2025 Annual Headphone Shootout Part One: The In Ear Monitors

It’s been a crazy March Madness. That means it’s also time for our annual Headphone Shootout. With March Madness, you sometimes get surprises with teams performing over their seeding. The same can sometimes happen with our Headphone Shootout, with some headphones preforming better than their pricing. We separate the headphones into two parts: In-ear and Over-the-ear. We’ll start with the In-Ear models. Included are Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi, 1More Penta Driver, Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 True wireless, Technics EAH-AZ100 Reference Class TWS, and JBL Tour Pro 3.

 

First up is the Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi. Creative first got popular with their sound blaster sound cards for computers. They have since expanded into many other products using their technology. The Aurevana Ace Mimi is a True Wireless In-Ear monitor. And they are known for providing a big bang for the buck. MSRP is only $129.99.

 

Features and specs:

Wearing Style:  In-ear

Product Type:  True Wireless

Connectivity:  Bluetooth® 5.3

Water Resistance (IP Rating):  IPX5

Operating Temperature:  0–45°C

Recommended Usage:  On-the-move, Work & Study, Movie & Music

Dimensions

(Per Earbud) 34.0 x 23.3 x 25.8 mm / 1.33 x 0.92 x 1.02 inches, (Charging Case) 64.7 x 49.1 x 26.9 mm / 2.55 x 1.93 x 1.06 inches

Weight:  (Per earbud): 4.7g (0.17 oz), Charging Case: 37.2g (1.31 oz)

Battery Life*: Up to 7 hours per charge (ANC off), Up to 28 hours of total playtime (ANC off)

*Based on moderate volume level. Actual battery life will vary with usage settings and environmental conditions.

Battery Type

(Per earbud) Rechargeable Lithium-ion Button Battery x 1 – 52 mAh, (Charging case) Rechargeable Lithium-ion Polymer Battery x 1 – 470 mAh

Charging Type:  USB-C, Qi-compatible wireless charging

Microphone:  Sensitivity @ 1 kHz: - 38 dBV / Pa

Voice Assistant: Siri, Google Assistant

Type: Omni-directional MEMS x 3 (per earbud)

Driver

Frequency Response: 5–40,000 Hz

Type: xMEMS Solid-state x 2

Type: Dynamic x 2

Size: 10 mm (Dynamic Driver)

Bluetooth® Version:  5.3

Wireless Codecs:  AAC, SBC, LC3, LDAC

Profiles

(HFP) Hands-free Profile, (A2DP) Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, (AVRCP) Audio / Video Remote Control Profile, HSP (Headset Profile), TMAP, PBP

Operating Frequency:  2402–2480 MHz

Operating Range

Up to 10m / 33 ft*, *Measured in open space. Walls and structures may affect range of device.

Controls

Playback: Yes

Volume: Yes

Call: Yes

Voice Assistant: Yes

Power: Yes

Noise Control: Yes

Type: Touch Control

Color:  Midnight Blue

 

The Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi came color printed box with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product, held in place with custom molded paper. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal and rubber. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish was very good. Also included was the manual, charging cable, additional ear tips, and carry bag.

 

I like the design of the Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi. They are a traditional True Wireless design with a ton of features. There’s Bluetooth 5.3 LE Audio, Hybrid Adaptive ANC, LDAC, and xMEMS drivers. They even come with MIMI sound Personalization thru the app, so you can tailor the sound to you. The app also includes other sound customizations.  All of this is a huge bang for the buck with MSRP only $129. Let’s see how they sound.

 

Adele: Rolling In The Deep-  Acoustic guitar was crisp with really good resolution of the fingers plucking the strings. Hi-hat  and cymbal was really crisp and clean. Bass drum was dynamic with good low-end extension and authority. Piano also sounded natural. Vocals were silky smooth with good texture of the timbre.

Rush: Tom Sawyer-  Hi-hat and cymbal were crisp and clean. Snare drum was dynamic with good resolution of the pad. Kick drum was also really dynamic with really good low-end extension and played with really good authority. The tom drums were equally dynamic with really good pitch definition. Vocals were smooth like honey with great timbre. Guitar was nice and raw

Tiesto & Sevenn: Boom- An excellent bass torture track. It had multiple different bass beats. Some were nice and tight and not extremely deep. Some were deeper and hit hard. And some were really deep, and with a ton of authority that I could even feel in my earlobes!

 

Next up is the 1More Penta Driver. Unlike the other products they are a corded headphone. 1More is a budget headphone brand known for providing a big bang for the buck. And the 1More Penta Driver is an excellent example of this, providing an IEM with 5 drivers.  MSRP is only $169.

 

Features and specs:

 

Model   EH904

Headphones weight       21g

Cable Length      1.25m

MEMS Mic Control          Available

Wire Material    Silver Plated OFC Wire

Plug       3.5mm Gold Plated

Frequency Range            20 Hz - 40 kHz

Impedance        32 Ω

Sensitivity           105dB

Rated Power      5mW

 

The 1More came in an excellent color printed box with phots and specs of the IEM. Opening the box revealing a well-protected product held in place by custom molded paper. And I was surprised with the packaging: it looked like a product at 3x it’s price! Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal and rubber. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, is very good. Also included is the audio adapter, additional ear tips, carry bag, and manual.

 

I really like the design of the 1More Penta Driver. It uses four planar diaphragm drivers, and a dynamic driver, for a hybrid design. The planar drivers provide great mids and highs, while the dynamic driver provides better bass performance. The silver plated OFC wire helps provide a cleaner sound, with the in-line remote is for hands free calls. And if a short ever develops in the cord, it’s detachable for easy replacement. All of this seems to be a recipe for great sound. Let’s see how they sound.

