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What do you guys think of $400-$500 headphones/earphones? Any interest? Users?

I started doing my reviews with a single goal in mind to find the best price/performance products to test/review and to share it with others. Sometime its a hit, sometime it could be a miss once something else comes out and I do a/b comparison.
I have reviewed a number of wired/wireless speakers and headphones, and starting to realize that in some cases perhaps a premium price will justify the quality. I mean, how many times we have people chiming in about using Beats and paying upward of $350 per a pair of cans. Or I remember reading someone posting about spending $1500 on a pair of earbuds. This tells me people are willing to pay extra money for a quality sound.
One thing for sure, Note 2 is a premium entertainment phone and if you want to enjoy this entertainment - you need a way to deliver the sound, and some people willing to pay premium for that. Headphones/earphones (in-ear-headphones) is something that you can use with your next phone or your tablet or another phone in the family, so in a way its an investment. Although I have been trying to stay within budget of under $100 with headphones or sometimes under $10 budget ones from CH sites, these are still far from perfection of how I want it to sound. So, I have been talking to a few premium sound companies trying to get a review loaners of premium models like UE900 or Westone 4R, and maybe some Shure (although their PR is not the friendliest bunch).
So the question, has anybody using premium IEH with their smartphones and can share their opinion? Or just a general comment if some would be willing to spend $400-$500 to get top of the line earbuds with crossover and 4 drivers, etc. I know head-fi.org is well know for these audiophile reviews, but when I start reading about people using their headphones with pre-amps and a special cables, and custom setup - it doesn't give me any good indication how it works directly with a smart phone out of the box, and how does it sound in plain english without all those big words to show how well versed you are in this subject. That is what I would like to do in my upcoming write ups here on XDA and also curious to hear from others

Love my Shure se535 IEMs with neutron player!
Sent from my SGH-I317M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Valkern said:
Love my Shure se535 IEMs with neutron player!
Sent from my SGH-I317M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Uh, now we are talking business! May I ask you why you decided to use SE535 over other triple-/quad-driver IEH in the same price range? Was that strictly based on reviews (head-fi.org, etc.) or your own personal comparison between other ones like UE900, Westone 3/4R, etc? If you have compared these, was there a definitely sound or design advantage with SE535? I had an opportunity to receive review sample of SE535, but Shure PR company wanted credit card deposit and some other restrictions which made me uncomfortable. I will be getting UE900 sometime next week, and still in talk with Westone about testing their W40 which replaced flagship 4R model. But I honestly think this comparison will not be complete without SE535 in the mix since its highly regarded.
Btw, thanks for Neutron pointer! I gotta check it out. Also, I assume you connect your headphones straight in rather then using something like Fiio amps?

Personally, I wouldn't spend more than $40 on a pair of headphones. I have tried much nicer headphones and there does seem to be a difference but I wouldn't say it's hundreds of dollars worth of difference. Senheiser and Audio Technica make some pretty good stuff you can occasionally find on sale at that price range.

Well, that used to be my thinking looking at various headphones up to $100-$150 range with a single driver design. Without a crossover and separate woofer drivers it's hard to distinguish and often you might find cheaper headphones sounding as good as more expensive ones. Although sometime there is an exception like Meelec M-Duo dual-driver I just had a chance to review and will publish write-up soon ($73 on amazon!!!). But once you step into a category of triple and quad drivers where you have precisely tuned crossover, interchangeable filters, and dedicated drivers for lows, mids, and high - you will be blown away by the difference and would have hard time believing these sounds are coming from a pair of tiny buds. That is what I would like to check these out and to compare in my reviews.
Furthermore, I'm also looking into reviewing Fiio E17 usb dac headphone amp which everybody raves about in audiophile community. You don't connect audio to headphone jack but rather connect this dac through OTG cable to usb port and plug your headphones in there. Will see if I get a chance to review it as well.

vectron said:
Uh, now we are talking business! May I ask you why you decided to use SE535 over other triple-/quad-driver IEH in the same price range? Was that strictly based on reviews (head-fi.org, etc.) or your own personal comparison between other ones like UE900, Westone 3/4R, etc? If you have compared these, was there a definitely sound or design advantage with SE535? I had an opportunity to receive review sample of SE535, but Shure PR company wanted credit card deposit and some other restrictions which made me uncomfortable. I will be getting UE900 sometime next week, and still in talk with Westone about testing their W40 which replaced flagship 4R model. But I honestly think this comparison will not be complete without SE535 in the mix since its highly regarded.
Btw, thanks for Neutron pointer! I gotta check it out. Also, I assume you connect your headphones straight in rather then using something like Fiio amps?
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I bought mine based on reviews I have read online coupled with my experience with Shure products in the past. What I read online pretty much was exactly what I received. Pronounced mids with clear highs with a more subdued low end. I will tune the low end up a little bit to compensate for the more subtle lows which is perfect for me.
Neutron player is important if you want to hear good sound from the note2 as other apps sound surprisingly terrible. Neutron is a god send.
I usually listen to lossless format but if I happen to listen to a lower bit rate mp3 the highs can be very irritating with these IEMs, very over pronounced and garbled. I wouldn't recommend less than 320bit anyways.
I do not currently use a external DAC although I sometimes listen with my dedicated mp3 player if pocket space isn't a concern which is a Cowan j3. It's too bad they don't make these anymore though.
Sent from my SGH-I317M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Seems to be a lot of high praises of Fiio X3 audio player: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000045041475&MenuID=105026016 - might be your solution for dedicated audio player replacement.
Good point about bit rate content. Usually down sampled files loose low frequency content, although kind of strange since I would expect a loss across the whole spectrum. So, with high quality IEH where low end is reduced, the high end gets "boosted" in your ears.

For those how are interested, I just posted a detailed review of Logitech/Ultimate Ears UE900 headphones: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2485233

try koss ksc75, they wouldnt call it "bang for the buck" and "mini-grado" for nothing.

BratPAQ said:
try koss ksc75, they wouldnt call it "bang for the buck" and "mini-grado" for nothing.
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7+ year old ear-clip headphones for $17 I do see comments about it having a good sound, but way too many comments about cheap design and poor quality where it stops working after 3-4 months.

I only have one pair of headphones in that price range, and it is the infamous Beats Studios. They cost me AU$499 when I got them in Australia about 20 months ago. I also own several other headphones, but rarely do they exceed the $300 mark (the only other pairs that I have that cost more are the Bose QuietComfort 15, at $399 and Sennhesier HD 650, at $499).
After wrapping them in carbon fibre Di-Noc, installing a second stainless steel internal headband, replacing the cushions twice and removing the terrible ANC, they actually turned out to be my best pair of headphones (not earphones) for portable use. The integrated pre-amp provides a slight edge over non-powered sets in terms of audio "fullness". The Studio's sound is actually quite interesting once the ANC is out of the way. Bass, along with bits of the mids and highs are emphasised by the circuit which makes the music sound less flat and boring. Plus, the closed cavity design makes it very usable when out and about. Wind doesn't interfere with the speaker drivers like it does in open-back sets. They're very comfortable, and have a hard carry case which increases its ability to tag along with my Note 2 as a full-sized over-ear headphone.
I personally don't like IEMs because they don't fit very well, have lots of cable noise and practically completely block out all external noises AND I hear myself talk a lot louder. Plus they extract my earwax very well, maybe too well.
Now regarding spending $400-$500 on headphones, I don't think it's worth it if you're intending to use it with a smartphone. My HD 650 only really shine when I'm listening to FLAC on a $900 setup. But even then, I have to really pay attention to what I'm listening to to hear the difference. Otherwise when I'm simply listening to music while on a bus or train, any decent headphone is fine for me.

