Bang & Oluffsen packages this as BeoPlay, but to us, it is B&O.
In photos, the H3 is gorgeous to look at, and it is lovingly packaged - by a very good designer at B&O. The in-line volume is top-of-the-class, and over-all, the look is sporty yet substantial, and thus far more becoming than typical IEM's*.
For $80.00 USD, the H3 would be pretty good. The sound is passable, yet rolled off, and rather seemingly, pleasant. The inward-facing side is solid, and the exterior, outward-facing side, is only marred by the brushed-aluminum style finish not being continued onto the sloping side - making a strong visual discontinuity, leading the entire product to look about $40.00 USD.
The manufacturing process B&O used may not of allowed a continuous side finish - but it would have looked rather nice, were it there. Also of negative note (smallest of details, mind you) is that the size of the multitudinous port holes are rather too large, compared with the narrow, round, "guitar-pick" shaped trough - on the outer fascia of the ear-phone.
In general, however, the headphone design is quirky, though fine, the packaging, excellent, and we would only like the cable and stereo-mini jack to be made thicker, and thus more durable, for general all-purpose use.
After our urBeats by Alexander Wang and Dr. Dre died during review, we eventually began to take a liking to the sound of the B&O H3 headphones. They do not present the refinement of the Sennheiser IE800, or the sturdiness of IE80, but they do fit the ear. We have considered an additional pair.
We like the Sennheiser-like ear buds that the unit is furnished with, and for us, it is the closest to an IEM design, that we find almost fashionably, purposely, acceptable.
No headphone can furnish an acceptable (+/- 1 dB) response. Perhaps it is because speakers, with a adequate or sub-standard living room will deviate as widely.
They will find good homes in lover's of progressive music, Rock, particularly, but will suit all types, and are easier to wear than models such as the A&K AKR-01, which rather suits us well-enough.
Product: B&O H3 In-Ear Headphone
Price: $300.00 USD
Value: $80.00 USD
Comparisons: Sennehiser CX-500, Sennheiser IE-80, Sennheiser IE-800, Sennheiser HD560, Sennheiser HD560II, Sennheiser HD650, Sennheiser HD-800, Alexander Wang Beats by Dr. Dre urBeats Special Edition, AKG K375, AKG K550, AKG Q701, Atomic Floyd PowerJax, Astell & Kern AKR-01, Sony MDR-V6, Ferrari Calvino T250, HiFiMan HE-300, Tumi Monster Inspriation, A-JAYS Five for iOS, Stax SR-Gamma, Stax SR-007 Omega II.
Sound: 33 / 100 (We score it high, like an LP, based on it's retrieval - not on it's sound)
Value: 26 / 100
Total Points: 39 / 200 (Like a finer dinner wine, the B&O H3 tastes better with age and use.)
Playback: Calynx Coffee DAC, Teac UD-A01 DAC, FiiO Olympus DAC, AudioEngine D1 DAC, Stax SRM-007t.
The B&O H3.
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