audiosplitz

IT Show 2016 - Portable Music Roundup

March 12, 2016

One of the quarterly consumer tech shows is now in full swing at Suntec Convention Centre from 10 to 13 Mar 2016.

Wait no more!
Check out our roundup of portable audio gizmos at the IT Show 2016 that is going for steal.

Wireless Earphones

Earin
Price: SGD 329 (from SGD 349)
Features - Totally wireless (ie. no cables) / Trend setter / With charging capsule
Location - audiosplitz / Treoo (6571)

Jabra Rox Wireless
Price: SGD 128 (from SGD 168) with Free Magnetic Pouch
Features - Wireless / Dust and water proof
Location - Best (8245) / Harvey Norman (6138) / Nubox (309)

Wireless Headphones

Sennheiser URBANITE XL Wireless
Price: SGD 419 with Free Gift of either OCX 686 Sports or PMX 686 Sports wired earphones (each valued SGD 149)
Features - Over-ears comfort / Wireless or wired / Touch controls / NFC
Location - Sennheiser

Sony MDR-1ABT
Price: SGD 399 (from SGD 499)
Features: Over-ears comfort / Wireless or wired / Touch controls / NFC
Location: Treoo (6571)

Noise Canceling
Bose QuietComfort 20 (QC 20)
Price: SGD 399 (from SGD 499)
Features: Kick-ass noise canceling / Wired / Aware button for toggling ambient sound level
Location: Atlas Warehouse Sale (336)

Sports Earphones (Wired / Wireless)
Bose SoundSport In-Ear
Price: SGD 99 (from SGD 219)
Features: Wired / Great value / Comfortable StayHear tips
Location: Atlas Warehouse Sale (336)

Jaybird X2 Wireless
Price: SGD 229 (from SGD 259)
Features: Wireless / Excellent sound / Great fit / Comply Foam tips
Location: audiosplitz / Treoo (6571)

Sony NWZ-WS413
Price: SGD 149 with Free Casing
Features - Dust and Waterproof (you can swim with it!) / 4GB memory / No external music device needed
Location - Sony (8115)

Wired Earphones
Jays a-JAYS Five
Price: SGD 108 (from $138) for Android / iOS
Price: SGD 69 (from $138) for Windows
Features - Great value / Great bass / Dedicated in-line remote for device type
Location - Treoo (6571)

Wired Headphones
Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear
Price: SGD 175 (from SGD 199) for 1 pair purchase promo at 10% off
Price: SGD 169 (from SGD 199) for 2 pairs purchase promo at 15% off.
Features - Very lightweight / Great bass / iOS compatible remote
Location - Best (8245) / Challenger (8321) / epiCentre (8101) / Harvey Norman (6138) / Nubox (309)

Speakers
UE BOOM 2
Price: SGD 269 (from SGD 319)
Features - Wireless / 360 degree type / 15h battery life
Location - Best (8245) / EpiCentre (8101) / Nubox (309)

Headphones

Jays u-JAYS - First Look

March 08, 2016

Bang & Olufsen

Noise Canceling Immersion - The Verdict

March 02, 2016

Good March to one and all!

A few weeks back, we started the Noise Canceling Immersion Series where we took a look at 3 really awesome in-ears.

They were the Sony MDR-EX750NA, the Bose QuietComfort 20 and the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H3 ANC. For noise canceling earphones, these are no doubt 3 of the hottest models you can find in the market today.

The big question was how good were these and how do they match up with each other?

Packaging contents

	Sony	Bose	B&O
Earphones	Y	Y	Y
USB Charger	Y	Y	Y
Total Eartips	4 (SS / S / M / L)	3 (S / M / L)	5 (XS / S / M / L / Comply Foam T-200 M)
Carrying Pouch	Y	Y	Y
Flight Adapter	Y	N	Y
Clothing Clip	Y	Y	N
User Guide	Y	Y	Y

Sony MDR-EX750NA

Bose QuietComfort 20

Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H3 ANC

Feature Comparison

	Sony	Bose	B&O
Length	1.5m	1.32m	1.35m
Weight	27g (exc. cable)	44g	40g
Volume Controls	N	Y	Y
Controls Location	Y-connector	Y-connector	Left cord
ANC Power Button Location	Y-connector	Battery module	Battery module
Awareness Button	N	Y	N
Device Compatibility	iOS / Android (no vol controls)	iOS / Android	iOS
Battery Life	16h	16h	20h
Charging Time	2h	2.5h	2.5h

Sony h.ear in NC - Control module with ANC switch

Bose QC 20 - Control module with Aware button on the edge

B&O BeoPlay H3 ANC - Control module

We pitted them in the several tests and obtained some interesting results.

So now, let's announce what is the top choice in the following categories.

