This is a review of Comply Foam Tips to enhance your listening experience with Note 2 or any other phone: http://www.complyfoam.com/
After reviewing bluetooth headphones in our forum, someone brought up to my attention using Comply foam tips as replacement to those come bundled from manufacturer. I'm sure a lot of you familiar with Comply name since any search for headphones on amazon always brings it up as recommended option. One might think, why do you need one when every headphone you buy today comes bundled with multiple pairs of replacement tips, in various sizes and shapes? That's how I thought until I got a chance to play around with these. The main difference is that headphones come with silicone ear tips. Comply ones are made out of memory foam which surrounds a flexible silicone core and even comes with a wax guard. So that flexible core actually goes around your earphone port while the memory foam creates a soft and comfortable seal between the core and your ear canal opening. Sounds simple, but there is actually the whole science behind this technology (you can read more here: http://www.complyfoam.com/pages/Technology.html). Comply offers a lot of different models to fit different headphones with their on-line selection guide. Also, they offer now a new shape under their TSX series which is more rounded rather than cylindrical. That's the one I chose for my testing, as you can see from pictures below where I tried it with LG Tone+ HBS730 (although not listed in Comply database as tested yet, works great with TSX500), Jaybird Blue Buds X (TSX500), and Klipsch S4A (TSX100).
The results were very positive. First of all, for anybody who thinks adding a new ear tip will make $5 earphone sound like $100 premium model - that won't happen. It's not an intention of these. The purpose of these is to make earbuds sit more comfortable in your ears, keep them in without falling out during your active lifestyle, better isolate outside noise, and also to keep that nasty ear wax away from your earphones With every pair of headphone I tested they did exactly that to perfection, making listening experience a lot more pleasurable. One additional bonus I found with these was a bass enhancement in every single case. I even did a/b comparison by keeping stock silicone tip in one ear and comply memory foam tip in the other. I can only address it to a fact that you can push earphone with Comply tip further down your ear channel thus enhancing low frequency reception.
Overall, its a very nice enhancement to any headphones so you can enjoy your Note 2 music, movies, and also extend your listening experience with comfort.
Here are the pictures for your enjoyment.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
As a bonus, Comply offers unique set of earplugs with the same memory foam technology and some unique noise reduction filtering - http://www.complyfoam.com/products/comply-foam-plugs/ - I added these into the mix of test. These don't connect to headphones, just a stand alone earplugs that cut down on outside noise, attenuate the sound without actually muffling it, sort of like a fixed volume control to reduce outside noise. Comply markets it for musician and concert goers. Well, I'm sitting right now in the living room writing this review with these earplugs in my ears while my 5 yr old screams on top of his lungs fighting with my 8 yr old - and they don't bother me That good!
Just throwing my opinion here too, if you use in-ear headphones these are a pretty good buy. As vectron said they'll reduce the outside noise and give you better bass due to the better seal they create in your ear opposed to silicone tips. If you commute on a train like I used to, you'll love them for the increased noise isolation alone. Don't blame me if you miss any announcements though
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
I want to add this to my jawbone era as that's how I'm currently listening to music, but I don't know which ones to buy. I contacted the company but didn't get a response. Any insight here would be appreciated.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
LittleRedDot said:
I want to add this to my jawbone era as that's how I'm currently listening to music, but I don't know which ones to buy. I contacted the company but didn't get a response. Any insight here would be appreciated.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Their website has a selection guide by brands/models. If its not listed in there, they told me it hasn't been tested yet. I would measure diameter of the tip without earpiece and email them again. Everything is sized by a diameter of that tip piece.
vectron said:
Their website has a selection guide by brands/models. If its not listed in there, they told me it hasn't been tested yet. I would measure diameter of the tip without earpiece and email them again. Everything is sized by a diameter of that tip piece.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which ones fits the Tone?
chrischoi said:
Which ones fits the Tone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
500 series. But to be honest, I actually went back to a stock one because when I use Tone+ I typically don't have it in my ears, only when I get a call or listening briefly to a music. With comply tip it delays quick in'n'out of the ear. Once it in, the sound is great, but I need it quickly in my ear without fumbling. Just my personal experience. But if you do need it for Tone, 500 series is the way to go!
Thanks for the review. Just ordered a set of TSX500s for my Bluebuds X.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
I use memoryfoam noiseblockers, and my experience is that they don't last very long. The memory effect lasts about a few weeks.
How is that with these comply tips? How long do they last ?
I've had mine over a month and they are loosing there memory
They are a lot softer then they used to be and my bluebuds start to work they way out of my ears
Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app
Hi Vectron, what size did you use for the TSX500? I read your review of the Jaybird BlueBud X, and I'm using the medium size wings with the large size eartips just as you do. So I think that I should probably get the same size for the comply eartips as you do as well =)
Carrot81 said:
Hi Vectron, what size did you use for the TSX500? I read your review of the Jaybird BlueBud X, and I'm using the medium size wings with the large size eartips just as you do. So I think that I should probably get the same size for the comply eartips as you do as well =)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ended up using medium with blue buds. You can actually kind of see it in the picture since those are in between of small and large size tips I have next to earphones. You can either get it in a pack of 3 sizes or pack of 3 of the same size. To be on a safe side I would probably get a sampler with 3 sizes, because I'm not sure about return / exchange policy, although I will ping their customer support and post it here their response.
vectron said:
I ended up using medium with blue buds. You can actually kind of see it in the picture since those are in between of small and large size tips I have next to earphones. You can either get it in a pack of 3 sizes or pack of 3 of the same size. To be on a safe side I would probably get a sampler with 3 sizes, because I'm not sure about return / exchange policy, although I will ping their customer support and post it here their response.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Thanks for your quick reply.
