Now it’s time for the second part of our Headphone shootout.
Time for the In-Ear Monitors, or IEMs. We have some good companies represented,
with some great models. Some have unique features. First is the Mymanu Clicks S,
for $159, followed by PBS M4U TWM at $199 MSRP, JBL Tour Pro 2 at $249 MSRP,
Sennheiser Momentum 4 True Wireless $299 MSRP. And last but not least, the
Master & Dynamic MW09 at $399 MSRP
We do this around the time of March Madness, figured with
basketball teams duking it out, let’s do a headphone shootout. Unlike March Madness
where teams are divided up in seeds, the headphones have their prices. And as with March Madness, sometimes a
headphone can perform better than a model priced higher than them. We also do a
torture test for their Bluetooth performance. We’ll start with the cheapest
model, and work our way up. So, let’s begin.
First up is the Mymanu Click S. It came in a nice-looking
color printed box with photos of the IEM with it’s features and specs. Opening
the box revealed a well-protected product held in place in its charging case.
Materials used in the construction is mostly plastic. Quality of materials used
as well as the fit and finish was good. Also included was additional sized
eartips, charging case, charging cable and owner’s manual.
Headphone Style: In Ear / Earbuds
Active Noise Cancellation: No
Echo Reduction: No
True Wireless Connectivity: Yes
Bluetooth: 5.0
Supported Audio Codecs: Aptx
Wireless Standby Time: 30 Hours with charging case
Battery Runtime: 10 hours single charge
Technology: Advanced Machine Learning technology
Number of Voice Mics: 4
Color: Black
Materials: ABS Plastic
Product Dimensions: 0.8"H x 1"L x 0.9"W
Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Compatibility: iOS 10.0 or later, Android 4.1 or later
App Support: MyJuno App
App Requires: iOS 13+ or Android 5+
Works with Google Assistant: Yes
Warranty: Manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty
Designed for: Business, Travel, Gaming, Sports and Kids
I like the unique design of the Mymanu Click S. They work great
as IEM’s but also have an extremely unique feature of a language translator. So
if you travel to a foreign country, or just need to talk to someone with a
different language than you, they help break the language barrier. They could be perfect for anyone that
travels.
It works through their app. You open the app, select your
language and select their language. You then click the button on your earbud,
speak and the translation is shown on your phone and played through the speaker
of your smartphone. Then they speak into your phone, and you hear the
translation in your earbuds. When not used for translation, they work great for
your music and phone calls. The charging case provides extra charges. Now let’s
see how they sound.
Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat is crisp and clean. Bass is
smooth with really good depth and plays with sufficient output. Piano sounded
natural. Vocals were smooth with good texture. Strings were really smooth with
nice tone. Trumpet was really crisp and clean, lots of dynamics and good
harmonics. Imaging was good and soundstage was wide.
Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was nice and
crisp and clean with good resolution of the strings. The whistling was very
smooth with very good harmonics. Vocals were also smooth with nice texture.
Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: Vocals had great
harmonics with great texture. Bass was tight and hit with good authority. And
when the booty got dropped down low, it played really deep and played with
really good authority.
Next up is the PSB M4U TWM. They came in a great looking
color printed box with photos and specs of the IEMs. Opening the box revealed a
well-protected headphone held in its charging case. Materials used in the
construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials used as well as fit and
finish was very good. Also included were additional sized ear tips, charging
case, and manual.
