ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
With some skepticism, I brought home a pair of H3s yesterday. The first problem is you cannot really trial them in the store because nobody really wants to share earwax with strangers (or even loved ones ). Therefore, you must buy to try... so I did - I felt sorry for my dealer as it has been a few years since I bought anything from him.
I didn't think I really needed a pair - I have a reasonable set of passive noise cancellation earbuds from Shure (don't recall the exact model, but I think I paid ~$150 for them a few years ago) for air travel, and a pair of A8s that I prefer for most other times. I never really loved the Shures, they are adequate for the airplane, but don't "sparkle" like the A8s so, I thought that ,maybe, the H3s (if they have some level of passive noise reduction) can replace both (and I only have to carry one set rather than 2 - yes, those of us with the Beovirus can justify practically anything).
At first I was underwhelmed, but that was because I didn't have the properly sized ear plug attached. Once I got them fitted correctly, they got much better. I spent much of the afternoon switching between the 3 sets and listening to a wide variety of music through my BS2 (yes, I still have one, and I still like it), my windows phone and my wife's iPhone. Clearly, one cannot blind test... but here are my thoughts.
It is hard to compare them to the A8s because the A8s sit outside your ear (unless you really push them in) and even then there's no "seal" whereas the H3s are sealed in your ear so they sound different right out of the gate and there is no way to compensate for this. It turns to a matter of preference, and I prefer the H3s. Their bass is better (not hard to believe), and their mids and highs very similar (and maybe more accurate vs. "sparkly"). They are definitely easier to put on/take off, don't interfere with your glasses and are lighter so I find them more comfortable. I can also lay on my side and the phones don't dig into my head (like the other two do). However, there are still times that I think I like to hear my surroundings better so I don't think I'm going to get rid of the A8s, but they will probably no longer by my constant travel companion.
I like them much better than the Shure's, and they seem to have a reasonable level of passive noise isolation. I haven't tried them on a plane yet so the jury is still out as whether I'll be able to leave the Shure's home. I should know soon.
As to their "Bang and Olufsen-ness", in fairness, there's not a lot that you can do with such a tiny device, and that is one of their strengths - small = light and comfortable. They are made from aluminum and I think there is also aluminum around the plug. The carrying case is nothing special (leather-ette with an enclosed plastic spool to wind the cord and indents to protect the buds), but is better than the Shure and A8s... unless you must have leather.
The cord is the thinnest of the 3, but, oddly, it doesn't feel flimsy to me - the A8s always had a really thin cord, and these have lasted me > 10 yrs so I'm not so worried... I hope B&O has done this right. Also, a thick cord is not always desirable. My Shure's have a nice thick cord, but I find it annoying at times because it is heavy enough to drag down on the earbuds and does negatively impact the long term (i.e. coast-to-coast) comfort...
Value for the money? It's B&O so the first reaction is no, but, to be fair, only time will tell... when I bought my BS2 + A8s, I thought it was an exorbitant sum... however, it has served me well for +10 yrs while my kids and wife have chased the Apple so, relative to that, they were quite cheap.
I don't know how they compare to other $250 ear buds as I don't have any, and you must buy ear buds to try them so that kind of limits the options. However, I'm quite pleased with the purchase so far...
Stan
Excellent review. If they last 10 years like your past pair of head phones worth the money.
Take a long hard look at the TDK MT300's, and especially the packaging and then tell me they are worth twice that of the 8's and Form 2's.
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
Glad your loving your H3's!!! I love mine as well!!
I'm still don't understand the packaging stand point though. They come well packaged for a pair of earphones. I surely don't pay more for an item because it's packaged better than another item. I really don't think most people will keep a earphone packaging anyway after it has been confirmed they will not return it, unlike other items B&O sells (9000 Box). Furthermore the A8 and Form 2 boxes until recently were barely more then folded cardboard, so this is a big step in the right direction I think. Bose and Beat boxes are nowhere close to being of any quality for their respective prices.
Ah, you know... A little B&O here, a little there
To each his own I suppose.
Here in the States, the H3s ($249) are not twice the price of the A8s ($165) (but, yes, more than twice the form2 ($105). The form2s don't fit my head so, to me, it doesn't matter how they sound. Are the H3s $84 better than the A8s? Hard to put a dollar amount on incremental improvements... I'll tell you in 10 years .
Stan: To each his own I suppose. Here in the States, the H3s ($249) are not twice the price of the A8s ($165) (but, yes, more than twice the form2 ($105). The form2s don't fit my head so, to me, it doesn't matter how they sound. Are the H3s $84 better than the A8s? Hard to put a dollar amount on incremental improvements... I'll tell you in 10 years . Stan
Stan, NIce review. Thanks. I noticed the H3s are available on Amazon. I am going to get a pair but have not decided on the color.
I think they are worth the extra amount when it comes to the sound quality. I loved my A8's and still do, but there is no denying the audio improvements in the H3. I first went to the A8 because they were one of the few earphones that would fall off my head when I worked out and they sounds great as well. I was a bit scared of jumping to the H3 because of this reason. Once I got my pair I immediately went running. They stayed on and sounded that much better!! Couldn't be happier overall.
Good review - no, great review, thank you
Stan:The first problem is you cannot really trial them in the store because nobody really wants to share earwax with strangers (or even loved ones)
I know what you mean !
In the store on Sunday I took one look at the residue on their demo H3s and said "no thanks!"
But I did try the H5 H6 (I don't know where I got H5 from!) ... which had the advantage of blocking out the conversation between SWMBO and the dealer
I find my coloured A8s do sit comfortably anymore - the original black ones still do, but after 10 years the are ageing and feel they will come apart one day. I must say that the rubber plugs did tempt me, and your review has probably swung me over.
BeoNut since '75
Note that here in the States and possibly elsewhere, the H3s come with a 2 year warranty. However, if you register your product on-line (http://www.beoplay.com/Register), they give you another year. I don't know if this is some kind of introductory deal, or only applies to North America, but if you should buy, make sure to check this out.
Stan:It is hard to compare them to the A8s because the A8s sit outside your ear (unless you really push them in) and even then there's no "seal......................."
I believe a lot of "poor bass" complaints about the A8's are related to not getting a seal in the ear. If you get a proper seal using the foam overpads provided then they have a good, "tight" bass which gives a really quite good overall balance. I've noticed people on planes with them barely perched in the ear and wonder what on earth they think of them, especially in-flight as their noise isolation is very poor, even if a proper seal is achieved.
Ban boring signatures!
I have now owned both the H3's and some B&W C5's, and I'm afraid to say the C5's knock the spots off the H3's.
The cabling is a quality you would expect from these manufacturers, albeit the C5's are £50 less! Their sound reproduction convinces you it really was worth the extra money. And that's important.
All my other earphones be it my new free Apple ones or my old 8's often had to be played so the volume strayed into the amber and red band for volume. The all round play back on the C5's is so good, they never left me wanting more than a just a normal volume setting.
This is just my observation, and as you all know I'm a big B&O fan so I'm not here trolling sixth form nonsense. But when I'm spending so much money and I know it's all relative, I want a certain amount of delivery in return. The C5's delivered.