Actually I only bought the BlueBud X yesterday, and just went for a run with them a few hours ago. So far the stock eartips gave an excellent seal throughout the run (even with all my sweat), so i guess I'll hold off on the purchase of the Comply eartips till I find that I really need them.
Cheers!
Carrot81 said:
I see. Thanks for your quick reply.
Actually I only bought the BlueBud X yesterday, and just went for a run with them a few hours ago. So far the stock eartips gave an excellent seal throughout the run (even with all my sweat), so i guess I'll hold off on the purchase of the Comply eartips till I find that I really need them.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are happy with stock tips, I'm not sure if you really need to change anything. Comply will give you better sound isolation which results in deeper bass, but at the same time longevity of original blue buds will be better since after awhile a foam will start loosing it's shape. Plus when you are running outside it's not a totally great idea to have full sound isolation.
Personally I don't really like foam tips. I find that they alter and somewhat dull the sound. Even if I had fitting issues I'd try to find other tips which will be able to fit my ears instead of resorting to foam tips.
But it might be useful if your IEMs have issues with sibilance, however I rather find another alternative than sacrificing the overall sound just for the highs.
Related
Ok, as I did long ago on the sgs forum , starting same challenge here too
There are tons of excellent headsets out there but quite pricy...
So the real challenge is to find , good quality/low price or let's say low-budget / high quality ones ...
I tested many and I found it :
the AKG K 430
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
( The one I got is all white)More pics here
Some specs:
Impendance : 32 ohm
Sensitivity : 125 dB/V
Max input power : 30 mW
Frequency response : 12Hz - 28kHz
Not bad for the price huh? I paid actually 42 euros here in Holland (Makro) , it's maybe cheaper on e-bay, but who wants to wait ?
It's reasonably comfortable, foldable (3D axis - to fit the included case) and got a volume slider !
Dont ask me about durability, I just bought it ... ( Edit_ it's durable !)
And what a sound !
And...for the " in-ears" category I got these ones :
milpan said:
JVC HA-FX1 Extreme Explosive Bass
Frequency Response 5-23,000Hz!
10mm large diaphragm neodymium driver units and Extreme Deep Basse Ports deliver ultimate bass sound
Rubber protectors for body durability
Superior sound isolation
Comfortable fit with ergonomic contoured form and three sizes of silicone ear-pieces
2.6mm-thick and robust 1.2m pure copper cable (Y-type)
Special hard carrying case included
S/M/L silicone ear-pieces included
Gold-plated 3.5mm stereo straight plug
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I paid around * 17.00 * euros for it and it seems that it's even cheaper right now
Great sound - great value for money !
When posting also specify the specs, like Sensitivity, frequency response, impendance, input power, etc etc. , meaning not only name and price !
.
Reserved
.
No challenge I see....
.
I saw your thread when you posted it, but didn't replied anything because I hadn't any other challenger than stock earpieces ( :silly: ), and wasn't interested at that time (was looking for a head/earphone with controls), but I might take the JVC one, which seems interesting
Sine. said:
I saw your thread when you posted it, but didn't replied anything because I hadn't any other challenger than stock earpieces ( :silly: ), and wasn't interested at that time (was looking for a head/earphone with control), but I might take the JVC one, which seems interesting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You wont regret...and for that price, no risks
Sounds even better on the Note2 ///my Note1 is gone months ago ...
.
Ksc75
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Im looking for 100/150 euro in ear headphones. I have a pair of Bose ones atm, looking forvan upgrade. Any recommendations?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
klipsch s4 are quite possibly the best sounding ear-buds in that 50 dollar price range. They now off the S4 IIA which is the new android version with flap cables. But i got my original S4 A for 40 dollars off ebay. so shop around and find a good deal. I also have a pair of bowers & wilkins P5 for home use since they are over the ear. I also own a pair of beat tour which look nice but are more bass focused.
I use this and this. Now I can use every ordinary headphone out there, I'm not dependant on a headphones - microphone combination anymore.
altae said:
I use this and this. Now I can use every ordinary headphone out there, I'm not dependant on a headphones - microphone combination anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well...I have some adapters too.
But that's not the point of this thread.
.
Odp: [Challenge] BEST headset / earphone / headphone up to €50 MAX.
Try Shure SE210, imho one of better sounding earphones on the market. If you want something outstanding go for SE 535.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Koss Porta Pro
Read the reviews, These headphones pack a punch! and stand their ground against some of the big names, the design is a little bizzare, but i like it a lot, just ordered a pair
I found the Philips SHE3590 surprisingly good for it's price and size!
It's small but has an amazing deep bass and crystal clear sound.
It's also very comfortable and lightweight, you can use while sleeping and don't even remember it's there.
Just perfect, can't miss with it.
About the price, I've paid about $20 here on Brazil, definitely you can find it cheaper on Amazon or eBay.
