Precision and power shrink to fit inside Audiofly’s new AF180 in-ear monitors

By Ryan Waniata Published September 26, 2014

precision power shrink size audioflys new af180 audioflyaf180stoneblue — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s nothing like a great pair of over-ear headphones to completely envelop you in your favorite tunes. But those looking for a more low-key way to roll may want to swap out those bulky cans for the sleek and elegant fit of an in-ear monitor, such as Audiofly’s gorgeous new AF180. Packing radiant detail, rich and woody bass, and a comfortable fit that cuts out the outside world, the AF180 are the modern way to take music with you wherever you roam.

You may not have heard of Audiofly yet, but the up-and-coming Australian headphone maker has quickly made a name for itself by cultivating a music-first philosophy — along with some impressive in-ear offerings along the way. Designed for stage musicians, the company’s AF180 don’t just wedge into your ears like standard earbuds, their wrap around design keeps them snug, while the surprisingly light earpieces fill your entire ear canal to block out ambient noise.

Recommended Videos

Related: Add premium performance to your commute with the Nuforce Primo 8

And while the stone-blue buds aren’t hard on the eyes, it’s what’s inside that makes these headphones worth their salt. Like others in their class, such as the Westone W40, or the Nuforce Primo 8, the AF180 pack four miniaturized balanced-armature drivers, known for their unrelenting accuracy. Banded together to cover the full frequency spectrum, the drivers combine for a commanding display of power and precision.

But what really makes the AF180 special is their ability to dig up smooth and taut bass, especially prevalent in woody stringed instruments like guitar, and string bass, which makes them sound much more like a pair of full-sized cans than their slight form would suggest. Pairing that with vivid accuracy up top, and a smooth flush of midrange warmth, the AF180 are hard to put down.

Accessories include three sets of ear tips, including two silicone designs, and one set of Comply foam tips, gold-plated quarter-inch and airplane adaptors, a cleaning tool, and a rustic leather case to wrap it all inside.

Of course, all their spoils don’t come cheap. At $550, these headphones beg for better source material than what’s offered from your standard smartphone loaded with low-grade MP3s. However, thanks to a growing selection of high-resolution portable devices from the likes of Astell & Kern, Sony, and Neil Young’s PonoPlayer, it’s a good time to start thinking big when going small. We also caution their thin cabling at the top, which demands a delicate touch on the road.

That said, if you’re looking for uncompromising sound in a diminutive design — and you don’t mind paying for it — Audiofly’s new AF180 are a tempting new addition to the audio landscape.

Topics

Formula 1

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Waniata is an audio engineer, musician, composer, and all-around lover of all things tech, audio, and cinema. Hailing…

Culture

The best sci-fi shows streaming right now

From Lost to The Twilight Zone, these are the best sci-fi shows ever made

The cast of Lost.

Sci-fi television has been around since the earliest days of the medium, and it's evolved along with the rest of television. In every era, though, there have been great sci-fi shows that remind us of how well the genre can fit on television.

Great science fiction can reflect on the world we know, even as it expands our understanding of what's possible. Regardless of exactly what these shows are about, though, each of them tells their story in gripping fashion, taking full advantage of what TV is capable of.

Culture

‘The Brutalist’ director Brady Corbet says he’s made no money promoting the film

The director said that he makes more directing commercials than he does making movies.

Adrien Brody in The Brutalist

It can be wonderful to get nominated for a bunch of awards, but The Brutalist director Brady Corbet said that it's not exactly a profitable one. In an interview on WTF with Marc Maron, Corbet said that he hadn't actually made any money promoting the movie.

“This is the first time I’ve made any money in years,” Corbet said, saying that his first real paycheck in a long time came from directing three advertisements in Portugal. “Both my partner and I made zero dollars on the last two films we made. Yes, actually zero. So we had to just live off of a paycheck from three years ago and obviously, the timing during an awards campaign and travel every two or three days was less than ideal, but it was an opportunity that landed in my lap, and I jumped at it.”

Culture

John Malkovich said that he rejected Marvel movies prior to ‘Fantastic Four’ over low pay

He explained that Marvel movies took a lot of time, and he wanted to be paid accordingly.

John Malkovich in Fantastic Four

Over the course of its 15 years of existence, Marvel has lured a number of surprising actors into its orbit. We live in a world where Angelina Jolie and Harry Styles have both appeared in Marvel projects (actually the same one).

John Malkovich was one of the last Marvel holdouts, but that's changing with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In an interview with GQ, Malkovich explained that he had been approached to do Marvel projects in the past, but had always turned them down.
“The reason I didn’t do them had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever,” Malkovich explained. “I didn’t like the deals they made, at all.”
He explained that he simply wanted more money to work through the conditions required to make a movie on this scale.
“These films are quite grueling to make…. If you’re going to hang from a crane in front of a green screen for six months, pay me. You don’t want to pay me, it’s cool, but then I don’t want to do it, because I’d rather be onstage, or be directing a play, or doing something else," he continued.
Malkovich is, perhaps unsurprisingly, playing villain Ivan Kragoff, also known as Red Ghost in the film. He explained that working on the movie was actually like stage work in some respects. "It’s not that dissimilar to doing theater,” he said, “You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn’t there and do your little play.”