Hey.
There are fans of 'fittings' who can spend hours talking about how an anchor is cool and necessarily expensive, and if it's cheap, it is necessarily bad. Let's see how right they are, and whether it is worth looking towards inexpensive 'armature' type headphones.
For many, this review will not be a revelation and certainly will not become news (the headphones came out quite a long time ago). However, I hope this text will be useful to someone, or maybe it will help just to while away the minutes of waiting or the road.
Introduction
I want to start with a small digression into the history of the emergence of 'armature' headphones and their differences from dynamic ones.
At the moment, there are two main types of headphones that differ in the principle of operation.
The first, and due to its simplicity, the most common type is dynamic. This is a construction familiar to most, most often abbreviated as 'speaker' from the words dynamic converter. At the heart of the design is a coil that transmits vibrations to the diffuser membrane.
from the site http://udtuning.ru
This type is characterized by a wide range of reproducible frequencies, but at the same time, due to the design features, there is a greater amount of distortion.
The second type, to which the hero of today's review belongs, is 'reinforcing'. The very name of this type of headphones is slang, derived from the original English 'balanced armature' – balanced armature. As with the dynamic transducer – 'speaker', it is much more convenient to pronounce the part of the term – 'armature'.
Why the transcription 'armature', and not the literal translation 'anchor', has taken root better, we, alas, most likely will not find out. I propose to speculate on this topic in the comments.
Reinforcing headphones were invented quite a long time ago – in the early 20s of the last century in the USA.
Thanks to its outstanding accuracy in sound transmission, the technology instantly found its application in medicine and in the military (hearing aids and military telephones). After refining the technology and improving the accuracy and quality of processing elements, headphones of this type appeared on the consumer market.
Unlike the 'speaker', the design of the 'reinforcing' headphones is not based on the coil, but on the same balanced armature that gave the name to the technology.
from the site https://habrahabr.ru
The main advantage of armature headphones is fidelity, but the frequency range is less than that of the speakers.
The most inexpensive, and as a consequence, the most common type of armature headphones – with one armature.
The narrowness of the range of reinforcing headphones is quite easily eliminated by installing additional emitters for different frequencies, but this increases the size of the structure, the complexity of execution and, as a result, the cost. In addition, there are passive methods for improving sound, such as calculating the geometry of the case, the materials used, and improving the accuracy of manufacturing elements.
Let's find out if Sony engineers managed to strike a balance between price and quality in the inexpensive armature headphones with one armature – the XBA-C10.
Go.
Technical specifications
- Connection type – wired
- Construction type – in-duct (vacuum)
- Minimum reproducible frequency – 5Hz
- Maximum reproducible frequency – 25 kHz
- Headphone impedance – 24 Ohm
- Sensitivity – 100dB
- Cable length – 1.2m
- Manufacturer code – XBAC10W.AE
- Country of origin – Thailand
Packaging and equipment
- Headphones
- Three pairs of silicone tips
- Wire reel
- Clothespin for attaching the wire
- Documentation
It just so happened that when I see any box from Sony portable equipment, I instantly feel sad from the understanding that I have to solve the next puzzle by opening the box. Hands themselves reach for the keyboard to 'google' video instructions for opening or, at least, a map, and the first thing that comes to mind is this moment from the Soviet film adaptation of Treasure Island, multiplied by the Rubik's cube.
Sony should draw step-by-step opening instructions on its accessory boxes.
The box itself is made in the form of a pencil case with a transparent lid that opens to the side. Out of habit, I began to open it from above and only then I saw that I needed to cut it off, or peel off the sticker on the back side, pull out the two plastic ears from the grooves, and then open the box.
photo from the site: http://virgo-dragoon.blog.so-net.ne.jp
This time everything turned out to be simpler than, for example, when opening the box from the stereo Bluetooth – the SBH50 headset (as I remember, I will shudder).
Box from Sony SBH-50 – it was not possible to assemble it back
The outside of the box contains basic product information in several languages. Inside we will find headphones fixed in special grooves, as well as a set of interchangeable nozzles of three sizes, a wire reel that is useful for carrying, and an unusual clip for fixing the headphones to clothes (unfortunately, at the time of writing the review, the box was not preserved, so how it was opened by a barbaric method, and the coil for the wire was safely lost, so I bring a photo of the kit and the coil separately from third-party resources).
photo from the site avito.ru
A similar coil of wire is found in various Sony headphone sets.
The design of this element is not the most convenient and I did not manage to use it every day – it is banal too lazy to constantly wind and unwind the wire, plus there is one more reason, which is described in the section about materials.
photo from the site http://forum4.hkgolden.com/
The clip is quite remarkable. Quite massive, with an interesting clamping mechanism. I admired, wondered, and put it aside – it’s too big.
Plus, out of the box, the headphones are equipped with a fourth set of medium-sized earpieces (M).