Maths said:
Try Shure SE210, imho one of better sounding earphones on the market. If you want something outstanding go for SE 535.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
azzledazzle said:
Koss Porta Pro
Read the reviews, These headphones pack a punch! and stand their ground against some of the big names, the design is a little bizzare, but i like it a lot, just ordered a pair
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
projeto56 said:
I found the Philips SHE3590 surprisingly good for it's price and size!
It's small but has an amazing deep bass and crystal clear sound.
It's also very comfortable and lightweight, you can use while sleeping and don't even remember it's there.
Just perfect, can't miss with it.
About the price, I've paid about $20 here on Brazil, definitely you can find it cheaper on Amazon or eBay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the input
Perhaps you guys can post the specs too, just for the curiosity
I am always comparing the frequency response and sensitivity, although I know what they put on paper not always reflect the actual thing
.
Koss Porta Pro:
Key Features:
The ultra portable on-ear headphones
Comfort Zone setting on temporal pad for comfortable secure fit
The ultimate active headphones with a collapsible headband design for protective storage
Dynamic element for extended frequency response
Oxygen-free copper voice coils deliver deep bass and signal clarity
Includes a convenient carrying case for protective storage
Covered under the Koss Stereophones Limited Lifetime Warranty
Hardware
Color Black / Silver / Blue
Design On-ear
Physical attachment Vertical
Connection type Wired (3.5mm)
Wire length 4 ft
Audio
Impedance 60 Ω
Frequency response (low) 15 Hz
Frequency response (high) 25000 Hz
Can anyone pls compare JVC HA-FX1($15) with JVC HA-FX3X($21).. If you have anything else that you think is vfm for sub $21 let me know..
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
johnvarghese333 said:
Can anyone pls compare JVC HA-FX1($15) with JVC HA-FX3X($21).. If you have anything else that you think is vfm for sub $21 let me know..
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The expensive has Metal housing and Carbon diaphragm.
I use the Dr dre beats which comes for htc phones on my galaxy note,
gives excellent sound quality, are very durable been using them for more than 8 months, stylish ofcourse and i bought them for 35GBP which is like 40Euros.
Sorry i couldnt post any specs as i couldnt find any
Hope it gives some challenge
AW: [Challenge] BEST headset / earphone / headphone up to €50 MAX.
Apple earpods
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
TheNoticer said:
Apple earpods
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahahaha ok now seriously stop trolling if you want to become deaf because of such **** sound it is your choice but do not even think about recomending them by the way OP get the jvc tripple xplosive earbuds they are nice for the price but you should spend 300 on a pair of beyerdinamics i use them and they are nice but ugly
This is a review of AfterShokz Bluez open ear bluetooth wireless stereo headphones. http://www.aftershokz.com/AfterShokz-Bluez-Open-Ear-Bluetooth-Headphones-p/as330.htm
All of my previous reviews of wireless headphones were focused around sound quality, noise isolation, and ear tip fitment. Now, here comes a new chapter in wireless headphones with all these rules out of the window. Based on a military technology of bone conduction, AfterShokz were designed to sit outside of your ears conducting the sound through your cheekbones to your inner ear - a shortcut bypassing your eardrums. I know, the description of this process doesn't sound too attractive, but once you get these wraparound headphones on - it will make a perfect sense. I was a bit confused myself reading the description, that's why I couldn't wait to receive my review sample, to test it out, and to share my first hand experience.
Once you open the box, the first thing you notice is a very nice and sturdy carrying case which is the size of the box itself. These are not earbuds or some foldable headphones, but rather a full wraparound band headphones with a unique design shape where having a carrying case with a generous bonus storage pocket is a great idea. For anybody who has Tone+ or similar headphones, you will know what I mean when it's time to pack your headphones and you wish you would have a carrying case to protect these from breaking. Once you take headphones out, you couldn't believe how lightweight these are at only 1.5 ounces (43 grams). These are designed to wrap around back of your head with ear piece pads aligned to sit right in front of your ears. The pads are soft rubberized and form a tight seal around attachment. As stated by manufacture, these are water resistant and sweat proof, backed up by 2 year warranty, and you can clearly see that from a solid design. For a better fitment there is a adjustable rubber tension band that hooks inside of headphone band, and it does a good job keeping these up without falling down on your shoulders.
The controls are located on the sides of earpieces and on the back of the headphone band. First of all, big thumbs up for a dedicated physical sliding power switch. There is no second guessing if you turned these on/off, or if they are still paired up or in a standby mode. You turn it on and get a voice prompt about connecting, pairing up, and battery status (when you hit volume buttons). Right next to it you will find a standard micro-usb charging port. Bluez also come with a high quality micro-usb cable that you can use with your own wall adapter or charging from your laptop/PC usb port. These headphones are rated for up to 6 hours of continuous playback time, and standby time of up to 10 days. Also, it supports all the available bluetooth profiles (A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP), and once paired up I tested it for up to 50ft wireless range in my house until I got disconnected. Also, on the back you will find Volume up/down controls which double as playback control when you hold it down to skip Next/Prev while playing songs. Typically, volume and playback skip controls are not the most used functions so having it on the back of the headphone band is not a bad idea. For your common most used play/pause and call functions, these two buttons are placed on either side of the sound earpieces. Very elegantly designed, those fit in the corner and easy to locate and operate either if you are playing music from your phone/tablet or need to pick up/hangup a call. Both functions work as expected, and receiving and carrying on a phone call worked great.
