My Soundmagic PL-30 fell apart after slightly less than a year of use. With the really bassy EB50 (along with the lovely PortaPros) holding out as a substitute for a while, I had to source for a new earphone to replace the dead PL-30. Being budget conscious (and with my mum stopping me from spending too much), I capped my budget at slightly over 100SGD (approx 80USD).
In order to decide on the final purchase, I listened to the following:
-Etymotic Research MC5
-Soundmagic PL-50
-Dunu Ares
-Dunu Trident
-Dunu Crius
-Dunu Hephaes
Etymotic Research MC5, is in my opinion, quite well built. It looks good, though the shells may be a bit too long for over the ear insertion. Isolation is truly phenomenal, almost to the point of being eerie. However, sound signature leaves me wanting more. It does sound a bit too "dry" and "boring" to me. Yes, it is technically proficient at the price range, but it is not engaging at all. Good for analytical lovers and people who like their sounds true to source, but not for me.
Soundmagic PL-50 is not as well built. In forums there are cases of shells splitting apart due to the weak glue. However, while I believe the issues are solved now, the build quality doesn't really inspire confidence. Fit is excellent, and isolation is decent as the stems are actually long enough to reach into the ear. When I listened to this, the first thing that attracts me is the midrange. It seems to shout "I am the most important" as it takes the center stage of the presentation. The midrange is so smooth, so rich and creamy and it is lovely. However, it lacks the slight mid bass I was looking for. If I did not buy the Ares, I would probably buy this and put this on bass boost.
Dunu Ares is just solid, almost feeling indestructible unless in the most extreme of situations. Fit is good and isolation is about average. It is warm, with slightly forward mids. I have purchased this so I would elaborate on it in the review.
Dunu Crius is also equally solid (as all Dunu IEMs are), fit is slightly worse due to the shorter shells. It can be said that the Crius and Ares are born from the same mother, with slightly different characteristics. While the Ares is slightly warmer and lush, the Crius is slightly colder and more analytical. However, it isn't analytical to the point of being an Audio Technica CK10 or Fischer DBA-02. It is still mid-forward, with a slight emphasis on the treble, making it seem ever so slightly clearer in comparison to Ares. However, I picked the Ares over the Crius as I prefer a slightly warmer low end than the Crius can offer.
Dunu Trident is also solid, with trumpet looking shells. Fit is decent, though the shell might feel weird to some. Its sound can be considered consumer centric. Bass is impactful yet not a true bass monster. Mids are warm, pretty thick but not as clear as the Crius or the Ares. Very good value, with great sound, excellent build quality and wonderful packaging with plenty of accessories to go along. However, I did not buy this because it is a bit bottom heavy for me and the mids pales in comparison to the more expensive Crius and Ares.
Dunu Hephaes is like an upgraded version of Trident in terms of sound. Solidly built and with a relatively good fit like the Ares, it is expected to be a lot better than both the Ares and Crius given the price. Bass is impactful and slightly tighter than on the Trident. Clarity is slightly better than the trident but not as good as the competition, and also perhaps even the BA based Ares and Crius. The bang for back ratio is not as good as it hopes to be in the end.
After listening to these, I decided to purchase the Dunu Ares, which I did not regret buying. More will be discussed in the review.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
[Review] Altec Lansing UHP336 (a.k.a. Ultimate Ears Superfi 3)
Comfort is not very good, due to the design of the earphones. It is meant to be worn over the ear, but for some reason Ultimate Ears chose to design it such that the shells stick forward. It makes it difficult for some to get a good fit, though I can get a good fit with mine on bi-flanges.
Build quality seems decent at first, though mine (and a few others) broke soon after use. I believe it is probably due to the age of the earphones. When I first took it out, the earphone surface is too sticky (due to the rubbery plastic "melting" with time and I used tape to remove the sticky feeling on the surface. Plastic used is actually thick and durable though. One added thing I like about this is the removable cables, which can be changed when the cable is damaged, though in my unit, the connector to the driver end up being damaged instead, which might be due to the loosened plastic. And the units that my friends bought broke the same way as well.