Features and specs:
Frequency Response Within ±1 1/2dB: 20 - 20,000Hz
Transducer Type: Magneto-Static
& Dynamic
Operating Principle: Sealed
Size: 6mm
Ear Coupling: In-Ear
Connection: Bluetooth
version
1/8”* (3.5mm) Stereo Jack (Left or Right)
Bluetooth quality: aptX™
Adaptive, AAC, SBC
Operating distance: 10m
Music time: 8 hours
Charging time: 66
minutes
Charging input: 5V,
1A
Earbuds: 8 hours
Case: 3 additional
charge cycles
Case recharge time: 2
hours
Construction
Driver enclosure: ABS
+ Rubber
Earpads: Silicon
Travel Case
Smart Charging: Dimensions
/ Weights / Finish
Overall: 18 x 22 x
17mm (5/32 x 7/8 x 11/16”)
Travel Case: 64 x 36
x 32mm (2 17/32 x 1 27/64 x 1 17/64”)
Weight: 5g (0.18oz)
Finish: Black
The PSB M4U TWM is another model with unique features. Where
most headphones use either dynamic or balanced armature drivers, the PSB M4U
uses a two-way design with a magneto-static driver that employs a thin ribbon
with high current to deliver amazing high frequencies, and a dynamic planar
driver for midrange and bass delivers not only natural mids and also clean deep
bass.
In addition to the unique driver design, the PSB M4U TWM
also provides a custom hearing test through it’s app to custom tune the IEM’s
to your hearing. RoomFeel Tuning provides the sound you get from a pair of
high-quality speakers in a room. The app also has different EQ settings to set
the sound curves that you prefer. The charging case provides extra charge to
provide for long listening sessions. Setting up the IEM’s through the app was
easy. Now let’s hear how they sound.
Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was really crisp and clean
with great resolution. Bass was smooth with very good depth and had authority.
Piano sounded very natural. Vocals had excellent resolution of the texture of
the timbre. Strings were really smooth with excellent resolution. Trumpet was extremely
dynamic with excellent harmonics and really crisp and clean. Imaging was excellent
and soundstage was not just wide but also deep.
Guns & Roses – Patience: Acoustic guitar was extremely
crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the decay of strings. Whistling
was smoother than honey with excellent harmonics. Vocals were smooth with
excellent texture of the timbre. They also provided a huge, wide, and deep
soundstage.
Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: Vocals had
excellent harmonics with just as good texture of the timbre. Bass beats were
clean, hit hard, and played with good authority. And when he dropped it down
low, the bass had really good low-end extension and played with authority.
Now it’s time for the JBL Tour Pro 2. They came in a nice-looking
color printed box with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box was similar
to previous models. The IEMs were well protected, held in place in the charging
case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of
materials used in the construction, as well as the fit and finish, was very
good. Also included was the charging case, charging cable, additional sized ear
tips, and manual.
Features and specs:
General Specifications
Driver size (mm): 10
Number of Microphones:
6
Audio Specifications
Driver sensitivity at 1kHz/1mW (dB): 100 dB SPL@1 kHz
Dynamic frequency response range (Hz): 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance (ohms): 16
Dimensions
Charging Case Weight (oz):
2.6
Earpiece Weight (oz):
0.42
Charging Case Weight (g):
73
Earpiece Weight (g): 12.2
Control and Connection Specifications
Bluetooth version: 5.3
Bluetooth profiles: A2DP
V1.3.2, AVRCP V1.6.2, HFP V1.7.2
Bluetooth frequency: 2.4
GHz - 2.4835 GHz
Bluetooth transmitted modulation: GFSK, π/4-DQPSK, 8-DPSK
Bluetooth transmitter power:
<15 dBm (EIRP)
Battery
Charging time (hours from empty): 2
Maximum music play time with ANC off (hours): 10
Maximum music play time with ANC on (hours): 8
Maximum play time (hours):
40
Features
True Adaptive Noise Cancelling: Yes
Carrying case: Yes
JBL Legendary Pro Audio Sound: Yes
Spatial Sound: Yes
Smart case: Yes
IP Code: IPX5
Charging cable: Yes
Voice Assistant integration:
Yes
Ambient Aware: Yes
Built-in Microphone: Yes
Hands Free Call: Yes
TalkThru: Yes
Touch Control: Yes
Adaptive Noise Cancelling:
Yes
Active Noise Cancelling:
Yes
Wireless: Yes
Water Resistant: Yes
Charging case: Yes
Speed charge: Yes
Rechargable battery: Yes
Bluetooth: Yes
The trend continues with the JBL Tour Pro 2 also having
unique features. All previous models, including the JBL, have an app. Through
the app you can control the features. But unlike the other models, they also
have a touch screen display on the side of the charging case. There’s no need to open the app to adjust the
settings, which makes it more convenient. And the touch screen display can do much
more. You can even manage calls, and see incoming messages. Music is easily
managed with it as well as sound settings. You can even go in silent mode to turn off
calls if you need a nap. And if you lose one earbud, it can help you find it.
