2024 Annual Headphone Shootout Part 2: The In-Ear Monitors

Now it’s time for the second part of our Headphone shootout. Time for the In-Ear Monitors, or IEMs. We have some good companies represented, with some great models. Some have unique features. First is the Mymanu Clicks S, for $159, followed by PBS M4U TWM at $199 MSRP, JBL Tour Pro 2 at $249 MSRP, Sennheiser Momentum 4 True Wireless $299 MSRP. And last but not least, the Master & Dynamic MW09 at $399 MSRP

 

We do this around the time of March Madness, figured with basketball teams duking it out, let’s do a headphone shootout. Unlike March Madness where teams are divided up in seeds, the headphones have their prices.  And as with March Madness, sometimes a headphone can perform better than a model priced higher than them. We also do a torture test for their Bluetooth performance. We’ll start with the cheapest model, and work our way up. So, let’s begin.

 

First up is the Mymanu Click S. It came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos of the IEM with it’s features and specs. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product held in place in its charging case. Materials used in the construction is mostly plastic. Quality of materials used as well as the fit and finish was good. Also included was additional sized eartips, charging case, charging cable and owner’s manual.

Features and specs: 

Headphone Style: In Ear / Earbuds

Active Noise Cancellation: No

Echo Reduction: No

True Wireless Connectivity: Yes

Bluetooth: 5.0

Supported Audio Codecs: Aptx

Wireless Standby Time: 30 Hours with charging case

Battery Runtime: 10 hours single charge

Technology: Advanced Machine Learning technology

Translation Ability: Real-time Translation

Number of Voice Mics: 4

Color: Black

Materials: ABS Plastic

Product Dimensions: 0.8"H x 1"L x 0.9"W

Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes

Compatibility: iOS 10.0 or later, Android 4.1 or later

App Support: MyJuno App

App Requires: iOS 13+ or Android 5+

Works with Google Assistant: Yes

Warranty: Manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty

Designed for: Business, Travel, Gaming, Sports and Kids

 

I like the unique design of the Mymanu Click S. They work great as IEM’s but also have an extremely unique feature of a language translator. So if you travel to a foreign country, or just need to talk to someone with a different language than you, they help break the language barrier.  They could be perfect for anyone that travels.

 

It works through their app. You open the app, select your language and select their language. You then click the button on your earbud, speak and the translation is shown on your phone and played through the speaker of your smartphone. Then they speak into your phone, and you hear the translation in your earbuds. When not used for translation, they work great for your music and phone calls. The charging case provides extra charges. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat is crisp and clean. Bass is smooth with really good depth and plays with sufficient output. Piano sounded natural. Vocals were smooth with good texture. Strings were really smooth with nice tone. Trumpet was really crisp and clean, lots of dynamics and good harmonics. Imaging was good and soundstage was wide.

Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was nice and crisp and clean with good resolution of the strings. The whistling was very smooth with very good harmonics. Vocals were also smooth with nice texture.

Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: Vocals had great harmonics with great texture. Bass was tight and hit with good authority. And when the booty got dropped down low, it played really deep and played with really good authority.

 

Next up is the PSB M4U TWM. They came in a great looking color printed box with photos and specs of the IEMs. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone held in its charging case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish was very good. Also included were additional sized ear tips, charging case, and manual.

 

Features and specs:

Frequency Response Within ±1 1/2dB: 20 - 20,000Hz

Transducer Type:  Magneto-Static & Dynamic

Operating Principle: Sealed

Size: 6mm

Ear Coupling:  In-Ear

Connection:  Bluetooth version

1/8”* (3.5mm) Stereo Jack (Left or Right)

Bluetooth quality:  aptX™ Adaptive, AAC, SBC

Operating distance:  10m

Battery

Music time:  8 hours

Charging time:  66 minutes

Charging input:  5V, 1A

Earbuds:  8 hours

Case:  3 additional charge cycles

Case recharge time:  2 hours

Construction

Driver enclosure:  ABS + Rubber

Earpads: Silicon

Travel Case

Smart Charging:  Dimensions / Weights / Finish

Overall:  18 x 22 x 17mm (5/32 x 7/8 x 11/16”)

Travel Case:  64 x 36 x 32mm (2 17/32 x 1 27/64 x 1 17/64”)

Weight:  5g (0.18oz)

Finish:  Black

 

The PSB M4U TWM is another model with unique features. Where most headphones use either dynamic or balanced armature drivers, the PSB M4U uses a two-way design with a magneto-static driver that employs a thin ribbon with high current to deliver amazing high frequencies, and a dynamic planar driver for midrange and bass delivers not only natural mids and also clean deep bass.