But the main point of these headphones: how does it sound? AfterShokz manual refers to earpieces as "transducers" since they actually don't go into your ear. As I mentioned before, they sit in front of it, right on your cheekbone, and it WORKS!!! There is no vibration or anything you might associate with "bone conducting" terminology. Although the sound is not the same as you will experience with in your ear headphones, it's loud and clear and you can actually feel some bass. This is not the same as if you would take regular over the ear headphones and slide them down to your cheekbone, the sound is actually almost like if you would have headphones over your ears. For a test purpose, I even put earplugs (as you can see from my pictures, I used a quality Comply earplug/filters) while listening through Bluez to make sure it's not the sound bleeding out of these that I hear. With earplugs in, you loose some high frequency content but can still hear mids and low frequencies which "conducting" through your cheekbone. Another thing to point out, you will not be welcome to use these on a plane or a bus or anywhere else where you expecting to have privacy while enjoying the sound. To outsiders, these are like a pair of high frequency speakerphones on your ears - it is quite noticeable. So my theory on this bone conductive technology is that low frequencies and some mids are conducted through a bone, while all your high frequencies get to your ears by the sound bleeding out of these transducers. That is the only thing that makes sense to me how they work, and from all the testing I have done.
Overall, I found these to be very unique piece of technology. They are not for all around everyday use if your intention to enjoy private sounds or phone conversation. Also, as you move around and tilt your head the sound will change a bit because of the transducer positioning and reception of high frequency content (lows and mids won't be affected that much). BUT, for a sport activity or any other activity where you don't want to have full noise isolation and actually require to stay alert with a surrounding environment while listening to your music or carrying on phone conversation - these are irreplaceable!!! Furthermore, I read a number of posts from people who have partial hearing loss and use these to listen to music since they bypass eardrums. I personally can think of a number of uses myself where I'm riding a bike, or doing gardening outside, or hiking outdoors, or when I'm working out in my home gym - just a few examples where these can come very handy since you still enjoying a music, have full wireless control of the playback (the sound quality is actually not bad at all!!!), can pickup the call, don't have anything plugged into your ears, and can still get alerted by everything that is going on around you. A definitely innovative piece of technology.
Here are the pictures.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Do They Stay Put?
I've been keeping an eye on these since they were announced, trying to decide whether or not to they'll work for me. They seem like they'd be great for jogging, where it's important to still be able to hear the traffic around you, but they look like they might bounce around a bit and need constant readjusting. Did you notice this at all or did they seem to stay in place pretty well for you?
DiscipleN2k said:
I've been keeping an eye on these since they were announced, trying to decide whether or not to they'll work for me. They seem like they'd be great for jogging, where it's important to still be able to hear the traffic around you, but they look like they might bounce around a bit and need constant readjusting. Did you notice this at all or did they seem to stay in place pretty well for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The tension band does a good job keeping them on. The whole ergonomics of the design and how it wraps around your head makes sure it will not bounce. It worked for me and shaped of my head, although I had to pull tension band to the maximum stretch since I don't have a big head. What I would honestly recommend, order them from amazon and see how it works for you. Sounds like functionally these will fit your needs, but fit could be different for different people, and with amazon hassle free return - you have less headache. These headphones are designed for exercising and active lifestyle, thus lightweight, sweat proof, and easily accessible controls. But if it won't fit your head, the bouncing will be annoying because it will affect the sound since high frequency content comes from "speaker" rather then bone conduction (according to my test results). Bottom line, for me it works but I don't have "universal" head shape
OK, cool. I'll have to go ahead and give them a try. Thanks for the reply!
Thinking of getting these to listen to audio books on my cycle to work. Would you still recommend them?
cool2bdave said:
Thinking of getting these to listen to audio books on my cycle to work. Would you still recommend them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For audio books, absolutely. If you want to hear high quality sound - not. But to hear recorded speech while being fully aware of everything around - it will definitely work. And as I always say, if it doesn't - you can return it
vectron said:
For audio books, absolutely. If you want to hear high quality sound - not. But to hear recorded speech while being fully aware of everything around - it will definitely work. And as I always say, if it doesn't - you can return it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your feedback. Now to find a decent price.
Water proof
vectron said:
As stated by manufacture, these are water resistant and sweat proof, backed up by 2 year warranty, and you can clearly see that from a solid design.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are they in fact?
Because here I found quite a different statement: Please Google "AFTERSHOKZ BLUEZ: A RATHER BADLY DESIGNED PRODUCT" (since I can't post links here yet)
eugrus said:
Are they in fact?
Because here I found quite a different statement: Please Google "AFTERSHOKZ BLUEZ: A RATHER BADLY DESIGNED PRODUCT" (since I can't post links here yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you push it hard, anything breaks Every company has defective units, and even the best waterproof headphones break after a week of extreme training. Don't have these anymore, but by memory remember it was sealed really well for moderate use.
removed.
That's a bit narrow-minded of Sennheiser. Any Android phone that supports inline controls/mic will be able to utilize the buttons in this earphone.
I'm surprised there aren't more Android-compatible earphones/headphones around these days.
vantt1 said:
That's a bit narrow-minded of Sennheiser. Any Android phone that supports inline controls/mic will be able to utilize the buttons in this earphone.