JBL also provides Personal-fi 2.0, which uses a hearing test to personalize the
sound to your hearing.
As with most time wireless IEM’s also providing a charging
case, the JBL Tour Pro 2 also provides other excellent features. It’s True
Adaptive Noise Cancelling works with your surroundings. Smart Ambient adjusts
to the level of sound from your surroundings that you want to allow in. Spatial
Sound makes it sound like you’re in the concert hall, or the studio with your
band. Perfect Calls uses the 6 built-in mics for the best phone calls. The JBL
app allows you to use EQ settings to adjust the sound to your liking. Setting
them up was simple though the app. Now let’s see how they sound.
Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was extremely crisp and
clean. Bass was not only smooth but also played really deep with a ton of
authority. Piano sounded very natural. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent
resolution of the texture of the timbre. Strings were smooth like honey with excellent
resolution. Trumpet was extremely crisp and clean with similar dynamics and
resolution without being too brassy, with excellent harmonics. Imaging was excellent
and soundstage was both wide and deep.
Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was extremely
crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the decay of the strings. The
whistling was so silky smooth with excellent harmonics. Vocals were also silky
smooth with excellent texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also nice and wide
and deep.
Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: vocals had
excellent harmonics with excellent texture of the timbre. Bass beats were
really clean, with very good punch and output. And when he dropped the booty
down low, it was more like Thor dropping his hammer down!
Next up is the Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 4. They
came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos and specs of the
headphones. Opening the box, the IEMs were well protected held in place in
their charging case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic.
Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish was very good. Also
included was the charging case, charging cable, additional sized ear tips, and
manual.
Features and specs:
Wearing style: True
wireless stereo earphones
Ear Coupling: Ear
canal
Connectivity: Bluetooth
5.4 compliant, class 1, 10 mW (max); Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE Audio
supported
Transmission frequency / modulation: 2,402 MHz to 2,480 MHz; GFSK, π/4 DQPSK /
8DPSK
Supported Profiles: A2DP,
AVRCP, HFP, TMAP, PBP
Supported codecs: SBC,
AAC, aptX™, aptX™ Adaptive/Lossless, LC3
Speaker principle: Dynamic
Speaker type/size: TrueResponse™
dynamic, 7mm diameter
Speaker frequency range:
5 Hz to 21 kHz
Speaker sensitivity: 107
dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)
Speaker THD: <0,08%
(1 kHz / 94 dB)
Active Noise Cancellation:
Hybrid Adaptive ANC
Mic principle: MEMS
Mic frequency range: 100
Hz to 10 kHz
Mic pick-up pattern: 3
mics per earbud, beamforming for noise reduction
Battery lifespan: Up
to 7.5 hrs music playtime with earbuds (ANC off); Up to 7.0 hrs music playtime
with earbuds (ANC on) Up to 30 hrs overall music playtime with charging case
(test condition: iPhone, mid volume level 85 dB)
Battery type: Built-in
Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries; Left/right earbud: 75 mAh, charging case:
820 mAh
Power Supply: 5 V⎓,
1000 mA max; USB charging via USB-C socket at charging case; Qi Wireless
charging
Magnetic strength field:
Earbuds: 0.95 mT, charging case: 105 mT
Weather resistance: IP54,
dust and splash resistant (earbuds only)
Product Specification:
72.4 g (both earbuds and charging case) 6.2 g (single earbud) 66.4 g
(charging case) 70,1 x 44,6 x 34.8 mm (earbuds and charging case)
Operating condition: Operating
temp: 0 to +40°C; Charging temp: 5 to 35°C Rel. humidity 25 to 75%,
non-condensing
Storage condition: Temp:
–20 to +60°C; Rel. humidity 10 to 90%
App support: Sennheiser
Smart Control app for iOS™ and Android™
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 has it’s share of
fancy features. It starts with it’s time Response Transducer System that
provides high end sound for treble and bass. The Adaptive Noise Cancellation
adjusts the noise cancellation to your surroundings. You also get future proof
technologies with Auracast and LE audio. Lossless audio provides a bit-by-bit
mirror image of the original track.
