MobileTechTalk Brainwavz, as a company, are always playing in the shadow of the larger names such as Sennheiser, but with headphones and audio gear like this, and others we’ve reviewed on this site over the years, they are doing something very right, and at a great price. These Brainwavz Delta IEMs might just be the best wired earphones you can purchase for under £30.
- Excellent value for money
- Clear, crisp audio
- Ample accessories
- Good isolation with Comply tips
- Slightly flimsy control pod
Buy on Amazon UK – £21 (Prime)
This is my first exposure personally to the world of Brainwavz, and if it’s yours too, you won’t be disappointed with your first impressions. The sheer amount of accessories that come with the sub-£30 Brainwavz Delta IEMs is impressive. The Delta earphones are accompanied by a nylon carry case which is neither incredibly hard, or soft, as well as a velcro tie to keep things tidy, shirt clip to control the wires when out and about, and a mixture of spare tips, including some Comply tips for increased noise isolation. If that isn’t enough there’s also a 24-month warranty included – something that should not be underestimated.
The Brainwavz Delta IEMs are well built with a glorious Red accented aluminium casing around the included 8mm drivers. Something I love seeing on IEMs even in 2018 is large call outs for the left and right channels. It’s only something small but a lot seem to miss this and it’s important for many. A recent review saw me having to reach for a specific app on my smart device to understand which bud to put into which ear by testing the stereo channels!
The earphones continue their red theme into the frankly quite flimsy cables, which flow down passed the control pod on the left side, and to a central termination point at the Y cable which then flows to the L-Plug 3.5mm jack.
In the specifications department, it’s no slouch either.
Specifications – Brainwavz Delta
- Type: In-ear monitor
- Drivers: Dynamic, 8 mm
- Rated Impedance: 16 Ohms
- Frequency Range: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 100 dB at 1 mW
- Rated Input Power: 20 mW
- Cable: 1.3 m Y-Cord, Copper
- Plug: 3.5 mm, Gold Plated
Those 8mm drivers really put in some work also, which is felt even more keenly when swapping out the silicone tips for the included Comply ones. The increased noise isolation you get with Comply tips here is great, and unlike with other cheap/budget IEMs, there’s no clarity loss on the audio side either.
A playlist comprising of largely Top 40, Pop, and Hip-Hop tracks kept the soundstage balanced and crisp. In Drake’s “Elevate” his vocals cut through the percussion, and still allows the rumbling bass line to stay consistent, whilst Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss” has its vocals lifted above the sleepy Ibiza-chilled mids, but still hits hard during the instrumental moments. The same can be levelled at EO’s “German”. The grime flow here is crisp, with the mids crystal clear. Nothing is pushed out of the way here, and to my admittedly untrained ears, every instrument and vocal is where it should be for the most part on the stage in my mind. It is one of the nicest experiences with IEMs I’ve had at this price point.
Taking calls on this isn’t the intended use for the majority of people, but it does fair as well as you can expect. Whilst I sounded fine to the caller, their voice was a little muddier than I’d have liked. Considering I take precisely an average of zero calls on my connected headphones, I was happy enough with the experience.
My only real gripe is with the control pod. It feels distinctly cheap and cheerful, and whilst the play/pause multi-function button has a pronounced style difference to the volume controls, I’d still like to feel something a little more unique to the button shapes or textures for easier access to the function required. The control unit itself is a glossy plastic and whilst I’m happy it was kept small to avoid sagging on one side of the unit, it’s a little easy to miss. Perhaps they could have utilised the Y-cord – it’s large enough?
Overall however the Brainwavz Delta IEMs are just crazy value for money. For close to £20 from Amazon UK Prime, you really can’t pick too many faults with the audio from them, or the accessories in tow. My daily headphones for gym and shopping (to drown out the masses) are my Liner NC50 as they have great battery performance for a Bluetooth unit and the neckband helps relieve any sagging, however, these have replaced the Linner unit as my go to “work” units to talk a few conference calls and listen to podcasts and tracks whilst working from home, and now replace my previous work go to units, the Honor AM12 IEMs, in my work bag. Kudos Brainwavz.
