Listen, sales are up for ear cams

Headphones and earphones these days are no longer designed to be one size fits all.

These days, you can find different models designed for a wide range of purposes. It does not matter if you are an athlete, audiophile or fashionista. There is a pair of headphones or earphones to suit you.

According to market research firm GfK, more than 100 new headphone and earphone models were launched in Singapore in the past 12 months.

As of last month, there were 634 models selling in Singapore, according to GfK. The figure was 516 in November last year.

This growth in the headphone and earphone market has also changed consumers' buying habits. People are starting to buy multiple pairs of earphones and headphones to suit their lifestyle needs.

"It wasn't so common in the past, but people these days tend to own several models for different purposes," said Mr Tony Tan, marketing manager at Stereo Singapore.

For example, he said, consumers might have a big, over-ear pair for home listening and something more compact or even wireless to carry around with them.

GfK noted that wireless headphones and earphones are growing in popularity. In Singapore, sales of these products grew from $2.7 million last year to $4.07 million this year.

It is easy to imagine that wireless headphones and earphones could supplant their corded cousins as prices of the former continue to fall. But traditional earphone and headphone makers do not have much to worry about for now.

This is because wireless models still have hurdles to overcome despite being an up-and-coming segment.

"Wireless headphones and earphones have been gaining popularity, but we haven't seen them overtake wired ones in terms of sales," said Mr Tan.

"Some of them suffer from quality issues and some people find that the cables between the two earbuds on wireless earphones a hassle," he added.

Digital Life tested five of the latest headphones and five pairs of earphones.

We tested these in daily use with a standardised playlist, along with some of our personal favourites.

ebeltang@sph.com.sg

joshchen@sph.com.sg

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H6

Price: $649

Type: closed-back, dynamic; driver: 40mm; frequency response: 20Hz to 22,000Hz; impedance: 30 ohms

Audiophile brand Bang & Olufsen is known for its product design. The Beoplay H6 does not disappoint and is a good bet to turn heads with its natural leather finish and polished metal earcups.

It oozes class too, with the use of lambskin, aluminium and genuine leather in the headphones' construction.

Such premium materials likely played a big part in its $649 price tag, the highest in this round-up.

The comfort factor is high with the H6. It weighs a neck-friendly 230g and the earcups fitted well.

One of the more unique functions of these headphones which I like, is its "daisy-chain" capability.

You can connect another pair of headphones or earphones to its 3.5mm jack and share tunes with your friends.

In terms of sound, the word "timid" is the one I kept going back to in my review notes when listening to them.

For one thing, they sounded softer than the other headphones I tested in this review, when plugged to my phone and PC.

When I turned the volume all the way up to get to my usual listening levels, I felt that the bass was lacking with many of the tracks in my playlist.

For example, the bass guitar intro to Red Hot Chilli Pepper's Around The World sounded flat and muted.

However, the mids and highs fared much better. I found easy-listening and ballad tracks, like George Benson's Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You, more forgiving of this headphones' sound signature. The emphasis on Benson's rich vocals and keyboard rhythm made for pleasant listening.

Perhaps partnering the H6 with a dedicated headphone amplifier would help take the overall sound quality up a notch.

It has killer looks, great comfort but not quite the sound to match the high asking price. Its "daisy-chain" function is nifty.

Focal Spirit Classic

Price: $499

Type: closed-back, dynamic; driver: 40mm; frequency response: 5Hz to 22,000Hz; impedance: 32 ohms

French hi-fi brand Focal may be one of the newer headphones makers, but it has garnered accolades with offerings like the Spirit One and Spirit Professional.

The Spirit Classic is one of its newer models.

From the first listen, it was clear that Focal's excellent hi-fi heritage continues with these headphones.

I heard a balanced and clean sound. I also heard plenty of nuances in the music, such as the fading splash of a cymbal and the staccato beats of a snare drum.

I could pick out such details even against the cacophony of a whole orchestra or five-piece band playing. The track Skyfall by Adele, which the singer performed with the backing of an orchestra and choir, highlighted this aspect well.

Sound quality is also helped by the headphones' tight fit on the ears, as well as the plush memory foam earcups which block out some ambient noise when you put them on.

