under the plastic frame, which makes them difficult to find and access. Charging is via a proprietary magnetic cable, which some reviewers dilslike but is presumably required for waterproofing. I got about 4 hours or so from the battery, which seems stingy for a product intended to be worn throughout a workday.

The Runner Caller worked fine for calls; incoming and outgoing voices had adequate volume and very good clarity in quiet indoor settings; for outside use wind noise was modest. As a music player, the Runner Caller is subject to the inherent limitations of bone conduction, which is to say it’s bereft of deep bass and has limited high end extension, although as with the LITE Pro, its mid-focused tonality is surprisingly organic and smooth, with a fairly spacious stage.

However (and this is a big however) the Runner Caller needs to be maxed out to be audible and even then lacks much impact or dynamic presence; the overall effect is like listening to (soothing)  elevator music played at low volume.

Even considering that phones such as the Naenka are intended to provide the user with maximum awareness of its surroundings, they simply don’t play loud enough. Frankly, Naenka would have been better served to put more horsepower under the hood and allow the consumer to decide how much of the outside world to tune out.

Given the above reservations and my music-first sensibility, I don’t see the Runner Caller in my future. However Naenka clearly knows good sound, and I’d definitely see them as a brand to follow. Here’s hoping they crank it up in the  future.

Disclaimer: Naenka sent these to me unsolicited and gratis for review purposes; you can buy them at www.naenka.com.

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Naenka Runner Caller

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INTRO

It’s always fun to step over my comfort level in terms of pricier gear since I enjoy the simpler things in life, but I can appreciate a quality built product such as the Apos Audio Caspian tested at $499. With the majority of my headphones made of plastic, only the Oppo PM-3’s finally had a play date with worthy company.

Reminiscent of the difference between an Audi and Volkswagen, or Acura vs Honda, the stylish design borrow inspiration perhaps from the luxury automobile inter trim. Solidly built, a little extravagant with the accessories, and just raw muscle in the bottom end is like driving a muscle car through a parade of luxury SUV’s and laughing all the way. Who knew an open back could get a little night-clubby.

GOOD TRAITS

• Solid Build
• Luxurious pads
• Bottom end bass extension

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• A little too bassy
• Bass control

THE PACKAGE

Loomis obviously has a superbly written review of the Apos Audio Caspian already, so no point in bringing my Toyota Camry tastes and watering the whole thing down. The build is super solid, not a squeak, flip or flop to complain about. The swivels feel oiled with plenty of resistance so you know they cannot be rushed to do anything.

The styling has some quirks, but it’s all personal taste whether you like super shiny wood that looks like plastic, or a jump rope for a cable that deserves to be plugged into something heavier than my annoying lightweight JDS Labs Atom, there is plenty here to feel you are getting your moneys worth in product.

The premium leather carrying case reminded me of a binocular case, and seemed rather tight for squeezing the headphones into.

SOUND

Tested with my Liquid Spark DAC / JDS Labs Atom

These Apos Audio Caspian’s are not your grandpa’s open back. They will pummel you with their low end that is normally not found on open backs that strive for a more neutral but lacking the subwoofer tendencies the younger generation such as myself like to feel. A little tub-thumping, the bass is meaty and deep although plays as if set in a reverberated room for jazzy music. I thought the Philips Fidelio X2HR were considered bassy for open backs, but these take it to a new level and made sure to include the bottom octaves as well in the party.

The mids do a great job of staying present and not getting lost in the bombastic low end. Everything sounds very full compared to Sennheiser HD6XX and my Philips Fidelio X2HR. I do think as a result of the elevated bass, that some singers get crowded a bit with the instruments.

The treble on a Apos Audio Caspian come in to present a velvety texture, compared to the more energetic Philips Fidelio X2HR, and also sound a bit smoother than the brighter nature of the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX. Occasionally I do catch some grittiness, but overall they are pleasurable. This allows them to work well with unforgiving recordings as some details are smoothed over.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

After several hours of late night listening of the Apos Audio Caspian, they tend to wear me down with the heavier bass output, and I consider myself a bass lover. The vibe I get from them is of hunkering down in a leather arm chair nestled by a fire in a cold winter night with the lights dimmed for an album or two.

The build quality is fantastic for what is considered a mid-level premium open-back headphone so those who find neutral or analytical headphones a bit too boring should consider these.