I'm surprised there aren't more Android-compatible earphones/headphones around these days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think its more of a marketing move. They recognized Galaxy being the most popular Android "brand" and Samsung sells more phones than probably every other android smartphone manufacturer combined. Multi-function button w/mic will work on any phone, including iPhone, but volume controls are specific to Galaxy and most likely HTC, LG, and Sony. Maybe even BB. I tested these with my officemates Moto X and volume didn't work.
Wonderful review thank you so much very detailed just wondering have you try'd the J 5's for Android. How do these compare to the xiaomi?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
philseven said:
Wonderful review thank you so much very detailed just wondering have you try'd the J 5's for Android. How do these compare to the xiaomi?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean J5M (JLab Audio) with in-line remote/mic? That one only has multi-function button and mic, so should work with any android or apple phone. Regarding sound quality, I never tested jlabs buds, but wouldn't expect too high of a performance based on some of the reviews I came across. Also, some negative reports about build quality? I might contact them for review samples. Regarding Pistons vs MM 30G, in terms of controls the are the same. Senns will have an advantage with vertically positioned mic and some might prefer volume and control buttons on the same side vs Pistons keeping it on the opposite side. Also, Senns will have an advantage with warranty. In terms of sound quality, Pistons win hands down. I tested Pistons against original CX300, and you get more details across entire frequency range, cleaner sub-bass, and wider soundstage. When it comes to sound quality, $25 Xiaomi Pistons are on par with some $100 single dynamic driver headpones (just need a good seal where I actually had to use eartips from another headset to make it work for me).
Thanks for your reply and help going with the xiaomi also have you try'd T-400 Isolation earphone tips they work superb.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
philseven said:
Thanks for your reply and help going with the xiaomi also have you try'd T-400 Isolation earphone tips they work superb.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, haven't tried Comply's, but I would have imagine a bigger diameter T500 would be a better fit? But glad those work. I do appreciate added value of Comply foam tips, but I get a bit frustrated with them since I often get interrupted when listening to music and then you have to wait for a foam to settle in. With silicone tips it's in and out
Compatibility with Nexus 4 ?
Hello,
Thank you for this very precise review of MM 30G.
I would like to know if the volume buttons on the remote are compatible with the Nexus 4 (LG).
Can anybody test it or does anybody know the answer?
Thanks
Thanks for the review!
monson987 said:
Thanks for the review!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would check out my latest review of Sennheiser Momentum in-ear with Android controls (just follow my review links in the signature). That one is 1000% better in sound quality and design
I'm planning to buy on of this. Any notes about the noise cancellation?
Sent from my SM-G900F
It's a passive noise cancellation, nothing too spectacular. Personally, I would go for Senns Momentun in-ear model they just released. I reviewed it here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/accessories/review-sennheiser-momentum-ear-t2887971
The volume controls don't work on Moto X (2013) :crying:
vectron said:
This is a Review of Sennheiser MM 30G in-ear headphones with Android controls. http://en-us.sennheiser.com/mm-30g
I have been talking about Sennheiser MM 30G headphones since their introduction at CES a few months ago. Now, I finally received my review sample and able to test it out. The "G" in 30G stands for "Galaxy" thus being designed for Samsung Galaxy S3/S4/S5/N2/N3, but I have a feeling these will be able to support other Android phones as well. All the headphones with in-line remote I tested in the past had multi-function button able to operate without problems on my Note 2 or other android phones/tablets. The issue was usually with a volume control where iPhone specific remotes are not compatible with Android phones. Sennheiser decided to solve this problem with introduction of MM 30G. Let's take a closer look at what I found.
MM 30G arrived in a nice little package with a clear display showing headphones and a compact in-line remote. It also listed a lot of information about features, accessories, and detailed controls. Again, the word "Galaxy" is blasted everywhere, but these are just typical Android controls, so don't get discouraged. I have a feeling these might work with Sony, LG, and HTC, but need to verify that (with Moto X volume control didn't work). The only included accessories were 3 sets of silicone eartips. After taking headphones out of the box, you can't help but notice how super lightweight these are. And if you take a closer look, you will see that MM 30G looks almost identical to a classic version of another very popular Sennheiser in-ear model, CX300. The design of headphones is very compact and fits comfortably inside of your ear to the point where you can fall asleep wearing these without even noticing it. I actually wouldn't blame anybody falling asleep wearing MM 30G considering high level of passive noise isolation with a right eartip size selection. The headphone cable appear to be tangle free and has a nice rubberized texture. 3.5mm connector is gold plated and angled with a good strain relief. The same with headphones itself, they have a decent strain relief, and I also think y-splitter connector looks really cool with it's own small strain relief.
But the star of these headphones is the in-line remote with a mic. It's very compact, with dimensions of about 1" in length and 1/3" in width. Typically I would find such a small in-line remote to be a problem since it would be hard to push the buttons, but not in this case. Here, Sennheiser cleverly designed volume +/- to be slightly edge angled so you can distinguish between all 3 buttons just by feeling it. Still, for those with a sausage fingers it might not be as easy. I was very pleased to see a volume adjustment response by pushing volume buttons up/down - it worked perfectly on my Note 2. Also, I tested the middle multifunction button to work flawlessly with my Note 2, Play/Pause/Call with a single push, double-click to skip a track, and long press to start Google NOW. Call quality was exceptionally good due to a very clever microphone placement. Typically all in-line remotes have mic placed on the back where it could be rubbing against your cloth or pointing the opposite way, etc. In this case, Senns placed the mic pointing straight up to your face at the top edge of the remote, and the mic itself has a generous opening covered with a metal mesh. Also, the remote itself was placed in a perfect position along the wire, not too low for a mic to pick up noise and not too high for a user to be able reach in-line controls easily.
