Shure

Shure SE102

During the week I have been ears on with Shure’s new entry level in ear monitor (IEM), the SE102, with an RRP of £75, but they can be found for less than £40 when shopping around.

The build quality and materials used are first class.
The cabling is modular with a length of 45cm/18in and a 91cm/36in extension, the cable itself is quite a bit thicker than the average IEM cable and feels more durable. Included as accessories you get three pairs of different sized silicone sleeves (S, M, L) to help you achieve a good fit, as well as a cloth pouch for storage and protection. However, there are no foam sleeves included and you can not use the sleeves from other SE models since they are not compatible, and finally there is no cleaning tool or airline adapter included.

The SE102’s are comfortable.
Once you get used to them they are comfortable to wear, but a little word of caution may be in place, the way they are meant to be worn may not suit everyone. To get the best out of them they need to be worn in the so called professional way, with the cable over the ear and quite deep inside the ear canal. Wearing them like this does have adavantages though, the ambient isolation is very good and the microphonic noise from the cable is negligible, in other words perfect for commuting or exercising. The excellent isolation makes them a good choice for frequent flyers or even for listening to your favourite Pink Floyd album while hooning on a trackday (if you prefer that to the soundtrack of the engine).

The SE102’s use a dynamic micro driver (speaker), as opposed to balanced armatures.
There are a few things that differ between dynamic and balanced drivers, dynamic drivers need several hours of use before they are settled in for the best sound performance, balanced armatures on the other hand are ready to perform their best from the very start. Generally a dynamic driver can produce the full sound spectrum better than a single balanced armature driver, but the trade off is that they lose some clarity and detail compared to balanced armatures.

Having said that, the SE102’s do have a very nice and full low end, while still maintaining a decent and surprisingly detailed mid and high range. The dynamic sound brings a warmth to the music that really makes rock come alive, my all time favourites Comfortably Numb and Hotel California both sound brilliant on these. The drums have a nice and fast attack to them and the guitars sound crisp and well presented.
The soundstage expands rather nicely both in width and height, there is no claustrophobic feeling of a concert inside your head. Listening critically, the instrument separation could be better, but they do not sound muddy or crowded for normal listening. For being entry level IEM’s they really do offer outstanding sound quality.

To sum up.
The good points are the excellent ambient noise isolation, involving and fun overall sound quality, solid build quality, comfort and very competitive price.
Not really that much to not like, but it would have been nice to include foam sleeves, a cleaning tool and a airline adapter.



Would I recommend these IEM’s? For the asking price, yes definitely.
If you are looking for new IEM’s to replace the bundled ones or just want a cheaper end upgrade, at less than £40 the SE102 are , I dare say, unbeatable.

Shure SE110

The former entry level offering from Shure, the SE110, is a balanced armature driver IEM. RRP is set at £86, but they can be found for around half of that if shopping around. You even get to choose between an all black or a black&white model.

The quality and materials used are absolutely top notch.
The cable is a modular type (45cm/18in + 91cm/36in) and has a very rugged feeling to it. The included accessories are three pairs of silicone sleeves and three pairs of foam sleeves (S, M, L), a cleaning tool and a handy zippered soft case for storage and protection, no airline adapter is included.

The SE110’s are even more comfortable to my ears than the SE102’s, especially with the foam sleeves. Like all Shure’s they should be worn in the professional way, which may not be liked by everyone. The isolation is very good and the cable microphonics are almost un-noticeable, perfect for sports or commuting.

Being a balanced armature IEM, the sound is clearer and more detailed than the dynamic driver SE102, but the low end does not offer the same experience and involvement. The soundstage expands nicely and the instrument separation is quite good. Turning up the volume on Comfortably Numb and Hotel California makes for a detailed and airy sound, I can quite clearly separate all the instruments and place them within the soundstage, but I can’t help feeling that the low end sounds a little too thin, which is a shame on the otherwise nice and detailed sound. They do not really deliver the punch strongly enough for rock, but they do reproduce folk and acoustic music rather nicely.

To sum up.
Plus for the excellent ambient noise isolation, the clear overall sound quality, a very solid build quality and they are extremely comfortable to wear even for longer periods.
The minuses are mainly for the lack of low end and uninvolving presentation of bass driven music.