 

Adele: Rolling In The Deep-  Hi-hat, cymbal, and tambourine were all really crisp and clean, with really good resolution to resolve them. Claps were dynamic. Piano sounded natural with good harmonics. Acoustic guitar had good resolution of the strings being plucked. Vocals were really smooth with good texture of the timbre.

Rush: Tom Sawyer-  Hi-hat and cymbal were really crisp and clean. Snare drum was really dynamic with good resolution of the pad. Kick drum was also dynamic with good low-end extension and played with authority. The tom drums provided similar dynamics with great pitch definition. Guitar was nice and raw. Vocals were silky smooth with great texture.

Tiesto & Sevenn: Boom- This is an excellent bass torture track. There were a bunch of different types to beats. Some were tight and not really deep. Some were deeper and hit really hard with good authority. And then some were really deep and resonated my ear canal. They all were really clean, and played with really good output and authority.

Now it’s time for the Beyerdynamic Amiron 300. Beyerdynamic is a German company that is known for hi-end headphones. Many of them are audiophile studio monitors. Beyerdynamic has taken from their audio heritage to develop the Amiron 300. They Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 is an IEM true wireless mode.  MSRP is $279.

 

Features and specs:

Closed design

 • Active noise cancellation (ANC) and  transparency mode

 • Six microphones for best speech quality

 • Multi-point Bluetooth® 5.3. for simultaneous connection of multiple Bluetooth® devices

 • Wearing detection (automatic playback /  top when inserting / removing the earphones)

 • Customised settings via the beyerdynamic app

 • Total battery life up to 38 hours

 • Qi-compatible charging case for wireless charging and fast charging

• Splash-proof according to IP54 certification and sweat resistant

Transducer type Dynamic

 Acoustic design Closed

 Wearing type In-ear

 Frequency response 20 - 40,000 Hz

 Impedance 32 Ω

 Max. Sound Pressure level 95 dB

 Total Harmonic Distortion < 0.2% @ 100 Hz,  < 1.5% @ 500 Hz,  < 0.3% @ 1 kHz

 Background noise Ambient: < 19 dB SPL,  ANC ON: < 15 dB SPL,  ANC OFF: < 1.5 dB SPL

 Bluetooth® frequency range 2,400 - 2,483.5 MHz

 Bluetooth® version 5.3

 Supported Bluetooth® profiles:   HFP,  A2DP,  AVRCP,  HSP

 Supported audio codecs SBC, AAC, LDAC

 Firmware update possible via app

 Transmitting power 8.49 dBm

 Range 15 m

 Operating temperature range-10 to +60 °C

 Charging temperature range 0 to +45 °C

 Battery runtime up to 10 hours, additional 28 hours when recharging in the charging case

 Charging case dimensions 29 x 51 x 61 mm

 Charging case weight 51.3 g

 Charging time approx. 2 hours

 Charging port type USB-C

 Type of charging cable USB-A to USB-C

 Microphone type MEMS, omnidirectional

 Weight 4.4 g per earphone

 

The Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos and specs of the product. Opening the box, I see a well-protected IEM held in place by custom molded paper. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal and rubber. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Included was the charging case, ear tips, charging cable, and manual.

 

I really like the design of the Beyerdynamic Amiron 300. It’s a true wireless design. It also has ANC through the app, where you can control the ANC and transparency mode. Through the app you can also personalize the sound to you. I also like a bit more bass, so the EQ in the app also helps me to tailor the sound. It’s a combination of features for a great product. Let’s see how it sounds.

 

Adele: Roling In The Deep-  Hi-hat, cymbal, and tambourine were really crisp and clean with really good resolution. Claps were really dynamic. Piano sounded really natural with good resolution of the strings and very good harmonics. Acoustic guitar provided very good resolution of the plucking of the strings. Kick drum was really dynamic with very good low-end extension, and played with very good authority. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent texture of the timbre.

Rush: Tom Sawyer-  Hi-hat and cymbals were extremely crisp and clean with very good resolution of the impact. Snare drum was extremely dynamic with excellent resolution of the stick on the pad. Kick drum was also really dynamic, tight, with excellent low-end extension and played with really good output. Tom drums were equally dynamic, with excellent pitch definition. Guitar was nice and raw and vocals were smooth like honey with very good texture.

Tiesto & Sevenn: Boom- an excellent bass track. There were multiple types of bass beats. Some were nice and tight and hit really hard, like a punch to the chest. Some were deeper, and still hit really hard. And others were really deep and resonated my ear canal. All of them were really clean and played with a ton of authority.

 

Next in line is the Technics EAH-AZ100. Over the decades of history, Technics has made some excellent products. This history appears to continue with the EAH-AZ100. Technics markets them as a reference class Hi-Fi product. They are designed for Hi-Res audio, and optimized for Dolby Atmos.  MSRP is $299.

 

Features and specs:

Magnetic Fluid Driver for low distortion, accurate bass and high resolution.

Adaptive Noise Cancelling Technology adjusts in real-time to block ambient noise and maintains optimal ANC at all times.

Voice Focus AI technology brings advanced noise reduction not only during speaking but also listening.

Spatial audio optimized for Dolby Atmos® and Dolby Head Tracking.

Multipoint connection to 3 devices with seamless switching (e.g. PC, smartphone & tablet).

