So the bluetooth fairy has delivered yet again, and Optoma Nuforce now has a truly wireless product in the BE Free8. When shoved in the ears, Optoma Nuforce promise us ‘True wireless earphones with superior sound quality with deep explosive bass’. Perhaps they should have called it the ‘Deton8’?

Pros:

• Completely Wireless
• One capsule can be worn only, like a bluetooth hands-free
• Charging can be done in portable case

Cons:

• Supplied tips are a bit slender
• Not good if you have butterfingers

Design and Appearance

The capsules are small and they’re sleek; the shiny plastic looks the part, but be careful when handling them. If you have dry fingers like this reviewer, they can be a bit slippy between the fingers. It would be nice to have a textured panel or a bit of piping around the edge for better grip.

Spinfit tips are included in two sizes; they look like medium and small sizes so if your ear canals are of a large size, you may be looking for some aftermarket tips. Also included is a case or caddy for storing the earphones between uses, and recharging them. The caddy can itself be recharged, so you needn’t be stuck if you’re away from a power socket.

Durability and Build Quality

Naturally, there’s not much to these earbuds, only the capsules and the caddy. The capsules are light but solid enough; were these to fall on the floor and be trodden on, the show should go on. The caddy is much the same in terms of how solid it feels, so there are no immediate concerns here.

Comfort

Depending on how well you can get on with the supplied silicone tips, comfort is not an issue. The capsules sit in place with no trouble, and they can be largely forgotten, but for the music. Should the silicone tips give any issues, aftermarket foam tips such as Blackbird’s S20 tips should offer an improvement.

Sound Characteristics

The sound of the BE Free8 is generally on the bassy side, but with a decent amount of midrange and treble presence for a warm but fairly detailed presentation.

• Bass

There’s a decent amount of subbass here; although as mentioned above, the supplied tips are quite small and thin. Without a good seal, bass frequencies can be affected so bear this in mind. Bass control is pretty good for a design of this type although it could be a bit tighter.

• Mids

Midrange is clear and quite detailed for a bluetooth earphone; it does not appear recessed unless there is a lot of bass and sub bass going on, so if you’re a fan of oldies or acoustic music then do not be put off. Having said that, the BE Free8 is not too tolerant of low-bitrate music files which can come across as a bit mushy.

• Treble (e.g. high hats):

Treble is gentle and goes very well with the midrange; there’s no noticeable throughs or peaks in the sound up here. If you’re keen on a bright or sparkly sound then the BE Free8 may not be for you, although it’s certainly not rolled off or veiled. Fine details are not particlarly well rendered, but this is par for the course for this type of wireless earphone these days.

• Soundstage and Separation

Effects such as soundstage and imaging/separation etc. do rely on those fine details, and these are insufficient to get a good impression of space and the positions of sounds within that space. The BE Free8 is not the best at this, but does present a cohesive and enjoyable sound nonetheless.

Music genres good for and why

The Optoma Nuforce BE Free8 is probably best with modern pop and dance etc. but will cope well with all genres, so long as your digital music files are of good quality. 128kbps MP3 files from 2004 will probably make themselves known!

Summary

Optoma Nuforce’s new BE Free8 is a truly wireless model, with two capsules to put in your ears and that’s it – no cable even runs between them. For music, they are quite adequate for using whilst exercising or on the move but may not cut it for fans of subtle details.

The post Optoma Nuforce BE Free8 Bluetooth Earphone Review – Wireless without the wire appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Optoma Nuforce BE6i – Trendy Transmission

Wireless earphones are commonplace now; so much so, it’s not necessary to draw undue attention to the fact these days. However, it’s nice to see differing styles coming along and the Optoma Nuforce BE6i is a smart addition to this earphone category.

Pros:

• Nice case included
• Many eartips and fitting accessories
• Well tuned for many genres
• Good build

Cons:

• Charging port is a bit fiddly

Design and appearance

First impressions last, and in this case, the impression is definitely of a well-heeled smartness; these are the sort of earphones you can listen to during a job interview. The backs of the capsules are magnetic, so the earphones can be worn securely around the neck between uses.

The design lends itself to the ‘down from the ear’ wearing style so anyone wanting to have the cable going up, over the ear will need to consider an alternative model.

The case is a very practical, semi-rigid affair which is perfect for use with the BE6i.

Durability & build quality

Cable and control/battery construction is good with no obvious weak points. The capsules feel quite solid as well, without being too heavy.