In addition to what was listed in the box, the manufacturer put a set of waste paper in the form:
- Warranty card
- Safety warnings
- Brief operating instructions
- Another, more advanced instruction
I would like to see some kind of cover, or at least a bag for carrying, but alas, what is not, that is not.
Appearance and assembly
With the kit sorted out, now a few words about design and performance.
Modern Sony style in all its glory – graceful lines, matte surfaces, smooth transitions.
Audio accessories are, perhaps, the only group of products in which Sony does not change itself and continues to do high-quality, well-thought-out things (hello Sony smartphones).
Plastic casing in white or black with a silver insert 'like metal' on the outside. In fact, there is no metal here, only painted plastic, but it looks appropriate and does not go off. There is no feeling of gypsy.
addition: according to user reviews, the shiny metal-like coating wears and breaks over time (see the comment to the article from Serg Belyaev)
For Asian markets, there are also red and green colors.
photo from the site http://yappa-sony.blog.so-net.ne.jp
The shape of the case is non-standard. The driver with a weighted average armature is at an angle to the sound guide, which causes this shape. In addition, there is a small spacer on the case, which allows the earphone to be more confident in the ear.
Some people do not like such structural elements, as they create inconvenience in use, but I strongly welcome their presence. In my 'omnivorous' ears in this regard, such elements perform their role very well and do not interfere.
On the inside of the headphone case, the designations L, R are applied. The letters are made in a very thin, poorly readable font, but it is unlikely to be confused – the designations are of different colors.
Traditionally for the visually impaired, there is a tactile element of the 'pimples' type on the crimp of the left earphone cable, which helps to understand by touch that it is the left earphone that is in the hands.
The cable is symmetrical, double, milky white or matte black, completely matches the body color. There is a limiter slider that allows you to change the place of separation of the cable, and also, when placed in the uppermost position before folding, makes it easier to untangle after carrying. It holds securely, you can even play hussar by tightening the cable under your chin. ?
L-shaped plug, gold-plated. The body of the plug is thin and round – there will be no problems when used with various cases, interchangeable cases.
A common complaint about the cable's appearance is that despite the good color, it looks cheap, like low-quality Chinese 'non-name' headphones.
An unpleasant impression was the visual absence of sulfur filters. At the first moment I thought that I was 'lucky' and there were not enough filters for my headphones at the Sony factory. In fact, the filters are located at the bottom of the sound channel, and in case of contamination, it is not possible to replace them. I noticed this only at home, after I removed the attachments and examined the headphones. Keep this in mind. The moment is not critical, and the design feature allows you to install additional external filters yourself, but it is not known how this will affect the sound quality. An unfortunate miscalculation of Sony engineers.
Sony's trademark – it is convenient to designate the sizes of the attachments with different colors of the sound channel.
You must admit that it is much easier to choose nozzles of two identical colors than twisting the nozzle in your hands in search of a convenient angle of view in order to see often poorly readable symbols. This is a definite plus.
Materials and ease of use
Now let's talk about what I give second place (and sometimes the first), after the sound quality, when choosing headphones – about materials and usability.
Such a thought may seem seditious to some connoisseurs of sound, but I am ready to slightly compromise the sound quality, for the sake of a thoughtful, comfortable design and high-quality materials.
The case materials of the headphones themselves and the plug do not cause any complaints. Everything is very high quality and soundly, the cable exit points are neatly crimped. Finishing of edges and punching seams is excellent.
The plastic is hard, slightly velvety, and resists mechanical stress well. However, the white wire and the case get dirty quickly (over time, slight traces of contamination appeared, which are not very easy to wipe off).
As expected, there can't be a fly in the ointment in the ointment. In this case, the fly in the ointment is the material of the cable, its thickness.
The first time you take headphones in your hands, the first thought that comes to mind is that they won't break right in your hands?
The thin, round twin cable is made of a very delicate, soft material that, despite having micro-notches, seems completely fragile and impractical. At the same time, the material creates a feeling of airiness, lightness, which girls may like.
Remember at the very beginning of the review I promised to tell you why I don't use the bundled coil? The reason is fear for the safety of the wire.
Having used these headphones for more than three weeks, I still cannot get rid of the fear that I would pull them a little harder from my bag and that's it, amba! It is elementary for me to be scared to wind it on a reel and push the wire into the eyes. I'm afraid it will break.
Feeling bad. Strains and constantly creates discomfort. I don't know if I could explain. You probably just need to touch this cable to understand exactly what I'm talking about.
At the same time, such material also has a reverse, positive side of the coin – a very weakly pronounced microphone effect, which is a big plus for 'vacuum' headphones, and almost complete absence of memory effect. No matter how you wind it, you can be sure that when you unwind you will see a straight, even cable.
Unlike its predecessor (XBA-1), it uses a symmetrical cable, which pleases me.
Yes, asymmetric cable has a lot of fans due to its neck comfort. I agree, but exactly until the moment you put the headphones in your ears – with an asymmetric cable, one side tries to slide, pulls to the side and you have to constantly tug and adjust the headphones. I personally don't like it at all. So I'm very happy that Sony decided to use a balanced cable this time around.