Would I recommend these IEM’s? Well, that depends, for the price they are good and a big step up from the bundled ones, but to be fair the SE102 are even better.
If you prefer a clean and detailed sound, then the SE110 may be a good choice for you.

Shure SE535

Specs.
Three balanced armature drivers (dual woofers, single tweeter) with a passive crossover
Frequency range: 18Hz – 19KHz
Impedance: 36Ohm
Sensitivity: 119dB/mW
Colour: Bronze or Clear
RRP: £469.99


Build quality and accessories.
The build quality and design is absolutely top class! The housing itself is made of high quality plastic, and has an extremely good attention to detail and fabulous design/looks. The cable has a memory wire at the housing, the cable is also detachable and can freely swivel around the housing, the length of the cable is 155cm and it has a 90 degree jack at the end. The cable is the most rugged looking and feeling cable I have seen in any IEM, it is very thick with a plastic feeling to it, still it is surprisingly light and easy in use. This is my new favourite cable of all IEM’s I have tried. Excellent work Shure!
The included accessories are, eight pairs of different sleeves (S, M and L sized foamhybrid and silicone sleeves, a pair each of yellow foam sleeves and triple flanged silicone sleeves), an airline adapter, a 6.3mm adapter, a volume control unit, a cleaning tool and a semi-hard zippered case. I would say that is a very generous amount of extras.
Shure also sell a separate microphone cable for the SE535’s, which turns them into a headset to use with Iphones etc.




Comfort and fit.
The SE535’s are quite large but light and one of the most comfortable IEM’s I have ever used. They are to be worn with the memory cable running over the ear, you can simply bend the part of the cable that runs over the ear into any shape you like and it stays there. The swivel mechanism of the cable also helps greatly for comfort. Isolation from ambient noise is very good, the cable does not suffer from microphonic noise.

Sound quality.
As a triple balanced armature IEM the SE535’s do not really need to burn in.
The SE535’s do not offer that WOW! feeling the very moment you let music through them, no, they slowly let you get accustomed to them and when you decide to stop listening, you think, just one more song, these sound pretty good. Next thing you know, several hours have passed and you’re completely absorbed into the music and only a willpower as strong as a supercharged V8 can force you to stop listening to them. Said in less words, they sound absolutely and positively fantastic!
The SE535’s are not the most revealing IEM’s out there, but they get the balance between musical enjoyment and detail retrieval spot on. You can distinguish the plucks of a guitar, the breathing of the singer and reverbs of drums, just not too much or too clearly to distract from the music.
The low end is very tight and controlled, the slightly forward mids are class leading, highs are natural and slightly in the background, soundstage is larger than average with very nice separation and imaging. My test tracks sound just like I would be in the studio or on stage with the guys, so very natural and musical, you really “get in” with the music and forget about everything else.
The SE535’s are the most balanced IEM’s I have heard, this means that they suit any music and can be EQ’d to everyone's taste, if that would be necessary.
I just recently wrote this exact same phrase, “these are the best IEM’s I have ever heard”, but already now the time has come to re-evaluate.
The Shure SE535’s are the best IEM’s I have heard and as an added bonus they are also the most beautiful universal IEM’s I have seen. Excellent work Shure!



To sum up.
The good: balanced and fantastic sound, beautifully designed, very comfortable, great isolation, excellent (detachable) cable, generous accessory pack, microphone cable available.
The bad: they are rather expensive.

Verdict: Definitely! My new personal favourite IEM.

SonoCore

SonoCore Chrome (211C)

Specs.
Dual dynamic drivers, 6 mm tweeter and 9 mm woofer
Frequency range: 16 Hz – 22 KHz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 105 dB/mW
Price: $100
Colour: chrome

Build quality and accessories.
Overall the build quality seems very good, but a slight concern about the cable not having any stress relief at the earpiece. The housing is made of aluminium which means they are pretty much indestructible and the 120 cm long cable, with its straight jack has a nice feeling to it. At the splitter there is the music and call control as well as the built in microphone, I much prefer this placement than the usual right chin placement.
The accessories included are, four different sized sleeves (S, M, L, XL) a zippered pouch and the retail box that can be used for storing them securely.



Comfort and fit.
The Chromes are light and about average sized (they are remarkably small actually for being dual dynamics), so they should fit most listeners well. Comfort, to my ears, is very good and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down. The microphonic noise is well under control, and it can be pretty much eliminated by wearing the cable over the ear.