 

In addition to the unique driver design, the PSB M4U TWM also provides a custom hearing test through it’s app to custom tune the IEM’s to your hearing. RoomFeel Tuning provides the sound you get from a pair of high-quality speakers in a room. The app also has different EQ settings to set the sound curves that you prefer. The charging case provides extra charge to provide for long listening sessions. Setting up the IEM’s through the app was easy. Now let’s hear how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was really crisp and clean with great resolution. Bass was smooth with very good depth and had authority. Piano sounded very natural. Vocals had excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Strings were really smooth with excellent resolution. Trumpet was extremely dynamic with excellent harmonics and really crisp and clean. Imaging was excellent and soundstage was not just wide but also deep.

Guns & Roses – Patience: Acoustic guitar was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the decay of strings. Whistling was smoother than honey with excellent harmonics. Vocals were smooth with excellent texture of the timbre. They also provided a huge, wide, and deep soundstage.

Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: Vocals had excellent harmonics with just as good texture of the timbre. Bass beats were clean, hit hard, and played with good authority. And when he dropped it down low, the bass had really good low-end extension and played with authority.

 

Now it’s time for the JBL Tour Pro 2. They came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box was similar to previous models. The IEMs were well protected, held in place in the charging case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials used in the construction, as well as the fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the charging case, charging cable, additional sized ear tips, and manual.

 

Features and specs:

General Specifications 

Driver size (mm):  10

Number of Microphones:  6

 

Audio Specifications

Driver sensitivity at 1kHz/1mW (dB):  100 dB SPL@1 kHz

Dynamic frequency response range (Hz):  20 Hz - 20 kHz

Impedance (ohms):  16

 

Dimensions

Charging Case Weight (oz):  2.6

Earpiece Weight (oz):  0.42

Charging Case Weight (g):  73

Earpiece Weight (g):  12.2

 

Control and Connection Specifications

Bluetooth version:  5.3

Bluetooth profiles:  A2DP V1.3.2, AVRCP V1.6.2, HFP V1.7.2

Bluetooth frequency:  2.4 GHz - 2.4835 GHz

Bluetooth transmitted modulation:  GFSK, π/4-DQPSK, 8-DPSK

Bluetooth transmitter power:  <15 dBm (EIRP)

 

Battery

Charging time (hours from empty):  2

Maximum music play time with ANC off (hours):  10

Maximum music play time with ANC on (hours):  8

Maximum play time (hours):  40

 

Features

True Adaptive Noise Cancelling:  Yes

Carrying case:  Yes

JBL Legendary Pro Audio Sound:  Yes

Spatial Sound:  Yes

Smart case:  Yes

IP Code:  IPX5

Charging cable:  Yes

Voice Assistant integration:  Yes

Ambient Aware:  Yes

Built-in Microphone:  Yes

Hands Free Call:  Yes

TalkThru:  Yes

Touch Control:  Yes

Adaptive Noise Cancelling:  Yes

Active Noise Cancelling:  Yes

Wireless:  Yes

Water Resistant:  Yes

Charging case:  Yes

Speed charge:  Yes

Rechargable battery:  Yes

Bluetooth:  Yes

 

The trend continues with the JBL Tour Pro 2 also having unique features. All previous models, including the JBL, have an app. Through the app you can control the features. But unlike the other models, they also have a touch screen display on the side of the charging case.  There’s no need to open the app to adjust the settings, which makes it more convenient. And the touch screen display can do much more. You can even manage calls, and see incoming messages. Music is easily managed with it as well as sound settings.  You can even go in silent mode to turn off calls if you need a nap. And if you lose one earbud, it can help you find it. JBL also provides Personal-fi 2.0, which uses a hearing test to personalize the sound to your hearing.

 

As with most time wireless IEM’s also providing a charging case, the JBL Tour Pro 2 also provides other excellent features. It’s True Adaptive Noise Cancelling works with your surroundings. Smart Ambient adjusts to the level of sound from your surroundings that you want to allow in. Spatial Sound makes it sound like you’re in the concert hall, or the studio with your band. Perfect Calls uses the 6 built-in mics for the best phone calls. The JBL app allows you to use EQ settings to adjust the sound to your liking. Setting them up was simple though the app. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was extremely crisp and clean. Bass was not only smooth but also played really deep with a ton of authority. Piano sounded very natural. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Strings were smooth like honey with excellent resolution. Trumpet was extremely crisp and clean with similar dynamics and resolution without being too brassy, with excellent harmonics. Imaging was excellent and soundstage was both wide and deep.

Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the decay of the strings. The whistling was so silky smooth with excellent harmonics. Vocals were also silky smooth with excellent texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also nice and wide and deep.

Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: vocals had excellent harmonics with excellent texture of the timbre. Bass beats were really clean, with very good punch and output. And when he dropped the booty down low, it was more like Thor dropping his hammer down!

 

Next up is the Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 4. They came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box, the IEMs were well protected held in place in their charging case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish was very good. Also included was the charging case, charging cable, additional sized ear tips, and manual.

