This holiday season, I have little doubt
that over-the-ear headphones will be a big seller. Among those sold,
it's hard to deny that the bulk will likely be Beats by Dre, because
that's what all the cool kids are wearing. If you're more concerned with
what sounds good and is practical over what's "popular," however,
Phiaton is a brand to keep an eye on. I've been using the company's two
newest offerings, the Bluetooth Chord MS 530 and the compact Fusion MS
430 for the last several weeks, and definitely recommend both for those
looking for such a product. Let's take a closer look at both and discuss
why.
Fusion MS 430
At $150, the Fusion MS 430 is Phiaton's midrange headphone. I realize
that some users may not consider $150 anything close to "midrange," but
with options like the $300
Bridge MS 500 and Chord MS 530 (which we'll be taking a look at later), they fall right in the center price-wise.
Stylistically, they look modern and sophisticated. Since they carry the "MS" branding, this means they are part of Phiaton's Moderna
line, and the aesthetics fit right in with that. The sides have carbon
fiber caps that stand out while keeping a refined look, the porous black
and red headband keeps things looking edgy but not over-the-top, and
the metal accents tie everything together beautifully. From a purely
aesthetic standpoint, the Fusion MS 430 is my favorite of all the
Phiaton headphones and earbuds I've reviewed.
While the overall functionality of the headphones isn't anything out
of the ordinary, I do appreciate the ambidextrous design – the chord can
be moved freely from one side to the other with ease. That's highly
convenient.
When it comes to sound, the Fusion MS 430 is a pretty good set of
headphones, but they may be lacking if you like a lot of low end.
According to Phiaton, it uses "newly developed 40mm drivers" that
"optimize vibration [and] adds extra emphasis on high frequency clarity
and improved sound stage." That really sums up how the Fusion sounds –
very pronounced mids and highs without an excessive amount of bass. This
is actually in stark contrast to the Chord MS 530, which have an overly
abundant amount of low end.
Comfort-wise, the Fusion could be better. The headband is decent
enough and doesn't hurt the skull, but the undersized earpads get quite
uncomfortable after a while. This could change after long-term
use, as the headband is likely to stretch out, which should provide a
more relaxed fit. On the topic of fit, I found that it was difficult to
get good "suction" out of the Fusion, which is likely one of the primary
reasons why they're so heavily lacking in bass. Someone with smaller
ears (like a tween/teen) may not have the same result, but I definitely
had to fiddle with them for a while to get a good fit that didn't
destroy the sound.
Chord MS 530
Where the Fusion is Phiaton's new mid-ranger, the Chord is its new
high-end Bluetooth set. Acoustically, it's more similar to the Bridge MS
500 than the Fusion, but aesthetically they don't really resemble
either.
Style-wise, the Chord features beefy aluminum arms that hold the
speakers in place, with an ultra-soft headband. I absolutely love how
this set looks, and the headband padding is freakin' fantastic. It feels
great where others fall short, even on my bald dome. That's how to know
if a set of headphones is really comfortable – try using them
without any "natural" padding (read: hair). This set definitely passes
the bald test. The ear pads are large and soft, which makes them very
comfortable, even for extended listening sessions. When it comes to fit,
feel, and style, the Chord is a great set of headphones.
Functionally, the Chord has all the features one would expect from a
set of Bluetooth headphones, along with the option to use 'em wired if
the battery dies. Unfortunately the included cable isn't as nice as the
one that comes with the Bridge – instead of having a tangle-free cloth
coating, it's wrapped in rubber. It still does the job, but doesn't seem
as "high end" as what the Bridge ships with.
On the left speaker there's a noise cancelling toggle and cable jack;
the right sports volume controls, play/pause, call and power buttons,
and the charging port. All expected stuff.
Then there's the sound. Where the Fusion focuses on treble and mids,
the Chord is all about the low end – there's a ridiculous amount of bass
in this set of headphones. If you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music
this is definitely the set to consider, though they're definitely not
great for every style of music. During my testing, I decided to use both
sets of headphones (along with the Bridge, for comparison) on my guitar
rig. Since I dialed in my amp's setting myself, I know exactly
how it's supposed to sound, which made for super easy comparison
between the speakers. As expected, the Fusion was incredibly mid-heavy,
which gives a more "open" sound, but the Chord is so bass-heavy it
almost made the tone "muddy," especially with lower tunings (Drop A, for
those who play). While I realize that not everyone plays guitar, I
think that still gives a good idea of what to expect.
Conclusion
It really depends on what you want out of a set of headphones. I
wouldn't call either set of these "bad" by any standards, but they're
very, very different. If you're looking for something very bass-centric,
go for Chord. If you like more open and liberated highs and mids, the
Fusion is a good choice. However, if you want a good balance of both,
the Bridge is easily the way to go – and still my favorite of the bunch.
That said, there are things to like about each. While I personally
think the Bridge sound the best, they're wired. Chord takes care of this
by, well, cutting the Chord with Bluetooth. However, they're pretty
bulky, and Fusion has a much smaller form factor, making it easier to
throw them in a bag. Of course, you're back to a wired set, but if you
need something smaller and portable, they're your best bet.
Following on the heels of the white 32 GB Nexus 5,
the black 32 GB version is now in stock on the US Google Play Store,
leaving the warehouse in 1-2 days. If you weren't able to get your hands
on a black 32 GB Nexus 5 originally,
now's your chance. If you're in the market for a new phone, the Nexus 5
is certainly an attractive option with its hefty hardware specs and
comparatively low price. In case you need a refresher, here's what $399
buys for you:
