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A fantastic $60 headphone amp

ReviewEdward Kiledjian

If you are wondering why you may need a headphone amplifier (amp) then take a look at my previous blog entry here.

After buying a decent pair of headphones, a headphone amp is the next best investment if you want to get the best possible sound quality out of your media player (e.g. iphone, Android, ipad, Cowon media player or other).

Chu Moy headphone amp

The Chu Moy (CMoy) headphone amp is an extremely popular do-it-yourself headphone amplifier project that can be fun and easily customized to your equipments specifications. Like most other open source do-it-yourself projects, creative entrepreneurs have taken the basic cmoy concept and have made significant improvements. This is where the JDS Labs cMoyBB headphone amplifier comes in. 

Design and build

The product I am reviewing here is the JDS Labs cMoyBB v2.03 headphone amplifier.  As Chu Moy type amps go, this is considered to be the best designed product currently available.

 

As you can see, the amp is built into an Altoids mint tin which makes the entire product surprisingly sturdy. The kit I received was flawless (do dings or scratches) and even after normal wear will definitely hold up well. If seems to attract attention wherever I used it and people always asked me what it was, what it did and where they could get one.

As a frequent business traveler, I was concerned about how this would be perceived at the security checkpoint but I haven’t had too many issues. There was only one situation where the agent asked me to power the device, and prove that it was actually an audio device.

The device is powered by (an included) 9 volt battery which makes it portable and easy to replace. However you can also power it via a wall plug which can be purchased from any local electronics retailers. JDS Labs provide the plug specifications here.

The external power plug connects here (next to the blue power LED).

The device is smart enough to auto-shutdown when you unplug your headphones which is a nice battery saving feature. I tested the unit with a full new Duracell battery and the device powered by Ultimate Ears Triple-Fi 10 for about 12 hours straight.

There is a little switch on the board that turns on (or off) the build in bass boost feature to ensure you get the sound signature you want. The first thing I notices is the custom board they used. Many CMoy amp resellers build their products using generic proto-boards (breadboards) whereas the JDS Labs one uses a custom designed and manufactured board. Just goes to show how much care went into the design and production of the product.

A common complaint from many headphone amp buyers is that the units aren’t tuned for their headphones thus cause distortion or end up being underpowered for the really high end headphones. No issues here with the cMoyBB from JDS Labs. When you place your order, make sure to specific the brand and model of your headphones so the team can custom tune the amp for you. This means you get the best possible performance from the amp for your specific setup.

Bring on the sound 

Like everything else in the wonderful world of audio, garbage in equals garbage out. To get the best possible result from the cMoyBB, you have to use it with quality headphones and quality recordings.

In order to test the sound reproduction quality, I use the following setup: 

  • an iPhone 4S (with and without the FIIO L3 Line Out Dock)
  • Cowon i7 audio player
  • stock Apple original headphone (not the new EarPod)
  • various headphones including the Etymotic ER-6, Etymotic HF3, Ultimate Ears Triple-Fi 10, Sennheiser PXC-250, Sennheiser HD515, Audio Tecnica ATH-ANC7b and the Audio Tecnica ATH-A700x.
  • MP3 files encoded directly from the original CDs in various bit rates from 128 to 320  kbit/s
  • audio files stored in the Apple lossless codec format 

The songs I used were: 

  • Bizet – Carmen Suite No. 1 - chosen because of the various instruments included such as flute, harp and worn.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto in A  - a song that represent a full symphony range.
  • Pink Floyd – Mother - this song includes both guitar and drums. A great way to find out how clean sound reproduction actually is.
  • AC/DC – Back In Black - this is an excellent representation of rock music, and a fantastic way to test the lows in the mids.
  • The ultimate demonstration disc  (difficult to find but worth it).
  • Some spoken word from Audible using the highest quality format available.

Regardless of the headphone and song combination, the device performed very well. The best results came when I used my higher end headphones with the Apple lossless (or 320bit encoded) songs and the FIIO L3 LOD cable. The amp had no issues. Even when I was listening to extremely wide sound stage songs with small nuances with a fast tempo, the device kept up wonderfully. To be honest, it shamed some other (more expensive) headphone amps I have previously tested. The important point was that it kept all of the audio details, provided the beautiful wide sound stage my headphones support and didn’t introduce any distortion or other audio artifacts. 

