Audiofly AF56 In-Ear Headphones Review
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Without music, our lives would be dull, and for some, completely pointless. Without great headphones, we would not be able to enjoy music to its fullest and experience the satisfying boom of solid bass accompanied by the thrilling high end trebles; all the audiophiles know exactly what I mean. Good thing a new Australian company by the name of Audiofly is blowing people away with their latest entry into the headphones scene. Their product exuberantly displays the passion that they have for music and for quality headphones. We received their mid range AF56 to review and boy were we in for a surprise. Head on past the break to check out all the details!
Just with Audiofly's quality packaging, you know you've made a smart investment. Once inside, there will be both the in-ear headphones and a small metal carrying case housed inside soft protective cushioning. Something to note is due to how tightly the cable was wrapped, there are small but noticeable kinks and bends in it. Inside the carrying case, you will find 3 sets of soft silicone ear tips in small, medium, and large sizes to fit just about anybody's ears. While the case is sturdy and will guard your investment, it is slightly on the small side. You will have to wrap your earphones a little tighter than you would normally want to for the carrying case to accommodate them, and from what I've experienced with the tight packaging, it may not be smart to use the case very often.
Embracing the urban scene, the AF56s are made to be worn when you're out and about. The entire design from the earbuds to the gold plated 3.5mm plug are aesthetically appealing. The color combinations available aren't flashy and bold that would attract any unwanted attention, but is still attractive and fits Audiofly's overall distinctive style. The details and thought that went behind both the unique shape and design of the earbuds allow these in ear headphones to stand out from the crowd. With its longer and angled shape, it allows for a much more comfortable experience during long periods of use compared to the normal earbuds that fit straight inside your ear. They sit naturally inside your ear thanks to the high quality silicone tips that also keep them securely fitted without having to worry about them randomly falling out.
As for comfort, you will rarely notice that they're even in your ears. With its lightweight build, the AF56s were meant to be in your ear, hence the type of headphones. As long as you wear the appropriate sized ear tips, it creates a phenomenal fit that not only feels great but does some extra noise isolating as well as reducing the annoying background noise. Although, if you are searching for earphones that completely shut out the entire world around you, these may not be a suitable choice. While they are great at dimming ambient noise, it will still be noticeable.
Rest assured, if you were to take these buds out anywhere, there would be no need to worry about damaging them, thanks to 1.2 meters of Audiofly's Audioflex braided cable that features Kevlar protected conductors and an outer Cordura branded Nylon sheath that you would normally find in high quality backpacks. The AF56's cable sounds and feels indestructible. Not to mention they're tangle-free.
As for the earbuds themselves, their design goes well with the metal alloy casing which hide the dynamic drivers. The metal Audiofly logo is also a nice touch. Unfortunately, Audiofly's design superb design is weighed down by the manufacturing. I found the paint is easily marred and can even be easily chipped off. As I wiped away what appeared to be a smear with my finger, there is now a piece of paint missing. For such great headphones in all other aspects, it is a shame there wasn't more time spent actually producing them.
An extra feature that you can receive with an extra $10 dollars is a microphone. Seems silly you'd have to pay extra for a simple mic add on though. With Clear-Talk, which essentially is the mic separated from the control button to improve voice chats and to reduce unnecessary sounds on the other end as you try to lower and raise the volume, something many of us have experienced with Apple's earphones. Something that was odd was the fact the controls is simply a single button. Why wouldn't they include a volume up and down control I have no idea.
Finally, the most crucial criteria headphones have to meet is the sound quality. Not to worry, Audiofly got us covered fairly well in this department. Hidden inside these angular earbuds are 13mm dynamic drivers that are well balanced between the highs, mids, and lows. Unlike most headphones that we've seen hyped up by popular hip hop artists, yes, Beats by Dre, we're looking at you, the AF56's are capable of producing sound that does not revolve entirely around heavy license plate rattling bass. With a combination of a healthy dose of bass that doesn't drown out the smooth and crisp highs and the subtle mids, these earphones have a balance that the more recent competitors cannot compare to.
Perhaps you are having an "I hate people in general" kinda day and want to drown out everything around you, the AF56s will definitely get loud. Loud enough that you might lose your hearing earlier than expected, but you won't experience any loss in sound quality. The overall performance of these headphones will leave many of you surprised and impressed, especially at the price point.
Beginning from as low as the AF33s at $29.95 to as high as the big daddy AF78s at $199.95, Audiofly has got everyone and everyone's wallet covered. As for the AF56s, you will be looking at a $99.95 price tag. It is true that you could easily grab yourself a bargain pair of in-ear headphones somewhere else, it is unlikely that you would be able to get the same overall quality as what Audiofly has to offer.
If you are willing to sacrifice in certain aspects, such as a lack of volume controls and a less than pristine paint job on your buds, Audiofly may be waiting for you to give them a try. As for the AF56s, we can strongly recommend picking one up if you are on a budget and are looking for something that will allow you to enjoy a wide selection of music.
