Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 Review – Urban Legends: Life Is Like A Box Of Urbanfuns
Pros
Comfortable and well fitting.
Good details and instrument separation for a single DD set.
Great soundstage at price point.
Accurate instrumental timbre.
Quality bass with good transients and nice texturing in bass.
Easily drivable.
Cons:
MMCX QC issues and doubt in driver type (and hence tuning) exists even today.
Depressed lower mids, distant male vocals sometimes.
Slightly below average isolation.
Sellers greedily went to price gouge and jack up the price from $39 USD to $60+ USD after it was hyped to the moon.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
“My Mom Always Said Life Was Like A Box Of Urbanfuns. You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get.” Statement courtesy of Headfier lgcubana and Forrest Gump.
This above statement is a microcosm of the MMCX QC issues and driver doubts that plague the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 even till today. The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 sports a V shaped tuning with good transients, nice soundstage and great technicalities for a single DD set, coupled with authentic timbre and good bass texturing and extension. It is a big pity that QC problems overshadow, distract and detract from the otherwise good sound of the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is indeed urbane and fun, and the hype is justfied IF (and this is a big IF) a working legit beryllium driver set is obtained.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Type: Purportedly 10 mm beryllium plated single dynamic driver. Some have unfortunately gotten a “noble metal” driver which has different tuning.
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 40 kHz
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW
- Cable type: MMCX
- Available at $60ish USD
DECODING THE URBAN LEGEND: MMCX QC AND IGNOBLE “NOBLE METAL” DRIVER CONTROVERSY?
Forgive me for meandering, but before we go on to the review proper, I would like to tell an urban legend (no pun intended) about the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014’s MMCX QC issues and ignoble “noble metal” driver controversy. Feel free to skip this, but I feel it is only fair to describe this in more detail, so that potential buyers go in with their eyes open. As we know, budget CHIFI is not a paragon for robust QC, but the MMCX QC issues and driver controversy of the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 takes this to a new and almost laughable level, such that I have to dedicate one whole section for this.
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 was originally retailing at $39 USD when it first launched, but after it was hyped to the moon, the sellers are now selling it at $60 – 69 USD. Well willing buyer, willing seller. Supposedly this price gouge was to “guarantee” that the MMCX and driver issues are fixed, but as of the time of this writing, I still see numerous reports on audio forums of faulty MMCX connectors even with recent purchases (which come in a white box).
MMCX problems aside, there is also a possibility of receiving a “noble metal” driver instead of a beryllium driver when purchasing the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. Some platforms like Taobao do let you select which driver version to buy, but other places like Aliexpress/Amazon do not. Well you can ask the Aliexpress sellers whether they are selling a beryllium version with good MMCX connectors, but all salesmen will tell you what you want to hear and you can be none the wiser. To be fair, maybe the sellers themselves also are none the wiser on what driver type is supplied by their suppliers. So it is really playing Russian roulette to see which driver type comes in the mail from said platforms.
There have been some fellow audio enthusiasts in the audio forums who own both a “noble metal” and beryllium driver Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, and they say the tuning is different (credit to Slater and chickenmoon from Headfi). According to guru Slater (credit to him), who has both driver types, the beryllium version has deeper subbass and more treble extension, so basically he finds it more dynamic. Slater finds the “noble metal” version more balanced, like a shallow V shape with less extended subbass and treble. The “noble metal” driver is apparently an aluminum-magnesium alloy, which isn’t that noble after all if it changes the tuning. I’ve also read quite differing review opinions about this set too. Could that be explained to some extent by the different driver types received by reviewers?
So comes the million dollar question: how does one tell if their Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is a “noble metal” or beryllium driver? Well credit once again to Slater, who writes this on headfi:
“The only way to tell is to remove the nozzle mesh and shine a light onto the driver inside the shell. There is a very small hole in the center of the metal cover over the driver, and you can see the center dome of the diaphragm.
Using a powerful magnifying glass, you should be able to tell what type the driver is.
If it is highly reflective, like a chrome mirror finish, then it is the beryllium driver. If it is dull greyish/silver metal, and does NOT have a mirror finish, then it is the noble metal version.”
My Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 was bought second hand, features a black box with a monkey logo and has a pink cable, so it is one of the older batches (unlike newer batches that come with a white box +/- grey cable). I’m not as hands on as Slater, so I didn’t dare to force open the nozzle mesh and hence can’t confirm 100% if it is a “noble metal” or beryllium driver. But I think based on the sound description (see below), it seems to tie up with some others that my set is V shaped with good subbass extension and texturing, so it probably is the beryllium version.
