I’ve been reviewing headphones for effectively over a decade now, whereas headphones are getting higher on a regular basis, providing very good audio high quality at cheaper price factors, it’s uncommon to search out innovation that alters your music consumption expertise altogether. And it’s a second of satisfaction when such a change is triggered by an Indian firm. That is precisely what Sonic Lamb from Mangalore-based Rapture Innovation Labs is attempting to do.
Merely put, Sonic Lamb is a high-fidelity headphone that makes use of an extra proprietary driver that converts audio indicators into mechanical impulses, remodeling the distinctive ear pads right into a digital diaphragm that permits customers to really feel the music. The corporate claims that as an alternative of immediately transferring low-frequency sound as air strain waves into the ear, in Sonic Lamb the low-frequency audio is directed to the pores and skin and bone as a mechanical impulse by way of the “wooferpads”.
However does this actually translate into a singular listening expertise? Let’s see.
The Sonic Lamb is a big, plush headphone that covers your ears and nestles them in very comfy ear pads. The headbands are cushioned for lengthy hours of listening although they have an inclination to grow to be a bit sizzling inside in sultry Indian situations. The ear cups are giant with the precise one housing a lot of the controls from energy to quantity and mode management dial. There’s a 3.5mm port in addition to a USB-C port for charging.
To begin with, the headphones do include a daily Hear mode the place the hybrid driver doesn’t kick in a lot. As I switched on the headphones for the primary time, I might hear their signature word growth contained in the headphones, giving a great indicator of the issues to return. I began with the Hear mode which affords a really wealthy audio profile that’s barely a fan of bass. However it isn’t a bass-heavy expertise however a mellow wrapping form of impact at the same time as every thing else comes throughout with good readability.
Listening to a tune like Creep by Kina Grannis, the vocals shine by way of even because the bass provides the guitar a soul of its personal. Once I change to the subsequent Really feel mode, out of the blue the guitar will get a lift… nearly like including a way of aggression to the ache. However the vocals are nonetheless the place they had been and that is the impact of the 2 drivers in every ear. The dynamic driver controls the air and the hybrid driver passes on the texture slowly the realm round your ears.
As I transfer to the third Immerse mode with Teenage Dirtbag I can really feel the music on the ear cups. Some components of the tune are moved to the texture layer, principally the guitar and percussion. I remembered I had simply the playlist for this. I switched to Karasuma by David Kechley and I might really feel the trumpets too on this superb composition that strains even the very best headphones on the market. With Cindy McTee’s Circuits, I felt as if my head was subsequent to the bass drums. You get the texture with quite a lot of refrain too, like in Leonard Cohen’s Boogie Road. This headphone with its sound stage takes you to a special degree altogether. It’s an immersive expertise, I felt as if I used to be listening to Cohen sing stay… one thing I’ll by no means be capable to do in actual life.
The fourth Beast mode is for if you find yourself lacking a Punjabi marriage ceremony or a Goa nightclub. Right here you’re feeling as in case your ears have fallen right into a pool of one thing powerfully narcotic. It really works for these sorts of songs too. As an illustration, that is made for many who like Du Hast and Tub Thumbing, although it provides a brand new layer to even acquainted songs like Rangisari and Anandadhara.
Frankly, I used to be blown away once I first acquired a demo of the Sonic Lamb. It was like the primary time I noticed a film in 3D, a mind-bending expertise. However then when 3D made it to tv, after preliminary awe you don’t actually use the characteristic. The final mode of the headphones should be like that, a characteristic you realize you’ve entry to however wish to use sparingly.
The place this works very effectively is if you wish to watch say a Conjuring on the TV alone at dwelling and safer the residing daylight out of your self. For films, the third Immerse mode is ideal.
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The corporate thinks there’s a gaming angle to this too and I can solely agree, particularly with the Beast mode the place you may really feel somebody sneaking on you from behind. The corporate is therefore giving a removable boom-type microphone for these customers.
The Sonic Lamb is probably the most attention-grabbing headphone that has been on my ears for fairly a while. It’s a good headphone that gives wealthy playback with out distorting what the musician supposed. The hybrid driver does provide the choice to dial up the expertise, fairly actually. However I really feel the intense mode could be a little bit of overkill for simply leisurely listening, which is what quite a lot of us wish to do more often than not. The Beast, and to a sure extent the Immerse mode, can get a bit exhausting over lengthy durations.
At a suggestion worth of Rs 15,999, the Sonic Lamb is a good headphone for many who like to take their music listening to the subsequent degree. Nevertheless, the dearth of lively noise cancelling is a dampener at this worth level. However bear in mind that is Indian innovation, nonetheless so uncommon within the audio area and that’s one good motive for us to help this model.
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First printed on: 21-09-2023 at 12:21 IST
