Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd
FOR Balanced sound; detailed delivery; impressive rhythm AGAINST Nothing at this price
Some manufacturers favour a bemusing code of letters and numbers when naming their products, but for its latest pair of budget in-ear headphones, Beyerdynamic has opted for simplicity. The Soul Byrds are a talented pair of sub-£100 in-ear headphones. So good, in fact, we’ll even forgive the spelling.
These buds are part of Beyerdynamic’s new Byrdland in-ear range and replace one of our favourite budget in-ears of recent times, the Byrons. Compared with those buds, there’s been quite a design departure. Gone are the industriallooking cylindrical earpieces and in their place is a more delicate and, dare we say, more stylish design.
Get them out of the box, and the first things you notice are the smooth, rounded housings and the contrasting flat exterior faceplates. The plates are made from anodised aluminium and combine with the rest of the design to make a good first impression.
Pillow talk
Beyerdynamic also points out that the new design lends itself better to listening in bed. A lot of budget in-ears around this price tend to protrude more from the ear, but those flatter panels mean there’s less headphone to get in the way if you rest your head on its side.
There are five different pairs of eartips in the box, ranging from very small to very large. The smoothness of these parts means it can be tricky to get a solid grip, but the tips are flared, which makes it easy to slot them in and achieve a decent level of isolation. You don’t need to ram them down your ear canal to get a comfortable and effective fit.
Control and storage
Given the affordable price, there aren’t any major surprises on the feature front. There’s a small three-button in-line remote control on the right-hand cable which should give functionality (including play, pause and skip tracks) across IOS and Android devices.
The Soul Byrds also come with a relatively robust, slimline carry case with
“This is a superb pair of in-ear headphones – such an easy listen, yet interesting and captivating too”
an elasticated strap and an internal pouch for the extra eartips.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re listening to budget headphones or an ultra-high-end pair of speakers, some audio products just sound good, even after a brief listen. And that’s the case with the Beyerdynamic Soul Byrds. There’s a balance to the sound that many budget in-ear headphones just struggle to get right.
Full-bodied sound
There’s no thin treble or boomy bass here. What you do get is a full-bodied and weighty sound, but balanced with impressive poise and control.
The hefty drum thwacks that form the introduction to Haim’s Falling have a powerful bombastic character. Those initial strikes are followed up by a deeper, more far-reaching note, which the Soul Byrds communicate easily. There’s a welcome fullness and richness to the sound which is both comforting and confidence-inspiring.
Play Sam Smith’s I’m Not The Only One and his vocals sound clear and layered with texture and emotion. Rhythmically they’re on top form too, the drum-beats and piano playing perfectly in time. Ramp up the pace with Smith’s Money On My Mind and the Soul Byrds convey the enthusiasm and upbeat tempo of the song’s percussion.
Although more expensive than some rivals, such as the Soundmagic E11CS, the Soul Byrds are clearly a step up in overall quality from those buds. They are a superb pair of in-ear headphones – such an easy listen, yet interesting and captivating too. It’s a brilliant feat to have kept them under £70.