Best Value
> Sony MDR-EX750NA (h.ear in NC)
From USD 140 at Amazon

Putting things in perspective, the Sony h.ear in NC at SGD 199 was priced way lower than the B&O BeoPlay H3 ANC (SGD 349) and the Bose QC 20 (SGD 499). However, value is measured not just by the monetary value but by the overall experience you get vs the price. While the plasticky build material didn't inspire much confidence, the active noise canceling (ANC) of the Sony was just a notch below the QC 20 and sound quality was decent. Features-wise, the Bose's Aware button gave some brownie points.

As you can guess, the Sony MDR-EX750NA average overall performance paired with an agreeable price make this a winner in the value category.

Best Sound Quality
> Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H3 ANC
From USD 249 at Amazon

The Bose QC 20 boasts a resounding bass that gives some punch yet is let down by a somewhat muddied mid-range and is not so clear as expected. It appears that Bose emphasizes the bass over all else.

Sony on the other hand, attempts to juggle the audio pretty well. Bass is solid but vocal delivery ain't too clean.

Bang & Olufsen is no doubt the best of the 3, using the silicon buds. There's good balance where bass and treble have distinct separation though clarity comes across more than the lows. Should you need more bass on your travels, just swap to the Comply Foam tips.

Best Noise Canceling
> Bose QuietComfort 20 (QC 20)
From USD 249 at Amazon

All the 3 earbuds were put through a series of tests to check out the active noise canceling (ANC) ability.

	Sony	Bose	B&O
Tested in car with Stereolab's Parsec on the car audio. No music on the ear buds.	While the high frequencies still squeeze through, the bass from Parsec is reduced considerably. Slight hiss can be heard.	Muffled vocals are still able to come through. However, the constant bass from Parsec is not just reduced but is almost completely eliminated.	With Comply Foam tips - While ANC is effective, low frequencies can still be heard though the sound is the most natural sounding.
Tested at the back of a bus with a revving engine	Low frequencies are quite well filtered but rumbles can still be picked out by the ear.	Low frequencies of the bus accelerations are delightfully obscured.	Bus accelerations while blocked sufficiently, are still quite audible.
Tested at a bus stop with helluva lot of traffic coming and going	Traffic is blocked considerably but there's no denying that the Sony is relatively effective. Highs and the higher lows still reach the ear though.	Traffic sounds are surprisingly blocked out with exception of the higher frequencies like car honking .	Traffic sounds come through with relative ease. Had to toggle taking out the Comply tips and switching the ANC on/off to hear the difference

The winner for ANC was quite clear. Only one unit, in the form of the Bose QuietComfort 20, blocked low frequencies to such a degree that you'd actually worry about your safety when you cross the road. Quite astounding.

Conclusion

So, what does this tell us? Is there a perfect noise canceling earphone? It's not so simple to say. There are a multitude of factors in play. Some want purely noise canceling, others may need excellent sound, some may desire value, etc.

There are actually so many other considerations such as weight, microphonics and comfort (to name a few) which you can look at in the respective reviews below for further insight.

At the end of the day, it all depends what you need. All 3 choices were undoubtedly top in their respective categories. One thing's for certain - the experience we had with all 3 was freakin' awesome. We had an absolute whale of a time in the testing process.

If you have any thoughts on the review process, feel free to ping us. We'll duly oblige :)

Noise Canceling Immersion - A 3-Part Series
Part 1 - Sony h.ear in NC (MDR-EX750NA)
Part 2 - Bose QuietComfort 20 (QC 20)
Part 3 - Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H3 ANC
The Verdict

In-Ears

Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro - Full Review

February 24, 2016

Xiaomi has a reputation for delivering kick-ass earphones at jaw dropping prices. The Mi In-Ear Headphones (aka Pistons 2.0 / 2.1) was one such model which we'd easily recommend in a heartbeat. But...what we're looking at today is the newer Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro (aka Quantie) going for SGD 27.99 / INR 1,399.

Before going further, we've to mention that we had the pleasure of meeting Xiaomi PR Manager, John Chan, who was able to share on the background of Xiaomi earphones and the role of 1MORE Design, which has a huge influence in the development of the earphones. In Singapore, Xiaomi chose not to release the Piston 3.0, but instead, released the higher-end model known as the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro. This model is what we'll take a full look into.

Pros (+): Very agreeable price; Bass heavy sound.
Cons (-): Mid-range could be improved; No casing provided.

Design
Onto the unboxing.
The box comes clothed in a soft material with a seal edge at the back.

The box itself is pretty compact as you can compare with the earbud size.

Tearing open the strip at the back gives access to a nifty cardboard design where you flip two tabs - the first to get access to the box contents, the second to pull everything out in one fell swoop. Convenient for sure.

Once pulled, two tiny boxes pop out. The smaller one (left) contains 3 silicon ear tips...

