The company, long and firmly entrenched in the market of high-quality inexpensive headphones and enjoying the novelties with an enviable periodicity, continues to develop its success in the top-line line for them, which received the S index. Recently they released the "mid-top" S3 model, which was left without interesting innovations.
Brainwavz S5, which appeared more than a year ago, allowed the company to enter the mid-budget segment, having pleased the buyers with balanced sound and very high quality performance. They were followed by more budgetary models S0 and S1, now it is time for the intermediate version with the index S3. In it, the company decided to try to move away from the typical V-shaped flavor for itself and made a sound with an emphasis on medium frequencies.
The second innovation of this model was a high-quality MEMS-microphone headset, which significantly improved the quality of your voice. This is supplemented by a very good three-button headset, though the volume control works only with devices that use the CTIA standard (it is also commonly called the "Apple headset").
This is accompanied by a good metal case and a reliable cable, in general, interesting headphones are obtained with a very competitive price around $ 80.
Specifications
- Emitters: dynamic, 8 mm
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Frequency range: 16 Hz ~ 22 kHz
- Sensitivity: 96dB @ 1mW
- Rated input power: 10 mW
- Cable: 1.3 m, symmetrical, copper
- Plug: 3.5 mm TRRS
- Headset: three-button, iOS compatible
Packing and delivery kit
The box as a whole is standard for the S-series Brainwavz. Dark glossy cardboard, a flip cover, a lot of information about headphones and technology used, everything looks neat and good for the price category.
On accessories, too, did not begin to save - 8 pairs of nozzles (single with a narrow exhaust of three sizes, single with a wide exhaust of three sizes, a pair of double and a pair of triples), a pair of branded Comply ™ foams, familiar from previous models hard cover on the snake and clip for fastening cable to the clothes.
In general, this item is very, very good.
Design and comfortable wearing
And then the developers of the company tried to do their utmost. The headphone case is made of mirror-polished metal, the shape and size resemble those of the older model S5 - oblong truncated cones with chamfers near the outer edges. Headphones look very stylish, the level of performance is very high, there are no complaints about quality.
Cable - traditionally for this series - a flat wide "noodles", it allows him little to get confused and please the owner with strength. The places near the entrance to the headphones are additionally reinforced with plastic inserts. The splitter and the plug are also very reliable, which adds durability to the headphones. The cable arrangement is suitable for both wearing and breezing, although in the latter case you will encounter noise from the friction of the cable about the clothes. On the left wire is a headset with very good buttons, providing a quality click, control by touch is not the slightest problem. The plug is straight and long enough, in some cases it can get in the way.
Sound insulation - not bad, depends primarily on the nozzles, with two-flange models S3 can be used even in a noisy environment. With a competent selection of attachments, wearing headphones can be very long without the slightest discomfort.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening:
- NuPrime DAC-10H and Resonessence Labs Concero HP as DAC and Amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- Fiio X5-2 and Cayin N6 as portable players
- VSonic Gr01, Dunu Titan 1 and Dunu DN-2000J as headphones for comparison
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening, each headset was warmed for 72 hours.
In the sound, Brainwavz decided to move away from the typical V-type approach and made the delivery of these headphones accented first of all at medium frequencies, in part, it can even be called audiophile. To release such headphones is an amazing move for the company that has done only "mass" models before, but, in my opinion, it has a right to life. And given the fact that the price difference between S1, S3 and S5 is small, you can overpay (or, conversely, save) a little and get a more familiar sound.
The bass in S3 is quite small. And it is a little quantitative, in quality of working off and speed it is quite good, although it does not please the special depth. It seems to me a similar "pinched" bass - a step intended to emphasize the mid-range. To achieve a small increase in the number of low frequencies, by the way, you can use black nozzles with a narrow bell.
Middle frequencies are the strongest side of this model. Surprisingly detailed, clean, transparent, all this about the mid-range of this model. The S3 resolution, which is excellent for its price, allows them to play out instrumental parts and vocals well, build a very high-quality imaginary scene both in width and depth. Somewhere in the VChN area, a recession has been initiated to achieve a comfortable and unsharp sound.
HF-range is put on the back burner to exclude even hints of aggressive sounding or accentuation of sibilants. This in many respects deprives the recording of lightness and airiness, but not all records initially have it, so the loss is often small, and the RF-beans will be very pleased. Qualitatively to HF claims are not present, they are quite good on the permission and readability.
Compatibility
In general, the model has its own characteristic handwriting, so it almost equally plays with any source. In addition, do not use headphones with a headset with a smartphone - definitely stupid. It is phones with tablets that are the target sources for the Brainwavz S3. To buy them to the HiFi-player sense is really not much.
The microphone in the headset is really good, during the testing all interlocutors noted the increased quality of voice transmission, especially this is noticeable in case of using the FaceTime function.
Genre headphones are most suitable for classics, jazz, rock, live instruments. Metal in them you can listen, although the bass is not enough. Rap and electronic music of this model are contraindicated. The quality of S3 records is not critical, on a 10-point scale, I would rate them somewhere around 5 points.
Traditionally, a few tracks that sound good in these headphones.
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms. In fact, the music for which the S3 was created: there is no bassing bass, there are no sawing HF, the vocals and instruments are transmitted with all the nuances characteristic for the creation of this group.
Hoff Ensemble - Blågutten. A surprising beauty is a record made in the cozy chamber atmosphere of a small church. Quiet as a winter day in Norway, music recorded at the highest level, very much benefits from a good resolution of the S3 in S3.
Leïla Martial - Dance Floor. What can better emphasize the dignity of headphones focused on midrange than talented female singing? In this track there is an abundance of both singing and talent, so it perfectly shows the best sides of S3.
conclusions
Unusual headphones became a brave experiment Brainwavz. If you listen to the genres described above and use the phone as a sound source, S3 will be your best choice, and their high quality and good design will be additional bonuses.
The article is based on materials .
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