Isolation is good with right-fitting tips, and should be fine for most cases.
With little time spent on this earphone, all I have was an impression of the sound. However, my observation of the sound seems to be similar with famous Head-Fi reviewer ljokerl. Bass would probably be the weak point for BA-based IEMs of the time period, rolling off and without particular impact nor detail, but at 39USD, I think it is very good.
Mids are probably the best part of this IEM. Slightly forward and smooth, it carries more detail than the PL-30. Balance is very good as well, keeping in line with the bass and treble.
Treble is laid back, rolling off at the top. Unlike some people saying that it is harsh and sibilant, I feel it is very smooth and forgiving, with very little sparkle. Being not sibilant and not harsh as well, I think it works well for long listening sessions, if you can stand the fit.
As a balanced armature IEM, its spaciousness is not as good as the PL-30, but imaging and separation is good at the price.
Some people say it hisses badly with poor sources but so far I have not encountered any of these problems, probably due to the short time I have with it.
Being EOL now, I doubt you can find these first hand easily now. However, if found under 60USD or less, it makes for a pretty good package, and with replaceable cables, one would not have to worry about cable damage again.
Friday, December 7, 2012
[Review] Soundmagic PL-30
Packaging is pretty good given the price. Paying 37 SGD (promotional price) for it, I think it is not bad, much better than the blister packagings used in cheap in-ears and earbuds.
Accessories is really amazing at the price, in fact it beats a lot of IEMs many times the price in terms of accessories. It comes with 3 pairs of silicone tips (one mounted on the PL-30 itself), 3 pairs of foam tips, a pair of bi-flanges (which I liked using), a shirt clip, a pair of over-the-ear guides, and a hard case. Amazing value, for a 37SGD IEM.
It looks very discreet, and very unassuming, since the material used is matte rubberized plastic, which I think it will get sticky with time. Some of you might think the design seems strange, but it is so because it is an over the ear design, and this design allows it to say comfortable in the ear for long periods.
With this kind of unconventional design at budget level, is it comfortable? Well yes, in fact I slept with it in my ears often, and it doesn't hurt at all. The over the ears design spreads the weight over the ear, allowing for extended periods of listening.
Build quality is about average for the PL-30. While the rubberized body feels good, it might get sticky with time. Strain reliefs are good, and it ends with an L-plug at the end. The biggest issue to me is the bass knobs (the main gimmick of this earphone), which seem to be a little loose and might get worse with time if one fiddles with it a lot.
Isolation is below average due to the shallow fit. I prefer the bi-flanges since it gives me the best fit on this shallow-fitting IEM. Yes, I believe it works well on public transport, but not exactly on long flights where sometimes engine noise becomes unbearable. If you are looking for something more isolating I suggest you look elsewhere.
With regards to the sound, this is the earphone that truly allowed me to find out my desired sound signature. Bass is pretty tight at that price point. It is also accurate as well, but not much impact, unlike my sister's PL-11. Bassheads stay away, this IEM will definitely not satisfy your bass cravings. Turning the bass knob has little effect on the bass, only increasing the impact slightly, giving it a warmer signature.
The mids are forward and smooth, being quite balanced with a bit of warmth when the bass knob is turned. It isn't as forward or dominant as say the PL-50, but definitely not recessed as compared to the PL-11. In fact, the mids are what I like about this IEM, and is what defines my desired sound signature.
Treble is laid back, with little sparkle. It is not harsh nor sibilant, allowing me to listen to music for extended periods.
Soundstage is said to be amazing at the price, being large and airy at that price. Being large, positioning is fairly accurate and seperation is good at the price.
Yes, I like this IEM, and I believe it is a good choice for people on a tight budget., but with the E30 introduced and the PL-30 being retired, I believe more people will favor the more pleasant E30 over the PL-30.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
[Review] Koss PortaPro
Retailing at 79.90SGD (66USD at the time of this writing), it is a pretty affordable portable headphone. Being my first "truly serious" equipment back in 2010, I was expecting quite a lot from it, and frankly I was not disappointed.
Packaging is the typical oh-so-irritating bubble packaging, proudly displaying the venerable Koss PortaPro. Well while it looks good, it is difficult to get the headphones out.
