The EarFun Wave Life headphones can pump out plenty of volume, but their shortcomings are amplified when you turn them up. A constrained soundstage is also an issue that holds them back.
Right from the get-go in Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty,” they lack presence, which stems from weak transients. This takes some verve out of the track, but I can’t complain about the bass response. Even set to their default EQ, the headphones pump out booming low end, and the sub-bass line introduced around the 35-second mark makes a huge entrance. If anything, the sub-bass is a little overemphasized, but not to the extent that it muddies the mix. The mid-register vocals still come through clearly.
The many different elements of The Knife’s “Silent Shout” struggle to stand out in the mix. For instance, the toms that come in at about 53 seconds are flat and seem lost. The clap hits also don’t have a strong attack, and the poor transient response means the cymbals lack presence. The lower vocal harmony doesn’t stand on its own very well, and while the headphones reproduce the key bass elements of the track, they lack dynamics and nuance.
(Credit: Mark Knapp)
These shortcomings affect Bill Callahan’s “Drover.” The track is loaded with subtleties. The electric guitar enjoys a bit of bite, but the thin transients strike again and tame the hi-hat hits and the acoustic guitar. Callahan’s baritone vocals sit heavy in the center of the mix, providing fullness and anchoring the song. The limited soundstage, however, masks the small details that make the track shine. The headphones’ emphasis on low frequencies makes the kick drum overpowering at the song’s climax.
John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary suffers due to the Wave Life’s overemphasis on bass lines. Since the recording doesn’t have the most precise mic setup for each instrument, the lower-register instruments sound a little loose. When boosted as much as they are by the Wave Life, they sound like an onrushing wave of noise. Rather than providing a firm foundation for the upper register, it’s more like a shifting beach seabed. During some mellower moments, the low-end emphasis is less distracting, but the horns lack brightness, and the whole track feels subdued.
You’ll need to look elsewhere if you want headphones for critical listening. But if you like bass-heavy pop or hip hop, the EarFun Wave Life headphones perform fairly well for their affordable price.
The headphones’ four mics captured my voice loud and clear in a quiet room for phone calls, but my voice lacked nuance. It was overly loud in a recording, even when speaking normally, and there was a lot of room echo audible in the background. You may want to remove these headphones and take calls directly with your phone.
