Next up are
the IEM’s. This is short for In Ear Monitors. IEM’s can be found with a single
dynamic driver, and multiple balance armature drivers. We have some great
models in this year’s shootout from some excellent manufacturers. They range
from a single dynamic driver from Beyerdynamic for $130, to a Westone IEM with
6 drivers for $1000.
We will start
off with the Beyerdynamic iDX160ie. They are a standard IEM design with a
single dynamic driver. But at $130 MSRP, there are not standard. They came with
a boatload of accessories. And they even have an in-line remote to control your
iPhone. Having a bunch of ear tips to help you get the right fit is also
critical, and Beyerdyamic has you covered there as well.
Features and
Specs:
Transmission type
|
Wired
|
|
Headphone design
(operating principle)
|
Closed
|
|
Headphone impedanceAlso known as
nominal impedance. The impedance is the AC resistance of the coils of
loudspeakers and headphones in ohms. Since impedance depends on the
frequency, it is always specified at a frequency of one kilohertz.
|
47 ohms
|
|
Headphone frequency
responseThe frequency response specifies the highest and lowest
frequencies reproduced by the acoustic transducer of the headphones.
|
10 - 25,000 Hz
|
|
Nominal sound pressure
levelThe acoustical level, the headphone transducer produces to an
artificial ear (a measurement device, which simulates a human ear) with an
input power of 1 mW (dB/mW @ 500 Hz).
|
107 dB (1 mW at 500
Hz)
|
|
Remote
|
3-button Apple remote
|
|
ConstructionSound coupling to
the ear. A differentiation is made between supraaural headphones, circumaural
headphones and in-ear headphones.
|
In-ear headphones
|
|
Cable & plug
|
0.30 m straight flat
cable / extension cable 0.90 m with mini stereo jack plug 3.5 mm / 1/8”
|
|
Net weight without
packaging
|
53 g
|
The
Beyerdynamics, iDX160ie came shipped in good looking packaging, which included
photos and specs of the product. They are mostly plastic in construction with
some metal, which is typical. Quality of
materials used were good, as was the construction. Fit and finish were good as
well. They felt like a fairly well constructed product in hand. Also included
were the owner’s manual, multiple sets of ear tips, hard zipper carry case,
cable clip and adaptor plug so someone else can plug in and also hear the
music. Also included were a couple of detachable extension cables.
When it came
to listening to them, they sounded quite good.
Fresh Aire II: Going To Another
Place, the strings were crisp with nice dynamics. The piano sounded natural.
Bass drum had nice impact and kick. Steve
Miller Band: Swingtown, percussion was crisp and clean, guitar had nice detail.
Vocals were very natural and smooth sounding. Drums had nice impact and depth. No Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was crisp
and clean with nice dynamics. Bass was very deep and played with authority.
Vocals were very natural. Eric Bibb: Don’t
Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down, guitar sounded clean and detailed with
nice resolution. Piano was natural. Vocals also sounded quite natural with good
harmonics.
ACS is a
premium manufacturer based in England that specializes in custom IEM’s. They
recently revamped their entry level and mid level IEMs. The ACS Evoke Studio
Universal is their entry level single driver IEM, and uses a single balanced
armature driver. These are fresh off the presses. So fresh, that I don’t have
the packaging they come in. They were just included with the packaging of their
midrange IEM. But at an MSRP of only $225, ACS is excited about them and just
had to have them included.
Features and
Specs:
Number of Drivers
Frequency Response
Impedance @1KHz
1 KHz Sensitivity
Isolation
Weight
Build Material
Cable
Included Accessories
One
20-20KHz
50 Ohms
105.5dB @ 0.1V
26dB
8g net
Polycarbonate Shell, PU
Foam Eartips
Detachable Linum BaX Cable
1.1M length
Instruction Leaflet, 6
sets of Ear Tips,
High Quality Carry Pouch
Linum Cabling
Audio is delivered from
the music player
through the innovative
Linum cabling system.
Two individual cables from
the 3.5mm
connector feed the left
and right channels with
no splicing in the middle.
Each enamel-coated
cable is made from 6 litz
wire conductors
containing 7 individual
sliver plated copper
strands to ensure no
colouration of the sound.
Interwoven with aramid
fibres to provide a
market leading pull
strength of 60N, Linum
cables produce negligible
microphonics and will
not corrode, oxidise or
change colour. Weighing
just 2.7g and only 0.9mm
in diameter, this
incredible cable is near
invisible when worn and
adds another dimension to
the overall listening
experience.
experience.
