Sinepatic’s debut headphones have a promising start that needs some refinement to smooth the rough edges.
- Excellent comfort
- Possible to replace the batteries
- Unique sound signature courtesy of Ribbon Array drivers
- Spacious presentation
- The build quality of SE-1 is merely average
- Outdated BT codecs with no LDAC or AptX support
- Low max volume can be a dealbreaker
- Potentially inconsistent quality control
I must be honest: when I first heard about the Sineaptic SE-1 headphones and had a look at the spec sheet, it seemed too good to be true. A (somewhat) affordable pair of wireless headphones that feature true ribbon drivers, powered by built-in batteries with no external amplification?
Well, that was the proverbial “shut up and take my money” moment. Or, in this case, the sending of a follow-up email that expressed my delight in being able to try one for review. Ribbon driver headphones tend to be far more expensive, and usually require specific amplification.
The SE-1 buck all those trends. In terms of Unique Selling Point (USP) and overall market positioning, there is tremendous potential here. How much of that is translated into real-world performance, though?
Let’s find out.
One Minute Review Video
Battery ⓘ
- Battery Life: 11 hours
- Charge Time (15 mins): up to 60 mins playback time
Battery life on the SE-1 is below average, given most of the competition is pushing around 40 hours of playback time. The context of the driver type is important here, as the ribbon drivers tend to be very hard to drive.
Nonetheless, if battery life is a priority, the SE-1 won’t suffice in that aspect. For the intended audience who prioritize sound quality the most, this might be less of a concern.
UX ⓘ
- Control Mechanism: Mechanical
- Touch Accuracy: N/A
- Control Symmetry on both ear-cups: No
- Mono Use: No
All the controls on the SE-1 are placed on the left earcup. There is the usual power button, along with volume up and down buttons and a 3.5mm input jack.
Pressing and holding the power button switches between BT and analog-only mode. The buttons have good feedback, with no noticeable wobbling.
Design ⓘ
- Profile: Over-ear
- Material: Plastic
- Fit and Comfort: Outstanding
Sineaptic SE-1 have a rather interesting design.
However, despite the unique look, the build materials are decidedly cheap, as it is one of the areas where Sineaptic had to cut corners. The entire build is plastic with the exception of the headband, which is spring steel.
The headband has excellent flexibility and can take a beating. The same cannot be said for the yoke, however, as it does not rotate along the axis, resulting in pressure buildup and a lack of finer adjustments.
One of the highlights is the “wing suspension system” that evenly and dynamically distributes the weight on top of the head. Audio-Technica utilizes a similar mechanism in some of their Air series of headphones.
Lastly, the earpads are very comfortable. You can remove them by detaching the clips from the housing by pushing underneath the pads.
Mic ⓘ
- Noise Cancellation: Good
- Voice Pick-up: Good
The SE-1 have good voice pickup even in relatively noisy surroundings. However, noise suppression could be better, as some sounds tend to leak into the mic. Other than that, the SE-1 gets the job done for an integrated mic setup.
Mic demo
Sound ⓘ
- Driver: Dual Ribbon array driver
- Sound Signature: Warm and bassy
- Bass: Good
- Mids: Good
- Treble: Average
- Soundstage: Outstanding
- Imaging: Good
- Dynamics: Average
The Sineaptic SE-1 have a bass-forward tuning with some emphasis near the presence region.
Before heading into the sound analysis, let’s talk about Ribbon drivers in general. There are some similarities in terms of the overall structure of the driver with planar magnetic design, as in both cases the diaphragm (or the moving mass) is suspended between two magnet arrays. However, the magnet arrays differ in design between planars and ribbons.
Another difference is the diaphragm material itself, where ribbons have a thin film of metal or metalized polymer in between the magnets that moves by the alternating current.
On the other hand, planar magnetic drivers have the voice coil etched (in metal) on some sort of polymer, so the effective voice coil area is less than that of a ribbon driver of the same size.
The weight of the diaphragm is also lighter on ribbon drivers, which gives them a massive advantage when it comes to reproducing high frequencies, as the breakup frequency is extremely high and beyond the audible range.
Bass
The bass response on the SE-1 is excellent, as the ribbon drivers produce a dense, physical low-end that is not lethargic or boomy. Even during fast passages, the driver can keep up without falling apart.
Snare hits sound full-bodied, while sub-bass rumble has decent depth to it. Unfortunately, the use of lossy Bluetooth codecs rob the low notes of some of their fidelity.
Due to the low maximum volume, bass rumble can also sound less satisfying for some.
Mids
The midrange is fairly well done in terms of overall presence, but the slight dip between 1-3 kHz can make male vocals lack some forwardness. On the other hand, this creates a sense of space and separation between the vocals and the bass guitar/cymbals, which can be a fun psychoacoustic effect.
Acoustic guitars and other string instruments have a sense of bite to them, which is rare among BT headphones. Overall, the midrange tuning is almost great, except for some hollowness that the dip can create in certain tracks.
