Sleek Audio
earbuds have always had a certain allure, but for most, the sticker shock alone was enough to turn 'em away. Now, however, the boutique audio shop has punched out its very first set that's tailor made for the budget-minded, and at $79.99, the SA1 offers an awful lot of value (on paper, anyway). Much like the pricier
SA6 and
CT6 models, the SA1 also ships with
Kleer wireless technology, enabling it to go from wired to wireless and back again. It also boasts a modified VQ Tuning system that allows the user to acoustically alter the sound signature of their music, a siam rosewood body, detachable cable and single / dual-flange ear tips. The real kicker? The $79.99 price point, which is darn near unheard of for something with these kind of specs. It's up for pre-order right now in the read link, with initial shipments expected to head out in November.
posted Oct 30th 2009 1:06PM
OMFG I want it. I thought my Shure's were a steal at $120, but MSRP 80!?!? I hope they sound as good as they look.
I need these, too!
Problem with my current pair is that the rosewood is just regular rosewood. Not that good Siam rosewood that comes from Thailand. Believe you me, you might as well be using some stock pair if you're not willing to spring for the Siam stuff!
Keep in mind that these headphones allow you to go wireless only by purchasing the $120 option wireless adapter kit which uses a wrap-around-the-neck band to receive the wireless signal and power the drivers. If the quality of the buds is great then these might be a deal, otherwise, its just another pair of overpriced buds. I'll never understand why people pay so much for ear buds. The sound quality is already so limited by the physics at play. I understand spending the money on a nice pair of over-the-ear headphones, but with the buds, you're better off sticking to the under $50 segment.
@NikAmi: I couldn't disagree more wholeheartedly with what you just said about limitations of sound quality on earbuds (and I assume you're lumping IEMs into the "earbuds" category) I'm sure there are quite a few other audophiles out there would agree. Don't get me wrong, actual earbuds have limitations, but In Ear Monitors have a lot of advantages over cans. Sound isolation is one of the biggest, which can increase sound quality exponentially (which is why $20 JVC Marshmallows sound so good to most people. It's not the drivers, it's the isolation.). Also remember that some IEMs (but not these) have dual, and triple, and even quadruple drivers That's 4 drivers, right in your ear. It's like having 2 speakers shrunk down and crammed into your ear. And all that sound is being pumped directly into your ear canal, sealed out completely from the outside. I do have a few pairs of cans, and a few pairs of IEMs, and they do offer distinction, but it's uninformed to say that just because something isn't a big pillow that covers your whole ear that it can't achieve superior sound quality.
Looks like a pretty good deal, my V-moda vibes are fairly aged and may replace with these....but i thought the rule with audio cables/speakers, the less connection points the better, seems like there are two more spots for dust and other objects to interfer with the connection
Didn't the Vibes only come out a couple of years ago? Damn, my Shure E2s are positively ancient then.. had 'em since '04.
Finally someone lets you replace the cable without having to buy a whole new set of earphones.
Some IEMs do have replacable cables. Sennheiser IE8s, Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 are the ones that come off the top of my head.
It seems to me like the cables are going to keep falling off all the time just by their own weight. They should have had some sort of locking or screwing mechanism.
@ Silvio if you wear your in-ears properly, the plug point will be at the top, and the cable will go up and over your ear anyway so it can't fall out due to the weight.
This was the best thing about my Sennheisers. I went through two sets of cables (or more accurately, my dog did), and paying $25 each time was a lot easier than the $100+ for a new set of cans.
Why does Engadget always refer IEMs as earbuds? -_-
..because I instantly know what one is referring to without having to look it up? Guess which.
I'm getting a "Error establishing a database connection" message... Anyone facing the same?
I hit refresh after that and it seemed to work just fine.
So it could be the proxy here at work... Anyways, I'll have to wait.. Thanks!
Oh, if these puppies will live up to the audio standard the SA6 have posed then..
I WANT. :)
WTF!!!, and i thought my sennheiser CX 400-II PRECISION were a good deal for 35 bucks!!!... they sound great but the wires are so 1850's...
I'll keep an eye on this...
Want. Maybe. But first, I need someone at head-fi.org to review them.
@fLim, just refresh the page.
Wouldn't know if my lovely proxy is doing wonders or if the server got overloaded by so many hits... I guess I'll have to wait until I get home to get some more info about 'em...
I love statements like "Great Value", when I can't seem to find anything describing how the friggin things sound (such frequency response, sensitivity, etc). Weak.
No specs on frequency. That sounds a lot like BOSE.