Noise Cancelling              Full Adaptive Digital Hybrid

Water Resistance            IPX4 Equivalent (Earbuds only)

Frequency Response      20 Hz - 40 kHz (LDAC 96 kHz/990 kbps)

Driver Unit         10 mm (3/8 in)

Mic        Monaural, MEMS Mic

Earbud Standby Time     Approx. 8 hours (NC ON), Approx. 15 hours (NC OFF, Auto power off does not work)

Supplied Accessory         USB charging cord: Approx. 0.2 m (0.66 ft) (Input Plug : USB Type-C Shape, Output Plug : USB Type-C Shape), Earpieces set : XS, S, M, ML, L (M attached)

Bluetooth Wireless Technology 

Version 5.3

Supported Profiles          A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, TMAP, PBP

Codec   SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3

Operating Distance         Up to 10 m (33 ft)

Multi-point        Connect up to 3 devices at a time

Multi-pairing     Connect up to 10 devices

Charging Time  

Earbuds              Approx. 2.0 hours

Charging case / USB        Approx. 2.5 hours

Charging case / Qi *With certified Qi charger       Approx. 3.5 hours

Earbuds with Charging case / USB            Approx. 3.0 hours

Earbuds with Charging case / Qi *With certified Qi charger           Approx. 4.0 hours

Playbacktimeaacbattery

Earbuds              Approx. 10.0 hours (NC ON) Approx. 12.0 hours (NC OFF)

Earbuds with Charging case         Approx. 28 hours (NC ON) Approx. 29 hours (NC OFF)

Playbacktimeldacbattery            

Earbuds              Approx. 7.0 hours (NC ON) Approx. 8.0 hours (NC OFF)

Earbuds with Charging case         Approx. 18 hours (NC ON) Approx. 19 hours (NC OFF)

Weight:  Earbuds (one side only: L and R are the same)   Approx. 5.9 g (0.21 oz)

Charging case    Approx. 42 g (1.5 oz)

 

The Technics EAH-AZ100 came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos and specs of the product. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product held in place by custom molded paper. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal and rubber. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the charging case, charging cable, extra ear tips, and manual.

 

I love the design of the Technics EAH-AZ100. They are a traditional looking true wireless IEM, but they use driver technology used in their reference class EAH-TZ700 wired in-ear monitors. It’s a 10 mm magnetic fluid driver. There’s also Adaptive Noise Cancelling, as well as an app to customize the sound to you, utilize the ANC, as well as additional features. And the spatial audio optimized for Dolby Atmos, is really cool! It sounds like an excellent product, let’s see you they sound.

 

Adele: Rolling In The Deep-  Hi-hat, cymbal, and tambourine were so crisp and clean, with so much resolution. Claps were dynamic. Piano sounded really natural with excellent harmonics. Acoustic guitar had really good resolution of the strings being plucked. Kick drum was really dynamic with really good depth and output. Vocals were silky smooth with very good texture of the timbre.

Rush: Tom Sawyer-  Hi-hat and cymbals were really crisp and clean with excellent resolution. Snare drum was extremely dynamic with excellent resolution of the pad. Kick drum was equally dynamic with excellent low-end extension and played with a ton of authority. Tom drums were also really dynamic with excellent harmonics and pitch definition of the midbass. Guitar was nice and raw. Vocals were smooth like honey with great texture.

Tiesto & Sevenn: Boom- and excellent bass torture track. The higher bass beats was nice and tight and hit hard like a punch to the chest. Some were deeper and also hit really hard. And some were so deep and played with a ton of output. All of the bass was really clean and played so loud.

 

Last, but not least, is the JBL Tour Pro 3. JBL has been providing great product for almost 80 years, and they have a long history of providing headphones with their JBL sound. They also don’t rest on their name. JBL continues to develop new products of excellent quality. This is evident with their JBL Tour Pro 3.  MSRP is $299.

 

Features and spec:

Driver size (mm): 10.2 mm/ 0.402" Dynamic Driver + 5.1 mm x 2.8 mm Balanced Armature

Number of Microphones: 6

Audio Specifications 

Driver sensitivity at 1kHz/1mW (dB):  104

Dynamic frequency response range (Hz):  20 Hz - 40 kHz

Impedance (ohms):  32

Dimensions

Charging Case Weight (g):  71.8

Charging Case Weight (oz):  2.5

Earpiece Weight (g):  5.6

Weight (g):  83

Weight (oz):  2.9

Control and Connection Specifications

Bluetooth profiles:  A2DP V1.4, AVRCP V1.6.2, HFP V1.8

Bluetooth frequency:  2.4 GHz – 2.4835 GHz

Bluetooth transmitted modulation:  GFSK, π/4-DQPSK, 8DPSK

Bluetooth transmitter power:  <13 dBm (EIRP)

Bluetooth version:  5.3

Battery

Speed Charging time (hours):  3

Charging case battery life (max hours):  33

Charging time (hours from empty):  2

Maximum music play time with ANC off (hours):  11

Maximum music play time with ANC on (hours):  7

Maximum play time (hours):  44

Maximum talk time (hours):  5.5

Features

Smart case:  Yes

JBL Original Pro Sound:  Yes

Bluetooth:  Yes

Charging cable:  Yes

Built-in Microphone:  Yes

Charging case:  Yes

JBL Headphone App:  Yes

Rechargable battery:  Yes

Spatial Sound:  Yes

Touch Control:  Yes

True Wireless:  Yes

Water Resistant:  Yes

Wireless:  Yes

IP Code:  55

True Adaptive Noise Cancelling:  Yes

 

The JBL Tour Pro 3 came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the product. Opening the box revealed a well-protected IEM held in place by custom molded plastic. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal and rubber. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the charging case, charging cable, audio cable, additional ear tips, and manual.