However, this can be a double-edged sword as the headphones turned uncomfortable when worn for even short sessions of about 30 minutes.

Finished in anodised aluminium, the Spirit Classic exudes a classy and premium feel. But I have a feeling that its dark brown hue - the brand calls it "hot chocolate" - will not suit some tastes.

Weighing 310g, it is not the lightest or smallest pair of headphones around. It can be partially folded inwards, like the popular Beats Solo HD and the Sennheiser Urbanite XL featured in this round-up.

But portability is not its strong suit. Its solid, chunky build quality should find favour among music lovers who like their headphones to feel solid.

The Focal Spirit Classic is the new kid on the block which will give the old favourites a run for their money, both in style and sound.

Sony MDR-1ADAC

Price: $499

Type: closed-back, dynamic; driver: 40mm; frequency response: 4Hz to 40,000Hz (digital input), 4Hz to 100,000Hz (analogue input); impedance: 24 ohms; battery life: 7hr 30min

The Sony MDR-1ADAC and Focal Spirit Classic are likely to be on the shortlist of those searching for headphones in the $500 range. But they could not be more different - both in looks and sonics.

While the Spirit Classic catches the eye with its classy brown tone, the MDR-1ADAC blends into the background with its mostly black finish.

The MDR-1ADAC also has a built-in and rechargeable Digital-to-Analogue Converter (DAC). This converts digital data from the music into analogue signals that are required to drive the headphones.

The DAC mode is activated when you connect the headphones via a Lightning cable to an Apple device or a micro-USB cable for other devices.

Essentially, the inclusion of a DAC promises better sound for the listener, as many smartphones and computers do not come with premium DACs.

With the DAC mode activated, I heard a bass-heavy sound quality that differs from the Focal Spirit Classic's more neutral quality. The Sony MDR-1ADAC would be great for electronic, dance, 70s disco, hip-hop and some pop music.

It simply is fun to use and I found myself tapping my toes to each track, something I did not always do with the Focal Spirit Classic.

On the flip side, the higher frequencies in tracks such as Michael Jackson's I Just Can't Stop Loving You and Bee Gee's Nights On Broadway were sometimes drowned out due to the dominance of the bass.

Switching off the DAC resulted in a poorer sound quality.

Bass response was still strong, but highs and mids became even weaker. It was almost like using a different pair of headphones.

Despite weighing 300g, the MDR-1ADAC felt comfortable to wear. The earcups swivel so you can lay the headphones flat to make stowing them in a bag easier.

The Sony MDR-1ADAC sounded excellent but only with its built-in DAC switched on.

Samsung Level Over

Price: $488

Type: closed-back, dynamic; driver: 50mm; frequency response: 5Hz to 32,000Hz; impedance: 41 ohms; battery life: 15 hours

From far, the Samsung Level Over headphones look like a clone of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H6, with both sharing similar colour schemes and a two-tone motif.

Up close, it is clear that the Level Over is far from being as luxuriant in terms of looks as the H6, even though our black-coloured review sample still looks good. The Level Over is also larger with its thicker headband and deeper earcups.

It is 100g heavier, at 350g. You also cannot swivel its earcups around so that the headphones can lie flat when stowed in the bag, unlike the H6.

For me, this makes the Level Over more suited for home listening or for use on long flights, than for listening to music on the go.

But where it falls short in portability, these comfortable headphones make up for with a couple of useful features.

One is an active noise-cancelling function. Another is Bluetooth connectivity.

When it comes to sound quality, the Level Over delivers a sound that is dynamic, which makes live music enjoyable. For example, Muse's live version of its song Knights Of Cydonia, which features a wailing harmonica intro and frenetic guitar solos, was a joy to listen to.

However, I felt that the reproduction glossed over the finer details of many of the tracks in my playlist.

The Samsung Level Over is an attractive pair of headphones that delivers good sound quality.

Sennheiser Urbanite XL

Price: $339 Type: closed-back, dynamic; driver: not stated; frequency response: 16Hz to 22,000Hz; impedance: 18 ohms

The Sennheiser Urbanite XL headphones have a dressy and urban look about them.

Cushy and velvet-like earcups sit over the ears and make for a comfortable fit.

