audiosplitz: On-Ears

2015 Holiday Gift Guide - Portable Audio

December 20, 2015

As Christmas beckons and 2015 comes to an end, let's take a look at some great portable audio gear you can gift for your loved ones. Not sure what to get? Fret not! We break down a few choices for each persona.

Merry X'mas folks!

Fashionistas
1. Beats Solo 2 Wireless (SGD 490)
This model is a head turner with the variants like the Active Collection (for sports lovers), and Luxe Editions (for a more premium look) being recently released.

2. Sennheiser MOMENTUM On Ear (M2) (SGD 319)
The MOMENTUM series is helluva looker and why change a proven formula? And they haven't, given its design has been around since 2013.

3. Master & Dynamic MH30 (SGD 549)
This New York company is certainly going places with its premium design. Want something novel? It ain't seen very much in Singapore (yet).

No Cables Please (Wireless)
1. Bose SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth (SGD 379)
The OE SoundLink is one of the best in the wireless on-ears category for sound delivery. The price is very decent too.

2. Sennheiser URBANITE XL Wireless (SGD 419)
They are great headphones for street wear and high quality sound over Bluetooth makes for good icing on the cake.

3. Sony MDR-1ABT (SGD 499)
A good choice for a multitude of reasons - It's comfortable, it supports aptX and LDAC codecs and it's a Sony.

Sports Lovers
1. Jaybird X2 Wireless (SGD 259)
These rank right up there for sports earbuds. They are highly customizable and the Comply foam tips offer great noise isolation and fit.

2. LG Tone Active (SGD 189)
The space-age looking TONE series has been a killer product for LG. What better way to improve it than to make a sports variant?

3. Jabra Sport Coach (SGD 248)
It's pretty hard to find an effective product that gives an integrated software and hardware fitness solution.

Users On-The-Go (Noise Canceling)
1. Bose QuietComfort 25 (SGD 529)
The QC25 blocks off sound to the extent that you feel you're in a world of your own.

2. Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H8 (SGD 699)
This is a premium looking pair to be seen with. Oh, and it's great to use on an airplane where the engine hum is just taken away.

3. Sony h.ear in NC (MDR-EX750NA)
This really light pair of in-ears works wonders on the train. Once you flick the switch on, the train grinding sounds are magically reduced.

Audiophiles
1. Klipsch Reference X20i (SGD 999)
These are certainly pricey but the sound delivery will certainly appeal to purists.

2. Grado SR60e
The SR60e is their entry level headphones and despite that, the quality of the music is simply amazing for its price.

Apple

iPhone 7 - Impact of Ditching the Audio Port

December 14, 2015

The iPhone 7, the next version of Apple's overwhelmingly popular phone, to be unveiled in 2016 is rumored to have a design overhaul. The big news from the audio perspective is the universal 3.5mm audio port may actually be removed (gasp!) to accomodate the thinner industrial design.

Philips Fidelio NC1L

This should shake the living daylights of the major headphone manufacturers out there. Granted that many have migrated to sell wireless Bluetooth units but quite a few have clearly not done so. Let's take a look at the impact.

What are the Implications?

1. Increase in Wireless Headphones

A no brainer. Many audio manufacturers have wired and wireless offerings. If the removal of the audio jack comes to fruition, those that don't already have wireless earphones will have to ramp up their efforts to get a Bluetooth offering before the iPhone 7 launch. There are actually quite a few folks such as RHA and Grado that may need to put in some R&D effort straight away.

2. What About the Top Brands?

Among the top brands by revenue in 2014 according to The NPDGroup, most of them have wireless offerings in the over-ears, on-ears and sports categories. While Bose and Sennheiser have wireless over-ears and on-ears offerings, both these brands are conspicuously absent in the sports wireless segment. You can expect these big players to upgrade their sports arsenal of products very soon.

3. Rise of Lightning Earphones?

While you may scoff at the idea of earphones with a Lightning jack, let's take a step back to reflect. If you remember, in 1998, on Steve Jobs' second coming, he removed the floppy drive from the iMac. Many baulked at this insane move but as you know, the rest is history. In 2009, the major handphone manufacturers were persuaded by the European Union to move to the near universal micro-USB standard for charging. Only Apple chose to use something else - their Lightning connector.