 

Features and specs:

Wearing style:  True wireless stereo earphones

Ear Coupling:  Ear canal

Connectivity:  Bluetooth 5.4 compliant, class 1, 10 mW (max); Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE Audio supported

Transmission frequency / modulation:  2,402 MHz to 2,480 MHz; GFSK, π/4 DQPSK / 8DPSK

Supported Profiles:  A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, TMAP, PBP

Supported codecs:  SBC, AAC, aptX™, aptX™ Adaptive/Lossless, LC3

Speaker principle:  Dynamic

Speaker type/size:  TrueResponse™ dynamic, 7mm diameter

Speaker frequency range:  5 Hz to 21 kHz

Speaker sensitivity:  107 dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)

Speaker THD:  <0,08% (1 kHz / 94 dB)

Active Noise Cancellation:  Hybrid Adaptive ANC

Mic principle:  MEMS

Mic frequency range:  100 Hz to 10 kHz

Mic pick-up pattern:  3 mics per earbud, beamforming for noise reduction

Battery lifespan:  Up to 7.5 hrs music playtime with earbuds (ANC off); Up to 7.0 hrs music playtime with earbuds (ANC on) Up to 30 hrs overall music playtime with charging case (test condition: iPhone, mid volume level 85 dB)

Battery type:  Built-in Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries; Left/right earbud: 75 mAh, charging case: 820 mAh

Power Supply:  5 V⎓, 1000 mA max; USB charging via USB-C socket at charging case; Qi Wireless charging

Magnetic strength field:  Earbuds: 0.95 mT, charging case: 105 mT

Weather resistance:  IP54, dust and splash resistant (earbuds only)

Product Specification:  72.4 g (both earbuds and charging case) 6.2 g (single earbud) 66.4 g (charging case) 70,1 x 44,6 x 34.8 mm (earbuds and charging case)

Operating condition:  Operating temp: 0 to +40°C; Charging temp: 5 to 35°C Rel. humidity 25 to 75%, non-condensing

Storage condition:  Temp: –20 to +60°C; Rel. humidity 10 to 90%

App support:  Sennheiser Smart Control app for iOS™ and Android™

 

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 has it’s share of fancy features. It starts with it’s time Response Transducer System that provides high end sound for treble and bass. The Adaptive Noise Cancellation adjusts the noise cancellation to your surroundings. You also get future proof technologies with Auracast and LE audio. Lossless audio provides a bit-by-bit mirror image of the original track.

 

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 also has you covered for long listening sessions. There’s multiple sized ear tips to get a comfortable fit for long listening sessions. The charging case provides up to 30 hours of listening. And when it’s time for charging, there’s fast Q and wireless charging. To tie everything in for the perfect sound, there’s Sound Personalization. It’s a sound check to customize the sound to your hearing. And you can customize it further with sound zones and an adaptive 5-band EQ. Setting them up was easy. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was extremely crisp and clean with resolution to hear the impact of the stick on the metal. Bass was silky smooth with great depth and played with excellent authority. Piano sounded very natural. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Strings were smooth as Swiss chocolate. Trumpet was so crisp and clean with excellent harmonics and resolution and dynamics. Imaging and soundstage was close to over the ear headphones with spot on imaging and width and depth of soundstage that was almost holographic.

Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was extremely crisp and clean, with amazing resolution of the plucking and decay of the strings. Whistling was so silky smooth with stellar harmonics. Vocals were just as smooth, and soundstage was both wide with depth that was both up front and deep.

Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: vocals had stellar harmonics with excellent texture of the timbre. Bass beats were clean with really good punch and authority. And when the booty got dropped down low, it was more like the epicenter of an earthquake, it was so clean and had such authority.

 

Last but not least is the Master & Dynamic MW09. They came in a nice-looking color printed case with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box revealed the charging case which held the IEMs securely in place. Materials used in the production was metal as well as plastic and sapphire glass. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish was excellent. Also included was the charging case, extra sized ear tips, charging cable, and manual.

 

Features and specs:

Model:  MW09 Active Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earphones

Materials:  Aluminum and sapphire glass earphones, charging case made with Kevlar® fiber or aluminum

Dimensions:  Charging case - 45.5 x 64.5 x 25.6 mm (H x W x D), Earphones - 20.3 x 21.5 x 21 mm (H x W x D)

Weight:  Earphones - 8.1g each, charging case (Kevlar®) - 50.5g, charging case (Aluminum) - 62.5g

Dust and Waterproof Rating:  Earphones are IP54, charging case is IPX4

Active Noise-Cancelling:  3 modes of Hybrid ANC including Adaptive ANC, All Day ANC, and Max ANC

Drivers:  11mm beryllium

Audio Format:  Supports AAC, LC3, SBC, AptX Lossless up to 16-bit / 44.1 kHz, AptX Adaptive up to 24-bit / 96 kHz, and AptX Adaptive low latency gaming mode. Auracast Ready.

