Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd and Blue Byrd IEM Review

You may have heard the term German Engineering used in a positive context. This is often used when talking about cars, like BMW and Mercedes. But there’s a couple German companies that make headphones and one of them is Beyerdynamic. They have a wide range of quality headphones. And their entry level IEM’s give good bang for the buck. Up for review is their Soul Byrd and Blue Byrd IEM’s.

The Soul Byrd is their entry level IEM with a MSRP of $89. It’s a basic wired model with not so basic sound. And it includes in-line controls. If you want wireless, they have you covered with their Blue Byrd model. Not only does stepping up to their Blue Byrd model give you wireless functionality, you also get their amazing MOSAYC sound customization software.

 

Features and specs:

Soul Byrd:

Operating principle: Closed

Transmission Type: Wired

Remote: Universal 3-button remote

Headphone frequency response: 10 - 25,000 Hz

Sound coupling to the ear: In-ear headphones

EAN: 4010118717802

Cable & Plug: 1.2 m cable (both-sided, fixed) with 3.5 mm plug (4-pole)

article No.: 717800

 

Blue Byrd:

Operating principle: Closed

Transmission Type: Wireless via Bluetooth®

Remote: Universal 3-button remote

weight headphones without cable: 6 g

battery runtime: Up to 6 hours

Headphone frequency response:  10 - 25,000 Hz

Supported Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, SPP

Codecs: aptX™ LL, aptX™, AAC, SBC

Sound coupling to the ear: In-ear headphones

EAN: 4010118717659

article No.: 717657

Both the Soul Byrd and Blue Byrd came in a nice color printed box with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box revealed a well protected product. The hard zipper case was held in place with custom molded cardboard. Opening the case you see the IEM held in it’s place inside the case. On the other side of the case is a packet to held the additional sized ear tips, and the charging cord for the Blue Byrd model. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal. Quality of materials used as well as the fit and finish were better than expected for their price point.

You get a really good value with the Soul Byrd. But what really impressed me was the value you get with the Blue Byrd. Sure, they’re wireless. But the real jewel they came with is their MOSAYC. While it’s sound customization software, the term customization just doesn’t give it enough justice. The human ear has a wide hearing range, but it does differ a small bit from person to person. And as you get older, you lose some of that frequency range. The software does a hearing test per say, with test tones as a base map. And you can adjust the sound to your liking from there. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

When listening to both the Soul Byrd and Blue Byrd, they sounded pretty much the same out of the box.  In looking at the specs, they both had the same frequency response.  Looking at the earbuds, they looked to be the same size.  So……I figured they most both use the same drivers.  So instead of writing up the same sound for both, I am including their listening experience for both of them together as one.

Disturbed: Sound of Silence- Piano sounded natural, vocals had nice texture and timbre, guitar was crisp and clean, violin had nice smooth harmonics. Cymbals sounded only a tad thin. Tympani had good impact.  Earth, Wind and Fire: Let’s Groove- Cymbals were crisp and clean, claps were nice and dynamic. Trumpets were smooth with nice harmonics. Bass had nice low end extension, playing with a lot of output and only a tad muddy. Vocals were also smooth with very good harmonics.  Run DMC: It’s Tricky-Percussion was crisp and clean. Drums were dynamic and had good impact. Bass played pleasantly deep, cleaner than expected, and also hit really hard with a lot of authority.  Adele: Rolling in the Deep-  Guitar sounded really natural with the plucking of the strings. Kick drum had good low end extension with good authority. High hat was crisp and clean and only a tad thin sounding. Piano sounded more natural than expected. Vocals were smooth with good texture and timbre.

When all is said and done, you get a great bang for the buck with the Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd. They provide a great sound for the price. But for a little bit more of your hard earned cash, the Blue Byrd gives an even better bang for the buck, especially with the MOSAYC software. Based on their design, features, quality, and performance. They Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd and Blue Byrd have both earned our Value Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.beyerdynamic.com.