JH Audio can be called "Gao Shuai Fu" among moving iron earphones. Their latest Performance series brings new appearance and unit design, and has higher cost performance than previous products. Do you want to buy, local tyrants?

Configuration and parameters

In terms of configuration, Roxanne Performance and JH13V2 Pro Performance are the "old routine" of JH Audio. After all, we have seen similar 12 unit and 8 unit configurations in Roxanne and Angie, which also reflects the uniqueness of JH16V2 Pro Performance. It is the first 10 unit (including customized) headset of JH Audio. Compared with the JH16 of the previous 8 unit, it has added two high-frequency units. Another thing worth noting is that JH13V2 Pro Performance and JH16V2 Pro Performance both use JH Audio's new 4-pin plug, that is, single side headphones have at least a "4-core" cable, and the whole headphone cable has an "8-core" cable. This configuration appears in the original line, which is really full of materials. Unfortunately, the 2.5mm balance line is not included in the package, and the well-known Roxanne II, Angie, Layla II and Rosie earphones all have balance lines. After all, they are all products of "playing computer" with Astell&Kern. The original market price of JH Audio's 2.5mm balance port is about 700 yuan, which is worth a toss for players who want to experience the balance port with Performance series earphones.

Unpacking and product comparison

The package of JH Audio Performance series (as the package contents of the three products are the same, take JH13V2 Pro Performance as an example) is a giant compared with ordinary earplug products. The overall design adopts black as the main theme. The products we received from the Bank of China are represented by ECT Cool Voice.

There is a product introduction on the back of the package. JH Audio Performance series uses JH patented SoundrIVe and FreqPhase technologies.

There is also a layer of black packaging on the inner layer of the package. The design on the upper layer is relatively simple, with only the logo of JH Audio brand.

The package adopts a flip over design. The body of the earplug can be seen when you turn it over. There is a sponge around the earplug for buffer protection, which can prevent the product from being unnecessarily squeezed during transportation.

There are a lot of accessories in the package, including a round metal storage box, three sizes of silicone sleeves (the medium size is on the headset), a sponge sleeve, a cleaning stick and a bass adjuster.

The three products of JH Audio Performance series all come with metal storage boxes, which have JH Audio's "Jumpman" brand logo and the model of the product itself. The storage boxes are quite textured.

There is a sponge inside the storage box for buffering, but for a multi unit dynamic iron headset with eight core wires and low-frequency regulator, the storage box is slightly "crowded".

JH13V2 Pro Performance， The version in China, Hong Kong and Macao adopts silver panel with blue font and logo, which looks younger.

For JH13V2 Pro Performance in other regions, the panel color is relatively strange.

The JH16V2 Pro Performance, the most "special" in the unit configuration, uses a dark gray textured panel, silver font and logo.

The most high-end Roxanne Performance adopts silver carbon fiber panel, black font and logo. All three earphones are marked with product models on the left, and JH Audio's Jumpman logo on the right.

Although they are very similar in design, the three earphones are very different with different panels and colors.

The headphone panel is exquisitely made, with a slightly curved design, which makes it look more three-dimensional. The three earphones all use the interchangeable cable design (it should be said that all JH Audio products can be replaced, which is a must for high-end earphones now). Their original lines are also identical and can be used universally.

Although the number of units is different, the cavity dimensions of the three earphones are very close, with exaggerated protrusions at the ear, and the catheter is particularly long.

After removing the earplug sleeves, we can see that the JH13V2 Pro Performance looks very exaggerated.

Let's compare the original Roxanne (right) and the latest Roxanne Performance (left). They are similar in panel size.

However, from the side, there is a big difference between the two shapes. Roxanne in the early period was very "plump", while Roxanne Performance had a higher "stature". The early Roxanne had a poor wearing experience due to its large cavity, especially for users with small ears. This time, the Performance series earphones solved this problem, but the solution is simple and violent, rather than optimizing the volume and design of the chamber itself.

The wires of the two earphones are also common, but the four pin socket of the four pin Roxanne Performance is made of metal, so its reliability will undoubtedly be higher.

Both earphones are equipped with 12 units, 3 frequency dividers and 3 catheters. However, Roxanne Performance uses metal catheters, and the thickness of the catheters is slightly different. The original Roxanne uses the same size of plastic catheters. It can be seen that after years of development, although the configuration is the same, the new Roxanne has changed in many details.

