Page 3 - Subjective Audio Analysis
Reviewing audio devices requires highly trained ears, extensive experience, and sufficient technical knowledge. Even for the experienced evaluator, it may be difficult at times to accurately evaluate a product without using a reference product that they are thoroughly familiar with. Furthermore, the effects of false advertising and placebo may influence inexperienced listeners to be biased in their write-ups. While I am not going to even try to claim that I am the only trustworthy or best evaluator for sound, it is true that most audio equipment review sites have editors who are insufficiently trained. Any device they evaluate always tends towards the same "good bass, nice midrange, awesome treble, really clear sound, 10/10". While there are many knowledgeable audio reviewers at various respected online media outlets, they are by far the minority.
When it comes to audio devices, there are really no true objective measurements for sound quality. As the evaluator, I will put it through a series of subjective tests to try to come up with the most objective rating possible. Yes, it sounds like a paradox. All audio tests were performed using songs from Spotify with audio streaming quality set to Very High. The earbuds have well over 24 hours of burn-in, and were connected to my Pixel 7 through Bluetooth 5.3 on AAC for the test.
Starting with the bass range, the sub-bass frequencies are quite weak due to the physical limitations of open earbuds. As we move up to the middle and upper bass, the frequencies become more pronounced. Bass guitars come through quite well when played in the middle bass and above. Songs that rely on kick drums in the sub-bass range suffer a blow to their energy. The bass as a whole, where it is heard, is smooth, sturdy, punchy, and defined.
The midrange is where the S70 is beyond what you would expect. I found it to be natural and clear for the price range it occupies. Vocals, especially baritone voices, are full, resonant, and warm. The earbuds are also able to capture the richness and warmth of brass instruments quite well. The wood resonance of instruments such as violins and pianos can be heard. The harmonics and overtones are well-saturated throughout the midrange, contributing to the fullness of this range.
The treble range is clean and clear, but a little bit weak and recessed. The cymbals are crisp, but a little dry with a slight hint of clashiness. Sibilance is well-controlled and does not sound harsh or piercing. The downside of reducing sibilance is that the harmonics and overtones that contribute to bright and defined vocals are also reduced. It is acceptable overall, but could benefit from a boost to this range by thickening the sound and improving its energy and brightness.
The soundstage is decently wide and deep with accurate imaging. It is what you would expect for something of this size and configuration. There is a good separation between instruments of different frequencies. The layering is decent. The midrange is usually crowded, since most instruments fall in this range, but I was still able to distinguish between each instrument with some focused effort. These factors together create good musicality and cohesiveness in the listening experience. When listening to orchestral music, I can feel that the instruments are around me and not all coming from one spot. Most of the instrument sections are well-defined and clear. However, it loses some of the energy that is provided by the bass sections. Due to the nature of the earbuds being open, they also lose some of the natural reverb of a concert hall captured in the recording.
Being open earbuds, the S70 does leak sound into the environment. At 50%, the audio does not leak too far. However, once the volume reaches about 80%, the sound will be heard by whoever is around even in busy areas. At 100% volume, there is no obvious detectable distortion. When audio is paused, there are about 1 to 2 seconds of light static noise, but it is only really noticeable in quiet spaces. When listening to music at low volume, it can also be heard under the same conditions. When listening to podcasts with no background music, there is a light buzzing sound that is heard whenever someone talks. This buzz does not get drowned out by turning up the volume, which I found to take away from the calming listening experience of podcasts.
When connecting to the phone, there is no noticeable latency. The same is true when gaming on the computer even with low-latency mode turned off.
The first audio clip is me testing the microphone inside my bedroom. It was able to record my voice very clearly. It did pick up quite a bit of echo, which was expected due to the microphone location. In the second audio clip, I was walking outside. The voice is a little more muffled, but still pretty clear. I also conducted a phone call test while I was at the gym. The person I was calling said they were able to hear the sound of gym equipment and music, but my voice came through very clearly despite the noise.
The manufacturer tested the earbuds to have a playtime of 12 hours on the AAC audio codec at 50% volume. During my testing, I used the same settings and got 10.5 hours of playtime. I would say the discrepancy is reasonable, because many factors beyond our control can affect the battery life. With the case, the playtime is said to increase to 40 hours. The earbuds take 80 minutes to charge fully, while the case itself takes 120 minutes. The case also features fast charging, which is stated to have 2 hours of use for every 5 minutes of charging. The rated wireless range for these earbuds is 10m, but during my test, I was able to get 85m with a clear line of sight.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
