GadgeTell Review: Audiofly AF78 Earbuds

Up for review is a pair of Audiofly AF78 earbuds, a refreshing departure from the the overloaded bass that seems to be the current trend in audio. I’d rather hear a balanced, rich, detailed sound, and I got it from these earbuds.

The AF78 is Audiofly’s top-of-the-line earbud at a healthy $199.95, and it was designed with audiophiles and professional musicians in mind.

You’ll notice an interesting shape behind the earbuds, it is tiny, but it almost looks like a speaker cabinet. There are actually two different devices housed in there, and that’s what makes these earbuds unique. There is a balanced armature device for incredible strength in the high end, and a 9mm custom dynamic driver to balance it out at the low end. Having these two drivers gives these earbuds a natural, full range of sound.

So I could listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball” and hear little bell chimes in the midst of a chorus of singers and an orchestra of instruments and horns. Norah Jones’ “Happy Pills” sounded extra sticky-sweet, and Florence an the Machine sounded like it bouncing off of planets in outer space. I heard things in Of Monsters and Men’s “Little Talks” that I’d never noticed in the previous 36 listens.

But back to the bass, I think this is the way it should sound. Maybe it’s just a personal preference (I was called an ‘old soul’ today at lunch), but I want the bass to complement the audio as a whole. I do like it to be strong, but I also want to hear it clearly, and completely undistorted. These earbuds do it all for me.

The no-tangle, braided cord feels extremely durable. You also hardly get any of that scratching noise when the cables rub together, and you don’t get a whole lot of it against a collar either. You also get five sizes of silicon ear tips so you can find the perfect noise-isolating fit.

All-in-all, if you’re looking for professional studio-quality sound out of an earbud, I think this is one of the best.

Trade in some old gear and get a head start on saving up for new earbuds!