Pocket stage – Linsoul BLD Earbuds

Pocket stage – Linsoul BLD Earbuds

Linsoul BLD Earbuds are a pair of earbuds made by linsoul, costing around 40 USD at the moment of writing this review. They have a few enemies, and they come with a Balanced 2.5mm Balanced connector, rather than a 3.5mm Single Ended connector. 

Introduction

Linsoul BLD is the first earbud / product branded as Linsoul that I am reviewing from the mighty shop, one that’s really quite interesting. The shop, Linsoul, is basically one of the largest shops from China, selling Chi-Fi IEMs and earbuds, or even headphones and DAPs (Digital Audio Players). They speak English very well, and are very friendly, and they’ll surely solve any warranty issues, if they are to arise, being a really trustworthy shop to order products from. 

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Linsoul, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. This review is not sponsored nor has been paid for by Linsoul or anyone else. I’d like to thank Linsoul for providing the sample for this review. The sample was provided along with Linsoul’s request for an honest and unbiased review. This review reflects my personal experience with Linsoul BLD Earbuds. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in Linsoul  BLD Earbuds find their next music companion. 

Product Link (AliExpress): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Linsoul-BLD-150ohm-High-Impedance-Balanced-Earbud-High-Fidelity-HiFi-Earphone-4-4mm-2-5mm-Balanced/32869327378.html

Product Link (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Impedance-Balanced-Fidelity-Earphone/dp/B07CHC4RTC

Packaging

First things first, let’s get the packaging out of the way:

Well, this time there ain’t no package, the Earbuds just came coiled in a carrying case. I’m not sure if this is the final version of the package, or if there will be a full package, but either way, for an entry-level Earbud, I don’t really mind. 

Technical Specifications

Brand Name:Linsoul
Resistance:150Ω
Line Length:1.2m
Plug Type:Line Type
Sensitivity:110dB
Frequency Response Range:20-20000Hz
Vocalism Principle:Dynamic
Impedance:150 ohm
Connector:2.5mm/4.4mm Balanced



Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort

Linsoul BLD is an earbud that on the outside looks pretty much like every single earbud you’ve seen before, besides the red foams, and the cables, they have very few features to talk about. 

The foams provide some support for your ears, and they are actually quite comfortable in long-term wearing, thing which I couldn’t say about BGVP DX3S, for some reason, the shape and size of Linsoul BLD simply fits much better with my ears. 

BLD has two openings at the back, which act as both ventilations, and sound ports, the sound changes if you cover them up, so keeping them open provides the best sound possible with BLD. 

The cable is quite interesting, it looks pretty well made, and quite interesting, it is ended in a 2.5mm Balanced jack, Linsoul BLD being the only earbud that comes like this. 

The cables are only a bit microphonic, which is still a downside, and wearing them over-the-ear is possible, but doesn’t look very pretty. 

All in all, the build quality is fair, plastic all around, but they have good comfort, and a fancy-looking cable with a fancy jack. 



Sound Quality

Please note that with earbuds, it is normal for the sound quality to vary more between users than with IEMs, because earbuds do not have a perfect seal. 

This being said, the poor seal of earbuds, which is typical, also means that with most earbuds the bass rolls off below 80 Hz or so. 

Now, with Linsoul BLD, the sound is warm, very wide, quite dynamic, detailed, and clear, the midrange is in focus, but they have a good musical note weight, and they sound rather good at both medium and louder volumes. 

The bass is actually well extended for an earbud, down to about 65 – 70 Hz, it has good presence and thickness. The bass impact is fairly good for a 40 USD Earbud, and so is the overall detail. The bass also colors the midrange a bit with a pleasing warmth, without making the whole sound too thick or veiled. 

The midrange is warm tuned, and has a nice musicality to it, there is a good sense of space and depth with Linsoul BLD, they have a good amount of dynamics, especially for a 40 USD Earbud, and they have a nice instrument separation. The detail levels are also pretty good, with a nice nautral overall presentation of both male and female voices. 

The treble goes until about 9 kHz, but doesn’t have any peaks or dips that would color it, it is a natural treble, and they feel quite airy. There is little cymbal energy and texture, there is almost no grain, and they are neither metallic nor harsh. 