The only issue I have with the fit is that the pair tends to get warm quickly when I am wearing it, especially if I am outdoors.

It comes with those flat linguini-like cables which I like, because they are less likely to get tangled up in bags compared with regular cables. I also like that the cables are removable and therefore replaceable.

The headphones are foldable, making them easy to carry around. They fold inwards completely and can be stored in the drawstring bag provided.

There is also a built-in mic and remote for you to make handsfree calls and control your music.

The Urbanite XL sounded good for most types of music, with a balanced delivery across the bass, mids and highs. However, I felt it was less successful with vocal tracks.

Classical music, on the other hand, sounded excellent. The Pirates Of The Caribbean medley came to life with the Urbanite XL, with the bass underpinnings of the piece accentuating the music instead of overpowering it.

Unlike many bass-heavy headphones, the Sennheiser Urbanite XL manages to balance solid bass with good mids and highs. However, it is not the best with vocals.

Sony XBA-A2

Price: $339

Frequency response: 4Hz to 40,000Hz; impedance: 32 ohms; driver size: 12mm

I like the XBA-A2 so much that I revisited nearly every track of my music collection with it during the review - just to hear what sonic thrills I have been missing all this while.

There is much to like about these earphones, which sport a three-driver design. I heard accurate bass, clear mids and crisp highs without any harshness.

However, the best part about the XBA-A2 is its all-round ability. It will work well with just about any genre of music, whether classic rock, pop or jazz.

The XBA-A2 threw up a wide soundstage and there was a great sense of position, making it easy to locate all the different elements within a recording.

Singers, for example, can sound like they are right in front of you with the rest of the band behind them, a little further away.

Listening to the jazz track Stratus by jazz-fusion drummer Billy Cobham made me feel as if I was right in one of his studio jam sessions.

The earphones also shone with bass-heavy music. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to my deep house, dubstep, drum and bass, and hip-hop tracks. Yet, while sounding full at the low-end, things never got out of hand as the bass is tight and well controlled.

Take the track Staggered Dub by Breakage. Despite its insistent bassline and frenetic breakbeats, I heard no distortion or muddiness.

You will not turn many heads wearing the XBA-A2, which has a subdued industrial look. It is also bulkier than the average pair of earphones and can look a bit unwieldy.

But I find it attractive nonetheless. Build quality is good, despite the surfeit of plastic. It has a premium feel, thanks to the matte and soft-touch finish. The detachable and tangle-free cables snap on with a satisfying click.

It also fit well and it was easy to get a good seal. It is comfortable enough for all-day use, although the earbuds took some time to break in.

Excellent sound across all genres; great fit and comfort - pretty much perfect in my books.

Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H3

Price: $329

Frequency response: 20Hz to 16,000Hz; impedance: 18 ohms; driver size: 10.8mm

The BeoPlay H3 earphones pack premium touches everywhere, but you will have to look closely to spot them.

It starts with the jointless construction of the body. Designed by one of Denmark's most recognised industrial designers, Mr Jakob Wagner, the H3's body is crafted from a single block of aluminium.

It has a classy anodised finish and is available in four colour options. The review unit, which came in lustrous gold, looks terrific under indirect light.

You may also notice a circular array of 23 tiny ventilation holes on the body. Not only are they visually striking, but they also help the earphones deliver an open soundstage.

Indeed, I found the H3 to be spacious-sounding. While not as open sounding as the superb Sony XBA-A2, the H3 has a fuller sound that is warmer and brighter. This makes it a good partner with acoustic music and vocal-driven tracks. With Cosmic Love by indie-pop band Florence & The Machine, it did a great job of highlighting the vocals and strings.

Bass quality is tight and well-controlled, although those into dance and hip hop music may find the amount of bass lacking.

In terms of wearability, the H3 is as comfortable as they come. Lighter than the XBA-A2 at 16g and more compact, it is comfortable enough that you might forget that you are wearing it.

The carrying case that is included is pretty nifty too. You can wind the H3's cable around its body and it is small enough to be easily carried around in your back pocket.

Another excellent all-rounder. It narrowly loses out to the XBA-A2 in terms of sound quality, but the BeoPlay H3 makes up for it with its impeccable design and build quality.