Microphone Type:  6-microphone talk solution with proprietary wind reduction, 3 microphones in each earphone

Ambient Listening Modes:  Awareness Mode, Voice Mode, Natural Mode

Earphone Battery Life:  Up to 16 hours playtime

Earphone and Case Charging Time:  50% in 20 minutes, 100% in 60 minutes via cable, 100% in 185 minutes via wireless charging

Charging Case Battery Life:  32 additional hours of charge, Up to 48 hours total playtime

Case Charge Time:  50% in 20 minutes, 100% in 60 minutes via cable, 50% in 70 minutes, 100% in 160 minutes via wireless charger

Bluetooth Profile:  Bluetooth® 5.4

Connectivity Distance:  100ft/30m

 

I love the design of the Master & Dynamic MW09. They are a premium IEM, and it shows. It all starts with the build quality. They are made with aluminum with sapphire glass, absolutely stunning. It continues with a Kevlar case. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s beryllium drivers, and 6 microphones in an A.I. enhanced talk solution. They are even future proof, being Auracast and LE Audio ready.

 

The Master & Dynamic MW09 also has the features found on most other time wireless IEMs. There’s Adaptive Noise Cancellation, to match your surroundings. The case provides an additional 32 hours of charge. You get both silicon and foam tips in multiple sizes, so you get the best fit for you. The app provides a fully adjustable EQ, to get the best sound for you. The Master & Dynamic MW09 provides the design and features for excellent sound now, and in the future. Setup was simple. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the stick on the metal. Bass was very smooth with great low-end extension and played with great authority. Piano sounded more natural than they should at this price point. Vocals were smooth like a Dove bar with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Strings were also smooth like honey with great resolution of the strings. Trumpet was extremely crisp, clean, dynamic, with excellent harmonics. Imaging was on a dime, with an excellent soundstage that was both wide and deep.

Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was killer with its transparency of the plucking and decay of the strings, so crisp and clean! The whistling was so amazing. Smoother than Swiss chocolate and stellar harmonics! Vocals were equally smooth with excellent texture of the timbre. Soundstage was again both wide and deep, with depth being both forward and deep.

Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: Vocals had amazing harmonics with excellent texture of the timbre. Bass was so clean and hit really hard and did so cleanly with great authority. And when the booty got dropped down low, it was more like a bomb going off, with excellent low-end extension and authority!

For wireless testing we go far and above what the specs say they are good for.  We do a torture test to see what their limits are. This involves leaving my smartphone in my basement and walking around the basement, then going upstairs to the main floor and walking around the main floor, and then going up to the 2^nd floor and walking around the main floor.  With more thick floors getting between me and my smartphone as I go up in floors, it is a true torture test. And the last test is outdoors in the open walking out to 200ft to see at what distance connection is lost.

For Mymanu Click S – no problems in the basement, a little quirky on the main floor, but ok once you stop moving. And on the 2^nd floor it was the same. A little quirky but ok once not moving. So amazingly it was useable on both main floor and 2^nd floor. Outside it was usable up to 150 ft.

PSB M4U TWM– No problem at all through walls in basement, but both main floor and 2^nd floor were equally glitchy and questionable. Outside they were good to the 200 ft no problem.

JBL Tour Pro 2 – no problems though all basement walls. Both main and 2^nd floors were equally a bit too glitchy so questionable. Outside a small glitch at 180 ft, usable all the way to 200 ft.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4– multiple walls in basement no problem. Both main floor and 2^nd floor were too glitchy so not useable. Outside got a glitch at 180 ft but good to 200 ft.

Master & Dynamic MW09– no problems in the basement. Main floor was a little glitchy and barely usable. 2^nd floor was too glitchy so not useable. Outside it was a little glitchy at around 120 ft but then good to 200 ft.

 

For ANC, for JBL Tour Pro 2, the Adaptive Noice Cancelling with ambient more doing a great job of bringing in the sounds of the environment around you. And for ANC enabled, it removed about 90% of the noise around me.  For Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, in ambient mode it performed in spades bringing in the sound of my environment.  And for ANC it removed around 90% of the noise around me.  Last but not least is the Master & Dynamic MW09.  The ambient mode performed extremely well, bringing in the environment around me. And for ANC they removed close to 95% of the noise around me, performing better than expected.

I was impressed with all five of the contenders this year, and surprised with the performance of both the Mymanu Click S, and PSB M4U TWM.  While the Mymanu didn’t knock off anyone above them in price, they still performed much better than their price point.  And while the PSB M4U TWM also did not knock off a contender above them, they came close to the overperforming the JBL.  The PSB’s drivers provided excellent sound and resolution in the highs, mids, and lows, the lows while having good depth did not have the same output of the other models.  And with the PSB M4U TWM you also do not get the ANC.  And while the JBL Tour Pro 2 provided excellent sound they didn’t overperform those above them. But with the added functionality of the LCD display on the case, they came very very close!  The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 stellar sound that was better than expected, with the refined Sennheiser sound, and gave the Master & Dynamic a run for the money.  And I loved their unique and elegant looking cloth covered charging case.  The Master & Dynamic MW09 with their beryllium drivers provided phenomenal sound, and also raised the games with their luxurious aluminum and sapphire glass construction and carbon fiber case.