Sound quality.
The Chrome requires time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer a very musical and powerful sound and if possible an even larger soundstage than the COA-805. The bass is very tight and full of energy, the mids are detailed and smooth, and the highs are crisp and detailed without being sibilant. The soundstage is the biggest and most 3D I have heard in an IEM, and also very accurate in imaging and instrument separation.
The sound is more neutral than the COA-805, but still very powerful. The bass has been toned down a bit and the highs have been extended, the result is a really nice sounding IEM with great musicality and a nice neutral(ish) sound with great detail and imaging.

The following is what I had to say about the COA-805, and this rings even more true for the Chrome:
“Technically speaking the COA-805s are not as advanced as the top IEM’s, but for pure enjoyment and musicality, they are definitely top notch!
Listening to the likes of Porcupine Tree, Explosions In The Sky and Pink Floyd really reveals new dimensions of the songs, my test tracks sounded spacious and very “out of your head”, in a good way.

The strongest point of the COA-805s is the astonishing and pure enjoyment of listening to the music, not to forget the concert like soundstage.
The COA-805s are among my very favourites, which is quite a feat for a $99 kit.”

The Chrome does everything the COA-805 does, and it does it with better refinement and a more neutral sound overall.



To sum up.
The good: exceptional musicality, delightful and enjoyable sound, large and detailed soundstage, sound per pound.
The bad: slight concern about cable stress relief, a slight hiss can be heard when volume is cranked up.

Verdict: the Chrome betters the COA-805’s in just about every aspect, sound for pound musicality and enjoyment is extremely high on the Chrome. Highly recommended.

SonoCore COA-805 "Cindy"

Specs.
Dual dynamic coaxial drivers, 6 mm tweeter and 10 mm woofer
Frequency range: 16 Hz – 20 KHz
Impedance: 8 Ohm (tweeter) 16 Ohm (woofer)
Sensitivity: 99 dB/mW
Price: $99
Colours: black or white

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality seems good, slight concern about the cable not having any stress relief at the earpiece. The housing is made of plastic and the 120 cm long cable, with its straight jack has a nice rubbery feeling to it.
As the set I have are not the full retail set, I cannot say what the full retail set includes, mine came with three different sized sleeves.



Comfort and fit.
The COA-805’s are light but quite large, to the extent that they may not fit comfortably in small ears. Comfort, to my ears, is very good and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down. The microphonic noise is well under control, and it can be totally eliminated by wearing the cable over the ear.

Sound quality.
The COA-805’s are coaxial dual dynamic earphones, meaning that there are two dynamic drivers in each earpiece. The 10 mm woofer and the 6 mm tweeter are built together on the same axis, like in speaker systems.



The COA-805’s require time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer a very musical and powerful sound and the largest soundstage I have heard. The bass is tight and full of energy, the mids are detailed and smooth, and the highs are crisp and detailed without being sibilant. The soundstage is the biggest and most 3D I have heard in an IEM, and also very accurate in imaging and instrument separation.
The sound the COA-805’s produce is inspirational and as said, very musical and enjoyable.
Listening to Porcupine Tree, Explosions In The Sky and Pink Floyd really reveals new dimensions of the songs, my test tracks sounded spacious and very “out of your head”, in a excellent way.
Technically speaking the COA-805’s are not as advanced as the top offerings and they are less suited for critical listening or monitoring, but for pure enjoyment and musicality, they are definitely top notch!

The strongest point of the COA-805’s is the astonishing and pure enjoyment of the sound they produce, not to forget the concert like soundstage.
The COA-805’s are among my very favourites, which is quite a feat for a $99 kit.

To sum up.
The good: astonishing musicality and very enjoyable sound, large and detailed soundstage, price for sound.
The bad: the size can be a problem for some, a slight hiss can be heard when volume is cranked up



Verdict: the COA-805’s offer musical enjoyment like few, if any, other IEM’s I have heard, and definitely not in this price range. Highly recommended.