As
previously stated the ACS Evoke Studio Universal came with just the IEM. They
are made mostly of plastic. I really like the clear plastic design, so you can
see into the IEM and its internal components. It has a detachable cable which
is a very good thing. The quality of components used were very good, as was the
fit and finish. My only initial concern was the cable. It is very thin. But after discussing with ACS, it is actually
an extremely hi quality and highly durable premium cable and sue to its small
and lightweight size, it is easily forgotten about when they are worn.
Listening to
the ACS Evoke proved very pleasant! Fresh Aire II: Going To Another Place, strings
were really crisp and clean with good dynamics. Piano sounded natural. Flute
had good air and was smooth. Kick drum was there with some depth. Steve Miller Band: Swingtown, percussion was
very crisp and clean with very good resolution, although just a tad bright.
Drums had good depth and kick. The vocals very natural sounding with noticeable
texture. No Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was very crisp and dynamic. Bass had
good depth and played with sufficient authority. Vocals were smooth and sultry. Eric Bibb: Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your
Spirit Down, percussion was very crisp and clean with very good dynamics. Piano
sounded very natural. Vocals were pleasantly smooth with nice Timbre and
harmonics. Imaging was quite good.
Do you enjoy
your music and want to take it outdoors, such as camping, but don’t want to
take it outdoors, such as camping, but don’t want to get them damaged. Westone
has you covered with their Adventure Series. Westone’s Alpha model comes with a
single dynamic driver in a magnesium unibody, so it can take a beating. The
cables are cloth covered for extra durability. And if the case ever arises, the
cables are detachable so they can be replaced if damaged. They are even IPX-3
water resistance rated. All of this comes at an MSRP of only $249.
Features and
Specs:
·
Sensitivity: 97 dB @ 1mW
·
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 18kHz
·
Impedance; 21 Omhs
·
Driver: 6.5mm Dynamic Driver
·
Active Fit System - Up & Over cable routing and patented
Star TipTM ensure superior fit, comfort, and retention
·
Audiophile Fidelity - Proprietary Extended Range 6.5mm Micro
Driver with PSTTM (Precision Surface Tuning). Delivers sonic accuracy with
extended bass
·
IPX-3 Weather Resistant - Protection against spraying water and
adverse conditions. Perfect for every- day use, rain or shine
·
Magnesium Unibody - Low-profile lightweight magnesium unibody
and aluminum faceplate for strength, durability and style.
·
AWACS Reflective - Adventure Warning and Control System: better
visibility in low-light and adverse conditions with a reflective, replaceable
cable featuring 3-button control system for iPhone, iPod and iPad.
The Westone
Adventure Alpha came shipped in a really nice printed box with pics of the
product and it’s specs. At the top of the packaging is a hard clear plastic box
that actually holds the IEM, so you can clearly see it. Materials used in
construction were metal, plastic and some cloth used to wrap around the cable.
They were high quality, and fit and finish was also very good. They felt like a
very well made product in hand. Also included were the owner's manual, hard
case, multiple sized ear tips in various styles. I really liked the hard
plastic storage case that also appears water resistant, maybe even waterproof.
Listening
provided a very good sound, and a lot of low end for those that like a lot of
bass. Fresh Aire II: Going To Another Place, strings were crisp
and clean with good dynamics and resolution. Piano was very natural sounding.
Flute was very smooth with good air. Kick drum played very deep with kick and
authority. Steve Miller Band: Swingtown,
percussion was crisp and clean with good detail and resolution. Bass guitar had
nice low end extension and played with very nice authority. Vocals were very
smooth and natural with some texture. No
Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was very crisp with nice dynamics. Bass was very
deep and played with tons of authority. Vocals were very natural with good
smoothness. Eric Bibb: Don’t Ever Let
Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down, guitar had nice detail and resolution, although
just a tad warm. Piano sounded natural. Vocals were smooth with good texture.
Next up is
the Audio-Technica IEM’s. They are the ATH-CKR10. They are a unique design that
used dual phase dynamic drivers in a push-pull configuration. It seems the design
would be to provide better bass response. The housing is made of titanium. All
of this is done for a product to give a high resolution sound, which is found
in more and more of our music today.
Features and specs:
Type
|
Dynamic
|
Driver Diameter
|
13 mm x2
|
Frequency Response
|
5-40,000 Hz
|
Maximum Input Power
|
200 mW
|
Sensitivity
|
110 dB/mW
|
Impedance
|
12 ohms
|
Weight
|
16 g
|
Cable
|
1.2 m, Y-type
|
Connector
|
3.5 mm gold-plated stereo mini
plug, L-shaped
|
Accessories Included
|
silicone eartips (XS/S/M/L) and
protective carrying case
|
The Audio
Technica ATH-CKR10 came in elegant looking packaging, with photos and specs of
the product. Materials used in the construction were metal and plastic, and
were of very high quality. The housing had a nice mirror finish. Fit and finish were excellent and they seemed
very well made in hand. Also included were multiple sized ear tips, owner’s
manual, and a leather carry case with magnetic closure.
