URBANFUN Hi-Fi MARK II (Beryllium)

The popular URBANFUN Hi-Fi received a twin brother, this time with a single dynamic driver, instead of a hybrid setup. First, I have to point out that the build quality of the cable has significantly degraded. The silicone-coated one with the metallic parts was replaced with a very generic and fragile-looking TPE cable, and the inline remote was moved to the left side this time. However, the sound quality barely changed. I expected a huge difference, since this model lacks the BA that the original Hi-Fi had, but I was surprised to hear that quality-wise the sound is impressively similar. One thing they improved over the original Hi-Fi is the overall loudness - the MARK II (Beryllium) is significantly louder and much easier to drive!

Since the original Hi-Fi is quite rare to find these days (and even if you manage to find one, it will cost you a lot more than it used to cost), you should consider the MARK II (Beryllium) instead. I wholeheartedly recommend it, if you can forgive the poor cable.

Sound signature: Balanced

Bulky and blocky. The simplistic design of these earphones doesn't provide any kind of ergonomics, and they might fall out if you use the wrong tips. The included tips didn't do much good for me, I could barely get a proper seal. This all comes back to the generic blocky design.

The bass is very accurate. However, these earphones won't satisfy those who want beefy deep bass. The kicks are punchy and quick, but the sub-bass is mostly non-existent and the mid-bass is very balanced and calm. The lows are still very enjoyable, even though the highs overwhelm them, especially in dirty electronic music, such as Dubstep.

Excellent vocal reproduction. These earphones can be considered bright, so vocals shine and there's a lot of detail in high-pitched instruments. As the highs are much more pronounced than the lows, the earphones sound their best on medium volume levels. Higher volumes might sound uncomfortable. The overall volume is much higher than the original Hi-Fi and the drivers are much easier to drive.

Superb highs! Very sharp and crisp, and just a little bit harsh on higher volumes. People with sensitive hearing might find them uncomfortable at first, but given enough time, you will get used and fall in love with the sound of these earphones.