 

I love the design of the JBL Tour Pro 3. They are a true wireless IEM, with a boatload of features. You get Adaptive Noise Cancelling. JBL Spatial 360 with head tracking, and a smart charging case. Not to take away from the legendary JBL sound, but the smart case is a game changer. Leave your phone in your pocket. The case has a color screen to manage settings, as well as see songs, and even texts! It’s a plethora of features.  Let’s see how it sounds.

 

Adele: Rolling In The Deep-  Hi-hat, cymbal, and tambourine were really crisp and clean with excellent resolution. Claps were crisp and dynamic. Piano also sounded really natural with excellent resolution and harmonics. Acoustic guitar had excellent resolution of the plucking of the strings. Kick drum was also really dynamic with excellent impact, low end extension, and authority. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent texture of the timbre.

Rush: Tom Sawyer-  Hi-hat and cymbals were extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution. Snare drum was really dynamic with excellent resolution of the pad. Kick drum was equally dynamic with really tight but very good low-end extension, and played with a ton of authority. Toms were equally dynamic and also had really good resolution of the pad and pitch definition of the midbass. Vocals were also smooth like honey, with excellent texture.

Tiesto & Sevenn: Boom- An excellent bass torture track. There were multiple types of bass beats. Some were higher in pitch, really tight, hit like a punch to the chest with excellent output. Others were deeper, still tight, and hit really hard. And then some were really deep, and hit so hard it got my ear canal to resonate a bit.

 

To test Bluetooth performance, we go way above and beyond rated specs.  We want to see the breaking point.  My home has a basement, main floor, and 2^nd floor, for 3 floors.  Paired with my phone kept in my basement, I test how for it will go between walls, and much more…between multiple floors, to check its usable range.  And then what its range is out in the open. 

Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi:  no glitches in basement and main floor, and even glitch free on 2^nd floor.  Out in the open it was glitch free for over 200 feet. Amazing Bluetooth performance!

Beyerdynamic Amiron 300:  no glitches in basement or main floor, small glitch on 2^nd floor but easily usable, and one minor glitch at 175ft, usable over 200ft.  Excellent performance.

Technics EAH-AZ100:  no glitches in bas

ement, main floor, or even 2^nd floor. And no glitches out to over 200ft. Amazing Bluetooth performance!

JBL Tour 3 Pro:  no glitches in basement, 1 minor glitch on main floor, and no glitches on 2^nd floor. And no glitches out to over 200ft. Excellent performance.

 

I also tested the ANC.  Both ANC with and without ambient mode. Here are the findings:

Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi:  the ambient mode worked extremely well, allowing all of the ambient environment in.  For ANC, it removed around 70%.

Beyerdynamic Amiron 300:  The ambient mode was similar, allowing all of the ambient environment in.  For ANC, it was amazing, removing around 95%!

Technics EAH-AZ100:  again the ambient mode was similar with all of the ambient environment coming in.  ANC was around 90-95%, for very good performance.

JBL Tour 3 Pro: the similar ambient mode performance continues, with all of the ambient environment coming in. ANC was around 95%, for excellent performance.

 

For overall sound, the Creative was just a hair on the bright side for sound signature, with great resolution and bass output. But while just slightly, it did have a slightly lower bass output from the rest.  The 1more had slightly better bass output, and better bass dynamics and resolution, and with 5 drivers had excellent resolution and smooth sound with a wide and deep soundstage.  It also benefited from all of the cost going towards the drivers and not the wireless components and charging case. It had a sound signature that was slightly on the warm side.  Beyerdynamics had a neutral sound signature, really wide and deep soundstage with excellent imaging and resolution, and tied with JBL for the most bass output.  Technics was just a tad warm with the sound signature, with thanks to their special driver had resolution that was just a tad better on the highs than it was on the midbass. And while it had excellent bass output, it was jus a tad less than Beyerdynamic and JBL. JBL had a neutral soundstage, excellent resolution, and a soundstage that was both wide and deep.

 

When it comes to headphones, everyone has a preference to the sound they prefer.  Depending on your preferred sound signature could determine which IEM is the best fit for you.  The Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi provides a huge bang for the buck based on their price, and is just under the rest in overall sound quality, but has some excellent features.  If you can handle wired, the 1More Penta could be for you. It just doesn’t have the wireless features that most are looking for. Beyerdynamic managed to get their well known studio sound into their Amiron 300.  And with JBL you get both excellent sound, tons of features, and the best charging case that also includes a color touchscreen display for additional features.  Based on their design, features, quality, and performance, the Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi and 1More Penta have earned our Value Award, and the Technics EAH-AZ100 has earned our Highly Recommended Award, and the Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 and JBL Tour Pro 3 have earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.creative.com, www.1more.com, www.technics.com, www.beyerdynamic.com, and www.jbl.com.

JBL Club A758 High Performance Class D Eight Channel Amplifier Review

We all like our music. When it comes to our car stereo speakers, they are not all created equal. And to get the best sound quality they need power. For the best power, you need a separate amp. All amps are also not created equal. And there’s many different designs of amps. You can get them in one, two, four, six and even eight channel designs. Up for review is the JBL Club A758 High Performance Class D Eight Channel Amplifier. MSRP is $599.