Of course, how can you talk about Sennheiser headphones without mentioning about sound quality. Though these are not designed to be audiophile headphones, they actually offer a very nice warm v-shaped sound. Mids are recessed in a typical v-shape fashion, but bass is enhanced down to sub-low level. As a matter of fact, Sennheiser noted that in their spec where instead of typical 20-20kHz frequency response they specified it as 17-20kHz to show lower end extension. Though recessed, mids and upper mids were still clear and detailed enough to enjoy vocals. Highs had a nice sparkle to it, clear without being too bright, no sibilance, easy on your ears for extended listening period. Soundstage is below the average which is typical for these type of headphones. Also, there was no microphonics effect from cables rubbing against your cloth. Since I did mention about resembles with CX300, I actually compared a sound to a pair of those and found MM 30G to sound more detailed and brighter.
Overall, I was very pleased to see a recognized brand name company to release an official alternative to bundled Samsung headphones. MM 30G tested to deliver seamless integration of their in-line remote control with my Note 2. The build quality was good, and you get a peace of mind with 2 year warranty. Though sound quality is not audiophile caliber, it's actually pretty good for $59 price tag.
Here are the pictures.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great review. I am using SoundMagic E10S which has clever switch to work with both Android and iOS devices. Sadly it doesn't have great remote like MM 30G.
drchohan said:
Great review. I am using SoundMagic E10S which has clever switch to work with both Android and iOS devices. Sadly it doesn't have great remote like MM 30G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
great review !
This is a review of MOE SS01 twin-driver in-ear headphones. http://penonaudio.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=167 (manufacturer website: http://www.52erji.com/xiaomengerji)
A lot of people probably never heard of MOE before, but as it turns out you might be familiar with their sound already. It's because they were original manufacturer of dynamic drivers for a number of headphones from JVC, Sony, Audio-Technica, and others - http://www.52erji.com/category/product2. Finally, they spread their wings and took off with a new product, MOE SS01, which I just received from www.penonaudio.com and would like to share with you about. As I continue my journey to discover more high quality budget in-ear headphones from lesser known Asian brands, sometime I get overwhelmed with all the available choices, especially when you start reading about it on Head-Fi. That's why I do appreciate guidance with recommendations from penonaudio, and it also gives me a piece of mind that I'm getting genuine product since there are so many fake ones out there. So, let's take a closer look at what I found.
When you look at the box MOE SS01 arrived in, you notice right away these are not your traditional looking in-ear headphones. A clever display on the front of the box demonstrates an arrangement of dual-cylinder design surrounded by "S" letter. Along with a detailed specification in English and a list of accessories, that was a very nice compact presentation of the product. But the big surprise is when you take it out of the box and take a closer look at the actual design. Am I looking at headphones or a piece from my kids LEGO set? Will these even fit in my ears? That was the initial thought that went through my mind, and without hesitation the first thing I did was to put it in my ears for a quick test. These fit like a glove!!! The clever ergonomics with angled nozzle of the perfect length and rounded corners made it very comfortable to insert these dual-cylinder shells in my ears. These have 2 separate chambers, one for low frequency driver and the other one for mids/treble driver. A design detail of red plastic "S" snaked around/between these cylinders adds to a very unique visual effect. Not too often I rave about the cool looks of the headphones since I always put a value of sound quality as the most important factor. In this case - the design and the sound both share a spotlight. Coming out from the lower cylinder, these feature a narrow flat flexible cable with a decent build quality. I typically comment about lack of strain relief, but for some reason in this design it just works and feels secure enough. A separate flat cable from each earpiece goes down through a chin slider to y-splitter cylinder marked with "SS" and continues flat all the way down to a straight gold plated 3.5mm connector. The wire selection of the cable is OFC with a typical 1.2m length.
Among included accessories you get 3 pairs (S/M/L) of soft silicone wide bore (opening) eartips, a shirt clip, and a velor draw string storage pouch. For my personal taste I didn't find these eartips useful since I needed a better seal, so I ended up with original AT small bore tips. Keep in mind, the sound quality of these headphones is VERY eartip dependent where without a good seal you are not going to get much bass. I also have to mention that nozzle had a cloth filter, very similar looking to RE400 stick-on filters (need to confirm if it's the same in size, just looks relatively close). Each earpiece has a stamped L/R letter on the plastic red S piece which is not easy to see. But the unique shape with an angled nozzle and a slight front facing tab makes it very easy to distinguish which one is Left and Right without even looking at these. Also, I found that symmetrical placement of the nozzle between two cylinders actually allows use of these headphones with wire up behind your ears where chin-slider comes very handy to secure the fitment. As a matter of fact, I found wire down and wire up fitment to yield the same level of sound quality and almost an identical seal.