Treble
Treble is where I encounter my biggest tonal issue with the Sineaptic SE-1.
The peak between 6-7 kHz can make the leading edge of cymbals and hi-hats sound overly sharp. Snare hits can also sound sharper and less rounded.
The upper-treble extension is nothing to write home about, albeit the SE-1 offer some sense of airiness. It’s just that the lossy BT codec (likely) does not allow the full extension of treble that the ribbon driver can otherwise produce.
Dynamics
Macrodynamic punch lacks some of the drama and impact that I expect. However, microdynamics are surprisingly good, with subtle shifts in volume being obvious.
Soundstage
The stage has above-average width and depth, while the stage height is great. Most Bluetooth headphones tend to sound “in-your-head”, a phenomenon that the SE-1 avoid with grace due to their open-back nature.
Imaging
Thanks to the open-back nature, imaging on the SE-1 is as good as it gets for a pair of wireless headphones. Compared to some high-end planars, it won’t be as razor-sharp, but considering the price point, I do not expect it to either.
Active noise cancellation
There is no Active noise cancellation feature on the SE-1. Instead, due to the open-back nature of the headphones, isolation is almost non-existent. There is also a fair bit of sound leakage when playing music at high volume.
Connectivity ⓘ
- Audio Codec: SBC, AAC
- Bluetooth Version: 5.2
- Auto-connect when: N/A
- Average drop-outs in an hour: 0-2
- Multi-point connection: No
Waterproof ⓘ
- IP Rating: Very Poor
Software ⓘ
The SE-1 have no software support, which can be a bummer for some. While the lack of ANC and transparency modes somewhat justifies the exclusion, the ability to dial in rudimentary EQ profiles would have been handy.
Comparisons
Sineaptic SE-1 vs Hifiman Deva Pro
The Hifiman Deva Pro utilize planar magnetic drivers and use a small, battery-powered R2R module that attaches to the headphones to act as a Bluetooth dongle. The SE-1, meanwhile, encase everything into the earcups themselves.
In terms of build and overall comfort, I think it’s a draw between these headphones. Both have a plastic build and both are comfortable. The Deva Pro are lighter, while the weight distribution is superior on the SE-1.
Being open-back designs, both headphones leak sound and lack ANC. The Deva Pro have better support for Hi-res codecs, something the SE-1 lack. Neither headphones have a companion app.
As for the sound, the SE-1 have better bass and midrange tuning. While the midrange has some similarities in tuning, the lower-midrange sound fuller on the SE-1. The sub-bass rumble is also more apparent on the SE-1, with superior physicality and speed.
Imaging and staging are better on the SE-1 as well, as the Deva Pro lack stage depth and everything sounds closed-in.
Treble response is less spicy on the Deva Pro, but the timbre is better on the SE-1.
Overall, between these two headphones, I’d pick the SE-1 over the Deva Pro. The overall tuning is better, and so are the spatial aspects.
Who Should Buy This
Those willing to experience “True Ribbon” sound at an affordable price point or looking for a wireless, open-back pair of headphones.
Final Thoughts
Sineaptic went for the bold and brave by placing ribbon drivers in the SE-1, which further complicated the overall design.
Moreover, the brand opted for an open-back design to not compromise on the acoustics. There are still compromises, however, as the average build and lack of high-bitrate Bluetooth codecs will suggest. I would have also preferred an app with PEQ support.
The biggest dealbreaker can be the low maximum volume for those who prefer listening at high volumes. It’s less of an issue for me, but I can understand why it may be a showstopper for some.
Another “teething pain” is the inconsistent QC, though I’d expect that Sineaptic have sorted it out by now. Early production units can be inconsistent and Sineaptic’s customer support has been quite responsive in dealing with such issues.
In the end, for a debut product, the SE-1 is an incredibly strong showing. The novelty of a unique driver setup and open-back design is there. With a bit more polish, these headphones could be a must-have for those who value sound quality above noise cancellation and other mainstream perks.
Where to Buy
Company Overview
Sineaptic is a new brand that specializes in designing true ribbon drivers, and the SE-1 are the debut headphones from the fledgling company.
What’s in the Box?
- Sineaptic SE-1 headphones
- 3m 3.5mm analog cable
- USB type-C cable
- Carrying pouch
- Hard shell carrying case
Technical Specifications
- Form: Headphones, Open
- Driver: 1 x True Ribbon Driver with dual-sided diaphragm
- Shell/Cup Material: Plastic
- Impedance (Ohm): Ohm
- Sensitivity (dB/mW): dB/mW (convert from dB/V if necessary)
- Frequency Response (Hz): 15 Hz – 25 KHz
- Removable Cable: Y
- Cable Type: 3m PVC coated
- Cup/Shell Jack: 3.5mm
- Source Jack: 3.5mm
- Bluetooth Version: 5.2
- Bluetooth Audio Codec: SBC, AAC
- Battery Life (hrs): up to 13 hours (Wireless mode)
- Mic: Y
- Waterproof IP Rating: N/A
- Weight (g): 412g