Listening Impressions and Conclusion
Passive listening (3.5 mm connector cable)
When using the SINE headphones with the included 3.5 mm stereo cable, rather than the Lightning connector, I noticed two things at one: first, these are far more powerful than one might assume from their size and refined appearance, and second, I needed some very good source material.
This is the issue that anyone might face with high-end headphones; a good amp and source material are necessary for these to sound their best. This is to say that the SINE headphones were able to retreive all of the detail of any of the files I played back. If you don't think you can hear a difference between an MP3 and lossless file of the same music, try these headphones. You'll hear the difference, and you won't want to listen to the MP3 anymore.
The source components I tested with the 3.5 mm cable, ranging from a Nexus 6 smartphone up to a Calyx M digital audio player (DAP), were handling the vital digital-to-analog conversion and amplification. For its part I won’t belabor the experience with the Nexus 6’s audio output, choosing instead to say you’ll want something better as a source for the SINE. These headphones aren’t going to make a poor source sound better; revealing instead the limitations of your equipment (and of course that pesky source material).
In the case of the Calyx M DAP, with its high-end ESS ES9018-K2M Sabre DAC and discrete class-A headphone amplifier onboard, the SINE headphones sounded phenomenal. All of the tropes of an audiophile review could be included here, but I will simply say they sounded incredibly clear and detailed, and had far more bass than I would have expected for their size. The class-A output from the Calyx M provides a slightly warm sound anyway, and with the SINE this was more prominent. What really surprised me, however, was how deep the SINE's could go. It seemed at times that I had a small subwoofer in my head. These would make great gaming/movie headphones!
Digital listening (Cipher Lightning cable)
Audeze is offering quite a bit for the $50 premium that the "Cipher" Lightning cable-equipped version of the SINE requires; considering what you’re actually getting with these. For $50, and if you use an Apple device with a Lightning connector, the SINE's aren't just a pair of headphones – though they certainly still can be via the included 3.5 mm cable. What they become with this special cable is an entire music playback system, minus the source component.
Inline on the Cipher is a large controller for playback and volume, and with this Audeze has integrated a 24-bit DAC and a headphone amplifier. This allows the SINE headphones to take the digital music files – untouched – from your device, and process the sound internally. It's a very interesting idea, and one that's all the more important as we continue to hear rumors of an iPhone sans 3.5 mm connector.
So how did the Cipher cable sound? There was clear differences, as there will be when switching both DAC and headphone amp simultaniously. I found the digital experience to be outstanding on the iPad mini 2 I tested the Cipher cable with, and certainly a better audio experience than just using the iPad's onboard headphone jack. Another advantage of the digital connection is the ability to enjoy high-resolution music, and for this I played with both VLC and VOX for iOS. The 24-bit music I played back sounded great, though I found the sound a little better from my Calyx M DAP with the 3.5 mm cable (go figure, as now we're adding a $1000 source component into the mix).
The Cipher cable can bring an iPhone or iPad significantly better resolution, and the internal amp was up to the task of driving the SINE headphones to loud volumes if required – though I did find the dynamics to be a little compressed the higher up the ladder I went. Bass, which seemed slightly elevated when listening with the 3.5 mm cable, was even more prominent with the Cipher cable. The only issue with this was at higher volume levels, where I felt that some of the lower frequencies (mid bass into lower midrange) lacked a little detail. EQ is your friend here, as I was able to tailor the SINE heaphones to my own preferences using Audeze's app for iOS, which offers a 10-band equalizer.
To be fair, there are other standalone options for portable devices that can accomplish what the Cipher cable does, such as the AudioQuest Dragonfly or the Calyx PaT I reviewed last year. At around $99 each these little devices are pretty inexpensive for what they do, but add to the complexity of your portable setup as well. The appeal of an inline solution is very appealing, though its limitation to Apple products is unfortunate – though not surprising given the market and compatibility differences between Apple and Android.
Conclusion
The Audeze SINE headphones are a beautifully constructed, wonderfully clear and detailed sounding pair of headphones with a surprising amount of bass. They offer a warm overall character, with a bit of emphasis to the bass and lower midrange, but still extract a tremendous amount of detail from all frequencies in my subjective listening tests. They fit securely, and the ear pads are very soft.
As I mentioned, my personal headphones are the Audio Technica ATH-AD700X, and though I love their delicate sound (and very comfortable, light fit), what so impressed me about the SINE headphones was the power with which they could convey music. I was expecting detail from planar magnetic drivers, but Audeze has created a product with a modern sound that can produce the low bass of a full-range home system, while still producing very clear and extended treble.
The option of the Cipher DAC/DSP/Amp cable, which takes the MSRP from $449 to $499, makes these a very different product for anyone using an iOS device, and creates a fantastic all-in-one solution for high-resolution audio playback. Audeze has a very compelling product here for the iPhone owner looking for a premium audio experience, which is reflected in the SINE's availablity at the time of this writing:
"Due to overwhelming demand, we are now backordered. Please be patient – We are making them as fast as we can and we are shipping by oldest order first."
It's a problem I think most companies would love to have. Listening to well-recorded music with the SINE headphones might just temp you into adding to their current back-order, especially if you use an Apple Lightning-connected device.
Always a welcome read, your
Always a welcome read, your audio related reviews, thank you.
On a side note, whats the aperture on that lens you use, i’m guessing its faster than 2.8, right?