 

No matter your budget, all of the models provided great performance at their price points.  With the Mymanu Click S you also get the added benefit of a translator for traveling.  While the PSB M4U TWM lacks ANC, you do get some audiophile drivers that provides the same caliber of sound.  For the JBL Tour Pro 2 you get excellent sound and features, and a really cool LCD display on the case for unique added functionality.  And the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Master & Dynamic MW09 both take the sound to a higher level, with the Master & Dynamic adding luxurious construction materials.  Based on their design, features, quality, and performance, the Mymanu Click S has earned our Value Award, PSB M4U TWM our Highly Recommended Award, and the JBL Tour Pro 2 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Master & Dynamic MW09 have earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their websites at www.jbl.com, www.masterdynamic.com, www.mymanu.com, www.psbspeakers.com, www.sennheiser-hearing.com.com.  

 

2024 Annual Headphone Shootout Part 1 Over The Ear Models

It’s that time of the year when basketball teams are finishing the last of their regular season schedules. That means March Madness is soon to begin. Which also means that it’s time for our annual Headphone Shootout. While teams in March Madness are ranked into seeds, products such as headphones are given prices. But just as with March Madness, sometime products perform better than their price points. We’ll see how this year’s Shootout turns out.

 

As usual, this years Headphone Shootout is divided into two parts: the over the ears, and the second part is the In-Ear Monitors. This year the over the ears will be first. It includes the following models: Phiaton 900 Legacy + at $249 MSRP, Beyerdynamic MMX 200 Wireless, with a $249 MSRP, JBL Tour One M2 at $299 MSRP, Viwone Pure + with a $349 MSRP, and last but not least PSB M4U 9 with a MSRP of $499. We will start at the lowest price point and work our way up. Through this we will also see what is received as we move up in price point.

 

The Phiaton 900 Legacy + came in a great looking color printed box with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone held in place in a nice zippered hard case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, earpads were leatherette and foam. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, were good. Also included was the zippered hard case, charging cable, audio cable, and user manual.

 

Features and specs:

Communication Network: 5.1

Output Power: Power Class 2

Max. Communication Range: Discoverable within 10 m / 33 ft.

Music Play Time: 39 hrs / 43 hrs (NC on / off)

Call Time: Max. 39 Hours

Full Charge Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Fast Charging: Support 10 min Charging = 4 hrs Playing

Standby Time: Max. 320 Hours

Frequency Range: 2.4 GHz (2.402 GHz ~ 2.480 GHz)

Bluetooth Profile Support: HFP v1.7 / HSP v1.2 / A2DP v1.3.1 /AVRCP v1.6

Battery: Lithium Polymer DC 3.7 V / 1000 mAh

Microphone Frequency Range: 50 ~ 4,000 Hz

Microphone Sensitivity: -42 dB

Support Echo Cancellation and Talk Noise: cVc® Solution

Operating Temperature: -20 ~ 45

Size: 180 x 172 x 23 mm (H x W x D) / 7.1 x 6.8 x 0.9 inch (H x W x D)

Weight: 256 g (0.56 lb)

Audio Codec: SBC, Qualcomm® aptX™HD, aptX™, AAC (If the ‘Bluetooth Device’ can not support Qualcomm® aptX™ or aptX-HD™ audio or AAC mode, it will be connected with SBC mode.)

 

The Phiaton 900 Legacy + employs a good bang for the buck design. While you get leatherette with basic foam in the earcups, you do get Active Noise Cancelling, and touch controls on the outside of the earcup. There are also hard buttons for power and Active Noise Cancellation. And while they are light weight which can be interpreted as cheap, it seemed sufficiently well made. And the zippered hard case will help protect it. Let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole: LOVE – Vocals were pleasantly smooth, string bass was really deep and played with authority. Hi hat was crisp and clean. Piano sounded sufficiently natural. Violins were smooth with the bow going across the strings. Trumpet was dynamic, clean and very good resolution of the tone, as was the trombone. Imaging was good, and soundstage was both wide with noticeable depth.

Guns N Roses: Patience – the whistling was silky smooth with nice harmonics. Acoustic guitar strings were crisp and clean. Vocals were also smooth with good resolution of the timbre.

Brandon Beal: Drop that Booty Down Low – vocals were smooth, with good texture of the timbre. Bass beats were clean, smooth, and played with authority. And when it dropped down low, the bass hit hard! It was clean, extremely deep, and played with really good authority.

 

Next up is Beyerdynamic MMX 200.  The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone held in place by custom molded cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the detachable mic, charging cable, low-latency wireless adapter, and owner’s manual.

