Brainwavz


Brainwavz B2





Specs.
Dual balanced armatures
Frequency range: 20Hz – 20KHz
Impedance: 40 Ohm
Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW
Price: $159.50
Colours: Black/red

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality seems to be good, but one thing that bothers me is the lack of cable strain relief on the housing. The cable itself is braided and one of the best I have seen, very flexible and soft, it is 130 cm long and terminates in a 45 degree jack. The included accessories are, six pairs of silicone sleeves (S, M and L) and a pair of foam sleeves, airline adapter, a 3.5 to 6.3mm adapter, a shirt clip and a very nice hard case. Great accessory pack, if you ask me.



Comfort and fit.
The B2s are smaller than average for both size and weight, they are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. The sleeves provided should be enough for most users to get a good seal, and the isolation and comfort is excellent too. There are no microphonic noises from the cable.

Sound quality.
The B2s offer a detailed and natural sound that should please everyone.
The high quality bass is present, if not plentiful but very tight and punchy without interfering with the rest of the soundspectrum, the mids are natural and detailed, and the highs are very much the centre of attention and very nice and detailed, the soundstage is wider than average.

The B2s are very good, excellent even, sounding IEMs, the natural and neutral sound signature works with all music and really lifts the listening enjoyment to new highs. See what I did there. The highs is the B2s home field, this is where they excel, the amount of fine detail they can reveal from a good source is simply staggering.

My favourite tracks sound perfect, very dynamic with just enough bass and detail overall and in particular in the upper mids and highs. I may be partial, as they have my preferred sound signature but the B2s are one of my absolute favourite IEMs of all time.



To sum up.
The good: gorgeous and detailed sound, excellent cable, great accessories.
The bad: lacking strain relief on the housing, and maybe too bass light for some listeners.



Verdict: in one word, excellent. Highly recommended!





Brainwavz Beta







Specs.
Single dynamic driver 11mm, with bass filter system
Frequency range: 8Hz – 28KHz
Impedance: 24Ohm
Sensitivity: 110dB/mW
Price: $29.50
Colours: Silver/black

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good. The housing is made of metal/high quality plastic and the 125 cm long cable, with its 45 degree jack is a soft, rubbery compound. The included accessories are, three pairs of silicone sleeves (2 cone shaped and 1 dual flange) and a pair of foam sleeves, bass filters, a pouch, a shirtclip and a cable manager. Not bad, but the cones are questionable due to shape and fit, at least to my ears.
Edit: Found a pack of three different sized foam/hybrid sleeves and a pair of earhooks in a "hidden" compartment of the packaging. The foam/hybrid sleeves are very comfortable and reminds of the Shure ones, but they are even nicer and more comfortable to my ears.


Comfort and fit.
The Beta’s are light even if they are larger than average sized, and they are about average for comfort and isolation. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down. The sleeves provided should be enough for most users to get a good seal, the dual flanges did it for me. There are some microphonic noises, but they can be reduced by running the cable over the ears and using the clip.

Sound quality.
As a dynamic IEM the Beta’s require time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer a powerful and involving sound. The bass is tight and punchy without interfering on the rest of the soundspectrum, the mids are smooth and the highs are crisp if a little recessed, the soundstage is wider than average. Using the bass filter, that easily screws on to the stem, they seem to become even more dynamic. The bass tightens up and punches harder, the mids levels out and becomes fuller, the highs are if not lifted up, then at least not as much in the background as without the filter. Soundstage seems to become a little bigger as well. Without the bass filter they would suit acoustic and folk oriented music, with the added dynamics they suit rock and bass driven music like a glove.
I prefer them with the bass filter on, but it must be said that the high sound quality of the Beta’s is a real eye(ear)-opener, they sound really good.

To sum up.
The good: powerful and fun sound, bass filter to adjust sound signature.
The bad: a larger selection of sleeves would be good. Edit: disregard from this, for the price there are no real shortcomings on the Beta's.

Verdict: for the price they offer a very good overall sound. Highly recommend.





