What is it with the French wanting us to see the insides of things? The Pompidou Centre is all very well, but anyone wanting to fix the air conditioning needs a good head for heights. The Eiffel Tower, although a good effort, could do with a spot of rendering. Some nice Spanish arches and stone cladding would look a treat. And that glass pyramid – no self-respecting Pharaoh would be seen dead in it, I’m sure.
However, if I’d managed to squeeze 6 speakers into a package which fits into the bowl of my ear, maybe I would want to show it off too. Lauri Cular took these transparent treats home for a weekend, but do they sound as good as they look?
The Earsonics S-EM6 comes in a neat little briefcase-type box, but don’t be tempted to assume that these are for the conservative bowler-hatted commuter. These are a little more rock ‘n roll than that!
When I put the E-SM6s in, I was struck by the size compared to what I’m used to – usually 2 BAs are enough, and the housing for this half-dozen did seem relatively bulky. However once in place, they were as unobtrusive as any in-ear, apart of course from the isolation they offered. I live with a very noisy pet, and enjoyed the isolation aspect to the full. With audio coming through it’s very easy to ignore everything else.
One thing I will say is that these are not for the bass-shy. I popped them on and listened through my E12 which is relatively cool-sounding. My first thought was ‘now let’s try it with the bass boost off’ – but it was already off. Most of the time this wasn’t such a problem; the bass doesn’t get in the way of anything else in particular, and only a few tracks offered a problem when it came to bass.
I decided to capitalise on this and tried some rap and dance music. The S-EM6s gave some excellent sub-bass and seemed to suit these genres well. Separation and space is amazing. I’m sitting in the office dancing in my chair as I try to type. The midrange reminds me of the Final Audio Pianoforte X I tried a few months ago; amazingly real and engaging, with a very real sense of the space in which the presentation is contained. Detail is superb, and placement is as good as anything I’ve heard from an in-ear.
Classical music is very involving as well as more jazzy soundtracks. As I type, I’m enjoying the slowly building tension in Lalo Schifrin’s ‘Shifting Gears’ from the Bullitt soundtrack. The bass is of a very low frequency in this track (an alternative version, track 25 on the CD) – but quite voluminous. It threatens to detract from the other instruments but doesn’t quite. Bass boost is not an option here either.
I have found that tracks like this are in the minority however, most well produced music will not offer a problem. But if you hate too much bass, avoid the S-EM6!
There is a bit of a top-end roll off as well, but this is a problem for all of 10 seconds. The mids and high mids are so real-sounding, any desire to have the higher frequencies boosted just gets forgotten. I’m now listening to ‘Beat It’ by Michael Jackson – just before Van Halen’s guitar solo there’s a knocking sound. I knew it was there, but it scared the life out of me!
All in all, the S-EM6 is a very well built and solid model from Earsonics, but I would prefer to see some sort of porting option to ease the bass down a little.
Getting more and more annoyed with the sound from your earbuds? At HiFi Headphones we talk to plenty of people with this issue so we thought we’d give a hand for those who don’t get to talk to us on the phone. The products below represent excellent value for money, they all punch well above their weight in terms of sound quality and last but not least, they are nice to your wallet as they all cost under £50.
SoundMAGIC E10
Introduction – The E10 is from the second generation of SoundMAGIC headphones, it’s the successor to the excellent (and still available) PL11.
Description – The E10 sounds good, looks great and is beautifully made with metal casing and a high spec braided cable. SoundMAGIC are known for pushing the boundaries of what you can expect for your money, at it’s release you would have definitely had to spend at least twice as much to get the same quality in design and finish.
Anything else? – The E10 is also available as the E10M with a three button iDevice controller and mic.
Describe the sound – Few products capture a What HiFi? 5 Stars review but it’s immediately obvious to hear why the E10 is a twice What HiFi? Award Winner. The E10’s sound signature has a powerful and fun sound with plenty of bass, a great level of control and musical detail. The E10 has slightly elevated bass, which does give a warm and smooth tone, the sound feels like a reasonably accurate interpretation of what is really there, but EQ has been applied in the best possible way. Vocals are also treated gently, soundstage is always short with IEMs but here imaging has natural movement within a very decent sense of space. A nicely designed earphone with sound quality that is sure to impress. Very hard to beat at this price point!