Jabra Sport Pulse

$298

Frequency response and impedance: not stated by manufacturer; driver size: 6mm

Designed for the fitness crowd, these wireless earphones can repel sweat and withstand shock. The Jabra Sport Pulse can even monitor your heart rate.

Used with the Jabra companion app, it can track fitness statistics such as pace, cadence and calories burned. I also like that it is compatible with popular training apps such as Endomondo, RunKeeper, Strava and MapMyFitness.

However, getting the Sport Pulse to fit snugly in my ears proved frustrating during this review.

The earphones come with four sizes of earbuds and four sets of interchangeable end tips. This means you might have to go through 16 different combinations before you find one that fits your ears perfectly.

Even then, when I tried them all, I was not able to get a good seal with any of the earbud and end-tip combinations.

I had to push these into my ears and hold them there, in order to get an idea of how they would sound when they fit properly.

That said, the Sport Pulse produced a decent sound when it was a close-enough fit. The quality is not quite up to audiophile standard, but what I heard was pretty crisp.

There is a slight bias towards the low end, but that is not a bad thing if you have a playlist filled with thumping music for workouts.

Unfortunately, the sound is slightly hollow and tinny when the earphones do not fit right.

Still, the Sport Pulse is worth considering if it fits your ears well. Besides, you are getting a pair of earphones with a set of excellent fitness-tracking features that few other brands on the market offer.

Grab these if you are an avid runner. They sound decent and will free you from having to strap a heart-rate sensor to your chest.

PowerBeats2 Wireless

Price: $310

Technical specifications not stated by manufacturer

The PowerBeats2 is Beats' first wireless in-ear model. Like the Jabra Sport Pulse, it is aimed at athletes with its sweat-resistant design. But it lacks the fitness-tracking features of the Jabra, so it is meant purely for music playback.

Unsurprisingly, the PowerBeats2 has the same bass-heavy sound that the brand is known for. However, this is not a bad thing to have in fitness earphones.

The tilted-up bass response also compensates for the loss of bass that comes with the earphones' looser seal to the ear. Indeed, most fitness earphones are designed this way so that runners are not completely shut off from their surroundings.

The strong, boomy low end and hyped highs were not to my liking. Overall, I found the sound unremarkable especially considering its price. But then again, accuracy is not what Beats is known for - branding, attractive design and a "fun" sound are.

At $310, the PowerBeats2 are among the more expensive wireless sports earphones around. The cool factor that comes with the Beats brand could be an enticing factor to get them. But the Jabra Sport Pulse has more accurate sound and doubles as a heart-rate sensor - and all for about $20 less.

The PowerBeats2, however, edges the Jabra Sport Pulse out with its six hours of battery life against the Jabra's five.

Unremarkable sounding for its price, unless you like bass-heavy sound.

Klipsch R6

Price: $129

Frequency response: 10Hz to 19,000Hz; impedance: 18 ohms; driver size: 6.5mm

Klipsch calls this pair "reference" earphones, but I beg to differ.

It may sound exciting at times, but it is nowhere near as neutral sounding and accurate as a few of the other headphones in this review, such as the Sony XBA-A2 and B&O BeoPlay H3.

What I heard was a consistently heavy bass, and occasional harsh highs and mids that are a little rolled back.

Ironically, it did not play nicely with the bass-heavy music that I have. Rap track Goldie by A$AP Rocky sounded boomy and muddy, with the rapper's voice overwhelmed by the track's backing beat.

I had better experience with loud and brash music like the electro house, punk rock and heavy metal tracks in my playlist. This is largely down to the R6's warm-sounding tone which made, for example, the overdriven guitars and shouty vocals of Motorhead's Ace Of Spades sound less harsh and more listenable.

The R6 has good fit. The earbuds were very comfortable and I was able to use them for hours on end. I was also able to get a good seal between the earbuds and my ears easily.

I noticed a small but thoughtful design touch. The backs of the earphones curve ergonomically towards the finger, making it easier to push them into your ears.

Those who seek flawlessly accurate sound reproduction will be disappointed. But check these out if you are looking for a loud, fun and bassy sounding pair of earphones.

This article was first published on Dec 10, 2014.
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