Brainwavz R3 Revised Edition Quick Review

Brainwavz R3 Revised Edition Quick Review

Thanks to mp4nation for the sample.

Brief:  Brainwavz do an epically scaled dual dynamic, now without that horrid memory wire.

Price:  £77 or US$130 or €97

Specification:  Transducers/Drivers: Dual Dynamic, 10mm, Crossover: Passive, Rated Impedance: 32ohms, Sensitivity: 95dB at 1mW, Frequency range: 20Hz ~ 20KHz,   Maximum input power:  2mW, Cable length: 1.4m, Y cord, OFC Copper, professional grade memory cable., Plug: 3.5mm gold plated, 45 degree., 24 month warranty.

Accessories:  1 x Comply foam T-series tip 6 x Silicone tips 1 x Bi-Flage tip 1 x Tri-Flange tip 1 x 6.3mm to 3.5mm audio adapter 1 x Airplane adapter 1 x Earphone carrying case 1 x Instruction manual

Build Quality:  Metal and fairly hefty.  The cable too looks very substantial.

Isolation:  Fairly reasonable.  Enough to get you killed or for day to day use, but you know, it’s still a dynamic so not flight to New Zealand levels of isolation.

Comfort/Fit:  They look like monsters but seem to actually fit everyone rather well.  This one hasn't that horrid memory wire so getting a fit is much better but...... it still has a rubbery ear guide thing I could have done without.  On the whole it’s tolerable.  Comfort was absolutely fine.

Aesthetics:  These things look huge, and frankly, they look weird.  Not bad, just weird.

Sound:  Huuuuuuuggggggeeeeeeeeeeee. These have such a soft, delicate, airy wondrous quality to them.  The sound stage is vast; the distance these convey is just superb and remind me of the RE-252 and its weird endless sense of distance.  These do open and delicate just utterly superbly.  This sort of sound really, really is one I found grew on me.  At first it’s so incredibly unassuming.  It’s near flavourless, unexciting, mild and a tad boring.  Then you grow accustomed to its just playing what’s there, mellowing any abrasiveness and letting the most sweet and delicate details come into view.  The bass is a tad inflated, and its depth isn’t stellar but it’s so composed and refined.  The highs are for this price the most refined and delicately beautiful live heard in a long, long time. (Since the RE-0 was cut to US$100)   Then the mids, all that openness and air, the space, it’s all so very detailed and so very, very subtle about everything.  I find myself growing to adore the mids here. I very, VERY much like it.

The flip side of all this is, its not a thrill machine.  The bass isn’t thumping, the highs aren’t crispy, nor do they hurl detail at you.  The mid’s don’t leap out and scream party.  Horses for courses and all that.

Value:  If you like this sound style, superb.  It’s not an “all-rounder” though so some won’t love it the way I do.  Also there is lots of other great stuff at this price bracket.  However it is the one that would get my money, I like it exceedingly much.

Pro’s:   Oh it’s so sumptuously and delicately beautiful. Soundstage and scale.

Con’s:  If you want a V shaped party beast this is not it.