How’s it going today fam? We’re here to review the Astrotec BX70, an in-ear monitor that has a unique visual style and comes with 2 cables in the box. You can use it with Bluetooth or a wired connection, making it suitable for a wide range of activities.
Astrotec is a subsidiary of BSCAC Limited, a company which is based in Shenzhen, China and was founded in 2004. The company manufactures their own drivers and even produces aviation headsets for the military.
Astrotec website: https://www.astrotecglobal.com/
- Unique design
- 2 cables provided (1 wired and 1 Bluetooth)
- Warm and engaging sound
- Build quality
- Flashy design may not suit everybody
Buy on:
Specifications
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Bluetooth Version: CSR BT 4.1
- Battery: 100 mAh
- Cables: 5N OFC Cable, Bluetooth Cable
- Driver Unit: 10mm Dynamic Driver
- Continuous Playtime: Up to 7 hours
This sample was provided for the purpose of an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.
Package and Accessories
The BX70 unboxing experience begins with a beige coloured box which has an image of the earphone with the Bluetooth cable on the front. Opening the magnetically sealed front cover reveals an image of a girl jogging on the inside cover. On the right side is the Astrotec BX70 seated in a soft foam insert.
The IEM comes with the Bluetooth cable attached. Underneath the foam we find the rest of the accessories. Let’s take a look at what you get:
- Astrotec BX70 earphone
- MMCX Bluetooth cable
- MMCX OFC cable
- Micro-USB charging cable
- 1 pair of foam eartips
- 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L)
- Detachable cable cinch
- Earphone pouch
- Warranty card
- Approval card
Right off the bat that’s a pretty decent bundle right there. I was surprised to find 2 cables inside and I think having the option to go wired or wireless adds a lot of versatility. The overall quality of the package is very good and unboxing experience is satisfying.
Build Quality and Design
The Astrotec BX70 is available in 2 colours; namely blue and black. I received the black variant. Without a doubt, the first thing you’ll notice about this earphone is the crystal glass diamond shaped faceplates. These are transparent but have a reflective surface beneath which creates a really interesting visual effect.
The housings are quite small and when looked at from the side, have a shape similar to the head of a golf club or hockey stick. Another interesting feature of the housings are the transparent shells, through which you can see the internal wiring and single dynamic driver.
There’s one small bass port towards the back of the inner side of the shell. The angled nozzles are transparent and have a small ridge to hold eartips securely. As is the norm there’s also a metal mesh covering the mouth of the nozzle to deter any detritus and ear wax from getting inside.
The MMCX sockets are recessed and sit inside the body of the housings. On the back edge of the earpieces are L and R markings, indicating left and right respectively. Overall the BX70 has excellent build quality plus a unique and interesting design.
Cables
You’ll find 2 cables in the box. The first is a 5N OFC cable designed for wired playback and the other is a Bluetooth cable with a CSR8645 chip that supports the high-quality aptX codec.
The HIFI (wired) cable is a little thin but the TPU sheath is very supple and it feels great. On the top end are the metal MMCX connectors which are colour coded (red for right, blue for left).
Next we find the pre-formed ear guides that help to provide a more secure fit. There is a transparent plastic chin slider that works really well despite the ease with which it slides up and down the smooth cable.
A cylindrical aluminium Y-splitter is next down the line. This is small and unobtrusive and has some low-key branding printed on one side. Finally, the cable terminates with a right-angled, aluminium 3.5 mm plug.
Strain reliefs are good up and down the cable and overall I really like this one. It’s better than a lot of stock cables you see in this price range.
The Bluetooth cable is designed to be worn behind the neck. On the right side is the 3-button remote and microphone. This is where you’ll also find the USB charging port and a small LED indicator.
The LED lights up red when charging or blue when fully charged. It will also flash blue when paired with a source or flash red and blue in pairing mode. Battery life is rated at up to 7 hours of continuous playback.
Like the HIFI cable, this one has pre-formed ear guides but the cable itself is black and thicker than the other one for more stability during physical activity. I assume this cable is sweat resistant but there is no indication of an IPX rating so far as I can tell.
Comfort and Noise Isolation
Personally, I find the BX70 to be a very comfortable IEM and I can wear it for long periods. A couple of other people who tried it said they felt some discomfort after a while but as always, it will depend on each persons ear anatomy and eartip choice.
I found the passive noise isolation to be slightly above average for a universal IEM. Due to the shape of the housings and nozzle length when using my preferred tips (in this case Spinfit), I can hardly hear anything except for my music, even when listening at a low to moderate level.
Noise leak is minimal too so it’s very unlikely people around you will hear your music or be bothered by it. As such, the BX70 is suitable for all types of environments, such as public transport, in the office or at the gym.
Sound
Gear used for testing includes the Shanling M0 and Sony NW-ZX300 DAPs when on the go. On the desktop, I played FLAC files with MusicBee or JRiver Media Center from my PC to the FiiO K3.
The Astrotec BX70 is tuned for musicality and fun. It has a healthy boost of bass, clear mids and a crisp, smooth treble giving it a lively but warm signature.
Bass
The BX70 definitely has a coloured low end but it doesn’t make the sound muddy or excessively thick. There is some bass bleeding into the midrange but rather than intrude upon them (the mids) it simply makes the transition between the two feel more natural and cohesive.
Mid-bass is well north of neutral and has a nice mixture of texture and impact. My brain keeps telling me this shouldn’t sound right but it just does. It’s organic, it’s inviting and it encourages lots of toe-tapping when listening to upbeat tracks like Jamiroquai’s “Shake It On”.
Sub-bass levels are fairly tame and not as forward as the mid-bass. It has a fast and light rumble that is audible but not visceral or bone-shaking.
Midrange
The lower midrange notes are quite thick and this gives added weight to male vocals and lower register instruments. It gives the midrange lots of body which is engaging and emotional. Because of the bass bleed present, there’s plenty of warmth which fortunately doesn’t compromise the tonality too much or muddy things up.
Vocals have good density so even though they sit between a boosted bass and raised treble they don’t sound too recessed or distant. The BX70 presents a full-bodied and rich midrange that is warm rather than neutral but it works.
Treble
With a peak at around 6kHz, the BX70 puts in some work to counterbalance the aggressive mid-bass. It’s effective but could have perhaps stretched that peak a touch more to bring some additional clarity but then you run the risk of sibilance which the BX70 handily manages to avoid entirely.
After that 6kHz peak, the treble dips fairly sharply before rising again at 10kHz. This maintains the warm presentation while still providing sufficient clarity to the mids. The treble extension is good, giving the BX70 some excellent airiness that helps maintain the soundstage and prevent the bass from being dominant.
Soundstage
With a warm signature such as this, the soundstage can often become too intimate or congested. Fortunately, the BX70’s treble extension does a great job at balancing the sound and preventing the stage from collapsing.
There’s a good sense of depth and average width to the stage with the enhanced bass keeping things grounded in the middle. Instrument placement is about average and the BX70 is adept at separation, maintaining space between instruments even on busy tracks.
Conclusion
The Astrotec BX70 is a fun and stylish earphone that is no slouch when it comes to the sound. Having both wired and Bluetooth cables give the BX70 a lot of versatility out of the box. Neither cable is a ‘filler’ either; they’re both quality additions and combined with the solid earphones the bundle as a whole is easy to recommend, especially if you want to add a bit of bling to your ears.