What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Appealingly full-bodied and detailed performance, but the overly rich bass and flat dynamics won’t be to everyone’s tastes
Pros
- +
Smooth, solid sound
- +
Rich, weighty performance
- +
Plenty of detail
- +
Good build
Cons
- -
Bass is overdone
- -
Dynamics could be more impactful
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Beyerdynamic is no stranger to the world of headphones. Award-winning cans go hand in hand with a smattering of four-star recommendations, and it’s in the latter group that the iDX 120 iEs fall into.
MORE: What Hi-Fi? Awards 2015
Sound
The Beyerdynamics regale us with the groovy guitar riffs, a funky beat and smooth vocals of Lenny Kravitz’s Are You Gonna Go My Way. There’s abundant detail, with depth, warmth and layered texture. Voices sound lush and direct. It’s a smooth and enjoyable listen.
That appealing richness goes too far, though. The booming, lumpy bass hampers the otherwise balanced sound. Drums hit with a thump, rather than a sharp snap, and more complex arrangements can sound a bit muddled at times.
A subtler and more fluid approach to dynamics would make more of that lilt in alt-J’s Breezeblocks and maintain the build-up of tension in The Dead Weather’s 60 Feet Tall with greater intensity. A smidgen more insight and control, and these in-ears would be in a different league.
Design
Elsewhere, Beyerdynamic shows off its headphones expertise: the sleek metal in-ears have flat cables to avoid tangling. You also get a three-button remote and mic.
The in-line remote is responsive, but we wish it was placed lower down the cable – it’s positioned quite high up and tugging at it can easily dislodge the buds.
Verdict
These Beyerdynamics aren’t perfect – there are more capable rivals on the market such as the Klipsch Reference R6i and Sony MDR-EX650AP – but they are a strong, richly detailed set of in-ears.
Ultimately, an overbearing, thumping bass robs them of that fifth star, but their solid, full-bodied and detail sound will create a fanbase. Give them a whirl.
See all our Beyerdynamic reviews
See all our in-earphone reviews