I'll either use crappy earplugs that came with the phone, usually at school for maybe an hour. Otherwise I will use my etymotic research ER4P and HeadRoom BitHead portable headphone amp.
I never considered using my Sennheiser 600HD can with a HeadRoom Cosmic headphone amp.
I tend to use my Jawbone Big Jambox significantly more often because I'm usually by myself and watching sports.

I use the audio technica ath-m50 (not 400-500 but decent ones and very comfy)at home but outside I just use the headphones that came with the phone. I don't think its worth it without an amplifier for 400-500 headphones.

You guys all brought up very good points. One thing I hear in common: for quality sound you only trust over-/on-ear headphones and some prefer to use it with a separate headphone amp. But on the go you switch to basic cheap in-ear-headphones because big "quality" headphones are too bulky and you don't want to carry headphone amp box. I have read a number of similar comments in other forums where it seems like IEM don't get enough credit of being the replacement for big headphone cans. That was a reason why I looked into quad driver IEM, such as UE900 I reviewed already, and another new ones from Westone I'm planning to review. The sound of UE900 alone was better than some of the studio Sennheiser and Sony headphones I tested before. Switching to Neutron MP improved the sound, but it was still processed by Note 2 internal dac output going to headphone output. Taking this digital-to-analog processing outside of the phone and making it portable enough to carry with you is a key in appreciating sound quality of IEM either for music or movies.
So once you get all the pieces of a portable setup in place, that could be a game changer to use portable IEM instead of big studio cans. With that in mind, I'm seriously looking into new Fiio E18 headphone amp/usb-DAC: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000049935442&MenuID=105026002 - full external audio processing outside of the phone through OTG usb connection. I guess the intent is to have it piggyback to the phone with a rubber band to turn your phone into external audio processing powerhouse.
It's a very addictive cycle as you begin with lower class headphones and start moving up in class with each one sounding better, clearer, more dynamic, and overall with improved SQ. What I have noticed with headphones I tested is that in $100-$150 price category you can either get low end or treble enhancements, but not both at the same time where a single driver can't handle the whole range or even a dual driver with built-in crossover (like M-Duo) has v-shaped FR. So going to a pricey quad driver design is the only way to cross that limitation. Again, speaking based on my own personal preference of a balanced sound with a slight bump in low frequency.
Sorry, for those who are true audiophiles, I'm probably stating the obvious. For those who think $5 headphones will do the trick - you thinking I lost my marbles But for myself, I'm just starting to discover this audiophile world and trying to justify it for myself (in terms of expenses).

vectron said:
You guys all brought up very good points. One thing I hear in common: for quality sound you only trust over-/on-ear headphones and some prefer to use it with a separate headphone amp. But on the go you switch to basic cheap in-ear-headphones because big "quality" headphones are too bulky and you don't want to carry headphone amp box. I have read a number of similar comments in other forums where it seems like IEM don't get enough credit of being the replacement for big headphone cans. That was a reason why I looked into quad driver IEM, such as UE900 I reviewed already, and another new ones from Westone I'm planning to review. The sound of UE900 alone was better than some of the studio Sennheiser and Sony headphones I tested before. Switching to Neutron MP improved the sound, but it was still processed by Note 2 internal dac output going to headphone output. Taking this digital-to-analog processing outside of the phone and making it portable enough to carry with you is a key in appreciating sound quality of IEM either for music or movies.
So once you get all the pieces of a portable setup in place, that could be a game changer to use portable IEM instead of big studio cans. With that in mind, I'm seriously looking into new Fiio E18 headphone amp/usb-DAC: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000049935442&MenuID=105026002 - full external audio processing outside of the phone through OTG usb connection. I guess the intent is to have it piggyback to the phone with a rubber band to turn your phone into external audio processing powerhouse.
It's a very addictive cycle as you begin with lower class headphones and start moving up in class with each one sounding better, clearer, more dynamic, and overall with improved SQ. What I have noticed with headphones I tested is that in $100-$150 price category you can either get low end or treble enhancements, but not both at the same time where a single driver can't handle the whole range or even a dual driver with built-in crossover (like M-Duo) has v-shaped FR. So going to a pricey quad driver design is the only way to cross that limitation. Again, speaking based on my own personal preference of a balanced sound with a slight bump in low frequency.
Sorry, for those who are true audiophiles, I'm probably stating the obvious. For those who think $5 headphones will do the trick - you thinking I lost my marbles But for myself, I'm just starting to discover this audiophile world and trying to justify it for myself (in terms of expenses).
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When it comes to portable high fidelity, it's all down to what is most convenient for the occasion. For example, when I'm going somewhere but I don't know if I'll need to wait on something or not, I'd bring my modified Samsung YP-U3 earbuds because they just slip into my pocket. Otherwise when I know I'll be listening to music for a while, then I'd bring my Beats Studios. For my uses, they're the most suitable as a portable "high end" headphone. It's closed-back, foldable, fashionable and even has a built-in pre-amp for use with the Note 2's low audio output. They're certainly better than the HD 650's in terms of portability. because the HD 650's leak sound and lose bass through outside interference. Wind also makes the speaker diaphragm flex and stuff.
IEMs are kinda in a league of their own. They sit right inside of your ear canal, so the distance between your eardrum and the speaker is very small compared to that of supra or circum-aural cans. Furthermore, the silicone tip things create a nearly airtight seal so minimal sound can escape. I acknowledge the capability of a good set of IEMs, having tried out a few semi-high end ones myself. In the end though, I'd rather have over-ear headphones on my head than IEMs in my ear canals harvesting earwax.
On the same note, high-end IEMs usually utilise balanced armature drivers as opposed to the commonly used moving coil drivers of headphones, making them notably different in terms of technology. This is also probably why IEMs can be made to be multi-driver in such a small space.
Did you know that the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD headphones have a dual-driver configuration? The large 40 mm driver is responsible for the lows and mids, and the 15(?) mm tweeter is responsible for the highs. They are cleverly configured so that the tweeter is closer to your ear than the woofer, due to the difference in wavelengths.
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They are indeed a somewhat substantial improvement over the non-HD Solos, which suffered from over-prominent muddy bass.

Good timing with a comment about IEH seal to block outside noise. I'm getting a review unit from Etymotic, HF2 IEH with Android controls (http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/hf2.html) and apparently it comes with AWARENESS! app that somehow can tune a balance of noise isolation?!? Etymotic is known for their canalphones that do a great job of removing earwax considering their triple flange tips that get jammed right into your ear canal for the best sound isolation. So, I have no idea how they can accomplish any control with just an app where you have a physical ear tight seal. Will be interesting to find out. Plus, I'm curious how about microphonics on these since I heard mixed comments about it with all Etymotic IEH in general. Etymotic guys were at forefront of IEH development many years ago, as a matter of fact they state about inventing canalphone (in-ear) technology. I should be getting review sample early next week and will share my thoughts about it.

