A humble start in 2008 from Hong Kong has led Brainwavz to great quality heights, and this we say from personal experience. This time, we have the Brainwavz S0 earphones for review. In-ear monitors (IEM) being the company’s forte, we are banking on this one to do well.
We have used the term “budget earphones” for a lot of Brainwavz products but for a non-audiophile the price-tag of Rs. 2,399 may seem a little over-the-top. So, let’s just call it affordable high-end, from now on. Let’s get started!
Wrapped up in signature
Brainwavz has always taken good care of first impressions. The set comes packed in a fine black box, with a magnetically foldable basic info-let cum manual. Inside the box as we expect is the signature Brainwavz pouch with a classy brand name-tag. Inside the box are the following tips:
- 1 pair of premium comply foam tips
- 1 pair of bi-flange silicone tips
- 1 pair of tri-flange silicone tips
- 2 pairs of small tips
- 2 pairs of medium tips
- 2 pairs of large tips
Build and Design
The black metal housing leads down to red colour strain relief followed by the flat cable, on either side. The flat cable, needless to mention, is tangle free. The ‘Y’ shaped wear is quite comfortable, but the sound control is not. The build looks like it was made keeping durability in mind. Some people may like the loud click sound that it makes (we call it fidgeting). One disadvantage of the flat cables is that it is not ideal for those who like to wear their earphones over the ear. The Y split just like the strain relief is made of sturdy rubber.
The housing sits comfortably inside the ears when worn straight down. The control buttons work just fine, but the mic was troublesome on most occasions. I had to bring my phone close to my mouth to make myself audible over the phone. Moving on to the real thing.
Sound Quality
From all our past experiences with Brainwavz, we have learnt that the mids in their mids are quite decent. So, we decided to test that bit to the limit with our choice of songs or rather artists: 2Cellos.
P.S. Thank us later for reminding/introducing you to them.
Tracks:
- Highway to hell
- With or without you
- Wake me up
Bob Marley:
- Stir it up
- Three little birds
The box says that the Brainwavz S0 has a balanced sound signature, but it feels like the midrange and treble are a bit more dominant than the core bass. We picked two different genres to test the range, and it did quite well. The full-bodied midrange and treble were invariably easy on the ears.
Despite the dominant mids and treble, the vocals are quite crisp and clear. The 9mm dynamic drivers do not compromise on that bit.
As far as the bass is concerned, it is warm and we would recommend it to someone who is a fan of rock and metal but could take a little less on the sharpness of the tones and beats. The U-shaped signature does well in that regard.
Conclusion
At this point of time listening to the Highway to Hell instrumental, it almost feels like AC/DC could also be a little mellow. The cello is an amazing instrument, and the only thing that could make it any better is a decent pair of audio medium. The Brainwavz S0 does quite alright in that regard. Overall, the set may not be a steal at a price, but it is worth the money.
