Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsSoulful, Relaxed, and Pleasant... but most of all COMFORTABLE!
Reviewed in the United States šŗšø on December 28, 2018
Simply put ...these are worth owning if youāre looking for a super comfortable wired earbud with pretty good sound for the price. Here are details:
Comfort: 5/5 ...I found these to be some of the most comfortable earbuds that I have ever worn and they come with a great selection of custom ābellā shaped silicone tips that seem excellent. They are intended to be worn down, rather than over the ear, so keep that in mind. I wouldnāt wear them for intense workouts, but theyād be fine for walking around, commuting, or office use.
Sound: 4/5 ...The earbuds present a pleasant and relaxing listening experience that is a bit āUā shaped. I would compare it directly to Beyerdynamicās DT770 sound signature, but in a much smaller package, so if you like those then I think youāll be probably be happy with the Soul Byrds. Their low end is excellent (5/5) and if you like bass youāre unlikely to be disappointed. Their midrange is good (4/5), but I think itās a bit reserved. Their highs (4/5) are also fairly clear without being particularly sibilant or sharp. Again, the overall sound experience is laid back and should allow for long, non fatiguing listening sessions with all sorts of music. However, if youāre looking for super hi-res clarity or a mid/high focused sound signature then these may not be for you.
Isolation: 4/5 ...These block most outside noises, but not everything. As a result they also leak a tiny amount of sound, but nothing that most people would notice unless theyāre right next to you in a perfectly silent environment.
Additional Notes: ...The Soul Byrds come with an excellent little leather-like, zippered, carrying case, about the size of a wallet, which is a nice touch. I havenāt had a chance to test the inline mic, so I canāt really comment on that yet. The cable is nice though, itās round and doesnāt seem to tangle easily, which is thoughtful and each earbud is also clearly labeled. Beyerdynamicās attention to detail seems really good.
Direct Comparisons:
Soul Byrd vs the Focal Sphear Earbuds ...simply save yourself the time and forget the Focals. Although the Sphears are comfortable to wear they sound awful due to their sharp, piercing, and painful highs, which is why I had to return my pair. I canāt imagine anyone enjoying the Focalās sound signature (Iām not sure how theyāre getting any good reviews) and Iām frankly surprised Focal would offer up such sonic garbage, given their other outstanding headphones. There is a reason the Sphears are 50% off!
Soul Byrd vs Klipsch R6i ...this was close, but I had to go with the Soul Byrds, due to their fit and comfort. I simply couldnāt get the Klipsch R6i to seal correctly and they kept popping loose in my ears. If I held the Klipsch in place though, they did produce excellent soundā¦ very similar to the Soul Byrds, but with more mids and greater clarity. If someone could get the R6i to stay in their ears and achieve a good seal then I could see them being superior.
Soul Byrd vs Bose Soundsport ...the Bose probably have greater clarity in their mids and highs, but I found them to be significantly less comfortable, so the Soul Byrds win again. Also the Bose arenāt designed to seal or isolate at all, so they leak a tremendous amount of sound and let in the noise from your surrounding environment, which I didnāt like, because it really killed the presentation of the music and my immersion in it. I can see the use case, if you want/need to be aware of the sounds around you, but most people want some sort of noise isolation from their earbuds and the Bose Soundsport have NONE.