Only a company like Apple would have the balls to do something different from the other manufacturers out there. As such, Lightning earphones may very well take off. Philips and JBL have already launched such products for close to a year with benefits such as a direct digital connection and a lighter profile for noise-canceling (no battery needed) as power is drawn from the iPhone. Just last week, Audeze released the EL-8 Titanium headphones (USD 799.95) with (*drum roll*) a Lightning connector. Expect quite a few more to follow.

Headphones

Sennheiser MOMENTUM On Ear (M2) - Sublime Audio Quality

November 25, 2015

Sennheiser launched the original MOMENTUM headphones in 2012 and three years on, this sub-brand is still going strong. Following the success of the first version released in July 2013, the MOMENTUM On Ear 2nd generation, nicknamed the M2 OE, was launched earlier at CES 2015. Let's have a look at how this unit fares.

Design
And as usual, first things first - the unboxing. Just slide out the black box within, lift the flap and there lies a black carrying case that contain the headphones.

The packaging contents include:
- Headphones
- Audio cable (3.5mm to 2.5mm with in-line remote)
- Carrying case
- Soft pouch
- Quick start and safety guides

There are 6 color variants available namely Ivory, Black, Blue, Red, Pink and Green and 2 device variants - iOS and (Samsung) Galaxy. We received the M2 OEG (short for MOMENTUM 2.0 On Ear - Galaxy) Ivory version for our testing.

Design-wise, it's a looker. It's no wonder why the MOMENTUM series is still evolving using the base look even after 3 years in the market. For the heft, it clocks 190g, sitting between the 153g Bose OE SoundLink and the 260g Master & Dynamic MH30. The materials used feel premium - stainless steel is used for the collapsible sliders while the headband / ear cup covers are made of a soft suede-like material called Alcantara. Through a ball joint, the ear cups can be angled to your ears in a more ergonomic manner.

While the carrying case seems to have shed some weight from its predecessor, this could actually have been made even more compact as there was ample space within after the headphones were folded. Interestingly, there's an additional fabric soft pouch thus giving you two storage options.

Features
The 1.4m audio cable connects firmly to the right ear cup through a plug-and-twist mechanism via a 2.5mm jack.

The in-line remote is Samsung Galaxy friendly but if you have an iPhone, the iOS-friendly version (M2 OEi) is available too. As per most remotes, the volume buttons flank a multi-function button that plays / takes calls with a single press or skips tracks with a double press. At the other end of the cable, you get an L-shaped 3.5mm jack that connects to your device.

The ear cups, which have two layers of foam within, are replaceable. We're currently checking on the cost and availability.

Performance
It's always a challenge for a headphone manufacturer to juggle sufficient clamping force vs comfort. These headphones are initially comfortable but after an hour of usage, the discomfort drawn by clamping force starts to creep in. They somehow do not hit the heights I experienced for the pillowy Bose OE SoundLink or the elliptical ear cups of the Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear.

The audio quality of the Sennheiser is simply sublime. Sarah Brightman and Fernando Lima's vocals on Ave Maria are at their inspiring best when paired with very good control and delivery in the bass. Sam Smith's enunciation of 'How do I live? How do I breathe' to the piano accompaniment on Writing's on the Wall is distinctly clear, something that its lesser peers could easily bungle by muddying treble and bass together. The MOMENTUM does not give a flat delivery but for commuters, this is the type of sound that gets across to your ears across all the train rumbling and bus engine revs.

Did I mention the clamping force? Well, this combined with sufficient ear padding provide a certain level of noise isolation that take away a few decibels from the surrounding ambient noise.

Overall
There's no question that the Sennheiser MOMENTUM On Ear (M2) (SGD 319) is a very competent performer in audio delivery. Apart from the clamping force, its other positives such as the sturdy build, materials used and two year warranty make these headphones a good choice for people on the move.