SPECIFICATIONS Apos Audio Caspian Headphone

• Driver: Graphene-coated multilayered composite
• Driver unit: 50mm
• Frequency response: 5-45,000Hz
• Sensitivity: 115dB
• Impedance: 33Ω
• Maximum input power: 500mW
• Ear cup outer material: Natural sheepskin leather
• Ear cup inner material: Acoustic memory foam
• Thickness of pads: 1” (27mm)
• External dimensions of pads: 4.5” x 3.4” (115mm x 88mm)
• Height and width of ear pad opening: 3” x 1.7” (77mm x 45mm)
• Grille material: aluminum alloy
• Headband materials: stainless steel, natural leather outer lining, bio-leather inner lining, polyurethane foam insert
• Yoke material: stainless steel
• Weight: 13.3oz (378g)

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DISCLAIMER

These were on loan from Loomis Johnson. Get it from Apos Audio.

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About my measurements.

The post Apos Audio Caspian Review (2) – Big Muscle, Heavy Lifter appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $5.49 Koss KPH7 is a warm-neutral, articulate playing headphone that works well for podcasts but delivers unparalleled sonic cruelty with music owing to lack of low end and poor sensitivity.

Pros — Decent spatial reconstruction and clarity; good timbre; cheap solution for listening to podcasts; lifetime warranty.

Cons — Hard to drive with a phone (very low sensitivity); no bass or sub-bass; no slam; sounds tinny with some tracks; bulky plug in the way of many phone cases.

Introduction

Koss is a reputable American company with over 60 years of experience that advertise with the slogan: “Hearing is Believing”. Founder John Koss invented the stereo headphone back in 1958. Over the years, Koss have introduced a few perennial favourites such as the 1984 Porta Pro or the 2004 KSC75, which are not only still in production, but they are also still very popular even with demanding audio enthusiasts.

Let’s not forget the 2017 KPH30i, which are sonically a tad behind the Portas/KSC75, but ergonomically ahead of them. We have evaluated these models in the context of the Yaxi earpads. For completeness, Koss also introduced a number of stinkers such as the “Plug”, which plugged my ear canals with undifferentiated noise.

The KPH7 were introduced in 2013, but it is not listed anywhere in Koss’s history. They are small on-ear headphones aiming for the super-budget crowd. Looking similar to the proven Porta Pros and KPH30i, the question is whether they are similarly good performers.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

In the box is…hold it…the KPH7 don’t come in a box but in one of these weird see-through thingies you have to cut it out of while ruining your scissors…urghhh…these eco pigs are called “blisters”. And, what you get when the removal operation was successful is…the KPH7 without anything else. What do you expect for $5.49 USD?

Build quality is good. The KPH7 sit on ear, which means they leak music to bystanders. The headband is small and tight and the clamp pressure may not provide the biggest comfort for big heads. Cable and plug are somewhat generic but sturdy. The bulky plug may be in the way of many phone cases.

Tonality and Technicalities

The KPH7’s signature is warm-neutral with the opposite of a bass boost. What? Yes, there is virtually no bass or sub-bass….confirming the frequency range given in the specs: the doors are shut below 80 Hz. To add insult to injury, the very low sensitivity of 91 dB makes these very hard to use with a normal phone. Additional amplification would be beneficial.

What’s left of the bass is quite tight, but any drum kit sounds as if somebody tortured the bottoms of plastic buckets with sticks. There is no rumble at all and no slam or impact either. Nobody at home down there.

This lack of support leaves vocals freestanding, marginally warm, always lean, sometimes tinny, but also provides a lot of space for them: spatial reconstruction is not bad at all. Whilst note weight is not great, note definition is also decent: piano keys, for example, are naturally reproduced. Timbre is as good as in the Porta Pros/KSC75.

Treble, yes, cymbals can be found…somewhere…thin, hesitant, like needles and they sound rather robotic.

Another issue derived from the “basslessness” is the aforementioned lack of kick…the KPH7 are not dynamic at all. Stage is a complete mess as musicians are all over the place. And so is resolution.

To bring this into context, when listening to Paolo Conte’s song “Canneloni”, a lively and bassy piece with a deep voice, the tomato sauce was entirely missing from the meal. Both bassline and voice sounded anemic. A rather bland, dry lunch.

Concluding Remarks

The Koss KPH7 are in now way competition to the KSC75 or Porta Pros. Although they offer decent spatial reconstruction, they lack bass and spice. But a real miss is their very poor sensitivity that makes them hard to drive with a phone. Why would one get extra amplification for a $5.49 headphone?

In summary, the KPH7, if used for music, are more for chilling than anything. They are probably best suited for podcasts and other spoken word performances. As in most cases, you get what you pay for.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

Co-blogger Biodegraded bought these for me. Thank you very much.

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About my measurements.

