Just an an FYI - I have received a number of earphones from Brainwavz for evaluation but don't normally share them here but felt these are well worth considering if you are looking for a quality earphone.
The B150 are one of the more expensive earphones in the Brainwavz range but still seem like very good value for money when you consider exactly what you are getting. The earphones are accompanied by a rigid carry case, a cable clip, cable tidy, 2 pairs each of small, medium & large silicon tips, a pair of Comply foam tips and a user guide. This kind of package is fairly common with Brainwavz products but coupled with an armature earphone makes this seem quite the bargain.
The earphones themselves are of the in ear monitor (IEM) variety and designed to be worn with the audio cables over and down the back of the ears instead of hanging straight down. This has the benefit of offering more support to keep the earphones in place as well as cutting down on cable phonics. The housings are fashioned from plastic but do feel very solidly built. These are connected to your audio source of choice by a standard, round 1.3m cable which feels of good quality. Unfortunately, there is no inline remote or microphone which would have rounded out the package.
As these are driven by a balanced armature, they can sound a little different from what people expect from a dynamic driver but a lot of it comes down to preference. Sonically, as I have come to expect from Brainwavz, these sound very good indeed and seem to punch above their weight for the price paid.
They have a tight, well defined bass and highs that really do shine. The middle of the audio range is well represented and blend in nicely with the rest of the audio range. Depending on the track, vocals can really stand out but may not sound warm enough for some people's tastes. If you really want to listen and focus on the vocals though, these are a great earphone. Likewise, the top end can really sparkle without sounding overly bright as some people can find with armature earphones. For the record, these carry an official frequency range of 16hz - 22khz and a impedance of 30 ohms. This range suggests an impressive bass and while it is definitely there, it doesn't sound as heavy or pronounced as other earphones but definitely well delivered for a single armature design.
The better the quality of the track, the more smaller details pop out and these earphones can be quite revealing. If you stick to lower quality 128kb tracks then you may not find these a particularly enjoyable listen as they can be quite unforgiving but feed them with higher bitrate music and you will be rewarded. I wouldn't describe them as very warm sounding, more clinical but I still prefer the overall sound of these to the likes of the Etymotic HF2 which sounded almost too clinical at times. If you are familiar with those earphones, the B150 sound a little warmer to my ear and provided a more enjoyable listen.
After using the B150s for a few days, I can see them easily being a single pair of do it all earphones for pretty much all types of music provided the source is of good quality. The one real caveat though is for those who consider themselves a bass head; these earphones just will not work for you even though they really let you hear the texture of the bass. Likewise, if you like lazy, warm sounding vocals then you may find these not quite to your taste but if you want to be drawn into every word, I urge you to give these a try.
I have to say, these are very comfortable to wear and the selection of tips on offer contribute to this as well as help isolate you from outside sounds. These don't seem to isolate quite as well as the Etymotic's but choose the right tip an get a good seal and you will really get the best out of these earphones. Although these are not billed specifically as a sports earphone, they sit very securely in the ear, even before you place the shaped cable up over the ears for added security. I found these great for use in the gym as they stayed securely in place while I was active.
These are a step up in money over your average earphone but you are getting a lot with the B150. Brainwavz have put together a great package from the audio and build quality to the supplied case and selection of ear tips. I would love to see a pair of these with an inline remote or even removable cables but even more so, I would love to see what Brainwavz could deliver with a dual or triple armature design. As far as a single balanced armature design does, these do sound great for the more critical listener who still wants the full audio spectrum well represented.
More details can be found at http://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/earphones/products/b150-balanced-armature-in-ear-earphone
The B150 are one of the more expensive earphones in the Brainwavz range but still seem like very good value for money when you consider exactly what you are getting. The earphones are accompanied by a rigid carry case, a cable clip, cable tidy, 2 pairs each of small, medium & large silicon tips, a pair of Comply foam tips and a user guide. This kind of package is fairly common with Brainwavz products but coupled with an armature earphone makes this seem quite the bargain.
The earphones themselves are of the in ear monitor (IEM) variety and designed to be worn with the audio cables over and down the back of the ears instead of hanging straight down. This has the benefit of offering more support to keep the earphones in place as well as cutting down on cable phonics. The housings are fashioned from plastic but do feel very solidly built. These are connected to your audio source of choice by a standard, round 1.3m cable which feels of good quality. Unfortunately, there is no inline remote or microphone which would have rounded out the package.
As these are driven by a balanced armature, they can sound a little different from what people expect from a dynamic driver but a lot of it comes down to preference. Sonically, as I have come to expect from Brainwavz, these sound very good indeed and seem to punch above their weight for the price paid.
They have a tight, well defined bass and highs that really do shine. The middle of the audio range is well represented and blend in nicely with the rest of the audio range. Depending on the track, vocals can really stand out but may not sound warm enough for some people's tastes. If you really want to listen and focus on the vocals though, these are a great earphone. Likewise, the top end can really sparkle without sounding overly bright as some people can find with armature earphones. For the record, these carry an official frequency range of 16hz - 22khz and a impedance of 30 ohms. This range suggests an impressive bass and while it is definitely there, it doesn't sound as heavy or pronounced as other earphones but definitely well delivered for a single armature design.
The better the quality of the track, the more smaller details pop out and these earphones can be quite revealing. If you stick to lower quality 128kb tracks then you may not find these a particularly enjoyable listen as they can be quite unforgiving but feed them with higher bitrate music and you will be rewarded. I wouldn't describe them as very warm sounding, more clinical but I still prefer the overall sound of these to the likes of the Etymotic HF2 which sounded almost too clinical at times. If you are familiar with those earphones, the B150 sound a little warmer to my ear and provided a more enjoyable listen.
After using the B150s for a few days, I can see them easily being a single pair of do it all earphones for pretty much all types of music provided the source is of good quality. The one real caveat though is for those who consider themselves a bass head; these earphones just will not work for you even though they really let you hear the texture of the bass. Likewise, if you like lazy, warm sounding vocals then you may find these not quite to your taste but if you want to be drawn into every word, I urge you to give these a try.
I have to say, these are very comfortable to wear and the selection of tips on offer contribute to this as well as help isolate you from outside sounds. These don't seem to isolate quite as well as the Etymotic's but choose the right tip an get a good seal and you will really get the best out of these earphones. Although these are not billed specifically as a sports earphone, they sit very securely in the ear, even before you place the shaped cable up over the ears for added security. I found these great for use in the gym as they stayed securely in place while I was active.
These are a step up in money over your average earphone but you are getting a lot with the B150. Brainwavz have put together a great package from the audio and build quality to the supplied case and selection of ear tips. I would love to see a pair of these with an inline remote or even removable cables but even more so, I would love to see what Brainwavz could deliver with a dual or triple armature design. As far as a single balanced armature design does, these do sound great for the more critical listener who still wants the full audio spectrum well represented.
More details can be found at http://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/earphones/products/b150-balanced-armature-in-ear-earphone
