All Entries Tagged With: "Inner Earphones"
SoundCAT – internet audio’s ferocious feline
Tucked away from Seoulʼs flashy fashion and meet-market districts is a unique and foreign world. Geeky and lively, Yongsan is home to major electronics companies, importing thoroughfares, haggling hawkers, and most importantly, a thriving distribution/ manufacturing community. This teem of life and business spans the gamut from massive corporations to one-person electronic chop-shops: an organic melange of commerce and concoction. It is also home to SoundCAT, sponsor of Head-fi, and one of the audio communityʼs most diverse and fastidious distributors.
Deal Alert: Head-Direct RE0 for 79$
The Head-Direct RE0 is considered by a boisterous section of Head-fi to be one of the best inner earphones in the world. Head-Direct have already dropped the RE0′s introductory price from over 200$ to 99$. And just in time for America’s biggest feasting day, their high-end IEM has dropped another 20$. Thank you Head-Direct! In case you were wondering, the RE0 is positioned two steps above the GRAB-worthy RE2. And just in case you didn’t know, the RE2 is also on sale, coming bundled with a Fiio headphone amp!
Driver unit: 9mm
Impedence 64 OHM
Sensitivity 100dB/1mW
Rate input 10mw
Max. input 30mw
Feequency response: 15Hz ~ 22KHZ
30 days refund and 1 year replacement
Head-Direct RE0 79$ Thanksgiving season sale
Be sure to keep an eye on our Headphone section for more reviews, contests, and news.
Deal Alert: Head-Direct RE2 and Fiio E5 headphone amp 39$
Nary does news get me all tizzied up, but this bit is hot. The Head-Direct RE2 inner earphone which earned a GRAB from TMA has received another price reduction in a new bundled package with the miniature E5 headphone amp from Fiio (which retails at up to 25$). If you are looking for an excellent, but flat-line neutral dynamic listen, the RE2 is one of the best earphones (if not the best) in its price category. Enjoy!
Check it out: RE2 and Fiio E5 combo 39$
Monster Turbine Pro earphone – it’s official
Last year, the Monster Turbine rocketed the cable manufacturer into the realm of hifi portable audio. Great sound and a sturdy housing set the Turbine aside in its price range, and like other ‘grabbed’ headphones at TMA, cemented its spot as a great buy. Its weakness, however, was cable design which has no stress relief, comes in a straight-jack, and has a wishy-washy y-split.
Apparently, things have changed: Monster are listening to customer requests and the feedback from reviewers.
The Monster Turbine Pro (while not in these hands), looks to change a lot of that. The new earphones retain the same sturdy housing design, but enter the market with strain relief, a right angle plug, a better y-split, and according to Monster, better sound. The MSRP is a stiff 250$, but if Monster pull all of the punches listed above, the new earphone should be worth it.
Our Monster headphone reviews are here.
Additional Monster literature, spec, and pictures after the gap.
Jerry Harvey JH13Pro in Review – Sex for your ears
Every month of every year, enterprising audio designers create new gadgets which achieve some paragon of aural nirvana. Jerry Harvey founded Ultimate Ears to support the rockers, Van Halen with products which would both protect their hearing and relate greater production value to their fans. For 1099$, the JH13Pro stands with a 50$ cheaper price tag than its older — and now estranged — brother, the Ultimate Ears UE11Pro, but lacks a few of its amenities. What it doesn’t lack, however, is beautiful sound.
INC have a great article detailing Jerry Harvey’s moves which changed the stage performance industry.
Monster Turbine Pro due October!
I am a hearty fan of the Monster Turbine, a great-sounding earphone from the cable giant. Monster say the Turbine Pro will deliver a few things to their already great formula including: a better cable (needed), driver, and higher quality parts. I say bring it on. Look for pre order of the the Turbine Pro in early October.
If you want to check out the headphone Monster will be one-upping, take a look at my Monster Turbine review.
Shure SE530 in Review – Hail to the King of this hill
The original Shure E500 set the inner earphone industry ablaze. It was the first consumer-oriented triple-driver balanced armature earphone, and in 2006, it stormed into many eager audio-lover’s hands. Today, the the venerable earphone has been overhauled and re-badged. The SE530 retains its glorious mid-oriented signature sound which is one of the most stunningly presented among all inner earphones. Smoothly detailed, it twists and turns in time with any musical genre, paying homage to all, but favouring none. Today, there are many other triple-driver consumer earphones, but Shure’s striking debut is still one of the best.
Westone 1 Universal In-ear earphone – Official Press Release
A couple of days ago, TMA reported on the impending release of the Westone 1. Today, we receive the official press release of the earphones which are due for release on 4 September. Again, they take after their older sibling, the Westone 3, which pioneered true 3-way balanced armature drivers in a universal earphone. Both phones are aimed at the discerning listener who is obviously not content by her earbuds. Both the Westone 1 and 3 are inner earphones which block a certain amount of outside noise and are compatible with ear pieces from Comply, Westone, Shure, Futuresonics, Earsonics and many other thin-mouth manufacturers.
Their Press Literature is below:
Westone: Expand their headphone line with Westone 1, September 4
Last year, Westone released the first true 3-way earphone, the Westone 3. It comes in an overhauled shell, but remains similar in size to the UM2 before it. With a focus on consumers, the Westone 3 has a ‘fun’ sound which is graphically v-shaped in its frequency response with emphasis placed on bass and treble. This year, Westone are releasing the Westone 1, a one-way balanced armature earphone which utilises the same housing and what looks to be the same accessory kit. But, at 199$ versus the 399$ MSRP of the Westone 3, the new headphone will be an easier decision.
In typical Westone fashion, the Westone 1 will utilise the excellent cable which is the industry’s least microphonic and best relieved and bumpered earphone. The suggested street price will likely fall to around 139$, making this a perfect earphone for the active audiophile.
Monstercable are giving away Jamz headphones signed by Toronto artist, Anjulie!
This is an image from Monster, not the actual contest!
Yeah, it doesn’t get much cooler than today. Companies are doing giveaways left and right. Already, Jays’ c-Jays giveaway is live at their blog and just after waking up, I found out that Monster, too, are playing Santa Claus. The Jamz are a new headphone product from Monster which seems to be debuting with this contest. As for Anjulie, Canadians rejoice! Another home-grown pop star is rising from among our somewhat low-key population. She is a musician from Toronto who has just been nominated for an MTV music award and does seductive pop rather well. The contest convolutes both the Jamz and Anjulie – rather, Anjulie’s signature will accompany the Jamz if you win.
Check out her Myspace page here, or click more below for a few of her videos.
As for Monster – for some they need nearly no introduction. For the others, Monster are a cable company, but have branched out into anything music. We have done a couple of Monster Headphones reviews which are part of our larger headphone section.
The contest takes place at Monster’s webpage and requires you just to fill in your name, date of birth, and acceptance of the terms and conditions – in other words, I joined!
Monster’s Anjulie-autographed Jamz Headphones giveaway