 

Features and specs:

Club Series Class D 2 ohm Stable 8-Channel Amplifier

RMS Power Rating: 

4 ohm: 75 watts x 8 channel

2 ohm: 125 watts x 8 channel

Bridged: 250 watts x 4 channel @ 4 ohm

Total power output: 1000 watts

LED Power/Protect Light

Speaker-level (high-level) inputs and preamp outputs

Balanced Differential inputs for low noise and distortion

Turn-on switch between DC to REM

Input mode for multiple switching

Short circuit, high temperature, overvoltage and undervoltage protection

Input sensitivity:

Low level: 200 mV - 5 volts

High level: 1 - 25 volts

Variable high-pass and low-pass filters

Fuse Rating: 105A

 

The JBL Club A758 came in a nice-looking color printed box with photos and specs of the amplifier. Opening the box revealed a well-protected amplifier held in place by custom foam. Materials used is mostly metal with some plastic. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish is very good. Also included was the mounting screws, RCA hi-level adapters, and manual.

 

I love the design of the JBL Club A758 Class D amplifier. With eight channels, it gives you a lot of options. It’s rated at 75 watts x 8, or 250 watts x 4. Two channels can be bridged together for 250 watts at 4 ohms being 4 ohm stable in bridged mode. This means four channels can be bridged to two channels for use with a subwoofer. So it can be used as a whole system amp: four channels used for your door speakers, and the other channels used for a dual voice coil subwoofer, or two single voice coil subs.

 

Or, it can be used to power a fully active system. Most car stereo systems have two-way component speakers in the front and coaxial speakers in the rear. The better ones also use component speakers in the rear. But component systems, while using a separate woofer and tweeter for better sound, still use a passive crossover network that separate the frequencies between the woofer and tweeter. Passive crossovers can affect sound quality. While it sounds really good, you need a fully active system for the best sound. This replaces a passive crossover network with an electronic DSP.

 

Let’s briefly discuss how a DSP works. The DSP has electronic crossovers, and gives you full control of frequencies, gains, and even time delays. You can assign which frequencies, gains, time delay go to each individual tweeter and woofer for their size and location in the vehicle. You can even adjust equalization for each individual tweeter and woofer.  Each speaker has its own amplifier channel. The electronic DSP sends the adjusted signal to each channel output.  These outputs are then connected to the inputs of an amplifier, like the JBL Club A758, and the tweeters and woofers are connected to their appropriate amplifier channels speaker wire connections.

 

With a component speaker for each door, a tweeter and woofer each, two in the front and two in the rear; that’s a total of four tweeters and four woofers, for eight speakers. You’ll just need an electronic DSP and mono amplifier for your subs. The JBL Club A758 can handle all your door speakers in a fully active system. But if you aren’t ready for that, and need to build up to it, you can use it to power your 4 component speakers using their passive crossovers, and bridging the other 4 channels to power your subs. And then save up for the electronic DSP and sub amp. It’s a great amp that you can grow with.

 

If all that flexibility wasn’t enough, it keeps coming. The JBL Club A758 is also flexible to work in multiple vehicles. It integrates into factory car stereo systems, as well as aftermarket car stereo systems. It features the standard RCA inputs for using it in aftermarket systems. But also included are adapter connectors. If you are integrating into a stock stereo system, you tap into your existing system with speaker wire, and connect these hi level inputs to the adapters. The adapters then connect to the RCA connectors on the JBL Club A758.

 

When it comes to installation, the manual is not always easy to follow. With so many products being made in China, their manuals are often harder to follow. It was a pleasant surprise, seeing the manual for the JBL Club A758 being easy to follow. If you’re doing your own installation, and don’t do a lot of car stereo installs, this is a big help. Installation was rather simple. Now let’s see how it performs.

 

Rush: Tom Sawyer – Vocals were smooth like honey, with excellent texture of the timbre. Bass drum was very dynamic with very good motor control, which enabled tight yet powerful output. And I could tell the speakers were well fed, as resolution was also really good with the tom drums, with excellent pitch definition of the mid bass. Resolution of the pad of the snare was excellent. And sound stage was both wide and deep.

Pat Benatar: Heartbreaker – Pat Benatar can really wail, and the excellent vocals and texture came out in spades. It just had to be blasted, and the JBL amp easily obliged. Guitar was nice and saw with great harmonics. Kick drum was nice and tight with very good depth and impact like a punch, which was thanks to the excellent motor control from the amp. It was really loud, yet really clean doing so!

Electronic Light Orchestra: Mr. Blue Sky – The snaps were really dynamic, as were the bass beats. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent resolution of the texture. And this is such a phenomenal recording. With the right speakers, there is an amazing soundstage that is really wide, deep and extremely forward as well. Thanks to the well powered and controlled motor, this amazing soundstage came out in all it’s glory. There’s also several instruments, and they were all resolved really well.

 

When it comes to car stereo, is really easy to think why spend the money on a separate amp?  If you are doing an aftermarket car stereo system, most receivers have a four-channel amp built-in.  The amps in a receiver will work in a pinch, but don’t expect very good sound.  The speakers will play, sure.  But they can sound so much better if they were not being starved. Feed a speaker the power they can handle, and the motor performs so much better. This translates into significantly better sound overall.  And with 8 channels of amplification, you get a ton of flexibility with the JBL Club A758!

 

JBL is known for providing great products. I’m glad to see that JBL is not sitting on their laurels. The JBL Club A758 is a well-made amplifier that puts out a good amount of power. It’s also flexible enough to be used in both a stock or aftermarket system. And it also has enough channels to be used as a whole system amp, or as a main amp for all of your door speakers in a fully active system. MSRP is a fir $599, and it’s also made well enough to provide years of use. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Club A758 has earned our Editor’s Choice award. For more info and complete specs, check out it’s website at www.JBL.com.