I really like these. I noticed they are "Kleer Wireless Ready." What is Kleer wireless? Do I need to purchase an attachment for these to work wirelessly? Ideally, I want to use these with my iPod Touch.
It's just this system they have wherein you can unplug the IEMs from the wire, and then plug them into a bluetooth receiver (sold separately). This allows you to essentially use the same phones for wired and unwired listening. Kind of a cool concept.
Oh, and correction, it's not bluetooth. It's their own proprietary wireless system that gives "cd quality wireless audio." Sadly, won't interface with AD2P on your iPod. I'm guessing some sort of adapter will be necessary.
Yes, I'm re-tarded and deserved the downrank fully. Can you downrank it out of existence?
Here's the full (non-tiny and non-screwed up) link:
http://www.geardiary.com/2009/10/29/review-sleek-audio-sa1-an-altogether-different-audio-experience/
@Deanna: I guess the tinyurl service I used somehow reused that url and gave it to me too. Hey, maybe someone here learned something. Most of these folks on the tech blogs don't twitter, do they? ;)
Looks like you posted the wrong url. That links to a twitter tutorial.
a review on how to use twitter?
I'm getting a similar error, "gateway not found" when I try to get to the sight. Is it borked already?
I love my SA6's they are the best headphones I've ever had.
My only regret about my SA6's is that I didn't get the Kleer Wireless when I bought them and now its more expensive to buy it on its own. One day though I will get it I am sure.
A (non-audiophile) review: http://www.geardiary.com/2009/10/29/review-sleek-audio-sa1-an-altogether-different-audio-experience/
Replaceable cable win. I've always found the cable to be the first thing to crap out, no matter what the price of the headphones you buy. replaceable ones are a great idea.
Yes, I'm re-tarded and deserved that downrank. Can you downrank that comment out of existence?
http://www.geardiary.com/2009/10/29/review-sleek-audio-sa1-an-altogether-different-audio-experience/
Yes, I'm re-tarded and deserved the downrank fully. Can you downrank it out of existence?
Here's the full (non-tiny and non-screwed up) link:
http://www.geardiary.com/2009/10/29/review-sleek-audio-sa1-an-altogether-different-audio-experience/
Sleek Audio's site is currently being upgraded, it will be back up in about 10 minutes.
So is it fair to assume that you have no idea on how to use twitter :) ?
What the hell is a twitter?
Seriously, I created a tinyurl from the original link and it somehow just decided it would rather teach you folks about twitter. I do not trust tiny urls. >:(
A twit is a moron
Man that's one hot looking hair dryer!
Oi. Why did I let myself get excited seeing the wireless ready and thinking they came with the adapter :/.
I'm guessing the adapter will be 100+ :/
$169.99 including the wireless thing and receiver, not that bad, considering that's about how much the reviewer thought they would have costed even without the wireless kit.
This article is way misleading.
"MSRP: SA1 model – $79.99, or you can purchase with the wireless kit for $179.99 (introductory price $159.99)."
http://www.geardiary.com/2009/10/29/review-sleek-audio-sa1-an-altogether-different-audio-experience/
Random: I'm the author of the accidentally tinyurl'ed twitter guide, and noticed a traffic spike coming from this post. I'll be damned if it didn't take me 20 minutes to figure out the mishap, heh. Earbuds => twitter? What? ;-)
Am I the only person that saw a pipe when they saw this pic?
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Want.
@Deanna: I guess the tinyurl service I used somehow reused that url and gave it to me too. Hey, maybe someone here learned something. Most of these folks on the tech blogs don't twitter, do they? ;)
Ok, so, I'm a little behind the times on this Kleer thing. You can unplug each bud from anything, stick them in your ears, and they'll wirelessly receive the audio? They don't need to be plugged into a small receiver of any kind?
@spustatu: i just did some research on this thing and it seems like you'll have to separately purchase some kinda wireless dongle thing that plugs into the earbuds, which you will be wearing around the back of your neck. then there's another dongle that plugs into the 3.5mm jack on your mp3 player. so total price is actually $180 with that wireless dongle.
sucks, cuz i thought it would be $80 straight up with the wireless. plus that thing that goes around your neck looks kinda heavy/big. is it heavy? or big? i've been dying to get wireless earbuds for a long time now. wonder why more manufacturers aren't making them. you would think wireless earphones/buds would be a big seller.
Pity the cable and the replacement cable are both so long - I'd like a short one I can connect to the fly lead for my phone or my exising A2DP receiver.