In contrast to the original line, the old 2.5mm balance line (upper) of the original Roxanne and the 3.5mm original line (lower) of Roxanne Performance can both adjust the bass. The latter uses a grooved design to adjust the bass, while the former is exposed.

In comparison with the plug, the size of Roxanne Performance's 3.5mm original wire (left) is much exaggerated. It is indeed rare to see such a large original wire.

In comparison with earplugs, both of them use heat shrinkable tube+steel wire fixation. The old 2.5mm balance line (left) black heat shrinkable tube of the original Roxanne is longer.

It is very simple to adjust the low frequency of the earphone. Use the attached regulator (actually a small slotted screwdriver) to screw it to different gears on the wire. Note that the left and right sides are adjusted separately, so the adjustment must be turned to the same angle.

The author saw the early Roxanne on the CES site in early 2014. At that time, he saw that this set of low-frequency regulation really had the feeling of "black technology", and the "brain hole" was really big. With the development of technology, more and more earphones are now equipped with "switches" for high and low frequency tuning and even frequency division, which will change the voice more than JH Audio. Of course, JH Audio's regulator can realize the stepless regulation of low frequency, which is worth praising. But over the years, it seems that its volume and ease of use have not been improved, and the original line is too cumbersome.

Cavity design and wearing problems:

The comparison between customized JH earphones, customized metal panel earphones and customized performance series earphones shows that their cavity shapes are very different (this figure is from the network).

The wearing diagram of Performance series earphones shows that because the catheter is too long, it will be awkward to wear. A large part of the cavity is exposed outside the ear. Although the threshold for wearing is lowered, the comfort is poor when using.

Sound performance

The most important thing about a high-end headset is its sound performance. As a new series of JH Audio's Performance products, their sound quality performance is expected. Here we also introduce the most special JH16V2 Pro Performance (hereinafter referred to as JH16V2) sound.

Audition environment

Front end: enjoy sound MR1 iBasso DX200、 Feiao X7 (AM3 module), iPhone 7 Plus, Galaxy S7 edge, etc

Comparison headset: Zeus-R Adel、VE6X1、NF6i、Yuein POP

Wire material: Performance series 3.5mm original line, original Roxanne 2.5mm balance port original line

Ear plugs: SpinFit CP100

Test track: mainly FLAC and DSD music

Low frequency adjustment: the default is the third "gear", but for the author, such low frequency is too large, so the following uses the second "gear" for audition.

The first thing to say is that JH16V2 is not a very popular earphone. From the 18 Ω impedance and 118dB sensitivity, it seems that it should not have such characteristics. For example, MR1, which is famous for its huge thrust, needs to turn on the volume to about 60 to get enough sound pressure when the performance mode and medium gain are turned on, while "mobile phone partners" like VE6 and Zeus only need more than 30 to get normal sound pressure. In addition, when we use the front end with less thrust, it will not open and the sound will be slightly dull, so it is necessary to use a front end that outputs violence. On the contrary, Roxanne Performance is relatively easy to deduce in the whole series. It has the highest sensitivity and the lowest impedance in terms of objective parameters, which is quite consistent.

In terms of matching earplug sleeves, compared with the silicone sleeve and sponge sleeve, the author will get a better balance between comfort and sound when using the SpinFit CP100 silicone sleeve. SpinFit has a "Cushion" structure. The sound guide tube on the top of the silicone sleeve has a movable structure, while the tubes of Performance series earphones are particularly long, so we can't put the silicone sleeve too "deep" to avoid hindering the performance of SpinFit's characteristics. Although the effect is good, the appearance of the Performance series earphones with SpinFit is still scary, as can be seen from the above comparison.

Tri frequency and junction image

The high frequency of JH16V2 is not its feature. If the black silicone sleeve is used, it is even a little dark. If the front end with a small thrust is used, the high frequency will be more depressing. Using the CP100 of SpinFit, the high frequency will become sharp, which is not a good thing for some plugs that are inclined to medium and high frequency. However, JH16V2 just plays a role in adjusting, to some extent, it makes up for the problem that the high frequency is darker. The high frequency extension and overtone of JH16V2 are not excellent, of course, it is related to the overall tuning style of the whole headset. In general, the high-frequency timbre is relatively simple, and there is still a gap between the details and some multi unit flagship earplugs.