Soundmagic

SoundMAGIC EH10

Specs.
Dynamic driver earbud style
Frequency range: 15 Hz – 22 KHz
Resistance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 112 dB/mW
Price: $38
Colours: Black, Pink, White

Build quality and accessories.
The 120cm/47in cable is soft even if it is more to the plasticky side, and it has a 90 degree jack at the end. The housing is made of high quality plastic, the earhooks are rubber coated metal wire and they can be bent into shape as well as adjusted in size. The accessory pack consists of a pouch, a cable winder and a cloth clip. The EH10’s look and feel very classy.

Comfort and fit.
The EH10’s are light and comfortable, but due to the design they may not suit people with specs. They “hang on” to your ears with the earhooks, while the earphone itself swivels to cover your ear canal, the earphone itself has a rubber sleeve attached to it, to direct the sound better inside the ear canal. The EH10’s are very easy and unobtrusive to use, and thanks to the excellent earhooks they stay put even during the most demanding moves. There are some microphonic noises, but they can be avoided by using the clip provided. Obviously they do not offer isolation in any bigger meaning, this is not necessarily bad though.

Sound quality.
The EH10’s should not and can not be compared to IEM’s, as they do not seal the ear canal and do not offer isolation as such, nor do they offer the same clarity and detail.
Having said that the EH10’s do sound very nice. They present a warm dynamic sound with a nice detail and a soundstage with real space. The low end is meaty and controlled, the mids are lush and detailed, the highs are a little in the background but still fully audible. My favourite tracks sound well presented with a warm and smooth sound, fun is a word that springs to mind while listening to the EH10’s.

To sum up.
The good, fun and dynamic sound, comfort, exclusive looks.
The bad, the design (earhooks) may not suit users with specs.



I do recommend the SoundMAGIC EH10’s, for their price they offer great sound as well as exclusive looks.

SoundMAGIC PL50

Many have probably never heard of SoundMAGIC, or their very well regarded earphones. The PL50 is the Chinese manufacturers latest offering, and their first balanced armature IEM. The RRP is set to $55 or around £30-35.

Build quality deserves thumbs up.
They look and feel very nice and solid. The cable is 120cm/47in, and has a 90 degree angle on the jack. There accessories included are, XS/S/M/L silicone sleeves and S/M/L foam sleeves to help you find a perfect seal, earhooks for the cable and a zippered soft case. No cleaning tool, but due to the design one isn’t really needed. A generous and well thought out accessory pack.

Comfort and fit.
They are very light and small, very easy to fit and they are the most comfortable IEM’s I have stumbled upon to date. They are to be worn professionally, over the ear, but rest assured that the PL50’s are very comfortable even if you do not like this way to wear IEM’s. The earhooks can up the comfort for some users, but I find them to be near perfect without and the hooks do make the fitting of them a bit more tricky. Isolation from ambient noise is quite good, but not really among the best isolating IEM’s, even if the foam sleeves do add more isolation than the silicone ones. For much improved isolation you can use Shure PA758 grey flex sleeves and enjoy your music in near complete silence.

Ok, what about the sound?
As a single balanced armature IEM the PL50’s could sound a little thin and lacking in energy. The truth is that SoundMAGIC has made a full sounding single balanced armature IEM, which in itself is quite something, and considering this is their first effort in this class, it is very impressive. They can not quite rival higher end dynamic IEM’s or multiple balanced armature setups, but for a single balanced armature they are remarkable, and for under £40 they are outstanding.
I can also note that the PL50’s respond very well to the use of equalization, for the ones that prefer to do so.
Hotel California and Comfortably Numb sound very good, the fast and controlled bass combined with the overall detailed soundspectrum and a expansive soundstage makes for a very enjoyable listening experience.

To sum up.
What I like most about the PL50’s is the sound, the generous accessory pack, design, build quality, and that they are the most comfortable IEM’s I have ever used.
The only real drawback is the lack of availability in the local shops.

Simply put, the SoundMAGIC PL50’s are my new best choice IEM’s under £40. They really are that good.

Thinksound

Thinksound began with a simple goal; to create incredible sounding headphones with the smallest eco-footprint possible.

Thinksound Rain

Specs.
Single dynamic driver, 9 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 KHz
Sensitivity: n/a
Price: $99.99



Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good, but as for all wooden earphones I would recommend not to expose them to too much stress due to the softness of the material.
The housing is made of wood and metal, the cable is 125 cm long and has a straight jack at the end. The cable is thin, very light and rather resistant to tangling. The included accessories are, four pairs of silicone sleeves (S, M, L, XL), a pouch and a shirt clip. Not that generous accessory pack, but everything you need to use them. A special mention for the stylish wood finish.

