$329
Frequency response: 20Hz to 16,000Hz; impedance: 18 ohms; driver size: 10.8mm
The BeoPlay H3 earphones pack premium touches everywhere, but you will have to look closely to spot them.
It starts with the jointless construction of the body. Designed by
one of Denmark's most recognised industrial designers, Mr Jakob Wagner,
the H3's body is crafted from a single block of aluminium.
It has a classy anodised finish and is available in four colour
options. The review unit, which came in lustrous gold, looks terrific
under indirect light.
You may also notice a circular array of 23 tiny ventilation holes on
the body. Not only are they visually striking, but they also help the
earphones deliver an open soundstage.
Indeed, I found the H3 to be spacious-sounding. While not as open
sounding as the superb Sony XBA-A2, the H3 has a fuller sound that is
warmer and brighter. This makes it a good partner with acoustic music
and vocal-driven tracks. With Cosmic Love by indie-pop band Florence
& The Machine, it did a great job of highlighting the vocals and
strings.
Bass quality is tight and well-controlled, although those into dance and hip hop music may find the amount of bass lacking.
In terms of wearability, the H3 is as comfortable as they come.
Lighter than the XBA-A2 at 16g and more compact, it is comfortable
enough that you might forget that you are wearing it.
The carrying case that is included is pretty nifty too. You can wind
the H3's cable around its body and it is small enough to be easily
carried around in your back pocket.
- Another excellent all-rounder. It narrowly loses out to the XBA-A2
in terms of sound quality, but the BeoPlay H3 makes up for it with its
impeccable design and build quality.