Brainwavz BLU-200





Specs.
Bluetooth headset, V4.0 AptX
Dynamic driver 9.2 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 Khz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 96 dB/mW
Battery: 4h use, 100h standby 2h charging
Price: $54.50

Build quality and accessories.
The Blu-200 is very well built and looks classy in a minimalistic way.
The call and music controls are on the flat cable loop, on the right earpiece you have the micro USB charging port and a flashing light for charging and bluetooth uses.
The accessories included are, three pairs of silicone sleeves (S, M and L), one pair of Comply foam sleeves, a pair of stabiliser fins, a cable cinch, a micro USB charging cable, and a hard-case to store them.



Comfort and fit.
The BLU-200 is light and comfortable to use even for longer listening sessions, but they protrude from the ear so you cannot wear them while laying down on your side or wear them under a helmet. They can be worn with the cable loop running over the ear or straight down, and with the cable cinch and stabiliser fins they sit secure whichever way you wear them.
Last but not least, the lack of cables is a real freedom and comfort boost.



Sound quality.
The BLU-200 connects to your player, or smart-phone over Bluetooth, the pairing is easily done by pressing the on/off button for a few seconds and after that the connection is automatic.

I tried them with the AptX capable Sony Xperia Z3 and was pleasantly surprised by the sound. The low end is strong without being too overpowering, the mids are natural with good detail, and the highs are crisp and clear if a little toned down at the highest end. The soundstage is big and very nicely layered with a clear 3D presentation.

My favourite tracks sound powerful and very good for a wireless IEM/headset.

The BLU-200 is a great all round headset with excellent sound and call quality, they look great too and they stay securely in your ears.



To sum up.
The good, very nice sound, call and music management, stylish design, price.
The bad, they could be smaller.

Verdict.
This is the headset to get for exercise and sports, it sounds good with the right punch in the bass and it stays put in your ears whatever it is that you do. Highly recommended.





Brainwavz BLU-Delta





Specs.
Bluetooth headset, V4.1 AptX
Dynamic driver 8 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 Khz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
Battery: 8h use, 100h standby 2h charging
Price: $49.50



Build quality and accessories.
The Blu-Delta is very well built and looks classy in a minimalistic way.
The call and music controls are on the pod on the cable loop, that is also where you find the micro USB port for charging, and a flashing light to tell you the status of the IEM.
The accessories included are, three pairs of silicone sleeves (S, M and L), one pair of Comply foam sleeves, a cable clip and a cable cinch, a micro USB charging cable, and the very nice Brainwavz hard-case to store them.

Comfort and fit.
The BLU-Delta is small, light and comfortable to use even for longer listening sessions.
You can wear it with the cable loop running over the ear or straight down, and secured with the cable clip they will sit put whichever way you wear them.
Last but not least, the lack of cables is a real freedom and comfort boost.



Sound quality.
The BLU-Delta connects to your player, or smart-phone over Bluetooth, the pairing is easily done by pressing the on/off button for a few seconds and after that the connection is automatic.

I tried them with the AptX capable Sony Xperia Z3, and was pleasantly surprised by the sound. I also tried them with a Sony Smartwatch 3, and even if the SW 3 doesn’t have AptX the sound was very good.
The low end is strong without being too overpowering, the mids are natural with good detail, and the highs are crisp and clear if a little toned down at the highest end. The soundstage is big and very nicely layered with a clear 3D presentation.

My favourite tracks sound powerful and very good, astonishing when considering they are wireless.

The BLU-Delta is a great all round headset with excellent sound and call quality, and they look great too and stay securely in your ears.



To sum up.
The good, very nice sound, call and music management, stylish design, comfort, price.
The bad, nothing really stands out as bad.

Verdict.
The BLU-Delta fixes the main gripe with the predecessor, BLU-200, the bulky size, while maintaining all the positives like great sound and ease of use, at an even lower price, excellent work Brainwavz! Highly recommended.





Brainwavz Jive





Specs.
Dynamic driver, 9 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 KHz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW
Microphone and call/audio controls for Android or iOS
Price: $28.00

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is, as we are used to from Brainwavz, very good. The housing is made of metal and is very small. The 130 cm long cable terminates in a 45 degree jack, there is both a proper strain relief and a chin slider.
The included accessories are; three pairs of silicone sleeves (s, m, l), one set of foam sleeves, a shirt clip, a cable tie, a Brainwavz logo sticker and finally the very nice Brainwavz hard case, this now in a larger and even better version.
Excellent accessory pack, especially considering their price.