Listening
showed off just how well they are tailored to high resolution audio. Fresh Aire
II: Going To Another Place, strings were very crisp and clean with excellent
dynamics and were just a tad bright. Piano was very natural with good
resolution. Flute was smooth with lots of air and good tonguing with plenty of
resolution to hear it. The kick drum was deep, had good impact and was really
full, playing with authority. Steve
Miller Band: Swingtown, percussion was extremely crisp and clean with very good
resolution. Bass guitar had nice depth, with good resolution of the strings
coming out. Vocals were natural and very smooth with good texture. No Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was
extremely crisp and clean and extremely dynamic. Bass was very deep and played
with tons of authority. Vocals were very smooth with great texture in her tone. Eric Bibb: Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your
Spirit Down, guitar was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution and
detail. Piano was very natural sounding. Vocals were very smooth with nice
dynamics and tone. The string bass was very deep and played with tons of
authority.
ACS’s new
midrange product is the ACS Evolve Studio Universal. They have been revamped,
and use the same 3-way balanced armature drivers as their previous
top-of-the-line T1 model. They use the same clear plastic body so you can see
the internal components. And they also use the same great detachable cable as
the Evoke.
Features and
specs:
Number of Drivers
Frequency Response
Impediance @1KHz
1 KHz Sensitivity
Isolation
Weight
Build Material
Cable
Included Accessories
Three
20-20KHz
50 Ohms
119.9dB @ 0.1V
26dB
8g net
Polycarbonate Shell, PU Foam Eartips
Detachable Linum BaX Cable 1.1M length
Instruction Leaflet, 6 sets of Ear Tips,
High Quality Carry Pouch
Linum Cabling
Audio is delivered from the music player
through the innovative Linum cabling system.
Two individual cables from the 3.5mm
connector feed the left and right channels with
no splicing in the middle. Each enamel-coated
cable is made from 6 litz wire conductors
containing 7 individual sliver plated copper
strands to ensure no colouration of the sound.
Interwoven with aramid fibres to provide a
market leading pull strength of 60N, Linum
cables produce negligible microphonics and will
not corrode, oxidise or change colour. Weighing
just 2.7g and only 0.9mm in diameter, this
incredible cable is near invisible when worn and
adds another dimension to the overall listening
experience.
The ACS
Evolve Studio Universal came in an elegant looking black box. It is a got off
the presses new product, and didn’t even have all of the packaging completed.
(a printed sleeve with photos of the product and it’s specs is wrapped around
the box.) But I’m glad they got the products to us in time to be included. Most
of the product was made of plastic, but quality of materials is excellent, as
is the fit and finish. The cable is misleading. Don’t let the cheap looking
cable fool you. It is actually a very strong cable, and is designed to be so
thin, so that you do not feel it. Also included were the hard carry case, and
multiple sets of ear tips.
Listening to
these is something you have to experience.
Fresh Aire II: Going To Another Place, strings were extremely crisp and
clean, dynamic and excellent resolution. Piano was very natural sounding. Kick
drum had nice low end extension, with good impact and authority. The flute was
very smooth with a good amount of air, with good resolution. Steve Miller Band: Swingtown, percussion had
excellent resolution and was extremely crisp. Keyboards sounded natural. Kick
drum had excellent tight kick and played with authority. Vocals were very
natural with excellent harmonics and texture. No Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was extremely
crisp, clean and dynamic. Bass was very deep with excellent kick and authority.
Vocals were silky smooth with excellent harmonics and texture. Eric Bibb: Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your
Spirit Down, there was excellent resolution in the guitar, that was very crisp
and clean. Piano was very natural with excellent harmonics and dynamics. String
bass played deep with good resolution and authority. Vocals were silky smooth
with excellent texture and resolution. Imaging was spot on, and they threw a
big soundstage. I felt like I was right there with them with a mic in front of
me!
Another
great 3-way driver product is the Audio Fly AF160. The AF160 uses 3 balanced
armature drivers, and a crossover network. Audiofly may be relatively new to the
headphone scene, but these boys from Australia do know their audio stuff! They
feature an elegant looking finish and a durable cable.