Features and specs:

TRANSMISSION TYPE: Wireless via Bluetooth®

EARPAD MATERIAL: Softskin, memory foam filling

REMOTE: Clickable control wheel

NOMINAL IMPEDANCE HEADPHONES: 32 ohms

WEIGHT HEADPHONES WITHOUT CABLE: 360 g

BATTERY RUNTIME: Up to 35 hours

HEADPHONE FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz – 20.000 Hz

NOMINAL SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL: 116 dB

SUPPORTED BLUETOOTH® PROFILE: A2DP, HFP, SBC, LC3

SPECIAL FEATURES: Call Handling, Microphone Mute, Volume Control, Augmented Mode

BLUETOOTH® VERSION: 5.3

SOUND COUPLING TO THE EAR: Circumaural (around the ear)

CABLE & PLUG: 2 m USB cable, wireless dongle with USB-C, USB-C to USB-A adapter for PC, Bluetooth® 5.3

POLAR PATTERN FOR MICROPHONE: Cardioid

TRANSDUCER TYPE FOR MICROPHONE: Electret condenser - Cardioid

 

Beyerdynamic is from a quality German manufacturer, known for hi-end headphones. The MMX 200 is a quality headphone designed for gaming and includes a low latency mode, yet retains its legacy studio quality sound. It also includes high end features like detachable mic, and memory foam for comfort during long gaming sessions. For the price you get a big bang for the buck. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole: LOVE – Vocals were very smooth with very good resolution of the texture of the timbre. String bass sounds smooth like honey and played deep and with authority. Hi hat was really crisp and clean. Piano sounded very natural. Violins were smooth with the bow going across the strings. Trumpet was very clean, dynamic, played with really good harmonics, as did the trombone. Imaging was very good, and soundstage was both wide and revealed very good depth.

Guns N Roses: Patience – the whistling was silky smooth with very good harmonics. The strings of the acoustic guitar were really crisp and clean with very good resolution. Vocals were also smooth with really good resolution of the texture of the timbre.

Brandon Beal: Drop that Booty Down Low – vocals again were smooth with very good texture of the timbre. Bass beats were clean, smooth and played with authority. And when it dropped down low, the bass was extremely deep and played with good authority.

 

Now it’s time for the JBL Tour One M2. It’s a quality wireless headphone with ANC and the signature JBL sound. They came in a great looking color printed box with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone, held in place in a hard zippered case. The materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal like in the hinges. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the hard zipper case, charging audio cables, flight adapter, and owner’s manual. There’s also the JBL app.

 

Features and specs:

General Specifications

Driver size (mm): 40

Number of Microphones: 7

 

Audio Specifications

Driver sensitivity at 1kHz/1mW (dB): 117 dB SPL@1 kHz

Dynamic frequency response range (Hz): 10 Hz - 40 kHz (passive), 10 Hz - 22 kHz (active)

Impedance (ohms): 32

 

Dimensions

Earpiece Weight (oz): 9.6

Earpiece Weight (g): 278

Ear Cup External Height (in): 3.1

Ear Cup External Width (in): 2.4

Ear Cup Internal Height (in): 1.7

Ear Cup Internal Width (in): 0.8

Ear Cup Depth (in): 3.8

Ear Cup External Height (cm): 7.8

Ear Cup External Width (cm): 6.2

Ear Cup Internal Height (cm): 4.2

Ear Cup Internal Width (cm): 2.1

Ear Cup Depth (cm): 9.7

Audio Cable Length (ft): 1.2

Audio Cable Length (m): 3.9

 

Control and Connection Specifications

Bluetooth version: 5.3

Bluetooth profiles: A2DP 1.3.2, AVRCP 1.6.2, HFP 1.7.2

Bluetooth frequency: 2400 MHz – 2483.5 MHz

Bluetooth transmitted modulation: GFSK , π/4-DQPSK, 8DPSK

Bluetooth transmitter power: <4 dBm

 

Battery

Charging time (hours from empty): 2

Maximum music play time with ANC off (hours): 50

Maximum music play time with ANC on (hours): 30

Maximum play time (hours): 50

 

I really like the design of the JBL Tour One M2. Not only do you get the legendary JBL sound, it’s Hi-Res Audio Certified, and has True Adaptive Noise Cancelling. Other features included are 4 mics for clear phone conversations, using Smart Talk, and Personal Sound Amplification as well as Personifi 2.0 which improves the sound based on your person hearing test and which frequencies need to be boosted. This is controlled though the app, as well as EQ settings and ANC modes. Now that it’s set-up, let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole: LOVE – Vocals were smooth like honey with very good resolution of the texture of the timbre. String bass was also smooth and played both deep and with authority. Piano sounded really natural. Violins also provided really good resolution, sounded natural with the bow going across the strings. Trumpet was really dynamic and so crisp and clean as was the trombone. Imaging was really good. And the soundstage was not just really wide but had good depth as well.

Guns N Roses: Patience – the whistling was smoother than a dove chocolate bar, with very good harmonics. The strings of the acoustic guitar was really crisp and clean. Vocals were also silky smooth with very good texture of the timbre.

Brandon Beal: Drop that Booty Down Low – Vocals were again smooth with really good texture. Bass beats were smooth, really clean, and played with really good authority. And when he dropped it down low, the sustained bass was not only extremely deep, it shook like an earthquake!

 

Now it’s time for the Viwone Pure +. They came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones opening the box showed a well-protected headphone, held in place by custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal. Such as metal in the hinges for better quality and durability. Quality of material used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the charging and audio cables, wired mic, USB adapter, owner’s manual and cloth bag.

 

Features and specs:

Bluetooth® Audio Formats: SBC | AAFC

Audio formats Internal memory: WAV | MP3 | WMA | FLAC | DSD

Supported Bluetooth® profiles: HFP 1.6 | A2DP 1.3.1 | AVRCP 1.6

Connectors: 3.5 mm, micro USB

Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz

Transducer: electrodynamic

Impedance: 40 Ohms

Sensitivity: 96 dB

 

The Viwone Pure + has a pretty cool design. Not only is it wireless, it has 64 GB of wireless storage. That means you don’t need a source for your music. Gym people, for example, can keep all their stuff in their locker while working out, and only bring your headphones. So for source material, there are options of internal memory, Bluetooth to your phone, or the Viwone app. Another unique feature is the audio ports. It has an input so you can listen to them wired if you run out of battery. But it also has an output so you can share your tunes with someone else. Now that it’s set up, let’s see how it sounds.

 

Nat King Cole: LOVE – vocals were silky smooth. String bass was also smooth played extremely deep with really good authority. Hi hat was really crisp and clean. Piano sounded very natural. Strings were also extremely smooth with good resolution of the bow across the strings. Trumpet was sufficiently dynamic, was clean with good harmonics, as was the trombone. Imaging was very good and the soundstage was not just really wide, but also nice and deep.

Guns N Roses: Patience – whistling was silky smooth with very good harmonics. Strings of the acoustic guitar were crisp with good resolution. Vocals were also really smooth with very good resolution of the texture of the timbre.

Brandon Beal: Drop that Booty Down Low – vocals again were really smooth with really good texture. Bass beats were smooth, really clean and played with a lot of authority. And when it dropped down low, the sustained bass was extremely deep and played with a boatload of authority.

Last but now least is the PSB M4U 9. It came in a nice-looking color printed box with phots and specs of the headphone. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone held in place by a zippered hard case. Materials used in the construction is mostly plastic with some metal. The hinges are metal, for extra durability and longer life. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish, were very good. Also included was the zippered hard case, charging and audio cables, cloth earcups, airline adapter, 1/8” adaptor, and owner’s manual.

Features and specs:

Frequency Response: LF Cutoff -10dB: 10Hz - 23KHz, LF Cutoff -3dB: 15Hz - 23KHz,

Within ±1 1/2dB: 20Hz - 23KHz

THD, total harmonic distortion: ANC: ON (1kHz/1mW) 0.5%, ANC: OFF (1kHz/1mW): 0.25%

Power Handling: Maximum 30mW

Impedance: Passive: 32 Ohms

Transducer Type: Dynamic, graphene-infused

Operating Principle: Closed

Size: 40mm

Ear Coupling: Circumaural

Connection: 3.5mm (1/8”) stereo jack (left or right), Bluetooth aptX™ Adaptive, AAC, USB C

Cables: Standard Cable - 2m (78 3/4") Detachable Tangle-free

USB Cable - 2m (78 3/4") Detachable Tangle-free

Battery Life: Wireless Active Mode: 25 hrs

Wireless ANC Mode: 18 hrs

Construction: Headband: Spring Steel

Driver Enclosure: ABS + Polycarbonate

Earpads/Headpad Cover: Leatherette and Cloth

Travel Case: EVA

Dimensions / Weights / Finish

Overall: 200 x 200 x 90mm (7 7/8 x 7 7/8 x 3 9/16”)

Ear Cushion Outside: 84 x 114 x 17mm (3 5/16” x 4 1/2” x 11/16”)

Travel Case: 180 x 220 x 98mm (7 1/16” x 8 11/16” 3 7/8”)

Net weight: 362g (12.8oz)0.9oz (25g) with cable

Shipping weight: 1.6kg (3.45lbs)

Cables: Standard Cable: 2m (78 3/4”) Detachable, braided Tangle-free

USB Cable: 2m (78 3/4”) Detachable, braided jacket Tangle-free

Finish: Jet Black

 

I love the design of the PSB M4U 9. Not only are they Active Noise Cancelling, upon set-up they do a hearing test of each ear separately. Once completed, a unique sound signature profile is created. Through the included app, you can further tailor the sound to your liking. And with Roomfeel, you can get the similar sound and soundstage of powered stereo hi-end speakers. Through the app, you can also control the ANC settings, which include a transparency one, so you can also hear the environment around you. Now that it’s set up, let’s see how they sound.