Apparently it has something called "Programmable Noise Isolation", which I'm guessing changes the phase timing of the inverted soundwaves used for noise isolation. If these inverted soundwaves weren't inverted, it would just be like the sounds pass through the earphone, bypassing the physical noise isolation.

vantt1 said:
Apparently it has something called "Programmable Noise Isolation", which I'm guessing changes the phase timing of the inverted soundwaves used for noise isolation. If these inverted soundwaves weren't inverted, it would just be like the sounds pass through the earphone, bypassing the physical noise isolation.
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It does makes sense to play around with phase inversion, but I'm still puzzled how do their communicate with ear pieces since noise sampling has to be done inside. You will need some adjustable phase inversion, thus some kind of a built in programmable control, and 2-way communication to send digital signal from the app on the phone to ear piece.
Btw another interesting find since you mentioned about using modified samsung headphones just for the purpose of in-line remote with volume control. I was looking for replacement cables for UE900 to wear it wire down, and came across these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b
For $22 they have angle connector cable with Samsung in-line remote that has mic, multi-function control button, and volume controls!!! Its a samsung version of the cable. Of course I'm getting these and will review as soon as I have it. But perhaps if they can sell the cable with in-line remote and without those earphone connectors - it will be cheaper and cleaner to convert any in-ear headset with sammy controls.

vectron said:
It does makes sense to play around with phase inversion, but I'm still puzzled how do their communicate with ear pieces since noise sampling has to be done inside. You will need some adjustable phase inversion, thus some kind of a built in programmable control, and 2-way communication to send digital signal from the app on the phone to ear piece.
Btw another interesting find since you mentioned about using modified samsung headphones just for the purpose of in-line remote with volume control. I was looking for replacement cables for UE900 to wear it wire down, and came across these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b
For $22 they have angle connector cable with Samsung in-line remote that has mic, multi-function control button, and volume controls!!! Its a samsung version of the cable. Of course I'm getting these and will review as soon as I have it. But perhaps if they can sell the cable with in-line remote and without those earphone connectors - it will be cheaper and cleaner to convert any in-ear headset with sammy controls.
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Yes that is a real mystery. Do you know if there is any active circuitry in those Etymotic IEMs? It's highly unlikely that it relies on the phone to perform the noise isolation.

I have a $600 pair of Beats Detox Pro Editions. I love using them with my Note II
and Power Amp. The ROM/Kernel you're using also has a major role in terms of loudness
output from the phone. The sound is crisp and engulfing with that setup.

Review of Logitech/Ultimate Ears UE900 headphones w/lots of pics!!!

removed.

Since I got a few PMs from people inquiring if these UE900 can be worn wires down, I did some research and planning to order a few now bendable replacement cables from ebay (like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b). Once I receive it, I will update my review.

Tell those people to embrace cable over the ears. I was VERY resistant to it at first, but the weightlessness of wearing them over the ears is amazing. Like you're not wearing them.
Overall, nice reviews. I personally like a little more focus on the negative aspects, because it shows you worst case. That's why I read the low rating reviews before buying anything. If you can deal with the negative aspects, then you've probably found a gem.
Do you find they lack (like many reviews say) the ability to make you feel the bass impact, carrying bass detail without bass quantity?
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Tell those people to embrace cable over the ears. I was VERY resistant to it at first, but the weightlessness of wearing them over the ears is amazing. Like you're not wearing them.
Overall, nice reviews. I personally like a little more focus on the negative aspects, because it shows you worst case. That's why I read the low rating reviews before buying anything. If you can deal with the negative aspects, then you've probably found a gem.
Do you find they lack (like many reviews say) the ability to make you feel the bass impact, carrying bass detail without bass quantity?
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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I was hoping you, as one of the few true audiophiles in this forum, will reply to this review sooner or later
Regarding cables, the comments actually came from another forum (AndroidForums) where I mirror all of my reviews. But nevertheless, I have been thinking about it and tend to agree. If I remember correctly you have SE215, with removable cable (the same one as UE900). Do you have a flex piece next to the headphone connector you bend in a shape to go over your ears? That's how it is with UE900 which is kind of a PITA to put your headphones on. When the cable is free hanging you just insert earpieces and put the wire around your ears. It's a lot easier this way based on my experience, for example using Klipsch S4A IEM and especially useful when you have bulkier earpieces. UE900 are very lightweight and small, almost go into your ears flush so in theory it could be worn either way but because of that flex rigid wire you can't hang those down. It will be interesting to see how the replacement cable going to work. I'm especially intrigued by "samsung" control reference, hoping they put correct resistors into the remote for volume control on my Note 2.
Now regarding bass of UE900. When you read a lot of professional reviews they all compare these to 50 other audiophile quality IEM reviewer tested before. I'm building up my headphone collection starting with reviews of cheaper lower quality ones and moving up to quad drivers. That explains my upbeat tone When I tested cheap $5 headphone from dx.com - those sounded great to me. When I stepped up to S4A - it was a huge improvement, but after testing UE600 I realized how much clarify a single armature driver was able to deliver. At the same time, I was able to distinguish that UE600 lacked bass, even after a prolong burn in. With wireless headphones my comparison continued where those with BT2.1 or BT3.0+aptX sounded awful and compressed, while BT4.0+aptX made a significant improvement to the point where I was very impressed by SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones. But in parallel, when I compared Jaybirds BBX and Plantronics BBG2, both of which had old BT stack but it's own proprietary dsp decoding - I was blown away by BBG2 sound quality. M-Duo was impressive, but v-shaped FR wasn't really my cup of tea, although at the beginning I was very impressed with it's sound. So far everything I have tested was either v-shaped or enhanced either at low end or high end. So, when i started with UE900 - I found it's balanced sound to be amazing! The bass response has improved after burn in. Now, I also read about these having a pinhole which a lot of people seal for a better bass response (I'm still contemplating about it).
I have to absolutely agree EU900 carry a lot of bass details, and it has a slight bass bump, but it's not in your face to make you feel the bass. I have a number of bass heavy headphones where you get in-your-face bass without a need to adjust EQ. But I hate how that bass is delivered, colored, saturated, in some cases sounding hollow without "weight", etc. So I was excited about UE900 because to my ears it was ideal, especially since I listen mostly to EDM music where you get a lot of bass to begin with. But once I get my review pair of Westone W40, I will be able to make a true comparison between these two quad driver IEM and their bass response. Basically, my EU900 review was "standalone" while Westone will be more of a comparison, the same way how all those other pro reviews come out

I listen to a ton of EDM as well (Revolver's "The Chamber 24", which is his live set from Tomorrowworld is playing right now).
Bass is tricky. I wouldn't want all boom or all detail.
With my SE215's, I've used both the stock cable that has the memory wire and now use the mic/remote cable that doesn't. Both have their merits. Memory wire stays on better, but without it's more comfortable. I can get used to either. I wish I'd known about UE900 cables working on Shure when I bought my mic cable. It'd be nice to try out.
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
I listen to a ton of EDM as well (Revolver's "The Chamber 24", which is his live set from Tomorrowworld is playing right now).
Bass is tricky. I wouldn't want all boom or all detail.
With my SE215's, I've used both the stock cable that has the memory wire and now use the mic/remote cable that doesn't. Both have their merits. Memory wire stays on better, but without it's more comfortable. I can get used to either. I wish I'd known about UE900 cables working on Shure when I bought my mic cable. It'd be nice to try out.
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Yep, apparently these cables work with UE900, SE215, SE315, SE425, and SE535. I'm glad you mentioned "memory wire", I was looking for the right word to describe it lol!!!
I never heard of Revolver, but just looked them up on YT. Funny comments about their Tomorrowworld (darth & vader remix). A bunch of people posting about sounds being copied, and then another producer chimes it telling everybody "we all use the same Vengeance library" lol!!! Vengeance guys pretty much built EDM and in general club theme with dozens of their commercially released sample and sound sets which every single producer used in the last 7-8 years. Vengeance guys are actually producers behind Cascada and Spencer & Hill. But anyway, I digress here... My EDM cup of tea is Avicii, Showtek, Afrojack, R3hab, Spencer & Hill, Mikkas, Klaas,and commercial dubset like Krewella and Skrillex.

