Brainwavz Audio, a Hong Kong-based headset manufacturer, has made its presence felt in the ever growing headphone market with a slew of acclaimed in-ear monitors. Established in 2008, the company’s motive is to offer good quality products for audiophiles on a budget. The Brainwavz M5 lies somewhere in the middle of their catalogue of products, which is well built and comes with a bunch of handy accessories. The IEM’s are now available in the Indian market. Is it worth the buck? Let’s find out:
Box Contents:
- Brainwavz M5 earphones
- Hard clamshell carry case
- One set of Comply Foam Tips S series
- Set of Bi-flange tip which is comfortable
- Six set of silicone ear tips – small, medium and large
- Shirt Clip to keep wires getting in your way
- Instruction manual
- Warranty Card
Build & Design:
Out of the box, the Brainwavz M5 exudes basic, simple looks with an all black color finish. The 10mm dynamic drivers lay within lightweight aluminum shells with metal nozzle filters. These are lightweight and should fit most ears without any hassles.
Brainwavz M5 offers you an arsenal of tip choices which makes them very comfortable. You pretty much have to try all or most of them to get a proper fit which was quite a hassle. Though as soon as I got the right fit, these were among the best IEM’s I’ve come across when it comes to comfort. I was able to watch a full movie and listen to my favorite playlist for hours without any fatigue. They are quite light and do not feel intrusive in your ears.
The wire is 1.3 mm long with a gold-plated 3.5mm L-shaped jack. Though I had a few questions about the wires – as going past the Y split it starts getting quite thin, which might damage the wires if not handled with care. It’s prone to get tangled so you’d want to refrain from keeping them in your pockets. You’re going to have to be pretty careful with these. The wires don’t have a tangle-resistant design to avoid stress and strain on the wiring.
Sound Quality:
I put the earphones on and fired some of my favorite tracks on my smartphone. It produces neutral sounds with a good balance between treble and bass. Though still lacks the clarity for the hardcore audiophile.
The Dynamic driver churns out fairly loud output with accurate sound reproduction. The soundscape is nice and atmospheric. The Brainwavz M5 seem well tuned if you’re into electronic music such as techno, trance or dubstep. Though not meant for metal heads as it struggles to keep up with drums and vocals at the same time. The thing is, they sound a bit flat compared to other headphones in the price range.
In general, the fidelity is good, but I didn’t like the treble response. It wasn’t as punchy as one would like.
As far as noise cancellation and isolation goes – it does not block out everything but does a decent job at muffling most sounds once you start playing music. The sound quality was clear and well-balanced without much distortion, but not as crisp.
The cable also has a mic so you can even take while listening to music on your smartphone and works fine.
Pros:
- Extremely comfortable
- Loads of accessories included – hard carry case and several ear tips
- Good bass and mids
Cons:
- Prone to tangles
- Not so pronounced Highs
Should You Buy One:
Brainwavz M5 comes with a solid set of accessories and are super comfortable. Its sound signature could be a bit muffled compared to other earphones in the price range. Yet, it does cater to a wide range of sound preferences with its warm and smooth sound. Despite the ‘Highs’ being a bit lacking in detailing and crunch, the fidelity is pretty good. It pumps out good ‘Mids’ and ‘Bass’ – with a warm and sweet sound that can provide longer listening sessions.
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It seems a bit overpriced for the Indian market at Rs. 2,399, yet comes with a plethora of useful accessories which certainly come in handy. You can check out other alternatives from SkullCandy, Sony or Sennheiser if you’re looking for a more well-rounded aural experience.