Comfort

There’s not much to say here; once in, the earphones can more or less be forgotten about provided you have a good fit with the supplied eartips and accessories. There’s plenty to play around with, including some ‘fins’ which sit in one of the various folds of the ear and help keep the earphones in place.

Sound characteristics:

The Optoma Nuforce BE6i has a warm sound with a bit of non-intrusive treble presence, good as an all-rounder.

• Bass

Bass has some emphasis, but the BE6i isn’t a bassy model per se. It extends well with good sub-bass at a realistic level and perhaps a bit more of a boost in the mid-bass region.

• Mids

Mids on the BE6i are very clear and unaffected by the bass. Harmonics and other directional cues are well rendered and vocals are sweet and well textured.

• Treble

There is a bit of sparkle about the BE6i; it’s not likely to cause any discomfort though. Cymbals are shimmery without straying into strident territory, and muted trumpets are just raspy enough. Detail here is very good for a wireless model.

• Soundstage & Separation

Lower frequencies benefit from very good separation and give a good impression of bass width; this continues up the frequency spectrum making an impressive presentation for a wireless model. Harmonics are largely preserved, making for an engaging and enjoyable time with the BE6i!

Music genres good for and why

As noted above, the Optoma Nuforce BE6i is a good all-rounder. Some may prefer more bass than the BE6i has to offer, but this depends on previous earphones and expectations. The BE6i is great with current studio music such as pop and rock, with more refined genres such as classical doing very well also since the midrange is so clear.

Summary

The new wireless BE6i from Optoma Nuforce is as smart as it is nice-sounding, giving a good impression of your music and complementing your outfit a treat. With a large range of accessories to get a perfect fit, the BE6i is a superb wireless choice.

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Optoma NuForce HEM8 Quad Driver IEM Review

2, 4, 6, 8 – who do we appreciate? Optoma NuForce, which has a new range of sleek balanced armature-driven IEMs with varying amounts of drivers. The HEM2 has a single driver per capsule, there are two in each HEM4 capsule, three in those of the HEM6 and four in each HEM8 capsule.

These models incorporate a ‘three-way phase-coherent crossover that achieves linear phase performance’, so now we know. In English, it amounts to a nice perceived width, fast attacks and faithful reproduction of music.

Accessories are plentiful with all models in this range, with six pairs of silicone tips and two pairs of Comply tips included. There’s a sturdy transparent Pelican-type case for travelling, and also a rigid zip-up case for the pocket. There are two cables as well, one plain stereo version and another for use with phones with a single button remote/mic.

Pros:

• Good amount of eartips
• Two cases included, and two cables
• Capsules are relatively small, no issues with fit
• Good isolation

Cons:

• Not so forgiving with poor quality recordings

Design and Appearance

On the outside, the capsules themselves are very compact (even the HEM8 with its four drivers), and light. The standard cable is a braided affair, which is very supple and gives no problems when worn. The jack is of a right-angle design which should not offer any trouble other than possibly when used with headphone sockets which are recessed. It just about fits into the Chord Hugo’s headphone socket; this may not affect many users but we need to mention drawbacks whenever we get the chance; there are not many with these earphones!

Durability and Build Quality

As mentioned above, the NuForce HEM8 standard cable is very light and limber but due to its braided nature it’s hard to imagine it getting strained with normal use. Strain reliefs are not uniform and are different depending on which part of the cable they are on; the jack has the usual ‘accordion’ type strain relief and elsewhere it looks as if heat-shrink tubing is present; at the Y-split and where the cable goes over the backs of the ears. There’s also a simple slider on the cable to keep things in place, once in use.

The mic/remote cable is a fairly standard one which is not braided, but again seems strong enough to put up with a typical amount of use and abuse when out and about. Also at the point where the cable meets the capsules, there is no undue strain placed on the connection as a rigid plastic sheath holds the two-pin connectors in position.

Comfort

No problems here, the relatively small size of the capsules means that the HEM Series will fit most if not all ears, and the shrink tubing at the capsule end of the braided cable acts as a pretty effective cable guide to keep the cable in position.

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READ MORE: Pioneer SE-CH9T Earphone Review

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Sound Isolation

Isolation is pretty good; certainly better than average with the correct tips. As ever, a bit of experimentation may be required but the standard silicone tips do a good job of keeping out exterior noise. The Comply tips will naturally enhance this further.

Sound Characteristics

Testing with a Chord Hugo DAC.