Comfort and fit.
The Jives are very small and light. Comfort is excellent thanks to the small size and wide array of sleeves included, and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn with the cable up or down, and once secured with the shirt clip all microphonic noise is eliminated.

Sound quality.
As with all dynamic speakers the Jives need to settle or burn in, to sound their best.
Once settled they offer a slightly V shaped sound that suits rock music very nicely. The low end is big and powerful without colouring the upper frequencies, the mids are a little in the background but still perfectly audible and well detailed, the highs are more up front and sparkling, without getting shrill or piercing. The soundstage is quite big and has a nice separation and layering. My test tracks sound powerful, fun, very musical and very, very good.

The call and audio handling works as it should, except on some Motorola and Sony phones, but this is due to nonconforming standards from the manufacturers and not a fault with the Jive. The microphone gives a clear call quality.

If you are looking for a great sounding headset to combine with your new smartphone, you really should give the Jive a go.

PS. I have been listening to ZZ Top's Sixpack over the weekend with the Jives, get the Sixpack and the Jives, you won't be disappointed!



To sum up.
The good: headset functionality, very hard/impossible? to beat sound per pound, great build quality.
The bad: not easily available to purchase.



Verdict: A great sounding headset at a laughably low price, what's not to like? Highly recommended!




Brainwavz M1





Specs.
Dynamic driver, 10.7 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 KHz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW
Price: $44.50
Colours: black



Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is, as we are used to from Brainwavz, very good. The housing is made of metal and plastic, and is very small. The 130 cm long cable is braided and it terminates in a 45 degree jack, there is no strain relief on the housing nor is there a chin slider.
The included accessories are; seven pairs of silicone sleeves (s, m, l and dual flanges), one set of foam sleeves, a shirt clip and finally the very nice Brainwavz hard case.
Not bad at all, especially considering their price.

Comfort and fit.
The M1s are very small and light. Comfort is excellent thanks to the small size and wide array of sleeves included, and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn with the cable up or down, and once secured with the shirt clip all microphonic noise is eliminated.



Sound quality.
As with all dynamic speakers the M1s need to settle or burn in, to sound their best.

Once settled they offer a neutral sound with a warm and powerful undertone. The bass is a little rolled off in the low end but still punchy and full of authority without colouring the rest of the spectrum, the mids are smooth and detailed, and the highs are crisp and clear if a little rolled off. The soundstage is intimate and as a result the imaging and separation is less airy but still far from being claustrophobic or congested.

My test tracks sound dynamic and very musical, with a natural reproduction and overall lush sound. The biggest surprise is the very neutral sound, normally at this price point you get a very V shaped sound that lacks in mids, but not so with the M1s.
One could say that the M1s are a junior audiophile IEM.

Brainwavz have done it again, the M1 is a very good earphone at a really affordable price.



To sum up.
The good: neutral and very good sound, very hard to beat sound per pound, great build quality.
The bad: not easily available to purchase, strain relief and chin slider missing.

Verdict: The M1s are not perfect, but for the price they are very good. Highly recommended!




Brainwavz M2





Specs.
Dynamic driver 10.7 mm
Frequency range: 20Hz – 20KHz
Impedance: 20 Ohm
Sensitivity: 115 dB/mW
Price: $59.50
Colours: Silver/black



Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good. The housing is mainly made made of metal. The braided cable, which is very nice is 130 cm long and terminates in a 45 degree jack. The included accessories are, three pairs of silicone sleeves (S, M and L) and a pair of foam sleeves, a shirt clip and a very nice hard case. Quite a nice accessory pack, if you ask me.

Comfort and fit.
The M2s are about average for both size and weight, as well as comfort and isolation as well. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear or straight down. The sleeves provided should be enough for most users to get a good seal. There are no microphonic noises from the cable.