The sound signature of the amp was a bit warm but just slightly. All the frequency ranges were clear and without distortion. I kept the bass boost off because I prefer a more balanced sound. I found that the bass boost modified the soundstage too much for some songs making these sound less natural but for others (songs made for bass) it provided a nice clear boost to the low end.  This is where the quality and sound signature of your headphones is important. It will accentuate the characteristics of your headphone so you may want to experiment with bass boost and see how it performed with your cans.

There are other headphone amps that provide better performance but not at this price point. Few people want to invest $300-500 just for a headphone amplifier.  Again the JDS Labs cMoyBB  blew away the competition in the $50-$150 range.

If you are slightly more geeky and want to further improve on a great design, you can replace the stock OPA2227 opamp with a faster one but for most users, this would be overkill.

Verdict 

After having spent a couple of weeks with the device, my preferred setup became my Ultimate Ears Triple-fi 10, the FIIO L3 LOD, 320bit encoded MP3s and my iPhone 4s. I love this thing and recommend it highly. It is well built, can be customized by the factory for your headphones and a very good value (quality/price).

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Review of the Etymotic HF3 in ear monitor headphone

ReviewEdward Kiledjian

Over the last 15 years, I've spent a considerable amount of time living in airports and airplanes. Because of this, I am always searching for the next gadget or technology that will make my trip easier or more enjoyable. The first gadget that most travelers buy is a quality pair of noise canceling headphones. 

My first active noise canceling headphones were to Sennheiser PCX-250 then I graduated to one of the first Bose Quiet Comfort's . Although these devices performed extremely well, they had some negative factors that motivated me to look elsewhere.

  • I'm a one bag traveler - this means that I travel light. The last thing I want is gigantic headphones that don't fit into my carry-on bag.
  • Batteries - most active noise cancellation headphones require their own batteries. Most stop working as soon as the batteries die, not good when on a long flight.
  • Sound quality - the primary function of most noise canceling headphones, is noise cancellation. If sound quality is important to you, then many of them may not fit the bill. Read my review of the Bose QuietComfort 15

I've been using passive noise isolating headphones for about four years now, and own some of the best models currently available in the market (brands like Shure, Westone, Ultimate Ears and Etymotic.) Imagine my excitement when I was able to get my hands on the new Etymotic HF-3.

Introduction to the hf3

this is an extremely well-designed smart phone compatible headset that includes all of the features we've come to expect at an extremely competitive price (sub $200). 

The enclosed three button remote, allows you to perform all the standard tasks: play/pause, skipping or rewinding a track, answering the call, disconnecting from a call and of course volume control. 

Sound quality

Since I'm an audiophile and we're talking about headphones, I wanted to jump straight into audio quality. The HF3 (hf-3) offers honest and uncompromising sound reproduction (even compared to my other headphones that cost 3 to 4 times more). 

In order to test the sound reproduction quality, I use the following setup:

  • an iPhone 4S
  • various headphone amplifiers
  • MP3 files encoded directly from the original CDs in various bit rates from 128 to 320  kbit/s
  • audio files stored in the Apple lossless codec format

The songs I used were: 

  • Bizet – Carmen Suite No. 1 - chosen because of the various instruments included such as flute, harp and worn.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto in A  - a song that represent a full symphony range.
  • Pink Floyd – Mother - this song includes both guitar and drums. A great way to find out how clean sound reproduction actually is.
  • AC/DC – Back In Black - this is an excellent representation of rock music, and a fantastic way to test the lows in the mids.
  • The ultimate demonstration disc  (difficult to find but worth it). 
  • Some spoken word from Audible using the highest quality format available.

I quickly discovered that the device is tuned in such a way, that you do not need to use a headphone amplifier. This is a plus for portability. 

I love my Ultimate Ear Triple-Fi 10 but too often they sound overly"bright". The HF-3 deliver's a clear, detailed and unbiased reproduction of your content. Regardless of how complex the music was, the HF-3 performed like a champ and never sounded muddied or clouded. 

Mids and highs were crystal clear. Lows were well balanced (as long as the earphone’s had a proper seal in the ear canal).In order to achieve maximum sound reproduction (especially for the lows), you need to ensure the headphones have made a nice tight seal in the ear canal. Users that have just moved to these may not realize how "deep" the headphones need to be inserted. 