RHA MA350
Introduction – RHA design fantastic audio products at their research and development centre in Glasgow, UK. TheMA350 has a lightweight aircraft-grade aluminium build with excellent sound isolating properties and wearing comfort. The cable sports a braided fabric design that not only keeps the cable snag-free and also ensures a longer earphone lifespan. This build quality is rare at this price point.
Description – Unlike traditional earphone designs theRHA MA350 is inspired by the aerophonic design of trumpets, a perfectly shaped chamber channels air and sound efficiently to create a natural and clear sound with full and deep bass response.
Anything else? – The RHA MA450iis a high spec earphone that combines RHA’srenowned sound quality with an inline remote and microphone for seamless control of your music library and calls. The inline remote and mic controls calls, music and volume on your Apple device.
Describe the sound – Another What Hifi 5 Stars product, the MA350 has a natural voice which feels acurate and effortless. Relaxed but not bass prominent they have a decent sparkle to the top end, consequently a great choice for the commutor or regular traveller.
Audiofly AF33M
Introduction – The Audiofly AF33Mis an excellent multi-use IEM offering best in class for value-conscious consumers that still want a superior sound experience. For casual listening or taking calls, the Audiofly AF33M deliver amazing sound at an affordable price.
Description – The design of Audiofly products is a joyful blend of vintage music equipment, the latest moulding techniques and incredible colour combinations. With custom eartips, precision engineered alloy parts and serious attention to the sound chambers and nozzle, Audiofly mean business! Four pairs of specifically designed silicone eartips are included for better isolation and improved sound.
Anything else? – Audiofly have split the mic from the multi function button for better voice transmission during conversations, so you only need to say it once to be heard. To have such a great combination of accessories and a mic is almost unheard of at this pricepoint.
Describe the sound -The AF33Mis fitted with a custom voiced 9mm dynamic driver for impressive detail in sound reproduction, but this is no bloated bass monster. The sound is refined and accurate, solid but also delicate with a pretty spakle. It’s surprising that you can build such an impressive piece of design with all of these exclusive features and still get it sounding so good for such a low price.
Quarkie
Introduction – Quarkieare probably most notable for their crazy creative designs, British made and designed the Quarkieearphone range delivers fantastic quality sound. The company motto “Quarkie looks and serious sounds.” Pretty much captures the brands identity perfectly. Earphones are available in a number of mad looking form factors, from snakes to rusty bolts, gemstones to reptile eyes.
Description – Despite the novelty looks, build quality and engineering is superb. At the heart of the unit is a 13.5 mm drive unit with a high-tech design that produces balanced sound with sparkling high-frequencies and deep, powerful bass.
Anything else? – Included is a microphone/MFB controller that is compatible with both iPhone and Android. Unique custom-made eartips are included in four sizes giving a perfect ear canal seal for optimum performance.
Describe the sound – Quarkie have given theirheadphones a reasonably flat frequency response. This gives them impressive tonal balance, Quarkie wantyou to hear the music just as it was intended to sound. These earphones are more sensitive than average so they can get very decent volume when used with phones or iPods. Neodymium magnets are employed for a wider dynamic range, higher sensitivity, a bigger frequency response and a faster transient response than other systems. The effect is a realistic presentation far beyond what you would expect from a pair of snake heads or chameleon eyes!
SoundMAGIC E30
Introduction – SoundMAGIC E30 are balanced sounding with a professional fit over the ear fit and solid construction – exactly the quality we have come to expect from SoundMAGIC. The E30in-ear monitors can be and are used in professional audio situations but personal listening rather than stage monitoring is the more usual circumstance to find them in.
Description – Worn over the ears, the professional cabling keeps the E30firmly in the ears when walking and the cable out of the way at the gym. Included optional earhooks guarantee a secure fit, along with a generous selection of tips. This gives them lower than average microphonic cable noise and great noise isolation.
Anything else? – Cabling is surprisingly high end, a top quality braided audio cable is used to squeeze out the highest quality audio and best durability possible. Strain relief is well thought out and a metal 3.5mm jack plug finishes off the high quality construction.
Describe the sound –SoundMAGIChave configured the drivers of the E30for a neutral, detailed sound with well defined bass which reaches quite deep. Natural tonally flat reproduction with decent soundstage has been achieved. The in-ear design of the E30gives high levels of noise isolation ensuring sound is not lost or diluted. The SoundMAGIC E30 is a great headphone for those who enjoy an eclectic mix of music and want an incredibly stable fit to the ear.