Sound quality.
The M2s require time to settle to sound their best, and once settled they offer a warm and bassy sound that should please the hardcore bassheads.
The bass is plentiful, but still rather tight and punchy without interfering excessively with the rest of the soundspectrum, the mids are warm and honey like and a little in the background, the highs are clearly audible if a little rolled off, and the soundstage is wider than average. The sound signature is V shaped, with strong bass and slightly upfront highs.

Due to the warm and bassy sound some fine detail will be lost and as such the M2s are not for the detail craving listeners. My favourite tracks sound powerful and dynamic, with good oomph in the low end, but for my tastes the bass can become a bit overwhelming on some tracks.



To sum up.
The good: bassy and powerful sound, excellent cable, nice hard case.
The bad: some detail is lost in the warm sound, probably too bassy for some listeners.

Verdict: for the price they offer plenty of bass and power. Recommended for bass lovers.





Brainwavz M5





Specs.
Dynamic driver, 10 mm
Frequency range: 16 Hz – 18 KHz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 103 dB/mW
Price: $44.50
Colours: black or copper

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good. The housing is made of metal and the 130 cm long cable, with its 90 degree jack has a nice feeling to it. The included accessories are; seven pairs of silicone sleeves (s, m, l and dual flanges), one set of foam sleeves, a shirt clip and finally the very nice Brainwavz hard case.
Not bad at all, especially considering their price.



Comfort and fit.
The M5s are quite small and about average weight. Comfort is excellent thanks to the small size and wide array of sleeves included, and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn with the cable up or down, and as usual that means that the microphonic noise is well under control.



Sound quality.
As with all dynamic speakers the M5s need to settle or burn in, to sound their best.

Once settled they offer a warm and powerful but quite neutral sound. The bass is punchy and deep, the mids are smooth and warm, and the highs are crisp and detailed without being sibilant. The soundstage is big with very good imaging and instrument separation.

My test tracks sound marvellous, dynamic and with a great bass reproduction and overall lush sound. Even if they are warm sounding, they still offer good detail retrieval across the spectrum, and the bass or warmth of the sound does not colour the overall sound to any bigger extent.
Simply put, the sound the M5s produce is sensational for the asking price.

Brainwavz are really becoming a big player in the world of IEMs, first the B2 and R1, and now the M5. All exceptionally good, at a really great price.



To sum up.
The good: astonishing sound, very hard to beat sound per pound, great build quality.
The bad: not easily available to purchase.

Verdict: For the price, nothing beats them. Highly recommended!






Brainwavz M100





Specs.
Dynamic driver, 8 mm
Frequency range: 12 Hz – 22 KHz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW
Price: $89.50
Colours: black



Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is, as we are used to from Brainwavz, excellent. The housing is made of aircraft grade metal, that alone is a good reason for us tech geeks to own a pair. The 130 cm long cable is tightly braided and it terminates in a 45 degree jack. On the right hand side there is a microphone and call/audio management buttons.
The included accessories are; seven pairs of silicone sleeves (s, m, l and dual flanges), one set of foam sleeves, a shirt clip, a cable tie and finally the big version of the very nice Brainwavz hard case.
A very nice accessory pack, if you ask me.



Comfort and fit.
The M100s are very small and light. Comfort is excellent thanks to the small size and wide array of sleeves included, and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn with the cable up or down, and once secured with the shirt clip all microphonic noise is eliminated.

Sound quality.
As with all dynamic speakers the M100s need to settle or burn in, to sound their best.

Once settled they offer a powerful and slightly V shaped sound with a warm undertone. The bass is strong and prominent but not that deep, the mids are smooth, with a nice detail if a little in the background, and the highs are crisp and clear without being sibilant. The soundstage is very big and 3D like, the imaging and separation is very good.

My test tracks sound powerful, dynamic and very much party-party. The M100 is as made for rocking out to AC/DC and the likes, they will have you jumping around the room and playing air guitar like you were on stage with Angus, Bon and the gang.



To sum up.
The good: powerful, lively and very open sound, great build quality.
The bad: not for the purists and/or romantics.

Verdict: The M100s are all about power and open sound, they will rock your world, but not necessarily jazz it up. Highly recommended (for rock)!