An EDM Lover’s Guide to Personal Audio
Whether you get your thrills in the crowd, onstage, or back at the studio, there is a headphone and/or earphone that offers a captivating, state-of-the-art experience. In this EDM lover’s guide to personal audio, we’ll highlight portable, personal audio gear for recreational, performance and production purposes.
Choosing casual gear has a lot in common with how you approach festival season. There is a headphone/earphone to suit every sound signature, whether you’re the type who wants to stand front-and-center at the stage, hug the subs, or just run around the grounds socializing. Let’s look at some easily portable options to unlock the full energy of your favorite tracks.
First, a quick word on fit and function: This specific guide features all earphones, and getting the most out of a pair is reliant on establishing an airtight seal in the ear canal. Every quality earphone will come with multiple tips (most often silicone and foam options), and you should audition different sizes and types until you find the right one for each ear, which may not be the same size. The truly obsessive can further improve the experience for very little money by seeking out third-party options, such as SpinFit and JVC Spiral Dot earpieces, as the diameter and material of the bore affects frequency response.
The best gear offers those synergistic moments when the physical and analytical facets of sound reproduction merge into a singular experience. It’s when music isn’t just on or off, more or less; it’s a topography of vivid emotions you can’t wait to thoroughly survey. Manufacturers use different means to render this sense of macro detail and depth of focus, and in the case of the PSB M4U 4 ($299), it is through a two-way hybrid system of dynamic and balanced armature drivers. What this means is that a tiny, moving coil speaker is dedicated to low-frequency pump, while a delicate, pivoting plate manipulates a diaphragm for high-end details. Both are packed in a lightweight, low-profile bean that inserts deeply and securely, with the cable going over and behind the ear.
Tuned to exhibit RoomFeel—a frequency-response curve developed by Canadian designers PSB Speakers to simulate the sound of speakers in a natural environment—the M4U 4 offers an effortless, open-air groove. And that goal of spacious, realistic sound is realized with precise and warm, though not plunging, bass. The expansive presentation puts you in the back row as the entire soundscape spreads before you with pinpoint imaging.
If you’re looking to move into the first few rows, turn your attention to the Focal Sphear ($149), another offering from a speaker company. Using a single 10.8mm electrodynamic Mylar driver with ported bass-reflex system, the Sphear’s acoustic signature is also natural, but with more rubbery bass response and enriched harmonics. Treble is crisp, and midrange is both fluid and weighty, even when the bass booms. Percussion remains punchy, sizzling at times, balancing the Sphear’s ability to push serious air. And all this agility comes in an infinitely wearable package.
Beyond its nuance-saturated sound, the Sphear’s standout feature is its comfort. A spherical, stainless steel-accented body fits snugly with the weight placed on the outside of the ear, relieving the stress point that can build up with some in-ear monitors. Cords are worn down along the chest, yet the Sphear never feels likely to come loose, and rumble is admirably delivered even when insertion and isolation isn’t the deepest. The look, clarity and experience are, in a word, polished, with only the occasional bright treble splash.
The Sphear offers high resolution, while a sidestep closer to the speakers brings you to the V-MODA Zn ($179), which is all about high energy. Boasting 8mm drivers and custom acoustic filters with an extended 2-25,000 Hz frequency response, the Zn can make your jaw wobble. V-MODA—which has established itself as a fashion-forward designer of headphones that balance accuracy and swagger—here produces a resonant, distortion-free, durable in-ear option that kicks like a mule.
Despite being crafted partially from metal—zinc, hence the periodic table-themed name—the Zn is lightweight and the cord, which hangs down, has a Kevlar sheath that resists tangling. So, while you might not notice the Zn exerting pressure on your ear, it certainly does so in your ear. The end result is enveloping. Impact doesn’t muddy the midrange, so vocals retain coherence and details are retrieved, but treble drops off before anything harsh. And did I mention the bass presence? The Zn is all about immediacy.
Only one earphone musters more sub-bass extension yet delivers it tautly and smoothly: the Future Sonics Spectrum Series G10 ($199). Designed by a company that pioneered in-ears for live performers, the highly isolating G10 series features proprietary 10mm-vented drivers and can be worn with the cords down or over the ear, important considerations given the G10’s possible use as an entry-level stage monitor. Made of matte grey-coated metal, the earphones are light, while their bass response is muscular and growling, and it ripples outward in the same way a venue throbs during a performance. There’s an arterial sensation in the way rhythms are paced. Yet, despite all the sub-bass palpitation and mid-bass slam, there is control. The midrange remains clear, layered, and true to source, so vocals in genres like deep house don’t get lost.
Designed to avoid ear fatigue, the G10 has separation but not peaky treble. This means those looking for sparkle—to capture, say, the full build of big-room, blow-up trance—should scroll back up to the Sphear, or perhaps the Zn. But if you want to feel like you’re pressed up against the dubstep stage, or like you’ve found the perfect companion for performing on one, the G10 is sturdy and will reinforce the most visceral of response.
Comparatively, all of these earphones mentioned have been what I consider a bargain, considering their performance. However, maybe you’re just looking for an option for when you need to shut out the world, rather than open up new sonic horizons. Whether you’re going on a jog to get in festival shape or just killing time between sets, here are a couple of bargain selections that still over-deliver.
First, consider the Shure SE215 ($99), which offers a single dynamic microdriver and detachable cables—a rarity at this price point—which assures one wrong twist or accidental tangle doesn’t force you to replace the entire set. Plus, the sound is pleasingly textured and well-behaved, offering an active, but not overbearing, thrust.
If you prefer to embrace newer technologies, consider the Plantronics BackBeat GO 3 ($99, or $129 with a charging case), a Bluetooth earphone that does away with the tyranny of cords. A single rubbery cable connects the earpieces behind your head, while stabilizer loops designed to slip into the inner fold of your ear help secure the earbuds in place. The fit and a custom Bluetooth codec help the 6mm drivers deliver a detailed, if not fiercely driving, sound. It’s not a bass-tilted earphone, but it does offer 6.5 hours of use, doubled with the optional charging case, so you can keep the tunes alive longer.
If you’ve got any headphone suggestions for your fellow Headliners, leave a comment here or hit us on the DM at [email protected]. Happy shopping!
Tony Ware is a bona fide audiophile. Follow him on Twitter.