As promised, here is my review of replacement UE900 cable which also supposed to work with some Shure headphone models. The direct store link: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3352 in case if their ebay listing (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b) is not available.
Without a doubt, UE900 is the top headphones pair in my collection with one of the best sound quality. Being high end audiophile IEM, these come with detachable cables which mean if down the road wires brakes or the connection is compromised - you can replace the cable and continue using headphones. The cable that comes standard with UE900 is twisted pair which gets braided after y-joint. The intent is to keep signal isolated, away from any interference. Although I found these original cables to be very unique, to be honest I wasn't too happy about it because they were easy to tangle and felt fragile. Another thing I wasn't too crazy about was the memory wire next to earpiece that supposed to retain shape around/behind your ears. First of all, you spend the time making a perfect loop adjusted to your ear, but when you wrap and store the cable in the pouch or hard storage box, it gets bent. Also it takes longer to put these hoops on and to adjust and align earpieces. You also don't have an option to wear headphones wire down. Not to mention that for Android you can only use multi-function button and not volume controls - common for all other in-line remotes.
So here comes Lunashops custom UE900 cables which I can with certainty recommend as MUST have replacement, especially if you have Samsung Galaxy phones. First of all you get a very generous length cable, 1.2m, which is perfect for keeping your smartphone in the pocket while having complete playback control under you fingertips. Multi-function button works perfect with any Android phone to play/pause/call and control playback with double/triple click, as well as long press to start Google Now. Built-in microphone was OK too, and I had no problem with phone calls or speaking with Google Now. I also didn't notice any microphonics effect. But what makes it standout is Volume up/down buttons which I confirmed to work with my Note 2!!! Samsung uses different set of resistors in their OEM headphone volume control which is different from iPhone controls. I haven't seen anybody else making headphones with a specific Samsung volume control. These work perfectly!!! Lunashops also has HTC in their list of compatible devices, but I'm not 100% if that includes volume control as well. They offer different versions of these cables with Samsung and iPhone in-line remote/mic. Multifunction button will work with any android phone, while I confirmed volume on Samsung version to work perfectly with my Note 2. Furthermore, you also get an option of straight 3.5mm plug or with 270-degree angle which I found to be a lot easier to handle than a regular 90-degree angled connector.
The cable itself is very easy to bend and it has a nice soft rubbery protective cable jacket. In-line remote/mic had a solid durable plastic construction, and so does the y-splitter. The piece with SMB connector is clear plastic with something that almost looks like a little bit of cloudy glue residue. But despite its look, the workmanship is very good and clean. I do have to question the decision to use red cable with white plastic connector tips. In my opinion it would have been better to use a neutral black color instead since for example UE900 is blue while Shure headphones vary in colors between black, clear, and other choices. But from a functional perspective - these are just PERFECT!!! Of course, the most important test is the sound quality. I have done a lot of a/b comparison between original cables and these replacement cables and found them to sound identical to my ears. As a matter of fact, the sound actually improved. Now with wire up I get a much better fitment and seal which improves the bass response significantly. Even so I'm not a big fan of over the ear wires, these are a real pleasure to use due to soft nature of the cable which effortlessly goes behind your ears. Also now you can use UE900 with wire down, although the angled design will make them stick out a little bit. Furthermore, it also compromises a seal which means you will get less bass wearing UE900 wires down. But it's still manageable considering that now you have an option to wear it both ways. For my particular taste I will continue wear these wire-up because I value bass
Overall, I consider these replacement cables to be a fantastic addition to UE900. It gives you flexibility to wear headphones wire up or down, provides a much better fitment/seal with wire up which improves bass response, and gives you ability to control volume up/down if you have Galaxy smartphone. For $20 plus change - this is no brainer! My only comment is that I wish this cable would come in neutral back color. Otherwise, it's perfect!
Here are the pictures.
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That red cable would be useful for me if it terminated in a straight stereo 3.5 mm plug instead of that Y-cable.

vantt1 said:
That red cable would be useful for me if it terminated in a straight stereo 3.5 mm plug instead of that Y-cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely!!! For any on-/over-ear headpones with detachable cables - that would be perfect!!!
I'm talking to these Lunashops guys right now. They specialize in custom cables for headphones (check out their website). I will ask them if they can make such custom cable.
Also, after reading my review they mentioned about being able to make the same cable as above in all black which I think will a great idea since its a neutral color to go with any headphone color.

vantt1 said:
That red cable would be useful for me if it terminated in a straight stereo 3.5 mm plug instead of that Y-cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found another custom cable on luna-shop website which might do what we looking for: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3373 and only $6. The only problem is they talk about HTC One compatibility and I'm not 100% about Galaxy (Note 2) compatibility. That in-line remote doesn't look like Samsung oem remote (like the one I got in my UE900 cable replacement). I pinging luna-shop guys and waiting to hear feedback. If it confirmed to work with Note 2, I will get a review sample to post in here.

vectron said:
I found another custom cable on luna-shop website which might do what we looking for: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3373 and only $6. The only problem is they talk about HTC One compatibility and I'm not 100% about Galaxy (Note 2) compatibility. That in-line remote doesn't look like Samsung oem remote (like the one I got in my UE900 cable replacement). I pinging luna-shop guys and waiting to hear feedback. If it confirmed to work with Note 2, I will get a review sample to post in here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might have a go at making my own cable once my new cables arrive. I got 12 of these:
Let's see how they'll end up!

As much as I was excited about my UE900 replacement cables with Samsung in-line remote/mic AND volume controls (
http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3352), I felt that red color of the cable wasn't as appropriate for these blue color earbuds. After discussing this with lunashops.com, they mentioned about being able to make the same cable in black. So for anybody interested, go ahead and contact them with a request for the same cable as I mentioned in my original review above but in black color.
It has the same excellent built quality, flexible cable to go over ear, 270-degree gold plated 3.5mm connector, and in-line remote with mic that has multifunction button for play/pause/call, double/triple click transport control, long press Google Now, and volume up/down adjustment for Galaxy phones.
Here are the pictures.

Found this while googling for replacement cables for shure. First off a Big Thank You!
I have two questions:
1. How is the call quality using the mic?
2. Can anyone confirm these work with Samsung Galaxy S3? S3 might not have the same earphone pinout as the note 2.

fatestkid said:
Found this while googling for replacement cables for shure. First off a Big Thank You!
I have two questions:
1. How is the call quality using the mic?
2. Can anyone confirm these work with Samsung Galaxy S3? S3 might not have the same earphone pinout as the note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Call quality is ok, no better than original UE or even Samsung earbuds in-line mic.
Will try to test it with S3 the next time my in-laws are over, they both have S3 phones.