Features and Specs:
Driver configuration: Three balanced armature drivers
with crossover
Frequency range: 18-22kHz
Sensitivity: 110dB at 1 kHz
Impedance: 18 Ohms
Frequency range: 18-22kHz
Sensitivity: 110dB at 1 kHz
Impedance: 18 Ohms
Cable length: 1.6m / 64in
Plug type: 3.5mm gold
plated, right-angle format
They came in
an attractive box with a sleeve with photos and specs of the product. Materials
used in the construction were mostly plastic, with some metal and cloth.
Quality of materials used were excellent, as was the fit and finish. I love the
look of the housing, which was a brown with a bit of a shimmering look to it.
Also included was an extremely nice real leather case, owner’s manual, multiple
sized and styles of ear tips, cleaning tool, ¼ inch adapter, and airplane
adapter.
Listening to
these gems showed off their amazing aural colors, that was on the warm side. Fresh Aire II: Going To Another Place, revealed very crisp strings with very nice
dynamics. Piano was very natural sounding with great resolution. The flute was
very smooth with a good amount of air, as well as resolution. The kick drum had
nice depth with good kick and presence. Steve
Miller Band: Swingtown, percussion was
very crisp and clean with excellent resolution. Keyboards sounded natural. Bass
guitar was detailed and played with good depth, as did the drums. The vocals
were very good with very nice texture. No
Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was very crisp and clean with excellent
resolution and were very dynamic. Bass was very deep and played with good
authority. Vocals were very smooth, sultry and just sounded amazing. Eric Bibb: Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your
Spirit Down, guitar was crisp and clean with lots of resolution. Piano was very
natural sounding. The string bass had excellent low end extension with amazing
resolution and authority. Vocals were pleasantly natural, with excellent
texture and harmonics. Imaging was very good, and they threw a good soundstage.
Last but not
least is the Westone W60 IEM’s, known as their signature series. It doesn’t get
much better than these! They feature a detachable cable, as well as an
exchangeable metal faceplate in red, gold or silver. Now you can have them
match your outfit! The cable has built-in controls for your iPhone. They
actually come with 2 pair of cables! One
has the iPhone controls, and the other doesn't.
SO you can actually use one of the cables as a spare! And for your aural bliss, they feature 6
balanced armature drivers and a 3-way crossover network. So the highs, mids,
and bass all have 2 drivers dedicated to those separate frequencies.
Features and specs:
New Westone W60 with 6 drivers per earpiece and a 3-way
crossover.
Metallic Faceplates - Multiple
metallic color faceplates with secure attachment.
Mini Monitor Vault II - Constructed
of a high-impact polymer, it’s the perfect size for travel and storage.
Features a protective foam interior and weather resistant design.
The Westone W60 offers listeners an amazing six-driver system
with three-way crossover. Dual drivers help produce a clear sound with rich
detail in the highs, mids, and bass. The music sounds deep, powerful, and
alive.
Balanced Armature Westone’s
balanced armature drivers are far more efficient and produce a much more
detailed sound than a traditional dynamic driver. The Westone W60 features six
balanced drivers per earpiece with a three way crossover network. This setup
provides enhanced audio detail and a clear frequency range that makes the music
sound amazing and hard to replicate by others.
Westone True-Fit Technology Westone
offers more than fifty years of experience with in-ear listening technology.
The True-Fit Technology promises a lightweight and low profile earpiece with
unmatched comfort and sound quality. Users can choose from five pairs of
True-Fit foam tips and five sets of STAR silicone tips. True-Fit foam tips
ensure a maximum seal and comfortable use and the STAR silicone tips precisely
conform to your ear to eliminate unwanted noise.
Replaceable Cable The
Westone W60 includes a new replaceable cable connection with a braided EPIC
cable and a round MFI cable featuring a 3-way button control and microphone.
Changing the cable is simple and this flexibility helps extend the life of the
earphones.
Three Button Apple Control System and
Microphone The round MFI cable provides function control for Apple products
and includes volume, tracking, phone answering, and Siri activation.
Multiple Faceplates Customizing
the W60 earphones is simple! The W60 includes three metallic exchangeable
faceplates to update and change the look of the earphones. Users can choose
between metallic bronze, red, and silver and even mix and match left and right
earpieces.
Two year
warranty
· Sensitivity: 117 dB SPL @ 1 mW
· Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
· Impedance: 25 ohms @ 1 kHz
· Passive Noise Attenuation: 25 dB
· Driver: 6 balanced armature drivers with a
3-way crossover
· Weight: 0.445 ounces / 12.7 grams
· Cable: EPIC replaceable cable and MFI Cable
· Cable Length: 52” / 132 cm
The Westone
W60 came in an elegant looking box, with photos and specs of the product. The
materials used in the construction was plastic and metal. The quality of the
materials used was excellent, as was the fit and finish. They felt well made in
hand. And I love the interchangeable covers, that give them a different look.