Now let's get down to a sound test. Straight out of the box at first the sound was a little too bright for my taste and bass was missing until I played around with different eartips settling on AT narrow opening one. I figured to give it a few hours of burn in with a pink noise loop to have a better assessment of the sound signature. It didn't take too long to realize these are bright mid-centric headphones with a rather surprising layered bass. I have tested analytical and mid-centric headphones before, and usually they either have hardly any bass or low bass quantity with a main focus on quality. Here, due to a physical separation of low frequency driver and mid/treble driver, MOE was able to create a very unique sound signature where you can literally hear two layers of the sound coexisting together in a perfect harmony. Bass comes with a punch of a fast attack, courtesy of a mid-bass hump, and a warm sub-bass layer right behind it, all very well controlled without bleeding into mids. On the other hand, mids are bright, detailed, and upfront, and treble is crisp and extended. This sound signature does give vocals a bit of a cold feeling, and at first sounded a little bit harsh. But after a few more hours of playing, I noticed an improvement where the peaking started to settle down. The sound is still bright, but a lot more smoother, full, and ear-friendly. I was especially pleased with how natural all the tones sound, either if it's vocals or acoustic instruments. The soundstage is definitely wider than average, great stereo separation. Thanks to a flat cable and it's attachment to the shell, I didn't experience any microphonics. Furthermore, because of high sensitivity and low impedance, these headphones are VERY efficient where you actually need to keep the volume a few click down from your usual setting. It paired up well with my Note 2 as well as FiiO X5.
Overall, I REALLY enjoyed these twin driver headphones and currently can't get enough of it. With some headphones I have to think hard if they offer anything unique or just an overlap with a similar slightly enhanced sound characteristic. With MOE-SS01 this was an easy decision because they offer a very unique mid-centric bright sound with a bass which is great in quality and quantity without being overpowering (not a basshead level). With this kind of bass and treble details you typically have to pay a price of recessed mids, but in the case of SS01 - you also get mids in your face!!! These are definitely worth checking out because they sound great, they look unique, and have a great value being currently on sale from penonaudio for $59.
Here are the pictures.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Someone just asked me if these could be purchased from eBay and which seller to trust. It's always a tough question because there are so many fake headphones on ebay. But for those who are interested, penonaudio actually has ebay store (under "bigbargainonline") and I just saw these MOE SS01 in there as well: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOE-SS01-Tw...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item43c1afb6d6
Alternative source
vectron said:
Someone just asked me if these could be purchased from eBay and which seller to trust. It's always a tough question because there are so many fake headphones on ebay. But for those who are interested, penonaudio actually has ebay store (under "bigbargainonline") and I just saw these MOE SS01 in there as well: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOE-SS01-Tw...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item43c1afb6d6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also get it from this seller from aliexpress at the same price.
http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6396704439.html?orderId=64996927930152
Bought mine here. Also got the VSonic GRO7 from her. Quite reliable.
This is a review of TTPOD T1S in-ear headphones with in-line remote/mic. http://penonaudio.com/TTPOD-T1S
When I reviewed TTPOD T1E, I was aware it supposed to be their bass-enhanced dual dynamic driver version. At the same time a thought cross my mind how the original T1 version would sound in comparison to this enhanced version. Now, my question has been answered when I received an updated T1S model which supposed to be based on the original balanced sound signature of T1 with an addition of in-line remote/mic. Here is what I found.
Though the external box was very similar, internal packaging took a little step back with a less flashy design. Opening up internal carton revealed included accessories with two pairs of S/M/L eartips, one white silicone and the other black foam, an instruction manual, and a really cool nylon drawstring pouch with a pair of T1S headphones inside. Also, included was a card in Chinese with "T2" in the middle suggesting about upcoming T2 model. T1S earpiece shell design was identical to T1E model which is also the same as T1 model. Even so my T1S had a blue translucent color, I was still able to see all the internal components just like in my other clear transparent T1E version. The overall shape has a dual chamber design with a sound bridged together at the nozzle. But down from there, design was different.
The most noticeable difference was in a cable, starting with a strain relief where T1S had a longer piece with L/R marking on it. Though not very easy to see that marking, the shape of T1S is not symmetrical so you can always rely on that or a fact that Left side has in-line remote. The cable shielding in blue color T1S was all white, non-transparent, round with a rubber texture, and very soft and flexible. Y-splitter and headphone plug had the same round thin design with a textured etched surface. As I mentioned before, left wire side had a universal in-line remote/mic with only a multifunction button and no volume control for use with either Android or iOS devices. I confirmed single click Play/Pause/Call operation, double click to skip next, and triple click to skip prev, and long press for Google NOW. Mic on the remote was at a perfect level to pickup my voice during the call. I always appreciate when manufacturers put the remote/mic in a separate unit closer to earpiece rather than built into a y-splitter.
So, how about the sound? These are not the same as bass enhanced T1E version, but at the same time I found it to be pretty good. The sound signature is balanced with a little bit of mid-forward characteristics. Bass is not as enhanced as T1E but it's definitely above neutral level and has a distinct separation of sub- and mid-bass layers, just scaled down in quantity (in comparison to T1E). Mids are clear, not as detailed, skewed more toward brighter side but still smooth, and a little forward but not too much. Treble is crisp, but not as extended. Soundstage is above average with more width than depth, and a bit narrower in comparison to T1E. I was able to drive it perfectly from any source. Also, with large silicone eartips I was able to get a decent sound isolation.
