Wired Earbuds Are Cool Again, Hop (Back) On The Bandwagon With Periodic Audio’s Magnesium V3 Entry Level IEMs – Forbes
It was bound to happen. The cool kids are increasingly turning to wired earbuds instead of wireless.
True wireless earbuds are a marvel of modern technology. They’ve been around for long enough for most of the pain points to be minimized and they are mainstream. However, there will always be downsides to true wireless, including size/weight (batteries and Bluetooth chips take space), battery life and the need to have a charge case handy, and the ability to easily lose or damage an earbud if it’s dropped. In addition, once those batteries reach end of life, wireless earbuds are destined for landfill.
Throw in the fact that everyone seems to be wearing AirPods these days and the ongoing renaissance in popularity of retro or vintage audio technology like turntables, and it only makes sense that there would be a backlash against wireless. Wired headphones and earbuds are back.
Periodic Audio Mg wired IEMs.
If you’re ready to hop back on the wired earbud bandwagon, there’s a good chance you have a few pairs of Apple EarPods – included in the box for free with every iPhone and iPod for years – kicking around. If not, Apple will still sell you a pair for $25. All smartphone makers had their own versions, but these freebies usually had one thing in common: they were pretty basic. They were free, after all.
Whether you’re an iPhone or Android user, Periodic Audio is making a strong case for treating yourself to an affordable upgrade with its Magnesium V3 entry level wired IEMs.
The Magnesium V3 (referred to after this as Mg) earbuds may be the $99 entry point to Periodic Audio’s lineup of wired IEMs, but that’s not reflected in what’s in the box.
Inside is an attractive metal carrying case. A generous bag of ear tips is included, with three different sizes each of single flange silicone, dual flange silicone, and memory foam tips. There was also a set of silicone ear hooks. Getting a secure and comfortable fit should not be an issue.
There’s a lot in the box…
The cable is four feet long and covered in braided cloth. This offers a premium and retro look, while helping to reduce tangles. Even better, the cable terminates in a pair of 2.5mm TS jacks that connect to the ear buds. The other end is a traditional 3.5mm jack, with a 1/4” adapter and airplane adapter also included.
The earbuds are attractive with a high gloss black finish and the Periodic Audio logo in silver.
The elephant in the room is that most smartphones sold in the past several years do not have a 3.5mm audio jack. If you’re going retro with an old iPod, Zune, or other dedicated audio device, that won’t be a concern. However, for many people, this means shelling out a bit extra (and dealing with the visual clunkiness) of a USB-C or Lightning adapter if you wish to go wired. Fortunately, these are easy to find, and inexpensive. During testing, I used Apple’s Lightning to 3.5mm adapter, which retails for all of $10.
Most new(ish) smartphones will need an adapter to go wired, in this case Apple’s $10 Lightning to … [+]
Periodic Audio’s use of a cloth-wrapped cable comes with advantages. It really does go a long way toward eliminating tangles – the bane of wired earbuds. And I love the tiny 2.5mm jacks (the world’s smallest 2.5mm connector, according to Periodic Audio). The use of a detachable cable completely eliminates another wired earbud pain point – earbuds that become garbage if the cable frays or snaps off its connection. I had to toss dozens of pairs of earbuds over the years because my kids would manage to wreck the cables, especially where they they were wired into the earbud housing. With the Mg IEMs, you can simply replace the cable if needed.
I have to say that I greatly appreciated the prominent L and R labelling on the cable connectors, which make it very easy to ensure you have the buds in the correct ears. With too many earbuds (both wired and wireless), I’m left squinting, looking for a tiny embossed label while trying to figure out which bud goes in which ear.
The downside to the included cable? The cloth covering can introduce noise if it rubs against your clothing. Sitting still, it’s a non-issue, but if you wear these buds while walking around, it can be an annoyance.
The Mg in the Magnesium V3 name is the 96% pure Magnesium foil used in the transducer foil. Periodic Audio chose Magnesium – which has a very high stiffness-to-weight ratio – for its ability to produce a bright top end.
Period Audio’s entry-level IEMs offer audio performance that won’t leave you pining for the freebies … [+]
That sound signature was evident when I listened to tracks on these earbuds.
Overall, the sound is quite nice (certainly far above what the old pack-in wired earbuds could provide), with a touch of emphasis on higher frequencies. Tracks that are bass-heavy don’t have the punch or rumble that you might be accustomed to in headphones that are tuned for an energetic sound, but the more balanced and slightly bright approach still made for an enjoyable listen that didn’t result in fatigue after extended sessions. There is plenty of detail and instruments are easily picked out. There’s also a sense of depth to the music — something that is often missing in cheap earbuds. The manufacturer suggests that the Mg IEMs are best-suited for “blues, jazz, and acoustic/folk” genres, but I went through my classic rock and 80s playlists as well and had no complaints.
As wired earbuds, there are no issues around pairing, battery life, sound quality related to Bluetooth codecs, or worries that a bud that accidentally pops out might be damaged or lost.
Periodic Audio’s Mg wired earbuds offer a solid value.
If you’ve decided to bring wired earbuds back to your music listening, the Periodic Audio Mg IEMs are a solid option. They offer quite balanced, close to neutral sound which just a little emphasis on treble. These earbuds are focused purely on audio playback, so there are no mics for taking phone calls or interacting with a digital assistant. You get superior sound to most freebie pack-in wired earbuds that may be tangled in a ball at the back of a drawer, detachable cables that resist tangling, a huge assortment of eartips, a premium metal carrying case, and even accessory adapter jacks. You can’t go wrong at $99.
Stay tuned for review of several other IEMs in the Periodic Audio collection, with my take on the company’s Beryllium V3 and the flagship Carbon V3 earbuds coming soon.
Disclosure: Periodic Audio provided Mg IEMs for evaluation purposes but had no input into this review.