I just wrote a review about FiiO RC-SE1 replacement cables for UE900, which you guys might enjoy: http://www.head-fi.org/t/657641/mak...e-rc-x-will-be-in-the-market/90#post_10217616

Yep, I read that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to blame you for that $30 purchase, but having a mic on my cable is so convenient.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Yep, I read that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to blame you for that $30 purchase, but having a mic on my cable is so convenient.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, in-line remote is very convenient for everyday use, especially when you are on the go or to remotely play/pause the song. But when you want to sit down and enjoy the best possible sound, you can't beat this upgrade. I can tell you with certainty, it wasn't just a subtle improvement, it was really noticeable. I don't even care about microphonics or complete color mismatch between clear cable and black/blue earbuds. Btw, with your SE215 it will be a perfect color match. If you are going to get it, I would really be curious to hear how it sounds with 215s.

Could anyone confirm that this lunashop cable (ue900/shure) works with the nexus 5, volume buttons and all?
Thanks in advance!

Review of Jabra ROX wireless bluetooth stereo earbuds w/lots of pics!!!

This is a Review of Jabra ROX wireless bluetooth stereo earbuds. http://www.jabra.com/Products/Bluetooth/JABRA_ROX/Jabra_ROX
Are you ready to ROX? I hope you are because I'm going to tell you about the latest set of wireless bluetooth earbuds from Jabra that going to ROX your world! I typically don't start my review with comparison to other products in the same category, and rather reserve that for a follow up comments. In case of this new Jabra product I'm going to make an exception. For awhile this specific category of wireless active lifestyle earbuds was dominated by Jaybird BlueBuds X (BBX) until Plantronics released BackBeat Go 2 (BBG2) which if you remember I declared a winner in a detailed comparison against BBX and also short-lived Anker 4.0 earbuds. There are a lot of factors that make wireless headset stand out, but often a sound quality is where they fall short. Unfortunately, as part of bluetooth wireless transmission the sound gets compressed and the quality goes down, even beyond repair with your smartphone EQ. Some manufacturers use aptX codec which suppose to reduce compression artifacts and improve the sound quality, others use proprietary DSP to process the sound. And of course, the quality of earbud drivers play a significant role in being able to cover wide frequency range of the sound. On their packaging box, Jabra states "Massive Wireless Sound", and that's exactly what I found and why I consider them to take the crown over BBX and BBG2 or any other wireless headset I have tested so far. Let's take a closer look at what I have found.
Starting with a packaging box, Jabra put these earbuds on a display pedestal showcasing them like a real rock star. Also, a lot of the info was provided to describe it's features and accessory content to give you an overview of the product even before you take it out of the box. Once out of the box, you can't help but notice the quality of the material crafted with premium metal finish covering the back of earbuds and in-line remote while still weighting only 19g. One thing that stood out for me was a relatively slim profile of the earbuds body which doesn't stick out too much outside of your ear. The flat rubberized wire was attached to earbuds with a very secure strain relief, which is longer on the left side perhaps due to additional wiring in lieu of the charging port. The in-line remote is on the right side, closer to the right earbud and has a distinct profile with a recessed space for multi-function button in the middle which is very easy to find between volume/track up/down controls. In addition to that, in-line remote also hosts NFC zone for an easy pair up with your smartphone or tablet device supporting it. The overall construction is very durable and actually IP52 certified which suggests protection against dust and water. The ROX is build solid and would be a perfect companies for any indoor or outdoor activities.
In addition to earbuds, Jabra also included a very generous amount of accessories. You get a premium quality usb to micro-usb charging cable (yes, no need for any proprietary connectors, it uses a standard micro-usb port under the magnetic cover of left earbud), a protective drawstring storage pouch, a removable FitClip which can adjust the length of the cable in the back, a set of 3 pairs of EarWing stabilizers for ultra-secure fit in your ear (these are among the best I have tried with any wired or wireless sports headphones), a quick start guide, and 4 pairs of premium EarGel eartips, including one double-flange pair. I'm talking about hybrid type with a ColorCore rather than some cheap generic silicone tips. That right away triggered a thought: Jabra mean serious business about the sound quality. As you well aware, I review a lot of premium in-ear headphones, and any company which includes quality eartips is serious about their sound quality. Unfortunately, for my own personal fitment I had to use my own eartips (another set of large hybrid eartips), but I have to bring to everyones attention - the selection of eartips for the best fitment with ROX earbuds is VERY important. You have to treat it like any premium wired headphones, also considering these headphone have a short in-ear stem thus you want to seal your ear canal for the best sound isolation no matter how secure EarWings will hold them in your ear.
Once you get the best seal - hold on to your seat because you will get hit with a deep bass that will make your jaw drop. By default, they are tuned to produce a strong thick v-shaped fun sound dominated by bass and roll off in upper mids/treble. Now here comes the beauty. Remember I said early on that once your headset receives a compressed sound, it's impossible to correct it because of the missing audio content? Here, using my Note 2 and a stock audio player I was able to select "Classic" EQ preset (which tunes down mid-bass hump and tunes upper mids/treble to brighten the sound with more clarity and overall balance) and I couldn't believe my ears I was listening to a music through a wireless connection. Yeah, it was that good, thanks to BT 4.0 and dedicated DSP sound processing. I'm not hyping it up, it just needs a selection of the right size eartips and some EQ tweaking, unless you prefer the default sound signature. The in-line remote worked perfectly to play/pause/call and volume controls were adjusting the level up/down as well as skipping tracks next/prev. Though sound quality while listening to the music or watching movies, etc. was fantastic, during making the calls the people on the other end heard me really good while on my end a experience a little tunnel sound. It was still acceptable, but not the best. Furthermore, I tested wireless connection to work up to 40 ft in the open area.
Battery life always a sore subject when it comes to wireless headsets, and was a subject of a number of discussion with BBX and BBG2. ROX actually occupies a happy medium with 6 hours of music streaming and 5.5 hours of talk time. As I mentioned before, charging port is a common micro-usb connector so you can charge ROX from your laptop or wall charger or car charger used for any of your smartphones or tablets. The standby time is very impressive 18 days. Now to take it to the next level, Jabra introduced a clever power-saving functionality which gets activated once you attach earbuds back-to-back using it's built-in magnets. That actually serves a dual purpose since when not in use, you turn your headset into a secure necklace preventing ROX from slipping down, and at the same time going into power-saving sleep mode disconnecting from your phone. Once you disengage the magnets, it pairs up back instantaneously with your phone. I also found when ROX is unpaired, you can simply attach earbuds magnetically to each other and take them apart to pair up with a phone. I was very impressed with this original functionality. Also, Jabra talks a lot about Dolby Digital Plus implementation which can be activated by downloading their free app. I found this app to be a substitute to a stock media player with different EQ setting, and ability to enable Dolby Digital surround sound which actually added an artificial depth to a sound - not my cup of tea.
In a brief summary I would like to explain why I found ROX to be superior to BBX and BBG2. First of all, ROX has the most "regular" in-ear fitment without sticking out too much out of your ears. Of course, these are not a tiny earbuds considering how much electronics they host, but they were on-par with some multi-driver premium IEM wired headphones I tested in the past. In comparison, BBX and BBG2 were sticking out too much, and BBG2 stabilizers were useless. Also, the sound quality was by far superior due to a full body detailed warm sound (comparing apple-to-apples with a same Classic EQ setting and the best eartip fitment) and great low end with deep sub-bass and a fast punch of mid-bass. BBX sound is more bloated and BBG2 is on a thin side in comparison to ROX. One thing I found with ROX that was inferior to others, the in-line remote was too close to the right earbud and as a result on a few occasions while reaching out to control playback or volume I actually pulled the earbud out of my ear.
Overall, I was VERY pleased with a design, build, and performance of ROX wireless earbuds. Everything from high quality material, to a rugged performance backed by IP52 certification, ability to pair up via Bluetooth or using NFC, magnetic stand-by mode which also allows to securely keep earbuds around your neck, a decent battery like and the MOST important - a truly massive sound quality, elevated these wireless headphones to the top of my list in comparison to other headphones in this category. Though priced a bit on a high side, they are still comparable to BBX and not too far away from BBG2, while having an advantage in both design and performance in comparison to either of those. In my opinion, I highly recommend these!
Here are the pictures.
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Hi!
This thread is just what I was looking for! I own a LG HBS-700 and I am more than happy with it. I have no complains about the fit, the sound, calls or battery life. But although it sounds good, I can't help but think that there may be other headsets with better sound quality. I see that you have both HBS-730 and HBS-800, so that is my first question, does the 800 sound better than the 730, and in case you tried the 700, do the 730 and 800 sound better than the 700?
And now, since I am happy with the LG HBS form factor, the only thing I am looking for is better sound quality. I do not need a lighter earbud, or longer battery life. But I do want earbuds, and I need track and calls control.
So taking that into account, how do the Bluebuds, the Backbeat Go 2 and the Jabra Rox compare sound wise to the HBS?
Thanks!