Fender X Teufel Rockster Air 2 Hi-End Bluetooth Event Speaker Review by Jeff Roy

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like music. And if you are having some people over, throw on some music and you have a party. With a Bluetooth speaker, you can have your music outdoors. Bluetooth speakers have also increased in size. So if you have a lot of people, you can have a lot of sound. One company that provides these speakers is Fender X Teufel. Up for review today is their large Bluetooth speaker, their Rockster Air 2.  MSRP is $599.

 

Features and specs:

Constant Directivity Waveguide helps the sound waves travel farther horizontally, meaning all listeners, whether they're standing to the left or way to the right will be able to enjoy clear trebles and amazingly crisp speech.

Built-in compression driver reaches tones as high as 22 kHz while providing particularly airy, detailed reproduction with excellent efficiency, keeping distortion to a minimum.

Midwoofer along with 32-bit DSP and class-D power amplifier provide particularly natural mid-tones almost on the level of a true 3-way system.

The ROCKSTER AIR 2's true hallmark is clear, tight, deep bass with no artificial overemphasis.

Huge bass reflex ports placed high on the unit minimize flow noise and keep grit and dust out.

XLR output         1

AUX       Yes

Stereo jack 6.3mm - in   1

XLR microphone input   1

Bluetooth           Yes

Bluetooth 5.0    Yes

Bluetooth AAC  Yes

Bluetooth aptX  Yes

USB C    Yes

Bluetooth aptX-HD         Yes

Guitar input       Yes

Android Yes

iOS        Yes

Microsoft           Yes

Battery life at medium volume   58 h

Battery type       Lithium iron phosphate

Power supply voltage     110 V

Powerbank        Yes

Standby-Function            Yes

DJ mixer              Yes

Total power output capacity (RMS)          80 W

Amplifier technology      Class D by Texas Instruments

Tweeter (number per enclosure)              1

Tweeter (material)          Polypropylene

Woofer (number per enclosure) 1

Woofer (material)           Paper

Frequency range             47 - 22000 Hz

Acoustic principle           2-way-system

Enclosure type  Bass reflex

Coverage area   80° (horizontal) x 40° (vertical), Constant Directivity radiation pattern

Tweeter (diameter)        1 in.

Bass driver (diameter)   10 in.

Width   12.7 in.

Height   23.2 in.

Depth   13.5 in.

Weight  31.2 lb.

 

The Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 came in a standard brown box, with printed photos and specs. Unboxing the product showed a well-protected speaker held in place by custom molded Styrofoam. Materials used were mostly plastic with some metal. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the battery pack, power cord, guitar pic, and manual.

 

I love the design of the Fender Teufel Rockstar Air 2. It features a one-inch tweeter mounted in a wide wave guide for wide dispersion. And it also uses a large 10-inch woofer for deep bass and high output. For music it will work with Android, iOS, as well as Windows, with AAC, aptX, and aptX-HD music files. The 80-watt class D amp also provides plenty of power for high output.

 

The Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 also has a lot of connectivity options. To bring music to your party, there is Bluetooth and an Aux input. For performers, there are inputs for both a microphone and guitar. It even has an XLR output. We just got back from Mardi Gras at New Orleans, and saw a lot of street performers. Some were a single person with a mic and guitar: others were a couple performers with singer, guitar and trombone/sax/trumpet player. The Air 2 would work great for performers, or to play music for parties.

 

If that wasn’t enough, the Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 has some additional features. For more playback, if you need even more volume, you can link two Air 2’s together or up to 10 together with XLR cables. The battery is detachable. So while its 58hr run time is massive, you can have a second battery on-hand if needed. The battery can even act as a power bank. So you can connect your smartphone to the USB-C port and use it as a charger. It even has a DJ mixer and 32 bit DSP. And if it’s just a PA you need, this can easily do that too. It’s a great product with excellent features, let’s see how it performs.

 

Michael Jackson- Don’t Stop till you get enough: wood blocks had great woodiness to the tone with great resolution of the cowbell as well. Violins had very good smoothness and texture of the bows across the strings. Trumpets were really clean with excellent harmonics. Vocals also had great resolution of the texture of the timber. Snare drum was dynamic, bass drum was tight, deep and with tons of authority.

Pat Benatar- Heartbreaker: cymbal was crisp and clean, snare was really dynamic. Bass drum was also really dynamic, tight, with excellent punch playing with great authority. Guitar was nice and raw. And the vocals were special. She can really wail, and the resolution of the texture of her vocals came through in spades!

Rush- Tom Sawyer: vocals came out true and were smooth like honey with excellent resolution of the timbre. Guitar came out nice and loud without any coloration from how it should sound. And there was a feast provided by the drummer. Cymbals were crisp and clean, snare was dynamic, toms had excellent pitch definition of the midbass. And kick drum provided excellent kick that was both deep and played with a ton of authority!

Tiesto & Sevenn- Boom: this track is a smorgasbord of bass beats. Beats were multiple levels of tightness. The tight beats were a constant punch to the chest. The deeper beats resonated both my furniture and floor. It hit so hard, played so loud, but was so clean doing so. Wow!

 

I was extremely impressed with the sound quality of the Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2. It’s the biggest of their wireless Bluetooth speakers, and thanks to its German engineering that Teufel is known for, and classic Fender American design that their amps are used to, it rocked hard!! Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, has a ton of instruments, yet they were resolved very well, with very good resolution. Pat Benatar showcased how well vocals can sound, while Rush showed off its midbass performance and great pitch definition. And for you bass heads, Teish & Sevenn with their Boom, showed that the Air 2 can seriously boom! The Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 was aptly named. It rocks hard, and loves to play loud! And for a Bluetooth speaker, it even provided a great sized soundstage that could play both wide and deep.

