Creative Aurvana Live! 2: Aesthetics

Introduction

As a successor of Aurvana Live!, which has been known for its great value, Creative introduce Aurvana Live! 2 in late 2013.

Creative Aurvana Live! 2: General analysis

Previously, Creative Aurvana Live! has shown its strength in high cost-performance ratio, thanks to the pair of unique bio-cellulose drivers manufactured by Foster of Japan. Despite its high level of distortion, Live!'s frequency response turns out to be very linear, surpassing most of its competitors at higher price range.

And in 2013, its successor, Aurvana Live! 2 makes its debut, featuring a slightly higher sensitivity (+2dB/mW) than the original.

The effect of break-in: Creative Aurvana Live! 2

Disclaimer: Most of the graphs listed here are animated GIF images.

Introduction

It is generally known that a new pair of headphones must go through a "warming up(aka break-in)" phase for a certain period of time before it opens up its true sonic potential. Previously, both electroacoustic and psychoacoustic aspects of a 100 hours-long headphone break-in have been presented with SONY MDR-EX1000(electrodynamic microtransducer), Sennheiser HD650(Full-sized electrodynamic), Fostex T50RP(isodynamic), and VSonic VC02(smallest microtransducer) The physical transformation is evident in all cases, yet its degree is not of a night and day difference, as audiophiles normally describe it.

STAX ED-1 Monitor: A legacy from the past

Disclaimer: I can finally give a proper introduction to this classic masterpiece, thanks to my good friend, vAsurada, who resides in South Korea. This article would have never been publicized had he not given me permission to do so.

Introduction

As previously mentioned, STAX's ED-1 Monitor is a proprietary equalizer module specially designed for their SR-Λ Pro. With the help of the module, the headphone is effectively turned into the most accurate diffuse-field simulator ever created in the history of headphones.

Sony SBH80 Part.1: Aesthetics [Updated on 4/23/2014]

Introduction

On January 6th at CES 2014, Sony starts a new project called New Smartwear Experience Vision, which revolves around ultimate portability accomplished by seamless connection through wearable technology. Several devices that share the unified theme have been introduced, including SmartBand and SmartWatch 2. And also, as a part of the project, a new Bluetooth stereo headset, SBH80, is announced.

From the audio designer of MH1 LiveSound™ Hi-Fi headset, Sead Smailagic of Sony Mobile, comes a next-generation wireless audio experience.

Sony SBH80 Part.2: The next-generation wireless audio

Continued from Part.1, Aesthetics

As a part of Sony's New Smartwear Experience Vision project, Sony SBH80's main goal is to be fully integrated in the user's lifestyle through seamless wireless connectivity. Featuring Bluetooth 3.0 standard, Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) v1.2, and apt-X compression algorithm, SBH80 is claimed to be the next-generation wireless audio device.

And of course, as a headphone reviewer, I can care less about their marketing schemes and focus solely on the sound quality of the headset itself. Indirectly, I've dealt with quite a few Bluetooth-enabled headsets while working as a technical advisor at seeko.co.kr. Surprisingly, every single one of them has failed to impress me. Whether the problem is sourced from a poorly designed unit, or from the wireless interface itself, Bluetooth headsets have always exhibited either a completely skewed frequency response / time domain characteristic due to latency, or a short frequency response bandwidth; I've never seen a headset that can be considered as "Hi-Fidelity".

... Or maybe not just yet?