In fact, due to the doubt of driver type, and these MMCX problems, I decided to buy my Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 second hand from a local shop, so that I could test the MMCX and the sound before purchase. So regarding the urban legend of the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 QC issues, I experienced it firsthand: my set had some MMCX issues on the left earpiece, but the seller was flogging it second hand at a relatively cheap $29 USD. There’s an old adage: “you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”. I almost laughed in the shop seeing the black box with a monkey logo laughing back at me. Well after listening to the set, I thought the sound was actually very good, the basshead in me liked the subbass texturing, so at that price, I felt that’s an acceptable risk to stomach, I’ll just leave a cable on the MMCX connector permanently. However, if I bought it at the current full price of $69 USD price and found a wonky MMCX, I would have been pissed for sure.
Other than testing it prior to purchase, you can consider buying the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 from a platform/local shop with a robust returns policy, eg Amazon, as there’s a chance of getting a lemon. If you are gonna buy it from Aliexpress or somewhere else without a good customer support/returns policy, don’t blame us if you get a lemon or ignoble “noble metal” driver, Caveat emptor!
I know some budget CHIFI companies skimp on QC to save costs, but this is a real case of penny wise, pound foolish. Other than myself, there are multiple reports of MMCX QC problems in the audio forums, that are reported even in newer batches of the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 which came with a white box. Some had no sound from one side of the IEM on arrival, some had their MMCX breaking after a few cable changes, some had their sets die after a few weeks of use. So much so the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is now famous (or rather infamous) for their poor QC. In fact I held off on buying the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 for months cause of this, and perhaps others will be facing the same dilemma. I do hope Urbanfun can get their act together and do a thorough review of their QC/driver issues and ensure that every set comes with a working MMCX and beryllium driver. The small amount of effort, time and costs put into good QC will in the long run provide better sales and reputation for the company. There’ readily available solutions like finding a different factory/supplier for your MMCX connectors, spending a bit more on higher quality MMCX connectors, or even using a 2 pin connector etc. There is a already a good product lying underneath here, just that it is tarnished with the QC/driver doubt brush.
Anyways, thanks for reading the background urban legend behind the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, let’s get to the meat of the review now.
ACCESSORIES
In addition to the IEM, it comes with:
1) Silicone tips and foam tips of various sizes.
2) Stock cable -> pretty well braided, minimal microphonics. Mine is pink, and of the older batch; I see newer batches arrive in a grey cable.
3) Semi rigid zipper case.
4) Small metal case for foam tips.
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is quite well accessorized, everything is useable out of the box, no need to mess around with aftermarket tips/cables.
BUILD/COMFORT
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is made of metal, the shape of which is rather reminiscent of the BLON BL-03, but the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014’s fit is much much better due to the longer nozzle compared to the BLON BL-03. It is very comfortable and ergonomic, I can use it for hours with no issues.
No driver flex was detected on my set.
For my set, the left side MMCX housing was a wee bit wonky as stated above, as it had difficulty connecting an MMCX cable until after multiple attempts. I think the housing side was a bit loose, but after some difficulty, I managed to pair a cable on it and I intend to leave it there till kingdom come. Hence, I strongly suggest you stick one MMCX cable on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 and DO NOT change the cable unnecessarily (if at all). That’s my general rule for MMCX type IEMs, but it will be respected 100% for sure on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. In fact, I have even seen other users using micropore and other tapes to attach the cable onto the MMCX connector permanently.
ISOLATION
Having brought the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 for a spin on the subway, I find its isolation is slightly below average. Like other vented single DD type sets, it generally loses to multi BA unvented gear in the isolation department. The good thing is the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 has boosted bass, so this tends to counteract the bass losses in a noisy environment, like during transit, but it still wouldn’t be my first choice for a commuting IEM due to the lack of isolation.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 with a Shanling Q1 DAP, Ziku HD X9 DAP, Samsung Note 5, Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, Sabre HIFI DAC (ESS ES9280C PRO) and a Khadas Tone Board -> Fiio A3 Amp. The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is pretty drivable from lower powered sources, with only slight scaling of soundstage and technical performance with amping, so amping is not truly needed.
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 lies on the warmer side tuning wise, so I find that pairing it with a warmer source may make things overly muddy. As such, I preferred neutral or more analytical sources with it.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 sports a warm V shaped tuning, with hefty bass and boosted upper mids.
Beryllium drivers are purportedly marketed for giving fast transients and taking well to EQ and indeed, the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 has good transients and control in the bass especially, and doesn’t distort even with robust EQ.
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 has one of the better technical performances for a sub $100 single DD set, with good details and instrument separation, though some multi BA/hybrid type gear may have better technicalities at this price point. Imaging on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is above average but nothing to write home about. Soundstage is wide and tall for the price, though depth of soundstage is about average. Music sounds spacious yet natural with the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014.