Overall the sound is clear and crisp with no obvious peaks; detail is very good and with plenty going on in the music, there’s no hint of congestion.

• Bass

Down low, sub bass is not there in quantities we might expect from models such as the Shure SE846 for example, but it’s there nonetheless and considering the relatively diminutive size of the capsules, it’s impressive. Mid and upper bass is generally very well controlled with plenty of impact, however some bass instruments such as the double bass can tend to take over a bit. Midrange is not affected though..

• Mids

Here, everything hangs loose and natural; there’s heaps of space and harmonics are nicely cohesive with the bass frequencies. The multiple drivers and crossovers work together really well. It’s not recessed at all, but not pushy either. There’s a nice balance between the two which makes for a versatile earphone model.

• Treble

The crisp treble is natural sounding and is well tuned to sit well with the rest of the presentation; however the flip side is that the HEM8 may be relatively unforgiving with poorly mastered and low-bitrate encoded recordings, or old recordings. Fatigue may be an issue for those with more sensitive ears, depending on the source and the quality of music played.

• Soundstage and Separation

Soundstage is impressive with again a lot of room there; individual instruments have plenty of space and it amounts to a very immersive experience.

Music genres good for and why

The HEM8 is a great earphone for everything which is well produced; from hiphop to jazz, classical to hard rock.

Summary

The HEM8 is a winner for those who want a clean well balanced sound, and who have a collection of well-produced music. The wealth of accessories included makes the NuForce HEM8 a very competent and well thought out product.

The post Optoma NuForce HEM8 Earphone Review – Nu Wot, M8? appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

NuForce uDAC5 Mobile DAC/Amp Review

The Optoma Nuforce uDAC5 is an excellent little DAC/Amp that cannot be beaten in size or sound for the price. It is a solid unit with a slightly smooth sound that is sure to please.

Pros:

• Size
• Build
• Sound

Cons:

• None for the price

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Nuforce uDAC5 is a tiny little thing, that looks great with a clean metal housing and good sized volume knob. The casing is all metal with a LED light on the front indicating it is on, along with the volume knob and headphone socket, inputs and outputs on the back and that is it.

Built quality is excellent, with the all metal case and solid sockets this little thing is built to survive. The volume pot moves smoothly and everthing feels well put together, the finish of the case is impeccable.

Accessories are not really included, all you get is the DAC, USB cable and quick start guide. I would have like to have seen some rubber feet included, maybe a pair of RCA cables too. But most people already have interconnects so not a huge issue.

Ease of use and Features

The uDAC5 is simple and easy to use, with the latest Windows 10 update, it is plug and play with no need to install drivers. Otherwise the drivers are available from the Nuforce website, I had no issues getting the DAC to work and it just started playing music instantly.

The RCA outputs are controlled by the volume pot, and not a fixed line out. This means you can use this with active monitors, but if you are going into an external amp set the volume to 100%.

It can also be used to convert USB signal to a coaxial for use with an external DAC that has no USB input.

Sound Quality

First off I will say the headphone output has fairly high gain and can drive the Beyerdynamic DT990 600 Ohm with ease, it also worked well with less sensitive IEM’s but won’t be the best match with very sensitive IEM’s unless you lower the volume in windows.

Out of the headphone output the uDAC5 has excellent sound throughout the range, it is not bright and clinical yet still brings out the detail in music. It is a big step up from on board audio out of a PC/Laptop, the sound is sightly warm and euphoric with good separation. I do find the internal amp to be fine for casual listening with easy to drive headphones, but you will notice a difference when going to a full size desktop amp with harder to drive headphones.

Everything is well placed in the mix, the lows hit hard and dig deep, vocals have a sweetness to them that is quite pleasing and highs have good definition and extension, lacking only the micro detail and air that higher end equipment offers.

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READ MORE: Grado SR80e Audiophile Headphone Review

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As a pure DAC the uDAC5 is clean and clear without any real flaws, it works really well in any system providing a big step up from on-board audio. I feel there is still a slight smoothness to the overall sound which does get rid of any potential harshness but can slightly hide some micro detail.

Conclusion

For the price the Nuforce uDAC5 is an excellent piece of kit, it would be perfect for a coffee shop setup, or a small office rig, it is also perfect as a DAC for active desktop monitors and to feed an external amp at home.

It is not for driving really demanding headphones to their full potential, it is for casual listening and getting better sound out of a PC on a budget, and for this purpose it is a no brainer.

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