I was able to hear instruments and nuances that are lost with most earphones in this price range. Sound stage was wide and open. The Etymotic HF3 is closer to reference headphones than my Ultimate Ear Triple-Fi 10 or Shure headphones. 

I compared the HF3 to its more expensive sibling (the ER-4s) and was amazed at how the HF3 could provide very similar sound reproduction at this price range.  

Some of the most popular headphones sold today are specifically built to provide enhanced bass (sacrificing the quality of the mids and highs). If this is the type of headphone you are looking for then the HF3 is not for you. The HF3 is not a boom boom style headphone.

At high volume (not recommended) the headphones performed without disortion or audio artifacts. When playing some of the lower quality MP3s (128 kbit/s) I could hear compression artifacts which really impressed me. 

Build Quality

Unlike the cheaper feeling remote on the ZAGGsmartbuds, the remote on the Etymotic HF3 feels solid and well made. They have used a nice high quality cable that minimizes bumps and scratches introduced by the cable rubs against your clothes (a complaint I have with many other earbuds).

As soon as you touch the product, you can feel the care that went into it. You know this is a quality product that will last for many years.

Microphone

I read other reviews and have to acknowledge that many complain that sound level of the microphone is low but this isnt a problem I encountered. I tested the microphones by making standard cell phone calls on an iPhone 4s and a Google Nexus and callers said my end of the conversation was clear. I also tested calls via Voice Over IP applications (Skype, Dell Voice and Nettalk) and again callers said I sounded clean and clear.

Even calls overseas to Europe and Asia worked beautifully. 

Noice Isolation

The kit comes with various earphone tips and it is important to take the time to test the different ones and find the best one for your specific ear shape. Finding the right one means you will get better sound and better noice isolation. As soon as you find that best fit tip, you will be dumbfounded at how much sound this little device keeps out.

Etymotic claims

"Documented highest noise isolation of any earphones or headphones on the market today"

and I believe them. The loud road of a jet engine is quieted to a gentle lull. The screaming baby 3 rows down is easily drowned out by your music. 

Noise isolation was better on the HF3 than on any of my other In Ear Monitors including the Triple-Fi 10. 

Custom Ear Tips

I have not gone through the process yet but Etymotic has a program where you can have custom molded eartips produced for your HF3 by a certified audiologist. The cost is about $150 and I will update my review if I ever get around to having a custom pair done. 

The Awareness App

The one "downside" of extreme noise isolation is that you may be too disconnected from the world (i.e. not hearing a warning horn or an announcement that you have arrived at your destination). Etymotic has made available an IOS app called Awareness that uses the HF3's microphone to alert you of sounds louder than a certain threshold. When triggered, the app can pause your music. reduce the music volume or leave the music volume as is but add the external sound to your music. 

Etymotic explains the app as "preserving the listening experience while adding awareness of outside sounds for safety's sake". Etymotic customers get the app for free, but others can buy it from the app store $6.99

 

Verdict

I can't recommmend the Etymotic HF3 enough. I absolutely love it and it is now my Everyday Carry headphones. The sound quality and noise isolation are unbeatable. They outperformed many competitors that cost 4-5 times as much.

 

Some Pictures

Click on the thumbnail below to see the full size one.

The packaging

Nice visual box

properly protected box 

The zippered pouch, the different eartips and the earwax filter + replacement tool

The 3 button remote

The angled connector (nice touch and well designed)

Comparing the tips of 3 earphones (the ZAGGsmartbuds, the Etymotic HF3 and the Etymotic ER-6)

The Zagg and ER-6 have Comply Foam tips while the HF3 has the original stock tip.

 

Real world test and review of the Monster Turbine In Ear headphone

ReviewEdward Kiledjian

This is a quick review of the Monster Turbine In Ear Monitor headphone. Like them or hate them, most people know the Monster brand. I have always thought their cables are extremely overpriced so I had glossed over testing their Turbine IEM headphones. But since they are so popular, I thought it was time I get them a fair shake and here it is.

Build

They are called Turbine because they kind of look like jet engines (or at least that is my guess). These ear buds are metallic and feel solid in the hand. The colors are nicely matched and conservative enough to be used in an office environment yet hip enough to be called cool by teens. For a company best known for cables, I was hoping these earphones would have stronger, thicker and more quality cables. I would have loved for them to use a ZAGGSmartbud type polyurethane coated cable which would make it more resistant and less prone to tangling.