...and the opening the top box gives you access to the earphones proper along with really tiny user guide (all in Chinese I might add).

Taking everything out, the packaging contents are incredibly basic. Strangely enough, a carrying pouch is omitted.
- Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro
- 4 x Silicon earbuds (XS / S / M (default) / L)
- User guide

Ok, now for the earbuds proper!
The tips now point inwards ie. towards the ears, a contrast to the straight tips of the Pistons 2.0. The buds are pretty light at 14g and slip in the ears snugly. The 'HD Audio' marking on the back of the buds provide a nice touch.

The 1.25m cable comes silicon cables above the Y-cord and a nice-to-the-touch braided wire below, punctuated with a straight 3.5mm jack a the end. Apparently, kevlar fiber cables are used to protect the wiring to enhance durability. Overall, the cable materials used pretty much worked for us.

Features
The in-line remote lies on the right side of the cord. There are the 3 buttons that work fine on my Android device (Galaxy S4) - one multi-function button flanked by volume controls. The microphone hole is also found at the back.
The MEMS microphone's purpose is to provide better voice quality and lesser noise interference. In a bus ride, I asked opinions of some folks on the other side of my calls and they claimed they could hear me just fine.

Performance
Knowing it is a hybrid unit boasting dynamic and balanced armature drivers sparked some curiousity on the audio. Theoretically, dynamic drivers serve to provide a deep bass while balance armature drivers promise a better clarity.

Gearing up with the M-size tips, we can say the audio quality did not disappoint. The sound is unexpectedly heavy, great for trance or R&B lovers. For the clarity of Sam Smith's vocals on Writing's On The Wall, the sparkle wasn't quite there, but it comes through satisfyingly. The mid-range left something to be desired, as it felt like the full soundrange was somewhat veiled. However, sound quality is subjective. Everyone has different preferences. Apparently, Grammy award winning tuner, Luca Bignardi's services were asked of in the acoustic tuning. At the very least, you know the type of audio delivery he likes :)

Noise isolation was fair but not overly impressive. While ambient sound on bus rides were blocked considerably, bus roars and high frequencies easily squeezed through.

Overall

The Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphone Pro is a very well priced pair of buds for the type of audio it provides. To put things in perspective, at this price, you'd likely be getting entry-grade earphones from other manufacturers. Xiaomi is giving you a well built pair of earphones at a budget price. Want a recommendation for earphones under SGD 50? Look no further.

Where To Buy
If you like what you have read, do feel free to support me by buying them from this Amazon affiliate link. They go for USD 19.

Credit to Xiaomi for an evaluation unit.

Bluetooth

UA Headphones Wireless Heart Rate, Engineered by JBL - First Look

February 13, 2016

CES 2016 saw the introduction of some really nifty new headphones. Harman and Under Armour jointly announced two connected health and fitness technology devices (read: wireless sports earphones).

They are:
A) UA Headphones Wireless - Engineered by JBL
B) UA Headphones Wireless Heart Rate - Engineered by JBL.

Let's look at the latter, their flagship model.

What's The Big Deal?

Let's break down the points:

1. Strategic Partnership
JBL partnered with Under Armour (UA) for these Bluetooth buds. UA is all about sports gear, but after buying mobile apps MyFitnessPal at USD 475m and Endomondo for USD 85m, they are now branching into sports earphones! Who'd have known?

2. Heart Rate Monitor
This is conveniently measured from the ear at the touch of a button. There's no need to pause your jogging to check your phone.

3. Top Standards for Premium Sports Performance
Boasting an IPX5 rating, this is supposedly capable of withstanding sweat and water. JBL claims their Twistlock technology guarantees the earphones won't fall out too easily.

4. Subscription
UA bought over MapMyFitness for USD 150m back in 2013. No surprise that the UA Headphones Wireless Heart Rate comes with a 12-month MapMyFitness subscription valued at USD 29.99. It's a great complementary service that allows members to share and analyze above 600 types of fitness activities.

5. Wireless / Battery Life
These Bluetooth earphones are wireless (read: no physical connection to source device). The UA is a clip-on that can last for 5h. For comparison, it's quite in line with the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless (6h) and the Jabra Sport Pace (5h).

Pricing
The UA Headphones Wireless Heart Rate will be going for a cool USD 250 (approx. SGD 351). Pricey it is but not unheard of - think of the Powerbeats2 Wireless (SGD 310).

Availability
They will be available by Spring 2016. We are checking with IMS Marketing, the Singapore distributor, when they will hit the shelves in SG.

Update (29 May 2016)
Check out our full review of the UA Headphones Wireless! They are now available for SGD 289 in selected retail outlets in SG. Alternatively, you can purchase them from Amazon via our Affiliate link at USD 129.