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Testing a pair of earphones like the Rock Jaw Audio Alfa Genus V2 involves using it for a period of one week as general music listening headphones during working hours. Music of a number of different genres was listened to, as well as podcasts and audiobooks. Throughout we took into consideration audio quality, clarity and ability to handle different parts of the auditory spectrum, as well as comfort and ease of use.
Since this particular set of headphones also came with optionable audio tuners, we also tested each of those against one another and compared with a standard set of smartphone headphones (bundled set that comes with Sony Xperia Z2).
Although the Alfa Genus V2s do come with a number of optional earbud tips and tuners, we started with the default configuration of silicon tips and the ‘bass' tuners. The immediate impression of them is that the sound is a little muddy. They have a strong bass level and the can handle volume nicely, but the clarity of the sound is not at the level of the default smartphone headphones we were using for comparison.
Fortunately this impression was nullified when we began to play around with the other options. Swapping in the treble set improved the clarity of the sound by a noticeable margin, though it did make it feel less warm and the bass dropped significantly.
Which is why for the majority of this review I spent my time using the “natural,” gold plated tuners also provided with these headphones.
Due to the great middle ground it offers between the warm but crunchy ‘bass' tuners and the crisper, cleaner but thin ‘treble' options, you would expect Rock Jaw to use the ‘natural' tuners as the default. It is perhaps telling of the market it operates in that it opted for bass tuners instead.
Perhaps the most well known smartphone headphone alternative brand on the market right now is Beats. Its prevalence for bass heavy sound and a hip-hop focus is perhaps why Rock Jaw looked to emulate something similar for first time listeners. I would certainly recommend you switch them out for the ‘naturals.'
In terms of the sound quality, once I had settled on a tuner of choice, the Alfa Genus V2 offer a really pleasant audio experience. The sound has warmth and character without rolling off the treble frequencies and the low end is hefty and focused. You just lose out on some of the really low end ‘sub bass'.
For those who struggle to find a set of earphone tips that fit snug enough, the number of options on offer here means you can find one that really fits perfectly. If you get really stuck though and find the silicon and foam do not cut it, the double flange variants do not budge an inch once inserted.
The number of earbuds and extra tuners may not be something you want to keep with you often, but you can thanks to the included felt bag that could easily fit in a pocket or bag. I would worry that the tuning filters could be easily lost, but at least the option to carry them with you is there.
One downside of these headphones is that like a lot of earbud style sets, they suffer from a lot of microphonics as the cable is touched or when it rubs against clothing. Fortunately Rock Jaw included a cable clip. This mitigates a lot of the problem, but it can be further improved by wrapping the cable around your ear – though that is a generic solution that has little to do with the product itself.
Although it makes a bit of unwanted noise though, the cable for these headphones is made of a robust rubber and resists tangling quite well. The header too is very slimline, which makes it more likely to fit into pockets or phone cases. I would have preferred a vertical cable however, as the 90 degree angle sometimes saw it uprooting itself when the phone was pushed into a pocket.
The in-line microphone on the cable was a nice addition too though you can save money when ordering if you would rather do without it. It gives basic play/pause control and the ability to take calls without going to the handset is great. Similarly not having to remove the headset to talk just makes the whole experience uninterrupted.
