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Posted by rod@drury.net.nz in Technolust at 7:13 pm on Sunday, 19 November 2006
One of the guys from Phitek gave me a pair of their new M14 BlackBox branded Noise Cancelling Headphones last week.
These guys are taking on Bose from NZ and doing very well. The sound quality and ability to lock out sound is just amazing.
The makers of Blackbox, Phitek Systems, is an iconic Kiwi technology company that has pioneered active noise rejection (ANRâ„¢) using innovation, ingenuity and creativity to suppress background noise and greatly enhance the delivery of fidelity audio sounds.
I’m looking forward to trying out their new C14 in-ear models which I’ve been told are unbelievable.
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Hi Rod, I just bought a pair of Blackbox M14s today. I wasn’t looking to spend a whole lot, as I have some Audio Technica AD900s arriving from Australia soon.
But my Grado SR125 earpads are falling apart, and I couldn’t do without sounds waiting for replacements.
There was nothing in the Hutt, so I went into Absolute Audio in Dixon St, Wellington. I couldn’t believe it, a whole wall of headphones to try out. So unlike the appliance stores, which have everything sealed, and “No, don’t touch that!” Who buys from Noel Leeming, Bond & Bond and those other clowns?
Anyway I went through various Koss and Sennheiser models, then I was directed to try these M14s out. Goodbye Koss, goodbye Sennheiser. I was trying out the “Blues” category on my Creative 20GB MP3 player, so the quality of recordings was very variable, but the M14s coped with everything, and in fact I’m still listening hours later, typing this.
What makes the M14s stand out is the excellent balance between all the frequencies. There is a real weight to the bass, the highs are crisp but not sharp, but my favourite is the warm, luscious midrange. There might not be a huge soundstage (in a closed can?), but all kinds of music come through with a presence and fidelity lacking in everything I tried at a lower or equal price. A little fine tuning of the equalizer in the player, and really I just never want to stop grooving away.
Noise reduction is very noticable. A couldn’t hear a (very) noisy kettle boiling inches away, and most high frequency sounds just don’t register. Shutting a door is audible, but the usual thump, roar and groan of traffic outside has completely disappeared. Only my Shure SE530s can get near this, but the M14s are far more comfortable to wear. There is no discomfort at all.
So, although my card took another thorough walloping, I would be diappointed with anything else, and as these are to be my mobile listening system, I have no regrets buying these Phones. Made in New Zealand, good value and great sound!
I’d really like something like these, but occasionally I need a headset (ie a boom mike as well). Is that available from Phitek, or is it better to just buy a separate set for that application?
Just got a pair of C14’s before travelling again. Out of box experience fantastic. Plugged in right away and so far I am blown away about being in my sound studio bubble compliments of the ANR from Phitek! these puppies rock. What’s more, no more headphone imprints on earlobes when falling asleep! My Senheisser ones are for sale now….wow!
thanks for the comments they’ll make me look at headphones in a completely different light.
check out http://showmethegadgets.com/cat/blog for more cool stuff
I’m the first to encourage buying NZ made… or designed. But I am extremely confused by Phitek’s Blackbox M14 headphone.
I just did some research and found the M14 is a copy to the Jabra C820s - I say copy only because the C820s has been on the market a few years already.
Have a look at Jabra’s site - aside from physicals, the specs and images from user manual are identical! Actually the C820s comes with a couple of extra accessories.
Maybe Phitek supply Jabra with the electronic trickery that does the noise cancelling - perhaps Phitek thought it easier to rebadge Jabra as their own?
My company actually does this so I can’t throw stones.
The M14 retails >$350 or you could get the C820s delivered for
sorry missed the important part… the C820s is
Just bought a pair of the Phitek ear phones. I have several other earphones from low quality to a pair of Shure E3s. The Blackboxes compare well with the Shure’s but are quite different: more comfortable and a greater frequency range (the effect of the noise cancelling algorythm is rather akin to the Dolby system of cassette days old, but a lot better)..better base and treble..on solo instruments like piano or accoustic guitar you really notice the difference.
But the noise cancelling is disturbing…it is so good, better than my son’s Sony’s. And the little black box is no great hardship to carry around..it is pretty small.
In regard to Damien’s comment above, I thought something similar until I found some blog postings by one of the guys who actually works for blakcbox on another message forum. Someone compared the M14’s to another set of headphones, and he said that the inner workings are different even though the specs appear the same and are in fact patent pending (therefor obviously not a rebadging of another product), although I have to be honest and say he explained it in far more technical terms which I wouldn’t dare repeat here for fear of not explaining it 100% correctly. Check out the messages left on this site: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=7095
Hope that helps! :)
rats… I’ve just realised the link I put about isn’t the correct one. Sorry bout that…. when I can figure out where I found that info I’ll post it up.