Timbre is authentic and excellent for acoustic instruments, with notes being precise, yet with good note weight.
Bass:
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 has great subbass extension, with bass just a level shy of basshead jawrattling levels, depending on the track. Subbass seems more elevated than midbass for me, with midbass being punchy with only mild midbass bleed. Forgive me for the pun, but a legit beryllium driver Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 with great subbass can really live up to the name “suburban”, the basshead in me totally approves this. The subbass amounts of course depend on getting a good eartip seal, as bass is usually the first to be lost in a bad seal. But I think those that are bass averse or prefer a neutralish bass may need to look elsewhere. One also can potentially decrease the bass amounts by using a wider bore silicone tip instead of the stock ones.
Despite the copious bass quantities, the beryllium driver has some sort of sorcery that gives the bass good control with excellent texturing, remaining clean with tight transients. The bass doesn’t encroach much into vocals or the mids, and there’s good bass timbre also.
Mids:
Lower mids are more recessed than upper mids on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, though the balance between the 2 is quite well done. I did find rarely, that there was a slight glare in the upper mids, for example with brass instruments when the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 was played at higher volumes (Fletcher Munson curve). But by and large at moderate and low volumes, I thought the upper mids were tame and inoffensive compared to some budget CHIFI offenders. The lower mids reccession loses a bit of points for me though and midlovers might need to look elsewhere, as male vocals sounded a bit distant.
Timbre for acoustic instruments is excellent along the mid frequencies, with instruments sounding quite natural to my ears, other than the aforementioned lower mids recession.
Treble:
Upper treble extension for the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is not the best, this is not a treblehead set, but it is not fatiguing and not sibilant and is a safe treble for our treble sensitive brethen. Nevertheless, details and clarity are above average, but won’t beat some brighter multi BA/hybrid sets in the treble clarity, details and treble extension.
COMPARISONS
You find some of the earphones mentioned below reviewed HERE.
I decided to compare the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 with some other hyped single DD sets. Multi BA/hybrid sets have their own pros and cons compared to single DD sets, so it would be comparing apples and oranges as such and they were left out of this comparison.
1) iBasso IT00 ($69 USD)
The iBasso IT00 is more U shaped in tuning, compared to the V shaped Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 has more boosted upper mids, but more depressed lower mids. Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 has better bass texturing and bass rumble and the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is more basshead in quantity. iBasso IT00 has better extension at the treble, with more airiness.
Technicalities wise they are close, with both being good for a single DD set, but they both won’t beat some multi BA/hybrid sets in the similar price bracket in technicalities. The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 edges out the IT00 in timbre and soundstage, whereas the IT00 has slightly better clarity and instrument separation. Imaging is about on par. Tonally, I prefer the IT00 for the less depressed lower mids and airier treble.
Isolation is also better on the IT00, and coupled with the more balanced tuning, I do pick the IT00 for daily use and transit use more often than the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. But when I need my basshead kick or listen to bass forward music genres, eg EDM, then the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is selected, so they are complimentary sets in a way.
2) BLON BL-03 ($25 USD) (but it probably costs closer to $40 – 50 with aftermarket tips/cables in view of the atrocious stock fit)
The BLON BL-03 at higher volumes has shoutier upper mids. Bass quantities are similar, but the bass of the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is of better quality and speed and texturing, with the BLON BL-03 having a slower, boomier bass that can’t keep up with fast or complex bass tracks. The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 also extends better for me in the subbass and has better technicalities in all other departments compared to the BLON BL-03. Timbre between the 2 sets is excellent and about on par.
Fit and accessories are way better on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, with the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 having a longer nozzle that doesn’t necessitate messing around with spacer mods, longer nozzle eartips or aftermarket cables. The BLON BL-03 has slightly worse isolation, though both are poor in the isolation department as a whole.
3) TFZ NO. 3 ($109 USD)
The TFZ No. 3 is more V shaped and is shoutier in the upper mids with louder volumes. The No. 3 is a bona fide basshead IEM and has more bass quantity and extension than the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, but the No. 3’s bass is pretty bloated and uncontrolled when compared to the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014’s faster and tighter bass. TFZ No.3’s bass isn’t particularly textured or accurate either.
TFZ No. 3 has a much poorer instrument timbre with a more claustrophobic soundstage, with notes sounding quite compressed in the TFZ No. 3. Other areas of technical performance are also better on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. TFZ No. 3 perhaps has better isolation, and may also be an option for those wanting jawrattling bass in view of the massive bass amounts, though the bass isn’t the best in quality as discussed above. Other than QC issues, I don’t see (or rather hear) any other areas where the TFZ No. 3 is better than the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, despite the former’s higher price tag.
