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Whizzer is a new earphone company that released their first product in 2017. That first earphone was the A15 and I was quite impressed by it, particularly it’s fantastic, airy treble. You can read about it in my Whizzer A15 review. Today I’ll be looking at the company’s latest release, the Whizzer Haydn A15 Pro earphone.

You can get the Haydn A15 Pro on the official AliExpress page here

This product was provided for the purpose of an honest review. I’m not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions here are my own.

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Specifications

Packaging and accessories

The Haydn experience begins similarly to the original A15, with a black box encased by a white cardboard sleeve. On the front is an image of the earphones. On the back are the specifications and an exploded diagram, detailing all the components that make up the IEM.

Upon opening the box you’re presented with everything beautifully laid out and secured in black foam. On the left side is the excellent assortment of eartips, all held by the also excellent metal plate, which can be used as a stand. That’s a unique and classy way of doing things. I approve. There are four types of eartips provided.

• 3 x. pairs “Reference” silicone tips (S, M, L)
• 3 x pairs “Transparent” silicone tips (S, M, L)
• 1 x pair “Reference” foam tips
• 1 x pair “Transparent” foam tips

The two different sets of tips vary in shape with the reference ones having a more circular shape and narrow bore while the transparent ones have more of a conical shape and wider bore.

On the right side are the Haydn A15 Pro earphones and the tan colored storage case with magnetic seal. The case is made of protein leather and is the perfect size for holding the earphones and being pocket friendly at the same time.

Lastly, under the eartip plate is a user manual and warranty card.  Although it appears simple, it’s apparent that someone has put some serious thought into the layout of the packaging.

 

Build, comfort and isolation

Just like the original, the Haydn A15 Pro earphone has metal housings and a very solid build. In fact the build is almost identical to the original but this time the finish on the housings is a dark gray and has a matte finish. They’re fairly small but have some weight to them and feel very sturdy. All rounded edges here too which is always a good sign. The join between the two halves is really well done with no gaps in between.

On the outer side is the Whizzer logo in white. The inner side has Whizzer printed in white along with Left and Right markings – something that I believe every IEM should include. There’s also a vent/bass port on the inside here.

The nozzles are angled and have a good lip to securely hold the eartips in place. There’s also a gold-colored mesh covering the nozzle ends to keep out ear wax and other debris. Classy! Overall the build quality is top notch and is in line with what you can expect with something around the $100 mark.

Cable

Now onto the cable which is where things take a downturn. The look and feel of it are somewhat cheap. I’m not a fan of braided cables and this one just doesn’t feel as premium as the earphones themselves or the rest of the package. The actual cable core, however, is a very good quality 6n OCC.

This time around the memory wire on the Haydn A15 Pro earphone is a huge improvement over the stiff and unyielding ones that came on the original. It’s very pliable and much easier to work with. You’ll hardly notice it’s there at all for the most part.

Above the Y-split the cable is rubberized and I really wish the bottom section was the same instead of having the braided cover. The Y-split is nicely done and has A15 in gold print on one side and Pro on the other. There is also a chin slider which is always a plus. The cable terminates in a 3.5 mm gold-plated L-shaped plug with good strain reliefs.

What really hurts the cable the most though is the long, angled MMCX connectors. It was literally impossible to get a good fit and seal because of these. I have larger than average ears but nothing freakish or unusual. The shape and angle of the MMCX connectors made it simply impossible to get a proper fit. Just like the original A15 I had to switch to a third party cable to be able to wear these earphones. I think this is something the company needs to make some revisions on in future releases. I will say though that the MMCX connectors themselves, just like the original A15 are excellent. They’re sturdy yet easy to disconnect and have a satisfying click.

Comfort and isolation

Once I had changed to another cable I found the Haydn A15 Pro earphone to be very comfortable. The housings sit nicely in the ears and the rounded edges provide great comfort.

The housings are quite small so even though they are metal the noise isolation is about average. It’s certainly on par with most IEMs and suitable for everyday use.