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 also has you covered
for long listening sessions. There’s multiple sized ear tips to get a
comfortable fit for long listening sessions. The charging case provides up to
30 hours of listening. And when it’s time for charging, there’s fast Q and
wireless charging. To tie everything in for the perfect sound, there’s Sound Personalization.
It’s a sound check to customize the sound to your hearing. And you can
customize it further with sound zones and an adaptive 5-band EQ. Setting them
up was easy. Now let’s see how they sound.
Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was extremely crisp and
clean with resolution to hear the impact of the stick on the metal. Bass was
silky smooth with great depth and played with excellent authority. Piano
sounded very natural. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent resolution of the
texture of the timbre. Strings were smooth as Swiss chocolate. Trumpet was so
crisp and clean with excellent harmonics and resolution and dynamics. Imaging
and soundstage was close to over the ear headphones with spot on imaging and
width and depth of soundstage that was almost holographic.
Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was extremely
crisp and clean, with amazing resolution of the plucking and decay of the
strings. Whistling was so silky smooth with stellar harmonics. Vocals were just
as smooth, and soundstage was both wide with depth that was both up front and
deep.
Brandon Beal – Drop That Booty Down Low: vocals had stellar
harmonics with excellent texture of the timbre. Bass beats were clean with
really good punch and authority. And when the booty got dropped down low, it
was more like the epicenter of an earthquake, it was so clean and had such
authority.
Last but not least is the Master & Dynamic MW09. They
came in a nice-looking color printed case with photos and specs of the IEM.
Opening the box revealed the charging case which held the IEMs securely in
place. Materials used in the production was metal as well as plastic and sapphire
glass. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish was excellent. Also
included was the charging case, extra sized ear tips, charging cable, and
manual.
Features and specs:
Model: MW09 Active
Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earphones
Materials: Aluminum
and sapphire glass earphones, charging case made with Kevlar® fiber or aluminum
Dimensions: Charging
case - 45.5 x 64.5 x 25.6 mm (H x W x D), Earphones - 20.3 x 21.5 x 21 mm (H x
W x D)
Weight: Earphones -
8.1g each, charging case (Kevlar®) - 50.5g, charging case (Aluminum) - 62.5g
Dust and Waterproof Rating:
Earphones are IP54, charging case is IPX4
Active Noise-Cancelling:
3 modes of Hybrid ANC including Adaptive ANC, All Day ANC, and Max ANC
Drivers: 11mm
beryllium
Audio Format: Supports
AAC, LC3, SBC, AptX Lossless up to 16-bit / 44.1 kHz, AptX Adaptive up to
24-bit / 96 kHz, and AptX Adaptive low latency gaming mode. Auracast Ready.
Microphone Type: 6-microphone
talk solution with proprietary wind reduction, 3 microphones in each earphone
Ambient Listening Modes:
Awareness Mode, Voice Mode, Natural Mode
Earphone Battery Life:
Up to 16 hours playtime
Earphone and Case Charging Time: 50% in 20 minutes, 100% in 60 minutes via
cable, 100% in 185 minutes via wireless charging
Charging Case Battery Life:
32 additional hours of charge, Up to 48 hours total playtime
Case Charge Time: 50%
in 20 minutes, 100% in 60 minutes via cable, 50% in 70 minutes, 100% in 160
minutes via wireless charger
Bluetooth Profile: Bluetooth®
5.4
Connectivity Distance:
100ft/30m
I love the design of the Master & Dynamic MW09. They are
a premium IEM, and it shows. It all starts with the build quality. They are
made with aluminum with sapphire glass, absolutely stunning. It continues with
a Kevlar case. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s beryllium drivers, and 6
microphones in an A.I. enhanced talk solution. They are even future proof,
being Auracast and LE Audio ready.