The rather amazing dynamics and detail, along with the wide and airy sound are most probably powered by the fact that I’m powering it from a rather high-end source, like FiiO Q5 + AM03A, which is really good, and since I’m kind of forced to use Linsoul BLD with high-quality balanced outputs, you’ll be as well, and they will perform better than most Earbuds in this price range, especially compared to earbuds that would come with a Single Ended Output. 

Overall, they are a pleasing surprise if you’re looking for a pair of earbuds, I was actually amazed by their sound for the low price and for the rather non-eccentric aesthetics. 



Portable Usage

The portable usage is average. 

Wearing Linsoul BLD portably has one or two disadvantages, namely the fact that they have driver flex, and the fact that they have a 2.5mm Balanced output, so you’ll basically require a dedicated DAP to power them, as no smartphone and no Bluetooth module doesn’t come with a 2.5mm Balanced output. 

This makes the decision to design them like this a touch questionable, like, even the most affordable DAP with a 2.5mm balanced output is fairly pricey compared to the price of those Earbuds, and even if you wanted to get earbuds, you may look at something more expensive, based on the 2.5mm Balanced output. 

Also, they are fully open, so there is little isolation, you need to either crank the volume really high, or accommodate hearing a lot of noise from the outside world, if wearing them portably. 

They leak sound quite a bit as well, so you probably won’t want to listen to technical death metal or grindcore while taking a nice sunday bus trip while wearing Linsoul BLD. 



Comparisons 

The main competitor of Linsoul BLD is BGVP DX3S (50 USD), as I simply haven’t tested that many other Earbuds in the more affordable price range yet. Comparing BLD to IEMs is possible but not really the point of this review, since they are earbuds and the better seal of IEMs would provide a much better sound. I can say this though, compared to most sub 50 USD IEMS, Linsoul BLD manages to sound more open and have a warmer, more pleasing midrange, but lacks the bass depth and treble sparkle of most. 

Linsoul BLD vs BGVP DX3S – Starting with the package, DX3S wins hands-down. They come with an actual package, they come with accessories and with many of them. DX3S also has detachable cables. The price between the two is the same, but DX3S also has better build quality, better cable, and better accessories. This being said, Linsoul BLD is much more comfortable, where DX3S barely say in my ears. BLD has a much sweeter, more warm, more pleasing midrange, a more euphonic experience with more bass, where DX3S is considerably colder, more wide and airy, sounds more open, but the bass rolls out quicker, they have less bass presence and less impact, and less note weight, where BLD sounds much more natural, with a more spot-on tonality for both male and female vocals. Overall, Linsoul BLD is made to be listened, it is not fancy, but it sounds really pleasing and euphonic, it sounds warm and happy, where DX3S is cold and lacks bass, it is uncomfortable, although it has a much better package and build quality than Linsoul BLD. 



Value and Conclusion

Linsoul BLD is a 40 USD Earbud from China, sold by Linsoul, you know it will have a good value, and an excellent warranty, and although it doesn’t come with much in terms of package, it has a nice comfort, and a really warm and pleasing sound. 

They aren’t the most portable though, and you will require a source with a balanced output, they will leak a lot of sound, and they won’t isolate very well, but the sound is very open, warm, and pleasing, and they are a pleasure to listen, especially with warmer, more happy music. 

Since you’ll need a Balanced source, you’ll also be taking advantage of better DAPs, but then again, at 40 USD, those are probably going to be your emergency Earbuds, as if you’ve spent about 150 USD on a DAP (Digital Audio Player), I would highly recommend purchasing at least a 150 – 300 USD IEM / Headphone to pair it with, the earbud / IEM / Headphone is really important in your listening setup. But then again, even if stacked against IEMs in the 100 USD price range, if you don’t mind the bass roll-off, Linsoul BLD still has a really sweet and nice midrnage, and a good amount of detail and dynamics. 

If you’re looking for an entry-level earbud with a 2.5mm Balanced Jack, you’ll surely want to take a look at Linsoul BLD, for their warm midrange, rather pleasing bass experience, and for their hassle-free, fatigue-free and smooth treble, which is sure to never stress you. 

Product Link (AliExpress): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Linsoul-BLD-150ohm-High-Impedance-Balanced-Earbud-High-Fidelity-HiFi-Earphone-4-4mm-2-5mm-Balanced/32869327378.html

Product Link (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Impedance-Balanced-Fidelity-Earphone/dp/B07CHC4RTC

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Full Playlist used for this review

We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature.  I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5

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