Comfort and fit.
The Rains are light and about average size. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down, and are very comfortable to wear even for longer periods. Isolation from ambient noise is about average. The cable has a very small amount of microphonic noise, which can be further reduced by running the cable over the ears and/or using the clip to secure it.



Sound quality.
As a dynamic IEM they require time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer a natural warmth but still with a good detail and clear upper end. The bass is punchy without being overpowering, the mids are full, warm and surprisingly detailed while the highs are clear and quite sparkly. The soundstage is very well laid out and larger than average. The Rains are very nice with their smooth and warm sound, especially with acoustic music and other mids focused genres.

To sum up.
The good: musical, warm and very nice overall sound, exclusive finish.
The bad: the warm sound may not suit all tastes.



Verdict: Thinksound Rain offers a warm and lush sound combined with exclusive looks. Recommended.

Thinksound TS02+mic

Specs.
Single dynamic driver, 8 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 KHz
Sensitivity: n/a
Microphone and call/music control
Price: $99.99



Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good, but as for all wooden earphones I would recommend not to expose them to too much stress due to the softness of the material.
The housing is made of wood and metal, the cable with the microphone pod on the right is 125 cm long and has a straight jack at the end. The cable is the same as on the Rains, i.e. thin, very light and rather resistant to tangling. The included accessories are, four pairs of silicone sleeves (S, M, L, XL), a pouch and a shirt clip. Not that generous accessory pack, but everything you need to use them. A special mention for the stylish wood finish.

Comfort and fit.
The TS02’s are light and about average size. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down, and are very comfortable to wear even for longer periods. Isolation from ambient noise is about average. The cable has a very small amount of microphonic noise, which can be further reduced by running the cable over the ears and/or using the clip to secure it.



Sound quality.
As a dynamic IEM the TS02’s require time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer the natural warmth of a wooden instrument, combined with a clarity and accuracy that sounds very nice and powerful. The bass is deep and full, the mids are warm with nice detail, while the highs are very smooth yet clear and fully audible. The soundstage is very well laid out and larger than average. The TS02’s are very addictive with their powerful and warm sound which makes them superbly suited for rock and music filled with energy.

To sum up.
The good: musical, warm, powerful and very nice overall sound, exclusive wood finish, call management.
The bad: the warm and powerful sound may not suit all tastes.



Verdict: very nice sound, exclusive looks and headset capability makes theThinksound TS02+mic a “must have” for your new Iphone/Blackberry. Highly recommended.

Vivanco

Vivanco Aircoustic Black Walnut

ABW for simplicity



Specs.
Single dynamic driver
Frequency range: 18 Hz 23 KHz
Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW
Price: 50


Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good, although I would recommend not to expose them to too much stress due to the softness of the wood. The housing is made of handcrafted walnut wood and metal, the 120 cm long cable, with its straight jack, is cloth/nylon covered. The cable is very thin compared to other IEMs and rather prone to tangling, but it is also very light. The included accessories are, three pairs of silicone sleeves and a pouch. Not that generous accessory pack, but everything needed. A special mention for the stylish wood and materials used.

Comfort and fit.
The ABWs are light and about average size. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down, and are very comfortable to wear even for longer periods. Isolation from ambient noise is about average and the cable suffers from some some microphonic noise, but it can be reduced by running the cable over the ears.

Sound quality.
As a dynamic IEM they require time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer a naturally warm sound with a nice clarity and sparkle, or as the box states warm bass and smooth treble. The bass is deep and full of authority, the mids have a good timbre and are surprisingly detailed while the highs are laidback, yet clear and sparkly. The soundstage is very well laid out and big. The ABWs are very addictive with their smooth and warm sound which makes them superbly suited for acoustic, live music and rock. I finally see, hear, the reason for having wooden earphones, they do bring a new dimension to the music.

To sum up.
The good: musical, powerful, warm and very nice overall sound, exclusive wood finish.
The bad: the cable is prone to tangling, the warm sound may not suit all tastes.

Verdict: if you like warm sound and exclusive looks, then I would recommend you to check out the ABWs, they are very good. Recommended.