JH16V2 is a typical warm earphone with rich mid frequency. The high density of mid frequency makes it more attractive when listening to some popular male voices. However, some clear or cute female voices will be inferior, and some popular female voices with baritone as the main voice also have a good performance. JH16V2's voice is relatively close to the ear, and it is a product that is more suitable for public tuning. However, there is a contradiction here, that is, when using the SpinFit CP100 silicone sleeve, although better high-frequency performance can be achieved, at the same time, the dental voice of human voice also increases. As far as the IF performance of JH16V2 is concerned, it does not belong to the "Zhongzheng" type. It focuses on its own IF flavor, especially suitable for some players who like thick voice. However, attention should be paid to the matching of earplug sleeves and front ends.

Low frequency is the feature of JH16V2 and even the whole Performance series. Its own orientation and a slightly pompous low-frequency regulator are its "big killer". First, let's talk about the low-frequency by default (the regulator is set to the center, that is, the third gear). If the black silicone sleeve is attached, the low-frequency sense is too much and too thick, and even there will be "meat" in many front ends. The low frequencies under the SpinFit CP100 are basically neutral and more frequent, so the author will generally adjust this earphone to the second gear when using it. Turning the low frequency to 0 or full is an extreme state. It is not recommended to use this mode unless you are a user with special hobbies. By adjusting the low-frequency controller, the low-frequency atmosphere of JH16V2 will be significantly enhanced, but if it is turned on "hard", the low-frequency texture will easily decline and appear. By enhancing the low frequency of the earphone itself, JH16V2 can perform commendably in some metal and large-scale orchestral music types. Through the combination of adjusters, earplugs and even wires, it has a strong "plasticity" in low frequency. It can be said that it is a headset with high playability in this respect. To sum up, JH16V2's low frequency, elasticity and diving are excellent (the effect will be enhanced in high gear), but the sound is transient and dynamic, and the low frequency playback speed is not fast. It can be said that low frequency is a big selling point of JH16V2.

In terms of basic tri band quality, as a high-end 10 unit dynamic iron headset, JH16V2 shows its due standard, but it is still far from some "quality streams" at the same price. At the same time, it is not a particularly balanced headset. From the default gear, it can be seen that JH Audio hopes that its style will be more elegant and thick. Compared with earphones at the same price, it is a popular music tool.

As for the level of sound image, JH16V2 is a soft and slightly hazy type, with neutral and soft lines, which will not give people the sense of hearing fatigue caused by being too sharp and too straightforward. JH16V2's junction image level can reach the average level of this price, and its hearing tolerance is also quite good.

Homologous contrast

VS JH13V2 Pro Performance： To some extent, the sound orientation of the two is very similar. JH16V2 has two more low-frequency units than JH13V2. The actual advantage of listening sense is that low-frequency is more cohesive and has higher sound density. JH16V2's voice will be slightly thicker and closer to the ear, which can be said to be more extreme in the orientation of popular tuning. The ease of deduction of the two is similar, and the overall quality of JH16V2 is slightly higher.

VS Roxanne Performance： The route of Roxanne Performance is different from that of the two "V2" models. Roxanne Performance takes a relatively balanced route when the low frequency is shifted to the second gear. The middle and high frequencies are clearer. At the same time, the sound details and high-frequency extension are enhanced to a certain extent. Although it also has four low-frequency units, its low-frequency sense and cohesion are even weaker than JH16V2. In addition, the appeal of MF is also light. Compared with JH16V2, Roxanne Performance is a headset with higher quality, more straightforward and balanced voice. However, as far as the author's personal listening sense is concerned, JH16V2 seems to be more "JH", which can better reflect the characteristics of this brand. It is worth mentioning that Roxanne Performance is obviously easier to push than the two Performance series earphones. It has better tolerance for devices with less thrust, such as mobile phones. However, to give full play to its strength, it still recommends some powerful front ends.

summary

As far as the audition experience is concerned, the biggest change of JH Audio's Performance series compared with the brand's previous high-end non customized products is the removal of the "AK" label. Compared with co branded products, their most intuitive change is that they lack the logo of their partners and a 2.5mm balance line in appearance. However, JH earphones have unique charm, thick middle and low frequency, violent original line and low frequency regulator, and relatively pompous appearance design. The most important thing is that the price of the Performance series earphones is more affordable than that of the Astell&Kern cooperation model with the same unit configuration. For example, the difference between the Angie II and JH13V2 Performance of the same 8 units is 488 yuan, and the difference between the Roxanne II and Roxanne Performance of the same 12 units is 2388 yuan, which is especially suitable for some users who do not need balance lines or want to struggle with upgrade lines.

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