 

The Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 performed better than expected. It has an excellent design that allows use with multiple instruments, was easy to carry with built-in handles on both sides and on top to carry it. It plays loud and the wave guide worked well for projecting the tweeter. And bass heads will love its bass output. To make it even better, the battery is detachable so you can use extra battery packs for long jam sessions.

 

The Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 proved to be an excellent product. It has some awesome features for multiple different uses. It’s made very well, to provide years of use. And with a MSRP of $599, it is also fairly priced. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Fender X Teufel Rockstar Air 2 has earned our Editor’s Choice Awards. For more info and complete specs, check out its website at www.us.teufelaudio.com.

Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 High Power Shallow Mount Car Subwoofer Review

Not all vehicles have a lot of space for a subwoofer, and my 2017 Nissan Titan King Cab is a perfect example. This is why shallow mount subwoofers were invented: to get bass out of tight spaces. But early iterations left much to be desired. Thanks to advancement in technology, they can now provide excursion, power handling and output similar to a standard subwoofer. Yet it’s still not common.  While it’s not common for shallow mount subwoofers to have this massive performance, they are available from a limited number of manufacturers. One of those few manufacturers is Hertz Audio.  Their Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 is their top-of-the-line shallow mount subwoofer.  MSRP is $550.

 

Features and specs:

Size mm (in.)      300 (12)

Power Handling - Continuous W 500

Power Handling - Peak W             1000

Impedance Ohm             4

Depth mm (in.) 88 (3.46)

Voice Coil Type  single

No Filter Component     Subwoofers

Voice Coil Ø       38 (1.5)

Frequency Response Hz 25 - 400

Magnet size D x d x h mm (in.)    156 x 60 x 36 (6.14 x 2.36 x 1.42)

Weight of one component kg (lb.)            6.64 (14.64)

Magnet High density flux ferrite

Cone     Polypropylene

Xmech mm (in.) 20 (0.79)

Technical Specs

D mm    262.59

Xmax mm           16.80

Re Ohm 3,4

Fs Hz     23

Le mH   3,75

Vas I      62,13

Mms g  320

Cms mm/N         0.15

BL T*m 18.7

Qts        0.42

Qes       0.45

Qms      6.3

Spl dB   85

 

The Hertz Audio came in a color printed box with photos of the subwoofer and its specs. Opening the box revealed a well-protected subwoofer held in place with custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction was aluminum for the cast basket, copper voice coil, cloth spider, polypropylene woofer, and rubber surround. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good.  Also included was the manual, grille, grille removal tool, Allen head screws and bit, and speed clips.  MSRP is $550.

 

I love the design of the Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS S4. It’s an extremely shallow mount deign with a mounting depth of only 3.5 inches!  It’s also just a single voice coil.  The cone is concave with the center cap sticking up and the space of the cavity behind the cap is filled by the magnet as the cone moves back and forth with the music. So when the cone moves back and forth with the suspension, the magnet fills the space right behind the cap.  This allows for very little space needed between the magnet and the top of the cone.  Yet thanks to its smart suspension design, it’s polypropylene cone squeezes out 16.8mm of Xmax! With an Fs of only 23Hz, this woofer is not only designed to move a lot of air, it’ll also play really deep! I can’t wait to see how it performs.

 

The design of the enclosure, size of the enclosure, and where it is located in the vehicle, can all effect how the subwoofer performs.  The test will feature a pair of subs mounted in a sealed enclosure with 0.9 cu feet of airspace for each subwoofer. They will be fed 1,000 watts RMS (500 to each sub) and will be sitting under the back seat of my 2017 Nissan Titan, down firing.  This setup may not be ideal for all subwoofers, but it’s the reality for a lot of vehicle owners. The testing will include measurements for response and output, and listening for sound quality.  Let’s see how it sounds.

 

Queen: Another One Bites The Dust-  bass beats were super clean, and really tight.  It hit really hard, and felt like a punch to the chest.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low-  bass beats were so super clean, and played extremely deep.  They played with such a massive amount of authority.  My rearview mirrors really got dancing.  And when they dropped the booty down low, it was so massive like an earthquake in my truck!

Techmaster PB: Activate-  it played so so deep, and so loud doing so!  It really got my rearview mirror dancing.  My whole truck shook, like an earthquake it was so loud and deep.  I could even feel the SPL pressure build in the cabin.

Also Sprach Zarathustra-  it starts with a constant rumble of super deep bass, from the bows being run across the strings of the massive contra bass.  It was extremely clean. And there was enough resolution that you could actually hear the malets beating on the pad of the big tympani.  This was the musicality and resolution I was looking to hear from Hertz!  And they didn’t disappoint.

 

The Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 was an excellent performer!  No matter what kind of bass was asked to be played, it was true to the source material.  Quick beats were extremely dynamic with great punch, yet deep sustained beats were also well sustained and shook the truck.  Its response was also very linear and had excellent output and flat response down to under 25hz!  And while I was extremely impressed with its output that I got to hit 130db, it was also very musical with great resolution!  After all, if you could get a subwoofer that was excellent in both output and sound quality, why wouldn’t you?

 

The Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS S4 is a special product!  It hit really hard, and sounds great doing so.  It is also extremely unique in having a really low FS, frequency response, and linear response. And thanks to the Xmas as much as standard depth subwoofers, it even plays extremely loud at its published full frequency range.  It’s also very well made to provide years of use.  If you want killer sound quality with high output, the Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 is worth the high price of admission.  Based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.hertz-audio.com.  Reference gear used: Kenwood Excelon Reference DNR-1007XR Receiver, Nakamichi NDST500A 12 Channel DSP 10 Channel amplifier, Wavetech Link 1000.1mini Subwoofer Amp, German Maestro M-Line 3-Way Component System, Alpine Type-X 2-Way Component System, Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS S4 Subwoofer, SoundSkins Dual 12-inch sealed enclosure.