Inside the packaging are some accessories that come with this earphone. A nice faux leather pouch is there for you to store these nice little cans. Also included is the 3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter to plug into a stereo system that supports this. It is a nice little addition, though the iPod crowd might find little use for it.
The looks can be polarizing to many people. On one hand people will love it for its retro styling. On the other hand, some people will think it looks weird and out of place in the 21st century society. In my opinion, these cans do look great, and I love the retro design that has remained unchanged over the last 28 years.
Build quality is pretty good for a 25 year old product. While it might seem to be flimsy to some people, sets that last over 10-20 years shows that it can stand the test of time. The plastic, while feeling cheap does feel solid at the same time. Metal bands are quite durable as well. The cables look pretty thin but it does feel they can last.
Being built for comfort, yes it is really comfortable. Earcups are on a ball joint and free to swivel to fit the shape of your ear. The headband is adjustable can be lengthened or shortened to the user's preferences. What is most unique about the PortaPro is its Comfort Zone system, where the user can set 3 levels of pressure on the temple to reduce the pressure on the ear. The result is a light, comfortable portable can. It is so comfortable that I sometimes forget that they were even there (it happened twice to me). The only small gripe about the PortaPro is the headband, sometimes hairs can get stuck, making the time when taking out the earphones potentially unenjoyable.
There is no isolation on these headphones. Yes, none. These are designed as open cans, where the noise is not isolated at all. While the result of this is a great soundstage, which will be elaborated on later, it does not isolate the noise of the surroundings, so in public transport you can hear the outside noise. It does not isolate the music from the outside world either, so people can hear your music in quiet places like the library.
Now moving on to the most important part of the headphone, the sound quality. And this does not disappoint. The bass is deep, rumbly and well-controlled for the price, though it might seem muddy compared to higher end headphones. The mids are warm and forward, and at the same time aggressive. They make music exciting and enjoyable to listen. The highs are rolled off at the top, which makes it less sibilant. This makes it less tiring to listen to music for hours. Soundstage is pretty good at is price, pretty large with decent positioning at the price.
All in all, they make great cans at its price. While competition is getting stiff with Sennheiser's younger PX100 and the successor, the PX100-II, making it no longer a no-brainer it once was, its musicality, comfort, and the lifelong warranty provided by Koss makes this a great choice for a portable headphone.
[Review] Monoprice 5" EZ Grip Stylus
Monoprice is a US based online retailer that produces their own products and sells them to the world. Not only do they produce audio and video cables, they also produce mechanical keyboards, iPod accessories, speakers, graphics tablets and even monitors. That is a lot for a company that is relatively new to the market.
The product being reviewed is the Silver Monoprice 5" EZ Grip Stylus (9730). Retailing for 4USD before shipping, it seems to be an interesting proposition for a nicely sized, durable looking touchscreen stylus. But is it?
Given that this is Monoprice, I would not expect one to be wowed by the packaging. Its packaging is almost non-existent, just a simple white ziplock bag, which reveals the stylus in question.
Design is pretty good for a 5 dollar product. To me it looks like an inverted Just-Mobile Alupen Pro. Build quality is really good, since there are no moving parts. The rubber tips feels secure and the body feels solid. For a 5 dollar stylus this is really good. Ergonomics wise, this feels pretty impressive as well. The stylus has a good weight to it and feels really nice in the hands.
Now a stylus should not only look good, it should work well as well. And it does, really good for a 5 dollar product. For one, it does not require a lot of pressure to perform tasks. Drawing is pretty accurate on the stylus as well. As an amateur artist, I feel the stylus allows me to draw much better.
However, I do feel there are some caveats to this stylus as well. While you can draw properly with the tip pointing straight downwards, it gets a little sensitive as it get sideways. However, if you go slower and put a bit more pressure the problem is mostly resolved but not completely.
In conclusion, this touchscreen stylus impresses me, especially given its price tag of 5USD before shipping. For an ergonomic, tough yet cheap stylus, this is the one to buy. It might not be the best stylus out there, but for its price, it is a really great deal.
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