Audiofly AF1120 In-ear Earphone Review

Design –

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The AF1120’s may not be the most visually striking earphones and they certainly don’t draw the eye like the Campfire Nove, Dunu DK-3001 and Plussound Prism. But in return, the minute, plastic Audiofly’s provide ergonomic perfection with just a hint of visual flare via those intriguing transparent housings.

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In terms of design, the AF1120’s employ the typical Audiofly style housing that is very unique and distinct amongst more typical in-ear monitors. And though they are unorthodox, I found Audiofly’s angular pod-shaped design to achieve fantastic comfort that was, for my ears, superior to Westone’s UM Pro earphones and on par with the most comfortable in-ears out there like those from Phonak, Klipsch and Oriveti. The housings are simply perfectly shaped, they really hug the inside of the ear and their thin, curved rears avoid forming hotspots. This flawless comfort is aided but their minute dimensions; I considered the 5-driver Westone UM 50 Pro to be impressive, but the AF1120 contains an extra driver in a shell that is around half the width. They have a super low-profile fit that not only sits flush in my ear, but slightly recessed. As such, they are perfect to sleep with, even on the side, and wind noise is minimised.

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With an over-ear design, fit stability is also fantastic. They have a very deep fit by virtue of their long, thin nozzles and they really lock into the ear like the 64Audio U3 and Westone Um Pro earphones. Furthermore, their super small, lightweight housings barely budge during activity, making them perfect for running and stage use. They are also full-sealed producing fabulous noise isolation that is on par with the Plussound Prism and just bested by the metal Campfire earphones, you won’t find much more isolation beyond Customs. With their comfort and stability, the earphones were perfect in the gym and on the plane though I found their isolation was actually excessive for commute where I like to keep some connection with my environment for safety reasons.

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However, the AF1120 isn’t all flawless as their cable is one of the worst I’ve handled around this price. While it is removable, utilising a standard MMCX connector, both the earphones themselves and cable are keyed, preventing the cables from swivelling and also preventing the use of third party cables. In addition, I found the connectors to be quite loose, lacking the authoritative snap of other modern MMCX earphones, and the earpieces unintentionally detached several times during my testing. While I didn’t notice any intermittency when listening I had to be a bit more careful when uncoiling the earphones from storage. I’m still not sure why Audiofly didn’t just go with a 2-pin connector.

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The cable itself is also pretty mediocre and certainly not as compelling as the fantastic units offered by competitors like Plussound and Campfire. The cable is quite long at 1.6m, which is great at home, but a bit awkward during portable use (though a cable winder solves this issue easily). The cable itself has a relatively supple fabric sheath below the y-split and a braided construction to the earpieces, my main issue is with the cable above the y-split as it is incredibly thin, springy and has noticeable memory. This makes it exceptionally tangle prone and difficult to untangle too. The cable is also relatively microphonic despite running over the ear due to its stiffness and tight braid. Audiofly should really consider including a thicker gauge wire above the y-split both for ergonomics and longevity; I understand that the cable is intended to be lightweight, but it is simply too compromised for convenient use and the earphones are easily stable enough to support a slightly heavier unit.

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On the flipside, the actual build quality of the cable is quite good with great strain relief on the 90-degree plug and beefy y-split; which is arguably a bit too beefy. They employ well-formed plastic ear guides, my preferred implementation, rather than memory wire which I found to be both comfortable and secure. The earphones also have a basic chin slider that holds its place relatively well though when slid to the y-split, it does put some stress on the cabling.

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ABOUT AUTHOR

Ryan Soo

Ryan Soo

Avid writer, passionate photographer and sleep-deprived medical student, Ryan has an ongoing desire to bring quality products to the regular reader.

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4 Responses

  1. thanks ryan.

    and af1120 vs 64audio u4se?, im looking for this preference sound>build quality>fit.
    cheers.

  2. The U6 has the same shell as the U3, so it’s not quite as comfortable and portrudes from the ear a lot more than the Audiofly. The cable is much better, using a regular 2-pin. Their sound is considerably bassier and more u-shaped rather than the slightly mid-forward AF1120. The U6 has a more soundstage space and detailing is more aggressive. For pure sound, I would take the U6 by a fair margin, but if you’re very fit sensitive, perhaps the Audiofly is a better choice.

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