Overall, if you enjoy the design and fitment of T1E and don't mind a more balanced brighter sound with less aggressive bass, T1S is a great choice of in-ear headphones to use as a companion for your smartphone where you can enjoy your music and switch to a phone call without missing a beat! With a current introduction price of only $39, it's also quite a bargain available in 5 different colors!
Here are the pictures.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Thanks for a great review of TTPOD T1S sir.
Thanks for this review.
Vectron I’ve become your fan after reading your reviews. Way you write about product from packing to core details is great to let all the readers get most details about the product.
I’ll be needed some help and even welcome all other members to provide valuable suggestion. I would like to buy In-Ear phones for about $50-60 and even better if they are not with mic.
I’ve heard of many companies and read many reviews of Beyer Dynamic, Sennheiser, Klipsch, Grado, Shure, Bose, Audio-Technica and AKG. Now completely confuse.
jas.inde said:
Thanks for this review.
Vectron I’ve become your fan after reading your reviews. Way you write about product from packing to core details is great to let all the readers get most details about the product.
I’ll be needed some help and even welcome all other members to provide valuable suggestion. I would like to buy In-Ear phones for about $50-60 and even better if they are not with mic.
I’ve heard of many companies and read many reviews of Beyer Dynamic, Sennheiser, Klipsch, Grado, Shure, Bose, Audio-Technica and AKG. Now completely confuse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What music do you listen to, style?? What do you like the most in your songs, strong bass or detailed vocals? What is the audio source these headphones will be connected to? What files are you using, mp3 w/low quality compression or high quality FLAC? Answering to this will give me a clue what to recommend.
vectron said:
What music do you listen to, style?? What do you like the most in your songs, strong bass or detailed vocals? What is the audio source these headphones will be connected to? What files are you using, mp3 w/low quality compression or high quality FLAC? Answering to this will give me a clue what to recommend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My all time favourite is Latin Pop Music, Pitbull and Linkin Park. I don't like much of a treble music. Mostly I connect them to iPod and Macbook and in mp3 format. I hope this will help.
jas.inde said:
My all time favourite is Latin Pop Music, Pitbull and Linkin Park. I don't like much of a treble music. Mostly I connect them to iPod and Macbook and in mp3 format. I hope this will help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need something with a good strong bass to carry the beat You can get TTPOD T1E (on dx.com for $36: http://www.dx.com/p/ttpod-t1-enhanc...rphone-transparent-silver-335002#.VCtPYLB0z3g) or get VSonic VSD3 (on Penon for $45: http://penonaudio.com/VSONIC-VSD3). Original SoundMagic E10 for $35 is great too.
VSD3 will be the best bang for the buck because it actually has a removable cable and higher quality sound.
vectron said:
You need something with a good strong bass to carry the beat You can get TTPOD T1E (on dx.com for $36: http://www.dx.com/p/ttpod-t1-enhanc...rphone-transparent-silver-335002#.VCtPYLB0z3g) or get VSonic VSD3 (on Penon for $45: http://penonaudio.com/VSONIC-VSD3). Original SoundMagic E10 for $35 is great too.
VSD3 will be the best bang for the buck because it actually has a removable cable and higher quality sound.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are the benefits of a removable cable?
desertmod1 said:
What are the benefits of a removable cable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Majority of failures with in-ear headphones happen at the point of the connection of the cable to the headphone earpiece/shell. That's where cable has the most amount of stress due to bending or people pulling on the cable (even by accident). Once your wire breaks, you throw aware your pair of headphones. That's ok if dealing with disposable $10-$20 headphones, but when you invest $50-$100 or some of the the $300-$500 in-ear headphones I reviewed on this forum - you don't want to through away your investment if the cable breaks. Furthermore, removable cable gives you an option of audio only cable (just a straight wire) or with in-line remote/mic so you can use your fancy headphones with your smartphone phone to control music remotely and to pick up calls. Another advantage, there is a number of higher quality pure oxygen-free copper (OFC) wires some even with enhanced conductivity using silver-plated manufacturing process. That will enhance a sound quality of your headphones.
I see make sense, but is there a standard connection for all IEMs? What if they don't make your cable anymore?
vectron said:
there is a number of higher quality pure oxygen-free copper (OFC) wires some even with enhanced conductivity using silver-plated manufacturing process. That will enhance a sound quality of your headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that in a double blind test nobody could tell the difference between a really expensive cable and a wire hanger.
desertmod1 said:
I see make sense, but is there a standard connection for all IEMs? What if they don't make your cable anymore?
..........
I read that in a double blind test nobody could tell the difference between a really expensive cable and a wire hanger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MMCX connector is the most popular, but not everybody using it.
Where did you read about such "double blind test"? lol!!! People usually joke around that if you have $40 upgrade cable and $240 upgrade cable it will be hard to tell a difference. Honestly, they are probably right because it's just a matter of cable purity and more expensive material which drives the cable price up rather than sound improvement. BUT, if you are comparing a regular basic copper wire and pure 5N silver-plated OFC cable - there will be a noticeable sound improvement. Trust me, I have at least half a dozen of silver-plated cables and have done plenty of testing. Only trust your own ears rather than reading "what someone else said or heard"