Audio Sources
Writing's On The Wall (Spectre OST) - Sam Smith (Tidal 1411kbps FLAC) on Samsung Galaxy S4
Ave Maria (Duet with Fernando Lima) - Sarah Brightman (952kbps FLAC) on Sony NW-ZX100 Walkman

Credit to Sennheiser and Ketchum for an evaluation unit.

Headphones

Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear - Bang for the Buck

November 12, 2015

Klipsch, the Indianapolis-based company, are a well established audio manufacturer in the in-ear earphones category. Wired on-ear headphones are another matter altogether with a lesser but growing emphasis. Earlier in 2015, we saw the introduction of the Reference On-Ear.

In late September 2015, Klipsch launched the Reference R6i On-Ear (SGD 199), a wired unit targeted at iOS users that builds on the momentum of its predecessor.

Design
Let's look at the unboxing process.

To get the box open, we cut the transparent seals and lift up the flap at the bottom. Sliding out the cardboard interior reveals the headphones proper and that's basically it.

The very straightforward no-frills packaging contents include:
- Headphones
- Carrying pouch
- Quick start guide

On taking out the Reference R6i On-Ear headphones, we can say that they are featherweight. It clocks in at 160g and is way lighter than other wired on-ears like the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 2.0 On-Ear (190g) we are currently testing and the Master & Dynamic MH30 (260g).

To be absolutely frank, I was a little skeptical before taking out these headphones to test as the 'Reference' label is something that audiophiles take quite seriously. The new Reference R6i On-Ear is debatably as good as its predecessor given its price - more style, more comfort and is actually more affordable. As for sound, more on this below.

While the material used is less premium than its predecessor, Klipsch made good use of what was available. The outer ear cups are made of aluminum-like material and the headband is made of a rubberized matte finish.

To store the unit, just swivel the ear cups 90 degrees to compact the headphones before stashing it inside the carrying pouch.

Features
The audio cables hang on both the left and right ear cups and link up at the Y-connector where the in-line remote resides. We're not sure why they chose non-removable cables and why there are two points of cabled contact with the ear cups where usually one is more convenient as it reduces cable tangle. When you move your head around, you may hear the some plastic rustling, which is actually the rather loose cable point of contact with the ear cups.

At the other end of the audio cable, the vertical 3.5mm jack will connect to your audio device. However, the connection feels rather loose and may disconnect intermittently, a rather big niggling point if you are on the move very often.

The in-line remote contains the usual 3 buttons for playback - two for volume adjustment and the center for multi-function purposes. Oh, and they are configured for iOS users (sorry Android folks).

The ear cups are replaceable. However, they are not for sale but if they are defective, they can be exchanged if the unit is still under warranty.

Update (22 Nov 2015)
Tat Chuan Acoustic informed that the ear cups are actually available at SGD 40 for a pair.

Performance
This is probably one of the most comfortable on-ear headphones I've tested. The elliptical shape of the cups provides a decent breathing space for your ears and comes very close to being a full over-ears design. It also helps that the underlying material is made of memory foam.

On to audio quality. John Murphy's signature In the House-In A Heartbeat was delightfully ominous with the bass buildup. On the other hand, Tove Lo's vocals in her angsty Moments were somewhat squeezed out by the power of the underlying bass.

The 'Reference' label may not be so appropriate for this unit as it implies a very neutral sound that neither overemphasizes the treble or the bass. I felt this was a very bass-tuned pair of headphones. The clarity was not at the crystal level of its predecessor, the Reference On-Ear, but the bass delivered a greater depth and punch, providing a pretty satisfying aural experience.

The noise isolation was tested during a bus commute and the result was unexpectedly poor as ambient sounds could easily heard through the music playback.

Overall
The Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear is a very good pair of headphones at its price point. Looking beyond the potentially loose point of contact with your source device, all its plus points like the comfort level, light weight, bass level and one year warranty (with one-to-one exchange) make this a very enticing proposition for folks on the move.

Audio Sources
In The House-In A Heartbeat (28 Days Later OST) - John Murphy (Spotify 320kbps MP3) on iPad Air
Moments - Tove Lo (Tidal 1411kbps FLAC) on Samsung Galaxy S4

Credit to Tat Chuan Acoustic for a review unit.