The pair I tested was given a hard time: thrown in a gym bag, rolled and shoved in a pocket, and basically beaten. The little fragile ear buds have held up well. I have to acknowledge that many on the net rant that their pair broken within the first couple of months but my pair was in very good condition after my tough love.


Comfort

Any in ear earphone has to be evaluated for comfort. I have been using In-Ear Monitors (IEM) for 2-3 years now (as my primary buds) and so am very use to the insertion and feeling. The buds are made of metal, but they don’t feel heavy and don’t weigh down your ears. Many on the net like the Monster Turbine rubber tips, but I found them bothersome after 30 minutes of use. I prefer the tips provided with by Ultimate Ears, Etymotic or the Comply Foam ones.

We’ll talk about the audio reproduction profile later but the buds are bass heavy and as such, I found them more tiring than my other IEMs. I found myself playing with my devices equalizer to compensate for this and lowering my volume.

Audio Quality

I tested the Monster Turbine against my ultimate Ear Triple-Fi, The Bose QuietComfort 3/15, Etymotic ER-4, Etymotic ER-6i and Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B.

I tested the Monster Turbine with a Windows computer, iPod (gen 4), Iphone 4s, Cowon Audio iAudio 7 and a Sony CD Player. I tested with all types of MP3 files (from 128-320 encoding) and platform specific lossless (ALAC on Apple and FLAC on Cowon).

I found that a headphone amplifier really didn’t improve the performance of the IEMs. You don’t need to buy an amp to power the Monster Turbine. Regardless of the source audio, I found the soundstage to be very similar and it is definitely not neutral and the soundstage is narrow. Bass is very strong and at times overwhelming. After 30-40 minutes of listening, the extra bass sometimes caused mental fatigue ( If you like this type of super-bass then this may be a positive for you. ) Highs and lows sound muffled and aren’t as clear as I expected them to be. Mid’s are acceptable but nowhere as clear, crisp or enjoyable as on my other IEMs.

The default tips and earphone provide a good level of passive sound isolation which means you can still hear your music on a crowded bus or get some peace and quiet in a plane. Noise isolation wasn't as good as my Ultimate Ear Triple-fi or Etymotic ER-4 / ER-6i but was still very good.

Verdict

If you are a casual listener (not an audiophile) and want bass more than anything else, then this may be the IEM for you. It is well built and durable. If you want a versatile IEM that can support all kinds of music with accurate and balanced sound reproduction, then forget about the Turbines.

 

Do I need an amplifier for my headphones?

ReviewEdward Kiledjian

Most of us listen to music while on the go through headphones and some type of portable music player (smartphone, music player, etc). In order to keep component costs low and extent battery life, most of these devices have very small built-in underpowered amplifiers. These small mediocre amps are acceptable when using the cheap $1 manufacturer provided headphones but the minute you step up to something a little more sophisticated, you

  • start losing clarify
  • degraded audio definition and detail
  • higher noise
  • poor channel separation

Just a couple of years ago, headphone amps where the exclusive domain of professionals and demanding audiophiles. They were big and expensive. Times have changed and customers can now find them in all shapes, sizes and price-points.

The first time you listen to your music collection through good headphones powered by a decent headphone amp, you will likely be blown away. If your source is high quality, you will likely hear notes and instruments you had never noticed before. Subtle nuances become clear and most people start to enjoy their collection that much more.

Types

Headphone amplifiers comes in 3 categories: Portable, desktop and full size. Since this is a business blog and most of you will use their amp while on the move, I will stick to the portable type.

Portable amplifiers are designed to be small and have been optimized for use will mobile audio sources (such as iphones, ipads, laptops, android devices, etc). The smallest ones look like an ipod shuffle while larger ones are the size of a large breath mint canister.

Technical

Without becoming an audio expert, there are a some important technical characteristics you should consider.

Total Harmonic Distortion is overall sound distortion and you should look for a rating of 1% or less at full power (the lower the number the better of course).

Signal to Noise Ratio – this measures the amount of noise output from the amplifier compared to the original source. Measures in decibels, look for a large ratio. The larger the better.

Impedance will provide the output impedance of the headphone the amp will support. Make sure that the impedance of the headphone you use is supported by the amp you are considering to buy.

Price

Like all electronics, you can spend a little or a lot. There is no use spending $300 on an amp if you are using $100 headphones. For most "regular use" headphones, you should be able to find a great amp for between $20-100.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will review some of the ones I have tested.

