Recently, we had the opportunity to test out Phonak Audeo's Perfect Fit Earphones series. Although Phonak is a late competitor in the personal IEM market, the Swiss company has been a leading innovator and manufacturer of hearing-aids and communication systems for countless years. The model we received for our review is the white PFE121 with microphone model. The 121 is aimed at commuters who use their cell phones, mainly the iPhone, as their music players. The inline microphone allows mobile users to accept incoming calls while pausing the music simultaneously. Continue reading to find out what we think of the PFE121.

Please note: If you are planning to use the Audeo PFE for home/pure audio needs, get the original Audeo PFE (without mic) instead. The 121 may or may not work with your home stereo equipment that requires a 1/4" converter.


Specs:
- Sound pressure level: 107 dB SPL/mW, 1 kHz
- Impedance: 32 ohms, 1 kHz
- Frequency range: 5Hz - 17kHz
- Cable length: 3.6 ft/110 cm
- Weight: 0.6 oz/15 g
- Connection: Compatible with the iPhone™ and other mobile digital devices with a 3.5mm stereo jack


Build and Design (8/10)



Like most Swiss products, the 121 is beautifully made. The cable is made of soft rubber-plastic material with a matte texture. The material allows the cable to be flexible but not enough to get tangled. We find that the material would be perfect if it's a bit more bendable. The earpiece is made of standard glossy plastic. The earpiece forms an L shape similar to most in-ear-monitors. The small microphone is embedded onto the right-channel cable. The PFE 121 is an over-the-ear IEM. Wearing it any other ways often altered the overall sound. Phonak included 2 silicone ear guides that help you hook the cable behind your ears. During our testing session, however, we found that the ear guides actually gave us more trouble than not using them.

The PFE 121 also includes a filter switching system. Users are able to switch between a mids-emphasized (default) and a bass and treble boosted sound signature. In addition to the following accessories, Phonak also included a pair of soft foam tips. As in most instances with IEMs, we find the foam tips to be the best sounding.


PFE 121 Accessory Kit

Sound (9/10)

The default sound signature is similar to the sound of the Westone UM1, but with much more bass. Mids are portrayed outstandingly while retaining most of the upper bass and lower treble. While the lower-bass of the 121 seems to be a bit lacking in its overall sound signature, it is apparent in our extreme bass test that the 121 can, indeed, go rather low. Furthermore, the low notes hit pretty deep for a single-driver IEM this class. The bass puts in an excellent portion into the mix, giving the sound power, but not at an overwhelming portion. Due to its mids-emphasized nature, the 121 portrays vocals brilliantly. The 121 captures both the warmth and details of male and female vocals. Whether it's Josh Groban or Jason Mraz, the 121 truly brings out the intimacy and range of their vocals. In terms of high notes, the upper-treble seems to be missing, but that is not bad news for IEMs. The fact is, IEMs that have pronounced upper-treble tend to cause listening fatigue - a side-effect you absolutely do not want in extended period of listening. Nonetheless, if you think the 121 lacks treble, you are wrong. The lower-treble is fully evident, making female vocals sound as great as male vocals.

The soundstage of the 121 is exceptional. The width and especially the depth gives the phones a great 3 dimensional feel. Although the separation of instruments is not as clear as some full-size headphones, it is impressive nonetheless in comparison to many other IEMs in this class. In songs that were recorded in large spaces, the 121 successfully brought out the airiness and echoes of the original recording.

Phonak designed the PFE121 so that users are able to choose between a mids-emphasized sound signature (default) and a bass and treble boosted signature through changing two tiny filters. While the idea sounds great, we find that the earphones only sounded great with the default filter system. With the alternative filter, the earphones sounded too muddy for our liking.




Score Breakdown:

Treble: 8.5/10
Mids:9/10
Bass: 8/10
Soundstage: 9.5/10


Mic (8.5/10)

The inline microphone has a pretty good recording quality. It's also relatively free from wind noise. There's really nothing more to say about the mic; it works and the button serves its function at pausing the music and accepting incoming calls without distracting the overall appearance of the headset too much.


Conclusion ( 8.5 /10)






Although Phonak entered the personal IEM market late, the company certainly made a bang with its Audeo series. We were genuinely impressed with the Audeo PFE 121. If we were to describe the PFE 121 in one word, it would be "balance." The 121 excels across music genres as it offers a well-balanced portrayal of treble, mids, bass, and headroom. While the earphones have a mids-emphasized signature, all 3 categories (treble, mids, bass) are well represented in the sound. So yes, this may not be the best product for bass-heads, but for the rest of us looking for a well-balanced sound, this may very well be the product that you've been searching for. We have tried many different types of IEMs over the past few years, and we think the the PFE 121 is one of the most well-balanced earphones in its class. We look forward to the possible addition to the Audeo PFE line-up.

The Audeo PFE 121 has a MSRP of $159US.



This article was written by Cecil L. on December 1st, 2009.