Phonak is primarily a hearing device company (hearing "aids") I work for the largest audiology company in North America, and Phonak is one of the companies that manufactures the hearing devices. Trust me, a hearing device is engineered with utmost focus on aural clarity. If they can build some of the most advanced hearing devices on the planet (for 55 years) the headphones will be amazing. Another hidden gem in the headphone arena is a company called Starkey, they make some VERY high end devices
These are truely fantastic earphones. Don't let their price deter you from buying them in favour of more expensive earphones recommended by ignorant fools on certain 'audiophile' websites. Audiophilia is not a qualification, it's just an obsession on the part of amateurs. This product is designed by real engineers who know how to tailor the frequency response of an IEM to a closed ear canal. With most other IEM's you're choosing your poison, ie they only sound good with certain music.
Not so with these earphones, as they have the the dips and peaks where they need to be, instead of the ill-conceived HF response of so many other IEMs, with their high-Q peaks within the sibilance band. Consider the Klipsch S4 (i own) - massive overblown bass and impact, but that impact comes at the cost of intolerable sibilance. This doesn't and can't possibly go away with burn-in because: a) only LF can be affected (~1dB); b) the HF response is intended and persists.
So, don't listen to nut job placebo-happy fools on websites like Head-Fi.org for example. If you buy a pair of earphones and they sound like crap, they will always sound like crap, no matter how much you 'burn them in'. A Klipsch S4 is never going to lose that huge peak in the sibilance band, no matter what you do. A Phonak PFE doesn't have one in the first place, and it does everything else better than an S4. Don't confuse impact with HF emphasis!
@MoronAntidote I couldn't agree with you more. Loads of earphones/headphones I've tried only ever suit one music because some of their sounds are so swayed towards certain frequency bands. These headphones are much more versatile - Phonak engineer their headphones brilliantly. If you own these headphones then you have made the right choice my friend =)
@Omer698 I don't think that's true. The volume really is sufficient. Also it's got noise isolation so background noise gets cut out upto some extent, so you don't actually need the volume to be too loud anyway. hope this helps :)
@technologyreviewsite thanks again for your great advice, sorry to keep bugging you but just another thing, would you recommend these to those who like urban music i.e hip hop, drum n bass etc but are not MASSIVE bass heads and like to hear the other instruments on the track. The reason I ask this is because alot of people say they lack in the bass department but I don't know whether these people changed the tips or not because I heard they change the frequency.
@Omer698 Their volume is just fine. It depends on the source. On my Samsung Galaxy S2 at their highest volume, they are okay. But with my headphone amplifier they are damn loud! On my laptop they are also very very loud.
Thank You for the review. I have a pair of these & they are great for the price. Very good quality sound across the spectrum with good bass. And they are extremely light & comfortable.
@Starsky5000 thanks for the comment. I agree they are a good pair of earphones. Have you tried out the PL 022? They look pretty good as well. don't forget to subscribe and thumbs up!
@wasssabio hey wasssabio. I don't understand what you're asking me - sorry! If you're asking me what headphones I recommend, I can't say as I havn't tried any of the others out. Maybe that's the next thing on my list to review!
I have Ultrasone HFI-580's which are supposed to be good, but these just blow them out of the water. Currently my best headphones!!
I've ordered a Ultrasone Pro 900 and I hope they can compare.
z00100 5 months ago
Phonak is primarily a hearing device company (hearing "aids") I work for the largest audiology company in North America, and Phonak is one of the companies that manufactures the hearing devices. Trust me, a hearing device is engineered with utmost focus on aural clarity. If they can build some of the most advanced hearing devices on the planet (for 55 years) the headphones will be amazing. Another hidden gem in the headphone arena is a company called Starkey, they make some VERY high end devices
steveaustin71 6 months ago
These are truely fantastic earphones. Don't let their price deter you from buying them in favour of more expensive earphones recommended by ignorant fools on certain 'audiophile' websites. Audiophilia is not a qualification, it's just an obsession on the part of amateurs. This product is designed by real engineers who know how to tailor the frequency response of an IEM to a closed ear canal. With most other IEM's you're choosing your poison, ie they only sound good with certain music.
MoronAntidote 1 year ago
@MoronAntidote
Not so with these earphones, as they have the the dips and peaks where they need to be, instead of the ill-conceived HF response of so many other IEMs, with their high-Q peaks within the sibilance band. Consider the Klipsch S4 (i own) - massive overblown bass and impact, but that impact comes at the cost of intolerable sibilance. This doesn't and can't possibly go away with burn-in because: a) only LF can be affected (~1dB); b) the HF response is intended and persists.
MoronAntidote 1 year ago
@MoronAntidote
So, don't listen to nut job placebo-happy fools on websites like Head-Fi.org for example. If you buy a pair of earphones and they sound like crap, they will always sound like crap, no matter how much you 'burn them in'. A Klipsch S4 is never going to lose that huge peak in the sibilance band, no matter what you do. A Phonak PFE doesn't have one in the first place, and it does everything else better than an S4. Don't confuse impact with HF emphasis!
MoronAntidote 1 year ago
@MoronAntidote I couldn't agree with you more. Loads of earphones/headphones I've tried only ever suit one music because some of their sounds are so swayed towards certain frequency bands. These headphones are much more versatile - Phonak engineer their headphones brilliantly. If you own these headphones then you have made the right choice my friend =)
technologyreviewsite 1 year ago
@MoronAntidote Have you heard the Shure se 215? If yes what in your opinion is better for a fun all rounder iem?
ashneel99 1 month ago
can you wear these without wrapping them around your head?
Omer698 1 year ago
@Omer698 No, unfortunately you can't :/ But trust me, wearing them around your ears are a much better fit, it stops them from falling out :)
technologyreviewsite 1 year ago
@technologyreviewsite Thanks, just one final question, I've read somewhere that their volume isn't very high, is this true?
Omer698 1 year ago
@Omer698 I don't think that's true. The volume really is sufficient. Also it's got noise isolation so background noise gets cut out upto some extent, so you don't actually need the volume to be too loud anyway. hope this helps :)
technologyreviewsite 1 year ago
@technologyreviewsite thanks again for your great advice, sorry to keep bugging you but just another thing, would you recommend these to those who like urban music i.e hip hop, drum n bass etc but are not MASSIVE bass heads and like to hear the other instruments on the track. The reason I ask this is because alot of people say they lack in the bass department but I don't know whether these people changed the tips or not because I heard they change the frequency.
Thanks again dude.
Omer698 1 year ago
@Omer698 Their volume is just fine. It depends on the source. On my Samsung Galaxy S2 at their highest volume, they are okay. But with my headphone amplifier they are damn loud! On my laptop they are also very very loud.
z00100 5 months ago
Great review! Where'd you find your background music?
marquesbrownlee 1 year ago
@marquesbrownlee thankyou for your kind comment! And I beatboxed the background music haha!
technologyreviewsite 1 year ago
Thank You for the review. I have a pair of these & they are great for the price. Very good quality sound across the spectrum with good bass. And they are extremely light & comfortable.
Starsky5000 1 year ago
@Starsky5000 thanks for the comment. I agree they are a good pair of earphones. Have you tried out the PL 022? They look pretty good as well. don't forget to subscribe and thumbs up!
technologyreviewsite 1 year ago
these, westone 1 , ie6, or any headphone in that range? i listen to things like hip hop, electronic, alternative,jazz
wasssabio 1 year ago
@wasssabio hey wasssabio. I don't understand what you're asking me - sorry! If you're asking me what headphones I recommend, I can't say as I havn't tried any of the others out. Maybe that's the next thing on my list to review!
technologyreviewsite 1 year ago