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In-ears are for those who are looking for an easy-to-bring and lightweight headphones. They all offer great portability but differ on sound reproduction. Some, since their drivers aren’t as big as on- or over-ear headphones, have weak sound and poor quality. Let’s see if the JBL Synchros S100i will be able to impress us on this Quick Review.

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Before we begin with the review, it’s important to note that the Synchros S100i is specifically made for Apple products. Its got a 3-button inline remote which lets you control the volume and change songs easily. In contrast, there’s the Synchros S100a that is optimized for Android devices.

The JBL Synchros S100i goes with a minimalist approach on its design. It sports an all white end-to-end color right from its audio jack up to the housing of its drivers that are accentuated by silver elements. The company does away with plastic build on the S100i and instead opted to use metal alloy for the housing of their 9mm drivers. This in turn adds a solid and an overall premium feel to the in-ear buds.

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The S100i comes with a tangle-free cable, an in-line clothing clip, two sets of differently-sized buds, additional memory foam tips, and a small travel case.

The cable has a standard length which is just enough to be used while connected to a device inside the pocket of your pants. Once plugged in to the ears, it stays in place even while we were moving around. It was also comfortable enough to be used for long periods of time – a characteristic that most earbuds have.

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After hooking up the S100i to a laptop and streaming songs on Spotify to listen to different genres, we were taken by surprise with its performance. For a small driver it delivered powerful bass levels without getting muddy, but the element that impressed us most is its capability to reproduce clear and untainted vocals. We’ve had a lot of encounters with over-ear studio headphones in the past carrying 40-50mm drivers and we could say that when talking solely about voice quality, the S100i’s 9mm driver isn’t far behind.

It can also go loud without any audio clipping which is an admirable feat thanks to its maximum output power of 5 mW. Highs could be a bit more warm, but overall, we were very much satisfied with its sound reproduction.

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The JBL Synchros S100i has a simple look that would make you think it’s just another pair of ordinary earbuds. But once you put it on and play some tunes, you would hear and experience that it’s more than that. The words “Comfortable,” “Adaptable,” and “Powerful” are printed on its box and true enough they deliver those qualities once you try them on.

The catch is, it will set you back for Php5,299. But if you’re an in-ear kind of person because you want the portability and ease of bringing it anywhere, the S100i is a recommended companion.

JBL Synchros S100i specs:
Design: In-ear
Type: Earbuds
Driver size: 9mm
Frequency range: 10Hz – 22MHz
Maximum power output: 5 mW
Sensitivity: 106dB

What we liked about it:
* Sturdy build
* Impressive lows
* Untainted vocals
* No audio clipping

What we didn’t like:
* Looks very plain and simple
* Highs could be warmer
* More expensive than other in-ears

The post JBL Synchros S100i Quick Review appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

The Philips Fidelio X1 is a premium-grade headphone made with high-end materials and will surely entice audiophiles by simply looking at it. It falls on the open-back category which we’re a fan of, so read on as we excitedly take a look at this top-of-the-line pair of cans from Philips.

As we’ve mentioned, the X1’s design alone is sure to attract both casual music listeners and picky audiophiles alike. It’s got a great form factor thanks to the materials used like genuine leather for the headband, meshed lining that comfortably supports the head, soft padding for the ears, and metal support that makes it feel sturdy and robust. You’ll basically be putting on a pair of headphones that are crafted with quality in mind.

The separate cable that plugs in to the left earcup comes standard at 3 meters long and outputs to a bulky 6.3mm jack for studio use. Don’t worry, though, as the package comes with a (bulkier) gold-plated 3.5mm jack adaptor so you could use it for your MP3 players and smartphones too! The cable is made of inter-woven fabric and is tangle-free, so that’s another point for the Fidelio X1.

Now we go to the sound department. We’re confident to say that the X1 also excels in this aspect as much as it did in build quality. The 50mm neodymium drivers, combined with its open-back design, rendered music with a wide soundscape that made us fall in love with it instantly.

We played uncompressed audio files to gauge its true capability in reproducing details and what we first noticed was its gift to make the lows sound like it’s coming from a closed-back headphones – it has that solid thumps that are usually not present with open-backs. Mids and highs were a bit on the bright side and tin-y, but considering we’re working with an open-back here it’s fairly forgivable.

The Fidelio X1 can be used for extended hours of time. Some ‘phones can also be used for hours but you’d have to change its position every once in a while as it strains the ears. With the X1, you can put it on and the next time you’ll touch it is when you’ll remove it hours after.

So far this headset has aced every test that we threw its way.

One thing that puts a limitation on it is portability. In case you still haven’t noticed, the X1 is pretty big and doesn’t fold so bringing it around will be a hassle. Also, because of its open-back design, sound leak is very prominent and if you’d use it in a van while commuting, for example, the people beside you are sure to hear what you’re listening to.

This isn’t all a bad thing since it was really made for indoor use (the 6.3mm audio jack pretty much gives it away) in the first place. It also doesn’t come with any travel pouch so it wasn’t really intended to be packed inside a bag.

For us, the Philips Fidelio X1 is one of the best open-backed headphones we’ve tried so far. It ticked off all the items in our list of what makes a good indoor headphone and at the same time, has a justifiable price tag. It has an SRP of Php12,499 and is available for purchase locally.

Philips Fidelio X1 specs:
Type: Headband, Open-ear
Driver size: 50mm
Magnet type: Neodymium
Frequency response: 10Hz – 40kHz
Impedance: 30 ohms
Sensitivity: 100dB
Connection: 6.25mm stereo jack
Cable length: 3 meters

What we liked about it:
* Premium design
* Great music reproduction
* Wide soundscape
* Very comforable
* Justifiable price point

What we didn’t like:
* A bit bulky

The post Philips Fidelio X1 Quick Review appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.