 

Nat King Cole: LOVE – vocals were smooth like a dove bar, string bass was also smooth and extremely deep and played with authority. Hi hat was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution. Violins had excellent resolution of the bow across the strings. Piano sounded very natural. Trumpet was extremely dynamic, with excellent resolution and amazing harmonics, with similar performance from the trombone. Imaging was on a dime. Sound stage was both very wide and with good depth.

Guns N Roses: Patience – whistling was smoother than honey, with harmonics that gave me goose bumps. Strings from acoustic guitar was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution. Vocals also had excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre.

Brandon Beal: Drop that Booty Down Low – as mentioned before, vocals were smooth like honey, with excellent resolution. Bass beats were clear, smooth, played with great depth and authority. And when it dropped down low, the bass was extremely deep, and was like an earthquake.

 

As far as sound signature goes, the Phiaton 900 Legacy+ is pretty neutral, with good resolution and cuts a few corners on build quality but gives you a hard zipper case. The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 provides very good resolution thanks to their studio quality drivers, and has a neutral signature that’s maybe just a hair on the bright side, yet manages durable construction with comfortable memory foam for long listening/gamin sessions. JBL’s Tour One M2 also has a neutral sound signature that maybe just a hair bright, with excellent resolution especially for their price point, and manages to provide memory foam for long listening sessions and metal in the hinges where it counts. Viwone’s Pure+ is also neutral in signature thas maybe just a hair on the warm side, with very good resolution just a hair behind the JBL but provides built-in memory for your songs. Lastly the PSB M4U 9 is neutral in sound signature, with excellent resolution, as well as memory foam and other unique features.

 

Now for the ANC and Bluetooth range tests. For the range tests we torture test it well above what it’s rated at, just to know it’s limits. Testing in my 2 story home with a basement, I set my smartphone in the basement see how far it’ll go before getting drops. Then I set it out on my front porch and see how far it’ll go in the open without any thick floors or walls between us. This tests it’s open air range, again much further than the rated specs. For ANC, I test it’s performance with a motor running in the background. This tells me what percentage of motor noise it can cancel. Now let’s see how they perform.

For ANC Phiaton worked both with ambient mode and ANC. Ambient gave good sound of surroundings. ANC removed around 85%. The JBL had similar performance. Ambient mode worked very well, as did ANC removing around 85%.  PSB again had similar performance. Ambient mode worked very good, and ANC removed around 85%.

 

For Bluetooth, Phiaton had no problems in basement with multiple walls up to 50 feet. A couple glitches on main floor, but useable. Too glitchy on the second floor. Outside a little glitchy at 100 feet, usable up to 125.  Beyerdynamic had no problem with multiple walls in basement and only one single glitch on main floor. 2^nd floor had more glitches and was questionable. Outside a single glitch at 125 feet, could have been random as good out to 200 feet. With JBL, starting from the basement, only 1 glitch on the first floor and actually only 1 on the 2^nd. So usable even with all those walls and thick floors between us! Outside was usable up to 150 feet.  Viwone in the basement, going through multiple walls in the basement wasn’t a problem. But on the main floor enough glitches to make it questionable. 2^nd floor was too glitchy. Outside it was good up to 100 feet.  Now with PSB, all of the basement walls were not a problem. But on the main floor it got too glitchy and 2^nd floor was the same. Outside it was good to 100 feet.

 

All in all, in this year’s over the ear part of our annual Headphone Shootout, there really wasn’t any surprises. The Phiaton 900 Legacy+ is a good starting point and provides good resolution for its price point. For the same price the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 loses ANC, but it delivers slightly better resolution along with use as a gaming headphone and much better build quality. The slight increase to the JBL Tour One M2 is probably the slight surprise in this group, providing the quality of sound closer to the PSB then it should at such a lower price. The sound quality of the Viwone Pure+ is slightly inferior to the JBL, and also lacks ANC, but does provide the unique features of 64 GB of internal memory for your tunes. Last but not least the PSB M4U 9 provides even better sound quality, with some advanced features.

 

Based on your budget all are good performers. Most also have unique features, like the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 that doubles as a gaming headset, the Viwone Pure+ has the built-in 64 GB of memory. And the JBL Tour One M2 as well as the PSB M4U 9 both has a hearing test through the app to tailor the sound to your hearing. Based on their design, features, quality, and performance, the Phiaton 900 Legacy+ has earned our Recommended Award. The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 and Viwone Pure+ has earned our Highly Recommended award. And the JBL Tour One M2 and PSB M4U 9 has earned our Editor’s Choice Awards. For more info and complete specs, check out their websites at www.beyerdynamic.com, www.jbl.com, www.phiaton.com, www.psb.com, www.viwone.com.