ReADL EH008 Dual
Dynamic Driver Earphones
Headphones and earphones are all the rage these days when it
comes to music listening. They are compact, portable, relatively cheap and with
many models – truly a fashion statement. Alpha Design Labs (ADL) by Furutech
has been joining the many other manufacturers in the portable audio space with
a few recent products – their H118 headphone, as well as their X1 DAC /
portable headphone amplifier. ADL’s latest product in the mobile audio category
is their first inear- monitor / earphone namely, the ADL EH008. A prototype of
the ADL EH008 was seen lurking at a couple audio/video shows in 2013, including
the Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show (TAVES) but the ADL EH008 has only
recently been officially released. I received the review set of the EH008 in
late May and have been using it virtually daily since.
If you seek an
emotional connection with your music and like it delivered with a little
heartiness, wrapped up in a stylish package, the ADL EH008 should not be
overlooked
The ADL EH008 came packaged in a windowed cardboard box and
inside I found a luxurious, handsomely styled leatherette semi-hard case. The
zippered case was black and had a triangular form with all edges rounded.
Within this case were the earphones nestled in a removable rubber insert that
allowed for easy stowing of the cable. Both the case and the rubber insert were
tastefully emblazoned with the ADL logo. The executive-like travel case only
helped to showcase the lovely styling of the EH008 earphones within. The EH008
utilizes a carbon fiber outer shell that is very eye-catching under good light.
On the back end of the earphone body was an aluminum end plate, adorned with
the ADL insignia. This silver end plate starkly contrasted with the dark carbon
fiber enclosure, providing a very sophisticated overall appearance. A unique
rubber outer seal ring surrounded the body at its midway point and the cord was
sheathed in black rubber. Overall, I found the ADL EH008 chic and fashionable,
which I’m sure will have wide-appeal.
Three sets of rubber tips were provided, which was
sufficient to find a good fit. The EH008 went in easy and stayed put and
comfort was very good – enough to forget I was wearing them. Though the outer
seal ring was designed for comfort and improved isolation, I found their
silicon slip covers a bit of a pain, as they tended to roll off with every use.
I felt myself tempted to reach for some crazy glue but for the record, no glue
was used during the course of this review. The cord was of optimal length and
its angled plug worked well. The cord’s springy rubberized nature prevented any
tangles whatsoever; however, their springy nature seemed to add additional
cable noise microphonics, when in motion. I tried wrapping the cables around
and over my ears in a sports position to reduce the noise but the springy
cables quickly rejected my attempts. Holding the cables to my chest as I walked
was the only solution I came up with – so those intending to use these when
exercising should take note.
These earphones utilize two drivers within each enclosure,
what ADL refers to as Dual Dynamic Drivers. These drivers are α (Alpha – Cryo
treated) with an 8mm driver for mid-to-low frequencies and a 5.8mm driver for
high frequencies. The 5.8mm driver uses a Titanium Trembler Film for greater
resolution. The body of the EH008 is made of two housings – an inner ABS resin
and an outer carbon fiber shell that ensures optimal damping characteristics.
The end plates on the earphones are of diamond cut aluminum and the cord is 1.3
metres in length with a 24k gold-plated stereo 3.5mm angled plug. This
composition serves to deliver the following specifications: a sensitivity of
100 ± 3 dB SPL (130mW input at 1 KHz ); a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz;
power handling of 2mW to 5mW; impedance of 19 ohms @ 1kHz and a weight of 15g.