I assume you read my HBS-800 review, right? Yes, 800 sounds better than 730 and thus better than 700 (though I never heard 700, it's inevitable since it was their original release ). In 800 they actually used JBL drivers, and you get a more detailed sound and deeper bass.
BBX/BBG2/Rox have a different design and form factor in comparison to HBS. So, it's not only the sound but how you wear it. HBS sits around your neck which is convenient when not in use, and it also has dedicated playback and call controls. The sports design of BBX/BBG2/ROX has maximum integration with 2 earbuds connected by wire and in-line remote with multi-function assignment of buttons. Those are more for exercising, running around, being on the move. Though HBS800 has a better sound quality over 730/700, it's not as good as ROX. It could be on par with BBX/BBG2, although its a relative term where some might have better bass while others might have more detailed mids or treble. So far, I'm very impressed with ROX, especially when you match it up with a right pair of eartips and use a bit of EQ tweaking to brighten the sound. I also like how I can hang it around my neck using magnets on the back of earbuds which put these to sleep conserving battery.
But at the end, I still think the deciding factor should be their ergonomics and how it fits your everyday routine. If you want the best sound, there are plenty of audiophile headphones or in-ear headphones that will blow you away (though all wired). Bottom line, if you like HBS form factor and want improvement in sound, HBS-800 will be the answer.

Well, the things I want are: bluetooth, call/track controls, sound quality.
I am happy with HBS design, but I think I would be happy with BBX or ROX design as well.
I guess that upgrading my 700 to a 800 would improve sound quality, if only because of aptx compatibility. But since I am thinking about upgrading, I wanted to look other options as well, and that's when I found this thread, and your other reviews, and decided to take advantage of your extensive knowledge.
By your last messages, I get the idea that, everything else being equal (good reception, perfect fit, equal quality of the source), the best sounding earbuds would be the Jabra Rox, right?

apertotes said:
Well, the things I want are: bluetooth, call/track controls, sound quality.
I am happy with HBS design, but I think I would be happy with BBX or ROX design as well.
I guess that upgrading my 700 to a 800 would improve sound quality, if only because of aptx compatibility. But since I am thinking about upgrading, I wanted to look other options as well, and that's when I found this thread, and your other reviews, and decided to take advantage of your extensive knowledge.
By your last messages, I get the idea that, everything else being equal (good reception, perfect fit, equal quality of the source), the best sounding earbuds would be the Jabra Rox, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct, the quality of ROX sound is by far superior. Plus, you get an excellent build quality, BT4.0 and NFC support, and that magnetic sleep mode is sick! Look at it this way, it never hurts to get it from Amazon and test it out. If you hate it, you can always return it back. But to save you time from buying all 3 , in my opinion the sound and build quality of ROX is the best.

Well, I am almost convinced. But I decided to check a few reviews before. Most professional reviews agree with you. But user reviews (most of them in the apple store) are not that kind. Many people complain about the fit. They say that the magnets are not very strong, and the earbuds are easily separated, turning them on, and even pairing with your phone if they are close. Also, they say that the wings fall down very easily.
I do not plan on working out with them, or at least not too much, but I do plan on wearing them for prolonged periods of time, so I would really like them to be comfortable to wear, and easy to fit. I think that I will go to an Apple Store to see if I can try them out before purchashing them.
In any case, thank you very much for your help!

Thank you for the review! I think I'll buy them

@vectron First of all thanks for the review!
I myself am looking for wireless bluetooth earbuds I can use for sporting but also around the house (while connected to my phone which is in my pocket). Accidentally I came across the Jabra ROX earbuds, which seem to be new and contain some quite features. However, I'm not yet sure I should buy them compared to some others I found:
Jabra ROX: looks to be a good product however on the iTunes store the reviews state that the call (microphone) quality is bad, the magnets are not strong enough to keep them together while muffled away or around your neck while running, and the bluetooth connection sometimes goes down while your phone is in your pocket. Is this also how you see it?
Plantronics BackBeat Go 2: seems to be a good choice as well but is older than the ROX (maybe in this case newer is better )
Denon AH-W200: should have a great audio quality and also one of the best picks according to toptenreviews. However, again some reviews state a bad bluetooth reception..
Could you give your personal opinion on whether the ROX is the best choice in my case? I will use them for running so the bluetooth connection can't go down often. Also, while walking I'll might use them for a call and when home I'll use them for listening to music (hopefully good quality?)
Thanks!

I would not recommend Denon. Awful reviews everywhere, on amazon it has more 1-/2-star reviews than positive reviews. In general, Denon has not been a strong audio player for awhile.
In a past I highly recommended BBG2 in comparison to BBX and Anker 4.0 because of it's sound quality. But as you can see, they do stick out a bit, and the only way it was usable for me with Comply foam eartips.
I also really like LG Tone series, HBS-730 and 800. But those are good for all around application but not heavy duty exercising especially in a bad weather or if you are doing too much moving up/down.
ROX is currently my favorite because I like the sound quality and magnetic sleep feature and fitment. Yes, the microphone is not the best. If you are spending 10hr a day on the phone and want to use wireless headset - LG Tone will be your best solution. For occasional phone calls while you are running outside or around the house, ROX will work. People on the other side will hear you well, but you will hear them in a slightly tunnel sound. Fitment could be a matter of personal taste, but in my opinion with a right selection of silicone tips and using included stabilizer it was better than BBX and BBG2 where I had to use foam tips with both to keep them in my ears. In comparison, BBG2 sounds thinner and less bass, while BBX a bit bloated and darker. ROX has the best bass quality, and even so it sounds as dark as BBX - it can be corrected with EQ setting (if you use Samsung phone, their built in audio player Classic eq preset turns ROX into audiophil quality sound). BBX sound could be corrected with EQ to sound as good as ROX, but for my use it didn't have as good ear fitment and was inconvenient when not in use hanging unsecurely around my neck. With ROX connected magnetically around your neck, it's not an earth-strong magnet so don't expect it to stay attached if you are running around or doing jumping. The intent is to have your earpieces in your ears while exercising, and around your neck during walking or other basic activities.
To be honest, with headphones it could be hit or miss because we all have a different perception of sound and different ear anatomy. Often, you just have to narrow it down to a few and try them all. Maybe your local Apple store in the mall carries them all to try it out? Otherwise, Amazon is your friend with hassle free returns

Thanks for the info! So last question, how is the bluetooth reception? If I have a phone in my pockets and the earbuds on my head and move/run does it work ok?

