Brainwavz B200 earbuds sound, and feel, better than AirPods [Review]

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The Brainwavz Audio B200 earbuds are some of the best around, even with a few compromises.
Some of the best earbuds around, even with a few compromises.
Photo: Brainwavz Audio

Looking for a new set of earbuds for the summer? Brainwavz Audio’s B200 earbuds deliver high-fidelity audio with impressive clarity and detail. Plus, their over-the-ear design won’t frustrate you by falling out.

Yes, picking these earbuds over AirPods means making a couple of big compromises. But after a few weeks of testing, these audiophile-grade earbuds won me over with their superior sound.

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Brainwavz B200 review: Incredibly comfortable, awesome audio

Everything that comes in the Brainwavz B200 box.
Everything that comes in the Brainwavz B200 box.
Photo: Brainwavz Audio

OK, let’s get the obvious negative out of the way up front: Yes, these are wired earbuds. And, yes, they connect via a 3.5mm headphone jack. That’s the port Apple ditched with the iPhone 7, meaning you might need a dongle to use these earbuds with your phone. Compared to the likes of Apple’s AirPods, the Brainwavz B200 earbuds therefore immediately feel old. It’s like the reviews for new VHS players when most people had already switched over to DVD.

Visually, they’re reasonably appealing. You won’t get people staring on the street at their chic design, but they look attractive enough.

The earbuds have kidney bean-shaped bodies attached to a soft foam earpiece. It’s not a futuristic design like Apple’s sleek AirPods (which I’m still not convinced are Jony Ive’s greatest creations). But the B200s are not ugly. In fact, given that they are a bit bulkier than the rounded AirPods, they’re actually pretty attractive.

That comfortable form factor loops over your ear to secure the earbuds, which sit comfortably in your ears thanks to that soft foam nozzle. (The Brainwavz earbuds come with multiple foam tips so you can customize the fit.)

And when I say “comfortable,” I mean it. These are some of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever worn. The over-the-ear design means they won’t fall out, either, regardless of what you’re doing.

They connect to your device using an included cable with a durable, rubberized coating. The earbuds come in a snug, red-and-black carry case, which contains a couple of pockets and a packet of different-size earbud tips. That’s a nice touch!

Brainwavz B200: All about that bass (and treble)

B200
One of the best sets of earbuds I’ve used in ages.
Photo: Brainwavz Audio

Of course, you can dress this up with aesthetics all you want. The real question here is how do the Brainwavz earbuds sound?

And the answer is: fantastic.

I was seriously impressed by the Brainwavz B200 in-ear earphones. With dual-balanced armature drivers, these earbuds are intended for audiophiles. Tossing out that term is like throwing down a gauntlet — especially for earbuds as light and small as these.

But I was more than won over. The B200s sound balanced and smooth (much better than AirPods, in my opinion). I was completely satisfied with the Brainwavz earphones performance across a range of different musical genres.

Mids sound the best, so if you’re a fan of singer-songwriter music, you’ll probably get the maximum out of them. But even bass-heavy hip-hop tracks — which typically sound way too bassy or not bassy enough on most headphones — sounded crisp.

You may not get the thump of some rivals, but you won’t get a muddy bass sound, either. Ysimiou’ll hear a surprising amount of texture, whether listening to rap, classical or rock.

Recommending earbuds is tricky, given that everyone wants something slightly different. You don’t get the bells and whistles of Apple’s AirPods, but you probably get a more comfortable, enjoyable listening experience. Factor in the $119.50 list price, and these are really well worth adding to your collection. Highly recommended.

Buy from: Amazon

Brainwavz provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy and check out more stuff we recommend.

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