Sound

Gear used for testing

• Acoustic Research AR-M20
• Benjie T6
• PC/MusicBee > iFi Audio iDSD Nano Black Label
• PC/MusicBee > Topping DX7

Although the Haydn has a low 16Ω impedance the beryllium drivers do like a bit of power to bring out their best. While you can drive them with a smartphone you’ll need to turn up the volume quite a lot – on my Galaxy Note 5 I had it at 90% or more depending on the recording. Best results can be had when using a dedicated DAP or headphone amplifier.

After hearing the original A15 I was definitely not expecting what the Whizzer Haydn A15 Pro earphone delivers. It’s refined, resolving and loaded with details. With a near neutral bass and somewhat lean midrange this is a completely different beast than its predecessor. It’s almost clinically clean but is still musical and emotive.

Bass

Bass is tight, textured and detailed but it doesn’t have a lot of impact. In fact, it’s quite close to neutral. Some people will surely love this kind of presentation but if you’re a basshead then you would be better served by the original A15. Driver speed is fast and these can handle complex bass lines with finesse. There’s no sign of sluggishness or bloat whatsoever. Sub-bass extends well, has a short decay and is extremely controlled with no hint of distortion in the driver or housings. For my personal preference these take a little too much of the fun aspect out of the bass but from a technical standpoint, the Haydn A15 Pro earphone is masterful in this area.

Mids

Midrange is a highlight of the Haydn A15 Pro earphone. Thanks to the tightly controlled bass there’s no bleed or contamination from the low frequencies. The amount of detail is pretty remarkable for an earphone in this price range and the Haydn is highly resolving in this regard. Deft and agile, the Haydn easily handles complex passages and does a great job of keeping elements separated. For those who enjoy picking up the minute details in music, this would be a good choice.

Treble

The Haydn A15 Pro earphone shares many similarities in its treble with the original A15 and that is a good thing. There’s plenty of extension and the same airiness that made the original A15’s treble so impressive. There some sparkle and energy but at no time does it become strident or offensive. Hi-hats and cymbals have good timbre and sheen. This is an area where the A15 series is very strong.

Soundstage

There is more width than depth but it portrays quite a large stage and space, thanks to that fine treble and clean separation in the midrange. Imaging is also nice with solid coverage of the headspace and good positional information.

Comparisons

Whizzer A15 (original) ($69 USD)

Let’s start with the similarities here, rather than the differences. Treble. The original A15 and the Haydn A15 Pro earphone share a similar, airy treble. It’s not harsh and won’t poke icy shards into your brain but is well extended with some added sparkle. It’s really good. But that’s where the similarities end.

Bass on the original A15 is big. Big and boomy and fun. The Haydn, on the other hand, is very reserved and conservative in the bass. Whizzer’s Haydn is also noticeably leaner in the midrange and there’s virtually no carryover from the bass into the lower midrange.

Basically what you’re getting with the A15 is a fun, V-shaped, bordering on basshead IEM and the Haydn A15 Pro earphone moves in the opposite direction. The Haydn Pro is linear, with a near neutral bass, more details (crazy detail) and a more balanced approach.

TFZ Exclusive King Experience Version ($99 USD)

Has significantly more mid and sub-bass impact. Similarly lean midrange but has a more noticeable peak in the upper mids while the Haydn has a more linear rise. The Exclusive King has less sparkle in the treble and instead focuses on the upper midrange. Both earphones have a similar soundstage that is fairly spacious and wide.

In terms of comfort TFZ’s IEM feels more secure in the ears and offers better noise isolation. Build quality on both is excellent for their respective prices.

Whizzer Haydn A15 Pro Earphone Conclusion

Whizzer’s Haydn A15 Pro earphone is so far removed from the original it’s surprising the company didn’t give it a completely different name. While it does retain similar characteristics in the treble, the rest of the spectrum is a vast departure from its predecessor.

However, the Haydn A15 Pro earphone has it’s own merits, particularly in its resolving nature and excellent detail retrieval. It’s another of those “audiophile” tuned IEMs of which we’ve seen several lately. Is it a worthy upgrade over the original? Well, that depends on what kind of sound you like. Either way, the Haydn A15 Pro earphone is technically impressive and for its sound, I would definitely recommend it. The only caveat is that I’d suggest you have a spare cable on hand just in case.

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