Better known for producing smartphone accessories, this is the first set of earphones from Mediadevil. Made using reclaimed wood, each pair has its own unique look and feel. See what we think about them in our full Mediadevil EB-01 review.
Mediadevil specialise in producing smartphone accessories like screen protectors, touch screen stylus and cases etc. The EB-01 is a welcome departure from the rest of the product line up – we think that this may indicate the direction that the company is ultimately heading in, time will tell.
Recycled Wooden Earphones
The Mediadevil Artisanphonics EB-01 earphones with enhanced bass are presented in an eco friendly way that many people will find very appealing. This perhaps sees them targeting a slightly maturer audience than some of the more brightly coloured designs that we seem to see so often.
The box is made from recycled cardboard and the packaging design further enhances this. The EB-01 earphones themselves are made from wood that has been reclaimed from high quality furniture manufacturers – we assume that the wood comes from small off cuts that would otherwise be discarded. This means that different types of wood are used, and every pair will be subtly different in colour, grain and tone. The finish of the wood is very smooth and has what appears to be a very light varnish finish giving them a very nice subtle sheen. What is also slightly surprising is how light they feel. Compared to some of the other offerings in the same price bracket that are made from metal, these really do feel incredibly light both in the hand & in the ear.
The cable is a lightweight black woven type which helps to reduce tangling and is also made stronger with the addition of kevlar. There is microphone and control button that hang conveniently to the left side of your mouth. The button does feel a little cheaper than on some other earphones, but it works perfectly & blends into the cable well. The cable split is nicely re-enforced with a tough junction piece. The gold 3.5mm jack plug is a slightly more unusual 135 degree, rather than the normal straight or 90 degree options. This directs the cable away from your device nicely without creating a point to snag on clothing etc. The cable exist is also flexible which will further help prevent accidental cable damage.
Also included in the box are 3 sets of silicon ear adaptors – we found the fitting of these a little different to many other earphones, but in a good way. The sound isolation is really very good with a lot of external noise being blocked out. The tight seal that the silicon adaptors create is essential in getting these earphones to sound their best.
A nice addition is the inclusion of an optional cable clip which can easily be added or removed if needed. For storage, Mediadevil give you a very nice natural fibre bag to keep them in – this will help keep the wooden earphones in tip top condition.
Warm Wood & Enhanced Bass
The Mediadevil EB-01 earphones are labelled as having enhanced bass – many of you will be wanting to know how that sounds. Its worth noting here that different devices have different amplifiers in them with very different sounding EQ curves. We have tested the EB-01 earphones with a Sony Xperia Z and a Samsung Galaxy S5. With the Sony Xperia Z, the bass is verging on being too much – but using EQ to dial it down a little, the bass remains big, but controlled. On the Samsung S5, they just sounded great – no EQ needed…at all.
The bass is big and deep, mids are quite naturally flat sounding & the treble is a little understated – not much air to be heard. The overall character is warm and gentle showing absolutely no harshness in any frequency range. The stereo image is very wide, and placement is very precise. Because of the overall warmth, the detail isn’t quite as clear as some other (metal) earphones.
Mediadevil have come up with something quite special here – its a unique sound character that we hope they can hold onto and develop further in the future. I think what surprised us the most about the EB-01 earphones is that we felt we didn’t need to play with the EQ (other than controlling the bass on the Xperia Z) – put simply, they just sound right.
Mediadevil EB-01 Review Conclusion
Coming in at the £30 mark, the Mediadevil EB-01 earphones offer great value for money. Where they ultimately succeed is in delivering a superb user experience. The use of the reclaimed wood and natural fibre bag alone will make a lot of people want to buy these straight away and with good reason.
While the sound character does colour the music, it makes the listening experience incredibly pleasurable. If you love your music with a healthy dose of bass, these really are an excellent pair of earphones.
Pros:
- Reclaimed wood
- Warm sound with big, deep bass
- Kevlar reinforced woven cable
Cons:
- Depending on your device, the bass may be a little too much - EQ may be required
- Microphone and button unit feel a little cheap
Review Summary:
Sound - lovely warmth and deep bass.
Design - overall very good, microphone and button could be a little nicer.
Quality - the wood finish is fantastic, natural fibre bag is well made
Value - fantastic value for money
| Model | Manufacturer | RRP (£) | Available Colours | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-01 | MediaDevil | 30.00 | 4.2 |
I bought a pair from Amazon, these are good for what its worth, however I have returned them twice because they kept breaking within a few months. Cannot fault their service, they replaced mine each time quicker than me sending them back