PHB EM-023 Review – The WiFi Earphone
Pros — Extremely smooth and mature sound with great detail resolution; huge accessories package incl. two cables.
Cons — Yet another Campfire Andromeda lookalike; not for extended-treble fans.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The PHB EM-023 is a very clean and refined sounding 2+2 hybrid that once again raises the bar in the low-priced Chifi category. It will please treble-sensitive listeners who like a warm, bright, and smooth sound underlain by a healthy, controlled bass as well as those who appreciate a generous accessories package.
DISCLAIMER
I once again purchased the PHB EM-023 from the NiceHCK Audio Store for $0.10 for the purpose of this review. Thanks, Jim NiceHCK, for the discount (is NiceHCK really your surname, Jimbo?)! As always, I tested the PHB EM-023 across a section of music that broadly covers the frequency spectrum, including natural sounds generated by voices and orchestral instruments…and for many hours.
INTRODUCTION
The price of an earphone appears to be broadly correlated with the number of drivers – at least in the high-end segment. The opposite appears to be the case in the low-price category, where additional drivers are consistently added while the $$$ melt away. Until recently, there was a sharply defined $15–30 single to dual dynamic driver (DD) area, and another one with additional balanced armature (BA) drivers at or above $50…with some exceptions. Most recently, a new generation of competent four-driver hybrids has nested in the previously largely orphaned $30–40 segment. Reviewers have praised one of them, the TRN V80, uniformly. The PHB EM-023 is another contender in this segment. Shenzhen PHB Technology Co., Ltd. has existed since March 2008.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Price (at the time of the review): $39
- Product Name: Original PHB EM-023 In-Ear Metal Earphone
- Earphone Type: In-ear
- Impedance: 13Ω
- Earphone Sensitivity: 105 ±5 dB/mW
- Frequency Range: 20-40000Hz
- Interface: 3.5mm Gilded Plug
- Type: Line curved
- Cables: 2 pcs MMCX cable (one with wic, one without mic)
- Cable Length: 1.2m±3cm
- Colors: Green, Red, Silver
- Earphone Interface: MMCX connector
- Driver Unit: 2BA+2DD hybrid driver unit
- Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audio Store
PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES
The black box contains a lot of goodies: first, the earpieces come in their own round tin case. But removing the foam insert disappoints: the rather thin-walled case is not padded and therefore unsuited for storage until you “mod” it. A grey bag of rather stiff velvety material serves as official earphone storage. Two standard-quality MMCX cables are included, a black one of high-purity copper (with a one-button microphone), and a silver-plated one (without). Both feature a chin slider. There are two sets of (S/M/L) rubber tips, one black (narrow bore), one grey (wide bore), and one pair of foam tips. A shirt clip, warranty card, and manual including frequency response graph (see below) complement the package. No complaints here.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, HAPTIC, AND BUILD QUALITY
See KZ ZS6. Vents on the faceplate that are arranged to resemble the WiFi logo distinguish the PHB EM-023. Allegedly, the PHB EM-023 is referred to as the “WiFi earphone” in Japan.
ERGONOMICS, COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT
Same as the KZ ZS6. Fit and comfort are hit and miss, depending on individual ear shapes.
SOURCE AND EARTIPS
I used the iPhone 5S and the black, included copper cable for the most part (I could not hear a difference between the copper and silver cables). The large grey, wide-bore tips worked for me (I did not try the narrow bore ones which should increase bass and reduce treble somewhat).
TONALITY
The PHB EM-023 is a smooth, warm and bright sounding, upper-midrange-focused and treble-light hybrid. It has a smooth frequency response that is essentially as flat as a board from the sub bass into the midrange (although slightly forward tilted). The curve visualizes the completely fatigue-free sound. This hybrid sounds as close to analog as it gets…if you take this statement with a grain of salt. I found the tonality initially unexciting, but after a brain-break-in it grew on me – and quite a bit.
The bass is well controlled and composed, but never sharp, not the most powerful and also not the fastest, but with a bit of silk woven in to make it non-intrusive: it creeps nicely up on you and the slightly elevated upper bass/lower midrange adds warmth and clarity to the presentation. The bass is not as dynamic and textured as in the TRN V80, for example, but well extended into the sub bass. In some tracks, it can sound a bit dull. The bass does not leak into the midrange but is rather supporting it.
The mids are smooth, warm, and the lower mids are slightly recessed. Voices could be a bit fuller but this slight lack adds sense of space. The elevated upper midrange gives the vocals presence.
The treble is smooth – very smooth – with no pierce or sibilance owing to a dip in the frequency response curve between 2.5 and 9 kHz. A secondary peak at 15 kHz adds some clarity and lightness. A bonus for treble-sensitive listeners at the expensive of overall clarity.
Soundstage is wider than deep and amazingly accurate; detail resolution, separation and layering are very good. I often felt I was sitting in the room with the band.
SELECT COMPARISONS
TRN V80 (~38): The V80 is another latest-generation 2 DD + 2 BA earphone populating the $30–40 segment. If you want to know which one is better, the V80 or the PHB EM-023, then I have to disappoint you: both play in the same league and you have to read the detailed reviews across the board to make up your mind which one is for you…having both would be a side grade. The V80 has the more textured and powerful bass, more organic, present vocals, and a more aggressive treble. Its overall presentation is more dynamic and the timbre more natural. The PHB EM-023 plays generally smoother from the bass up with a more cohesive presentation. Mids are a bit brighter and less full. Soundstage may be wider but not as deep than in the V80. Both have a similarly good threedimensionality.
KZ ZS6 (~$38): The ZS6 was the first low-priced 2 DD + 2 BA earphone that started the gala in this category. The presentation is more intimate (voices are more forward) but also somewhat harsher (with the infamous sharp 9 kHz peak that is piercing to some) and clearer than the PHB EM-023 (because of its 14 kHz peak). The bass is less extended in the ZS6 but the treble (much) more. The PHB EM-023 sounds rounder, warmer, and more homogeneous with and a warmer and more powerful bass that adds more depth. It has a more natural timbre. Voices are also warmer and richer. Call the ZS6 technically more capable and the PHB EM-023 more relaxing.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Here we are at the next stage in the race for the perfect low-priced hybrid, which are getting more impressive by the day. The PHB EM-023 joins the ranks of the TRN V80 and the already classic KZ ZS6 in cementing a new, cheaper segment of four-driver hybrids slipping below the $40 mark.
The PHB EM-023 could be for you, if you don’t own a Campfire Andromeda look-alike. It could be for you, if you like a smooth sound after a hard day. It could be for you if you want a bang for your buck. It could be for you if you…just want them all.
The PHB EM-023 is simply yet another really good sounding and crowd-pleasing new-generation 2+2 hybrid that makes us appetite for the years to come. Nobody will be disappointed by it.
You can buy it from the from NiceHCK Audio Store.