Real world test and review of the Bose QuietComfort 15 (QC15)

ReviewEdward Kiledjian

Having spent a good chunk of my time in airplanes, I am always looking for the next great invention that will make my travelling life a little easier or more pleasant. Noise reducing headphones and In Ear Monitors fit into the second category by reducing the annoyance of that crying child in the next row or the constant annoying low hum of the airplanes engines.

I have a tried a tone of different earphones that I will be reviewing in future write-ups but this one is dedicated to the Bose QuietComfort 15 earphones. People either love or hate them.

Price and Noise Cancellation

At close to $300, these are fairly expensive and audiophiles expect “better audio” from a device costing this much and they are right but it all comes down to your priorities. Assuming you are more interesting in the noise cancellation feature than the absolute quality of the audio reproduction then this is the device for you. I’ll talk about the audio quality a little later in the article.

Of all the noise cancellation headphones I have tested (Audio Technica, Sennheiser, Sony, etc) the bose QuietComfort 15 provide the best active noise cancellation performance of any device. Let’s be clear, there is no magic device that blocks out all external sound but even with the music off, the QuietComfort 15 provide an unparalleled level of quiet. Start a song and the rest of the remaining noise just drifts away.

My covering your ears, it passively blocks out some of the external sounds. Then little microphones in the device picks up the remaining sound and produce an exact opposite sound wave which effectively cancels most of it out.

For noise cancellation, this get’s a solid 9/10.

Build

When I first used the QuietComfort 15, I was surprised at how cheap the product felt. It seemed to be made of cheap light plastic and was very light, compared to other headphones competing in the same price range. The fake leather headband and ear pads are comfortable but again feel cheap.

The devices uses easily replaceable AAA  batteries which was a welcome change from their previous Quietcomfort 3 model (which used proprietary rechargeable batteries). Bose claims that a AAA battery will provide about 30 hours of listening enjoyment and they have an indicator light on the side when it’s time to replace it. If the battery dies, you can no longer use the headphones (there is no passive listening). This one is a bummer.  You should be able to use the headphones without a battery (losing the noise cancellation of course).

When purchasing expensive devices like this, you want replaceable parts and I am happy to report that the cable is replaceable if it were to break.

The device is designed to sit on an angle on your head which means it will not move when you rest your seat on the airline seat. It is these small elements that show how much care went into the design of the product. Being light makes it feel slightly cheap but it also means you can wear the product for extended periods of time without feeling tired. The ear cups provide a solid seal around your ears without being uncomfortable.

For build, this get’s a solid 7/10.

Sound Quality

And now back to sound quality. These are not neutral earphones and if you are looking for a true audiophile listening experience, you will be disappointed. The lows (bass) are strong and marked. The mids often sound metallic and the highs are easily blow out. The Bose Quietcomfort 15 seem to be designed to play music at medium levels because anything above 70-80% volume causes a marked blowout of sound quality.

It comes down to the style of music you listen to. Styles like pop, classical and jazz will sound acceptable but anything that has an artificial EQ (not neutral) like hip hop, R&B, trance, dance will sound horrible unless you manually adjust your device’s equalizer.

When watching movies with their original Dolby soundtrack intact, you will be pleasantly surprised. I found these to be excellent for movie playback. To really benefit from this, use high quality video source like those found on the iTunes store. Cheap homemade DVD rips usually have badly encoded audio which won’t allow the devices true potential to come through.

Headphone amp

I tested the Bose QC15 with these portable amps: 

  • FiiO E11
  • JDS Labs CMoyBB
  • HeadRoom Total AirHead 

I found that the Bose QuietComfort 15 does not need a headphone amplifier and using any of the above didn’t really improve sound quality or make a material change in audio reproduction.

Verdict

If bought for the right reason (primarily noise cancellation and not audio reproduction quality), this device is exceptional. Amazing noise cancellation, very comfortable to wear and standard battery use.

But is it worth the $300 price tag? For me, personally, the answer is no. For almost half the price, I can get an Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B which has good noise cancellation and better audio reproduction (a review of this device will be written shortly). But I know a lot of people who bought these and loved them. After reading my review, if you still think they may work for you, buy it from a retail location that accepts returns and take them for a spin at home. In store tests using their test booth is next to useless.