Themuzz said:
Thanks for the info! So last question, how is the bluetooth reception? If I have a phone in my pockets and the earbuds on my head and move/run does it work ok?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No issues. I just did a test run around our kitchen and living room; my kids found it extremely funny I had my Note 2 inside of my jeans front pocket, wireless reception was solid.

@vectron Thanks for letting me know, I'll probably buy the rox on monday

Did more testing today. Though music sounds great, I was using it a lot outside while making calls, and it was windy. It works, but the sound quality on both sides of the line wasn't the greatest. So, I'm still sticking to my final assessment that if you are planning to use it indoor for music and phone calls - LG Tone HBS is the way to go. For outdoor exercising and other activities where sound quality has a higher priority while it also nice to be able to make a call, ROX is still my choice.

@vectron Thanks for all the info!
I got the Jabra Rox on Monday evening and took it Tuesday out for a run. Beforehand I tested it out at home and was impressed with the comfort, sound quality and cool magnetic click functionality. Unfortunately when I started running it started coming out of my ears every minute (I did change to the good fitting ear piece parts).
But, today I finally found out that the extra in ear attachments for the Rox keep it perfectly in place while running. Didn't fall out once
So I'm pretty happy with the purchase! Thanks @vectron for helping me make my decision.

Looks like a great device. I know its a very different form factor, but what do you think of sound between this one and SMS Sync by 50?
Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk

Hi,
Could anyone comment on the audio/video sync when watching movies or youtube videos?
I've seen a review claiming there's a delay, but I'm not sore whether it's due to the Dolby sound (which I don't care about) or if it's inherent to these earbuds?
http://coolmomtech.com/2014/04/jabra-rox-wireless-review-jabra-sound-app/
The Dolby sound and virtual surround sound are admittedly pretty amazing; you should hear the difference right away. Which is why you might consider using the Jawbone app for your owned music (nothing streaming…yet) instead of listening right through iTunes. Bonus: there’s a terrific equalizer with precision presets for all kinds of music and audio, or the ability to program your own settings.
On the downside, no streaming, as I said, which is so much of how I listen to music these days. And my biggest complaint is that for some reason, the Bluetooth creates an audio time delay between the YouTube video you’re watching and the sound, which makes me nuts. It means there’s no way I can watch video using these headphones; so for now I’d definitely stick with these for phone calls and music.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!

Hi,
I bought them before I have seen your review. I thougt about using JBL J46BT but didn't ordered them because something deep in me said "wait till they are cheaper". My luck because as I saw the ROX I didn't cared about the price and ordered them right away. And I've done the right thing, the ROX are awesome. I've got them today.
I didn't had the WOW-Feeling right after unboxing. I use Poweramp on my Note 3 and I think I'll have to search for the right EQ setting because first time hearing wasn't different to my very old creative wp250. I also thought they're a little bit quiet, but that could be my ears
Then I installed the jabra app and, unlike you, I was blasted away by the difference I was listening to the metal opera "epicloud" by dewin townsend and I heard sounds I've never heard before.
Like you said I can't believe that this is bluetooth/wireless. But the jabra app doesn't has widgets or something like that so the music control sucks in that way. Hopefully I will find the right EQ preset für Poweramp, does somebody has a trick or a hint?
I use the double ear buds and the extra ear wings and they feel like they are glued to the ear even after 5 minutes headbanging so I think the're sportsproof too.
The in-line remote works like wanted and I don't do calls with my headphones so this feature isn't critical.
I will test them over the next few days but I don't think they will disappoint me.
At the end I have to ask could somebody implement the jabra app features into an other player? Or give me a hint how i get the perfect EQ preset?

I had no issues with audio/video sync, though I don't use Jabra app and dolby surround. That could add some echo effect to the sound which could contribute to some delay.
Regarding EQ setting, this is one of those YMMV type of questions I listen purely to commercial EDM and Dub, but found a Classical EQ setting in my Note 2 default media player to give me an audiophile quality sound while using $0.99 hybrid eartips from ebay (Sony look alike style). I wish I would have known the exact setting behind that EQ present so I can duplicate it in other medial players with their own built-in EQs. In my opinion, you can lift a veil off the default ROX sound by playing with some upper frequencies boost. I think they tried to have a default bassy sound, typical V-shaped signature with recessed mids, so leveling it off helps to bring up clarity.
After using ROX for awhile, I still confirm their sound and fitment is the best among other similar headphones (BBX, BBG2, Anker 4.0). The phone call quality is not that great, so don't count on it if you are planning to use it for long calls (Tone's HBS series is better for that). And the magnetic sleep function is both Good and Bad. I really like how you can just take these out of your ears and place it around your neck with attached magnets to form a necklace. It also great how it goes to sleep to save the battery. BUT once you try to store these in a headphone case or a pouch, magnet is not strong enough to stay together under a pressure of small storage space, so these come apart and it automatically pairs up with your phone. Even when you hold the multi-function button down to turn these off, as soon as magnets attach and come apart, it turns back on and pairs up with your phone. I have them stored in a small headphone hard case, and very careful when zipping it up to make sure magnets stay intact.

you were absolutely right I am trying the samsung stock player right now and it sounds very good indeed now I don't need the jabra app anymore. sadly I have to say goodbye to poweramp but hey thats the price for an audiophile
audio/video sync is okay, no problem with that
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app

Great, thanks to both of you!

Good Earbuds under 40$ ?

Hello, my House of Marley Earbuds recently broke and now I'm searching for an replacement. I'm not sure if I buy wired headphones again or switch to wireless headphones. Can someone recommend me some good headphones under 40$ ? Is there also a pair of wireless earbuds with an wired option (that would be ideal) ?

Do you want earbuds, in ear monitors, or headphones? Those are 3 different things. Earbuds, just like apple ipods that don't have a nozzle that goes into your earcanal, the best price/performance ratio in that category is $5 VE Monk+. In ear monitors (IEM) have a nozzle that goes into your ear, a more traditional, probably like the one you had before where you have a nozzle and different size eartips you select to make a better seal. If you want a killer price/performance ratio iems, try Meeaudio RX18, they are on amazon for $5-$6.
It has been awhile since I reviewed budget headphones, back when I used to review and to post on XDA, but I can tell you will not be disappointed with either of these $5 budget gems. Both have a very impressive sound quality, and shows you that you don't need to spend even $40 to get a good iem. Also, IEMs by KZ, like KZ ATE model which you can find for $12-$13 are very good. Of course, there are TOTL flagship iems that cost thousands of dollars, but that's not for XDA discussion

Thank's for the explanation ?. I mean't the In ear monitors. I'l check out the Meeaudio RX18.
What do you think about the Xiaomi Hybrid ?
And is it a good idea to buy a pair of Bluetooth i montiros (mostly for watching YouTube and gamimg) ?