After all, we buy headphones in order to listen to them, and not to wear them comfortably around the neck, right?
I must point out one more point. The XBA-C10 cannot be worn with a wire behind the ears – due to the geometry of the case, the fit can only be a wire down.
Since it is summer now, to test one more parameter, we had to use an additional complex technical device – a refrigerator!
The headphones were placed in a freezer (-14C) for 30 minutes. After a half-hour stay in the conditions of the 'Russian winter', the cable, as expected, became less elastic and soft, but at the same time it did not 'harden' and remained admissibly flexible and pliable. We also write this parameter as a plus – it is suitable for winter.
Separately, I would like to highlight noise insulation.
She's great. Despite the fact that these headphones, unlike the XBA-1, do not come with hybrid earpieces (silicone earpieces with foam inside), ordinary silicone earpieces also cut you off very well from the outside world, and allow you to concentrate on music without being distracted by extraneous noise .
This is a very useful quality when used in the gym, in the subway, and other noisy places, but it is not safe when used outdoors and where you need to hear what is happening outside the line of sight (for example, my favorite bike).
Sound
By tradition, the most important thing is left 'for sweet'.
Headphones were tested with Cowon M2 player, Nexus 6, SGS4, iPhone 5S, Motorola E2 phones. We used a Prime Test CD1.
Model XBA-C10, an inexpensive 'fittings' from a renowned manufacturer, is a logical continuation of the XBA-1, which was very popular at the time.
At the same time, it cannot be said that the headphones simply survived the restyling. Despite the fact that before us is still an inexpensive product with one emitter, the changes affected not only the appearance, but also the sound.
The first thing I would like to note is a very wide stereo panorama. You immediately pay attention to this. You can clearly hear the arrangement of instruments on the virtual stage. Good detail. The only thing that is a little lacking is volume (you can't expect outstanding volume from a 'single driver armature').
High frequencies
They are deaf and lacking a little. At the same time, the advantage is that the sound at high frequencies does not hurt the ear, there is no 'scream' (fans of performers – 'screamers' will not like this). At high volume, a little 'sand' appears at the high frequencies, which slightly spoils the impression.
Mid frequencies
The real pride is the midrange. Here, the headphones actually produce high-quality sound, which is pleasant to listen to. Natural, transparent vocals without whistles, sibilants. Well-designed tools. There is no 'tickling' and 'tickling'. A definite plus.
Low frequencies
They are there, but completely 'tasteless'. No elasticity, no strength. The bass is too transparent, if I may say so. All the time you want to slightly tweak the equalizer. It seems that when working on low frequencies, Sony engineers put care of the user's eardrums at the forefront. Nothing else can explain such a neat bass, which is rather weak even for me, an opponent of 'pumping' acoustics. Most people will probably miss the bass when listening to music with these headphones.
Attack
Much depends on the composition. The less treble you hear, the better the headphones will handle playback.
The epithet best suited to these headphones is neatness and naturalness.
Suitable for listening to classical, popular and instrumental music, rock.
Not very suitable for electronic, dance 'bass' music.
Compatibility
The headphones play well both with the player and with the phones, and do not require any special source. What they demand is quality content. The perception of the sound produced by these headphones varies greatly with the quality of the content, so I would recommend listening to music in lossless formats on them. The same song in mp3 format and, for example, in FLAC sounds different. In the second case, it will be possible to hear the instruments that had previously eluded the ear in this composition. More depth and detail. Familiar melodies start to sound differently.
And here's another paradox – it's not the first time I've come across something like this in acoustics from Sony – together with these headphones, I strongly recommend using third-party tips with a wider outlet instead of the supplied ones. In this case, the sound becomes richer and louder (often the standard volume is not enough for many in phones).
As a comparison
Comparing, do not forget that although these are reinforcing headphones, they are still of the entry level. The average cost at the time of going on sale was only 1,500 rubles. At the moment, due to well-known events, it is significantly higher – about 2500 rubles.
What similar things can be found for comparable money?
Apple InEar – less liked than the Sony XB-C10 due to its mechanistic, overly dry manner of sound transmission. However, attack is better.
Sony XBA-1 – slightly worse mids, slightly lower details, but better bass.
Conclusion
Calling these headphones omnivorous is not possible with all the desire. Very good for listening to some genres, but not good for others. Like many low-cost solutions, this is a trade-off.
Pros – clean, realistic sound, excellent noise isolation, weak microphone effect, nice design.
Cons – flimsy, unreliable, round wire, weak bass.
If you love rock, and instrumental music in general, and you need headphones with good noise isolation, neat, careful attitude to sound, but you are not ready to spend an astronomical amount, then I definitely recommend buying. Just be sure to touch the wire before buying. ?
P.S. @ valbrusenson, the BluedioT2S headphones you mentioned in the comments to my previous article have been ordered, and as soon as they come, I will test them and write a detailed review.