PMV A-01 Quick Review by mark2410

PMV A-01 Quick Review by mark2410

Thanks to PMV and their distributor, Penon Audio for the sample.

Brief:  Crazy cheap triple drivered hybrid

Price: US$69 or £48 (sans HMRC’s cut)

Specifications:  Cable material: silver-plated OFC, Cable length: 1.3m, Plug Type: 3.5mm gold plated, Speaker Impedance: 13Ω, Sensitivity: 110 ± 3dB, Distortion: <3% (1KHZ, 1mW), Frequency range: 20-20000HZ, Maximum power: 10Mw

Accessories:  3 pairs of Silicone Eartips(S/M/L), One pair Double-flange eartips, One pair Earhook, Carrying Case.  (Case looks awesome btw.)

Build Quality:  It would appear to be excellent.  The cable is crazy nice, the jack is great too and the buds are anodised aluminium.  On the whole it’s pretty great, looks and feels fancy, quality stuff.

Isolation:  So so.  It’s at the upper ish end of what you would get form a dynamic drivered IEM.  These have a dynamic in them for the bass and thus need be vented the same.  So you could get away with these is most uses, out and about or on a bus but I wouldn’t play too loud.  They aren’t great for flight or Tube but would do in a pinch.  Naturally though they are more than sufficient for getting yourself run over if you don’t use your eyes near traffic.

Comfort/Fit:  Excellent for the most part.  They need to be worn up if that’s and issue for you.  They also sit rather shallow which I don’t love as a rule.  They were comfy to wear all day and easy to get seated but I’d have like them a little more deep seating.

Aesthetics:  The black outer weave on the cable looks fancy, the buds despite being aluminium are just bland.  Nothing approaching ugly, they are just not particularly visually interesting.  Usually I love metal buds but these just didn’t seem to catch my eye.

Sound:  This is where things matter and the sound quality is first rate, beyond first rate for the money.  They are triple drivered and while in comparison to other triple drivered IEM’s they may not be anything wildly special but what sets these apart is their price tag.  Seriously they are £48, how do they manage that?  That’s US$69 for US folk.  That is an unheard of price for something triple drivered and that sounds this good.  If they cost a ton more I could pick fault with things, like they can be a little strident in the upper mids and want to leap forward to shout at you.  However you can largely solve by pairing with warm, rich sources.  Then you see the price tag.  You just can’t stop coming back to that price, any time they don’t quite nail something perfectly you have got to keep in mind that the things you’re mentally comparing it to cost considerably more.  In fact acoustically only the RE-400 (which is still US$10 more) can come close to it.  However the build quality on the A-01 is very considerably nicer. 

Priced as it is, the PMV-A-01 is untouchable.

Value:  They spank everything around them, if you have the money grab a pair and unless your hardened bass head I’d bet you’ll be very highly impressed with what you’ve gotten for your money.

Pro’s:  Sound quality is outstanding.  Stupidly cheap.  Sound Quality is outstanding. Gorgeous case.

Con’s:  Bland looks.  Bit of upper mid over enthusiasm.  Wants a warmly rich source.