The Master & Dynamic MW09 also has the features found on
most other time wireless IEMs. There’s Adaptive Noise Cancellation, to match
your surroundings. The case provides an additional 32 hours of charge. You get
both silicon and foam tips in multiple sizes, so you get the best fit for you.
The app provides a fully adjustable EQ, to get the best sound for you. The
Master & Dynamic MW09 provides the design and features for excellent sound
now, and in the future. Setup was simple. Now let’s see how they sound.
Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E: Hi-hat was extremely crisp and
clean with excellent resolution of the stick on the metal. Bass was very smooth
with great low-end extension and played with great authority. Piano sounded
more natural than they should at this price point. Vocals were smooth like a Dove
bar with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Strings were also
smooth like honey with great resolution of the strings. Trumpet was extremely
crisp, clean, dynamic, with excellent harmonics. Imaging was on a dime, with an
excellent soundstage that was both wide and deep.
Guns & Roses – Patience: acoustic guitar was killer with
its transparency of the plucking and decay of the strings, so crisp and clean!
The whistling was so amazing. Smoother than Swiss chocolate and stellar
harmonics! Vocals were equally smooth with excellent texture of the timbre.
Soundstage was again both wide and deep, with depth being both forward and
deep.
For wireless testing we go far and above what the specs say
they are good for. We do a torture test
to see what their limits are. This involves leaving my smartphone in my
basement and walking around the basement, then going upstairs to the main floor
and walking around the main floor, and then going up to the 2nd
floor and walking around the main floor.
With more thick floors getting between me and my smartphone as I go up
in floors, it is a true torture test. And the last test is outdoors in the open
walking out to 200ft to see at what distance connection is lost.
PSB M4U TWM– No problem at all through walls in basement,
but both main floor and 2nd floor were equally glitchy and
questionable. Outside they were good to the 200 ft no problem.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4– multiple walls in
basement no problem. Both main floor and 2nd floor were too glitchy
so not useable. Outside got a glitch at 180 ft but good to 200 ft.
Master & Dynamic MW09– no problems in the basement. Main
floor was a little glitchy and barely usable. 2nd floor was too
glitchy so not useable. Outside it was a little glitchy at around 120 ft but
then good to 200 ft.
For ANC, for JBL Tour Pro 2, the Adaptive Noice Cancelling with ambient more doing a great job of bringing in the sounds of the environment around you. And for ANC enabled, it removed about 90% of the noise around me. For Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, in ambient mode it performed in spades bringing in the sound of my environment. And for ANC it removed around 90% of the noise around me. Last but not least is the Master & Dynamic MW09. The ambient mode performed extremely well, bringing in the environment around me. And for ANC they removed close to 95% of the noise around me, performing better than expected.
No matter your budget, all of the models provided great
performance at their price points. With
the Mymanu Click S you also get the added benefit of a translator for
traveling. While the PSB M4U TWM lacks
ANC, you do get some audiophile drivers that provides the same caliber of
sound. For the JBL Tour Pro 2 you get
excellent sound and features, and a really cool LCD display on the case for
unique added functionality. And the
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Master & Dynamic MW09 both take the
sound to a higher level, with the Master & Dynamic adding luxurious construction
materials. Based on their design,
features, quality, and performance, the Mymanu Click S has earned our Value
Award, PSB M4U TWM our Highly Recommended Award, and the JBL Tour Pro 2 and
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Master & Dynamic MW09 have earned
our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info
and complete specs, check out their websites at www.jbl.com,
www.masterdynamic.com, www.mymanu.com, www.psbspeakers.com, www.sennheiser-hearing.com.com.
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