The British company Rock Jaw has appeared on the headphone market relatively recently, but has already managed to present a fairly strong product line covering various price segments, from budget to fairly close to the tops. Today I will talk about their entry level Arcana model of the second revision.
These headphones are quite inexpensive, their price is 40 pounds (or just over $ 60), with free shipping and a 3-year warranty, which is a nice addition. This allows them to get into the good price segment right between the entry-level models and the price from which the “serious” solutions start.
Specifications
- Emitters: 8 mm, dynamic
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Sensitivity: 108 ± 3 dB
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 KHz
- Cable: balanced, 1.2 m
- Headset: one-button
- Plug: 3.5 mm TRRS, gold plated
Package and Delivery
Over the box, the company's designers did a good job. The black cardboard pleasant to the touch, the box extended vertically, the windows showing contents on both sides, everything is issued very accurately. The packaging is revealed as a huge box of matches, opening access to headphones and accessories. The delivery set is moderate, it cannot be called luxurious, but for this price range it is not bad.
In addition to the headphones themselves, you will receive: three pairs of interchangeable nozzles of different sizes, a clothespin for attaching the wire to clothes and a velvet bag with puffs for storing the Arcana.
Design and wearing comfort
The appearance of the headphones causes pleasant emotions. The case is made of wood and metal, which obviously benefits the perception, both visual and tactile: Arcana is very pleasant in the hands. The case of a standard cylindrical shape, the front and back sides are metal, with the company logo on its side. The build quality is very, very good, it’s impossible to find fault with it.
The cable is not bad, in silicone insulation. In the cold, it hardens, but not much, it is easily disentangled, the microphone effect is weakly expressed, the complete clothespin allows you to easily cope with it. Splitter and jack - plastic, but quite reliable. Places of cable entry into the case are reinforced with metal tubes. On the left earphone cable is a one-button headset with a microphone.
With the right selection of nozzles, the Arcana is comfortable to wear, soundproofing is typical for headphones of this class.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening.
- Yulong DA8 as a DAC and Amplifier
- Resonessence Labs Concero HP as a DAC and Amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- Fiio X5 and Shanling M3 as portable players
- VSonic Gr01 and HiFiMan Re600 as headphones for comparison
- High-resolution recordings in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening to the headphones were heated for 48 hours.
The frequency response of the headphones is tuned in a typical V-shaped style for bulk headphones with a rise in the upper and lower frequencies. This approach is fully justified for headphones designed for the mass listener, since it is this frequency response that is perceived by our ears as the most “interesting”. Rock Jaw managed to very delicately correct these accents, having received a very lively and energetic sound with a straightforward and dynamic presentation that will appeal to most music lovers who do not suffer from audiophilia. Skate Arcana v2 - musicality, the transfer of the melody as a whole, without dividing it into separate components.
Bass - powerful and impressive. It is quite a lot, the headphones balance on the verge of basshead solutions, however, without going over it. LF resolution, of course, is not ideal, but for this price category - more than good. Also, do not have to complain about the depth of the bass and its control. Headphones do not buzz with an excess of low frequencies, do not dump everything in a pile, the bass parts remain well distinguishable. This presentation adds liveliness to most genres, but Arcana is especially good with jazz, rock, instrumental recordings. Electronic genres also benefit from it.
Midrange is weaker than woofer, but not muffled by them. The MF resolution is quite enough to convey the emotions and character of the instruments, the vocals are very lively and saturated, as is the mid-frequency range as a whole. Headphones build an imaginary scene quite well, although it is impossible to call it particularly outstanding, it is still at a fairly good level.
The upper frequencies are also energetic and are fed straight by the headphones. There are a lot of them by quantity, so the compositions gain lightness and lightness (of course, where it is provided by the recording). Rock Jaw Arcana v2 can be a little harsh, so if you are sensitive to the high-frequency range, it's better to listen to them beforehand.
Compatibility
Headphones are optimized for undemanding sources: smartphones, phones and inexpensive players play with them perfectly. I tested them with iPod Video 5.5G, Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip and iPad Air - no deterioration in sound quality is observed.
Also, the headphones are not demanding recordings and brighten even the most well-recorded tracks.
The quality of the complete headset is normal, the other person hears you well, but it is better to bring the microphone closer to your face.
findings
Very good headphones with driving sound and delicious presentation, they are good for those who love the taste of the flow and do not require the finest details from the music. A good price, three years warranty and a good appearance complement the already profitable image of these headphones.
UPD: Coupon HFHF546 gives a 15% discount on all models in the online store RockJaw.
The article is based on materials .
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