4) Final Audio E3000 ($50 USD)
The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is more V shaped than the Final Audio E3000, with better extension on both ends. Bass is better textured, speedier and more tight on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. Final E3000 is more midbass focused, and I found the subbass a bit lacking personally. Lower mids are less recessed on the Final Audio E3000, with better timbre and a more natural tonality on the Final Audio E3000. Upper mids are smooth and non fatiguing on the Final Audio E3000, in contrast to the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 which can get a tad hot in the upper mids with louder volumes on rare occasions. Vocals were definitely better balanced on the Final Audio E3000 due to the less recessed lower mids.
The Final Audio E3000 has better soundstage, though at the expense of poorer isolation. Technicalities wise, I thought that instrument separation and imaging were better on the Final Audio E3000 too.
Build wise, other than the possibility of a wonky MMCX on the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, I still preferred the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 to the noodle thin non detachable microphonic cable of the Final Audio E3000, which may be a point of failure down the line. I think some wear the Final Audio E3000 over the ears to eliminate the cable noise, though I had a few stares when I tried that in public previously, and the isolation doesn’t cut it for transit use for me, YMMV.
The Final Audio E3000 is quite a power hungry little beast, despite the specs on paper, and amping definitely allows it to scale a lot, in contrast to the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, which is quite drivable even from humble smartphones.
Overall the 2 sets are pretty different, but i preferred the Final Audio E3000 cause of its tonality, timbre, mids and soundstage compared to the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. The Final Audio E3000 still manages to stand the test of time and is quite an underrated gem in the sea of new hypetrains, only thing is the crappy non detachable microphonic cable and lack of isolation preclude me from using it more for outdoors and transit.
CONCLUSIONS
So, is this an urbane and fun set? Well, only if you get a legit working beryllium driver Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 with working MMCX connectors. The Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 sports a V shaped tuning with good transients, nice soundstage and great technicalities for a single DD set, coupled with authentic timbre and great bass texturing and extension. It should actually be one of the top sub $100 single DD sets, but……..
“My Mom Always Said Life Was Like A Box Of Urbanfuns. You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get.”
We come back to this statement about the QC issues and driver doubts surrounding the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, which sadly distract and detract from an otherwise good sound of a legit beryllium driver Urbanfun YBF-ISS014. As such, I cannot universally recommend this set, or can only recommend it with major reservations. I strongly suggest to only buy the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 from a place with a good returns policy/customer support, eg Amazon, or buy it from a second hand shop in my case, where you can test the MMCX and sound prior to purchase (or no purchase). If you feel lucky and wanna play Russian roulette and get it from Aliexpress and other places without a solid returns policy/warranty, then by all means, but don’t blame us if a wonky MMCX or ignoble “noble metal” driver set comes in the mail! Caveat emptor!
Based on sound alone, I would have rated the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 very high, even in my top 5 sub $100 single DD sets, it is truly a basshead set that warms my basshead heart (no pun intended). It is with great pity that I have to deduct points from it and knock it down from a highly recommended set to a meh recommendation, due to the QC problems and driver doubts, not to mention the price gouge stunt the mercenary sellers pulled after it received massive hype. I’d be happy to change my review and rating if Urbanfun can show that it can consistently churn out future Urbanfun YBF-ISS014s with a good track record of working MMCX connectors and being 100% legit beryllium drivers. As it is, the QC issues and driver doubt will be an albatross around the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014’s neck for the foreseeable future, and it will be held back from the pantheon of great budget CHIFI over very correctable and preventable issues.
TEST TRACKS
1) Forrest Gump OST – Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates Urbanfuns
2) Doris Day – Que Sera Sera —> I really liked the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 at 01:14, it really showcases the timbre of the voices when Doris Day sings the following heavenly lyrics:
“When I was just a little girl,
I asked my mother what will it be?
Will it be “noble”?
Will MMCX by wonky?
Here’s what she said to me:
Que Sera Sera,
Whatever will be will be,
The future’s not ours to see,
Best buy it with a good warranty!
Que Sera Sera”
3) Van Halen – Loss of Quality Control
4) The Beach Boys – Noble Metal Surfer
5) Lenny Kravitz – Mr. Cab Noble Driver
MY VERDICT
Please only buy the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 from a place where there is a robust returns/warranty policy, or where you can test it prior to purchase, in view of the possibility of MMCX QC issues or doubt in driver type!!!
DISCLAIMER
I bought the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 at $29 USD at my own expense from a local second hand shop.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
