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Review of Comply Foam Tips with pics!!!

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.
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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
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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.
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Which ones fits the Tone?

chrischoi said:
Which ones fits the Tone?
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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 =)
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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.
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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!
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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.

Review of AfterShokz Bluez open ear wireless headphones w/lots of pics!!!

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.
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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...
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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?
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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
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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.
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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)
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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.

Review of Sennheiser MM 30G in-ear headphones with Android controls w/lots of pics!!!

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.
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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
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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
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Click to collapse
great review !

Review of Bolse 12W Smart NFC Bluetooth wireless speaker w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of Bolse 12W Smart NFC Bluetooth wireless speaker. http://mybolse.com/product/detail_B00L4IDA04.html - the speaker is already available on Amazon UK, and soon will be available on Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Bluetooth-Speaker-Function-Playtime/dp/B00L4IDA04/
I have reviewed a lot of wireless speakers, and have been impressed with either their design, or sound quality, or controls, or compact form factor. I can always find something positive and negative about each one, but never have I came across a speaker where I can't even think of one negative comment. But all this changed when I received a review sample of the new Bolse 12W wireless speaker. I'm not hyping it up, but honestly telling you that Bolse came up with a perfect combination of every feature you can think of to include in a portable wireless speaker. And to top it off, they still were able to keep it's pricing under $50. Here is what I found.
The speaker arrived in a nice compact package with a clear description of it's VERY impressive spec. With dimensions of about 7"x3"x2" it looked very compact and easy to handle with one hand, but once you pick it up you do realize a nice 15oz weight to it. This extra weight comes from two quality 6W 40mm drivers packed inside of this little monster. Drivers of such caliber are typically found in over-the-ear headphones. Closer examination of BTS-12 revealed a plastic frame surrounded by front and rear metal mesh grills. Both 40mm drivers are front facing, and rear panel has a bass port functionality. The bottom of the speaker has 4 rubber feet for a non-slip grip with a surface. All the controls are located at the top, and all the ports on the back at the top. Among included accessories there was usb to micro-usb cable, 3.5mm male to male audio cable, a nice velor drawstring storage pouch, and a detailed instruction manual.
Starting with ports on the back, you actually get a physical on/off switch which is very refreshing to see when so many other companies cramp up controls under multi-function buttons. Here, you know for sure when speaker is on and when it off. Another great thing, once you turn it on - there is no annoying guidance voice. Next to the power switch is a standard micro-usb charging port. And speaking of charging, this speaker has a whooping 2000 mAh battery that enables up to 15 hours of playback!!! To use this speaker with non-Bluetooth devices, you have Line In port which you can use with included audio cable. If that wasn't enough, Line OUT port is right next to it which allows daisy chaining of this speaker to another wired or wireless speaker or connecting headphones. One thing you have to realize, this Line OUT port can turn ANY other connected speaker into a wireless speaker. You can consider that as a bonus feature!
The control buttons on the top are equally impressive with touch controls. These are not physical buttons, but a backlit touch buttons, each one assigned to a specific functionality except for a lock button. You get a separate touch button to pick up a call, a dedicated volume up/down buttons, a play/pause button, and skip next/prev buttons. Long press of skip prev locks touch controls so you don't bump them accidentally, and double tap releases the lock. So many other speakers include just a volume up/down and phone control, and that becomes very inconvenient because you have to go back to your phone to play/pause or to skip the track. Here, you have a full remote control of the playback. Also when you receive a call, you can use BTS-12 as a speakerphone.
When it comes to a wireless connection, you have two ways to pair it up with your phone or tablet. Either using direct Bluetooth pair up or NFC area on the speaker (labeled with an icon on the top) worked flawlessly to pair up with my Note 2. Once paired up, it gets connected to both phone and media audio so you can enjoy the sound from this powerhouse speaker 20-25ft away from your phone or tablet. I'm sure you all are curious how does it sounds. Thanks to a total of 12W of combined power between each speaker, it filled up our big family room and I was still able to hear the music 2 rooms down the hall. I actually found the music to be more enjoyable and clear once you take a few steps away from the speaker. That's where you appreciate a clear detailed sound with a punchy bass. As expected from such drivers, the bass didn't have powerful enough sub-bass extension, but I still heard a nice bass punch and a warm deeper layer to make music sound full and enjoyable.
Overall, I was VERY impressed with Bolse BTS-12 speaker and think it represents one of the best values currently available on the market. Everything from touch control panel with a complete playback, volume, and phone controls, the convenient of BT and NFC pair up, an impressive 2000 mAh battery which supports 15hrs of playback to physical on/off switch and both Line In and Out, and being able to keep all this under $50 - this speaker definitely gets my high recommendation!!!
Here are the pictures.
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this is simply great !

shivam2004 said:
this is simply great !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's among the best I tested. Heard Amazon US will have about 30 units for sale toward the end of this week, and more coming next month.

Hi Vectron. Would you suggest me buying this one or the UE Boom Mini, which costs just 10$ more?
I think this one would be louder and has bluetooth 4.0 and 4''driver.
The UeE has 1,2'' drivers and bluetooth 2.1

nessuno1234 said:
Hi Vectron. Would you suggest me buying this one or the UE Boom Mini, which costs just 10$ more?
I think this one would be louder and has bluetooth 4.0 and 4''driver.
The UeE has 1,2'' drivers and bluetooth 2.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bolse is definitely better!

This Bolse 12W bluetooth speaker use to be thelove of my life!?
Now she dont work no more?
Only had it a year and I plug it in to charge and eveyrthing seems ok
but then when I try to pair it nothing. Not even any signs of life.
Do you think the battery has died? I cant even see how to open it
up without wrecking the nice steel gauze speaker covers?
Maybe that way Id be able to see if something has come loose?
Anyway would appreciate feedback, let me know if you or anyone else for that matter has experienced same or similar problems and has solutions?
Cheers and thanks in advance

leahcimewol said:
Now she dont work no more?
Only had it a year and I plug it in to charge and eveyrthing seems ok
but then when I try to pair it nothing. Not even any signs of life.
Do you think the battery has died? I cant even see how to open it
up without wrecking the nice steel gauze speaker covers?
Maybe that way Id be able to see if something has come loose?
Anyway would appreciate feedback, let me know if you or anyone else for that matter has experienced same or similar problems and has solutions?
Cheers and thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not contacting manufacturer, maybe they can help you?

hmm yes might try that, its just sitting gathering dust and taking up space in a drawer!? cheers

Bolse a tiny speaker with a huge sound

Review of TTPOD T1S in-ear headphones with in-line remote/mic w/lots of pics!!!

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.
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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?
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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"