You can definitely tell that this is a premium top of the line product.
Included were the owner's manual, multiple different size and styles of ear tips,
cleaning tool and way loop, and extra cable without a built-in remote, and an
extremely durable hard plastic case that looks to be waterproof. (Although may
not be marketed as waterproof. So may
want to test it first to make sure, if you plan to use them that way). And for you Apple product users, there is a Westone app that can be used to customize and improve the sound.
Listening to
these beautiful deliverers of music nirvana is an experience to remember. Fresh Aire II: Going To Another Place, strings were extremely crisp and clean with
excellent dynamics and resolution. The flute was very smooth with nice air and
harmonics. Piano was extremely natural sounding and great tone. The kick drum
was very deep, full, with nice impact and very good authority. Steve Miller Band: Swingtown, percussion was
extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution and dynamics. Kick drum was
deep with authority. Bass guitar also had good extension and resolution.
Keyboards sounded extremely natural. Vocals were smooth like honey with
excellent harmonics and texture. No
Doubt: Hella Good, percussion was extremely crisp, clean with excellent
dynamics. Bass was extremely deep with good impact and authority. Stephani’s sexy
vocals just sounded so amazingly silky smooth with amazing texture and
resolution. I thought I was right there in the recording studio. Eric Bibb: Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your
Spirit Down, guitar was crisp and clean with excellent resolution and detail.
Piano was very detailed, sounded natural with excellent dynamics. Vocals were
silky smooth like honey, and their texture and harmonics were stellar! They
provided the intimate sound of being right there in the studio next to Eric
Bibb and having a mic in front of you. The Resolution was amazing. Imaging was
also spot on, and they threw a big soundstage.
We had some
amazing products among this year's IEM’s in the shootout. Each one had their
unique sounds, depending on if you like your IEM’s to be bright, warm, or more
neutral. The Beyerdynamic iDX160ie produced a great sound for the money. Add in
all the accessories and it’s a bargain! The ACS Evoke Studio Universal is
another bargain with a detachable cable and balanced armature driver. They were
just a tad on the bright side, but are again a huge bang for your buck with the
detachable premium cable and such resolution for their price! They were only
slightly lacking in bass output. The Westone Adventure Alpha’s didn’t have
quite the resolution as the models with the balanced armature’s. But if you
like a lot of bass, they delivered! And they were really easy to get a great
fit! Add the iPx rating and durable detachable cable into the mix, and you get
another great bang for your buck! The Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKR10 with their
dual phase drivers provided a ton of resolution low end output as well, and
tended to be bright. High resolution Audio is definitely what they are designed
for.
The next few
with multiple drivers takes the sound to a whole new level! Audiofly’s AF160’s
with their 3 balanced armatures delivered in amazing sound. They tended to be
more warm in sound, with excellent resolution, and very good imaging and
soundstage. The ACS Evolve Studio Universal use the same 3-way drivers that
were used in their old custom TI. Sounding a tad on the bright side, the level
of detail and presence that they provide is hard to beat. Feeling like you are
right there in the recording studio is truly something that needs to be
experienced! Last but not least is the Westone W60. Their four figure price tag
is not for everyone. I think Ferris Bueller said it best, “It is so choice. If
you have the means, I highly recommend it.” Their 6 balanced armature drivers
deliver an extremely neutral sound that is jaw dropping, goose bump rendering
aural bliss. I can see that some would ask the question: 6 Drivers? Really?
Does it really sound that good? But before you can even finish asking the
question, knowing what the question is, I would answer “Yes!!!” And to make things even better, Westone has an audio app for Apple products that helps you custom tailor and improve the sound even more.
As I said
before, we had some great models in this year's shootout! And hopefully it was
educational, as none of these were Bose, or Beats. Let your ears be the judge.
Any of these models would be great choices, depending on your budget. And those
of you that have the means and pulls the trigger on one of these more pricey models,
you are in for a serious treat! Based on their design, features, quality and performance,
the Beyerdynamic iDX160ie has earned our
Value Award. The ACS Evoke Studio Universal and Westone Adventure Alpha have
earned our Recommended Award. The
Audio-Technica ATH-CKR10, Audiofly AF160, and ACS Evolve Studio Universal have
earned our Highly Recommended Award. And
the Westone W60 has earned our Editor's Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, checkout
their websites at www.beyerdynamic.com, www.audio-technica.com,
www.audiofly.com, www.acscustom.com, and www.westone.com.
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