Thank you! The lens is the
Thank you! The lens is the AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G (min f/ 22 max f/ 2.8). I get really sharp photos with it in the light box, and nice DoF.
$499? A new notebook costs
$499? A new notebook costs that much, which houses even the most technologically complicated hardware produced by a human – a CPU; and CPU alone costs less than this planar magnetic gimmick. This price is at least unwarranted… You won’t even persuade me that those have an “overwhelming demand” as is noted in the citation… This is just an another one as if “advanced” product that is attempted to be sold at a “cosmic” price with the conviction that it is worth the price.
The disclaimer was quoted due
The disclaimer was quoted due to the fact the product was unavailable for order at the time of writing.
P.S. Tell Magnepan that planar is a gimmick – they've been making their speakers here in the U.S. since 1969. 🙂
I believe that in a blind
I believe that in a blind test you would not have told apart the sound produced by planar magnetic drivers and classic cone ones. My point was that though the planar magnetic drivers differ in construction, such difference is not that dramatic that to justify the price gap between the planar- and the cone-based headphones. I would understand the asked price to be around twice the Audio Technica you possess, but, saint lords, not the drug-influenced $499…
Try it. Planar headphones
Try it. Planar headphones sound quite different to dynamic. Whether you prefer it or not. They are still quite different in sound
Comparing the price of a
Comparing the price of a budget notebook to a pair of high-quality headphones is ridiculous.
Your objection to the price is, well, unrealistic in a world where even dynamics can cost 5 figures ($10,000 U.S. or more). If you are happy spending $100 or less, great, there are decent headphones in that price range these days, but unlike the digital electronics in audio equipment, where spending a grand or more on a DAC and amp is legitimately questionable (at least as far as the playback quality of digital recordings, and not considering additional features or the “fine furniture” appeal), there is legitimate justification for more expensive headphones. I’m not going to say $10K is reasonable for the performance you get, but many headphones under $1K DO justify their price – if, of course, the sound of the music you listen to and games you play is that important to you. If it isn’t that’s fine, but don’t sneer at other people that want – and can hear – a better overall listening experience.
As far as the planar technology being a gimmick – you seriously need to get educated. Planar magnetics are almost universally accepted as being superior to dynamic drivers. (I’m not saying every planar is superior to every dynamic, but a planar driver is essentially superior, and the dynamic headphones that produce a superior sound, at least to some listeners, to the lower cost planars, are more expensive than $500.)
Since you find the price of these exorbitant at $500, there is no point in mentioning electrostatic headphones. Oh wait, I just did. 😀
Hi, I based my comparison on
Hi, I based my comparison on the production complexity of a CPU and a planar magnetic driver, and the logic why I don’t find it ridiculous is the following: since it is easier to produce the latter, how can a pair of drivers cost on a par with something that has billions of USD put into R&D every year? Production of a driver is not such an advanced endeavour as the production of a chip is.
I think “gimmick” was not the proper word to choose. Planar drivers are claimed to produce lower distortion in the output sound, so on that point they are superior to dynamic ones.
As a finishing remark, thanks for pointing out the electrostatic headphones, since I was not aware of their existence. Claims have it they figuratively don’t create any distortion in sound at all – a new level of purity beyond the planar drivers. Will a human ear ever notice that? – Though a mind definitely will.
It’s an economy of scale.
It’s an economy of scale. There are lots more CPUs sold than planar magnetic drivers, and therefore, there is a large infrastructure in place to produce them. Also, you are comparing a component to a finished product. For $500, you get the whole headphone, not just the driver, which is about the cheapest you’ll see for a planar can.
Furthermore, a planar magnetic driver is exceedingly delicate… the metallic path on its surface is thinner than a human hair. There is a cost associated with handling such things, particularly in a scale in which not everything can be automated, such as it is with microchip production.
If we priced things by the complexity of their production, a track on iTunes would not be 1/3 the cost of a box of toothpicks.
Did they do double blind
Did they do double blind test?
Way too overpriced, I’d
Way too overpriced, I’d rather the sony mdz7 if going over 500$ for headphones
Never understood why they
Never understood why they needed a 24bit DAC anyway. No one will ever listen to something when it’s amplified that loud for the noise quanta to be detectable.
Obviously in music production multiple files means the noise will add up.
But yh the quality of production matters. If there’s clipping or just some background noise it sucks.
I mean these are modern planar drivers they were always going to have strong bass.
Compared to the opportunity pm3 I believe some people find these a bit too forward compared to the oppo’s laid back nature. Some people prefer to have the music presented a bit more relaxed and darker when travelling
Oppo*
Oppo*
Would recommend an OPPO ha-2
Would recommend an OPPO ha-2 instead of a dap so you can pair that with your phone. It uses the same dac (I believe so), with pretty good circuitry and a slightly warm amp
I have the Oppo ha-2, sadly I
I have the Oppo ha-2, sadly I have a windows phone with a USB C connector so I can’t fully use the DAC or use to charge my phone when it gets low. That said it does a nice job with giving my cans the power to preform while chillin on my deck.
Works great with these
beyerdynamic T-90
Sennheiser HD 650
Not perfect but just enough to enjoy
Sennheiser HD 800
Enjoying the headphone
Enjoying the headphone reviews as they are one of my passions. If you get a chance how about the Sennheiser HD 800s vs the HD 800, do I really want to upgrade? 🙂