Frostplexx said:
Thank's for the explanation . I mean't the In ear monitors. I'l check out the Meeaudio RX18.
What do you think about the Xiaomi Hybrid ?
And is it a good idea to buy a pair of Bluetooth i montiros (mostly for watching YouTube and gamimg) ?
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Xiaomi makes great stuff, you probably gonna like it! You can never go wrong with hybrids that usually feature dynamic driver (for the bass) and Balanced Armature "BA" driver for mids and treble.
You can find a ton of bluetooth IEMs, typically a pair of earpieces connected by a "wire" with in-line remote. They sound OK, but not all of them have a decent fit/comfort. With a wire-down fit they can fall out easily as you move around. Again, for example, Meeaudio has X6 Plus wireless sports in-ear monitors that have over-ear fit so it stays comfortably in your ear and those are reasonably priced under $30. In general when you are a looking for wireless budget iems, keep in mind that just because they look cool they might not function as good. Big fancy earpieces can easily fall out of your ears, and when you start fiddling with in-line remote to play/pause/skip/volume adjustment - earpieces can also fall out when you pull on the wire. So, over ear fit, regardless if its Meeaudio or someone else - is more desirable.
Another thing to keep in mind, most of these are BT4.1. Definitely make sure they support aptX codec, you will get better sound quality. But be aware, the current mainstream BT protocol still has a sync delay between video and audio. For playing music it's fine, but once you start watching YT or Netflix or playing games, you can have some delay. It's a gray area because I have seen some companies selling low-latency Bluetooth transceivers but not sure if there are headphones to support it yet...

Thank you for your help. I just bought the Xiaomi Hybrid.

Frostplexx said:
Thank you for your help. I just bought the Xiaomi Hybrid.
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Don't forget to come back and share your impressions!

The In ear monitors just arrived and they sound great. They sit also very well in my ears butt its a little tricky to get them in your ears because of the angled design. The only thing that I don't understand is why they change the cable midway from sleeved to rubber. I would recommend these in ear monitors.

Frostplexx said:
The In ear monitors just arrived and they sound great. They sit also very well in my ears butt its a little tricky to get them in your ears because of the angled design. The only thing that I don't understand is why they change the cable midway from sleeved to rubber. I would recommend these in ear monitors.
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Like in the attachment? That one is Xiaomi Pistons 3, so probably similar.
When cable rubs against your clothe, it can create microphonics effect, and it can get worse with that braided sleeve. That's why they change it to rubber sleeving going up above the y-splitter. Plus, rubber sleeving is more durable which makes sense to have at the top, because the clothe braid will be wearing off faster and can get loose after awhile.

Ok that makes sense. I noticed when I wear the headphones for a longer period of time they start hurting a little bit, but i think thats because u have pretty small ears.

Review: Bang&Olufsen Beoplay E8

I am a music addict. I listen to a big varienty of styles: Metal, Electronic, R&B, you name it. Beeing an audiophile in my beginnings, I do not only care about how music is produced but also how it is reproduced. I already own the RMA T20 for on-the-go music consumption. Although they are a great pair of in-ear buds, they still are tied to cables. Since my Pixel 2XL comes without audio port, I was looking for a decent pair of true wireless earbuds that do not need any kind of cord.
Half a month ago, I bought the Bang&Olufsen Beoplay E8 that I find to be the most ambitious true wireless earbuds for audiophiles available today. I tested them thoroughly over the last 2 weeks and want to share an honest review.
Notice: I paid the full price (~260 EUR on Amazon.de) and did not recieve any discounts or incentives in order to write this review. I have no relation to B&O whatsoever. So this review is unbiased and reflects my personal opinion.
TL;DR
Pros:
great sound
precious looking buds and case
nice app with versatile EQ
transparency mode lets environmental sounds through
works nice with phone calls
multiple gestures
dropouts close to none
lipsync audio/video
Cons:
expensive
Micro-USB port
mediocre battery lifetime (~3h)
skip forward gesture often mistaken for a pause gesture
Review
Package
The package contains the 2 earbuds, a charging case, a thin USB-A to Micro-USB cable, several silicone earpieces (L, M, S, XS) and Comply earfoams (M).
Looks
The buds are a little big bulkier than what competitors like the Apple AirBuds offer but they look really precious in my eyes. The case comes with a leather coating and also offers nice haptics. The buds come in two color flavors: Black and charcoal (greyish). Both look nice, I own the black ones.
Pairing
Pairing works painlessly: Holding both touch areas for some seconds, the LED in the right bud indicates that pairing is now active. Then just use the normal bluetooth pairing of your phone.
App
The app is nicely designed and shows some informations about your buds like serial no and battery but also allows making settings.
You can choose EQ presets and make your own ones by placing an indicator in a sound-grid and tuning spacial levels. Sounds complicated but is actually rather intuitive. The app also notifies about firmware updates and does them only fly.
Functionality / Use
The buds provide an average playime of ~3h while the case provide enough power for 2 additional charges.
The interaction concept is based on two touch-sensitive areas (one per bud). A couple of gestures allow turning on, skip forward/backward, pause/play, volume control, transparency mode, call control and voice assistant activiation. Even if the sheer amount of gestures might be confusing for some, I find them easy to learn. Most of the time, they work pretty well. An sad exception is the "skip forward" gesture (double-tip right bud) that is often mistaken as pause (single-tip right bud). Besides this, the control is superiour to every other true wireless bud out there that I tested.
A highlight is the lip-sync audio/video (<0,2s lag) that makes videos a pleasure to watch. I tested other buds with a lag > 1s that made videos almost impossible to watch.
And when talking about comparisons with other buds: Most suffer from dropouts. These buds don't. At least almost. My greatest fear was that frequent dropouts would kill my pleasure. But these buds do really have a stable connection as long as the phone is not to far away from the right bud (master) and the left bud (slave) is not too far away from the right bud. In fact, I only faced short dropouts only in very few moments: While walking through a safety-scan door (interference) and crouching with my phone sticking in my jeans pocket (too much body between the phone and the buds). I don't know wether the up-to-date firmware is responsible for this, but I have absolutely no complaints in this department.
The transparency mode lets you percieve your environment in 3 flavors: environment only, mostly environment with soft music and 50/50.
Phone calls work like a charm and will even work while wearing only the left bud (master).
When put back in the case, the buds turn off automatically.
Sound
The sound is where these buds really do shine. They provide the B&O signature sound. This means: Transparent sound with clear, non-hissing hights, rich mids and present, defined lows. If you favor a modulated sound instead of a neutral one, you will love the EQ that the app features. Even if the sound reproduction cannot fully compete with audiophile cable headphones, I'd call it "almost audiophile". It is by far good enough to satisfy demanding music lovers. The sound is far ahead of any true wireless competition that I've checked.
Comfort
The buds really fit my ears well and despite their size, they have a tight fit that made me never afraid of having a bud dropping out of my ear.
Verdict
These are really great true wireless in-ear buds for audio lovers that unfortunately come with a hefty price tag. If you are into music on the go, you cannot go wrong. If you are looking for a sports companion, you might want to look somewhere else.