The post Koss KPH7 Review – Kinder Surprise appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

OneOdio has sent me several of their products and I thought I was finished after the trilogy of the Wireless C, Pro 10 and Monitor 60, but then they asked if I was interested in their latest open back OneOdio Monitor 80. Of course I wondered what could OneOdio do with open back designs since none of their previous offerings were of this variety, the answer is something with delicate silkiness intimate and non-fatiguing.

GOOD TRAITS

• Non-Fatiguing sound signature
• Good height reproduction
• Lower volume listening preferred due to the boosted warm bass presentation

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Stinky chemical smell with the hard zipper case
• Detail retrieval

PHYSIQUE

The OneOdio Monitor 80 over ear open back is clearly destined for home/stationary use with the 250 ohm impedance and large stature although they provide a fold-able design and hard carrying case. It comes with two long adapter free cables, one coiled and one straight. The adapter free design is something carried through on almost all their models where one end is 3.5mm and the other a 6.35mm or ¼ single ended plug that can be switched around to be plugged into one side of the headphones and the equipment it is connected to.

The headband on the OneOdio Monitor 80 is that same larger one used on the Monitor 60, but with one minor but important change, a 45 degree offset swivel that is also travel limited. This simple change reduces the chance of the ear cups flopping down. A straight earcup swivel is beneficial for DJ one cup usage but annoying any other time. There was a little squeakiness in one of the swivels, but that is fairly standard for plastic on plastic designs.

Fuzzy heavy grain plush covers the earpads, not as fine of a texture found on the Philips Fidelio X2HR or the Sennheiser HD6XX for example. The padding has plenty of give I rate it as medium firmness again in comparison to the above two models. The earcups are also denser than past OneOdio models and gives off a lower noise when tapped on. I rate the density of earcup plastic on the same level of the Philips SHP9500 and tick below the X2HR.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

• Hard Zipper EVA Carrying Case
• Coiled 3.5mm to 6.25mm 1.5-3.5m long cable
• Straight 3.5mm to 3.5mm 3M long cable
• Headphones with Adjustable band, velour earpads and swivel articulated earcups

SOUND

I forget what a pleasure open back headphones deliver in positional staging since I spend more time using IEMs. The OneOdio Monitor 80 present nice width and height, with no crowding. Depth is defined nicely too. Macro details are excellent, it does fall a little short on micro details. It’s not as noticeable unless directly comparing say the Philips X2HR (Orig $300 now $150) or Sennheiser HD6XX ($200).

The Philips SHP9500 ($80) is a closer comparison, but still has improved layering and depth than the Monitor 80. The piano percussion is easier picked up on the Philips SHP9500. Sometimes after a long day, the softer appeal of the OneOdio Monitor 80 is appreciated.

Bass is punchy and warm, a little more peaky than the Philips X2HR with slightly less lower midrange and some low end extension roll off that is normal for open backs. The Philips X2HR edges out the OneOdio Monitor 80 on Bass and Cello in terms of fullness. While the Philips X2 and Philips SHP9500 is considered quite bassy for open backs, the Monitor 80 brings it up a notch.

Female vocals sound a little shrill and recessed compared to the Philips X2, but perhaps it is not fair comparing an originally priced $300 headphone to a $100. Comparing to the Philips SHP9500S is a closer comparison for vocal presentation.

Treble is nice and sparkly albeit smoothed and soft. Just enough of the edge taken off but still very realistic sounding. Listening late at night on low volume was relaxing given the treble still shines while having that extra bass toned down and not lost. At louder volumes, I felt it struggled a bit but it is also highly possible my JDS Labs Atom just didn’t have enough gusto to really amp it up.

OUTRO

The OneOdio Monitor 80 is a great starting point for a budget open back, for warm bass and sparkly highs with above average technical details. My favorite budget pick is still the Philips SHP9500S and if you are willing to stretch your budget, the Philips X2HR is usually around $150 on Amazon. If you don’t already own a headphone amp, the Monitor 80 is going to require you to open your wallet for that accessory as it is a necessity with the 250ohm impedance.

OneOdio is clearly looking to take a piece of the pie for critical home listeners. There is not a whole lot of options between $100 to $150 in open backs, with the exception of the Sennhesier HD59x series or Beyerdynamic DT770 which is known for being analytical and sometimes fatiguing. Hifiman also offers soem planar options near this price range.

The Oneodio Monitor 80 is a rarity in that sense and a good night-time listen when I prefer listening at lower levels. It does not dethrone either of older model Philips but instead adds a nice option if looking for a lighter softer presentation with warmer bass. It is in good company.

SPECIFICATIONS

• 40mm driver
• 100db+/-3db Sensitivity
• 250 ohm Impedance
• 10Hz-40Khz Frequency Respone
• < 1% Distortion
• 1600mW Max Input Power

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