Swann SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell Review

Security products are getting more important to have. Crime rates typically don’t go down. As time goes on, they tend to get worse. It’s not 1950’s Mayberry anymore. Security is especially important as online shopping and Amazon deliveries get more popular. With this, video doorbells have also gotten more popular. Up for review is a video doorbell from Swann, a company known for their security cameras. It’s their SwannBuddy4K.  MSRP is $199.

 

Features and specs:

SwannBuddy4K™ Video Doorbell

Video Resolution: 4K

Viewing Angle: 165° Vertical View

Motion Sensitivity: True Detect Heat-Sensing

PIR Distance: Up to 16ft/5m

Night Vision Distance: Up to 16ft/5m

Memory: Secure Cloud & 32GB Micro SD Card included

Audio: 2 Way Audio – Microphone & Speaker

Audio Range: Up to 16ft/5m

Power Source: Rechargeable 6500mAh Lithium Battery

Battery Recharging: Via USB-C Cable (included) or Connect to Existing Doorbell Wiring

Supported Power: 5V DC / 12-24V AC

Dimensions (WxDxH): 2.1" x 1.25" x 5.5"/ 55mm x 32mm x 140mm

Weight: 7.5oz / 213g

Operating Temperature: 14°F to 122°F/ -10°C to 50°C†

Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor (IP56 rated)

Wi-Fi Frequency: 2.4GHz (wireless range up to 65ft/20m*)

App (iOS & Android™): Swann Security App

SwannShield Voice Assistant: Yes, via App

†  Battery performance may be affected by extreme cold

*  Depending on local conditions & usage rates

 

SwannBuddy4K™ Chime Speaker Unit

Chimes: 6 Options

Power Source: 2 x AA Batteries (included)

Dimensions (WxDxH): 2.6" x 0.98" x 2.6"/ 67mm x 28mm x 67mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 47g

Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor Only

 

The Swann SwannBuddy4K came in a nice color printed box, with photos and specs of the video camera. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product held in place with custom molded paper. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal and rubber. Quality of materials used was very good, as was the fit and finish. It’s a very well-made camera. Also included was the mounting bracket kit, screw, microSD card, charging cable, batteries, manual, and chime unit.

 

I love the loaded with features, yet easy to use design of the SwannBuddy4K video doorbell. The mounting bracket helps make it simple to mount next to your front door, and you can tap into your existing doorbell wiring to power it. The Chime unit mounts inside your home. Once connected you can see and talk to visitors at your door.

 

The Swann SwannBuddy4K is loaded full with video features. It starts with the 4K sensor, to really be able to see in details what is going on at your front door. And after the sun goes down, there’s also night vision, so you can still see what’s going on. But it’s not just video. There’s also a built-in speaker and microphone. This allows you to communicate with those at your door.

 

The functionality doesn’t stop there. Video and audio are recorded on the included microSD card. To make it even easier to view the footage, it can also be recorded on the cloud. Ther’s even an app that you can load into your smartphone, so you can monitor footage as well as communicate with those at your door using your phone. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also no fees to pay!

 

The Swann SwannBuddy4K seems to check all the boxes. For those looking for a 4K video doorbells, it seems to provide all the features we need. It’s well made, provides excellent video and audio features, and multiple ways to access your footage. And unlike many products that require a subscription to a service that has a monthly fee, there’s no fees here. It’s a really exciting product!

 

The included manual was easy to follow, and installation instructions were also easy to follow. All of the hardware needed was also provided. I had to disconnect the chime on my original doorbell. But I liked having the SwannBuddy4K hardwired to power so no recharging is needed. And it also came with a chime. Now that it’s installed, let’s see how it performs.

 

To start, I downloaded the app on my smartphone. This allows me to not only see, but also to talk to visitors on my doorstep. And because it’s through the app, I can see and communicate with visitors even when I’m not home! The 4K sensor allowed me to see my doorstep and front yard with clarity. Even at night in the dark, thanks to the built-in night vision, I was also able to see my porch and front yard in the dark.

 

The app also lets you fully control and update the settings of the SwannBuddy4K.  You can set the video quality, based on your internet speed. You can also set the mic volume, speaker volume, and chime volume.  You can even adjust the sensitivity of the motion detection, and has detection zones.  So you can turn off detection in certain areas.  There’s actually a lot you can do.  The motion sensor is actually extremely sensitive.  So I was glad to be able to turn down the sensitivity.  And when it detected movement, I got a notification on my phone.  And talking to someone at my door, it was as simple as opening the live view, and taping on the image on my phone, and pressing the mic button.  And if anything is going on, you can manually take photos or videos of what it sees. And in the live view, you can not only see in real time what is going on, you can also hear what is going on.

 

The features don’t stop there. Thanks to the built-in heat and motion sensor, pressing the doorbell button was not needed. When heat or movement was detected, it became active and recorded onto the included microSD card and the cloud. And I was able to monitor it on my phone through the app. It can even talk to visitors on your doorstep for you, thanks to the Swann Sheild Voice Assistant.

 

We were very impressed with the Swann SwannBuddy4K. It’s a video doorbell that provides all the functionality you need in a video doorbell. Installation was simple and it also performed in spades. It was also well made to provide years of use. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Swann SwannBuddy4K has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info, check out their website at www.us.swann.com.